Reality TV Cast Members Who Got Greedy, Then Got Fired
Reality shows are a notoriously mixed bag when it comes to content, quality, consistency, longevity, and even their supposed reality. Since their only theoretical bond is a lack of word-for-word scripting, the reality genre is actually dozens of genres. Some follow legitimate professionals as they ply their unusual or exciting trade and others just gather volatile personalities in one place in order to watch the inevitable explosion. But if there's one thing that truly unites almost every reality program to ever air, it's their one overarching purpose — to be glaringly obvious cash-grabs.
Over the years, hundreds of celebrities and characters, either on their way to the top or tumbling back down from it, have used reality shows to keep the money coming in. It can be a smart strategy and lucrative investment, especially for talent unable to perform like they used to, like in the case of Hulk Hogan, or those with no discernible talent at all. But as with any financial endeavor, some people get greedy. While some reality stars have negotiated huge payoffs per episode, some kept the negotiations open a little too long and paid the price. Here are a couple of reality TV cast members who were too greedy, and were fired for it.
The Kardashians
It's likely that "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" is the most iconic reality show of all time. It ran for a staggering 20 seasons, totaling 280 episodes and six specials, and maintained impressive viewership numbers throughout. The show took an already high-profile family and turned them all into A-listers, some of whom launched their own empires. It's hard to understate the effect that "KUWTK" had, not just on the family, but on reality television in general. That's why it's equally hard to understand how a show that huge could possibly end — until you follow the money.
By season 20, family matriarch Kris Jenner had become unsatisfied with the $30 million her family earned per season. She lobbied for a new contract that would earn her tribe a $10 million raise, and somewhere in that difference, the E! Network found their limit. The company decided that the Kardashian value was no longer worth the price tag and canceled the show in 2021. Both the network and the family announced the show's termination with gracious, emotional statements, but beneath the saccharine prose, the truth was clear — it all ended thanks to "greedy Kris."
Tamra Judge
Another pillar of the reality TV genre, "The Real Housewives of Orange County" has racked up more than 15 seasons and is the proud parent of a number of hit spinoffs. The show's premise, if it can be called that, is that it follows the lives of various wealthy women living in Orange County, California. Due to its loose structure, its cast of lavish ladies has changed frequently. Housewives have come and gone for a number of reasons, but in the case of former star Tamra Judge, her exit was due to just one reason — greed.
To be fair to Judge, she describes her termination a bit differently, saying, "I'm not cheap ... that's why I got fired!" As juicy as it gets, Judge actually said that via Instagram Live to Andy Cohen — the executive producer of "Real Housewives" and Judge's former boss. Judge spent 12 years on the show, working under Cohen. It wasn't until she began asking for more money, the exact amount of which remains unknown, that Judge's tenure finally ended. To top it off, her exit was decidedly abrupt. When given the option to film three final episodes of "Real Housewives" to wrap up her stories and say goodbye, Judge declined.