The Real World - Just Your Regular, Reality Show Racism
by Latoya Peterson
The new season of the Real World is on. This one is The Real World XX: Hollywood.
Wendi saw something shady and dropped us an email. *sigh* I rolled over to the MTV site to see what new manufactured racism for ratings was in store for me.
(Please note - the videos are embedded but now direct you to the MTV website. I don’t know why that is happening.)
They don’t dissapoint, do they?
In the video, the housemmates fight and the white, southern roommate Kim starts calling the black, braided roommate Brianna ghetto. The fight escalates, screaming starts, more allegations of ghetto, Brianna calls her a white bitch, and then we get to my favorite quote.
Kim: “I don’t care where you’re from, if you’re from the most inner city…blackville.”
Yeah, spit that word out. Bllllaaaaaackville. Just let the contempt ooze out of your mouth. Look at her face y’all, it says it all.
I also love that the other roommate (Sarah) giggles into her hand, “You should really watch what you say.”
Meanwhile, some benevolent other black person in the house (Greg) decides to broker a fake peace argreement where neither girl looks at each other, they end in an awkward hug, and Brianna promises that more racial altercations will come. Video:
Bored, bored, bored. Seriously, MTV? Do y’all specifically cast for racists, assholes, and agitators? At this point, it’s like a formula. Every season has some huge racial altercation. Every season has some kind of woman trying to sleep her way into self-esteem. Every season has a guy coping with a break up angrily. The roommates have gone from conversation to fights and air kisses in the hot tub between rounds. I’m bored with all this boring ass fake controversy!
Remember when Kefla was on the Road Rules: Down Under? And was feeling seriously black and alienated? And was reading Amistad on his bunk bed? And when he and one of the white guys - Shane or Chadwick - were debating angrily about why aboriginal children in Australia had to learn about Thanksgiving? That was conflict. That was an actual conversation where they were both screaming and both making very good points, and both walking away determined to do their own thing. Growth. Development. An actual exchange of ideas. And this happened on Real Worlds in the past as well, back when the job was a major component of the show and characters actually had a vested interest in each other.
Clearly, we have replaced that with the hit and run racial commentary, the hot tub, and screaming matches.
Then again, maybe I’m just getting old. Everything’s always better when you remember it, right?
Actually no. I just watched the video again and it still sucks.
The only reason for watching this show is in the second video at -2.20.
Replay that again.
Did you see the guy headed for the shower?
Daaaayyyyym!
Hi! Who are you? Are you legal?
From his bio:
Name: Will
Age: 23
Detroit, Mich.
Cute, charismatic and witty, Will is the true ladies’ man of The Real World house. In his hometown of Detroit, he worked as a DJ, performing at weddings, parties and bar mitzvahs. In Hollywood, Will plans to continue creating cool beats and showing off his moves — both on and off the dance floor. Determined to be a super-successful music producer, Will is eager to hustle and hit the streets to sell the songs he has created. Is his determination about to pay off?
*turns on Van Hunt’s “The Lowest 1 of My Desires”*
And he’s a DJ? Damn it, don’t tell me I have to watch this crappy ass show so I can see more Will. Damn it! This is why The Real World has been on for over twenty freaking seasons. They cast people that are too hot to turn away from. Please, don’t let him be stupid. Nothing is more of a turn off than a dumb man…
*ahem*
Anyway, back to the subject at hand.
When Wendi sent this around to me and Carmen, I think we both collectively yawned.
Just your garden-variety reality show racism. Nothing to see here.
(Except Will.)
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of 
Paul wrote:
I think this all started in Season 1, when Julie asked Heather if she happened to be a drug dealer because she carried a beeper. The, you had Kevin being the “angry” black man. MTV saw that that sort of bigoted interaction got attention and has made damn sure to include it in virtually every season.
Posted 08 May 2008 at 7:05 am ¶
kd wrote:
I would have beat the breaks of that white girl if i wre Brianna-if I was there and if i were a female. Yo did you wathc list night’s episode when Brianna wa back home and Kim and the other two girls were talking shit about strippers use all thier money to buy drugs, etc.
Posted 08 May 2008 at 7:49 am ¶
JJ13 wrote:
MTV seeks, not only to include and incite such bigoted interactions, but also highlight them in advertising. Other than hot tub action, racial tension has been sexy for RW ratings. The mere fact that this episode was called, “Let’s not get ghetto…” reveals MTV’s marketing goal and it’s does not seem likely that the producers will encourage the cast members to have an open conversation about class nor race in the future.
Also, I’ve never been to “Blackville…” Anyone know where it is?
