The other day I stumbled across Animal Planet’s “Ned Bruha: Skunk Whisperer,” and thought, man, who doesn’t get a reality TV show these days? I’m not saying Ned and his loyal staff aren’t interesting, but it seems, now that reality TV has mined the wealthy wives, the D-list celebrities and every permutation of cop out there, TV series are being handed out to anyone with a pulse and semi-gainful employment. I may need to ask my mailman when he’s going to be on TV, or maybe check in with my plumber to see if I need to add him to my DVR keywords.
In the spirt of how everyone (and I do think it really is going to be everyone) seems to be getting their own reality TV show, I’ve compiled a list of real shows and one fake. Your challenge? Pick the fake. There’s no prize other than boasting rights, and really, isn’t that enough? And if you’re a programming exec, don’t you dare steal the fake idea. Given the contents of this list, that’s not much of a stretch.
Just to make this a little bit harder on truly devoted reality TV enthusiasts, I’ve included a few shows that have network pick-ups and have been produced, but have not yet aired. However, have no doubt — they’re coming to a TV near you sooner than you think. I’ll post the fake (or shall we say completely fake) show later, so post your best guess!
American Stuffers
Fun and games (and stuffing) in an Arkansas taxidermy shop.
Hillbilly Handfishin’
Urban dwellers head out into the wild to pursue the dream of catching fish with their bare hands
Suzilla: The Mouth that Roars
A search for pig-out joints with a professional competitive eater
Finding Bigfoot
Four eccentric Bigfoot enthusiasts hunt for the tall, furry guy.
Lady Hoggers
A group of women hunt wild hogs bare-handed.
D.U.I.
A closer look at drunk drivers.
Picker Sisters
Two best friends hunt for cast-offs to sell in and decorate their L.A. home decor store.
What the Sell?
We follow a family of auction appraisers – a grandmother, mother and daughter team.
I Married A Mobster
Women tell their true stories of having been married to the mob.
The Real Witches of Eastwick, PA
A group of pagan worshippers balances family and careers with witchcraft in Pennsylvania
Big Sexy
A group of, ahem, large women take on life in the Big Apple.
Pawn Queens
Two women run a female-centric pawn shop outside of Chicago.
Urban Legends
Three bizarre stories are told, but only one of them is true.
1 Born Every Minute
Tales from the delivery room.
Hook, Line and Sisters
A look at the competitive world of deep-sea commercial fishing from a female perspective.
Gator Boys
The series follows Paul and Jimmy, the heads of the Gator Boys Alligator Rescue team as they capture gators bare-handed.
The List
The hostess checks off items on her “life list” (I guess bucket list was deemed too morbid, and that show was already canceled), then helps others realize their dreams.
I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant
True stories of women who don’t realize they’re pregnant until they’re delivering or close to it.
My Collection Obsession
A look at obsessed collectors and how they take their hobby to extremes.
The Last Ten Pounds Boot Camp
As you might expect, a boot camp for weight loss.
Sports Dads
Deion Sanders attempts to help families raising superstar athletes.
The Incurables
Stories of real patients who refused to give up in facing dire diagnoses.
Jersey Couture
A look inside the lives of the owners of a glam clothing shop in, yes, Jersey.
Big Hair Alaska
Fun and games at a hair salon in Wasilla, Alaska.
Nothing Personal
A closer look at the world of contract killings.
Quints by Surprise
A couple who expected one more child and ended up with five more share their day-to-day lives.
Extreme Christmas Trees
Just what it sounds like: extreme Christmas trees.
Livin’ for the Apocalypse
A fun-filled hour-long special profiling people who stockpile canned goods and have bomb shelters.
Outrageous Kid Parties
Just what it sounds like: outrageous kid parties.
My Cat from Hell
A cat specialist helps pet owners with their prickly felines.
