Reality television is arguably one of the most popular guilty
pleasures among people. “Trash TV” is like a bag of chips, you know
eating the entire thing is bad for you, but you can’t help but consume
it all. There’s just something thoroughly entertaining about watching
catty banter and drama. But there is always that question on how real
the reality is.
Would you believe that the contestants on Survivor aren’t left to fend for themselves? And that the ladies on Bridezilla aren’t divas? Keep reading to learn the reality behind some of television’s most popular reality shows.
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The Biggest Loser
The Biggest Loser is
a popular weight-loss competition that began in 2004. The premise of
the reality TV show is to document the contestants on their weight loss
journey. Some people leave the show completely changed, losing upwards
to 100 pounds! Unfortunately, not everything is as it seems on The
Biggest Loser Ranch.
ABC
According
to past contestants, the people on the show are given diet plans that
leave them malnourished. And the industrial-size scale they’re weighed
on at the end of each episode is apparently all for show. Each
contestant is weighed days prior, so the number is nothing new to them.
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Survivor
CBS
Contrary to popular belief, Survivor is not
exactly about the contestants surviving on deserted islands and random
isolated locations. While the reality game show players are, in fact, in
those locations, not everything is as it seems. When the cameras aren’t
rolling, they get a lot of help from the crew.
The contestants
are given food and supplies to help them build fires off-camera. Hey,
the producers don’t want a PR nightmare on their hands! Producers also
bring in people to train the contestants on various survival tactics and
decide what everyone should wear. Well, at least the prize money is
real, right?
Up next: welcome to the fake show that is MTV Cribs.
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MTV Cribs
MTV
The early 2000s was quite a time for MTV reality shows. One such program was MTV Cribs,
a show that followed various celebrities around their gorgeous
mansions. Viewers got to see what it was like to live like the rich and
famous. Too bad that some of those homes weren’t exactly what one would
call “theirs.”
Apparently, producers would rent out multi-million
dollar mansions and pretend it was owned by the celebrity. One rapper
was caught breaching the rental contract when the homeowner saw he had a
600-person party during his episode! Is anything real anymore?
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American Pickers
History
American Pickers follows Mike Wolfe and Frank
Fritz as they travel across America in search of invaluable artifacts.
They then buy from the collectors and sell the pieces in their thrift
stores, or, they just add them to personal collections. Unfortunately,
this reality show isn’t as spontaneous as it lets on.
Most of the
haggling between Mike, Frank, and the sellers is an act, as the prices
have already been negotiated off-camera. Also, many of the items are
chosen by the producers. At least they know which artifacts would be
interesting enough to base an episode around.
Up next: would you believe that the Simple Life heiresses were acting?
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Simple Life
E!
While watching socialists Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie
chauffeured around the country is a laugh riot, we’re sad to say that it
is also very much scripted. The airhead persona that most people
associate with Paris Hilton is a ruse. She is, ironically, very
well-spoken.
Brad Johnson, 20th Century Fox Television’s comedy
development executive, said that he developed the character. “It’s the
character that I developed for The Simple Life. They wanted a
character that was an airhead with a baby voice, and so that’s a
character that I do, and I had to do it for five seasons.”
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Naked And Afraid
Discovery Channel
When watching Naked and Afraid on TV, it’s hard to
imagine it’s anything but real. To some degree, it is, the contestants
are running around the wilderness naked. That being said, a lot of the
drama between contestants is made up to make the show more interesting.
According
to former contestants, they aren’t as isolated as the program leads
viewers to believe. Participants interact with locals; it just isn’t
shown. The producers also help the contestants survive by giving them
rations of water and food. They even provide medical attention if need
be!
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Beauty And The Geek
The WB
For the men and women chosen to be on the reality TV series Beauty and the Geek,
they had to go through some major personality changes. While the show
portrays the guys as socially incapable book nerds and the ladies as the
popular girl next door without brains, that’s not necessarily the case.
A
few of the “beauties” came out and said that producers asked them to
dumb themselves down in front of the camera. For example, Jennifer
Carter, a season three contestant, graduated from Northeastern with a
journalism degree, even though she was asked to play a dumb blonde on
the show.
