It isn’t rare for reality TV to feature shows centered on alternative lifestyles, including those undertaken far away from modern civilization. However, it’s no secret that most of those shows follow experts in off-the-grid living, and rarely teach their audience how to develop such skills. “Homestead Rescue” is different from any other survivalist show though, as it combines entertainment with educational purposes, making a wholesome and worth-watching show through and through.
While the Raneys leave no doubts about their expertise when it comes to rescuing cabins and homesteads, their show has also gained them the disapproval of many, and even a lawsuit.
So what are the legal problems faced by “Homestead Rescue”, and what other scandals has the show and its stars become involved in? Keep watching to learn more!
What Was The Lawsuit About?
Since debuting on TV in 2016, Marty Raney and his two children Misty and Matt, have been taking their audiences on many adventures around the country, as they help others construct a real sustainable life in the wild. Though their “Homestead Rescue” show usually results in successffor the homesteaders, an incident put the show’s reputation at stake as early as in the first season.
It all goes back to the episode “Under Siege”, which features the couple Kim and Josh Zabec as they try to make their Virginia homestead sustainable. One of the most remarkable aspects of the Zabecs’ episode was that they allegedly let their animal roam freely on their property, which was considered dangerous and potentially attractive to predators, as depicted in Discovery’s resume of the episode. The audience was also quite critical of the characteristics of the Zabecs’ Revolutionary Roots Farm, and took to online forums to criticize the couple’s animal breeding choices.
The uproar over the Zabecs’ episode became so bad that a massive number of enraged viewers went to their social media to spread hate. That led Kim to share a video in which she showed their homestead in detail, to deny the claims made in the show. However, she also admitted in the comments that she was in talks with a lawyer about proceeding legally against the show, claiming that what was portrayed in it wasn’t in line with the reality of the homestead.
What Eventually Happened?
According to InTouchWeekly, Josh and Kim Zabec eventually sued “Homestead Rescue” over the alleged misrepresentation of their living conditions. As the site recounted, the couple that they weren’t informed about the show being centered on failing homesteaders, and instead about successful ones, which was the reason they agreed to be in it.
Unfortunately, there’s no more information about the supposed lawsuit filed by the Zabecs, including the result. Court documents about the case were also unavailable online, though the whole issue resulted in an increasing distrust over the show’s concept, leading entertainment-centered sites to openly discuss whether the show was real or scripted.
Regarding the whereabouts of the Zabecs, it’s quite difficult to know what they’re doing these days. The Instagram account of Revolutionary Roots Farm was erased, and the Facebook page hasn’t been updated since 2021.
For his part, it’s unclear what Josh is doing these days, while Kim’s Instagram hasn’t been updated since late 2023. Nonetheless, judging by the pictures she posted those days, it seemed that she and Josh still owned the homestead.
Is The Show Real?
Despite the uproar caused by the “Under Siege” episode, it’s not unusual for reality TV fans to wonder whether their favorite shows are real or not. However, it’s also usual for TV networks and stars to affirm that their shows are as real as they come, down to audiences to determine if the shows they watch are scripted or heavily edited.
Working harder than ever before ❤️
A new #HomesteadRescue starts now on @Discovery pic.twitter.com/rlKsAA9XlQ
— Homestead Rescue (@HomesteadRescue) February 5, 2024
Regarding other show participants’ opinions, it’s evident that not everyone is as upset about their portrayal in the show as the Zabecs were. One Missouri-based couple named Wren and Ini featured in season three’s episode “Ozark Mountain Misery”, speaking about their experience in the show to a local news site, affirming that despite seeing some misinformation in their portrayal, they have been rather content with the experience. On top of that, a construction business from Ohio that worked with the show in 2020, also praised the show and Marty for his hands-on- attitude.
That said, Marty and his family take pride in their show, and the lifestyle they promote through it. As the Raney patriarch told Fox News in 2017, he considers that America was built by homesteaders and ‘the people who built their own homes’, describing them as ‘hard workers, people not afraid to roll up their sleeves’. Given his ideas, it doesn’t come as a surprise that he ended up hosting a show of “Homestead Rescue” nature.
Homophobic Scandal
In 2020, Marty Raney made headlines after a song he released in 1997 gained him a backlash for including some messages that were deemed homophobic.
Until then, not many show viewers knew about Marty’s side career as a singer. Nonetheless, the fact that the homestead expert had released a country album named “Strummit From The Summit” decades ago didn’t strike people with surprise as the content of the song “Adam & Steve” did.
Said song didn’t gain Marty the favor of many, and soon enough, the production company behind “Homestead Rescue” Raw Productions had to come forward to apologize, claiming that they didn’t share any of the homophobic sentiments that the song professed.
Drone Controversy
Last but not least, Marty had already attracted negative attention to himself in 2018 for destroying someone’s drone. According to reports, the issue started when a drone operator named Justin Pursley was flying his new artifact over Hatcher Pass, Alaska when Marty approached him, allegedly didn’t accept his explanation, and damaged the drone.
On his part, Marty affirmed that the drone had been illegally filming his property, and that led him to search for Pursley, whom he didn’t know. Pursley ended up filing a restraining order against Martey which he later dropped, as both men talked things through in a parking lot. Marty also paid for the damaged drone and that was the end of it, though that didn’t stop people from heatedly commenting more on the issue online.
In the end, whether it’s Marty Raney damaging someone’s drone or facing scripting allegations, the truth is that scandals aren’t unexpected from reality TV stars, are actually often expected by the audience.