Ah, Will! ***dream sequence***
Posted 08 May 2008 at 8:29 am ¶
JH wrote:
Actually, I’m glad you wrote this up, because I sort of found this interaction to be *worse* than your typical Real World manufactured racist moments (but maybe I’m just not remembering…). I’ve seen like an episode & a half of this season (including this episode). The black woman, Brianna, works as a stripper back in her hometown, and naturally that has been the source of endless judgment and sexism by various cast members — including the two white women, who sat her down and tried to have something of an intervention where they told her they wanted her to “respect” herself, etc etc. So there’s that going on. Then this fight, which saw the white southerner repeating her racist statements over and over and over, without ever taking accountability for them, while Brianna (I thought) wasn’t really able or allowed (maybe by clever editing) to respond directly. Anyway, this just seemed like a level worse than what we typically see on the show, and I really hope that with three POC in the house, we’ll get to see an actual confrontation with Ms. Southern Belle at some point.
Posted 08 May 2008 at 8:41 am ¶
Cynthia wrote:
Mtv is all about formula. If it isn’t broke they won’t fix it.
I think back in the day, I feel that MTV tried to portray more substance with the people they profiled and tackled a variety of topics (racism, abortion, AIDS, homosexuality, etc.). Now, the people trying out for the show knows what MTV is looking for so they portray that off the bat.
The girl who stated the racist comment wants to be famous and on TV. TV viewers like sensationalist things happening (and Mtv is all about ratings not substance these days).
Posted 08 May 2008 at 8:42 am ¶
Caro wrote:
Wow, when she said “Don’t get ghetto, just be… normal,” my mouth totally dropped wide open!!!
Posted 08 May 2008 at 8:44 am ¶
Penni Brown wrote:
Real World is NOTHING, if you want to see real reality show racism, you’ve got to watch The Bad Girls Club. In the latest episode, the roomies went out to a club. (It’s 2white, 1 Egyptian and 1 African American - gotta set the stage). The 2 white girls got into a drunken fight with another club goer. The victim in the fight claimed that the AA girl (the only one trying to break up the fight and get the girls to leave the club) was the one that clocked him with a bottle.
Come on now, really? How do you mistake a 95# drunken white girl for a black girl twice her size? How does that happen? (Could it be white privelige? I don’t know.)
Long story short, the black girl ended up spending 4 days in jail because of the fight that she didn’t participate in. Meanwhile, the roomies never stepped up and claimed their part in the debacle and let her sit in jail all of that time.
(Going on a tangent…) My girlfriends and I always joke about being the ‘only’ when we hit the club with our ‘other’ girlfriends. We have this innate fear that if something goes down, we’ll be the one left holding the bag. This episode hit a little too close to home.
(End of tangent)
Check it out.
Posted 08 May 2008 at 8:53 am ¶
Penni Brown wrote:
Caro - My mouth dropped open too. And the way she and the other white girl preach to the black girl about how precious her body is and how she should respect herself, I want to gag. Of course I agree fundamentally, but the superior attitude they take on just disgusts me.
Posted 08 May 2008 at 8:55 am ¶
Robin wrote:
I was also appalled at Kim’s behavior during the mediated apology. She was totally flippant and literally left the room, not really waiting for Brianna’s response.
Also, did anyone watch the parts about Joey? His behavior during the drunken arm wrestling match was SCARY - a scary display of how hell bent he was on proving his masculinity through physical dominance. I thought it was great that Brianna talked to him about it the next day and said it was unacceptable, but then the dude he had been wrestling with told him not to worry about it. He even went so far as to say that “no one in the house” was scared by it, which I think Brianna definitely was, and had a right to be. Oy. Lots of scary oppressive behavior all over the place!
Posted 08 May 2008 at 9:19 am ¶
kd wrote:
“And the way she and the other white girl preach to the black girl about how precious her body is and how she should respect herself, I want to gag”
Yo I just wanted to clock them both.
Posted 08 May 2008 at 9:23 am ¶
Feminist Punk! wrote:
Come on, people. It’s MTV we’re talking about. Let’s not have high expectations for the shady network, mmm?
Posted 08 May 2008 at 9:28 am ¶
cosmicsistren wrote:
I was really angered by her ignorant comment. She tried to justify it by saying that Brianna calls herself “ghetto”. When she made the comment about the “blackville”. The other white chick laughed and said that she needed to be careful what she says.
@ Penni Brown - Every time I watch the Bad Girls Club I am appalled. I was angered that Tanisha had gotten arrested. All of the women act like they are so hard core but when Tanisha had gotten arrested Hanna said that she has never seen one of her friends get arrested before. Darlene (who is Mexican) should have gone to jail. However, she claimed that her breasts always get her out of trouble.
Posted 08 May 2008 at 9:29 am ¶
AB wrote:
She also said “Don’t get ghetto, just be NORMAL.”
Enough said.
Posted 08 May 2008 at 9:45 am ¶
Feminist Punk! wrote:
@cosmicsistren: I laughed so hard when Hanna said she never saw her friends got arrested. And um, she claims to be from Brooklyn?
Posted 08 May 2008 at 10:26 am ¶
wendi muse wrote:
i’m also tired of the southern people usually being white and racist…
i’m from the south and i’m not white…nor am i sheltered or hold uber racist, classist views of my fellow man
it’s odd how they present geographical stereotypes too
Posted 08 May 2008 at 10:33 am ¶
wendi muse wrote:
oh and speaking of will…
in the first episode, the season opener, kim notes that she is surprised that will is so nice and smart considering he is from detroit, which she considers ghetto and dangerous
Posted 08 May 2008 at 10:34 am ¶
Kai wrote:
Seriously, MTV? Do y’all specifically cast for racists, assholes, and agitators?
