The reality programming that we often encounter plunges us into a world of disagreements and drama. There are shows that work to specifically deliver the unexpected, leaving you anxious to see what happens next.
On Naked and Afraid, Discovery Channel presents us with a dilemma we hope to never encounter in real life. As its website explains, “What happens when you put two complete strangers - sans clothes - in some of the most extreme environments on Earth? Each male-female duo is left with no food, no water, no clothes, and only one survival item each as they attempt to survive on their own.”
Indeed, the premise behind Naked and Afraid is unlike anything we’ve heard before. However, just like other reality shows, there is a tendency for some of its elements to be fake. Find out what's fake on Naked and Afraid and what's real.
20 Fake: The Cast Only Being Allowed To Bring One Personal Item
Participating survivalists are supposedly only allowed to bring a single personal item. However, it seems the rules had already changed behind the scenes. According to former participant Honora Bowen, “My partner and I each brought four survival items with us to Brazil, which is standard for the show (reminder: the early seasons such as this one only allowed one item per person, not one and a half). He brought four knives, and I brought a water filter and three knives. Production decided against the filter and asked each of us if we’d be willing to bring a fire starter.
19 Fake: The Need To Hunt For Food
On the show, it does seem that the participants are made to fend off for themselves without outside help. However, the truth is that it's relatively easy for them to find food to eat. According to several reports, contestants claim that they managed to steal food from crew members. This included salt, chocolate, and even some Campari. Meanwhile, another contestant managed to steal several packets of “Emergen-C.”
18 Fake: The Absence Of Prize Money
It was never officially stated if the participating survivalists receive cash for their time on the show. Behind the scenes, however, it seems that contestants are eager to complete the 21-day challenge because there’s money to be made. According to Nicki Swift, stars have been paid anywhere between $20,000 to $25,000. That’s not bad at all.
17 Fake: The Lack Of Medical Assistance For The Cast
When you’re out in the wild, a lot of things can go wrong. In the case of participant Kim Shelton, she ended up with a severe case food poisoning while doing the challenge. On the show, it looked like she was just sleeping it off. However, a report from the Daily Mail revealed that Shelton was secretly given two IV drips. Moreover, she was also fed bread, baby food, and rice.
16 Legit: The Cast Being Naked The Whole Time
True to the show’s name, the participants are left to take the challenge while completely naked. Throughout their stay though, some may choose to find creative ways to cover themselves up. Hence, we see some participants covered in clothing made of leaves they found in their surroundings. In a way, the show is promoting jungle chic.
15 Fake: Fights Are Instigated By The Show’s Producers
According to Bowen’s account, “So I took a Malarone, and right about when it kicked in, my partner started to tell me that I was lazy and needed to do more (this part was not shown), which led to the “sabotage scene.” This scene again, involved an editorial muting of Luke’s words to me prior to me getting upset. Again, they edited the episode to make it seem like he just said one line to me and I reacted irrationally.”
14 Fake: The Storylines, Such As The One About Drinking Dirty Water
On the show, it looked like contestant Phaedra Brothers drank some dirty water and got ill as a result. In reality, Brothers was suffering from food poisoning. And it was because of food provided by the crew. As Brothers recalled to Channel Guide magazine, “I told one of the Indian men who was a part of the crew, that I had been eating only granola bars because I was afraid of getting sick from eating unsanitary food. He said that I needed to eat protein and he made this really great chicken curry dish.”
13 Legit: Manu Toigo Contracting Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever After Filming In Panama
Perhaps former Naked and Afraid participant Manu Toigo didn’t think anything seriously bad would happen after she got back from filming the show. However, getting bitten by a mosquito while in Panama changed all that. Once she was back in Los Angeles, Toigo suffered headaches and bleeding. And later on, she was diagnosed with dengue hemorrhagic fever. That said, Toigo doesn’t regret her experience one bit. According to TMZ, Toigo remarked, “Hell no ... most epic experience I could ever have done.”
12 Fake: The Cast Having No Way To Contact Or Ask For Help
According to a report Reality Blurred, Naked and Afraid executive producer Steve Rankin claimed that cast members are left with “an emergency radio transmitter/walkie-talkie” for easy communication with the crew. In case there is an emergency and they need immediate assistance, contestants are also given a whistle that they could use to alert the crew.
11 Fake: The Cast Having No Access To Basic Amenities
Naked and Afraid may lead you to believe that contestants are stuck in some remote part of the world with nothing but their wits and one survival item. In reality, participants are filming in a location where the crew is set up within proximity and they have several basic amenities available. According to a report from Ranker, a former female contestant also claimed that there was a medical tent where you could get vitamins.
