Not everything should be televised. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most infamous reality TV shows that sparked controversy and made us wish they were just figments of our imagination.
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00:00I'm Joe Rogan, and this is Fear Factor.
00:02Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the most infamous reality
00:08TV shows that sparked controversy and made us wish they were just figments of our imagination.
00:17Number 30. The Littlest Groom
00:20The mid to late 2000s brought a flood of reality shows, many of which you probably missed,
00:26like The Littlest Groom.
00:28My expectations would be to find a best friend you can hang out with at any time of the day.
00:32You can get arguments, you can have sad times, good times, but you'll always be there in the end.
00:37This dating competition followed Glenn Foster, a little person, on his quest to find love.
00:43This premise alone was controversial enough,
00:46as critics deemed it exploitative of little people. However, advocacy groups like The
00:51Little People of America disagreed with that analysis and praised the show for its positive
00:56portrayal. But they eventually found a way to offend that group too. Foster had expected to
01:10meet only women of similar height, but was blindsided when average height women were
01:16added to the mix. This surprise twist outraged advocates, and after just two episodes,
01:25the show was yanked off the air.
01:27Number 29. Sperm Race
01:31If you ever thought reality TV had any boundaries, you clearly haven't met the masterminds behind
01:37this show. Just as the title so bizarrely suggests, Sperm Race was a German series that
01:49featured 12 male contestants competing to see whose sperm could swim the fastest. How exactly
01:56did they pull that off, you ask? Well, they had the contestants visit a clinic to make their
02:01deposit, a segment that was thankfully left off-screen. Their samples were then frozen
02:12and taken to a studio, where they were filmed racing towards the egg and broadcast on TV.
02:18The fact that such a premise was even conceived of is wild enough. Unsurprisingly,
02:24the show failed to deliver for many viewers, and it was promptly terminated.
02:29Number 28. The Interception
02:32In the late 90s, Russia saw a spike in carjackings, so a group of TV producers came together to devise
02:39the perfect solution, The Interception. In this show, contestants were given the keys to a car,
02:45which they could only keep if they managed to evade the police for 35 minutes. This concept
02:56was as real as reality could get, as the officers chasing them were actual Russian cops on the
03:02streets of Moscow. With that kind of high-stakes action, the show drew an average of 60 million
03:08viewers at its peak. However, instead of curbing carjacking, it only made the police look ridiculous
03:14and posed a hazard to innocent drivers. As a result, it was axed after just one season.
03:26Number 27. Benefit Street
03:29Over the course of two seasons, this British series presented audiences with a picture of
03:34the lives of residents in a working-class neighbourhood heavily reliant on welfare
03:39benefits. But how accurate and nuanced was that picture? According to many viewers,
03:57not so much. Benefit Street received a polarizing reaction upon its premiere,
04:02sparking debates that went all the way to the House of Commons.
04:10Critics slammed it as poverty porn, arguing that it unfairly depicted vulnerable individuals as
04:16lazy and reinforced negative stereotypes about people on welfare.
04:32Some of the show's subjects even reportedly received death threats. Although Benefit
04:38Street drew a large audience, it also resulted in hundreds of complaints being filed with media
04:44regulator Ofcom. Number 26. Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire
04:49Two years before he struck gold with The Bachelor,
04:52Mike Fleiss dipped his toes into reality TV with Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire.
05:02Modeled after a beauty pageant, the show picked 50 women, one from each U.S. state,
05:16to vie for the heart of a mystery millionaire. The supposed millionaire was Rick Rockwell,
05:22who ultimately chose Darla Conger and married her on the spot.
05:26The show was immediately condemned by both feminists and conservatives,
05:34but that wasn't even the worst part. It turned out Rockwell had embellished details about his
05:39wealth and had a restraining order from a former partner. It's no surprise his marriage to Conger
05:45lasted about as long as the two-hour special itself. Number 25.
05:56Next. Ever found yourself swiping through Tinder and wishing someone
06:00could make a live version? Well, someone already did.
06:09Back in 2005, MTV released Next, a show that presented a contestant with up to five potential
06:16partners. At any point during their date, if the contestant got bored or uninterested,
06:22they could just yell, Next, and move on to the next poor soul. Easy, straight to the point,
06:32and trashy as hell. This was basically Tinder before the advent of dating apps.
06:38Despite generating controversy, Next actually found an audience, airing six seasons and nearly
06:43300 episodes in just three years. But like all fleeting fads, viewers eventually lost interest
07:00in the show and swiped left. Number 24.
