The Reality TV Iceberg

The Reality TV Iceberg

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.

We’ll start at the top with major, controversial moments that changed the industry forever, then sink further into the most shocking incidents you’ve likely never heard of. So grab your scuba gear and get ready to embark on an expedition to the deepest depths of the reality television ecosystem.

TIER 1: THE SURFACE
At the tip of the iceberg are the bits that played out on our screens. These tropes, scandals, and storylines got everyone talking and left a lasting impact on the world of reality TV.

First up, The TLC Network’s Exploitation: You can’t kick off a “Reality TV Iceberg” without mentioning the downright bizarre and extreme reality franchises found on TLC, which often focus on people struggling with obesity, unconventional compulsions, or mental health disorders—to name a few. With titles such as “MILF Manor” and “My Teen is Pregnant and So Am I,” the network clearly isn’t pulling any punches. Two particularly disrespectful series, “Toddlers & Tiaras” and “Jon & Kate Plus 8,” capitalize on the duress of kids who are thrust in front of cameras for a chaotic spectacle. But the most egregious offense the network commits so often is the greenlighting of shows that appear to be designed for viewers to gawk at people living below the poverty line. Just look at “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” and “Extreme Cheapskates,” which seem to be shot to make audiences feel almost uneasy or squeamish about the trials of the lower class, and perhaps grateful to not have to live like them. Though it's been repeatedly called out for producing degrading programs, the machine continues to run.

The Kardashians - Reality TV Royalty: On the opposite end of the reality TV spectrum exists the wish fulfillment of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” and later spin-offs. The “famous for being famous” family has become somewhat of a social experiment, allowing cameras to follow every twist, turn, and scandal for over a decade. You may be scratching your head as to how they sustained such a big following through so many seasons of mundanity and contrived drama. During the early years, the sisters wisely gamed new social media apps like Twitter and Instagram to recruit massive followings, generating interest as trailblazing influencers and driving that fanbase to their show. Although many were immediately turned off by their out of touch whimsies, fans were more-or-less fascinated by this glimpse into the luxurious lifestyle of the uber-wealthy. Love them or hate them, there’s no denying the Kardashians have a certain staying power that solidified their spot at the top of the reality TV pyramid and, well, this iceberg (barring all Illuminati connection theories, of course).

“The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” - Toxic Fandoms: While the Kardashians proved how social media can build a star up, the similarly lavish “Real Housewives” proved just how social media can tear a star down. In this online era, where fans are constantly engaging directly on celebrities' pages, toxic fandoms have become ghastly specters that haunt stars long after the cameras stop rolling. In “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” season 4, an Instagram fan account, Reality Von Tease, spread malicious rumors and leaked insider information about the cast. In a stunning twist, the ladies discovered that the posts were coming from inside the group, and new housewife Monica Garcia was behind it all. This led to a blowout dinner party and reunion special that gave them an opportunity to confront her, but also to speak about how hurtful internet trolls can be. Some fans theorize that Bravo intentionally cast Monica with expectations of the ensuing chaos, but producers deny they had any knowledge of her intentions. Either way, the turmoil showed audiences first hand that attacking reality stars online can do serious harm. Let that be a lesson learned.

“Bachelor In Paradise” - Too Much Booze: While alcohol-induced hookups are nothing new in reality TV, “Bachelor In Paradise” became known for supplying copious amounts of liquor to its attractive singles, who understood that imbibing and cozying up to their co-stars was the best way to make good TV and get cameratime. This sounds like a recipe for disaster, and during the show's fourth season, that’s exactly what we got. “Bachelor”/”Bachelorette” alums Corrine Olympios and DeMario Jackson became under the influence during the season premiere and hit the sheets. But after watching the footage back, one of Corrine's producers felt she was far too intoxicated to consent. A full investigation was launched, and the fourth wall was broken as crews sent the cast home. Warner Bros. ultimately stated that they found no evidence of misconduct and resumed filming, but applied stricter drinking restrictions as a result. The entire fumble, which damaged the pair's reputations, lends credence to the bystander effect that has impacted countless other productions, where crewmembers fail to stop a nefarious offense unfolding before them… all for the sake of ratings.

