Mohegan Sun on Undercover Boss

The Mohegan Sun's casinos were recently featured on the Undercover Boss reality show. The first posting tells what happened:

'Undercover Boss': Mohegan Sun Chairman Gives Valet Who Flunks Him Life-Changing Gift

Bruce 'Two Dogs' Bozsum rewards single mom $35,000

By AOL Jobs StaffJust because you've been a valet customer, doesn't mean you can be a valet driver. Bruce "Two Dogs" Bozsum, retiring chairman of the Mohegan Sun, learned this first-hand during Friday's episode of "Undercover Boss." The Mohegan Sun is a three-location gaming, lodging and entertainment empire owned and operated by the Mohegan Tribe of America. Employing some 13,000, the enterprise generates more than $1 billion in revenue annually.

Mohegan means "wolf people" and the tribe took the unconventional route of Wall Street funding to open its first commercial casino in Uncasville, CT. Since then, casinos have opened in Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, N.J. Decisions are made the tribal way for the long-term, based on looking ahead 13 generations, according to Boszum.The second offers a Native reaction to it:

How Do You Feel About the Mohegan Sun Episode of 'Undercover Boss'?

By Sonny SkyhawkThe show delivered as was advertised, and after it ended our very discerning and critical crowd let out a surprising steady and appreciative round of applause. The episode was formulaic to a T, and Mr. Bozsum did a great job navigating that formula and seemed quite at ease with it. We applauded for a few reasons, but most important was that we had experienced a rare occurrence in Hollywood: a feel-good Native storyline and portrayal. We are so accustomed to seeing our people playing the stereotypical villain or second banana to a masked man, that we are awed by any depiction that breaks that mold.

This portrayal was truly welcomed. Oh, I know some who see it will be quick to criticize, or complain that the depiction was hokey, or this or that wasn't right, but I happen to think it was a very positive portrayal of Bozsum as a modern businessman and tribal leader. It was also diverse in nature, in that it dealt with people who weren't Tribal members or Native.Comment:  I agree with Skyhawk's assessment.

The show spent a few minutes on Bozsum's biography--just enough to humanize him and set him well apart from the stereotypical Indian chief. The bulk of the show demonstrated that Mohegan Sun is a great place to work, with only a few technical difficulties. And the life-changing ending for the employees was truly heartwarming.

The only possible complaint was a few moments of stereotypical flute music and powwow dancing at the beginning. They didn't particularly hurt; indeed, they may have helped. They may have set up expectations for the typical viewer, which the rest of the show proceeded to thwart.