Reality TV Contestants Speak Out
Reality television started off as some sort of weird hybrid between a game show and George Orwell’s 1984. The idea that people would willingly just live their lives (and sometimes compete against each other) in front of cameras 24/7 was so wild! From the Real World to The Mole and beyond, reality shows have become a worldwide phenomenon and redefined what we consider entertainment. What many people seem to forget is that these shows aren’t reality AT ALL. Most of them are highly scripted, follow a story (or a few), and are designed to manipulate both the viewers as well as the people in front of the camera.
Thankfully, some contestants have spoken out and spilled the tea behind some of our favorite reality shows!
Matt James (The Bachelor)
The Bachelor is a combination of game-show, teenage fanfiction, and reality tv addictiveness. Pitting a group of singles to compete for the hand of a stranger they’ve never met is just good television. Throw in a ton of alcohol, bad decisions, and cameras, and you have a multi-million dollar franchise. While every bachelor going into the castle/condo/mansion has their own strategy, some are less physical than others.
The joy of getting some alone time in the private suite is a big deal on the show. This is the part where many contestants think things may get close and personal. Instead, Matt James flipped the script. He used his private time in the suite to get to know the contestants better!
Leslie Remy (House Hunters)
House Hunters is one of those feel-good real estate shows that have zero drama that’s also a nail-biter to the bitter end. Despite a majority of the show being highly scripted, you’re still watching a random person trying to decide which overpriced box they want to live in. Also, it doesn’t matter that the focus is on the homes. The show’s production people have a specific image in mind for the house hunters.
Apparently, you can’t just wear whatever you want. That’s not natural or appealing. Instead, there’s a very specific dress code you have to meet before the cameras turn on! Who knew shopping for a house would require a whole new business casual wardrobe.
Kalon McMahon (Bachelor in Paradise)
Even when filming some privacy-obstructive reality shows, you have to have a few standards and lifelines available. The Bachelor knows this. In fact, they have a professional psychologist on the set! One contestant revealed that the mental health professional is there to ensure everyone’s okay. However, since it’s also a reality show, maybe they’re helping figure out some storylines…?
While contestant Kalon McMahon didn’t get into too many details, that’s enough to make us wonder. How far are some shows willing to push their casts? It’s great that there’s someone available to talk to. However, how’d we get to the point where this has become necessary to make good television?
Doron Ofir (Casting Director for The Jersey Shore)
Once you go tan, it’s all over man. When people think of iconic reality show stars, if Snooki isn’t one of the first to come to mind then we don’t know who is. This show used an already popular concept to launch cast members into superstardom. The wilder the better and the kids on the show knew it. Snooki in particular developed a talent for ensuring she always stayed in the spotlight.
Crossing over into other shows, she practically made a career out of reality television. She even went so far as to deliver her signature bronzed beauty secrets to auditions! Leaving a smudge may have even been a smart marketing move on her part.
Elaine Stott (Survivor)
It’s not always about being the fastest or strongest. Sometimes you don’t even have to be athletic at all. What it really takes to get on Survivor is your charisma. Despite being talented as all get-out, Elaine Scott of Survivor: Island of the Idols impressed everyone at her audition with her humor!
Before demonstrating any sort of gaming prowess, she was a shoo-in for the season. How’d she do it? During her audition, she cracked a joke or two to break the ice as soon as she walked in! If that’s not a great way to make a first impression then we don’t know what is!
Jillian Harris (The Bachelor and The Bachelorette)
Part of the reason reality shows can last for more than 20 seasons is the casts. Every year (or few months) there seem to be twelve to twenty new and exciting singles with wild personalities ready to fight over a single random guy. The cliches and tropes are all there, but they’re jumbled up enough to keep us watching. In reality, these actors and wannabe stars aren’t always as exciting as the cameras make them out to be.
Many shows, like The Bachelorette, have story producers. Their jobs are to manufacture drama and drive a narrative to keep us all interested in these people for a set number of episodes. It’s actually kind of genius that they can keep surprising us after all these years. It’s also kind of sad how much they’re willing to manipulate the contestants.
Anonymous Cast Member (Real World Cancun)
Part of the fun of watching Real World was seeing how well the housemates got along. The conflicts and fights were always so specific, but ridiculous and wild for no reason. However, not every fight was between the people in front of the camera. During the season filmed in Cancun, one contestant picked a fight with MTV.
