The contestants on "Gana la Verde" (Win the Green), an unscripted, Spanish-language show that airs nightly on KRCA-TV Channel 62 in Los Angeles, don't compete for a cash prize or even fame. Instead they jump through extraordinary hoops, eat disgusting "delicacies" and perform odd jobs, all in pursuit of the American dream.
The winner of this competition walks away with a set of immigration lawyers, who for one year work to expedite the residency process. No guarantee of "la verde," though. "People say that our show is like 'Fear Factor,' but it's different because the climax of the show involves working," said producer & director Adrian Vallarino, a Uruguayan native who moved to Los Angeles a year ago. "That's the ultimate test, because we want to expose people to some of the realities of being in the workforce here. Many of our viewers are in precarious situations, and the company wanted to try to help them with their papers, to give something back to them."
