A Repost from during The Challenge XXX in Summer 2017... ExtraTime will look at an MTV Reality alum competing on this week's premiere of The Voice later this week.
It was ten years ago this week that Season 19 of The Real World premiered when Sydney welcomed Cohutta, Kelly-Anne, Dunbar and the rest of that cast down under to Australia. At the end of that month of August 2007, filming for Season 20 began over in Hollywood, CA as the show marked that milestone by expanding its episodes to one hour. There, we saw the roommates pursue their dreams in the entertainment world, like a girl who auditioned for American Idol pursuing music and another, Joey Kovar, who has eyes on acting but would deal with alcohol which would later take his life. And a comedian by the name of Andy Dick also made a memorable cameo.
One of those who flew out to SoCal for Real World XX was Will Gill, who came there from Detroit and, like that girl Brianna, had ambitions of working as a music producer. There, we saw him not only make connections there and eventually become a party DJ, he also got to become close buddies in the house with roommate Dave and Nick Brown after the ladder moved in late in the season... thus, the title "Tres Amigos" was thrust upon them. And Will and Dave also found themselves in a foursome with two girls on the finale, just after the ladder got jumped in a street fight.
Also, there was an odd aligning of the planets on season 20 where, because a lot of people in the Trifecta move out to the Los Angeles area after their time on MTV, the Hollywood cast got to hang out with some Real World and Challenge alums... including one night where the likes of Evan, Ace and those from the fifth major sport came into their house on Sunset Boulevard (the former West Coast headquarters for CBS and now where Viacom calls its L.A. headquarters home). It was in a bar in Hollywood that Will meet Real World Key West's Janelle, and after exchanging numbers they got a chance to get close to the point that they were going to be official. That is, until she found out that he was cheating on her... and who can forget her walking out on stage at the season-end reunion to go all in on him for this ways?
It's been a long while since we have seen any of the Hollywood cast on a Challenge - last time was Nick on The Duel II, and likely that will remain the case. But Will does have a nice gig that takes him from some of the most demanding challenges you'll find in your neighborhood to the stage of one of TV's most-popular shows... one which we gave a mention a couple weeks ago here.
If you go to the taping of a late night talk show, a sitcom or reality competition shows, then one thing that takes place before the cameras start rolling is called an "audience warm-up." This is where a person not on camera come out on stage to entertain those waiting patiently for the show to begin. For the past year, Will has served as crowd host for NBC's The Voice, tasked with revving up the audience inside the studio before Carson Daly and the panel of judges co. take over along with the many singers who try to get the "I Want You!" call from Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and friends.
In the caption of an Instagram post he posted last month @DJWillGill, he summed up the unique atmosphere of The Voice and how it's the audience that inspires the singers to do their best under the bright lights: "There are no Applause Signs on set here because we trust the audience knows how to laugh, shout, clap, and cry...but sometimes even audiences get stage fright. But after a couple performances, they quickly realize they are the motivation, the inspiration, the support systems for these brave singers putting everything out there."
And what would the Hollywood life be without meeting someone famous? There have been many times that Will has been able to do that, and earlier this summer he was invited to the album release party for Calvin Harris' Funk Wave Bounces Vol. I album put on by Jay-Z's TIDAL music site, where he got to meet the Scottish DJ. Calvin has had quite a career in becoming the richest DJ on earth in collaborating with Rihanna, Ellie Goulding, the girls of Haim, and on that latest album with Pharrell, Katy Perry, Big Sean, Future and Frank Ocean... not to mention dating Taylor Swift and Rita Ora.
And at that same party, Will also got to hang out with Calvin's fellow RCA label-mate, Khalid. The El Paso resident's love of music dates back to when he was recruited to perform with the Army Band while his mom was working in the military. Last year when he graduated high school, Khalid spent his summer vacation reaching Top 5 on many music sites' Artists to Watch list, and his debut single "Location" reaching Top 20 by year's end as well as 35 million Spotify and 6 million YouTube hits, and working alongside Kendrick Lamar and The Roots.
