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For those of you who still watch, the Real World is back for its 2 millionth season (ok actually, only 26th) with its newest installment Real World: San Diego.
Featuring the tried and true premise that has worked for over two decades, six roommates live in a house and see how much they can get on each other’s nerves, hook up, party, and supposedly undergo life changes, oh and get real. Sadly, I still remember when this show was only in its 4th and 5th seasons!
To prepare you for the excitement and the drama, MTV has released the trailer for the new season. The new cast members are Ashley Kelsey, Alexandra Govere, Frank Sweeney, Nate Stodghill, Priscilla Mendez, Samantha McGinn, and Zach Nichols. MTV has yet to release the cast photos.
Also, to prepare you for the drama, the contract MTV requires all castmates to sign has been released and it includes some very interesting (re: gruesome) provisions, which include allowing MTV to have blanket rights to their entire lives even if their story and the events are misrepresented. Included in the 30-page document are some of the following stipulations:
- All castmates are made aware they may be subjected to: “non-consensual physical contact which could result in which could result in my contracting of any type of sexually transmitted disease, including without limitation, HIV/AIDS, gonorrhea, herpes, syphilis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), Chlamydia, scabies (crabs), hepatitis, genital warts, and other communicable and sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy, which MTV is not responsible for. “ So MTV is condoning … rape?
- You may die, lose limbs, and suffer nervous breakdowns. (Stipulation 1)
- You may be humiliated and explicitly portrayed “in a false light.” (Stipulation 12)
- Producers are under no obligation to conduct background checks on your fellow cast members. (Stipulation 7) I find this particularly interesting.
- You agree that you are not pregnant and if you do become pregnant, you’ll tell the Producer immediately–and pregnancy is grounds for dismissal. (Stipulation 38)
- You can’t change your physical appearance during filming, without the Producer’s express permission. (Stipulation 26)
- Your email may be monitored during participation. (Section 20b)
- Normally (i.e. the real real wold) these practices would be considered a “serious” invasion of privacy, but since contestants agree to participate in the show this is all completely legal.
- Contestants promise not to hide from MTV cameras in establishments where they can’t film. The production crew can show up at your personal house at any time to film and/or to take anything they want, as long as they return the objects once production has ended. (Section 20a)
Additionally, MTV’s contract also demands that cast members be at their beck and call for up to five-years following the conclusion of filming:
- For one year after the show’s final episode airs, cast members are required to participate in all producer-determined press and forbidden from engaging in any media (radio, television, chat rooms, blogs) without the Producer’s written permission. (9)
- The Producer holds the authorship and copyright to every photograph, email, website, sound or video recording, documented performance created in relation to the program, on every medium imaginable. (8)
- You’re obligated to participate in a Reunion Special for up to five years after the show ends, you’ll be paid $2500 for your involvement, and the Producer only has to give you 14 days notice. (50c)
- You’re required to participate in book or home video projects for two years after the show ends, and you’ll be paid $750.00 for each one. (50f)
You can view the full contract here. Personal aside: I’ve spoken to reality TV producers that work for other networks and have worked for MTV, they informed me this is a fairly standard contract for reality television participants. It makes you wonder if having your 15-minutes of fame is worth it…
The trailer for the new season can be seen below! Real World: San Diego premieres Wednesday, Sept. 28 on MTV
Will you be watching Real World: San Diego or are you over Real World? Would you participate in a reality show knowing all the details? Can you believe any of this is even legal?
This show is still alive? Hasn’t MTV heard of the phrase “Don’t beat a dead horse”?
i can’t believe this show is on..and I feel so old! so..these kids weren’t alive when the first season was on??
Little Leah didn’t sign a contract!
When she grows up she should sue MTV for taping her child abuse and doing nothing about it.
Regardless, nothing shocking here.
Pretty standard stuff even for the PC.
I always said I would never do reality TV. I love my privacy too much. They can kiss my a$$
I remember when Real World was relevant. I cried when Pedro passed away, and couldn’t believe when Irene got slapped in the face. I don’t even remember the last city I watched. It may have been Seattle. Yeah, i feel old too.
