Oldest, Most Irrelevant Reality Show Coming to D.C.

Following in the footsteps of Bravo’s “Real Housewives” series, MTV’s crusty ol’ “The Real World” is coming to Washington, D.C.

Possibly because they need more drunks with STDs in D.C. running around like douche bags.

The cable network announced Wednesday that the 23rd season of the reality series would begin production in the nation’s capital later this summer and premiere in 2010. Previous editions have focused on young strangers living together in front of cameras in such cities as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Boston, London, Las Vegas, Paris and Austin, Texas.

Tony DiSanto, MTV’s president of programming, said the network is “thrilled to be filming our classic franchise in the heart of where history is being made.”

Now I’m 31, meaning I haven’t watched the Real World since it went to London in Real World 4. (Like most real, red-blooded Americans I become magically disinterested in things once they leave the lower 48.) I mean, EVERYONE knows the show reached the peak of its greatness and relevance during Season 3 in San Francisco with Pedro the AIDS activist who died of AIDS shortly after the show wrapped, Puck the asshole, the cartoonist, Pam, that one chick who cried about being “SO WHITE!” and the black guy who largely hid out the whole season because everyone in that house was nutters.

More after jump.

I faithfully watched the first three seasons when all the folks were in their mid-20s and had real jobs and talent. Like Heather B. the rapper or poet/author Kevin Powell of the first season in NYC who basically set the standard for how black folks would be treated in all future seasons of The Real World — like they were insane.

Hell, Dave Chappelle dedicated an entire episode to the phenomenon, specifically what happened to his friend, another comic named David, in the second season of the show in LA. For the youngins, dude ripped a bed sheet off the one other black cast member Tami while she was in her drawers — they’d been horsing around like idiots all day — and ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE. Then members of the white folk in the house declared they felt “not safe” and one cast member compared the sheet ripping with rape. Assholey, yeah. But rape? Anyway, David became the first dude ever kicked off The Real World.

But remember when that was fresh and exciting? I remember it all just like yesterday. One minute Dave and Tami were getting tattoos and flirting and the next, “RAPE!” Exciting! Now though … snooze-ville.

Anyway. MTV’s coming to town, D.C. Metro. Stock up on your Trojans and Valtrex!

daniellebelton
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19 responses to “Oldest, Most Irrelevant Reality Show Coming to D.C.”

  1. dukedraven Avatar
    dukedraven

    I remember that "unsafe" cast member episode. It was so uncomfortable. I stopped watching "Real World" shortly after that.

    Reply
  2. polticallyincorrect Avatar
    polticallyincorrect

    I am glad everyone is going to DC, I sick of whitebread middle America folk invading my city

    Reply
  3. Monie Avatar
    Monie

    You pretty much summed up the RW Danielle. I will say though that Seattle (with the slap episode) and Las Vegas were kinda interesting. But the show lost it’s focus. The people aren’t compelling anymore they are now just always the same people kinda like how Tyra’s America’s Next Top Model isn’t about anything and always has the same type of women with the same stories over and over.I would however be interested to see if they interact with the majority population in D.C. or if they’ll just hideout in Georgetown.

    Reply
  4. BlackWomenBlowTheTrumpet Avatar
    BlackWomenBlowTheTrumpet

    Hi there Danielle!More Real World? Is that show still on? *sigh*Now I am rejoicing even more that I don’t own a television! I remember the first season of Real World …geeeesh…the show that started this reality television craze that Americans can’t seem to break out of their addiction to…

    Reply
  5. Lisa J Avatar
    Lisa J

    I used to love me some real world. I remember one ep in Florida where there were some funky doings in the shower, and it was pre-DVR and the first 3 times it was on the dang phone rang and I missed it. That was when I implemented my, "if good stuff is on, I’ma not answer the phone" ignant yes, but it works. I remember the slap episode and I was suprised he didn’t get kicked off (esp since he was black), but that girl threw out some fighting words and many people would have had a hard time restraining themselves. I also remember, I think on RW/RoadRules crossover, some Eastern European dude was horsing around with a black dude who called him some kind of jokey name about being European, and he called him a something nigger, in a jokey way and this black girl (I think from Howard) who was not in the conversation got up and slapped him. Those a-hole producers not only did not discuss the racism and use that as a teaching moment, they kicked the girl off (cause a girl half his size who weighed maybe 120 at most is so intimadating) and didn’t address the provocation. I think my viewership of those shows waned after that. I was SO MAD. And the other black folks on the show didn’t take up for her either.

    Reply
  6. studpoet Avatar
    studpoet

    admittedly, i still watch the first couple of episodes of each season just to see the sterotypes. this past season in brooklyn was probably the worst. it starred 8 of the most hypocritical, self absorbed, idiots i’d ever seen in my life. the real world is truly getting worse! i agree that the pinnacle was san francisco. if only they would release that season on dvd i would snatch it up in a heartbeat. and it’s true las vegas was ok. seattle was only good on the slap episode. and well…that’s pretty much it. they should let this shit die. but they can’t…they have to have more dumbass jobless dorks to be on the RW/RR challenges.

