What a great article. Of course, it helps that I've watched every one of those shows. I can't believe Jay's contract would have given Bravo 10% of his business forever, in exchange for the $100K. That's bananas. I wonder if the first-season winner always gets screwed over -- now I'm thinking of Adrianne Curry.

Oh, I don't know. It seems like a standard investment. Any other investor would ask for the same deal-- how does Jay expect to get investors if he wants them to just give him money with no return? I am kind of annoyed with him for complaining about having no money and giving up the 100K.

Oh, I don't know. It seems like a standard investment. Any other investor would ask for the same deal

Really? Huh. One difference with Bravo is that I would have thought the money was a prize, not an investment -- which I guess it is now.

I am kind of annoyed with him for complaining about having no money and giving up the 100K.

Well, I'm sure he thought Everything Would Be Different. Noodle has no idea how to start a business like that.

You notice that there aren't the same strings attached to Top Chef winners -- I'm sure that Jay is the reason that it isn't an investment but rather a prize.

Oh, I don't know. It seems like a standard investment. Any other investor would ask for the same deal-- how does Jay expect to get investors if he wants them to just give him money with no return? I am kind of annoyed with him for complaining about having no money and giving up the 100K

Investment, yes. Prize, no. They bill it as a prize. And even if it was an investment, 10% of the business forever is a bit much.

So, when he gave up the money, he also gave up the mentorship, I assume? Because I was confused when he was talking about how he had no guidance.

However the money comes, investment or prize, I suspect the bigger issue is that a lot of the contestants are eliding the difference between "100k to start your own line" and "your own line."

Frankly, "10% of your business forever" is pretty easy going compared to some of the other reality contracts. American Idol in particular just kind of owns you for a long time. Not forever, but for a while, and completely -- every album you record and every song you write, and anything you do is released or not at their discretion, so if they want to really screw you, they can.

Reading about the AI contract made me never ever ever want to do any of the career-oriented reality shows, like Project Greenlight (which owns your next three movies outright, but won't do much to help you finance) or On the Lot (don't know what their contract says). I'll take the hard way, thanks.

I've only read the first couple of paragraphs of the article about Jay, and find his whining to be pretty hollow considering Harold has opened a restaurant (though Ilan has not). In particular, I find it important that Harold was, if I recall correctly, already kind of wanting and planning to open a restaurant of his own, and after winning the first TC he didn't just rest on the $100K + Free Kitchen, but actually turned around and used that prize to attract other investors and get the kind of money it takes to open a restaurant in New York.

Investment, yes. Prize, no. They bill it as a prize. And even if it was an investment, 10% of the business forever is a bit much.

Depends. If they said as much in the contestant agreement, he can't claim to have been misled as to the nature of the prize. And I don't think a 10% ownership stake is really that much. Now that he's given it up, what does he expect as the alternative to finance his line? People to just shower him with money with no return on investment? A right to share in the profits is how you get financing. Forever isn't forever either-- you can just buy them out, or the business may fold. Jesus Jay.

Fascinating article.

I thought during the show that Harold had the best chance at making something happen. Tiffani's plan for the money was to travel around and eat. Harold's plan was to realize his dream. I love that he faked egomaniacal to get on the show.

Jay, I don't think even a management group would have helped. He was so far out there, which made him successful on the show, but not really able to visualize such a thing as business for himself. Even if he'd taken the money, I don't know that he'd have seen much success with it.

It's interesting, though. Because it occurs to me that the record label is a unique breed of exploitative bank. There isn't any such bank you can go to for any other career, and convince them to gamble on your unbelievable talents, giving you money upfront, spending tons of it on your production and promotion, and then hoping you'll earn out and they'll get it all back plus their profit from the rest of your (highly regulated) career. There's no A&R guy for chefs, or designers, or businessmen.