# Economics of scripted "reality" shows **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 22, 2016, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economics-of-scripted-reality-shows/749891 "2016-03-22T21:41:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economics-of-scripted-reality-shows/749891/21 "2016-03-23T22:19:25Z")
Yes, even for Jeopardy they want someone who plays well on camera. You can answer questions all day long, but if you’re another middle aged chubby white male nerd they will only use you if they can’t find anyone better. So they don’t just give you the test and the people best at the test get on the show. A producer takes a look at you and decides if you’re photogenic enough and can answer Alex’s questions like a human being. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2016, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economics-of-scripted-reality-shows/749891/22 "2016-03-24T02:00:51Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > So they don’t just give you the test and the people best at the test get on the show. A producer takes a look at you and decides if you’re photogenic enough and can answer Alex’s questions like a human being. OTOH, letting Ken Jennings get on the show cost them a bundle! Probably was worth ten times that in the ratings though. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2016, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economics-of-scripted-reality-shows/749891/23 "2016-03-24T04:18:34Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > No, the whole point is that they don’t have to pay _actors_. Professional actors are expensive. Trailer trash is cheap, and often free. Ask Jerry Springer. Friends of mine were on Jerry Springer. The black t-shirted “security” people are all assistant directors telling you your actions. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2016, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economics-of-scripted-reality-shows/749891/24 "2016-03-24T09:51:21Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Just saw a video on facts about Pawn Stars. The video makes a few points about the scripting. Those purchases aren’t walk in strangers with items for sale. They are vetted before hand, giving Rick time to do a little research and act like he knew all about the item. […] So basically, Pawn Stars is totally scripted in the sense that the items vetted prior to ever making it to the “store” (read that store “set”) for filming. I thought that was fairly well known? I’ve always been suspicious of the number of expensive old or unusual guns that come through the store - thanks to the internet and the fact everyone has it on their smartphone now, there’s no realistic reason for anyone to be walking in to a pawnbrokers and saying “I’ve got this old musket that belonged to my great-great grandfather, is it worth anything?” Personally, I thought the most egregious example on that show was when someone showed up with a 1900s-era Mountain Gun. Sorry, but that’s such an extremely specialist piece of militaria to have that if you needed to sell it, you’d be talking to other specialist collectors online or via historic/re-enactment societies, not putting it on the back of the ute and taking it to a pawnbrokers in Las Vegas to see what they’re prepared to offer for it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/economics-of-scripted-reality-shows/749891.md?page=1)