Top 10 Moments of 2008: Number Five
We’re up to the 2nd half of our countdown, and we start with a moment from the beginning of the Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? season. It’s the show’s first appearance on any of our countdowns. Throughout the first two seasons, no one could win a million because, well, for the most part they cast idiots for the show. However, late into the season and especially in the current one they’ve started getting people to play who if they don’t at least win $500,000 you seriously question why they are where they are today.
It was especially true for Georgia school superintendent Kathy Cox, as she became the first million dollar winner on the show. This moment really doesn’t have to do with the show. Nothing that thrilling happened. It was a tiny bit spoiled, she was a person who had no excuse not to win it probably, and again, she won a million dollars for knowing what a ten year old should know. Meanwhile we haven’t had a million dollar winner on Millionaire for about six or seven years.
The real moment comes from the entire media frenzy surrounding her. There was a bit of a backlash from people saying she was just going off to Hollywood while her school systems needed help. But she ended up donating her entire million dollars to the school system. After that, a few months later, she filed for bankrupcy. So really, kind of a bland moment, but nice that she did what she said she would, in the face of bankrupcy in this tough economy, and donated her entire prize to her school system.
IMO it was a boneheaded move for her to donate all her winnings to charity. She should have taken that money and gotten herself out of debt first before she could give to others — if she had any money left over after paying off her debts, then she should have donated that money. But I feel no sympathy for her, having given away all her money to others and left herself to suffer in bankruptcy.
When Suze Orman says, “People first, then money…” she means “YOU first, then money…” If I am ever fortunate enough to come into that kind of money, regardless of what kind of job I hold, I pay MYSELF first (i.e. my debts) before I give to others.
I hear what you’re saying, R.V. I probably would’ve done the same thing that you said if I was in debt. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to give to charity (I give all of my old clothes to Goodwill every Christmas), but look out for Number 1 first and foremost.
As for the game itself: I thought it was a great moment in this show’s history (insert mouth in foot from a post earlier this year). And who would win it but someone in the school system. I (jokingly) think she cheated.
Well, bear in mind, the Georgia school system was (apparently) in trouble, so (at least, the way I see it) she figured the system needs money and found the easiest way to make a quick buck for the schools. And, as we can see, she made a lot of it.
R.V.: I don’t think it was a boneheaded move. While I agree with you and DeVares (in that I would pay off my debts first), I think what she did was truly selfless.
If one believes in Karma, such as myself, one believes that she will get paid back, in some way, in the future.
At first I thought it was weird that the first winner was the Superintendent of Jeff Foxworthy’s state school…but, whatever on that one.
I truly believe it was a great moment, and that she will be rewarded (in some way) in the future.
As a native of Georgia, I can tell you that the state’s public school system is in pretty bad shape. One county school district lost its accreditation, while at least two others are in danger of the same fate. And while there are success stories in state public schools, it’s the failures that get the nationwide attention.
I’m pretty mixed about Kathy Cox’s appearance on 5th Grader. As I noted in the Game Show Forum, it doesn’t look good when the head of state education is in Hollywood while a school district lost its accreditation. At the same time, it was good to see public education, in some way, come out a winner on-air.
As far as the bankruptcy goes, that was caused by her husband’s home business failing.