I'm 36, which puts me squarely in the demographic known as "early middle age."
Now, I'm well aware that 36 is far from "old." But these days, I am genuinely shocked when I stumble across a new and undiscovered part of myself. Ask yourself: When was the last time you truly picked up a hobby? Cemented a new close friendship. Shifted your worldview. I had the great fortune of it happening once again, like thunder in the distance, back in December with my first taste of reality television—and, reader, before you dismiss me, let me tell you that I have not been the same ever since.
The genre has upended the way I view the discourse, friendships, pop culture, and even my tolerance for offensive Donald Trump supporters. So it was a thrill to learn that Emily Nussbaum, the Pulitzer Prize–winning New Yorker writer and personal culture critic hero of mine, was writing an entire book about reality TV. Cue the Sun! The Invention of Reality TV, which is out today, traces the genre’s roots—from the 1940s radio phenomenon Queen for a Day to the ethical ambiguities of Big Brother and beyond—to tell a story that, contrary to its detractors, has earned a serious interrogation.
I caught up with Emily ahead of her book's release. And though I was slightly devastated to learn that she is not a Housewives fan, our conversation is one I'll be thinking of for years to come as I dive even deeper into the rollicking world of reality TV.
—Inae Oh
