We all know the saga: Put seven beautiful/photogenic kids into lavishly decorated, excessively large house (can we call em Mansion) and chronicle the week by week unfolding petty differences, post teen dramas, and ordinary but dramatically magnified roommate squabbles. 

C'mon guys admit it. You love them-Danny, Heather and Melissa, You hate them-Puck, David. You are jealous of them and disgusted by them. Come on do they really need a robotic dog? But who hasn't wanted to be one of them.

We've all had friends who had friends who auditioned. We all know someone who knows someone who knows someone who was a finalist. Now it's your turn.

There's 4 step you need to know before you turn in your application or go to that long mile line for audition. Hope this will help you and good luck!

1. Be Careful what you guys wish for okay

 

That's voyeuristic (Melissa bad girl) - Most of us have it in somewhere, self proclaimed movie star (Melissa again) waiting for the right time to jump into the limelight. And The Real World is just one place to do it. No acting experience involved, you can parlay you 15 minutes of fame into a full fledged third rate career (have you seen Colin from the Hawaii season on NBC's groaner MYOB?).

I assume that you have a lots of good reason for wanting to be in Real World. A kick ass house (The fridge is fully stocked, big screen TV, pool table ,six foot fish tank, hot tub...wanna hear it's for FREE), fame, interesting experiences. But you must realized nowadays there's no more FREE meal right. You have to pay for it dude, you have to give up a lot. So before you apply and drop your application, think long and hard about the following guys :)

Lack of Privacy

 We're talking of 4 mos of televised psychological dissection. Complete loss of privacy. You'll have to live in a house without interior doors (they're not allowed in Real World abodes, except in the bathroom). Tiny cameras are hung everywhere right Dan. Hidden microphones capture all conversations. Even the phones are tapped. Every flinch, every utterance, every laugh and tear, is public domain. The recipe for reality also includes one director sitting in front of 26 monitors and dispatching camera crews to anywhere in the house, at any time of day.

Revelations.

 It's more than just losing your daily privacy; you have to realize that when you're on TV talking about your family and friends, it affects them too. If you talk about your alcoholic father (a la New Orleans' Melissa) or your mom's abortion, you then single-handedly force them to air their dirty laundry. And consider all the snotty little things you say about people (or do to people) all day long without really meaning it; do you really want to be remembered as the roommate who, in a moment of anger, slapped a girl (a la Stephen from the Seattle season)?

Editing. 

Think about it: to capture the so-called "reality," that makes The Real World MTV's highest-rated show, the network brings in a virtual army of editing masters. The images they select are the ones that are the most dramatic: fights, sex, violence, and general craziness. In order to get the dramatic narration that any TV show requires, the editors will change the perceived order of events, leave out important information, and try to make you look as much like a cartoon character as possible. Whether you like it or not, events will be distorted, and not to your liking.

You can't leave. 

Well, that's not necessarily true. But the people who leave (by choice or by force) get marked in the public as weirdos (think Puck, Irene, and Justin). So imagine the difficulty of living in a house with six other people who you don't like-in the real world, you can find another apartment and forget about it, but in The Real World, you pretty much have to tough it out.
Constant talking. Real Worlders are told to communicate everything. Each Monday, they must individually hole up in a "confessional" room to disclose their grievances as sort of an on-camera diary. Plus, they're also encouraged to talk about anything and everything with their fellow cast members. So get ready for lots of talking, even when you don't want to.

Legal constraints.

 You have to sign a huge legal packet before they officially invite you to be one of the Fantastic Seven. Basically, it prevents you from cashing in on your fame by saying nasty things about The Real World. It gets a little more complicated than that, but you should at least be aware that you should read anything before signing it.

What next?

 Several participants feel a huge letdown once the show is over, and have a difficult time making the transition back into their normal lives. It's tough to be a student when people on the street walk up to you and tell you why you're a jerk. "I think in a few years there will be Reality TV Anonymous self-help groups," New Orleans' cast member Melissa Howard told a reporter shortly after the show wrapped. "Hi my name is Melissa and I'm a victim of The Real World."

The first thing you need to know about the Real World cast is that you must be between the ages of 18 and 24 (sorry Grandpa, try Survivor). Other than that, MTV executives insist there is no "standard" for picking and choosing the cast (Oh really). They claim there are many factors that go in to each casting decision, and that they "always look for the most dynamic, outgoing personalities regardless of their race or appearance."

