The Real World: Brooklyn
Encyclopedia
The Real World: Brooklyn is the twenty-first season of MTV
's reality television
series The Real World
, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras document their lives and interpersonal relationships. It is the third season of the show to be set in New York City
, though the first to be set in the borough
of Brooklyn
, as previous seasons, 1992's The Real World: New York
and 2001's The Real World: Back to New York
, were filmed in Manhattan
. The season was aired as 13 one-hour episodes. MTV announced the location in May 2008. Filming began August 14, 2008, and concluded November 24, 2008. The series premiered January 7, 2009, and garnered an 18% increase in ratings over the previous season with 2.3 million viewers. The premiere was made available on iTunes
on January 8. On January 4, MTV aired a special called The Real World: Secrets Revealed that documents the evolution of the series over the years.
Prior to the beginning of the season Jon Murray, co-creator of The Real World, and Chairman and President of Bunim-Murray Productions, explained the choice of Brooklyn: "The Brooklyn season, like the Hollywood season, will focus on what people loved about 'The Real World' when it launched in 1992 - genuine people, meaningful conflict and powerful stories...We're thrilled that MTV is allowing 'The Real World' turn 21!" Cast member Chet Cannon remarked on the city that was his home for three months, "Brooklyn is usually spoken of as more a place where you don’t want to go — I just don’t want to get shot down here."
Anthony Swofford
, author of Jarhead
, makes an appearance this season when cast member Ryan Conklin attends a meeting of Iraq Veterans Against the War
.
In 2010 the season was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award
.
, has included the assignment of a season-long group job or task to the housemates, continued participation in which has been mandatory to remain part of the cast since the Back to New York season. However, no group assignment is given to the cast this season; the castmates are free to pursue their own interests, the first such season to do this since the fourth season
. The group assignment returned the following season, though producer Jon Murray indicated a desire to dispense with the group assignment again with The Real World: Washington D.C.
Brooklyn is the first season of the series to feature eight cast members moving into the residence together in the premiere. (All previous seasons premiered with seven-member casts, and only introduced new cast members when the departure of others during production necessitated replacements.) This number remains in subsequent seasons. It is also the first season to include an openly transgender
cast member, Katelynn Cusanelli.
This is the first season, and the first MTV
series, to be broadcast in high definition.
area of Brooklyn. Pier 41 was also used as the setting for a bar scene in the 2005 Will Smith
film, Hitch
. This marked the second time a pier was used as a season residence for the cast after 1998's The Real World: Seattle
.
, Katelynn Cusanelli, a first for the series. The cast was photographed publicly for the first time at a Semi Precious Weapons
Fashion Week
party at the Manhattan club Rebel in early September 2008.
: Age at time of filming.
The cast assembles at Pier 41 for the first time. Ryan, sensing that there is something "definitely different" about Katelynn, speculates that she is a trans woman
. The women, especially Devyn, notice how attractive Scott is. Ryan's drinking causes concern for the others when they enjoy a night out together. He later discusses the effect of his time in Iraq, and how he channels it into his journal and music. J.D., who is gay, bonds with Kat, causing further conflict with Ryan, who perceives them to be excluding the others. Kat does not perceive Ryan to be the type of person who would be accepting if she came out to him, but because of the painful experiences that both she and J.D. experienced, they form an emotional rapport.
Kat comes out to Sarah and Baya. Ryan takes umbrage with some of the topical discussions among the others. The housemates take issue with Chet's pranks, but when J.D. talks to Chet about Chet having gone through his belongings, Chet denies the accusation, and is offended at the others talking about this outside his presence. Baya pursues her dance aspirations. A trip to a gay bar
proves interesting for Chet and Ryan. The cast enjoys a visit from Chet's family. J.D. deals with the identity theft
committed against him by his father. Comments about immigrants from a drunken J.D. lead to a heated argument with Chet, and a subsequent discussion about family.
Ryan pursues his professional musical interests, making contacts at a bar owned by Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy
. Kat deals with the difficulties of her long-distance relationship with her boyfriend, Mike, and looks elsewhere for companionship. Devyn and Scott, who regard each other as "BFF
"'s, express their mutual attraction through flirting, but Devin is frustrated by what she sees as mixed signals by Scott, and questions regarding whether or not he is single. Baya, Chet and Ryan meet with an agency named Crush Management in order to further their aspirations. Baya and Ryan flirt with each other, and he joins her and the other girls in a pole dancing workout class, but they have different ideas about their relationship.
Devyn pursues her acting and music aspirations, but not without complications. Chet explores his romantic opportunities with a woman named Alex, even though they may conflict with his religious beliefs. Sarah discusses the childhood sexual abuse she suffered the hands of a teacher and inappropriate behavior from her father, to whom she hasn't spoken in eight years, an issue that becomes more immediate when she receives unwanted phone calls from him that greatly disturb her. A drunken J.D. outs Katelynn to Chet, and insults Devyn, offending all three of them, and leading to an impromptu sing-off between Devyn and another female singer at a club.
