Reality TV is almost never the same off the camera, and Love is Blind season 2 alum Jeremy Hartwell proved that when the Netflix show took a toll on his mental health. Learn his story by reading all about it below.
Love is Blind Season 2 Alum Jeremy Hart Grieves Reality TV's Toll on His Mental Health
Love is Blind, a show where singles get to experiment and eventually get married to their pod match, is not as simple as it sounds.
According to Love is Blind season 2 alum Jeremy Hartwell, the Netflix show has 'inhumane working conditions.'
As Hartwell put it in the More Perfect Union podcast, once people join the Love is Blind set, "they are in control of every element of your life."
He highlighted that the cast "don't have access to water" unless they drink it "out of the faucet or shower."
Instead of being rehydrated, they are "definitely being fed a lot of alcohol" for the content.
Apart from the deprivation of food, water, and sleep, Hartwell detailed that "they intentionally underpaid the cast members" and "cut off their access to personal contacts and most of the outside world," which left them "hungry for social connections."
Not to mention, Love is Blind contracts involve being penalized with a whopping fee of $50,000 in 'liquidated damages' if any of the contestants leave the show before filming is done.
He filed a lawsuit against the production company, Netflix due to labor abuses, and settled an agreement of $1.4M with Netflix earlier this year.
Hart Transformed That Experience By Becoming UCAN's Founder
Through his horrific experience, his advocacy foundation bloomed to protect the people in the same industry: UCAN (Unscripted Cast Advocacy Network).
"As a cast member of [Love is Blind] season 2, I've experienced firsthand the abusive and exploitative environment perpetuated within unscripted production environments," Hartwell's UCAN bio reads.
He added the main goal that led him to push through the UCAN Foundation, was to "create a catalyst for change in an industry that historically has been immune to transparency and accountability in its practices."
Jeremy Hartwell's bravery and determination to step up for his fellow Love is Blind cast shows his grit in ensuring that justice is served.
Hopefully, it also meant reality TV shows would improve their working environment from that day forward.
READ NEXT: Are True Crime TV Shows Helping or Harming the Justice System? Exploring Its Impact on Society
Make sure to follow our official Facebook page for more news and explainer articles about your favorite films and TV shows!