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The Voice
NBC
The Voice is a competitive singing competition
where famous coaches, such as Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera, pick
their own teams and mentor the contestants. Then, it’s up to the
American public to vote on the singers. Of course, there is witty banter
and drama along the way, but how much of it is real?
Not a lot.
According to Adam Weiner, singer for the band Low Cut Connie, he
declined an offer to coach because of heavy restrictions. The producers
dictate contestant song choice, style, and even have them sign a 32-page
contract that allows the network to portray the contestants how they
see fit.
Dancing with the Stars might be rigged! Keep reading to learn more.
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Dancing With The Stars
ABC
For the contestants on Dancing with the Stars, personality is apparently more important than their actual dance skills. According to Fresh Prince alum
Alfonso Ribeiro, producers will often take comments and edit them out
of context to create a narrative and fictionalize drama between
contestants.
The entire competition might also be rigged. Hope
Solo said that her partner stirred up drama after seeing a memo that
called for the duo to be cut from the competition. After he called out
the producers on the unfairness of it all, the pair stayed on the show
for a few more weeks.
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The Bachelor And The Bachelorette
ABC
The Bachelor and The Bachelorette are
arguably two of the most popular reality tv shows on-air. Put 30
attractive suitors in one location and have them compete for the
affection of one bachelor or bachelorette, and the producers are going
to make some good television! But, according to some former
participants, it’s the clever editing that makes the show so intriguing.
Megan
Parris, a contestant in season 13, said, “[the producers] basically
will call you names, berate you, curse at you until they get you to say
what they want you to say.” Apparently, they also “coach” contestants on
how to portray certain emotions in front of the camera!
Coming up soon: Bridezillas.
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The Real Housewives
Bravo
The Real Housewives follow a group of high-profile
socialite divas as they argue, go shopping, and throw parties in
different regions of the United States, such as Orange County and New
Jersey. And while the general public loves watching catty women argue
for no reason other than they heard an unflattering rumor, much of the
reality show is scripted.
While under oath at her husband’s trial, Teresa Giudice of the Real Housewives of New Jersey cast,
said, “The image is little more than a carefully crafted fiction,
engineered by Bravo TV through scripted lines and clever editing.”
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MasterChef
Fox
MasterChef is the cooking show where Gordon Ramsey
gets in the contestants’ faces and yells at them. But how real is the
chef and contestants’ relationships on the reality game show? Are
Ramsey’s outbursts scripted or just something that comes off the top of
his head?
According to Ben Starr, a former MasterChef contestant,
the show is “entertainment. First and foremost. It is not real. It is
not a competition. It is highly engineered fiction.” Starr also believes
that the producers intentionally stressed out the contestants, doing
things like waking them up in the middle of the night to switch hotels.
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Bridezillas
We TV
Who doesn’t love watching diva brides wreak havoc on
their loved ones in hopes of having the perfect wedding? There’s drama,
catty banter, and people that are just so ridiculous that it’s hard to
believe they’re real. Ironically, they’re not.
Producers
encourage the ‘zillas to kick up the drama and ask for outlandish and
over-the-top demands, all in the name of the “shot.” According to former
participants, the network misled them into thinking the show was a
documentary on weddings. Um, sorry, Mrs. ‘Zilla, but have you not seen
the show before? It’s also called Bridezilla, as in a bride who acts like a Godzilla-like monster.
There’s no fist-pumping their way out of this next fake reality TV show.
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Jersey Shore
MTV
MTV’s Jersey Shore brought the world Snooki,
JWoww, The Situation, among other people who, contrary to popular
belief, are not from Jersey. Some of them aren’t even Italian-American!
Falsities aside, people couldn’t help but be tuned into the drama that
always seemed to follow the GTL party-loving cast.
The thing is,
the drama was a bit scripted by the producers. It was reported that the
network asked the cast to drink excessively so that the dramatic
situations would be taken up a notch. Editors would then swoop in and
piece everything together to make the show as shocking as possible.
