`Real World' casting call draws hundreds to Penn

Hoping to land a spot on MTV's hit show The Real World, hundreds desperate for stardom lined up outside Mad 4 Mex on Saturday. Producers selected the campus hot spot for the open call of the show's 11th season. The Real World, a hallmark of MTV's programming, throws seven strangers into a house and films the group's interactions for three months. Past shows have been filmed in New Orleans, Los Angeles and Seattle, among other locales. So in an attempt to become one of the next lucky group, some very eager people were in line by 5 a.m. The line extended from the entrance area of the restaurant halfway up Sansom toward 36th Street. Penn and Drexel students, as well as other local residents, spent at least two hours in line for a 10 minute interview with a Real World casting representative. "I felt that they were looking for someone who's outgoing and really had something to say," College sophomore Lauren Sercander said. Three casting representatives were conducting three simultaneous interviews throughout the day. Aspiring stars were interviewed in groups of 10, asked probing questions and given the opportunity to interact with other people in the group. The interview questions asked members of the group to reflect on personal experiences, from Valentine's Day plans to biggest regrets. Wharton sophomore Haben Goitom said that the interviewer "tried to be as controversial as possible and see how people would react." In addition to the interview, all those who tried out were asked to submit a photo and complete an application filled with background information and personal questions. By the end of the day, student assistants reported that they had handed out approximately 750 applications. Only eight or 10 people were called back for individual interviews on camera, which were held yesterday at another location in the Philadelphia area. Mad 4 Mex Assistant Manager David Drachman said that he was pleased about the amount of publicity the restaurant has received as a result of the event. "It's been a great opportunity and a lot of fun," Drachman said. Casting representative Kenny Hull said that he was very pleased with the choice of site. "Philadelphia's a place we've been wanting to come to for a while," Hull said. Hull also described the selection process itself. "You don't need any special talent," said Hull. "All we ask is that you are able to come and talk about yourself in a group setting." The casting representatives stopped interviewing at 6 p.m., and by that time they were forced to turn away people still waiting in line. The turnout was so large that the directors ultimately ran out of applications. Those turned away were given an address where they could send a five-minute video explaining why they wanted to be on the show. The event had been advertised on WYSP and Q102 for the past few weeks, and there have been flyers posted around campus. The Real World has also held open calls in other college towns, such as Princeton and Nashville, Tenn. Some students speculated that there would have most likely been an even stronger Penn turnout had there been more publicity for the event around campus.

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