What is it that makes 90 Day Fiancé such a binge-watch? The popular TLC show and its spin-offs have topped many no. 1 lists so far for a reason. Perhaps it’s the secretive lives that it’s problematic cast members live or their various scandals on social media. But there are a lot more surprises that 90 Day Fiancé itself keeps which makes it such a success! Here’s taking a look at some of the most bizarre behind-the-scenes secrets from 90 Day Fiancé.

While the Americans on 90 Day Fiancé go to great lengths to get their potential other halves to the country via a K-1 visa, the content they create in the process becomes truly popcorn-worthy. Over time there are plentiful couples who have walked down the aisle to stay together years later, while many have broken up even before getting a ring! And in spite of it being a reality show, not everything makes it to the TLC screens. Since the last seven years, many stars have turned rebel and spilled the tea about the skeletons in the 90 Day Fiancé closet. From the show being scripted, edited entirely to entertain, to the cast getting paid in peanuts, here’s what makes 90 Day Fiancé, the pop-culture phenomenon it is today.

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 How It All Began

David Murphey and Lana on 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days

The executive producer of Sharp Entertainment, Matt Sharp had seen a television news piece about Americans going abroad to find love. But while he pitched the show’s format to different networks, it didn’t get any takers till TLC walked in. The show’s original title was reportedly supposed to be the much less dramatic Bachelor Wars: Russia, with men going abroad to meet women, but was later reworked to use the K-1 visa and 90 -day time frame format, reports E!

The Peanuts For Paychecks

Danielle Mullins Jbali TLC: 90 Day Fiancé red top glasses

David Toborowsky’s friend Chris Thienerman’s wife Nikki Cooper, had infamously revealed that while the American cast members get $1000 per episode and $2500 for the Tell-All, their spouses and friends get nothing. Luis Mendez from 90 Day Fiancé season 5 had claimed, “They only use the immigrant people for make million dollar. They don’t pay to us in the first 90 days and they destroy our lives with bad fame.” Meanwhile, InTouch had quoted the iconic Danielle Jbali confessing to having earned about $10k for a season and saying that if stars break their NDA, “[they] don’t get the rest of [their] money.”

Fight Or Flight

Deavan and Jihoon In 90 Day Fiance

TLC apparently tries to keep things authentic by making the 90 Day Fiancé cast members pay out of their own pockets for the flights they take. Jihoon’s ex Deavan Clegg had confessed in her vlog that TLC only pays the stars for the flights to the Tell-All reunion specials at the end of each season. This too must have not been possible in 2020, given that the Tell-All for 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After? was conducted via video calls, and the same should follow for 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way too.

The Reality Tv Veterans

90 Day Fiance's Angela Deem on Maury

While many couples see 90 Day Fiancé as a stepping stone to reality TV success, there are a chosen few who seem to be naturals in front of the TLC cameras. For instance, Molly Hopkins has earlier appeared on Double Divas, along with Pillow Talk friend Cynthia Decker while they ran a successful lingerie shop in Atlanta for two seasons. The show’s controversial Angela Deem has also previously featured, feuding with her family on shows such as Maury and Trisha.

Frauding The Fans

Larissa Lima Eric Nichols: TLC: 90 Day Fiancé

Recently, Deavan Clegg again made headlines for saying that 90 Day Fiancé’s editing was putting her family’s life in danger. “I know that editing can make things look more dramatized and I know I signed up for this and I agreed to editing that may be a little more dramatized,” Deavan has revealed. While Larissa Lima too shared that ex-boyfriend Eric Nichols paying for her breast implants was completely scripted. Michael Jessen too had called out TLC for the misleading editing that portrayed both him and his wife Juliana Custodio, in a bad light, while Avery Warner had claimed only 5% of the real story is shown on 90 Day Fiancé. Regardless, it can be said that as long as the drama keeps on doubling, it’s unlikely that the show’s behind the scenes business has ever bothered any fan.

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Source: E! Online, InTouch, FamilyVanny