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Reality TV do's and don'ts

Caption DO: Keep 'em guessing

John Moore / Getty Images

No one likes to be bored. Similarly, no one likes a boring reality TV star. We all know it's staged, people, so now what do you have for us? Enter 6-year-old Falcon Henne, left, the kid who launched the family hot air balloon, then hid in his family's garage while the media went Baby...

No one likes to be bored. Similarly, no one likes a boring reality TV star. We all know it's staged, people, so now what do you have for us? Enter 6-year-old Falcon Henne, left, the kid who launched the family hot air balloon, then hid in his family's garage while the media went Baby... (John Moore / Getty Images)

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Caption DON'T: Mess with the money train

Angela Weiss / Getty Images

A successful reality show will open many opportunities for its stars to speak their mind outside the safe and heavily edited confines of the reality show world. But as Jon Gosselin, the resident malcontent of TLC's "Jon and Kate Plus 8," is learning, you can't talk smack about the show withou

A successful reality show will open many opportunities for its stars to speak their mind outside the safe and heavily edited confines of the reality show world. But as Jon Gosselin, the resident malcontent of TLC's "Jon and Kate Plus 8," is learning, you can't talk smack about the show withou (Angela Weiss / Getty Images)

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Caption DO: Learn the basic skills to keep you in competition

CBS, The CW

If a show's been on for double-digit seasons, don't pretend you don't know you'll be tested on fire-making on "Survivor" or driving a stick shift on "The Amazing Race." And for the love of Tyra, "America's Next Top Model" wannabes, learn the names of some top designers and working models an

If a show's been on for double-digit seasons, don't pretend you don't know you'll be tested on fire-making on "Survivor" or driving a stick shift on "The Amazing Race." And for the love of Tyra, "America's Next Top Model" wannabes, learn the names of some top designers and working models an (CBS, The CW)

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Caption DON'T: Book the florist too soon ... or ever.

MCT

We believe in love and marriage, truly. We're just not going to seek it out on national TV or start a website about our love before we say "I do." Yeah, we're looking at you, DeAnna and Jesse. Haven't all you lovestruck fools on "The Bachelor/ette" learned yet? Trista Rehn was a fluke!! -- Hanh...

We believe in love and marriage, truly. We're just not going to seek it out on national TV or start a website about our love before we say "I do." Yeah, we're looking at you, DeAnna and Jesse. Haven't all you lovestruck fools on "The Bachelor/ette" learned yet? Trista Rehn was a fluke!! -- Hanh... (MCT)

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Caption DO: Be a charismatic, slick-talking, lying bad boy

The reality TV world didn't know what hit it when Dr. Will Kirby stepped on the scene in the second season of "Big Brother." His funny and charming personality let him lie, manipulate and scheme his way to half a million dollars. Many have imitated, none have matched. --Andrea Reiher,...

The reality TV world didn't know what hit it when Dr. Will Kirby stepped on the scene in the second season of "Big Brother." His funny and charming personality let him lie, manipulate and scheme his way to half a million dollars. Many have imitated, none have matched. --Andrea Reiher,...

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