The 23 Absolute Craziest, Most Memorable Episodes Of MTV's True Life
- 1
I'm Supporting My Family
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- MTV
The highlight of the 2007 episode "I'm Supporting My Family" was meeting Unique, a 21-year-old stripper. Unique began working as a stripper to support her three younger sisters after their mother committed suicide. Unique was a mother herself, and one of her younger sisters was pregnant, too.
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- 2
I'm Deaf
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MTV managed to capture something incredibly special in the 2008 episode "I'm Deaf." Chris, a deaf high school student who loved to skate, got a cochlear implant and heard for the first time. Then, he learned how to hear, which meant discovering what different sounds meant, learning people's voices, and struggling not to get overwhelmed with the new world around him. This episode is as inspiring as it is thought-provoking.
Memorable episode? - 3
I'm Getting Married
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Getting married is a stressful occasion for anyone, but add film crews documenting you every step of the way and you are bound to get some extra crazy. That's exactly what happened to Charlie, the subject of the 2002 episode "I'm Getting Married." He flipped his lid at a limo drive who was an hour late to drive him to the church, and his expletive-filled speech is the stuff of MTV legend.
Memorable episode? - 4
I'm Addicted To Crystal Meth
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- MTV
The 2006 episode "I'm Addicted to Crystal Meth" is jam-packed with crazy. From shooting up to shaking from withdrawal, viewers experienced the full range of addiction through Bryan's story. Things got out of control when Bryan pulled out the loaded gun he kept in his closet and used the laser sight as a toy for his cat. True Life producers stopped filming and refused to continue until Bryan agreed to relinquish his weapon.
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- 5
I Have A Hot Mom
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- MTV
Although this 2011 episode included two storylines, Tori and her mom, Lacey Wildd, stole the show. Tori was a typical high school student who was embarrassed by her mom – except that her mom had had multiple plastic surgeries, including some that more than doubled the size of her breasts. As if that weren't bad enough, Lacey also perpetually dressed like a teenager and asked her kids to do things like film her on a mechanical bull in a revealing top so she could post it on YouTube.
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- 6
I Have A Summer Share
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You can thank "I Have a Summer Share" for Jersey Shore. This 2003 episode follows a group of young people who are sharing a summer home, and none are more memorable than Tommy "Cheeseballs" Perna. Tommy is loud, silly, and has massive biceps, but he's secretly a major softy. MTV viewers loved Tommy so much that the channel created a whole series dedicated to his Jersey brethren.
Memorable episode? - 7
I'm Addicted To Porn
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- MTV
This 2009 episode definitely stirred up conversation. For some, it was an eye-opening portrayal of a real, debilitating addiction that affects thousands of people in America. For others, it was fodder for Internet memes. Either way, this episode goes down in True Life history as a classic.
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- 8
I Have A Strange Habit
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Ever been so stressed you felt like you could pull your hair out? Welcome to Emily's daily reality. The teenager highlighted in the 2012 episode "I Have a Strange Habit" dealt with her stress and anxiety by pulling out her own hair. That resulted in bald patches that made her feel self-conscious.
This episode also included aspiring nail artist Kayliah, whose strange habit was eating emery boards.
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- 9
I Have Schizophrenia
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- MTV
The 2008 episode "I Have Schizophrenia" followed Josh, who worked part-time, lived with his mom, and talked to animals. Josh knew he had schizophrenia, but rather than try to control it with medication, he embraced it by chatting with critters (and smoking lots of weed).
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- 10
I'm A Sex Offender
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MTV tackled the controversial topic of registered sex offenders in this 2012 episode. It followed Terry, who was charged with having sexual relations with his underage girlfriend when he was 18. He had to register as a sex offender, and that meant moving out of his parents' house because it was too close to a school bus stop.
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- 11
I'm Getting Unusual Plastic Surgery
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You may also remember this 2013 episode as "The One Where Louie Realizes You Can't Get A Job With Silicon Horn Implants On Your Head." Yes, Louie had fake horns, but he regretted the decision to get them. He searched for a plastic surgeon who could successfully remove the horns without disfiguring his face or leaving him with weird skin pockets on his forehead. The doctor nearly lost an eye to a flying horn, but did a decent job nonetheless.
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- 12
I Live Another Life On The Web
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- MTV
The 2008 episode "I Live Another Life on the Web" followed three women suffering from debilitating anxiety disorders who created alternate online personas. Judy rarely left her home and had only one close friend, but on the web she was a sultry sex kitten who sold nude pics and web-cam time. Amy was an aspiring artist who created a Second Life she only dreamed of living in reality. Maleri was too shy to strike up a conversation with a guy in real life, but online she sent nudes and flirted up a storm with strangers in chat rooms.
