To be honest, I think TV people give Richard Hatch too much credit. They say he played Survivor brilliantly in its first season. In truth, I just think he was a rude guy who happened to get lucky. It’s hard for me to accept that he can be so savvy at winning a reality show and yet so not savvy at walking over to H&R Block and just filling out a tax return and paying up. But even though he spent three years in jail for failing to pay the taxes on his Survivor winnings, and reportedly had the opportunity to then file and pay them during his supervised release, he has apparently not done so. Maybe he still walks around naked and could not find an accountant who wanted to get next to all that. God only knows where he was keeping his W-2’s.
And so, my apparent hostility towards him aside, Hatch presented himself to U.S. marshals in Rhode Island on Monday to begin a nine-month prison sentence. Yep, on this Island, we have jails for people who fail to meet the challenge of hiring an accountant. No immunity idol for you!
He told reporters outside the courthouse that he is innocent and is filing an appeal. I will give him the benefit of the doubt and say maybe he is. But really? Why would everyone be out to get him? Why the house of lies?
According to the Associated Press, Hatch says:
“I hope I’m released soon … But this system is not effective in dealing with the truth. As always, I’ll comply with whatever I’m asked to do and continue my pursuit of exoneration.”
Hatch is currently appearing on NBC’s “The Celebrity Apprentice.” He now owes an estimated $2 million to the IRS, a figure that includes taxes on his “Survivor” winnings and penalties. Oy oy oy.
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