The Most Awkward TLC Moments Caught On Camera
TLC isn't just any old network. It's the home of some of the biggest shows reality TV has to offer, including "Welcome to Plathville" and "90 Day Fiancé." It's introduced us to some truly memorable faces, like "90 Day Fiancé" star Big Ed, or Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson and the rest of the Shannon family. In short, TLC works because it shows us the realest, most cringeworthy moments these icons have to offer. The more awkward it is, the more hooked we get — it's the gift that keeps on giving.
One of the best parts about TLC is arguably the sheer number of shows in the network's repertoire. There are around 18 shows in the "90 Day Fiancé" empire alone, so you can imagine just how hard TLC is working at producing the content we love to consume. As long as there's demand for it, they'll keep on providing us with laughs, entertainment, and a plethora of "What the hell are they doing?!" moments.
Choosing the best eye-wateringly painful-to-watch moments from these shows wasn't easy, purely because of how many there are. We could easily have created an entire archive of Big Ed's on-screen blunders or unhappy brides and their less-than-flattering families on "Say Yes to the Dress," but you know what they say: Variety is the spice of life, and TLC has that in spades. Let's take a look at the top awkward moments that made viewers want to look away from these TLC shows.
Things come to a head when Ethan confronts his parents on Welcome to Plathville
When fans were first introduced to the Plath family on "Welcome to Plathville" back in 2019, eldest son Ethan Plath may have been a married man, but he was still very naive and innocent. From the get-go, producers made clear that one of the biggest causes of conflict in the homespun, farm-dwelling family was the tension between Ethan's wife, Olivia Plath, and Ethan's parents, Kim and Barry Plath. Olivia didn't agree with how Kim and Barry raised their kids in such a sheltered way and was often encouraging the children to have new experiences.
The relationship only worsened as time went on, with Olivia expressing a strong desire to move away so they didn't have to live so close to Kim and Barry anymore. Clearly, this relationship breakdown wasn't an easy thing for Ethan to deal with because it meant he wasn't allowed to spend time with his siblings. Things finally came to a head when Ethan decided to drive to his parents' home to confront them and say goodbye because he wouldn't be seeing them anymore, but it didn't go down well.
Ethan was stern with his parents in a way he hadn't been previously, even laying his hands on his dad as he started to march to the car where Olivia waited. For a hot second, it looked like things were going to descend into chaos as the cameras rushed to catch up.
Bride's best friends insult her multiple times on Say Yes to the Dress
Your wedding day is supposed to be the happiest day of your life, and a big part of that is figuring out what you will wear. There's big money in bridal gowns and often a lot of drama and mixed emotions when it comes to picking one, so when TLC decided to run a show based on the entire process, it was a surefire hit. "Say Yes to the Dress" allows viewers to watch brides as they choose their perfect wedding dress, but it's not always smooth sailing. Everyone has an opinion, and the bride isn't always open to it ... but that's what makes it spectacular viewing.
In one episode, a bride falls in love with a dress that has a semi-sheer lace bodice and a big, flowing skirt. She takes her best friend along for the ride, probably not banking on how brutal his words would be. When she steps out to show her loved ones the gown, he immediately puts his head in his hands and starts laughing. "Does it come with a sweater?" he asks, before telling the camera in a stern voice, "I won't let her pick that dress."
While the bride takes it all in stride at first, her face begins to drop as they continue to bash the dress, her eyes welling up as she calls them cruel in a confessional. It's a brutal watch!
Bride totally destroys her ugly cake on Cake Boss
Keeping on the topic of weddings, there's also big business in cake making. Anyone who's ever planned a ceremony knows that having the perfect cake is important. It can tie the theme of the day together, and watching the bride and groom cut the cake can be one of the sweetest (pardon the pun) moments of the entire day. The team over at "Cake Boss" makes beautiful cakes for all sorts of reasons, and their customers are usually incredibly happy with their out of this world creations. Imagine their horror when one bride, Alison, who ordered a cake, turns up at the bakery unexpectedly to get a sneak peek of her wedding cake ... and is less than thrilled.
