What happened to My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss
Fox Broadcasting Network started airing My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss on November 7th, promising a new episode each Sunday. Admitting to being an Apprentice rip-off, the show had its merit, since it was basically a parody on all the high-life big-business go-getter shows, which launched after the success of the original apprentice.
N. Paul Todd, an intricate individual and a billionare unknown to the Forbes list, runs the IOCOR Corporation, which will hire the fabulous winner of the show. There was a little catch, which consisted of Mr. N. Paul Todd being a hired actor and IOCOR being a non-existant multi-billion dollar corporation. The show itself sometimes jumped the shark too fast, with N. Paul Todd sharing his wildly sexist and unethical views on venture capital business with the contestants. There were some clues from some of the contestants who questioned Mr. Todd’s business skills, but nevertheless, the happy bunch of A-professionals seemed to happily participate in activities like selling a chemical to the kids with the help of a cartoon character (they didn’t actually sell the chemical, they just had to come up with a character idea) or pushing reusable toilet paper to some street market visitors in Chicago.
The 5th episode aired on Dec 12, 2004, and since then the show just would not appear on TV screen. From the forums and all the un-official sources it seems that several things happened in sequence:
- The show ranked beneath Nielsen 100
- Fox figured out they could do better with the Sunday night timeslot
- They unexpectedly pulled the show
- They provided no official explanations whatsover, and the official page still creates the impression of show being aired
- They offered no excuse to those who actually watched it
It’s understandable when a network cancels the show, but it’s totally confusing why Fox decided to handle it the worst way possible - providing no explanation and no pointers to where the remaining episodes can be found, and why the show was pulled off. You don’t expect a network like this to put up torrents on the site with free video downloads to those who liked the show, but there should still be some mentioning of it on the show Web site.
So be careful not to get hooked on any show coming from Fox Broadcasting - it might get pulled off totally unexpectedly with no subsequent episodes provided whatsoever, even though the entire show was apparently already filmed.
So what exactly happened to the show? The rumor has it the shooting was completed, so someone in Fox Broadcasting does have a complete set of all the episodes. The secret boss was a monkey in a business suit with the hairdo resebmling Donald Trump, in an obvious take-off on the Apprentice.
MSNBC has an update on the show as of January 18:
We’ll soon know who it was, as FOX plans to put the remaining five episodes online. The network just did the same thing with all eight episodes of the similarly-killed series “Playing it Straight,” although each one of those episodes costs $1.99 to watch. “Big Fat” will apparently be free when it debuts on FOX’s Web site for the show, but there isn’t a premiere date set yet.
January 14th, 2005 at 5:04 am #Michelle
I KNEW it was a monkey!
How frustrating that we may never see this actually play out.
January 14th, 2005 at 5:52 pm #anne
this show was one of the funniest things ever on TV. I want to see the
rest of them! I’m a Ph.D. scientist…so perhaps I loved seeing slimey
business types make asses of themselves. And the actors were
absolutely wonderful. It always seemsd to be up against tough competition
to beat. Fox didn’t promote it enough. Whaa Whaa Whaa.
January 14th, 2005 at 8:54 pm #Joe Blow
Eat Me, Fox
January 16th, 2005 at 4:20 am #Evan
Thats bullshit. My Big Fat Obnoxios boss was hilarious, a good twist on reality tv.
Fox Sucks.
January 16th, 2005 at 8:31 pm #Stephen Hennessy
Best show on TV in years, how can I buy the tapes of the not shown episodes??
January 17th, 2005 at 12:33 am #Tara Meddaugh
This show made me laugh SO HARD! Too bad that the majority of viewers were watching Desperate Housewives instead of this hilarious show…I think partly because of the time slot against this leading new series, it didn’t get a fair shot. Such a funny, absurd show, which tv has been lacking lately.
January 17th, 2005 at 3:45 am #Mike
A sad, sad time. Truly, the show rocked. Every Sunday, for the last 4 weeks, I’ve been waiting for the show to return, and only today I learned that bad news. (Btw, I was close on guessing the boss - I thought he’d be a walrus or an elephant or something.) Desperate Housewives is a watered-down version of Sex in the City, with worse writing and cheesy acting. Poor timing. Fox sucks indeed.
