Even by the superficial standards of Nairobi’s social scene, the celebrity undercurrent coursing through the Nakumatt Prestige Mall is kinetic. People stare when the Former Tusker Project Fame contestant, Bernard Maranda - or Ngangalito sits down before me for this interview. Ngangalito, who only three years ago worked as a brick layer in Nakuru, is one of a handful of instant celebrities created by the power and influence of local reality TV.

Quick to dispel false impressions about his new found affluence, Ngangalito, who now works as a recording artist and Assistant Producer on Citizen TV’s Power Breakfast Show, declares that he did not win any money on Tusker Project Fame. “A lot of people think I’m doing well because I won a chunk of money, as 2nd runner up on TPF III. The truth is, only the winner got Ksh 5M. I left the show with a Ksh 100 in my pocket and went home to find droves of relatives waiting to share the money I supposedly won on the show. I had to hide out at a cousin’s home in Eldoret for quite some time, in order to escape from the madness. ”

The great expectations Ngangalito is speaking about are echoed by many a former Reality TV show contestant. Patricia Kihoro a news anchor at One FM, and former Tusker Project Fame contestant, for instance, has also had her fair share of demands. Most recently, she was pulled aside at a Nairobi restaurant by a young woman who demanded for a drink from her. “In Kenya, most people think appearing on TV means you’re rolling in money, which is not the case.”

Other strains that contenders say come along with Reality TV’s 15 minutes of fame invariably include the impressions created on the shows. Patricia says, “On most Reality TV shows, the cameras roll 24 hours a day and these 24 hours are edited and condensed into 30 – 60 minute daily shows. So people watch these and they think they know you. In reality, Reality TV doesn’t always give the full picture of a person.” Ngangalito also laments that as a result of his portrayal on TPF 3, people think that he is not a serious person.

Churchill Live Producer, Bob Nyanja, ascribes some of the misconceptions the public has about Reality TV contestants to the modus operandi of the Television Industry, “On any television show, the contestants are dressed up and made to look glamorous. You can’t put Reality TV show contestants in rags and place them on TV, because then that won’t be appealing for the viewers.

However, this now confuses the public and they think that, because they’ve seen these people looking glamorous on TV, It must mean that they’re rich.” Farah Chaudhry, a producer and Business Development Manager at Nairobi’s Camerapix production house, is quick to jump in the defense of reality television. He says that some of the misconceptions the public has about Reality TV stars can be partly attributed to editing. “Reality TV is a highly manipulated format. Real people are placed in an unrealistic situation in order to create a story. So, I think it’s safe to say that Reality TV is only 90 percent reality, a lot of editing is also applied to add spice. The editing doesn’t create a new reality; rather it enhances the existing reality, to make it more interesting for the viewers.”

Despite the pressures that come with being famous, former Reality TV contestants confess that participating on their respective shows did open up quite a number of opportunities. For Linda Nyangweso, a presenter on Kiss FM’s night show, appearing on

KTN’s Reality TV show, The Presenter allowed her to return to University, where she is pursuing a degree in International Relations. “Before I went for The Presenter, I had a lot of financial issues leading me to drop out from campus. Shortly after that, I auditioned for The Presenter and got picked to be on the show. After The Presenter, I was asked by the Radio Africa Group to audition for a show on Kiss TV and three months later, I got a phone call from Caroline Mutoko, asking me to come in and sign a contract. ”

For Nderaisho Mshila, a Kiss TV Presenter, who appeared on Citizen TV’s Miss Kenya Reality TV Show, the experience gave her a new lease on life, “Participating in Miss Kenya, gave me a lot of confidence. The sessions also really helped me get a clear picture of myself and appreciate myself more.”

Patricia Kihoro, however, cautions that, nothing is handed to you just because you’ve been on TV. “You still have to hustle, you have to go on auditions and apply for jobs just like everyone else; once you get the job, you also have to work just as hard as everyone else.” Nderaisho Mshila adds that former Reality TV show contestants may even have to work twice as hard because of high expectations people have of them.”

Faith Koli, a producer at Al Is On Productions agrees with Patricia and adds that Reality TV is simply a platform, upon which Reality TV contestants can build careers. “Being on a Reality TV Show is just an opportunity, it’s for the exposure, after that you have to go out and prove yourself,” says Koli.

So what is the difference between Reality TV show contestants who manage to extend their 15 minutes of fame into viable careers and those who disappear into oblivion? “Drive” is Edith Kimani’s firm answer. The KTN Reporter and News Anchor, who won KTN’s Reality TV Show, The Presenter, at just 19 yearsof- age says, “From what I’ve both experienced and seen, reality TV offers a sort of bubble where you are almost taught how to grow your talent. The reality outside is harsher.” Passion and consistency are the two things Patricia Kihoro, attributes to her continued success, “I don’t go out thinking, I have to be famous. I sing and act because those are things that I’m passionate about. Even with things like Karaoke, and Radio, I do them, because I enjoy them and because they help me pay my bills and live my life.”

On the other hand, Nderaisho Mshila swears by adaptability. “You have to be malleable and willing to take criticism constructively. Sometimes, it may sound mean but if you take it constructively, it only makes you better.” Ngangalito also advises, “Live within your means. There’s a lot of pressure on Reality TV stars and celebrities in general to live a certain lifestyle. I think I’ve managed to create a good life for myself, my mom, my wife and my daughter, because I don’t care what

people think.”

Producer, Bob Nyanja adds, “I think the reason why some contestants disappear is because they don’t realize that show business is hard work. On the other hand, it’s a fact that most people that audition for Reality TV Shows are young; as they transition and grow older, some of them acquire completely different mindsets and decide they want to be in different careers altogether.” Ultimately, in the end, you make your own reality.