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'Debt' Makes A Game
Of one Worries
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CHRISTINE STUTZ SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
T
he Lifetime Cable Network
last June began airing a
new game show called
"Debt." Contestants tell
veteran game-show host Wink
Martindale about their financial
quagmires and then answer
questions in hopes of reducing
their debts.
The Detroit Jewish News
spoke with Andrew Golder, 35,
senior producer of "Debt," about
the show.
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What is the basic concept
behind "Debt"?
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That's been a really interesting
thing for us. Traditional wisdom
says that a game show skews to
an older audience. We created
the show to appeal to a younger
audience. The questions are de-
signed for a 25- to 45-year-old age
range.
The show has drawn in audi-
ences in all age groups, and it has
done very well with kids, because
they like the questions. It's cul-
tural knowledge, not book knowl-
edge.
What kind of response have
you had from viewers?
You've been quoted as
saying the traditional
game show is passe. Why
is that?
One of the things that caused
people to turn away from game
shows was the prizing element.
Before, one of the key elements
of game shows was the prize
factor: a TV, a trip, a car. In to-
day's society, we already have
those things. We've put them on
a credit card. So what we did was
develop a show where we'd help
people pay off their debts.
You don't have to know
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Who watches the show?
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"Debt" is truly a game show for
the '90s. Contestants come on the
show with what they owe in real
life and they answer funny pop-
culture trivia questions, and
when they get a question right
they reduce their debt. If a play-
er gets down to a zero balance,
we'll pay off everything they
owe. We've already given away
over $700,000.
TV and talking about their debts.
But they felt no shame. I think
the cultural stigma of debt has
been erased.
American Red Cross
The response to the show has
been incredible. What made me
so happy is that viewers get it,
they understand the humor of
the show.
Has there been any criti-
Your show pokes fun at be-
cism of the show's concept
ing in debt, something other on moral grounds?
generations took very seri-
been some, not a lot, but
ously. Why do you think the There's
most of the criticism has been not
of the show itself but of us as a
attitude toward debt is dif-
culture. The show is just a mir-
ferent for this generation?
ror. I would answer that criticism
Because it's become a way of life,
sadly, for this generation. When
we were growing up, it was seen
as shameful to be in debt. Now,
the credit card is king.
I think it's important to point
out that we are not making fun
of people who are in debt. We are
simply saying, 'It's no longer a
dirty little secret. Everyone's in
debt.'
As we started holding audi-
tions for contestants, we were
concerned they might be embar-
rassed about going on national
by saying debt has become a way
of life; this is how we're living
right now. And these aren't peo-
ple who are destitute. This is not
"The Homeless Show." These are
everyday people who have some
debt and they want some help
with it.
Interestingly, contestants have
told us that because they're play-
ing for their debt, it's more per-
sonal. It's psychologically more
pleasurable than winning many
of the typical game-show prizes,
like a jet ski. EI