The Real World: San Francisco

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The Real World: San Francisco
File:RWSFCast.jpg
Cast of the The Real World: San Francisco
Format Reality show
Created by Jonathan Murray, Mary-Ellis Bunim
Starring Pedro Zamora
David "Puck" Rainey
Rachel Campos
Cory Murphy
Judd Winick
Mohammed Bilal
Pam Ling
Jo Rhodes
Country of origin United States
Production
Running time 30 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel MTV
Syndication
Original run Summer 1994 – Fall 1994
Chronology
Preceded by The Real World: Los Angeles
Followed by The Real World: London

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. The San Francisco season premiered on July 6, 1994, and featured the housemates living in a house on Lombard Street in San Francisco, California.

The Real World: San Francisco is noteworthy for the depiction of Pedro Zamora's struggle with AIDS, as well as the confrontations between David "Puck" Rainey and his housemates (most notably Zamora). It was the second season of The Real World to be filmed in California after The Real World: Los Angeles in 1993.

Contents

[edit] Season changes

This season was the first to feature a castmember, Pedro Zamora, dealing with a life-threatening illness. Future seasons would feature castmembers dealing with other illnesses, such as Lyme disease and cystic fibrosis. This is also the first season to feature an Asian American, Pam Ling, and two Cuban Americans, Pedro Zamora and Rachel Campos.

[edit] The residence

The cast lived in a house at 949[1] Lombard Street in San Francisco, California from February 12 to June 19, 1994.[2] The house is located between Leavenworth Street and Jones Street, one block east of the eight sharp turns that have earned the street the distinction of being "the crookedest street in the United States". Production renovated the third and fourth floors of the building for filming. A June 8, 2000 fire caused approximately approximately $2 million in damage to the house. Several years after the fire, the building was completely renovated, and bears only a slight resemblance to its appearance in 1994.[3] The renovations include a second garage on the east side of the house, atop of which sits a patio.[4][5]

[edit] Cast

Cast Member Age1 Hometown Biography RW/RR Challenges
Cory Murphy 20[6] Fresno, California[7] Cory is a junior at the University of California, San Diego, and the most important issue facing her is what she will do after graduation. She works as a hostess at an Italian restaurant, and enjoys the outdoors and photography.[6] She struggles with adapting to life in the city,[8] and though she grows close to Rachel, she feels excluded when Rachel becomes close with Jo.[9] None
Judd Winick 24[10] Long Island, New York[11] Judd is a struggling animator and cartoonist. A cum laude graduate of the University of Michigan, he left had a deal with Universal Press Syndicate, but it was cancelled six months into development. He does freelance cartoon work for greeting cards, flyers and T-shirts.[10] A recurring theme throughout the season is his unsuccessful search for love.[12] None
Mohammed Bilal[11] 24[13] Mohammed is the lead singer and songwriter for Midnight Voices, a band well known throughout the San Francisco Bay area, though he supports himself doing makeovers at The Body Shop and working at his father's dance club, The Upper Room, where he occasionally reads poetry.[13] He also tries to balance this with his schoolwork, and his girlfriend of six months, a ballerina named Stephanie.[14] Mohammed, whom MTV describes as "a mellow, spiritual guy",[13] is a practicing Muslim.[15] None
Pam Ling 26[16] Los Angeles, California[16] Pam is a third-year medical student at the University of California, San Francisco. She was her high school's valedictorian and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard Medical School/Radcliffe. Pam claims that she has never failed at anything in her life and is an extremely motivated perfectionist. She hopes to be a physician who will relate to people's social and spiritual needs as well as their physical ones.[16] She provides health care for the homeless as part of her studies.[17] None
Pedro Zamora 22[18] Miami, Florida[18] Pedro is an openly gay, HIV-positive AIDS educator who lectures publicly on safe sex. He born in Havana, Cuba, and came to the United States in 1980 at age 8 with the Mariel boat lift. Leaving his family behind to move to San Francisco was extremely difficult, but he chose to do so on the insistence of his best friend and roommate, Alex Escarno, who felt he could more easily communicate his message.[19] He is close to his sister Mily.[20] None
David "Puck" Rainey[21][11] 25[22] San Francisco, California[22] Puck is a bicycle messenger who frequently gets into vehicular accidents on his bike. His hobby is racing soap boxes.[22] He is perceived as the rebellious "bad boy" in the cast.[23] He has a sister, and is close to his mother and grandparents.[24] Because of his contentious relationship with the rest of the cast, he is evicted from the house in Episode 11. Road Rules: All Stars, Battle of the Sexes
Rachel Campos 23[25] Tempe, Arizona[26] Rachel graduated from Arizona State University in December 1993 with a degree in International Relations. Though she plans to attend graduate school in the fall Woodrow Wilson Graduate Fellowship, and hopes to be a college professor, she expresses indecision on where she will attend during the season. She is an passionate Republican[25] whose heroes include Jack Kemp.[27] and though Catholic, she is rebellious, as she claims to enjoy upsetting her parents.[28] She concedes that she is sometimes a bad judge of character initially and trusts too easily.[25] She has two brothers[29] and a sister.[30] Judd observes that Rachel likes "bad boys", rather than nice guys, a point that Rachel concedes. It is for this reason that Judd feels Rachel attracted to Puck.[23] After Puck is evicted, Rachel becomes best friends with Jo, who moves in as Puck's replacement, and Judd refers to them as the "high maintenance twins".[31] Road Rules: All Stars
Joanna "Jo" Rhodes[32] London, England[33] Jo moves in after Puck is evicted. She was living in Lake Tahoe prior to joining the cast. She loves the outdoors and extreme sports such as rock climbing. A lifelong independent person, she got married in June 1993, but soon divorced her husband because of abusiveness on his part, and felt he was trying to take her independence away. She filed a restraining order against him. She is now starting over, trying to make it through school on her own, and does not wish any conflict in her life. Her roommate Steve has helped her through her difficult times,[33][34] but Jo does not reciprocate Steve's desire to move beyond friendship.[35] She is a strict vegan[36] who induces vomiting in one episode after learning that food she ate contained meat.[37] The Gauntlet 2

