Top Shot insider Trent wasn’t happy with some of the accusations made against the show by competitor Ashley Spurlin. Here’s his rebuttal:
“Spurlin alleges that the Season Two drama regarding himself and Jamie Franks was created in the editing room. This is not the case. Their relationship decayed just as it appeared on the show. Jamie found a way to make smartass comments while he knew the cameras were not on him and Ashley, for some dumb reason, would respond only when cameras WERE rolling, thus making it look like he was picking on Jamie. Jamie was smart about it, Ashley was not. This was the same trap . . .
that George and Ashley frequently fell into and this made them look like the villains they were. And they did react this way to Jamie on and off camera. It was in no way fabricated by editors. Watch season two and you’ll see Ashley give Jamie crap about not being in the Navy. How is that created in the editing room?
A note on drama on Top Shot, period: The producers go to great lengths to find type A personalities, or else you’d have the most boring show ever. Producers want people who WANT to win, who are incredibly competitive and big personalities. It’s a TV show. Those personalities will always clash, it’s how it works. It’s a reality TV show and I think Spurlin forgot that.
On competitions being rigged/faked:
There are is a whole legal team on set every day to make sure that all competitions are fair. This is a part of standards and practices and are common on TV game shows wince the “21″ scandal happened (those of who have seen the show “Quiz Show” know what I’m talking about.) This legal team is independent of the network and production companies. They are there because there is a great amount of money at stake, so they legally are required to be there to double check the producers, challenges, guns, weapons, etc to ensure that the challenges are fair.
If something is deemed unfair, the compliance people will see it and the challenge will be redone. The cast members are made aware of this team from day one. It is explained to them very clearly and if they have any concerns, they can raise their hand and ask for the compliance team. And this does happen. Many challenges are re-built and re-shot because of gun errors, set errors, mechanical errors, etc…and accidents happen. And when they do, the compliance team ensures that the challenge is reset and shot again to make it fair.
Ashley never once spoke to the compliance people on set ever. He never once raised his hand or objected to the way a challenge was being made unfair.
In the case of the names being drawn out of the ammo box, the compliance team made sure that all cast member names were printed on them.
As for Maggie’s hair and the wind-blowing, I’m not sure to what he’s referring. Did he want to make your readers think it was shot on a sound stage?
All challenges are shot in order and in real time. However, things like the walk-ups to challenges and the walk-aways are shot with breaks. Breaks so that the compliance team is allowed to step in, explain the rules and answer any questions. That is probably what he’s referring to.
Spurlin also alleges that the producers change hands from season one to season two. Some staff came and went, but the producers are the same. He also alleges that it was different because “Survivor” producers came in. “Survivor” producers were hired ALL seasons of “Top Shot.” Season two wasn’t special.
Again, they do shoot the challenges in real time, except for stopping down for rules, resetting challenges, etc. All of this is done under the supervision of the compliance department.
Spurlin’s assessment of Top Shot, I believe, comes very much from a simple case of Sour Grapes. Ashley didn’t take to the conditions of the house too well and his performance on the show was sub-par for someone with his shooting background. Some people take better to the show than others. Ashley simply didn’t.”
Haven’t seen the show – maybe not likely to get shown here in France -so have no opinion. But I like the hat in the photograph! I have one just like it. My son-in-law bought it for me in Kandahar, while serving with Her Majesty’s armed forces.
The hat is called a pakol and it was made famous by Commandant Massoud, but I am not sure I would wear it boarding a flight to the United States. My wife hates it. Sorry if this is not quite on-topic but you did publish the picture and I was moved to comment. Apologies.
This is why I like The Ultimate Fighter. Sure, there’s a lot of drama that seems like make-believe — but then the two contestants get into the ring and beat the crap out of each other. For real.
+1
It’s “reality” TV, so of course it is contrived and predetermined.
I just enjoy the show for what I see on the surface. What??? You say there’s shenanigans below the surface?? No!!
Sorry…I didn’t even make it through season 1. Grown men acting like babies…or teenage girls…in the house? I can do without it. It ruined the show for me.
The vast majority of contestants are shown as honorable and mature adults. Top Shot still beats the crap out of 99% of the drivel on TV.
No, it doesn’t…
this response is somewhat telling as the cast from TS 3 had no specop people just p****es like littlepecker..uh….john.. maybe they were too much to handle for the TS handlers, or maybe they were just butt hurt by Ashely .
Just say no to drugs. TS3 did have a former Specop, Jake the SEAL who quit.
i meant TS4 and yes jake is awesome.
Yea Jake is awesome: “I’m not a gun guy & I never will be”…Yes, that’s a quote from Mr. awesome himself.
Diggin the custom AK his got there.
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Trent, I just now have found this, it is September of 2012 and as usual, I am still in Afghanistan, embassies are burning, and cartoons are creating death, it is awesome. Trent who? First, identify yourself. Everyone knows who I am. Now after you do that, so I know who you are, let’s continue….
Maggies hair in the hill climb episode from frame to frame is in a bun, then all of a sudden is long, also, the flags are 180 degrees out from one shot to the next. This is due to the fact that we refilmed and reshoot that enitre episode. All the contestants on your show know the deal. COmpound bows are not sighted in properly, ammo is changed out, weapons are cnaged out, etc, the gig is up. People on your side of the fence, meaning pussy ass liberal fucks are not used to dealing with people on my side of the fence and will say what you have to when called out in public. I do not care if it is just you and I in a room, or in front of a camera with millions of people watching, but just the fact you will not identify yourself lets me know what kind of person you are.
I do not have time to have, nor ever had a case of sour grapes. I just refuse to conform to your little world in Hollywood. Let’s see, how is your next season of all star’s going? Why are certain people not showing up on your show again? Because the show, like yourself and your idiot producer friends are all fake. Never deal with people in my business, I guarantee we are not fake. Deep down inside you know that too, and you know people like me will gladly come meet you face to face anywhere, anytime. So if you want to call me out right here, then I will call you out as well.
Additionally, if Top Shot is not a set up, then why is it, that for your “All Star” season you have in filming right now, JJ, nor Iain, nor Chris Reed, or George or Dustin or any of the other professional shooters are there to defend their titles or get back on television? Probably because they all know what Ashley has been saying for a long time, but do it in silent protest. The only people you could get for your so called survivor like “All Star” season were not any of the people that really were all stars to the viewers. Top Shot could not get any of the defending champions to go back on the show because each and every one of them knows what a crock it is and that it is not worth the little bit of extra publicity or face time to further promote thier image. But again, as Trent says in his statments to Ashley, and as everyone else knows, what else does Hollywood care about but image?