“Survivor” - The Dan Incident: A similar occurrence took place in “Survivor’s” 39th season, “Island of The Idols,” which will forever be stained by the actions of castaway Dan Spilo, who was accused of unwelcome touching by multiple women on the island. His creepy behavior was called out early on, but nothing was actually done. In fact, producers saddled the most vocally uncomfortable castaway, Kellee, with the responsibility of deciding how to handle the situation. When word got around camp, Kellee was duped into thinking her fellow castaways would vote Dan out with her safety in mind, only for her torch to be snuffed instead. She was then relegated to the sidelines where she had to watch in silence as the others discussed the legitimacy of her claims, a dark mirror to the way female accusers are often disbelieved and gaslit. Dan would at last be ejected from the game, this time for touching a crew member off-camera, in what was clearly a consequence of the showrunners’ inaction. Fans were outraged, forcing CBS to rethink their strategy for ejecting players who cross boundaries sooner.

CBS’ Diversity Pledge: At the same time that CBS was facing backlash for their terrible mishandling of “Survivor” 39, they were facing the biggest outcry against their questionably formulaic casting to date. For years, so many of their competition programs primarily featured young, conventionally attractive, thin, and mostly white participants. The few token minorities who did make the cut were often stereotyped on screen, with some coming forward later to share that producers had asked them to act in certain ways that would fulfill their “roles.” Online campaigns from former contestants and fans alike forced CBS to take action, and execs finally announced that both casts and crews would be comprised of at least 50% people of color going forward. Since this went into effect, the number of minority winners on these series has skyrocketed, proving that fair representation is crucial to guaranteeing the integrity of any product.

COVID Shutdowns: The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on the reality TV landscape, with some executives pausing or delaying productions, others removing live audiences, and some even having participants film themselves at home to fill cable slots. Incidentally, several international “Big Brother” seasons were airing live at the time of the outbreak, with isolated houseguests totally unaware of what was happening outside studio walls. The “Big Brother Australia” contestants were primed and put on a more intense lockdown, with the remainder of the season being accelerated. But for the “Big Brother Canada” housemates, producers made the decision to pull the plug entirely. Their visceral reactions to the news and concern for loved ones back home will forever immortalize that initial shock we all felt when first confronted by the gravity of lockdowns, along with fears of what would happen next.

9/11 Unfolds: The pandemic wasn't the first time a set of “Big Brother” houseguests had to learn about a major event while cut off from the world. In 2001, while under lock and key, season 2 castmates were informed that the 9/11 attacks had just taken place. Housemate Monica Bailey was briefed that her cousin, who worked at the towers, could not be located, and it was later confirmed that she had been tragically killed. A similar scene occurred in “The Real World: Chicago.” The season aired in 2002, though the footage of the cast reacting to the tragedy is just as haunting. They work through difficult questions about humanity, anxieties over further attacks, and the agonizing devastation everyone was feeling during that period of loss. And so, living up to its promise to capture the real world, the scene depicts a truly gut-wrenching moment that epitomizes a time in both reality tv and world history.

The Tearful Close-Up: It’s one thing for producers to film reactions to global events, and entirely another to poke the camera and boom mic in the face of a castmate who just received word that a loved one died. Over the years, numerous stars spanning a variety of shows have been filmed finding out that someone back home had fallen ill or passed away. Despite their understandably distraught reactions to these incredibly private phone calls, the cameras continue to roll and even zoom in as they cry to get the perfect closeup. Beyond invading their space during one of the worst moments of their life, these scenes proceed to air for the world to see. This proves just how low some producers will go to sensationalize human suffering, but it could also be argued that this is simply the cost of signing up to have your life documented. Where should the line be drawn though? That ethical question still hasn’t entirely been answered.

