10 Shocking Reveals from The Swan: Behind The Mirror

10 Shocking Reveals from The Swan: Behind The Mirror

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at the biggest bombshells from Hulu’s documentary exposing secrets of the controversial reality show “The Swan.”

Complete Isolation

To appear on “The Swan,” contestants had to leave their lives behind and travel to Los Angeles, California, where they’d stay in an apartment for the 90-day duration of the program. During that time, they were cut off from communicating with their family and friends. Thankfully, the contestants had each other to lean on and were able to speak to a therapist throughout the 3-month period. But the isolation took its toll. They also couldn’t leave the property. Cindy Ingle was unable to attend a close family member’s funeral because if she left, she couldn’t return.

No Mirrors

Not only were contestants shut off from the outside world, they were also isolated from themselves. When they arrived at their temporary residence, they were shocked to find that there were no mirrors. Avoiding their reflection was one of the strict rules they had to follow. The crew even went through their belongings and confiscated anything with a reflective surface, including items such as CDs. This was partly to ensure that the big reveal would inspire dramatic reactions on screen. Some swans said the mirror ban actually built up the anticipation and excitement after not seeing themselves for so long.

Extreme Diet & Exercising

While “The Swan” was primarily known for providing cosmetic surgery, the transformation process also included shedding pounds in the gym. Contestants had to exercise for hours at a time, 6 days a week, all while they were still healing from their extensive surgeries, despite the doctors’ and trainers’ qualms. They were also put on a strict diet, and Season 2’s Dore Weber said she only consumed up to 800 calories a day. The show creator Nely Galán acted as their life coach, though she lacked qualifications to properly guide them. She and allegedly one of the trainers would try to motivate the swans by ridiculing them and their progress, or lack thereof.

Season 2’s Sister Secret

For the hit show’s second season, production decided to try something new. They put out a call for sisters and found Kari and Gina Bravata. When they told Kari that she’d be a swan, she didn’t know that Gina was also chosen. Kari was kept in the dark about her sister also being on the show, and wouldn’t know until the big reveal at the end. Gina claimed the show’s legal team told her that if her presence was revealed earlier than planned, she would be removed from the show and liable for the amount production spent on preserving the secret.

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Behind-the-Scenes Manipulation Tactics

To create “great TV,” producers will often stir things up behind the scenes. On “The Swan,” Season 2 contestant Dore Weber claimed a cameraman taunted her about her infertility to get a reaction out of her. That season, the doctors also discovered one of the swans, Patti Chedohan, had cancer. Her husband had passed away from cancer, and former producer Jenna Baker was made to ask Chedohan an insensitive and cruel question — if she was concerned about her children losing another parent. While the creators claim to want to change women’s lives for the better, it ultimately all comes down to a storyline.

Surprise Beauty Pageant

Shortly into the Swan program, Nely Galán surprised contestants by telling them this was a competition. They found out that they’d first be pitted against each other in pairs. Then the winner would move on to compete in the big pageant. By that point, the women had bonded and supported each other through the grueling transformation process. And they didn’t want to battle it out with their new friends for a crown. The pageant also required the contestants to wear lingerie and swimsuits on stage in front of millions, which was out of their comfort zone, to say the least.

Multiple Procedures

On “The Swan,” everything was rushed to accommodate the set 90-day structure. Contestants underwent multiple surgeries at once, including procedures like liposuction, rhinoplasty, and breast augmentation. Dr. Randal Haworth and Dr. Terry Dubrow would do as many as they could within the maximum 10 hours the contestants were under anesthesia. Sometimes it would be both doctors performing surgery on one woman at the same time. According to a former producer on the show, the women had very little choice when it came to surgeries. Season 1 contestant Beth Lay claimed she was pressured into getting every procedure suggested by the doctors and that she’d be eliminated if she chose not to.

Dr. Haworth’s Book

The show demanded a lot from its swans and frequently put them in situations that made them feel uncomfortable. In the documentary, former contestants recalled a nude photoshoot that felt…off. They were told they would be taking before-and-after photos for Dr. Randal Haworth. But the shots were intended for something else. During his interview, Dr. Haworth explained that the pictures were actually going to be used for a coffee table book that he planned to publish. His “art project” never came to fruition, though he admitted that he was still in possession of the photos.

Post-Show Complications

After undergoing cosmetic surgery, some contestants alleged that, although a nurse would visit them periodically, they mostly had to take care of themselves and each other. Post-op issues continued when everyone returned home, as the show’s professionals allegedly didn’t provide any resources to maintain their new looks. Some women had complications, like Cindy Ingle, whose breast implant popped and needed to be fixed. Several of the contestants had problems with their teeth after extensive dental work, particularly having veneers fall out. Kristy Garza also revealed she had to have multiple teeth removed. The show’s resident dentist, Sheri Worth, would later lose her license after other patients accused her of negligence, fraud, and excessive treatment.

Kari’s Surgery

In Season 2, Kari Bravata went through a terrifying experience. After her surgeries, nurses had trouble waking her up from the anesthesia. Her oxygen levels dropped drastically, and her lungs filled up with fluid. Things got serious enough that the show’s cameras were removed from the room. During her recovery, Kari recalled a nurse suggesting her chest pain may have come from being given CPR. But that’s all of the information she was ever given. To this day, Kari still doesn’t know exactly what happened to her in that operating room.

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What reveal shocked you the most? Let us know in the comments below.