From the “Real World” and “The Newlyweds” to “Survivor” and “Joe Millionaire,” reality shows have taken the nation by storm, dominating the air waves with their outrageous antics and questionable plots.

On Saturday, Columbus piano bar Howl at the Moon hosted interested viewers with the opportune moment to sky rocket to celebrity stardom status, when the Reality Bar Crawl Fall 2003 College Tour strolled through before venturing to 50 other cites nationwide.

First-season members Eric Nies from MTV’s “Real World” and Mark Long from “Road Rules,” traveled on the tour to elicit an energetic crowd response, while also trying to elongate their own careers. Nies and Long are working with 10 other cast members from both the “Real World” and “Road Rules” in an effort to discover the true human interest behind reality television series.

“We love putting ourselves out there and getting the bars all riled up. We videotape all of the bar footage for later coverage, which they love,” Nies said. “People enjoy seeing themselves on TV, just as much as they like watching others on reality TV.”

With more than 40 new reality shows in the development stages, applications were available upon request after a $15 fee was paid and a series of elaborate questionnaires were answered.

Casting directors focus on three main areas of concern before accepting applications: Demographic range, the amount of colleges in the area and a preferable middle America location.

Russ Lowly, owner of Fathem Entertainment, has joined Nies and Long in their quest for the next perfect, yet daring reality show personalities. Lowly said the list of possible reality shows is endless, and networks are biting at the bit to entertain the idea to the public in order to extensively increase their profit margins.

“Big networks love reality television because it’s so cheap. Look at the show ‘Friends.’ They each make $1 million a show, and that’s a large amount of money for a network to spend for a whole season,” Lowly said. “That is why they really want reality shows, because casting is dramatically cheaper. Usually the cast member just wants the opportunity for first time exposure.”

Although many of the bar-goers were entertained by the idea of being cast on a series, the real thrill of the moment was the video coverage, which is anticipated to be released at the Super Bowl. Carinne Uslar, a camera operator working with Fathem Entertainment, was pleased by the exciting atmosphere produced by the Columbus crowd and said it was a perfect place for video footage and casting.

For those still interested in applying, be prepared for extensive interviews, numerous head shots and psychological appointments to clarify sanity or prove insanity in the name of reality TV entertainment.