Paternity Court
Is Paternity Court a staged production? All televised ‘courts’ are pre-recorded. It’s not a court, and it’s a binding arbitration in which the arbitrator is paid from advertising sales rather than arbitration costs because the binding arbitration will be televised. The two people are real. They signed a contract with the station and production business, and they are entitled to no more than $5,000 in compensation, with the possibility of receiving nothing if the Judge determines they are simply trying to scam the system.
Auction Hunters
You read the following introduction at the start of each episode: “Each year Allen Haff and Ton Jones dig through hundreds of unclaimed storage units hunting for discarded treasures. These are the stories of their most rare and valued discoveries.” Each episode appears to be a replay of authentic true-life events, according to the program. No, it’s not real; Auction Hunters is a staged production. The show’s stars are Allen and Clinton Jones, both of whom are actors. All of the storage units are set up, with items that are miraculously priceless.