What happens if a cast member has a breakdown during a reality show shoot?
In the instances of an emotional breakdown that is actually damaging to the person, some shows require a psychologist on set. For example, The Nanny shows certainly need a psychologist on set. And they need to be able to call a stop to things when they need to be stopped, and they need to go do counsellingwhere required. Not with just the kid of the year; they do it with the grown-ups, too. Again, you have to act responsibly. If somebody is displaying behaviour that reflects a drug or alcohol problem, or something like that, again, it is your obligation to sort of engage about the root-cause of what's going on, and a possible treatment of it. I've had people on my show go into rehab voluntarily, but they had to be talked into it. They had to be made aware of the problem. They had to see themselves acting the way they were acting. Beneath that, emotional breakdowns are really part of the most honest, raw, and captivating moments that you'll ever find in a movie or a reality TV show. You can be moved when you see them, but you're certainly interested in seeing them because, again, when somebody is crying, and they break down, they're not acting. They are working with some real emotions that really give you an insight to that person, and either make you more sympathetic, or more understanding, more connected to them, give you more of a rooting interest in that person, and that is going to bond you to the show.
