#10: Reality TV—Why We're Obsessed with Chaos (And What It's Actually Doing to Our Brains!)

Business Made Simple Podcast

StoryBrand.ai

Marketing, Story, Bmsu, Businessmadesimple, Brand, Business, Bms, Storybrand, Entrepreneurship, 474622, Storytelling

4.8 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 10 March 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Reality TV is everywhere, and whether you love it or hate it, you can’t deny it’s addictive. Millions of people tune in daily to binge-watch strangers argue, compete, or fall in love on camera. But reality TV isn’t “real” at all—it’s carefully crafted chaos, designed to keep you hooked. Producers manipulate stories, stir up conflict, and edit scenes to make the drama irresistible. But beyond the entertainment, what’s it actually doing to our brains?

In this episode, hosts Donald Miller and Kyle Reed break down why reality TV works—and why we can’t look away. They explore the psychology behind our obsession with drama, the tricks producers use to keep us engaged, and how reality TV has shaped everything from social media to politics. Plus, they reveal the surprising ways it’s rewiring our attention spans and expectations of real life. Tune in for a revealing look at the power (and the price) of reality TV.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to the Why That Work podcast presented by storybrand.a.I.
0:07.7	If you've ever wondered why certain brands, trends, or cultural phenomena find success while others don't,
0:12.6	you're in the right place. Every week we unpack why something worked,
0:15.9	then give you actionable insights that you can use in your own life.
0:19.4	Now let's dive in with your hosts, Donald Miller and Kyle Reed.
0:25.0	Hey, today we are talking about why reality TV works.
0:29.4	And reality TV has been around a lot longer than you would think, at least is what I thought.
0:34.1	Let me give you a quick brief history, Don, before we get into this.
0:37.4	1948, the first reality TV episode ever came out. And it was called Candid Camera.
0:42.6	1984. I remember, I don't remember, I was obviously not alive in 1948, but I remember,
0:49.2	I remember people remembering candid camera. Does that make sense? Yeah, yeah.
0:55.1	Remember when?
0:55.5	It was like groundbreaking.
0:56.0	Yeah.
0:56.3	Yeah.
0:57.2	Yeah. Yeah.
0:58.0	148.
0:58.6	Fast forward to 1992, which I hope you remember, the real world.
1:01.6	Did you ever watch the real world?
1:02.5	No.
1:03.3	So the real world was, let me redo their tagline because I think it's pretty good.
1:07.3	This is the true story of seven strangers picked to live in a house, work together, and have their lives taped.
	...

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