We're moving to www.antirealworld.com!

Update your feeds and browers and readers, Ladies and Gentlemen!

The ARWDC crew has packed up and moved to www.antirealworld.com.

Thanks for the good times, Blogger.

There will be a few hiccups as we move things over but we will be updating on
www.antirealworld.com for now on.

Thanks!

Can you guess the cast mate?

Yes, the person with the panda hat on is a cast member. He's sported this hat a couple of times outside. Not really sure why, besides to get attention ... which would be the whole reason to try to get on the show in the first place.

How "real" can you be with a babysitter?

So when you live across the street from the Real World house you end up going to the same places in the neighborhood. It's great to know that although RWers can go in the Secret Safeway and Rite Aid, no cameras are allowed. While the cameramen had to stay outside at least half the cast was inside following the directions of their "babysitter" (production guy who's not a cameraman but helps script the show). They were being instructed to buy a card game or board game and were stuck in the aisle with children's toys. Oh the poor teenagers who watch this show and this it's real - it's even more scripted than i thought.

Great timing to plug our Anti-Real World DC "Real" DC Photo Contest. Send us your best example of "real" DC by joining our Flickr Group and uploading photos that are tagged "RealDC"

PS Yes those are black and red checkered pajama pants that Emily is wearing.

The First Fight?

And the first fight on my sidewalk occurred at 3 AM today. Wasn't actually between castmates, but rather onlookers outside of the house. Lasted about 30 minutes and caused enough of a ruckus to have the cast come outside and watch.

One woman beat another woman senseless on the ground for a full ten minutes as their friends said "let them fight!"

Best part had to be the security folks doing NOTHING and watching two girls go at it. Didn't do anything. Didn't try to break it up. Didn't call the cops. Did absolutely nothing. I guess they can't do anything because they're Park Police, right? Cars pulling up and shouting. Dogs and cats living together. Mass hysteria!

Can't wait for 4 more months of this!

It's actually still going on as I write this.

Use Washington Sports Club on Connecticut? Sorry.

One of our loyal readers let us know that the Real Worlders are using the WSC on Connecticut Ave near the house. Read the email below to find out the details and then let management and corporate (800-565-2692) know how you feel.

My friend and I asked to speak to a manager. Here's the scoop:
- The Sports Club corporate headquarters made the decision and passed it down to the General Manager, who is very sympathetic to her members, but can't do much to change it.
- No Real World cast or crew member is allowed to speak to you while at the gym. Management promised me that they will be reminded of this.
- They are only using the Dupont Circle WSC location (great...)
- They are not allowed in the locker rooms or spa downstairs.
- The gym cannot tell members what is being film, when it is being film, etc. so even if you call and ask if they're there, they can't tell you. (This is apparently some legal issue)
- They will not film you, but the waiver has been signed by corporate, so they can film whenever they want in the building.

I'd encourage readers to ask to speak to management. Be polite, file a complaint, and then call the member service department: 800-565-2692

Also, report them every single time they speak to you or get in your way. They were told, according to management, that they are absolutely not to disturb the members.

Join the Anti-Real World DC Flickr Group!

We've created a group on Flickr to store photo submissions from everyone. These are not only photos of the cast but submissions for our "Real DC" Weekly Photo Contest. Join the group today and submit your photos.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/antirealworlddc/

Enjoy!

Gerardo needs his ciggies

While doing an interview with Washington Post outside of my place,
castmember we call "Gerardo" walked by to go buy cigarettes at the
Safeway. He was trailed by a gaggle of 7 interns taking photos.

Everyones gotta have an entourage I guess.

The "Real" DC Photo Contest

We here at ARWDC love getting emails, tips, pics and stories about your run-ins with Real Worlders or the crew. You help drive the content on this site and we are eternally grateful. You love your city and your neighbors and you are truly the definition of "real."

Which is why we've decided to do a weekly "Real DC" photo contest. There are plenty of people playing paparazzi and hiding in garbage cans to catch photos of the RW cast, but that isn't really "real" in DC is it? While we still appreciate photos of the cast and citizen reporting from bars and other neighborhoods, we think doing a flash mob to take photos of the cast is a little...stalkerish.

So send us your best photo of what you think is "real" DC. If you think it's your friends and you partying at Wonderland - send it. If you think its the mailman in Petworth - send it. If you think its you giving us the finger while volunteering at a soup kitchen - send it. We want to see what you think is the best image of "real" DC - uncensored, unscripted. A great example of a "real" DC photo can be found at Brian Smith's Photoblog. But your photo doesn't have to be a feel good moment, it doesn't have to be on a great camera - hell, it doesn't even have to be a good looking photo! Just visit and join our Anti-Real World DC Flickr Group and simply add your photo to the group pool. Be sure to tag your photo "RealDC" so we know it's for the contest.

We'll post the Photo of the Week every Thursday and I suppose we'll figure out a prize too eventually.

There are a lot more things going on in DC than just a four month long TV show filming. We know you can prove it! We'll still take your photos of the cast and crew in DC, but no need to pose as the pizza guy to get inside the house and snap some shots. We love stuff you guys are sending and we're sure as filming continues, the likelihood of photos from my living room of cast members puking on the sidewalk will increase.

Good luck and have fun!

My (Partial) Dream List of DC Reality Shows

This may shock some of you, but most of us at ARWDC enjoy reality TV! If I had my druthers, here are only some of the shows I would welcome with open arms to D.C. Please comment or email us with the shows you would want to see!*

Top Chef: D.C. has become one of the top culinary destinations in the country. You may not be able to afford some of the higher end places, but from pho to burgers to haute cuisine to you name it, D.C. is making a name for itself in the culinary world. Spike from season 4 of Top Chef has his must-eat Good Stuff Eatery on The Hill, and Carla from Season 5 was a finalist. (Any readers know what she is up to now?)

The first challenge could be during Maryland crab season....or maybe re-invent the half-smoke. The White House Pastry Chef could judge the best D.C. monuments, which have been made for dessert. Or repeat past seasons, and make food for a worthy cause like DC Central Kitchen.

Project Runway: To be fair, all that I know about fashion comes from Project Runway. But what I do know, is that PR could do some trips to D.C. that would be great! How about designing a gown for an embassy ball....or a state dinner? (Forgive me if this has been done) The gown could then be auctioned off and proceeds went to a good cause.

The People's Court: I have not seen the People's Court since the days of Judge Wapner and Rusty the Bailiff, but the premise of the show would be great in D.C. Instead of taking up precious time and taxpayer dollars doing investigations and hearings, the plaintiff and the bailiff would be sent to The People's Court where a no-nonsense judge would tell them how it is going to be. I know many of you will say but wait...Due Process! Well, both parties have to agree to the Judge's ruling once they enter The People's Court. Just think--Abramoff would've been put away so much faster...no good guy wears a dark trenchcoat and fedora. The movies tell me that.

