Top 20 Craziest Reality TV Show Meltdowns
#20: Alaska’s Tantrum “RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars” (2012–)
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It was almost inevitable that Alaska would win the second season of “Drag Race All Stars.” Or it seemed that way until week seven, when she landed in the bottom for the very first time. Alaska was a threat, and any queen who wanted to win the season would need to send her home. We’re guessing she knew that — or she certainly knew she wasn’t safe — because the resulting tantrum was shocking. She got riled up, screaming profanities and pleading to stay. She even offered to bribe one of the queens into keeping her in the competition. It was certainly a humanizing moment for the season’s eventual runaway winner.
#19: Jonathan Pushes Victoria “The Amazing Race” (2001-)
Married entrepreneurs Jonathan and Victoria didn’t get off to the best start on “The Amazing Race 6.” Honestly, their entire time on the show was just one long meltdown. Although the race is stressful, their shouting matches were actually painful to watch. Jonathan’s constant barking and impatience with Victoria led to a lot of cringeworthy moments, but their biggest and most controversial argument happened at the pitstop in Berlin. Racing another couple to the finish, Jonathan left his bag behind. Victoria didn’t want anyone to steal it, so she lugged both his and her bags to the pit stop. When they lost, Jonathan was so upset he pushed her, nearly knocking her off her feet.
#18: New York Storms Off “Flavor of Love” (2006-08)
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Tiffany “New York” Pollard was so notorious that another contestant on “Flavor of Love” literally eliminated herself when Flavor Flav asked the season one finalist to come back. Pollard seemingly came back with one mission: to show Flav what a mistake he made the first time. Well, history repeated itself when she got cut at the end once again. New York didn’t hold back this time. She let him know exactly how she felt about having her heart stomped on twice. True to form, she unleashed a heartstopping torrent of insults and vulgarities that was peak reality TV.
#17: The God Warrior “Trading Spouses: Meet Your New Mommy” (2004-07)
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Most of the participants on “Trading Spouses” cry when they return to the families they missed. Marguerite Perrin had a different reason to cry when she came back to her home. The devout Christian woman, who dubbed herself a “God Warrior,” had spent the week with a family who held different, more pagan beliefs, and she was not happy with her experience. Her meltdown has many choice moments, from banishing the cameras from the home to blaming her family for not praying enough. Of course, she showed some mercy, telling the crewmembers who believed in Jesus they could stay. Her tirade and liberal use of the word “dark-sided” made her an instant meme.
#16: Porsha vs. Kenya “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” (2008–)
When someone brings props to the reunion, you know they’re determined to make some drama happen. Armed with a bullhorn and a scepter, Kenya was ready for a war of words – but not for what ended up happening. During a heated argument, fellow cast member Porsha Williams lost her cool and dragged Moore by her hair. Executive producer and reunion host Andy Cohen got between them, almost getting taken down himself. In the aftermath, Porsha was on the floor, screaming and humiliated by her own behavior. Many of her castmates ran to her side, but not even their support could calm her down.
#15: Abby vs. Kelly “Dance Moms” (2011-19)
Kelly Hyland and Abby Lee Miller had a lot of history. That’s why their fights always seemed to cut a little deeper. Four seasons and many years of insults and battles into it, Kelly finally lost her cool with the controversial dance teacher. An argument in the dressing room turned into a brief physical altercation when Miller made chomping motions toward Hyland’s finger, and Kelly slapped her and pulled her hair. All this happened in front of cameras and in full view of the children, by the way. Clearly, no one was at their best here.
#14: Colton Jumps the Fence “The Bachelor” (2002-)
Since his stint as “The Bachelor,” Colton Underwood has made plenty of headlines. However, one of his most infamous moments on the show occurred in week 9 when Cassie Randolph decided to leave the show. Even though he told her he would end the season and be with her, she wasn’t sure she was in love with him. Stunned and upset, Colton couldn’t cope after she was whisked away in a production van. He stormed off, dodged the crew, hit a camera, and jumped over a fence, fleeing into the Portuguese countryside. Cassie would eventually agree to give things a shot, winning the season, and the two had a short-lived but headline-grabbing relationship from there. Still, this moment lives on in infamy within Bachelor Nation.
