Emily Nussbaum on The Invention of Reality TV

Rob Has a Podcast | Survivor, Big Brother & Reality TV

Survivor Know-It-All, Rob Cesternino | RHAP Productions

Tv & Film, Tv Reviews, After Shows

4.9 • 5K Ratings

🗓️ 8 January 2025

⏱️ 64 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Emily Nussbaum on The Invention of Reality TV
Rob Cesternino (@RobCesternino) welcomes author Emily Nussbaum onto RHAP to discuss her book, Cue the Sun! The Invention of Reality TV.

Rob Cesternino hosts an insightful conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Emily Nussbaum about her latest book, Cue the Sun, which explores the history and impact of reality TV. Nussbaum, a renowned television critic and staff writer at The New Yorker, delves into the origins of reality television, tracing its roots from 1940s radio to the modern influencer economy.
Nussbaum shares how her book uncovers the hidden stories behind iconic shows like Survivor and Big Brother. She reveals that Charlie Parsons, not Mark Burnett, was the true creator of the Survivor format, a revelation that reshapes our understanding of the show’s history. The discussion also touches on the cultural shift in reality TV, from early participants’ reluctance to the current appeal of reality fame.
Rob and Emily discuss:
– The book’s title, Cue the Sun, is inspired by The Truman Show, highlighting the complex relationship between producers and cast.
– Charlie Parsons‘ pivotal role in creating the Survivor format, tracing its origins to a Scottish radio show.
– The evolution of reality TV from a niche genre to a cultural phenomenon, influencing everything from social media to the influencer economy.
– The ongoing discussion about labor rights and protections for reality TV participants and crew.
Nussbaum’s book offers a comprehensive look at how reality TV has shaped our culture and blurred the lines between reality and fiction. How will the next generation of reality stars navigate the complex world of social media fame and influencer marketing?
Listen to the full episode for an in-depth exploration of reality TV’s past, present, and future, and discover the untold stories behind your favorite shows.
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Transcript

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1:00.5	Hey, everybody. What's going on? Rob Cisterino. And we've got a great podcast for you here today.
1:06.0	I've got an interview coming up with the Pulitzer Prize winning author, Emily Nussbaum. She is the author
1:15.1	of the brand new book, Q The Sun, all about the invention of reality TV. Emily is an
1:24.7	incredible television critic. She won the Pulitzer Prize for criticism in 2016. She's also the author of the book I like to watch, arguing my way through the TV revolution. She's currently a staff writer at The New Yorker as well. We're going to talk about her book,
1:45.7	which I got to read over the holidays, Cue the Sun. It is a great journey through the history
1:52.4	of reality TV going back from the 40s. And ultimately, the final chapter is about The Apprentice.
2:00.1	So there will be some discussion about that. So if
2:03.8	that is something that maybe you're not interested in, come back and listen to another episode of
2:09.6	Rob has a podcast. But without further ado, here is my conversation with Emily Nussbaum.
2:16.3	Hey, Emily, how are you? What an honor it is to have you here
2:20.8	to talk about everything that I just finished reading in Q the Sun. Thank you for having me.
2:27.7	I'm excited to talk to you. Yeah. Clearly have enormous expertise on the subject. Well, this was so fun for me
2:33.9	getting to read this because I really feel like everything
	...

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