There are hundreds of reality television series on the air, both in syndication and currently in production. Some might even argue that game shows are reality TV since there are no actors, but instead real people doing real-life activities, which bumps the number of reality programs up even higher. These 12 reality show participants have all starred in very different shows, but they do have one thing in common: the name “Ken.”
- Kenny Wormald – A famous dancer, Kenny Wormald also appeared on MTV’s Jennifer Lopez-helmed reality showDancelife. Though the show itself was short-lived, Wormald was a highlight.
- Ken Todd – He and his wife, Lisa Vanderpump, starred in The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, but his claim to fame is not just that he appeared on television. Instead, he is known for being a restaurateur. Todd and his wife own a total of 26 restaurants in London and Los Angeles.
- Kenneth Barrington – Barrington participated in Love in the Wild, a reality dating show with an adventurous twist and one couple left standing in the end. Ken won along with Yanina Beccaria. They found each other through the show and are still together.
- Ken Coleman – Contestant on The Biggest Loser during its third season, Coleman now owns a fitness center he named after himself. Since being on the show, he admitted that he gained about 10 pounds or so back, but he continues to count his calories. He is also a motivational speaker and travels with a message promoting healthy habits.
- Kenny Mayne – A Dancing with the Stars contestant, Mayne participated in 2006. He was the first contestant to be eliminated because of his cha-cha dance. Before and after this show, he has been known for his work with ESPN as a sports anchor.
- Ken Jennings – Jennings is probably the best known Jeopardy contestant in the history of the game show. He won a total of 74 games over a six-month period, earning more than $2 million in the process. Since that stint, he has also appeared on other game shows such as Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? and 1 vs. 100.
- Ken Duphiney – Duphiney participated in The Amazing Race reality show, in which 12 teams, each made up of two people, race around the world while performing tasks they are given. Duphiney was on the show with his brother Gerard for its third season.
- Kenny Santucci –Santucci has been on a total of seven Real World, Road Rules: Challenge episodes. A spin-off amalgamation of two top MTV reality shows, Real World, Road Rules: Challenge has aired for 23 seasons.
- Kendall Beard – While Kendall is a woman, she is still a “Ken” in her own right. This American Idol contestant released an album in 2007, though she did not make it to semifinals of season eight as one of the final 12 contestants.
- Ken Hoang – Hoang is a professional gamer who participated in Survivor. Because he was not overly muscular and did not seem like a threat, the other contestants were shocked to learn that he had climbed Mt. Fuji at the young age of 20. He made it into the final days of the competition, but did not go home victorious.
- Kenley Collins – Another female Ken for the list, Collins was on the designer reality show Project Runway. She was part of the fifth season and has her own clothing line. After appearing on the show, she was invited back for the Project Runway: All Stars edition. She came back to the show claiming she had changed as a person and as a designer since her first appearance.
- Kenny Florian – The Ultimate Fighter is a cut-throat challenge for a spot with the mixed martial arts collective UFC, with the winner landing a valuable contract with the world-famous fighting organization. Florian participated in the lightweight class, lost to fellow competitor Jose Aldo in 2011 and has not fought since.
Whether it’s game shows, competitive sports, dancing or singing competitions, reality television shows in some form or another have been around since the dawn of the TV itself. As long as people are tuning in, reality television will continue to make major programming waves and, chances are, go on to feature more “Kens” in some role or another.