Romance and reality intertwine as 20 women travel to France for a whirlwind romance with a man whom they think is a dashing millionaire. What will happen when the truth is finally revealed that he is a just a regular "Joe" and his wealth is a facade? Will his true love accept him for who he is, or reject him in search of greener pastures?
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In actuality, "Joe Millionaire" is a construction worker raised in humble surroundings with only limited financial security. However, the 20 women who have been whisked off to a beautiful chateau in the French countryside believe that "Joe" has recently inherited 50 million dollars and is looking for a special someone to share his newfound wealth. "Joe," in the ultimate fantasy setting, will be introduced to women that due to his social standing he would not be able to meet in his everyday life. Among the beautiful, smart and sophisticated women gathered are a doctor, banker and business development executive.
"In a way, we're ripping the mask off the people (who sign up for shows like 'The Bachelor')," Fox reality programming chief Mike Darnell told Daily Variety. "We find out whether they're really doing this for love."
Over the course of his stay at the chateau, "Joe" will court each of the women. As he woos them with romantic horseback rides through the countryside, wine-making at the estate*s vineyard, private dinners at the Eiffel Tower and unique and priceless gifts, "Joe" will grapple with the difficulty of maintaining his million dollar charade. As the series progresses, "Joe" ultimately narrows his choice to one woman and must finally reveal the truth about his month-long masquerade and his real financial standing to her.
Will his chosen companion reject him once she learns the truth, or will true love win out?
Less than a half-dozen Fox execs knew of the project's existence. The show was shot in France under the code name "The Big Choice" to further throw off competitors. For information on how the show was originally presented to would-be participants when it was called "The Big Choice," click here to view the casting press release that the producers had released at the time (no... they weren't being the least bit deceptive, were they -- but then again, what would you expect from the producers of such entertainment as "Temptation Island?")
