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Posted on Sat, Mar 12, 2011 : 1:58 p.m.

Chance to be on MTV's 'The Real World' draws hundreds to Scorekeepers

By Ronald Ahrens

real-world-casting.JPG

Ypsilanti resident Aaron Gilbert, far right, stands in a line outside of Scorekeepers bar for an open casting call of MTV's The Real World in Ann Arbor on Saturday.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

The path to celebrity may have started on the Maynard Street sidewalk today for one of hundreds of people who attended a casting call for the 26th season of “The Real World,” the MTV program that is generally considered the first reality television show.

Would-be stars lined up at the door of Scorekeepers Sports Grill & Pub well before the 10 a.m. start of the session, which is scheduled to last till 5 p.m. today. Once inside, they met in groups of 10 with the show’s casting director, Shannon McCarty, for a preliminary interview.

A select few will receive calls for one-on-one meetings.

“It’s not a bar,” McCarty said of tomorrow’s secret location. “This is where you meet the masses.”

Noting that Ann Arbor is one of 30 cities in the current casting tour, McCarty, in her seventh year with the show, said the producers are searching for “driven, charismatic people of different backgrounds.” Additional rounds of interviews will follow before the cast of seven or eight is determined.

A candidate is better served by honesty than by an odd characteristic or pursuit, she said: “My advice to them is to not listen to their friends” who recommend idiosyncratic behavior.

Furthermore, she said it never works for a candidate to guarantee he or she will boost ratings.

That would have to be bad news for Vinny Yatoma of West Bloomfield and Joe Samona of Novi. The two friends were featuring their Chaldean heritage as the primary factor of interest.

“I’ll bring our people out,” said Yatoma, who works with his father in a Highland Park party store.

Samona, a Wayne State University student, explained there are 250,000 Chaldeans in southeastern Michigan, and said all would likely watch the show in the event that he or Yatoma makes the lineup.

Besides demographic advantages, Samona said he simply has “always had a thing for being on camera or in front of people.”

Like many other candidates, he said he had seen notice of the tryout on MTV’s website. Others mentioned Facebook to the production assistant who registered each hopeful.

McCarty said candidates had driven from around Michigan and Ohio, and only about 15 percent were University of Michigan students.

Pioneer High School graduate Angie Chronis was home on her spring break from Lake Forest College and decided to come to the tryout with her friend Tori Carito.

Describing herself as “entertaining, animated and someone who takes a dare,” Chronis said the fact that she plays ice hockey would distinguish her.

For today’s costume choice, she let the title of “The Real World” guide her. “I didn’t want to wear something that I wouldn’t wear on a daily basis,” she said. “I didn’t think it was appropriate to dress in a skanky outfit in the middle of the day, like I’m going out to a club.”

Hopefuls can also apply via the casting company's website.

Comments

Daryl

Mon, Mar 14, 2011 : 2:38 a.m.

"which is scheduled to last till 5 p.m. today." Till? Really? Till?

K

Sun, Mar 13, 2011 : 2:31 p.m.

The above mentioned producer Shannon Mccarty, states that the show is searching for "driven, charismatic people of different backgrounds." I believe that they are serching for irresponsible young adults who are willing to lower themselves to a standard of binge drinking and sexing on national tv - what a GREAT charismatic quality to emulate to our young adults in America!?!? Is that what our young people should watch and strivie to be? What, if any do these people do except drink, get drunk, use people for their personal gain, hurt their loved ones....shall I go on? This is a disgusting show that needs to go off air. This show emulates future "losers" in America! Just like: Jersey Shore Real Housewives of Anywhere

jcj

Sun, Mar 13, 2011 : 3:33 p.m.

Well Said! One positive that can come out of this type of show is it helps identify both specifically and generally people that we don't want making decisions in this country and that never will amount to enough to be in that position.

AA

Sun, Mar 13, 2011 : 3:17 a.m.

I would suggest a pathological obsession with celebrity. Kill your TV!

Doug

Sat, Mar 12, 2011 : 11:08 p.m.

This is a "top story"? Wasn't there a cataclysmic earthquake and tsunami yesterday?

Doug

Sat, Mar 12, 2011 : 10:47 p.m.

This is a &quot;top story&quot;? Wasn't there a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami yesterday? Lessenberry was right: &quot;Ann Arbor.com is an appalling pile of crap. And an insult to the intelligence of any functioning adult&quot;: <a href="http://www2.metrotimes.com/news/story.asp?id=14241" rel='nofollow'>http://www2.metrotimes.com/news/story.asp?id=14241</a>

jcj

Sat, Mar 12, 2011 : 8:14 p.m.

&quot;the MTV program that is generally considered the first reality television show&quot; What is &quot;real&quot; about having a camera in your face every minute? And then having the result edited to make a TV show! They all drum up controversy to get viewers. That is not reality! Below not anywhere near reality You might as well watch The World Wrestling Federation! Jersey Shore Jon &amp; Kate Plus 8 The Real Housewives of Anywhere Hell's Kitchen Orange County Choppers Closest to reality below Ice Road Truckers Ax Men Deadliest Catch

Blanch DuBois

Sat, Mar 12, 2011 : 9:26 p.m.

And don't forget Nature, Nova, and National Geographic!