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Did you feel sorry for Denise Martin, the 40-year-old lunch lady who pleaded with her fellow contestants to let her have a chance at convincing the jury she should win a million bucks because Survivor was it for her? Because afterwards all she had to look forward to was returning to a $7 an hour job in her hometown of Douglas, MA?

Jeff Probst sure did, and he continued to play into Martin's sympathetic tirade on Sunday night's live reunion show of the popular reality series' 15th installment.

Explaining her current situation to millions of viewers, Martin admitted that the school she worked for demoted her from lunch lady to janitor, saying that she was so popular that she was now a distraction.

"I went back and I talked to the food service director, and they didn't give me my job back," she stated. "So I ended up having to go – I'm a janitor now. I clean the toilets, I wash the floors of the bathrooms, I vacuum the kids' rugs. I miss dinner with my family. I haven't been to a field hockey game yet. I'm missing out on a lot more than I originally had planned on doing."

You could almost feel North America sobbing along. Mark Burnett, the show's producer and creator certainly did. He was listening backstage, and during the break decided to award Martin $50,000 for her troubles.

Touching, right?

Except the truth has now come out.

Nancy Lane, the school district's superintendent called out the lie. Apparently Martin was given the custodial promotion after she applied for it; a job that came with additional benefits and a $10 an hour increase. All of this went down in March, several months before Survivor: China even began filming.

Backed into a corner, Martin apologized yesterday. "It was not my intention to be misleading," she said. "Nancy has been outstanding to me. She gave me a leave of absence (to go on Survivor). I'm sorry. I apologize to everybody. Believe me, I couldn't say I'm sorry enough."

Further explaining the falsified truth, Martin claimed she had decided while on the show that she wanted her old job back, so that things could be the way they were before she did Survivor. "I was told I could not have my job back. They didn't give me any particular reason. They just said, 'No.'"

According to Lane, this is another lie: "Yesterday was the first I had heard that she expressed an interest. But she can't return to a position that's not available, and that position isn't available."

Martin hasn't announced whether or not she plans on accepting Burnett's cash cow, although she did admit that it wasn't her intention to scam him.

"I had no idea I'd be rewarded that," said Martin. "Like I said, I did not intend it to come across that way."

Wait...

Someone on a "reality" show lied?

My world is ending.

Wait...

Someone on a "reality" show lied?

My world is ending.

Mars23 said:

but she doesn't deserve the $50,000 the producer of the show gave her JUST because her story was sad.

Not to be a prick, but how does this really matter to the lot of us?

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[Edited 12/19/07 12:22pm]

matthewgrant said:

I saw it.

this show is still on?

Rhondab said:

It sure is and I have watched every single episode

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

There's nothing that matches the second season, though. So, really, what is the point? Richard Hatch's win should have been the end of it. Curse The Real World for being the initial "REALITY TELEVISION SHOW IN AMERICAL". Damn you, The Real World! Damn you, to hell!

matthewgrant said:

I saw it.