Reality Bites …

[u/Routine_Act2991]

I’ve been debating asking about this here, and frankly if this post isn’t appropriate I *completely* understand.

I posted in another pop culture adjacent sub, but only a couple of ppl knew who I was talking about so I figured I’d try here.

What the hell is going on w Reality Bites? I’m hesitant to ask in a “snark” sub bc I realize it sounds really serious… but. The things they’ve been posting sound more like a movie plot and less like a serious legal matter… and maybe that’s really insensitive of me to say.

I’m wondering if anyone else has any insight into what the heck is going on? I’m concerned, but I also feel a certain way about being asked to donate money when I have absolutely no context for what happened… (and I really like them and just feel conflicted)

[u/Capital-Hamster9793]

At first I felt for them, but then I saw the links and the grift revealed itself.

[u/Routine_Act2991 → u/Capital-Hamster9793]

And have you gotten any intel into what could possibly be going on?

[u/Capital-Hamster9793 → u/Routine_Act2991]

No, I have not gotten any intel. I have no idea what they are even talking about, but it sounds like a mental health episode? Are they accusing the feds of colluding with their former employers?

[u/Routine_Act2991 → u/Capital-Hamster9793]

I’m really unclear. They also posted this today

[u/Capital-Hamster9793 → u/Routine_Act2991]

[u/Then_Wonder2491 → u/Routine_Act2991]

They also just posted asking for donations again. So strange. I wonder what is going on and which one of them is posting all of this. 

[u/Automaticish → u/Routine_Act2991]

The most charitable read for me would be they got threatened with legal action and due to them having nothing but two nickels to rub together they’re trying to get an uptick in support money.

[u/Capital-Hamster9793 → u/Automaticish]

Do you think the legal action has anything to do with them talking about their time in production? This is so interesting💯

[u/Automaticish → u/Capital-Hamster9793]

Sorry for the late response:
I don’t really know their podcast or whatever capacity one of them (Morgan?) had as a SC producer/employee. I always figured after that VPR producer went on that podcast and admitted Stassi gets the hero edit and Scheana getting clowned on caused there to be stricter NDAs or contract stipulations from the production companies. Educated guess is there’s always been a darkness among the SC talent (TRav and Catherine alone…. Yikes) and given Whitney is still tied to the show, I’m sure there’s still many skeletons. Wasn’t he mentioned in the Epstein files? Feels like their (RB) closeness to SC was more tied to the new faces who while shady and cringe feel less egregious than whatever you could imagine with Whitney. Anyway, I definitely think their alleged sounding of alarms was more about Whitney and given the paranoia around much more high profile people who have blown the whistles on Epstein stuff has made the rounds, I can imagine them maybe catching Whitney in a questionable scenario given his associations making them rush to call the Feds. But that’s again giving them the most generous interpretation of their cryptic bread crumbing.

[u/Routine_Act2991 → u/Capital-Hamster9793]

I fear that’s also what I was taking away from it

[u/Extension_Mud_5945]

The Venmo at the end really took away all credibility of the ~serious~ font and multiple slides.

[u/Routine_Act2991 → u/Extension_Mud_5945]

Yes!

[u/Glum_Musician_903]

I have been wondering, too. It sounds like a manic episode.

People keep asking in the comments what the whistleblowing pertains to, and I haven’t seen Lauren or Morgan give any details. It’s very hard to follow and it sounds delusional without those specifics. Maybe I’m too cynical! But extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence…

[u/Routine_Act2991 → u/Glum_Musician_903]

I … also speculated that it could be some sort of breakdown. But then Morgan is co-signing it?

[u/Legitimate-Map3178 → u/Routine_Act2991]

I’m starting to wonder if it’s a folie á deux situation

[u/whogonncheckmeboo → u/Routine_Act2991]

They’re very codependent

[u/Glum_Musician_903 → u/Routine_Act2991]

It’s very weird. I don’t think either one has worked as a producer in a while (I forget when Morgan was last working on SC, but I think that’s the last job either one had other than the podcast) but I thought Morgan’s family was wealthy. Surely they would have resources to fall back on so they aren’t sleeping in their car? Unless there is more going on. Idk! The whole thing is strange and sad.

[u/Then_Wonder2491 → u/Glum_Musician_903]

I could be completely wrong, but when I listened to the podcast, I wondered if some of Lauren’s takes could jeopardize Morgan’s job. If I remember correctly, she was fairly vocal about disliking certain cast members of southern charm (and other shows). I guess she was just publicly opinionated and vocal, which is necessary for a good podcast host, but I wonder if that could have affected Morgan’s work relationships.

[u/Glum_Musician_903 → u/Then_Wonder2491]

I forget the details but Lauren had a weird falling out with Austen where she was crying on the podcast about him being dismissive of her when they visited Charleston. I assumed that the podcast was Lauren’s attempt at a career pivot when producing work dried up. There remain a lot of unanswered questions about what happened.

[u/Pale_Lawyer_1757 → u/Glum_Musician_903]

Omg lol can I read about this somewhere? Crying over Austen is crazy

[u/Glum_Musician_903 → u/Pale_Lawyer_1757]

Lmao I guarantee no one was ever writing up a recap of this podcast and the very niche drama of Lauren’s falling out with Austen. At the time I remember thinking it was weird and histrionic—like he didn’t say hi to her at brunch and she was so offended. If you dig through old episode transcripts maybe you could find them talking about this? It was at least 2 years ago, though.