“The Real World Hollywood” - Joey's Demons: “The Real World’s” selling point has long been its raw, honest depictions of castmates' personal struggles. In the series’ 20th season, “Hollywood,” Joey Kovar's storyline sees his battle with substance use and subsequent outbursts that stun fellow roommates. The season tracks a disturbing progression in his behavior, and culminates in him checking into rehab. In one of the darkest moments in the show's history, he’s forced to confront the totality of his disorder, accepting that he has a problem and telling his roommates he's afraid it will take his life. Viewers at home rooted for him to make a recovery, and he would later appear on “Celebrity Rehab.” But just a few years after his TV appearances, Joey would sadly overdose. Today, this profoundly tragic arc and the scenes in which he predicts his own death serve as one of reality TV's most chilling character studies.

Now that we’ve scraped the top of the iceberg, it’s time to take a plunge…

TIER 2: UNDERWATER
Just below the surface lies the murkier reality tv moments that require a bit of sleuthing to decipher. This includes editing mishaps, fan theories, and some of the wildest dirt on beloved hit shows.

Jumping right into it, “Jersey Shore” - Staged Drama: During the golden years of reality television, “Jersey Shore” exploded onto the scene as one of the most recognizable unscripted franchises of all time. But that hasn’t stopped it from dodging accusations of being, well, scripted. In season two’s Snooki vs. Angelina fight scene, fans caught onto the fact that Jwoww’s socks changed states multiple times, driving theories that it had been reshot. But these continuity errors can likely be explained by the way hours of footage are condensed and stitched together, sometimes out of order. Case in point: pay attention to how the food on a star’s plate changes frequently while gabbing over a meal. These allegations would catch up to the guidos again in season 4, where a brief frame reveals a woman with a production earpiece tossing ice at the cast, who then turn and attack the bartender as if he threw it. The reboot series, “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation,” is also largely suspected of being faked, with the veteran cast fully understanding the type of conflict needed to sustain a multi-season show. Of course, this all remains speculative.

“RuPaul's Drag Race” - Edit Manipulation: A more concrete behind-the-scenes secret: multiple drag queens have come forward to bolster claims that producers on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” heavily encouraged them to behave in ways they normally wouldn't, or that the final edit totally misrepresented the actual events of the competition. Whistleblowers include Adore Delano, Jasmine Masters, and even winner Yvie Oddly. Many Ru-girls have also clapped back against their unfavorable "villain edits" that portray them as monsters, put them in poor standing with fans, and hurt their ability to land gigs. Revered queen Phi Phi O'Hara was incredibly outspoken about this, stating that the edit was not at all authentic to who she is and that she even got into spats on-set by calling out producers for their shenanigans. In retaliation, Ru would later release a song called "Blame It On The Edit.” In his defense, the girls are competing, but they’re also creating a TV show, which needs to draw viewers via heightened conflict and entertainment value. This sometimes means manipulating the cast, elimination order, and final product to present a dramatized retelling with a set of exaggerated characters. Afterall, it’s show business.

Talent Shows - A Secret Song and Dance: It's come out that performers on talent shows, like “The Voice,” are forced to sign strict contracts that give producers executive creative control over their image and the songs they perform. So while we think we're getting a genuine peek into an artist's repertoire, what we're really getting is a series of highly curated TV numbers. Ironically, this leaves performers feeling like they don’t have a voice at all. Piling on to the artifice, musician Adam Weiner exposed “The Voice” talent recruiters for reaching out and asking him to participate in the show, stating he’d been pre-auditioned and would jump the queue. For what's supposed to be a competition series, this hardly seems fair to the millions of hopefuls who traveled from all over and waited hours in line to impress the judges. “The X Factor UK” and “Britain's Got Talent” have faced similar allegations, and “American Idol” was even accused of cutting contestants who were unwilling to play the long game with greedy producers seeking to monopolize their time and talent.

“Pimp My Ride” - Making Lemons: “Pimp My Ride” follows the outlandish renovations that Xzibit and his crew perform on lucky participants' broken down vehicles. These major restorations were supposedly performed in a week, but in reality, the lengthy overhauls took upwards of 6 months. Most of the cars’ flashy features were either totally useless or had to be legally removed after filming, so the alterations were largely for show. To make matters worse, dozens of these former rust buckets were returned to owners with even more mechanical issues than they had before. Maintaining these pimped out rides proved so impractical that most of them were quickly sold or eventually junked, and almost none of the whips are around today.

“Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” - Moving Out: “Pimp My Ride” is to cars as “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” is to houses. The wildly extravagant home renovations performed on the series were mostly done to improve the lives of families in dire straits who had very specific needs. So while they eagerly chanted “Move That Bus!” to see their new dream home, some families would later find that the situation turned into a bit of a nightmare. The now inflated taxes and utility costs for many of these upgraded mega-homes led to more heartbreak, as a handful had to be sold or foreclosed. Though producers claim they provided some additional support after the episodes taped, it proved too little for families who’d been stretched so thin that they had no choice but to vacate their not-so-humble abodes.

“The Challenge” - Edited Out: Over time, numerous reality contestants have had their edits minimized due to real life scandals, like with Sherry Pie on “Ru Paul’s Drag Race.” But it’s a bit unheard of for editors to retroactively remove a participant from a show completely. Eddie Williams, who appeared on “Are You The One,” was set to compete on “The Challenge: Vendettas” along with old flame Alicia Wright. But he was pulled early on and then completely edited out of the broadcast, with only his online bio serving as proof he was ever part of the season. According to the rumor mill, Alicia was not happy to see Eddie and told producers she had a restraining order against him due to prior altercations. The validity of these legal claims and the way it all unfolded is still very questionable, with tweets and cast gossip all seeming to contradict each other. This would play out again several seasons later when “Love Island’s” Lauren Coogan had her brief run on "The Challenge: Spies Lies & Allies" completely erased too. She later denied the prominent theory that this was due to a series of racially insensitive comments, but because the cast was placed on a strict gag order, we’ll likely never know the truth.

“Bad Girls Club” - Blurred Baddies: Though Eddie and Lauren were initially billed as part of their respective casts, two replacements on “Bad Girls Club” never had their identities revealed at all. When two new sisters entered the mansion in season 15, the rest of the girls immediately attacked them, sending them out the door just as fast as they came. On the show, it was explained that this was a hazing incident gone wrong. But in reality, the castmates had received intel that the sisters were an infamous duo who’d been dating the same man, and lashed out in disgust. While this scene made it to air, editors chose to blur the sisters' faces and they were never mentioned again or even named, leading to them being known as “The Ghost Twins”. It turns out this bizarre editing treatment was in response to a lawsuit filed by the sisters against several cast members and production company Bunim/Murray, demanding accountability for a slew of charges including their brief hospitalization. The show would only last for two more seasons, with many hypothesizing that the legal troubles were the knockout punch for the controversial club.

“Bridezillas” - Wedding Woes: What’s worse than being hidden from a show you’ve opted to participate in? Surely, it must be getting tricked into participating in the first place. And that’s actually happened. When "Bridezilla" was filming its early episodes, several featured couples didn’t realize they would star in the series at all. In fact, they had been approached and asked to shoot a more nuanced reality show titled “Manhattan Brides,” that would capture the stressful event planning of extravagant weddings. Others were told an entirely different name, “Metro Brides.” Instead, they ultimately got a repackaged program called “Bridezillas,” and what aired was a chaotic TV circus that painted the brides-to-be as misbehaving, entitled basket cases. Of course, this didn’t go over well and led to a number of, you guessed it, lawsuits.

“Hell's Kitchen” - Truly Hell On Earth: Contestants on “Hell's Kitchen” are often portrayed as frantic, exhausted, and in constant fear of being on the receiving end of Chef Gordon Ramsay’s iconic quips. While one may assume that this is all played up for cameras and Gordon is really a sweet guy, there's actually some truth to the "hell" moniker. It was reported that contestants have been forced to sleep in military-barrack style rooms and often work 19-hour days, sometimes getting between 0 and 5 hours of sleep. It's been rumored that this sleep deprivation is intentional, as producers want the contestants to be as stir crazy as possible to heighten the drama. Apparently, if you want reality TV content that feels real, then sometimes extreme measures have to be taken to… make it real.

