Reality TV Contestants Who Slammed The Show They Were On

This feature discusses domestic violence, mental illness, addiction, racism, ableism, transphobia, and suicide. 

Reality television comes in all shapes and forms — and so do reality television contestants. You have your talent competition shows like "American Idol" and "Top Chef," which draw out folks who want a big break —singers, dancers, bakers, drag queens, and more — as well as strategy and activity-based shows like "Survivor" and "The Amazing Race," which draw out people up for an adventure. Then you have your celebrity competition series like "The Masked Singer" and "Dancing with the Stars," as well as all of those shows built around D-listers whose flames have dwindled. You have "Housewives," "Sister Wives," "Teen Moms," and whatever we're calling the people from "90 Day Fiancé" and "Summer House."

So, yes, the reality TV landscape is jam-packed, and we haven't even mentioned the approximately eight million people who have appeared on "The Bachelor," "The Bachelorette," or any of its spin-offs and imitators. Some shows evoke wishful identification, like those that take us inside the fabulous world of high-end real estate, while others are more about laughing at others' ridiculousness, obsessing over their petty drama, or gawking at their unique identities and skills. If it's still unclear, we absolutely love us some reality television, even if the genre has had its share of clunkers. And while plenty of people who have appeared on reality TV also hold it in high esteem, not everyone feels positive about the genre or the particular show they appeared on. Here is a selection of reality television contestants — some notable, some obscure — who have publicly slammed their shows.

For someone who appeared on "America's Next Top Model" twice, Lisa D'Amato sure has a lot of negative things to say about the franchise. For instance, in a since-deleted 2021 Instagram video, she accused Tyra Banks and other producers of using her childhood trauma for ratings. The star also claimed that speaking out against the show was a breach of contract that left her liable to be sued. 

Two years later, in light of the show's 20th anniversary, D'Amato encouraged other "Top Model" alums to share their own negative filming experiences, even comparing the series to the Stanford Prison Experiment from 1971. "Don't be scared of Tyra or Ken Mok. The light is coming through and more and more the fandom are on our side," D'Amato wrote in the lengthy Instagram post (via Entertainment Weekly). "Speak up and speak freely." 

D'Amato first appeared on "America's Next Top Model" in Season 5, and clearly did not hold such strong negative feelings when she returned in Season 17 as part of the show's "All-Star" cycle, which she won. She even made a brief appearance the following season. Perhaps not coincidentally, her war with "Top Model" coincided with the fading of her star — she went from "Top Model" to appearances on pretty much any other reality show she could find, including "Celebrity Rehab" and "Marriage Boot Camp." She has also tried to make it in music and is an OnlyFans creator.

Adrianne Curry was the first person to win the title of "America's Next Top Model," taking the crown way back when the show made its debut in 2003. She has since become better known for courting controversy, most recently when she came under fire for critiquing Madonna's appearance in a social media post. She has also been called out for body shaming actor Melanie Lynskey, for slamming the inclusion of disabled models on the runway, and for once suggesting a boycott of BET and Black History Month. Curry seems to love any attention, even when it leads to her being accused of spewing bigotry against marginalized communities. 

Alas, Curry did not do much modeling after "Top Model." However, she prolonged her 15 minutes by marrying "The Brady Bunch" star Christopher Knight and scoring the VH1 reality show "My Fair Brady," which aired for three seasons. While she continues to make cameos on any reality show willing to have her, she arguably makes her biggest waves with her yearly Comic-Con costumes.

Though none of that would have been possible without "America's Next Top Model," Curry has spoken out about the show numerous times. Most notably, in a 2018 blog post (via Life & Style) she claimed that the contracts she won on the show were bogus, that she never received her prize money, and that Tyra Banks ghosted her. Regardless, on Instagram in 2020, she also noted that she didn't much care, adding, "I loved being on the show."

We loved Carole Radziwill on "Real Housewives of New York," mostly because her cool, down-to-earth vibe was a breath of fresh air next to the histrionics of some of her louder, unhinged co-stars. But in the years since leaving "RHONY" in 2018, Radziwill has not come off as cool and collected, so much as a dog with a bone. Her constant attacks on her former producers and co-stars have felt thirsty, even if she has peppered them with declarations of her love for the fans. Radziwill appeared on the show for six seasons — from 2012 to 2018 — and has now been talking about it for nearly as many years after leaving. For a seasoned journalist with a connection to the Kennedys, it's all a little down in the muck for our tastes.

We could not possibly get into all of Radziwill's beef with "RHONY" and the people associated with it, so we will give you the highlights. On Twitter in 2022, she took issue with being shown in flashbacks without earning any residual payments for it, and a year later she told The Mountains that she regretted minimizing herself for the show. She has also blasted former bestie Bethenny Frankel's "RHONY" podcast, entered into a public feud with Andy Cohen, and on Twitter, she accused producers of manipulating narratives. During an episode of "Andy's Girls with Sarah Galli," she also stated that she wouldn't return for "RHONY: Legacy" because she couldn't tolerate having another conversation with any of her former co-stars. Ouch.

Rachel Lindsay first appeared on reality television as a potential suitor on Season 21 of "The Bachelor." She stood out so much that the franchise enlisted her as the next "Bachelorette" — making her the first Black lead in the history of the franchise. Since then, she has become one of the franchise's most visible alumni, and she could be touted as one of its true success stories. Not only is she still married to the contestant she chose, Brian Abosolo, but she has catapulted beyond reality TV and is now an on-air correspondent with "Extra." However, the franchise cannot exactly flaunt her achievements, because Lindsay has become one of its biggest critics — and for good reason.

