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Food Network

Proof Restaurant Stakeout uses actors to play servers

by Andy Dehnart 20 Feb. 2013 | 8:00 am

There isn’t really a need to prove that Food Network’s awful reality series Restaurant Stakeout is a fraud: it oozes inauthenticity in every frame, and people featured on the show have described how fake it is.

But here is hard evidence of its fakeness: a casting notice “seeking male or female to play waiter at BBQ restaurant.” The project name doesn’t even attempt to conceal what it’s for: “Restaurant Stakeout (NJ).”

Casting producers want a man or woman 25 to 35 of any ethnicity “to play a waiter or waitress at a restaurant in Somerville, NJ. Commitment will be one to three days of shooting, $120/day.” There is also “$60/day (to be used on restaurant meal),” though it’s not clear if that’s in addition to the $120 compensation.

Actor and comedian Anthony Devito first noticed this and sent me the full casting e.mail message (below) from Casting Networks’ posting.

I’m heartbroken that this comes from the network of Bob Tuschman and Susie Fogelson, but even more sad that this is increasingly becoming acceptable behavior.

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about Andy Dehnart

Andy Dehnart’s writing and criticism about television, culture, and media has appeared on NPR and in Vulture, Pacific Standard, The Los Angeles Times, and other publications. He has covered reality television for more than 18 years, and created reality blurred in 2000.

A member of the Television Critics Association who serves on its board of directors, Andy, 41, also directs the journalism program at Stetson University in Florida, where he teaches creative nonfiction and journalism. He has an M.F.A. in nonfiction writing and literature from Bennington College. Learn more about reality blurred and Andy.

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reality blurred is your guide to the world of reality TV and unscripted entertainment, with reality show reviews, news, and analysis. It was created in 2000 by Andy Dehnart. He's still writing and publishing it today.

reality blurred is regularly updated with highlights from the world of reality TV: news and analysis; behind-the-scenes reports; interviews with reality TV show cast members and producers; and recaps and reviews of these reality TV shows, including Survivor, Big Brother, The Great British Baking Show, Shark Tank, The Amazing Race, The Bachelor, Project Runway, Dancing with the Stars, Top Chef, and many more.

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