Real World Memories: First Time

The following post, and DCBLOG's coverage of Real World 

Season 30, is dedicated in memory of Ryan Knight (1986-2014).

By DC Cueva
@DC408dxtr

Tonight, we kick off a brand new season of The Real World as this groundbreaking series will reach a major milestone, as will be premiering its 30th season on MTV. In a landscape where many programs have come and gone, The Real World is the longest-running primetime entertainment series on basic cable, MTV's longest-running show, and is the one that pioneered the now-ubiquitous genre of reality television. Every reality-based series that has come on the scene since May 21, 1992 can all say thank you to these pioneers for paving the way for this new form of entertainment. And tonight, the show returns to the city where we first saw Challenge veteran Aneesa: Chicago, IL.

   Here on DCBLOG as part of my wall-to-wall coverage of All Things MTV, I've been taking advantage of my broad knowledge of this show having watched at least part of every one of these 29 seasons to write and blog about certain aspects of it on here. Being someone who has been following it since the beginning and has been watching it for a very long time on a continuous basis dating back to high school (15 years if you're counting), it has provided me with a vault full of memories of watching all these people ewho I've now become very good friends with in the social world and everything that we've seen over the years.

   From that very first season almost 23 years ago in the SoHo district of New York City, to the most recent one in my Bay Area backyard that rejuvenated this pioneer in explosive fashion, there's no denying the show's impact on TV and on its viewers. And with tonight being the season premiere, I'd thought it would be good to take a step back in time to when it all begins for the seven strangers.

For me, something that's always one of my favorite parts of any Real World season is the one that takes place right at the very beginning: the premiere episode and the first day or so in the house and in their new city. While I've become a new Challenge enthusiast and many roommates have gone on to do numerous Challenges, there's nothing like when they make their first impressions on everyone on the show that's closest to my heart. It's a common thread in every season: the roommates meeting one another for the very first time, checking out their new digs, sampling what their new city has in store for them and seeing if those first impressions of what they think of each other are true.

   As someone who's also an Olympic fan and enjoyed the Sochi Winter Games earlier this year, I like to compare the premiere & finale episodes of any Real World and Challenge season to the Games' Opening & Closing Ceremonies. The Opening has that sense of anticipation and excitement that comes at the very beginning of it, while the Closing has that touch of sadness that it's ending but with a lot to look back & be proud of. I get the same feeling of both in the first & last episodes of not just the Real World and Challenge, but also any MTV season as well, just as I do during the Olympics.

   When this experience begins, just about all of the roommates are anxious, wide-eyed and ready to see what the next few months have in store for them. When they fly home once their stay wraps up, they'll be changed people, and it'll be a matter of whether their lives will have changed for the better or for worse, and whether they're friends with some or all of the roommates or not. And of course, it's not until the trailer or related material is released beforehand pre-premiere that the real show begins, where how these people are edited play a factor in the likability of the cast. And now with social media playing a fundamental role, how friendly and interactive the roommates are to their fans will play into it too.

I recently bought on iTunes the opening episode of every season that they offer for fans to buy legally (sorry, YouTube doesn't count, wanna make sure I support the Viacom folks). And having watched those episodes, along with the DVD's of the original NY, both Vegas and the Ex-Plosion seasons, and taking notes from those as well, DCB would like to share with you some quotes and highlights from the premieres (note not all seasons will be covered, just those above listed). Where necessary, we also included quotes from some of the cast members' audition tapes which were also posted by them on YouTube, or from clips on the old Real World Dailies of their casting interviews.

   Note all of the cast's quotes are in order from when they made their first appearance on camera during the episode, and includes their twitter handles where available. And after the jump, we'll start with one of those seasons that stand out to me as an all-time favorite for myself: the first Las Vegas season in 2002.

> LAS VEGAS

Trishelle (@TrishelleC)

- casting interview: "The good thing about coming from a small town is you become creative with what you do with your spare time."

- "The only time I've ever been away from Cutoff is when I moved away to go to college. And it makes me really nervous being in a big city. Las Vegas is named 'Sin City,' so I know they have a lot of sin here."

- "I'm very excited about meeting new men because I've been seeing the same ones for the past five years. I'm attracted to people who are romantic and really cute and nice, but not too nice. Sex is not that important to me."

- upon walking into the Palms: "I never even stayed at a place like this before. This is the best thing I have ever seen; the colors and it's beautiful."

- after moving into Palms RW suite: "My house in Cutoff is pretty old-fashioned, it's like a country house. This is like a city house. I am in the room that I want. Brynn & I have the zebra room. I think the zebra room will see lots of excitement."

- after seeing Irulan: "I'm excited to get a chance to live with people from other races. In Cutoff, LA, there is not that much diversity."

- "After I start talking with my roommates, I'm afraid that they just think that I am a dumb girl from the south."

Steven

- casting interview: "I'm a bartender at a gay bar, and I'm a heterosexual male. Sex is really important to me. I'm really comfortable being a sexual person. Beautiful women...that's just my weakness. If one of my roommates is really hot, I don't know what I'm gonna do."

- on then-wife Christy: "My wife's name is Christy. Christy and I are currently still married...and I came home one day from school and had a little moment."

Frank

- casting tape: "Right now, I am in between schools, so I am applying for graduate school. A lot of my family went to Cornell. I'm probably not gonna get accepted because I'm a loser."

- on Lewisberg, PA: "I come from central Pennsylvania, no place to be. I come from a really, really small town, so this is a bit of a change for me. My hometown consists of cows, Amish people and lots of people just like me. There's like Mormons and Amish people all around where I live. When I'm in traffic, it's not cars, it's a horse & buggy."

- on strip clubs in Lewisberg: "Yeah, actually. We do. I thought they were beautiful. I'm not into that whole watching girls taking off their clothing. It seems too trashy for me."

- on Arissa: "I'm having a fun time talking to Arissa. She likes to have fun, joking with me, having fun with me. I think that's good for the both of us. I feel like one of us is gonna be the gambler."

- "I think that these girls are so hot and I just can't wait to go out and show off that I'm friends with these girls."

- "Trishelle is gorgeous, and I really like her personality too. So, she seems like someone who I can get along with really well."

Arissa (@MissArissa)

- casting interview: "I cannot wait to get out of the projects. I told them, "Ok, hope to see you again someday because I'm never coming back."

- on Frank: "Frank is just all-American Abercrombie, Amish kid. He's got a great sense of humor, and he's really funny."

- after entering Palms: "I'm gonna be in the casinos p...-drunk and very upset because I have no money."

Irulan

- "Gabe is my boyfriend. Gave and I have an open relationship. We recently decided to see other people."

- upon arriving at the Palms: "It's beautiful. It's like more than anything I could have hoped for."

- "I'm hoping to share a room with Arissa. I think that we have a lot in common and I feel like we can relate to each other on that level."

- "I think that Alton is great, and I enjoy spending time with him. I'm excited to get to know more about him."

Alton

- casting tape: "I enjoy going out on roller skates, go rock climbing."

- upon entering the Palms: "My heart is in my throat. I am having trouble breathing and this whole casino is overwhelming me. It's so big."

- upon seeing Irulan: "Irulan's my type to a T. I'm just too attracted to her. I don't know if she knows."

Brynn

- casting interview: "I get really courageous when I drink. I want that guy, and by the end of the night, I will have him."

- "I am a troublemaker. I don't think I realize it that I am making trouble, but I make trouble all the time. One of my roommates could be hot and trying to get the really other hot roommate before me. I have fought over a guy with a roommate before."

- upon arriving in the suite: "All I see is these pretty little skinny girls and I am thinking, 'they're all cute.' I am a little jealous. I'm kind of hoping that it was gonna be something that wasn't that cute, but they're all hot."

> AUSTIN

Danny

- "My sister is in medical school, my other sister is also a registered nurse, and I'm banging nails, every day, Monday thru Friday with my dad, building houses. My best friend right here."

- "It's gonna be a really great thing to leave. At the same time, I'm really gonna miss my family. My parents are divorced. I don't really get along with my mom. Saying goodbye to my father is tough because I'm with him all the time. He just wants the best for me. He doesn't know what that is, he doesn't know if this is it, but he's gonna let me find out."

- "I have no idea what Texas is gonna be like, I'm really excited about it. I want to see some new things, experience something different. There's no stone on the ground at the start. I know absolutely nothing about Texas. I thought I would come out here and see guys on horseback with big hats. I think it's a great thing that I'm here because what better place to start something new than in a place you know nothing about."

- before meeting new roommate: "There's a roommate waiting for me at the top of the hill. I think it's going to be a girl. I'm definitely excited, I'm nervous. I'm more attracted to the all-American girl kind of look. It's gotta be a girl that can just have fun and doesn't take herself too seriously."

- on Melinda: "I am blown away. She's gorgeous, one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen in my life."

Rachel

- casting tape: "I joined the Army to be a nurse. We left the day after the President was like, 'we're going to war.' And I remember me & my roommate were watching and be like, 'oh,' and then get the phone call a couple hours, 'be ready tomorrow to get on a plane.' I didn't know what to expect, but I didn't know what it was going to be like. So, I was just terrified."

- "Nehemiah comes up and he is totally the picture of black power. But he came with a big smile on his face, so I felt welcome at the same time."

- "As soon as I met Mel, I knew if this chick is as open minded & fun as me, we're going to end up making out."

Nehemiah (@NehemiahMTV)

- "I just graduated from Collins College in Arizona with a degree in media arts. I knew that I wanted to do film, something that I've been doing ever since I was a freshman in high school. I had to get out of California and out of school for an opportunity to get away from people around me who are just staying and trying to do the wrong thing."

