As some reality stars attempt to unionize, Karamo Brown is reflecting on his early days in the world of unscripted television.
The Queer Eye star recently explained that while he appeared on MTV‘s The Real World: Philadelphia in 2004, he was frequently fined and “intimidated” into keeping his microphone on during private moments.
“I was on The Real World for five months out of my life, and I walked off that show and did not have any money,” he said on the Amy and T.J. podcast. “And the perception around everybody on me was that I have money because I’m on The Real World. And I walked off, I think, what did they pay me for those four months? $10,000? And then you got fined if you did things.
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“People don’t know this. So like, if you left the house without telling them — because you’re not really free — or if you turn off your mic because you were in the restroom, they would fine you $100,” added Brown.
Brown acknowledged, as a reality star, it’s the job “you have been signed up to do,” explaining, “For most of these shows, they’re living in a house for 24 hours and their job is to capture every moment. And so if you go in a bathroom to have a private conversation, now the audience doesn’t know that.”
Brown added that reality television stars are fined “to this day” for attempting to have private moments during filming. “Because they’re gonna mess with your money. And so you ain’t making nothing in the first place, and now they’re gonna take away $100 every time you do that. But then you’re intimidated into keeping your mic on. You’re intimidated into not having any moments for your own mental health. And again, that’s the issue,” he said.
The Karamo host admitted that his current talk show producers have to frequently remind him to turn his mic on, “because I learned from 23 how to turn that mic off.”
MTV did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Following similar complaints from reality stars about behind-the-scenes treatment, NBCUniversal previously began updating its workplace guidelines last year, increasing its requirements around anti-discrimination and harassment policies, making an inclusive workplace and channels to report concerns and violations.
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