Bonus, this is actual, non-staged real-life drama that is resolved in one location and doesn't require multiple venues. Score! (thx to @nerdette for suggestion as well)


*We know about Real Housewives of DC (or is it Potomac, MD now) and Blonde Charity Mafia. Some of us from ARWDC are thrilled, some are not. Also, we know some of you will call us hypocrite.s But seriously...PR and TC require a specific skillset, RWDC does not.

The Intersection of Politics and The Real World

While The Real World DC films all over our nation’s capital, I wanted to quickly point out that not one, but two, former Real World cast members are trying to reach Washington, and not for a cameo on the show. Berg reported on Friday that Sean Duffy, the Ashland County, WI District Attorney and Real World: Boston alum, has decided to take on one of my favorite, and one of the most powerful members of Congress, Rep. Dave Obey.


I don’t think this guy stands much of a chance, but I’ll tell you he’s pretty credible, maybe even moreso than Kevin Powell, the other former cast member running (more on him later). Kevin’s run brings up an interesting question, “Can you run a credible campaign for high office after being on a reality tv show?” Kevin has clearly made a good career for himself. I’ve even heard from some friends that his wife is an occasional Conservative commentator on Fox News. But, see, here is the rub. An extremely emotionally charged, crazy and sometimes out-of-control portion of your life is in full view and sold, on DVD at any Best Buy in the country. I’m looking at you Ashley, remember that.


The other guy has some solid credentials as an anti-domestic violence advocate, which is awesome. That being said, his website may be the single most douche filled thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life. Kevin Powell is running for Congress in my family’s ancestral homeland of Brooklyn, NY. The VERY first sentence of Mr. Powell’s website reads, and holy shit I’m not making this up. “Kevin Powell is widely considered one of America’s most important voices in these early years of the 21st century.”


WHAT THE FUCK!?! Did he just call himself one of America’s most important voices? Yeaaaaah buddy you are right up there with Barack Fucking Obama. You personally went from The Real World to Socrates in a moment so important to the history of the world and pop culture that Bob Dylan going electric looks like open mic night at a bar in Muskogee, Oklahoma. That being said, he has appeared on Oprah for his work on ending violence, which brings me to my closing point.


It seems that no matter how douchey Kevin is, he found meaning in his life after Real World by channeling his experiences towards a really important and solid goal. This is someone who transcended their experience; much like Sean Duffy did, and actually made something more out of themselves than a two bit reality media whore destined to do endless Real-World/Road Rules challenges until they age out to VH1 or Bravo. Both of them should be commended and serve as role models for the kids coming up behind them. That being said, hey Kevin, there are 11 political activists over here who’d love to give your website a makeover, Bravo style.

Where dbags tread...

Our reader Sophia Monster shares with us - dbags - CAUGHT ON FILM! She writes:

My sister and her friend were visiting and we had to stop by the RW house to believe it was actually taking place. We caught the two DBs in the background walking around the alley and the house drinking bottles of beer outside, in the street at 1:00 pm. It's really rare to see a big, brawny white guy wearing a basketball jersey with no shirt on underneath in DC isn't it?? We nicknamed these two Josh and Karden. I agree with your earlier post that the PAs and sound crew are more attractive.

Thanks, Sophia!

Now the only thing we have to figure out is if the RW Castmember on the left is a San Antonio Spurs or a Chicago Bulls fan.

Check out the DB close-up:

When Dupont Stops Being a Neighborhood, and Starts Being a Dorm

This past weekend, ARWDC's own Berg did an interview with Randy Gyllenhaal, reporter for Palestra.net, a FOX News company... and no relation (that we know of) to Jake Gyllenhaal.

While we would have preferred not to be followed up by the RWDC equivalent of "Spencer" - a self-proclaimed "stalkerazzi" who has also tweeted that she told Hot 99.5's @kaneshow that she'd "... get nekked in the hot tub!!" - it's a solid piece that might help explain a little more about what neighbors are dealing with, and also why we're here.

Why We're Here

Over the past few weeks, the contributors to this blog have worked tirelessly to keep the site fresh with content and insight as MTV begins filming on the Real World in Washington, DC. During that time, as the site continued to grow, a community began to develop. This blog was created, not to simply bash everything coming out of 2000 S Street or to post without thinking. It was created to serve as a forum for those who care deeply about what goes on in their neighborhoods - whether it be welcoming seven strangers with open arms or telling them to go home.

The contributors to this blog don't drive the content on the site, the readers do. Our wonderful readership (yes - we include even you folks who read us JUST because you hate us) has helped us generate content from user ideas. We share ideas that sometimes spur disagreement, but how else is progress made without allowing both sides to speak? We are so eternally grateful for all of the readers and the tipsters and the blogs and the news outlets that have helped publicize this forum.

Which is why when bloggers who we will just refer to as "Heidi & Spencer" continue their attempts to antagonize and divide us, we take this opportunity to remind them about something we've all been told at one point in our lives (some of us 3 or 4 times):

"It's not about you."

As a neighbor, a homeowner, a DC-resident and a politically engaged citizen, the concept of "Anti-Real World" was never about the cast or the people. It was about the overarching themes that have been lost in MTV's long running social experiment. It's about being real. Part of being real is being honest. Do we judge? Absolutely. Do we heckle? Totally. Do we have attitude problems leading to a seemingly endless supply of snarky retorts? You betcha. But one thing we are through it all - is honest.

Those that enjoy this blog the most, whether they be MTV public relations execs, hill staffers, Dupont residents or local business owners - enjoy it because they have a sense of humor. It's important to remind readers that the "social experiment" behind the Real World is that they AREN'T supposed to read tweets, social media, radios, TV, etc. The idea is the interaction between the housemates. This social experiment became compromised right around the time that Bunim-Murray started looking to fill "roles" on their Real World casts.

When one of our contributors met roommate Ashley the other night, he was genuinely impressed by her. He wrote about it. Those that were disappointed he didn't smack her or yell an obscenity clearly haven't interacted with enough people in their lives. This blog is full of snarky, sarcastic, care-free, fun-loving assholes. But we're not bullies. We are not cowards because we don't tell Ashley that her love for social change and do-gooder activities is lame. We are, however, honest, which is why we will continue to poke fun at the roommate that looks like Nick Jonas and the one that dresses like Gerardo.

We will continue to write things the way we do - with honesty. If we were really media whores about this, we'd probably of picked better colors for the site - don't you think? This site is what you all make of it. We will continue to report when one of the cast members pukes on my sidewalk or when someone gets in a fight or when a security guard pretends to be the park police and makes a homophobic slur (seriously dude - not cool!). We call it like we see it. On some days, the grass looks nicer than on others. Let us make no mistake - we are neither here to make friends nor here to make enemies. We are here to simply call it like we see it.

