Ignorance can be bliss, or it can land you a spot on an MTV reality show.
“I really knew nothing about other cultures and I was kind of ignorant about life, I guess,” said Kimberly Alexander, a cast member from “The Real World: Hollywood,” which aired in 2008. “They probably put me on just to see what I would say.”
Casting officials for the next season of “The Real World” will roll through Columbus Saturday in hopes of finding the perfect 18- to 24-year-old representative of the Midwest.
“The people that we find in Columbus represent the Midwest, very wholesome and down to earth,” said casting director Damon Furbert. “They are much different from people that you will find in New York or LA.”
The open casting call will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Panini’s Bar and Grill at 13th Avenue and North High Street.
This isn’t the first time the show has sent its cast search to Columbus.
“It’s always a good location that has a good turnout,” Furbert said. “We came to Columbus for casting for Season 20 and we had a lot of people come out.”
When looking for new cast members, Furbert said that they are always looking for interesting personalities. “We are looking for people with big personalities and who are interesting and know it and want to share that with the world,” he said.
Furbert also said that they want unique stories, and are very open-minded. “The Brooklyn cast has been very successful together and very funny, but we are looking for deeper stuff, too,” he said.
Ryan Conklin, a cast member from the current season (Brooklyn), said that his casting on “The Real World” had a lot to do with him being a veteran of the Iraq War. “I mean, I had other things going for me, but it was a huge chapter in my life,” he said. He also thought the main reason he was cast on the show was because people could relate to him.
When asked about advice for people looking to be cast members for Season 23, Conklin said that people should just be themselves. “Don’t compare yourself to past castmates,” he said. He said that people going to audition should share stories that make them unique.
“It really was the easiest job interview ever because all I had to do to talk about myself,” he said.
Those who want to interview for the show should bring a photo ID and a picture if themselves to the open casting call.
Sarah McCaslin can be reached at [email protected].
