You would think that most actors, singers, and other performers would want to stay far away from reality television. After all, actors and singers have things like talent. Whereas reality TV performers, well, we don’t want to be cruel, but…

Surprisingly, though, Hollywood stars are just as enamored with reality TV as the rest of us are. And many of those talented A-listers actually want to be on various reality shows! That’s right—the biggest stars on the planet binge-watch reality programs just like us. And then they fantasize about what it might be like to pop up on those shows themselves. Shocking, right?

In this list, we’ll tell the interesting and unexpected tales of ten incredibly famous people who have otherworldly talents that have rocketed them to fame and fortune but who nevertheless dream of the day they’ll get to appear on reality TV. These ten superstars would let it all out in front of the camera if the opportunity arose. Just imagine what it’d be like to see them being so “real” on television for a change!

Related: Top 10 Celebrities with Doppelgangers from the Past

10 Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer really, really loves The Bachelor. In fact, before she ended up getting married to her current husband, the stand-up comedian fell in love with the show so intensely that she was ready to star on it. To be fair, she had a few conditions when it came to taking up the reins on the reality TV juggernaut. But she desperately wanted to show up on one of the seasons and compete for the hearts and adoration of a hunky leading man. Still, though she begged to be on the show and pleaded to join the cast in one season, she did have one major ask: that the show allow her to be unapologetically herself.

“They would have to say, ‘We will let you be yourself,’” Amy explained to E! News upon admitting her dream to star in the series. “I would be very honest. The casting process would have to be different. First of all, their job descriptions are so weird. It’s like, ‘former investment banker.’ They’re like, ‘flower enthusiast.’ You’re like, ‘But what do you do? How come you could leave your life?’ I love when it’s like, ‘I have five kids at home, but I just came here to follow my heart.’ It’s like, ‘Maybe go take care of your kids?’ I would keep it very real.” That would be very funny, indeed. And that’s why we love her!^[1]

9 Kylie Minogue

The Australian pop star has one very simple dream when it comes to her life: to appear on RuPaul’s iconic reality television series Drag Race. Sure, Kylie may have done absolutely everything a pop princess could possibly do in the world. And sure, she may have throngs of adoring fans and decades of massive successes to boast about and tout as a living legend. But for her, life won’t be complete without an appearance on Drag Race.

But it’s not that she hasn’t tried! She has asked to pop up as a guest judge multiple times in the past. Unfortunately, though, her schedule has never worked out with the show’s filming plans. “Hell yeah,” Minogue bluntly told EW when they asked if she’d ever really do Drag Race in the future. “I mean, I have to, right? It’s well overdue, and I can totally see myself doing that, and I would love to. I think we’ve tried to do it before, but it’s just [conflicting] schedules.” Ah, well. Maybe one day, we hope!^[2]

8 Keke Palmer

Actress Keke Palmer became a fan of the reality TV show Survivor during the COVID-19 lockdown early in 2020. She had nothing else to do and was stuck at home all day (pretty much like all of us), so she decided to start watching the old seasons of the show. Naturally and quickly, she got hooked. So hooked, in fact, that she even tweeted CBS and asked when they were planning on doing a celebrity season of the show and if she could take part in it. That’s how you know you’re in deep, right?

A few years after that, Palmer went on the “Hot Ones” interview show. During her time eating hot wings and answering tough questions, she was asked about what her strategy would be should she ever actually go on Survivor. She explained: “I’m playing a social game, all the way. ‘Hey, what’s up, what’s up, what’s up? How y’all doing? Look, I’m gonna tell y’all right now, I really don’t know everything with this stuff, but I got y’all back with it.’ Then, when it gets toward them last things, I’m showing them how I know how to really hone it in. I’m pulling from the inside out. I’m going to the back of my mind with that meditation level of concentration. It’s going to come out of nowhere. I’m going to win every single one of those ones leading up to the final countdown, and I’m going to take it all home.” How cunning!^[3]

7 Neil Patrick Harris

Just like Keke Palmer, Neil Patrick Harris is a huge fan of Survivor. And he has been for a very long time, too—even long before the pandemic swept across the globe and locked us all down to watch marathons of the reality series inside our homes. No, Harris has been a fan of the show pretty much since its inception. He once even met up with the show’s host, Jeff Probst, at a Grammy party and begged for a shot at the series. In that meeting, Neil propositioned Jeff about hosting a celebrity version of the show. Just like Palmer, he wanted to see how celebs might fare stranded on a deserted island!

