The Reality TV Iceberg
Reality TV is more complex than it seems. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re chipping away at the “Reality TV Iceberg” to uncover some of the wildest behind-the-scenes gossip and theories in reality TV history, plus the darkest shows and figures that were scrubbed from public knowledge.
Transcript
00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're chipping away at the reality TV iceberg to uncover some
00:05of the wildest behind-the-scenes gossip and theories in reality TV history. Plus the darkest
00:11shows and figures that were scrubbed from public knowledge. There's still such a curtain pulled
00:16over the whole show. Nobody expected it to end up like it did. We'll start at the top with major
00:23controversial moments that changed the industry forever, then sink further into the most shocking
00:28incidents you've likely never heard of. So grab your scuba gear and get ready to embark on an
00:33expedition to the deepest depths of the reality television ecosystem. All part of a new phenomenon.
00:39The studio audience roar with laughter. More than 30 million people tune in.
00:45Tier 1. The surface. At the tip of the iceberg are the bits that played out on our screens.
00:50These tropes, scandals, and storylines got everyone talking and left a lasting impact
00:55on the world of reality TV. That's hot. First up, the TLC network's exploitation.
01:01I'm Melody Rose and I'm a hillbilly cheapskate. You can't kick off a reality TV iceberg without
01:07mentioning the downright bizarre and extreme reality franchises found on TLC, which often
01:12focus on people struggling with obesity, unconventional compulsions, or mental health
01:16disorders, to name a few. I'm addicted to cats. Right now the total number, I can't even count,
01:22it's got to be over 20. With titles such as MILF Manor and My Teen is Pregnant and So Am I,
01:28the network clearly isn't pulling any punches. Two particularly disrespectful series, Toddlers and
01:34Tiaras and John and Kate Plus 8, capitalize on the duress of kids who are thrust in front of
01:39cameras for a chaotic spectacle. But the most egregious offense the network commits so often
01:51is the green lighting of shows that appear to be designed for viewers to gawk at people living
01:55below the poverty line. Just look at Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and Extreme Cheapskates, which seem
02:00to be shot to make audiences feel almost uneasy or squeamish about the trials of the lower class,
02:05and perhaps grateful to not have to live like them. Though it's been repeatedly called out
02:19for producing degrading programs, the machine continues to run. The Kardashians, reality TV
02:30royalty. On the opposite end of the reality TV spectrum exists the wish fulfillment of keeping
02:35up with the Kardashians and later spinoffs. The famous-for-being-famous family has become
02:47somewhat of a social experiment, allowing cameras to follow every twist, turn, and scandal for over
02:53a decade. You may be scratching your head as to how they sustained such a big following through
03:05so many seasons of mundanity and contrived drama. During the early years, the sisters
03:22wisely gamed new social media apps like Twitter and Instagram to recruit massive followings,
03:27generating interest as trailblazing influencers and driving that fanbase to their show.
03:35Although many were immediately turned off by their out-of-touch whimsies,
03:40fans were more or less fascinated by this glimpse into the luxurious lifestyle of the uber-wealthy.
03:46Love them or hate them, there's no denying the Kardashians have a certain staying power that
03:50solidified their spot at the top of the reality TV pyramid and, well, this iceberg, barring all
03:56Illuminati connection theories of course. The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, toxic fandoms.
04:02While the Kardashians proved how social media can build a star up,
04:06the similarly lavish Real Housewives proved just how social media can tear a star down.
04:12In this online era, where fans are constantly engaging directly on celebrities' pages,
04:17toxic fandoms have become ghastly specters that haunt stars long after the cameras stop rolling.
04:22In The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 4, an Instagram fan account, Reality Von Teese,
04:27spread malicious rumors and leaked insider information about the cast.
04:32In a stunning twist, the ladies discovered that the posts were coming from inside the group,
04:36and new housewife Monica Garcia was behind it all.
04:39I know you're Reality Von Teese.
04:44That's not true entirely.
04:50This led to a blowout dinner party and reunion special that gave them an opportunity to confront
04:54her, but also to speak about how hurtful internet trolls can be.
04:58It hits different when the internet comes after you and trolls come after you with
05:04nasty things because you think you're over it and then you get on a show and
05:08Instagram takes off and trolls come in. It's hard.
05:10The comments really hurt.
05:11Some fans theorize that Bravo intentionally cast Monica with expectations of the ensuing chaos,
05:16but producers deny they had any knowledge of her intentions.
05:20Either way, the turmoil showed audiences firsthand that attacking reality stars
05:24online can do serious harm. Let that be a lesson learned.
05:28There would be retaliation.
05:30What would the retaliation be?
05:33Oh, just social media hatred.
05:34Just attacks, like vicious attacks that ruin your character, your name, your business.
05:40Bachelor in Paradise, too much booze.
05:43While alcohol-induced hookups are nothing new in reality TV, Bachelor in Paradise became known for
05:48supplying copious amounts of liquor to its attractive singles, who understood that imbibing
05:53and cozying up to their co-stars was the best way to make good TV and get camera time.
05:58This sounds like a recipe for disaster.
06:00And during the show's fourth season, that's exactly what we got.
06:03Bachelor Bachelorette alums Corinne Olympios and Demario Jackson became under the influence
06:08during the season premiere and hit the sheets. But after watching the footage back,
06:12one of Corinne's producers felt she was far too intoxicated to consent.
06:16A full investigation was launched, and the fourth wall was broken as crews sent the cast home.
06:21Cut it down. Cut it.
06:24The production is coming to a halt. It's the last thing I ever would have pictured
06:29we were going to hear.
06:30Warner Bros. ultimately stated that they found no evidence of misconduct and resumed filming,
06:34but applied stricter drinking restrictions as a result.
06:38The entire fumble, which damaged the pair's reputations,
06:41lends credence to the bystander effect that has impacted countless other productions.