It is our hope that one day, those who seek to appease their own self-esteem issues through constant "me me me" style video blogging will grow up, move out of mommy and daddy's house, buy their own place and then take notice at what is going on in their communities.

The Real World meets The Anti-Real World

And so it happened almost exactly as I expected….

I’m sitting with a few friends at Big Hunt. We’re talking about the New York Senate shit show and I’m passively hitting on this wonderful lady who is about to hit the trail. She’s tall and blonde, has a bombastic personality and can keep up with me at the bar, totally my type. As we’re talking she looks behind me and smiles. “You aren’t going to believe this….but The Real World just walked in.”
Naturally I thought she was fucking with me. There is no way that I am quite literally living my earlier post. I tell her she’s fucking with me, right about the time I get bumped in the back by a camera man. I’m only about two vodka sodas in and all of a sudden I’m filled with joy. This is going to be epic. My friends were overtaken by both a sudden glee and a sudden terror as they realize any conversation we were having was about to be hijacked by my analyzing every move that the cast and crew made. They are a forgiving sort. One is a professional writer who understands my sudden need to digest everything, one a former successful blogger turned operative. The blonde thinks that ARWDC is cool. She is a political operative from the other side of the aisle which magnifies her sexiness by like a million. (Sorry girls, Republicans really are hotter than us Democrats for some reason)

The cast arrives at their table and I’m now on Vodka soda number two. It’s a Sunday night so I figure I should take it easy. This one went over to the juke box and and, immediately scans the selections on the “VH1 Greatest Hits Volume 4 album”. I wanted to shit myself, I mean how could you so consciously be more of a corporate whore? He ended up choosing:


Kanye, All falls down
Outkast: The way u move, club mix
Queen; Another one bites the dust
Temptations: Something or other, I was starting to get tipsy by this point.

As my friends and I were quietly critiquing his musical selections, I overheard the General Manager say to a member of his staff, “I’m really not thrilled they are here.” I immediately perked up and the two of us began talking. The staff and management of the bar were extremely gracious, but were squarely Anti-Real Worlders. I was happy to know that I was at home amongst my people…and let me just tell you, I’ve always been a big fan of The Big Hunt, I am even moreso a fan now.

At this point, I feel as though we were getting a bit loud, and maybe we were flagrantly talking about the blog within earshot of one of the Production Assistants. It was then that the most immaculate thing ever happened. One of the cast chose to engage us.

Ashley was a lovely girl, a 22 year old from out west, a foster child who planned on volunteering somewhere in the city with children. As we came to learn, all the house members are free to find employment wherever they want. She told me that she was a serious, life-long Democrat and a former Obama Delegate in Las Vegas. She was very “religious” and said that she was sure that if Jesus were alive today, he’d be a Democrat. This nearly got my lovely blonde friend to leap out of her chair. I shot her a glance and a wry smile. My Republican friend did not tear her to shreds…slightly disappointing. Ashley continued talking to me and then very candidly said, “Why does everyone in this town hate us?” I responded, “I don’t hate you.” (OH COME ON READER, SHE WAS CUTE.) Furthermore, she REALLY cared, and I must say, it was endearing.

“Well so many people do, I mean, I guess if I lived somewhere, and a reality tv show came to town and went to my bars and restaurants, I’d be a little pissed too, but we’re just normal people, like everyone else.”

“But, you aren’t, because you are being followed by cameras…”

“But before we were followed by cameras, we were just like anyone else.”

“Well, yes and no, I mean, my friends and I wouldn’t ever have cameras follow us around and EVERY ONE of us works in media. By the way, can I buy you a drink?”

“I can’t drink today, I’ve been drinking for three days straight and I have [A medical condition] I should probably lay off.“

“Indeed”

“Well, it was nice meeting you.”

“Same.”

A fellow ARWDC blog contributor then walked in and smiled at all the craziness. He proceeded to walk over to the juke box and put DeVo’s “Whip It” on repeat. We identified an African-American male on the cast as being gay based on his Human Rights Campaign t-shirt. This pissed me off slightly as HRC doesn’t really DO much for the LGBT cause, I mean wearing an HRC t-shirt is kinda like wearing a Che Guevara shirt…it shows how tragically hip and non-revolutionary you are.

At the end of the day, I had a few too many drinks and went home alone. Story of my life.

The crew together...

This was taken from my living room window as the camera crew filmed
all seven cast members walking down the street (probably for a promo)
walking into the house.

Gotta be honest - Ricardo/Bret Michaels is not only rocking an amazing
bandana headband but also the classic sleeveless denim jacket.

You know what they say: Suns out, Guns out!

This is the Bus

Sorry...mobile posting

And So Begins the Tour Bus

UPDATE: This is the Real World DC's tour bus for the night. They also got a free pass from the Fenty Admin. to have a chartered bus on a residential street...which, again, the Fenty Admin. said would not happen.

Despite what the Fenty Administration's Andrew Huff promised, tour busses are coming down S street to gawk at the Real World DC house.

While I am sure Spencer and Heidi are riding these everyday, tour busses don't make local property owners/renters and small business owners happy because they ruin residential streets and cause noise pollution.

But hey...anything for a buck.


��

Sound Crew's hotter than the cast.

We spotted the sound crew, pausing at 18th and Connecticut Ave, NW. Good looking gents.

Pics of the Cast

I have to say they really aren't attractive. MTV/Bunim-Murray seems to have lowered their standards for the residents of 2000 S St NW. And the bandana and cigarette are so Bret Michaels.

Homophobic RWDC Security Threatens DC Residents, Impersonates Park Police

ARWDC just received an anonymous tip from an area resident who had a bad, to put it mildly, experience with Real World DC security last night. What happened to these two individuals is awful, yet frankly, not shocking....way to go MTV and Real World DC.

Note: This is the tip in full, unedited.

"Just dialed 311 after a security guy near the street asked me and a friend to leave. We heard the cast discussing how rude people in DC were in what we think were their hottub, The police arrived. I have no problem with them protecting the property, but the guy told us he was Park Police. He reached into his back pocket and said he was our worst nightmare. He said he was going to arrest us.

That was my complaint to the MPD when they arrived after we called the non-emergency number. The security officer claimed he worked for an agency he clearly did not. He also should not have reached towards his back pocket and threatened us. Additionally, he made a homophobic comment. When I told him he was not a park policeman, he told me just because I was walking with a girl this did not mean I was straight. As I am gay this statement was true, but it was clearly intended to demean me and make me feel inferior. I asked him why he was making a homophobic comment, but he responded by continuing to insist that we leave the area.

The police arrived. The 311 operator called me back and asked if I wanted to file a report. I said I wanted to get on with my night. When my friend told me the police were leaving the scene I flagged them down. I told them what happened and said a man in a black security shirt had stated he was a park policeman. The police said they could not find him, but I returned to the scene and pointed the man out. When the police approached him and asked him if he was park police and he stated he was not.

