The Real World: San Diego

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The Real World: San Diego

Cast of The Real World: San Diego
Format Reality show
Created by Jonathan Murray
Mary-Ellis Bunim
Starring Brad Fiorenza
Cameran Eubanks
Charlie Dordevich
Frankie Abernathy
Jacquese Smith
Jamie Chung
Randy Barry
Robin Hibbard
Country of origin Flag of the United States United States
Production
Running time 30 minutes including commercials
Broadcast
Original channel MTV
Original airing 2004
Chronology
Preceded by The Real World: Paris
Followed by The Real World: Philadelphia

The Real World: San Diego is the fourteenth season of MTV's popular reality television series The Real World, which focuses on seven diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras follow their lives and interpersonal relationships. The San Diego season premiered in 2004. It was the second season of the The Real World to be filmed in southern California after The Real World: Los Angeles in 1993, and the third season to be filmed in California after The Real World: San Francisco in 1994.

Contents

[edit] The residence

The cast's residence is a custom-designed, two-story house at 4922 North Harbor Drive in San Diego. The house, formerly a Blue Crab Seafood restaurant and a marine supply company, and sits on the edge of the southeast end of Driscoll's Wharf, overlooking America's Cup Harbor in Point Loma. MTV.com gives its size as 5,000 square feet, though realworldhouses.com gives it as 10,328 square feet. During filming of the series, the property included a sand volleyball court and basketball court.[1][2]

[edit] Assignment

Every season of The Real World since its fifth season has included the assignment of a season-long group job or task to the housemates. The San Diego cast worked in San Diego Bay as crew members for Next Level Sailing on a boat named Stars & Stripes, which carried visitors daily. Before beginning their regular duties as tour guides, which included preparing yachts for excursions, piloting them in San Diego Bay, and providing maintenance, the cast had to undergo a course in sailing, and navigating the vessels. This created a problem for Frankie Abernathy, who has a phobia of boats, and is initially frightened by the sight of the harbor.[1]

