Living in 'The Real World'

Erika Gonzalez, Rocky Mountain News

Published November 22, 2006 at midnight

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In 1992 Jon Murray and partner Mary-Ellis Bunim (who passed away from breast cancer in 2004) launched "The Real World," documenting the trials and tribulations of seven strangers struggling to get along.

Now in its 18th season, the MTV show is widely credited for birthing the reality-TV genre. Staff writer Erika Gonzalez talked with Murray about the show's endurance and the new season.

Question: So, besides the excellent backdrop, why should we watch?

Murray: It's incredibly entertaining. Alex is the man: Women just seem to fall for him. I've never seen someone juggle so many women so well. Alex ends up with two different women from the cast. Brooke is this delightful young woman from the South, and the Outward Bound job is just horrific to her. She's just more comfortable filing her nails than having a rope or ladder in her hand. She starts out as the biggest whiner about the job, yet she has a really powerful arc in terms of what she goes through in the job. Ty is very good-natured but so passionate, sometimes he gets himself in trouble. Davis is out of the closet but still likes to make out with women, which drives Brooke crazy. His growing friendship with Stephen is really interesting.

Q: What did you look for when you were casting this season?

Murray: We reach out to people who might not think television wants to hear from them. This is a show built on diversity - whether it's social, economic, racial, religious.

Q: The show seems to emphasize drinking more now. Why is that?

Murray: Kids use alcohol differently than they did in 1992. I certainly became aware of that with Ruthie in Hawaii, and that was eight or nine years ago. That was a real wake-up call for me. I think it really reflects what's going on. We do make a conscious effort in each cast to cast a few people who - at least from the best we can tell - either don't drink much or are pretty responsible in their drinking.

Q: The casts keep getting more attractive. Is that a casting goal?

Murray: We are looking for charismatic individuals, and sometimes that comes from looks, sometimes from personalities and sometimes from their senses of humor. They have to be complex and interesting enough that they're going to entertain the audience. . . . It's not just about having soap-opera good looks."

Q: Why is the show still popular?

Murray: It's not written by a bunch of 40-year-olds. Each year, it comes from the seven individuals chosen - their stories and their relationships. And each year it's completely unpredictable. The show stays fresh because every year it's a new city, a new cast and new dynamic.

The Real World: Denver

• Tune in: Debut airs on MTV three times today: 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Five things you don't know about Jon Murray

• First job: 10 p.m. news producer for WLUK-TV in Green Bay, Wis.

• If it weren't for TV, I would: Be an urban planner

• Favorite Real World season: San Francisco

• People would be surprised I like: British costume dramas

• The reality show I wish I had thought of: Project Runway

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