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Oprah's Big Give

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marigold:

--- Quote from: apskip on March 22, 2008, 09:55:15 PM ---ca bb fan, the following paragraph was sort of buried in my recap of last week's show. It minimally covers tomorrow night's show.

Next week the individuals will be challenged with giving away $100,000 each in 24 hours in Miami. The money apparently has been donated by two billionaires. I will be happy to provide them with my address if they want to turn me into a help-others-with-big-gifts machine(haven't you wanted to be the recipient of the largesse of the original Millionaire show, with the Twist that you must give it all to needy causes?).


--- End quote ---

 :lol: I only saw that there hasn't been a recent update and forgot you already posted that as I now clearly remember reading that.

Thanks for the reminder apskip.

apskip:
Tonight was the fourth episode of Oprah's Big Give. Oprah's presence is felt through thte voiceovers that occur following every commercial. I guess she feels that the show's ratings depend on some tangible presence from her even though that task would normally be handled by the show's host.

The task was preceded by the arrival at a Miami dock of a magnificent boat carrying the Maloof brothers, owners of the Sacramento Kings baketball team and a Las Vegas resort/casino. They brought a suitcase containing $700,000 in cash, $100,000 for each of the 7 contestants. Nate Berkus announced the rules that go with the give-away:
1. No teams could be formed. It was individuals only.
2. No single place could be the site of spending more than $10,000.
3. No single person could get more than $500 worth of gifts.
4. No cash could be given directly.
5. The giveaway would last 24 hours.
6. 2 contestants would be eliminated. This allows them to get on track for turning the time slot back to Desperate Housewives on April 13. I had assumed they were going to have 2 one-hour shows back-to-back, but obviously this was the chosen solution to the problem. We may have a double elimination again next Sunday in Georgia. If so, then I expect the last show on April 6 to be in the Chicago area with the 3 remaining contestants.

The contestants proceeded to just give away gifts in grocery stores, auto repair shops, or Target stores(that being I believe a sponsor of the show as well as a good-value place to shop for a wide variety of things). Some made connections with institutions or foundations or schools and bought them things they needed. The most creative approach was by Stephen who had the massive advantage of his father living in the area and helping him with ideas and manpower. A low-income housing area was targeted and $30,000 of high-value electronics was purchased at 4 stores and given away to larger families(to meet the $500/person restriction). Kim, who has demonstrated no sense of direction in the past, got lost again several times and was unable to get much given away as a result. Eric gave a lot of money away($65K) but he did most of it in gift cards. Also, he had promised a dead police officer's family he would help pay for the funeral, but then he did not make it a priority and did not even show up, which negated his ability to make a donation larger than $500. Steven gave away all $100K, Sheg did $80K, Eric $65K, Rachael about $55K, Brandi about $60K, Cameron $65K, and Kim $16K. You just knew that Kim was a goner. The judges were unimpressed with Rachael's total, but Eric's higher total did not overcome the problems with his approach. Kim and Eric were eliminated.

apskip:
It's time for a review of who the top performers from the first 4 episodes were:

Ep. 1 - Eric, Stephen
Ep. 2 - Eric, Stephen, Cameron
Ep. 3 - Eric, Stephen, Cameron, Brandi
Ep. 4 - Stephen (Cameron and Brandi were about 2nd and 3rd)

So, what should one conclude about who is going to win this? If Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri were totally in charge, then the answer is nothing because anyone making it to the final episode could win. However, I believe Oprah has more of a sense of what is right and wrong. That means Stephen is the clear favorite at this point and it is his to lose.

I personally like Cameron and would like to see him win it. Brandi is Ok and I would be happy is she wins it.

I am not impressed by either Sheg or Rachael. I expect to see them being eliminated in the next episode.

Texan:
Okay I finnaly watched this show but the DVR cut off the last 5 minutes... so I saw the girl that did the bus passes and flowers (sorry do not know names) get a ticket and the gentleman that paid for food get a ticket.  I assuems the blonde that did not spend money was going and the guy that promised the funeral and then did not would be going.  Was anything said, did they go back and pay for that man's funeral since he promised.  He could have found a way to go by the family's house afterwards or something, that was bad.  And the lady that did not spend any money... okay you have the manager of a local pet store finding you a place to donate.., use her ask her where else would be good to help.

The one guy was smart with his dad, but why did none of the people ask the first couple of people they helped to suggest where to go or what a good area to help was?  A local church or school has their finger on the community and could point you in the right direction.  Why did the one guy not help the firestation or have him help with more then just the one man's funeral.  THe fire fighter should have been able to tell him local shelters, food banks and more.  Maybe I am beign too critical but use the local representatives.

Skip the girl you do not like which one is she?

apskip:
I want to respond to several points raised by Texan:

"I assume the blonde that did not spend money was going and the guy that promised the funeral and then did not would be going." - that would be Kim and Eric and Texan was correct.

"did they go back and pay for that man's funeral since he promised.  He could have found a way to go by the family's house afterwards or something, that was bad." - Eric could only give $500 per person later; the reason he had to be at the funeral was so that could count $500 times a large number of people toward the funeral costs, up to a max. of $10,000. Eric did that evening go back to the firehouse and make a donation to honor the memory of the killed policeman so that athletic equipment could be purchased for the leagues for kids. However, that in no way made up for his huge error. I do not know this, but I am going to speculate that with all the publicity surrounding it one of the Big Give producers went back and paid $10,000 towards the man's funeral costs. It is the way Oprah would do things.

Which one is the girl I(apskip) do not like? if you mean still remaining in the competition that would be Rachael. She is the African American woman. If you mean starting this past episode it would be clueless Kim.

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