06:45Where crew members failed to stop a nefarious offense unfolding before them,
06:49all for the sake of ratings.
06:51I'm so hot.
06:55Oh, that feels good.
06:57Survivor – The Dan Incident
06:59A similar occurrence took place in Survivor's 39th season, Island of the Idols,
07:03which will forever be stained by the actions of castaway Dan Spillo,
07:07who was accused of unwelcome touching by multiple women on the island.
07:11His creepy behavior was called out early on, but nothing was actually done.
07:15In fact, producers saddled the most vocally uncomfortable castaway,
07:19Kelly, with the responsibility of deciding how to handle the situation.
07:23When word got around camp, Kelly was duped into thinking her fellow
07:26castaways would vote Dan out with her safety in mind,
07:29only for her torch to be snuffed instead.
07:31She was then relegated to the sidelines,
07:34where she had to watch in silence as the others discussed the legitimacy of her claims,
07:38a dark mirror to the way female accusers are often disbelieved and gaslit.
07:42Dan would at last be ejected from the game, this time for touching a crew member off-camera,
07:47in what was clearly a consequence of the showrunner's inaction.
07:51Fans were outraged, forcing CBS to rethink their
07:54strategy for ejecting players who cross boundaries sooner.
07:58CBS's Diversity Pledge
08:00At the same time that CBS was facing backlash for their terrible mishandling of Survivor 39,
08:05they were facing the biggest outcry against their questionably formulaic casting to date.
08:10For years, so many of their competition programs primarily featured young,
08:14conventionally attractive, thin, and mostly white participants.
08:17We have to diversify everything from our Disney movies to cartoons to
08:21reality shows that we watch.
08:23Well, I mean, obviously it's long overdue.
08:24The few token minorities who did make the cut were often stereotyped on screen,
08:29with some coming forward later to share that producers had asked
08:32them to act in certain ways that would fulfill their, quote,
08:35Online campaigns from former contestants and fans alike forced CBS to take action,
08:40and execs finally announced that both casts and
08:43crews would be comprised of at least 50 percent people of color going forward.
08:47Since this went into effect, the number of minority winners on these series has skyrocketed,
08:52proving that fair representation is crucial to guaranteeing the integrity of any product.
08:57COVID shutdowns
08:59The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on the reality TV landscape,
09:03with some executives pausing or delaying productions, others removing live audiences,
09:08and some even having participants film themselves at home to fill cable slots.
09:12Congratulations, Sam, you did it! You got it!
09:17Incidentally, several international Big Brother seasons were airing live at the time of the
09:21outbreak, with isolated houseguests totally unaware of what was happening outside studio walls.
09:27The Big Brother Australia contestants were primed and put on a more intense lockdown,
09:31with the remainder of the season being accelerated. But for the Big Brother
09:35Canada housemates, producers made the decision to pull the plug entirely.
09:39We are forced to officially end the production of this season of Big Brother Canada.
09:44Oh my God.
09:48Their visceral reactions to the news and concern for loved ones back home will forever immortalize
09:53that initial shock we all felt when first confronted by the gravity of lockdowns,
09:57along with fears of what would happen next.
10:00It is very scary to hear that. Pretty much the world is shutting down. You do not know
10:07what's going on out there.
10:099-11 unfolds. The pandemic wasn't the first time a set of Big Brother houseguests had to learn
10:14about a major event while cut off from the world. In 2001, while under lock and key,
10:19season two castmates were informed that the 9-11 attacks had just taken place.
10:23Housemate Monica Bailey was briefed that her cousin, who worked at the Towers, could not be
10:27located, and it was later confirmed that she had been tragically killed.
10:30A similar scene occurred in the real world Chicago. The season aired in 2002,
10:35though the footage of the cast reacting to the tragedy is just as haunting.
10:39It's scary because you don't know what's coming next.
10:42They work through difficult questions about humanity, anxieties over further attacks,
10:47and the agonizing devastation everyone was feeling during that period of loss.
10:51And so, living up to its promise to capture the real world,
10:54the scene depicts a truly gut-wrenching moment that epitomizes a time in both reality TV and
11:00world history.
11:01It's just hard to keep faith when something so destructive happens, and why, and why, and why.
11:07The tearful close-up. It's one thing for producers to film reactions to global events,
11:12and entirely another to poke the camera and boom mic in the
11:15face of a castmate who just received word that a loved one died.
11:18Over the years, numerous stars spanning a variety of shows have been filmed
11:22finding out that someone back home had fallen ill or passed away.
11:25What do you mean to me? No, Phil! What happened?
11:32Despite their understandably distraught reactions to these incredibly private phone calls,
11:37the cameras continue to roll and even zoom in as they cry out for help.
11:41It's a very emotional scene, and it's a very emotional scene.
11:44Beyond invading their space during one of the worst moments of their life,
11:47these scenes proceed to air for the world to see.
11:50This proves just how low some producers will go to sensationalize human suffering.
11:55Can you guys leave for a second?
11:56Bye!
11:58But it could also be argued that this is simply the cost of signing up to have your life documented.
12:03Where should the line be drawn, though?
12:05That ethical question still hasn't entirely been answered.
12:09The real-world selling point has long been its raw,
12:12honest depictions of castmates' personal struggles.
12:14In the series' 20th season, Hollywood, Joey Kovar's storyline sees his battle
12:19with substance use and subsequent outbursts that stun fellow roommates.
12:23The season tracks a disturbing progression in his behavior
12:26and culminates in him checking into rehab.
12:28This is the goodbye letter to f***ing alcohol.
12:31I'm not going to do this again.
12:32I'm not going to do this again.
12:34I'm not going to do this again.
12:36This is the goodbye letter to f***ing alcohol.
12:38I'm saying goodbye to you because you have done nothing but trick me and backstab me.
