The Most Fucked Up Reality TV Moments Of 2018 (So Far)

Even though we’re only halfway through 2018, it’s already shaping up to be one of the most over-the-top years in “unscripted drama.” After all, reality TV has never been a genre that shies away from controversy, so it should come as no surprise that every year it keeps getting crazier and crazier. From full-on physical altercations to a near-constant parade of inexcusable assholery, it’s remarkable to see what the sneaky producers behind some of our favorite shows have up their sleeves. But it also begs the question: How many more absurd twists can we handle? Are we nearing the point of dramatic critical mass? For the sake of our rubbernecking schadenfreude, let’s hope not.

That said, Bravo et al. have a pretty daunting task ahead of them if they want to top the insanity of this year, especially when you take the following shows into consideration. Check out our list of the most batshit reality television moments of 2018 (so far) to see what they’re up against—and try to remember that it’s still only June.

The Bachelor - The Moment Arie Luyendyk Jr. Became the Scourge of Bachelor Nation

Let’s get the most obvious one out of the way—i.e. The Bachelor blowup heard round-the-world. Season 22 wrapped up blissfully enough with Arie Luyendyk Jr. proposing to Becca Kufrin during the finale and incurring the requisite “awws” any lukewarm season of The Bachelor’s supposed to incur. However, things took a sharp left turn two months after the season wrapped when Arie broke it off with Becca after deciding that runner-up Lauren Burnham was actually the one. Obviously, the shit-stirrers at ABC aired the entirety of the painful breakup scene, which has solidified Arie as one of the most hated Bachelors in the history of a franchise not exactly known for Good Guys™.

Vanderpump Rules - WTF Does "Pasta" Mean?

Coke has many code names—”white girl,” “blow,” “yayo”—and thanks to the Vanderpump Rules gang, “pasta” may now have made it onto the list. During a particularly epic Season 6 blowout between DJ James Kennedy and Lala Kent, which culminated into a screaming match over Lala’s alleged decision to “eat James’ girlfriend’s pasta.” But to the internet, a street screech match about stealing carbs seemed a little suspicious. Hence the rumor that “pasta” was actually the cast’s code word for “cocaine.” That said, the Pump Rules kids were quick to shut down the speculation with Ariana Madix’s admission that “there is a word for blow and pasta ain’t it.”

RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 3 - BenDeLaCreme’s Self-Elimination 

A lot of batshit stuff happens on RuPaul’s Drag Race, but undoubtedly the most shocking moment of the show’s recent All Stars 3 season was when frontrunner BenDeLaCreme decided to eliminate herself. For a little background: All Stars differs from regular Drag Race in the sense that the top two queens “lip sync for their legacy” and the ability to send one of their competitors home. Ben, who killed the competition from the moment she sashayed into the werkroom, consistently won challenge after challenge after challenge... so imagine everyone’s shock when she won the lip sync and decided to send herself home—by writing her own name in White-Out on the elimination lipstick, no less!

Ghost Adventures - Post Malone Gets Called Out by a Ghost 

Ghost Adventures is arguably one of the lamest ghost hunting shows on television, mostly because it’s corny, overly dramatic, and very obviously scripted. However, the one time this combo actually paid off was when the producers decided to use the “underworld” as a vehicle to poke fun at special guest Post Malone, because who could pass up on an opportunity like that? In an episode of the show that aired earlier this year, the Ghost Adventures team and Post go to Arizona to explore an abandoned slaughterhouse. After making contact with a spirit, the host asks what it thinks of Post, to which the spirit replies, “Dirty.” What’s better? Even Post himself had to agree with the otherworldly assessment, eventually admitting that he does smell on national television.

Real Housewives of New York - Luann de Lesseps' Diana Ross Costume

Leave it to the Housewives to stir up a social media shitstorm within the first 30 minutes of the Season 10 premiere. Earlier this year, Real Housewives of New York star Luann de Lesseps came under intense scrutiny after the premiere revealed that she attended fellow Housewife Dorinda Medley’s Halloween party as Diana Ross—deep bronzer, afro, et al. Even castmate Carole Radziwill had to chime in during the episode, calling Luann’s look “so disrespectful... I think she’s tone-deaf when it comes to cultural stereotypes.” That said, de Lesseps maintained that she wasn’t in blackface, telling Entertainment Tonight, "I had makeup on, but not anything that would make me look... I had like, tanning cream on." K.

Little Women LA - Terra Jolé's Attempt To Start "Black Girl Moscato"

Speaking of tone-deaf white women, let’s talk for a second about Little Women LA’s Terra Jolé and her friendship-ruining decision to start her own moscato brand named “Black Girl Moscato.” Targeting the “black female demographic,” as “70 percent of black women drink moscato,” Terra’s brand announcement on Episode 4 of Season 7 left her castmates speechless. Not only that, but it totally messed up her relationship with castmember Tonya Renee Banks, whom Terra asked to be the face of the brand. Yikes.

Queer Eye - The Fab 5 Gets Stopped By a Cop 

Netflix’s Queer Eye reboot isn’t afraid to tackle the important issues. However, one particular moment left two of the cast members so shaken that they almost left the show—and for good reason. In the third episode of the first season, the Fab 5 make over Cory, a Trump-supporting cop whose coworker decides it would be super-funny to pretend pull over the guys with culture expert Karamo Brown at the wheel. And while it ends up stoking an interesting dialogue later in the show, at the time, it read as very tense and, frankly, fucked up moment.

Jersey Shore: Family Vacation - Ronnie’s Post-Season Relationship Mess

While this particular moment may not have happened on camera per se, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro’s inability to keep it together on-camera was so messed up that it basically led to a ton of post-filming drama with Jen Harley, the mother of his baby daughter. After a series of well-publicized social media feuds, accusations of cheating, and a recent physical altercation, it seems like Ronnie will secure himself a pretty good villain edit for Season 2.

Revenge Body With Khloe Kardashian - Someone Lying About Their Entire Backstory

As a casting director, there’s really only so much you can do in terms of vetting the people you cast. So it was really only a matter of time until someone got booted off Revenge Body for lying about their backstory—and, boy, was it dramatic. Enter Joel, a contestant who claimed he wanted to get fit to get back at his “bitch-ass boyfriend José.” Joel later reveals to Khloe that José died (!!!), but, in another shocking twist, ends up admitting to making the entire thing up. Good lord!

Teen Mom 2 - Kailyn Lowry Vs. Briana DeJesus 

Ever since Teen Mom 2 newcomer Briana DeJesus started dating Kailyn Lowry’s ex Javi Marroquin, things have been pretty tense between the two. And even though Javi and Briana’s relationship may have ended last year, it’s still been pretty dramatic between Kailyn and Briana, who continued to trade nasty social media barbs. However, things came to a head during the taping for the Season 8 reunion, which reportedly ended in a physical altercation involving Briana’s sister Brittany on stage.