Come December, you'll see this confessional backdrop all over MTV
Remember this past summer when that crazy group of kids moved into Dupont Circle and caused chaos for DC and MTV? Well as most of us can get back with our lives now that they are gone, we can expect them back on our TV screens soon.
The Washignton Post’s Dan Zak also got the chance to visit the house and the castmates and saw it all from themed bedrooms to coached up message points given by the castmates:
They came. They saw. They got good at Jacuzzi sex. They had the time of their lives, they say, in the $5.7 million mansion at 2000 S St. NW. D.C. is sooo great, they say, so driven and electric. They use “driven” and “electric” often to describe themselves and Washingtonians. There is a faint, stale whiff of prepackaged buzzword, like they’ve been coached to brand the production before it airs Dec. 30.
Zak offers short takes on each of the cast members, reporting that castmate Mike Manning may return to DC, taking a liking to the city after his experience working with the Human Rights Campaign. Zak also notes that in a trite attempt to look “DC” the entire place is covered in eagles:
Bald eagles are everywhere. Eagle statues prop up a glass coffee table with their white, feathery crowns. Bronze and ceramic eagles swoop out from the wall, mid-attack. It’s Norman Bates, with a dash of John Ashcroft.
The related video reveals that cast felt like being on “The Real World” was really hard and difficult. I can imagine what months of drinks, drama, and parties can do to your life. No wonder most end up re-signing with the network for future shows (how long before they end up on The Ruins 2?)
Click the photo below to check out the Washington Post’s look inside The Real World DC House:
WP Video: D.C. cast members of 'The Real World' show off their house
Lifestyles of the Real World (photo courtesy Metromix DC)
Things finally got rowdy for The Real DC cast. While they easily lived up to the partying expectations with daily trips to bars around DC and make-out sessions with anyone and everyone; there was finally a fight worthy enough to make the MTV cut. On Tuesday night, there was apparently a fight between the girls outside Nellie’s. Tears were shed, crowds formed, and the producers had to intervene (but not before a few photos got leaked.)
Before this The Real World Cast has been relatively drama-free to the eyes of the many stalkers and fans. In fact the Real World DC cast has managed to assimilate themselves into young DC culture as best they can. They are shopping at Urban Outfitters, eating at CalTor (and Subway too), even taking a break from the many nightclubs to visit a divvy haunt like The Big Hunt.
They all have internships and jobs with NPO’s and media outlets and I guess you can say they participate in the random mass gatherings that sprout out from time to time.
I think the crowning achievement is their participation in a DC Kickball league, I think I have to admit it- they are doing all the things that are typical of young Washingtonians.
However they do live in a much nicer place, get access to all sorts of events and parties, and become instant celebrities everywhere they go. But besides all that they have jumped the DC shark.
But what are they missing? What else do they need to do to convince us they are becoming “regular young professionals” like us?
A month ago she was just a newly minted West Virginia University graduate. A month ago she was just a waitress, living with her parents in Woodbridge, VA.
However she’s not at all shy with her recent exposure, and will be the first to admit she enjoys being the center of attention. She is a regular at McFadden’s or Public Bar and it would not be a total surprise to see her dancing on top of the bar when the right song comes on.
An unlikely hobby: drag racing (photo courtesy Elizabethany)
Another place you can find her is on the race track where she races Volkswagens in Elimination-style Drag Racing. In regards to the surprising pastime, Elizabethany finds the hobby as a change of pace from her journalistic endeavors, “I love the feeling of being in control,” she tells me when describing what she loves most about the sport.
As a self-proclaimed Real World stalker, she says it’s her mission to simply, “get to know the cast better.” Elizabethany has become a sort of beat writer, taking her experiences with the cast and reporting them on her blog or on her new beat with Metromix. The journalistic side of her pursuits has been something long ingrained with her childhood.
Her dreams of being in the media have been around since she was a child. At the age of 13 she proudly proclaimed to her mother, “I’m a really nosy person, I should just be a journalist!” She grew up producing fake radio shows, delivering DJ-like banter into a home karaoke machine onto cassette tapes. “I still kinda want to find those tapes,” she admits to me.
After graduating from Osbourn Park High in 2005, Elizabethany enrolled at WVU to study broadcast news. However her dreams were not to become the next Katie Couric, but to become the next Maria Menounos. For her, the entertainment beat was more interesting than hard news.
However she wanted to give it a try and took on simultaneous internships with Fox 5 and Hot 99.5. Her days would start at 3:30 AM where she would come into to do work for the Kane Morning Show. Unlike typical interns that were delegated to answering phones, Beth worked her way up, being put in charge of producing the show’s podcast material.