Probst revealed that conversation later on when People Magazine asked him about it. “Mark Burnett and I really want to do a celebrity version,” Jeff told the outlet. “We were just talking about this at a Grammy party last week. Neil Patrick Harris was there, and he told me flat out he wants to play. I challenged him and said, ‘Do you really want to do it, or is this just a fun fantasy that will never happen?’ He said, ‘I want to do it.’” Now, we’ll just have to see if it’ll ever actually happen! Sure would be fun to watch…^[4]

6 Billie Eilish

Three list items, three celebrities, and THREE Survivor fans! Let’s complete the trifecta with a look at Billie Eilish’s reality TV obsession, shall we? The pop superstar is also obsessed with Survivor, just like Keke Palmer and Neil Patrick Harris. And just like Palmer, Eilish got into it relatively late—years after the show first came on air. Billie actually watched the show for the very first time in 2022. It wasn’t quite what she expected at first. But she quickly fell in love with the strategy of the game and began to think about how she might play it were she ever on the show.

Speaking to Variety about her reality TV obsession, Billie said this about the show’s fascinating interplay between cast members; “I kind of had this idea that it was this, like, oh, you jump through a hoop and you, like, run through a thing. And it’s not. It is like people almost dying and s**t. I don’t know. I kind of wanna go on it.”

She continued, too, by referencing one celebrity who has already been on the show—television writer and producer Mike White. She reasoned: “What’s his name? Mike White, who went on? Amazing. That was actually the season I was watching when I wrote that line. I think that the physical stuff I’d be great at, but you have to do, like, math and s**t, and I would not be good at that.” Hey, we’ve all gotta know our strengths and weaknesses, right?^[5]

5 Katy Perry

Katy Perry already had a turn on a reality TV show: American Idol. Okay, so, to be technical, it was as a host—and not as a contestant. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t thinking about future reality TV appearances! The pop star can’t get enough of the genre, and she wants more. Specifically, just like Kylie Minogue before her, Katy has been begging to get on RuPaul’s iconic Drag Race so she can judge the fiery and fierce competition there.

“Oh, I want to,” she told Rolling Stone when the mag asked whether she’d ever go on RuPaul’s reality TV empire as a judge. “I think it’s just been timing, and it’s been one of those things where we tried to do it a couple of times, but the timing hasn’t worked out. I’m definitely going to do it in the future, I hope. Quite honestly, if it weren’t for drag queens, I probably wouldn’t have a career because I probably learned everything from them.” Well… at least she’s honest.^[6]

4 Jennifer Aniston

Even though Jennifer Aniston rose to fame on the sitcom Friends and then did a whole host of movies to follow, she has her eyes on something else entirely for the future: The Bachelor. Yes, really. How’s that for an unexpected left turn from one of the most famous women on the planet?

It’s not quite what you think, though. See, Jennifer doesn’t want to go on the show to find love for herself. Instead, she wants to pop up on The Bachelor to help the contestants through their problems and give them a shoulder to cry on. Think of her as the show’s prospective therapist… or something.

The sitcom alum explained her theory to InStyle Magazine once: “I think they need a psychologist or psychiatrist… There should be someone they can go and talk to. Okay, well, I’ll do that. Gladly. I’ll be the one picking roses in the rose garden.” We can’t imagine that role would really come up on the show in the future, but hey, you never know! Especially for somebody as famous as Jen!^[7]

3 John Mayer

Jennifer Aniston isn’t the only person who is a fan of The Bachelor. Ironically, her ex-boyfriend John Mayer is also a major supporter of the romantic reality TV series! And since Jennifer and John dated for a bit before splitting up in 2009, we can’t help but wonder whether they watched it together back in the day. Little do we know, but maybe celebrities really *are* like the rest of us, busy binging trashy reality TV offerings in their free time. Huh!

