'MasterChef': Is the reality show scripted? Former contestants confirm it's 'far from real'
'MasterChef' has kept viewers engaged for more than a decade with its perfect blend of cooking and competition. The show has attracted millions of viewers during its run.
People enjoy Gordon Ramsay's brutally honest remarks but, despite the show's success, many people have questioned the series' legitimacy. After all, reality television has a reputation for being less than authentic, and some elements of 'MasterChef' are difficult to trust. The new season of the reality TV giant is about to premiere this week, and fans are excited to tune in to FOX and get their weekly fix of yelling and cooking. Whether scripted or not, the cooking show is still keeping viewers hooked.
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While most amateur cooks enjoy reproducing dishes from cooking shows, some take the risk of auditioning for 'MasterChef.' The cooking competition series pits people with no professional expertise against each other for the title of "MasterChef," and a cash reward of $250,000. The contenders work under a great deal of pressure, which is why most of us drop our jaws when we see the final dishes that seem like they are straight out of the pages of gourmet magazines. Furthermore, everyone reacts to stress differently, which makes for intriguing television programming. Fans naturally ask if 'MasterChef' exaggerates things for the cameras, or if what they see is what they get.
Several past judges and contestants have come forward after their contracts expired and penned or given interviews about what truly happens on the 'MasterChef' set. And it can be a real pain. The contest itself is quite intense, but it's only a tiny part of the long days of filming, isolation from the outside world, and total immersion in cooking.
Is 'MasterChef' scripted?
When people inquire whether a reality show is staged, what they want to know is whether it is scripted. The best part is that there is no proof that 'MasterChef' is staged. In actuality, if the show is scripted, everyone participating has most likely signed a non-disclosure agreement that forbids them from informing anyone. Even if the show isn't staged, that doesn't guarantee that everything happens precisely as viewers see it. Not only is the show edited to make it more fascinating and suspenseful, but it looks like production intervenes during filming to make certain changes.
'MasterChef,' like many reality shows, has had its share of problems over the years, raising questions about its authenticity. Jessie Glenn, who went through the season 3 casting process, penned a tell-all about her experience. In her Salon post, she stated that hopeful candidates were forced to sign a contract permitting producers to use info about them in ways that might potentially harm one's plans and ties with loved ones. When hopeful participants sign the contract, they consent to experience mental and bodily distress, as per her.
Several outlets also reported that Season 2's Ben Starr made some startling charges against 'MasterChef.' They reported Starr claimed the show was "highly engineered fiction." According to certain sources, the former participant claimed that he was misrepresented on the show because his verbal chunks were cut out of context and linked together. According to the reports, Starr accused the production team of purposefully stressing out the candidates to elicit strong emotional responses on camera.
However, in a blog post published in November 2014, Starr dismissed these reports. He added that no media outlets contacted him before publishing stories about his alleged charges against the reality show. Starr stated that he had a positive time on the show. However, he recommended fans watch all the shows for amusement purposes only and avoid casting judgment on reality television celebrities because the footage is extensively manipulated.
If you're wondering how the candidates serve great-looking cuisine even though they aren't pros, it's because they supposedly get some help from specialists. Former judge Christina Tosi said that the judges sometimes give recommendations to the contestants. Elizabeth Cauvel, the season 5 runner-up, also stated that the contestants were offered cooking lessons on the weekends, which were optional but extremely valuable because they were relevant to upcoming challenges. So, while it seems like the contestants are being thrust into deep waters without notice, this is not the case.
Have you ever observed how each competitor appears to have an unending supply of one type of apparel in their closet? For example, all camouflage clothes for the hunter, or all lace skirts and cowboy boots for the girl next door? These participants, understandably, do not have miraculously coordinated ensembles or a closet full of the same clothing. The costume department of 'MasterChef' provides them with a wardrobe that matches their personality type, and they are then advised what to wear for each week. After all, the 'MasterChef' wardrobe and makeup team are attempting to create a specific character. And it's typically done so perfectly that you don't see it. Elise Mayfield, a Season 5 competitor, told AV Club, "You are in your outfit that you've been told to put on, you are going to wardrobe and hair and makeup." But all said and done, there's something special about 'MasterChef' that has enabled it to stand the test of time, and viewers are eager to see even more excellent dishes on their television screens in the future.
'MasterChef' is presently in its 12th season, which premieres on Fox on May 25 at 8 p.m. ET/PT