When Junk Yard Wars was on years ago it was not to bad to watch but then they started pulling boat motors out of a pile of scrape that was spray painted to make it look old.Look at Gold Rush or all the other gold mining shows if they hit the big one what else would they have to show us?

 

Our engineering manager at work was on Junkyard Wars.

Granted I don't watch any TV, except for CBS This Morning and New Yankee Workshop re-runs, I have to say it's gone down the toilet in recent years. I can believe the comment, "cheaper to produce", when TV stars started commanding higher pay, (think Seinfeld) TV execs started looking for ways to save money. This is the result, I think.

 

AX - Do you really believe that this is earth shattering news that a reality TV show is rigged or pre-staged? - If so man, pull the plug

 

Simple math.Look at the show Friends.It was costing millions for one show.Now take 16 people out to a island feed them nothing pay a host some money and at the end of the season only give away one million dollars.Still millions watching but only a very small overhead.Makes sence to me.

 

If I remember correctly, Survivor started because of a writers strike. Then the companies realized they could make money without paying actors/writers tons of money.

Even the car build shows get annoying with all the made up tension and the super tight deadline garbage.
I did really like junkyard wars though. Yeah, it wasn't a real junkyard, but they built some cool stuff. I really like the one where they made planes and actually flew them.

 

The Gold rush show,is the one that really gets to me.In three years they lost a ton of $ yet they keep going back,Last year they each took home $5000. For six months hard work,and they claimed to be real gold miners.This year they have a goal of 1.5 million,But they have spent more than that on equipment.I hate the show but it is the best to chose from.Even speed Chanel is junk.

 

All this is just another reason why I entertain myself, playing in the shop, making lots of very loud noises, or talking with the wife and you guys. Personally, I don't need hollywierd or anyone to keep my attention.

 

These shows are cheaper to produce, but seriously, don't think for a minute that the folks on these shows are not being paid a salary. If you wonder where 'Dave' came up with the $750K figure for his lawsuit, consider these figures taken from his complaint:

The show paid Dave:
$25,000.00 for each auction that he attended (guaranteed minimum 26 per season)
$2,500.00 per month salary
$124,500.00 per year non accountable expense payment
$25,000.00 per season signing bonus

...and when they 'salted' the rooms with valuable 'treasures', the bidders got to keep those items to add to their profits.

 

I think Dennis DeYoung had it right:

 

Reality tv is why I no longer have cable. Boring and know they are rigged.

Only thing I miss is watching nascar on speed, but then the internet has them broadcasted, so it is all good there now.

 

Funny you bring up NASCAR in a discussion about things being staged....It's not staged, but it certainly comes close with things like the "debris" cautions near the end of races, inspection irregularities, etc. The racing is real, but NASCAR takes every opportunity to pep things up whenever they can for better ratings. They also look for the young good looking drivers who are very articulate. In other words, a young Bill Elliot, Dale Earnhardt, Junior Johnson, etc. probably wouldn't stand a chance to get a top NASCAR ride nowadays because they wouldn't have that "look" or say the right things for the sponsors or TV cameras. In my opinion, that's another form of reality TV nowadays.

 

"Before you congratulate me on my win, let me hold this Pepsi up, as I turn sideways." LOL

I'm not knocking Nascar, but the sponsors seem to take it too far sometimes.

 

lets see bk couldn't get out of his own way then dodge announced it was leaving the sport. all of a sudden he starts winning and ya don't think its rigged ha i love nascar but i think its turning into the wwf.

 

Correct on sponsors, but they pay most the bills. So it's unfortunate they have to do what they have to to keep them.

Everything at times is peped up per say, but very hard to stage racing as opposed to say. X factor, American idol, Storage wars and etc.

 

Exactly. Now NASCAR has its own "official" sponsors. Sometimes you'll see the driver holding his Pepsi with the label properly positioned toward the camera while the NASCAR employees are stacking big gigantic Coke bottles on the top of his car for example. It's all choreographed and gets worse as time goes on.