January 17th, 2005 at 6:03 pm #Tracy
I emailed our local Fox network and as far as they knew the show would return Jan. 16th, 23rd, and a two finale on the 30th. So I looked for while on the edge of my seat.
I had no problem recording Desparate Housewives for a chance to listen to bitter humor laced with refreshing honesting about how it really works in corporate America. (Hasn’t it been said, for any outragious joke to be funny, there has to be some truth to it.)
Well, can anyone at least tell me where I can buy Excaliber?
January 17th, 2005 at 6:55 pm #Tracy
Oh, and one more thing! I haven’t learned my lesson. Fox already did this to me back 2000-2001 when they pulled Lone Gunmen without ever airing the conclusion episode which starred David Duchovny. See, Fox knows its viewers have short memories and will forget about it by next fall - except now they figured out if they launch new shows every 12 weeks people like me will be happy because there’s always something new to watch - Hello Jonny Zero!
Alright, I can sleep now.
January 17th, 2005 at 9:20 pm #The Old Weasel
I couldn’t agree more. When you try to post a comment on the Fox site, it took so long I gave up.
January 18th, 2005 at 1:31 am #Jim Chapman
I loved the show and am tolally p/oed at fox!!!!!!!!!
January 18th, 2005 at 2:42 am #Rick
What an absolute joke!!! It’s wrong to just pull a show like this and not tell anyone. How about maybe moving it to a different timeslot where it’s not up against one of the highest rated shows on TV (desperate housewives). This show is absolutely hilarious. One of the best kept secrets in television history. I’ve been telling all of my friends to watch the show, but of course, they can’t!! Nice move fox, you actually came up with a good show and this is how you react.
January 18th, 2005 at 3:17 am #anthony
I also liked the show, I thought it was a great parody of The Apprentice.
I did not appreciate the way that FOX just unexpectedly pulled it. I
suspect it may come back in the summer….
January 18th, 2005 at 10:18 pm #Dutch
Fox is behind the times as usual. Our FOX affiliate hasn’t a clue when or if the remaining episodes will air and are the last station to broadcast in HD.
January 19th, 2005 at 12:40 am #Upset Viewer
This is so wrong. How could they do this to the viewers. I wonder if it could be considered
false advertising. I have never seen a show cancelled in the middle of the season
with no closure; especially a gameshow. That is just not right.
January 20th, 2005 at 10:52 pm #Nuts For The Show
I recorded every episode. Pisses me off that they cancel it. Damn show was so good i would buy the rest from those bastards at fox.
btw, does anyone have Whitney’s phone number???
January 23rd, 2005 at 7:07 am #ticked off
I was wondering what happened to this show. I watched it every Sunday and thought it was hilarious. I thought that since it was around x-mas time it was put on hold for a minute, but never heard anything until I found this website. I think it is so rude of FOX to just pull a show like this. Bastards!
January 24th, 2005 at 5:26 am #Dawn
My husband and I were EXTREMELY unhappy to FINALLY find out that the funniest show to come out in a long time had been cancelled!~ We have been watching for it for weeks thinking that maybe they were just waiting until football was over to air new episodes. But….NO! They just cancelled it! I think Nielsen needs to do re-calculating—maybe the votes need to be recounted! C’mon FOX!! Get it together!
January 24th, 2005 at 3:49 pm #Ariel
I loved the show and have also been waiting for it to come back on to see what happens next. I would tape HouseWives and watch Boss. This has been a letdown.
January 28th, 2005 at 4:30 am #djglide
i agree with some of these people being dissapointed in sucks i mean fox, my fiance and i got sprung on the show the first night it aired once the show was over we just could’nt wait till the next show aired and the next show and the next show and then started noticing them start skipping the shows till the following till finally nothing without any notice or anything we thought it was because of the hollidays went to fox online and requested for info. on showw and all it said was be back soon and fox never responded, then i had to find out 2 weeks ago watching news on yahoo.com and then read its going play all season on fox.com in about 2 weeks it’s been 2 week’s and nothing im pist fuck fox!!!!!!! pieces of shit
January 28th, 2005 at 4:36 am #djglide
oh yeah and to fox get the fuck out of my office or should i say fox you’re fired!!!!!!!!1
January 31st, 2005 at 1:05 am #CL
damn, wtf, this is not cool. so much for the funniest “reality” show on tv.