Um…is this an honest question? The casting formula hasn’t changed in 20 years. This is the show from which the industry cliche developed, “Reality TV casting looks for 3 things: conflict, conflict, and conflict.”
Posted 08 May 2008 at 11:37 am ¶
sylvie wrote:
i actually like that mtv producers show these blatant moments of racism; i just hate how they make such neat and tidy reconciliations between the involved parties in the editing room. it sends the message to the audience that you can be racist as long as you hug it out and apologize afterwards. if they’re going to put this white woman on tv saying “don’t be ghetto, be normal” and “blackville,” then they better show the full ramifications of that comment, not just cut to the hug and then to commercial.
Posted 08 May 2008 at 11:52 am ¶
sylvie wrote:
*add to my previous comment. back when the series was semi-respectable (i’d say seasons 1 thru…3) they actually did show the bulk of race conversations a la kevin & julie and kevin & becky. now they just show racial slurs and then make-out scenes in the hot tub.
Posted 08 May 2008 at 11:54 am ¶
Feminist Punk! wrote:
@wendi muse:
the same can be said for the stereotyping casting for “America’s Next Top Model.” This season, there is a blonde model, Whitney. Whitney is from the South and I am bothered by the fact that the show is trying to do the whole “All-American Southern blonde belle” stereotyping.
Like, WTF?
as if all Southern females are blonde and curvy.
If anybody watches the show like I do, remember the episode that aired last month where they all went to Milan? One Italian fashion designer told Whitney that she looks “very American” (ie: white, blonde, blue-eyed, curvy). It made me fall off my seat with disbelief.
Typical. Yeah, that’s off-topic, but whatever.
Posted 08 May 2008 at 12:07 pm ¶
lisalisa wrote:
Well I think that a lot of people forget that Kim said that Briana told her that when she gets mad she gets ghetto. I am not justifying Kim throwing it in her face she IS racist, not a doubt in my mind. But when she was saying to Briana “Don’t get ghetto” don’t you think people like Briana help perpetuate the use of that word? Maybe similar to the use of the N word? Briana is in the wrong for calling herself ghetto especially in the presence of a racist white girl and Kim is just racist period.
Posted 08 May 2008 at 12:47 pm ¶
Penni Brown wrote:
lisalisa - you make a good point about Briana giving them the ammunition to shoot her down. i don’t think any of us are saying that this girl doesn’t have some deep issues. when i see her with the other girls, i imagine a deer in a cage with 2 lions.
feminist punk - you’re soo right about ANTM. my other pet peeve with that show is how Tyra kept on mispronouncing Katarzyna’s name. She kept on saying ka-TAR-jin-a even after the girl said, my name is ‘KAT-ar-zeena’. Iwas offended by that each time. But that could be my anti-Tyra bias peeking out.
Posted 08 May 2008 at 2:23 pm ¶
Solo wrote:
You know I saw this episode ( I stopped watching the realword when they started putting drunk college students on there), any way this scene is not unfamiliar. Like many of you stated I don’t expect these altercations to not happen but cna the producers actually show how they work it out. Everytime a white person says something racist and a black cast member reacts they are being too sensitive and it always seems like the white person is not correctly put in their place. But I guess its for the ratings c/ hey were are talking about it.
Posted 09 May 2008 at 9:55 am ¶
Haj wrote:
What is interesting is that MTV has decided to capitalize on this racial tension to boost ratings while simultaneously robbing us of any articulate discussion about race. It sends the message that racism is entirely socially acceptable as long as you are willing to share a hot tub with a member of the opposite race. MTV has now become a virtual frat house, complete with racist vitriol and female objectification.
Posted 09 May 2008 at 4:43 pm ¶
In L.A. wrote:
Quite frankly, it is disappointing that Producers/Writers (Bunim Murray) of the show (Obviously, old caucasion people) cannot think of more progressive and meaningful storylines and characters - What TROGLODYTE still thinks these types of stories makes interesting television? The Real World lost it’s charm in 1992 - Hey, MTV it’s time to move into the 21st Century! I encourage everyone to write Bunim Murray and chastise them for their lack of creativity and social responsibility for this FILTH!
Posted 11 May 2008 at 10:48 pm ¶
Whitney wrote:
Well to be fair, I don’t think that the other two girls have a problem with Brianna stripping because she’s black, I think they have a problem with any woman stripping, white, black, or brown.
It does seriously bother me how MTV seems to cast the crazies, like Joey and the southern chick. It’s like they can’t cast actual *nice* people that don’t have issues. I think that people with problems are important to cast, but not so bad that they can’t function and interact with other people, like Joey. I just wish they would stop casting racists. We get it, racism is a problem, but giving true racists time on TV (and making them semi-famous) isn’t helping.
Posted 13 May 2008 at 1:48 am ¶