EDITION: U.S.
undercover boss
It's a Close Call When an Excited Waitress Recognizes Her 'Undercover Boss' (VIDEO)
by Jason Hughes, posted Jan 3rd 2011 1:47AM
It was inevitable that somebody would eventually recognize one of the CEOs masquerading as lower-level employees on 'Undercover Boss' (Sun., 9PM on CBS). This week, it was Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Kevin Sheehan's bad luck, as it were, to run across a server who'd waited on him once before.When Sheehan showed up to work among the kitchen and serving staff, he was immediately recognized by Silvia, a waitress who prides herself on remembering her guests.
"How did you recognize me?" he asked her, after pulling her aside for a private chat.
"I have served you once in Epic Club," Silvia responded. And apparently, that's all it takes.
Johnny Rockets' 'Undercover' Boss Is Recognized (VIDEO)
by Aimee Deeken, posted Dec 13th 2010 6:50AM
Last month Todd Ricketts was recognized while working for the Chicago Cubs on 'Undercover Boss' (Sun., 9PM ET on CBS). In the latest episode, the true identity of another incognito boss is leaked, this time that of Johnny Rockets CEO John Fuller.Fuller is working the front of a restaurant when the in-laws of the franchise's owner sit down at the bar. Fuller remembers meeting them a few months ago; they recall it, too. "You look like somebody else ... the CEO of the Johnny Rockets," says the woman, loudly. His trainer Claudia overhears.
When Fuller hands them their drinks he whispers, "You've gotta protect me on this ... You don't know me after this."
'Undercover Boss' Gets Fired on First Day (VIDEO)
by Aimee Deeken, posted Dec 6th 2010 5:45AM
Henrik Slipsager is president/CEO of ABM Industries, a facilities contractor offering janitorial, parking and security services for companies across the nation. During his disguised stint on 'Undercover Boss' (Sun., 9PM ET on CBS), he washes skyscraper windows and cleans toilets. But his first task is driving an airport shuttle bus with trainer Kenny.Henrik is slow to help passengers with their bags and complains about how heavy they are. Before moving to the next terminal, Kenny says, "I'm gonna tell you, you broke all the rules, man ... You gotta move faster." Then, instead of correctly reporting his whereabouts to the dispatch office, Henrik cusses.
Kenny is exasperated: "Everybody in the airport is hearing you! You will go back to the garage. I have to pull you off the seat." Fired on day one.
Subway Exec Struggles to Make Sandwiches, Locks Himself in a Freezer on 'Undercover Boss' (VIDEO)
by Oliver Miller, posted Nov 22nd 2010 7:01AM
The motto for the Subway chain of restaurants is "Eat Fresh." But no one's going to eat fresh -- or quickly -- if the chef gets locked inside the walk-in freezer. Which is what happens on 'Undercover Boss' (Sun., 9PM ET on CBS), when boss Don Fertman goes incognito. Don is the Director of Development for Subway, and though he's worked there for 29 years, he doesn't how how to make a sub-style sandwich -- which is what the company is based on, after all. Now, Fertman poses as "John Wilson." But as he goes undercover through the South, Don talks too much and jokes around, frustrating the employees who try to train him.
First, Jessi Polk says he's "really slow," and relegates Don to taking out the trash. In Alabama, the manager calls Fertman a "Chatty Cathy," as he takes an agonizingly long time to build a single sandwich. A Subway in Orlando is Don's third chance -- will the third time be the charm?
Lucky Strike Lanes CEO Gets Weepy on 'Undercover Boss' (VIDEO)
by Aimee Deeken, posted Nov 15th 2010 5:45AM
CEO Steven Foster donned a wig (and, at one point, a bowling pin costume) as "Aaron" on 'Undercover Boss' (Sun., 9PM ET on CBS). While in Houston, Foster worked with Jermaine. After the big reveal, the CEO recruited him for a special training team, saying, "Your positivity is unbelievable." Foster asked that Jermaine use his computer programming skills to integrate two computer systems. Also, Jermaine's ideas for a Lucky Strike T-shirt would be implemented, with a percentage of the sales made into a fund for his blind son.
Foster then broke down. "You get moments like this in life that are turning points -- that's this," he said through tears. Jermaine got emotional, too.