Scott, in the aftermath of the breakup from his girlfriend, Marissa, sees a number of women, inspiring gossip and parody
among Devyn and the others. Ryan's pranks lead to a retaliation by J.D., and a heated argument. Chet pursues his aspirations of being a TV host, and receives some constructive criticism, a disappointing surprise when he visits the filming location of Total Request Live
, and an interview with Pete Wentz. The suicide of one of Ryan's Army
friends gives him cause to discuss the posttraumatic stress disorder that afflicts some of his fellow soldiers, his own traumatic memories of the Iraq War, and how the September 11 Attacks led to his enlistment. He also discusses the effect on him of the seventh anniversary, ceremonies for which he plans to attend.
Kat's expression of her newfound comfort with her body causes discomfort for her housemates, including Ryan, who learns of her transgender status by eavesdropping on her during her confessional. Kat, J.D. and Sarah participate in Braking the Cycle, a charity bike ride from Ryan's hometown of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
to Brooklyn to raise AIDS
/HIV
awareness. The entire cast goes to Gettysburg to support the trio and to meet Ryan's family, but conflict is generated by the girls' tardiness, Kat's behavior at a restaurant, and Chet's behavior at the event's opening ceremony. This also leads to a heated argument between J.D. and Devyn. Kat comes out to Devyn, but is still ambivalent about doing so with Ryan, who wonders why she has not done so yet, and decides to pursue the matter more directly. Kat is honest with him, but later is angered by both his and J.D.'s indiscretion.
A mouse infestation disturbs the housemates and provides fodder for pranks. Devyn juggles calls and emails from a suitor named Jim, and a visit from David, whom she refers to as her "semi-fiancé", and at other times as a "friend" who is in love with her. They try to work on their relationship, but Chet does not approve of her seeing two men. Ryan's girlfriend Belle comes for a visit, causing Ryan to consider the unwelcome possibility of being recalled to Iraq. Devyn ultimately decides she's not ready to be in a relationship with David or anyone else.
The men, particularly J.D., object to the women's refusal to help maintain cleanliness around the loft, as well as with other issues stemming from Devyn and Sarah's behavior, but the women refuse to accept the chores in question or agree to a house meeting. Ryan pursues his filmmaking interests, as does Sarah with the art therapy
classes she teaches at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center. The group's feud over cleanliness eventually escalates into heated arguments, and violence on J.D.'s part.
Chet asks Kat about her transgender transition, but she is not appreciative of the disrespectful tone his questions take. Devyn pursues a job with a dress designer, and tries to help Sarah with a modeling job. Chet conducts an interview at Atlantic Records
, and further pursues his VJ dreams, but all does not go as planned. Baya, who continues her dance training, explains why she did not accept the dance conservatory's offer, but the military-trained Ryan thinks that her resilience in the face of difficulty could use improvement. Kat launches a website to promote openness and awareness among the transgender community, sparking a more serious conversation on the topic between her and Chet.
The cast is invited to a private screening of Pedro
, a feature film about Pedro Zamora
, the late AIDS activist and cast member of The Real World: San Francisco
, and is asked to promote and host a screening for a larger group, but Chet is offended at the reasons given for why he should not be one of the hosts. Scott's family visits to celebrate his 24th birthday, along with his roommates, but Kat, who is broke, needs to work that night. This leads to a series of pranks by an offended Scott, and a heated argument. Kat eventually realizes that she does not have enough money to stay in the house, and resolves to leave, but Scott comes to her aid by giving her $1,500 to pay her bills.
Ryan, whose experiences in the Iraq War have made him highly critical of its execution, hopes a Barack Obama
victory in the 2008 United States Presidential election will preclude a return to Iraq. He attends a meeting of Iraq Veterans Against the War
, where Anthony Swofford
, author of Jarhead
, speaks. He also seeks help from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
(IAVA) for his knees, and for posttraumatic stress, from which some of his friends and housemates suspect he suffers, in part after seeing his short film, No More Tomorrow, in which his character commits suicide. On Election Night, Ryan, J.D., Kat and Sarah are elated at Obama's victory, but Scott and Chet, the lone Republicans and John McCain
voters in the house, are offended at some of their behavior, leading to more pranks. Ryan and a war buddy march in the Veteran's Day Parade, and discuss a fallen comrade. The housemates attend an IAVA gala. Ryan is crushed to learn he's being recalled to active duty.
Ryan and the others deal with the news that he has been recalled for a one-year deployment in Iraq. After Devyn buys a Yorkshire terrier
she names Brooklyn, the housemates decide to bond prior to Ryan's departure with a group trip to Atlantic City, where their experiences include a stay at the Borgata Hotel & Casino, attempts at gambling that meet with mixed results, Ryan pondering his future with Belle, Devyn's attempt to have fun despite being too young to gamble, and an awkward moment when Chet tries to rouse a sleeping Devyn. Ryan begins preparations for his tour of duty, as do his housemates, who give him a journal to maintain in Iraq.
