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Read my writing
Browse more than 20 years of my writing about reality TV, culture, and media, which has been published in The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Playboy, Vulture, and other places.
Work with me
Whether I'm leading a keynote a national conference, teaching students in a writing workshop, or hosting an improv show, I love working with people to help them transform their lives through creativity and curiosity. Learn more or contact me now
Watch or see me
My past and upcoming appearances, including on podcasts, plus my TEDx Talk about reality TV.

Get recommendations, and my writing

Every Friday, I send a hand-crafted update about what I’ve been writing and watching, and give you recommendations about what to read and watch.

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  • quotation marks
    "incomparable"
    Maureen Ryan
    The Chicago Tribune
  • "The Jay and Tony Show Show
    "He is one of the best journalists that cover reality TV."
    Jay Blumenfield
    TV producer
  • quotation marks
    "if you’re interested in how any unscripted sausage gets made, he’s a regular must-read"
    Sarah D. Bunting
    The Blotter Presents
  • Loyola Marymount University
    "What I like most about Andy's presentations and sessions is that he goes beyond just telling students what to do. Instead, he shares examples of his experiences as a working freelancer and reality television expert. Andy encourages students to pursue writing, but without sounding Pollyanna-ish about what the prospects are of landing a well-paying freelance gig. His wealth of experience with magazines and publishing—along with a wry, sometimes self-deprecating sense of humor—provides him a credible voice that really connects with students."
    Tom Nelson
    professor of journalism, Loyola Marymount University
  • East Carolina University
    "Andy Skyped into my senior-level reality TV seminar and fielded my students' questions with informed and thoughtful answers. I appreciated that he didn't simply give them a canned speech but instead dialogued with my students about the field. We hope he'll visit us (virtually) again sometime!"
    Amanda Ann Klein
    East Carolina University
  • The New Yorker
    "...the reality-TV critic Andy Dehnart offered an aficionado’s brisk, convincing diagnosis..."
    Emily Nussbaum
    The New Yorker
  • Captive Audience: On Love and Reality TV by Lucas Mann
    "one of the few television critics who seems to actually like reality, or at least is willing to explore how such shows might succeed"
    Lucas Mann
    Captive Audience: On Love and Reality TV
  • Vulture
    "Nobody covers unscripted TV as thoroughly, or as well"
    Josef Adalian
    Vulture
  • caution children
    "sometimes spends too much time visiting with his neighbors"
    my second grade report card
  • Stetson University
    “I was thoroughly impressed with Andy’s ability to put my students and I at ease and allow us to engage with the improv activities comfortably and confidently. Not only were the activities fun, but he did a great job of helping us see how we could apply the principles and skills involved to our daily lives and work.”
    Colin MacFarlane
    Stetson University
  • quotation marks
    “I have been consistently astounded by friend and Stetson University professor Andy Dehnart's boundless capacity for watching and analyzing reality TV shows."
    Eric Deggans
    St. Petersburg Times
  • USA TODAY
    "I don't really watch a lot of reality television, mind you, but I must admit my day is never complete without a peek at Andy's flawless Weblog devoted to the subject, realityblurred.com."
    Whitney Matheson
    USA Today
  • Monsters & Critics
    "Andy Dehnart saw a new movement in entertainment, and was one of the first journalists to cover the genre seriously."
    Mary Beth Ellis
    Monsters & Critics
  • The Morning Call
    reality blurred "takes a shrewd and skeptical look at the genre without sliding into condescension. The site succeeds because its clever creator genuinely likes reality TV -- he cares when shows are done badly and he wants to vent about it. Deftly discriminating what's interesting (co-stars dating each other) from what's not (casting notices), Reality Blurred is like Cliffs Notes for the pop-culturally ignorant."
    The Morning Call
  • quotation marks
    "the Pauline Kael of reality TV."
    Jon Kroll
    Emmy-winning reality TV producer
  • KCRW's The Spin-Off podcast
    "Andy, for over a decade now, has been one of our leading chroniclers of unscripted television. What I love about his tweets and his site is [that] he's the perfect mix of a reality fan and critic. ... He's a little bit of a treasure on the unscripted front."
    Joe Adalian
    The Spin-Off podcast
  • Stetson University
    “Andy provided improv training for my leadership team. Not only did everyone have a blast, but they also learned so much about mindfulness, stress management, communication, and connection. The time with Andy was certainly the highlight of the retreat!”
    Lua Hancock
    Vice President of Campus Life and Student Success, Stetson University
  • Entertainment Weekly
    "a Virgil to guide you through television’s latest ring of hell"
    Entertainment Weekly
  • quotation marks
    "the pioneer of reality TV criticism"
    Barfbag
    YouTube
  • Washington Post
    "For matters of reality TV, always read Andy Dehnart."
    Alyssa Rosenberg
    The Washington Post
  • Public Relations Society of America
    "Andy provided great insight into today's media culture as a moderator of our program on sex, race and religion. His work as a blogger, author, and educator helped guide the panel discussion so our audience better understood the relevance of the topic. His expertise on reality television also added a unique perspective to the conversation."
    Scott McCallum
    PRSA Orlando