Todd Ricketts, Chicago Cubs Co-Owner, Nearly Has True Identity Exposed on 'Undercover Boss' (VIDEO)
by Oliver Miller, posted Nov 8th 2010 9:17AM
Todd Ricketts is the youngest member of the Ricketts family -- owners of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. The family is worth an estimated $1 billion. Still, Todd is no stranger to hard work. His father put in 80-hour weeks, and Todd wasn't allowed to join the family business until he was 30 -- his dad wanted him to rise or fall based on his own merits. But there's hard work and then there's hard work -- as Todd learns on 'Undercover Boss' (Sun., 9PM ET on CBS). Todd goes undercover at Wrigley Field, working under the fake name of "Mark Dawson." And things don't go so smoothly.
First, "Mark" is fired from his position of bathroom cleaner in the Cubs' stadium. He gets in trouble during his next job as well. Todd/Mark tries to sell hot dogs, but has four dogs left over at the end of his shift. Ricketts throws the wieners in the trash, causing a confrontation with his supervisor.
Chiquita's 'Undercover Boss' Helps Employees Pursue American Dream (VIDEO)
by Aimee Deeken, posted Nov 1st 2010 5:50AM
Chiquita Brands International CEO Fernando Aguirre had some difficulties as "Manuel" on 'Undercover Boss' (Sun., 9PM ET on CBS). But trying times in the warehouses and lettuce fields gave him new perspective and helped him appreciate his employees.After the big reveal, he offered to personally mentor Miguel "Magic" (who'd recently taken a demotion to keep his job during cutbacks) and enrolled him in a company program that would set him on track for promotion. Aguirre also gave him a $10,000 scholarship for his two kids.
The CEO then told Leo, "You're one of the best trainers I've met." He and his family received a paid vacation. Aguirre added, "We're going to pay for you to file your paperwork for American citizenship." The CEO recently paid $15,000 to become a citizen himself. "I want you to have also the American dream," he explained.
'Undercover' NASCAR Boss Joins Daytona 500 Pit Crew, Sees Major Pileup (VIDEO)
by Aimee Deeken, posted Oct 25th 2010 4:45AM
Steve Phelps, chief marketing officer for NASCAR, poses as "Kevin," a Nascar fan and competition winner, to get a behind-the-scenes look at the Daytona 500 on 'Undercover Boss' (Sun., 9PM ET on CBS).Working with a pit crew on the Daytona Speedway, Kevin becomes a "tire scraper." While watching them work, he says, "What these guys do -- the pressure's immense ... It's a very sensory experience at the race track -- the sound's incredible, you can smell the tires and the oil and the gas."
When one car sideswipes another, chaos on the track ensues, leading to a massive pileup. Several cars catch fire, including the one his crew supports. Kevin witnesses it all firsthand, including the driver's rescue.
Emptying Airplane Lavatories on 'Undercover Boss' (VIDEO)
by Oliver Miller, posted Oct 18th 2010 3:45AM
Dealing with human waste isn't your typical job for a CEO. But then 'Undercover Boss' (Sun., 9PM ET on CBS) is all about having the heads of huge companies deal with jobs that their employees do every day.Bryan Bedford is the head of Frontier Airlines, and this is his first time cleaning out an airplane's lavatory. It's something passengers don't think about when they fly, but all that waste has to go somewhere. Tonight, Bedford learns exactly where it goes -- and tries not to get any of it on him.
The CEO works alongside an employee named Hector -- who teaches him how to attach tubes to the airplane for a "lav dump." There's a tube for liquid waste and a tube for solid waste. But Bedford has never done this before, and he's nervous.
DirecTV's 'Undercover Boss' Offers Lousy Customer Support at Call Center (VIDEO)
by Aimee Deeken, posted Oct 11th 2010 9:00AM
Mike White became CEO and president of DirecTV last January. But on 'Undercover Boss' (Sun., 9PM ET on CBS), he's merely an employee named Tom Peters. At a Denver call center, things get off to a bad start when "Tom" accidentally refers to a female caller as "sir." From there, he can't figure out the woman's satellite-TV troubles, nor what to say. Fellow customer-service rep Chloe must type out nearly word-for-word what he tells her.
White also fails to keep the call under 10 minutes, the company goal. After 21 minutes, the customer hangs up. "Yeah, I know, I screwed up," says White. An unhelpful and ineffectual call center? Shocking.
An 'Undercover Boss' Must Remove Poop from a Swimming Pool (VIDEO)
by Aimee Deeken, posted Oct 4th 2010 5:25AM
RedSchaefer later reveals her true identity: CEO of Great Wolf Resorts. "So you do realize that you had the CEO of the company cleaning up an AFR?" she asks Kelly, who looks horrified. But she says he is "an amazing young man" and has a (pleasant) surprise for him.