The police told me the security were a bunch of "yahoo's". They planned to speak to the head of security.

Just so you are aware, beware if you plan to walk by and stop near S and 20th Streets, NW. Apparently, this areas if off limits until Thanksgiving."

###

Remember, YOU have rights...you can walk by the house, you can stand out in front of the house. If you get harassed, call 311 just like our tipster did! If RWDC fans like DCist and Woodbridge, VA blogger Spencer can gawk, so can RWDC opponents. Just don't break any laws--we don't, our tipster didn't, and neither should you.

Real Worlder for Congress?

Don't worry Real Worlders, your relevance doesn't have to end when the final episode airs. You could do anything with the fame and fortune that being a pop culture icon brings you! While the high status of the ShamWow guy is not beyond your reach, why stop there? Why not try to come back to DC as...I dunno...a member of congress?

That's exactly what former Real World: Boston cast member and current Ashland County District Attorney, Sean Duffy (no relation to the ARWDC ally and all-around good guy of the same name) is doing in Wisconin against House Appropriations Chairman, Congressman Dave Obey. Here's a little bit from the article that seems to capture the incredible substance and depth behind Duffy's candidacy:

"Duffy is active with the Republican Party of Wisconsin, but he is perhaps best known as a former cast member on the MTV reality show "The Real World: Boston" in 1997. His conservative political views were a source of friction on the show with some of his more liberal housemates." - Wausau Daily Herald, 7/2/09

Duffy is actually married to another former Real World cast member so it appears as if the recipe for post-reality TV relevance seems to lie in keeping with your own kind (other reality TV stars) and moving to Wisconsin to become a Conservative Republican. Obviously, scientific evidence would probably support the notion that Duffy's offspring are likely to eventually follow in daddy's footsteps and become Real Worlders.

(Hat tip on this on to WAOW-TV's Katie Rosenberg for the intel on this one!)

Reliable Source Quotes Anti-Douchebag

While we would have described Berg as "resident anti-douchebag and current Berg," we wanted to h/t to WaPo's Reliable Source for quoting one of our own:

"I'm not a curmudgeony 28-year-old," he told us. "I just don't really feel like living next to a dorm."

Word.

Like the Reliable Source, the steady stream of gawkers outside the house last night really seem to want the new cast to DOSOMETHINGALREADY. The contributors of this blog, however, were busy getting our drink on in a bar far away from Real World cast members.

When the lights go down in DC

The lights remain on in the Real World house. All of them.

Like Unicorns and Rainbows for Your Soul: a guest blog

We're not the first Real World hecklers. We are merely continuing a proud tradition of messing stuff up. MissBanshee tells it like it was in Boston, circa 1997.



You kids! You wide eyed innocents! HA! You think you know how to harass Real Worlders? Well pull up a seat on the porch and let Great Granny Banshee tell you about how we did it back in the day.

Great Granny was a junior in college when the Boston season was in production, way back in 1997, and the house was one block from the performing arts building, where I spent most of my time. Now. We, like you youngsters, wanted to get these tools OUT OUT OUT of our neighborhood, out of our WAY, out of our SIGHT. And since we couldn't shut down production, we decided we'd make life as difficult as possible for those dipwads.

This is before cell/camera phones, so there isn't any documentation that I can locate, but the best way to REALLY REALLY piss off all and sundry involved is, when you see a "scene" being filmed, to start BELLOWING the opening of the show. Bonus points if you get a harmony going of "This is the true story (TRUE STORY!!!) Of seven strangers...etc" Do the whole thing. Do it loudly. Do it often. Yell it at the building. Create an interpretive dance. Shriek it if you're lucky enough to catch a drunken fight, or a sobby breakup on the sidewalk. The sound guys and the editors will want to DESTROY you, but there's nothing they can do.

This way, they can't use the footage, or if they do, the mocking will be heard in the background. Be childish. You'll still be eons more mature than the chumps they get for this show. And their pain will be like unicorns and rainbows for your soul.

Tell 'em Miss Banshee sent ya.

miss banshee isn't really an angry person, she just plays one on the internet. You can find her blog o' tricks at http://missbanshee.typepad.com. She also delights in mocking pop culture at www.mamapop.com

DCer to Real Worlder: GO HOME.

An anonymous tipster sent us this and some commentary:

"Walking up Connecticut Ave from Dupont circa 1:30. She was standing lost at the circle, someone walked by and yelled '20th and S is that way, now go home'

You get a better view of the camera crew in this one..."

Cast Move-In Sighted! Urge to Vom Rising!

Walking by the house on my way to my birthday lunch and saw Generic Blonde Girl castmember walking to house. Straight male friend thought she had too much make-up on.

Sidenote, cameramen were literally shoving people out of the way to film her walking alone up the street. Can't wait for five months of this.

They're heeeeeere......

Confirmed sighting. Blonde, mid 20s being filmed bringing boxes into
the house. Security guards are gone but camera crew followed her in
and out of her car into the house.

Not yet. . . but coming soon . . .

So despite the rumors that the cast is in DC, it doesn't look like they are at the house yet. I just took a stroll around the house and they are still working on ladders dealing with outdoor lighting, etc. And there's a table outside with several tools on it and some interesting "artwork" in the alley behind the house that was just spray painted.

Last night they were working on the house past midnight - they are usually finished by 9pm. Looks like they are putting the finishing touches on the house so they'll be ready for Wednesday - rumored move in day.

Check back for sightings and photos!

Problematic Excessive Drinking = Ratings Bonanza!

Why am I concerned about the Real World being in DC? Joey.

As I was surfing the tubez this morning, I came across an article that had a link to the Real World Cancun bio page. Being the nosy nellie that I am, the link was clicked and I was immediately disgusted.

I haven't read all of the bios yet, and there is little chance I will. Mostly because of this piece about "Joey" from Real World Cancun:

And he's had more than a few bouts with excessive drinking, which will eventually become a problem in Cancun.

Now for the Negative Neds out there, I haven't seen an episode of Real World Cancun so I don't know what the actual case is with Joey. But MTV's PR strategy is to paint Joey as the alcoholic bad boy of the season. MTV is exploiting addictions for the sake of ratings by using his addiction problem in his OFFICIAL BIO. That bio will be with him the rest of his life...but hey what's that compared to an extra 100,000 viewers for "A very special episode of the Real World."

When The Real World was Real

This is the house of the Real World San Francisco. Look different to you? There was a fire and the place was renovated.

Remember the Real World SF? Pedro was a real icon for the LGBTQ and HIV positive community. Hopefully Real World DC will continue that trend.

Bars that are getting on our good side...

