The Real World: Austin
| The Real World: Austin | |
|---|---|
 The cast of The Real World: Austin | |
| Created by | Jonathan Murray Mary-Ellis Bunim |
| Starring | Wes Bergmann Lacey Buehler Rachel Moyal Nehemiah Clark Johanna Botta Danny Jamieson Melinda Stolp |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 24[1] |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | MTV Syndication |
| Release | June 21 – November 22, 2005 |
The Real World: Austin is the sixteenth 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. It is the second season to be filmed in the West South Central States region of the United States, specifically in Texas.
The season featured seven people who lived in a converted warehouse, which production started from January to May 2005. Consisting of 24 episodes, the season premiered on June 21 later that year and was watched by nearly 4 million viewers.[2][3] The Real World: Austin won "Favorite Season" at the 2008 The Real World Awards Bash.[4][5]
Assignment
Almost every season of The Real World, beginning with its fifth season, 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. The Austin cast had to shoot, edit and direct their own documentary on the South by Southwest music festival. Their "boss" was Paul Stekler, an award-winning documentary filmmaker who taught at the University of Texas.
The residence
This season the cast was housed in the west half of a 23,552-square-foot (2,188.1 m2) warehouse at 301 San Jacinto Boulevard at East 3rd Street in Austin, Texas, 8,000 square feet (740 m2) of which were used for filming. The interior used for the series was designed by Austin designer Joel Mozersky. Construction took three and a half weeks. 44 cameras were mounted on walls for filming. After filming ended, the warehouse was completely gutted. The west half of it was turned into a Mexican restaurant called The Rio Grande. The east half was leased to a printing services company. The house was converted into the Vince Young Steakhouse, which opened in November 2010.[6][7]
Cast
| Cast Member | Age1 | Hometown | Biography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danny Jamieson | 21[8] | Billerica, Massachusetts | MTV.com describes Danny as a humble, sensitive, attractive, and assertive man. Before filming he wanted to become a lawyer, but has chosen to help his father with the family business first.[8] Danny dated Melinda throughout the season.[episode needed] |
| Johanna Botta[9] | 21[10] | Riverside, California | Johanna is Peruvian, born in Lima, Peru, who moved to the U.S. when she was eleven, and had been living in Southern California when she was cast. She aspires to be a clinical therapist, specializing in marriage and counseling for families. MTV.com describes her as highly opinionated and argumentative.[10] |
| Lacey Buehler[11] | 23[12] | Tallahassee, Florida[12] | Lacey was raised by ex-hippie-turned devoutly religious parents who raised her in a strict manner, monitoring the TV and movies that she viewed. This made socialization at school difficult for her, but according to MTV, has given her a unique style.[12] |
| Melinda Stolp | 21[13] | Germantown, Wisconsin | Melinda is an aspiring dentist working as a waitress when she was cast. MTV.com describes her "sexy, creative, and quick witted", and as a "once shy girl [who] has completely come out of her shell and truly lives by the saying 'I will try anything once.'"[13] She had a boyfriend, but she fell in love with castmate Danny. |
| Nehemiah Clark | 19[14] | Rancho Cucamonga, California | Nehemiah was born to a mother who was currently in rehab, and mtv.com describes his life as "a combination of heartbreaking and hopeful", and Nehemiah himself as a "bright, charismatic young man who has the wisdom and experience of someone far beyond his years."[14] |
| Rachel Moyal[15] | 21[16] | Valencia, California | Rachel is a former U.S. Army combat nurse and Iraq War veteran who enlisted in the military to pay for college. According to mtv.com, her military experience made her resilient, confident, and outspoken. She is sexually outgoing, and sees Jenna Jameson as her hero.[16] |
| Weston "Wes" Bergmann | 19[17] | Leawood, Kansas | MTV.com describes Wes, a junior and a frat boy at Arizona State University, as an "obnoxious, super-competitive jock", "the guy you love to hate", but also "bright and entrepreneurial." He cannot wait to graduate so he can start his own business.[17] |
^Note 1 : Age at the time of filming.
