People have said very nice things about me, and I’ve gathered them here for you to read—and for me to read on those weeks/days/hours when I’m wracked with self-doubt.
TV criticism & reporting
- “The pioneer of reality TV criticism” —Barfbag, on YouTube
- “For nearly a quarter century, Andy Dehnart has been the preeminent journalist covering unscripted TV at his site Reality Blurred.” —Nina Metz, The Chicago Tribune
- “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
- “Nobody covers unscripted TV as thoroughly, or as well” —Joe Adalian, Vulture, on Twitter
- “If you’re interested in how any unscripted sausage gets made, he’s a regular must-read” —Sarah D. Bunting, The Blotter Presents
- “the reality-TV critic Andy Dehnart offered an aficionado’s brisk, convincing diagnosis…” —Emily Nussbaum, The New Yorker
- “For matters of reality TV, always read Andy Dehnart.” —Alyssa Rosenberg, The Washington Post, on Twitter
- “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, KCRW’s The Spin-Off podcast
- “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, in the book Captive Audience: On Love and Reality TV
- “He is one of the best journalists that cover reality TV.” —Jay Blumenfield, TV producer, The Jay and Tony Show
- “the Pauline Kael of reality TV” —Jon Kroll, Emmy-winning producer, on Twitter
reality blurred
- “With new reality-TV shows cropping up about as regularly as guests are flung to the mat on Jerry Springer, it helps to have a Virgil to guide you through television’s latest ring of hell. Reality Blurred (www.realityblurred.com), Andy Dehnart’s smartly dressed compendium of so-real-it’s-real links, is the work of a man obsessed with what happens when people stop being polite and start getting … uh, real — just like the rest of us. The difference is, he cops to it. A” —Entertainment Weekly
- “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
- 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
- “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
teaching
- “I know I would not be where I am professionally without Andy’s support. In college, he helped me realize where my strengths lie as creative nonfiction writer as well as guiding me in becoming a better leader of our campus student media organization. This speaks to the fact that Andy not only knows how to provide excellent writing feedback, but he also has the knowledge and know-how of succeeding in an ever-changing journalism industry.” —Ruby Rosenthal, writer
- “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
- “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
- “Andy gives incredible feedback”; “He will genuinely make you a better writer if you take his advice to heart”; “While Andy does talk about offbeat topics ie: The Hills, he’s very helpful with your writing”—various anonymous students, RateMyProfessors.com
workshops
- “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 for Campus Life, 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
- “Andy spoke at the public library about the use of advertising in Facebook; he spoke in an engaging manner and presented the information in understandable terms to an audience of older adults who do not always trust social media sites.” —Laura Holton, Volusia County Public Library
Real-time feedback from people who attended my workshops and conference sessions:
- “Andy Dehnart is my favorite speaker. Really interesting and informing” —Chris Phillips
- “Andy Dehnart is a great speaker!” —Colleen Baker
- “practical, helpful straightforward presentation with humor” —Kate McLaughlin
- “INCREDIBLE” —Annie Strella
- “Great seminar, Andy! Love your satirical, yet encouraging vibe.” —Amelia Hill
- “just learned a TON in his sessions today” —Hannah Gatens
- “best show of the day goes to Andy Dehnart. Really enjoyed your presentation.” —Drew
- “I didn’t think clapping would be relevant to journalism, but [Andy] proved me wrong” —Zoe Travers, on Twitter
hosting & moderating
- “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
other feedback
- “incomparable” —Maureen Ryan, The Chicago Tribune
- “sometimes spends too much time visiting with his neighbors” —my second-grade report card