Note 1: Age at the time of filming.

[edit] Episodes

Episode 1. "Planes, Trains and Paddywagons"
Premiered July 6, 1994

Cory Murphy meets with AIDS educator Pedro, whom she immediately likes, but is crestfallen to learn he is has AIDS himself. Liberal Long Island cartoonist Judd meets with Arizona State University graduate Rachel, whom he immediately likes, but his enthusiasm is tempered upon learning that she is a Republican. They are met at the house by med student Pam, and then musician Mohammed. Bike messenger Puck shows up to the house later after having been arrested, and immediately makes an impression with his eccentricity. Pedro reveals his HIV status to the others by showing them his scrapbook as an educator. Although Pam and Cory react positively, Rachel is made uncomfortable by the revelation, and walks away, concerned over how living with someone with AIDS will affect her.[38]

Episode 2. "Love Stinks"
Premiered July 13, 1994

As Valentine's Day nears, Pedro and the others take issue with Puck's lack of manners and hygiene, though Rachel finds him interesting, despite this. The cast attempts to address the hygiene issue during a house meeting, but Puck refuses to accept any of his housemates' suggestions. Pedro and Rachel discuss why she walked away during his scrapbook presentation in the previous episode, which he took as a sign of rejection.[39]

Episode 3. "White Like Me"
Premiered July 20, 1994

Rachel pursues politically-oriented work, sparking a discussion on politics with the others, and ridicule on their part. The cast attends a poetry reading at Mohammed's father's club, where Mohammed reads some of his work, inspiring self-consciousness in Cory, who is still adjusting to life in San Francisco. Pedro begins dating fellow activist Sean, whom he met at a march in Washington DC. Cory's questions about Mohammed's girlfriend, Stephanie, lead to a discussion about race.[40]

Episode 4. "From a Six to a Nine and Back Again"
Premiered July 27, 1994

Judd pursues romantic opportunities. The housemates find difficulty in communicating with Puck. Puck goes to court concerning to address his required drunk driving rehabilitation. He offended when only Rachel attends a soapbox derby function of his, but the cast feel he is playing the victim for not being able to monopolize all of their time. Puck, who has developed a mutual dislike of Pedro, responds by not participating in Pedro's birthday celebration, and developing further conflict with Cory.[41]

Episode 5. "You Gotta Have Art"
Premiered August 4, 1994

Judd shows his cartoons to the San Francisco Examiner and an LA production company, and talks about his career difficulties. Mohammed and Puck disagree over their perceptions about rap music, though Puck is supportive of Mohammed's work. Judd and Pam grow close, and spend time with Christopher, her long-distance boyfriend of eight years. Judd's strip, "Nuts and Bolts", is published in the Examiner.[42]

