Look, it’s no secret that the contracts people who appear on reality shows are forced to sign are ridiculous to the point where it’s baffling anyone in their right mind ever actually signs one, but every now and then it’s nice to get a reminder of just how utterly absurd they can be.
That said, earlier today comedian Chris Cox tweeted out what he says is a portion of the contract American Idol contestants are forced to sign and it essentially states that the producers of the show can make up stuff about you and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it.
The photo Cox tweeted out is above, but here’s the transcript of the highlighted part…
I understand that I may reveal, and other parties may reveal, information about me that is of a personal, private, embarrassing or unfavorable nature, which information may be factual and/or fictional. I further understand that my appearance, depiction and/or portrayal in the Program may be disparaging, defamatory, embarrassing or of an otherwise unfavorable nature which may expose me to public ridicule, humiliation or condemnation. I acknowledge and agree that Producer shall have the right to (a) include any and all such information and appearances, depictions or portrayals in the Program as edited by Producer in its sole discretion, and (b) broadcast and otherwise exploit the Program containing any or all such information and appearances, depictions or portrayals in any manner whatsoever in any and all media now known or hereafter devised, or for any other purpose, throughout the universe in perpetuity.
American Idol producers to contestants, translated: deal with it! Take it away, Van Der Beek…
Of course, the fame-hungry among us will not be deterred by such things. I once knew a guy who went on The Bachelorette. Super nice guy. An attorney. But he wanted to be famous and he thought going on the show might do it and so he signed the War and Peace sized contract ABC forces people who go on that show to sign, even though he, of all people, knew that signing the contract meant signing a part of his life away. Naturally, they turned him into a psycho stalker kind of character when he’s the furthest thing from that in reality. People still use the word “stalker” in association with him today, years later, because of that show.
So, yeah, proceed with caution, kids.
(HT: Rob Delaney)