Controversy erupted when "The Bachelor" finally cast their first Black leading man, Matt James. Later, photos emerged placing one of his contestants at a plantation-themed party. This was certainly not the first race-based controversy for the franchise, but it hit around the peak of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2021, so people were listening. After Lindsay interviewed longtime host Chris Harrison about the photos, his minimizing comments led to his removal from "The Bachelor." In a very thoughtful op-ed for Vulture, Lindsay subsequently discussed tokenism and the way the franchise consistently failed in terms of diversity and claimed she'd experienced the wrath of a toxic fandom. She has since continued to critique the show, including its failure to properly address a contestant's Blackface photo in 2022.

To date, there have been nineteen seasons of "The Bachelorette," which means that 20 women can call themselves by that title (thanks to the ill-conceived Season 19, which had two female leads). For every happy camper — like Trista Sutter or Hannah Brown, who have both defended the show against various critiques — it seems like there are just as many former "Bachelorettes" who have spoken out against the franchise that made them famous. Andi Dorfman is one such person, speaking bluntly about the franchise's larger issues with sexism and racism, as well as poking fun at her own experience on the show. 

Speaking to Cosmopolitan in 2016 about her time on Season 18 of "The Bachelor, she shared that during filming she'd thought, "This is the stupidest thing I've ever been a part of." To be fair, the former attorney still chose to return for Season 10 of "The Bachelorette." That second go-round was in 2014, and Dorfman has since stopped mincing her words in interviews. For instance, in 2021, she told Entertainment Tonight that she felt the franchise poorly handled the online bullying faced by Rachel Lindsay following her bombshell interview with Chris Harrison. She was similarly outspoken about Season 19's double-lead twist, which she said was disappointing. "I'd like to see two men go at it. I don't know. It gives me a little sexist vibe there that I don't really love," she told Entertainment Tonight in June 2022.

What, did you think we were done taking aim at "The Bachelorette" already? Not so fast, as we have one more former star who has a beef with the show's producers. Always quirky and often unpredictable, Kaitlyn Bristowe was a fan favorite when she popped up on Season 19 of "The Bachelor." She did not win the final rose from leading man Chris Soules but got something better — the chance to star as "The Bachelorette" in Season 11 (after defeating Britt Nilsson, who was also up for the job, when the suitors took a vote on the first episode). 

Bristowe has for a long time remained relatively loyal to the franchise that made her famous, even co-hosting "The Bachelorette" alongside Tayshia Adams for Seasons 17 and 18, so we were surprised when she started throwing grenades at producers. One of her biggest claims has been that she felt persuaded to lust over contestant Nick Viall because producers kept pushing him as a hot conquest. Bristowe's final rose ultimately went to Shawn Booth — though she is now with "Bachelor Nation" alum, Jason Tartick — but Viall was her runner-up, as he had been on the previous season with Andi Dorfman. "They really sexualized Nick to me," Bristowe said on the podcast "Not Skinny But Not Fat." "... They really, like, put them on a pedestal to me." In a 2023 episode of "The Quitters" podcast, Bristowe accused creator Mike Fleiss of sexism and claimed that producers were biased toward the show's male alum.

"American Idol" has been on the air for decades, and megastars like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood are proof it can produce tangible success stories. In the early days, even also-rans had a shot at real fame — just look at Jennifer Hudson, Chris Daughtry, and Katharine McPhee — but in later years of the show, true success was hard to come by for contestants. While winners like Trent Harmon, Candice Glover, and Nick Fradiani barely have careers, they have seemingly not spoken badly about "Idol" or its production. Caleb Johnson, however, has had some stuff to say about "American Idol" in the years following his Season 13 win.

The season aired back in 2014, and the singer has since released three albums that went largely unnoticed by the show's fandom. So, we get why he would be a bit miffed, even if he's in the same boat as many others who have not bit the hand that fed them. Johnson's biggest beef is with the song "As Long As You Love Me," which he told Insider he fought not to sing. "I knew that, by de facto, if you won you had to sing the song, and the song was just utter crap," Johnson said. "Like it was just the worst song ever." But look, if Kelly Clarkson can still sing her winning song "A Moment Like This," then Johnson should be able to croak out the track he called a "cheesy piece of crap" to the 15 people at his concerts.

Many "Teen Mom" franchise cast members have had their struggles, but it is rare for the show's stars to blame production for their various issues, or even producers for airing their very real drama. After all, that is what they signed on for, and MTV is not responsible for addiction, assaults, and arrests. However, occasionally you get a disgruntled former "Teen Mom" star who wants to take down the producers in any way possible — most often, once said star is fired from the show. Enter Mackenzie and Ryan Edwards — the latter of which was charged with stalking and harassing the other in April 2023, and was sentenced to a year in prison, per In Touch. They had begun divorce proceedings a month earlier. 

Ryan was an original cast member of the first season of "16 and Pregnant," when he fathered a baby, named Bentley, with Maci Bookout. Their contentious relationship was documented on the show, so when he got together with Mackenzie, she too became a cast member. The pair were fired in 2018, and Mackenzie told E! News that it was because the network did not want to show her husband recovering from addiction. "So they're writing us out of the show right now and making it seem like we dipped out on our baby, on Bentley, and on everyone. And that's just not the case," she said. On Instagram Stories, she also accused the show of manufacturing a fake family scene after she was fired.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Carmen Carrera appeared on Season 3 of "RuPaul's Drag Race," and though she did not become America's next drag superstar, she has gone on to establish herself as a bonafide model. She has also become a vocal critic of the show, particularly in relation to how it discusses and handles gender diversity. Carrera identified as a gay man on her season, but transitioned shortly after filming and quickly became a voice for the transgender community. Alongside Laverne Cox, she famously schooled journalist Katie Couric on the invasiveness of the questions often lobbed at transgender individuals during a 2014 episode of Couric's talk show, "Katie." She has also taken on RuPaul and co.

