The outcome of The Voice is probably being manipulated by producers
Facebook/The Voice NBC
In case you weren't already aware that reality shows deliver everything but reality, here's more proof: According to a contract obtained by the New York Daily News, NBC's "blind" singing competition The Voice is anything but a fair game. Contestants must sign a 32-page document that essentially gives the show's producers a free pass to do everything from ignore the program's voting system to release a contestant's medical or psychological tests on the air.
"The second clause of this document says to contestants, 'F--k you,'" a legal expert told the Daily News. "And if you missed it, the clauses that follow say, 'F--k you.'"
Contestants on the show legally give NBC carte blanche to "change the rules at any time," "eliminate contestants at any time, even if they are 'winning' with the public", and, perhaps most terrifyingly, depict contestants in a way that "may be disparaging, defamatory, embarrassing [and] may expose me to public ridicule, humiliation, or condemnation."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
While we certainly hope that The Voice's contestants read through the long contract and knew what they were getting into before appearing on the show, it is possible that they gave it only a quick skim, as many of us do when we're faced with a long contract of terms and conditions. Let's just hope that they didn't "agree by accident."
Read the whole exposé at the New York Daily News.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Samantha Rollins is TheWeek.com's news editor. She has previously worked for The New York Times and TIME and is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
-
'Another day of chaos in DC'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
6 scenic white water rafting destinations to get your heart racing
The Week Recommends Have a rip-roaring time on the water
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Dangerous substances in Lunchables are raising concerns over children's health
In the Spotlight High levels of lead and sodium were recently found in the snack packages
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Empty-nest boomers aren't selling their big homes
Speed Read Most Americans 60 and older do not intend to move, according to a recent survey
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Brazil accuses Musk of 'disinformation campaign'
Speed Read A Brazilian Supreme Court judge has opened an inquiry into Elon Musk and X
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney board fends off Peltz infiltration bid
Speed Read Disney CEO Bob Iger has defeated activist investor Nelson Peltz in a contentious proxy battle
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Disney and DeSantis reach detente
Speed Read The Florida governor and Disney settle a yearslong litigation over control of the tourism district
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Visa and Mastercard agree to lower swipe fees
Speed Read The companies will cap the fees they charge businesses when customers use their credit cards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Reddit IPO values social media site at $6.4 billion
Speed Read The company makes its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Housing costs: the root of US economic malaise?
speed read Many voters are troubled by the housing affordability crisis
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Feds cap credit card late fees at $8
speed read The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule to save households an estimated $10 billion a year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published