12:43You made me lose my family, my friends, my money, job, self-esteem, and almost my life.
12:49In one of the darkest moments in the show's history,
12:51he's forced to confront the totality of his disorder,
12:54accepting that he has a problem and telling his roommates he's afraid it will take his life.
12:58Nobody believes me.
13:01But one day, you guys will all wake up and go,
13:04where's Joey?
13:06And Joey's going to be gone, man.
13:08Viewers at home rooted for him to make a recovery,
13:10and he would later appear on Celebrity Rehab.
13:13But just a few years after his TV appearances, Joey would sadly overdose.
13:18Today, this profoundly tragic arc and the scenes in which he predicts his own death
13:22serve as one of reality TV's most chilling character studies.
13:25One day, you all wake up,
13:28and you'll know I'm gone. I'm sorry.
13:31Now that we've scraped the top of the iceberg, it's time to take a plunge.
13:35Tier 2, Underwater.
13:37Just below the surface lies the murkier reality TV moments
13:41that require a bit of sleuthing to decipher.
13:43This includes editing mishaps, fan theories,
13:46and some of the wildest dirt on beloved hit shows.
13:48Jumping right into it, Jersey Shore, staged drama.
13:52During the golden years of reality television,
13:55Jersey Shore exploded onto the scene as one of the most recognizable
13:59unscripted franchises of all time.
14:01But that hasn't stopped it from dodging accusations of being, well, scripted.
14:06All of yous in this house are f***ing fake!
14:10In Season 2's Snooki vs. Angelina fight scene,
14:13fans caught onto the fact that JWoww's socks changed states multiple times,
14:17driving theories that it had been re-shot.
14:20But these continuity errors can likely be explained by the way
14:23hours of footage are condensed and stitched together, sometimes out of order.
14:27Case in point, pay attention to how the food on a star's plate
14:31changes frequently while gabbing over a meal.
14:33These allegations would catch up to the guidos again in Season 4,
14:37where a brief frame reveals a woman with a production earpiece
14:40tossing ice at the cast,
14:41who then turn and attack the bartender as if he threw it.
14:44The reboot series, Jersey Shore Family Vacation,
14:47is also largely suspected of being faked,
14:49with the veteran cast fully understanding
14:51the type of conflict needed to sustain a multi-season show.
14:55We should go outside and flip out.
14:56Can you do it?
14:59Of course, this all remains speculative.
15:02RuPaul's Drag Race Edit Manipulation
15:04A more concrete behind-the-scenes secret,
15:07multiple drag queens have come forward to bolster claims
15:09that producers on RuPaul's Drag Race heavily encouraged them
15:12to behave in ways they normally wouldn't,
15:14or that the final edit totally misrepresented the actual events of the competition.
15:19Whistleblowers include Adore Delano, Jasmine Masters,
15:22and even winner Evie Audley.
15:24While that is ultimately the product that ended up getting delivered
15:28to the fans, the process was not that.
15:33Many RuGirls have also clapped back against their unfavorable
15:36villain edits that portray them as monsters,
15:38put them in poor standing with fans,
15:40and hurt their ability to land gigs.
15:43Go back to Party City where you belong!
15:46Phoebe O'Hara was incredibly outspoken about this,
15:49stating that the edit was not at all authentic to who she is,
15:53and that she even got into spats on set
15:55by calling out producers for their shenanigans.
15:57After season four, there was a slight period of time
16:00I almost quit drag.
16:01It was just too much to handle.
16:03In retaliation, Ru would later release a song called
16:06Blame It on the Edit.
16:08She won't out-blame it on that edit
16:10You're the one who said it
16:12In his defense, the girls are competing,
16:14but they're also creating a TV show,
16:16which needs to draw viewers via heightened conflict
16:18and entertainment value.
16:19Girl, you had rolls all over the place in the back.
16:22It was disgusting.
16:26Back rolls?
16:28Get her, Jade!
16:29This sometimes means manipulating the cast,
16:31elimination order,
16:33and final product to present a dramatized retelling
16:35with a set of exaggerated characters.
16:38After all, it is show business.
16:40It's just drag.
16:42Talent shows, a secret song and dance.
16:44It's come out that performers on talent shows,
16:46like The Voice,
16:47are forced to sign strict contracts
16:49that give producers executive creative control
16:52over their image and the songs they perform.
16:54So while we think we're getting a genuine peek
16:56into an artist's repertoire,
16:58what we're really getting is a series
16:59of highly curated TV numbers.
17:02Ironically, this leaves performers feeling
17:03like they don't have a voice at all.
17:06Piling on to the artifice,
17:07musician Adam Weiner exposed The Voice talent recruiters
17:10for reaching out and asking him to participate in the show,
17:13stating he had been pre-auditioned
17:15and would jump the queue.
17:16For what's supposed to be a competition series,
17:18this hardly seems fair to the millions of hopefuls
17:21who traveled from all over
17:22and waited hours in line to impress the judges.
17:25The X Factor UK and Britain's Got Talent
17:27have faced similar allegations,
17:29and American Idol was even accused
17:31of cutting contestants who were unwilling
17:33to play the long game with greedy producers
17:35seeking to monopolize their time and talent.
17:38We're sorry, this is the end of the road for you.
17:40Pimp My Ride, making lemons.
17:43Pimp My Ride follows the outlandish renovations
17:45that Exhibit and his crew perform
17:46on lucky participants' broken down vehicles.
17:49We know you're the queen of trunk.
17:50Yes.
17:51So we decided to give you a trunk trunk.
17:57These major restorations
17:58were supposedly performed in a week,
18:00but in reality, the lengthy overhauls
18:02took upwards of six months.
18:04Most of the car's fleshy features
18:05were either totally useless
18:07or had to be legally removed after filming,
18:10so the alterations were largely for show.