Anyways, John went on Ellen DeGeneres’s talk show back in 2017 and admitted to absolutely loving The Bachelor. It’s more than love, too—he wants to go on the show! But unlike Aniston, who wants to play the therapist for the romantic hopefuls and ill-fated contestants, John actually wants to *be* the bachelor leading the series. He doesn’t think he’d actually find love doing it, but he at least wants to try.

“I think it would be really fun to be the bachelor,’ he told Ellen DeGeneres during that talk show appearance back in the day. “I don’t think that I would find love there unless they would change the vetting process for who would be the contestants.” Jokingly, he then added: “Yeah, I think it would be one of the lowest-rated shows.” Not sure about that. Something tells us that a lot of people would tune in to see someone as famous as John try his hand at it!^[8]

2 KJ Apa

Model-turned-actor KJ Apa may be a beautiful and talented person in a lot of ways. But deep down underneath what we see on screen, he’s got an alter ego. And her name is Fifi! No, we’re actually not kidding about this. He has been developing the character since he was a child, with the purpose of using it to “express the feminine side” of his life, as he has explained to media outlets in the past. Accordingly, Fifi has a very keen interest in RuPaul’s Drag Race” reality TV show.

And even though KJ hasn’t done Fifi up in hair and makeup yet, the interest in drag makes that reality series a natural point of focus for the actor and his, um, alter ego. It is so much of an interest, in fact, that KJ has been lobbying his agents and management team for a chance to get on the show one day. But unlike a few of the celebs already listed here (Kylie Minogue, Katy Perry), he wants to be on it as a contestant and not a judge!

“I love watching RuPaul’s Drag Race and I’ve told my agents I want to be on that show,” the actor once told NME. “But at the same time, RuPaul’s Drag Race and the characters on that show, they’re the real deal; they’re the most authentic. I don’t think I’d be allowed on that show because I’m not the real deal. But why did I share Fifi with the world? Because it’s not something that I feel like I need to hide. I am proud of Fifi. I really enjoy that [side of myself].” Hey, whatever floats your boat, right?^[9]

1 Khloé Kardashian

Yeah, yeah, we already know what you are thinking: Khloé Kardashian is already on reality TV. So how could she be begging to be on it some more? That’s not a bad point. But here’s the thing: Khloé doesn’t want to do more reality TV within the KarJenner family broadcasting-slash-influencing empire. She wants to take part in the reality world of… drumroll please… Love Is Blind. That’s right! The uber-hit Netflix show has taken the streaming world by storm over the last few seasons. And just like the rest of us, Khloé got caught up in the excitement.

After meeting one of the show’s former (and most popular) contestants, Alexa Lemieux, Khloé took to Instagram to explain her theory that some of the single Kardashian sisters ought to maybe sign up for LIB themselves. After all, both Khloé and Kim Kardashian are currently single. And little half-sis Kendall Jenner is, too! So it was surprising but also not surprising when the KarJenner mogul wrote this on Instagram: “When Hulu and Netflix collide @mrsalexalemieux you beautiful girl you! Twins! I think some of us single K sisters should go on LIB. What do you think?” Sounds like a fun time to us!^[10]

Celebrities are often pretty eccentric. It makes sense. You don’t seek out fame because you want to blend in with the crowd and go unnoticed. If that were the case, they’d manage a Chili’s in Akron, not play dress-up pretend for a living or dedicate their lives to getting sports balls to go in stick-mounted baskets. So it’s no surprise, then, that celebrities tend to reflect their peculiarities onto their homes. 

With the mishmash of messianic and conspiratorial nonsense that Kanye spews, you just know he doesn’t go to bed in a practical 2-bedroom in a quiet, suburban cul-de-sac. No, he would absolutely have to have a home that makes as much of a statement as he does. And even for the celebs not quite at Kanye’s level of oddness, their unique lives of wealth and constant public scrutiny are practically guaranteed to rub off on their home life. 

