When “The Real World” debuted twenty years ago, it was about seven reasonably intelligent strangers trying to make their way in New York City. Now the show is about people too stupid to recognize a terrible, exploitative contract. The Village Voice obtained the standard contract for cast members, and some of the stipulations are absolutely brazen in their subhuman treatment of cast members. Some choice examples:
• You may die, lose limbs, and suffer nervous breakdowns. (Stipulation 1)
• You grant the Producer blanket rights to your life story. (49)
• The Producer can do pretty much anything they want with your life story, including misrepresent it. (49)
• You may be humiliated and explicitly portrayed “in a false light.” (12)
• You can’t change your physical appearance during filming, without the Producer’s express permission. (26)
• The production crew can show up at your personal house at any time to film and/or to take anything they want, as long as they return the objects once production has ended. (20a)
• The Producer holds the authorship and copyright to every photograph, email, website, sound or video recording, documented performance created in relation to the program, on every medium imaginable. (8)
• You’re obligated to participate in a Reunion Special for up to five years after the show ends, you’ll be paid $2500 for your involvement, and the Producer only has to give you 14 days notice. (50c) [VV via the 20s]
And yet none of that is as bad as this combination:
• Producers are under no obligation to conduct background checks on your fellow cast members. (7)
• Interacting with other cast members carries the risk of “non-consensual physical contact” and should you contract AIDS, etc. during such an interaction, MTV is not responsible. (7)
That’s right: MTV has no obligation to do background checks on prospective cast members, but if you get raped and contract AIDS from another cast member, it’s your fault.
Everyone on this show is a f**cking idiot.
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“Where do I sign?? I’m gonna be on the TV!” – Everyone under 26 in this country.
holy shit
I’m guessing “non-consensual physical contact” is more geared towards punches and the like, but neatly worded so rape falls under it.
No background checks and I can give the ladies AIDS? C’mon posi pals, free rapes for ere’one!
To be fair, “non-consentual physical contact” could also describe getting punched in the face. Not that anybody on one of those shows would get retarded drunk and try to punch people….
“• The production crew can show up at your personal house at any time to film and/or to take anything they want, as long as they return the objects once production has ended. (20a)”
Sure just take anything you want, just return it. Fuck that shit, and fuck that shit 2X about not conducting background checks.
@Garrett
I looked at that provision and it seems pretty clearly to refer to sex, since it explicitly linked the risk of STD to the contact, unless a punch can give you Herpes.
/new excuse
I sort of understand the HIV/AIDS point, considering the most compelling season involved an HIV positive cast member, and because there’s no way MTV producers understand how HIV is transmitted.
The Real World: Lincoln Park. Hide your kids!
I’m actually curious to see how many would still sign up if it said “You WILL contract AIDS while participating in this show”. Ah, who am I kidding, they’d all still do it. Live fast and die young, right? I sear to God, I really hope that phrase becomes literal and all these assholes do die young. Drugs, Booze, STDS, or obesity. I don’t care. My dream is for things to become a real life version of “Children of Men”, except now we know the reason the young die off is because parents didn’t raise them right, they do the wrong things, and clock out on their own merit.
Pedro already did this.
It’s not the AIDS, it’s the “etc.” you’ve got to worry about
@ Steve: You’re talking about Snooki and Pauly D, and they’re millionaires.
Is it too late to start watching?
What do you want to bet that most cast members barely even read the contract?
Not that it gives MTV an excuse to be so douchey.
Part of stipulation 49 allowed the producers to hire actors to portray you, in their aforementioned fuzzy retelling of your life.
As long as all the participants get raped and contact AIDS, I don’t care who’s responsible.
A former Real World cast member works in my office. He is as annoying and intolerable as he is stupid.
MOAR RAPE PLEEZ!
re: “non-consensual physical contact” potentially being punched – last time i checked, i don’t get aids if somebody punches me in the face…
@ct — then you’re not doing it right.
Hey kids. Remember the 80′s? What you weren’t born: Oh let me tell you about it then.
