SFist: Secretly Rich, Openly Lame

oskarv

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:12:19 -0800

iheartD6: yeah, there's no way a person on SSI would be able to afford $1100/mo. Although I live in an apartment that is probably nicer than the one "G" was living in and I pay less than $900/mo (it's at Turk/Leavenworth). Maybe I just got lucky.

DJBurrito

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:30:07 -0800

We all have to agree that for the most part they painted a better representation of the homeless population compared to traditional mainstream media images (Anton Jackson and homeless news clips). The images of the people he met were real people in need. Although some of tenderloin scenes did continue the traditional images of homeless, panhandling, using and those sleeping on the city benches (25% of the population). I appreciated a more realistic look at the homeless population here in San Francisco. Anyone working with the homeless population here in the city can understand that these extra funds are not easy to come by. Having an opportunity to receive a significant donation from anyone always come with strings attached. Grants/Donations you usually go to a dinner to be presented with the check, a public display is posted in the paper or your obligated to also have them invade your location with board directors and/or donors. These organizations did this for an obvious advantage, exposure and free advertisement. During the following months donations will become harder to get since most people do not have the disposable income they might have had in the past. Private organizations like Raphael house, a loose affiliate of the shelter system here in San Francisco receive no public funds such as their counterparts like St. Josephs (who I work for), Hamilton Family and Compass Family. But the show is extremely lame. Just like extreme makeover is, except these funds can’t be foreclosed on.

iheartD6

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:20:45 -0800

I live in this building and remember when this was being filmed because it was the same time they were filming "Milk" and I kept hoping to see Sean Penn in my building. Little did I know I had the opportunity to throw my shoes at this douche bag. Since I could only stomach watching the first five minutes of this show I can only provide the following advice: if your toilet is making noise try jiggling the handle or adjusting the chain. As for the accuracy of the show, I'm assuming they are referring to SSI benefits when they say he will be living on Welfare benefits for the week. Since the maximum SSI payment in the State of California is less than $900/month there is no way he could pay the $1100/month that unit was being listed at when this show was recorded last year. To make this believable they should have had him prostitute himself on Polk St in order to earn the remaining rent or placed him in an SRO for $650/month as is the reality for many of those living on SSI in San Francisco these days. For referring to the neighborhood as the "the campground of the damned" they sure glamorized the lifestyle.

Belgand

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 06:07:07 -0800

He looks less like he's homeless than just some hipster passing through. If I saw him I'd assume he was looking for someplace near Union Square and just got lost a bit.

oskarv

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:23:05 -0800

This show is really stupid, but I figure the TL episode was more interesting than most. They really painted an overly-scary picture of the Tenderloin. I've lived here for a long time and it's not THAAAAAAAAT scary. The whole "WATCH YOUR BACK 360 degrees" relapse was silly. "G" was clueless about shopping on a budget. Who gets groceries at the liqour store? I appreciated that he gave most of his money to agencies that help people rather than the people in need themselves - it's true that some of them would proably relapse with so much money at one time. It also made a lot of sense to give money to that nice lady who runs Raphael House. I noticed from this show that Deco took down their rainbow flag? Anybody know why?

rainer

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:18:03 -0800

Ookie. I need a shower after watching the first few minutes. Can't. Finish. Watching.

HHumbert

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:11:32 -0800

G and I are next door neighbors. Yeah, I have third of his square footage and am located probably 20 stories down in another building, but whatever. I've got a shorter elevator ride to my condo.

The Angry Young Man

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:36:33 -0800

@LisaLives: From Backrash's own blog: The obvious shock, the show advertises that a millionaire will donate at least $100,000 of their money. I ended up gifting well over $100,000 - but the way editing was done – it made it seem I only gifted $90,000. • Due to privacy issues (which I completely understand), one of the additional recipients that I gifted was completely edited out. • St. Anthony’s is also a place where a lot of people go when they are trying to get their lives back on track. Even getting a job these days is all about getting on the Internet. So, I donated a new computer lab to St. Anthony’s. • I was deeply touched by the kids that lived at Raphael House. So, I started a “birthday fund” so at the very least, they get a birthday gift on their special day. • In the final part of the show - the millionaires go back into the community to follow up on the recipients that they gifted. That also did not make the final cut. I haven't watched the video clip yet, but looking at the glamour shots on his website, I'd have to say that Backrash is kind of attractive. I think I sorta want to have 10,000 of his babies. Too bad I never date men named after Hungarian noodle dishes or whatever.

LisaLives

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:55:53 -0800

I liked his Tenderloin pad better than his hideously decorated penthouse apartment. Also, he said he would give away 100K, but when you add up what he gave it totalled 90K. Cheapskate!!

antfaber

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:23:53 -0800

"Also worth noting: Chahal's Tenderloin pad is palatial compared to some of the studios we've had to cram ourselves into." In fact, the places where many Tenderloin residents live are as big as all outdoors.

rkaiulani

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:34:20 -0800

Apparently they tell their victims/beneficiaries that they are being filmed for a documentary about poverty. The irony.

scopa

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:31:32 -0800

Don't people catch on when he is being followed around by a camera crew? This is the most condescending show I have ever seen. I saw the end of one episode, and I could see that the person didn't want to accept the check... but couldn't possibly say no to the money. I can't imagine they feel good about themselves by receiving pity money from rich assholes.

DJBurrito

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:29:08 -0800

@TAYM Dont you dare talk bad about that show!

adamjackson

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:26:46 -0800

OK Damnit! Where the hell is the angry mob yelling at this guy for "exposing the homeless people" or "keeping the black man down" I get over 100 hate mails a day for a stupid webcam and this guy does a show about "how horrible the tenderloin is" and gets a show on TV. I hate America sometimes.

BeejW

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:26:31 -0800

Worse than Fox's "Married By America", even? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Married_by_America

The Angry Young Man

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:20:47 -0800

@what How about that dwarf version of "The Bachelor" called "The Littlest Groom"? http://www.foxreality.com/show.php?id=1098

rkaiulani

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:01:15 -0800

Bill O'Reilly is loving this episode.

what

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:46:05 -0800

I watched parts of this episode, and... wow. It may be the worst TV show I've ever seen. No hyperbole. I honestly can't think of a worse show.

sf_bikebike

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:43:23 -0800

white people.