The Fakest Reality Shows

[jumper sage]

Bravo's new Invite Only Cabo?  Anyone?  Shittastic show!

[kokapetl]

Container Wars. 

Picture three aggressive Israeli stereotypes shouting “We have gold! You are loser!” after founding goldish looking metal in a container, after “winning” a “container war” by bidding $30,000 on that container from Dubai that spent the last 5 years on the bottom of the ocean. Why did they spend that much? Because “Arabs fart gold.” Did I mention that eveyone bid on the container because it contained bedroom furniture and Arabs apparently stuff their mattresses with gold and jewelry.

Either the fakest or most offensive reality show. 

Edited July 27, 2018 by kokapetl

[Ubiquitous]

On ‎5‎/‎3‎/‎2014 at 9:20 AM, beckie said:

Are any "reality" shows actually real these days? Does that even exist anymore?

Yeah, I've noticed that reality shows aren't nearly as "unscripted" as they used to be, especially the ones that have been around awhile (at least two or three seasons).

[One Tough Cookie]

Her Comes Honey BooBoo and June: From Not to Hot.

Seriously.  Where is DYFS?

[Ubiquitous]

I've been seeing a metric shitload of promotional ads for Relationship Rehab, starring John "Magilla" Taffer. Yes, that guy from Bar Rescue.

[Lugal]

I remember on Syfy years ago they had that bodypainting show Naked Vegas.  In the one episode they had "cosplayers" Gillian and Jessica who were "in town" for a cosplay convention and after a little trepidation, they decided to go with body painting and then went on to win the competition.

https://nakedvegas.com/syfy-episode-5-cosplay-and-steampunk/

Except both Gillian and Jessica are professional nude models based out of Las Vegas.  I actually worked with Jill on a project almost a decade before the episode aired.

[CrazyInAlabama]

The fakest one in my view is "My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding".   First of all, they aren't Romani, or Roma, except that one family with divorced parents in Chicago.    They are the Travelers, English and Irish Travelers, that the authorities warn you about with the home repair scams, and other scams.    From what I've read, none of the 'weddings' are real, or legal, that's why they're in venues, or outside of a church or the justice of the peace office.     Even when the show claims to be filming at a town that's the travelers, they aren't in that town, but nearby.   Everything is done for the cameras, and scripted.    There's a good reason so many people's faces are blurred out on the filming too,.  

[yourpointis]

https://definition.org/fake-reality-shows/

Edited October 21, 2019 by yourpointis

[funky-rat]

I think the first time I realized a reality show was largely fake was a number of years ago, when there was some sort of dating show on (can't recall exactly which one) and I spotted a man in the dating pool of people who I knew to be an actor from his occasional small appearances on an obscure show I used to watch.  I questioned someone I knew related to the show, and they confirmed it was him, but it was supposed to be unscripted, real, blah blah blah.

Then I used to post in an old forum that no longer exists whose parents were on Trading Spaces, and I got the down-low on their experience.  They didn't finish in time on the show, and the show never came back and finished up their room, either.

The company I work for has provided product that has appeared on a number of makeover shows (One of the Trading Spaces spinoffs - there were a few - can't recall which one, Extreme Home Makeover - more than once, a show on MTV, and some others).  Those shows relied on lots of freebies and a heart-wrenching story in exchange for a TV credit, but we were disappointed that we were relegated to the fast moving post-show credits, instead of the presenter mentioning us by name (like they did with some other companies).  I only ever watched when we were on, and I recall thinking "You're just giving people a huge tax bill, and huge utility bills - not making life easier for them" and there are no shortage of articles that confirm that.

I still like Pawn Stars, even though it's pretty fake, because I learn interesting factoids, but I gave up on Storage Wars a number of years ago.  The participants were so often giving out wrong information to bolster their numbers.  Barry Weiss was the only one that didn't seem to be flat-out lying about the value of what he was finding (and I know stuff was frequently planted).  I also still watch American Pickers, even though Frank and Mike aren't business partners (they own their own businesses - the show leaves that out - so talk of profits, etc, are completely fake, in the sense that each one doens't have a stake in the other one's business).  There was a local person on the show a few seasons ago, and they said that it wasn't really fake per se, but they re-shot a lot of stuff.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Extreme Home Makeover had a lot of issues, between not vetting participants too well, to way over improving houses.    One house in Arizona (I think) was a family with a child who was battling cancer, and they redid the house, and the children's ward at the hospital.   Unfortunately, the family didn't own the house, and were doing a lease to purchase, and the owner hadn't given permission to do the house.  This meant the house was now worth many times what the original price was, plus it impacted utilities, property taxes, and other things.      I'm not even sure how that worked out. 

 There were also some people that had their house redone, and later had to try to sell from either relocation, or because the increased taxes, insurance, and utilities were financially crushing.   

  One family that had a totally paid off house, decided that since their house was redone, that the father should start a remodeling company.   They got a mortgage on their house, then more money added to that, and lost everything.    I remember that people donated to college funds for the kids, and I wonder if that money went also.    

This article talks about a few of the downsides to being on the show:

https://www.thelist.com/35201/untold-truth-extreme-makeover-home-edition/

The update at the bottom of the article about the true story behind the children that couldn't go outside in daylight is heartbreaking. 

Sadie Holmes in Florida, had a home makeover, and ran her charity out of the home, but took a mortgage out on the house.   She violated all kinds of building codes with storing items for her charity (I guess for that) on the property.    She had to rent a huge warehouse for all of the vehicles, and items she had all around her yard.     She eventually lost the house. https://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/extreme-makeover-home-edition-contestant-sadie-holmes-lose-florida-house-article-1.299419

Edited December 12, 2019 by CrazyInAlabama

[Vivigirl10]

I'm at a loss as to where to post but I must hear feedback from anyone else on the planet who is watching the horrible "Forever Summer: Hamptons" show.  There's no thread and this is the closest genre that I could find to place it under!  

[gaPeach]

On 7/21/2022 at 1:20 PM, Kiki620 said:

'm at a loss as to where to post but I must hear feedback from anyone else on the planet who is watching the horrible "Forever Summer: Hamptons" show.  There's no thread and this is the closest genre that I could find to place it under!  

Hahahahahaha!  You found her.  ME! We must be the only two that watched it. I tuned in to see what it was and it was a trainwreck that I could not stop watching.  I have never told anyone I watched this awful show.  It was a poor man's Summer House?  That is not saying much.