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The Fakest Reality Shows

Kromm

By Kromm
in Genre Talk

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kokapetl

kokapetl

(edited)

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 by kokapetl
Lugal

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.

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CrazyInAlabama

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,.  

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funky-rat

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.

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CrazyInAlabama

CrazyInAlabama

(edited)

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 by CrazyInAlabama
gaPeach

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.

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Shrek

Shrek

On 6/27/2024 at 4:14 AM, Gharlane said:

I'm not sure if I would consider this one of the "fakest reality shows", but I always enjoyed Amish Mafia and watched a few eps via streaming. I found this interesting article on the cast.

https://thecinemaholic.com/amish-mafia-where-are-they-now/

Real or not it was fun to watch them trying to live with one foot in the Amish community & one in the modern world. 

Annber03

Annber03

1 hour ago, Gharlane said:

VICE premiered a new show called The Dark Side of Reality TV last night and it began with The Swan. Next Tuesday,  they're covering Kid Nation, which is funny b/c a friend and I  were telling someone about it and we ended up playing an ep on the TV bar. 

I saw that episode last night. I remember hearing about the show back in the day and knew there was some controversy around it, but I didn't know all the details that were shared here, and the whole thing was both fascinating and disturbing as hell. What kind of fucked up sadistic insanity... 

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SVNBob

SVNBob

18 hours ago, Annber03 said:

"The Swan". Though just based off the promo for what they'll talk about with "Kid Nation", I imagine I'll probablyl have similar sentiments about that show, too. 

Very probably.

CBC (Canada's BBC) put out a podcast earlier this year delving into Kid Nation.  I've only listened to episode 1, but there's a lot in just that one episode.

https://www.cbc.ca/listen/cbc-podcasts/1426-split-screen-kid-nation

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Milburn Stone

Milburn Stone

I get hooked on these reality shows when I'm staying in a hotel sometimes. They're fun. But oh so fake. It stands to reason. Actual reality is what is already happening before you turn on the TV. You turn on the TV because you've had enough of it.

There would be nothing more boring in all the world than a Real Housewives that wasn't scripted.

But I guess there's one reality show that doesn't seem scripted to me, which is kind of entertaining to me. Shark Tank. Also, Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles. So maybe reality TV can be kind of reality-based. (Maybe it requires billionaires.)

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mostlylurking

mostlylurking

On 9/10/2024 at 10:36 AM, Vivigirl10 said:

I'm adding "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" here because apparently, most of these ladies are certainly not Mormon.  The whole thing was just a complete train wreck and I'm left with more questions than answers.  I really can't believe there's not a thread for it!  I'm dying to hear other people's reactions.

Same!  I’m shocked there is not a thread for this show.  It’s such a train wreck. Taylor looks like Lindsey Hartley who I love so I kind of love Taylor too but she’s a mess.  Whitney is an Adele doppelgänger.  Also a mess but a lot less sympathetic.    I honestly have a hard time telling most of the others apart they all look alike.

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Annber03

Annber03

4 hours ago, Gharlane said:

I remember JM being controversial at the time because it was brutal in making the gold-diggers look bad (I seem to remember a scene where one of them gave "Joe" a Lewinski behind a hedge). 

Yeah, apparently the producers completely doctored that entire scene to make it seem like that was happening, in the hopes of making that contestant look like the "bad girl". Which, between that and the women talking about how the crew would be discussing their underwear and making other lewd ocmments about them, is....pretty freaking gross. 

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Gharlane

Gharlane

On 9/30/2024 at 8:07 PM, Annber03 said:

Yeah, apparently the producers completely doctored that entire scene to make it seem like that was happening, in the hopes of making that contestant look like the "bad girl". Between that and the women talking about how the crew would be discussing their underwear and making other lewd comments about them, is.... pretty freaking gross. 

I always presumed the former was a typical "I was given a bad edit!" claim because I find it hard to believe the audio was taken from her eating something, but this is the first time I heard about the latter, which I agree is pretty gross.

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