Undercover Boss Canada, episode 4: a CEO with some junk in the trunk
We’re only four episodes in to Undercover Boss Canada and W Network is already letting us down! Brian Scudamore, founder and CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK, put himself through university hauling away trash in a pickup truck—hardly the kind of incompetent office jockey that makes this show entertaining. Though Scudamore’s junkyard prowess was a disappointment, the episode wasn’t a total wash—he did nearly blow his cover twice, and chose the show’s cheesiest nickname to date. Was he a hero or a zero? Find out after the jump.
We’ll skip past the always-generic family story portion of this episode (“My grandparents worked 15 hour days and blah, blah, blah”) and go straight to the awkward board meeting where Scudamore announces his plans to the management team. “I’m stepping down as the CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK,” he deadpans, and the ensuing silence stretches on and on. “For a week!” Smiles from everyone! Oh Scudamore, you’re such a jokester—the lesser execs chuckle as their dreams of being CEO wither away. Further evidence of Scudamore’s kooky ways? He’s game to shave his head for the transformation and chooses the name Hugo Wart. Hilarity!
But Scudamore can’t get the hang of being Hugo. The house he paints with subsidiary 1-888-WOW-1-Day, a painting concern, belongs to a friend, and his attempts to skulk around corners before the client leaves only make him look shifty (we wouldn’t leave him alone in our house for one minute). Then he introduces himself to a truck driver as Brian before realizing his mistake and stammering, “er, Hugo.” Facepalm.
In his intro, Scudamore says, “this is about really professionalizing a somewhat dirty industry,” which makes it sound like he’s a high-end porn producer.
He’s so keen on connecting with his employees that he starts to annoy them—truck driver Daniel can’t get his invoice finished until he sends Scudamore out to post ads.
He has an after-work beer with two of his drivers, and admires the host’s apartment with apparent sincerity.
He gleefully rips apart a shed in minutes—it was pretty hot, actually.
He quips to driver Dan, who used to own an antique store, that he’s moved “from selling junk to hauling it away.” Glad to know that you value antiques, Brian.
This guy’s a terrible liar—even the cameras in his face didn’t remind him to stick to his fake identity.
Hired. The guy can rip apart a shed in minutes. Swoon.
 and go straight to the awkward board meeting where Scudamore announces his plans to the management team. “I’m stepping down as the CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK,” he deadpans, and the ensuing silence stretches on and on. “For a week!” Smiles from everyone! Oh Scudamore, you’re such a jokester—the lesser execs chuckle as their dreams of being CEO wither away. Further evidence of Scudamore’s kooky ways? He’s game to shave his head for the transformation and chooses the name Hugo Wart. Hilarity!
But Scudamore can’t get the hang of being Hugo. The house he paints with subsidiary 1-888-WOW-1-Day, a painting concern, belongs to a friend, and his attempts to skulk around corners before the client leaves only make him look shifty (we wouldn’t leave him alone in our house for one minute). Then he introduces himself to a truck driver as Brian before realizing his mistake and stammering, “er, Hugo.” Facepalm.
In his intro, Scudamore says, “this is about really professionalizing a somewhat dirty industry,” which makes it sound like he’s a high-end porn producer.
He’s so keen on connecting with his employees that he starts to annoy them—truck driver Daniel can’t get his invoice finished until he sends Scudamore out to post ads.
He has an after-work beer with two of his drivers, and admires the host’s apartment with apparent sincerity.
He gleefully rips apart a shed in minutes—it was pretty hot, actually.
He quips to driver Dan, who used to own an antique store, that he’s moved “from selling junk to hauling it away.” Glad to know that you value antiques, Brian.
This guy’s a terrible liar—even the cameras in his face didn’t remind him to stick to his fake identity.
Hired. The guy can rip apart a shed in minutes. Swoon.){kind=link}
The biggest difference between the Undercover Boss US version and the Canadian is how cheap the Canadian bosses are. In the recent Cineplex Movie Theatre episode they gave an employee a flat screen TV and Blu Ray player for participating….really is that all you can afford??? Mind you another employee got a trip to Paris but generally the Canadian Companies are cheap!!!