Reality TV. Is there any greater culprit in the spoil of western society? And yet, we’re obsessed with it. If anything, reality television offers an excellent glimpse into life, and how everything is manipulated in some way, shape or form. With any aspect of real life, even when manipulated for the sake of broadcast, there is drama. And when it comes to reality TV, there’s a whole lot of residual drama, because people with no discernible talent to entertain have been labeled celebrities. Here are nine scandals most have forgotten.
9. Richard Hatch – Survivor
He was the first winner of the popular reality show that pitted contestants against one another in order to live in remote locations, and win competitions. It was also the first of the reality TV spectrum to have cast members vote on the fate of contestants. That was the draw. Richard Hatch went down in game show/reality TV history as the first winner of Survivor. The prize was handsome, and it undoubtedly put him on an earmarked list with the IRS. In 2006, Richard was convicted of tax evasion, and was sentenced to a 51 month prison term for his crime. The IRS didn’t complete its investigation until he was released from prison. Something doesn’t seem right about that, but… when you’re a TV villain in the way Rich was a TV villain, there’s not a lot of sympathy for being wronged.
Photo by BDG / Rex Features