18:12You know when you're at the beach
18:13and they got those high-powered binoculars?
18:16Yeah.
18:16Guess what?
18:17We hooked you up with your own set
18:19right here in your car.
18:20Check them out.
18:21To make matters worse,
18:22dozens of these former rust buckets
18:24were returned to owners
18:25with even more mechanical issues
18:26than they had before.
18:28Maintaining these pimped out rides
18:29proved so impractical
18:31that most of them were quickly sold
18:32or eventually junked,
18:34and almost none of the whips are around today.
18:36Hit the light switch right there.
18:40Oh, yeah.
18:42Extreme makeover, home edition, moving out.
18:45Pimp My Ride is to cars,
18:46as Extreme Makeover, Home Edition is to houses.
18:49The wildly extravagant home renovations
18:51performed on the series
18:52were mostly done to improve the lives
18:54of families in dire straits
18:55who had very specific needs.
18:57Our mission is not only to help her
18:59with this hospital,
19:00we're also going to make a dream happen for her
19:02that she has no idea that's going to happen.
19:04So while they eagerly chanted,
19:07to see their new dream home,
19:09some families would later find
19:10that the situation turned
19:11into a bit of a nightmare.
19:13The now inflated taxes and utility costs
19:15for many of these upgraded mega homes
19:17led to more heartbreak,
19:18as a handful had to be sold or foreclosed.
19:21Though producers claimed
19:22they provided some additional support
19:24after the episodes taped,
19:26it proved too little for families
19:27who'd been stretched so thin
19:29that they had no choice but to vacate
19:30their not-so-humble abodes.
19:36The Challenge, edited out.
19:38Over time, numerous reality contestants
19:41have had their edits minimized
19:42due to real-life scandals,
19:43like with Sherry Pie on RuPaul's Drag Race.
19:46But it's a bit unheard of for editors
19:48to retroactively remove a participant
19:50from a show completely.
19:51Eddie Williams, who appeared on Are You the One?,
19:54was set to compete on The Challenge Vendettas
19:56along with Old Flame Alicia Wright.
19:58But he was pulled early on
19:59and then completely edited out of the broadcast,
20:02with only his online bio serving
20:04as proof he was ever part of the season.
20:06According to the rumor mill,
20:07Alicia was not happy to see Eddie
20:09and told producers she had a restraining order
20:11against him due to prior altercations.
20:13The validity of these legal claims
20:15and the way it all unfolded
20:17is still very questionable,
20:18with tweets and cast gossip
20:20all seeming to contradict each other.
20:22This would play out again several seasons later
20:24when Love Island's Lauren Coogan
20:26had her brief run on The Challenge
20:27spies, lies, and allies completely erased too.
20:30She later denied the prominent theory
20:32that this was due to a series
20:33of racially insensitive comments,
20:35but because the cast was placed
20:36on a strict gag order,
20:38we'll likely never know the truth.
20:40Bad Girls Club
20:41Blurred Baddies
20:42Though Eddie and Lauren were initially
20:44billed as part of their respective casts,
20:46two replacements on Bad Girls Club
20:48never had their identities revealed at all.
20:50When two new sisters entered
20:52the mansion in Season 15,
20:53the rest of the girls immediately attacked them,
20:56sending them out the door
20:57just as fast as they came.
20:58On the show, it was explained
21:00that this was a hazing incident gone wrong.
21:02So our original plan was to throw a flower
21:04at the new girls,
21:05but that plan quickly backfired.
21:08This was a prank that went terribly wrong.
21:10But in reality,
21:11the castmates had received intel
21:12that the sisters were an infamous duo
21:14who'd been dating the same man,
21:15and lashed out in disgust.
21:17These nasty bitches are not coming in our house!
21:20Ew, they look ugly.
21:22While this scene made it to air,
21:23editors chose to blur the sisters' faces
21:25and they were never mentioned again
21:27or even named,
21:28leading to them being known
21:29as the Ghost Twins.
21:31It turns out this bizarre editing treatment
21:33was in response to a lawsuit
21:34filed by the sisters
21:35against several cast members
21:37and production company Buena Murray,
21:39demanding accountability for a slew of charges,
21:41including their brief hospitalization.
21:44The show would only last for two more seasons,
21:46with many hypothesizing
21:47that the legal troubles
21:48were the knockout punch
21:49for the controversial club.
21:51I can't go out like a bully.
21:54Bridezilla's Wedding Woes
21:56What's worse than being hidden
21:58from a show you've opted to participate in?
22:00Surely it must be getting tricked
22:01into participating in the first place.
22:03And that's actually happened.
22:05When Bridezilla's was filming
22:06its early episodes,
22:07several featured couples
22:09didn't realize they would star
22:10in the series at all.
22:11In fact, they had been approached
22:13and asked to shoot
22:13a more nuanced reality show
22:15titled Manhattan Brides
22:17that would capture the stressful event planning
22:19of extravagant weddings.
22:20It was a show that they were describing
22:22as successful New York women
22:23who, as well as preparing for their wedding,
22:26are also running businesses or careers.
22:28Others were told an entirely different name,
22:30Metro Brides.
22:31Instead, they ultimately got
22:33a repackaged program
22:34called Bridezilla's,
22:35and what aired was a chaotic TV circus
22:37that painted the brides to be
22:39as misbehaving, entitled basket cases.
22:46Of course, this didn't go over well
22:48and led to a number of,
22:49you guessed it, lawsuits.
22:51I got sweatpants and a t-shirt in my car
22:53and I will beat everybody up, Daddy.
22:55I'm not even joking.
22:56Hell's Kitchen
22:57Truly Hell on Earth
22:59Contestants on Hell's Kitchen
23:00are often portrayed as frantic,
23:02exhausted, and in constant fear
23:04of being on the receiving end
23:05of Chef Gordon Ramsay's iconic quips.