- "I feel like this right here is the best five months of my life, and I am excited. I'm ready. I can't wait to open up the door and see what I am going to be living in while I'm here. I see an indoor swimming pool. This is too good to be true. The house is crazy. This is the biggest house I've ever been in."

Johanna (@JohannaBotta)

- casting tape: "When I was 10, my mom decided she wanted a new life, and so she moved to the United States. I currently live in Riverside, CA. I'm the case manager at a shelter home for youth 12-17 years old. I was accepted into Columbia University for the masters and social work program, but I deferred it to go to Austin. I want to have as much fun as I can because I think that's what being young is all about."

- "I'm hoping that the other two are either be two other guys or one of them is my type. Tall, brown hair, dark skin."

- "I noticed Danny's accent, I really like accents. He looks like an Abercrombie model."

Wes (@WestonBergmann)

- "I grew up in Leeword, KS, a suburb of Kansas City: real safe, nice neighborhood to grow up in. However, not a good place to learn a lot about yourself and about the world. I left as fast as possible and went to the #1 party school in America, Arizona State."

- "Johanna looks like one of the most beautiful, interesting, mysterious girls that I have ever seen."

- "The thing that most impresses me about the house is the hot tub. This is a great private romantic setting."

Melinda (@MelindaStolp)

- "I grew up in Milwaukee. And I'm just getting into the crazy party life. Jason is my boyfriend, we've been together on & off for three years. This is a promise ring that Jason gave me. I think my relationship can survive if we both have enough love for each other. It's not gonna be easy because I am a nymph. That's going to be the most difficult thing for me, it's not having that togetherness with somebody."

- "Oh my god, I'm going to be living here for five months. I can't wait to get inside and explore, meet my new roommates and find my room."

Lacey (@ImaLacey)

- casting tape: "This is my salon, I'm here everyday, all day except Sunday. It's the place to get your hair done in Tallahassee right now. I could, like, spit in their hair and be like, 'this is great conditioner,' and they could like, 'oh, I could have the great spots that you could make paradox'."

- "The house is very appealing to me because it's so big. I won't feel like I'm sitting on the top of everybody all the time."

- "Johanna and I decided to be roommates and it's a good thing. She's a nice girl and she's very laid back."

> KEY WEST

Besides growing a Challenge dynasty, Key West is also known for having three hurricanes hit during the area during their season, including Katrina before they moved in on the premiere.

Svetlana (@SvetlanaMonroe)

- on boyfriend Martin: "We've been together for almost 3 years. I know I'm gonna miss him a lot, I'm gonna miss Martin a great deal."

- "I've always lived at home, always. I've never been away from home for more than a week, ever. This is huge."

- on how she immigrated to the U.A.: "I came to America in '89, I was 4 years old. I have an accent, so everyone kind of made fun of me about it."

- on meeting Tyler: "My biggest fear was having this whole house extremely attractive guys, and having to think about temptation being there. So, thank god, like its another guy I don't have to worry about liking in the house because he's gay."

Paula (@PaulaWalnutsMTV)

- casting tape: "The thing that is a health hazard to bring that. I need a fresh start, I need a new start because I recently became kind of a little bit balemic. I've always had an issue with food, I always think that I was going to get fat or too ugly or something."

- during hurricane: "I'm in Miami right now and I'm anxiously awaiting to meet my six other roommates. And hurricane Katrina comes along and foils my plan, and I'm put on hold."

Tyler (@TylerDuckMTV)

- "I have absolutely no idea how my roommates will take to my personality. It's been a certain pattern in my life that you people either love me or you hate me by the first five minutes of meeting you."

- during hurricane: "Here I am stuck in this shanty hut waiting for hurricane Katrina to pass. Here's water leaking from the ceiling, here's where I was doing my journal and to find it more than ironic that I'd be chosen for the most luxurious show, only to be marooned on an island with no food or electricity. My roommates are probably in the same situation."

- "I actually enjoy people that are just as loud and obnoxious as me." 

- "Svetlana...she is Russian to a tee. I love her, she's hilarious. Big jewelry. First thing I want to know: where is your...minq?"

Janelle

- "I am half black and half white, and I just really hope that people are open to accepting me for that."

- "it's looking good today. Today is a good day. Yeah, I can say I survived a hurricane. So?"

Johnny (@MTVBananas)

- "As of right now, I really have no obligations holding me back. There's a step up from the college experience. I definitely think that Key West is it."

- during hurricane: "This is my first hurricane. There's water everywhere, all the stairwells are full, the elevators aren't working. Tend to believe the bad weather follows me wherever I go."

Zach (@iZacMann)

- "I have always played it safe. I have always wanted to do the college thing and playing sports and never really going out of my comfort zone. This opportunity is really going to expand my horizons."

- during hurricane: "Who knew a hurricane would just sit over Key West for two days. This is where I slept last night, and it was the only place that really had silence. I didn't want to lock myself in the bathroom."

- "I am excited for electricity to turn on, then moving into a new home, meeting new people. Are you kidding me? I cannot wait."

Jose

- "Although I have lived in Florida for a long time, I've never ever been down to Key West. The only thing I know about Key West is its small island and they've been hit by some hurricanes and they're always going away for evacuations, that's about it."

> DENVER

Colie (@AlwaysCocaColie)

- on graduating Tulane: "Today is graduation and the fact that we are having it at the New Orleans Arena is incredible. We're the first class to graduate after hurricane Katrina, and here we are not dwelling on the past, but looking to the future."

- "As I'm getting ready to leave New Orleans, it feels like I'm packing away a huge portion of my life. I want to being the spirit of New Orleans with me as I come to Denver."

- "Denver feels so fresh and clean. Moving out here means not starting over but starting a new chapter and meeting new people that have never met me and don't know anything about me, and I guess I'll show them who I am."

Jenn

- "I just recently spent the past four years of my life dancing for the most prestigious team in the NFL, the Oakland Raiders. I'm ready to move on and start a new challenge and a new life in Denver."

- as she rides train from Bay Area to Denver: "All I'm seeing is mountains and trees, I'm going next to the Colorado River the whole time. Wow, I'm on my way to Denver, CO to live with six strangers. I'm definitely going through a big change in my life."

Tyrie (@TyrieBMTV)

- "I really like to have fun. I will purposely do things to make somebody smile because I would rather have somebody smiling around me than frowning."

- "Boy, this is going to be fun."

- "I'm single and loving it. And first thing I'm unpacking is a box of condoms. Now what?"

- "Political science and criminal justice. I want to focus a little bit more on social issues, civil rights, civil liberties, things of that nature."

Alex

- "I go to Arizona State university and I'm majoring in psychology. I'm a social animal and I just like having a good time all the time. Maybe I'll grow up and out of that, but that's where I'm at right now."

Brooke (@BDoll82)

- "I am incredibly nervous. I don't know who to expect. I'm just hoping that it's someone I like. I'm just thinking, this is so freaking cool."

Stephen

- "I'm a student at Howard university, it's a historically black college in Washington, D.C. I'm the student body president there. I'm kind of anxious to see who I'm going to be leading in the next few minutes."

- on meeting Davis: "We both have a very strong relationship with god. I can tell that Davis and I do come from different backgrounds. It is nice to be able to have something in common with someone."

Davis (@DavisMallory)

- "When I first meet Colie, she's so excited to see us that I'm excited to see her, and I just immediately think that this is going to be one of my friends in the house."

> SYDNEY

Trisha (@Trisha_Cummings)

- "Every single one of my girlfriends is stereotypically exactly like me. You take all the hot girls and put them all together, that's my close girlfriends."
- "This is my boyfriend Jared. On my 12th birthday, my parents gave me this promise ring. It was a pledge that I have no sex until married."

Cohutta (@CohuttaMTV)

- "I've been to Florida, went to Kentucky. That's about all the traveling I've ever done. I think I might go to a city. I feel like, "Dang, Crocodile Dundee, like everybody's looking at me like I don't belong, which I don't."

- casting tape: "I build log homes for a living. That's how I make the money. Everything in Blue Ridge is slower, we talk slower, we take time to eat supper with each other and talk and enjoy the moment."

- "I am ready for Sydney. I hope it's ready for me. Look, here I come, whether you like it or not."

Kelly-Anne (@KellyAnneJudd)

- "I grew up very poor, especially compared to a lot of people I around. It was hard because I didn't fit in. It was like people pushing me around. When somebody walks all over me, I would definitely fight back, like crazy mad."

- casting tape: "I have always been the one that's not scared to say anything. They call me CT... I want the attention. I'm not used to having girls that have more attention than me. If the other girls do get the attention, I'll probably act more sneaky about it. If I want something, I'll do it. It doesn't matter what it is. And I don't think about the consequences."

Isaac (@SometimesISAAC)

- "I'm very artistic, I'm musical. I was on probation for a long time. Apparently, you're not allowed to rob 15 houses on a street and shoot fireworks through someone's window. They told me either I have to go to 9 months in jail or treatment center and I chose I'll go to treatment. It took me out of that hazy cloud and put me in a mind frame where I could actually think about my actions and then figure out what's the right thing to do. This is one of the happiest times in my life...it's a new beginning."

Shauvon

- "A lot of women can judge me, but I'm not the conceited blonde bimbo that a lot of people think that I may look like."

- casting tape: "I'm a journalism major at Sac State. I want to be a news reporter. I have my own column, which is called Sex-capades. I get to write about anything I want to about dating and relationships."

Dunbar (@DunbarMerrill)

- casting tape: "This is Natchez, beautiful, majestic. I'm more proud to be Southern than I am proud to be American. That's the Mississippi flag, not the confederate flag, it's the state flag, big difference. The whole handshake honor thing, that's pretty much the test of a gentleman right there."

