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The Talk Show Scam

December 18, 2019 Blind Gossip

[Blind Gossip] This blind item is about a popular talk show that has been on the air for years. The show films in front of a live studio audience.

Every year, they do a holiday gift giveaway. Sponsors contribute their products in exchange for a promotional mention on the show.

Of course the audience loves it. They scream and cheer – and cry! – as they walk away with literally thousands of dollars of gifts simply for being an audience member.

There is something nefarious going on behind the scenes, though.

It’s a scam, and we’re going to tell you how it works.

We are going to give you a hypothetical example with hypothetical numbers. 

Let’s say The Show begins negotiations with KitchenAid, a manufacturer of household appliances. They tell KitchenAid that they want to include a KitchenAid Stand Mixer (which is a popular holiday gift) as part of their holiday giveaway.

The negotiations between The Show and the manufacturer begin.

Which model of mixer? The low end mixer you can buy on sale for $199 or the high-end mixer that retails for over $500? Will the manufacturer include attachments?

It’s not just about the retail value of the gifts. How long will The Host talk about the mixer? Will they demonstrate the mixer on air by whipping up a batch of Christmas cookies? Will KitchenAid also buy some commercial time during the show to promote their other products?

KitchenAid asks The Show how many audience members there are so they can send the appropriate amount of product. Let’s say The Show tells KitchenAid that there will be 400 audience members that day.

KitchenAid agrees to include some overage to the order just in case any of the boxes are damaged in transit. This is done with the strict instruction that any product that is undistributed to the audience is to be returned in its original packaging to the manufacturer.

Let’s say that KitchenAid ships 420 boxes of $500 mixers. That’s $210,000 worth of  ONE product from ONE sponsor.

Let’s say that all of the mixers arrive in good condition.

Now, what if the audience actually only consists of 300 people the day of the giveaway?

Perhaps the show coordinators innocently gave KitchenAid the wrong number. Perhaps not.

Regardless of whether that error was innocent, The Show sends those 120 extra mixers back to the manufacturer as per their agreement, right?

No.

They might send back a few of the mixers to fool the manufacturer.

The props department is then told to remove the rest of the mixers from their boxes and to throw away the packaging. Now that merchandise can’t be returned.

They split up the bounty.

Keep in mind that there are multiple days of giveaways with multiple sponsors involved, so The Show has a warehouse filled with literally millions of dollars of brand-new, high-end products.

The scam we are talking does not involve one or two items that “fell off a truck.” We are talking about the large-scale, purposeful theft of brand new, high-end merchandise by a popular talk show.

Famous Host: You are a producer of the show. Are you part of this? Are you aware of this? You are now!

Similar: Last Minute Gifts

TV Host:

[Optional] What one material gift are you hoping for this holiday?

Blind Items gifts, legal, TV

Previous Post: « A Wild Christmas
Next Post: Her Temper Was Not Bottled Up »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. gossipjunkie24 says

    December 19, 2019 at 11:57 am

    The Wendy Williams Show

  2. queen__b says

    December 19, 2019 at 7:53 am

    Ellen Degeneres Show

  3. cancun says

    December 19, 2019 at 7:37 am

    Ellen

  4. aleshamom4 says

    December 19, 2019 at 6:53 am

    Years ago I would think Oprah, but now, Ellen 😣

  5. Baileygirl says

    December 19, 2019 at 6:40 am

    I have no idea about the talk show host. The only one I can think of is Ellen. The amount of merchandise amounts to grand theft. I hope the producer knows now and calls the FBI. This is really bad. It is not an innocent crime.
    The only material gift I want this year is a German weather house-the one with the man and woman who come out of the house and predict the weather. I am going for clutter-free gifts this year-food, mani-pedi certificates etc.

  6. emzywhemzy says

    December 19, 2019 at 6:17 am

    The Ellen Show.

  7. MadGal says

    December 19, 2019 at 4:42 am

    Oprah

  8. GallwayGirl says

    December 19, 2019 at 4:04 am

    Ellen
    Ellen DeGeneres

    Nothing.

  9. Brunettetalk says

    December 19, 2019 at 3:35 am

    Ellen? She is super rich and obviously super greedy. Donate them to charity. Ellen!,

  10. purplefluffybunny says

    December 19, 2019 at 12:52 am

    Ellen Degeneres?

    My FIL is in intensive care so I’m not expecting any material gifts, I’d just like him to get better!

