The story of MTV Reality represents the history of the non-scripted genre as it is recognized by fans and those in the industry, encompassing nearly three decades of some of the most unique programming on television. In the coming months, DCBLOG ExtraTime is proud to bring you a special Flashback series as we look back at some of the most memorable moments, greatest shows and incredible personalities that have helped to shape this entire genre.
So many of the biggest figures of the moment right now, and of the past twenty-eight years, come by way of MTV Reality shows: from a group of strangers from in & around New York City who became the closest thing to a royal family as MTV has ever produced, to a man who blazed a trail before eventually becoming part of the new Fab Five on Queer Eye. And thousands of others have followed in their footsteps on a slew of shows that range from just those living their lives on camera to competing their tails off in the quest for glory, and so many others along the way.
But regardless of whether they've done just one show or many of them over several years, for most of these people they share a common trait: their journeys to being part of the MTV family began began by simply auditioning to be on a show on the channel (or sometimes outside of it), or simply being chosen thanks to having an incredible story or background that would relate to the young adult crowd that watches its programming. And for many of them, they took time out of one of their days to create a video that would eventually change their lives and make them part of television history.
If you are fond of the milestones we all get to mark in our lives, you'll never forget the first time a baby got to say anything out of their mouths, or when they take their first steps. For sports fans, there is nothing like winning a championship for the first time or when, as a parent, you see your son or daughter make their debut on the playing surface. And for musicians, there's that ultimate coming-of-age moment when you get to hear your song on the radio for the first time.
As we here at DCBLOG prepare to begin our ninth year going Inside MTV Reality and covering The Challenge Double Agents this Thanksgiving holiday weekend, we'd like to take a moment to look back at that time where some of those who have been part of this family got to film a casting tape that would eventually bring them to the likes of not just Real World and The Challenge, but also Are You The One, Jersey and Floribama Shore, and so many other series that have graced the channel.
No matter how young they look, how long it's been since they made these tapes or what they were doing before becoming part of what's called the "D-List," there's nothing like taking The First Step.
To be considered a big personality on a major television network, you would have to appear on not just one program, but many others. Network sportscasters like Bob Costas, his successor as NBC's Olympic host Mike Tirico, CBS' Jim Nantz and others in their field work a variety of events across a full range of events in the play-by-play booth and in the studio. News anchors do not only the prime evening newscast and morning shows, but also breaking news during the day, election night coverage and sometimes a newsmagazine... and on a local level, they also host coverage of community events.
Cory gave everyone a shock early Christmas present in 2017 just after he returned from filming the first American Ex On The Beach season, where he met another AYTO alum - Taylor Selfridge of Season 5. They are still together, and it was last year that she also became expectant of her first kid also - and on this year's installment of TMOG they got to chronicle the early stages of her pregnancy and Cory's second kid. And it's the status of being MTV's hardest-working man that saw Cheyenne give Cory a tattoo of a tongue licking an MTV logo when they went into the How Far is Tattoo Far parlor.
Before being part of four MTV series, a guest on a fifth and being the subject of his own MTV special ("Being Cory" produced by Teen Mom's production team), Cory was a former college football player who grew up in Grand Rapids, MI and had just moved out to Los Angeles. And in June 2013, he decided to send them an audition tape for Season 29 of The Real World thinking that he would have a great time just living life... only to eventually encounter his ex from back home during that maiden voyage.
When Cory made his MTV debut that winter of 2014, Jay Gotti was a club promoter in the New York City borough of the Bronx and a guy who his MTV bio painted him as a "womanizer." When he left the Big Apple for the long plane ride out west, it would be the last time he would see his mom Lucy alive as she was battling cancer... it was also the first time we would see his girlfriend who would eventually become an intriguing Challenge career that would see her become a champion's fiancé, but who would make her debut on the big show a year after surprising him in the city, and having to endure what went down in that final. But then again, there was that time his phone rang to find that Max Joseph was on the other line while doing his last Catfish investigation with dancing king Nev Schulman.
Jay also sent MTV an audition tape for Real World 29 that summer, and like many of the videos seen here he showed everyone what it was like to spend a summer day in the Big Apple...
The reason why we get to see people other than former cast members of The Real World, Road Rules and those who've been cast as Fresh Meat two times is because of what went down five years ago. This DCBLOG site has felt fortunate to follow the entire journey of AYTO from when it began six years ago, right to the socially-meaningful eighth season last year. And thanks to it making its way to Netflix along with two past Challenge seasons and other MTV content, more viewers will get to experience the love, the lust, the lights and the lasers that have defined AYTO.
Two of those who helped to usher in MTV's first foray into modern romantic reality TV (a genre my parents are used to as avid viewers of Bachelor Nation) and signal the start of The Challenge's expansion to the whole wide world of reality TV on Battle of the Exes II were Simone Kelly and John Jacobs, and below are their videos - in Monie's case, she auditioned for Sean "Puffy" Combs' Revolt channel before deciding to take her talents to the Boom Boom Room...
Another person who auditioned for a shot at a perfect match & $1 million didn't get chosen to be on AYTO, but those upstairs had other plans for him. Like others, Cody Dunlap posted an audition tape for Season 3 but didn't get chosen to join what is now a legendary cast with seven members of that class going onto The Challenge and other accolades that includes bring Challenge Nation into the Teen Mom fold, a Real World season, Ex On The Beach and even Dr. Phil.
Still, the man who calls himself "Thrive" would eventually make it onto MTV: in winter 2017, Cody was cast on the lone season of Stranded with a Million Dollars, a cross between Survivor and Too Hot to Handle in the way that money was a big part of that. And Cody would use the $125,000 to launch a good career for himself in becoming a door-to-door salesman, an icon on TikTok and in sports betting.
And below, more familiar names taking their first steps to MTV stardom in sending in their audition tapes to the likes of the Shore franchise, Real World and AYTO. And who knows, you -- the one who's reading this who is in your early 20's -- could be joining these people in elite company on Team MTV...
For more of these blasts from the past and stories on how some of your favorite castmates got casted, check out DC YouTube's playlist of MTV Reality Casting Tapes at YouTube.com/dc408dxtr, along with the premiere of the new YouTube special series, DC Coast to Coast. And join us at DCBLOG for our first look at The Challenge: Double Agents ahead on this long Thanksgiving weekend.
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