10 Fake: The Lack Of Certain Hygiene Products For Women
Viewers of the show may wonder how female participants deal with certain hygiene issues while out in the wild. Well, as it turns out, they get some help from the show’s producers. During an interview with Refinery 29, Stacey Lee Osorio revealed, “Yea, you pretty much just wear a tampon and try to be as discrete [sic] as possible. It's pretty uncomfortable and gross, but at least we get that one luxury. Thanks, Naked and Afraid.”
9 Legit: The Cast Experiencing Body Image Issues
During an interview with People, Osorio also revealed, “Oh, God. I have tons of self-esteem issues. I have small breasts; I have really bad stretch marks from my pregnancies. I have a mutilated foot from a lawn mower accident and I’m missing a couple toes. And my hair was out of control out there! Yeah, you don’t want people to see the stuff that you try to hide under your clothes. I had to remind myself that I’m beautiful because the people in my life think I’m beautiful.”
8 Fake: The Area Being Remote
Sure, it does look like the show’s participants have been dropped off in the middle of nowhere, but that is not the case at all. In fact, Rankin told Reality Blurred that they would choose a location where the crew is “able to put in a robust evacuation procedure, should the need arise. We’ve got to have access to urgent medical care, in terms of a trauma room.” In addition, there are also multiple reports that the location chosen for Naked and Afraid is always near a town. In fact, participants reportedly encounter the residents at times.
7 Fake: The Cast Being Left To Fend For Themselves
As Naked and Afraid supervising producer Mathilde Bittner has told Reality Blurred, “We don’t give them sandwiches at the end of the day. They will ask for things–they ask for Snickers bars and cake and spray and whatever–but it’s very much what you see.” As you may recall, Brothers received a full meal from the crew. It’s just unfortunate that it made her sick.
6 Fake: The Participants Heading To The Extraction Point On Their Own
To help them find the extraction point, Rankin said that “they have a map, a very basic sketch map.” However, the crew is prepared to assist them if they appear to be veering off course. Rankin further explained, “If they go off track during that walk, they might just have a little nudge from the producers.”
5 Legit: The Show Failing To Showcase All The Contestants’ Works Throughout The Experience
According to a Reddit post by former contestant Alison Teal, “Jonathan and I were just discussing it! I was like, "Wait what about the 40 ft ladder I built, and what about the fishing net I made" etc etc...BUT, as a filmmaker myself, watching someone build a fishing net for 5 days is probably pretty boring....sooooo guess they are going for the action packed scenes and character dynamics...”
4 Fake: The Continuity Of The Scenes
Viewers of the show have noted that Naked and Afraid suffers from continuity troubles. In one scene, participants were shown paddling a boat out to the water. And when it was shown from another angle, the boat inexplicably had palm trees on top. Meanwhile, a Reddit thread noted, “On the first episode there was a scene where it went from Clean Shaven Jeff, to Bearded Jeff, back to Clean Shaven Jeff. All in the same scene.”
3 Fake: Shane Lewis' Pain Misrepresented
Shane Lewis was said to be suffering from a minor foot injury. However, it was much worse than the producers led viewers to think. In fact, a report from the Daily Mail revealed that Lewis had broken three of his toes just a few days into their challenge. As a result, he had been in constant pain. The report also stated that Lewis didn’t appreciate being portrayed as ‘pathetic’ to viewers.
2 Fake: The Origin Of The Honora Bowen Magnifying Glass
Although Bowen’s late father had suggested using it, the magnifying glass was featured on the show was never his. Moreover, Bowen revealed, “I was also told to repeat my words every time I referred to the magnifying glass as “the magnifying glass,” and told to repeat and call it “my dad’s magnifying glass.” This was something I agreed to at first, because I have studied theatre my entire life. So to me, I was appeasing the producers by showing them what a good actor I was, which they were asking me to do.”
1 Legit: The Lack Of Libido During The Whole Experience
Osorio also told Refinery29, “We all talk and get very intimate, because talking is all you can do. But everybody loses their libido, because you feel like you’re dying, so the last thing you think about is having sex. But I was so glad to have my fellow survivalist, Jake, there. He was so hot. I had something to look at to pass the time. And he’s gay, so it was super safe.”
Source: Discovery Channel, TMZ, Refinery 29, Reality Blurred, People
