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Denise Martin, the former lunch lady who said she had been demoted to cleaning toilets after appearing on "Survivor: China," acknowledged yesterday on national television that the hard-luck story she told in the reality show finale was not true.
Martin, 40, who works in an elementary school in Douglas, appeared on the CBS "Early Show" in a split screen with School Superintendent Nancy T. Lane in a segment dubbed "Survivor Scandal." As her voice cracked, Martin confirmed what Lane told the Globe Monday, that she had been promoted to a $17-an-hour janitorial position before trying out for the show.
"It was not my intention to be misl eading," Martin said from a studio in Los Angeles. "I'm sorry, and I apologize to everybody. Believe me, I wish none of this had happened. I couldn't say I'm sorry enough."
During the live broadcast of the show's finale Sunday, Martin told viewers she had been demoted from her $7-an-hour job as lunch lady because she had become too popular at Douglas Intermediate Elementary School. The producer of "Survivor: China" surprised her with $50,000.
When asked yesterday on the "Early Show" whether she would keep the money after making up a "sob story," Martin stammered and shook her head. "I had no idea I was going to be awarded that," Martin said, without answering yes or no.
CBS agreed to have the two women on the "Early Show" because school system administrators wanted to tell their side of the story, Lane said yesterday.
CBS issued a statement yesterday in which Martin apologized to the network and her supporters and said she would not keep the money.
"It was not my intention to mislead anyone," the statement said. "I take full responsibility for my actions and hope that you can find it in your hearts to forgive me. I do not feel comfortable about accepting the $50,000. I would instead ask that it be donated to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Please accept my apology. I would also like to thank all the people who have supported me through this experience."
The tale Martin told on the "Survivor" finale sparked an avalanche of angry e-mail Monday as viewers lashed out at Lane, crashing the computer servers at Douglas public schools. The nasty notes stopped after the apology.
"Hallelujah!" Lane said after returning from her television appearance in New York City. "As far as I'm concerned, it 's done."
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.