[edit] Cast

Cast member Date of Birth Hometown Biography RW/RR Challenge seasons
Brad Fiorenza November 11, 1980[3] Chicago, Illinois Brad is an Italian-American from Chicago who has just graduated from school with an accounting degree. He enjoys extreme sports and motorcycles. MTV.com describes him as a "hunky, fun-loving daredevil."[4] Battle of the Sexes II, The Inferno II, The Gauntlet II, The Duel,The Gauntlet III
Cameran Eubanks November 21, 1983[5] Anderson, South Carolina Cameran was born and raised in an upper class family in Anderson, South Carolina, and enjoys playing pranks on people. She has had an on-and-off boyfriend for a year, but says that he is merely a "trophy". Her parents' divorce, which occurred when she was in high school, deeply affected her, and she continues to become emotional when speaking of it. MTV.com describes her as "warm, friendly and down to earth".[6] Battle of the Sexes II, The Gauntlet II
Charlie Dordevich May 4, 1984[7] Belgrade, Serbia Charlie is an 18-year-old guitarist and aspiring musician from Belgrade, Serbia. An outgoing person whose creative attempts to find fun often get him into trouble, his traditional parents enlisted him in a boarding school when he was twelve. He enjoys traveling because he doesn't like staying in the same place for too long. MTV.com describes Charlie as a free spirit who looks as if he "came straight out of the movie Dazed and Confused."[8] Charlie moved into the house as a replacement for Frankie, after Frankie had moved out.[1] None
Frankie Abernathy December 21, 1981[9] - June 9, 2007 Kansas City, Missouri Frankie is a certified masseuse and aspiring artist with a number of piercings, and a fondness for punk rock music and Hello Kitty. [10] She was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a hereditary disease that affects the respiratory and immune systems, at the age of three, and although she spent most of her childhood and adolescence symptom-free, she experienced numerous hospital stays in her teens. She is a student of spiritual healing who paid for her education by working in a porn shop. MTV.com describes her as "extremely pretty" and "creative".[11] Frankie has a phobia of boats, which made the group assignment difficult for her. She leaves the house early, due to conflict with her housemates, and homesickness.[1] Abernathy lost her battle with cystic fibrosis on June 9, 2007 at the age of 25.[12] None
Jacquese Smith August 19, 1983[13] Paterson, New Jersey Jacquese was born in Paterson, New Jersey, and was forced to become the "man of the house" when his father left the family, learning how to take care of himself. MTV.com describes him as a motivated young man with "a quick wit and an even quicker tongue", and a "class clown" who uses his sense of humor to provide comic relief for his friends. He is also said to have a tenacious work ethic and drive, and is a positive influence on those in his life.[14] The first housemate he greeted was Frankie, and the two of them first walked into the house together. They were perhaps the closest with one another during their stay there.[10] Battle of the Sexes II
Jamie Chung April 10, 1983[15] San Francisco, California Jamie is a second-generation Korean-American woman raised by traditional parents in San Francisco. She works two jobs to pay her tuition, but also enjoys partying. According to mtv.com, Jamie's friends feel she does not have the best taste in men, and although she is very picky when choosing her dates, she tends to overlook obvious signs of trouble.[16] The Inferno II
Randy Barry May 17, 1979[17] Boston, Massachusetts Randy is an industrial sculptor who is often found creating a new piece of artwork in his basement studio, and works as the head of security at an A-list Boston nightclub. MTV.com describes him as "creative, insightful, and charismatic". A single man, he is said to be easygoing and able to make friends and female admirers easily.[18] Battle of the Sexes II, The Gauntlet II
Robin Hibbard January 30, 1980[19] Tampa, Florida Robin is a single woman who was working at a Coyote Ugly Saloon when she was cast. She enjoys dancing. MTV.com describes her as a "spunky, energetic and gorgeous party girl", and "a genuine person who helps people break out of their own shells".[20] Battle of the Sexes II, The Inferno II, The Gauntlet II, The Duel, The Gauntlet III[21]

[edit] Rape allegation

A 22-year-old woman claimed she was raped in the Real World house sometime during the night of November 14, 2003 by an acquaintance of Real World cast member Randy Barry, identified in local reports as "Justin", who was staying at the house as a guest. The woman claimed the man bought her a drink at a downtown San Diego nightspot, and that she blacked out after drinking it. According to cast member Jamie Chung, a member of production staff said that the young woman was found lying naked on the bathroom floor of the Real World house as Justin emerged, saying, "I just hit that." That person then dressed the woman and moved her to the living room couch, where Chung, upon arriving home on the morning of November 15, found her. Chung then helped that other person move the woman to the downstairs guest bedroom. Chung and the camera crew woke the woman at 10:30a.m. while cameras were rolling. Chung told the woman that she may have been sexually assaulted in the bathroom during the night, but the woman, according to Chung, appeared disoriented and had difficulty speaking. With the woman's help, Chung contacted a male friend of hers and arranged for her transportation home. Feeling pain in her genital region, the woman reported the incident to police on November 16, and a subsequent medical examination revealed abrasions to both her vagina and anus. According to police, the woman believes her assailant drugged her, brought her back to the Real World house and then while she was unconscious, raped her in the bathroom, since that is the only place in the house where the show's cameras are off-limits.

Another cast member told police that he had seen the woman barely able to stand up in the bathroom, mumbling incoherently and looking confused, according to the search warrant.

The police sexual assault unit began investigating the next day, November 17, but the Real World cast and crew had left on the cast's group trip to Mexico, and all film from November 14 and 15 had been shipped from the house to the production headquarters in Los Angeles. Kevin Lee, the on-site producer of show, told police he had not viewed the footage but that, after talking to the cast, believed the woman might have been raped, and confirmed that Justin was resident in the house at the time of the alleged assault. Why this did not motivate him to look at the film or to use the on-site film-editing computer to review the incident is unknown. Lee agreed to supply the police with the consent forms and photo ID cards that listed who was in the house at the time of the incident, and gave them a tour of the house, allowing them to search the bathroom for evidence.

