I think most of these shows have about three weeks to prove themselves . . . What works are people you care about . . . And even though participants might be savvy enough to want TV exposure, they've got to be clever enough not to show it on camera. Lance says such manipulation highlights the control reality TV producers exert over their shows and the manner in which they exploit contestants. But even some producers and network executives admit no amount of research can guarantee what will happen once the shows start.
Failure can become success.
Even now, Darnell insists it was no problem. Honestly, my job was never in jeopardy . . . I'm not saying Multi-Millionaire wasn't a public relations failure. But it was a huge ratings success. Things weren't so cool back in February 2000, when Fox canceled a planned Multi-Millionaire rerun and shelved the concept amid news that Rockwell had two restraining orders in his past.