- "People's first impression of me, it's 50/50. It's either they absolutely hate me and I'd have to spend the rest of our relationship getting them back to liking me, or they absolutely love me and I f... up repeatedly. So, hope maybe I can strike a balance with this experience."

Parisa

- "I recently graduated from college early so I could pursue my music career. Both of my parents came to America from Iran to go to school, and they ended up staying in the States. I'm Muslim, it's a huge part of who I am."

- "oh my god, it's just hitting me that I am actually on the other side of the world. I'm gonna be surrounded by gorgeous people and probably be the one who befriends the guys while the supermodel other girls are flirting with them and hooking up with them."

> HOLLYWOOD

Greg

- "America chose basically because, I mean, I'm very attractive. So I'm definitely gonna try to sell myself while I'm here. I'm not like that."

Joey (RIP)

- casting interview: "My name is Joey, 24 years old, I'm from Chicago, IL and I'm here to be an actor. You know, you hear a lot of people saying, 'I'm moving to LA to become an actor and stuff like that, and you know, sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. But, I have a lot of confidence in myself. I think I can do it. And if anybody tells me I can't, F... them."

- casting tape: "I believe to get into the entertainment business, it's really important to have charisma, good looks, and also to have a great body. Water, tuna, eggs, protein drinks, fruits & veggies and oatmeal. And that's the gist of what I eat everyday."

- "I just have always had dreams and hopes and move out to Los Angeles. And as I'm driving down the Strip, I'm just taking a look around at the blue sky and green palm trees. And I am just thinking to myself, "I made it."

Kimberly

- "I'm Kimberly, I'm 24, I'm from Columbia, SC and I want to be an entertainment reporter. My dream job would be somewhere I'm, 'so today, Lindsey Lohan went back to jail' or something like that, or just love to have some kind of show."

- "I'm very nervous for this whole experience, but I'm very excited. I think that I was born to live here. I just love it."

- "It almost looks like a movie set. And it's so cool that we are living in somewhere like this."

Dave

- "Hi, my name is Dave, I'm 22 from Pennsylvania and I don't know what I want to do in Hollywood. I've played baseball, wrestling, track, snowboard, surf, wakeboard, water ski. I can pick things up and be so good at them. But I want to find that one thing that I'm just extraordinary at."

- "Sarah is really sweet. She just graduated from college at 20, which makes you believe she's a super overachiever."

Sarah

- "I'm Sarah, I'm 20, I'm from Phoenix, AZ and I just graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in broadcast journalism. I think I will be a successful broadcast journalist because I'm so passionate about doing it. It's just a totally new experience leaving home for the first time, but, I mean, I have to eventually grow up. I can't stay and live with my parents forever."

- "This is Ryan, my boyfriend, my BF. I don't think that he thinks that my relationship is serious. So, it's kind of like, 'don't hit on me please.'"  Ryan: "message to everyone in the house that messes with her: if you do anything, I'm gonna hunt you down and kick your @$$."

Will (@WillGill)

- "My name is Will, age 23 from Detroit, and I am here for music production. When I say that I produce, I produce. That means people come to me and say, 'I need a song done.' That means, 'fine. I'll find the engineers, I find a mastering session, I find a studio, find a vocalist'."

- "My career goals while I'm out here in Hollywood is definitely to open as many doors as possible. Start from the bottom, working my way up."

- "I look her up and down, check her out. I like her gear, I like her look, I like her hair, I like her smile, everything."

Brianna

- "While I'm out here in Hollywood, I hope to accomplish my goals. I want to sing. That's my main goal...I want to sing."

- "I am an inspiring singer. I was on season 5 of American Idol, made it to the top 45. If things go well, I'm thinking about staying out here."

- "Will and I are connecting like this right now. And I know that we're definitely going to have a lot of fun out here."

> BROOKLYN

Ryan

- casting tape: "So, what separates be from everyone else? I'm a 3-and-a-half veteran of the United States Army. I've been deployed to Iraq and was there for one entire year.

   I'd like to think that I'd like to figure out any person within the first five minutes of knowing them. Guaranteed."

- "I've never been to Brooklyn before. I've been to New York City on kind of a day field trip. So, I'm totally psyched for it."

Katelynn (@K8mnstr)

- "I recently moved to Missoula, Montana to be with my boyfriend. Mike is the guy that, whether he knows it or not, I'm gonna marry."

- casting tape: "I guess I'm your everyday, average girl next door - minus the fact that I am transgendered. But whatever, we have to ask that we have those bodies that make us special."

- casting interview: "The first time that I cross-dressed, I was in this leather skirt and a cute top and I looked in the mirror and holy ...., it works! I mean, this was what was missing from my life. This was what was wrong. I realized that I was actually female rather than male, identified as female."

Chet (@Chet_Cannon)

- casting tape: "Well right now, I'm just working hard at my sewing machine. It's kind of one of my goals to have the most original outfit. Pop the collar, and you've got this nice looking pink back."

- "Brooklyn is usually spoken of as more of a place that you don't want to end up. I just don't want to get shot down here."

- dream: "My dream job would be is to host MTV's TRL."

- "I am a very religious person. But I want to show people that Mormons are fun."

Devyn (@DevynSimone)

- casting tape: "I was Miss Missouri 2004 and Miss American Teen 2005. People with boobs are not bimbos. I am highly educated and sophisticated. You have a better chance of getting into Heaven that it is getting into Devyn."

- dream: "I want to pursue the whole acting and music thing, my two loves."

Baya (@Baya_Voce)

- "While I'm in Brooklyn, I am hoping to start dancing professionally. I love dance because I really feel passion in movement and really connecting with the music."

Sarah (@SarahRiceMTV)

- "Other people have called me 'the weird girl' or 'the crazy girl.' 'Oh, that's just Sarah."

- "Even when I get into a department store, I get followed around by security guards because I think I might steal something because I have tattoos. But I'm totally not, I'm the total opposite."

- dreams: "I'm going to school to be an art therapist, or specializing in helping victims of sexual abuse."

J.D. (@JDOrdonez)

- "I'm a very independent person. I put myself through school in a private university. Growing up, I had a rough childhood. Part of the reason why I went to this experience was to leave with a family I've never had before."

- "I train dolphins and whales. I worked at SeaWorld at Miami Seaqurium. Some people think at I'm a little arrogant. I think it's because I'm a very complex person, but that's, I guess, a chance I'm willing to take."

- on seeing Statue of Liberty: "We see the Statue of Liberty and I completely feel liberated. I think it's gonna be a great experience."

Scott (@Scott_Herman)

- casting tape: "I work at a gym, I'm a personal trainer. Working at a gym since I was 14 years old. I do have iron abs."

- "I've wanted to pursue acting and modeling for a very long time now. This is gonna be the ultimate experience for me to see what's out there for me and where I'm gonna best fit in."

> CANCUN

C.J. (@CJKoegel)

- from RW Dailies: "So, I grew up playing soccer...that's how kickers become kickers. Soccer, you get 5 scholarships a year; football, you get 85, so I waited it out and obviously I went with the one that I would have more likely get a scholarship with, which ended up being beneficial because my parents do not have a lot of money and it was definitely something that propelled me into being able to go to school because most likely I would've been able to go. My grades were good, but without money it's hard to get to school.

   "My sister ended up knowing a bunch of guys on the football team - However which way she knew them - actually told them I was a field goal kicker from soccer. So, they ended up needing a field goal kicker on the varsity team. My freshman year, I ended up getting a shot at the varsity through my sister, actually. So without her, I would've ended up playing soccer and never really have transferred over to football, inevitably giving me this scholarship, bringing me up here and actually getting to talk to (the casting director) right now.

   "It's something I love to do. It's something that, fortunately, I'm good at, which something I've never had to put mad hard-@$$ work into. And it's something that I'm an NFL free agent now. So, someday I could potentially make me a lot of money and kind of just make ends meet for my family. As I say, they don't have a lot of money, and it'll be great for me to provide them with everything they need."

- from casting interview: "I'm an NFL free agent, so what that means is that I might tie down to one particular team. When I came out of college football, I was the #4 punter in the country. It's something that I really want...bad."

- after finding out that Emilee & him share common Facebook friends when he went to UMass in the Boston area: "Here I am meeting a stranger, and at the same time, she's not a stranger. she knows people that I know. Right away, I feel extremely comfortable."

Ayiiia (@Ayiiia_Eliza)

- "How I won the contest is I went on websites. I talked to my friends, they talked to their friends. I had cousins, neighbors, dogs, like everyone helping out. Without you guys, I would not be on my way to the real world house. So I'm extremely excited."

- from premiere: "After 4 months of the competition online, I am finally here and I am so thankful for it."

- on house: "I am losing it. The house is ridiculously gorgeous."

Jonna (@JonnaMTV)

- on her & Derek being casted together: "I wonder if anyone else knows each other, or if we're the only people that actually know each other. Yeah, it was actually by chance."

- on meeting Joey: "This tall skinny guy with a bunch of tattoos walks in, and we're all like, 'ok cool, there's a lot of us now.' (Laughs)"

Derek (@MTVDerek)

- on him & Jonna being casted together: "We're both servers at a bar in Tempe named Cadillac Ranch. I mean I wasn't shocked that we both made it. I really didn't think (that we made it)."

Emilee (@IWantMyEmTV)

- on the stigma that comes with working at Hooters:  "I hate when people treat me like I'm ignorant because I'm not. I mean, I work at Hooters. And I was just talking to a girl the other day about how we have these customers come in, and they come in with these expectations of that you're going to be stupid. And I hate people like that; that's my #1 pet peeve. My self esteem isn't with what I look like, it's with my intelligence. And I hate when people be a little mean.  It's not even sometimes words...It's just a superiority. And it's like, especially with guys, who I hate when someone tries to tell me what to do or questions my ability. It really just p.....s me off. That's my #1 pet peeve. My friends know it, my mom knows it, it really irritates me."

