Controversy about a Show on Discovery Being Fake

Moonshiners, specifically.... Fox News has coverage about the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control saying that there is not any illegal behavior going on with the show and that it is all fake:

"If illegal activity was actually taking place, the Virginia ABC Bureau of Law Enforcement would have taken action," Shaw wrote.

Earlier Thursday, the department issued a statement saying it would not have participated in the filming had they known how the show would've turned out.

"Virginia ABC agreed to participate in an informative piece that documents the history of moonshine and moonshine investigations in Virginia. Virginia ABC did not participate nor was aware of the false depiction of moonshine manufacturing, distribution and/or transportation in the filming, and would not have participated in the `documentary' had it known of this portrayal," the statement said.

Now the stars of the show and the producers are firing back saying that it is legit:

Not so fast, says “Moonshiners” star Tim Smith.

“With the laws in Virginia, and I’m pretty sure around anywhere else, you must be witnessed and physical samples of what you’re producing have to be taken and analyzed,” Smith told BourbonBlog.com in December. “All of this has to be produced in a court of law and then that arresting officer has to testify. How are you going to arrest me for moonshining I did five years ago? Moonshiners take a lot of precautions. Now, I’m jumping the fence. I’ve become retired. What I did yesterday, doesn’t mean I’m going to do it tomorrow.”

The show’s producers also say their documentary is the real deal.

This is not the first time that controversy has surrounded "reality" shows on Discovery/History. There are rumors that Top Shot is "rigged"... and then of course there is the whole Bear Grylls thing. As I have also noted in the past, I know of a few things around the far corners of the Internet that suggests that the show Sons of Guns is staged.... but come on people, ITS TELEVISION! Its entertainment, and its designed to be as entertaining as possible.