Tag: The Real World (1-10 of 11)

May 21 2012 06:23 PM ET

'The Real World': 20 years later, seven strangers who made their mark

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SEAN-DUFFY

Image Credit: U.S. House of Representatives

The Real World is running our country. Literally. Twenty years to the day after Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray’s landmark MTV show debuted, its impact on American culture (not just pop) is pretty spectacular to behold. Sure, we could just discuss our favorite episodes and characters, but that wouldn’t get to the crux of the issue: This show actually matters. No, I’m not talking about its subsequent 26 seasons (26!) or its Kardashian-like spawning of spin-offs and D-list celebrities. I’m talking about the fact that The Real World is in Congress (U.S. Representative Sean Duffy, of the Boston season, right), in the court system, in cinemas, and of course on TV. Below, check out how the first major reality TV show still has a very Real impact.
READ FULL STORY »

Dec 19 2011 10:30 AM ET

Best of 2011 (or is that Worst?): The year in reality TV meltdowns

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Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , Jersey Shore, Reality TV, The X Factor, TV

No reality TV show can really call itself worthy of the name without at least one tear-streaked, red-faced, expletive-laden meltdown — the more out of left field, the better. And 2011 was chockablock with them, from Snooki on Jersey Shore to Taylor Armstrong on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, from Meat Loaf on Celebrity Apprentice to Maksim Chmerkovskiy on Dancing With the Stars. Let us count the ways:  READ FULL STORY »

Dec 8 2011 07:40 PM ET

'Top Model' contestant Angelea joins the ranks of reality TV's most memorable disqualifications

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Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , American Idol, Reality TV, Television, Top Chef, TV
Top-Model-Angelea

Image Credit: Nikos Papadopoulos/The CW

Angelea Preston was mysteriously eliminated on last night’s America’s Next Top Model All-Stars finale, forcing the decisive panel in the show’s Greek finale to be reshot and prompting rumors that Preston was stripped of the title (Lisa D’Amato was named winner on the episode that aired). Preston joins a long line of reality participants ingloriously ejected from their 15 minutes of fame. Below, we run down some of the genre’s most memorable forced exits. READ FULL STORY »

Aug 2 2011 03:43 PM ET

What's more horrifying: Watching an MTV reality show? Or reading its participant contract?

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Real-World-Vegas-25

Image Credit: MTV

Sorry, you don’t know these people in the picture. They’re the cast of The Real World XXV: Vegas and, as is the case with all humans, they may or may not have STDs! Starring in a fancy show with Roman numerals in the title is an honor, so you’re going to need to waive some basic personal, sexual, and reproductive rights. Just go with it; you’ll get to be on TV. Producers can twist your story any which way they want, but eyes on the prize: You! TV!

The Village Voice obtained a reputed copy of the standard contract for The Real World, and while it’s everything you might expect for reality TV, that doesn’t make it any less skeezy. (MTV has not yet responded to requests from EW for comment.) You can read the full document here, but here’s a quick list of my….

Five Most Worrisome Stipulations of an MTV Reality TV Contract

NUMBER ONE:

 I represent and warrant that, to the best of my knowledge, I do not currently have any sexually transmitted disease. However, I acknowledge and agree that other participants in the Program may have one or more sexually transmitted diseases and other diseases.

Honey we all agree. (Emphasis mine.) READ FULL STORY »

Jun 2 2011 01:10 PM ET

Did anyone else catch 'Real World: Las Vegas' finale last night?

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Image Credit: MTV

I can already anticipate the backlash responding to this article, so let me start by saying I understand. I know The Real World used to be a legit show. I know there used to be real people on it (ones with body fat) and that somehow it’s evolved into a series showcasing the downfall of modern humanity. But for a second, cast aside the fact that the show is teaching your children terrible, terrible things and admit it: This season of Real World Las Vegas was awesome. READ FULL STORY »

Mar 10 2011 03:00 PM ET

'The Real World' premiere: Is this show too tame for a 'Jersey Shore' world?

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Real-World-Vegas-25

Image Credit: MTV

The 25th season of MTV’s stalwart reality series The Real World premiered last night, and while viewing, the only thing I could think was: Wow, this is so, so tame. I think that reaction stems mostly from the fact that other reality shows — namely things like network sibling Jersey Shore (which is basically a themed riff on The Real World) or even Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise — garner so much more buzz. Out of fairness to The Real World, I have to note that it was only just the first episode. The sometimes-tired introductions and casting bits must happen. (Although they were basically the same introductions we’ve seen before: The sheltered boy Adam, the hardened city girl Naomi, etc.)

There’s no doubt in my mind that things will certainly heat up as the season marches on — they always do — but you have to wonder whether a show like The Real World will ever recapture the kind of buzzy ridiculousness that its network sibling Jersey Shore has. There was a point in time where the antics of a group of strangers “picked to live in a house” garnered the kind of attention that other reality shows do now. But are three-way kisses, clubbing, and revelations about being a former porn star in Las Vegas (!) really that original anymore? READ FULL STORY »

Jul 1 2010 05:00 AM ET

'The Real World: New Orleans' premiere recap: The bleach definitely went to his brain

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Real-World-New-OrleansImage Credit: Rene Cervantes/MTVWith all that’s going on the world, it’s kind of comforting that young naïve twentysomethings still want to document their drunken exploits on TV. Years ago I wanted to audition for The Real World (I was convinced I could be the Elka of City/Season To Be Determined Later), but life and discretion got in the way. Even though that desire has passed, it doesn’t mean I don’t want to watch a bunch of other crazies who actually had the guts to go through with it.

