Get the real deal on "Real World DC"

The Final Update!

Bethany Ploger — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:44:12 GMT

Whoa, can you believe it?! The Real World: DC is officially a thing of the past!

The cameras and “foreigners” have been gone for almost 6 months now, but as of this week, the show is a goner too.

Did you watch the finale?! Did you watch the show?!

Obviously you know I did. I also totally kept in touch with my friends. Yes, the roommates have become my friends. [Can you believe that?!] We’ve chatted during the shows and talked about what’s been shown each week, but right now I want to send it off tastefully - with some juicy recaps of what I saw all summer, what should have been shown, and what was completely left out of this here season of The Real World.

One of the main storylines [of course] was Mike’s “Mike-sexuality.” For those of you who may have been brainwashed into thinking he’s gay- Let’s not forget that he had his fair share of ladies in D.C.

Ashley seemed to be one thing on the show and one thing only: The bitch. I guess they didn’t feel like showing her relationships [like Mr. Guest, AKA Adam] or her job: a McFadden’s bartender.

Ty and Emily’s relationship was a bit much in the beginning of the season, then they disappeared off the storyline map. Ty was never shown making out with the 34,984 girls [okay, maybe I’m exaggerating] and more importantly, they never showed Emily’s benefit for Africa Action!

Another job never shown or even mentioned: Josh being a bartender at Rhino. What?! Isn’t this the reason they went there so many times?! I mean… They didn’t exactly show the roommates going out umm… ever… but Rhino was spotted more than anything else!

It’s time for me to be honest: It was hard watching this season. While gallivanting around all summer, I saw all of this drama, excitement, hilarity, and hard work going on, and none of it was shown! All of it would have made the show a bit more interesting, too! Instead it’s going down in history as the worst season of Real World. Awesome.

It was awesome to see things like Mike’s first kiss, the fights with Erika, and Wicked Liquid’s performance on the show just as I saw them, but if you look back at the posts here on Metromix, it’s like an entirely different show! Most of what you read about was skipped over! [So consider yourself awesome for seeing double the show as anyone else!]

I will tell you what was great, and very real, about the show:

Anything involving Andrew. He’s hilarious. He wasn’t putting on an act, and he’s not an idiot. He’s a comical person and perfectly cast for this show. Without him, it would have bombed 100%.
Mike. Seeing his family come in and visit him and fully accept who he is was something a lot of young adults and teens need to see to stay strong. It’s also what parents [like his ex-boyfriend Tanner’s] need to see to learn how to accept their kids. He was a class act while staying entertaining.
Callie. I said throughout the summer that she was probably going to be the forgotten roommate. I was wrong. [Helloooo Josh.] Though I don’t think she had a personality that stood out amongst many of the others, she was definitely a good friend to the roommates, and a very “real” and down-to-earth person to add to the mix.
“Pandrea.” AKA Panda+Andrea. There are a lot of people thinking she was in it for the fame or it wasn’t what it seemed, but their relationship is actually better than what was shown, I think. They’re both living out in Colorado together with a new puppy.

I’ve loved looking back on my old posts and seeing what I said as the show was moving forward. A lot of my feelings have changed. A lot of the roommates have changed as people, too… Even since our premiere party back in December.

As for what they’re all up to - They’re all back in their hometowns, going to school, working, etc just like they did before the show for the most part…. But…

Ashley and Ty are getting ready to move in together… In Los Angeles.
Erika is in Cleveland working for WMMS and the Alan Cox Show.
Mike has been traveling nonstop doing events, acting in a movie, talking to agents… The list goes on. The guy is always on the go.
Callie has been giving speeches to colleges across the country on body image and staying confident and comfortable with yourself.
Josh travels back and forth between DC and Philly, trying to get his band to the top by playing shows whenever they can. He and his girlfriend, Ashley, are technically broken up… But they’re still lookin’ pretty cozy and cute together.

They’re all still pretty close, and from what I hear, that caused the reunion show taping to last about 7 hours because there “wasn’t enough drama happening.”

That’s really all there is to say! It’s been a pretty wild ride for me, as you’ve been able to witness! It leaves me rather speechless, honestly. I can’t even imagine how the roommates are feeling at this point.

**sigh**

Goodbye, friends! Until next time……. ;)

**And make sure to check out our Real World Recap to see highlights from the past year of RWDC madness!**

"Real World DC" cast updates

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:18:43 GMT

So the roommates have left the city and have been home for almost two months, can you believe it?! Some of you may be wondering what the heck they’ve been up to since they left this beloved city. Well, I’m here to tell ya.

First of all, they had some adjusting to do, just like anyone would when they haven’t had any TV, Facebook, Twitter, etc. in their life for months. I’m assuming the transition back to “real life” was a little overwhelming at first, considering all the talk around town concerning them.

They’ve all been back on Facebook, catching up on television shows, and hanging out with friends and family. Emily, Ashley, Callie, Erika, and Mike all have Twitter! Ashley definitely tweets the most, with TONS of Twitpics, but she did it during the season too, so it’s no big surprise!

