To Be Real: On Emily Nussbaum's "Cue the Sun "
Emily Nussbaum's book explores the history and evolution of reality TV, from early shows to modern hits like Survivor. She discusses key figures, representational politics, and argues for the genre's significance.
Read original article
Emily Nussbaum's book "Cue the Sun! The Invention of Reality TV" delves into the history and evolution of reality television, tracing its roots back to early TV shows like Candid Camera and Queen for a Day. Nussbaum explores how reality TV has transformed over the years, from the contrived drama of MTV's The Real World to the mainstream success of Survivor. She highlights key figures like Lance Loud and Pedro Zamora, who used their platform on reality TV to raise awareness about important issues like HIV/AIDS. Nussbaum also discusses the genre's representational politics, emphasizing the role of race and racism in shaping reality TV narratives. Through well-researched details and anecdotes, Nussbaum challenges the dismissive attitudes towards reality TV, arguing that the genre offers a unique blend of authenticity and contrivance that keeps audiences engaged. By examining the genre's impact on viewers and society, Nussbaum presents reality TV as a complex and multifaceted form of entertainment that continues to provoke discussion and reflection.
Related
First we shape our social graph, then it shapes us (2022)
Our social milieu shapes us, emphasizing curating cultural influences for talent and growth. Historical geniuses thrived in competent environments. Directed graphs illustrate input-output flow. John Frusciante curates influences for music evolution. Mindful content consumption shapes identities.
How Cathode Ray Tubes Work. [video]
The video explores CRT display technology, dominant for 70 years before LCDs rose. CRTs use electrons on phosphorus screens, guided by electromagnets. Evolution from B&W to color displays is discussed.
Don Quixote's Fried Eggs: Purpose of a System Is What It Does
The article delves into the concept of "the purpose of a system is what it does" from "Don Quixote," discussing policy contradictions in housing, unemployment benefits, and family policies. It contrasts San Francisco and Austin's housing approaches, addresses monopolies in the housing market, and explores ideological shifts in benefits and family policies post-recession. Personal interests influence public policy, echoing themes from Cervantes' novel.
Paramount Erases Mtv.com Archives, Wipes Music, Culture History After 30+ Years
Paramount deletes 20 years of MTV archives, erasing music and cultural history. Former writers express anger over loss of journalism. Move seen as result of corporate greed, lacking journalism respect.
The Soylent delusion and the folly of food-hacking
Silicon Valley's Soylent aimed to revolutionize nutrition but faced issues like consumer illnesses and recalls. Critics questioned oversimplification of nutrition. Soylent's journey warns against neglecting food's cultural significance.
4 comments> For Nussbaum, the clip shows COPS and America’s Funniest Home Videos (both premiered in 1989) were also “the first draft of internet culture.”
While this comparison is probably as old as YouTube itself, it’s fascinating to look at the evolutionary parallels from those first clip shows to the comparatively far more elaborate reality TV that begins a decade later.
Observe how the prototypical YouTube content, the “cat video,” has long since given way to something much closer in form to the evolution of reality TV described in the book review: vloggers, blending autobiography and contrivance with increasingly sophisticated production values, the rise of the influencer, and its proliferation across platforms including Instagram and TikTok.
It’s fair to say that reality TV and its tropes were not unknown when the film premiered in 1998, but they were seen as an MTV novelty. The Truman Show made what was essentially a metaphysical argument about being the star of your own life that has stood the test of time and then some.
I do wonder sometimes what a 20yo today steeped in the world of TikTok, Only Fans, and Donald Trump would think of Truman—as someone that age when it was released I can say it seemed fantastic. If we only knew!
How will it end?
Related
First we shape our social graph, then it shapes us (2022)
Our social milieu shapes us, emphasizing curating cultural influences for talent and growth. Historical geniuses thrived in competent environments. Directed graphs illustrate input-output flow. John Frusciante curates influences for music evolution. Mindful content consumption shapes identities.
How Cathode Ray Tubes Work. [video]
The video explores CRT display technology, dominant for 70 years before LCDs rose. CRTs use electrons on phosphorus screens, guided by electromagnets. Evolution from B&W to color displays is discussed.
Don Quixote's Fried Eggs: Purpose of a System Is What It Does
The article delves into the concept of "the purpose of a system is what it does" from "Don Quixote," discussing policy contradictions in housing, unemployment benefits, and family policies. It contrasts San Francisco and Austin's housing approaches, addresses monopolies in the housing market, and explores ideological shifts in benefits and family policies post-recession. Personal interests influence public policy, echoing themes from Cervantes' novel.
Paramount Erases Mtv.com Archives, Wipes Music, Culture History After 30+ Years
Paramount deletes 20 years of MTV archives, erasing music and cultural history. Former writers express anger over loss of journalism. Move seen as result of corporate greed, lacking journalism respect.
The Soylent delusion and the folly of food-hacking
Silicon Valley's Soylent aimed to revolutionize nutrition but faced issues like consumer illnesses and recalls. Critics questioned oversimplification of nutrition. Soylent's journey warns against neglecting food's cultural significance.