Buddy Valastro presents the three-tiered classic white cake adorned with lilies to Alison, who says, in a deadpan voice, "Oh my god, it's so ugly." Valastro's eyes widen in horror as he explains to his customer that he thought he executed the style of cake she wanted. Her response? To accuse him of taking a bribe from her mom to make it "extra boring." To make matters worse, he turns away for a second to talk to his team, and during that time, she takes colorful icing and plasters it all over the cake, ruining it.
When Valastro confronts her, she says she wants a new cake and was giving him an "art lesson." To say Valastro was annoyed is an understatement.
Twenty-seven-year-old Josh has the most awkward first kiss ever on Love at First Kiss
"Love at First Kiss" turns the world of dating on its head, with couples introducing themselves by planting one on each other before getting to know each other and seeing if there's a real connection there. The series, which launched in 2016, is a fan favorite. While most of the people who appear on the show have kissed someone before, it's not always the case ... Picture this: You've waited until you're 27 years old to have a first kiss, and when you do — it's on national television. Sweet Josh had no idea what to do when beautiful brunette Annalisa burst into the room, ready to see if they were a match.
She asks, "Do you mind if I give you a kiss?" to which Josh, totally out of his depth, replies, "Yes." After the initial confusion is out of the way, the pair lock lips and it's just about as difficult to watch as possible. Josh keeps his eyes wide open as their lips meet, not moving as he does so. Annalisa tries again, but Josh seems like a deer caught in the headlights, frozen in time and unable to reciprocate or move his mouth.
While Annalisa laughs this off and takes it in stride, she tells the camera crew in her confessional, "It didn't feel like a kiss. It felt like I kissed his teeth."
Couple hate their new family room on Trading Spaces
This moment is vintage TV at its best. "Trading Spaces" harks all the way back to 2000 but wrapped up its run in 2019. The show allowed neighbors to design and redo a room in another neighbor's home, but as you can imagine, it wasn't always a big hit. Hosted by Paige Davis, the series was a staple in the home and DIY niche and is missed, but thankfully, we have moments like this to look back on.
It's the big reveal moment for this husband and wife as they stand by Davis, but when they open their eyes, it's clear that they're less than thrilled. The wife looks around wide-eyed at the space, unable to let out anything but a "Well ..." at first. The biggest moment comes when Davis asks her what she thinks about the fireplace, to which she replies, "You guys are going to be fixing that in a little bit." A loaded silence ensues before the couple continues to make disappointed noises as they look around what was once their gorgeous living room.
She then whispers to Davis, who looks terrified, "I'm going to have to leave the room now," before walking out of frame, audibly crying into her microphone as Davis stares at the camera, unsure what to do.
Kid calls his girlfriend a preppy white girl and it goes down like a lead balloon
Falling pregnant as a teenager isn't an ideal situation for a lot of people, and while MTV's "Teen Mom" and "16 and Pregnant" franchises opened the door for reality TV to be made in this space, TLC's "Unexpected" took the torch. The show follows teens as they navigate parenthood, but as you might expect, there are plenty of ups and downs — and a lot of immaturity. One couple, Matthew and Hailey, appear on the show and dive into how their relationship started. Matthew, who seems about as far from ready to be a dad as you can get, tells cameras that he was talking to Hailey's friend first before he took an interest in her.
Hailey, who is sitting by his side, doesn't seem to mind until he says, "She just seemed like a preppy white girl who was really innocent." Hailey asks him why he had to point out that she's white before she tries to laugh it off as Matthew sits there and shakes his head, smiling awkwardly at the camera as if he's just been told off. Things get even more confusing when the couple admits that they had sex before they even made out.
The producer, notably shocked, stops to ask for confirmation of that fact before the interview carries on, cementing Hailey and Matthew's status as one of the most memorable couples on the show.
Michael says his date gives him mom vibes on Match Me Abroad
There are no two ways about it: Dating can be tricky. Even if you're used to going on dates and meeting new people, you won't vibe with every person you meet. People out in the dating world often have stories to tell, but these two have one of the best tales of all thanks to "Match Me Abroad." This TLC series only launched in 2023 and is still relatively new compared to others, but it's making a name for itself. In this episode, Michael meets his date for some sort of emotional bonding session that ends up with Michael lying in her lap and crying as the session's host talks about how it's okay for men to show their softer sides.