Though "RuPaul's Drag Race" has many transgender alumni, the vast majority of them only publicly came out following the show. And sure, the show has featured a few openly transgender folks — including Season 15's winner Sasha Colby — but it has also been accused of trans-erasure by a number of alumni, per The Advocate. Before its usage was stopped in 2014, Carrera also called out the show for using the pun "She-mail" as the title of a segment — a play on a clearly offensive transgender slur. "Drag Race should be a little smarter about the terms they use and comprehend the fight for respect trans people are facing every minute of today," she wrote on Facebook, noting the pivotal role of transwomen within the drag scene. "They should use their platform to educate their viewers truthfully on all facets of drag performance art."

The premise of "Married At First Sight" is pretty simple — and also, totally bananas. Two complete strangers are paired together by relationship experts and they marry in front of their friends and family despite having never met before. The remaining season follows their new marriage for six weeks, during which time they decide whether to divorce. Bryce Ruthven is a rare "MAFS" contestant who actually remained with his TV partner, Melissa Rawson, and the pair even walked down the aisle "for real" and welcomed twin boys together after appearing on the Australian version of the show. 

However, 15,000 viewers signed a Change.org petition urging the show's network to apologize for failing to protect Rawson from what they perceived to be clear signs of abusive behavior from Ruthven. "She is being subject to emotional manipulation, isolation, and countless other textbook signs of a controlling relationship," the petition claimed. A spokesperson from Nine Network assured B&T magazine that the relationship wasn't deemed as having any characteristics of domestic violence. 

Meanwhile, Ruthven accused the show of having edited footage of his relationship to look like something that it wasn't. "What came out on screen was not how our relationship played out at all, so to us they have deliberately gone out of their way to manufacture a relationship that reflected domestic violence, which it never did," he told the Herald Sun. He also claimed that his portrayal as a manipulative abuser destroyed his career in radio.

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

From the start, "Breaking Amish" was a controversial reality television show, in that it featured Amish and Mennonite individuals busting out of their communities and into the bright lights (and big dangers) of the big city. The TLC show ran for four seasons, after which it was transitioned into "Return to Amish," which brought people back from city life to their Amish communities. "Return to Amish" has been on the air since 2014, and the original hoopla around the Amish angle has long settled. But at least one of the show's former stars feels that the franchise had a negative effect on her life, and she has expressed major regrets about appearing on it at all.

Fashion designer Kate Stoltz was a cast member of "Breaking Amish" from the beginning, and the show documented her attempts at modeling before she decided to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology. After appearing in the first two seasons of "Breaking Amish," Stoltz returned to TLC for the first three seasons of "Return to Amish." But in 2016, she went off on the show in since-deleted posts on Twitter, right before the premiere of its third season (which she was on). "Doing a reality show was one of the worst decisions I made in my life. Everything on the show is so edited and out of context," she wrote. In another tweet, she claimed that producers kept her in a room for hours on end to get the statement they wanted captured on camera.

Due to the astronomical success of "Teen Mom" (renamed "Teen Mom OG" for later seasons), MTV has continued to create spin-offs stemming from their "16 and Pregnant" franchise, though not all of them have stuck the landing. Still, "Teen Mom 2" was a huge hit for the network, airing for eleven seasons before the decision was made to integrate the cast of the show with that of "Teen Mom: OG" to create "Teen Mom: The Next Chapter." Leah Messer was one of the original cast members of "Teen Mom 2," and she remained on the show through the entire course of its run — from 2011 to 2022 — so it was not surprising when she earned a spot on the new series.

Her return for Season 2 of the show would be more surprising, though — not because Messer is not a fan favorite (she is) or that her narrative is not interesting (she had a big cheating scandal last season), but because she has alluded to leaving the show on social media. Even In Touch speculated that she may want her own spinoff. Messer's relationship with the franchise has continued despite her talking poorly about the show back in 2016. In March of that year, she accused the show of editorial manipulation, tweeting, "It hurts to feel betrayed by the ones I thought I could trust with my story." She took to Twitter a month later, to add, "Oh, how I love this fake a** TV show. #SoOverIt." Turns out, she wasn't over it at all.

When "Selling Sunset" made its debut on Netflix in March 2019, it became just about as close to a watercooler show as one can get in the streaming era. Everyone was talking about it — the luxury homes, those two little twin brothers, and the roster of leggy real estate agents who towered over them. Two cast members became immediate fan favorites: sunny newbie Chrishell Stause and office villain Christine Quinn, though for very different reasons. Wherein Stause was likable and relatable, Quinn stood out for her combative personality, quick wit, and unique style. Love her or love to hate her, she helped to put "Selling Sunset" on the map.

Quinn remained on the series through the end of Season 5, but that last season was so tough for her that she skipped the reunion with claims of COVID-19 (which some alleged she fabricated). Right before Season 5 premiered, it became fairly clear she may not return for another one when she tweeted, "Enjoy the new season and all of its 5,000 fake storylines!" During a May 2022 episode of the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, she further claimed producers manipulated footage and fabricated storylines, like the one about her bribing a potential client.

She continued to slam the show on "Access Hollywood," "Watch What Happens Live," and anywhere else she could. So much so that she claimed to "This Morning" (via Daily Mail), that executive producer Adam DeVillo had attempted to silence her, alleging, "He has given me so many letters."

Let's move on from "Selling Sunset's" prime villain to its — if we are being truly honest — central character, Chrishell Stause. She was arguably the only person in the cast who had any real name recognition prior to the start of the show. That was partially because of her work on soap operas like "All My Children" and "Days of Our Lives," and partially because of her high-profile marriage to "This Is Us" zaddy Justin Hartley. But even without any previous notoriety, we think Stause would have shone through as the star, given her engaging personality and girl-next-door charm. We rooted for her to find her footing as the new realtor at The Oppenheim Group, and cried with her when her divorce from Hartley was documented in real-time in Season 3.

