She’s smiling because she knows something that you don’t.
– As part of our run-up to the MTV Reality TV Junky Party at Club Vinyl on Aug. 25, we’re interviewing former “Real World” stars about what it’s really like behind-the-scenes on the show. Reporter Scott Lieber talked to “Real World” San Diego cast member Cameran a couple days ago about her experience on the show…
– Here’s part two of his interview with her…
Scott Lieber: Did you watch the show growing up?
Cameran: Well, we didn’t even have cable growing up, but I knew what “The Real World” was. When I was in the casting process, the Paris season was on. So I watched that religiously to see what I could do to help my chances.
Are you still tied to MTV in any contractual manner?
There’s about a six-month period once the show is on that you can’t do any TV spots or other shows. Other than that, we’re free to do anything.
Take me through your perspective during the rape allegations during the “San Diego” season (read more about it here).
The only thing I can tell you, because they’ve been really strict that we can’t talk about that, is that it was a situation that involved no one in our cast. They sat us down and they told us to say no comment. It did not involve anyone in the house. It was an outside matter that happened within “The Real World” walls.
How about the way in which MTV handled it?
I think it was handled as professionally as it could have been. There was nothing mischievous going on. I thought the whole thing was handled well. Any time you have something like that that happens like that, a lot of things are gonna get said, blown way out of proportion, and that’s what I think happened with this case.
The current Denver cast gets harassed a lot by the public while they’re out on the town. Did you experience that in San Diego?
We experienced that the first night we went out. A lot of that stuff wasn’t televised. When you’re out, and they know you’re “The Real World,” they do it because they want the camera to turn toward them and they want their 15 seconds of fame. They’d shout at us, yell obscenities at us, tell us to get out, go home. It got to the point where they had to hire undercover security. These people have $100,000 cameras. Their equipment is expensive. But I never felt unsafe.
How’d you adapt to that?
I didn’t really expect it. Once it started happening, I just had to tell myself, ‘Cameran, this is what you signed up for. You’re never gonna get away from idiots.’ It was mostly directed at the guys though. But I have to say, if “The Real World” came to my town I’d probably yell at them, too (laughs).
Do you talk with other “Real World” cast members?
I’ve met handfuls that I really genuinely like. A lot of them are — a lot of them come off the show and they become different people. They try to become actors and start their singing careers. Those are the ones I don’t really talk to.
But I’m close with Brad. He’s one of my best friends. I’m close with Robin and Jaime. Our cast was kind of different than a lot of the other ones. We liked each other. We didn’t bicker. We genuinely had fun and got along.
Do you still watch the show?
I saw a couple of them. To be honest, I haven’t really enjoyed any of the new seasons. A lot of people actually come up to me, and one of the main comments they come up and say is, ‘Ever since your season, the show just is not good any more. All these people do is bitch at each other and they don’t have fun.’ I think the Key West season is pretty good. Hopefully the Denver one will be better.
Why has the show gotten worse?
Some of these kids, they get this experience handed to them and they take it for granted. And they want camera time. I’m not gonna say names, but I’ve met cast members who have come off these recent shows and they were like, ‘I was just hamming it up. I was just trying to be a character. That’s not me.’ Which just kind of defeats the whole purpose.
More from Get Real Denver
- “The Real World: Denver” house’s future
- The art of “The Real World: Denver”
- Touring “The Real World” Denver house
