[Tuor]

There are people who have serious mental issues who are thrown into rooming with strangers for a tv show.

I met some of the people in 'The Real World' when they did it in Seattle. I was working at a bowling alley at the time, and they came and bowled there. Of course, the cameras and all were there, too. So, one of them, a woman (and a hottie, BTW) comes and talks to me while the camera crew was down with the rest of them on the lanes...

She asked if she could use our phone (our company phone, not the pay phone) -- quietly, and out of the way. She told me that MTV gets to record any call she makes, so she was hoping I would let her get in a call to someone off the record, as it were.

I hooked her up, of course. Not because I was attracted to her (I was), and not because she seemed like an OK person (I'm not sure if she was), but because I felt sorry for her. She looked so...desperate. She thanked me afterwards but no, alas, I didn't get a date out of it. Heh.

I've never watched the Real World and, in fact, never watch MTV. After seeing what they did to that woman, I had even less desire to do so.

Tuor

Give me liberty or give me death.

[codebreaker]

Was it the smoking Asian hottie from the Seattle house?

[Howlin]

What a nice thing for you to do.

[Skooz]

Very interesting. Thanks for posting that.

[weegee]

The contracts may have changed but in general, the kids didn't get anything more than "fame" and free rent originally. Some of the kids were upset that they didn't get a cut of the video sales. Now episodes of the Real World are broadcast in commercial syndication on other networks making more $$$ for Viacom but no more for the participants.

They put themselves in their predicament but I have to wonder if they really knew what they were getting into.