They got a pretty graphic tattoo calling out the network! Since it had to be blurred out, the network spent extra money ensuring nobody could make out the expletives on the housemate’s hand! How he even managed to slip past everyone and get it done is still a mystery to this day.
Laverne Cox (I Want to Work for Diddy)
Actor, trailblazer, and icon Laverne Cox is one smart cookie. She’s never allowed anyone to manipulate her narrative. Even when she was competing on I Want to Work for Diddy, she refused to let producers paint her in a bad light. While it was obvious they wanted her to fight with someone else, Cox saw what their true intent was. Instead of playing into their hands, she remained graceful, elegant, and exited on her terms.
While she didn’t get to become Diddy’s assistant, we think she’s done pretty well for herself so far. While Hollywood can be a tough place to survive, Cox’s confidence and self-awareness have helped her become an unstoppable and un-manipulatable force in the entertainment industry.
Kenny Barnes and Kelly Chase (Love is Blind)
Now that we’re addicted to watching people rush into relationships, shows like Love is Blind have become our new go-to. Watching shadowy producers throw strangers together for the sake of storylines has an odd comfort to it that millions have begun to embrace. Sometimes the pairings are disastrous. Other times they actually do lead to a genuine connection!
However, that connection may be a bit one-sided. While Kelly Chase thought she found (potential) love, she ended up getting blindsided by her would-be partner. When she got to the altar, her hopefully hubby-to-be, Kenny, said he wasn’t emotionally ready for the next step.
Jenelle Evans (Teen Mom 2)
We’re not exactly sure when we got to the point where Teen Moms would be considered a successful and entertaining concept for television. However, here we are with Teen Mom 2. Why? Because if you can’t fix an issue you might as well capitalize on it. Whether you’re a fan of the show or not, it’s important to note that this show is about real people in exaggerated situations.
Yes, these teens are undergoing an important moment in their lives. However, the fights you see aren’t always real! A lot of them ended up being scripted or edited wildly out of proportion. One star even threatened to walk from the show entirely if things didn’t settle down.
Jessica Batten (Love is Blind)
Agreeing to potentially marry someone you’ve never met on national TV sounds like a stressful situation. While there are many ways to break into the entertainment industry, or out of the dating pool, that one sounds a bit extreme. However, just like in the Little Mermaid, once you sign the contract you’re locked in for the ride. Though you don’t have to get married if you don’t want to…
…you can’t just stop filming until the crew says you’re done. Even when life gets tough, or your family pet gets sick, you signed on to do a job: be entertaining. One contestant even tried to walk away. However, the contractual obligations prevented her from leaving!
Harry Jowsey (Too Hot To Handle)
While a lot of people spin horror stories about reality shows going too far, some people try to set the record straight. Too Hot To Handle‘s Harry Jowsey admitted that production did try to push storylines. However, he came to the show’s defense (kind of). He said in an interview that they can only try to suggest and push people together.
He wasn’t fed any specific script to memorize. Instead, production did everything in its power to put people into situations they wanted for the show. What the contestants actually said to each other was on them. That’s an odd comfort when you’re forced to work all day and put in vulnerable situations in front of a camera.
Ariel Malone (Hell’s Kitchen)
Some people can truly be terrifying to work with. Others just play up a persona for the sake of entertainment. Guess at which role Gordon Ramsay prefers to fill. When the cameras aren’t rolling, the Hell’s Kitchen star is apparently very down to Earth. The constant berating, belittling, and sarcastically-borderline-psychotic mannerisms are all for show!.
He’s actually a really chill guy that has serious skills and loves to help others! We get it though. Who wants to watch someone like that on TV? We want someone that’ll reduce a non-professional chef to tears for burning water. Why? We have nothing better to do.
Heather Rae Young (Selling Sunset)
Watching beautiful people sell beautiful houses to other beautiful people is an eye-opening experience. That’s the best way to describe Selling Sunset. Despite it being somewhat staged, you’re still immersed in these people’s lives. That also means some surprising revelations may appear from time to time. Heather Rae Young isn’t just a fantastic real estate agent. She’s also a model and former magazine star! During an interview, she was very candid about posing for Playboy in 2010.
Ten years after the issue came out, she said it never bothered her! She wanted to pose for them and she also wanted to continue her career. Guess what? She got what she wanted and deserves all the good things. Young made it very clear there’s nothing wrong with celebrating your body.
