The recent Netflix show "Members Only Palm Beach" has drawn the ire of many local Palm Beach residents and those who spend more than 183 days per year there (for the sunshine, of course!). They claim it delivers a very distorted impression of who and what Palm Beach society and lifestyle are all about. They claim it is a misrepresentation of who they are, how they live, what they do, say, wear, etc. Sounds familiar?  A Reality-TV show that claims to show what something is, yet in reality is far removed from Real reality?

Most telling was a comment from one of the stars of this show who boldly (and very honestly) said on her social media page: “I enjoyed filming, but I was following the director's lead.”

Hopefully, this confirms to anyone who still does not believe that many of these shows are staged, loosely scripted and designed for drama and ratings, no matter the cost to the subject matter.

This show may be the closest thing to cringe-worthy. This is the reality.  Getting into a club in Palm Beach used to be extremely tough. Some were so exclusive they were known to exclude certain people which resulted in newer, alternative clubs, mostly focused around golfing. The Beach Club (founded in 1941), maintains strict privacy regarding membership details, including fees, to control access and maintain exclusivity. The most difficult clubs to join on Palm Beach Island are generally considered the ultra-exclusive, invitation-only spots like the Everglades Club, the generational Bath & Tennis Club, and the elite Sailfish Club, known for being membership-by-invite and requiring deep connections.

The reality is that Palm Beach Island is very different in many aspects to Palm Beach County, (note how the show never discloses this). Just like professional real estate agents don’t usually dress the way they do on ’those shows’, throw drinks, cry daily, etc. Yes, some of it is real, and not all the players are bad actors. Some indeed are solid professionals. There is reality, and then there is the real world!