Episodes
| Ep # | Total | Title | Airdate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 340 | "Howdy, Welcome to Austin!" | June 21, 2005 | |
|
The Austin cast, which features three guys and four girls, is introduced. Included: Rachel, who served as a combat nurse in Iraq; quick-witted Melinda, from Milwaukee; Johanna, who works in a children's shelter, from Riverside, Cal.; Lacey, who works in a beauty salon in Tallahassee; sheltered Danny, from Billerica, Mass.; competitive Wes, from near Kansas City, Kan.; and Nehemiah, from Mesa, Ariz. | ||||
| 2 | 341 | "Chaos on 6th Street" | June 21, 2005 | |
|
The housemates settle into their quarters. Also: Johanna asks Nehemiah to not let her drink too much, but when he tries to intercede at a bar, she pushes him away. Later, a fistfight erupts between several roomies and local revelers. | ||||
| 3 | 342 | "One Man's Loss; Another's Gain" | June 28, 2005 | |
|
Melinda breaks up with her boyfriend and grows closer to Danny; the housemates learn that they'll be making a documentary about the South by Southwest Film and Music Festival. | ||||
| 4 | 343 | "Danny's Surgery" | July 5, 2005 | |
|
Melinda dotes on Danny, who is nervous about his surgery and the arrival of his father. Also, Wes and Rachel have differing opinions about their friendship; and Wes pines for Johanna, who, meanwhile, is attracted to the manager of a club. | ||||
| 5 | 344 | "Love & War" | July 12, 2005 | |
|
Rachel and Nehemiah butt heads over the Iraq War. Also: Danny becomes upset when he learns that Melinda kissed Wes. | ||||
| 6 | 345 | "First Dates" | July 19, 2005 | |
|
Rachel is attracted to a guy who, her housemates learn, already has a girlfriend. Also: Wes and Nehemiah look for companionship. | ||||
| 7 | 346 | "Mel and Danny Get Up Close and Personal" | July 26, 2005 | |
|
Danny, who has finally recovered from his injuries, seeks to emulate Wes and Nehemiah's partying ways by hitting the bars. Melinda, however, threatens to end their relationship if he brings anyone home. | ||||
| 8 | 347 | "A Heartbreaking Valentine's Day" | August 2, 2005 | |
|
Danny spends Valentine's Day with Melinda; and later receives tragic news: his mother died earlier in the day. | ||||
| 9 | 348 | "Heading Home" | August 9, 2005 | |
|
Melinda worries that Danny, who is home burying his mother, may not return to Austin. Also, Nehemiah re-evaluates his relationship with his own mother. Lacey's boyfriend, Ryan, visits. | ||||
| 10 | 349 | "Jo and Leo Sittin' in a Tree?" | August 16, 2005 | |
|
When Johanna begins dating the handsome bartender Leo, a jealous Wes brings home a woman in an attempt to upset her. | ||||
| 11 | 350 | "Danny's Back!" | August 23, 2005 | |
|
The housemates receive their next film assignment and Danny returns. Instead of hanging out with Mel, Danny goes out with the guys instead which upsets Mel. Mel gets drunk and Danny ends up taking care of her. | ||||
| 12 | 351 | "Things are Heating Up" | August 30, 2005 | |
|
When Wes is attracted to a girl he meets in a bar, Jo claims not to be bothered. Later, she and Wes share a kiss. Nehemiah upsets Rachel; Danny and Rachel talk about her experiences in Iraq. | ||||
| 13 | 352 | "Trouble's in the Air" | September 6, 2005 | |
|
Nehemiah is involved in a street brawl. Also: The housemates argue about which bands to feature in their documentary. | ||||
| 14 | 353 | "Ranchin' It" | September 13, 2005 | |
|
Melinda arranges a weekend excursion to a ranch for the housemates. After they return home, Melinda and Danny have a heart-to-heart about their relationship. | ||||
| 15 | 354 | "Johanna's Jailbreak" | September 20, 2005 | |
|
Danny writes Mel a letter that details his feelings for her; and they later run into each other at a bar. Also: Johanna is arrested for public intoxication. | ||||
| 16 | 355 | "Jo and Leo: To Be or Not To Be?" | September 27, 2005 | |
|
Wes becomes frustrated as Johanna and Leo grow closer. The bartender spends the night, but then fails to call her. As a result, Jo visits him at work---and doesn't like what she hears from him. | ||||