"Selling Sunset" felt much more like an ensemble in Season 5, but Stause still had plenty of scenes, and she was always depicted relatively well in relation to her co-stars, who were at times presented as mean girls. But that positive edit may be changing, if we are to believe Stause's Instagram Stories posts shared during filming for Season 6. "The way reality TV producers twist and manipulate things to create a narrative," she wrote in her story alongside snake and garbage can emojis. "[It] sucks to not be able to be proud of what you're working on." In another post, she urged producers, "Scrap this fake narrative ... Viewers do not want manufactured drama."

Of all the reality shows referenced on this list, "Eat Drink Love" is absolutely the most obscure. The show was a one-season wonder that aired on Bravo in the late summer and early fall of 2013. It centered on a group of female friends who all worked in the Los Angeles culinary scene, either directly with food or behind the scenes as a marketer, editor, or publicist. The series was about more than just work and food, since it followed the women's personal lives as well, but next to the "Real Housewives" and "Married to Medicine," it was a total snooze fest. None of its stars have remained in the public eye, but it is unclear whether that was a purposeful choice.

Back when (a few) people were talking about "Eat Drink Love," one of its stars, Kat Odell, spoke up about how she felt unfairly portrayed. She was so alarmed by her depiction that she did not even wait until the end of the season to make her concerns known — it took only three weeks for the culinary journalist to complain to The Wrap. At the time, Odell was an editor of Eater LA, and she was upset that the show made her appear unprofessional. "When you're actually in it and you see how things are edited, it's frustrating," Odell later told Life & Thyme of her characterization. "... I am very serious about my job and I'm really serious about food and dining which wasn't portrayed on the show."

We are going to go way back with this entry on our list — not all the way back to the 1973 docuseries "An American Family," but to one of the shows it inspired, MTV's "The Real World." The influential show began in 1992 — its original season took place in New York City — and it's diverse cast and unique premise opened up cultural conversations about a number of social and political issues. The show went on to air 32 seasons, and its legacy cannot be understated, even if some seasons were more watchable than others. Here, we are interested in Season 6, "The Real World: Boston."

The sixth season of the series came out in 1997, and it had the usual seven cast members living together in a shared space. By today's standards, the most significant cast member was Sean Duffy, who went on to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives before becoming a Fox TV personality. However, he only became an important figure years later. His fellow cast member, Genesis Moss Keefer was important from the get-go, as she memorably came out as a lesbian at a time when there were few depictions of LGBTQ+ people in media (which is actually part of the reason she tried out for the show, per MTV). Years later, Keefer dissed her franchise by comparing newer seasons to "Jerry Springer." "I haven't watched that s*** for 10 years," she told TMZ in 2010.

The "Teen Mom" shows can get confusing because they all have similar titles, and there is cast overlap between many of them. So, do not feel bad if you are not familiar with "Teen Mom: Family Reunion," despite it being one of the franchise's current offerings. The show was created in 2022 and features cast members from "Teen Mom: OG," "Teen Mom 2," and "Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant." We are not quite sure why MTV needs both "Family Reunion" and "The Next Chapter" versions of the show — especially since the majority of the cast is the same on both — but we long ago learned not to question this franchise's choices.

One of the show's stars, Jade Cline, had a problem with the way the show's crew edited her story in Season 2, which aired in early 2023. After having appeared on both "Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant" and "Teen Mom 2" for years before being cast on "Family Reunion" (and "The Next Chapter), you would think Cline would understand reality TV editing practices. But she took it personally when producers cut a pivotal scene featuring an emotional trust therapy session between herself and her mother, with whom Cline has had a rocky relationship for years. "The show is so focused on the drama it loses what's most important," she proclaimed to a fan in an Instagram Q&A. "... The show was supposed to be about growth and therapy. That's why I came on."

We have already spoken about how "The Bachelor" franchise has mishandled issues related to race and diversity, and now it is time to talk about how "Survivor" has been critiqued for creating a similarly poor atmosphere for people of color, both on set and in the audience. In 2023, Season 28 contestant Dr. J'Tia Hart started a Move On petition urging executive producers of "Survivor" to take action in combating a harmful lack of diversity behind and before the camera. Prior to that point, more than a dozen other Black contestants had already spoken out about the way the show draws upon and perpetuates racial stereotypes. Heck, two contestants even had this conversation on the show during Season 42.

Hart's season was set in Cagayan in the Philippines before the show permanently moved production to Fiji, and it did not portray her well. "What they don't do a great job with, is telling positive stories and connecting with the multifacets of being African American," Hart said in an NPR interview. "I have a degree in nuclear engineering from a top engineering school. I'm a mother. I work in national security. I am very well-rounded. And I just got boiled down to a simple trope of a lazy, unintelligent person." Hart is not alone, as evidenced by a June 2020 episode of Rob Cesterino's "Rob Has a Podcast," where 13 other Black alumni alleged experiencing racial harassment from other contestants and fans, and numerous other concerns.

Netflix took a while to join the reality TV game, but they sure came out swinging when they did, with big hits like "The Circle," "Selling Sunset," and the rebooted "Queer Eye." They also commissioned a number of dating shows, including "Too Hot To Handle," "Perfect Match," and "Love Is Blind" — the latter of which is both the most interesting and the most popular. The show places single men and women in rooms where they cannot see each other and encourages them to get engaged within weeks of chatting. They can only meet their suitor face-to-face after an engagement, upon which they head off to a retreat and then an apartment before deciding on whether to marry.

It was only a matter of time until someone took issue with the show's out-there experiment, but we did not expect it to come in the form of an Insider exposé. Season 2 contestant Danielle Ruhl was one of the contestants interviewed for the piece, and she had scathing things to say about the show. She accused producers of using her weight issues against her and of providing minimal food and inadequate medical care. She added her surprise at being cast given her history of mental illness. When she was experiencing mental instability during filming, she alleged that producers persuaded her to stay. "I kept telling them, 'I don't trust myself,'" she said. "'I've tried committing suicide before. I'm having suicidal thoughts. I don't think I can continue in this.'"