Francesca Farago (Too Hot To Handle)
Too Hot To Handle tries to combine raging hormones, egos, and the desire to remain abstinent for money. It sounds like some twisted conservative promise-ring experiment. However, it’s supposed to be fun and people like to test their self-control. Here’s the problem; if you tell people the point they’ll act however they think you want them to.
Instead, why not lie to a bunch of influencers online, trap them on an island, then tell them what’s going on? Sounds fun? Probably not. However, that’s when reality said, “Hello!” It took some of the contestants by surprise. When they found out it was more than your standard dating show, things turned upside-down for everyone!
Dorit Kemsley (Real Housewives of Beverly Hills)
When you create a show about being a wealthy socialite you’re bound to receive some unwanted attention. The Real Housewives franchise regularly introduces us to a cast of upper-class people with very little going on for them. Sure, they stay busy for the cameras, but the meat of the show is about invading their private lives. There are even highly-followed after-shows that exist just for talking about these people.
While that can be fun at times, it can also draw some less-than-desirable folks into these stars’ orbits. Dorit Kemsley of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills had a pretty horrifying run-in that still hasn’t been solved. Someone broke into her home one night (while her kids were asleep in their rooms) and robbed/threatened her!
Andrea Boehlke (Survivor)
Survivor has been on for over forty seasons. During that time, fans and hopeful future contestants have found their own ways to prepare for each season. Some people take their training seriously and even construct their own challenges at home. That’s exactly what Andrea Boehlke did to prepare for her very first foray onto the beach.
Before competing on Survivor: Redemption Island, Boehlke had to improvise her training regimen. Since she didn’t know what challenges would appear, she tried them all! She even balanced on fences and practice her archery skills. Of course, it all paid off. So far she’s competed THREE TIMES on the show!
Lauren-Ashley Beck (Survivor: Island of the Idols)
Speaking of Survivor: Island of the Idols, we have some more tea! Filming a show on a beautiful island can come with a few perks. Despite being in constant competition for the cameras, you’re still basically forming a mini-family with your castmates. When the camera wasn’t rolling people were pretty chill and loved to explore.
They even set out to see what was going on around the island! They figured there was nothing else to do, and you can only film so much, so why not? It was also a great way to bond and enjoy a mini-vacation while still making fun TV!
Christine Chiu (Bling Empire)
Some viewers seem to forget that behind all the glitz and glamor of Bling Empire people are dealing with some difficult situations. Just because someone is on TV doesn’t mean fans at home are always getting the full story. Why should they? Some people don’t want to share things and that’s okay.
Christine Chiu said she actually never intended to talk about her issues with getting pregnant. However, having that conversation aired for the world to see was cathartic. She stated that it was good that it happened. It also helped showcase the struggles that some people face when trying to have kids.
Antoni Porowski (Queer Eye)
One of the best things about either iteration of the Queer Eye series is how animated yet real each of the Fab Five can be. Showcasing their personal styles and talents on the show is probably an emotionally taxing job. Throw in having to actually help people and things are bound to get teary-eyed from time to time. But are the feelings we see on screen always real?
As it turns out they are! However, one member clearly wears their heart on their sleeve a bit more than others. If nobody was aware, everyone agreed that it’s Antoni! Their gorgeous looks and huge heart are also probably why they’re a fan favorite.
Paige Desorbo (Summer House)
People can find love in some of the most unexpected places. They can also sign up to find it on television and broadcast part of that journey to millions. While it sounds terrible, some people actually come out of reality TV with a brighter outlook on things. Summer House‘s Paige Desorbo seemed to change completely after her time on TV!
Instead of wanting to go party and stay out late with friends, she says her interests have shifted. Since she competed she’s found a bit more peace with nesting and chilling with her partner. It almost sounds like reality TV helped her want to focus on the simple life. When has something like that ever happened?
Angelea Preston (America’s Next Top Model)
America’s Next Top Model has delivered one of the most, if not THE most iconic reality show moment in all of history. The fight between Tiffany Richardson and Tyra Banks is performance art. Since then the show has had a few other stand-out moments that live on in infamy. Not all of them make it to the final episode.
Some of the models have more serious issues than we thought. During her final runway photoshoot, Angelea Preston of season 17’s all-star lineup encountered a dangerous anxiety attack. Instead of offering to help her, producers and crew just kept their cameras rolling.