| 17 | 356 | "The Best Documentarians Yet" | October 4, 2005 | |
|
Danny asks Mel to be his girlfriend. In other events, the housemates start filming the documentary and learn they have a week to put together a rough cut. | ||||
| 18 | 357 | "SxSW All the Way" | October 11, 2005 | |
|
The housemates work on their South by Southwest documentary; and hang out with the band Halifax. Later, Danny, Wes and Rachel set out to interview the band Hellogoodbye, but can't find their campsite; and Lacey is caught on film talking trash about Rachel. | ||||
| 19 | 358 | "Love Hurts" | October 18, 2005 | |
|
Rachel's boyfriend Erik visits with her dog Reese in tow. Also: Danny helps the police search for the guy who sucker-punched him. | ||||
| 20 | 359 | "The Pressure's On" | October 25, 2005 | |
|
With the deadline on the documentary looming, the housemates leave the editing to budding filmmaker Nehemiah. The night before the film is due to premiere at the Austin Film Society, however, he heads out to a club, and Lacey and Melinda take turns editing the project. Also: the housemates learn that they will be vacationing in Costa Rica. | ||||
| 21 | 360 | "Watch Out, Costa Rica" | November 1, 2005 | |
|
The housemates vacation in Costa Rica, where they enjoy the beach, take a canopy tour; surf; and go whitewater rafting. Also: Wes pretends to be Prince Harry to impress some women; and a drunken Danny misunderstands something Melinda says and leaves her at a bar. | ||||
| 22 | 361 | "Nehemiah's Actin' Up" | November 8, 2005 | |
|
The housemates meet Ondi Timoner, the director of the documentary “Dig!”; and she gives Nehemiah professional advice. Also: Wes and Johanna flirt at a bar, which makes Wren jealous. | ||||
| 23 | 362 | "Who's In Jail?" | November 15, 2005 | |
|
The roommates have to post bail for Nehemiah who is arrested for assault. | ||||
| 24 | 363 | "Goodbye Austin" | November 22, 2005 | |
|
The gang says goodbye to each other and Austin. Danny and Melinda contemplate their future. Elsewhere, Wren slaps Wes for bragging to the roommates about having sex with her. In turn, Wes confronts Rachel, who told Wren about it. | ||||
After filming
Six months after the cast left the Real World house, all seven of them appeared to discuss their experiences both during and since their time on the show, Tex, Hugs, & Rock 'n' Roll: The Real World Austin Reunion, which premiered on November 29, 2005, and was hosted by Susie Castillo.
The four female cast mates posed in lingerie for a cover feature in Stuff magazine.[18]
At the 2008 The Real World Awards Bash, the Austin season won "Favorite Season", Danny and Melinda won "Favorite Love Story" and Johanna won "Favorite Dance-Off".[4][5]
When filming ended Melinda moved to Boston to be with Danny. A film crew followed them in New York City as they took a carriage ride through Central Park and he proposed before the reunion show. On August 2, 2008, they married at Castle Hill outside Boston, with most of their former cast members among those in attendance.[19] Danny owns a construction company while Melinda is planning a career in dentistry.[20] During the premiere of The Challenge: Cutthroat, Melinda reveals in a confessional that she and Danny were going through a divorce.[21]
Wes and Johanna announced during the reunion show that they began dating several months after the conclusion of filming the show. They appeared together in Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh Meat, and Wes promised to use his prize money to pay for her engagement ring as he won the Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel. At the Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet III reunion show Johanna announced that she and Wes are no longer together. During the reunion special for Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Island, which premiered November 5, 2008, it was revealed that KellyAnne Judd from The Real World: Sydney was dating Wes at the time. Wes and Johanna both appeared on the Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins (as did KellyAnne Judd), during which they experienced interpersonal conflicts stemming from the game and relationship issues. During the reunion for The Ruins the two indicated that they were never officially engaged, despite prior indications to the contrary. In a clip from Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins reunion, which aired December 16, 2009, Wes and KellyAnne revealed that they were no longer a couple.[22]
