The host of Cheaters talks about abuse, egos, one-night stands and what it takes for a relationship to work.
While some TV shows become forgettable after a few seasons, there are other concepts that work. Cheaters is one show that has done so well, it has 14 seasons to prove it. There is nothing scientific about it except for the fact that the host, Joey Greco (pictured), and his team help to expose people who are unfaithful in their relationships. So it’s a mesh of Jerry Springer and your favourite detective shows. Greco spoke about how he got the gig that he has been part of since 2002.
“It was just a matter of the right place at the right time. My agent called with an audition request as the producers were looking for a new host at the time. It was short notice, so I cleaned up, threw on some glasses instead of putting in contacts and there you have it. The producers liked the ‘Joey with glasses’ look, so that’s what I was stuck with,” he explained.
For someone with an impressive education which includes a Bachelors and Masters degree in psychology and counselling, Greco admitted that the studies came in handy.
“There is no doubt my educational background provided me with a unique perspective on how to approach these sensitive situations,” he said.
For someone who has been on the show for more than a decade, it is unfair to ask his standout story to date, but it had to be done.
“Aside from the cases where the couples are able to reconcile, the one that stands out for me involved helping to get a woman out of a physically abusive relationship,” he said.
Another fascinating observation that Greco made over the years is that Cheaters seems to attract more female clients than males.
“Women are probably more inclined to seek outside assistance, due to the fragile ego of men, but let’s not pretend that the odds are not fairly even otherwise,” he said.
For him, cheating comes as a result of many things so it can’t be compartmentalised to one cause.
“Every situation is as different as the individuals involved, but what is undeniable, is that it is a choice. Whether for validation, affirmation, control, revenge and so on, it is often the offending party’s attempt to fill a void,” he said.
While we appreciate seeing the reaction of those who are caught with their pants down (sometime literally), we can’t deny the fact that the presence of a film crew has an effect on those who appear on the show.
“It’s highly likely the cameras being there would have an effect on the people involved. Someone caught may be more indignant than otherwise, and could see situations where ‘posturing’ would absolutely take place for both sides,” said Greco.
When he is off the clock Greco gets a few requests from strangers to look into their partners. He admits that it doesn’t happen a lot.
“People don’t do it much. They are either friendly or they run away,” he revealed.
In most cases the perpetrators shown on this series are caught in relationships they do not care about. It is usually all about physical satisfaction and Greco has his theories on whether partners should disclose when they cheat.
“I’ve heard various opinions on this. Some suggest telling a partner a one-night stand would relieve the offender of guilt, while placing the burden of pain, conflict or resolution on the shoulders of the partner. The other implies keeping it to oneself would force the offender to live with the guilt, and spare the partner the pain of the indiscretion. Both opinions, however, fail to address the symptoms that led to the decision to be unfaithful, which would never be reconciled without disclosure. For a healthy functional relationship to flourish, a solid foundation is mandatory, which is impossible to build upon deception,” he said.
• Cheaters airs on CBS Reality (DStv channel 132) every Saturday at 4pm.