Reality TV edges into true crime (unintentionally)
the true crime that's worth your time
We’ve talked before about reality TV stars who end up accused or convicted of true crimes, but we haven’t talked about scandals or crimes within those shows’ productions. For every Jamal Truelove (I Love New York 2, framed by San Francisco police for murder) or Todd and Julie Chrisley (Chrisley Knows Best, 12 counts of bank and wire fraud, tax evasion, and conspiracy) or whatever Housewife is in the clink (or headed that way) this week, there seems to be a crime happening on set — that is, if attorneys for folks involved in NBCUniversal shows are to be believed.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, the main reason we don’t know more about crimes that go down during the production of these shows is because of “draconian NDAs.” (As someone who’s signed a couple NDAs for work in the tech field, I find the fear of breach quite believable, which sucks because do I have stories y’all. Guess I just proved the point of NDAs right there, didn’t I?) Snip:
“We are left with the inescapable conclusion that NBC and its production partners are grappling with systemic rot for which sunlight is the first necessary remedial measure,” writes attorney Bryan Freedman in a letter to NBCU’s general counsel dated Aug. 20. “To date, that has been impossible owing to the draconian terms of NBC’s contracts with its cast and crew, which contain onerous confidentiality provisions coupled with ruinous penalties for breach. To ensure silence, NBC has been wielding these contractual terms like a sword.”
The cast and crew, which is also represented by Mark Geragos, have claimed they were fueled with alcohol while being deprived of food and sleep, denied mental health treatment, trapped in their series even under “dire circumstances,” and that acts of sexual violence have been covered up. They also allege that there have been issues with child labor, racism, sexism and revenge porn.
It doesn’t immediately appear that folks involved in the Below Deck Down Under sexual assault claims are involved in this one (don’t know what I am talking about? Vulture has a great explainer), but I’m sure that that scandal, as well as (former RHNY cast member) Bethenny Frankel’s call last month for a reality stars union1 made the timing on this legal salvo quite good.
But despite those NDAs, things do get out. Assuming these NDAs get lifted, we can expect a lot more news and stories from behind the scenes to take the stage, and with that, true crime properties from “behind the scenes.” I, for one, cannot wait.
So let’s get ahead of things now, by breaking down some of the confirmed on-set reality show scandals we’d like to see true-crime properties about, as well as the rumored crimes you’d like to see exposed. I’ll start: I’d like a comprehensive, balanced, and well-reported podcast on the multitudes of legal claims against The Profit and its central figure, Marcus Lemonis. How about you? — EB
Folks who watched The Big Shot with Bethenny might observe that Frankel’s employees could also benefit from unionization; just saying.