‘Mic Fright’: The Dire Reality of Employment Classification in Unscripted Television

Jessica A. Payne, University of Minnesota Law SchoolFollow

Abstract

Reality television has grown over the last near-century into both a staple of popular culture and an overwhelmingly lucrative industry. While the genre had a relatively innocent beginning, what shows have become is an increasingly extreme set of formats seeking to illicit shock, jealousy, and, above all, loyal viewership from its audience. These aims are driven entirely upon the participants who vie for a place within the cast to compete for love, money, and fame. However, the participants whom audiences adore or love to critique face significant barriers in their pursuit in addition to life-altering post-production realities; in part based on their employment classification, or lack thereof. This Note examines the physical and psychological impact of employment classification for participants on reality television shows of various formats.

Volume

Issue

First Page

177

Page Number

177

DOI

https://doi.org/10.24926/25730037.739

Recommended Citation

Jessica A. Payne, ‘Mic Fright’: The Dire Reality of Employment Classification in Unscripted Television, 44 L. & Inequality 177 (2026).
Available at: https://scholarship.law.umn.edu/lawineq/vol44/iss2/6