Reality TV Sociology (“TRASH” TV) with Dr. Danielle Lindemann
Nude strangers. Icy roads. Brain rot. True love. Class warfare. Queer visibility. Scripted ad libs. Sociologist, professor, author of the book “True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us,” and straight up Reality TV Sociologist, Dr. Danielle Lindemann studies human behavior through the lens of pop culture and reality TV. Dr. Lindemann lays out the history of the medium, the complexities of why we watch, the effect on society at large, who signs up to be on these shows, how our reactions change to it over time, political consequences of reality TV, and what these shows can teach us about ourselves and each other. Also: the Jackie & Shadow show.
Listen via Apple, Spotify, iHeart, Podbay, Podcast Addict, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Visit Dr. Lindemann’s website and follow her on Bluesky
Buy her books including True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us on Bookshop.org or Amazon
A donation went to the Pedro Zamora Scholarship
Links to things we discussed:
Real World New York Season 1 Intro
Trash-talking Fear Factor contestant meets her match with water buffalo p....
The dark triad traits and fame interest
Reality TV: More proof that it ain't so real
How Pedro Zamora used TV to fight AIDS
Miami's Pedro Zamora fought stigma on MTV's 'The Real World'
Pedro Zamora ‘Real World’ Audition Tape
Pedro Zamora interview with Entertainment Tonight (1994)
Psychological Escapism: Predicting the Amount of Television Viewing by Need for Cognition
Here Come My 600-Pound Quintuplets: A Discussion of Reality Television as a Freak Discourse
MTV Floribama Shore’s Best Puke & Rally Moments 🤢
Best Moments From The Simple Life! | Paris Hilton
The dumb blonde was always a character ??????????? | Paris Hilton
Exploitation: When Reality TV Becomes Degradation TV
Reality TV's Low-Wage and No-Wage Workforce
Here's the Shocking Truth About HGTV's House Hunters
Top WTF Moments From 100 Humans | Netflix
The dark triad traits and fame interest: Do dark personalities desire stardom?
‘The Swan’: A Plastic Surgery TV Nightmare | DARK SIDE OF REALITY TV
Other episodes you may enjoy:
FIELD TRIP: A Hollywood Visit to the Writers Guild Strike Line
Ethnocynology (HUMANS & DOGS THROUGH TIME)
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Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer
Theme song by Nick Thorburn