The $25 Million Dollar Hoax - A Preview

NBC is slowly becoming all reality, all the time. Not that we're complaining, since that means we have more to do. On Monday, November 8th at 10 PM EST/9 PM CST, NBC debuts The $25 Million Dollar Hoax, its newest foray into reality TV. The premise is that a woman pretends to win $5 million in a random drawing, then proceeds to spend the money on herself rather than giving any to her family. If she can fool them into thinking she's just that selfish, she'll walk away with $25 million. Here's an introduction to the show and the people involved:

The Hoaxer:

Chrissy Sanford is a semi-pro soccer player for the San Diego Sea Lions. Her goal (no pun intended) is to go pro and join the Women's Professional Soccer League, like her role model, Mia Hamm. She and her six brothers grew up in Newbury Park, CA with their electrician father and homemaker mother.

Sanford is a computer programmer who earned a Web/IT degree from Azusa Pacific College and received a soccer scholarship to Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo). Before attending Azusa Pacific, she went to Ventura Junior College and the University of Arizona. Sanford was cast on The $25 Million Dollar Hoax after answering an Internet ad for the series.

Her Family:

I'd tell you about her family, but nbc.com doesn't seem to know anything about them, either. The website says that this information is "coming soon."

The Co-Conspirators:

The venerable Ed McMahon, he of The Tonight Show and Star Search fame, and the lesser-known but probably just as venerable George Gray, of The Weakest Link, are in on the hoax. I guess if Ed McMahon gives your daughter a check, you'll believe whatever he tells you.

The Hoax:

The story goes that Chrissy visited a gambling website called TheBigWin.net and participated in an online survey about it. (A quick test of the website reveals that it leads you back to nbc.com's information page about the site.) This survey made her eligible for a random drawing in which she could win millions. "As fake luck would have it," according to NBC, Chrissy became a $10,000 finalist and entered the running to win the "Grand Prize." The ruse will begin in the first episode, when McMahon shows up at Chrissy's house with a check for $5 million. Cameras will record Chrissy's shopping extravaganzas and, of course, her family's reaction to her not-so-generous nature. If she can keep up the hoax, she'll win millions for real.

The Unanswered Questions:

Can Chrissy be uncharacteristically selfish for as long as necessary in order to win millions of dollars? Can she continue to sell out her family, subjecting them to a ruse so that she can benefit? Will they forgive her when the truth comes out? What will Chrissy buy? Will the producers realize that they don't need to include the word "dollar" in the title of the show, since the "$" takes care of that? Tune in Monday to find out.

Jenn Brasler is an aspiring writer from Falls Church, VA. You can e-mail her at luckyjenn@hotmail.com. She's trying to decide whether to use her powers for good… or evil.

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