- on being in Cancun: "I've never lived out of the country before and I cannot wait to meet these people. I'm fired up, but at the same time I'm scared to death."

- on meeting C.J.: "This blond guy walks in, reads me like he's known me forever, and I think that we are Facebook friends."

Bronne (@BronneBruzgo)

- casting interview: "I get in trouble more than anyone else in the world, but I get in trouble for the stupidest s---."

- on castmates: "Jonna is really hot. I can appreciate you hot you are, Jonna. You're welcome.  Oh CJ is such a heartthrob. He's lovable & cute like a puppy. That's why he's a heartthrob."

Jasmine (@JazMTV)

- casting tape: "You've never cast a girl...a black suburban girl like me. I'm not the typical black girl, and I'm cool with not being the typical black girl because I don't think there is such a thing as a 'typical black girl.' So, you need someone like me...someone who has that flair, that's spontaneous, who's not afraid to speak her mind, no matter what, and is not gonna let anybody intimidate her. I'm not gonna let anybody intimidate me because of my size. Yeah, I'm 5 feet tall and weigh 92 pounds now, and that's just what it is. And for people that want to say, 'I have Napoleon syndrome, then (snaps fingers), there it is! It is what it is."

- from premiere: "Don't let the small size fool you, I'm 5-feet tall, 88 pounds. But hey, don't mess with me. Like, I am little, and you're not gonna screw me over. I do kind of have that's Napoleon syndrome. We're getting along great, and I feel that connection. And instantly I like fall in love with everybody."

Joey (@Joey_Rozmus)

- casting interview: "Once I turned 12, I got into a pop-punk band with a couple of my friends. I'd love to play arenas for a thousand 14-year-old girls just screaming my name and wearing 'Joey fan club' t-shirts."

> D.C.

Ashley

- casting tape: "I love Barack Obama, I'm kind of obsessed actually. I have a lot of mints and bumper stickers all over the place and t-shirts. I love him. I was a delegate for him at the last election. My most prized possession is my passport because to me, this equals freedom. Have I been able to use it before? No? Is there a stamp inside? No. But it's having it that makes me feel comforted."

- on Washington, D.C.: "This is where bills get passed. This is where laws change. This is the Mecca, this is the mother ship. And I have made it here. I almost cried when I landed because I've never been to D.C. before."

Mike (@MikeCManning)

- casting tape: "this is my house. I guess you could say I live in the suburbs. We have a normal neighborhood, I live here with my mom, my dad, my brother & my sister. Growing up, we just played a lot of football games, it's one of my favorite things to do. I work for a rental car company. It's a little bit of finance, a little bit for marketing, so it's a pretty good job."

Andrew (@PandrewWoods)

- casting tape: "seducing a woman doesn't have to be this big ordeal. You turn to her and you say, 'you know for a girl, you be on MySpace.'  This is where I got my start cartooning, repeatedly. I would draw myself just trying to get with women, and failing miserably. I'm also, an interesting fact, the only person to ever get fired from this newspaper. They felt like I was purposely trying to offend women and lesbians and stuff like that, but that's why it's funny. And I couldn't even be PC if I tried. I couldn't live with myself, I don't think."

- "Top things I wanna do in DC, in this order: 1. Try to get laid. 2. Show off my artistic abilities."

- On Emily: "As I see this distant figure emerging from the shadows, everything is going in slow motion with her hair flowing away from her face. She's just gorgeous.

- "My nerves are racing. I'm just full of the butterflies. I lose all train of thought. I don't know what to say, I don't know what to do."

Emily (@EmFitMTV)

- "My parents raised me & my two older sisters in this very cult like religion until I was 13-14 years old. We prayed every day, we had chapel every day. We lived, we breathed, we ate the bible. And it was all of this pressure to be this perfect disciple of god when in reality we were losing ourselves in the whole process of it."

- casting tape: "the way I grew up is very oppressed and very religious. So, I'm kind of making up for lost time, I guess."

- On Andrew: "how do I put this kid in words? He's making me laugh. He's not wearing a Jesus shirt. I think we're gonna get along."

Callie (@MsCallie)

- upon entering nearby park near house: "Being in this park, everything is so new to me. There's cars everywhere, there's people everywhere. There's people playing music. Where I come from we have a park with ducks. That's it."

- casting tape, on her hometown of Huntsville, TX: "Nothing happens here. We have two things: we have a prison and a cult...and that's about it. Most people would think that a vegan earth kind of a person would totally be liberal, and I am not liberal at all."

- career aspiration: "If I could pick one thing that I feel would make me happy, it would be photography. Everyone saying, 'what are you going to do with that?' Me rebuttal to everybody is, 'somebody has to make it.' But I can't say that hasn't put in the back of my head like, 'could I?'"

- "Coming here is a place for me where I could break out of my shell, but I can't even explain how overwhelming everything is in my head. I don't think I've ever had to actually read a map, and I have literally no idea. I'm just gonna start walking and hopefully I run into it. If not, then I will just keep going in circles and, sooner or later, I have to find it. I have to be close."

Ty (@The_Ty_Ruff)

- "I am one of those people that want to put my foot in every door & every moment. I am just like, 'where do I start? Where do I begin?'"

- "I haven't always been like this. I haven't always been this well spoken, focused young man. One turning point was just me getting caught stealing and just the look in my mothers eyes, they couldn't stand it. And at that moment in my life, I just decided to change everything about myself, focus on what was important in my life."

Erika (@ErikaLauren)

- casting tape: "I'm a little bit crazy, definitely a lot of fun. Definitely a lot of rock and roll. My absolute goal would be to meet producers, get in the studio. I have so much material that has yet to be recorded. I can't help than be attracted to the rocker guys. I love the tattoos, I love the piercings, I love the lifestyle. I love the fact that we are musically inclined. Not worried about everything."

Josh

- casting tape: "I love music. Music is definitely what keeps me going, it's my fire, it's my desire.  I dropped out of school twice in high school. I was locked up, I was running around with gangs at one point. I've held a gun plenty of times, and it's just not the way to go. And I realized this at 23. I don't know anything else outside of Philly, south Philly. So therefore, I want to see what's going on in other cities."

> BACK TO NOLA

Knight (@Knight_MTV, RIP)

- "I played hockey my entire life. It's everything to me. I love being the most hated player on the ice. i was playing in college and I could have went somewhere with hockey, but blew out both of my shoulders. I was prescribed numerous pain medications, and you know, got addicted. i stopped having fun with life. And that's just not me."

- "It's been half a year since the last time I've done anything. I know that's not a long time, but for me, I'm proud of it."

Jemmye (@JustJem24)

- "People hear my southern accent and they automatically think, 'conservative, good Christian girl.'"

- casting tape: "I make my own money. I take care of myself. I have my friends. So basically, I am for is my...i like tattoos. I have six of them: (including) one for my mom, she had breast cancer...and my personal favorite is my vi Jay Jay tattoo."

- on her mom, Alice: "I do think I have good southern qualities, but not all of what people expect. Honestly, my mom--her whole life, she tried to please other people and do what she thought was expected of her. And she kind of raised me differently. She raised me to do what I want to do."

- "That's what I'm most excited about, just given the opportunity to just do some crazy...with other crazy people."

- after moving into her room with Preston: "This room is amazing, we have to be the king & queen of the throne.  We're the first here. The bad b.....s have arrived. I'm glad they brought the cool people first. We have to live the good life. Like, I've died and gone to New Orleans Heaven."

McKenzie (@McKenzieCoburn)

- casting tape: "I believe love is a form of prejudice. You love what's convenient, you love what's easy. I don't know how you can say love someone when there's 10,000 people in the world you love more if you ever met them, but you won't. I want to believe that I'll find love. I'm very inspired by my parents' love. But personally, like, I don't know if I can just settle down."

- casting tape: "I am your typical Florida girl, grew up in a little beach town called Jupiter. I just remember going to the beach every single weekend growing up."

- On Knight: "Knight is exactly what I would come out of Milwaukee, WI. He is down to earth, but still a guys guy."

Preston (@PrestoMagicMTV)

- "I'm not gonna lie, no filter. I'll tell you what I think, and it's usually a very objective view. I don't allow myself to get close to tons of people. And the people that I do allow myself to get close with, they become my family."

- on Jemmye: "Jemmye looks like a complete stripper. I mean, I don't wanna judge, but leather hacker, high high heels. The girl definitely has a stripper look."

- "I didn't even realize that Mardi Gras is an entire two-week process. I want to go to it, it's called Crüe De Vu or something like that and it's that raunchy parade...you can't take your children to it. I can't wait. I'm gonna explode, like, freaking glitter everywhere. This place is gonna be the death of me."

Ashlee (@AshleeFeldman)

- from casting tape: "My job is to sell power tools. I wear these sexy-@$$ glasses, and I do two by most."

- casting tape: "I went to northeastern on a full Div.-I scholarship for basketball. I think that basketball makes me who I am."

Eric (@TheEricPatrick)

- casting interview: "I am an international relations specialist for diplomatic security. I get to travel all over the place. I've been to Africa, Madagascar, Ethiopia. I'm actually a stand-up comic. I just do it for fun, really. But I am actually pretty good at it."

- On house: "this is insane. There's just plants everywhere, you hear birds chirping. This is like the garden of Eden. This is like fantasyland."

- On Jemmye: "Jemmye's accent is strong. I feel like she's gonna pull out all the southern cliches. Just, (in southern accent) 'Eric, sometimes you just don't know sometimes'."

