Whether you’re obsessed with the Real Housewives or can’t get enough of the Kardashians, reality television is a dependable place to escape the stress of the day to day — and, at the same time, help us feel gratitude for the comparative calm of our actual real lives. Times have changed significantly since The Real World first graced MTV in 1992 and Survivor debuted in May 2000 — both series made a splash before the age of social media — but what hasn’t changed is our unending fascination with watching other people live life.
The pervasiveness of reality TV over the years has led to many memorable quotes from unexpected sources. Whether it’s Tyra Banks’ outburst on Season 15 of America’s Next Top Model (“We were all rooting for you! How dare you!”) or Jessica Simpson’s head-scratching query on the first episode of Newlyweds (“Is this chicken, what I have, or fish?”), reality TV has gifted pop culture with a treasure trove of meme-able moments. And sometimes, the quotes reality stars offer up unknowingly shine a light on the very complexity of our human nature, in ways both humorous and otherwise. Here, we’ve rounded up 12 quotes that tug at the fibers of our very real, very strange reality.
It’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay to fall down. Get up, look sickening, and make them eat it.
Latrice Royale on “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
Having a reality TV show, everyone feels like they know you, but that’s only 10% of my life. There’s a whole other side of me that people don’t see.
Kylie Jenner, “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”
I want to forgive you, and I want to forget you.
Lauren Conrad, to Heidi Montag on “The Hills”
Kim, there’s people that are dying.
Kourtney Kardashian, when Kim breaks down after losing a $75,000 earring in the ocean, on “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”
When you’re older and you don’t want to do housework, just do everything wrong. Because then you won’t be asked to do it again.
Paris Hilton, on “The Simple Life”
Money doesn’t give you class; it just gives you money.
Brandi Glanville, on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills”
Tomorrow’s a brand new day to slay.
Chris Sapphire, on “The Circle” season 1
Michael Jordan took naps. Abe Lincoln took naps. Why am I getting in trouble for napping?
Corinne Olympios, on “The Bachelor” season 21
Even Louis Vuitton makes mistakes.
Luann de Lesseps, on “Real Housewives of New York City” season 4
There are people who know. But then it got to a point where I stopped telling people. [Being trans] sort of overwhelms everything they know about you… I didn’t want to be the trans Survivor player. I wanted to be Zeke, the Survivor player.
Zeke Smith, on “Survivor” season 34, after being outed as transgender by another player
I think love can work on television, in the laundromat — anywhere.
Tiffany Pollard, on “I Love New York”
I never start the drama, I just finish it.
Christine Quinn, on “Selling Sunset”
Featured Image Credit: Image Press Agency/ Alamy Stock Photo
Joyce Chen
Joyce Chen is a writer, editor, and community builder based in Seattle, Washington.
