If anyone remembers my post about cable reality shows, you may be interested in this news story:
‘Storage Wars’ Staged, Fired Star Claims in Lawsuit – by Tim Molloy
“Storage Wars” star David Hester says in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was fired after complaining that the reality show is staged.
In the lawsuit, Hester contends that the producers of the hit A&E series routinely plant valuable items in the storage lockers seen on the show. Competitors place bids on the lockers without knowing what is inside them, hoping to come across forgotten treasures.
Also read: ‘Storage Wars’ Star Brandi Passante Files Real Lawsuit Over Fake Porn Video
In one case, the lawsuit contends, A&E planted a pile of newspapers reporting Elvis Presley’s death. In another episode, according to the suit, a BMW mini car was found buried under trash.
An A&E spokesman said the network does not comment on pending litigation. The series is the most popular in A&E’s history.
The lawsuit pulls no punches, alleging that “nearly every aspect of the series is faked, even down to the plastic surgery that one of the female cast members underwent in order to create more ‘sex appeal’ for the show…” The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, says the surgery was paid for by the show’s production company, Original Productions.
Hester also contends in the suit that Original manipulates the outcome of auctions by placing bids on behalf of “the weaker cast members who lack … both the skill and financial wherewithal to place winning bids.” Hester’s suit names A&E and Original Productions, which also produces “Storage Wars” spin-offs shows based in New York and Texas. He says he suffered more than $750,000 in damages because of what he considers his wrongful termination.
http://www.thewrap.com/tv/column-post/storage-wars-staged-fired-star-claims-lawsuit-68821
It seems there is no reality in reality TV.