This had led to some truly baffling decisions in design, which force reactions from laughter to gagging. Here are ten of those celebrity homes, homes whose interiors make you question if money truly does buy happiness… or just madness.

10 Dick Clark

The late, great Dick Clark was known to and loved by millions for his time hosting American Bandstand and the decades spent as America’s most popular New Year’s host. But beneath all the charm, the beloved TV personality had a dark side. I refer to, of course, his unbridled love of classic 60s cartoons.

Specifically, “The Flintstones.” Clark had his multimillion-dollar home in Malibu, California designed to be an almost perfect replica of Fred and Wilma’s granite cave-home. For what’s it worth, the designers nailed it. Both the inside and out look like they truly were made for a (cue music) modern stone-age family. 

The uneven, wavy furniture, windows, and walls look like they were slowly formed by geologic processes. Though the place would make definitely a fun-themed hotel room for a night or two, the idea of spending decades of your life there does not sound dino-mite. In fact, it sounds ptero-ble.

9 Penn Jillette

Penn Jillette is a brilliant magician, and his numerous other appearances in film and TV demonstrate his intelligence, enthusiasm, and eloquence. He’s also kinda crazy. Outspoken on his political and religious views, Jillette has at times forced audiences to ask the question: is he good crazy or bad crazy? Luckily, his home—nicknamed “The Slammer”—answers the question. He’s just plain, all-around crazy (and it’s good).

The outside looks like an oversized McDonald’s play pit, and the inside, even weirder. Entrance and exit are accomplished by fire-pole. Moving through the house, you’ll encounter fake crime scenes, sex dungeons, and a huge array of odd curios. These range from a mural that reads, “One day, you will die. Get moving!” to actual human skeletons. 

Most prominent is the statue in his center room, a giant, pink, four-armed praying mantis in a leather collar, appropriately named “The Atheistic Buddha of Vegas.”

8 Christie Brinkley

I think I can explain this one. At some point, an advanced alien race contacted former supermodel Christie Brinkley and tasked her with cataloging the entirety of human culture for them in one place. She chose her living room.

This house isn’t particularly kooky and doesn’t have some unifying concept like others on this list. It’s just a lot. Brinkley is to wall accents what hoarders are to old stacks of Time magazine. Many rooms of her home are absolutely covered with decoration and furniture. In some places, decorations are stacked atop one another just to fit them all in. And none of them work together. She has guitars next to seashells next to white columns next to cheetah print next to Victorian tintypes next to natural stone next to Chinese lanterns. 

The aliens will be pleased.

7 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. commissioned a custom 1800s Wild West town as an extension of his home. A whole town, which he named “Whiskey River.” There’s a chapel, a saloon, an outhouse, a mercantile, a sheriff’s office, and more. That’s definitely unusual, but still—it’s easy to get behind someone realizing an innocent childhood dream. It’s the interiors that lose you. 

Some buildings feature authentic, Ol’ Western interiors. Some, like the saloon, use their vintage exteriors to hide modern, functioning recreation spaces. Kinda kills the illusion, but okay. Still some, like the outhouse, are just empty shells, meant (I guess) as a joke. That’s the rub—that someone went to all that trouble and spent all that money to make their fantasy a reality, and then stopped halfway through. At some point, DEJ looked at it and thought, “Nah, half a dream is good enough.” Say what you want about Michael Jackson. At least when he builds a fantasy town on his property, everything actually works.

6 Bella Thorne

Actress, musician, and adult-entertainer(ish) Bella Thorne has a reputation for being a little out there, both professionally and her personal life. Her home does not do anything to refute this. Watch the video, and any other, and you’ll understand. The whole place is bright, loud, and chaotic. I’ve decided to truly capture its essence with a roast. Here goes.

The place looks like Ke$ha ate a whole box of Fruit Roll-ups and puked out an apartment. It looks like the Red Light District in there, if every escort was possessed by Basquiat’s ghost. The place looks like Andy Warhol was forced at gunpoint to design a house, but the gun only shot vape smoke. It looks like the trial run for Sherwin-Williams’s new paint line “MC Hammer Surprise.” You get the idea.