Episode 6. "Trouble in Paradise"
Premiered August 11, 1994

Judd and Rachel flirt, as do Rachel and Puck. Pedro, who is concerned about the gay jokes the latter two make over the phone, ponders his relationship with Sean. The cast offers their opinions of Rachel's taste in men, but Rachel perceives Puck to be interfering in her life. Rachel's friends visit, providing social opportunities for Puck and Judd, and provoking tension with Rachel.[43]

Episode 7. "Coffee and Sympathy"
Premiered August 18, 1994

Cory, Rachel, Pam and Puck discuss their frustration with their career and education situations. As Puck continues to resolve his legal difficulties, he finds a stray dog and takes it home. Cory sees a man named Jeff, but he may not be right for her.[44]

Episode 8. "Together and Apart"
Premiered August 25, 1994

Pedro and Judd attend a memorial for reporter/author Randy Shilts, who died of AIDS, but are troubled by the presence of anti-gay protesters. As Pedro's CD4 T cells drop, the White House coordinates an NBC interview with him. He speaks at Stanford University, but the cast is frustrated by Puck's monopolization of Pedro's attempts to speak with them, and by Puck's dismissal of Pedro's work.[45]

Episode 9. "Collision Course"
Premiered September 1, 1994

Pedro and Puck's conflict continues, and as Pedro isolates himself from Puck, he finds himself isolating himself from the others by extension. Sean and Pedro get engaged. Puck openly states that he dislikes Pedro, and feels no need to change for him, leading to an emotional group discussion among the others.[46]

Episode 10. "Kiss and Tell"
Premiered September 8, 1994

Rachel's friendship with Puck deteriorates amid the revelation that they kissed on three occasions, and conflict over relationships with others. Puck's relationship with the others also breaks down. They discuss how to deal with Puck over Mohammed's birthday dinner. Puck announces that he and Toni Cook, a girl he and Rachel met in the park, are getting married on Mother's Day.[47]

Episode 11. "Getting Dropped"
Premiered September 15, 1994

A house meeting in which the cast attempts to get Puck cease his abusive and inconsiderate behavior ends in a heated argument, obstinance by Puck, and an ultimatum by Pedro, who threatens to move out if Puck stays. After much soul-searching, the cast decides to evict Puck.[48]

Episode 12. "Rebel, Rebel"
Premiered September 22, 1994

The group adjusts to the more peaceful atmosphere in the house now that Puck has moved out. Rachel discusses her rebellious relationship with her parents. Rachel and Pedro grow closer, and he accompanies her to Arizona to meet her family, and to speak at a local school. Judd hosts a mock episode of This Is Your Life in the house for Pam's birthday, which includes a surprise appearance by Christopher.[49]

Episode 13. "Homecoming"
Premiered September 29, 1994

Pedro goes to Miami for four days to visit his family and friends. Puck meets with Cory, and complains about their eviction of him, prompting a discussion of his manipulation of others. Pedro's best friend, Alex Escarno, questions Pedro's decision to stay in San Francisco with Sean after the show, given his health, which experiences problems during his visit.[50]

Episode 14. "Old Fish, New Fish"
Premiered September 6, 1994

Attempts to spend time with Puck outside the house lead to further discussions about his abusiveness. The cast auditions three people to be their new housemate, and picks Jo Rhodes. An avid rock climber, Jo takes Rachel and Cory rock climbing with her after joining the cast.[51]

Episode 15. "Why Is Love Like An Elevator"
Premiered October 6, 1994

Judd and Rachel continue to explore romantic opportunities. Jo deals with her ex-husband's appeal of the restraining order she has against him.[52]

Episode 16. "Love and Death"
Premiered October 13, 1994

Mohammed and Stephanie break up, but Mohammed finds that he isn't ready to abandon what he has with her. Pedro discusses his work and his future, while his health causes grave concern in the others. After he receives treatment for pneumonia, he improves, and the cast enjoys a horseback riding excursion.[53]

Episode 17. "Hawaii"
Premiered October 20, 1994

The cast is sent on a trip to Maui, where their adventures include surfing lessons that meet with mixed success along gender lines, snorkling instructors that cause tension with Judd, a rain-soaked bicycling trip with an eccentric tour guide, treacherous cliff diving, food that challenges cherished beliefs, and a helicopter tour of the island.[54]