Sahar (@Sahar_Dika)

- from casting tape: "Dearborn...it's really small. It's all Middle Eastern people. They're Muslim and everybody around you is Muslim.  My hopes and dreams are far-fetched for where I live. I love music. I love to sing? But living in Dearborn, you can't really do much of that. There's not really that many opportunities. I've never been anywhere except for my parents' home. I'm really excited to live it up while I'm here."

Ryan (@ImRyanLeslie)

- from casting tape: "I didn't go to college. I went to cosmetology school. My great uncle, grandpa, my dad and me all do hair now. So, I work at a salon with my dad. I love the instant gratification of when I cut hair. I love how people feel after. And I love just being really good at something that I do.

   People think I'm gay because I do hair, and it's like they don't understand that my parents (did hair before me). And even if they didn't, they could be saying no. When people say something that's rude or ignorant, I would call them out in a second."

> BACK TO LAS VEGAS

Nany (@NanyMTV)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "Generally, when people doubt me, and tell me that I can't do something or that I won't be good at something, I'd like to do it and prove them wrong.

   "People think what they want. It's up to you to decide whether or not you want to listen to them. I'm good at people who like me. If you treat me well and you have respect for me, I have respect for you and I'll be your best friend. If you don't like me and you have no reason to like me or you just don't like me for a reason, then I'll be your enemy."
   "I just wanna have fun and get to know somebody before just seeing them and say, 'Okay, this is somebody.' And I don't wanna to have that in the back of my head that, 'This is the person that I could possibly be with.' I don't like anything like that."

- "I live a basic life. I go to my community college, which is like 5 minutes from my house, you know. I live at home. I've never experienced living with people I don't know."

- from casting tape, per RW Dailies: "I think anyone who's auditioning for the show has at some point thought to themselves like, 'Hey, I would be living with 7 complete strangers, 7 people who I don't know.' And not only would it be the opportunity of a lifetime and something I talk about until the day I die, but it's also more about making friendships and building relationships and learning how to react when put in certain situations. So that right there would be the biggest reason why I think I should be on the show. I tend to cherish the friendships & the people in my life, and given the opportunity, I think I would take full advantage of The Real World."

Adam (@AdamRoyerr)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "I'm the kind of person who want to be the best at everything. A lot of times, I deescalate situations. Some of my friends, you know, they want to prove that I'm a tough man. I don't have anything to prove, you know. I am who I am."
- casting tape: "My personality is completely unique. I am just over the Richter scale. You never know what to expect when you're with Adam Royer. The girls like me, honestly pretty good looking stud. Definitely quite the ladies man."

- on his struggles: "I could definitely see myself getting into a fight or something. Some of these people might not like me because they're completely different than me. When I got into high school, you know, people started doing drugs. I quickly found out that it's easy to be the best at doing drugs, it takes no talent. All you have to do is to be willing is to do a lot. Eventually, one thing led to another, got involved with the wrong people and it just kept getting worse & worse & worse, until some day someone found out getting shot. I ended up getting into Juvie for three years."

Michael (@MikeRossMTV)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "The goofball, that's my part. But I'm also the guy that sets them straight. If I feel like there's an injustice or something is not right, I'm the guy who fixes it. I look out for everybody."

   "I can walk up and talk to any girl. You can point her out. My problem is that I don't really have...finish you could say. I don't really know how to seal the deal."

- upon walking into HRH: "Walking in, my heart is pounding. I'm in a state between awe and...concerned? I have no idea how I'm gonna deal with the women in Vegas. I'll be honest, I'm a little scared."

- "I've decided that while I'm here, I'm living by the rule of 'yes,' where if there's something that is a little bit outside my comfort zone, I'm going to yes it's with the exception of a strip club. I will not go to a strip club, because my grandma would bear me. Yeah, she will, she'll find me. I will not go to a strip club."

- "I've recently lost my virginity.  But I still have the same morals, I still look for the same things in girls. I'm dead serious in personality and that's really gonna weight into it a lot."

Naomi (@NaomiMTV)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "My neighborhood is centered around prostitution & drug dealing, so I don't come from the best neighborhood, but there are some good products from that neighborhood.

   "When you tell somebody's being fake, if you feel like somebody is just not being themselves or they're just being kind of like iffy, you definitely need to say that, you know what I mean? People are not used to meeting other people that are expressive. So I feel like they should be happy that they are meeting somebody that is, and they need to know about themselves."
   "I'm fun all the time. But when I'm drunk, I'm like all really fun. I like to express myself. You'll see me maybe in the corner with some guys whatever the case is. My friends always say that when I'm drunk, I just do something stupid."

- on moving into the Hard Rock Hotel: "We're living at the Hard Rock. Are you kidding me? Like, Katy Perry and Rihanna had their bachelorette parties here. Like, it's so surreal."

- from casting tape: "I grew up in the Bronx, New York. My neighborhood, in particular, is like filled with drug dealers & prostitutes. But, despite my atmosphere, I have always maintained a positive attitude."

Dustin (@DustinZito)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "When you fight with someone, when you argue or anything, you actually learn how they really are. I get really mad, my lip quivers. It's like my guards down. You know me. This is me being back to almost back into a corner and I have to be myself."
   "I actually go for the good girls, which is bad because I go for them, but I don't wanna fall in love and do the whole shindig with them. I just like their persona, I just like their innocence."
   "This is a huge opportunity for me, probably the one thing that I can die after doing this and be okay. This is really huge. I understand this, you don't understand this, but for me, growing up watching this and having an opportunity, this is huge."

- "I am a city boy at heart, But I'm from a country town. In Rayne, I have quite a reputation. Everybody knows who I am. As much as I can, I try to be a gentleman. All of my friends back home are like, 'oh my god, he's gonna fall in love. I don't know, I just always get myself into that predicament."

- upon seeing Heather: "if anybody in those were my type, it's gonna be Heather. She's cute. But I'm not trying to touch any of the roommates. No boy is unnecessary drama."

- after Never Have I Ever game at dinner where his "Frat Pad" past was first exposed: "In the back of my mind, I'm like, 'Oh, god. I'm gonna have a tough time talking about my past. High school was over and I was like, 'all the people are going to college, I didn't know I want to do.' So I did this webcam thing. 'Frat Pad' is a live show on the internet, it's guys that live together, uncensored. None of the models are gay, it was a job for me that's strictly a job. What would these guys think about me being on a webcam naked? To me, it's such a big deal to be judged. I'm scared at this point to open up."

Heather (@HeatherMarter)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "I'm very feisty. So, and I'm very aggressive. So even if maybe I can't beat you size wise, I definitely be very aggressive."

   "I don't really think about the consequences. It's like, if I'm feeling something and I feel like I want to do something with someone, like I do it, and then I think about it."

   "I like the thrill of the moment. I love the way that...I'm very addicted to the thrill of hooking up with someone and maybe the fact that he was like, kind of off limits."
   "I've had my life planned out for myself before I was even old enough to see anything or has goals or desires. I want to experience other cultures, other people, other things."
- "I would live in a city if I could. I'm very impulse driven. I do whatever I wanna do."

- casting tape: "I have many aspects of my life that people wouldn't necessarily expect. For example, growing up my family didn't have tons of money. And I ended up coming to mama which having way too much money for your own good is prevalent. There's 20-year-olds with Mercedes, brand new BMW's. It's kids who've never worked a day in their life, never had to. Sometimes it does make me feel like I don't really fit in, or I'm different than people around here. And there's other things that people probably wouldn't expect from mini-me. I'm a black belt in akimbo karate. And I love sports, I love doing anything athletic. And I can name every single U.S. president in order. Pretty ridiculous.

   "It really bothers me that people are that concerned with each other & their lives. And it's something that I need to get the hell away from...i want to get out there and explore the world and I want to deal with things that are more important and I want to make people interested in doing stuff for others rather than worrying about other people's social lives. I think our society is so stuck on celebrities & gossip and what people are doing in their lives when really we can be joining together to help change something to help cure diseases or lend a helping hand to disasters we've had recently. I just think its so sad how stuck we are on worrying about other people."

- "the first thing that Leroy says off the bat like weeks of sexual innuendo. Michael and Leroy...they just couldn't be any more different."
- after seeing Naomi: "yes! Someone else is my size! She's so tiny like me."
- after seeing Dustin: "in walks Dustin. Oh my god, this kid is so cute."

Leroy (@RoyLee25MTV)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "Every female I meet, the majority is like about the way my body looks. And I'm like, 'does my face look bad?'"

   "I won't let any female walk by me that's I'm very attractive to without saying something. Whether you got a wedding ring or not, it's like recreation for me to see how many numbers I can get. And then, say I get 5, I'll say to myself with two are gonna be guaranteed that I can actually mess around with and the other three will just be on .... Anybody that's in my age group, even grown men, think that way. My thing is, I actually pursue it."

- upon entering the house and seeing Mike: "When I open the door, I'm hoping that there's a pretty girl standing there, in a gang of pretty girls. (Opens door.). They've got me sharing a penthouse with a 12-year-old? (Laughs)"

- casting tape: "4:30 Monday thru Friday, I wake up, go to work: do trash." The first thing that I will do is that I'll probably go home and go to sleep. I'm 24, not 42."
- on he and Mike's room: "this room is fit for a king, and I'm a king."

- after NHIE game: "I don't feel that Dustin is gay, but I do feel that's kinda weird."

Cooke (@IamHeatherCooke) - Episode 7, replaced Adam

- casting interview: "I love to have fun, and I love to be spontaneous. I'm crazy, I'm out there, everyone knows when I am in the room. I live, I eat, I breathe soccer. And I am a fierce athlete. I wreck b!tches. I'm absolutely boy crazy. Wherever I go, I'm just always thinking of boys for some reason."

- "I'm really excited to be moving into the house. I'm ready to let loose and just go crazy, get in there, and get going."