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

Amber Pike is another "Love Is Blind" contestant who has spoken out about the show, although she did not do so in the bombshell Business Insider profile. However, she did pipe up around the same time the exposé came out, no doubt because of an increased interest in past contestants. Pike was featured on the show's inaugural season, back when contestants had no idea what to expect. Like Danielle Ruhl, she married her suitor. But whereas Ruhl and her hubby Nick Thompson divorced in under a year, as of this writing Pike and her husband Matthew Barnett are still going strong years after marrying in November 2018 (the season aired in early 2020). In theory, Pike is one of the few contestants who should be happy with the show, based on her final outcome. But she's not, which is why she is on our list.

Pike's initial negative comments about the show were in response to a fan on Instagram. When the person asked about her favorite couple from Season 4 of the show, Pike said she did not watch "Love Is Blind." After pushback implying she should be grateful, she wrote, "We are together in spite of that show not because of it." Pike also claimed that she'd warned producers to stay away from them, but compared to other "Love Is Blind" alumni, Pike's comments were nothing. Interestingly, she still lists the show in her Instagram bio, while Barnett does not — though his Instagram handle, Barnettisblind, is an obvious nod to the program.

Clearly, the various complaints raised by former "Love is Blind" contestants did little to halt the hit show's course, as Season 4 and Season 5 were simultaneously given the go-ahead in March 2022. Still, production had to be at least somewhat attentive to Jeremy Hartwell's complaints, given that he filed a much-publicized lawsuit later that year, claiming that contestants were put in "inhumane working conditions" and were not even paid minimum wage, per Variety. Hartwell was a contestant in Season 2 of "Love is Blind," though he did not make it past the pods. The show's representative denied all of the accusations to Variety. But considering how many alums have now spoken out, our Spidey Senses are tingling.

"They intentionally underpaid the cast members, deprived them of food, water, and sleep, plied them with booze, and cut off their access to personal contacts and most of the outside world. This made cast members hungry for social connections and altered their emotions and decision-making," Hartwell's lawyer claimed in a statement, via Us Weekly. This aligns with many of the allegations made in the bombshell Business Insider exposé, which included interviews with a number of other contestants. 

Expanding on some of the purportedly terrible conditions, some contestants alleged that they were made to sleep in unstable bunk beds while sharing a crowded trailer infested with cockroaches. "I feel like they do it on purpose because they're trying to break you," contestant Danielle Drouin told Insider. "They want you on your edge."

You know what they say: where there is smoke, there is fire. And based on how many contestants have badmouthed "Love is Blind," there seems to be a whole house burning somewhere on the property. Contestant Lauren Speed is another alum who has spoken out against the show, though her complaints weren't to do with working conditions or producer manipulation. The Season 1 contestant got hitched to Cameron Hamilton at the end of that run and the two remain happily married. Among fans, it's fairly well established that they're one of the most cherished couples to have appeared on the show.

Even though she found love on TV, Speed-Hamilton has expressed her dissatisfaction with the way "Love is Blind" treats female contestants of color. After Season 3 was released, she took to Twitter to critique the number of Black women that were cut early on and who were not given any substantive screen time or storylines. She coupled this with allegations that many pairings had been manipulated. "I know it's slim pickings but about 85% of them couples be forced (just moving forward for entertainment purposes) anyway. Y'all could at least force some more sisters to move forward throughout the show," she tweeted. 

In 2020, "Love is Blind" creator Chris Coelen confirmed to the AV Club that not all couples who get engaged are featured on the series beyond the pods, which certainly gives some weight to Speed-Hamilton's claims that people are cherry-picked for entertainment purposes.

"Love is Blind" and "Too Hot To Handle" get more buzz for Netflix than "Perfect Match," but that does not mean it's a snoozer. The show is reminiscent of "Paradise Hotel," in that contestants arrive single and are then tasked with forming couples not just for romance, but also for strategy (anyone left uncoupled at the end of each episode is cut). But while the show may be fun for viewers, it's perhaps not so much for contestants. At least one of them, Chase DeMoor, has gone on the record with claims of the show being fake, blaming contestants just as much as producers.

In a March 2023 interview with the "Zachary Reality" podcast, DeMoor claimed that not all contestants were on the show looking for romance — specifically, Francesca Farago, who he claimed was there to promote her clothing brand. He also claimed that contestants discussed how to jazz things up for TV before filming even began and that the cast often formulated the storylines ahead of time. 

Even though most fans realize reality television producers help create and exaggerate storylines, DeMoor spoke to a trend we have been seeing as of late, which is contestants trying to "produce" themselves. So, while his points on inauthenticity are valid, they also seem to apply to most reality shows of the current era — those getting cast have been studying the series (or one's like it) for decades and know what to do to secure the most attention. 

A lot of talented reality TV stars have failed to capitalize on their limited time in the spotlight, ending up back in the real world with the rest of us once their 15 minutes are up. But sometimes people are able to break free of the shackles of reality television and become so much more than just a reality star. Maddie Ziegler is a great example. The performer found fame as one of the stars of "Dance Moms." But she became really famous when she was cast in a variety of Sia's music videos including "Chandelier" and "Elastic Heart" — the latter of which brought her even more attention due to its ensuing controversy, as the then-11-year-old danced with a much-older Shia LeBeouf, both clad in nude spandex.

Ziegler has remained close with Sia and has only great things to say about her in interviews. But "Dance Moms" and her former dance teacher Abby Lee Miller? Not so much. Ziegler is the most notable person to come out of "Dance Moms," appearing on the show from its inception through Season 6, from 2011 to 2016. Although she was Miller's favorite student, in 2022, the dancer-turned-actor told Cosmopolitan that the two no longer speak. Ziegler also claimed the show was not good for the children who starred in it, and that she tried to get out of her contract for years before she was able to leave. "I was sick of being in a toxic environment," she said.