February 1st, 2005 at 10:39 am #KP
My husband and I were also big fans of the show, and are very upset that they just pulled it without warning. It was one of the funniest “reality” shows we’d ever seen, and looked so forward to Sunday nights! What is wrong with Fox????
February 2nd, 2005 at 5:37 pm #Rita
Thank you to this site for at least giving us some sort of answer as to what happened to this great show. I e-mailed Fox to find out what happened and am still waiting one month later for a response. This was a great show- made those of us who didn’t get into a ritzy school feel great!
Like someone else posted- FOX GET THE HELL OFF OF MY TV!!!
February 3rd, 2005 at 10:06 pm #Kdog
absolutely hilarious show, after the super bowl is over i will go on strike from watching the FOX network
February 7th, 2005 at 8:31 pm #XtraFattyBigDaddy
Man o’ man was that show funny. I would buy the dvd. I loved it and watched it each week, and I don’t even watch that much television… I am kinda surprised about the monkey though…
February 9th, 2005 at 3:30 pm #Bracken
I think the contestant figured out it was a joke, and quit.
February 12th, 2005 at 7:18 pm #Jeanne
I’ll bet Trump muscled them out, he probably couldn’t take the joke!
Very very troubling.
February 16th, 2005 at 12:46 pm #Kim
Fox is lying again…..Put the show on DVD and don’t put any more reality shows on the air. Fox you are undependable….Just go away, you don’t care about your viewers.
February 17th, 2005 at 6:42 pm #Foxsy
I had a blast watching the show!! I couldn’t believe it when it didn’t air anymore! There was a special or something as I remember one a Sunday night and Fox said the show will return the following, but that week never came! I would of loved to see the ending!
February 20th, 2005 at 6:00 pm #duefox
I have a 3 part plan to get FOX to show the remaining episodes.
March 9th, 2005 at 4:47 pm #Amy
It’s hard to find good reality shows anymore, and when we finally do Fox pulls it off the air! I think they should have atleast played out the rest of the season, afterall, it’s only like another 5 episodes! I hope they put it out on DVD or something… Damn, I hate Fox now. -_-’
March 15th, 2005 at 7:03 pm #Kevin
Episodes 6-7 are on the site now! http://www.fox.com/bigfat/
Episode 8 is coming March 18th
April 1st, 2005 at 9:48 pm #monkeyboi
monkey!!!
July 5th, 2005 at 3:53 am #Fat Fan
Looks like fox have pulled the site. Can’t see any of this damn funny show anymore
I did here that they would make all of the episodes available to view form their site but this might not be possible anymore
July 25th, 2005 at 6:51 am #Jay
I’d hate 2 be the bringer of bad new, but the last five eps are being aired in AUSTRALIA… so we will finally know who the boss really is…. I’ll come back and post it as soon as it aires… should only be about 2 weeks away….
jay
July 25th, 2005 at 7:28 am #sami
priks of blokes tha was the dumbest sow ever, well after midnight ( aust )
the last guy walked off ( the girl ) and the cant air the show because of that\
so there
July 27th, 2005 at 10:20 pm #Cody
Hey there!!! Like all you guys out there, I love the show. I find it exhaustingly funny. Gives me the cracks and to those in the States, I think the last few episode will be airing in Australia. or I hope it will beor else Channel 7 will be going down the drain. Can’t wait to find out who the “Big” boss is. Cheers
August 8th, 2005 at 7:28 am #Glen
ok if any of you guys still care i’m and aussie and we are getting the last one next week so i’ll post back if it really is a monkey and who won.
August 15th, 2005 at 7:08 pm #gustavo
Hi,There!
I am in Sydney and could not go to bed without My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss!!I now understand what a corporate guy is..(I am not,btw).It was very elucidative to realize what they are(and I am sure about it)and that they would do anything the Boss asks them to be.Yes,the monkey is the boss,could not be any different…But the real good thing was the” members of the Board” asking the two finalists if they believe in Mr. Todd’s business practices.It’s all fireworks!Unbelievably documentary!Fox does not air it because it’s the pure truth(like Chayevsky said about “Network”,the 1976 film)and so they dump it in our little country Australia.Ohhh,we were blessed!!!