From the very first time I walked into Wonderland Ballroom three years ago or so, I knew it would be among my favorite haunts in Washington. Today, the DCist confirmed why. Matt McGovern and his wife Rose Donna, a dynamic duo who also brought us Looking Glass Lounge have apparently told The Real World Cast that they are persona non-grata at the fine Columbia Heights establishment. I think this little nugget from Matt says it all: (Quote via Fritz Hahn at The Washington Post)

"I don't know if I'd let them film here." So [McGovern] put my question to a vote of the patrons present, shouting "Should we let 'The Real World' film in here?" Audible groans and murmurs of dissent could be heard on my end. "I guess the answer's no," he said. "We almost run the bar like a democracy, and certain things have to be put to a vote."

THINK about the implications here. The patrons at Wonderland, who brave the sometimes crazy street life on Kenyon to drink at one of the city’s premier neighborhood bars, feel that the Real World DC cast is slightly more of a nuisance then a crack head, mugger, gang member or a first time home buyer. Awesome. I’ll tell you one thing, you can expect to see a lot more of me at this fine establishment and I urge our readers to do the same. First round is on Matt.

I also want to give a shout out to one of the best damn music venues in the land, The Black Cat which will also be Anti-Real World DC friendly. It’s good to know that while the cast, their cameras, their entourage and all the douche bag onlookers will be hopping from Pilar to Saint Ex, we’ll have a safe house on 14th to run. It’s my guess that other establishments will be quick to follow suit. I’d imagine that my new favorite bar in DC, The Gibson, with its low key atmosphere would be among the first to shun the cameras and insanity.

If you know of an establishment that is going to be anti-real world DC friendly, we’d love to know about it! Drop us an email and if it’s a place we like anyway, we’ll throw a shout out your way! Places like The Guards NEED NOT APPLY.

RWDC Move-in Update: This Old Real World House

On my way to lunch today I walked past the RWDC house and saw a table saw on the stoop. So either the RW kids haven't moved in yet or one of them is Bob Villa. I sort of hope it's Bob.

Where Angels & D-bags Fear to Tread/Like The Plague: Joint Edition

Thank goodness for the Going Out Gurus or GoGs. I have used them for a loooong time to help me figure out dates, birthdays, and all around looking to have fun in this city. And they have once again come through for me.

Via Fritz, in many ways the GoG's point man from bars to art, put up a recent post regaring the bars/restaurants/music venues that he has heard from that will and will not be allowing Real World DC into their places of business.

While editorializing may go on in this post, please note the contributors to this blog support all local DC businesses.

Safehouses

The Black Cat--From the owner Dante Ferrando, "People come here to hang out and have a drink or see a concert, not be bothered by film crews." THANK YOU, DANTE! All I want to do is get my dance on to an awesome band or to BritPop music while I enjoy a Foster's Oil Can. I don't want "Woo Girls" in my face due to the RWDC going to your venue. Thank you again.

Wonderland Ballroom--Listen here, Wonderland. I like your bar. I hear the interns are going there quite a bit but I haven't seen any change. You are on the wall though regarding RWDC though seeming to fall on the NO side given your clientele. If you do let the Real World DC in your bar, you will have sold out and become poseurs. Keep Strong, Keep Being AntiRealWorld.

Russia House--Russia House is close to the RWDC House. Could they go there? Sure. I suppose so. One off-record source though doesn't think so because. She told me, "My favorite part about going to the Russia House are the amazing former Russians and their great stories. I just don't think they'd want their privacy being invaded so publicly." Avoid? Not a chance. RWDC will never go to this amazing place and I think the GoGs got this wrong.

AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE

Cobalt--The Real World DC has approached Cobalt!?!? Shocked! As long as they don't go to Townhouse or to JRs I know I am OK. Though, the rest of my fellow homos take note that the Real World DC may be at Cobalt for Thursday nights...and you know what I mean. I'll just be at Townhouse watching everyone from the patio.

Town--As I previously predicted, the Real World DC is most likely going to Town. No shocker. THE gay dance club in town which also has quite a bit of space and decent lighting (if they desire). Going to Town and being shocked that the RWDC is there is no longer an option, you are on notice. Might I suggest one of the wonderful events that The New Gay does instead?

Saint-Ex/Bar Pilar--Okay. I've had some bad experiences at Saint-Ex. So if someone else wants to exhibit better judgement, feel free to comment. As to Bar Pilar, I highly doubt they'd go there. Bar Pilar is a swanky joint that, regardless of the number of the people there, always feels intimate. MTV doesn't want intimate....they want "quasi-sexual." That's not Bar Pilar's crowd. If RWDC goes to Bar Pilar, I'd be very...VERY surprised.

Gazuza/Chi-Cha--No offense to the comm. director for these sibling bars, but your influence has been waning in years. And yes, I know how I used the term "no offense." The fact they were in this article says to me that they need the RWDC to help them open another venue. Both places are great....but they want to occupy the catbird seat again like they once did. RWDC may go there, may not, both venues are close. I'm not going to chance going to either though.

Shadow Room--I'm not cool. I've never been here. Frankly, when I read the GoG article and the owner said, "In my industry, it's all about vanity.", I decided to never, ever go there. Good luck to all those who go there to try and get on. That's your target demographic, not mine.

Real Worlders to Frequent Georgetown? You don't say!

This little tidbit was sent from a tipster:

"Last night I was at one of the bars I go to all the time and bumped into the manager of another Bar. He confirmed that he met w MTV execs and that his bar will be featured when the cast goes out in DC.
I am surprised that their choice was Third Edition in Gtown. MTV execs presented him with a sales plan and how bars that have " hosted" the real world before make around 45-60% more business after they are featured in the show."

I am honestly not surprised that they are going to Third Edition as the place routinely features underage GW and Georgetown kids drinking and is a hot spot for GW parties. McFaddens is likely another choice. Those of you worried about them going to J.R.'s are safe it seems.

Washington Blade coverage: "'Real' Nuisance?"

We got quoted in this week's Washington Blade and we wanted to give props to the fabulous Blade for the coverage. One of our very own ARWDC contributors was quoted saying:

“I’m not anti them coming to D.C.,” says Tracy Sherman, contributor to an anti-Real World D.C. blog. “And I’m not anti-reality TV. What I’m most upset about is that they’ve done no outreach at all … Nothing has been confirmed.”

You see, the first rule about DC working and living is do your homework.

This town is crawling with organizers, event planners, press secretaries, lobbyists and politicos. We are more than familiar with the how-tos on staffing our bosses, securing the proper permits, getting the necessary support and buy in, shmoozing, and how to generally avoid effing it all up.

So if you, say, don't do overt neighborhood outreach (*cough* MTV *cough*), don't be surprised if snarktastic organizers to hold your feet to the fire. Because they can, they will, and they did it all before their morning coffee.

Move in day?

Just snapped this shot of a woman moving boxes into the RW house. Lot
of crew outside but it might be from the movie being filmed down the
street. We shall see...

What Would a Real Worlder Grill?