It could be a great date — if the people in question already knew each other. But for this scenario, it's a little odd. Not only is Michael's excessive crying a tad too much, but he also seals his fate when he's asked how he feels. "I've never experienced this in my whole life," he says. "A mother always gives a son a warm hug and a soft ... sometimes I think men need that too."
We're not exactly love doctors here, but something tells us that saying your hopeful future lover reminds you of your mom is a definite no-no. Needless to say, it wasn't a match for these two!
6'6 woman gets rejected after telling her date she's saving herself on My Giant Life
Being tall can have its advantages. For example, you've got a higher chance of becoming a supermodel and you never have to worry about reaching the top shelf. That said, there's tall, and then there's really tall. "My Giant Life" has been running since 2015, following the trials and tribulations of incredibly tall people. As you might expect, when you're a woman over 6 feet tall, for example, dating can be a little more complicated than it would be otherwise.
In one episode, 36-year-old Alicia Jay goes on a fabulous date with a hopeful match, Adonis. Things seem to be going well for the pair until it comes to the end of the date. Adonis and Alicia walk home after their cooking class hand in hand, both agreeing that it was a fun evening. Adonis, perhaps trying his luck, suggests that Alicia might invite him up to her apartment so they can "extend the night a little bit."
Alicia agrees but totally floors her date by telling him that she's a virgin. Adonis' face visibly drops as she admits she's waiting for marriage before rudely asking her why she didn't mention it before. Things get tense as Alicia explains that she's just met him. And just like that, Alicia is dumped on her doorstep by a man that she's just met ... but let's face it, it's not a big loss.
Man gets kicked out by Dr. Now on My 600-lb Life
Fans of "My 600lb Life" have been watching Dr. Now transform the lives of patients who need his help for years. The series has remained one of TLC's most popular shows, with fans often rooting for the people who appear on it and hoping they get the healthy life they deserve. In rare cases, though, some people are beyond Dr. Now's help, like Steven, who proved to be too much for the staff at Dr. Now's hospital to handle. After several complaints staff made about him, such as spilling his urine all over the floor, Dr. Now has no choice but to boot Steven out. As you can imagine, Steven isn't happy.
Dr. Now explains to him that he just can't have this kind of behavior and Steven has to leave. Steven starts to cry as he's lying in bed, begging Dr. Now to change his mind and reconsider his decision. Dr. Now is steadfast, telling Steven that if he wants to stay in the program, then he needs to find somewhere else to live. According to Steven, he has nowhere else to go, but Dr. Now says that he'll get him dropped off at a homeless shelter.
You have to admire Dr. Now's no-nonsense attitude when it comes to protecting his staff members and making sure they're treated fairly. Sorry, Steve! It just wasn't the place for you.
Big Ed tries to make things romantic on 90 Day Fiance
While the "90 Day Fiancé" franchise is one of TLC's biggest assets, Big Ed is arguably the most recognizable personality from the show and its multiple spin-offs. Ed has more cringeworthy moments than arguably any TLC star to date, which makes picking his best one incredibly hard. However, one of his most memorable moments was at the start of his and Rose's courtship as they got cozy in a hotel room for the evening. Ed has high hopes for the two of them, but his delivery is a little off. He instructs Rose to take a bath, handing her a robe and slippers. When she's safely tucked away, he bounces around the room like an excited puppy dog, ordering champagne from room service and getting massage oils ready.
After Rose gets out of the tub, Ed tells her to sit on the bed and proceeds to give her a foot massage, and she looks very confused about the whole situation. As if the entire scene wasn't stomach-churning enough, Ed asks if he can kiss her. Rose looks downright horrified as her eyes widen before motioning to her cheek instead. Eventually, he does get his smooch.
Ed's desperate demeanor and Rose's quizzical look make this one of the best scenes from their early relationship, but believe us when we say there are many to choose from!