The Real World: Brooklyn

I just caught the trailer for the new season of the Real World.

(Hate to admit it, but I happened to be watching Bromance when it came on.)

I haven't really watched the show in a long time, but this season actually looks REALLY interesting.

First off, it's the first season ever to feature a transexual. I'm really curious to see how everything goes down.

Secondly, they're no longer mandating that the cast members perform some inane job together, and instead are allowing them to pursue their own interests like in the original Real World seasons.

Hopefully the series is going to return to its roots of showing a diverse group of "real" people dealing with real issues. The series in the past decade has pretty much devolved into an annoying drunken f*ckfest, which at first was fun (Real World: Las Vegas), but became tiring very quickly.

It's probably been overlooked by the general public, but back in the day, I think the Real World was life and world-changing in its ability to break down a lot stereotypes for young people. I know for me, personally, Real World: New Orleans remains one of the most life-changing events of my life.



The New Orleans season aired in 2000, a truly momentous time. Freshman year of college. And Danny (center) was the first Real World cast member who wasn't a huge queeny stereotypical gay, and he was just newly going through the coming-out process, so it was an incredible inspiration to myself and I'm sure to many other little gays all around the country who didn't feel like they identified with the gay community at the time.

I remember my jaw dropping during the first episode when Danny told Melissa he was gay. Here was this totally normal-seeming straight-acting great-looking guy, and no-one saw it coming.

I remember watching that season so intently. I remember going home on breaks, and watching the show, but quickly changing the channel if my parents walked into the room, as if I were watching porn or something and that they would immediately figure it all out.

For me, Danny was the first real gay person I'd ever known. He paved the way for so many of us, and he made it ok.

For better or worse, the Real World revolutionized television. I really hope Real World: Brooklyn does for trannies what Danny did for people my age.

Also I hope someone gets really drunk and accidentally hooks up with the tranny.