    Reply
  7. Jaddadalos Avatar
    Jaddadalos

    My fav was Boston. More interesting folks, in my opinion – and one damn intelligent Black woman, Kamillah (friend of mine went to Stanford with her). Yea, I don’t have cable. Didn’t realize the show had been on that long until they came to Philly a couple years ago. Just… boo.

    Reply
  8. Spaceman's Hairdo Avatar
    Spaceman’s Hairdo

    I want to see an "actual" real world show. Take a bunch of twenty-somethings throw them in a three bedroom apartment in some lowly "apartment community" in some nondescript suburb. The fridge will be stocked with the bare essentials and the only amenities will be a couple of computers with printers and internet access for finding "real" jobs. Not twenty-something fantasies like working at a hip PR firm or a trendy nightclub. I want them working in call-centers and behind cash registers. The drama will be real and relatable to the twenty-somethings who watch. MTV really needs to start meeting their viewers where they actually are in life and stop celebrating Roman Empire-like decadence with shows like "Cribs" where a single twenty-two-year-old with way too much money gives us a tour of his eighteen-room mansion. And let’s not get into the obviously scripted dating shows they run. We are at a crucial moment in our history. Its time for media outlets to step their game up and keep the triviality to a minimum. Just an aside before I spare you all–what would an MTV look like in the 1960s? Do you think it would have been a more socially responsible network or would there have been a "Cribs" special detailing John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s famous 1969 "bed-in?

    Reply
  9. starrie Avatar
    starrie

    proud to say i’ve never watch "the real world" nor do i have intensions of ever watching…

    Reply
  10. JAYW Avatar
    JAYW

    I like the 1st two seasons the best. I didn’t really watch the 3rd one. Puck was so disgusting that he made my stomach hurt, and I really didn’t watch a whole season about someone dying of AIDS. That’s not entertainment. I kinda liked the return to New York season with Coral. I haven’t watched a season since then. All it became is wathcing people go to clubs and yell at each other. The cast consist of the angry black male/female, the sellout black male/female, the ignorant hick, the flamboyant homosexual, the spoiled brat, or the frat boy.

    Reply
  11. Hank Nasty Avatar
    Hank Nasty

    I remember in my early adolescence when I thought the "Real World" was somehow indicative of what young adulthood was actually like… I was so hopelessly impressionable.

    Reply
  12. rikyrah Avatar
    rikyrah

    I think London was the last time I watched too. The Dave Chappelle skit on it was priceless.

    Reply
  13. cdf Avatar
    cdf

    I figured they cancelled that show by now. Like others, the first few were ok. After that, it was a party fest…SMH!

    Reply
  14. swiv Avatar
    swiv

    it hasn’t been real since NW – 1. in almost two decades, i don’t believe there has been one asian dude.

    Reply
  15. thelady Avatar
    thelady

    damn you right, Asian men do not exist in the Real Worldthat show hasn’t been real since season 3, now it is just a bunch of self absorbed wanna be famous drunks

    Reply
  16. Brian Avatar
    Brian

    Snob, I know you are a comics fan, so I have to ask– have you read PEDRO & ME, Judd (the cartoonist)’s graphic novel about his REAL WORLD experience, and Pedro? It’s really great, and worth picking up.

    Reply
  17. Marquetta Avatar
    Marquetta

    I live outside of DC (Northern Va) and the Real World backlash has already started and they haven’t even started filming yet! It’ll be interesting to see how the season turns out. I hope they cast takes advantage of being in the Nation’s Capital. But I doubt it. They’ll probably spend the majority of their time in bars in Georgetown and Adams Morgan.

    Reply
  18. Sandy Beach Avatar
    Sandy Beach

    I remember that the European guy’s name was Christian and her name was Ayanna but I didn’t like the fact that she wasn’t mad at the BLACK guy for encouraging him to use that word in the first place in all fairness he’s from Norway and doesn’t get it. I saw the ‘David’ season too and to call him an asshole is being nice!! He was chidish,creepy,obnoxious,overbearing and there was more to it than just them ‘goofing around’ Tami said she was naked and he wouldn’t stop and yeah when you REFUSE to stop when a woman is screaming no that is akin to rape. Especially when he didn’t get why Tami was so mad nor did the punk apologize instead he exposed himself what a prick! It wasn’t just that he also made a number of sleazy comments about her and was starting stupid arguments over nothing he should have been kicked out and had his ass kicked.

    Reply
  19. chutneycarnival Avatar
    chutneycarnival

    ah- the jos of the 20th century. i have to agree on the real world observation – the david and tammi issue happened when we all still had a conscience and we felt genuine shame for the folk who mad a fool of themselves on t.v. now, they are merely fleeting entertainment. bloody sadness.

    Reply

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