Subsequent Challenges
| Cast Member | Challenges | Challenges Won | Total Money Earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danny Jamieson | Fresh Meat, The Inferno 3, The Gauntlet III, The Ruins, Fresh Meat II, Battle of the Seasons (2012) | None | $0 |
| Johanna Botta | Fresh Meat, The Gauntlet III, The Island, The Ruins | The Gauntlet III | $50,000 |
| Lacey Buehler | Battle of the Seasons (2012) | None | $0 |
| Melinda Stolp | Fresh Meat, The Gauntlet III, Cutthroat, Battle of the Seasons (2012) | None | $0 |
| Nehemiah Clark | The Duel, The Gauntlet III, The Duel II, Rivals | The Gauntlet III | $50,000 |
| Rachel Moyal | The Inferno 3, The Gauntlet III | The Gauntlet III | $50,000 |
| Wes Bergmann | Fresh Meat, The Duel, The Ruins, Fresh Meat II, Rivals, Battle of the Exes, Battle of the Seasons (2012), Rivals II, Battle of the Exes II, Rivals III | The Duel, Rivals II | $248,000 |
- Challenge in bold indicates that the contestant was a finalist on the Challenge.
Note: Wes appeared on the 2010 MTV special Spring Break Challenge as a team coach.
Note: Wes appeared on the six episode special Champs vs. Pros along with nine other champions.
References
- ^ Episode synopsis list for The Real World: Austin at MTV.com
- ^ "MTV Viewers Numbers Game for the Real World Denver Premiere". November 29, 2006.
- ^ de Moraes, Lisa (January 1, 2010). "MTV's 'Real World: D.C.' takes in 1.9 million viewers in its debut". The Washington Post.
- ^ a b Full Winners List for the 2008 The Real World Awards Bash at mtv.com
- ^ a b Video of The Real World Awards Bash at mtv.com
- ^ "Austin Warehouse". Real World Houses. Retrieved November 13, 2011.
- ^ Outon, Chantal (April 14, 2006). "Rio Grande restaurant opens in former 'Real World' space". Austin Business Journal.
- ^ a b Biography page for Danny Jamieson at mtv.com
- ^ Wood, Kate (June 9, 2005). "UCR graduate gains `Real World' experience on MTV reality show". The Press-Enterprise. p. D01. ISSN 0746-4258. Archived from the original on January 31, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
- ^ a b Biography page for Johanna Botta at mtv.com
- ^ Garrett, Amanda (June 28, 2005). "World beater Young Christian from Ohio refuses to reject beliefs while on MTV show". The Plain Dealer (Final ed.). p. E1.
- ^ a b c "The Real World: Austin: Cast: Lacey". MTV. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
- ^ a b Biography page for Melinda Stolp at mtv.com
- ^ a b Biography page for Nehemiah Clark at mtv.com
- ^ Bensi, Carla A. (October 28, 2005). "'Real World' is Making a Troy woman's World Otherworldly". Times Union (Three Star ed.). pp. D1.
- ^ a b Biography page for Rachel Moyal at mtv.com
- ^ a b Biography page for Wes Bergmann at mtv.com
- ^ Real World Austin. Maxim magazine. Retrieved December 26, 2011.
- ^ Martin, Michael. "Danny & Melinda have a Real World Wedding at Castle Hill near Boston". mm-agency.com. August 4, 2008
- ^ Ryan Pienciaki, Elaine Aradillas and Paul Chi. "The Real World: Where Are They Now?". People. Vol. 70. No. 7. August 18, 2008
- ^ Salvatore, Rosanne. "'The Real World' cast members: Where are they now?". Daily News. April 1, 2011. Page 33 of 44
- ^ "It's Complicated"; MTV.com; December 16, 2009
External links
- The Real World: Austin official site. MTV.
- Cast Bios. The Real World: Austin. MTV.
- Episodes. The Real World: Austin. MTV.
- The Real World and Road Rules Blog