The Worst (Best) Reality TV Shows of All Time
Matt Richenthal
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With the recent launch of I Love Money - VH1's amazing acknowledgment of its own shark jumping into the breast implant-abyss - here's a look back at some past reality TV low points. And by low, we mean high. Sure.
Moment of Truth (Fox, 2008)
Complete fools sit in a hot seat of sorts and take way too long to answer "scandalous" questions about their usually uninteresting lives.
Jail (My 9 Network, 2008)
It's no surprise that the creator of an original new-low show, Fox's COPS, is behind this. This season included footage of O.J. Simpson!
Hey Paula! (Bravo, 2007)
We love that someone sat around at a brainstorming session and concluded that Paula Abdul should really have her own show. Brilliance.
A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila (MTV, 2007, below)
Watch this video of Tila and Kristy Morgan. That is all.
Kid Nation (CBS, 2007)
Hey, let's exploit children! Then again, at least they're up front about it. Forty kids, aged 8-15, attempt to form a functioning society in New Mexico.
Keeping Up With the Kardashians (E!, 2007)
Their names all start with K. Brody Jenner guest stars. That's about it.
Flavor of Love, Flavor of Love 2, Flavor of Love 3, I Love New York, I Love New York 2, New York Goes to Hollywood (VH1, 2006-present)
The fact that a network rewards its craziest, most obnoxious reality TV show star with a reality series of her own tells you all you need to know.
Big Brother (CBS, forever ago-present, below) / Real World (MTV, same)
Throw a bunch of people into a house and what will happen? At first, not a lot. Until drunk meatheads realize that footage of them starting fights and lying around naked could maybe make them a tiny bit famous.
Wife Swap (ABC, 2005)
It's called frickin' Wife Swap. Even if you haven't seen or heard of this one, do we need to elaborate?
The Simple Life (Fox, 2003-2005 and E!, 2005-2007)
The basic message of Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie's TV road trip - "Do poor people suck or what?" We despise them. We used to watch, although only because we were praying they would run out of gas, or even more ideally, get pancaked by an 18-wheeler on the way back to L.A.
Britney and Kevin: Chaotic (UPN, 2005)
Possibly the most unnecessary, unwatchable show in history.
The Anna Nicole Smith Show (E!, 2002)
We take it back. This is.
Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.
