17 Reality Show Participants Reveal What Things Not Shown On TV Are Really Like
"Some couples on Divorce Court aren't actually married."
Reality TV is at its best when it feels just believable enough to keep people watching, and just fake enough to keep the drama moving. From game shows to courtroom-style chaos, these programs thrive on edited moments, staged tension, and the little tricks viewers never see.
That is exactly why this Reddit thread works so well. People who have appeared on quiz shows, competition shows, and other televised favorites shared what the cameras left out, and the results are equal parts funny and revealing.
Some of the biggest surprises are hiding in plain sight, and a few of these stories make the whole genre look even more ridiculous. Read on.
1. Cash Cab not so random
"Cash Cab is not completely random. They stopped me on the street and asked if I wanted to be on a show about the city. They set up a phone interview to test my knowledge, and I was told to arrive at a location to film with a friend. When I got there, they said a band was playing on a patio nearby, affecting their sound levels. They hailed us a cab and said it would take us to the new location. Boom!!! The lights and cameras were on as soon as we got in."—Nhxx
Fox2. You don't have to be married to appear on Divorce Court
"My daughter and her boyfriend were on Divorce Court. They were not married, and the show's producers helped them tailor their story (which was completely made up) to be more interesting."
Fox3. Iron Chef
"My mom has worked with some chefs who have been on Iron Chef. They are notified of the category of the secret ingredient beforehand, such as protein, veggie, or fruit, so they can plan out some general ideas."
Food Network
The first few stories already make the whole setup look a lot less random than TV wants you to think.
4. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
"I was a lifeline on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. We were prepped, the five of us who were the chosen lifelines, and in this prepping, there was no mention of googling. In other words, it was understood that using the 30-second window to google the question would be acceptable. Many people wonder about this, I think, so I thought I'd share."
ABC
5. Jeopardy!
"I was on Jeopardy! a few years ago. One of the contestant coordinators said, 'We're not going to tell you how to play the game, but the stats show that everyone ends up with more money if you start at the top of a category and go straight down,' to discourage Daily Double hunting and random category-jumping like that one guy did last season."
ABC
6. Family Game Night
"I was on Family Game Night after being in the right place at the right time in California. There are certain cards you aren't supposed to pick because they have nothing behind them. And when it's your time to pick a game, they give you about six choices. In reality, they tell you there are only two they have set up and are ready to go. All of the answers and games are preplanned. Most of the time, the family has already been on the vacation they won, so they can show a picture the following week of them at their destination."
Zoo Productions
7. No cash on Let's Make a Deal
"I won $100 cash on Let's Make a Deal. They give you cash, then cut to a commercial and take the cash back. After the show, I had to fill out a huge packet of legal forms. A little over a month later, I received a check in the mail."
CBS
That is where the behind-the-scenes reality starts to get funny.
This is like OP’s in-laws sabotaging her dish in a prestigious cooking competition.
8. The Singing Bee
"I was on The Singing Bee. When the show opens, it looks like they're picking people out of the crowd who sing the correct lyrics to compete. In reality, we were preselected and flown into Burbank before the show."
CMT
9. Wheel of Fortune
"I was on Wheel of Fortune a few years ago as a teen. They basically film a whole week's worth of shows in a day and sometimes repeat rounds if it doesn't go 'right' the first time."
CBS
10. What Not to Wear
"My friend was on What Not to Wear, and I was in the audience of people who were there to react when she came out from behind the curtain with her new look. She came out over and over again, but our cheering was never enthusiastic enough for the producers. After about 10 takes, we were screaming our heads off as if we'd just seen her rise from the dead. That part was fake. I thought she just looked alright."
TLC
11. Let's Make a Deal
I was on Let's Make a Deal last summer. First, they told us to be wild, crazy, and exciting. They asked us 'interview' questions before we even went inside and told us they used that (and that they were constantly watching us in the audience) to determine who to select for each deal."—KeyofRed
CBS
12. Singing competitions
"I made it through a few rounds for a well-known singing show, and they beg you for sob stories. On my very first application form, I was asked about the most difficult moment in my life, what obstacles I'd overcome to be there, and if I'd ever experienced bullying."
ABC
13. Love It or List It
"My aunt and uncle were on Love It or List It. The show had them record both endings, and the network chose which one they thought was best. They are still in the house and they love it, but the show says they listed it."
HGTV
14. No blind auditions on The Voice
"I was on The Voice this season. Before entering, you have three auditions and a recording session with the producer.
So they saw your face (no blind audition), and they heard your voice. On TV, they use the version you sang at the blind audition, but they autotune it."
NBC
15. Pawn Stars
"My uncle was on Pawn Stars attempting to sell something. The item wasn't even his; he knew a guy who worked on the show."
— genlesr
TLC
And the last stretch keeps the same energy, just with even more reality-TV nonsense.
16. Please, argue with Judge Judy
"I was on Judge Judy. It was heavily scripted; I was basically told what my 'defense' would be, and I was encouraged to argue with Judge Judy because it made for good TV. The courtroom is a set, and the people in the room are all paid extras. I 'lost,' but the show paid the winner."— card_set
CBS
17. Ghost Hunters not so scary
"I was on set for the filming of Ghost Hunters in Buffalo. On the show, they were 'investigating' an upper level of the Buffalo Central Terminal when they heard a 'disembodied' voice say, 'Get out!' It was the property manager on a lower level yelling at some homeless people to clear out. Everyone knew it was him, but it somehow made it into the show as an 'unexplained' event."— 6cluoj
AETV
What do you think? Are you still going to watch reality shows?
Well, if the answer is “Hell, yeah,” we agree completely. The phony parts only add to the absurdity.
It’s like watching pro wrestling on TV. You know those guys aren’t really fighting (two 400-pound guys fighting without blood or broken bones?), but you enjoy the show.
Reality TV is still ridiculous, and that is exactly why it works.
For a similar moral mess, read about someone risking a friend’s secret recipe for a cooking win.