“The Hills” - An Elaborate Illusion: For all the reality shows that have had their credibility examined, “The Hills” has spent some of the most time under the microscope. This stylish series follows a group of young LA friends, and dodges stereotypical reality TV production choices by avoiding things like confessionals. It’s shot to look far more cinematic and has a fairly blatant feeling of being staged. Had producers sold out and hired a set of actors? Was this a drama made to look like a reality show? These are questions the public never fully settled on. While many unscripted productions do require extensive staging, like micing up, sound checks, and getting consent forms from background figures—“The Hills” still comes off like a Hollywood movie. And several former crew members have confessed that many moments were reshot or meticulously set up. Fanning the flames, the show ends with a visual of a cast member smirking to the camera as a crane swoops back to reveal he's standing on a studio lot. It’s a tongue in cheek nod to the rumors surrounding the series, but it doesn't quite confirm anything. Even today, when showrunners were interrogated about “The Hills’” authenticity, they couldn't seem to agree or land on a definitive answer. So, what’s real? What’s fake? Those lines will likely forever remain blurred.

Sinking even deeper, it’s time to shine light on…

TIER 3: THE DEPTHS
Fair warning:, these entries cover far more shocking show concepts and disturbing behind-the-scenes developments. So, explore with caution.

Let’s relive The Japanese Truman Show: In 1998, a weekly reality show, so diabolical that it practically seemed illegal, hit the airwaves in Japan. “Susunu! Denpa Shōnen,” a program known for its endurance challenges, began airing a segment titled “A Life of Prizes” in which a man named Nasubi was left in a tiny apartment with no food, no clothes, and no outside communication. A single camera recorded him 24/7 as he sifted through magazines, entering mail-in sweepstakes to earn the prizes he’d live off of. He was forced to consume raw rice, dog food, and sugary drinks to survive as he attempted to earn $1 million yen, the condition for which he’d complete the challenge and leave the room. It seems far-fetched to imagine this kind of isolation torture would be allowed to go on, but the door was unlocked the entire time and Nasubi had actually agreed to continue. However, he’d been rather misled. A producer told Nasubi that most of this footage would never air, but upwards of 17 million viewers had already been tuning in to watch his descent into madness. Though he initially stayed with hopes of launching his career as a television comedian, he eventually became so disoriented that escape didn’t feel like an option. He recalls seeing death as a better fate, and when he finally left confinement after 1 year and 3 months, he’d forgotten how to socialize. In the finale of this cruel game, the shellshocked Nasubi was jarringly thrust in front of a live studio audience, exemplifying how mindless entertainment had become more essential to producers and viewers than Nasubi’s wellbeing. It was a horrifying early experiment that, in many ways, predicted the desensitization of reality television as a whole.

“The Simple Life” - A Tragic Act: “The Simple Life” launched Y2K princess Paris Hilton into the limelight, where she and co-star Nicole Richie were portrayed as rich, dumb blondes attempting to make it in the real world. For years, the duo was mocked and ridiculed by the press, with Paris taking a lot of the heat for her girlish vocal fry and spoiled vapidity. But this collective angst for the heiress would finally dissipate when she came forward to drop some harrowing truths about her backstory that no one had anticipated. In her memoir and TV specials, Paris reveals that the bimbo character was entirely an act created as a self-defense mechanism while suffering reprehensible abuse at a boarding school. The routine brought her so much fame that she kept it up for years, until it became unsustainable. No longer wanting to be known as a ditzy socialite, she shattered the illusion that so many long held against her, proving that judging a book by its cover could make fools out of all of us.

Tila Tequila's Grim Turn: Tila Tequila, a model who amassed fame on MySpace, landed several reality TV gigs throughout her career. Her most infamous was “A Shot At Love with Tila Tequila,” a dating show that played on a bisexual gimmick with male and female contestants competing for her affection. She never shied away from controversy, often getting in trouble due to her drinking and partying. However, an onset of mental health issues would become public knowledge as her online rants became increasingly bizarre. She was kicked off of the UK “Celebrity Big Brother” when it was discovered she had penned a blog sympathizing with Hitler. From there, she went on to viciously attack other celebrities on Twitter, post her neo-Nazi beliefs, and claim she was the female Jesus, leading old fans to deem her “insane.” Though vitriol against Tila and headlines such as “Tila Tequila’s Mental Breakdown” have generated plenty of exploitative media fodder, one can only hope she’s on a path to better health.