#13: Tanisha Wakes Up the House “Bad Girls Club” (2006-17)
“BGC” legend Tanisha Thomas was all of us when she got fed up with her castmates’ pranks and hijinks. Showcasing her talents as both a drummer and a composer, Tanisha wakes her fellow Bad Girls with a rousing performance of an original song. Accompanying herself on the pans, she took her show on the road all over the house, clapping the pans and practically daring them to say anything. Some reality TV meltdowns are scary, and some are just hilarious. This one is definitely a little of column A and a little of column B.
#12: Scary Island “The Real Housewives of New York City” (2008-)
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There was lots of friction between Kelly Killoren Bensimon and Bethenny Frankel. Their feud culminated in the now-infamous “Scary Island” episode. After taking multiple digs at Frankel and the others, Kelly unraveled big-time during a dinner in the Virgin Islands. She spun out as the women defended themselves, biting back at her truly bizarre statements before realizing it was useless. Even after the season reunion and the post-mortems, there doesn’t seem to be a clear consensus on what exactly was going on with Kelly here. What we do know is that it's a classic “Real Housewives” moment.
#11: “My Ox is Broken!” “The Amazing Race” (2001-)
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Season 3’s Flo Pesenti had her share of meltdowns. But season 5’s Colin Guinn said he might be the most intense person ever to run “The Amazing Race.” His frustration with a poor, innocent ox in the Philippines still remains one of the show’s most unintentionally hilarious moments. The teams were tasked with searching for a clue in a field, using an ox and a plow to dig up the mud. Unable to control his ox, Colin’s short fuse was soon lit. His girlfriend, Christie tried her best, but the meltdown train had already left the station. Screams were shouted, curse words were dropped, but no oxen were harmed.
#10: Teresa Flips a Table “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” (2009-)
The lovely ladies of “Real Housewives of New Jersey” aren’t exactly known for their calm demeanors, but this dramatic moment took things to a whole new level. After a nice dinner at an upscale restaurant, an argument breaks out between cast members Danielle and Teresa. Almost out of nowhere, Teresa flips her lid, and a glass-covered table along with it. She has to be dragged away screaming from the encounter, as Danielle is unable to do anything other than stand there stunned by what has just occurred. This one really escalated quickly.
#9: Snooki Gets Arrested “Jersey Shore” (2009-12)
The cast of “Jersey Shore” are well-known for their outrageous party antics, but Snooki’s drinking took a darker turn in this season three episode. After a day-long binge and skipping out on work, Snooki was arrested on camera after harassing the police that were escorting her off the beach. It’s a scene that turns quickly from humorous to sad. Fellow housemates JWoww and Deena do their best to help Snooki, but they cannot stop her. It’s uncomfortable to watch it all unfold, and we’re glad Snooki seems to be doing much better these days.
#8: Kim Cries “Kourtney and Kim Take New York” (2011-12)
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In the series finale of short-lived Kardashian spin-off “Kourtney and Kim Take New York,” Kim K has a small breakdown when discussing her relationship troubles with then-husband Kris Humphries. Kim shares her regrets about her fast-tracked marriage and how bad she feels that she jumped into things without fully thinking them through. It’s a somber moment, but one that was undercut by the fact that Kim’s uncomfortable crying face blew up and became a meme after the episode aired. Thankfully, the star has taken the joke in stride, even releasing an emoji bearing the image of her tear-streaked face on her custom emoji app.
#7: Vanilla Ice Overreacts “The Surreal Life: Fame Games” (2007)
VH1’s “Surreal Life” franchise took former celebrities and, like so many reality shows before and since, put them in a house together. In “Fame Games,” the show took on a game show format, which led to some truly wild reality moments. When Ron Jeremy casts a vote against Vanilla Ice after promising him he wouldn’t, Ice goes on a rampage through the house, destroying a drum set piece-by-piece as an expression of his almost comically over-the-top rage. The temper tantrum goes on for far too long, and racked up what looks like a few thousand dollars in property damage. Yikes.