    • MinnieMe says

      December 19, 2019 at 10:22 am

      I hope your FIL gets better soon and is able to come home to be with his family. Prayers for him.

  11. Princesspc says

    December 19, 2019 at 12:48 am

    Wow, if true this is so unethical.
    This could be the Ellen show. What I don’t like is that audience is packed with free loading people who could easily afford this on their own. She should have moved production to a hard hit community like Flint MI and pack the audience with hard working under paid teachers.

    • itstarapagain says

      December 19, 2019 at 6:28 pm

      Completely agree.

    • Brunettetalk says

      December 20, 2019 at 2:14 am

      Beautiful

  12. radmom says

    December 19, 2019 at 12:36 am

    This is Ellen’s twelve days of Christmas giveaway

  13. BDBoop says

    December 18, 2019 at 10:41 pm

    Ellen.

  14. pharmchick says

    December 18, 2019 at 10:36 pm

    Definitely Ellens giveaway- possibly Oprahs if this isnt a recent thing. Thats terrible and if I was a sponsor I would probably want to see a legit seat count before sending so much merch.

    I personally would love a robot vacuum!

  15. yenta75 says

    December 18, 2019 at 10:27 pm

    Ellen DeGeneres

  16. Blossom says

    December 18, 2019 at 10:10 pm

    Oprah or Ellen

  17. snarkoff says

    December 18, 2019 at 9:58 pm

    This is Oprah or Ellen, and the manufacturers could not care less, because a mention by Oprah or Ellen is worth millions. A couple hundred thousand worth of lost merch is chump change in comparison.

  18. DietCokeHead says

    December 18, 2019 at 8:27 pm

    Ellen

  19. Monysmom says

    December 18, 2019 at 7:22 pm

    I am guessing Ellen Degeneres – I don’t think she is as nice as she is made out to be

  20. MrsWCleaver says

    December 18, 2019 at 6:54 pm

    Ellen Degeneres

  21. GretaGuesses says

    December 18, 2019 at 6:26 pm

    Ellen’s Twelve Days of Giveaways

    I be Ellen knows all about this. I have read articles saying that she’s really not so nice and friendly when she’s not on camera. Plus, I knew someone who worked at a dry cleaners where several stars brought their clothes. She said that these were the most tight-wad people she’d ever been around. They always wanted freebies.

    Actually, I wouldn’t mind getting one of those $500. mixers! But it would probably end up just being something that took up room

  22. binxxx says

    December 18, 2019 at 6:21 pm

    Ellen degenares

  23. badgerette85 says

    December 18, 2019 at 5:43 pm

    Ellen DG
    A new dog… lost my 11 year dobe in August.

    • itstarapagain says

      December 19, 2019 at 6:26 pm

      I’m so sorry for you. I hope your heart eventually heals and it brings you comfort. I hope your wish comes true and you have sloppy puppy kisses for Xmas!

  24. abcdefer says

    December 18, 2019 at 5:31 pm

    Ellen DeGeneres

  25. UncleEntity says

    December 18, 2019 at 5:31 pm

    I just always assumed this is what happened.

  26. shannonleew says

    December 18, 2019 at 5:27 pm

    Ellen DeGeneres

  27. ProfessorPep11 says

    December 18, 2019 at 5:20 pm

    Ellen DeGeneres.

  28. aprilroxane says

    December 18, 2019 at 5:08 pm

    Wendy Williams 😥

  29. boyjack4 says

    December 18, 2019 at 4:57 pm

    Oprah????

  30. lad86000 says

    December 18, 2019 at 4:55 pm

    Ellen Degeneres

  31. leapfrog says

    December 18, 2019 at 4:33 pm

    Ellen Degeneres and her 12 days of giveaways!

  32. grey.jade says

    December 18, 2019 at 4:21 pm

    Ellen DeGeneres – she is forsure aware of this.
    Can’t answer the optional, because there is nothing I’m hoping for. Just grateful for anything, anyone decides to get me.

  33. Lindasu says

    December 18, 2019 at 4:21 pm

    Ellen “12 days of Christmas”

  34. dinamarieburnett says

    December 18, 2019 at 4:20 pm

    Ellen

  35. kelno19 says

    December 18, 2019 at 4:11 pm

    Rachael Ray?

  36. bunnypenny9 says

    December 18, 2019 at 4:01 pm

    Ellen Degeneres? She’s apparently not a nice person in real life, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s general shadiness around her.