07:06Obesity is a complex medical issue that needs a well-planned health regimen to tackle,
07:12but the producers of The Biggest Loser clearly didn't get the memo.
07:21Contestants who were obese or overweight were pitted against each other to see who could
07:26shed the most pounds. While the series attracted a huge following due to its dramatic transformations,
07:32it also sparked a lot of controversy.
07:42By shaming contestants, the show framed obesity as a moral failure,
07:47rather than the medical condition that it is.
07:55Health experts warned that the methods used were counterproductive and, at times, dangerous.
08:02As predicted, many of the former contestants regained the weight they lost on the show,
08:06with some possibly facing lasting metabolic damage.
08:16Number 23.
08:20In 2018, Prince Harry married American actress Meghan Markle. But this reality show from four
08:26years earlier may have oddly foreshadowed the event. I'm not sure if it's a coincidence,
08:30This is my chance to find a girl who I connect with. I quite like you. I quite like you too.
08:36I Wanna Marry Harry featured a group of American women competing for the heart of Prince Harry.
08:41Or so they thought. Their prince was actually some random guy named Matthew Hicks, who slightly
08:48resembled the British royal. Although just about anyone would be able to tell it wasn't him.
08:53I'm Kelly. Nice to meet you. It's great to meet you. Hey, you look wonderful tonight.
08:56That is a stunning mask. I noticed a British accent and I'm like,
09:01oh my god, I'm thinking like, this guy could be Prince Harry and what am I doing here?
09:05But in a masterclass of gaslighting, producers did everything in their power to convince the
09:10ladies otherwise. If you're wondering what their endgame was, then you're just as confused as we
09:17are. What are you saying? I just need to pull myself out of the situation. As in leave? Yeah.
09:25Guess we'll never find out as the show only aired four episodes before it received a royal chop.
09:31Number 22. Black White. There are plenty of ways to critique race relations in America,
09:37but Black White chose a rather baffling one. My name is Bruno and during this project,
09:43I'm going to become a black person along with my family. Co-produced by rapper Ice Cube,
09:49the short-lived show followed two families, one white and the other black, who were tasked with
09:54living in each other's shoes. I look up in the mirror and I'm like, damn, I'm white. And by that
10:01we mean they were put in extensive makeup to appear as the other race. The goal, according
10:07to producers, was to examine racial stereotypes and prejudices. But instead of doing any of that,
10:13the show only ended up reinforcing them. I come from a place of not expecting
10:19to be assaulted by racism. And maybe that's a huge difference. Despite the controversy,
10:25Black White actually won an Emmy for makeup, no less. Indeed, they were awarded for putting
10:31white people in blackface. Well, just let that sink in. Number 21. 19 Kids and Counting. The
10:40TLC reality series centered around the Duggars, a devout Christian family from Arkansas with 19
10:46children. Because we have so many suitcases, we have to keep a count. Otherwise, we'll end up
10:50leaving some of these things behind. The Duggars strongly emphasized conservative Christian values.
10:56Hence, it came as a shock when their oldest child, Josh, became embroiled in a sexual misconduct
11:02scandal. In 2015, it was revealed that between 2002 and 2003, Josh had allegedly sexually
11:10assaulted five girls, four of whom were his sisters. We didn't choose to come out and tell
11:18our story. This wouldn't have been our first choice. Although the case was reported to the
11:22police, it never received a thorough investigation and Josh avoided legal consequences. However,
11:28when these details resurfaced, the show lost many sponsors and was ultimately canceled.
11:33Well, the cable channel announcing it has pulled all episodes of that popular show
11:38off the air following those explosive allegations about the oldest son's past.
11:43About six years later, Josh Duggar was arrested for possession of inappropriate material,
11:49which earned him a 12-year prison sentence. Number 20. Are You Hot? Plenty of reality shows
11:56prioritize physical attractiveness, but few do it as flagrantly as this ABC competition did.
12:02For months, our casting experts have scoured the country to bring you the sexiest people
12:08in America. Now, you may not always think that our competitors are quite that hot,
12:13but the important thing is they think they are.