#6: Tom Hanks’ Niece Gets Mad “Claim to Fame” (2022–)
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This relatively new ABC series finds several contestants with famous relatives trying to suss each other out. In the season two premiere, Carly Reeves was shocked to be outed as Academy Award winner Tom Hanks’ niece so soon. That was evident in her complete breakdown after the elimination. Her tears soon turned into rage as she went up the stairs and started packing her bags, screaming about things like how the clues pointing to Hanks were too obvious and how she deserved more camera time. It was a clear case of privilege run amok. Or, maybe it was just a demonstration of her acting skills. If the latter is the case, she might have a bright career ahead of her in Hollywood.
#5: Laganja Feels Very Attacked “RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked!” (2010-)
Laganja Estranja has since become one of the “Drag Race” franchise’s most beloved queens. Even if you’re not a fan of the franchise, you’re probably aware of her “Untucked” meltdown. Her castmates were not feeling the Laganja fantasy. During the aftershow, they decided it was time to call her out on her personality, which they felt she played up for the cameras. She had already struggled in the comedy challenge, and was staring down the real possibility of sashaying away. So finding out how she was being perceived by her season six sisters was too much. She went into emotional overload and uttered this immortal phrase before storming out of the “Untucked!” lounge soon after.
#4: Amy's Baking Company “Kitchen Nightmares” (2007-14)
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This whole episode is basically one giant meltdown. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is well-known for his... let’s call it “abrasive” personality. When he is sent to help out struggling Arizona restaurant Amy’s Baking Company, run by two “abrasive” personalities in their own right, things get out of hand. Over the course of the episode, Ramsay realizes the full extent of mismanagement and the terrible quality of the food and ingredients, and we get multiple full-on blowouts involving not only Amy, Samy and Gordon Ramsay himself, but employees and even customers.. Eventually, Ramsay decides he can’t help the couple, and leaves the restaurant early for the first time in the series.
#3: Aviva Takes Off Her Leg “The Real Housewives of New York City” (2008-)
Another “Real Housewives” meltdown, starring the girls from New York City. In some very deliberate and impactful line delivery, Aviva Drescher declares that the only thing artificial about her is her leg, before emphatically slamming her prosthetic limb down on the table. Heather, who’s visibly taken aback, catches Aviva’s eye, who then throws it at her. It’s a moment that Aviva had clearly rehearsed in her mind, but that doesn’t really take away from the impact and shock of it all. The stunned looks on the faces of everyone else in the room says it all - Aviva probably got the reaction she wanted.
#2: Vienna vs. Jake “The Bachelorette” (2003-)
“The Bachelor” winner Vienna Girardi and season 14 Bachelor Jake Pavelka initially seemed like a match made in reality TV heaven. Unfortunately, when the then-recently-split couple decided to do a joint interview on the following season of “The Bachelorette,” it became painfully clear just how wrong they really were for each other. In the uncomfortable exchange, we witness Jake’s blatant and flippant cruelty towards Vienna. She soon walks away from the interview, but it’s evident from just those few moments that the relationship was never going to work out, and served as a reminder that the way someone acts on television is likely not how they act behind closed doors. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Joan & Melissa Go Off, “The Celebrity Apprentice” (2008-17) The Rivers Women Did Not Take It Well When Melissa Got Fired Camila vs. Eric, “The Challenge” (1998-) Competition Doesn’t Bring Out the Best in All of Us Taylor vs. Camille’s Friend, “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” (2010-) The Fight That Launched a Thousand Cat Memes Amber Gets Attacked, “Bad Girls Club” (2006-17) Things Escalated Quickly
#1: "Be Quiet, Tiffany" “America's Next Top Model” (2003-18)
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It’s the clip that launched a thousand memes. This classic “America’s Next Top Model” rant courtesy of model and host Tyra Banks quickly went viral, becoming an internet sensation that still pops up to this day. After being part of a dual-elimination that saw her sent home, contestant Tiffany Richardson cracks a joke and laughs instead of crying. Tyra sees this, and is not happy, calling her out for her actions and attitude throughout her time on the series. Tyra berates Tiffany, maybe just a little too harshly. But she wasn’t wrong in the sense that we really were all rooting for you, Tiffany!