  37. augustmom says

    December 18, 2019 at 3:40 pm

    Ellen DeGeneres Show

  38. christined says

    December 18, 2019 at 3:37 pm

    Ellen DeGeneres and her “Greatest Night of Giveaways”.

  39. flower says

    December 18, 2019 at 3:24 pm

    TV Host: Ellen Degenerate

  40. Balone says

    December 18, 2019 at 3:20 pm

    Ellen

  41. chica1984 says

    December 18, 2019 at 3:20 pm

    The Talk

  42. Marybel says

    December 18, 2019 at 3:19 pm

    Could it be anyone but O?

  43. pancakephanny says

    December 18, 2019 at 3:06 pm

    Ellen

  44. Mel says

    December 18, 2019 at 2:50 pm

    Wendy Williams!

  45. HappyazHel says

    December 18, 2019 at 2:44 pm

    Ellen ……wow
    A range Rover😁

  46. wendybar says

    December 18, 2019 at 2:32 pm

    Ellen

  47. nowyoutellme says

    December 18, 2019 at 2:22 pm

    Oprah. Oh, how the mighty fall.

  48. mmssjj18 says

    December 18, 2019 at 2:03 pm

    Ellen

  49. stitcher734 says

    December 18, 2019 at 1:43 pm

    Rachael Ray or Martha Stewart? I guess either of these since the blind references baking Christmas cookies; these are the only two I can think of who would cook or bake.

  50. Walkingfangotz says

    December 18, 2019 at 1:41 pm

    This isn’t Ellen Degeneres is it? She does a lot of giveaways.

  51. FiyahHotFlashy says

    December 18, 2019 at 1:38 pm

    TV Host: Ellen or Dr. Phil

  52. biggestbunny4 says

    December 18, 2019 at 1:35 pm

    O.

  53. GeeGee says

    December 18, 2019 at 1:24 pm

    Ellen DeGeneres show.

  54. michellev27 says

    December 18, 2019 at 1:11 pm

    Has to be Ellen!

  55. ILUVCA4evr says

    December 18, 2019 at 1:09 pm

    TV Host: Ellen

    [Optional] What one material gift are you hoping for this holiday? I was really hoping for a new Dooney purse. Ended up buying it for myself ahead of time. I’m happy.

  56. Britttttt says

    December 18, 2019 at 12:55 pm

    Ellen

  57. Someone6251 says

    December 18, 2019 at 12:50 pm

    This makes me think of Ellen.

    No. I don’t want to end up in a lawsuit.

  58. Mumpus says

    December 18, 2019 at 12:37 pm

    Ellen

    What do I want for Christmas? Chocolate

  59. lgindahouse says

    December 18, 2019 at 12:33 pm

    Ellen DeGeneres

  60. kimmukwest says

    December 18, 2019 at 12:30 pm

    Oprah

  61. oyevey says

    December 18, 2019 at 12:29 pm

    Rachel Ray absolutely knows what is going on! Miss Drinks Starbucks from a Dunkin Donuts cup!

  62. rockstar says

    December 18, 2019 at 12:25 pm

    Oprah!
    YOU get a car, YOU get a car, YOU get a car too, gaffer! And one for the asst. producer, engineering dept, etc!

  63. redstilettos says

    December 18, 2019 at 12:24 pm

    Ellen DeGeneres

  64. Bookworm says

    December 18, 2019 at 12:20 pm

    Wow. No idea , Ellen maybe but this is juicy.

  65. SleuthingForFun says

    December 18, 2019 at 12:12 pm

    TV Host: This screams Ellen Degeneres (what a play on her name de generous which is how it is pronounced)

    [Optional] What one material gift are you hoping for this holiday? I self bought Alfred Hitchcock’s 3 movie box set and Midnight Lace w/Doris Day so YAY for ME!

  66. sabrina325 says

    December 18, 2019 at 12:11 pm

    Ellen DeGeneres?

  67. bertwheeler says

    December 18, 2019 at 12:10 pm

    Either Rachel Raye or Ellen.
    Slippers.

    • andilou says

      December 19, 2019 at 8:53 am

      I ask for slippers every Christmas. 🙂

    • spookie says

      December 19, 2019 at 9:03 pm

      I ask my in-laws for slippers every year and it’s become a joke for them to find the cutest ones with animal faces on them! I do genuinely want them because i don’t wear shoes in the house and my slippers get so battered and beat up by the end of the year.

  68. JBDinCA says

    December 18, 2019 at 12:06 pm

    Ellen Degeneres

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