Pop Therapy (Formerly The Curious Life Podcast)
Pop Therapy (Formerly The Curious Life Podcast)
with Jana Firestone
The Edit is Everything with Ryan Bailey
1 hour 21 minutes Posted Jul 30, 2026 at 1:21 pm.
0:00
1:21:17
Download MP3
Show notes

My friend and returning Pop Therapy favourite Ryan Bailey is back, and few people understand reality TV like he does. Ryan has one of the sharpest reads on reality TV anywhere, so I wanted to pick the brain of someone who genuinely understands the unseen mechanics behind the genre we all obsess over.


We unpack why some shows become cultural phenomena while others flop, how editing shapes everything we think we know - why Love Island USA hits differently to Bravo, the psychology of parasocial fandom, and what reality TV is becoming in the age of AI.


And of course we hit all the latest moments from The Valley, In The City, Scamanda and the Housewives - from what we love and love to hate.


If you've ever wondered what really makes great reality television, this episode is packed with insights you won't hear anywhere else.


You can support Ryan at:

IG: ⁠@sobaditsgoodwithryanbailey⁠

Podcast: ⁠So Bad It's Good with Ryan Bailey⁠

Patreon: ⁠www.patreon.com/sobaditsgood⁠

YouTube: ⁠So Bad It's Good With Ryan Bailey⁠


Support this show!

IG: ⁠@jana.firestone⁠

YouTube: ⁠Pop Therapy Podcast⁠

Website: ⁠www.janafirestone.com⁠

TikTok: @janafirestone


Work with our incredible sound engineer Sam! www.samtalbot.com.au