Kelly Dodd has done so many shady things and expressed so many problematic views that we feel almost guilty acknowledging her entertainment value. At the end of the day, she was a very watchable reality television star, creating endless drama on the "Real Housewives of Orange County" over the course of her five-season stint. But by the time she was fired from the show at the end of Season 15, the writing was on the wall. "Listen, ultimately, I got fired because of myself, I'm the one who got myself fired," she said on Jeff Lewis's SiriusXM show. "... I was causing them a lot of grief. I was causing them a lot of trouble. And you know, I'm sorry about that. Like, I feel bad."

Dodd played nice in that interview, but she has rarely approached the show or her co-stars as nicely on social media. Over the years, she has slammed Bravo for allowing criminals to remain on the show, accused cast members of faking storylines, and even criticized Bravo for failing to have vetted "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star Jennie Nguyen during her racism scandal — an odd choice, since Dodd herself has been accused of racism on more than one occasion. She even tweeted about the show's Season 16 ratings being worse than when she was on the show, causing Andy Cohen to respond on Twitter, writing, "Reboot going great. Feels like a return to form for ['RHOC']. Look at the delayed numbers, not live. That's what's measured."

Since its inception, "The Biggest Loser" has been accused by critics of exploiting contestants and promoting unhealthy and potentially dangerous diets and behaviors. But these allegations simply hit harder when they come directly from the contestants themselves. Kai Hibbard is one contestant who has spoken out against the show, after appearing on Season 3 back in 2006 (and losing 121 pounds). "There was no easing into it," Hibbard told the New York Post. "That doesn't make for good TV. My feet were bleeding through my shoes for the first three weeks." An anonymous former contestant further alleged to the outlet that their first workout on the show was for a punishing four hours. 

Hibbard also claimed that contestants were provided with unhealthy food, chosen solely for weight loss and sponsorship deals rather than nutritional value. Troublingly, the Season 3 star also claimed to have experienced mental abuse on the show, including bullying from trainers. "They would say things to contestants like, 'We've picked out your fat-person coffin,'" she said. 

Producers were apparently unconcerned with the well-being of contestants and reportedly encouraged them to take up smoking to suppress their appetites while ignoring reasonable requests for breaks. Hibbard also alleged that another contestant was forced to exercise despite sustaining significant injuries to her legs and being ordered to rest by doctors. "They edited her to make her look lazy and b***hy and combative," she claimed. In a statement published by Entertainment Weekly, NBC responded, simply, "Contestants on 'The Biggest Loser' are closely monitored and medically supervised."

Suzanne Mendoca was a contestant on Season 2 of "The Biggest Loser," where she made it until week five before being eliminated. However, the star alleged that she was made to practice harmful behaviors that made it untenable for her to maintain her weight. "I gained 130 pounds back," Mendonca told ET in 2015. "It's awful — embarrassing. I feel ashamed. However, from being on the show there was no way I was going to keep that weight off ... There's so many unhealthy things they do on the show that are not sustainable in real life." She cited eating baby food and being forced to wear garbage bags while working out (to sweat more) as examples of such habits.

Mendonca resurfaced again in 2016, this time in a TMZ video where she claimed the show ruined her life and that she wanted to file a class action lawsuit with other former contestants. She also alleged that there was little concern for the health and safety of contestants of the show, resulting in long-term damage to her metabolism. "They actually dehydrated us," she claimed. "They told us not to drink for 48 hours before a weigh-in. We would only eat 800 calories a day and we would work out eight hours a day." In a statement published by Fox 13, NBC maintained that the show prioritized the health and well-being of contestants and followed the correct rules and protocol to do so. 

If you need help with an eating disorder, or know someone who does, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).

The team at "The Bachelor" is no stranger to lawsuits. Over the years, the show's producers have dealt with sexual harassment suits, discrimination suits, and suits about poor working conditions for the show's staff. Because of what we assume are airtight contracts, the show has not faced many lawsuits from actual contestants. Presumably, even those who have expressed extreme dissatisfaction with their edit probably realize the chances of winning are null given their airtight contracts. After all, even the eligibility fine print on the Bachelor Nation website explicitly states, "Representations may be embarrassing, unfavorable, humiliating, and-or derogatory and-or may portray him or her in a false light." So, basically, you sign away your ability to sue for a potential 15 minutes of fame, no matter how crappy they make you look.

Kelsey Poe may or may not have realized this after appearing as a Season 19 contestant in 2015. In an interview with Radar, she expressed regret over going on the show and unhappiness about being portrayed as a recent widow who was not at all sad (the other women called her "The Black Widow"). A source also claimed to Radar that Poe wanted to sue for "emotional damages" and that she was undertaking therapy to deal with the show's manipulation of her story. At a watch party in 2021 (via MLive) Poe told the audience that although her "Bachelor" experience was difficult, it was also a blessing that led to her pursuing a writing career. 

Jessica Holcomb had a terrible time on "The Bachelor," and in 2016, she gave a big interview to Cosmopolitan detailing her experience. The reality star had been on the show many years before as part of Season 5, which aired in 2004. However, she became an in-demand interview because of the TV show "UnREAL," which was loosely inspired by the experiences of former "Bachelor" producer, Sarah Gertrude Shapiro (above). 

In 2016, a profile about the "UnREAL" creator had just run in The New Yorker, and Shapiro had discussed some of the nastiest tactics she used to manipulate contestants. She spoke at length about Holcomb, without ever mentioning the woman's name. "I asked her, 'Do you think he dumped you because you are fat?' I knew she had food issues," Shapiro said, also noting that the contestant began crying and hyperventilating. "I made the cameras follow her to a minivan that was waiting to take her to the airport."

Cosmopolitan ran right to Holcomb for a comment, and the ex-contestant claimed that what Shapiro said was actually much worse. The humiliating interaction only occurred because the contestant was not showing emotion, which speaks to the manufactured way reality show producers frame scenes. "I would do and say anything they wanted me to, thinking that if they like me, they won't be mean or they won't edit me bad," Holcomb admitted. "They don't care about you. You have a false sense that they do when you're there, but of course, they don't."

