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Did "Survivor" Lunch Lady Lie to Swipe $50K?

Posted Dec 18th 2007 12:57PM by TMZ Staff

The "Survivor: China" lunch lady who said she'd been demoted to "cleaning toilets" by her school, and got $50,000 of sympathy cash from the show because of her story, is having her tale flushed out -- by the school.

As EW.com reported yesterday, Douglas, Mass. School Superintendent Nancy T. Lane said in a statement that Denise Martin actually got promoted from "cafeteria employee" to "custodian" -- at a higher salary and with better benefits before she appeared on "Survivor." Lane says, "I watched my own jaw drop when [Martin] said that, because it's absolutely not true."

Today, Martin appeared with Lane on CBS' "The Early Show," and apologized profusely for what she said, though she stopped short of admitting that she'd lied to get the money, and won't give back the $50K. Mark Burnett Productions didn't return a call for comment, though CBS said yesterday, "If these statements were misleading or false, we hope that she will take immediate and public steps to clarify her remarks."

Now, how about a nice big helping of that tasty Sloppy Joe?!



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166. Denise said the reason she had a mullet was because she had to wear a hair net in the kitchen but she still wanted to look good for her husband. Oh yeah baby!

Posted at 2:45PM on Dec 19th 2007 by Bobcheesedoodle

167. I don't trust the school any more than I do the contestant. Schools (I worked as an educator for 30 years) can be fairly hateful about certain issues. And even if she is making more money, that's not much, I guarantee. Lunch ladies and custodians don't make that much money, believe me. Whatever...Burnett should have vetted the info before he shot his mouh off and offered the cash! He can afford it anyway.

Posted at 2:48PM on Dec 19th 2007 by AgMom04

168. Uh...Mark. NASCAR has more mullets than lesbians do.

Posted at 3:13PM on Dec 19th 2007 by terri

169. I just hope this doesn't interfere with her upcoming debut as Playmate of the Month.

Posted at 2:54PM on Dec 19th 2007 by Bobcheesedoodle

170. I give her credit for figuring out a way to get the $50,000. without being the most popular. I can even deal with the lie, it is Survivor after all. My only problem was her comments to the final 3 about how Amanda and Todd all lied and schemed and how Courtney was great because she was always honest. Sorry lunch lady but you can't condemn 2 people for doing something then expect it to be OK for you.

Posted at 3:01PM on Dec 19th 2007 by Eric

171. Is there some way we can drag politics into this? Right-wing hypocrites? Knee-jerk liberals? Most mullet-wearers are republicans. Bush lied about weapons of mass destruction and everyone let it slide. Why should Denise not get the same treatment?

Posted at 3:10PM on Dec 19th 2007 by Bobcheesedoodle

172. anyone that has ever worked for a school system, or been involved in anyway, knew that it was a total lie...but the name of the game is out wit, out play out last, SHE OUTWITTTED MARK BURNETT OUT OF 50K.....GOOD FOR HER !!!! CHUMP-CHANGE TO HIM.....I CANNOT STAND THESE PEOPLE WHO GO ON THE SHOW, & WANT TO SAY 'THEY WANTED TO KEEP THEIR INTEGRITY'......IT IS A GAME, LIKE ANY OTHER GAME SHOW......

Posted at 3:16PM on Dec 19th 2007 by SOPHIA

173. For someone w/such a hard life she had money for tattoos & they appear to have plenty to eat?

Posted at 6:57AM on Dec 20th 2007 by Old man Jack

174. What kind of example does this serve to our children? As Americans we want the best for our children because they are the future. As responsible parents we must sit our children down and use Denise's dilemna as an opportunity to talk to them. Make sure they understand. No mullets.

Posted at 3:22PM on Dec 19th 2007 by Bobcheesedoodle

175. She did not lie she was demoted to the night crew - because she was a disturbance to the children during the school day. She did apolgize for what was perceived by others as saying she lost the lunch lady job and was demoted to janitor. Listen to her she was happy with the promotion to janitor during the DAY - but once survivor was over she was DEMONTED to night crew - now she can not be with her family like before - and to her that is a DEMOTION - get it?

Posted at 3:44PM on Dec 19th 2007 by JW

176. The mullet is ideal for cleaning toilets. The hair in the front is too short to fall into the bowl. The hair in the back may fall into the bowl, however, the toilet water only runs down your back where doesn't matter so much.

Posted at 3:55PM on Dec 19th 2007 by Bobcheesedoodle

177. Yall leave Denise alone! She deserves every bit of that money! And so did James. I am glad she got the extra money. And I don't care if she did get promoted. Do yall really believe she gets that much more money now that she is a janitor? What idiots! I do not think she meant to mislead anyone. She said she was sorry if she did so. If I was the school, I would have been proud that she got that extra money. Again, yall leave her alone!!!!

Posted at 4:15PM on Dec 19th 2007 by lisadawn

178. She is exactly what she looks like, trailer trash! They need to demand that money back. But if they don't, it is ok, life will have a way of evening the score. She thought her life was bad before? When you do wrong like that...it will come right back at you.
Oh, and how about the stories about the kid playing field hockey and she had to miss the games! You don't stay fat playing field hockey. Sounds like another lie. My guess is she even staged a fake family LOL.

Posted at 4:18PM on Dec 19th 2007 by Fran

179. Just do the math. She gets $10/hr more than before times 8 hours times 5 days times 52 weeks in a year. That's an increase of over $75000 a year. With overtime she's easily making 6 figures.

Posted at 4:21PM on Dec 19th 2007 by Bobcheesedoodle

180. I hate her for lying to me, but that is the nature of "survivor". Todd lied and cheated and back-stabbed his way to a million dollars. What's wrong with Denise continuing to play the game while they are still at the show (reunion)? More power to her for getting $50 grand from Burnett (see how it feels to be lied to and cheated??!), but shame on her for blaming her school officials in public for something they didn't do. They were not in the game and should not have been played.

Posted at 5:30PM on Dec 19th 2007 by mashti

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