Still, there's no denying that most of those kids are unusually attractive, and that the show has a certain, ummm, mold by which the roomies always seem to fit. I'm not saying that they typecast their characters (you be the judge of that), but for the most part, MTV casting agents seem to have developed a tried-and-true formula for creating chemistry (good and bad). You'll notice that many of the selected cast have such strong personality types (Danny), that they seem to be living cartoon characters (Puck).

Yes, there are exceptions. Anyone who saw The Real World: San Francisco can vouch that bicycle-peddling Puck would have fit better in a psych ward than an IKEA-branded loft. Also, it's important to recognize that the archetypes we're about to mention don't show up every season, and that cast members often embody characteristics of more than one of these types. Nevertheless, we couldn't resist having a little fun with these:

 The "Virginal" Roommate

Character M.O.: Wide-eyed and pure, this character is nauseatingly nice and proudly naïve. Often possessing strong Christian values, he/she has a tendency to get emotional and/or preachy.
Examples:

Julie (New Orleans), a devout Mormon who says no to sex, drugs and caffeine.
Julie (New York)
Elka    (Boston)
Jon (Los Angeles) Getting-the-part tip: Wait until marriage.

The "All-American Male" Roommate

Character M.O.: With freshly-pressed khakis and a toothy white grin, this character looks like he stepped straight out of a J. Crew catalog. Usually quite boring and often named "Mike," he becomes less generic when he drinks.
Examples:
Mike (London)
Mike (Miami)
Colin (Hawaii)
Sean (Boston)
Jamie (New Orleans)
Getting-the-part-tip: Wear your favorite fraternity shirt when making your audition tape.

The "Gay" Roommate

Character M.O.: Ummm, must we be clearer?
Examples:
Danny (New Orleans)
Ruthie and Justin (Hawaii)
Dan (Miami)
Genesis (Boston)
Late Pedro (San Francisco)
Stephen (Seattle) (at least according to Irene, anyway…)Getting-the-part tip: If you're gay-flaunt it. MTV casting agents love dipping into controversy, so don't be afraid to jump out of the closet, both hands in the air.

The "Instigator" Roommate

Character M.O.: This character derives pleasure from others people's pain. Two-faced and bored, he/she pits the roommates against each other by spreading vicious rumors. A favorite tactic? Entrusting the most insecure member of the cast.
Examples:
Justin (Hawaii)
Montana (Boston)
Beth (Los Angeles)
Puck (San Francisco) (If he fits anywhere, it would be here.)
Getting-the-part tip: Claim to be a sucker for controversy.

The "Pretentious Poet" Roommate

Character M.O.: A practitioner of experimental music and/or spoken word, this character carries around a well-worn journal and spends a lot of time alone to "think."
Examples:
Kaia (Hawaii)
Jason (Boston)
Kevin (New York)
Mohammed (San Francisco)
Getting-the-part tip: Adopt a faraway look while making your audition tape, and speak in a stream-of-consciousness beatnik style.

The "Ethnic" Roommate

Character M.O.: Though there's almost always more than one non-white character per season, this one is intent on making his/her heritage a constant issue. Heated fights about racism ensue.
Examples:
Melissa (New Orleans) Half Filipino and Half Black
Ruthie (Hawaii) Half Filipino and Hawaiian
Kevin (New York)
David (Los Angeles)
Getting-the-part tip: Refer constantly to your "roots," and, if possible, wear ethnic garb.

The "Drama Queen" Roommates

Character M.O.: This is the girl everyone loves to hate. Demanding, attention-starved and deliciously bitchy, she makes a paper cut seem like a life-threatening disease.
Examples:
Amaya (Hawaii)
Flora (Miami)
Irene (Seattle)
Getting-the-part tip: Whine, cry and stomp profusely.

The "Playah" Roommate

Character M.O.: This character often goes clubbing without his roommates for fear that they'll cramp his style. The result? Hoochies parade in and out of his bedroom at all hours of the night. The virginal roommate is disgusted (Matt got this one right).
Examples:
David (New Orleans)
Teck (Hawaii)
Syrus (Boston)
Eric (New York)
Getting-the-part tip: Bring your little black book.  

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 Standing Still by Jewel

Buy now !