The housemates prepare to move out as their stay in the house nears its end. Scott, Baya and Devyn plan to stay in New York, and move in together as roommates. Ryan prepares to report for active duty as part of Operation: Iraqi Freedom, but not before getting into an altercation at a bar. The women engage in one last war of pranks, with J.D. caught in the middle, and Ryan reacting with outrage. Despite the conflict, the group bonds one last time over Ryan's guitar music on their last night together, and enjoys some emotional exchanges as they each leave the loft the next day.
, featured all eight housemates. Ryan, whose appearance was a surprise to the other seven, is set to leave for Fort Bragg, North Carolina
before leaving for Iraq
. Sarah and J.D. returned to San Francisco and Miami, respectively, while Kat has gotten a job as an I.T.
specialist at the University of Montana. Baya has been producing music and deejaying while living with Scott and Devyn in New York City. Among the topics discussed are how life has changed for the cast, the argument in the season finale, Sarah and Kat's unresolved issues with J.D., the gender conflict in the house, with Ryan and Chet taking issue with what they saw as Sarah's lack of sincerity and prejudice, and the cast's feelings about Ryan's recall. It is revealed that Ryan and Belle broke up, and that he and Baya are in a relationship.
Chet Cannon later appeared in the 2010 VH1 Presents program, The New Viriginity, which explores the pop culture movement in which young people declare their chastity, including entertainers and other public figures who make it a part of their public persona.
for "Outstanding Reality Program" during the 21st GLAAD Media Awards
.
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series The Real World
The Real World
The Real World is a reality television program on MTV originally produced by Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathan Murray. First broadcast in 1992, the show, which was inspired by the 1973 PBS documentary series An American Family, is the longest-running program in MTV history and one of the...
, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras document their lives and interpersonal relationships. It is the third season of the show to be set in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, though the first to be set in the borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, as previous seasons, 1992's The Real World: New York
The Real World: New York
The Real World is the first season of MTV's reality television series The Real World, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras follow their lives and interpersonal...
and 2001's The Real World: Back to New York
The Real World: Back to New York
The Real World: Back to New York is the tenth season of MTV's reality television series The Real World, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras follow their lives and interpersonal relationships...
, were filmed in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. The season was aired as 13 one-hour episodes. MTV announced the location in May 2008. Filming began August 14, 2008, and concluded November 24, 2008. The series premiered January 7, 2009, and garnered an 18% increase in ratings over the previous season with 2.3 million viewers. The premiere was made available on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
on January 8. On January 4, MTV aired a special called The Real World: Secrets Revealed that documents the evolution of the series over the years.
Prior to the beginning of the season Jon Murray, co-creator of The Real World, and Chairman and President of Bunim-Murray Productions, explained the choice of Brooklyn: "The Brooklyn season, like the Hollywood season, will focus on what people loved about 'The Real World' when it launched in 1992 - genuine people, meaningful conflict and powerful stories...We're thrilled that MTV is allowing 'The Real World' turn 21!" Cast member Chet Cannon remarked on the city that was his home for three months, "Brooklyn is usually spoken of as more a place where you don’t want to go — I just don’t want to get shot down here."
Anthony Swofford
Anthony Swofford
Anthony Swofford is a writer and former United States Marine known for being the author of the book Jarhead, published in 2003, which is primarily based on his accounts of various situations encountered in the first Gulf War. This memoir was the basis of the 2005 movie of the same name, directed...
, author of Jarhead
Jarhead (book)
Jarhead is a Gulf War memoir by author Anthony Swofford. After leaving military service, the author went on to college and earned a Masters Degree in Fine Arts at the University of Iowa.- Synopsis :...
, makes an appearance this season when cast member Ryan Conklin attends a meeting of Iraq Veterans Against the War
Iraq Veterans Against the War
Iraq Veterans Against the War is an advocacy group of active-duty United States military personnel, Iraq War veterans, Afghanistan War veterans, and other veterans who have served since the September 11, 2001 attacks who are opposed to the U.S. occupation of Iraq...
.
In 2010 the season was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award
GLAAD Media Awards
The GLAAD Media Award is an accolade bestowed by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to recognize and honor various branches of the media for their outstanding representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives...
.
Season changes
Almost every season of The Real World, beginning with its fifth seasonThe Real World: Miami
The Real World: Miami is the fifth season of MTV's reality television series The Real World, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras follow and document their lives and interpersonal relationships...
, has included the assignment of a season-long group job or task to the housemates, continued participation in which has been mandatory to remain part of the cast since the Back to New York season. However, no group assignment is given to the cast this season; the castmates are free to pursue their own interests, the first such season to do this since the fourth season
The Real World: London
The Real World: London is the fourth season of MTV's reality television series The Real World, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras follow and document their lives and interpersonal relationships...
