Reality TV is chaotic, cringey, occasionally cursed—and completely addictive. But why? In this episode, we dig into the messy magic of reality television, from childhood memories of Sister Wives to modern-day obsessions like Love is Blind and Married at First Sight. Along the way, we unpack why watching strangers spiral on national TV feels so satisfying, how gossip became a form of social survival, and what happens when the drama hits a little too close to home—especially for people of faith.

This episode isn’t just a love letter to glittery confessionals and producer-fueled meltdowns—it’s a deeper look at emotional safety, parasocial bonds, cultural representation, and the comfort of a perfectly contained disaster.

Because sometimes, we don’t want peace. We want popcorn.

References and Sources

• Paul Rozin – Psychologist who coined the term benign masochism
  

• • Relevant paper: "Preference for Highly Preferred Pains: The Psychology of Benign Masochism"
    

  • Published in Judgment and Decision Making, 2013.
    

• Berridge, Kent C. – Research on hedonic hotspots and how humans find pleasure in risk-free emotional simulation (e.g., scary movies, spicy food).
  

• Robin Dunbar – Evolutionary psychologist famous for the "Dunbar’s Number" theory and the role of gossip in social cohesion.
  

• • Book: "Grooming, Gossip, and the Evolution of Language"
    

• Horton & Wohl (1956) – First coined the term parasocial interaction
  

• • Original article: “Mass Communication and Para-social Interaction: Observations on Intimacy at a Distance”
    

• Tukachinsky Forster, R. (2020) – Modern studies on parasocial relationships and media psychology.
  

• • Book: “Parasocial Romantic Relationships: Falling in Love with Media Figures”
    

• Mark Andrejevic – Media studies scholar; critiques reality TV as both emotional release and surveillance culture.
  

• • Book: “Reality TV: The Work of Being Watched”
    

• Laurie Ouellette – Explores how reality TV reflects neoliberal values and emotional labor.
  

• • Book: “Better Living through Reality TV: Television and Post-Welfare Citizenship”
    

• Joshua Gamson – Research on celebrity culture, reality TV, and social boundaries.
  

• • Book: “Claims to Fame: Celebrity in Contemporary America”
    

• Jean Baudrillard – (For advanced media theory) Simulacra and simulation ideas are useful if you want to go full academic on how "reality" becomes fiction and vice versa in media.
  

• bell hooks – For discussions on representation, especially of marginalized identities, and how mass media frames them.
  

• • Book: “Reel to Real: Race, Sex, and Class at the Movies”
    

• Why We Love Reality TV, Psychology Today
  

• What Our Obsession With Reality TV Says About Us, The Atlantic
  

• The Science Behind Why We Love Trashy Reality Shows, Inverse.com
  

How Reality TV Triggers Parasocial Relationships, Vox