> BACK TO S.D.

Priscilla (@ThatPrisc_)

- "I am incredibly nervous. I have never ever been away from home. I am wanting to cry because I am leaving my little brother behind. I want to cry because I am leaving my sister, and I am anticipating the moment where I actually leave my mom's side and I'm just gonna break down."

Nate (@MTVNate)

- casting interview: "I studied nuclear engineering. First day of sophomore year, I was splitting atoms again. I've split billions of atoms before, it just gets old at that point."

Alexandra (@AlexGovere)

- "I am from Zimbabwe, originally, but I've taken a train from L.A., and I live there now. My dad is from Zimbabwe, he met my mom when he was going to school in Oregon and they got married and moved back to Zimbabwe together. When I first learned English, my family came back here to give birth to my little sister and so we went to Alabama."

Ashley (@AshleyMarieMTV)

- casting interview: "I got involved in modeling kind of on a whim because I didn't really want to jump into a formal job. I always have a lot of fun doing it and I'd like to do more."

Frank (@FrankCSweeney)

- on Ashley: "I am not used to seeing girls like this with their boobs all up. We've got a Barbie in the house."

Zach (@ZachMTV)

- on Sam: "Well, I'm standing at the airport waiting to meet my new roommate Sam. I'm curious to know whether Sam is a male or female. However, the name doesn't give any indication because it can go either way. The first glimpse I had of Sam, I'm thinking, 'skater punk kind of person'."

Sam (@SamIamMTV)

- on Zach: "Zach is the biggest dude I've ever seen in my life: cowboy boots, wrangler jeans, scares me."

> ST. THOMAS

Robb (@Robb_Schreiber)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "The only thing I really thought a lot about before I came out to be on The Real World was just my family that I'm leaving behind because sometimes I like to take care of them and help them out."
   "(Brandon is) all tatted up with his big gauges and his Mohawk, I was like 'This dude is probably gonna be a pain in my @$$. (Marie) is just kind of adorable from down the street. I saw Swift; instantly I was like, 'Yo, he's got like way too much swag to him.' The only one that really changed is Swift; he tries to be Swift and have that swag, but he might be the most clumsiest person I've ever met in my entire life. Me and Brandon became really close; I didn't really necessarily think he was gonna be one of my best guy friends in the house just because he looks so much different that I do, but me and him really kind of bonded a lot."
   "You can expect to see somebody trying to get out of his way to take care of his roommates as much as he can possibly can. Someone that likes to keep it mild-mannered. you know, not be temperamental. But someone, more than anything, who likes to have fun, likes to go out and drink entirely too much. And someone that really tries to stay positive as much as possible."
- from casting tape: "The best part of being a redhead and playing basketball in a predominantly African-American league is that even though I'm 6'6" & white, they still think I can't dunk a ball. So, I come down the court looking all flashy & fly, and uncoordinated because I'm a ginger, it's always like, 'Whoa!' when I actually throw one down."

- after he found out he was going to the Virgin Islands: "The last place I've seen is North Carolina beach, and I'm going to the Caribbean." 

Marie (@MRoda88)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "My biggest fear of joining The Real World cast was probably how much I drink, considering. My parents, finding out how much I drink (laughs)."
   "My first impression of Latoya was great. I wanted to hug her and carry her around because she's gonna be my best friend. (Trey was) really cute, but kind of short. (Swift is a) loud-mouth Steve-O from New Jersey."
   "You can expect to see a party girl; you can expect to see someone who's loving and caring. And you can expect to see someone who's goofy, and you can expect to see someone who's kind of mean sometimes."
- from casting tape: "Some people might say that I'm a bit of a wild child. I'd like to think I'm more spontaneous."

- after finding out that Robb has the same Hakuna Matata tattoo as her, and accidentally dropping an F-bomb in front of his family: "Shut the ... up. Sorry, excuse me, oh my god. I'm so sorry, I apologize. You have to understand because I have the same tattoo...on my butt. I swear to god, I didn't know I was getting it either. I woke up with it after my 21st birthday, and I was like, 'oh my god.' I'm not gonna show it because I've already messed this up. So, oh my god. I'm so sorry about that, my mom's gonna be so mad."

- "Bring it, St. Tom. I'm ready to pop this island's cherry."

- on Latoya: "Here comes this bubbly black chick. I just want to put her in my pocket and bring her everywhere with me."

Latoya (@LaToyaJMTV)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "The only thing I probably was worried about as far as being cast for the show was, 'How am I gonna do my hair?', 'How many suitcases can I bring?', and exactly what is the temperature like all month long?'
   "All of my roommates...Collectively, we are very different. My first impression of Brandon was that, 'Oh my god, look at his ears.' Brandon right off the bat, I deemed him a wild child. And Marie, she's just the life of the party. The moment she met me, she ran up to me, she gave me a biggest hug, the biggest smile, and just whisked me off to our room to show me where my bed was. I feel in love at first sight. Swift was the last person that I met in the house; my first impression of him when he walked up to me, he was holding a wine glass, he had on a leather coat, and I'm thinking like, 'Who is this cat and who do he thinks he is?' 
   "What can you expect to see from Latoya this season? Personality...lots and lots of personality. Realness, quirkiness. You're gonna get all of that. But at the same time, I'm gonna keep it calm, cute and cordial."
- from casting tape: "I'm just this fun, bubbly, energetic person that's mainly like this 24/7 unless I'm really not in the mood."

- when she gets off the plane with Trey: "It's beautiful, oh my god. My hair is just blowing in the wind and the sun is just beaming on my skin. I legally feel like Michelle Obama and this guy is Barack without a tan. I can really get used to this."

Trey (@MTVTrey)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "That's a little uncomfortable to know that you're being watched all the time, you're being recorded. You know, if you grunt, if you snore, anything and everything is exposed. So, I was a little bit nervous about that, I didn't really know how much to take it, because I enjoy my privacy just as much as everybody else. But I couldn't pass up on this opportunity, I felt like it was a great learning experience, it's very unique and I just couldn't say no."
   "Brandon has that sense of style. Robb stands out the most; I mean, he's 6'5", he has red hair. It's kind of hard to miss Robb. Swift reminded me of myself: another young, athletic guy. Latoya is still kind of like my sister in the house; we have our litter quarrels and we've had a couple of disagreements, but for the most part, we're getting along better now. So, everybody's cool. I think that we all have love for one another; it's just that we're all very, very different."
   "I try to be adventurous, but at the same time I do kind of have a little bit of an attitude. So, I think you're gonna see a little bit of both and hopefully, you'll enjoy.
- after finding out of their destination: "I've never been outside the mainland of the United States. I've never been on as cruise. I've never had that opportunity, so I'm completely enthusiastic and I'm ready to go. I've never loved on an island before. I'm expecting to see crystal blue water, I'm expecting to see iguanas. I'm just expecting to see something different than what I'm used to."
- "You know what? This is gonna sound really uneducated, but where are the Virgin Islands?"

Brandon (@B_Brutality)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "You can tell that we come from all different walks of life. I think you will see two completely different people from start to finish. You'll see a very different me."
- "Walking down the streets of St. Thomas in a place I never thought I'd be, just scared, like crazy scared, knowing that everything I'm about to be doing is everything I've wanted to do."

- from casting tape: "I grew up in the projects. I never really had much. Like doing ... during the day and at night, I'm working at Forever 21 and it is a god awful job. I would just love to meet new people and explore & find myself in new cities and what I am all about."

Swift (@BSwiftMTV)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "(Brandon) is the rocker type: heavy Boston accent, the type of guy that says, 'That's dope!' Marie seems like, fun chick, smiling. She's a little drunk when I first met her. My initial first impressions of people have changed, not everyone, but it was changed."

   "You can expect to see me out and about, going out and meeting people, talking to everyone. Dancing, getting it poppin' in the club, meeting a bunch of different people. So while I'm on the whole island, trying to do as much as possible to give back and be involved with the Virgin Islands community, and having a good time laughing."
- from casting tape: "My mother is a lawyer. My dad went to RET. Graduating [from Temple University] was one of the greatest experiences I've ever gone through. Having the ability to walk that stage with my family there to see it, it was one of the greatest experiences."

- upon arriving at the house on Hassel Island: "No way! Seriously? We have our own island. This is amazing. The house is beautiful."

Laura (@LORALeeMTV)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "I didn't know if people would treat me differently when I got home. So, hopefully that doesn't happen, but I mean there will be people who will love and hate you."
   "My very first impression of the roommates was that they seem like very cool people and I was really excited to get to know them. The first one that caught my eye was definitely Trey just because he was really good looking and my type of guy."

   "This season, you'll expect me crying over boy trouble."
- "Growing up, I was considered the ugly duckling. I didn't have any game back them. I didn't know what makeup was or hair dye. And since about my junior year of high school, I started change and boys started to notice me. And it's really nice to finally get their attention."

- on house: "I never thought in a million years that I would be living in somewhere like this. And now I'm here for three months? This is crazy."

- on Marie's suitcase: "Her suitcase is full of beer. She brought a box with wine and beer, and she's already smashed. This is my kind of girl."

> PORTLAND

Averey (@Ave_Tress)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "Honestly, I just thought that I was gonna get along with everyone, and everyone was kind of going to be kosher. There wasn't gonna be any drama. (Nia and Jordan) bring the most drama. Yeah, we live so close together, you know. I think people should be warned that Johnny & I like to have sex a lot. We wrestle; we fight. You will see Johnny throwing up and all that. We have bondage tape and I took him to his first sex store because he's never been there, but he bought over $20 of lube there.
- "I'm super excited. I just want to see my roommates and I want to see where I'm going to be sleeping. I can't wait."

