“What Would You Do?,” the hidden camera ABC-TV show featuring ethical dilemmas, tonight will air an episode taped at Westport’s Groove, a popular children’s clothing and gift store at 420 Post Road West, across from Whole Foods.
Host John Quinones of ABC’s “What Would You Do?” posed with those involved in the episode taped at Groove. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo
The show, taped last October, airs at 9 p.m. The TV show used actors to set up scenarios to see what bystanders would do or say when faced with an ethical dilemma.
The scenarios involved a mother and her daughter (both actors) shopping for clothes, during which the daughter acted disrespectfully to the salesperson (another actor), threw clothes on the ground and displayed entitled, obnoxious behavior.
In several scenarios, the mother was also rude and disrespectful, while in other cases, she was consumed with a cell phone call and ignored her daughter’s behavior altogether.
“What Would You Do?” producers were interested in seeing how the customers would respond to this potential real-life ethical dilemma.
In many cases, the regular Groove customers and shoppers voiced their disbelief to the salespeople (both real and acting), while several others stepped in and approached the mother and/or the daughter, in order to defend the salesperson.
The show’s host, John Quinones, a veteran ABC correspondent, and show producers watched the feeds of multiple hidden cameras in a makeshift control room in a van parked behind the store.
When someone intervened, Quinones entered the store to interview the individual about how the scenario made an impact.
Corri Neckritz, the owner of Groove and Westport resident, felt it was difficult to not personally react, since she normally would have stepped in to manage the child’s and mother’s interactions with her employee.
“This was obviously an extreme circumstance, but it was a good reminder of how we want our children to behave and act respectfully toward others,” said Neckritz, the mother of three.
“Our customers are typically gracious, and we don’t see this kind of situation very often. It was a great case study, and we found it fascinating.”
This popular TV show is now in its 10th season and airs Friday nights on ABC. For more information, visit: http://abcnews.go.com/whatwouldyoudo.