Cooking competition shows might have less focus on drama than dating shows or lifestyle reality programming, but they would not be nearly as popular without their own unique dramas — most surrounding clashes of personalities and issues related to particular tasks. Producers of shows like "Top Chef" and "Hell's Kitchen" allegedly use similar tactics to ensure their contestants are mentally and physically exhausted so that their guards are down. In 2009, The New York Times published allegations that "Hell's Kitchen" was, well ... hell to work on. And sure, Gordon Ramsay's signature insults, outbursts, and generally unpleasant demeanor are one of the show's main draws, but we did not realize that the abusive behavior may permeate other aspects of the "Hell's Kitchen" experience, too. 

"They locked me in a hotel room for three or four days," Season 3 contestant Jen Yemola alleged in the New York Times article. "They took all my books, all my CDs, my phone, any newspapers. I was allowed to leave the room only with an escort. It was like I was in prison." In a separate article with the New York Post, Yemola claimed the show also gave contestants little food, and that contestants did not receive the necessary support from the show's psychiatric team — even when they were wilfully being pulled through the wringer for the sake of entertainment. Representatives from the show and from Fox declined to comment on the allegations when asked by The New York Times.

Seth Caro was a contestant on "Top Chef: Just Desserts," a spin-off of the original "Top Chef" that lasted for only two seasons. He had such a horrible experience while on the show that he ended up quitting mid-season, though it was not an easy process. The reality star claimed to have tried to leave the show multiple times before he was successful. 

His final attempt to quit led him to experience a panic attack so severe that EMTs were called and cameras captured every moment of it. When Caro refused to film a final challenge or interview, producers allegedly planted a cameraman in some trees to film his exit. He claimed that producers subsequently placed him on an involuntary psychiatric hold after he jumped out of their van. "They are playing with people's lives," he told the New York Post about the show's producers. "I've been destroyed by the experience." At the time of the 2015 interview, he was in the process of changing his name, as he suggested that his subsequent notoriety had ruined his career prospects and personal relationships. 

Like many other former reality competition stars, Caro accused the show of harboring terrible working conditions. Like most other shows in this genre, producers of "Top Chef: Just Desserts" purportedly took away contestants' phones, laptops, and even their wallets and identification. They were also allegedly not allowed to talk to each other during hours-long breaks and were only fed when producers allowed them to be. 

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Chances are that you recognize Sean Lowe, but probably not for his one-time appearance on "Wife Swap." After all, he was the star of "The Bachelor" in Season 17and one of the few in Bachelor Nation who actually married their final rose choice. He had previously appeared on a season of "The Bachelorette," but Sean has never had a foul word to say about either dating show. He is also seemingly fine with his appearances on "Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars," "Worst Cooks in America," and "Dancing With the Stars." But Sean does have one big reality TV regret, and it is the aforementioned "Wife Swap," which he thinks portrayed him unfairly. "That was all scripted and they kind of made me look like a jerk!" he told toofab.

After his episode of "Wife Swap" aired, Sean shared an Instagram post where he expressed his dissatisfaction with his followers. "Yeah ... so that whole 'Wife Swap' thing made me look like a complete jackass but I guess that's the risk you run when you agree to take part in something like that," he wrote. "Thanks to those who saw through it all and offered words of support." His wife Catherine Lowe also spoke out in defense of her husband, who was made to look rather sexist and demanding on their episode of "Wife Swap." When people who were on "The Bachelor" think your show has an editing problem, that speaks volumes.

Tamar Braxton began her entertainment career as a singer, but she became a reality star when she signed on for "Braxton Family Values," a WE tv series centered on the five Braxton sisters and their mother. The show began airing in 2011 and ran for seven seasons, during which time Tamar Braxton scored a spin-off called "Tamar & Vince" that ran for five seasons of its own. 

When WE tv announced they were delaying a new show from the star, "Get Ya Life!," in 2020, Braxton went in on reality television's exploitative nature. "Over the past 11 years, there were promises made to protect and portray my story, with the authenticity and honesty I gave. I was betrayed, taken advantage of, overworked, and underpaid," she wrote on Instagram. In her lengthy social media post, Braxton blamed reality television for her mental illness as well as her 2020 suicide attempt that led to her show's postponement. She added that reality TV stars needed a union to protect their rights and police their working conditions. 

However, Braxton may have seemingly become comfortable with reality television once more as she returned to the genre relatively quickly. In the years since her statement, she has appeared on "The Surreal Life," and starred on Peacock's "Queens Court," a dating show that led to her engagement. Braxton's other credits include "Celebrity Big Brother" and "Dancing with the Stars," so we anticipate she will continue to be on our screens for as long as the reality genre will have her.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

NeNe Leakes is a reality television legend, and we won't tolerate anybody saying otherwise. As an original cast member on the "Real Housewives of Atlanta," the superstar skyrocketed to fame because of her quick wit and lack of a filter. Truly, the show will never reach the heights of its earliest seasons where Leakes was at her best. In addition to her seven seasons on "Real Housewives of Atlanta," the star has appeared on numerous other reality shows including "Celebrity Show-Off," "The Apprentice," and "College Hill: Celebrity Edition." She has also done some acting and hosting but it is reality television for which she is known. And as much as we would love to see her back on Bravo, we suspect Leakes may have burned one too many bridges.

In a Twitter post shared shortly after she last left "Real Housewives of Atlanta" in 2020, she accused Andy Cohen of racism. Two years later, in April 2022, she filed a lawsuit against NBC Universal, Bravo, two production companies, and multiple executives including Cohen. "From the day the series began filming, NeNe was the target of systemic racism from co-star Kim Zolciak-Biermann, which was tolerated by Bravo executive producer Andy Cohen and other executives," Leakes' lawyer said in a statement, per Page Six. Four months later, she dismissed the lawsuit and accused Bravo of having blacklisted her, per TMZ. Whatever the case, we can't imagine that Bravo bigwigs think highly of her.