Elizabethany worked simultaneous internships with Fox 5 and Hot 99.5 (photo courtesy Elizabethany)
After her shift at the radio station it was off to WTTG-TV where she assisted reporters with their stories- and gained some valuable insights on TV News, and how she’s come to realize it’s not for her. The kind of interviewing she wants to do is going to be more casual and less investigative, “I don’t wanna put anyone in a bad light- I just want to get to know them.” One of Beth’s biggest idols is Ellen DeGeneres, and aspires to one day have a talk show just like hers, “I think we have the same sense of humor.”
Last September she started her blog, Love, Elizabethany, where she covers entertainment stories in the form of personalized messages to celebrities in the news. Between work and job hunting, she spends 5-6 hours writing blog posts for the blog.
It was when she decided to spice the blog up with video that she came up with her “Finding the Real World Cast” episodes. “I heard that the show was coming to DC and I was thought, ‘I want in that freaking house!’” So she decided to document her attempts to find the Real World cast when they go out on the town.
Her weekly routine involves going out on Thursday nights with fellow RWDC stalker/blogger Martin Mongillo and a “companion” that she chooses every week. “My companion needs to be willing to do anything,” says Elizabethany when listing criteria for the job. Anything for what? Why get into The Real World house of course! It is unacceptable for a stalking companion to refuse to dance with a cast member because of a jealous girlfriend/boyfriend back home. Makes sense considering the cast members are probably willing to do anything as well despite any mates they left behind. Elizabethany has created six episodes of “Finding The Real World Cast” and more will be produced throughout the filming this summer.
You truly get a sense of her new found celebrity when you visit the house with her. Elizabethany and I took a walk down to 2000 S street earlier this month. We stood on the corner across from the house for only a few minutes before we are approached by two guys.
“Oh my god you are Elizabethany aren’t you?”
They walked over to look at the house and instantly recognized her from her videos. A car slows down in front of us as the driver takes a long look at the house, then recognizes Elizabethany in the crowd.
She is a truly a queen among gawkers, a person made a little more famous by following people a that will barely become famous.
“I like to refer to myself as their BFF… but call me whatever you want, I know inside what I am. ”
Check out the video below to see what it’s like to stalk the Real World House with Elizabethany.
If this summer taught me something, it is that Washington DC is quickly becoming the place to film movies and television. While DC has always been a setting for films; there’s a lot more television, more specifically reality television, being film in The District. I’m not the onlyone to think so. Even nearby Baltimore is getting jealous.
So here are some links on the latest going on in the Reality TV scene:
Photo courtesy of Flickr user Your Idea
Real World DC
Those that read me know that I’ve already had a couple of run-ins with the cast and it’s really not that hard to follow them on your own.
Christopher Wiggins is the man on the beat when it comes to the latest on the cast’s whereabouts. He uses his connections with the DC bar and club scene as well as scouring The Internet and Twitter to provide the latest updates all on one Twitter feed. If you want to become a stalkerazzi this is the must have tool in your arsenal.
Talking about stalkerazzi, the blogger duo of Elizabethany and Martin are on a mission to become the Real World DC cast’s “BFF.” Follow them on Twitter and read their blogs as they experience the DC Nightlife in an attempt to find The Real World DC cast.
Elizabethany’s notoriety attracted the attention of Metromix who brought her on to write about her Real World DC experiences. Follow her Metromix material here. Elizabethany will also be the subject of a profile I’m writing up for later this week.
Washingtonian is also watching the Real World DC news and is making a neat little map of all the locales they visit.
The Washington City Paper is stalking the stalkers- and created a one-stop shop here.
Of course not everyone is a fan. The neighbors of the house on 2000 S street have created their own blog: The Anti-Real World DC.
Photo courtesy of Flickr user WorldIslandInfo
Blonde Charity Mafia
After my initial write-up on the show coming to the CW, it looks like the show has been pushed back to air in mid-September. That didn’t stop them from having a preview party on the West Coast. Til then you can learn more news from the fan blog dedicated to the show.
The Real Housewives of D.C.
Nothing new since the announcement that the next installment of the franchise will take place in the Nation’s Capital. The show is still in development with Bravo still trying to pick those lucky rich women housewives. Politico offers their take on who are the female power players that should be chosen.
The Biggest Loser
Even though the show is set on the West Coast, the show recently film a special episode that will take place in DC. The episode will feature the contestants as they complete challenges, explore DC’s landmarks, and dine at some local eateries. Why do I think Ben’s Chili Bowl would not be a wise chose for the diet?
