Emily Nussbaum Explains Why We Should Take Reality TV Seriously

The Book Case

ABC News

Fiction, Arts, Books, Society & Culture

4.1 • 766 Ratings

🗓️ 15 August 2024

⏱️ 39 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Love it or hate it, the genre of “reality tv” has now shaped American history. That means no matter how you feel about it, you cannot ignore it. Enter Cue the Sun!, the most comprehensive, thoughtful and well written book about the history and development of the genre we have come across. We talk to the book’s author, Emily Nussbaum about how the genre has come to take up so much space in American pop culture and what that means for our country as a whole. We also talk to Ferguson Books' owner Dane Ferguson about how his shop serves rural communities in the upper midwest. You don’t want to miss it. Books mentioned in this week's episode: Cue the Sun!: The Invention of Reality TV by Emily Nussbaum I Like to Watch: Arguing My Way Through the TV Revolution by Emily Nussbaum Black Bear Lake by Leslie Liautaud Thief River Falls by Brian Freeman Alter Ego by Brian Freeman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	It's only natural for parents to have questions about their kids and gaming.
0:05.6	Meet parental controls for Nintendo Switch.
0:08.7	You can set your own rules for the family right from your phone with a free app.
0:13.1	Monitor playtime, set age restrictions, limit online purchases and more.
0:17.8	That means you can relax and spend more time having fun. Their games, your rules.
0:23.9	Nintendo Switch, available now. Internet connection required to use this app's data charges may apply.
0:43.7	Hello, bookcase people, bookcase audience, loyal listeners everywhere.
0:45.1	Happy Thursday to you.
0:48.7	I am the Kate part of the Kate and Charlie Gibson host team.
0:52.4	And I am, as you just surmised from what she said, I'm the ad on guy.
0:55.9	The guy that she, well, she suffers.
1:02.1	She suffers my presence. But it's good to have all of you with us. And have suffered for 48 years now?
1:08.3	Have suffered for 48 years now. One has to tolerate one's father, right? Anyway, but I should also add one has to tolerate one's daughter as well. It's true.
1:11.2	It goes both ways.
1:12.7	Exactly.
1:13.3	I have to sort of say, I am responsible for this week's book.
1:17.7	This week's book is called Q the Sun, exclamation point by Emily Nussbaum.
1:22.7	I read a review of it, and it was touted as the history of reality TV. Now, I got to tell you,
1:31.3	there has been some reality TV that I have, I wouldn't say loved, but I will admit having
1:36.9	binge watched on a weekend or two and that I have thought that was entertaining. And there
1:43.2	has been some reality TV that has made
1:45.3	me question my own membership in the human race. Reality TV runs the gambit. And I think my father
	...

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