12:16Contestants vied to be named America's sexiest man or woman, with judges like Lorenzo Lamas
12:23and Rachel Hunter evaluating their physiques. Where's the twist? There is none. Are You Hot
12:29was a show as shallow as its title. I'm going to give your face a 7.9. I'm
12:36going to give your body a 7.5, and overall sex appeal a 6. And while producer Mike Fleiss said
12:43the goal was to give viewers what they want, it seems what they wanted was contestants they could
12:49root for for reasons beyond looks. Are You Hot earned a chilly reception and ended after its
12:56first season. Number 19. Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. A bad review is one thing, but calling something
13:04a horror story posing as a reality television program is another thing. This spinoff of TLC's
13:22Toddlers and Tiaras following young beauty pageant contestant Alana Honey Boo Boo Thompson
13:28and her family was derided for numerous reasons. Among the biggest controversies was the perceived
13:35exploitation, with the show seen as mocking lower class and southern families.
13:41While the show was a ratings winner, one controversy involving matriarch June Mama
14:02June Shannon and a romantic partner was too great to ignore and the show was cancelled.
14:08But to many, it shouldn't have aired in the first place. Number 18. Born in the Wild. Where were you
14:16born? In a hospital? At home? Either way, you wouldn't qualify for this lifetime reality show
14:22about people giving birth outside. And by outside, we mean out in the wilderness.
14:39Births were depicted without any guaranteed use of medical guidance or modern resources
14:44to ensure a safe and healthy birth. Many saw the show as promoting unsafe birthing practices,
14:51which executive producer Yoshi Stone countered by saying there were resources available and
14:57safety measures put in place. But Born in the Wild didn't make it to old age, ending after its
15:04six-episode first season. Number 17. Keeping Up with the Kardashians. You could live in a cave
15:11thousands of miles away from civilization and even then, there's no guarantee you'd be safe
15:16from hearing about the Kardashians. And this famous family's notoriety started with the premiere of
15:22their reality show on the E! Network. Why were they being documented? Pretty much because they're
15:30rich and attractive. Keeping Up with the Kardashians was routinely derided for being
15:35shallow, as were its famous for being famous subjects like Kim Kardashian and mother,
15:41Kris Jenner. But many saw the show as the ultimate guilty pleasure, and it stayed on the air for an
15:46impressive 20 seasons. That's nice, Kourtney. Well, thanks for coming over. Thanks for being
15:51so lovely. Anytime. When I come into your house, I'll make sure to say just a critical comment.
15:57You do. Every time. People are going to continue Keeping Up with the Kardashians
16:02with or without a reality show. Number 16. Blockman. Think only America is capable of
16:09making trashy reality shows? Then, luckily, you haven't heard of Blockman, a truly appalling talk
16:16show that aired for six episodes in Denmark. Creator and host Thomas Blockman and another
16:25male cast would talk about the body of a woman who undressed in front of them. If you think that
16:30sounds sexist, you're not alone. Called the most sexist show in history, Blockman was blasted for
16:46its chauvinistic premise. We're not sure if it was low ratings or controversy that gave it the axe,
16:52but we're arguably better off without Blockman. He doesn't care about the criticism. It says he
16:58tells whoever was interviewing him, ungratefulness is the only thing that can really wear down the
17:02few geniuses who reside in this country. Remember, I'm giving you something you've never seen before.
17:06Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Number 15. Boy Meets Boy. A reality dating show featuring
17:13gay contestants? That's a great idea, but a reality dating show based on deception and dishonesty is a
17:20terrible idea. That's exactly what viewers got with Boy Meets Boy, Bravo's ill-fated attempt at
17:30a gay-focused reality show. The show was about a man looking for another man to be his special
17:36someone. The cruel twist was that some of the contestants, unbeknownst to the star and their
17:42fellow competitors, were straight. You're not allowed to ask directly any of the mates what
17:47their sexual orientation is, and the second rule is you're not allowed to reveal to any of the
17:52mates the twist. Understood? Understood? Yes. In an interview, star James Getzlaff said he felt
18:01betrayed by the show. Modern depictions of gay people on television is by no means perfect,
18:07but it's a lot better than this. Number 14. The Pickup Artist. You know those guys who go to bars
18:14and try to use their powers of seduction on any woman they can find? Would you ever want to watch
18:25a whole show dedicated to them? VH1 thought you might, as it aired two seasons of The Pickup
18:32Artist. The show followed pickup artist Eric Mystery von Markovic as he mentored contestants
18:39in the art of getting dates in any situation. Well, Mystery might disagree, as methods were
18:55dismissed as pseudoscience, and the show was also exposed as dishonest about who some of
19:02the competitors actually were. The Pickup Artist was thankfully put down. Number 13. The Swan. As
19:10demeaning as Are You Hot was, The Swan reached a whole new level of cruelty. This Fox reality show
19:17featured female contestants deemed unattractive who underwent various cosmetic surgery procedures
19:24for the chance to compete in a beauty pageant. Dr. Hayworth, what was your plan for Sylvia?
