Entertainment :: Television
Real World Brooklyn :: The Gayest Yet? by Scott Stiffler
EDGE ContributorMonday Jan 5, 2009
Pity poor MTV. The venerable cable channel has been blamed for everything from the corruption of teenagers to the wholesale destruction of western civilization. It was even, in its early years, accused of playing music videos. But the one charge that might just stick is its hand in popularizing that great American train wreck known as "Reality TV."
Long before a group of dyspeptic misfits and shallow dipshits were thrown together on an island until the last "Survivor" walked away with a million dollars, MTV was telling the "true story. . .of seven strangers. . .picked to live in a house. . .who work together and have their lives taped. . .to find out what happens when people stop being polite. . .and start getting real."
Premiering in 1992, "The Real World" showed us how glamorous prejudices, petty grievances and drunken hot tub hijinks could be. The show is also notable for third season cast member Pedro Zamora, an AIDS activist who was among the first out, gay and HIV positive men to obtain a significant national profile.
The twenty-first season, Real World: Brooklyn, premieres on Wednesday, January 7. It promises to be gayer than a particularly gay picnic basket; packed with enough gay, bisexual, transgendered and questioning participants to ensure this season will be the most rainbow-friendly one so far. No longer onboard for shock value, novelty or conflict-baiting, the lavender-leaning members of this eight-person cast will (if the press materials aren’t lying) do their part to keep it real and make life in their Red Hook warehouse digs particularly fabulous.
Gay Roomies
The "complex individuals from different cultural backgrounds" include "An Iraq war veteran, a former beauty queen, a hip hop dancing hippie, a punk rock Mormon, a dolphin trainer, a computer geek, an abs model and an advocate for victims of abuse" who come together on the outskirts of Manhattan to "pursue their goals and dreams while debating issues facing today’s society."
But can you guess which ones are friends of Dorothy, which ones are simply friendly, and which ones might exit the house at series’ end without a friend in the world? Time will tell - but , spoiler alert, we’re telling now.
Chet, 23, from Salt Lake City, Utah, is "not the typical punk rock party boy." Despite his tight jeans and affinity for neon clothing, this University of Utah frat boy is one of ten children in a devoted Mormon family. Recently single, Chet’s flamboyant style and energetic personality always make him the life of the party. However, this doesn’t mean that he will compromise his firm beliefs - no alcohol and no premarital sex." Although not overtly gay or even remotely bi, early indicators hint that Chet is questioning more than how to navigate the NYC subway system. He even admits that his goal is "to become a television host." Hello!
J.D., 22, from Miami Beach, Florida, "grew up in an abusive home" and went on to "swim competitively in high school. . .and become one of the youngest dolphin trainers at Miami Seaquarium at the tender age of 19." Although his official MTV bio doesn’t mention it, J.D. is out, gay, and proud of it.
Katelynn, 24, from West Palm Beach, Florida, is poised to be the show’s breakout star - not only because of her transgender status, but her storyline - which makes your own troubles seem like drips in a mighty ocean. Katelynn, who grew up dreaming "of being a good mother to her children," was born male. In high school, she "began the transgender process by starting to dress in more feminine clothing. By age 17, she began living as a woman." This past July, "Katelynn traveled to Thailand to undergo surgery to complete her transformation. After a string of bad relationships, she hopes to one day marry her current boyfriend, Mike."
Sarah, 22, from San Francisco, California, "may look like another tattooed punk; but under her ink is a passionate woman with an intense past. Rising above a traumatic upbringing where she was the victim of sexual abuse, Sarah has dedicated herself to educating and advocating for sexually-abused men and women through art and creative therapy. She has recently fallen in love with a guy she met on a set-up through her mother - until now, most of Sarah’s relationships have been with women."
HONORABLE MENTION: Scott, 23, from Salem, New Hampshire, appears to be as straight as an arrow; but his "award-winning abs," which were once featured in Men’s Health magazine, will have gay men drooling. A personal trainer, Scott’s ambitions include "pursuing his new passions - acting and modeling." Hello!. . .Hello?
By our count (sadly, not including Scott), that makes four LGBTQ cast members; a full half of the house - far more than the societal norm of one in ten. Not content to merely quote their MTV-provided bios, Edge recently spoke with Sarah and J.D. about the show (and shamelessly cribbed interview text from somebody else’s article to get the skinny on Katelynn!).
Pictured: Just who’s gay in this composite? J.D. (left) one of the youngest dolphin trainers in the world; Scott (center) with the rock-hard abs and aspirations to be a professional model; or Chet (right), A Mormon frat boy... not your typical punk rock party boy.
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