- on her dog Daisy: "I brought her because I have no family where I'm from. So all I have is really her and she's my family. Glad she's here."

Jessica (@MTVJess)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "My first impression of the house was just huge and very weird. I like the elevator and the fact that our doors to our bedrooms rotate around. We're in a fun house of something. I am a brat...I'm a little sister, I have a sense of sisterhood. But I'm not a b!..., I'm not quiet. I'm a princess. The first roommate that I really connected with was Joi. When she got here, she was my roommate. So, we're just very high energy, really girly."
- "I'm from a small town in Fayetteville (NC). I live at home with my mom and my stepdad. I came to Portland because I'm just looking to really find myself to figure out who Jessica is outside of the sheltered life that I've been living."

- from casting tape: "I might look like a girly girl, but there's a tomboy inside. I'm very adventurous."

Johnny (@JohnnyReilly_)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "Averey's favorite thing to do is probably hang out with her dog at work, if that sounds any weird, but that's what I'm feeling. She's a worker and she hangs out with Daisy a lot. Daisy is a year & a half old chihuahua & Jack Russell mix, and Averey saved the dog from a pound. Ever since then, she's been living around here in the Real World house with us and pooping & pissing everywhere, but she's a sweet little dog. She's a cutie.  The house is unique...it's got a lot of art, so it's pretty interesting.
   "First impressions, I always give everyone the benefit of a doubt, so everyone was on my good side. Nia and Jordan bring the most drama, hands down. But I mean, it's not just them; there's other drama in the house that's everyone's drama. You will see some fighting between us, definitely some bad times, apologies, couple days without talking.
- "I'm looking for the girl who I'm supposed to be meeting & a lot of things are running through my mind. Jess is a cute girl, she's cute. Right away, I want it to be a conversation, lets start a conversation."

- "My mother asked me, 'you better not go in that house & be a slut.' I couldn't believe my mom called me at first, but I was like, 'I don't know, maybe I'll find a girlfriend ere, am. Who knows? You don't know.'"

- "I am sarcastic, but I am nervous as hell as well. Who am I gonna meet? Are these people gonna like me? Dogs love unconditionally. If no one in this house likes me, I can hang out with the dog."

- "Testosterone & estrogen living really close together...(explosion sfx). Yeah it's gonna be fun. It's gonna be really fun."

Joi (@PeaceLoveJoi)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "You definitely see people and you look at them differently, then you're gonna look at them in a week. So, time really changes. I mean, our big blowouts...I mean a week into it, there were people already fighting. And you have seven different personalities. You're gonna have your first impressions and either they're gonna change them or they're just gonna go south. People who are cool one week are at each other's throats the next, and then they're cool again, and now they hate each other again. (Jordan)'s like the one that never gives up...Mr. Last Word. I feel like he's such a competitor with being like a wrestler and state champions and stuff, he has that 'I'm not gonna stop until it's finished.
- casting tape: "Some guys are intimated by me just 'cause I'm 5'9" and I don't think a lot of guys see that many Asian girls that are tall, but I don't think it stops them from trying to approach me at all."

- on posing for Playboy magazine: "I decided to do Playboy. It was kind of a proud moment for me. I was glad they chose and proud that I did it. I have no regrets. And I did it because it's something that most people will never be able to have the chance to do."

Marlon (@TheJayDillinger)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "When I first got here (in the house), it just felt crazy big fun room. Just like going into a different room and just like a whole new thing, a whole new aspect. So, it was just big...I didn't expect it to be this big.

   "My first impression of Ms. Jessica is not too great: you're a brat. It's a little annoying, do you understand? You are very much a little sister. You're definitely the prima-donna of the group.  When Nia first got here, from the first day we started kissing...we hit it off pretty quick. She rise...it's not necessarily drama, it's just rise. When she's ready to make her point and make a statement, she gets it across quick.

   "I think this season is gonna be different because there's drama with everybody. Like, just from this person to that person, that person to this person; there's drama everywhere with the entire group. But it's cool because we all worked through it and, you know, everything stays kosher but we get into some fights.

- "My family's super religious: my dad's a pastor, his dad's a pastor. I was that religious kid that didn't have sex, didn't do drugs, went to bible study and all that. I played football (at Texas Tech), so I was the man all the time. So it was just like, 'hey what's up girl?' 'Oh, nothing.' You know, 'You're Marlon Williams.' 'Yeah.' 'Oh ok.' They like the fact that they were with somebody that's doing something."

Jordan (@JordanW_USA)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "The very first impression, before anything went off, I was pretty happy with all the roommates. Felt like I clicked with everyone. I feel like everybody kind of clicked with everybody, until you got into day 2. Time tells all, it really brings out...it's easy to be one person for a couple hours, but it's a lot harder to keep the way who you are after day 3, 4, 5, getting into it.
   "I think that are season of Real World is gonna be a lot more real. There's not a lot of that same old 'oh my god, she's talking about me, talking about him', it's real stuff. I get frustrated a lot this season...I do. Just because I don't have that release that I would.
- "A lot of my friends always say, 'You do everything.' I raced motocross since I was 9, played just about every sport you can play. I've won 4 different national championships in cheerleading. I'm a football player, but I got dared to try out for the national team, and made it. Four years ago, I picked up a wakeboard & it just clicked. It's become a huge part of my life and it's really my passion right now."

- on deformed right hand: "I don't see it really as a handicap at all. I wouldn't be half the person I am if it weren't for how hard my dad pushed me. He told me when I was born, 'You wait for the doctor to say, everything's OK.' And he told me that 'everything's ok, but he's missing his left hand.' And he just laid down for a minute and he goes, 'Well, I just won't let it hold him back'."

Anastasia

- MTV.com preseason interview: "The thing that is really cool about Portland is that you can pretty much go anywhere naked. I mean, literally naked, legally naked. We're trying to convince one of the guys to do it."
   "My first impressions of the roommates were great. Everyone was great. Everyone is not great anymore."
   "I think drama is a tactical word, and I think that each and every person in this house has brought their fair share of drama in their own way. Whether it would be romantic moments or long-distance relationships, or Nia & Jordan, or Jessica being a primadonna all the time. It is what it is. But I definitely think that as far as intellects that me and this girl pretty much got that in the bag."
- "I'm 5'11", so I do a lot of promotional modeling stuff. In high school, I was kind of the nerdy, awkward girl. I was probably 10 when I really blossomed. I'm a girly girl, mostly, until I'm arguing. And then, I'm not."

- on nickname "Bird": "I'm always going on adventures. I get an idea into my head, and then I just sort of fly away with it. And that's sort of how I have the nickname Bird. I'm also long & tall like big bird, so that also helps."

Nia (@TheRealNiaMoore) - Episode's 3 & 4

- MTV.com preseason interview: "Oh, Anastasia is really, really goofy. We have alter-egos. We have Aphelia and Victoria, and also Ebony and Ivory. And we just basically talk all the time."
   "So, my first impression of the roommates was, I felt like I was walking onto the set of Friends. Everyone was really cute, attractive and very welcoming to me. And I knew that this was gonna be a good group."
   "The first impressions of the roommates have definitely have changed. I was very optimistic. I saw this good in every single person I watched on here. But then, the incorporation of alcohol came into the picture, and true feelings, true words and character came out. And now, I have a better understanding of who people are."
   "When people watch the show, I think that because I'm highly irritating, they're gonna be like, 'That is a bad @$$ party girl, thug, give it like it is, even with the thumb in the mouth. And I take no prisoners."
   "The person who brings the most drama to the house is absolutely without a doubt Jordan. The person who finishes the job would have to be myself."
- phone call to her new roommates, in a fake Southern accent: "Hi, this is Nia. I'm gonna be y'all's new roommate. Yeah, I am so excited. I'm coming in tomorrow morning. I'm excited to be coming out there tomorrow. (My ethnicity is) white and Cherokee. My phone's gonna die on me at any second, but I will definitely be so happy to meet you guy tomorrow."

- on that phone call: "One of my best talents is I am a great liar. I am definitely a jokester. I put on this fake, phony southern accent. 'White & Cherokee'?"

- on her being sexually assaulted: "When I was 18 years old, this dude was so aggressively trying to date me. He just pursued me, we hung out twice. The first time was when he was obsessed with me. I told myself this is not happening. And I trusted him and going out with him again. Two beers and I was out, I know for a fact I drink a lot. I know the last thing I was talking about, nothing else and wake up in the middle of the night with this dude. And all I can remember is he might kill me because of the fact that I woke up, I'm gonna most likely remember it, and that's what usually happens. They throw these girls in the gutter out of fear because you got to show the evidence. Long story short, he's rich & wealthy. My story was perfect, I passed the lie detector test. He F'd up on the stand, he still got off. He has the money.

   "That's when I realized that, 'wow, you're being raped.' It was the most god-awful disgusting feeling, and I just closed my eyes and I thought, 'god, just let me wake up from this. Like, I just wanna wake up.' After the whole sexual assault thing and my trial, I just became a hard@$$, especially around men."

> EX-PLOSION (Back to San Francisco)

Arielle (@ItsAriFitz)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "I am not gonna be sleeping for the next three months...it's gonna be crazy. And I have no idea who I'm gonna be living with, but I am excited."

   "My ex is Ashley. It was totally my fault that we broke up. She can be very, very bossy, and I'm a girl that likes control. I ended up losing not only the love of my life, but also my best friend."

   "There were already couples that formed before the exes came in. There were already relationships here. We had a dynamic here in the house that was nice. All these people are here, all these exes are here. And I just knew it was gonna be crazy."

- "A lot of people are like, 'Oh, well, because your father wasn't around, is that why you're a lesbian?', all this stuff. I'm like, 'No, I just really like .... Like, can you just shut the ... up?'"
- "I never grew up wanting to be a model. I actually hate that I'm a model. Can you tell? Like, I hate it. I want to become this bad@$$ horror-film director, and if I need to be half naked on the runway in order to do that, I'm totally cool."

