The rumors are true! Hoboken will be the next locale for MTV’s long-running docu-soap opera the Real World. An MTV executive who asked to remain anonymous confided last week, “We were deciding between Hoboken and Paris. Sure, Paris is a beautiful city, but, unfortunately, the applicants who apply for the Real World are not the brightest lights on the block. So we thought Hoboken – where English is the primary language – would be a safer bet.” According to the executive, Real World creators Mary-Ellis Bunim and Jonathon Murray have long been fascinated with the rich history associated with the mile-square city: Frank Sinatra, baseball, Oreos. “Mary-Ellis is a huge Sinatra fan,” said the exec. “Ultimately, I think it was her fascination with Sinatra had a lot to do with the final decision.” This will be the Real World’s ninth season. Each year, the producers select a group of young adults to live together in a house in a certain city, and the camera records their real-life trials and tribulations. In the past, the program has been filmed in Manhattan, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, London, Boston, Seattle and, most recently, Hawaii. Clearly, Hoboken is the next obvious choice. MTV has already reportedly rented a brownstone on Tenth and Garden streets for the “seven strangers, who were picked to live in a house, and have their lives taped to find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real.” “We’re a little worried about unloading the truck full of furniture from IKEA that we use to decorate the house,” said the executive. “We’ve heard that parking can be a real problem in Hoboken. But we are MTV. So I’m sure that both city officials and citizens will be more than accommodating.” To further seal the deal, eleven of the city’s top officials have been guaranteed face time in the serial. While MTV staffers have been hush-hush about who this year’s gaggle of housemates will be, one loquacious key grip hinted that the group of seven strangers will include the following: . a Lolita-like nymphet from Louisiana; . a reformed prescription drug abuser from Seattle; . a wannabe professional wrestler from Wisconsin, and . a mechanical engineering student from Stevens Institute of Technology. “It’s going to be so cool,” said the spiked-haired, tongue-pierced, wallet-attached-to-his-belt-buckle key grip. “We’re hoping that the wrestler will want to practice his moves on the other cast members. And MTV has a ‘no violence’ clause – so we’re keeping our fingers crossed that a little drama comes out of that. Like maybe he gets too rough with the Louisiana chick and gets kicked off the show. Rating always go up when someone is kicked off the show.” The staffer said that if the wrestler does not incite a battle, the producers may ask cast members to start attending and speaking out at school board meetings instead. While the filming of the Real World has wreaked havoc on other cities, the anonymous MTV exec promised that Hoboken will ultimately benefit from the publicity. “In the short term, traffic may proliferate and the filming may cause small riots – you know, frat boys hanging around the set, getting drunk and throwing things at the cast members,” explained the executive. “But, if you thought rents were high now, just wait until the show goes on the air. They’ll skyrocket. Hoboken real estate will become more desirable than penthouses on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.”
Hoboken hits the big time: City to be featured in MTV serial
