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Survivor's Lunch Lady Served Up Lies, Says School

071218denisemartin.jpg
Denise Martin by Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS
The school system for which Survivor: China contender Denise Martin works was dealt their own chef's suprise when on Sunday's reunion show the "lunch lady" claimed she was demoted from her job upon completing the reality competition. "This statement is false," says the superintendent for Douglas (Mass.) Public Schools. "In fact, Mrs. Martin held a full-time position as a custodian" — a promotion for which Denise applied and got — "prior to her participation in the series, and she returned to this same position upon her return. We were pleased and excited to support Denise, and have enthusiastically cheered her on. Regretfully, the Douglas Public School District was inaccurately portrayed as failing to be accommodating to an employee.... This is far from the case."

Denise has since explained to CBS News (see video here) that she tried to get back her old job, as lunch lady, after Survivor, but was denied.

In related news, tomorrow's lunch special is "Chix Nuggets."

Update:
Survivor "Lunch Lady" Cooks Up Apology, Cedes $50K


Posted by TV Guide News
Dec 18, 2007 10:42 AM
Hey she was trying to pull the "woe is me" card and it worked to the tune of $50,000!
Posted by Ranger99
Dec 18, 2007 11:37 AM
We'll see if she gets the $50K. I have a call into CBS. (In the cited video, Julie Chen cuts off Denise before she could finish dancing around the topic.) - MWM
Posted by TV Guide News
Dec 18, 2007 12:03 PM
It was hard to understand. The mullet was so distracting. I think it gave me brain damage.
Posted by denise
Dec 18, 2007 1:53 PM
Let's hope they take back every penny. I'm so tired of her complaining and sob story and the fact she lied about it to get more sympathy and money is even worse. She had plenty of chances to flip sides and get a better chance at winning the million and alls she did was sit around and complain about how she "wasn't the most popular" and how "no one is going to take her to the finale". Shut up already and take back whatever Mark Burnett was conned into giving her.
Posted by werd2406
Dec 18, 2007 2:28 PM
They should give the money to Amanda to buy some shorts that cover her bum.
Posted by bhm1304
Dec 18, 2007 2:38 PM
She actually didn't really lie. The school district told her she couldn't continue to be a lunch lady if she did the show, so they made her take a janitor's job. It pays more per hour, but it's not guaranteed 40 hours a week, and it means she has to work nights so she can't be with her kids.
Posted by mooshki
Dec 19, 2007 9:52 AM
SHE should pay a fine out of her money (not gifted monies). Previous suggestion regarding Amanda probably won't help as "they" blur her nice feature when on camera. Speaking of Amanda, did it look as tho she had gained ALOT of weight at the reunion show?;)
Posted by david91304
Dec 20, 2007 5:40 AM
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