“There's Something About Miriam” - A Television Low: In the early ‘00s, there was a trend of strange reality shows where singles were tricked into dating someone that wasn’t entirely who they said they were. “I Wanna Marry Harry” conned a group of women into vying for the love of a man they thought was Prince Harry. But nothing was more disturbing than “There's Something About Miriam,” where a group of straight men unknowingly competed on a dating show starring a transgender woman. The finale’s big reveal highlighted the surprising revelation that she hadn't received all of her gender-affirming surgeries, and the joke was that they’d been tricked. Not only did the show highly endanger the transgender community by portraying Miriam as duplicitous, but it sparked a lawsuit by the participants who were disgusted by the premise of the show. It’s safe to say, something like this would likely never be greenlit today, and could only exist in the era it was originally conceived.

“19 Kids and Counting” - Josh Duggar’s Crimes: One of TLC’s most successful series, “19 Kids and Counting” was canceled in 2015 when it came out that the cult-like family's eldest son, Josh, had been accused of inappropriate behavior towards his own siblings. Though he was a minor at the time, in 2021, he would be arrested as an adult for distributing illegal material on the internet. The ensuing trial led to the cancellation of the Duggar’s spin-off series “Counting On.” This unsettling case put a permanent cloud over the shows, proving that even years of a camera crew's documentation can never fully let us in on all of one's darkest secrets.

At the very base of the iceberg lies…

TIER 4: THE OCEAN FLOOR
Some sinister reality TV figures and series have been almost completely hidden from the public. These are the most somber moments that networks tried to bury and make us all forget.

Let’s unearth, International “Survivor” - Castaway Deaths: Although “Survivor” maroons its castaways on remote islands, forcing them to compete for necessities like food and shelter, it’s practically a given that with all the on-set doctors and crew members they wouldn’t literally have to fight to survive. But in international adaptations of “Survivor,” three castaways have actually lost their lives under tragic circumstances. In 2009, a contestant in the Pakistani series drowned during a physical challenge, and earlier that year, the Bulgarian version lost a castaway to a fatal heart attack. Though 2 players subsequently quit the show in horror, the game actually continued with a winner eventually being crowned. Then, in 2013, the French “Survivor” titled “Koh Lanta” was subject of a criminal investigation after one castaway collapsed in a day 1 challenge and died of heart failure, resulting in the cancellation of the season. It was determined that this was caused by a pre-existing condition that should have been detected amongst the extensive medical tests conducted during casting. In an even more harrowing turn, the show's longtime staff physician would take his own life in response to the public damage to his reputation. The US version has had its share of close calls too, with numerous scary medical evacuations making it to air. So the biggest takeaway from all this needless loss is that no reality competition series is worth pushing its subjects to the brink of death, and extensive safety protocols are absolutely paramount.

“The Challenge” - Toothbrush Incident: On “The Challenge: The Ruins," contestant Tonya Cooley was subjected to a lot of cruel abuse by her castmates. Even worse, years after filming the season, it leaked out that she’d accused veteran competitors Kenny Sanatucci and Evan Starkman of assaulting her while she was asleep. Per her account, producers had just loaded them up with unlimited booze in hopes it would spark drama, but instead an incident unfolded that would haunt the network to this day. According to the suit, Tonya insists that the assault occurred in plain sight of cameras and nobody intervened, but producers assert that upon viewing the footage her claims were unfounded. Stunningly, the waiver Tonya signed also stated that the physical competition show would involve non-consensual contact and the producers were effectively not responsible for unwanted touching. After the incident, Tonya would distance herself from the network, but the men involved were still contacted to appear in MTV shows and even given leadership roles; that is until the controversy surfaced and they were more-or-less blacklisted. Fans were stunned to lose three of the show’s staple competitors in such a hush-hush scandal that was in many ways swept under the rug. Interestingly, the episode in question was never uploaded to the Paramount Plus streaming service that hosts “The Challenge,” and the truth about the entire ordeal remains something of a mystery.