. The group assignment returned the following season, though producer Jon Murray indicated a desire to dispense with the group assignment again with The Real World: Washington D.C.
Brooklyn is the first season of the series to feature eight cast members moving into the residence together in the premiere. (All previous seasons premiered with seven-member casts, and only introduced new cast members when the departure of others during production necessitated replacements.) This number remains in subsequent seasons. It is also the first season to include an openly transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
cast member, Katelynn Cusanelli.
This is the first season, and the first MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
series, to be broadcast in high definition.
The residence
It was originally reported that the cast would be staying at the BellTel Lofts in Downtown Brooklyn, but problems obtaining permits for the construction required MTV to seek a new location. The production chose Pier 41 at 204 Van Dyke Street in the Red HookRed Hook, Brooklyn
Red Hook is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 6. It is also the location where the transatlantic liner, the , docks in New York City.- History :...
area of Brooklyn. Pier 41 was also used as the setting for a bar scene in the 2005 Will Smith
Will Smith
Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. , also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood...
film, Hitch
Hitch (film)
Hitch is a 2005 romantic comedy film directed by Andy Tennant and starring Will Smith. The film, which was written by Kevin Bisch, co-stars Eva Mendes, Kevin James, and Amber Valletta. Smith plays a professional matchmaker who makes a living teaching men how to woo women...
. This marked the second time a pier was used as a season residence for the cast after 1998's The Real World: Seattle
The Real World: Seattle
The Real World: Seattle is the seventh season of MTV's reality television series The Real World, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras follow their lives and interpersonal relationships. First airing in 1998, the...
.
Cast
The cast included a trans womanTrans woman
A trans woman is a male-to-female transsexual or transgender person and the term trans woman is preferred by some individuals over various medical terms. Other non-medical terms include t-girl, tg-girl and ts-girl...
, Katelynn Cusanelli, a first for the series. The cast was photographed publicly for the first time at a Semi Precious Weapons
Semi Precious Weapons
Semi Precious Weapons is a rock band from New York City consisting of Justin Tranter on vocals, Stevy Pyne on guitar, Cole Whittle on bass and Dan Crean on drums. Pyne replaced former guitarist, Aaron Lee Tasjan, in November 2008...
Fashion Week
Fashion Week
A fashion week is a fashion industry event, lasting approximately one week, which allows fashion designers, brands or "houses" to display their latest collections in runway shows and buyers and the media to take a look at the latest trends. Most importantly, these events let the industry know...
party at the Manhattan club Rebel in early September 2008.
| Cast Member | Hometown | Biography | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197... |
Baya, like Chet, is from Salt Lake City, but is not a Mormon, which has caused her to feel isolated in her hometown. Raised by hippie Hippie The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's... parents, she is a dedicated hip-hop DJ who aspires to be a dancer, and has been described as "the token cute white female" and "laid back", though she suffers from panic attacks. She is active in social and environmental causes. |
|
| 23 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Chet has been described as a "punk rock Punk rock Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock... Mormon Mormon The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity... ", a "hipster Hipster (contemporary subculture) Hipsters are a subculture of young, recently settled urban middle class adults and older teenagers with musical interests mainly in alternative rock that appeared in the 1990s... " and "straight as an arrow", who eschews alcohol and premarital sex. He is a conservative Republican Republican Party (United States) The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S... , (one of two among the housemates, along with Scott), a University of Utah University of Utah The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest... fraternity member with nine siblings, and an occasional prankster. He is an aspiring TV host, and his stated goal on the series is to "show people that Mormons are fun." Chet becomes best friends with Ryan. |
|
| 20 | Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties... |
Devyn was Miss American Teen in 2005, and a Miss Missouri Teen. She is a black woman who has been described as a flirtatious diva who likes attention at clubs and on stage, and a sexual person who likes to tease men, and juggle multiple suitors. She is a theatre and music studies major at the University of South Florida University of South Florida The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA... who hopes to work in the entertainment industry. She is close to her mother, and was close to her late grandmother. |
|
| 22 | Miami Beach, Florida Miami Beach, Florida Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper... |
JD is a half Cuban Cubans Cubans or Cuban people are the inhabitants or citizens of Cuba. Cuba is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds... , half Puerto Rican Puerto Rican people A Puerto Rican is a person who was born in Puerto Rico.Puerto Ricans born and raised in the continental United States are also sometimes referred to as Puerto Ricans, although they were not born in Puerto Rico... gay Gay Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian".... man who, along with his brothers and sister, suffered violent physical abuse at the hands of his father, and lived on welfare. He ran away from home at thirteen, spending some time in foster care, and ensured that his father was repeatedly sent to jail for his abuse. He feels his experiences made him a stronger, independent person. The first among his four siblings to graduate from high school, he put himself through college at the University of Miami University of Miami The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12... , and now works as a dolphin Dolphin Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating... trainer, a dream job he first envisioned in a trip to SeaWorld SeaWorld SeaWorld is a United States chain of marine mammal parks, oceanariums, and animal theme parks owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The parks feature captive orca, sea lion, and dolphin shows and zoological displays featuring various other marine animals. There are operations in Orlando,... at age five. A high school competitive swimmer, he became one of the youngest dolphin trainers at Miami Seaquarium Miami Seaquarium The Miami Seaquarium is a oceanarium located on the island of Virginia Key in Biscayne Bay, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States and is located near downtown Miami. It is the longest operating oceanarium in the United States. In addition to the marine mammals, the Miami Seaquarium also... at nineteen. He came out Coming out Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.... to his parents about his sexuality at sixteen, and because of this, he immediately bonds with Katelynn, who confides her transgender status only to him in the premiere. |