Sarah Hartshorne (America’s Next Top Model)
When you’re offered the chance to compete on television for a wildly over-blown dream prize, reading the fine details of the contract isn’t always your top priority. The glamor of being on TV can blind some people to a slew of serious facts. One of them is that you’re still working.
Having someone follow you around all day and pick fights for tv is basically forcing you to work. That means you deserve to be paid. someone should have told that to the production crew on America’s Next Top Model. In the beginning, they only paid their contestants $40 a day (and that had to cover food)!
Christina Wilson (Hell’s Kitchen)
It’s not always the contestants that need to be protected on reality shows. Sometimes the hosts and judges need to make sure their butts are covered for whatever might be thrown at them. This is especially true on Hell’s Kitchen! One judge did an interview and revealed that a licensed attorney is present for every single taping.
They’ve also come in handy from time to time. During a specific episode, Gordon Ramsay actually got into a legitimate fight with a contestant! She accused him of trying to sabotage her and get her eliminated. What went from a disagreement into something bigger had drastic consequences. That contestant was immediately disqualified!
Anonymous Former Producer (Judge Judy)
Judge Judy is everyone’s favorite short-tempered, law-abiding, (probably) foul-mouthed judicial grandmother. For over twenty years she’s been reprimanding and entertaining the world with her televised, and somehow legal, court show. However, behind the scenes, a lot of things seemed to happen under the table. Multiple reports of assault have been lodged by and from members of Judy’s crew! While she’s apparently aware of it, some say she really doesn’t care.
All that matters to her honor is that the checks keep on coming. Even after getting canceled, her show was quickly renewed on Amazon! Looks like the Judy train still has a few more laps around the network to do before it stops in its tracks.
Jennifer Farinet (Botched)
Botched is one of those shows where people who were wronged sign on to be gawked at in the hopes of getting their failed plastic surgery corrected. It’s an interesting premise where the intentions are good, but the process feels a bit vindictive and mean. The show is basically pointing out every single thing that’s “botched” on a participant’s body.
With that extreme scrutiny, there is the eventual pay-off (for some). When any repairs and extra work are done by the pros on the show, the final results can have real-world implications for these people. Sometimes it can even result in giving them a better quality of life!
Alan Gonzalez (Project Runway)
In the world of fashion, one day you’re in, and the next day you’re out! Every season of Project Runway has delivered great fashion, fierce designers, and some exceptional drama. Even when things are coming down to the wire, the contestants still find time to have a few tender moments. Not every designer enters the competition to make friends.
Some of them are so laser-focused on their goal that making bonds with others can take them by surprise. Alan Gonzalez may have wanted to be the greatest designer the world has ever seen, but his experience on Project Runway gave him a special bonus. He came out with fifteen brand new friends!
Jason Balinskas (Wipeout)
Wipeout is one of those ridiculously over-the-top competitions that nobody really takes seriously. Despite the funny and almost comical nature of the show, some people who try to get on make it a life goal. They’re even willing to sacrifice their social lives, careers, and everything else to make it on that course.
One superfan, Jason Balinskas, trained for two years for his shot at the prize! When his time to shine arrived he did his best to stay at the top. He then finished dead-last. In fact, he was almost disqualified! During his final interview, he gave sage advice to anyone wanting to pursue a similar dream to his: don’t.
Danny Wolverton (America’s Got Talent)
America’s Got Talent is a combination game-show meets talent show meets horror-filled life or death extravaganza. The acts that make it far always seem to get bigger and more daring with their attempts to impress. These bigger risks also come with bigger consequences. Sometimes they can even land you in the hospital!
Danny Wolverton, levitation mastermind and hopeful finalist of AGT learned the dangers of the show the hard way. After getting injured performing a stunt, he revealed that production pushes the contestants to go big or go home. They’ll even suggest dangerous things outside a contestant’s skillset just to make good TV!
EMT Contestant (Would-be EMT show)
Not everything needs its own reality show. Put strangers in a house and film them? Okay. Be a tyrant and run a modeling agency while verbally reducing your employees and clients to the size of ants beneath your pumps? We’re in for 100 seasons. However, once you start looking at some life-or-death situations to fill an air slot, you may have gone too far.
A short-lived EMT reality show tried its best to show the world what EMTs go through on the daily. While it’s important and life-saving work, there were some embellishments. The show almost made the would-be stars sound arrogant and pretended that every call would result in near-death if they weren’t there in minutes.