Game Show Helps College Students Combat Debt

Steve Adubato goes One-on-One with Michael Torpey, Actor and Host of "Paid Off with Michael Torpey" to discuss the importance of using his platform to combat the student debt crisis.

10/4/18 #2161

Excerpt:

"We asked 100 recent college graduates what is the last thing you'd want your parents to find in your dorm room? Tiara? Used condom? [laughter] Whoa. Top spot again, Tiara. How long do you have to date before it's okay to fart in front of your partner? Chad? Six months? Number one answer again Chad! As an architecture major, if you could build a structure that would represent your student debt, what would it be? It would be a giant middle finger. [applause] What an awesome show! That's the show, this is the guest. This is Michael Torpey, that was Paid Off with Michael Torpey, which can be seen on truTV every...? Every Tuesday at 10:00 p.m. That's awesome. Yeah. It's awesome. By the way, let's do this. Can we get a shot of our great young producer Gina? Gina, the reason we have you here for just a moment or so is to clarify that you are one of the millions and millions as opposed to Carl Sagan, you don't even know who that it is, "billions and billions"... millions and millions of young Americans who have big college debt, correct? Absolutely, yes I do. How bad? Bad. I'm over $100,000 in student debt. Just for four years. And we pay you what... $250,000 a year? Yes. I wish! That's a joke, we're public television. That would be great! [laughter] Okay, so, without belaboring this... because Michael's gonna respond to it... how challenging is it? You work full-time with us, you're terrific, but you don't make millions at public television. So...? It's nearly impossible. I mean, I went to school for four years, I went to a private school, and you think like, "Oh yeah! I can't wait to go to college, you get the whole college experience!" And then you get out and they're like, "Oh. Here you go. Here's all the money that you owe." So it's almost impossible. You think you can move out, and get a full-time job, and everything's gonna be great, and then it's like... oh well. You have rent, and you have all these other things so, I mean... It plays on your mind? Oh yeah, I mean... and it's not cheap. I mean, they don't really have any sympathy for... I have private loans, so... Ouch. They don't really have any sympathy for... for you. Does Gina represent millions of others? There are 45 million Americans out there right now. Over 1.5 trillion dollars of outstanding student debt. And you hear that all the time? Absolutely. Gina, we will not solve your problem, but we'll talk about you when you leave. Yes. Thanks Gina. Thank you. And by the way, thanks for doing a great job for us. Oh, thank you. Thanks for..."