← Back to the Episode Page

Companion mode

Cue the Sun!

0:0035:32
Speed

Listening elsewhere? Jump this view to your spot.

About this episode

<p>What started as Emily Nussbaum’s “guilty pleasure” of watching <i>Big Brother</i> became a deeper dive into the world of reality TV, leading to her book, <i>Cue the Sun: The Invention of Reality TV</i>. From its early, often morally questionable experiments with shows like <i>Candid Microphone</i>, to the strategy and drama of <i>Survivor</i>, Nussbaum traces the history of a genre that’s shaped how we see the world—and even influenced who gets elected. If you think reality TV is all fluff, this episode might just change your mind.</p><p><a href="https://99percentinvisible.org/?p=42814" target="_blank">Cue the Sun!</a></p> <p><p>Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early.&nbsp;<br><br>Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting <a href="http://siriusxm.com/podcastsplus." target="_blank">siriusxm.com/podcastsplus</a>.&nbsp;</p></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>