The power that reality TV productions have over their talent is coming to the forefront. While that industry has been booming with countless shows throughout this century, few have discussed the intricacies of what the lucky few selected to be on camera must endure.
In addition to being there to entertain audiences, there is a mountain of paperwork to complete beforehand. Every T is crossed, and every I is dotted in contracts that talent must initial and sign in advance.
A Los Angeles lawyer is sharing just how much power those studios hold.
Reality TV stars are given “unconscionable contracts”
There is a lot that one must go through before stepping into the pressure cooker that is reality TV. Los Angeles-based entertainment lawyer Paul Menes is opening up about the risks he sees for aspiring reality stars in an interview with the publication Bustle.
According to him, contracts on these shows are crafted in such a way to take advantage of the talent. After initialing all the pages and signing on the dotted line, he says you “become a total captive of the show and its tentacle, so to speak.”
Paul has served as an entertainment attorney for decades, representing his share of talent in that industry. He alleges that when one agrees to join a cast on one of those shows, they sign “unconscionable contracts.” That means the on-camera talent don’t have equal bargaining power in his eyes. Paul adds that there’s no way around it. If you really want to be part of the show, he says you essentially have to agree to their terms.
While there are plenty of drawbacks to reality TV fame, Paul says there’s another side to that coin. He believes that if one has a few years of fame after a reality show, with the help of a good lawyer, a future deal for television appearances could be made.
A few years ago, reality star Bethenny Frankel took some heat for what some deemed as an “exploitative” reality contract. This claim was made by TikTok star Bunny Heyada, who believes Bethenny looped her into a bad deal for Mommy Mafia.
TELL US – DO YOU BELIEVE REALITY TV PRODUCTIONS DO TOO MUCH TO EXPLOIT ITS TALENT?