Ryan Ruckledge was a contestant on the British version of "X Factor" back in 2015, and his disastrous appearance led judge Simon Cowell to sneer the insult, "What a horror of a human being." On the show, Ruckledge appeared drunk, and his obnoxious antics were framed as simply a lack of caring and a bad attitude. However, the contestant has gone on the record claiming that he was encouraged to drink by the show's team. "I was told by the crew to get drunk so it would liven things up ... I've been stitched up. It's a complete nightmare," he said in an interview with The Sun (via the Mirror). "Why let us have free booze if they don't want you to get drunk?"

Even though "X Factor" is a singing competition show, Ruckledge is aware that he is not a great singer — and so, he also blames the show for allowing him to be there in the first place. In an interview with the Daily Star, he claimed to have been dating a producer who got him onto the show and who promised he would be able to get to the finals. But after those drunken antics during the show's "boot camp" phase, Cowell would not stand for that. "Simon Cowell has ruined my life," he told The Sun. Still, the whole situation earned Ruckledge a 2016 spot on "Big Brother," where he lasted 41 episodes, so we think he may have gotten over it.

"American Idol" has pumped out plenty of disgruntled contestants over its many decades on the air, but few have been more outspoken than Season 8 contestant Ju'Not Joyner. The performer only made it to the semi-finals, but he claimed that it was because the show's outcome was predetermined. "It's fixed. It's manipulated," he told ABC News after gaining attention for an online chat where he badmouthed the show. "It's scripted; it's not a talent competition. They show you who they want to show, and that's just what it is. They have some people, when they get on stage, lights come out that you didn't even know existed."

That "American Idol" plays favorites and frames contestants in different ways from others is hardly news, and it is certainly not the only show to use personal narratives to push certain contestants forward. But that was not Joyner's only issue, as he also alleged that contestants were made to sign paperwork like non-disclosure agreements, without allowing for the proper time needed to review the documents. "There wasn't even an opportunity for me to review what I signed," Joyner told ABC News. "The day we saw the contract, we had to sign the contract. We had to collectively vote on a lawyer out of a selection of three attorneys they presented us — it was ridiculous." In the live chat he did with AI Now, Joyner suggested that his questions about the paperwork were the reason he was on the producers' bad side, per Reality Blurred.

We started this list with a couple of contestants from "America's Next Top Model," so we figured we would end it the same way. Unfortunately for Tyra Banks and the show's other producers, there seems to be no shortage of alum who have negative things to say about the show. In fact, in 2023, a fair number of them recently let loose in an Entertainment Weekly article commemorating the show's 20th anniversary. 

One of these women was Kahlen Rondot, who was only 21 when she participated in Cycle 4 of "America's Next Top Model." The contestant came runner-up in the season, but her journey was filled with drama — for which she blames the producers. For instance, right after Rondot had found out a close friend had died, contestants were made to pose in dug graves in an actual cemetery (Rondot admitted this may have been a horrendous coincidence, while a spokesperson for Banks claimed that the photoshoot had been scheduled far in advance and could not be changed).

Overall, Rondot alleged that she didn't feel protected by the production team as a whole and that her experience contributed to her alcohol addiction and other issues post-show. She also accused Banks and other producers of only caring about ratings, not the people helping to boost them. "I feel like we were just pawns in this production that Tyra's putting on for everybody's enjoyment and the fact that we were characters, we weren't humans behind the character," she said. 

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Keenyah Hill is another contestant who did well on "America's Next Top Model," but who has mixed feelings about her experience on the show. The contestant was a part of the same cast as Kahlen Rondot, and she came in third place just behind Rondot. At 19, Hill was one of the youngest contestants in the competition — models had to be 18 to apply — and she has raised similar allegations of feeling unprotected on set. 

Viewers witnessed some of Hill's discomfort firsthand during a photo shoot with the male model Bertini Heumegni, in which she made her concerns known regarding his behavior towards her. Hill stopped the shoot after accusing him of sexual harassment, but allegedly received little help from Jay Manuel or anyone else on the show. "Now, when you watch it, it's super cringy, because that could've been shut down at the shoot," she told Entertainment Weekly in 2023, while also claiming that the harassment began verbally before the shoot even started.

Worse still, Hill felt her feelings were discounted at the judging panel following the shoot, where the team focused more on her reaction to the harassment than the harassment itself (and very little on her actual photo). Tyra Banks' advised Hill to use her "feminine wiles" to push back against future harassment — which honestly sounded just as gross in 2005 as it does today but somehow garnered little criticism at the time.

We know there were about 75 Brittanys on "America's Next Top Model" over the years, so we will remind you of Brittany Hatch via one easy reference — her horrible red weave. The often scandalous makeover episodes of "ANTM" generally always caused people to break down in tears over a shockingly short trim or bad dye job, but Hatch was actually game for receiving a makeover that would give her a voluminous, wavy red mane when she appeared on Cycle 8. 

However, after multiple dye jobs had left her scalp raw, she then earned the label of "crybaby" when she was forced to endure the protracted and painful installation of a sewn-in weave. "[The dye jobs] created scabs and sores underneath, so when they wove it in, it pulled at those," she told Entertainment Weekly. "They braided my hair instead of doing extensions, and my blistered scab was being ripped at by the tight braids."

Hatch had her weave removed a few episodes later after showing her damaged scalp to Tyra Banks herself (on air, of course). But she had another rough episode when it came time for go-sees and she was once again reduced to tears when she was disqualified from the challenge for being late. However, Hatch alleged to Entertainment Weekly that producer Ken Mok had been with her during the challenge, and accused him of having something to do with the cab issues that made her late (Mok declined to comment on the claims).