Reality of Reality TV

A couple weeks ago, when we were discussing reality television, I think there was one type that we didn't really address very well: the celebrity reality television show. Other than Dancing with the Stars, I don't recall any others mentioned.

Specifically, I am curious about what a fellow student brought up in class, saying that ultimately, it doesn't matter what the voters say, but that rather the producer has the final say in who is voted out. I then come to think of how or what happens when the competitors are competing not for fortune, but instead for a charity that means something to them. For instance, I was thinking of the reality television show Battle of the Blades, which features ex-professional male ice hockey players skating with a professional female figure skater. The show follows their practices and training sessions and, of course, the performances, and like many other voting shows, there will be a pair voted off by the audience.

Now, these couples are not competing for the well-being of themselves, but for their respective charities. I wonder how much say the producer has in who is voted off in these types of shows. Do they really have any say? Is it in the form of votes, like the rest of the general public? Can they influence a certain win for a charity that hits close to home for them, or discourage a win for a charity which doesn't appeal to them?

Of course, this isn't the only celebrity style reality show, but it was just a thought that I had after our discussion in class about the idea of how much reality shows are reality.