comment: >
  
  American Idol and So You Think You can Dance were the worst.
context: "I was born at a very young age"
  *Golden buzzer* >
  
  "It was so traumatizing, that I couldn't speak or walk for two years" >
  
  I was born in a coffee can under a bridge...? >
  
  Yes this exactly >
  
  The show picks them because of these stories. They are being exploited for the emotional sob stories. That’s what keeps the plebs coming back to watch. It’s not to see the billionth talented singer. >
  
  OP definitely watches WWE and thinks it isn't scripted. >
  
  WWE wrestlers are my favourite natural athletes >
  
  There's so many of them now that it's practically a competition in itself to see who has the saddest sob story >
  
  Wait you actually think it's real?
  The producers of the show get them to say that stuff, it's not for the judges, it's for you to find the show more entertaining. It's all fake, they basically get told what to do and what to say.
  If you're in the US it's ever worse, it can all be fake and make believe. >
  
  They are told what to sing as well. Even if they tell the audience otherwise. >
  
  The whole thing is a waste of time anyway, it's for entertainment purposes only. Audiences would rather have an amazing sob story and medoirce talent than normalish people with amazing talent. Its the perfect venue to root for the underdog, hence why it's so prevalent >
  
  It's actually the producers that look for the sad stories as they feel it makes better television. If the contestant is not talented then no amount of sad story is gonna win them a place in the next round. >
  
  They were picked specifically for those sob stories. >
  
  My friend was a finalist on the Voice a couple years ago and they totally milked the crap outta their mom’s death in their application >
  
  I’ve seen a guy talk about how hard the year has been and his stacking bills he has on the cooking competition show “Chopped” only to lose to the guy who wants to use the money for a vacation, so I dont think it sways judges too heavily >
  
  The producers seek them out and encourage them to tell those stories.  It's part of the show. >
  
  The contestants aren't doing this independently in order to sway judges. These are TV shows, that stuff is encouraged by producers in order to add drama for the audience. It's contrived and intentional by those running the show. >
  
  Exactly >
  
  I agree.  I'm sick of hearing the "my (insert loved one) died and I'm doing this to honor their memory" stories. >
  
  Hell yes to this. I hate hearing the sob story on American Idol or The Voice every season. Emotional manipulation shouldn't be allowed. >
  
  Also can they cut it with the dramatic music in reality shows like Hell's kitchen? >
  
  The emotional drama unfortunately drives views. There are definitely people who watch to see what the performers can do, but all of those shows inject drama because it keeps everyone else engaged. That’s also why you have the same tropes of terrible performances for the sake of comedy across all of these shows. They know who makes up the core of their audience, and they know how to keep them engaged.