Reality TV Contestants Tortured By Producers

Not shocking: Reality TV show producers heighten the dramatic potential by leaving copious amounts of alcohol around or depriving contestants of sleep! A NY Times article explores the world of tortured reality TV contestants. Contestants on the 2006 season of The Bachelor said that after waiting many hours for a 12-hour party, "there was little food but bottomless glasses of wine. When producers judged the proceedings too boring, they sent out a production assistant with a tray of shots," with one pointing out, "If you combine no sleep with alcohol and no food, emotions are going to run high and people are going to be acting crazy." Perfect for ratings! And on the 2005-2006 season of Project Runway, with "multiple 18-hour days of shooting," Diana Eng was once very startled by a crew, "One morning they scared me so bad I jumped and screamed. They said that wasn’t good, so I had to pretend to wake up again." A University of Iowa communications studies professor sums it up, "The bread and butter of reality television is to get people into a state where they are tired, stressed and emotionally vulnerable." Hear that, reality TV fans? You might be sadists for watching it! Then again, the contestants might be masochists, so it works out.

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By Jen Chung in Arts and Events on August 2, 2009 3:21 PM

Comments [rss]

Brooklyn Book Worm

Count on the TIMES to lag behind the times. NEW YORK magazine carried a far more detailed and informative story nearly two years ago, keyed to the fact that the first winner of OPERATION RUNWAY refused the $100,000 prize in order retain control of his designs.
That said, the treatment of reality show contestants is an appalling example of self-torture. And anyone who watches carefully should not be surprised: cameras in the bedroom, cameras in the bathroom, and more. In a notorious TOP CHEF sequence, cameras caught two contestants smooching -- but not having sex -- using a reflection in a picture window.
Nevertheless, even also-rans get great job opportunities. Apparently, the contract that Satam signs with reality TV has lots of loopholes for people with real talent.

NannyState

Look at that messed up girl that got killed down the Jersey shore last week. She was a contestant on American Idol, and while she was seriously deluded and clearly dysfunctional, they paraded her like a circus animal. In the end, I'm sure her life just spiraled downward. Now she's dead. I hope her relatives sue.

Steven

Reality contestants are just wannabes actors/actress/models so they put on a fake act to get notice. The producers of these shows make reality "fake" for rating purposes. Nobody wants to watch something without sex, a drunk person or some nut.

dadoc

Or, as the best solution, don't watch the darned things.

With so much available to us today, people actually watch this dreck? Bread & circuses, while the metropolis burns. No sympathy for the participants. If you're stupid enough to hook up, you deserve whatever you get.

silver

Its like watching Jerry Springer, but "on location".

starrygordon

The bread and butter of reality TV is unreality.

ANGRYGOD11

REALITY: Reality TV tortures American intelligence.

silver

No matter what the disclaimer, the lemmings will still go off the clif. Time to call the safety police and ban reality shows (except for ones produced outside the USA).