Episode 18. "Just Friends"
Premiered October 27, 1994

Jo struggles with her schoolwork, and with Steve, whose desire to move beyond friendship she does not reciprocate, and who becomes abusive as a result. Cory feels excluded by Rachel and Jo's close friendship. Rachel invites the cast to an Empower America conference, but when Judd comes away with objections to their politics, his comments offend her.[55]

Episode 19. "Love Rules"
Premiered November 3, 1994

Alex Escarno visits for Pedro and Sean's commitment ceremony, but he tries to convince Pedro to move back to Miami with Sean, rather than stay in San Francisco as he plans. Puck invites his former housemates to his soap box derby, but none are interested in attending. During the ceremony, Pedro and Sean exchange vows and wedding bands.[56]

Episode 20. "Last Call"
Premiered November 10, 1994

As the cast's stay in the house nears its end, Cory, Pedro, Judd and Pam decide to take one last group trip to Monterey. Meanwhile, Rachel and Jo continue to bond, and Mohammed concentrates on his music. Puck persistently leaves offensive messages on the cast's answering machine. As the housemates leave the house for good, they reflect on their time together, with some regretting that they did not spend more time together, but are mindful of the effect the experience has had on them.[57]

[edit] After filming

Pedro Zamora fell ill and was hospitalized in New York in October 1994. He was eventually flown to Miami, and was diagnosed with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or PML. He received a phone call from President Bill Clinton, who thanked him for his work, and helped facilitate emigration of his older brothers and sisters, who were flown to Miami from Cuba, reunited them for the first time in 14 years.[58][7] A benefit was held to pay for his medical expenses, at which President Clinton praised Pedro.[59] MTV began a trust in order to pay for Zamora's medical costs, as he had no medical insurance.[58] Zamora passed away on November 11, 1994, hours after the debut airing of The Real World: San Francisco season finale. The money from the benefit was used to form the Pedro Zamora Memorial Fund. His best friend and roommate, Judd Winick, took began to lecture on HIV/AIDS and safe sex for him, and continued to do so for three years. He has explored LGBT issues, including HIV and AIDS, in his work writing comic books such as Green Lantern and Green Arrow, and chronicled his friendship with Zamora in his 2000 autobiographical graphic novel, Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss and What I Learned.

Winick and Ling fell in love during the vigil they kept over Zamora. They married in 2001, and as of 2008, have two children.[60][61]

Rachel Campos appeared on Road Rules: All Stars, and later met Sean Duffy of the Real World: Boston cast. They eventually married, and as of May 2008, have five children.[62] They live in Ashland, Wisconsin,[63] where Sean is the District Attorney of Ashland County.[64]

Puck made a cameo appearance on Road Rules: All Stars, and competed on Battle of the Sexes, during which married his fiancee, Betty, on camera. Spanky Ham, one of the main characters on the reality television spoof Drawn Together has been compared by that show's creators to Rainey.[65]

