The casting for reality shows can be an interesting world unto itself. The best public example of this would be Fox’s American Idol where viewers get a taste for the audition process and the crowds and how passionately people want to be a part of the show (see “Pants on the Ground”). The same goes for NBC’s The Biggest Loser as they are currently holding casting calls and requesting applications for the upcoming 11th Season of the hit weight loss show.
A unique aspect of this particular casting call is that show hopefuls can email in the video portion of their application or provide a link via a YouTube post. While these videos can sometimes be difficult to watch, overall it’s an interesting peek into the world of reality TV and the genesis of how these shows come about.
In addition to the behind-the-scenes look at reality shows I was surprised by how emotional and genuine these clips consistently were. For the most part these are people in a bad situation who are exposing themselves and opening themselves up to ridicule to do something about it. I think we could all learn a little bit from these folks about the courage of accepting when you need help and then seeking that help out.
Here is a sampling of some of the more interesting Biggest Loser Season 11 audition videos I found starting with a how-to video put together by DietsinReview.com that instructs hopefuls on the best way to go about putting together a reel.
In these videos you’ll find a deaf woman who is not letting her disability discourage her and a former lead singer of a rock band called Clear Static among others. Will one of these folks be the next biggest loser? It’s that possibility that keeps hopefuls auditioning and viewers watching!
Tips for casting videos from DietsinReview.com:
Lindy Grkman of Venetian, PA (Deaf 5’5″ 340lbs):
Michelle Brock from Chicago Illinois (46-years-old 5’3″ 240lbs):
Tom Pederson from West Hollywood, California (former lead singer of Clear Static):
Amber from Shawnee, Kansas (23-years-old 230lbs):
Matt Braman from Bakersfield, California (28-years-old 410lbs):
Matthew Parsons (A little person, married father of two):
The Biggest Loser franchise has come under fire recently for perhaps not offering the best means for losing weight but after watching these clips it’s obvious how inspirational the long running reality show is to so many people. Good luck to everybody who has tried out and I hope that even if you’re number isn’t called you find the strength to reach your goals.
There is still an open request for applicants including an in person casting call that will be held in St. Paul, Minnesota on September 4th at the Minnesota State Fair. If you want to find out more about the open casting you can check out the official casting page here.
