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Draft:Susie Meister

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  • Comment: What she has written or said (interviews, quotes, etc.) cannot be used to establish notability. Other sources are brief mentions. S0091 (talk) 16:55, 28 October 2024 (UTC)
  • Comment: Sources are not WP:RS, most of them are gossip blogs etc. Jamiebuba (talk) 08:06, 22 October 2024 (UTC)


Susie Meister (born August 10, 1979) is an American reality television personality, podcast host, academic, and writer. She is best known for her appearances on MTV's Road Rules: Down Under and The Challenge, where she participated in multiple seasons, including Extreme Challenge, The Gauntlet 2, The Inferno 3, and The Ruins. Beyond reality TV, Meister has transitioned into podcasting and writing, bringing her insights into media, religion, and culture to a broader audience  [1]

Early Life and Education

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Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Meister first appeared on Road Rules at 18. After her reality TV career, she pursued academic studies, earning a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. Her research focused on the marketing of the American prosperity gospel, a topic she explored in her dissertation, Presents of God: The Marketing of the American Prosperity Gospel[2][3]

In addition to her academic pursuits, Meister has written extensively on topics such as media representation and gender, with her work appearing in Salon.com, HuffPost, Observer, and other major publications.[4][5][6] In 2014, she delivered a TEDx talk titled, Thinking Inside The Box, at TEDx Grandview Ave.[2]

Reality Television Career

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Meister gained fame on MTV's Road Rules: Down Under, which followed her and her castmates as they traveled across Australia completing various missions. She became a regular competitor on MTV's The Challenge, where she earned a reputation as a strong and strategic competitor. Meister won two seasons and made it to the finals twice, becoming a fan favorite in the process.[7] In addition to her appearances on the flagship show, Meister also competed on Road Rules: Viewer's Revenge, and in the 2010 spinoff titled, Spring Break Challenge, where her team took home first place. Beyond her wins, she has also been vocal about the behind-the-scenes aspects of reality TV, particularly regarding how production teams influence situations to enhance dramatic elements for viewers.[8] In a Bustle interview, Meister revealed the rampant sexism she witnessed during her time on The Challenge, describing how female contestants were often subjected to unfair treatment and how producers influenced cast interactions.[9]

In 2009, Meister was the subject of Hugh Curnutt’s academic article, “A Fan Crashing the Party”: Exploring Reality-celebrity in MTV’s Real World Franchise.[10] In this study, Susie Meister is used as a key example to illustrate the rise of “reality-celebrity” on shows like Road Rules and The Challenge. Curnutt examines how Meister, alongside other reality stars, navigates a unique form of fame where participants are expected to continuously perform their authenticity both on and off camera. [10]

Meister also met her husband, Adam Butler, a producer on The Challenge, during her time on the show.[11][12]

Podcasting and Writing Career

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In 2015, Meister co-founded The Brain Candy Podcast with fellow MTV alum Sarah Rice. The podcast covers a wide range of topics, including pop culture, psychology, science, and social issues. It has garnered a large following and won the 2019 People’s Choice Podcast Award in the “Society and Culture” category.[13] Meister has also written for outlets such as HuffPost, Vox, and Observer, where she shares her perspectives on reality TV, media culture, and religion. [14][4][15]

In 2018, Meister spoke alongside Patreon CEO, Jack Conte at the Code Media Conference in Huntington Beach, Calif. Their interview with Recode's Peter Kafka and Dan Frommer was featured on Vox and discussed the importance of maintaining authenticity in media.[16]

Personal Life

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Meister is married to Adam Butler, whom she met while filming The Challenge.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "Brain Candy Podcast Live | University Center for International Studies". www.ucis.pitt.edu. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  2. ^ a b TEDx Talks (2014-06-03). Thinking inside the box: Susie Meister at TEDxGrandviewAve. Retrieved 2024-10-22 – via YouTube.
  3. ^ Butler, Susie. Presents of God: The marketing of the American prosperity gospel. Diss. University of Pittsburgh, 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Susie Meister | HuffPost". www.huffpost.com. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  5. ^ "Susie Meister". Observer. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  6. ^ Meister, Susie (2017-11-29). "TV star Susie Meister: My reality is our tragedy". Salon. Retrieved 2024-10-22.
  7. ^ "Ranking the 50 best players ever on MTV's 'The Challenge'". EW.com. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  8. ^ Wenzke, Ali (2020-02-20). "Susie Meister: From Road Rules to Brain Candy - The Art of Happy Moving". Retrieved 2024-10-22.
  9. ^ Semigran, Rachel (May 19, 2014). ""The Challenge's Susie Meister Reveals Rampant Sexism Behind the Scenes & It's Horrifying"". Bustle.com. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Curnutt, Hugh (May 2009). ""A Fan Crashing the Party": Exploring Reality-celebrity in MTV's Real World Franchise". Television & New Media. 10 (3): 251–266. doi:10.1177/1527476409334017. ISSN 1527-4764.
  11. ^ Shaw, Gabby (May 3, 2021). "Reality Stars Who Dated People From Behind the Scenes of Their Shows". Business Insider. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  12. ^ Wurzburger, Andrea (August 27, 2020). "Real-Life Romance! These Reality Stars Dated People Working Behind the Scenes on Their Shows". People. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  13. ^ "Podcast Awards - The People's Choice". www.podcastawards.com. 2024-04-17. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  14. ^ Meister, Susie (August 7, 2018). "Does Losing Your Religion Help the Economy?". Observer.
  15. ^ Meister, Susie (April 17, 2018). "How Conservative Pundits Like Tomi Lahren and Ann Coulter Are Using Reality TV Tactics". Vox. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
  16. ^ Staff, Recode (2018-02-14). "Watch the full interview: Patreon CEO Jack Conte and Susie Meister, host of The Brain Candy Podcast". Vox. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  17. ^ "Real-Life Romance! These Reality Stars Dated People Working Behind the Scenes on Their Shows". People.com. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
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