[Global Times Special Correspondent Liu Haoran] The working environment is terrible and the crew has no limit to attract attention. The popular reality show in the United States has been plagued by scandals in recent years. According to media reports such as the New York Times an

[Global Times Special Correspondent Liu Haoran] The working environment is terrible and the crew has no limit to attract attention. The popular reality show in the United States has been plagued by scandals in recent years. According to media reports such as the New York Times and the New Yorker magazine website in the United States, almost all reality shows currently airing in the country have been involved in lawsuits. The media complained that reality shows in the United States have evolved into "court shows" and that the industry is in chaos. The image is breathtaking.

Netflix's "Love Blind Cast" has many scandals

According to a report by the US "New York Times" on the 9th, "Love Blind Cast" is a dating reality show launched by the streaming media platform Netflix in 2020. The crew will invite 15 people in each season. Speed ​​dating for single men and women. The so-called "blind selection" means that the participants can only stay in a cubicle for the first 10 days of "love" and cannot meet the other person. "You can't see the other person, only hear the other person's voice." This novel model became popular as soon as it was launched. , the program has also launched Brazilian version, Japanese version, British version, etc.

"Love Blind Casting" Season 6 Poster

However, "Love Blind Casting" has been mentioned frequently due to legal disputes recently. In June 2022, participants in this show launched a class action lawsuit, lambasting the filming environment provided by the producers as "unsafe and inhumane" and suspected of violating the law. According to Hartwell, the plaintiff in the lawsuit and a former participant, he worked an average of 20 hours a day during the filming period and was paid only $7 per hour, less than half of California's minimum hourly wage. The participants "didn't even have enough to eat" during the filming, but they "didn't have enough" to drink. After nearly two years of litigation and rights protection, Netflix and related production companies recently reached a settlement with the plaintiff and agreed to pay US$1.4 million in compensation.

In a separate lawsuit, Chen Deng, a participant in the fifth season of "The Blind Side", accused the production company of negligence. She was once trapped in the hotel during the filming. Not only was she unable to leave, but her communication equipment was also kept by others. In her view, this amounted to "unlawful imprisonment." Not only that, she was also touched by a male participant with "exhibitionist" tendencies, but the producers did not take any measures to deal with this. In response to this accusation, the producer refused to take responsibility on the grounds that the reality show participants were not employees of the company, and easily "passed the blame".

Almost all of them are involved in lawsuits

The old American reality show "Real Housewives" also frequently "overturned". According to complaints from actors on the show, the producers often gave participants alcohol to ensure the show's effectiveness and intentionally condoned sexual harassment. Some women were forcibly kissed, touched, or subjected to more serious sexual assaults.

In fact, the shortcomings exposed by "Love Blind" and "Real Housewives" are only the tip of the iceberg in the American reality show ecosystem. The New York Times pointed out that the producers of this type of program can continuously lower the minimum limit and add vulgar elements in order to achieve ratings. They deliberately encourage personal attacks, severe drunkenness and even physical conflicts. According to the American entertainment news website "Vulture", almost all of the popular reality shows in the United States are involved in lawsuits. In addition to common sexual harassment and labor disputes, the safety and health of participants are often not guaranteed. For example, Jonathan, a contestant and former stuntman on "America's Got Talent: Extreme," accused the producers of inadequate safety measures that caused him to become a paraplegic. Mary, a contestant on the US version of MasterChef, has accused the crew of forcing her to participate in filming on the day she suffered a stroke. Malicious slander, racial discrimination and on-set bullying are all common behind the scenes of such shows.

Frankel, a well-known American host and former reality show actor, once said in a podcast that the essence of many reality shows is to "profit from negative events." Sociologist Danielle Lindemann once mentioned "The plot that has been criticized is the highlight of reality shows."

"Hollywood's Marginalists"

reported that reality shows, a special form of variety show, have been developed in the United States for 75 years and have faced reputational differences since their birth. The social elite scorned this type of program, thinking it was nothing more than an indecent gimmick. However, it was favored by capital because it did not require spending a lot of money to hire screenwriters or actors, and it was not troubled by strikes.Nowadays, although reality shows have matured, the producers' pursuit of "low budget" has not changed much. Most of the grassroots employees on the crew are still temporary workers with low income, no benefits, and heavy workloads. The New Yorker magazine website calls them "Hollywood's fringes."

In the eyes of most viewers, participating in reality shows is not considered a "serious job", and "any problems are caused by oneself." Since they are not professional actors, these participants have almost no industry protection. The producers will also sign harsh confidentiality agreements with them, so that many people face trouble even talking about it in public when their interests are violated. Not to mention rights protection.