Did a late night walk-by at the RW house. I gotta hand it to MTV. They said there would be guard at the house 24/7 and, sure enough, there has been a guard at the house 24/7. Looks like the same guy each time I've seen him. Definite no-nonsense as he didn't fall for my casual "You gotta stay up all night?" shout from the sidewalk and instead chose to ignore my feeble attempts to strike up conversation. The guard looks a lot like Dot Com from "30 Rock."

I moved to the side of the building and got a good look at what appears to be a state-of-the-art, brand new grill outside the house (photos are here, from a previous ARWDC post) and made me think about what would Real Worlders probably grill for a summer cook out?

As I stared at the grill I could already envision a rather built, short blonde-haired, backwards hat wearing, shirtless, Hilter-youth looking frat boy cast member (think: Landon from Real World: Philadelphia) flipping steaks and brats on the thing as cameras roll. This atypical Real Worlder will also likely make some sort of phallic reference about the brats to the token good looking, sexually curious, Midwest girl of the house that MTV will edit and include proper background music to make the scene ooze with hidden meaning. In the end, the steak will be overcooked and the brats won't be from Wisconsin, so why bother eating them?

If I was a Real Worlder, I would hope my roommates brought different culinary skills to the house so that I could share recipes and meals a little more sophisticated than "frat boy steak" or "ignoramus cheeseburger."

What do you think is likely to be cooked on this grill? Should the ARWDC crew come over and show these guys how to use it properly or should we have confidence in the new crop of Real Worlders and their culinary skills?

TRW DC NonProfits (Non-Snark Edition)

So some of you out there in the interwebs think the contributors to this blog are a bunch of self-congratulatory jackasses. While that's might be true, we're also deeply committed to making this world a better place. We're do-gooders. Everyone in DC - regardless of where they come from, come here to DC because they carry a commitment to social change. Sure, we don't all vote the same way, and yeah, we might not agree on tactics. But we all have a commitment to helping others out.

So in that spirit, I offer a list of DC-centric non-profits that we hope the MTV/Bunim-Murray producers will consider as they scrounge for some nice, non-controversial internships for TRW DC cast members. In no particular order:

The Whitman Walker Clinic
"For more than three decades, the Clinic has been renowned – locally, nationally and internationally – for the high-quality, culturally sensitive care it provides. This work remains critical in an area with the highest HIV infection rate in the country."
The AIDS Walk is October 3rd. Interestingly enough, it has a birthday in common with The Real World show -- this is the 23rd 5K fundraiser walk for the Clinic, and DC will be the 23rd season of TRW. They should celebrate their 23rd year together.

DC Vote
"Founded in 1998, DC Vote is an educational and advocacy organization dedicated to securing full voting representation in Congress and full democracy for the more than half a million residents of the District of Columbia."
Absolutely nothing says District of Columbia like local disenfranchisement. An internship here would be very educational with a strong local perspective. Also the hot young things can help lobby on the Hill and actually use their hotness for good - like getting voting rights for DC residents.

V3 Campaign
The V3 campaign is part of the DC Central Kitchen, founded by Robert Egger. His vision created a nonprofit that collects food donations and trains unemployed men and women for foodservice jobs. The V3 Campaign, an offshoot, is a good teachable moment because it's effectively the voice of nonprofits for the electoral world. They say "it's simple: we are going to ask every candidate for higher office—from small town mayoral contenders to presidential nominees—to provide details about their experience with nonprofits and their plans for partnering with, and strengthening the nonprofit sector if they are elected."

Capitol Letters Writing Center
This cool nonprofit helps budding poets and literary artists in DC. "Capitol Letters Writing Center believes that within every student lives a writer. We support and challenge those writers through workshops, tutoring, and student publications that complement the classroom goals of educators in a safe and creative environment." They have some very dedicated volunteers who held one of the most creative fundraisers I've seen in a while: a Mustache-o-thon. There is no such thing as suffering too much for art, I guess. Including growing pornstar worthy facial hair.

Bread for the City
This charity has been in operation for almost forty years. "The agency began as two organizations; Zacchaeus Free Clinic began in 1974 as a volunteer-run free medical clinic, and Bread for the City was created in 1976 by a coalition of downtown churches to feed and clothe the poor." A little time with this organization would help TRWers see the other part of DC that isn't Dupont Circle.

Street Sense
The vendors are on every corner of our city. This innovative organization "was founded in August 2003 after two volunteers, Laura Thompson Osuri and Ted Henson, approached the National Coalition for the Homeless on separate occasions about starting a street newspaper in Washington, D.C." It would be a really interesting challenge to see TRWers spend a day trying to hock Street Sense on Connecticut and K St. (That or do a canvass with Greenpeace or US. PIRG. In the middle of August. Like most of us in this town did at one point or another.)

Brainfood
The foodie in me can't help but be excited about this program. "We reach young people through a positive approach based on one of the oldest and most universal of human traditions: food. Through listening, reading, shopping, measuring, chopping, whisking, roasting, cooling, collaborating, presenting, eating, cleaning and volunteering." Plus if they worked with this nonprofit, the castmembers would learn more about our local food and drink, and maybe even some of the myriad DC farmers markets.

Literacy Volunteers and Advocates
"Literacy Volunteers and Advocates enhances the lives of adults in the Washington, D.C., area who struggle with reading and writing." This program is part of a larger global adult literacy movement that helps people learn to read. Like other nonprofits on this list, working with this group would potentially bring a more authentic aspect to the show, as well as, you know, teach a few people to read.

Food and Friends
"Reverend Carla Gorrell founded Food & Friends in 1988 when a friend, sick at home with AIDS, needed something to eat. Along with nutrition counseling, Food & Friends prepares, packages and delivers meals and groceries to more than 1,400 people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses throughout Washington, DC," This group does amazing work, directly helping people through out DC. Similar to others on the list, this group effects change through getting food to people.

Art Enables
"Very often people with developmental and/or mental disabilities are better able to express themselves in images than in words. Art Enables is focused on just such a group: thirty-some artists whose disabilities include but are not limited to Down syndrome, autism, traumatic brain injury, bipolar disorder. Their ages range from 24 to 72. They are African-American, Caucasian, Hispanic, Asian, Arab." It would be as if the opposite of reality TV actors met people who dealt with a challenging reality. Plus check out the art, it's really inspiring.

And if the cast of TRW DC really has a issue with being under an additional lens (via blogostalking) I suggest they check out a nonprofit entirely devoted to electronic privacy rights. Center for Democracy and Technology

Who are these people?

A friend of the blog, who shall remain anonymous, sent us the following of a recent photo shoot out back in the alley behind Busboys and Poets and Marvin on 14th Street. (Classy.)

This source speculates that several of these subjects seen in the photos here may be a few of the Real World D.C. cast.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.




Now let's take a look at the facts:

They appear to be young, 20-somethings and wearing douchey t-shirts. (Sorry dude in the orange shirt but only people who can destroy me are allowed to wear such things.)

