Although reality television continues to evolve into new forms of entertainment, Fox's new Wednesday night series Secret Millionaire has carved out its own unique place in reality programming. With the economy in tatters, along with many areas of the country that need assistance, Fox enlisted a crop of millionaires to go undercover into various communities and live among the needy to determine who they can help most by sharing a portion of their wealth.

During the two hour premiere of Secret Millionaire, Raising Cane restaurant millionaires Todd and Gwen Graves of Baton Rouge, Louisiana went undercover in their own state to get a first a first hand look at how a few less fortunate Louisiana residents are struggling to get by on barely any money at all. When it came time reveal their true identities as millionaires, the Graves reached into their bank accounts and gave struggling Buras, Louisiana Pastor Ted Turner a check for $100,000 to help him rebuild a volunteer center ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. As well, the money would also help Turner get on his feet from a meager existence in a tiny rundown trailer to a better quality of life within the community.

As Fox get set to air the next episode of Secret Millionaire on Wednesday, December 10 at 8pm, we had the good fortune to get a few minutes of one-on-one time with Pastor Ted Turner to find how the show made a difference in his life, what he has planned for the $100,000 gift, and whether he thinks Secret Millionaire was simply God working in mysterious ways.

THE DEADBOLT: How important is it for a show like this to be on the air?

TED TURNER: It’s very important. And the reason being is that we actually get to tell our story from ground zero here, particularly the Katrina episode and the area that was first hit, and at least people get to know now some of what we experienced.

THE DEADBOLT: Would you say that Secret Millionaire is God working in mysterious ways?

TURNER: [laughs] I guarantee you it is. I can assure you it is. That was my first premonition after I discovered what was going on. In his own way and his own time, he had it known what we wanted to get out. That’s exciting.

THE DEADBOLT: What have you earmarked the money for?

TURNER: To the projects of the rebuilding. One was the volunteer center and the other was we helped several families in the community in their recovery effort. We purchased central air conditioning for senior citizens and we also helped people with building materials, such as windows and stuff like that.

THE DEADBOLT: What did you think when Todd finally revealed who he was and what was really going on?

TURNER: I thought about the verse, ‘Be careful how you entertain strangers, because some have entertained angels unawares,’ and immediately that’s what I was thinking of. Those were angels who God had sent to enter our lives to lift the burden and to give us more hope to continue our efforts. He was aware and he was using those good people to make his presence known.

THE DEADBOLT: At any point did you suspect something was going on?

TURNER: Honestly, no. I’m a very unassuming person in that if you tell me something I believe you, and sometimes that’s to my detriment. But I have no reason to judge you if I don’t know you, so I take them at their word. [laughs]

THE DEADBOLT: You were mentioning in the episode that the area around New Orleans is your home and that’s why you stay. But is there ever going to be a point where enough is enough and you just have to leave?

TURNER: You know, that was something that was constantly being brought to my attention. And I think as long as those entities that are responsible for infrastructure, and are responsible for national safety and security, as long as they can deem this place fit to live, I think we need an opportunity to choose it as our choice of residence. However, if the powers that be at some point determine that it really is not a good place to inhabit, and that the government is not going to invest in the infrastructure and those things which are essential, then we probably need to pull up stakes and find another place, which would really grieve many of us tremendously.

THE DEADBOLT: I guess it’s easy for me and others looking in to ask, ‘Why do you keep rebuilding if you already know that these storms will come again?’

TURNER: Right. I guess it’s the same reason that the people of Sri Lanka returned after the tsunami. The people in Los Angeles live there after the fires and the earthquakes. The people up in the Rockies and other places get snowed in every year and suffer tremendously and even have losses akin to what we had from time to time. They live there because it is home and it is your life and you don’t want to live anywhere else, and so that’s why we’re here.

THE DEADBOLT: Were you surprised to see the Graves give money to all of the people they met?

TURNER: Once I understood what they were doing, I find it difficult to understand why more people aren’t giving to more people. [laughs] Oh, my God, if I was a multimillionaire it would be hard for me to sit on my money and not help some people out and seeing that there’s a useful purpose for my wealth.

THE DEADBOLT: I guess you can’t take it with you when you’re gone, right? So spread it around.

TURNER: Exactly!

THE DEADBOLT: Do you still stay in contact with Todd and Gwen?

TURNER: Yes, I talked with Gwen yesterday. And, a matter of fact, I was reading her e-mail while I was talking to you [laughs]. Todd’s kind of busy, he’s out of town right now, but Gwen said he asks about me all of the time, making sure I’m okay. So, yes, we’ve developed a relationship. You know what’s amazing about them is - I know they’re busy, so I try give them their space, but by chatting to them they let me know, in no uncertain terms, they’re going to be around and we’re going to be talking to one another from time to time. So I’m appreciative of them wanting to maintain cordialities with us.