The New Yorker Radio Hour Emily Nussbaum on the Beginnings of Reality TV
Jun 25, 2024
Pulitzer Prize-winning TV critic Emily Nussbaum delves into the history of reality TV, discussing iconic shows like 'Candid Camera,' 'An American Family,' and 'Cops.' She aims to educate rather than convince you to like the genre, emphasizing the importance of understanding its origins and impact on society.
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Hidden-Camera Reveal As Moral Escape
- Alan Funt's Candid Camera created the prank-show template by staging hidden-camera stunts and revealing the joke to release viewer guilt.
- That reveal mechanic became central to many later formats and to internet prank culture.
Pranks Need A Cathartic Punchline
- The Candid Camera format both titillates and induces guilt, then resolves it with a reveal that humanizes the fooled subject.
- Emily Nussbaum links that mechanism directly to modern prank videos and creators using phones as cameras.
The Louds Became First Reality Celebrities
- An American Family (1973) followed the Louds through divorce and Lance Loud's openly gay presence, shocking 1970s viewers.
- The series made the family into early reality celebrities and provoked intense public debate.