There's a combination of one guy (green shirt, light blue jeans from the '80s) who looks like Anthony Michael Hall in the Breakfast Club and another guy (black shirt, white shoes) with way too much product in his 'do.

They're totally in an urban setting (just look at that graffiti on those walls!) and there's legit photography equipment in the area.

Either this is the Real World D.C. cast or equally dumb cast members of some other wildly moronic reality television show highlighting the Real Douchebags of D.C.

MTV wants you to get ready for the DRAMA!

To those who wonder why we "haven't given the Real Worlders a chance" and keep assuming they will be party kids and bring drama to our nice little area of Dupont, I submit to you from the MTV Real World website, the synopsis of what viewers can expect with "Real World: Cancun"


"In a city where excess reigns supreme, the true test for the Real World: Cancun housemates will be learning to separate work from play. And when the lines (and vision) inevitably start to blur, expect to see tempers flare, sparks fly, boundaries crossed, new friendships forged and old relationships tested, all against the beautiful backdrop of the Caribbean shores." - MTV.com

See, I'm not trying to be a hater, but don't give me any "oh they're going to be nice and quiet" crap when I watch MTV post on their website drama and "sparks flying" as selling points to watch the new season. I admit, DC is no Cancun, but the formula for a "successful" reality show has not changed. If the "Real Housewives of NJ" sat around and played bridge all day, no one would watch. Instead they talk about boob jobs, their husband's money and shoes. And then they fight.

Bottom line is that hijinx will ensue one way or another and we'll be here to report who pukes where before the cameras have a chance to edit the footage!

Green is Good--A Fantasy on RWDC Foreign Policy Talk

The other night as I was listening to public radio podcasts on my patio (because I'm a huge nerd), I thought how great the policy conversations will be in the Real World DC house. Several individuals and MTV itself have hinted that the cast members will be smarter than their average cast, which is usually at the same developmental stage as cannibalistic chimps. And frankly, I hope they are.

Still, my imagination got the best of me. Here is my fantasy conversation between three members of the Real World DC concerning the repressed election system in Iran.

TriDel--she only went to college to get a ring, not to learn.
Broseph--He works out a lot and smashes things on his head.
Posie--He loves politics but only reads headlines. The poseur if you will.

TriDel: What is with all these people wearing green? Do they have some kind of Irish Fest going on here in DC?

Broseph: yah I know...my twitter feed blew up with all these people having green icons and stuff.

Posie: Don't you two KNOW anything? People are wearing green to support the Green Revolution in Iran.

TriDel: Hey...I'm smart. I go to the Harvard of the [insert whatever geographical region you want].

Broseph: The Green Revolution? huh? But brah, our house has like solar panels. The Green Revolution is here.

Posie: No. The Green Revolution is about environmentalists in Iran! Ahmedin..ahmed....whatever his name is doesn't want environmentalists to take power and so he is repressing the opponents.

TriDel: Oh no! I hate repression! That's going to be my goal in life---stopping repression wherever and whenever!

Broseph: That's hot, TriDel. I love a woman who is an activist. Let's go get some fro-yo.

Posie: (whispering) Why won't Broseph love me?

(end scene)

**Author's Note: This isn't meant to diminish the horrendous situation in Iran. Rather, I hope this will encourage many readers to learn more.

An Open Letter to the Single Ladies of TRW DC

Dear (Straight) Ladies of The Real World DC Cast,

The Real Women of DC want to level with you, the Ladies of the Real World DC. We can't compete with you. We just can't.

When you take out the gay population, the married population, the almost-married population and the deployed military population, there just aren't a lot of single, hot-blooded, hetero single men in this town. Rather than fight over what little we got, we wanted to level with you. So here are reasons why you'll win the man-chase.

We can't keep up with your fashion. We can't be fashionistas AND read the Economist and the New Yorkers special fiction edition, cover to cover. Also stilettos are hard to wear when you bike to work. Anyway, my non-profit/political/job on the Hill won't let me wear my skinny jeans, tissue-T, and Converse to work. That sort of pushes the limit of "business casual."

Holy shit, we love Five Guys so guess what - we aren't as skinny as you. WE LIKE CARBS. And let's be real, men generally go for the skinny bitches. We know. C'est la vie. Let's face it. 5 guys > Chopt any day. I'm sure the producers would crap a brick if they knew how much we weighed, or they'd call us fatties, and either situation is just abusive, so why bother? Congrats on not falling prey to Five Guys, Ben's Chili Bowl or 2am falafel. (We fully expect to see you eating Jumbo Slice at least once, though. Especially if you have an eating disorder.)

Many of us also have jobs trying to save the world which eliminates us from, say, binge drinking and hot tub making out every night - not because we don't want to, but because we have to get up early to do the media clippings in the morning. Also some of us spend the day fighting the spread of AIDS in the US, Botswana or Inner Mongolia, so like, spontaneous high-risk sex is not appealing to us. I know, fighting infectious diseases is a total boner-killer. But that's how we roll. We hope the producers are springing for condoms, by the way.

Also, I feel like a camera man following me would be trifling. A gal can only look so classy riding her bike to work, while tugging on her skirt to avoid flashing the world. Also it might be annoying for a camera guy to follow us on the bus or the Metro. Sometimes it's hard enough to fight my way on the S2 or the S4 down 16th, so that cameraman and his gear would just piss off the other commuters. But hey, at least we'd be reducing our carbon footprint.

And finally, I don't know that we can't keep up with The Real World schedule because to us, happy hour starts after 7, not from 4-6. And that just makes for boring Reality TV. Alcoholics are fun to watch. Workoholics are just boring. And trust me, we know those cameras would be rolling 24/7. Unless you want unlimited footage on healthcare reform, eye-glazing debate on comprehensive Energy legislation or how industrial farming is JUST WRONG, you don't want us in front of your cameras. We know. If your viewers wanted to watch that crap, they'd just flip to CSPAN.

So we tip our hats to you, single ladies of The Real World DC. Thank you for answering the call to be shiny hot young things. Someone's got to do it.

Sincerely yours,
Your DC-working Sisters

*Special thanks to Julia20009 for helping a sister out :)

Cast - here's what you are missing

Since we've heard the cast is reading our blog, we thought we'd let you know what you are missing. Yesterday, your house got a sweet outdoor grill. It's still wrapped in packaging, but don't worry it's locked up so no one steals it.

More importantly, today you missed our fabulous gay pride parade! We hope none of the cast members are homophobes - you won't do very well in our neighborhood!

Fox Five mentions us!

The local Fox Five affiliate WTTG ran a story yesterday about the Real World excitement, and mentioned us. Thanks Fox Five!

Gaysimilate this, jerks.

