According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, the use of background checks by producers of “Reality TV” programs is becoming more common – and the background checks themselves more strict – in the wake of recent events that showed contestants can and will do almost anything for a shot at fame, including lie to producers.
In November, Michaele and Tareq Salahi were aspiring cast members of the upcoming "The Real Housewives of D.C." show when they crashed a White House state dinner and were photographed with President Obama. The show's producers later released a statement saying the couple indicated that they had been invited, according to the Times.
In another – and far more gruesome – example, Ryan Jenkins was a contestant on two shows despite the fact that he pleaded guilty in 2006 to assaulting a former girlfriend in Canada, a fact missed on his pre-show background check supposedly due to an error by a Canadian court clerk, the Times reports. In August 2009, Jenkins allegedly killed his ex-wife, hid her grotesquely mutilated body in a suitcase, and later hanged himself.
The Times reports that requests for background checks by the television industry have gone up 25% since the Jenkins debacle, and that producers are no longer relying on cheap Internet specials or Google searches to perform background checks on contestants. The need for a comprehensive and professional background check process is not only important for Reality TV but also for other, far less glamorous, businesses.
Employers need to background check employees in order to maintain the safety and security of their workplaces. Pre-Employ.com – a nationally recognized background check and employment services provider – offers background check solutions for businesses in all types of industries and was recently ranked in HRO Today’s “Baker’s Dozen” of Top Employment Screening Services.
For more information, visit www.pre-employ.com, email info@pre-employ.com, or call 800-300-1821. Follow Pre-Employ.com on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PreEmploy.
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Tags: reality tv, pre-employ.com, background check, michaele and tareq salahi, ryan jenkins | Categories: Background Screening | Workplace Violence
Comments
1/2/2010 3:03:28 AM #
While this subject can be very touchy for most people, my opinion is that there has to be a middle or common ground that we all can find. I do appreciate that youve added relevant and intelligent commentary here though. Thank you!
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