Why I’m Trying Reality TV
It wasn’t long after the first few articles came out about the San Francisco home we had rented for my first startup, and I had jokingly dubbed the “Crypto Castle,” did reality television producers start knocking. At that point in time (circa 2016), Bitcoin and blockchain technology were hardly paid attention to let alone, understood, by the general public. It’s my theory that this, in fact, is why my very average, three bedroom (converted into seven) Potrero Hill home received any press at all — it was far easier for journalists put on the Bitcoin beat to discuss a fairly unremarkable house full of crypto enthusiasts than it was for them to actually explain the technology we had given our lives to.
Nevertheless, I understand why the Hollywood folks showed up. A bunch of nerds and entrepreneurs building startups and getting rich from crypto under one roof? The formula for success was already there. Of course, they never used the tarnished term “reality TV” — instead they preferred the rather innocuous “unscripted television.” Any meaningful deep dive into their intentions, however, always revealed the same vapid exploitation found on MTV or E! any given day of the week.
Of the dozen or so producers who came to me over the past four years, a couple of them actually made pitches that appealed to my sensibilities and motivations as an entrepreneur, investor, and evangelist for cryptoassets and blockchain tech. It seemed like an opportunity to increase awareness about the revolutionary technology I’d dedicated myself to amongst a large segment of population who would otherwise be unaware of what we’ve been building. However, even in the one circumstance where I negotiated producer credits on the show, when it came down to creative vision, my desire to create entertaining content that was also thoughtful and educational, I ran into a wall.
It’s unsurprising that none of the “unscripted” projects proposed to me, or related to crypto, have ever come to fruition. And that was probably a good thing. Trying to capture a bunch of nerds talking about esoteric technology, or worse, partying, sounds cringe-inducing at best.
You see, reality television can be a powerful medium, but only if harnessed properly. In fact, arguably the two most powerful people in America, Donald Trump and the Kardashian/Jenners, are both byproducts and masters of this medium, creating unparalleled influence and wealth for themselves. I recognize that this is a hard-to-swallow suggestion — that an oft-disparaged form of entertainment appealing to the lowest common denominator, is in fact a driver of unparalleled influence in the most powerful nation in the world. But fully appreciating that fact, I believe it can be a force for good. That is why I’m creating the Crypto Castle Chronicles.
What we’re aiming for with the Chronicles is a nuanced balance between entertainment and meaningful insight into the world of startups, entrepreneurship, and investing. This isn’t Shark Tank, this isn’t the Kardashians. It’s really just three weeks of my life on camera, in which I discuss everything from business to relationships to even philosophy. I truly believe that an honest look at the hardship of building startups, the realities of raising and investing money, could be given a “real” inside look. We don’t gloss over all things that go wrong, and don’t overplay the luck that goes into things going right.
I’m not sure whether we will find an audience for what we’ve filmed (though several outlets seem interested in acquiring the content,) but it’s overwhelmingly important for me to create an earnest account of what it means to do what I do — a life that I feel is rarely well represented online or on TV screens. Who knows whether it will be successful, but I believe if you take the time to watch (episodes are only ten minutes,) you’ll definitely take something away from what we’ve created.