Via Borderstan, we heard that Real World DC is going to shoot B-roll footage at the Capital Pride Parade on Saturday. The rumor is none of the cast will actually be in DC yet. And if this is true, this is less than, well, reality. That means the MTV crew will be shooting the Pride parade as background. Having done some video production, I can appreciate having content "in the can". But what gets my pantyhose in a knot is this:

That's the number of rights still denied same sex couples across the US. Because they're teh gay (or teh lesbian, transgendered, bisexual or queer.) The LGBTQ community is still fighting for many rights that most people take for granted, so don't trivialize the struggle. As one of our commenters mentioned, the 1,049 number is out of date - the US Government Accountability Office published a more recent report that indicates LGBTQ couples are denied 1,138 federal rights. (Thanks for the correction, Michael!)

I'm really worried about gaysimilation, people. Let me introduce you to the concept of gaysimilation, as explained to me. It's a form of cultural assimilation. You know what I'm talking about. It's potentially good since it could signal broad cultural acceptance. But it can also mean that people either change themselves to conform, or worse, their struggle is used as a marketing device (and therefore co-opted and trivialized.) Think about how counterculture icons are used to sell cars and sodas. Or when names go from being Shailagh to Sheila, or Lopez becomes Smith, or people become culturally insensitive because it's easier to play along and conform than take the time to know or respect their history.

The fact is, the original Real World had significant impact on the politics of gender roles and sexuality. It's hard for us to remember a time when the world did exist without the voyeristic "reality" aspect. When people didn't discuss racism, prejudice or even sex. When it wasn't acceptable to be out and proud.

So the question is, what will this footage be used for? To talk about how cool the DC cast is with Pride and the LGBT community? Are they going to honor Norman Korpi's bravery of being out and proud? Are they going to teach us to honor the memory of Pedro Zamora?

Or are they going to use the Parade as a glittering backdrop, and fake the show's way into looking like it's down with the Gayborhood?

Call us jaded, but we know that reality TV is artificial as Joan River's face. We get that. It's hard to out-DC DC, where so much of our work and very livelihood is image manipulation. Yet all dedicated operatives and DC political hacks know that the most successful contrivances come from a fierce dedication to a set of values. And they express some kernel of truth and conviction, even if that kernel is sometimes small and hard to find.

So please, Real World. If you want to play the game, play the game. But don't use the LGBTQ community as just a backdrop, honey. The drag queens don't like to be upstaged, and you've got your own proud history to rediscover.

Still No Answers From MTV

So this morning I decided I'd waited long enough, and would just walk up to the house and ask for a meeting with MTV. Despite the local newspaper coverage, no one from the show has reached out directly to people in the neighborhood.

I walked over to the house and say plainly that I didn't know who was with the show. Someone pointed to a man (let's call him Man 1). He didn't say much but took my contact information.

As I'm leaving, another man (let's call him Man 2) started to get combative. Man 2 said "why the blog? are you anti-reality TV?" What this jerk doesn't know is that ALL I WATCH is Reality TV - The Hills, Project Runway, and all of the Real
Housewives seasons. I love those shows! What I'm anti- about is that I know how one should run a successful public relations campaign, and I know MTV isn't doing a thorough job of reaching out to the community.

Man 2 mentioned a nightclub up the street and I said “yes, but when something goes into the neighborhood there are permits involved that the public knows about and that are approved by ANC.” I also mentioned to Man 2 that no one from MTV came to the ANC meeting the other night. Then the conversation went like this:

Me: There wasn't an official MTV representative at the meeting.

Man 2: How do you know that?

Me: No one spoke up.

Man 2: You don't know that no one was there.

Me: Well I sure hope someone was there and taking notes. But no one stood up and spoke and answered questions.

I'm really irritated and dismayed by how unprofessional MTV or their PR representation are being. Granted, people seem to think this whole production might not be disruptive to our city, but we're talking about my street and my neighbors and my family. I asked a neighbor today as I was walking my dog, and he said he would probably come to a meeting of the neighbors on the street and MTV. He also knows the guy two houses down from us who is concerned and would definitely come. Both neighbors are probably in their fifties.

People have HOMES here, and we just want some answers.

Like the Plague: A Survivor's Guide to Avoiding the Real World Cast: Malibu Rum Barbie Edition

If there's going to be 7 official cast members, we all know who the unofficial 8th will be: booze.

Now we here at ARWDC HQ are by no means teetotalers. However, running into a RW cast member with crew in tow when picking up a bottle of wine on my way to a housewarming party isn't my idea of fun. So whether you are looking to pick up a six pack of PBR or a bottle of Dom, avoid these two DC Real World house liquor stores and the wine store.

But if you want a little faux-drama overnote with your merlot, go ahead.

P.S. Real World cast members would be wise to remember Ernest Hemingway who said, "Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."

P.P.S. Remember the map also has the other spots for you to avoid from the first edition of "Like the Plague."



View Like the Plague-Real World DC Survival Map in a larger map

MTV’s PR Department Posts Half Hearted Response Blog to Try and Counter Our Efforts

The entire ARWDC team would like to welcome MTV’s PR machine to the battle over Real World: DC.

At 8:01 this morning, the ProRealWorldDCblog went live to an audience of…well 5 our ARWDC’s editors. While many of our contributors’ better professional instincts tell us not to bring attention to them because they are so far behind the curve on this, from an entertainment perspective, it was too good NOT to share. The blog REEKS of astroturfing. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, this, via Wikipedia:

Astroturfing is a word in English describing formal political, advertising, or public relations campaigns seeking to create the impression of being spontaneous "grassroots" behavior, hence the reference to the artificial grass, AstroTurf.

The goal of such a campaign is to disguise the efforts of a political or commercial entity as an independent public reaction to some political entity—a politician, political group, product, service or event. Astroturfers attempt to orchestrate the actions of apparently diverse and geographically distributed individuals, by both overt ("outreach", "awareness", etc.) and covert (disinformation) means.

Astroturfing may be undertaken by an individual pushing a personal agenda or highly organized professional groups with financial backing from large corporations, non-profits, or activist organizations. Very often the efforts are conducted by political consultants who also specialize in opposition research.

As Berg pointed out to me, the comments show no knowledge of the area that wouldn’t be known using Googlemaps. Further, they are kinda, “checked” out, and the blog shows no real community behind the content.

DC Badger had this to add: Further, the blog is actively soliciting contributors, I mean why would you have to solicit contributors if there is SO many people who are pro-Real World DC? This site has been active and well-covered for DAYS. If some pro-Real World Washingtonian had organically stumbled upon us on Monday via Wonkette and had a problem with us, they would have had their blogspot up immediately. NOT first thing in the morning after MTV saw a very organized presence from us at last night’s ANC meeting. (Something they would have enjoyed further if they had bothered to show up).

I am left to believe this is MTV’s half hearted attempt to counter our mojo, and hell, I welcome them to the table. I do ask them for one favor: instead of trying to hide behind fake community blogs and ANC meetings, why don’t you come out from behind the curtain and engage us directly.