Opinion | The End of Reality TV Politics

Reality TV viewership has dropped off a cliff. Hollywood is no longer producing new reality shows. They’re canceling the ones that are already out there. And so I think as we have been becoming tired of reality television, you will see voters get tired of reality TV politics because the two are inextricably linked. Reality TV politics grew as reality TV grew, and it will die as reality TV dies. And you’re seeing little examples of this along the way. You have the Democratic primary, for instance, in Texas, between Jasmine Crockett, far more the traditional reality TV candidate, aggressive, negative, online, attention-seeking. “Don’t tell me to calm down!” “Calm down.” Versus James Talarico, who ran a very traditional grass-roots model, a positive message, what I’ve referred to as the Ted Lasso candidate. And I think you will see more of those candidates break – through. – Just a couple of things. One, I’m not sure I see Jasmine Crockett quite as a reality TV candidate, but I do think James Talarico may run a clip of you talking about him as the Ted Lasso candidate.