No wonder MTV has kept this going for 26 seasons. They only get $300/wk . Contracts for other shows that have been leaked they got at least $750/wk
@Layla me too! The last person I remember was that mormon girl Julie who went to BYU and had never even seen MTV because it wasn’t allowed on campus and her parents didn’t allow cable.
Also, remember when Tami (now on BBW) had the abortion and got her jaw wired shut to lose weight. I was shocked to learn MTV was still producing this 20 years later. I’m waaay too old!
Nice crib!!! I don’t watch the show anymore because it’s just the same junk. Drink, sex, fight, drink, sex, fight. It’s just redundant. But that house is friggin beautiful!!!
@ Layla – I remember crying when Pedro passed away too. And crying all over again with the Chicago cast when they watched the 9/11 attacks unfold. The downfall of this show started with Ruthie’s infamous naked jump into the pool. After that, every new season tried to upstage the previous for ridiculousness.
Oh my word! This is shocking to me. I can’t believe people would actually sign such a thing. In short, the contract states “I OWN YOU!!!”.
Also shocking is The Real World is still on. After the first one, I didn’t watch anymore…
Hey Layla remember when Puck got kicked out? Or when Pedro got married? Ahhh those were the godo ole days.
*good
When I was younger I couldn’t believe that some of my friends’ parents would block MTV so they couldn’t watch it. Now that I am older (28) I can completely understand why, although it is much worse now than it was back then. This network is complete GARBAGE. Every program is about young pregnant girls and/or horrible people with horrible personalities having no disregard for their bodies or anyone else besides themselves. No wonder kids today are complete animals, sleeping with anything with a hole and thinking they are cool because they have a beer in their hand. Our future is so friggin doomed it’s not even remotely funny. What else is sad is that most parents have no idea what their kids are doing when they are not around. “Our little Sally is such a good girl!! I am so proud of her!!” Little do they know, little Sally is giving blowjobs in the school bathroom everyday and then snorting Roxies after school when she says she’s studying at Jenny’s house. Sad…
I’m really old. I remember when MTV was music videos and dopey shows like “Just Say Julie”.
This show is definitely past it’s prime. I would never agree to a contract like that, it’s not like they’re making great money either. Hardly worth it.
“All castmates are made aware they may be subjected to: “non-consensual physical contact”
This really bothers me.
@KB, not as bad as you think.
Same thing with the Peace Corps and war area situations (abductions, POWs, etc).
I remember watching recently and there was a girl sleeping with a castmember WITHOUT condoms fully knowing that he guy was hooking up with other girls.
She even went to the clinic for STD test.
They guy didn’t give her anything.
It was all her!
I think the show got trashy with the first Las Vegas at the Palms with that chick Rachelle (??? something like that).
She bedded everyone (including castmembers) in front of the cameras.
(kinda like the Jersey Shore).
I told this story to reality tea readers two weeks ago. My twin was accepted on the Real World when he was twenty. As I said the contract is like a book. They also can dig into ur family, friends or neighbors for dirt on u n use it against u. My dad had his lawyers
look into the contract n all the fine print n gray areas. It was not in his best interest or our best interest as a family. They can portray u in any light they want n drinking is a must, my brother did not drink. Mom is coming home today. Happy Day for her to be home again.
@17 Sydney, I did the auditions, too but you think about it and it is too much to deal with afterwards.
You are allow to use your ‘celebrity’ afterwards to make money and this is very appealing to young kids paying for college loans and a chance to party in expensive settings.
For girls it is so hard. So, many need sex tapes, nude pics, fights, bad relationships, etc. to stay relevant.
Didn’t see Tammi’s season and her ‘real’ ways are not shiny anymore. She truly is an emotionally disturbed violent woman!
Last night on the LA one those hos make Evelyn and the fake blue-eyed one look like angels!
Awwwww, I remember Puck and Rachel hooking up! LOL. The original NY was so good too. I forgot Miami and Hawaii. Crazy! And Julie!!! Holy cow. I miss Road rules as well. The first two season were so good. Damn MTV, wth happened.
Boston, Seattle, Las Vegas, ahhh memories and to be in your 20s when EVERYTHING was a big deal!!!
Sadly like alot of reality tv as it gets older, they need to keep bringing in the viewers so it went from being interesting to being just over the top and bad, I think its time to put this one to bed.
@Bryan I agree.