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Rslover
Member
11-19-2002
| Monday, August 30, 2004 - 2:00 pm
The Benefactor - Premieres September 13, ABC Starring: Mark Cuban What would you do for a million dollars? Billionaire businessman and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is about to find out because he is "The Benefactor," and he's set to give away a million bucks to a complete stranger. Why has he agreed to give away such a large sum of money? Because he can't wait to figure out how America's applicants will prove to him that they deserve it! Sixteen contestants will vie for the money in a competition full of emotional, dramatic challenges - tests of character, intelligence, heart and maybe a little bit of luck.
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Abbynormal
Member
08-04-2001
| Monday, September 13, 2004 - 7:19 pm
Anybody watch this? I caught some of it and what I saw looked really good. It seemed alot like BB except with grown-ups. The benefactor is deliciously warped. 
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Ladybug007
Member
08-13-2000
| Monday, September 13, 2004 - 7:30 pm
LOVED IT!!
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Reiki
Member
08-12-2000
| Monday, September 13, 2004 - 7:56 pm
I thought it was a Mark Cuban ego trip.
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Lilfair
Member
07-09-2003
| Monday, September 13, 2004 - 7:59 pm
I have mixed feelings about this show. For a first episode, I give it a C+. The premise of the game is good. I agree with Rslover that it’s very BB-ish. Kind of a of BB meets bored billionaire. Mark seems to enjoy playing the mind games almost like a prepubescent boy playing tricks on friends. So far it looks like they did a great job casting the show…nice mix of people. I thought for sure model boy would be booted along with his hair products. I was sorry that the redheaded poker chick lost jenga (sp). Her opponent was a jerk. That kind of taunting is un-sportsmanlike. I actually thought Mark was going to say Redhead stays and taunting boy leaves…but nope! I thought I heard one of them say this was a 3 week deal for them. That seems short, no? I’ll definitely tune in next week. I’m slightly disappointed in the jenga test and if the previews are accurate… they’ll play a game of “h.o.r.s.e.” to see who leaves next week? I was hoping for tasks that are slightly more serious. BTW have the contestants been told that Mark has the house wired and is monitoring them? Are they smart enough to figure it out? Oh, and did the previews make it look like there will be a lot crying?
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Bearware
Member
07-12-2002
| Monday, September 13, 2004 - 8:00 pm
I agree, I think this guy is buying trained monkeys for his entertainment. He's not actually trying to teach or reward, just get his jollies from manipulating them.
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Monday, September 13, 2004 - 8:25 pm
football ia on...how did you all see this tonite?? my Dh applied for this..no call backs though..damn them!
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Roppiepie
Member
05-06-2004
| Monday, September 13, 2004 - 10:13 pm
I thought it was a rip-off of "The Assistant", which was of course a rip-off from any and all reality-based shows! I'll watch the next episode before I decide to waste my time with it or not.
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Monday, September 13, 2004 - 10:36 pm
I liked it, I wanted poker girl to win!!! I don't like that other guy, I think he will go soon, he is almost as arrogant as MC! I felt sorry for the first guy they let go. I want the girl to win to buy her mom a leg. I don't like rock n roll guy and have no idea why MC thought he was such a hoot.
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Riviere
Member
09-09-2000
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 3:58 am
This show is The Sims, Live... The ever so fun host creator (Cuban) messes with their heads and arbitrarily evicts them on his whims.. There is no real rhyme nor reason to this show otherwise? I thought it was so funny whan he evicted that girl who sent in a nudy audition tape. He said she was not as fun as her bare it all hype on her tape. Yeah, he evicted her, but I kept waiting for him to say, by the way, I'm keeping your video anyway! ROFL The guy evicted first was totally right ~ it's a stupid game.. Anyone else read the "People" article about it? Yes, and I remember that episode where the little boy could destroy people he didn't like.. It's the Sims in person!!! Aaarrgghh!!!!!
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Luvmyjrt
Member
09-18-2003
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 4:34 am
I thought this show should have been titled: "I'm a billionaire -- if you kiss my @ss, I'll share" The host is really very smarmy and unlike other reality shows (Survivor, BB) that depend on interpersonal skills, etc. this show had no real determinate other than "nah, I don't like you". Hmmmmm, sounds like High School all over again!
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Pamy
Member
01-02-2002
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 5:32 am
LOL Luv!!
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Julieboo
Member
02-05-2002
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 6:03 am
I liked it. I always wished I had enough $$ to make people do silly things purely for my entertainment. Hey no one is holding a gun to any of these contestants' heads. They have freely signed up for it.
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Native_texan
Member
08-24-2004
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 7:51 am
I liked it, too. I swore I would not get caught up in another reality show, but.... All of these people knew they were making a TV show. Did none of them have the brains to realize there were probably cameras around somewhere? This show was Cuban's idea and it's his money so I don't think he will give it away lightly. Living in Dallas I have heard about some of his practical jokes. Not long ago, he toilet papered, in billionaire style, the house of a local DJ who turned around and tried to do the same thing to him, but couldn't get over the wall around Cuban's house. So we will probably see a lot of his humor, but I'm sure we will see a very serious side also. I don't necessarily think of people like Mark Cuban and Donald Trump as having big egos. Sure, there is some of that there, but I also believe it's self-confidence. They wouldn't be where they are today without it.
