12 MONTH CERTIFICATE 5.75' 'Debt' Makes A Game Of one Worries INTEREST RATE 5.870 A.F.Y./* 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. 60 MONTH CERTIFICATE 6.00% • 1 3% INTEREST RATE A.F.Y./* What is the basic concept behind "Debt"? These are fixed rate certificates of deposit that are insured by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). A minimum opening deposit and balance of $500.00 is required to obtain the stated Annual Percentage Yield. aagstier Bank , *°°°,4„ * . * Main Office 2600 Telegraph Rd. Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 *Annual percentage yield when compounded quarterly. Raters accurate as of 9/27/96. Penalty for early withdrawal from certificate accounts may be assessed. someone really well to give the perfect gift. In fact, you don't have to know them at all. THE D ETRO Please give blood. There's a life to be saved right now. Call 1-800 GIVE LIFE A 00 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 Canal Who watches the show? *'~ Federally Insured ** CALL (810)338-7700 or (810)352-7700 EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY "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