A 2008 film by Nick Oceano, Pedro, chronicles the life of Pedro Zamora, including his time in the Real World house, and his friendship with housemates Judd Winick and Pam Ling.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Although sources such as Real World Houses give the door number as 953, castmate Cory Murphy notes the door number as 949 when first arriving there with Pedro Zamora in the season premiere. This page at Real World Houses explains that one entrance to the house that leads to the second floor bears the number 949, and an adjacent door, the one facing the street, which leads to the third and fourth floors, bears the numbers 951 and 953.
  2. ^ The dates in which the cast lived in the house are given by Judd Winick on pages 61 and 119 in his 2000 book, Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss and What I Learned.
  3. ^ The Lombard Street house at Real World Houses
  4. ^ Lombard Street House Front at Real World Houses
  5. ^ Lombard Street House East Patio at Real World Houses
  6. ^ a b Biography page for Cory Murphy at mtv.com
  7. ^ a b Judd Winick. Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss and What I Learned Henry Holt; 2000; Page 111.
  8. ^ Depicting in Episodes 3 and 7.
  9. ^ Cory mentions this in Episode 18.
  10. ^ a b Biography page for Judd Winick at mtv.com
  11. ^ a b c Mentioned when introducing himself in the premiere.
  12. ^ Depicted in Episodes 4, 6 and 15.
  13. ^ a b c Biography page for Mohammed Bilal at mtv.com
  14. ^ Stephanie first appears in Episode 3. Her occupation, the duration of their relationship, and his schoolwork is established in Episode 16.
  15. ^ The Real World Diaries; Pocket Books; 1996; Pages 129 & 133.
  16. ^ a b c Biography page for Pam Ling at mtv.com
  17. ^ Depicted in Episode 7.
  18. ^ a b Biography page for Pedro Zamora at mtv.com
  19. ^ Winick; 2000; Pages 58 &59.
  20. ^ Seen when he visits Miami in Episode 13.
  21. ^ His first name is given in Act 1 of Episode 14 and Act 3 of Episode 19.
  22. ^ a b c Biography page for David "Puck" Rainey at mtv.com
  23. ^ a b Judd and Rachel make these observations in the first two Acts of Episode 2, and Judd again in the opening Act of Episode 6.
  24. ^ His relationship mother and grandmother were depicted in Episode 8. His sister and grandfather visited the house in Episode 9, and the latter shows up in Episode 10 as well.
  25. ^ a b c Biography page for Rachel Campos at mtv.com
  26. ^ Rachel Campos at Mooviees.com
  27. ^ She mentions this at the end of Episode 18.
  28. ^ Both she and Pedro comment on her rebelliousness in Episode 12.
  29. ^ This is mentioned in Episode 2.
  30. ^ Her sister appeared in Episode 12.
  31. ^ Their rapport is mentioned in Episodes 14, 17 & 18. Judd uses the term during the bicycling trip in Episode 17.
  32. ^ Her full first name is mentioned at the end of Act 1 of Episode 18.
  33. ^ a b Biography page for Jo Rhodes at mtv.com
  34. ^ The restraining order, date of her marriage, Steve, and comments about conflict and independence are established in Episode 15.
  35. ^ Mentioned in Episode 18.
  36. ^ She revels she is a vegetarian when she first appears in Episode 14, but in Episode 17, says she does not eat dairy products, and is referred to as a vegan.
  37. ^ During the cast's trip to Hawaii in Episode 17.
  38. ^ Video of Episode 1 ("Planes, Trains and Paddywagons") at mtv.com
  39. ^ Video of Episode 2 ("Love Stinks") at mtv.com
  40. ^ Video of Episode 3 ("White Like Me") at mtv.com
  41. ^ Video of Episode 4 ("From a Six to a Nine and Back Again") at mtv.com
  42. ^ Video of Episode 5 ("You Gotta Have Art") at mtv.com
  43. ^ Video of Episode 6 ("Trouble in Paradise") at mtv.com
  44. ^ Video of Episode 7 ("Coffee and Sympathy") at mtv.com
  45. ^ Video of Episode 8 ("Together and Apart") at mtv.com
  46. ^ Video of Episode 9 ("Collision Course") at mtv.com
  47. ^ Video of Episode 10 ("Kiss and Tell") at mtv.com
  48. ^ Video of Episode 11 ("Getting Dropped") at mtv.com
  49. ^ Video of Episode 12 ("Rebel, Rebel") at mtv.com
  50. ^ Video of Episode 13 ("Homecoming") at mtv.com
  51. ^ Video of Episode 14 ("Old Fish, New Fish") at mtv.com
  52. ^ Video of Episode 15 ("Why Is Love Like An Elevator") at mtv.com
  53. ^ Video of Episode 16 ("Love and Death") at mtv.com
  54. ^ Video of Episode 17 ("Hawaii") at mtv.com
  55. ^ Video of Episode 18 ("Just Friends") at mtv.com
  56. ^ Video of Episode 19 ("Love Rules") at mtv.com
  57. ^ Video of Episode 20 ("Last Call") at mtv.com
  58. ^ a b A Tribute to Pedro Zamora MTV; Broadcast in November 1994.
  59. ^ The Real World Diaries
  60. ^ Debra A. Klein (2001-09-09). "Weddings: vows; Pamela Ling and Judd Winick". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990DEEDB1139F93AA3575AC0A9679C8B63. Retrieved on 2007-04-12. 
  61. ^ This was mentioned at the end of the 2008 film Pedro.
  62. ^ Campos-Duffy, Rachel; "I'm Expecting My 5th: What To Make Of The Trend In Bigger Families"; December 19, 2007.
  63. ^ Cast description of The Wedding Video
  64. ^ Sean Duffy mentioned this during the 2008 Real Worlds Awards Bash.
  65. ^ "Drawn Together's creators face reality". IGN.com. http://tv.ign.com/articles/746/746056p1.html. Retrieved on 2006-11-27. 

[edit] External links

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