'Real World' to hold casting call in Princeton

Princeton's "The Real World" junkies will soon have a chance to live the drama of the popular MTV reality show. MTV's publicity department announced yesterday that producers from the show will be holding an open casting call at Triumph Brewing Company Thursday, Feb. 15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The new cast will join "The Real World," MTV's longest-running show, for it's 11th season. MTV calls the show a documentary series about seven strangers who spend five months living and working together, according to a press release.

Cast hopefuls will seek to impress the producers with the right mix of charisma, composure or just plain wierdness. "We really look for people with strong personalities who aren't afraid to speak out on what they believe," supervising casting director Sasha Alpert said. "We look for all different kinds of people."

Indeed, the interactions — and often conflicts — between very different cast members is what some fans love best.

"It's interesting to watch how people react to different situations and they often surprise you," Ellie Powell '04 said. "They do such stupid things and you're just like, 'why?' It always causes problems."

Alpert acknowledged that the show often breeds friction between its cast members. "Inevitably when you choose people who are really different, there is some conflict," she said.

"The drama we get is more from life and from conflicts that people have with each other," Alpert added. "It's different from [other reality shows] because it's not a contest. It's almost like a social experiment."

Potential cast members will sit down for an interview with a producer in a group of approximately eight to 10 people.

Alpert attributed the choice of Princeton as a casting location to the management's desire to explore various parts of the country.

"We try and vary the places we go every year," Alpert said. "And we really haven't been to Princeton."

Alpert said the Ivy League talent pool was not the only reason the show's producers chose the area. However, she acknowledged that higher education has had a presence in past casts. "We've definitely had Ivy League people on the show before," Alpert said.

Despite the show's fan base, producers may find it difficult to convince Princetonians to try out for the show. Even die-hard fan Farah Ahmed '02, who said she has seen every episode of every season since the shows inception, said she was unwilling to take part in the casting call. "I don't feel comfortable having my life exploited on national television," she explained. "But I do enjoy watching other people."

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Powell said taking time off from school to be in the show would be a burden. "It'd be fun but I wouldn't want to leave Princeton to do it," she said.

Powell added that it would be very difficult to get along with the rest of the cast. "The people they put on there are such extreme characters it's impossible for anyone to get along with them," she said. "They are so ridiculous. They purposely choose these people who have emotional problems."

Cast members on "The Real World" will receive money from jobs assigned to them during the show and from story rights, according to Alpert.

Alpert provided some expert advice for people interested in trying out. "Be yourself, speak out if you have something you want to say, be relaxed," Alpert said. "Have a good time. It's a very painless process."