That season in Hollywood, did serve its purpose of giving opportunity to everyone in the house to pursue their passions in the entertainment world: Nick has branched out to a music career as a result of what Will and Brianna did there, and outside of it Kim and Sarah have become moms. Yes, we remember Dave for quitting The Island but that hasn't stopped him from doing all those CrossFit events. And I still remember Season XX well in watching those dailies clips being posted each day while it was airing. And for Will, that experience in that house has helped get his foot in the door in pursuing not only music, but also hosting too.
One of those who flew out to SoCal for Real World XX was Will Gill, who came there from Detroit and, like that girl Brianna, had ambitions of working as a music producer. There, we saw him not only make connections there and eventually become a party DJ, he also got to become close buddies in the house with roommate Dave and Nick Brown after the ladder moved in late in the season... thus, the title "Tres Amigos" was thrust upon them. And Will and Dave also found themselves in a foursome with two girls on the finale, just after the ladder got jumped in a street fight.Also, there was an odd aligning of the planets on season 20 where, because a lot of people in the Trifecta move out to the Los Angeles area after their time on MTV, the Hollywood cast got to hang out with some Real World and Challenge alums... including one night where the likes of Evan, Ace and those from the fifth major sport came into their house on Sunset Boulevard (the former West Coast headquarters for CBS and now where Viacom calls its L.A. headquarters home). It was in a bar in Hollywood that Will meet Real World Key West's Janelle, and after exchanging numbers they got a chance to get close to the point that they were going to be official. That is, until she found out that he was cheating on her... and who can forget her walking out on stage at the season-end reunion to go all in on him for this ways?
 |
| IG/@DJWillGill |
If you go to the taping of a late night talk show, a sitcom or reality competition shows, then one thing that takes place before the cameras start rolling is called an "audience warm-up." This is where a person not on camera come out on stage to entertain those waiting patiently for the show to begin. For the past year, Will has served as crowd host for NBC's The Voice, tasked with revving up the audience inside the studio before Carson Daly and the panel of judges co. take over along with the many singers who try to get the "I Want You!" call from Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and friends.
In the caption of an Instagram post he posted last month @DJWillGill, he summed up the unique atmosphere of The Voice and how it's the audience that inspires the singers to do their best under the bright lights: "There are no Applause Signs on set here because we trust the audience knows how to laugh, shout, clap, and cry...but sometimes even audiences get stage fright. But after a couple performances, they quickly realize they are the motivation, the inspiration, the support systems for these brave singers putting everything out there."
Around that prized gig on the Universal Studios lot, Will has also traveled outside the Southland and across the country to perform similar hosting duties, this time at the start line for Tough Mudder, one of the many endurance obstacle courses featuring the same demanding stuff we see on The Challenge, and for which my brother in law has done a few of these. Along with emceeing, Will himself has also tried these challenges too and got a glimpse of what Bananas and friends have been doing for years tackling these difficult courses the way Challengers have done for years.
 |
| IG/@DJWillGill |
And at that same party, Will also got to hang out with Calvin's fellow RCA label-mate, Khalid. The El Paso resident's love of music dates back to when he was recruited to perform with the Army Band while his mom was working in the military. Last year when he graduated high school, Khalid spent his summer vacation reaching Top 5 on many music sites' Artists to Watch list, and his debut single "Location" reaching Top 20 by year's end as well as 35 million Spotify and 6 million YouTube hits, and working alongside Kendrick Lamar and The Roots.
That season in Hollywood, did serve its purpose of giving opportunity to everyone in the house to pursue their passions in the entertainment world: Nick has branched out to a music career as a result of what Will and Brianna did there, and outside of it Kim and Sarah have become moms. Yes, we remember Dave for quitting The Island but that hasn't stopped him from doing all those CrossFit events. And I still remember Season XX well in watching those dailies clips being posted each day while it was airing. And for Will, that experience in that house has helped get his foot in the door in pursuing not only music, but also hosting too.
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