19:28Well, in addition to total body liposuction, I wanted to bring some harmony and elegance to
19:33Sylvia's face through some key surgical maneuvers that included pinning back her ears. The title
19:38came from the contestants being seen as ugly ducklings. The show was blasted for promoting
19:44unhealthy body images and equating conventional good looks with being a good person. Entertainment
19:50Weekly even named it as the worst reality show of all time. The Swan somehow aired for two seasons,
20:08and the only thing ugly about it was the show itself. Number 12. Dance Moms. Dancing is a great
20:16pastime, but we wouldn't wish Abby Lee Miller's teaching on anyone. This lifetime reality show
20:36chronicled dance instructor Miller and her classes of young girls. Many of Miller's teaching methods,
20:42such as commenting negatively on her students' physical appearances, crossed the line. And some
20:47of the numbers she choreographed were far too risque given the age of the performers. In 2020,
20:54racist remarks made by Miller towards black students were exposed, and Lifetime severed
21:00ties with her. If the show is ever revived, we hope it's with a much less problematic instructor.
21:12Number 11. My Husband's Not Gay. Our concept of love and attraction is constantly evolving,
21:20but we can't imagine ever being okay with the premise of this TLC show. My Husband's Not Gay
21:26followed married Mormons in Salt Lake City in which the husbands professed attraction to other men.
21:42However, since they didn't act on their romantic instincts and were married to women,
21:54they were deemed as not being gay. The show was criticized for treating being gay as something
21:59that can be changed instead of an innate part of someone's being, and a petition calling for it not
22:05to air received more than 100,000 signatures. While the show only aired as a single documentary,
22:17it still goes down as one of the most infamous reality shows ever.
22:22Number 10. Sister Wives. Another uncommon kind of marriage is polygamy,
22:28in which one person is married to many. Sister Wives spotlights this kind of union
22:33through patriarch Cody Brown and his wives, Mary, Janelle, Christine, and Robin.
22:50Opinions are fairly divided on Sister Wives. While some find it to be an informative glimpse
22:56at a different kind of marriage, others find the concept to be both legally and morally questionable.
23:03Some have even likened Brown to a cult leader, and television journalist Nancy Grace has called
23:16for him to be prosecuted. Having aired on TLC for more than a decade now, viewers still find
23:22themselves married to Sister Wives. Number 9. The Moment of Truth.
23:28We love game shows for how they test knowledge and being able to stay cool under pressure.
23:34But this unpleasant Fox show was rooted in embarrassment.
23:44Contestants were given lie detector tests and asked extremely personal questions.
23:50If their responses were deemed truthful, they could win huge cash prizes. Based on a Colombian
23:56game show, The Moment of Truth left too much room for humiliation that made it impossible to enjoy.
24:09At times, it felt like both the contestants and the viewers were being punished.
24:14We'd be lying if we said we ever wanted to return to this show.
24:18Number 8. Who's Your Daddy? Meeting the father you've never known
24:22can be an incredibly emotional and personal experience.
24:37In other words, it shouldn't be used as fodder for a reality show. But that's exactly what Fox
24:43did with Who's Your Daddy? The uncomfortable premise is that a woman who's never known her
24:48father must guess who he is among a group of men in order to win $100,000. Adoption groups protested
24:56the show for cheapening a powerful experience and viewers just weren't interested.
25:06Only one episode of the show aired as it was apparent that Who's Your Daddy was a dud.
25:12Number 7. There's Something About Miriam. For decades, the only depictions of
25:18transgender people you could find on TV were exploitative ones. Like on this British reality
25:23show. Six men vied for the affection of model Miriam Rivera, whom they didn't realize was a
25:35transgender woman. The show was derided then and now for its humiliating nature as well as
25:40the potential damage it could bring to the trans community. While mainstream understanding of
25:54trans identity and issues was less developed than it is today, it still doesn't excuse just how
26:01cruel and offensive this show was and always will be. Number 6. Teen Mom. Teen pregnancy is an
26:09important issue that shouldn't be ignored, but maybe it shouldn't be the focal point of a reality
26:15show either. Chronicling the lives of young mothers, this MTV show has earned both high
26:30ratings and high controversy for potentially glamorizing teen pregnancy. While MTV has argued
26:36that the show's purpose was to show how demanding teen motherhood can be, others have felt the show
26:42has promoted it by making stars out of its subjects. A study did find that the show's
26:57airing correlated with a decline in teen births, suggesting that it might be having some positive
27:03effect after all. Number 5. Bridalplasty. Weddings are considered sacred ceremonies in many cultures.
