Cue the Sun!

by Emily Nussbaum
Cue the Sun! cover
Good Books rating 4.33
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  • ID: 477
  • Added: 2025-09-12
  • Updated: 2025-09-12
  • Reviews: 3
Reviews
goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-09-24
brilliant 4.50

Cue the Sun! by Emily Nussbaum is a passionate and exquisitely told history of reality TV, blending high and low art into a potent concoction. The book is praised for its muscular prose, exacting detail, and witty commentary, making it both entertaining and insightful.

Cue the Sun! by Emily Nussbaum delves into the origins and evolution of reality TV, starting from 1948 and covering iconic shows like The Real World, Survivor, and The Apprentice. The book is celebrated for its passionate narrative and exquisitely detailed account, which skillfully merges high and low art. Reviewers highlight Nussbaum's muscular prose and exacting eye for detail, making the book both engaging and informative. The witty and often skeptical tone keeps readers interested, while the thorough research and incisive questions about the genre's impact on culture add depth. Whether you're a reality TV enthusiast or someone who enjoys cultural commentary, this book offers a treasure trove of anecdotes and insightful analysis.

Quick quotes

    Passionate, exquisitely told ... With muscular prose and an exacting eye for detail, Nussbaum... outlines how such shows united high and low art into a potent concoction

    Show me a history of reality TV and, honestly, I don’t much care. But show me a history of reality TV written by Emily Nussbaum...and I am now very interested

    Quick-witted, brilliantly written ... Nussbaum offers a treasure trove of anecdotes that seizes our attention like an action sequence, while asking incisive questions about a world increasingly scripted for consumption

lareviewofbooks.org · Unknown · 2024-06-26
intriguing 4.50

Emily Nussbaum's 'Cue the Sun! The Invention of Reality TV' explores the evolution of reality TV, tracing its origins and the ethical questions surrounding its creation and consumption. The book highlights the genre's blend of authenticity and contrivance, making it both compelling and controversial.

Emily Nussbaum's 'Cue the Sun! The Invention of Reality TV' delves into the rich history and complex nature of reality television. The book traces the genre's origins from early shows like 'Queen for a Day' and 'Candid Camera' to modern hits like 'The Real World' and 'Survivor'. Nussbaum argues that reality TV has always been a mix of authenticity and contrivance, creating a unique appeal that keeps audiences hooked. The book also explores the ethical dilemmas and moral outrage that have followed the genre since its inception, highlighting how reality TV reflects and shapes societal norms and behaviors. Nussbaum's detailed research and engaging anecdotes make the book a compelling read for anyone interested in the cultural impact of reality television.

Quick quotes

    The story of its invention, then, is in part the story of how television workers were making the forerunners of reality TV long before anyone would call it that, and how at every step along the way, innovation was entangled with ambivalence, uncertainty, and, sometimes, exploitation.

    reality programming wasn’t all that new — and neither was the moral outrage that came with it, like a clap of thunder after lightning.

    reality TV capitalizes on the idea that 'if you could knock your subjects off balance, they’d reveal a moment so shocking and, sometimes, so tender or surprising, that it would shatter viewer skepticism.

vox.com · Unknown · 2024-06-26
intriguing 4.00

Emily Nussbaum's 'Cue the Sun!' explores the history and craft of reality TV, highlighting its creative aspects and the ethical concerns surrounding it. The book delves into the genre's evolution, from its early days to modern controversies, offering a nuanced perspective on its impact and the people involved.

Emily Nussbaum's 'Cue the Sun!' is a comprehensive exploration of reality TV, focusing on its development as an art form rather than critiquing its ethical issues. The book interviews various participants and creators, tracing the genre's roots back to the 1940s and culminating with shows like 'The Apprentice'. Nussbaum argues that reality TV, or 'dirty documentary', is a creative endeavor with its own unique techniques and challenges. She highlights the paradoxical nature of the genre, which often relies on depravity to maintain its appeal. The book also delves into specific shows like 'Survivor', 'The Bachelor', and 'Real Housewives', illustrating how production manipulation and audience demands have shaped the genre over the years.

Quick quotes

    The goal with this book was not to say 'thumbs up' or 'thumbs down' on reality TV. It was to try to tell it through the voices of the people on both sides of the camera.

    I wasn’t that interested in Survivor when I started the book. But by the time I finished writing about it, I was convinced that the Survivor format was an invention on the level of the telephone or the car.

    I could sort of trace the moment that shows started using tools to create more contrived, more extreme distortions of what had happened on camera.

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