Reviewer: 

Johnny Austin,Texas
I admit I am a huge fan of the Real World, and I was before I purchased this book, but that's kinda irrelevant, 'cause I would have turned into a huge fan after reading this book anyway. If you like The Real World, you totally need this. It's got awesome gossip, photos, and plenty of Melissa (she's so cute!). Melissa, if you're reading this, that's cool. Me and my friends think you rock! Umm...what else...oh yeah, the writing is very funny and the stuff they got the cast members to say will crack you up. I strongly recommend this. Okay, bye.

 Amazon.com

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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com 
This collection of behind-the-scenes capers provides Real World fans even more of their favorite vicarious thrills, watching the residents of the Big Easy's Belfort House flirt, fight, and have fun. Mostly fun. Lots of it. In after-show interviews that seem designed to encourage dirt dishing, Julie, Matt, Kelley, Danny, David, Melissa, and Jamie spend most of their time laughing at themselves--and luckily, the laughter is infectious. Hidden-camera footage and crew bloopers show the cast members at their most hilarious, proving they're not only smart enough to see through the show's manipulation of reality, but smart enough to have fun with it. Just like real life, much of the accidental humor centers around bodily functions and frustrated sex drives, and some viewers might be turned off by the spy-cam montage of nose picking, or the mindlessly drunk Mardi Gras antics of the Belfort crew. But this show is really saved by characters who are just that--characters. Melissa's hysterical impressions of her own parents (who show up in person later) might be worth the price of the video alone. --Grant Balfour 

Amazon.com

Buy a copy now!

Cdnow.com -  sound sample

Review:

This is the true story of seven people picked to live in a mansion in New Orleans, find out what happens when people stop being polite, and start being … CD producers? 
The cast members of the new Real World, this time set in show-us-your-boobs New Orleans, have reached into their mental jukeboxes to come up with some of their most beloved songs for inclusion on The Real World soundtrack. This season's housemates -- Danny, Matt, Julie, Melissa, Jamie, and Kelley (what, no David?) -- picked the tracks and added liner-note quotes. It's like a collection of two-song mixed tapes from your favorite MTV-styled exhibitionists. 

Julie, everyone's darling, blonde Mormon, chose Collective Soul's "When the Water Falls" for one of her songs. Julie says, "I like this song because it talks about innocence and searching for knowledge, and that's important for me." It's classic Julie style. 

Danny, a boy so pleasing to the eyes that he appeals to both sexes, appropriately chose Garbage's "You Look So Fine." He's also responsible for the inclusion of Toad the Wet Sprocket's "All I Want." 

Indie-pop found its way to the Big Easy, thanks to Melissa. She chose Promise Ring's "Deep South" and the Get Up Kids' "Red Letter Day." She notes that the Kids' song is egocentric, adding that, "I'm always me-focused. I firmly believe in me-ology." Thank you, Me-lissa. 

At least Melissa chose songs that were somewhat below the radar. Kelley reached far into her musical bag, and all she could come up with was Paul Simon. Her choice was obvious -- "The Obvious Child." 

Rich kid Jamie is the only real surprise here. His choices included Peter Tosh's "Glass House," and "Little Blue One" by Cowboy Mouth, a budding New Orleans band. Virgin B-boy Matt adds "Want Ad" by Mxpx. He says it's "Real catchy, real quick." It's a sentiment that suitably reflects both this soundtrack and the Real World New Orleans

 

On June 19, MTV will air a special 10-year-anniversary tribute to "The Real World." It will include interviews with past cast members and celebrity fans of the show, (including yours truly), along with special moments from this groundbreaking television experience. In light of the current saturation of reality TV, we forget that "The Real World" was the granddaddy of them all. 

It discussed real issues that much of society only discussed behind closed doors: AIDS, race, gender, class, alcoholism, religion, abortion and most of all, sexuality. Every year, from its inception, "The Real World" had at least one gay, lesbian or bisexual member in the cast. 

 

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Russ
Posted by Danny on 1/20/2002 at 10:31:58
IP: 64.255.219.232

Hopefully you'll stop by and read this before it scrolls off, but I just noticed that you were posting on the board and I wanted to respond. Yes, you are the guy I was referring to in that interview about a guy who was openly gay in highschool. I'm extremely glad you've found happiness in life and I wish you the best. Moving on from the past is the best. And one more thing Russ, get the story straight...we never held hands...more like, you tried to hold my hand. It was very obvious to me even back then that you wanted more than to be friends and I was not down with that back then. But again, i just want to say how happy I am for you that you've found your place in the world and wish you the best.
Much Love,
Danny

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Photos of Janet Reno while signing dannyandpaul.com guestbook.

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