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Entertainment
The Battalion
Page 5A * Thursday, January 29, 2004
Out in the real world
MTV shows cast members tour the country in search of reality-TV talent
By Amber Grey
THE BATTALION
Due to his feisty attitude and boyish good looks, Omar Salinas
said he thinks he would make an excellent candidate for any reality
television show.
“I’m tall, dark and handsome,” joked Salinas, a junior biochem
istry and genetics major. "(On a serious note) I guess I’d be good on
a show because I never put up a front; I’m always genuine with a
good down home southern charm.”
More than 1(K),(XK) people across the nation are expected to
attend the Reality Bar Crawl Spring 2(X)4 College Tour. The event
will be kicking off Saturday, Jan 31. at the Texas Event Center locat
ed five minutes north of San Marcos, in Kyle. Texas. There will be
an open casting call searching for new faces and talent for 40 new
reality TV shows.
“I think I have a good shot for being picked for one of the
shows,” said senior agriculture development major Annie Shaffer.
“I’m such an entertainer in front of the camera, plus I love to stir
up drama.”
Brian Olson, booking agent and public relations director for the
Texas Event Center, said they are expecting between 4,(XX) and
5,0(X) attendants.
Former cast members from MTV’s Real World and Road Rules
are headlining the events across America. Ace Amerson, Christina
Trainor and Adam King from “The Real World - Paris" along w ith
Mark Long and Abram Boise from “The Road Rules Challenge,”
and current “Real World - San Diego” members Cameron. Brad.
Randy and Robin will be the hosts of these events at bars and clubs
across the country.
“This tour is going to be bigger, badder and longer,” Boise
said, who is headlining his second tour. "It’s an entire four
months, spending each night in a different major downtown
across the country.”
Cameramen will be taping 400 hours of live footage to be pro
duced into a DVD/video release: the “Reality Bar Crawl: Volumes
1 - 8.”
“Everyone (who attends) has a very good chance of hanging out
with their favorite cast members,” Olson said. “They w ill be walk
ing around taking pictures, signing autographs and just partying
with you."
During the interviews. King said it’s important to just be yourself
and explain what you’re passionate about.
Salinas said the event should be fun and not weighed tjown Ipy
apprehensions.
“I am going to be completely confident; there’s no reason to be
PlCTURt COURUSY OF MTV.COM
Members of the cast of MTV's shows 'The Real World" and "Road Rules" will
be touring the country recruiting people for 40 upcoming reality shows.
nervous,” Salinas said. “You’re either going to make the cut or come
right back to where you were.”
Although College Station's own former Road Rules cast member
Marybeth Decker said she is trying to stay out of the reality TV
spotlight and will not be attending the tour, she was more than
happy to lend some good advice to those awaiting their 15 minutes
of fame.
“They want a cast that people watching can relate to,” Decker
said. “Talk to the person interviewing you just like you talk to
your best friend. Ifyo'u'curse like a sailor in real life, then don’t
be sca,re(l to drop the f-bomb in your interview. Have fun. Lord
knows I did.”
Three live bands and a deejay will also be playing at the party on
a designated half of the 50,000 square foot center.
“I get to be the professional partier,” Boise said of his responsi
bilities at the events. “My job is to throw parties and get everyone
hyped up.”
Doors open at 7 p.m., with the nine stars from Real World and Road
Rules making a celebrity entrance from their tour buses at 9 p.m.
King couldn't hide his enthusiasm about the tour and said he
hopes to visit more universities across the nation.
“The college crowd is so energetic,” he said. “Since I haven’t
been removed from that scene for long, I can connect to them bet
ter because I am going through the same things they’re going
through.”
For everyone who wants their time to shine on national TV,
King remembers how irritating the scene selections could be at
times.
“We were in Paris for five months, but audiences probably only
see about 11 hours of those five months,” he said. “It’s just frustrat
ing because I can’t reach out to them and say there’s more that hap
pened. There's so much on the show you didn’t see.”
King has also heard his share of negative comments from
fans with their opinions on what could have been handled dif
ferently.
“I think it would be awkward to have cameras in your face all the
time,” Shaffer said. “Especially when the whole world seems to
make judgments on what you look like and how you respond in
every situation.”
Although Decker agrees seeing your true self can be difficult, she
encourages everyone to go audition for the reality shows to grow
emotionally.
“Many times we tend to see ourselves how we want other peo
ple to perceive us. And a lot of times that’s not who we really
are,” she said. “Road Rules forced me to look in the mirror and
see myself for who I really am. I walked away feeling like a much
stronger person.”
For those lucky enough to find themselves cast into a starring
role on a reality TV show. Decker reminds everyone to make the
most of the experience.
Shaffer said she wishes to use the reality television experience to
spread the word of Aggie hospitality.
“Going to Texas A&M has taught me to be who I really am,
respect others and have pride in everything 1 accomplish,” Shaffer
said. “I’d love the opportunity to share the Aggie traditions with
everyone else on national television.”
Tickets for the tour are $10 and are available through Sabin
Steinbacher at (979) 255-1602.
DAY
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