“Extreme Makeover” - A Dangerous Game: Before the home edition, there was just, “Extreme Makeover,” which set out to completely reconstruct the physical appearances of its supposedly ugly ducklings. It was marked with controversy from the start, promoting plastic surgery, weight loss, and intense beauty regimens as a set of necessary transformations that would provide some form of romantic prospect to a previously “unlovable” person's life. But one episode of “Extreme Makeover” that never aired has an even bleaker backstory. A woman who was set to appear on the show had already done a lot of filming, but her episode was canceled due to the fact that her jaw surgery wouldn’t heal in time to complete taping. In one scene, the subject’s sister was goaded by producers into making deplorable comments about her sibling’s appearance, which turned out to be all for nothing. The fallout from this entire nightmare left the family distraught, with the sister so overcome with guilt that she took her own life. In this case, production meddling for a juicy sound bite rippled into an unthinkable tragedy, proving that the “ugly duckling” was not its subject, but the show itself.

A Date and A Murder: Ryan Jenkins, who appeared as a wealthy bachelor contestant on dating show “Megan Wants A Millionaire,” would shockingly murder his wife, Jasmine Fiore, while the show was airing. VH1 pulled the rest of the episodes out of respect for the victim, and totally scrubbed the show from their archives. Incidentally, “I Love Money” had just finished filming its third season with a cast of stars assembled from a variety of reality shows. Amongst them was none other than Ryan Jenkins, and VH1 was forced to scrap that completed game show too due to his involvement. In fact, he’d won it! Though the season is now considered “lost media,” a producer recalls Jenkin’s obsessive and controlling phone conversations with his then-wife that were recorded on the set of “I Love Money.” In fact, these phone calls were set to become a major storyline, depicting Jenkins as overly jealous, and his marriage totally on the rocks. After the murder, Jenkins went on the run and news outlets uncovered his prior arrest records, which had apparently gotten past producers. He’d previously been arrested for assaulting a girlfriend, an early indicator of his disturbing behavior that should have most definitely disqualified him from participating in a dating show. Although former crew members remember Jenkins as mostly charismatic and charming on sets, there’s no denying that Megan was inadvertently placed in a dangerous position by having such an insecure, violent person compete for her love. And in a series of interviews, she later revealed that she actually intended to pick him as the winner until producers dissuaded her, suggesting she choose a different bachelor they believed the fans would like more. This all brings to light the imperative nature of background checks and psychological exams during the reality casting process. Though producers often aim for over-the-top, drama-prone personalities, there needs to be a greater level of caution exercised in order to ensure everyone's safety. It goes without saying; Megan really lucked out by not settling down with a killer. Putting an end to the saga, Jenkins took his own life in response to the formal murder charges. These shelved shows will likely never fully see the light of day, with only a few episodes of “Megan Wants A Millionaire” floating around.

“To Catch A Predator” - Deadly Turn: Though the tragic loss of life at the hands of Ryan Jenkins took place after filming, one show had no issue airing a televised death that occured during production. “To Catch a Predator,” which followed police sting operations, was long accused of entrapment and received mixed opinions for "creating crimes" instead of "stopping crimes." In one episode, cameras roll as police close in on the home of a suspected perp, though he never comes to the door. In fact, he takes his own life inside while the crew continues to document every moment. This would be the final nail in the coffin for the pseudo-investigative reality series, which was canceled soon after. Though many viewers expressed no heartbreak for the accused criminal, the event played out like a sadistic public execution, where a life came to an abrupt end for all to see on their television sets. Though this fatal episode serves as one of the most morbid moments in reality TV history, it also symbolizes an unwavering tenet of the exploitative industry and its sometimes complacent audiences: that being, a willingness to capture and witness heinous, unsettling, and iniquitous human tragedies splattered across our screens… all in the name of entertainment.

So how do you feel about the Reality TV Iceberg? Comment below to share your thoughts about the controversial machine and unseemly moments we didn’t get to mention.