23:08Salmon roast on a plank of cedar.
23:10I think you're a plank.
23:11Plank means an idiot,
23:14so be a good plank and get back in line.
23:16While one may assume
23:17that this is all played up for cameras
23:18and Gordon is really a sweet guy,
23:20there's actually some truth to the hell moniker.
23:23Right here, Chef.
23:24Thank you very much.
23:25Not a problem, Chef.
23:26F*** off you, you fat, useless sack of f***
23:28Yankees, Yankees, dude and shite.
23:31It was reported that contestants
23:32have been forced to sleep
23:33in military barrack-style rooms
23:35and often work 19-hour days,
23:37sometimes getting between zero
23:39and five hours of sleep.
23:40It's been rumored that this sleep deprivation
23:42is intentional,
23:43as producers want the contestants
23:45to be as stir-crazy as possible
23:46to heighten the drama.
23:48None of you are working as a team!
23:51Where's the lamb sauce?
23:53Apparently, if you want reality TV content
23:56that feels real,
23:57then sometimes extreme measures
23:58have to be taken to make it real.
24:01The Hills, an elaborate illusion.
24:03For all the reality shows
24:04that have had their credibility examined,
24:06The Hills has spent some of the most time
24:08under the microscope.
24:09I want to spend the rest of my life with you.
24:12With you?
24:13If you do.
24:14This stylish series follows
24:15a group of young LA friends
24:17and dodges stereotypical reality TV
24:19production choices by avoiding
24:20things like confessionals.
24:22It's shot to look far more cinematic
24:24and has a fairly blatant feeling
24:25of being staged.
24:26They just asked if I could go
24:27be there in 20 minutes.
24:30What?
24:32Are you ready?
24:33Dude, I'll be ready in just 10 minutes.
24:35Had producers sold out
24:36and hired a set of actors?
24:37Was this a drama made to look
24:39like a reality show?
24:40These are questions the public
24:42never fully settled on.
24:43While many unscripted productions
24:45do require extensive staging,
24:47like micing up,
24:48sound checks,
24:48and getting consent forms
24:49from background figures,
24:51The Hills still comes off
24:52like a Hollywood movie.
24:54I'm gonna miss you.
24:55I'm gonna miss you too.
24:57And several former crew members
24:59have confessed that many moments
25:00were reshot or meticulously set up.
25:03Fanning the flames,
25:04the show ends with a visual
25:05of a cast member smirking to the camera
25:07as a crane swoops back to reveal
25:09he's standing on a studio lot.
25:11It's a tongue-in-cheek nod
25:12to the rumors surrounding the series,
25:13but it doesn't quite confirm anything.
25:16Even today,
25:16when showrunners were interrogated
25:18about The Hills' authenticity,
25:20they couldn't seem to agree
25:21or land on a definitive answer.
25:23So what's real?
25:24What's fake?
25:24Those lines will likely
25:26forever remain blurred.
25:28Sinking even deeper,
25:29it's time to shine light on
25:31Tier 3,
25:32The Depths.
25:34Fair warning,
25:35these entries cover
25:36far more shocking show concepts
25:37and disturbing behind-the-scenes developments,
25:40so explore with caution.
25:42Let's relive the Japanese Truman Show.
25:44In 1998,
25:45a weekly reality show,
25:47so diabolical that it practically seemed illegal,
25:50hit the airwaves in Japan.
25:55Sosu no Denpa Shounen,
25:57a program known for its endurance challenges,
25:59began airing a segment titled
26:01A Life in Prizes,
26:02in which a man named Nasubi
26:03was left in a tiny apartment
26:05with no food,
26:06no clothes,
26:06and no outside communication.
26:08Normally,
26:09my thoughts are how to survive this ordeal,
26:12and I don't have enough nutrition
26:14going to my brain
26:15to think of anything else.
26:17But recently,
26:18my thoughts keep wandering
26:20to the outside world.
26:21A single camera recorded him 24-7
26:24as he sifted through magazines,
26:25entering mail and sweepstakes
26:27to earn the prizes he'd live off of.
26:29A total of 963 applications,
26:32and he has won...
26:34nothing!
26:37He was forced to consume raw rice,
26:39dog food,
26:40and sugary drinks to survive
26:41as he attempted to earn 1 million yen,
26:43the condition for which he'd complete the challenge
26:46and leave the room.
26:47It seems far-fetched to imagine
26:48this kind of isolation torture
26:50would be allowed to go on,
26:51but the door was unlocked the entire time,
26:54and Nasubi had actually agreed to continue.
26:56However,
26:57he'd been rather misled.
26:58A producer told Nasubi
27:00that most of this footage would never air,
27:01but upwards of 17 million viewers
27:04had already been tuning in
27:05to watch his descent into madness.
27:14Though he initially stayed
27:15with hopes of launching his career
27:16as a television comedian,
27:18he eventually became so disoriented
27:20that escape didn't feel like an option.
27:22He recalls seeing death as a better fate.
27:24And when he finally left confinement
27:26after one year and three months,
27:28he'd forgotten how to socialize.
27:41In the finale of this cruel game,
27:43the shell-shocked Nasubi
27:44was jarringly thrust
27:45in front of a live studio audience,
27:47exemplifying how mindless entertainment
27:49had become more essential
27:50to producers and viewers
27:51than Nasubi's well-being.
27:54It was a horrifying early experiment
27:57that, in many ways,
27:58predicted the desensitization
28:00of reality television as a whole.
28:10The Simple Life, a tragic act.
28:12The Simple Life launched Y2K princess
28:14Paris Hilton into the limelight,
28:16where she and co-star Nicole Richie
28:18were portrayed as rich, dumb blondes
28:20attempting to make it in the real world.
28:24Hi, what's up?
28:25Welcome to PsyX.
28:30Okay.