Jay (@JayGMTV)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "Finding out that I actually got picked to be on The Real World...that was probably one of the craziest moments of my life. 'You're going to San Francisco...you leave tonight.' And you're like...(jaw drops)."
   "I was the first guy in the house, too. So, the first guy to walk in the house and see all these girls, they're definitely all attractive girls. We decided, 'You know what? We're not going to have the drama. We're gonna try to make this a family and make it work. But now, we have to live with six other people in all the exes. And you know, it's gonna be drama. I didn't expect that...that changed everything. It's never been done before and it's definitely gonna get everybody going."

   "I ended up talking to Jenna at the bar. We've been together for two years now. I am not good at relationships. I know I'm not. I feel like once you get into the girlfriend thing, it is a title, then things start to change. And I'm a flirtatious person, that's how I am. She always thinks that I'm trying to do something bad, like when it's a bad material motive. When it's not." - "I love growing up in the Bronx. I live in a nice, little secluded area -- all Italians. Family's important. Family's number one."
- "I have a big reputation in the Bronx. I'm an M.C., I got the microphone. The DJ plays the music, I get them going. I can go to a club and get any girl to do anything I want."
- on her mom Lucy, which he would see for the last time alive on the day he left for SF: "My mom has cancer, and she's had it numerous times since I was a little kid. I think leaving my mom in New York, it sucks, but she knows that this is where I'm supposed to be, and she understands that."
- on being asked 'What is it like to be in the Real World house?' by producer: "You can't complain when you got four hot girls with boobs all up on you."

Cory (@MTVCoryWharton)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "Got to call up my mom, got to call up grandma and say, 'Look, I made it.' I heard my mom scream on the phone, she was excited for me."
   "Yeah, I'm definitely single, man. Ready to mingle, and just trying to grow and become a bigger person."

   "Basically, everybody had the same look on their face, like 'Oh ....! What is going to happen?' My ex is Lauren. We've dated for 8 years, but I didn't treat her right all the time. I was the player, I was that guy, the jock, the popular one. And I cheated on her a couple of times. And so, we tried to make things work, but they were never the same. I mean, those 8 years where you really build that relationship with somebody. And I was like, 'Really? You're gonna be living here for 6 weeks. Where's your bed? I'm right next to your bed.' I was shocked. I was shocked, let me tell you."

- "I'm from Grand Rapids, MI. I'm a personal trainer. Growing up, we were definitely living almost paycheck to paycheck type of deal. That's why I had to get out, I had to move to L.A., I had to make my own path."
- On his ex, Lauren: "Me and Lauren -- we dated for eight years. I wasn't the best I could have been to her, but she still wants to be with me."
- after Thomas arrives: "There's four females, three guys. Let's get it going."

Thomas (@ThomasBuellMTV)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "It was shocking. I was extremely excited. I was so sad to leave."
   "When I moved in the house, I was definitely single and I was not looking for love."

   "Like, 'Oh my god! Is this happening right now?' Hailey, I met in high school. And then I went off to college, she ended up cheating on me the first weekend...literally the first weekend. What ended the relationship is that she is a liar. She lies to me about her virginity, and I gave her my virginity thinking that she was a virgin. I forgave her, yeah, and I'm cool with her. But am I over it? Probably not."

- casting tape: "I'd just like to win. I'm a full time student right now, so I really don't get to see my parents or my siblings often. But when I do, I try to make it as enjoyable as I can. Sometimes, they make you go real hard there.
   "I was born an athlete, I was raised as athlete. My dad raised me playing tennis. I love this sport, I always play it. I always will, I'm great, I will not lose. (Footage) Texas doubles state champ."

   "What sets me apart from other people: my athleticism, my great looks, my intelligence. To name three off real quick: I'm an identical twin - that's a 4th. Probably the most important & biggest thing that sets me apart from other people is the fact that I am blunt as f..., I will tell you what I think and what I know, and I don't give a f... what you think or what you know after I told you that because I am right."

- "I've been accused of being a snobby rich kid. I am not a snobby rich kid. My parents make money, but I support myself by teaching tennis."

- reply to being asked by twin brother Steven on Real World: "It'd be something that we can go back and watch and be like, 'Wow, what an idiot.'"
- "I am definitely not the typical frat dude. I don't go around sleeping with a lot of girls. I want the few that I've been with to be like, 'He was good to me, and he treated me well.' If a girl has an attitude that is just bad@$$, that would probably be my perfect girl."

Jamie (@JamieChinaMTV)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "I just wanted something different in life, really. I just wanted a new, I guess, step. I didn't know what to do with my dog, I wasn't ready."
   "There's relationships going on and growing. There's people hooking up. And then out of nowhere... The exes. I cannot believe what happened."

- "I'm not gonna say I'm the best bartender in the world, but let me just say, I bust out some drinks."
- on her ex, Cameron: "I used to tour with bands. That's how I met my ex. We dated for three years. We traveled all over the U.S., partied with the craziest people. It was an experience. Of course, I'm always gonna have something in my heart for Cameron. I just don't want to be with him. Now Jamie's single, ready to mingle. Let's go."
- reaction to when RW 29 is in San Francisco: "San Francisco mother-..."
- on taxi ride to becoming first to arrive at the house: "I just want to get to the house already and meet everybody. And I hope there is a cute boy waiting for me."
- on Arielle: "Arielle is just beautiful. She's got just positive vibes going for her."
- on Ashley: "Ashley, she's super sweet. She does come in in a little club dress, though, and some stiletto heels, so I don't know whether to take her as, like, a sweetheart or whether she's gonna be, like, the tramp of the house."
- when Thomas arrives: "Tom definitely seems like a typical frat boy."

Jenny (@itsJennyDelich)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "They came and just told me, 'It's time to go.'

   "My jaw just dropped. I was shocked. Brian and I met at a club. Initially, I was like, "Damn." Brian and I initially dated for two-and-a-half years. I broke up with him because of the constant fights. When I would come home from hanging out with my friends, it was 'Where have you been?, 'Who did you talk to?', 'What were you wearing?', 'What'd you say?' I was already hooking up with somebody in the house, but when Brian walked in, that kind of made everything a little awkward."

   "It's not The Real World. It's a very new show and it's very controversial in this new kind of way."

- "I had to get out of Kansas City because I wanted to take life by the horns. L.A. definitely brings the wild side out of me and exaggerates it times ten."

- on her ex, Brian: "My ex-boyfriend -- he wants me to behave like this quiet, nice girl, but that's not who I am. I can see myself at 70 years old being at my grandkid's party, like, 'Whoo,' Like, 'Let me pop the bottle.'"
- reaction to being casted and having to leave the same day: "I am so unprepared (laughs). Oh my god, but you know what? That's my life. I'm just spontaneous, and I can handle this. I can handle this, but this is way bigger than anything I've ever been through or done, and I need to go pack."
- when she arrives at the house: "Oh my god. It just got really real."
- when Cory arrives: "Whoa. This guy's really hot. He has swagger. Ooh, this could be bad."

Ashley (@MTVAshleyBrooke)

- MTV.com preseason interview: "When they told me I was coming to the house, I was a little surprised, scared, nervous, overwhelmed."
   "First got into the house, I wasn't exactly sure of what to think of the castmates. There were so many people, everyone was so different."
- "Since I was a little girl, I always felt I was gonna move to California, and everyone would laugh 'cause no one really leaves West Virginia. My friends say, 'Oh, Ashley's spoiled.' But that's not who I am. I'm just really a goofball and silly and kind of a weirdo."
- when Thomas arrives: "Thomas is a good-looking guy. He's got his own style. He's definitely cute."

So, there you have it. Nothing like when these people make their first appearance on MTV, and when they make their first impressions on everyone as those young, naive people ready for everything. And while in recent times I have grown a great passion for the intense competition of The Challenge and in a new show which has matched that and the legacy series in terms of great interest to me in Are You The One?, The Real World remains my favorite show, my first love and the one show where I'm most comfortable in. There's no shortage of great stories and genuine people and this show has done it and done it well for what will now be 30 seasons. And tonight, it will be time for Bruno, Jason, Madison, Nicole, Sylvia, Tony and Violetta to take their turn to enter the house, meet each other and 

"find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real."


DCBLOG will be covering Real World Skeletons, and season 26 of The Challenge: Battle of the Exes 2, like never before, using the same winning playbook that's been used successfully to cover RW Ex-Plosion, the last two Challenges and now with Are You The One?, all to tremendous web traffic and acclaim. Our signature, one-of-a-kind DC SocialPulse diaries will feature exclusive tweet-by-tweet diaries of every moment from the season as seen by cast, alumni, fans and me.
   And serving as a complement to the numerous website wraps and webcasts done by other websites, DCB will offer more of a unique perspective as this season unfolds. In addition to our first DCSP for RW30, this weekend you'll hear from series co-creator Jon Murray on the show's origins, that seminal first season in New York in 1992 and the show's popularity and impact. Real World aside, we've been covering the dramatic 2nd season of Are You The One? in Puerto Rico, with both our last 'Pulse and our upcoming Fan's View posts for last night's Reunion coming up here.
   And for the live tweeting of tonight's season premiere and Battle of the Exes 2, plus the reality comedy Slednecks and the big events in sports & entertainment, follow my dedicated live twitter handle, DCNOW at @DC408DxNow, as well as my usual Twitter and Instagram handle @DC408Dxtr for tweets, chats, alerts and photos.
   So, the journey is now underway. Until I talk to you on DCNOW at 10PM PT, thanks for reading and see you then.

- I AM DC