5 Robert Downey Jr.

One of Robert and Susan Downey’s several houses is known as the Windmill House. It does in fact have a built-in windmill, but the inside is what really captures attention. There’s an old proverb that a camel is a horse drawn by committee. Well, the Windmill House is a decent-looking home drawn by committee.

Every room is so close to being tasteful, and then gleefully rips that satisfaction away. It’s the living room that demonstrates this more than any other. The drab, olive-green fireplace lies below a lilac and gold clay mural of fish. To the immediate right of the mural is a clashing yellow Shel Silverstein-esque painting of a child that seemingly collects severed heads; and to the immediate left an equally clashing 70s-comic-book-style painting of a gun-toting soldier relaxing atop a theoretically symbolic wall. 

Apparently, Susan uses the room to meditate, and one can only assume the wall helps to clear her mind by being so loud it drowns out her thoughts.

4 Dr. Phil’s Son

Okay, I was too harsh on the Downeys. I’ll make up for it being even harsher on Dr. Phil’s wannabe-musician son Jordan McGraw. His former home greets you with a foyer whose railings are covered in sculptures of snaking tentacles that hang over a mini-bar whose design style can best be summarized as Santorini-meets-Satan. The rest of the house is really no better, with its glittering-gold wallpaper, suede everything, and wall-sized art piece of assorted melting guns. There’s an odd, bronze Mickey Mouse statue; somehow-intentional paint-splatter on the floors; and most creepily, a collection of cutesy bear figures throughout. It gives you the impression that the young man could use a psychiatrist. If only he knew a real one.

3 Jojo Siwa

If I had planned ahead for this one, I wouldn’t have blown all those sweet roasts on Bella Thorne. Teenage YouTuber, singer, and human Lite-Brite JoJo Siwa has her own home that I believe can be found between the Lollipop Woods and Licorice Lagoon. 

Inside, the neon and candy-printed walls enclose a treasure trove of childhood fantasy items. These include a life-size, rainbow-maned unicorn; a complete concession stand straight out of a 90s-era AMC; a working claw game; several candy buffets; and a series of glittering mannequins throughout that make it look as if Siwa had captured Jem and the Holograms in carbonite and displayed them as trophies.

2 Donald Trump

This isn’t political. Love him or hate him, the guy just has no idea what tasteful design means. Here are some other words missing from his vocabulary: “accent,” “nuance,” “minimal,” “complimentary,” “warm,” and “comfortable.” His residence in Trump Tower makes the point on its own. 

Where a normal human might add gold trim or a smattering of dark marble to select furniture to create an aura of luxury, former president Trump has chosen a different strategy. Several rooms are gold everything with gold accents, gold designs across them, and golden lighting (just in case another color snuck through somewhere). Apparently, Mr Trump modelled the rooms after the iconic Palace of Versailles. 

But if the Palace of Versailles is like a painting, Mr Trump’s home is like a canvas covered in a hardened mound of monochromatic paint.

1 Oprah

The one and only Oprah used to own a home in Telluride, Colorado. Looking at the beautiful stonework mansion with its stately open courtyard and treetop walkways, it would seem to not belong on this list. Even looking inside gives the same impression. Most of the home’s rooms are minimalist, coordinated, and show off a serious knack for grand-yet-homey design. Then there’s the Wine Mine.

I repeat: the Wine Mine. 

Oprah’s home has a wine cellar built to look like an authentic ore mine. The walls are natural stone and square timbers prop up the ceiling. The lights flicker to mimic old flame lanterns. A sound system plays mining ambiance, including the regular clanging of pickaxes. But one feature beats them all: the actual, working mining cart that Oprah can ride into and through the cellar. 

When you contrast the Wine Mine with the rest of the house, you’re forced to consider the possibility that, when going over the house’s plans with her contractors, Oprah may have actually been possessed for a minute there by the ghost of an old-timey prospector who died while lamenting his sobriety.