"Real World" to hit Fresno

By Shannon Milliken
The Collegian

Casting directors from MTV’s “The Real World” will be in Fresno this Saturday, searching for the next reality show star.

Supervising Casting Director Damon Furberg said they chose to hold auditions in Fresno this year because they want to get away from aspiring actors and models of Los Angeles but still get Californians.

Though the producers of “The Real World” have been to Fresno before to cast for the reality show “Starting Over,” they have never looked here for “The Real World” roommates.

When applicants show up to the casting call, held at The Dirty Olive from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., this weekend, Furberg said that they should try not to be like anyone they’ve seen on the show before.

“This might sound cliché, but people need to be themselves,” he said. “We’ve been doing this for a long time, so when people are playing a role we can tell.”

Furberg said this is very important, not only because audiences won’t want to watch the same character twice, but also because if people aren’t themselves in the audition and they get chosen,

the chemistry in the house will be off.

Since this will be the 19th season of the show, the casting directors have become experts at how chemistry in a “Real World” house works.

At the audition, Furberg said, people will be brought in in groups of about 10. They will be asked to play party games, like “Two Truths and a Lie,” debate a topic or sometimes just talk amongst themselves while the directors observe.

“Each director has their own thing, so you never know what you will see,” Furberg said. “It’s kind of like summer camp.”

In these activities its very important that each applicant let his or her personality shine through, because the casting directors are always looking for “fascinating people with charisma,” Furberg said.

The whole audition only lasts about 10-15 minutes, but the people they like may get a call-back.
If someone is chosen, they will be the first person from a Fresno audition to appear on “The Real World.”

Fresno State student Meredith Keep said she won’t be auditioning, but she would like to see a person from Fresno be chosen.

“It would be cool to see someone from Fresno on MTV,” Keep said. “I mean, not me personally, but someone from here.”

Casting will begin at 10 a.m. this Saturday and applicants must bring a recent photo of themselves

as well as a photo ID.

The Dirty Olive is located at 9455 N. Fort Washington, Ste. 104 .

Anyone between the ages of 18 and 24 is welcome to the open casting.

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