Road to the Real World
Taylor Roseboom fills out an application for the real world. // VF File Photo by Missy Farni
This is the story of several dozen strangers who stood in line on a Tuesday afternoon — all of them desperate to live in a house and have their lives taped — and one hopeful wishing for the opportunity of a lifetime.
MTV’s Real World was the beginning of all reality television. The show’s concept is simple. It brings seven strangers from differing backgrounds and beliefs to live together in a house that is under constant video surveillance. This is so the audience can “find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real.”
I have always thought about trying out for Real World since I grew up watching the many seasons and discovered a bigger world outside of my small hometown. I have dreamed of making a name for myself and experiencing all that life has to offer. Intrigued by others and their stories, I instantly became a fan of Real World.
When I applied previously, I missed the deadline, so it was a surprise to come across an email from Bunim/ Murray Productions requesting I meet for an interview with the casting directors for the upcoming season. The interview was at Iowa State University.
Anticipating a large crowd of intelligent and witty twenty somethings, I was surprised to see a dozen fellow hopefuls waiting in line. I was shocked to learn how far people traveled for the opportunity.
I walked into the waiting room, where there were prospects writing answers, taking pictures and preparing for this once-in-a-lifetime chance. Wearing a black-and-white-striped shirt, blue jeans and booties, I sat nervously and waited to attend my meeting. In my group there were girls in full-blown Saturday night outfits and girls in casual wear, all hoping for the same outcome: to be chosen for the show.
We were asked to introduce ourselves with our name, age and a few interesting facts. I was glad to be the last to go, so I could hear the other girls’ stories. One girl told the casting directors that she was an ex- minister who had stopped believing in what she was preaching, and another girl expressed her desire to become a stripper. One thing I found interesting was that the majority of the girls were in relationships, yet their partners disapproved or were uninformed of what they were doing.
I had always promised myself that if I were to do this, I was going to be upfront and honest about everything in my life. It’s Real World. When it came to me, the producers asked me to tell them about myself.
My introduction — “I’m Taylor. I’m 23. I live in Des Moines, where I attend Grand View University, and yes my boyfriend knows I’m here; he actually supports this choice.”
The casting director asked me to describe our relationship and anything interesting that I had been through in my life.
I went into detail about how my two-year relationship with my boyfriend and I evolved from our connection of losing siblings to tragic accidents despite our age difference — him being 29 and myself just turning 23. I also explained my struggles of moving forward in life.
I’ve been involved in a highly abusive relationship and been cheated on after struggling with the choice of abortion followed by the death of my brother before I even turned 21. To this day, I still struggle with high anxiety in both my personal life and professional life.
I also expressed my desire to be on the show to explore a different part of myself and expose myself to different people around the country. I want become a better person and help those who can relate to my own personal struggles.
By the looks on the casting directors face, I thought I had stolen the show. I was the only one who had included the reason for wanting to become a part of the Real World legacy to help others who have been through hard times and to show others it is fine to be “authentically you” in a world where everyone is dying to fit in.
I recognized then that these people all wanted something else: to be famous, not to contribute to society or to experience something bigger than themselves. I’m from a generation that grew up watching Real World when it defined the reality series and was groundbreaking in its bold representation of people and the issues America wasn’t discussing on television. Growing up, I was glued to MTV every Tuesday night to watch these strangers argue, relate and learn while discussing topics such as politics, homosexuality, AIDS, racism, religion and abortion.
I wasn’t too serious about my Real World audition, but I felt like the only one who remotely exposed themselves to the casting directors. I knew the moment I stepped out of the room, I would never make it to the next round. Although I was just being me, I wouldn’t make the cut. Besides, there is nothing real about this world.
Leave a comment