“Undercover Boss” is supposed to reveal the good, bad and ugly of everyday workplaces by inserting senior executives into their own companies — you guessed it — undercover. But Sunday night’s episode just uncovered a wildly sexist CEO.
The episode featured Doug Guller, CEO of Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill, going undercover and attempting to “improve” his business from the inside. By the end of the hour-long program, Guller had fired a bartender for wearing a t-shirt instead of a bikini during work, and offered to pay for another employee’s breast augmentation surgery if she showed improvement and became a “rockstar” at her job.
Similar to Hooters’ business model, Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill’s waitresses wear skimpy outfits — string bikini tops and short shorts in this case — as their work uniforms. According to CBS, Guller “welcomes controversy and proudly refers to his chain of restaurants as ‘breastaurants.'”
Guller before and after his “Undercover Boss” transformation.
While he’s undercover, Guller notices that one of the bartenders, Jessica, is wearing a t-shirt instead of a bikini top. When Guller asks her why she’s not wearing her bikini, Jessica tells him she usually wears it but prefers not to wear a swimsuit on camera. (Presumably Jessica was told she was being filmed for some other imaginary project.) Watch the full exchange below:
At the end of the episode Guller reveals his true identity and confronts Jessica about her choice to not wear a bikini top. He tells Jessica that it was a “big bummer,” and proceeds to fire her.
Guller later sits down with another waitress named Grace to discuss her work. After complimenting her as the “model Bikinis babe,” Guller offers her a deal, telling her: “If you can make it through six months and you’re a rockstar… I’m going to put you in touch with the best [breast augmentation surgeon] in town and we’ll make this happen!” Yes, that exchange is real.
Many people took to Twitter to voice their outrage about Guller’s actions and the episode in general:
Wow @CBS you blew it on this episode of #Undercoverboss! The CEO is an insult to women. Fire the gal who has goals besides a bikini? #Fail!
— Pam Moore (@PamMktgNut) December 29, 2014
You are a disgusting pervert and straight up creep. @DougGuller #undercoverboss
— I. Maria Jones (@mariaj81) December 29, 2014
Just watched #undercoverboss and I’m completely outraged with the CEO of Bikinis for firing Jessica. Dude is a total sexist pig! #Disgusted!
— Jeremy Goodson (@Im_Good_Son) December 29, 2014
Disgusted by the CEO on #undercoverboss. Fired a girl for having greater goals than wearing a bikini top at a bar for the rest of her life.
— Andrea Medina (@MsAndreaMedina) December 29, 2014
The producers of #UndercoverBoss must be males w/no sisters, wives, or daughters if they think #BikinisSportsBarAndGrill isn’t misogynistic.
— Anthony Bradley (@drantbradley) December 29, 2014
This #undercoverboss was the worst I’ve ever seen. CEO was horrible. Can’t even believe this ep aired. I’m disgusted. @CBS @undercover_cbs
— MichelleF0918 (@MichelleF0918) December 29, 2014
she just said she didn’t feel comfortable wearing a bikini top in front of a camera crew, @DougGuller. show some respect. #undercoverboss
— feminist hipster (@feministhipster) December 29, 2014
Is #undercoverboss getting desperate? I just saw the CEO reward an employee with a breast implant!
— Mario Armstrong (@marioarmstrong) December 29, 2014
Total (misogynistic) fail.
H/T Jezebel