28:33You're hot.
28:34For years, the duo was mocked
28:35and ridiculed by the press,
28:37with Paris taking a lot of the heat
28:39for her girlish vocal fry
28:40and spoiled vapidity.
28:41It's raining everywhere.
28:43You guys should move to LA.
28:44It's really, like, better weather.
28:46And that is Earth.
28:49Bye, gorgeous.
28:50Here's traffic.
28:52But this collective angst
28:53for the heiress would finally dissipate
28:55when she came forward
28:56to drop some harrowing truths
28:58about her backstory
28:58that no one had anticipated.
29:00The media has really controlled
29:01my narrative for over two decades,
29:03and now it was time to tell the truth.
29:05In her memoir and TV specials,
29:07Paris reveals that the bimbo character
29:09was entirely an act,
29:10created as a self-defense mechanism
29:12while suffering reprehensible abuse
29:14at a boarding school.
29:15Throwing us against walls,
29:18strangling, hitting.
29:20The routine brought her so much fame
29:22that she kept it up for years
29:24until it became unsustainable.
29:25No longer wanting to be known
29:27as a ditzy socialite,
29:28she shattered the illusion
29:29that so many long held against her,
29:31proving that judging a book by its cover
29:33could make fools out of all of us.
29:35For a long time,
29:36people have misunderstood
29:37and underestimated me,
29:38but I can understand
29:40playing that character.
29:41Of course, they were going to assume otherwise,
29:44but I'm not a dumb blonde.
29:45I'm just very good at pretending to be one.
29:47Tila Tequila's grim turn.
29:49Tila Tequila,
29:50a model who amassed fame on Myspace,
29:52landed several reality TV gigs
29:54throughout her career.
29:55Her most infamous was
29:57a shot at love with Tila Tequila,
29:59a dating show that played on a bisexual gimmick
30:01with male and female contestants
30:03competing for her affection.
30:04She never shied away from controversy,
30:06often getting in trouble
30:07due to her drinking and partying.
30:09However, an onset of mental health issues
30:11would become public knowledge
30:12as her online rants became increasingly bizarre.
30:15Oh yeah, by the way,
30:17we are actually inside of a huge spaceship.
30:20She was kicked off of the UK celebrity Big Brother
30:22when it was discovered that
30:23she had penned a blog sympathizing with Hitler.
30:26From there,
30:27she went on to viciously attack
30:28other celebrities on Twitter,
30:30post her neo-Nazi beliefs,
30:31and claim that she was the female Jesus,
30:34leading old fans to deem her quote,
30:35insane.
30:36Though vitriol against Tila
30:38and headlines such as quote,
30:39Tila Tequila's mental breakdown
30:40have generated plenty of exploitative media fodder.
30:43One can only hope she's on a path to better health.
30:46There's something about Miriam,
30:48a television low.
30:49In the early 2000s,
30:51there was a trend of strange reality shows
30:53where singles were tricked into dating someone
30:55that wasn't entirely who they said they were.
30:57I Wanna Marry Harry conned a group of women
30:59into vying for the love of a man
31:01they thought was Prince Harry.
31:03There are a lot of pretty girls there.
31:06You could say way out of my league,
31:08but for who I'm pretending to be,
31:10it's perfect.
31:11But nothing was more disturbing
31:13than There's Something About Miriam,
31:14where a group of straight men
31:16unknowingly competed on a dating show
31:17starring a transgender woman.
31:19The lads who Miriam chose
31:21know that there are surprises ahead,
31:23but there's one big surprise
31:25they could never guess.
31:26There is a secret that the guys don't know.
31:30I'm not a real woman.
31:32The finale's big reveal
31:33highlighted the surprising revelation
31:35that she hadn't received
31:36all of her gender-affirming surgeries.
31:38With Miriam in such close proximity,
31:40there is always a danger
31:41that Aaron will feel her secret
31:43pressing against him.
31:44And the joke was that they'd been tricked.
31:46I love men, and I love being a woman.
31:51But I'm not a woman.
31:56I was born as a man.
31:59Not only did the show
32:00highly endanger the transgender community
32:02by portraying Miriam as duplicitous,
32:04but it sparked a lawsuit by the participants
32:06who were disgusted by the premise of the show.
32:09I was honest when I was in that house.
32:10Everybody was honest.
32:11And he wasn't.
32:15He was lying to everybody,
32:16and he doesn't have that right.
32:19It was a utter shitshow.
32:21It's safe to say something like this
32:22would likely never be greenlit today
32:24and could only exist in the era
32:26it was originally conceived.
32:28If you'd like to take a look
32:29through these binoculars,
32:31you will see Miriam.
32:33Yeah, but if you look a bit more closely...
32:3819 Kids and Counting,
32:39Josh Duggar's Crimes.
32:41One of TLC's most successful series,
32:4419 Kids and Counting,
32:45was canceled in 2015
32:47when it came out that the cult-like family's
32:48eldest son, Josh,
32:50had been accused of inappropriate behavior
32:52towards his own siblings.
32:53We were devastated,
32:55and we said,
32:57we've got to send him out of the home.
33:00He has got to go.
33:02Though he was a minor at the time,
33:03in 2021,
33:04he would be arrested as an adult
33:06for distributing illegal material on the internet.
33:08The ensuing trial led to the cancellation
33:10of the Duggar spinoff series, Counting On.
33:13This unsettling case
33:14put a permanent cloud over the shows,
33:16proving that even years
33:17of a camera crew's documentation
33:19can never fully let us in
33:20on all of one's darkest secrets.
33:23At the very base of the iceberg lies
33:26Tier 4,
33:26The Ocean Floor.
33:28Some sinister reality TV figures and series
33:31have been almost completely hidden from the public.
33:33These are the most somber moments
33:35that networks try to bury
33:36and make us all forget.