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- 13
I Self-Injure
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The impulse to self harm can be a difficult one to understand. The 2007 episode "I Self-Injure" gave viewers some insight into the lives of three girls struggling with that impulse. One cut herself until she bled, another pulled out her hair until she had bald spots, and one girl wound up hospitalized after a night of intense drinking. It also highlighted some issues you might not have considered, like explaining your scars to people.
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- 14
My Parents Are In Porn
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Most kids don't think twice about what their parents do, but that's impossible if your mom is a porn star. The 2016 episode "My Parents Are In Porn" is an eye-opening look at how families function within the adult film industry. Viewers follow Talia, who's looking to move into the family business but isn't sure she can stomach it, and Chandler, a 17-year-old who's just trying to live a normal life.
Memorable episode? - 15
I Have A Dangerous Eating Obsession
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This 2016 episode is a standout, mostly because you're left wondering how these people are still alive. It follows Francesca, who has been eating bars of soap since she was eight years old and Cory, who consumes up to seven glue sticks a day.
Fans will be happy to know Francesca has since stopped eating soap. Now she just gives an organic soap bar a couple of licks a day. Cory no longer eats glue, either.
Memorable episode? - 16
I'm Addicted To Sex
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- MTV
Isaax, one of the subjects of the 2012 episode "I'm Addicted to Sex," seemed to be able to charm both men and women. But a series of hook-ups and flings left him severely depressed and trying to find a way out of his addiction.
And then there was Brittany. Brittany claimed she'd like to have sex 20-30 times a day, but her boyfriend only gave it up a few times a day at most.
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- 17
I'm A Staten Island Girl
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- MTV
This 2006 episode wasn't nearly as controversial or graphic as many of the others, unless you're disturbed by spray tans and acrylic nails. MTV really picked the cream of the crop when it came to Staten Island stereotypes Never forget the sheer willpower it took Danielle DiPietro to learn how to get rid of her accent so she could become a successful actress.
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- 18
I Have A Fetish
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- MTV
This 2011 episode spotlit a professional dominatrix who was looking for a nice guy to settle down with. However, she had some difficulty finding a guy who wasn't into the scene but willing to accept her career.
You might also remember Andrew, who was obsessed with women's feet. Viewers saw him lick, suck, and kiss the feet of multiple women throughout the course of the episode.
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- 19
I Have A Phobia
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- MTV
Alternate title: "Antonio Takes Drugs to Keep Him From Peeing." You probably remember this 2003 episode thanks to that man, who was so afraid of using a public restroom that he took pills to keep him from having to urinate before he went out anywhere. If he did find himself in need of a restroom, he had to scrub the toilet before he could pee in it.
This episode also featured Andrea, who was so terrified of pigeons that it caused her to miss out on social events, job opportunities, and her everyday life.
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- 20
I'm An Adult Baby
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This 2016 episode dives into the community of adults who love wearing diapers, drinking from sippy cups, and sucking on pacifiers. They refer to their fetish as ABDL, Adult Baby Diaper Lovers. In this episode, one adult baby found the perfect "Daddy," but had to move to another state to be adopted. He left his friends and family behind to pursue being a full-time adult baby.
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- 21
I'm Addicted To Caffeine
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Plenty of people need a cup of to start their day, but the people featured on the 2012 episode "I'm Addicted to Caffeine" took that need to a whole new level. Leandra, in particular, led a pretty crazy life. Heavily into the party scene, she knew she was using caffeine unsafely for a buzz, but didn't care. She ultimately suffered a seizure from her excessive caffeine consumption.
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- 22
I Can't Control My Pet
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- MTV
The 2013 episode "I Can't Control My Pet" focused on an unusual pet with an unusual problem. Brett had a 200-pound pig who wouldn't stop humping things. Although Handsome preferred his favorite chair, he didn't mind taking Brett's friends for a little roll in the mud as well. In the words of Brett himself, "There's nothing more foul than being humped by a 200 pound pig."
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- 23
I'm Living Anime
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- MTV
Cosplay is popular at conventions, but turning your whole life into cosplay takes it to a whole new level. This 2015 episode of True Life follows two people who literally live their lives as anime characters. As you can imagine, this presents some unique complications. "Dressing anime" ruined Melissa's relationship with her mother, and during the episode she considers getting plastic surgery to make her face look more like an animated character's.
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