Reality contestants still staggered by the power of editing
'Sick of looking mentally deficient!' Reality TV contestants speak up on selective editing.
- Published by David Knox
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Reality contestants from our two biggest shows are talking today about the way they have been portrayed on television.
While they may have some valid points, the genre is hardly new and applicants should be well-informed by now what they are signing up for.
“I’m super sick of the story arc beign (sic) that I’m in some way mentally deficient,” The Block: Fans v Faves contestant Steve O’Donnell wrote on Facebook.
“I want to keep track of this as it looks like its (sic) getting out of hand and I can’t remember every fabrication.
“My memory of the bs is finite.”
“My phone call with the furniture supplier was edited with a different phone call with the bathroom supplier,” he added.
“The conversation made me look unprepared and ridiculous and then Scotty’s voiceover was the most ridiculing aspect of the show to date.”
“I was asked to offer advice to the guys working on the ceiling and after not being able to reach Dale on the phone, had advised the team to float the ceiling. It was then made to look like I gave no advice and Dale had to guide them because I was inept and couldn’t make a decision.”
He added, “Chantelle organised the tradies for the day and due to budget restrictions we could not put on further staff. We were edited to look like we had not done anything.”
That’s likely to cause some grief for him given the show is yet to be completed, and use of social media forms part of Reality TV contracts.
Meanwhile ousted MKR contestant David Kirk also noted selective editing.
“Every time someone gets a low score I do not look up and smile. I’m not that bad,” Kirk said.
“When we went to Bianca and Thalia’s instant restaurant, and we just adored those girls, and when they were putting up pate’ they had me saying ‘I don’t like offal’.
“They didn’t have me saying ‘where’s the recipe, I’ve never tasted anything like it”.
“The good things I say they have taken out.”
But he also told Ipswich Advertiser, “In real life people just love us.”
“I think I’m a pretty good guy. We did ham it up for the TV show, you know, you do what the directors want you to do. We had a lot of fun with it.”
Via: News.com.au, smh.com.au
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19 Responses
How we all scoffed when “The Truman Show” came out. That situation couldn’t happen. Surely? Well it’s damn close.
What do they say.
You shouldn’t believe anything thing you hear and half the things you see!
A comment on the news.com.au article by “Peter” said what I was thinking perfectly: “When will people (including contestants) realise that reality shows are not about reality at all. It’s all about personalities and how they can be manipulated through the media to get audiences interested. ”
Editing aside, it’s unlikely that the editors can edit a person to be a mess for an entire 60 minute episode. I think Steve just has that jarring personality as portrayed on portions of the show, which makes people unlike him.
If you’re a contestant on a reality series, then its open season on your reputation. Contestants are the storyline of the show, and (more importantly) that show drives a massive promotional and advertising campaign.
Because of this, I suspect Producers have no issues around building fictional story-lines to keep viewers and advertisers coming back….
Just my 2 cents.
@Janos – “@Damno7… (sic)”.
Your wellcome. 😉
@HardcorePrawn – nice work.
It isn’t just the editing that is the issue for me on these shows though, it is the forced and outright fake drama that is created by the producers/directors/makers.
For me, I cannot shake the feeling that any “winners” are chosen at the time of audition, and then the show is produced around this to create the outcome that is suited. Occasionally, things may not go the producer’s way, for example, and someone is eliminated early. Hence we have the “surprise” return.
After all, even professional wrestling admits it is staged!
@Bicks357 your comment is spot on.
I hope their edit improves because it is becoming annoying.
well of course they are going to edit it to make you look mean, bad or dumb. Like David and the potato galette last night. That was funny.
I kind of get where he’s coming from. The editing on this season has been pretty lopsided. I’m no fan of Steve and Chantelle’s but the relentlessly negative edit they get makes the whole show kind of uncomfortable from a viewer’s perspective. Last night they showed them eating a meal juxtaposed against other people working… surely the other couples eat as well, we just don’t get shown the footage. Stuff like that annoys me.
I would of thought they’re wouldn’t be any mistakes hear!
@Damno7 – Gees, please, there’s a thing called a dictionary. It’s a book with lots of words in it. Anyway, (sic) means “quoting the original, including errors”.
” its” should be “it’s”.
“beign” should be “being” (I think).
There are basic English mistakes every day by posters on this site, which others have commented on. Primary school stuff.
There/their/they’re, hear/here, ‘would of thought’/’would have thought’, …etc., etc.
Stick to the script the producers give you kiddies and you might end up being a star du jour personality… or maybe even a breakfast radio co-host…
Reach for the stars!
Why does snake oil, and there’s one/two born every minute feature so much in my world of reality?
@Damo7 – it’s short for sic erat scriptum, literally “thus was it written”.
It’s usually used when re-publishing something that has been misspelled or has incorrect grammar.
In this instance Steve O’Donnell probably meant to write ‘being’ and ‘it’s’.
Steve is not winning any points with me on that rant.
Sky High was the first series I watched since the original with Jamie Durie. Whilst at times, last year, Madi frustrated me (and it sadly doesn’t surprise me to hear that she is no longer with Jarrod) Steve has taken it to a whole new level of annoying.
It kinds grates on me when I hear reality tv contestants complaining about the editing. Editing can only go so far. They need some raw source material to work with.
Especially seeing as this year it is faves vs fans, Steve is supposed to be a fan and therefore knows exactly what he is getting himself into. When you add the (in fairness) ‘edited’ footage along with other comments from the other contestants, tradies and cast about Steve. His comebacks just don’t totally add up.
I don’t watch MKR so I can’t comment on that.. but I do watch The Block on Sunday and Monday and I can kind of see why he’s annoyed..
Seems like one team of fans always come off looking dumb and lazy while the others are shown in a much better light.
In saying that though, editors can’t pull vision out of thin air so there obviously had to be something there to start with. And as stated above, they should know by now what they’re signing up for.
Reality contestants are a bit like celebrities, they chase fame and complain when the machine screws them over. They are not just entering a cooking show or a renovation show. They are entering the world of big business that are under pressure to make money for shareholders. They really need to understand this before they sign up..
Oh plz. Captain David gave them so much to choose from. His own fault and another stunt to try get some attention his way
What does (sic) mean?