33:38Before we continue,
33:39be sure to subscribe to our channel
33:41and ring the bell
33:42to get notified about our latest videos.
33:45You have the option to be notified
33:47for occasional videos or all of them.
33:49If you're on your phone,
33:50make sure you go into your settings
33:52and switch on notifications.
33:54Let's unearth
33:55International Survivor Castaway Deaths.
33:58Although Survivor maroons its castaways
34:00on remote islands,
34:01forcing them to compete for necessities
34:03like food and shelter,
34:04it's practically a given
34:05that with all the on-set doctors
34:06and crew members,
34:07they wouldn't literally have to fight to survive.
34:10But in international adaptations of Survivor,
34:12three castaways have actually lost their lives
34:15under tragic circumstances.
34:16In 2009,
34:17a contestant on the Pakistani series
34:19drowned during a physical challenge.
34:21And earlier that year,
34:22the Bulgarian version lost a castaway
34:24to a fatal heart attack.
34:25Though two players subsequently
34:27quit the show in horror,
34:28the game actually continued
34:30with a winner eventually being crowned.
34:32Then in 2013,
34:33the French Survivor titled Colanta
34:35was subject of a criminal investigation
34:37after one castaway collapsed
34:39in a day one challenge
34:40and died of heart failure,
34:42resulting in the cancellation of the season.
34:44It was determined that this was caused
34:46by a pre-existing condition
34:47that should have been detected
34:48amongst the extensive medical tests
34:50conducted during casting.
34:51In an even more harrowing turn,
34:53the show's longtime staff physician
34:55would take his own life
34:56in response to the public damage
34:57to his reputation.
34:59The US version has had its share
35:00of close calls too,
35:01with numerous scary medical evacuations
35:04making it to air.
35:05So the biggest takeaway from all this
35:06needless loss is that
35:08no reality competition series
35:09is worth pushing its subjects
35:10to the brink of death,
35:12and extensive safety protocols
35:13are absolutely paramount.
35:15The Challenge
35:16Toothbrush Incident
35:18On The Challenge, The Ruins,
35:20contestant Tanya Cooley
35:21was subjected to a lot of cruel abuse
35:23by her castmates.
35:24Even worse,
35:25years after filming the season,
35:26it leaked out that she'd accused
35:28veteran competitors Kenny Santucci
35:30and Evan Starkman of assaulting her
35:32while she was asleep.
35:33Per her account,
35:34producers had just loaded them up
35:36with unlimited booze
35:37in hopes it would spark drama,
35:38but instead an incident unfolded
35:40that would haunt the network
35:41to this day.
35:42You can make fun of me.
35:43Yeah, I get drunk and I fight
35:45and I get stupid,
35:46but there is a line with me
35:48and you crossed it.
35:50According to the suit,
35:51Tanya insists that the assault
35:52occurred in plain sight of cameras
35:54and nobody intervened.
35:55But producers assert
35:56that upon viewing the footage,
35:57her claims were unfounded.
35:59Stunningly,
36:00the waiver Tanya signed
36:01also stated that the physical competition show
36:03would involve non-consensual contact,
36:05and the producers were effectively
36:07not responsible for unwanted touching.
36:10After the incident,
36:11Tanya would distance herself
36:12from the network,
36:13but the men involved
36:14were still contacted
36:14to appear in MTV shows
36:16and even given leadership roles.
36:18That is, until the controversy surfaced
36:20and they were more or less blacklisted.
36:22Karma's a bitch.
36:23Fans were stunned to lose
36:24three of the show's staple competitors
36:26in such a hush-hush scandal
36:28that was in many ways
36:28swept under the rug.
36:30Evan, Kenny, and Johnny
36:32have been nothing but insulting
36:34and mean to Tanya.
36:36As soon as Tanya leaves,
36:37they want to be the good person
36:39and say,
36:40hey, she has all these problems
36:42and we should be nice to her.
36:44Interestingly,
36:44the episode in question
36:45was never uploaded
36:46to the Paramount Plus streaming service
36:48that hosts the challenge,
36:49and the truth about the entire ordeal
36:51remains something of a mystery.
36:53I'm not saying everyone needs to
36:54feel a certain way about this situation,
36:56but it's like,
36:56we've all had our fun with Tanya.
37:00Extreme makeover,
37:01a dangerous game.
37:03Before the Home Edition,
37:04there was just Extreme Makeover,
37:06which set out to completely reconstruct
37:08the physical appearances
37:09of its supposedly ugly ducklings.
37:11I can already think of 20 things
37:14to do for you.
37:15Dr. Zareff and I
37:16are going to work together
37:17so that you get the very best result.
37:18Okay.
37:20It was marked with controversy
37:21from the start,
37:22promoting plastic surgery,
37:24weight loss,
37:24and intense beauty regimens
37:26as a set of necessary transformations
37:28that would provide
37:29some form of romantic prospect
37:30to a previously quote-unquote
37:32unlovable person's life.
37:34Before that,
37:35everybody would look at her
37:36and think that she was
37:37some kind of freak,
37:38and now she's beautiful.
37:40It's amazing.
37:41But one episode of Extreme Makeover
37:42that never aired
37:43has an even bleaker backstory.
37:45A woman who was set to appear on the show
37:47had already done a lot of filming,
37:49but her episode was canceled
37:50due to the fact that her jaw surgery
37:52wouldn't heal in time
37:53to complete taping.
37:54In one scene,
37:55the subject's sister
37:56was goaded by producers
37:57into making deplorable comments
37:58about her sibling's appearance,
38:00which turned out to be all for nothing.
38:02The fallout from this entire nightmare
38:04left the family distraught,
38:05with the sister so overcome with guilt
38:07that she took her own life.
38:08In this case,
38:09production meddling for a juicy soundbite
38:11rippled into an unthinkable tragedy,
38:13proving that the ugly duckling
38:15was not its subject,
38:16but the show itself.