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Hell’s Kitchen
Fox
Hell’s Kitchen is another Gordon Ramsey-led cooking competition. But, unlike MasterChef,
this reality show splits the contestants into two teams. While in their
groups, the cooks have to make dishes at real restaurants for actual
diners. The thing is, not everything is as it appears on the screen.
The
establishments the show takes over are actually fake, the diners are
paid to be there, and the contestants’ dishes are tampered with.
According to former contestants, the producers would take ingrediants
out of their stations, deliberately messing them up and giving Ramsey a
reason to call them an “idiot sandwich.”
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American Idol
ABC
While a majority of viewers very much like the audition part of American Idol,
it’s not actually a real audition. Instead of random people coming in
to audition, potential contestants are scouted by the produces ahead of
time and invited to perform in front of the judges.
Unfortunately,
that means the auditions are a bit fabricated because the producers
already have an idea who they want to showcase on the reality series. So
much for the contestants being discovered by the celebrity judges.
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Cake Boss
Food Network
Cake Boss has been a popular reality show since
its first episode aired in 2009. Viewers are enamored by the
Italian-American family in Hoboken, New Jersey, and their gorgeous art
cakes. The thing is, the masterpieces aren’t what one would call
“edible.”
The cakes shown on TV are reinforced with cladding, a
construction tool that helps improve the appearance of a structure. As
the extravagant creations can’t be eaten, the baker gives customers a
sheet cake to eat while an episode is being filmed. Also, customers know
what type of cake they’re getting, so the big cake reveal is completely
stagged.
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The Jerry Springer Show
NBC
Considering The Jerry Springer Show brought us the
“cash me outside” girl, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that the
dialogue is a bit scripted. While the stories are actually real, the
producers tell participants that they need to be as dramatic as
possible.
Before they step foot in front of the camera, people are
told that they need to make their situation as over-the-top as
possible. After all, that’s why people tune into the show. Even the
fights are planned out, so audience members and the host don’t get stuck
in the crossfire.
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Property Brothers
HGTV
The HGTV show Property Brothers is a
well-formulated reality spectacle that is completely fake. While the
network has a recipe for success, the plot of each episode feels forced.
Not surprisingly, either, because the brothers show each buyer real
estate that is way over budget, knowing that they’re never going to go
for the property.
The worst part is that the home buyers on the
show are already in the process of buying one of the properties.
Obviously, this isn’t shown on camera, and the audience has no idea that
these people are just going through the steps of the show while they
already have a house picked out.
Up next: Catfish, a fake show that is based off people being fake.
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Catfish
MTV
As the long-distance love interests are fake, so to is the MTV show Catfish.
Ever wonder how the “catfish” has a microphone and are ready to go when
Nev, Max, and their internet love-interest show up on their doorstep?
This is because they have to agree to be on the show.
Meaning,
producers know these people before filming, so they’re able to do all of
the detective work Nev and Max presumably do on-camera. At least they
make it seem like everything is being done in real-time.
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Wife Swap
ABC, Paramount Network
To say the premise for Wife Swap is a bit absurd
would be an understatement. But the reality show has been on the air
since 2004, meaning viewers are entranced by the cringe-worthy family
swap that has two women switching places for two weeks. The twist?
Presumably, these women come from totally different family dynamics.
In
reality, the families aren’t so different as the show makes them
appear. Producers tell each family member to play up their differences,
going as far as giving the children “roles.” The producers also
embellish the “manuals” each wife writes for the other to help them
navigate their “new family!”
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Total Divas
E!
Total Divas follows a group of female wrestlers
and explores their lives outside of the ring. That being said, the
behind-the-scenes drama is about as real as actual wrestling. These
women are trained entertainers and actors, so the show is capitalizing
off of their skill set.
According to former WWE Tag Team Champion
PJ Black, about 90 percent of the show is scripted. Then Jim Ross, a
wrestling announcer, admitted to a fan on his podcast that “the
presentation is fictional.” Well, at least the show is good for some
embellished drama.
Keep reading to learn about the fake mansion on Southern Charm
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Southern Charm
Bravo
Southern Charm is another reality show that
follows wealthy socialites. Only, this time, southern culture and
politics are brought in to play. While the show’s producer, Whitney
Sudler-Smith, would like viewers to believe that Southern Charm is authentic, that isn’t the case.