After 23 seasons, it’s still fun to see the excitement on the faces of these young people as they walk into the massive and fabulously decorated house that will be their home for the 3 months (didn’t it used to be 5?). Despite its recent low points, The Real World is the grandfather of all reality shows, and there is definitely a nostalgia factor that continues to draw viewers in (but probably not cast members, as many were just babies when the first season premiered in 1992). Yes, there are aspects of the show that are tired, dated, and boring (stereotyping the cast members from their audition tapes, the season locations, the idea of having “jobs,” or not having them), but last night’s premiere, set in a city MTV has been to before (who could forget David’s sexy ballad “Come on be my baby tonight”?), was actually pretty engaging. These whippersnappers may not know their Real World history, but they’re at least excited to be there. Here are my first impressions of the eight roommates: READ FULL STORY »

Mar 29 2010 02:15 PM ET

Darryl Strawberry wanted to hear 'You're fired!' Where does he rank on the list of most memorable reality TV quitters?

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Darryl-IreneImage Credit: Mitch Haaseth/NBC; Jimmy Malecki/MTVOn last night’s episode of Celebrity Apprentice, former New York Yankees slugger Darryl Strawberry made Donald Trump’s job much easier by telling him that he wanted to go home. (Don’t worry, Trump still got to utter the infamous “you’re fired,” though it was severely anti-climactic). When questioned by Trump, Strawberry attempted to play the martyr, offering to go home so undeserving project manager Michael Johnson would be spared. Trump and the rest of the contestants, especially Johnson himself, seemed confused, surprised, and less-than-confident that Strawberry was telling the truth, rather than just being tired, lazy, and completely uninterested in show.

The loss of Strawberry doesn’t appear to be that big of a loss to the reality TV staple. (But walking away from a chance to donate to his autism charity left fellow contestant Holly Robinson Peete fuming). EW’s Dalton Ross says it best: “Good riddance. Better someone useless and unentertaining, like Darryl, go than someone useless and hilarious, like Blago. See ya, Darryl, wouldn’t want to be ya. (Seriously, I really wouldn’t.).” Strawberry’s departure does, however, beg the question: What did he think he was getting himself into? What was he expecting (if anything) from joining the show? READ FULL STORY »

Feb 11 2010 10:30 AM ET

Before 'Jersey Shore,' there was 'Real Cancun'

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Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Jersey Shore, Movies, Reality TV, Those Crazy Kids!

Before we got to know Snooki and The Situation, there was Casey and the Twins. I’m talking, of course, of the monumental film experiment The Real Cancun, which hit the big screen in 2003 and was billed as the “first reality feature film.” When I saw it, I was convinced that this was this was the trashy, fun future of filmed entertainment — but I was oh-so-wrong: it  kinda tanked at the box-office. Later that year, some friends and I kept the legacy alive by screening the film at a Real Cancun theme party (bad spring break T-shirts and lots of tequila were involved).

The high-concept premise from Bunim/Murray Productions (the film is otherwise unrelated to the later TV series The Real World: Cancun):  A bunch of college students (and one-non-college-age-aspiring model who never grew up) head to spring break to do body shots and hook up. A few goody-two-shoes are invited to be corrupted. READ FULL STORY »

Dec 31 2009 05:58 AM ET

'The Real World D.C.': They debate about real issues! They don't use the hot tub (sorta)! Civilization could yet survive!

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If nothing else, I’m fairly certain last night’s premiere of The Real World: Washington D.C. made MTV history: No one used the hot tub! No, actually, it’s even more shocking than that: As anyone who suffered through watched the subsequent Real World: DC Aftershow knows, the cast of eight did in fact pile into the hot tub on their first night, but MTV, for some glorious reason, chose not to air it on the actual premiere. Penance for endless shots of Jersey Shore‘s Snooki and Snooki’s thong hot-tub-grinding on every breathing man on that show’s season premiere, perhaps?

Granted, anything is going to look like Proust next to the walking cartoons on Jersey Shore. But after weeks of barely tolerating The Situation et. al. hosing up so much oxygen in the pop-culture universe, I could scarcely believe I would ever witness a straight, atheist, African-American dude and a bisexual, Christian, white dude debate whether God exists on an MTV reality show.

In truth, it’s been practically a decade since I really cared about The Real World. (Ready to feel old? This is the 23rd season of The Real World. The show was airing on MTV before some of the people on this season were likely potty trained. There. We all feel really, really old now.) The last even halfway redeemable cast by my estimation was on the New Orleans season in 2000, but I’m also 30 (old!), so I don’t think MTV so much cares what I think anyway. Still, these eight people not only managed to behave as if they hadn’t long ago tequila blasted away their remaining grey matter, they honestly managed to hold my interest for an entire hour, and I never once cowered behind my couch in abject fear for my nation’s future. So who makes up this unlikely octet? Let’s discuss them in the order we met them: READ FULL STORY »

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