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When you think of your earliest memory of reality television, what comes to mind? Is it \u201cThe Real World,\u201d \u201cSurvivor\u201d or \u201cThe Bachelor\u201d? Perhaps it\u2019s other fare like \u201cProject Runway\u201d or one of the \u201cReal Housewives<\/a>\u201d franchises.<\/p>\n Growing up in the \u201890s and early aughts, my first exposure to reality programming was MTV\u2019s slate of shows like \u201cReal World\u201d and \u201cRoad Rules\u201d \u2014 thanks to being the youngest of four siblings, I was exposed to shows that were, in hindsight, too risque for me at too young an age. But they left an indelible mark. I saw Irene McGee of \u201cReal World: Seattle\u201d get slapped by her roommate Stephen Williams, a moment that at the time sent shock waves. Genesis Moss, of the Boston cast, was one of my earliest exposures to a gay person on TV. And Melissa Howard of the New Orleans season showed me how you can be 5-foot-2 and unapologetically feisty \u2014 as someone with a similar build and demeanor, I took that to heart.<\/p>\n Over the years, I\u2019ve sometimes dismissed reality TV because it felt a little too personal or a little too competitive. I often wonder about the psychological effect on participants as their lives are laid bare for all to see. However, I can\u2019t deny their appeal and why fans have continued to gravitate toward these shows season after season. They make for excellent watercooler talk; in recent weeks, my co-workers and I have spoken endlessly about \u201cThe Bachelorette\u201d and Taylor Frankie Paul<\/a>, and who did or didn\u2019t stay married from Season 10 of \u201cLove Is Blind.\u201d<\/p>\n Few of us knew in the early days what effect reality television would have on the culture or how it would create a new type of star. Reality TV personalities have become influencers, pop culture icons and even political figures. One is the president.<\/p>\n