At the end of the tour, however, Lee received a phone call from Pam Naughton, an attorney representing Bunim-Murray Productions, which produces the show. Naughton refused to permit the police to search the bedrooms and stated that the producers would not turn over any documents or film until she personally reviewed them. The police then obtained a search warrant, and raided the house, confiscating the film-editing computer, the cast's e-mail computer, bedding, towels, videotapes and other possible items of evidence. After examining hours of footage taped for the show, and seizing evidence at the scene, police made no arrests, and the San Diego County District Attorney's office concluded there was not enough evidence to warrant any charges.

Nearly a month of footage from the season ended up on the cutting room floor due to the allegation. While Charlie Dordevich only appears in three episodes, he lived in the house almost as long as Frankie, who appeared in the first 23 episodes.[22][23][24]

TV Guide critic J. Max Robins opined, "The sexual-assault charge is the most tragic event in a long list of disturbing incidents that have plagued The Real World since it debuted 12 years ago."[25]

[edit] Season highlights

Romances among the cast included Brad and Cameran, and Robin and Randy. The season also depicted altercations with the police, and the issue of self-mutilation. The cast also fought amongst themselves, in particular at the conclusion of the group vacation trip to the Greek Isles. Frankie ultimately leaves the house due to conflict with her housemates, and homesickness.[1]

In one episode, Brad and Robin are arrested after a night of drinking. Later, Brad is heard on the phone yelling, "I'm in jail! Locked up!" The next day after being released on bail, Brad proclaims, "Dude, jail sucks."

[edit] Reunion

Six months after the cast left the Real World house, all eight of them appeared to discuss their experiences both during and since their time on the show on 2 Punk Rock 4 This: The Real World San Diego Reunion, which premiered on July 9, 2004, and was hosted by Vanessa Minnillo.[26]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e The Real World: San Diego page at mtv.com
  2. ^ Point Loma House at realworldhouses.com
  3. ^ Brad Fiorenza at the Internet Movie Database
  4. ^ Brad Fiorenza biography page at mtv.com
  5. ^ Cameran Eubanks at the Internet Movie Database
  6. ^ Cameran Eubanks biography page at mtv.com
  7. ^ Charlie Dordevich at the Internet Movie Database
  8. ^ Charlie Dordevich biography page at mtv.com
  9. ^ Frankie Abernathy at the Internet Movie Database
  10. ^ a b Harris, Chris; "Real World: San Diego Cast Says Frankie Abernathy 'Lived Every Day To The Fullest'"; mtv.com; June 15, 2007
  11. ^ Frankie Abernathy biography page at mtv.com
  12. ^ "Frankie Abernathy of The Real World San Diego Reported Dead"; June 11, 2007
  13. ^ Jacquese Smith at the Internet Movie Database
  14. ^ Jacquese Smith biography page at mtv.com
  15. ^ Jamie Chung at the Internet Movie Database
  16. ^ Jamie Chung biography page at mtv.com
  17. ^ Randy Barry at the Internet Movie Database
  18. ^ Randy Barry biography page at mtv.com
  19. ^ Robin Hibbard at the Internet Movie Database
  20. ^ Robin Hibbard biography page at mtv.com
  21. ^ Preview video of Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet 3 at mtv.com
  22. ^ Haberman, Lia; "A 'Real World' Rape?"; Eonline.com; November 26, 2003
  23. ^ Paulsen, Wade; "Police raid 'Real World: San Diego' house after date-rape allegation"; realitytvworld.com; November 26, 2003
  24. ^ Grossberg, Doug; "D.A.: No Rape in "Real World" Eonline.com; July 22, 2004
  25. ^ Robins, J. Max; "Robins Report"; TV Guide; December 27, 2003.
  26. ^ 2 Punk Rock 4 This: The Real World San Diego Reunion at the Internet Movie Database

[edit] External links