|
| 24 | West Palm Beach, Florida West Palm Beach, Florida West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida... |
Katelynn, or Kat, is an Italian-American trans woman Trans woman A trans woman is a male-to-female transsexual or transgender person and the term trans woman is preferred by some individuals over various medical terms. Other non-medical terms include t-girl, tg-girl and ts-girl... who had a rough childhood. She first realized her gender variance in high school and began living as a woman at 17, which was difficult given her rigid, Sicilian family. She began her transition almost five years prior to moving into the Real World house, and completed her gender reassignment surgery in Thailand Thailand Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the... in July 2008. She is a self-described computer geek, and holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. She has a boyfriend named Mike whom she hopes to marry. In the season premiere, she initially reveals her transgender status only to JD, though she eventually comes into conflict with him over this and other matters, and reveals her status to the others. She has lost three close friends to AIDS AIDS Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus... , which inspires her charity work. |
|
| 23 | Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Gettysburg is a borough that is the county seat, part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, and the eponym for the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. The town hosts visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park and has 3 institutions of higher learning: Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg College, and... |
Ryan was in the Army United States Army The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services... for three and a half years, having been inspired by the September 11 Attacks to enlist at the age of 17. He spent a year in Iraq Iraq Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.... , guarded Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003... at his trial Trial of Saddam Hussein thumb|300 px| Saddam Hussein sits before an Iraqi judge at a courthouse in Baghdad, 1 July 2004.The Trial of Saddam Hussein was the trial of the deposed President of Iraq Saddam Hussein by the Iraqi Interim Government for crimes against humanity during his time in office.The Coalition Provisional... , and suffered a number of near-death experiences. He suffers from knee problems and posttraumatic stress as a result of his tour of duty. He expresses these experiences through his guitar playing, and in a 300-page single-space typed journal. He is described by The Brooklyn Paper as "the fun one" in the premiere. His experiences in Iraq made him highly critical of the war's execution, and hopes a victory for Barack Obama Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in... in the 2008 Presidential Election will preclude his being recalled to Iraq. He is an aspiring filmmaker who hopes to study at the University of Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of... , and a class clown who plays pranks. He has a girlfriend named Belle. His brother Aaron is a military police officer in the Army Reserves, and they have two cousins in the Army as well. He learns in Episode 11 that he is being recalled to active duty. |
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| 22 | San Francisco, California California California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area... |
Sarah is an artist who suffered sexual abuse by a teacher and inappropriate behavior by her father, whom she has tried unsuccessfully to have imprisoned, and to whom she has not spoken for eight years, a silence that is broken when he calls her in Episode 4. She has dedicated herself to advocate for survivors of abuse as an art therapist. She hopes to show her art in a gallery, and recently began a relationship with a man to whom her mother introduced her, one of her first heterosexual relationships, as most of her prior ones were with women, though she prefers not to label her sexual orientation Sexual orientation Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,... . Sarah, whose appearance is described to be that of a "tattooed punk", is observed by The Brooklyn Paper to be the only cast member with an interest in anyone else on a deeper level in the premiere, as contrasted with the gossip-like focus of the other castmates' discussions. |
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| 23 | Salem, New Hampshire Salem, New Hampshire Salem is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 28,776 at the 2010 census. Salem is a marketing and distributing center north of Boston, with a major amusement attraction, Canobie Lake Park, and a large shopping mall, the Mall at Rockingham Park.- History :The... |
Scott is a personal trainer, model and actor who has been working out since the age of 14. He recently received the designation of having the "best abs on the East Coast", and was featured in Men's Health Men's Health (magazine) Men's Health , published by Rodale Inc. in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, United States, is the world’s largest men’s magazine brand, with 44 editions around the world. It is also the best-selling men's magazine on U.S. newsstands. It covers fitness, nutrition, sexuality, lifestyle and other aspects of... magazine. The first in his family to graduate from college, he educates the public on health and fitness with his website. Along with Chet, he is one of two Republicans in the house. |
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: Age at time of filming.
Episodes
- Episode 1. "Brooklyn Bridging"
- Premiered January 7, 2009
The cast assembles at Pier 41 for the first time. Ryan, sensing that there is something "definitely different" about Katelynn, speculates that she is a trans woman
Trans woman
A trans woman is a male-to-female transsexual or transgender person and the term trans woman is preferred by some individuals over various medical terms. Other non-medical terms include t-girl, tg-girl and ts-girl...