August 19th, 2005 at 6:21 pm #Shawn
Anyone know where I can download or view the final few episodes. Fox took them off their site before I could watch them?
August 21st, 2005 at 10:10 pm #maria
yeah, does anyone know where i could even BUY the rest of them?! i have been soooooooo angry since december about this ordeal! i didnt even see them on the website to download and now i hear they arent even doing it!
August 23rd, 2005 at 1:53 am #mark
First 2 episodes aired for the firsttime on an offpeak satellite station in Ireland on Sunday gone.
Am very surprised to see the real history of the show in the US, especially after how funny I thought it was. It is hilarious.
I was only browsing the web for the show, because it was THAT funny, that I was even at the stage where I was considering that everyone of the show cast may have been actors also?
Well I will just assume it is for real so as not to ruin one of the funniest shows I have ever seen.
Assume we will get to see the complete show as it is being shown in double episodes at an offpeak time.
August 29th, 2005 at 4:57 am #Jay
I’d hate 2 be the bringer of bad news……. and if U don’t want 2 know don’t read anymore……. But the real boss…… W A S A M O N K E Y W I T H A W H E E L & N A M E S O F P E O P L E O N I T!
I mad this hard 2 read just in case people don’t want 2 know, but can i say it was as funny as hell….. hope u guys get 2 see it soon….
Jay from Melbourne, Australia
November 16th, 2005 at 8:44 am #Terry
This series is currently being aired in the UK on E4 at 15:00 hrs Monday to Friday I have just watched the Garbage to Art episode 16 November 2005′
I’ve got to say this is just so funny the actors are so good one of the best reality shows on a par with a Uk reality show “What the Butler Saw” the British version of “The Family” well I would say that as I was in it lol
November 27th, 2005 at 10:16 pm #Tom Green
The show has just finished airing in the UK. All the episodes were shown and the above posts on the payoff are true. The only dissapointment was that in the final ep they didn’t bring back all the losing contestants for the reveal. Boo-hiss.
Great TV though, and such a shame it tanked in the US. Perhaps it wasn’t marketed well enough?
December 10th, 2005 at 3:57 am #Daria from Poland
My BIG fat obnoxious Boss is COOL:D:D:D I LOVE DAVID!!!!!!
February 6th, 2006 at 10:58 am #Jason Randell Keys
I taped all the shows in the uk if anybody in the US wants to see them. Email me at jasonkk@aol.com
May 4th, 2006 at 7:33 am #Kim Lewis
I have been glued to this every day at 10.10am for the last couple of weeks. Work has suffered. The final episode due tomorrow. Can’t wait, even though I know the outcome. Brilliant series, watching it from behind the sofa (Doctor Who 1960 anyone?).
May 5th, 2006 at 3:37 am #Aled
Hey Kim, glad to know I wasn’t the only person in the UK that was watching this at this time! I never thought I could become addicted to a reality tv show - but it was hilarious! Just came online to see if there was anything about the contestants and what they’re doing now!
May 5th, 2006 at 11:13 am #Alex
Sensational - absolutely sensational. Generally I loathe reality TV shows and it was only because somebody (whose sense of humour I appreciate) told me about it that I tuned in. I even ended up learning how my video recorder works just so I could tape the episodes I couldn’t see! What a blast it must have been to work behind the scenes of that show and come up with those ideas. I can’t believe what I’m reading about Fox pulling it in America - are they insane. One of the funniest things I’ve ever seen.
January 21st, 2007 at 11:09 pm #BC
Thank goodness! I never caught the episodes online, but Fox Reality (US) aired a marathon tonight so I finally got to witness the last half of My Big Fat Obnoxious Boss!!!
January 29th, 2007 at 8:04 pm #Joey Phillips
I would love to see the unaired episodes of my big fat obnoxious boss, if anyone knows how to get a hold of these episodes either online or DVD or whatever I’d like to know so I could finish watching it.
January 29th, 2007 at 8:46 pm #tom
I HAVE TO SEE THIS THING!!! I have been searching my ass off. Like Inigo Montoya, I have this life mission, to see the last five episodes, not to find the six fingered man.
July 13th, 2007 at 2:16 pm #jeff
…and now they’ve done it again with another great show, Drive.
December 11th, 2007 at 4:14 pm #mary
how funny is this show im a bit late but they have been showing it on fox 8 just now