Did Survivor Contestant Lie?
December 18, 2007

The latest season of Survivor may have drawn to a close with the crowning of Todd Herzog on Sunday night, but the rumor is that contestant Denise Martin found a way to outwit CBS and American one last time even after the winner was announced. After Todd won the 15th edition of Survivor, this one set in China, Denise Martin, the fourth-place finisher, told a heartbreaking story about being demoted after her return from China to the real world. She told Jeff Probst and America, "I went back and I talked to the food service director, and they didn't give me my job back. So I ended up having to go -- I'm a janitor now. I clean the toilets, I wash the floors of the bathrooms, I vacuum the kids' rugs. I miss dinner with my family. I haven't been to a field hockey game yet. I'm missing out on a lot more than I originally had planned on doing."

America wept and, during the commercial break, Mark Burnett telegraphed a message to Probst to let Denise Martin know that Survivor would give her an extra $50,000. Probst said on the live show, "This is very much a live show, and our boss and the creator of this show, Mark Burnett, was backstage listening to Denise's story. And, I'm not kidding: Just now on a break, he said to let Denise know that Mark Burnett is going to give Denise $50,000!"

As you might imagine, the school where one of the favorite contestants from this season worked as a lunch lady was deluged with complaints. But they claim that the truth is far different from what Denise portrayed on CBS. Nancy Lane, the superintendent of Douglas Public Schools in Massachusetts, told The Early Show this morning that not only was Denise Martin not demoted but that she was actually promoted at her own request to the janitorial position because it pays more than the lunch lady one and has better benefits. Lane told The Hollywood Insider, "Yeah, I watched my own jaw drop when she said that, because it's absolutely not true."

CBS has already responded to the controversy, releasing a statement quoted by Entertainment Weekly, which says, "The comments made by Ms. Martin on the program were compelling and sympathetic. If these statements were misleading or false, we hope that she will take immediate and public steps to clarify her remarks."

Lane said in a statement, "Martin held a full-time position as a custodian prior to her participation in the series, and she returned to this same position upon her return from China. Although Mrs. Martin was a cafeteria employee prior to her selection as a contestant, she asked to be considered for a promotion to full-time custodian, and was promoted to this position on March 30, 2007. This promotion came with additional benefits and a higher salary. Following her leave, she then returned to this same position. I can empathize, having been a working mother. It's tough to work those night shifts. But she took the job; that's the job she took leave from [to do Survivor]. If she wants to go back to the day shift, she should apply when one comes open."

Lane also added that she spoke to Denise Martin and that Denise was apologetic but that she couldn't explain what she said on Survivor on Sunday night to her satisfaction. Lane said, once again quoted by EW, "It's difficult to grasp. We did nothing but encourage her. She took leave for almost three months, she was given additional times off when ever she needed it. Now she says this on national TV.... Douglas is a nice little town. Everybody was rooting for her, the local paper was bending over backwards with positive articles. Then to have it end this way. Talk about a letdown."

Lane and Martin will meet face-to-face when she returns from California, where she had to be for the Survivor finale, on Friday. As Lane said, "I might have a few things I'd like to talk to her about."

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