38:18A Date and a Murder
38:20Ryan Jenkins,
38:21who appeared as a wealthy Bachelor contestant
38:23on the dating show
38:24Megan Wants a Millionaire,
38:25would shockingly murder his wife,
38:27Jasmine Fiore,
38:27while the show was airing.
38:29Police have found some key evidence
38:30in the case of murdered model Jasmine Fiore,
38:33believed killed by her reality TV star ex-husband.
38:36VH1 pulled the rest of the episodes
38:38out of respect for the victim,
38:39and totally scrubbed the show
38:41from their archives.
38:42Incidentally,
38:43I Love Money had just finished
38:44filming its third season
38:46with a cast of stars
38:47assembled from a variety of reality shows.
38:49Amongst them was none other than Ryan Jenkins,
38:52and VH1 was forced to scrap
38:53that completed game show too
38:55due to his involvement.
38:56In fact,
38:57he'd won it.
38:58Though the season is now considered
39:00lost media,
39:01a producer recalls Jenkins' obsessive
39:03and controlling phone conversations
39:04with his then-wife
39:05that were recorded on the set of I Love Money.
39:08In fact,
39:08these phone calls were set to become
39:10a major storyline,
39:11depicting Jenkins as overly jealous,
39:13and his marriage totally on the rocks.
39:15Did you ever see any arguing,
39:17any fighting between the two?
39:18I've seen it, yeah,
39:19in person.
39:20After the murder,
39:21Jenkins went on the run,
39:22and news outlets uncovered
39:24his prior arrest records,
39:25which had apparently gotten past producers.
39:28He'd previously been arrested
39:29for assaulting a girlfriend,
39:30an early indicator of his disturbing behavior
39:33that should have most definitely
39:34disqualified him from participating
39:36in a dating show.
39:37Although former cast members
39:39remember Jenkins as mostly charismatic
39:41and charming on sets,
39:42Ryan was always, you know,
39:43a complete gentleman.
39:44Ryan was, I thought,
39:45one of the nice guys.
39:46there's no denying that Megan
39:47was inadvertently placed
39:48in a dangerous position
39:50by having such an insecure,
39:51violent person compete for her love.
39:54Well, I can't legally work here
39:55unless I'm married.
39:57Oh, so you're using me for a green card.
40:01I tell you this,
40:02if we get married,
40:04I won't get you to sign a prenup.
40:07And in a series of interviews,
40:09she later revealed that she actually
40:10intended to pick him as the winner
40:12until producers dissuaded her,
40:14suggesting she choose a different bachelor
40:16they believed the fans would like more.
40:17So Megan calls me up,
40:19I give her a big wet kiss,
40:21just to rub it in everyone's faces.
40:23This all brings to light
40:24the imperative nature of background checks
40:26and psychological exams
40:27during the reality casting process.
40:29Though producers often aim
40:31for over-the-top,
40:32drama-prone personalities,
40:33there needs to be
40:34a greater level of caution exercised
40:36in order to ensure everyone's safety.
40:38It goes without saying,
40:39Megan really lucked out
40:40by not settling down with a killer.
40:42Putting an end to the saga,
40:44Jenkins took his own life
40:45in response to the formal murder charges.
40:48These shelved shows will likely
40:49never fully see the light of day,
40:51with only a few episodes
40:52of Megan Wants a Millionaire
40:54floating around.
40:55I'm a little bit of a prince charming,
40:56a little bit of a bad boy.
40:59Yummy.
41:00To Catch a Predator,
41:01Deadly Turn.
41:03Though the tragic loss of life
41:04at the hands of Ryan Jenkins
41:05took place after filming,
41:07one show had no issue
41:08airing a televised death
41:09that occurred during production.
41:11To Catch a Predator,
41:12which followed police sting operations,
41:14was long accused of entrapment
41:16and received mixed opinions
41:18for quote, creating crimes
41:19instead of stopping crimes.
41:21Although he was invited by the decoy,
41:23the DA never showed up
41:25at our undercover house.
41:26But Chief Myrick says,
41:28in the eyes of the law,
41:29it doesn't make a difference.
41:31In one episode,
41:32cameras roll as police close in
41:34on the home of a suspected perp,
41:35though he never comes to the door.
41:37In fact, he takes his own life inside
41:39while the crew continues
41:40to document every moment.
41:42Then, we hear a faint crack.
41:46The officers force their way in.
41:48This would be the final nail
41:49in the coffin for the
41:50pseudo-investigative reality series,
41:52which was cancelled soon after.
41:54Though many viewers expressed
41:55no heartbreak for the accused criminal,
41:57the event played out like
41:58a sadistic public execution,
42:00where a life came to an abrupt end
42:02for all to see on their television sets.
42:04My family and I have experienced
42:06a great deal of hurt and sadness
42:08over this situation,
42:09and I intend to fight as hard
42:10and as long as I can
42:12to prevent other people
42:12from becoming victims
42:14of such reckless actions
42:15as those taken by your employees
42:17acting as judge, jury, and executioner.
42:20Though this fatal episode serves
42:21as one of the most morbid moments
42:23in reality TV history,
42:24it also symbolizes an unwavering tenet
42:27of the exploitative industry
42:28and its sometimes complacent audiences.
42:30That being a willingness to capture
42:32and witness heinous, unsettling,
42:34and iniquitous human tragedies
42:36splattered across our screens,
42:38all in the name of entertainment.
42:41So how do you feel
42:42about the reality TV iceberg?
42:44Comment below to share your thoughts
42:45about the controversial machine
42:47and unseemly moments
42:48we didn't get to mention.
42:49Check out this other recent clip
42:51from Ms. Mojo,
42:52and be sure to subscribe
42:54and ring the bell to be notified
42:55about our latest videos.