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Tishala
Member
08-01-2000
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 11:47 am
I hated this show and I detest Mark Cuban. Everything about him, from his geek-trying-to-be-cool act to his failing effort to cover up his thinning hair. I'm betting this will disappear before it finishes, like Oscar de la Hoya's show will.
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Sillycalimomma
Member
11-13-2003
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 12:07 pm
I couldn't of said it better myself Tishala. I was cringing while watching this show (my bf wanted to watch it otherwise TRUST me it would not of been on!) ick
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Puttergirl
Member
08-11-2000
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 1:02 pm
I thought it was mildly amusing. Like watching rats being tested through a maze. I got the definite impression that Mark Cuban wouldn't pick anyone unless they can really make him laugh. He should have invited all the comics from Last Comic Standing. The third version of it sucks- it would have at least been fun to see them scramble to make Mark laugh the hardest!!!
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Texannie
Member
07-16-2001
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 1:22 pm
I loved the Jenga came!!!
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Max
Member
08-12-2000
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 1:53 pm
Well, I was amused. Yes, he's like a teenager playing with action figures. However, I think it's about time that the folks who want to get rich quick on a reality show are poked fun at. If they wanted to earn a million bucks in a serious way (like the hematologist seems to think he can), then why audition for this? Obviously, you are going to be made to look silly in one way or another. THis format is just very up-front about it. You have no control; there are no set rules; you can't "play fair" because the only game is what Mark Cuban decides to do each minute. To me, this show is being more honest about what it's doing that most of the other shows out there. They ALL cast people to fulfill particular predetermined 'roles' and then edit accordingly. But usually they 'contestants' think there is something they can do to try and control their fate, which is not always true. In this case, there's no way they can think that. Yes, it is sort of like The Assitant in that regard. Except I thought The Assistant was going to let all the contestants in on the 'joke' at the end. Instead, it tried to take itself seriously and that made it a flop to me. Everyone was making fun of the contestants (producers, Andy, audience -- everyone) and it was like they never did get the joke. Made it kinda sad. We'll see about this one. I just think it's obvious to everyone there that they are being used like Barbie and Ken dolls for Mark's pleasure. Yet still they will subject themselves to just about anything if they think the payoff will be there.
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Sillycalimomma
Member
11-13-2003
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 1:58 pm
oh...you know I should add that my dislike for this show and Mark Cuban in general probably stems from the fact that I am a long time Sacramento Kings fan....perhaps I am biased
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Lauder
Member
07-14-2004
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 2:31 pm
I've never heard of Mark Cuban or knew anything about him until watching the first episode, so I approached it objectively. I liked the idea of an open-ended reality show where it seemed like anything can happen and there was that sense of the contestants never knowing beforehand what criteria is needed to win. I agreed with the reasons he eliminated the first 2 (first guy-why be there if you don't take the game seriously; the second girl-too intimidated and not a real go-getter or risk-taker). The jenga game was a fun twister. May not seem like a legitimate way to eliminate someone based on a single game, but I take it Mark would have gotten rid of both if he could. But the more I watched, I less I liked Mark. I don't dislike him yet, but something about him rubs me the wrong way. It almost looks less like him wanting to give the money to someone who really deserves it (whatever that may mean to him) than being someone who he would really gel with and like, because you can not like a person and he could still be considered "deserving" of something. I'll bet the winner will be someone he really likes and finds similar to himself.
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Mizinvanccouver
Member
02-22-2003
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 7:16 pm
It's funny but today I was asking co-workers if they watched the show and most men who watched really liked MC and the women (including myself) didn't like MC. I can't pinpoint what it is about him but as Lauder mentioned there's just something about him that rubs me the wrong way. I mean what was with the questions like,"Who do you find attractive?" At least he wasn't biased and asked both the men and women but what a weird quetion. Maybe he want's to hit on the women who the men find most attractive? Maybe by asking the women he'll find out their 'type'?? I don't know just coming up with "what ifs". lol Just my 2 cents!
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Tishala
Member
08-01-2000
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 7:47 pm
I think men like him because he has actually parlayed his life as the last one picked for the kickball team in fourth grade into ownership of a sports franchise. He proves to them that they don't have to be hot to get great things and that they can maintain their perpetual self-indulgence some hell or high water. This is a man, after all, who had Dennis Rodman living with him during the brief time Rodman played for the Mavs! What more do you need to know about him? That's why men like him: he affirms all their worst characteristics and women see in him all the men with arrested development they have ever dated.
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Mizinvanccouver
Member
02-22-2003
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 7:51 pm
Good points Tishala!! I never knew MC before this show but now that you have enlightened me it makes sense. I had no idea Dennis Rodman lived with him! That is hilarious! He probably loved the entertainment value! Still don't like him...lol Something slimy about him...lol I take it he's single??
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Tishala
Member
08-01-2000
| Tuesday, September 14, 2004 - 8:00 pm
Horrifyingly enough, he is recently married and a father. ETA: my previous post should say "come hell or high water," not "some hell or high water." LOL.
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