UPDATE: In other reality show news, it looks like Kate Gosselin is moving into Rockville. She’ll be living in a condo in Montgomery County to stay in when it’s not her turn with the kids. Jon has a condo in New York that he’ll be staying in. The kids will remain in PA.
Those are the simultaneous feelings I had when I heard the Real World DC cast had arrived at Regan National Airport.
First I was excited to hear that things are starting up and soon the stories of the debauchery at clubs and bars will keep me entertained all summer long. However when I saw the degree people have become obsessive of it makes me wanna puke.
“Jeep and crew just left, door by patio is open. Basement looks nice. No guards, 4 construction workers.”
Are we planning a covert mission here!?!? I can see the next tweet in my head: “no guards, construction workers gone, Bravo team in position.” I wonder if any other city has had this problem before, are we going to see an episode next year where they have to explain how a mob of fans coordinated a stalk attack through twitter?
Check out #rwdc and #rwdcwatch for even more ridiculous stalkers.
Now I’m excited to have The Real World in DC and to be living in the same place they are filming the show. I will eventually take a walk down to the house to see it and say I was there- but I’m not holding my own stakeout to see people that aren’t even scandalous famous yet.
We live in the same city as The President of the United States, yet we have people stalking a bunch of quarter-life aged adults as they get drunk on basic cable.
Seriously DC calm down, I think I’m going to have more fun watching the show next season if there wasn’t paparazzi like crowds in every shot.
UPDATE (8:04)
Again another reason why we shouldn’t freak out- it appears that today’s news was only a drill. It is now uncertain if the cast is actually here or not- but it looks like it was all a false alarm to me. Today’s rumors and excitement shows the power of groupthink that Twitter can exacerbate. I mentioned it last week in regards to the Metro Crash, early on there was a lot of mis-information being spread around through Twitter- and this is another reason why we should all just calm down. Once they are here they are here for six months, we’ll get tired of them sooner than you think.
Eighteenth Street Lounge courtesy Flickr user dionhinchcliffe
I feel like a reality show extra just thinking about it.
I was a little excited to hear that a new reality show was going to be filmed in The District. Blonde Charity Mafia doesn’t sound like anything lasting more than a season so it would of been nice to see some random rich people frolic around DC for our amusement and ridicule while it lasted. It was also entertaining to hear that Bravo is bringing The Real Housewives franchise here as well, that to me is more of a yawn- BCM is more my age group. But now everyone is buzzing over speculation and confirmation of The Real World DC and all of a sudden it’s exciting to live in DC again. Not that living in the Capital of the United States and center of politics means anything.
why.i.hate.dc has already made some predictions of what the next six months could hold, I started thinking if I would run into while I’m out enjoying myself.
Now I’m not one of those that are already planning stake-outs around 2000 S street NW, but with all this buzz and news I started thinking what kind of bars and clubs would the cast of The Real World visit. I don’t watch the show but still I tried to put myself into the shoes of a Producer or Location Manager and come up with the best bars for running into The Real World cast.
Even though the house is in Dupont Circle, most bars are probably fair game given that it only takes a short cab ride to get around town. But let’s say they wanted to stay close to home, where would they go? Let’s look at some options:
Bar Around The Corner: The Black Fox Lounge
Located on 1723 Connecticut Avenue, NW, The Black Fox is one of the closest nightspots to The Real World home. Not much else is known about the place, the website sports an, “Opening 2009″ target. What better way to open a brand new place than to get some future D-list MTV stars to hang out there?
Gazuza courtesy of Flickr user M.V. Jantzen
Glam, Yet Chill: Gazuza
Gauzuza maybe more of a dark horse since the atmosphere is more laid back however the look is sleek, modern, and what DP would pass up a crane shot of the cast dining on the Hookah Lounge’s signature patio overlooking Connecticut Ave?
The Neighborhood Hangout: The Front Page & Lucky Bar
Front Page and Lucky Bar are neighborhood favorites for me and others, I can see these two hangouts on nights where a dance club isn’t on the docket. The clientele is young, the places always look packed, and it’s the perfect place to dish drama from the night before where they went to…
The Dance Club: Eighteenth Street Lounge
It’s may not be the stereotypical dance club in design, but that’s exactly why I think Eighteenth Street has a chance to receive a visit from the housemates. The unique layout and atmosphere will provide a new look for the predictable night ahead: the guys get drunk and hit on beautiful women, the girls get plastered and start a cat-fight (if the guys haven’t started a brawl already.) Plus the relationship between the lounge and music label ESL Music could also help negotiate a, “random visit” one night.
If you were the Producer, where would you send cast on a night out?
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Excitement and disgust.
