Buckwild: MTV Lied About Filming A Documentary; Admitted Cast Were Only Acting
There was a report earlier this month from a woman who lived across the street from one of the West Virginia locations used in Buckwild. The woman claimed scenes were shot out of sequence back in the spring (the “arrival scene” was filmed two weeks after the cast had already moved in and they all returned to do re-shoots months later), and she witnessed producers staging confrontations (like the fake fight with the red haired woman seen in the teaser trailer).
And today, there’s a similar report from a West Virginia restaurant owner who claims to have witnessed the cast “acting” out a fight. Moreover, this business owner says MTV lied about producing an educational documentary and then, allegedly, tried to bribe the owner after he rescinded permission to film in his building.
Bill Smeedy is the owner of local eatery The Cold Spot. Smeedy spoke to the West Virginia Gazette about the MTV producers who approached him back in April this year about filming inside his restaurant.
Smeedy, 61, explains: “They said they were doing a documentary for the university. It was about struggling college kids and the challenges that face them, an educational documentary to help, they said. It looked like a good cause to me.” He also recognised some of the kids as local, so he agreed that the crew could use the space to film the “documentary.” However, producers had lied to Smeedy. They weren’t shooting anything educational; instead, they were shooting their new reality show Buckwild.
Smeedy continued: “Right away, I started getting reports that what they were doing didn’t look like educational stuff.” For example, The Cold Spot’s long-time bartender Dawn Miller grew concerned about an apparent altercation between the cast and she intervened. A crew member told Miller not to worry about it though, because “They’re just acting.” Which makes that two accounts of the cast staging fights at the behest of producers.
Smeedy discussed his concerns with his girlfriend, Krista Given, who researched the production in hopes of getting some answers. “She’s much more educated than me. She knows things I don’t,” admitted Smeedy.
Given did some research based on what she already knew about MTV and the location. “Right away, it pulled up a story on Yahoo about Buckwild,” she explained. “I thought, ‘This is MTV. [Documentaries are] not what they do.’” She was right, MTV had deliberately misrepresented the shoot.
When told about the deceit, Smeedy was incredulous. “No,” he insisted, “They told me it was all going to be in a positive light.” Given countered: “Don’t let them come back, and you’ve got to tell them not to use the footage they already have.”
Days after their discussion, a much larger crew arrived. “Like four or five SUVs full of people,” recalls Smeedy who told them not to bother unpacking because they were no longer welcome. An indignant producer said it’s fine because the owner had agreed to which Smeedy responded: “I’m the owner, and you people lied to me.”
At which point, they allegedly tried to bribe and argue their way back in.
The producer said, “Let me call California.” After a phone call, the producer asked Smeedy: ”What if we made it worth your while? What if we paid you $2,000?” That was another no, Smeedy explained, because they ”Misrepresented the deal.” Smeedy told the producer: “I don’t know what you’re doing, but it’s not what you said. You all have to leave, and you can’t use the footage you already have.”
The producer wouldn’t leave, insisting that “they’d brought in people from California for the shoot. They’d spent money on airline tickets, hotel rooms and food.” But Smeedy suspected that the intention was to smear his home town of West Virginia, where he’s happily run a business for 40 years, and so he wanted no part of it. The producer tried flattery when bribery didn’t work: ”You know, we’ve been here every day. Our crew comes here and eats your delicious wings and drinks your cold beer. We love this place. We’re not going to make it look bad.” When that failed too, they offered Smeedy $5,000.
Then they offered even more money and asked permission to film in the parking lot instead. ”I said no,” recalled Smeedy, “and by then I got real firm with them. I used a little bit of foul language and told them to get the hell out now… From my understanding, this show doesn’t do our people or state justice. I don’t want them here.”
Given added, “We’re not trying to draw attention to the show. We just want local people to know that Bill [Smeedy] was deceived, and when it was found out, it was stopped immediately.”
For what it’s worth, an MTV representative denied all knowledge and said The Cold Spot will not be featured in the show.