. The women, especially Devyn, notice how attractive Scott is. Ryan's drinking causes concern for the others when they enjoy a night out together. He later discusses the effect of his time in Iraq, and how he channels it into his journal and music. J.D., who is gay, bonds with Kat, causing further conflict with Ryan, who perceives them to be excluding the others. Kat does not perceive Ryan to be the type of person who would be accepting if she came out to him, but because of the painful experiences that both she and J.D. experienced, they form an emotional rapport.
- Episode 2. "The Outs And Ins of Brooklyn"
- Premiered January 14, 2009
Kat comes out to Sarah and Baya. Ryan takes umbrage with some of the topical discussions among the others. The housemates take issue with Chet's pranks, but when J.D. talks to Chet about Chet having gone through his belongings, Chet denies the accusation, and is offended at the others talking about this outside his presence. Baya pursues her dance aspirations. A trip to a gay bar
Gay bar
A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender clientele; the term gay is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBT and queer communities...
proves interesting for Chet and Ryan. The cast enjoys a visit from Chet's family. J.D. deals with the identity theft
Identity theft
Identity theft is a form of stealing another person's identity in which someone pretends to be someone else by assuming that person's identity, typically in order to access resources or obtain credit and other benefits in that person's name...
committed against him by his father. Comments about immigrants from a drunken J.D. lead to a heated argument with Chet, and a subsequent discussion about family.
- Episode 3. "The BFF-O-Meter"
- Premiered January 21, 2009
Ryan pursues his professional musical interests, making contacts at a bar owned by Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
. Kat deals with the difficulties of her long-distance relationship with her boyfriend, Mike, and looks elsewhere for companionship. Devyn and Scott, who regard each other as "BFF
BFF
BFF may stand for:* Backup-file Format, a data archive format used by IBM AIX* Bangladesh Football Federation, the governing body of football in Bangladesh* Ben Folds Five, a now defunct American rock band* Best friends forever, a close friendship...
"'s, express their mutual attraction through flirting, but Devin is frustrated by what she sees as mixed signals by Scott, and questions regarding whether or not he is single. Baya, Chet and Ryan meet with an agency named Crush Management in order to further their aspirations. Baya and Ryan flirt with each other, and he joins her and the other girls in a pole dancing workout class, but they have different ideas about their relationship.
- Episode 4. "Daddy Dearest and the Dueling Divas"
- Premiered January 28, 2009
Devyn pursues her acting and music aspirations, but not without complications. Chet explores his romantic opportunities with a woman named Alex, even though they may conflict with his religious beliefs. Sarah discusses the childhood sexual abuse she suffered the hands of a teacher and inappropriate behavior from her father, to whom she hasn't spoken in eight years, an issue that becomes more immediate when she receives unwanted phone calls from him that greatly disturb her. A drunken J.D. outs Katelynn to Chet, and insults Devyn, offending all three of them, and leading to an impromptu sing-off between Devyn and another female singer at a club.
- Episode 5. "Friends and Enemies"
- Premiered February 4, 2009
Scott, in the aftermath of the breakup from his girlfriend, Marissa, sees a number of women, inspiring gossip and parody
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
among Devyn and the others. Ryan's pranks lead to a retaliation by J.D., and a heated argument. Chet pursues his aspirations of being a TV host, and receives some constructive criticism, a disappointing surprise when he visits the filming location of Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
, and an interview with Pete Wentz. The suicide of one of Ryan's Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
friends gives him cause to discuss the posttraumatic stress disorder that afflicts some of his fellow soldiers, his own traumatic memories of the Iraq War, and how the September 11 Attacks led to his enlistment. He also discusses the effect on him of the seventh anniversary, ceremonies for which he plans to attend.
- Episode 6. "Battle of the Sexes"
- Premiered February 11, 2009
Kat's expression of her newfound comfort with her body causes discomfort for her housemates, including Ryan, who learns of her transgender status by eavesdropping on her during her confessional. Kat, J.D. and Sarah participate in Braking the Cycle, a charity bike ride from Ryan's hometown of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg is a borough that is the county seat, part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, and the eponym for the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. The town hosts visitors to the Gettysburg National Military Park and has 3 institutions of higher learning: Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg College, and...
to Brooklyn to raise AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
/HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
awareness. The entire cast goes to Gettysburg to support the trio and to meet Ryan's family, but conflict is generated by the girls' tardiness, Kat's behavior at a restaurant, and Chet's behavior at the event's opening ceremony. This also leads to a heated argument between J.D. and Devyn. Kat comes out to Devyn, but is still ambivalent about doing so with Ryan, who wonders why she has not done so yet, and decides to pursue the matter more directly. Kat is honest with him, but later is angered by both his and J.D.'s indiscretion.
