Top 10 Shocking Reality TV Eliminations
#10: Willam Belli “RuPaul's Drag Race” (2009-)
There’s been no shortage of shocking twists, unpredictable eliminations and absurd moments on “RuPaul’s Drag Race”. Willam getting disqualified in season four combined all three, as few fans saw it coming. And by few, we mean zero, because RuPaul didn’t explain why Willam was being sent home; only that she’d broken the rules of the competition and was therefore disqualified. It turns out Willam had been sleeping with her spouse during production, in direct violation of a clause barring contestants from unauthorized outside contact with friends or family - at least, that was the story that the public was told. There are other sources that claim otherwise. Regardless of the truth of the matter, the surprise elimination did shake up the show, and Willam still found time to leave a butt print on the mirror before departing. Classic Willam.
#9: Tiffany Richardson & Rebecca Epley “America’s Next Top Model” (2003-)
In an infamous two-for-one elimination, “America’s Next Top Model” contestants Tiffany Richardson and Rebecca Epley were booted from the show in one fell swoop. It was the show’s first dual elimination, shocking the models and fans alike. The two women handled the news very differently. Rebecca broke down in tears, but Tiffany acted aloof, cracking jokes with the other models while appearing relatively unphased by the news that she’d be going home. This didn’t sit well with Tyra Banks, who called both girls back and reprimanded Tiffany; leading to a heated exchange between the two women. The lines: “I was rooting for you! We were all rooting for you!” have since gone down in “ANTM” history.
#8: Zev Glassenberg & Justin Kanew “The Amazing Race” (2001-)
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There’s nothing quite as heartbreaking as watching two people who’ve given it their all be eliminated for an honest mistake. Such was the case for friends Zev and Justin back in season 15 of “The Amazing Race”. The two men appeared poised for a deep run on the show, but hit a major roadblock when Zev misplaced his passport. Despite being the first team to arrive, Zev and Justin were forced to retrace their steps and find the passport or be eliminated. Sadly, they were unable to retrieve it in time and were promptly booted from the show. Zev and Justin were fan favorites, making their elimination all the more upsetting.
#7: Pia Toscano “American Idol” (2002-)
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A contestant on “American Idol” ’s tenth season, Pia Toscano was considered by many to be a shoo-in for the Top 5. Prior to her elimination, she’d never appeared in the bottom three, regularly receiving high praise from all the judges. In fact, when it was revealed that she’d be going home, judge Jennifer Lopez bemoaned the news, remarking, “I'm shocked. I'm angry. I don't know what to say." Toscano’s elimination was the latest in a long line of female eliminations, with some fans claiming that there was a bias against female contestants. The news of Toscano’s elimination drew boos from the crowd and has since gone down as one of “Idol”’s most shocking moments!
#6: Michaela Bradshaw “Survivor” (2000-)
Few reality shows are as cutthroat as “Survivor”. The goal is literally to “outwit, outplay and outlast” the other contestants. As such, betrayals are common and often lead to shocking eliminations during tribal council. In season 33, aka “Millennials vs. Gen X”, few contestants were as feared as Michaela. She had a mind for strategy and the ability to stay two steps ahead of her opponents. It was for these exact reasons that the others turned on her, leading to a blindside elimination vote in episode seven. Michaela couldn’t believe it, cussing out the person responsible and appearing visibly hurt as her torch was extinguished. Hey, as the old adage goes: don’t hate the player, hate the game.
#5: Keith Michael “Project Runway” (2004-)
Keith Michael got off to a banging start on season three of “Project Runway”, winning the first design challenge. Unfortunately, Michael’s time on the show was short-lived, as he was disqualified in episode four after it was discovered he’d been using outside resources to gain an advantage. This included various design and fashion textbooks. He also temporarily left the show after getting into an argument with the other designers. While away, he used the internet to send an email to one of the show’s producers – another no-no – eliminating any chance of him sticking around. Despite claims that he never used the books he brought, the combination of his various infractions made disqualifying him an easy decision.
#4: BenDeLaCreme [aka Benjamin Putnam] “RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars” (2012-)
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Self-eliminations are one of the rarest forms of elimination in all of reality TV. After all, what’s the point of competing if you’re just going to give up? Apparently, BenDeLaCreme didn’t get the memo, walking away from season three of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” in the middle of the competition. The move was especially shocking due to the fact that BenDeLaCreme had been dominating the competition, winning five of the six challenges so far. At that point, BenDeLaCreme was the favourite to win, so her decision to pack it in took everyone by surprise!
#3: DeAnna Pappas “The Bachelor” (2002-)
Season 11 of “The Bachelor” gave viewers one of the most astonishing series finales in the show’s history. After countless weeks of intimate dinners and not-so-intimate group dates, winemaker Bradley Womack had narrowed it down to two women: DeAnna Pappas and Jenni Croft. When Womack informed Pappas that he’d sent Croft home, her face lit up, but the feeling was short-lived. After taking a moment to compose himself, by literally walking around in a circle, Womack dropped a bombshell: he wasn’t giving Pappas a rose. He had decided he didn’t want to be with either of the two finalists, thus becoming the first “Bachelor” to walk away with his “bachelor” status still intact.
#2: Heather Morris “Dancing with the Stars” (2005-)
Actress and dancer Heather Morris was a controversial choice for the 24th season of “Dancing with the Stars”. After all, she came from a dancing background, having worked as a backup dancer for Beyoncé, while also appearing on numerous TV shows as, get this, a dancer! Oh well! With her extensive dancing experience, many pegged her as the obvious choice to win the competition; which made it that much more surprising when she was eliminated in week six. Despite receiving a perfect score, Morris and partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy were forced to bid adieu to the competition. Whether or not Morris should have been there at all is up for debate, but there’s no denying she had the skills to win it all. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Rachel Crow “The X Factor” (2011-13) Kristen Kish “Top Chef” (2006-) Erik Reichenbach “Survivor” (2000-) Zendaya “Dancing with the Stars” (2005-) Kimberly Nichole “The Voice” (2011-)
#1: Chris Daughtry “American Idol” (2002-)
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You’d be hard pressed to argue that singer-songwriter Chris Daughtry is one of the most successful “American Idol” contestants of all time. His band has since been nominated for multiple Grammy awards and their eponymous debut album peaked at number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. However, one thing Chris Daughtry is missing is an “American Idol” crown. The front-runner to win the show’s fifth season, Daughtry ultimately finished fourth behind eventual winner Taylor Hicks. After having won over the fans and judges with his superior singing ability, it took everyone by surprise that he didn’t receive the votes to move on. That’s what happens when everyone assumes other people will vote for their favorite artists!