When video cameras first started to emerge in the hands of the American family, there would always be one dipshit at every family gathering who simply could not put the fucking thing down. Whether he filmed himself or you or dogshit. “Hey here’s Steve and uh, looks like he doesn’t wanna be filmed haha do you Stevieeeee – oh ok. Well we’ll just head back here and see who else is – Daaaaaaaaaaaad”. Once everyone was good and fucking annoyed he would film himself. Which was what it was all about to begin with.
In the 80′s there was one dipshit of this variety in every family gathering.
Today every single kid ages 14-22 IS this dipshit. These kids have literally rehearsed their entire lives for MTV to come and say “you could get raped and get aids but we’ll film you 24/7″. It’s a dream come true to them because they can continue to monologue into cameras they just dont have to hold them.
A former Real World cast member works in my office. He is as annoying and intolerable as he is stupid.
Is he as annoying and stupid as former Real World castmember and current congressman Sean Duffy? The guy who complained about how he’s not getting paid enough, with his measly $174,000 congressional salary?
Consensual? What about sensual? Amiright Julie from season 1?
Particpants probably just have to click accept the terms of use, so no wonder anyone ever reads that shit..
Also.. how does anyone contract AIDS? As far as I know you can only contract HIV which later causes AIDS.. just sayin’
We need a real lawyer to vett this for us.
Danger Guerrero, do you know any?
Hell, I’ve got a 15 year old girl that has already stolen one our vehicles 2x, and is about to go to court to face a charge of felony shoplifting. Just found out the sex started at 14 and had 6 partners…I think there are a couple of shows MTV would love to have her on, and she would sign up in a heartbeat! They think they are invincible now.
This is the true story (true story) of 7 strangers picked to live in a house who also all have AIDS (AIDS) . Find out when people stop being polite (‘fuck you mutha fucka’) and start being rape victims (‘PLEASE no!’). The Real World: Rikers Island
@ Bulldog – I do not envy your situation.
@poon-it’s the suckiest thing I’ve ever been involved in. Her response to everything is everyone else is doing it-which should scare the hell out of everyone! To be honest, I was NOT an angel growing up but still did it with strait A’s, honor roll, all of the nerd stuff that follows…I used to watch Real World, but when they started acting like my girl, what’s the point. WE ARE LOST WITH HER…
Does the contract say anything about not being responsible for any bakkake incidents?
Remember when they had goblins like Puck on this show instead of rejects from a Gap commercial?
Ya just had to throw that last part after the jump when it was already ruined by the headline, DIDN’T YOU?
Shit, you mean MTV might be underhanded or shady in their production? I am shocked. Based on what makes it to air on that network is anyone surprised? I’m shocked the 16 and pregnant chicks aren’t focibly impregnanted by the producers.
I’m more bothered by the approval of misrepresentation and humiliation than I am the last one.
That is just saying that the contestants can’t sue MTV for something another cast member does. Granted it’s oddly specific, but I’m sure ALL reality shows have a similar clause absolving the production company of liability for the actions of the cast.
I guess since they put black dudes on the show, they have to cover themselves for when said black dude rapes someone* and gives them AIDS
* could be male or female
Joel, Thanks for putting in the post script. Otherwise that might have been offensive.
Joel the Troll; has a ring to it.
No surprise that if this actually happened it would not hold up in court. Some things you can not litigate against by building it into a contract. I’m no big city lawyer [hikes up suspenders] but no court in the country would allow a rape-is-ok clause.
There’d be a suit and an out-of-court settlement.
I’m making sense. I must have had my bott of ripple.
Wow. I guess I was right. We are entering the age of social experiments. I think this is just to see if there are people stupid enough and cheap enough to go ahead and sell their soul for 15 minutes of fame. (Clearly there are plenty, although not ALL of us pre-teen to young adult crowd! I am 23 and definitely would NEVER have signed up for all that EVER!!!) It’s just like the woman who claimed to give her 9 yr old botox. It was all a big ploy just to see how far they can go with media and how people will react. Quite sad actually…
Well it makes sense – Why would MTV be responsible for what two condensing adults do? The people should be responsible for their actions like any adult would. Common sense people.