Everyone wants to know what's real and what's fake in reality television. Truth be told, everything is just about real, according to an anonymous director of many reality television shows.

The falseness begins to seep in when the show is aired on television. Directors air footage on TV out of order to the viewers. Some television show directors even cut up and edit clips to create a conversation that was never had, which drastically changes the direction of the show – usually to create drama.

In most competition shows, the producer has the last say when it comes to who is eliminated. Additionally, when it comes to challenges on some reality television shows the contestants have the opportunity to walk through the course before going through it on air, so most have an already set plan.

On court shows, the situation is real but the way the situation that is played out is fake. Most people that are on the show are told to be a bit dramatic. Most judges have jeans and slippers on under their robe. Paid actors play as the audience in the courtroom.

On some shows, the situations are real but are played out by actors.

In the end, it can be looked at as a paid three-day vacation. Yes, actors do get paid.

For example, on "Divorce Court," they give participants money in hopes that they spend it on getting a divorce but what the person does with his or her money is his or her own business.