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Behold, Stephen and the yellow Jeep. Photo from MTV.com.
– “Real World: Denver” cast member Stephen recently conducted an interview with The Washington Post, in which he helped feed the unenlightening hype machine leading up to the show’s Nov. 22 premiere. Of course, he’s probably contractually obligated not to divulge anything about the coming season. But if so, what’s the point of an interview?
– It’s also curious that the Washington Post’s “Lesson Learned: How to Survive Living With Roommates” feature chose a TV star to chat with, since “The Real World” is about as far as from reality as you can get. But hey — it makes for good copy. And what else is the media but a way to deliver an audience to an advertiser? And what better subject than, as MTV describes him, a hardcore conservative Republican?
– “Some have to learn the hard way about what happens when you’re careless during a search for housemates,” the article starts out, before offering “tales from the roommate horror files… and Live Online chats designed to ensure you don’t get duped.” Yeah… um, being careless during the search for housemates is kind of a moot point when a TV production company holds multiple casting calls, then runs you and everyone else through a series of psychological tests. If only we all had the benefit of that process! Ah, television.
– You can read the article right here, but it’s clear from even the first few responses that Stephen is a well-coached MTV star. He avoids answering any questions of substance with the skill of a true politician (one of his aspirations, unsurprisingly). One person asked if Stephen thought Denver was an odd choice for a city. “Denver is an awesome city with a great nightlife and very attractive young people! What else could you ask for?” he replies.
Stephen knows how to play by MTV’s rules. Photo from MTV.com.
– “While living in the house did you feel it was easy to be yourself in front of the cameras? How authentic are the characters and events that we see on TV?” another reader asked. “Try to remember that we’re all just regular people living life and if you see it that way, you won’t feel like we’re acting,” Stephen answered, in part. Notice the phrase “if you see it that way.” Because, you know, if you don’t see it that way, the multiple bisexual hookups, race drama, lack of interaction with the media, threat-happy crew and host of legal barriers doesn’t seem quite so spontaneous and authentic.
(emphasis added throughout)
Wow Wenzel,
this is unusually hostile even for you. I’ll concede that the article is extremely articulate and a little too well-groomed at times. But like you stated before, if his aspirations are political, can you really expect his answers to be the kind of nitty gritty, cut-throat “truth” that you’d hope for (i.e. This cast member is a *insert vulgarity here*. This season *insert quasi-entertaining factoid* happened, etc.)? The only thing that I really get from this post is that it seems as though you’ve REALLY been soured and bittered on this whole experienced based on your interactions with Productions and somehow that’s translated into this unending vilification of MTV and all of its affiliates, including the cast members. I’m not saying that all of them are perfect angels who somehow fell into this world in which they had no choice but to act like they do or did. All of them chose this. Does that make them horrible or artificial as you infer in this post and many others? Not necessarily. I don’t know what it makes them. It’s not my place to judge those that wish for the limelight in their lives.
With regards to the ACTUAL Live Chat done by the Washington Post, my confusion came in when I realized that the title of the Live Chat didn’t at all match the questions that Stephen got. Most people seemed to want to know about the show this, and Denver that. No one cared to ask about what the Chat was actually asking.
Guess lots of other people are wondering what it would be like to be in the Spotlight too. . .
Comment by Courtney — October 25, 2006 @ 9:41 pm
I’ve been bitter since I was born!
kidding…
I’m just calling ‘em as I see ‘em. This blog has always had one purpose, and I think everyone knows what it is. Most people realize “The Real World” is fake, but not the full extent to which they control every aspect of production. Granted, my run-ins with the crew did get me pretty riled up — I had no idea how hardcore they were in dealing with the public.
But my tone has been pretty much this way since the start, yes? It’s my job to judge these peoples’ aspirations for stardom. I’m not saying they’re horrible people (I don’t even know any of them), but good lord, are they artificial.
