What better way to pay off your college loans and car payments than to become the grand champion of a reality television show? Although it seems like a far-fetched idea, Ohio State alumna Aviv Melmed has done just that by appearing on MTV’s “The Real World Road Rules Challenge: Fresh Meat” last summer and fall.
Melmed graduated from OSU in 2006 with a degree in Hebrew. She said auditioning for a reality show was never on her list of things to do, but she was coerced by her younger brother, Alon Melmed, a student at Columbus State Community College. Both she and her brother were called back for more interviews for “The Real World: Key West” and Aviv proceeded to the finals.
Melmed then received a call from producers asking her to participate in a new show they were filming where rookies were cast as “fresh meat” to compete against “Real World” and “Road Rules” alumni in a challenge.
“I had no intention of making it onto the show and in fact was a little concerned about what would happen if I did,” Melmed said. “I never thought I was screwed up enough to actually make it as an MTV character.”
Filming took place in October and November of 2005 in Byron Bay, Australia.
“I was able to work my classes around the show, fortunately, and I continued my class work throughout the time I was there,” she said. “I had to give up music and TV and any privacy I ever had. I left behind my anonymity as well.”
While Melmed said she had to leave behind her friends, family and boyfriend, she was still able to have a good amount of contact with them while she filmed in Australia. She said she spoke with her boyfriend a few times a day, and was able to call a friend or family member anytime she wanted.
For the show, Melmed was partnered with Darrell, an original cast member of “Road Rules 11” and a veteran of the challenges. She also formed bonds with a number of cast mates, including Linette, Diem, Kenny, Tina and Derrick.
“The cast mates were like having a bunch of college kids living in one big house together,” she said. “There were some you like, some you get along with and some you can’t stand.”
One cast mate, Linette, said she and Aviv instantly clicked. She said their bond was probably because of their strong backgrounds. She also said they were close because neither of them enjoyed drama.
“We roomed together and pretty much always watched each others backs,” Linette said. “She was the most genuine person I ever met on that show, or anywhere as a matter of fact.”
Linette said she was not surprised that Melmed became the ultimate winner of the show.
“She is a very strong girl,” Linette said. “Being in the army made her even more fit for some of these hard challenges. She never spoke bad about anyone, and she was friendly toward everyone.”
Melmed had to perform a number of daring and frightening stunts on each episode. She said the scariest stunt involved being plunged 30 feet below the ocean without an oxygen tank, and the easiest stunt involved transporting thick oatmeal from one container to another.
“Darrell’s and my strategy was mostly to keep our heads focused on the game, stay away from the drama, and let the others ‘kill’ each other,” she said. This strategy proved successful, as the duo made it to the end, winning a 32-inch flat screen TV, a five-disc DVD player, free Netflix for one year, $1,500 on an individual challenge, and the grand prize of $125,000.
For the premiere of the first episode, Melmed invited friends to the Skye Bar in the South Campus Gateway.
“It was very strange when the show aired, because it feels like you are watching an edited home video,” she said.
Alon had a different thought when he watched the show.
“It was like watching myself with long hair on TV,” he said.
Alon said it was surreal having his sister on the show, but he knew she would win anything that was physically straining. He also had to keep it a secret that his sister won until the final episode aired.
“It wasn’t hard as much as it was fun to keep it a secret,” he said. “I’d hear people be like, ‘Dude, Wes and Casey are going to win,’ and I’d just smile.”
The strangest part, according to Melmed, is getting recognized on a regular basis in Columbus, around campus and in the downtown area.
“Sometimes it’s weird,” she said. “Otherwise I really don’t mind it and I am happy to chat about my experience – after all, I am still a normal, working, OSU alumna.”
After paying off her college loans, her car and going on a mini shopping spree, Melmed invested the majority of her prize money, hiding it away in the bank. She currently works at a dot-com agency doing social networking and public relations work. She is also a bartender at Miani’s Bar & Grill on the weekends. She said she is looking to possibly open a business in the future and might further her education.
She also said she is open to the idea of appearing on television again in the future.
“I was told that the winners always get called back, but that it takes some time, so we’ll see,” she said. “I was not very dramatic (on the show) and hence may not be at the top of the call-back list. So though it may be awhile, you should be able to catch me on another challenge at some point.”
Melmed said she has done some club appearances and speaking engagements since appearing on the show. At the lectures, she discusses her experience in the Israeli air force and her stint on MTV. She also attended the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards alongside other cast mates.
“I try to keep my life very much the same as it was before the show, and I think I have done a pretty decent job of sustaining this,” Melmed said. “Aside from the recognition I receive, the bar and speaking gigs I occasionally give, and the luxury of having some extra cash if I need it, my life is very much the same and I am very fulfilled with it in that sense.”
