Caedes et Caenum

I’m not really a television watcher.  Generally my viewing habits allow only for late-night reruns of Seinfeld and The Office.  But a new player has entered the field: the CBS show “Undercover Boss,” which airs Sundays at 9:00 p.m. eastern time.  I haven’t missed an episode yet.  The show’s strength lies not in its formulaic plot or predictable cast of characters, but in its powerful and constructive message to American society.  So what is that message?

It’s a simple concept, but one not widely shared: big business is good for you, not bad.  The show communicates this message through a fairly simple storyline.  The CEO of a huge corporation dons working man’s clothes, grows out his beard, puts on glasses, and mingles with his employees in this disguise, pretending to apply for the ground-floor jobs that make the company what it is.  In the process, he meets (and works under the supervision of) employees with quirky and lovable personalities and unique medical or socioeconomic struggles.

While working with these folks, the CEO comes face to face with his own shortcomings, such as managers taking advantage of workers, inadequate safety equipment or supplies, and general institutional insensitivity to compelling employee concerns.  Even as they politely air their grievances to the undercover CEO, the employees are uniformly stalwart and good-natured, despite having been largely unappreciated.  When asked “in private,” the workers report that they don’t think their interviewee (the boss) is doing a very good job in trying his hand at their job duties.  In any event, these experiences leave a strong impression on the CEO, and even embarrass him a tad.  He reports his findings to the astonied board of directors.

At the end of the show, the boss summons to headquarters the various employees he’s worked with, and (now shaven and dressed in a suit) reveals his true identity to them.  In speaking with each of the stunned employees, the CEO pledges to change the way the company works—in direct response to the hardships or frustration they demonstrated to him.  And that’s where the magic happens.

In some cases, he acknowledges the unique attributes of the employee by promoting them to a position where they can impart their work ethic or knowledge.  Others are awarded with an expenses-paid vacation to anywhere in the world.  In some instances, the company makes a hundred-thousand dollar donation to a charity that is near and dear to the employee’s heart and personal situation.  All of this is done without patronizing or belittling the employee, and each of them is genuinely moved by the candidness of their boss and the generosity of the corporation—and so are you, the viewer.

The happiness in these workers’ faces brings a warm feeling to your heart: the company is sensitive and flexible, and it cares about its employees.  Big business isn’t an evil machine that puts mom and pop joints out of business.  These organizations provide everyday people with a livelihood and respond to those people’s concerns.  And most important of all, big business acknowledges and rewards hard work and good attitudes.  This is a great message.  If these ideas sink in deeply enough, the average Joe will begin to ask, “Why do politicians make such a big deal about ‘tax breaks for large corporations’?  That’s more money in my pocket!  What’s good for big business is also good for people just like me.  And the bigger the business, the bigger the blessings it can bestow.”  And of course, if these feelings cumulatively result in fiscal advantages for big business, money will begin to flow into the professional services sector as well.  That means jobs and money for lawyers (and other lesser businesspeople like CPAs).

So what does the show do to stoke the fires of patriotism?  Last week’s episode featured “Igor,” an immigrant from the land of Borat who drove a distribution truck for the Seven-Eleven Corporation.  Throughout the show, he emphasized to the undercover CEO how grateful he was to be in America, and how grateful he was to have his job.  Igor came to the United States with $50 in his pocket, and has been living the dream ever since.  His working attitude was nothing short of inspiring, and his contentment and enthusiasm were truly moving (think Roberto Benigni’s character in Life is Beautiful).  Even as a truck driver on the night shift, Igor described himself as happy—and I really believe he was.  At the end of the episode, the CEO rewards him with a vacation so that he can spend quality time with his wife.  But since then, what has become of Igor?  Well he’s no longer a truck driver.  Instead, he owns his own Seven-Eleven franchise.  This is a true picture of the American Dream at work.  “This doesn’t happen in movies or in books,” says Igor, “but only in America.”  The story brought tears to my eyes, and made me proud to be part of the American way.  Good television.