Comment by John Wenzel — October 26, 2006 @ 11:38 am
Courtney~ Very, very well-put. I second everything you wrote here. And it was written accurately. I, too, do not understand why the extreme hostility on John Wenzel’s behalf. Contrary to what you say, John, your blurbs on here have become increasingly hostile and insulting. In a world like todays world, why do you feel it necessary to contribute even more negativity? I am sick of your constant excuses and explanations of why you continue to try your best to spread negativity through this website… What is your point, really? To get some recognition that you spent a good 6 months bashing a TV show and it’s cast members? For what??? What does that really do for you? Does it just make you feel better about something you are lacking in your own life? I don’t get it. I saw you a time or two while out in Denver when you followed various cast members, taking their picture. You were a good looking cat, for sure. And you obviously have a talent in writing… So I am wondering, are you doing all of this bashing because you would enjoy being the center of attention like these kids? Do you wish you got to be on the show when you had your chance? Because despite what you say, there are some very intelligent, talented, interesting individuals that do make it on the show. But they are more than all of that… they are lucky. Maybe you are angry you didn’t get so lucky? I don’t know. But it is really starting to become a bit much. I think you would have a more interesting website if you chose to present new information you’ve found in a more objective light. With no opinion either way. I know most of my people would be logging on a lot more….
Comment by Jgirl — October 26, 2006 @ 11:51 am
John, in response to your response to Courtney: They aren’t artificial! You’ve got it all wrong, man. You really don’t know what you are talking about! UGH! I don’t know why you think that or where you got that, but you are wrong. Trust me, there is no faking, no egging on, no suggesting, no scripts, nadda! What you see on the TV is what happened naturally. From having a camera in their face 24/7, having no TV or music of any kind ever, having lights on constantly while sleeping, wearing a mic pack every second of every day, you name it, that’s what caused a stressful situation to begin with. Add in the fact that they were living with complete strangers that were there to be opposites of one another, there is NATURALLY going to be drama.
Comment by Jgirl — October 26, 2006 @ 12:01 pm
Jgirl — Yeah, um, I never said there was a script. Only that the whole thing’s coached. They may not get egged on while they’re on camera, but they know what he producers want and they give it to them. How “real” do you think that lesbian hottub makeout session was in the YouTube post from a couple weeks ago?
Anyway, I enjoy people theorizing about what a miserable life I must have (it’s terrible! I hate myself!) but it’s a frickin’ TV show, not a documentary. Victimize the cast members all you want, I’m just having a bit of fun with them. If I were “objective” on this blog it’d be worse than boring, it would be exactly what MTV wanted.
My point, as you wonder, is not to aggrandize myself but rather to pick apart the show. I highly doubt I’m going to make it on the show, and even if I did, it was never may aim to do so. I never tried to get in front of the camera, just took pics of the cast from 10-15 away. That’s when the crew freaked out on me, yes?
Comment by John Wenzel — October 26, 2006 @ 12:12 pm
If you didn’t have an opinion, it wouldn’t be a blog. Geesh people.
John did a lot of great work covering the show, and as it turns out, pretty much all of the info on her turned out to be true.
I am pretty sure that this is the first season that has ever happened to this extent.
Comment by Brando — October 26, 2006 @ 12:47 pm
On here, I meant.
Comment by Brando — October 26, 2006 @ 12:52 pm
John, they are artificial. I have a friend who hung out with some of the Denver cast members during taping and confirms that his interaction with the cast was very coached. Seeds were planted and rumors were started to get certain reactions out of the cast.
Comment by Taylor — October 26, 2006 @ 2:52 pm
They are totally artificial. “Real” is about as far from the truth as it can get. Listen, when you have a camera in your face 24/7 you don’t act like yourself- period. It brings out fakeness in everybody. I also know someone who hung out with the cast during taping, and she said that the producers and cameramen are constantly egging them on to do things and telling them what they should do and say. Oh, and my friend also told me that the crew members also act as the cast members personal screeners for what girls can and can’t hang out with them. If they are hanging out with a group of girls and the cast members want to hang out with another group of hotter girls, the crew just tells the first group of girls to take a hike. It is really quite interesting. Oh, and for all the people getting on Jon’s case for telling it like it is you obviously are way too obsessed with the dillusion that this show is somehow “Real”. Like Brando said- it’s a blog because someone has an opinion and you might not always agree with it, so get over it.
Comment by John — October 26, 2006 @ 4:25 pm
Whatever. Really. You guys are hilarious, you actually think you know what you’re talking about. Ignorance is bliss, I suppose…
Comment by Jgirl — October 27, 2006 @ 8:33 pm