- Episode 7. "Of Mice and Devyn's Men"
- Premiered February 18, 2009
A mouse infestation disturbs the housemates and provides fodder for pranks. Devyn juggles calls and emails from a suitor named Jim, and a visit from David, whom she refers to as her "semi-fiancé", and at other times as a "friend" who is in love with her. They try to work on their relationship, but Chet does not approve of her seeing two men. Ryan's girlfriend Belle comes for a visit, causing Ryan to consider the unwelcome possibility of being recalled to Iraq. Devyn ultimately decides she's not ready to be in a relationship with David or anyone else.
- Episode 8. "Angry Boys and Dirty Girls"
- Premiered February 25, 2009
The men, particularly J.D., object to the women's refusal to help maintain cleanliness around the loft, as well as with other issues stemming from Devyn and Sarah's behavior, but the women refuse to accept the chores in question or agree to a house meeting. Ryan pursues his filmmaking interests, as does Sarah with the art therapy
Art therapy
Because of its dual origins in art and psychotherapy, art therapy definitions vary. They commonly either lean more toward the ART art-making process as therapeutic in and of itself, "art as therapy," or focus on the psychotherapeutic transference process between the therapist and the client who...
classes she teaches at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center. The group's feud over cleanliness eventually escalates into heated arguments, and violence on J.D.'s part.
- Episode 9. "Dilators, Dresses and Bow Ties"
- Premiered March 4, 2009
Chet asks Kat about her transgender transition, but she is not appreciative of the disrespectful tone his questions take. Devyn pursues a job with a dress designer, and tries to help Sarah with a modeling job. Chet conducts an interview at Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, and further pursues his VJ dreams, but all does not go as planned. Baya, who continues her dance training, explains why she did not accept the dance conservatory's offer, but the military-trained Ryan thinks that her resilience in the face of difficulty could use improvement. Kat launches a website to promote openness and awareness among the transgender community, sparking a more serious conversation on the topic between her and Chet.
- Episode 10. "Pole Dancing and Pedro"
- Premiered March 11, 2009
The cast is invited to a private screening of Pedro
Pedro (film)
Pedro is a 2008 American film about the openly gay, Cuban-American AIDS educator and television personality, Pedro Zamora, who became famous as a castmember on MTV's reality television series, The Real World: San Francisco. It was produced by Bunim-Murray Productions, the same company that produces...
, a feature film about Pedro Zamora
Pedro Zamora
Pedro Pablo Zamora was a Cuban-American AIDS educator and television personality...
, the late AIDS activist and cast member of The Real World: San Francisco
The Real World: San Francisco
The Real World: San Francisco is the third season of MTV's reality television series The Real World, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras follow their lives and interpersonal relationships...
, and is asked to promote and host a screening for a larger group, but Chet is offended at the reasons given for why he should not be one of the hosts. Scott's family visits to celebrate his 24th birthday, along with his roommates, but Kat, who is broke, needs to work that night. This leads to a series of pranks by an offended Scott, and a heated argument. Kat eventually realizes that she does not have enough money to stay in the house, and resolves to leave, but Scott comes to her aid by giving her $1,500 to pay her bills.
- Episode 11. "Saving a Private Ryan"
- Premiered March 18, 2009
Ryan, whose experiences in the Iraq War have made him highly critical of its execution, hopes a Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
victory in the 2008 United States Presidential election will preclude a return to Iraq. He attends a meeting of Iraq Veterans Against the War
Iraq Veterans Against the War
Iraq Veterans Against the War is an advocacy group of active-duty United States military personnel, Iraq War veterans, Afghanistan War veterans, and other veterans who have served since the September 11, 2001 attacks who are opposed to the U.S. occupation of Iraq...
, where Anthony Swofford
Anthony Swofford
Anthony Swofford is a writer and former United States Marine known for being the author of the book Jarhead, published in 2003, which is primarily based on his accounts of various situations encountered in the first Gulf War. This memoir was the basis of the 2005 movie of the same name, directed...
, author of Jarhead
Jarhead (book)
Jarhead is a Gulf War memoir by author Anthony Swofford. After leaving military service, the author went on to college and earned a Masters Degree in Fine Arts at the University of Iowa.- Synopsis :...
, speaks. He also seeks help from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America , is an advocacy group dedicated to United States veterans of the War in Iraq and War in Afghanistan. The group claims to be the nation's first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars and has more than 200,000 Member Veterans...
(IAVA) for his knees, and for posttraumatic stress, from which some of his friends and housemates suspect he suffers, in part after seeing his short film, No More Tomorrow, in which his character commits suicide. On Election Night, Ryan, J.D., Kat and Sarah are elated at Obama's victory, but Scott and Chet, the lone Republicans and John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
voters in the house, are offended at some of their behavior, leading to more pranks. Ryan and a war buddy march in the Veteran's Day Parade, and discuss a fallen comrade. The housemates attend an IAVA gala. Ryan is crushed to learn he's being recalled to active duty.
- Episode 12. "Atlantic City, Baby!"