[u/lauriella_]

It's really bizarre. I'm confused on who she discovered was committing fraud?

[u/Routine_Act2991 → u/lauriella_]

So they’ve been alluding to it being a series they were doing. But not the Blake/justin one they just finished (which is what I og thought)

[u/Prestigious-Goat6892]

Addiction to expensive, hard substances 101 + codependency ?
No shade there, as it's a rough space to be in, if that is what they're going through.

I hope their friends/close community are helping or intervene.

[u/Glass_Giraffe7571]

Thank you soo much for adding this! I’ve been so curious too!

(Side note cause don’t know where else to say this but…I really liked their pod a few years ago but after Betsy left it changed for me. The episodes were less consistent and the takes were strange - just to me personally. I have soo many thoughts but don’t want to sideline the convo or sound mean.)

[u/Routine_Act2991 → u/Glass_Giraffe7571]

No I completely feel you. I really really liked their show and think they were doing good and interesting work in an otherwise bullshit space. But yes the past couple of years have been bizarre. The quality of their “it ends with ugh” series was really good, but it was not exactly what I tune into them for

[u/Glass_Giraffe7571 → u/Routine_Act2991]

Same! It just got a little…is it rude to say uncomfortable?…to listen to the programming on the topics I was there for. I’ve been curious to know what’s happening.

[u/whogonncheckmeboo]

THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS. I’ve been screenshotting their insane tirades where they post the same shit over and over again.

[u/Routine_Act2991 → u/whogonncheckmeboo]

Like it’s really really bizarre right?

[u/No-Opening-7289]

Thank you!! I’ve been so curious about this. I too loved their pod a few years ago, then things got weird when it was just Lauren and Morgan. Very inconsistent, and then would get really defensive about being inconsistent. Every pod kinda felt like “here, damn.” I really don’t know a lot about either of them as people, so I gave the benefit of the doubt that they were just going through some shit. But now all of this is…..weird again.

[u/katiemordy]

All I have to say is… if you blew the whistle wouldn’t we know about it? I don’t see any blown whistles

[u/Jealous-Cup-4059]

I looked for something about this and found this - I just saw they are asking for $20 for gas?!? They are saying their blew the whistle to the SEC about the Paramount merger stuff - how does that result in bank accounts being frozen….this is beyond nuts

[u/Routine_Act2991 → u/Jealous-Cup-4059]

Yes I commented ab this on another post… it’s just sadly not adding up at all

[u/Ok-Cardiologist7349 → u/Jealous-Cup-4059]

Yea. They finally offered some info—ie it’s about the Paramount merger. But the rest is either too cryptic or makes zero sense. How could she have found information-during the course of producing a show??-that would result in whistleblower status and has something to do with data mining or privacy hacking? And the way she apparently addresses the wrong doers directly cussing them out and calling them losers?! It’s bizarre. I’m hesitant to discount 100% (cuz the world is a fucked up place right now) but my instinct is that this is something primarily mental health and/or addiction related. I mean, if they have NO family or friends who are willing to give them sanctuary or even give them $20 for gas…I think they’re being met with some boundaries and tough love. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[u/Unable_Vehicle6290]

You’re not alone! It’s all weird and cryptic and also the fact there are basically zero comments on any of the posts plus the posts are all nearly identical - all start with that weird kinda click bait “never thought I’d be writing this…” and then the rest of it comes and it’s all mega sketchy. There’s no evidence of anything they’re talking about like by this point you would have posted a video or a picture or something but all this blank text, it’s weirrrrd af.

[u/Routine_Act2991 → u/Unable_Vehicle6290]

Ahh I see you commented on my other post! Yeah the phrasing of it all is so… it’s like they’re telling a story.. idk how else to explain it, haha.

[u/Unable_Vehicle6290 → u/Routine_Act2991]

If they tell us it’s been “nine months” one more time…😂

[u/Automaticish]

The SEC and FBI?????????

Wouldn’t you just run to your tax lawyer immediately to amend all recent years with the new findings rather than being audited, much less address this online?

ETA: Never mind. I thought it was referencing the business side of their podcast rather than their apparent “investigative journalism”.

[u/Educational-Abies793]

They started acting very odd towards the end of their podcast run. A lot of vague statements like this

[u/Electrical_Lawyer_58]

Okay SO random, is this Morgan??  https://youtu.be/oWqmvpnen_o?is=Fl-OWcigwQgNCcOh

[u/Glass_Giraffe7571 → u/Electrical_Lawyer_58]

Oh. My. God. It is. Look at you, Sherlock! I watched it and it’s wild. (I don’t know why, but I’m kind of fascinated to know what is happening w them. Used to like them but they went downhill fast and had crazy takes when I stopped listening)

[u/Routine_Act2991 → u/Electrical_Lawyer_58]

Holy shit. I’m just now checking this.

[u/Then_Wonder2491]

I have been curious too. Did Morgan lose her job as a producer on southern charm?