Andy Dehnart / about

Andy Dehnart’s writing on television, culture, and media has appeared on NPR and in The Daily Beast, Salon, Wired, The Advocate, and other publications, and he also writes television criticism for msnbc.com, where he served as the interim television editor. A member of the Television Critics Association, Andy publishes and writes reality blurred, an internationally acclaimed web site that “revels in the post-ironic pleasures of reality television,” as The New York Times said. For more than 10 years, since the start of the new wave of reality television, reality blurred has offered impassioned analysis and original reporting on television’s newest genre.

Andy, 32, has an M.F.A. in nonfiction writing and literature from Bennington College. Following a wide range of work experiences in new media and journalism, he now teaches writing and journalism at Stetson University in Florida, comments regularly about popular culture on the radio and in the press, and is working on a book about reality television.

- - - - - - -

Okay, now that we’ve gotten that referring-to-myself-in-the-third-person part out of the way, here’s the less pretentious version.

I write about—and am addicted to—reality TV and other forms of pop culture and media. When I’m not watching TV or writing about it, I’m probably teaching (writing and journalism) or doing something online. That said, I’d rather go running, travel somewhere I’ve never been, ride a roller coaster, or spend an evening engaged in stimulating conversation with friends over a chai latte or glass of wine while sitting on their back porch.

I value honesty, rationality, commitment, sarcasm, and people who can make me laugh until I can’t breathe. I’m a fan of Chipotle, interstate highway driving, and conversational FM talk radio like NPR’s weekend shows and the Philips Phile on Real Radio 104.1. I read Entertainment Weekly, Wired, Runners World, The New Yorker, and far too many blogs.

I’m agnostic except when it comes to worshipping good graphic design, recognize that I’m slightly obsessive about cleaning and planning, and like Las Vegas and Disney in an entirely non-ironic way. Two years ago, having never really run before in my life, I trained for and ran a marathon, and am looking forward to the next challenge.

In no particular order, here are some things that thrill and amuse me: roller coasters, newspapers and magazines, running, Target, Ikea, Calvin and Hobbes, Hitchcock films, reality TV, craps, Jamba Juice, watching fireworks, running in races, NPR’s weekend shows, travel, discussion and debate, HBO, thunderstorms, Hampton Inn hotels, cold nights, good friends and decent wine.