- Premiered March 25, 2009
Ryan and the others deal with the news that he has been recalled for a one-year deployment in Iraq. After Devyn buys a Yorkshire terrier
Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier is a small dog breed of terrier type, developed in the 19th century in the county of Yorkshire, England to catch rats in clothing mills. The defining features of the breed are its size, to , and its silky blue and tan coat...
she names Brooklyn, the housemates decide to bond prior to Ryan's departure with a group trip to Atlantic City, where their experiences include a stay at the Borgata Hotel & Casino, attempts at gambling that meet with mixed results, Ryan pondering his future with Belle, Devyn's attempt to have fun despite being too young to gamble, and an awkward moment when Chet tries to rouse a sleeping Devyn. Ryan begins preparations for his tour of duty, as do his housemates, who give him a journal to maintain in Iraq.
- Episode 13. "Saying Goodbye"
- Premiered April 1, 2009
The housemates prepare to move out as their stay in the house nears its end. Scott, Baya and Devyn plan to stay in New York, and move in together as roommates. Ryan prepares to report for active duty as part of Operation: Iraqi Freedom, but not before getting into an altercation at a bar. The women engage in one last war of pranks, with J.D. caught in the middle, and Ryan reacting with outrage. Despite the conflict, the group bonds one last time over Ryan's guitar music on their last night together, and enjoys some emotional exchanges as they each leave the loft the next day.
After filming
The Real World: Brooklyn Reunion premiered on April 1, 2009, following the premiere of the season finale. The program, hosted by Maria MenounosMaria Menounos
Maria Menounos is a Greek-American actress, journalist, and television presenter known in America for her appearances as a correspondent for Today, Access Hollywood, Extra, and abroad for co-hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 in Athens, Greece.-Early life and beauty pageants:Menounos, a...
, featured all eight housemates. Ryan, whose appearance was a surprise to the other seven, is set to leave for Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
before leaving for Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. Sarah and J.D. returned to San Francisco and Miami, respectively, while Kat has gotten a job as an I.T.
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
specialist at the University of Montana. Baya has been producing music and deejaying while living with Scott and Devyn in New York City. Among the topics discussed are how life has changed for the cast, the argument in the season finale, Sarah and Kat's unresolved issues with J.D., the gender conflict in the house, with Ryan and Chet taking issue with what they saw as Sarah's lack of sincerity and prejudice, and the cast's feelings about Ryan's recall. It is revealed that Ryan and Belle broke up, and that he and Baya are in a relationship.
Chet Cannon later appeared in the 2010 VH1 Presents program, The New Viriginity, which explores the pop culture movement in which young people declare their chastity, including entertainers and other public figures who make it a part of their public persona.
Real World/Road Rules Challenges
| Cast Member | RW/RR Challenges Real World/Road Rules Challenge The Challenge is a reality television game show on MTV that is both dependent on and spun off from the network's two flagship reality shows, The Real World and the now cancelled series, Road Rules. It is currently hosted by T.J... |
Challenges Won |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | |
| The Ruins Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins Real World Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins is the eighteenth season of the MTV reality television game show, Real World/Road Rules Challenge, and follows The Duel 2. The Ruins took place in Phuket, Thailand, with former cast members from MTV's The Real World and Road Rules competing along with... , Cutthroat The Challenge: Cutthroat The Challenge: Cutthroat is the twentieth season of the MTV reality television game show, The Challenge, and follows Fresh Meat II. Filmed in Prague, Czech Republic, Cutthroat features a first-ever three-team format, with cast members from The Real World, Road Rules, Fresh Meat, Fresh Meat II and... |
None | |
| - | - | |
| Cutthroat | None | |
| Fresh Meat II The Challenge: Fresh Meat 2 The Challenge: Fresh Meat II is the nineteenth season of the MTV reality television game show, The Challenge, and the sequel to Fresh Meat... , Rivals The Challenge: Rivals The Challenge: Rivals is the twenty-first season of the MTV reality television game show, The Challenge, and follows Cutthroat. It takes place in Costa Rica, Argentina and Patagonia, with former cast members from MTV's The Real World, Fresh Meat, Fresh Meat II and the Spring Break Challenge competing... |
None | |
| - | - | |
| The Ruins, Fresh Meat II, Cutthroat, Rivals | None | |
| - | - | |
- Challenge in bold indicates that the contestant was a finalist on The Challenge, but lost in the final race.
Awards
In 2010, The Real World: Brooklyn was nominated for a GLAAD Media AwardGLAAD Media Awards
The GLAAD Media Award is an accolade bestowed by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to recognize and honor various branches of the media for their outstanding representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives...
for "Outstanding Reality Program" during the 21st GLAAD Media Awards
21st GLAAD Media Awards
The 21st GLAAD Media Awards was the 2010 annual presentation of the media awards presented by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. The awards seek to honor films, television shows, musicians and works of journalism that fairly and accurately represent the LGBT community and issues...
.