'Undercover Boss' Premiere -- Helping an Employee Start a New Life (VIDEO)
by Oliver Miller, posted Sep 27th 2010 3:30AM
Steve Joyce makes $3.5 million per year, and manages Choice Hotels, which franchises 6,000 hotels in 35 different countries. But during the season premiere of 'Undercover Boss' (Sun., 10PM ET on CBS), he has to give all of this up, in order to make $8.35 an hour as a front desk clerk in one of his own hotels. That's about 0.04% of his regular pay. Will Steve's experience working in his own chain teach him anything?Joyce meets Brandalyn (pictured to the right), who is a desk clerk employed in a hotel in Indianapolis. While working alongside her, Joyce is shocked to learn what her job actually requires.
CBS Planning 'Undercover Boss' Companion
by Nick Zaino, posted Aug 18th 2010 12:00PM
'Undercover Boss' was this year's biggest surprise hit, and now CBS has rewarded the show's production company with a new corporate reality pilot. 'Boss' made a strong ratings debut in February with its post-Super Bowl premiere, and delivered consistently thereafter. It beat 'Desperate Housewives' in its third week, and was last season's highest-rated new series. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news Tuesday night that CBS has given Studio Lambert, which produces 'Boss,' an unnamed reality pilot in which two people at a company compete for a promotion. It will follow a similar format to 'Boss,' with standalone episodes, but will differ in the competition aspect.
CBS Names 'Undercover Boss' Season 2 Participants
by Chris Harnick, posted Jul 28th 2010 12:05PM
CBS's Emmy-nominated reality series 'Undercover Boss' has announced even bigger names for its second season.In a press release, CBS named NASCAR, DirecTV, Great Wolf Resorts and Chiquita Brands International, Inc. as companies that will be infiltrated by their own undercover executives.
"We're thrilled with this season's new batch of bosses," Stephen Lambert, creator/executive producer of 'Undecover Boss,' said in a statement. "The companies are some of the best known brands in corporate America, and clearly -- with the likes of NASCAR, Chiquita, DirecTV and Great Wolf Resorts -- we've got an interesting blend of industries."
Light, Escapist Shows Rise to the Head of the Freshman Class of 2009-10
by Gary Susman, posted Apr 30th 2010 3:30PM
When the going gets tough, the tough veg out in front of the tube.Variety's picks for the top new series of the 2009-10 season suggest that, in these tough times, viewers' favorite new shows were generally the light, escapist, family-friendly ones. Most were comedies (including 'Community,' 'Glee,' and 'Modern Family'), but even the dramas were low-key affairs ('Parenthood,' the strangely reassuring 'Good Wife,' the fantasy 'Vampire Diaries').
Of the four new dramas on the list, only one was a crime procedural ('NCIS: Los Angeles'). Even the one reality show on the list was one that didn't involve competition and elimination ('Undercover Boss').
TV Squad Hot Topics
Most Popular Articles
From Our Partners
- 'Nashville' Finale: 7 Burning Questions for Season 2
- 'Hannibal': 21 Creepy Moments from 'Trou Normand'
- 'Nashville' Music Videos: Juliette's 'Nothing In This World' & Avery and Scarlett's 'Moon is High'
- Blake Shelton Organizes Benefit Concert for Oklahoma Tornado Victims
- 'The Glades' Season 4 Preview: The Proposal Cliffhanger, a Time Jump and Jim as a Step-Dad
- More From BuddyTV
- 'Arrested Development' Rewatch Season 3 finale - 'Development Arrested'
- 'Fresh Prince' reunion: Will Smith does theme song rap with Alfonso Ribeiro and DJ Jazzy Jeff
- 'Real Housewives of New York': LuAnn de Lesseps may not return due to salary conflict
- NBC schedules Oklahoma Tornado benefit concert; 'Cult' returns to CW schedule
- Reality TV pioneer Mike Darnell leaves FOX: 'It has truly been an amazing ride'
- More From Zap2it
- Performer of the Week: Tatiana Maslany
- Mariska Hargitay Returning for Law & Order: SVU Season 15 After Closing New Deal
- LOL Video: Will Smith, Alfonso Ribeiro Reunite for Fresh Prince Theme, Carlton's 'Unusual' Dance
- Video: Arrested Development Faves Reveal Everything (and Nothing) About the New Season
- Rookie Blue Sneak Peek: Andy Meets Sam's New Girlfriend, Gets Awkward With Her Ex
- More From TVLine
