# Mystery Diners Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-diners-question/680110>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 30, 2014, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-diners-question/680110 "2014-01-30T05:25:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-diners-question/680110/1 "2014-01-30T05:25:03Z")

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Is the Mystery Diners reality show completely scripted? The dialogue is too perfect and the cameras and microphones seem to be everywhere.

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**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-diners-question/680110/2 "2014-01-30T05:58:13Z")

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[Yes](http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2013/07/reality-tv-fake-food-network-show-caught-up-in-scandal-for-faking-it/).

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**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-diners-question/680110/3 "2014-01-30T06:12:07Z")

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[Another article](http://www.tmbbq.com/mystery-diners-coopers-bar-b-q-edition/).

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**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-diners-question/680110/4 "2014-01-30T16:13:03Z")

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Isn’t Food Network obligated to say that this is a recreation and not real? If I had known it was completely fake I would never have watched it in the first place.

Are there other reality shows that are portrayed as real but are also completely scripted?

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**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-diners-question/680110/5 "2014-01-30T18:22:01Z")

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> [@dolphinboy](#):
>
> Isn’t Food Network obligated to say that this is a recreation and not real? If I had known it was completely fake I would never have watched it in the first place.
> 
> Are there other reality shows that are portrayed as real but are also completely scripted?

Most of them have plots suggested by the producers to amp up the drama. Just one example is the commitment ceremony on Honey Boo Boo. There is no way that ever would have happened otherwise.

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**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2014, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mystery-diners-question/680110/6 "2014-01-30T21:32:39Z")

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I could be wrong, but last time I saw it, I could swear I saw a disclaimer in the credits saying that some or all of the show was dramatized.