Editorial Cartoon: Undercover Bossy

Editorial Cartoon: Undercover Bossy

Undercover Boss is a series in the U.S. that showcases company executives disguising themselves as out of work average joes working different entry level jobs in their own company.   It was originally a British series and now has expanded to Australia (source).   It is not only a ratings success but also a PR success for any company lucky enough to be featured on it.

Well it seems that Cincinnati’s own Mayor Mark Mallory was asked to participate as the first mayor in the country featured on the show.  Cincinnati needs some good PR so I think it was a great idea.  Well it seems some city council members do not.  Leslie Ghiz complained “…he’s not the boss..The manager’s the boss.  He’s nobody’s boss.”  (source).   While it it true that our city is run by a city manager, the mayor is still seen as playing a prominent role in how people view the city and therefore it is not inappropriate for him to take on this task.

And Chris Bortz said “he might put forth a motion to sue the production company to make sure the show doesn’t air, saying Mallory was simply “advancing a personal agenda.”   Seems they only wanted him involved more in the budget process so they have one more person to point the finger when things go wrong.

Oh and Mayor Mallory is fairly recognized in the city (see bio) so rumors were that they gave him different facial hair and dreadlocks, thus the picture.

Anyone watch UB?  Do you think it would be good or bad for your city if your mayor appeared on the show?

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63 Responses to “Editorial Cartoon: Undercover Bossy”

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  1. Why is he a rasta? SO Jamaican lol

  2. Bo Lumpkin says:

    Itv has been so long that I forgot that you sometimes draw comics. J/K. I watch the show and I think it is a great idea for the Mayor to be on there. Can’t wait to see it.

  3. Sam Medina says:

    LOL, you guys are on my cool list

  4. MJ says:

    Good stuff Bearman! It’s probably a good thing for the city. I would like to see a redneck town here in the Midwest grab a spot. What a hoot!

  5. Friggin Loon says:

    OMG, you have it in the States too!!!! I am all for the people at the top seeing how the people below them work etc if it means a better and happier working environment. However major eyebrow raise that it comes in the form of a reality show!!!

  6. DadaHyena says:

    He could have just gone with the Groucho nose-and-glasses. I swear, those will fool ANYONE.

  7. They should have known that they couldn’t get into politics without everybody getting all contentious and indignant and shit.

    Love the drawing!

  8. Tony McGurk says:

    Here they have been showing the UK, USA & Australian episodes. I love that show especially when the bosses are given the really dirty jobs. There was one where the CEO of one of Australia’s major Garbage Disposal companies went under cover. Boy did he cop the crappy stinky gross disgusting jobs. One time a mass of maggots in a garbage bin got the better of him & he hurled his guts everywhere.

  9. 25BAR says:

    I’m sure everybody thinks that they know what the mayor *should be doing*

  10. G says:

    I’m not sure how it would work here, because most mayors here in Connecticut are often in ceremonial positions as the town manager is the soup of the day.

    Although it is a freaky show just the same.

  11. Dan says:

    This publicity has to be better than the publicity from Jerry Springer’s days as Vice Mayor!

  12. Tracy Ingram says:

    I love that show, and I think if the mayor wants to do then they should let him. Did they elect him to sit and do nothing? If so why didn’t they fill him in on the fact.

  13. Nate Fakes says:

    Hope it’s good PR for Cinci. What exactly is he going to be doing though?

  14. nursemyra says:

    Synchronicity! I happened to be channel surfing last night when this show popped up but it was the U.S. version not the Australian one. It’s news to me that Australia even has a version. I only watched about ten minutes. Turned it off when the boss said “Oh he has a daughter who likes music and I do too. we have so much in common.”

  15. Jason Salas says:

    What would they make him do? Be a trash collector or collect people’s city utility bills? That’s no fun. I vote for city officials to compete on Wipe-Out.

  16. George says:

    I think I’d be careful about how much office gossip I’d tell that new guy. 😀 Imagine giving him the rundown about all the secret smoking spots, and how to use the front building time-clock in order to get more time on your paycheck. It’s gonna come back to haunt some folks tremendously.

    Can’t wait to watch. 😀

  17. Binky says:

    If more mayors played characters on TV shows, maybe they’d do less mayoring and thus less damage to their cities.

    • Bearman says:

      Unless it is the Mayor from that Michael J Fox show that the name escapes me right now. That could be a lot of damage control.

  18. Mel says:

    I know of the show but haven’t seen it. I really don’t understand how anybody could have problems with the mayor participating unless they have some kind of control issues.

    I think the Mayor being amongst the people would actually be a positive learning experience for him.

  19. It wouldn’t work in my town. It’s too small and the few people who work for my rown know the mayor.

  20. Dr. Cynicism says:

    Meh, the show is at best lackluster. But more to the point, no matter what city officials do, there’s always someone lurking around to scream at em and find ways to point out how wrong it is. At least it’s getting the city press – and not the usual kind lately.

    • Bearman says:

      Yeah…we are also showing the Real Police Women of Cincinnati on television now which shows the other side. Who knew my city had so much violence?

  21. Colleen Dick says:

    They must have got that idea from Barbara Ehrenreich’s book Nickel and Dimed. Or that really old book about the white guy who did a combination of drugs, tanning booth and makeup and passed himself off as a black guy.

    What I wonder is if the UB actually learns anything or if it is just set up to entertain people. I have never seen the show, I tend to avoid “reality” shows but I may have to give this one a view.

    • bearman says:

      Your first comment reminded me of the Eddie Murphy skit where he passed himself off as a white guy.

      My wife refuses to watch it b/c she says it always ends up with a teary boss or teary employee. But she does want to see the mayor one.

  22. SpilledInkGuy says:

    Ha!
    I’ve never actually made it through an entire episode of Undercover Boss – I just can’t escape the feeling I’m watching one LONG commercial (and the show is kinda’ like watching a commercial, too)! *buh dun dun* 🙂

    • bearman says:

      Interesting, there have been 5 or so episodes where the company is either based in Cincinnati or filmed here. I think it is b/c Cincinnatians are reality tv hogs.

  23. I love undercover boss, and I think it is an admirable idea to go on the show to see where in there city could use a little improvement to see if they can really make a change. I don’t think it’s right for them to take such harsh judgment.

  24. don’t even think you have to explain this show to me. you know i’m always on the up and up when it comes to reality TV.

    i actually kinda like that show.

    i think the mayor thing is a good idea too. I’m sure they’d never nominate anyone in IL to do that. it would be far too frightening.

    • bearman says:

      So does that mean you watch two shows that my wife tries to make me sit down and watch that I refuse. Fashion Police and the Joan and Melissa Rivers show??

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