Students and Madison residents gathered at Brothers Bar Sunday to audition for a spot on the 22nd season of MTV's The Real World.""
Directors of the open casting call asked contestants to fill out applications before dividing them into groups for questioning. Those who impressed the directors were asked back for on-camera interviews.
Martin Booker, casting director for the show, said the purpose of the grouping was to see how the candidates played off one another.
""We just kind of watch them react,"" he said. ""They don't really talk to us, they talk to other people '¦ we just see how they feel in a group.""
According to Booker, group interviews are important because they help determine which candidates will express their feelings while on the show.
Booker said many factors contribute to the decision-making process in choosing a candidate for the show.
""Looks play a role in it '¦ not just good looks, but looks in general,"" he said. ""I have a triangle: looks, personality and story, and I look to see where people fit in that.""
Amber Turner, a UW-Milwaukee freshman, said the audition was different than she expected.
""The audition was good but I thought it would be a single audition '¦ I was nervous because I felt very young, but I kept that in,"" she said.
Danielle Danor, of Fond du Lac, Wis., said she has been a fan of the show since she was younger.
""In high school we had to make a list of 10 things we wanted to do before we died and one of mine was to be on 'The Real World,'"" she said.
According to Booker, the casting for this round of the show is better than previous years because of contestant interest in the upcoming election.
""[In previous years] no one really cared '¦ it was a different dynamic,"" he said. ""You guys are coming out of college at a very interesting time.""
