Students wait for 15 minutes of fame

For University of Wisconsin senior Kris MacDonald, waiting in line approximately three hours was worth it just to see if she has what it takes to be chosen as a “Real World/Road Rules” cast member.

As of mid-afternoon Tuesday, approximately 600 people had waited in line to find out if they have what it takes “to see what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real.” Casting auditions were held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at State Street Brats.

After interviewing several people waiting eagerly for their chance at fame, it slowly became obvious that many didn’t know what they were getting themselves into.

Many students at the casting call were there to have fun and live their dreams of being a TV star.

For example, UW law student Edtrik Baker said he tried out because of the intrigue.

“If you don’t try, you never know,” Baker said.

Baker said if he was chosen for the show, he would be a little more independent compared to other cast members and would not be around the house as often.

UW sophomore student Kesha Lang, who also went to the casting call, said many times conflict is the aim of the show.

“I think they just do it for gossip,” Lang said. “I think they pick a variety [of people] to get conflicts going in the show.”

Lang elaborated that if casting directors didn’t choose people this way, everyone would be “sitting around reading books”, which would be far from interesting.

UW senior Andrew Baker, who traveled from UW-Whitewater, said he imagined that trying out for “Real World” would just be a something fun to do.

“I think it would just be a great experience. You get to live in a place you’ve never lived and have fun,” Baker said.

Baker said he would be an ideal candidate because he does not fit into the common stereotypes found in the “Real World/Road Rules” show.

“I’ve never seen a fat white guy on television,” Baker said.

Peter Robison, a Madison Area Technical College sophomore, said that after trying out, he did not expect a call back.

According to Robison, he was put into a group where they discussed the legalization of prostitution.

“I put my two cents in and just didn’t get called,” Robison said. “I thought it was intimidating [because] you have someone that is judging you.”

Robison added that if he was chosen for one of the shows, his parents may be unhappy when the shows aired. Robison said he looked forward to the chance to be on air 24 hours a day, seven days a week because it would force him to be more confident about himself.

“I think it would make me less self-conscious because I would be forced not to care what anyone thinks of me,” Robison said.

Despite his probably failed attempt at stardom on MTV, Robison said he’ll still live in “the real world.”

Some people who came out took the casting call very seriously.

Many people waiting in line did not realize that the chances of getting selected were about as great as the chances of getting struck by lightning. The Madison stop was No. 11 of 14 stops nationwide and only 13 people will be chosen for both the television shows.

Others, like one 18-year-old woman who traveled two hours to the casting call, have waited for the Real World auditions for a long time. She described herself like Mallory from the “Real World Paris”. According to her, “everyone says she would be perfect” for “Real World” because of her outgoing, laid-back personality.

After watching several “Real World” and “Road Rules” episodes, one can easily concluded that casting directors really look for someone who fits a stereotype. Even a nice person can be perceived as a snob if the right editing is done. That is why you would never find me in line for a casting call.