27:11However, when it comes to reality TV, nothing is sacred. Enter Bridalplasty, a show so shallow,
27:18we don't know how to begin measuring it. On this E! Network show, soon-to-be brides compete in
27:24various challenges in hopes of winning plastic surgery procedures to get the perfect body for
27:29their wedding day. We can't begin to describe how problematic that is. And the show was seen
27:39as both an indictment on reality TV in general, as well as the impossible beauty standards put
27:46upon women. Anyone who's been married knows it takes trust and honesty for a marriage to last,
27:51not cosmetic surgery. Thankfully, Bridalplasty was given the knife after one season.
28:06Number 4. Jerry Springer. To call Jerry Springer trash TV would be an insult to garbage. This
28:13daytime talk show was seen by many as epitomizing everything wrong with modern society. Hosted by
28:20former mayor of Cincinnati, Jerry Springer, the show specialized in sensationalistic topics and
28:25outrageous guests. Things would often turn ugly, leading to bouts of physical violence. TV Guide
28:31named it the worst show of all time in 2002, and there was also controversy about whether or not
28:38aspects were staged. After thousands of fights and perhaps millions of bleeps, Jerry Springer
28:43ended for good in 2018, much to the relief of many. Number 3. Kid Nation. The use of children
28:51in reality television is already controversial, but Kid Nation stokes that controversy even
28:57further. The premise of this CBS reality show is that 40 children between 8 and 15 years old
29:04are tasked with creating a functioning society in a New Mexico ghost town. 40 kids with no parents,
29:11no teachers anywhere, and their leaders, they're kids too. It's the first ever Kid Nation.
29:21While things didn't reach Lord of the Flies levels of chaos, the show still drew plenty
29:27of concern over safety and exploiting child labor loopholes. I'm starting to get really,
29:33really sad around here. It's horrible. I've had it. Many advertisers opted not to be associated
29:41with the show as well. However, the controversy didn't translate into ratings, and Kid Nation was
29:47canceled after one season. We're not kidding when we say that this show was a bad idea. Number 2.
29:55Fear Factor. Before Joe Rogan was sparking political debates, he was causing a different
30:01sort of outrage. Well, it was less Rogan and more the show he was on. Fear Factor was a game show
30:07that asked just how far contestants would go to win money. To win the money, you're going to have
30:12to complete three extreme stunts. Stunts that'll not only test you physically, but mentally as well.
30:18If you're too afraid to attempt a stunt, you are eliminated. Try a stunt but fail to complete it,
30:23you're gone. The answer? Pretty damn far. Much of the controversy was around the show's disgusting
30:29food challenges, in which contestants would eat things that would make you ill on sight alone.
30:35There were also concerns about animal welfare, with some trainers refusing to be involved.
30:40The shock factor ended up attracting viewers, even if many of them were watching through
30:45their hands, and the show was revived multiple times. The scariest thing about Fear Factor
30:54might just be how popular it was. Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel
31:00and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos. You have the option to be notified
31:05for occasional videos or all of them. If you're on your phone, make sure you go into your settings
31:09and switch on notifications. 1. Toddlers and Tiaras
31:16Unsurprisingly, the show that gave us Honey Boo Boo is controversial in its own right. Toddlers
31:22and Tiaras brought viewers into the world of child beauty pageants and showed just how
31:27uncomfortable of an institution they can be. The young contestants were depicted as being
31:35dressed provocatively and having procedures, such as eyebrow waxings, done to them. It might have
31:41been the parents making these decisions, but Toddlers and Tiaras still managed to get a
31:46national platform for instilling dangerous beauty standards at a young age and other
31:55problematic aspects. Toddlers and Tiaras is the most controversial reality show to ever air.
32:02Which of these controversial shows are you totally unashamed to admit you actually enjoyed?
32:08Go ahead and spill in the comments below. Did you enjoy this video? Check out these
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