This
show goes further than a phony scripted dialogue. According to a local
real estate agent, Jenna King’s mansion isn’t hers. Instead, the
property was rented out solely for the show. “They used it for some
interior and exterior shots, and Jenna had absolutely nothing else to do
with the property. She never lived there or owned it.”
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Vanderpump Rules
Bravo
There’s nothing quite like watching the young waitstaff
at SUR bicker and betray one another under the watchful eye of Lisa
Vanderpump, a restaurant tycoon and real housewife of Orange County.
While the “basic” drama draws in viewers, apparently, most of the show
is anything but real. Vanderpump Rules alum, Stassi
Schroeder, admitted to faking a breakup on the show solely because the
producers told her to. She also said that a majority of the dialogue is
scripted so that everything would fit into the narrative. Is anything
real anymore?!
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Storage Wars
A&E
Oddly enough, watching grown men and women bid after an
abandoned storage unit is entertaining. And while one would think the
premise of the show would be difficult to fake, the producers proved
otherwise. The treasures that the bidders end up finding in the units
aren’t there on accident.
Dave Hester, former Storage Wars
star, has said that the produces plant items in the units prior to
bidding. And the network allegedly helps less-experienced bidders with
the financial process that goes along with the “war,” giving them an
unfair advantage.
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Pawn Stars
History, A&E
While Pawn Stars is filmed in the world-famous
Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, much of what’s shown on the reality series
is not all it’s chalked up to be. Nevada state privacy laws dictate that
anyone who wants to film another person must get their consent.
That
means the people on the show went through an extensive paperwork
process before filming. It’s been said that anyone who comes on the show
must first fill out a form illustrating their item and outlining their
demands. Pretty much, everyone is hand-selected and told when to arrive
at the shop.
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Duck Dynasty
A&E
Duck Dynasty follows the Robertsons, a family of
hunters who enjoy long beards, camouflage attire, and patriotic
bandannas. This reality show differs from others in a few ways. One is
that the family is very much open about their scripted conversations.
Another is that the entire series is staged.
Rather than have the
camera crew follow the family around as they do in other reality shows,
the producers come up with scenarios and have select family members “act
out the scene.” The Robertsons call it a “guided reality.” Also, the
producers made the decision to bleep-out a lot of unnecessary dialogue
to make it seem like there was more cursing.
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Say Yes To The Dress
TLC
Say Yes to the Dress is a very popular reality
show that follows brides-to-be as they shop around Kleinfeld boutique in
New York in hopes of finding their dream wedding dress. Viewers watch
and witness meltdowns as well as happy endings in the store. But how
much of the experience is real?
Apparently, the camera crew angles
themselves just so, to make the boutique look bigger and less congested
than it actually is during business hours. Producers also observe the
people accompanying the bride, asking them to repeat and stress certain
comments to make the show seem more dramatic.
Up next: Cupcake Wars let’s their contestants in on a little secret that gives them all an upper hand,
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Cupcake Wars
Food Network
Cupcake War contestants are bakers from all over
the United States (or special celebrity guest stars). Being experts and
professionals in the kitchen, one would think these participants
wouldn’t need help or assistance on the show. Wrong.
In “mystery
ingredient rounds,” it’s said that the contestants are told ahead of
time what they’re going to have to incorporate in their creations. All
they have to do is look surprised on-camera. Pretty much, they’re told
the secret ingredient and have some time to think over the dessert they
want to bake. Talk about cheating.
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Long Island Medium
TLC
Long Island Medium Theresa Caputo has been
connecting people with their friends and family since her first episode
aired in 2011. The reality show centers around Caputo’s career of
speaking to the spirit world, specifically the loved ones of her
clients. However, her show has been the center of a few authenticity
scandals.
It’s said that the producers of the show feed Caputo all
of the necessary information regarding her clients. They find the
information through social media, background checks, and even
questionnaires. It’s even been rumored that specific people are told to
sit in certain places within her live audience. Yikes, talk about faking
it till you make it!
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