To follow them on Twitter:
Ashley: @ashleylindley
Emily: @emilyshromm
Callie: @msCALLIE
Erika: @erikalauren
Mike: @MikeCManning

Everyone seems to be back in their humble abodes impatiently waiting for the premiere:

Andrew is in Denver and still in a very real and precious relationship [they were Batman and Robin for Halloween… SO cute].

Mike is also in Colorado and still very much involved with the Human Rights Campaign, snowboarding, and is even shooting some sort of movie! Mike has also been lucky enough to hang with two of his roommates since leaving the house. He and Andrew took a mini-vacation to a cabin (their homes are super close).

Josh is back home in Philadelphia but still a part of his DC band, Wicked Liquid. They have been practicing whenever possible.

Ashley is in California, seemingly living the life (as pictured below with her friend) and just waiting for December 30th when the show premieres.

Callie is working down in Texas.

Emily is back in Missouri, and also seems to be just kinda livin’ the life. She’s currently visiting and snowboarding with Mike and hanging with some dog.

As for Erika and Ty- I honestly have no idea. Sorry! I know Ty has been out in DC since move-out, and even ventured down to look at the empty house [he lives right up the way in Baltimore], but that’s about as much as I can tell ya. Lame, I know, but he seems to be hiding from the cyber world.

It was very exciting to see the trailer premiere last week, and they’re all happy with how it came out! [I can’t even imagine their emotions going into it… I’d be so excited and so nervous at the same time!] This weekend they’re headed to LA to watch the first episode! I can’t wait to see/hear what they think!

Now there’s only 27 days until the premiere. Will you be watching it with me at the Metromix Premiere Party? I hope so!!! It’s going to be a BLAST! And who knows… there may even be a special guest or two…

"Real World DC" Trailer

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:18:39 GMT

Here's the dramatic trailer we've all been waiting for and be sure to attend Metromix's viewing party on Dec. 30!

Real World XXIII: Washington DC - MTV Shows

Real World DC predictions

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:18:20 GMT

It’s official. The Real Worlders moved out two weeks ago. I’m sorry, I’ve been too upset and hiding in my bed under my covers to update until now. (But you can still relive the memories by checking Metromix's MOST SCANDALOUS SPY PICS.)

Now that you all know they’re gone, there’s not much else to tell you about their departure besides the fact that it was quick, unexpected [even the roommates didn’t know until the day before], and mostly in part to people like me- the bloggers.

What’s important now is looking forward to December 30, 2009- the official airdate of the first episode of The Real World: Washington DC!!! I’m SO excited!

If you’ve been keeping up, you probably have a sense of what to expect in the upcoming season. In case you haven’t, I’m going to give my rundown on how I think the show will go, based on what I saw throughout this fabulous summer.

The Cast

I know coming into this, they wanted to pick people who would be clearly involved in the DC life-be it involved in politics, sports, charities, media, etc. I think they got that covered. Just about everyone had an internship with one of the above. If they didn’t, they were certainly involved in the nightlife.

But how will they be portrayed on the show? We know every cast member has always had a “character” and played a role, so here’s what I think our summer friends will represent, and what I witnessed them as.

Andrew Woods

The character--He started out as the oddball, then the make-out king, then the guy with a serious DC girlfriend. I think they’ll love showing him as a make-out nerd who ends up with a model girlfriend. They may twist it a little to look like he cheated.
The real him- Super nice and friendly, with a touch of nerd, and in a completely genuine, great relationship with his new DC girlfriend. She’s not a camera whore or looking for attention… It’s real, and he didn’t cheat.

Ashley Lindley

The character--She was a bartender at McFadden’s, and involved with at least two DCists, one being a bartender at Rhino. I think she’ll probably be the girl who keeps meeting boys, gets a little emotional about things, and is most likely involved in a love triangle or two.

The real Ashley--was incredibly friendly from day one. On move-in day I saw her talking to everyone she could and introducing herself to everyone on the street as they walked to the bar. She did that throughout her time here, and never said anything mean to anyone [that I saw]. She did have a couple boys she may have come attached to, but it was genuine. The girl just likes to have fun.

Callie Walker

The character--I still think if there’s going to be a female outcast, it’s going to be her. She was very involved with her internship, and I think she had some involvement in a love triangle, but other than that, I don’t know much.

The real Callie--as far as I can tell, she’s a nice girl, but very hesitant. She didn’t seem to take to us bloggers as well as some of the others, but she was never mean.

Emily Schromm

The character--One of the first things I heard her say was that she was b**ch, so I’m sure the show will play off that in a big way. It’s also assumed she was hooking up with Ty, so I’m sure that will be a big deal, as well.

The real Emily--She too just likes to have fun! She’s also an amazing poet, though, and very involved with Africa Action and everything it represents. She’s as real as it gets, and also a very genuinely nice girl.

Erika Wasilewski

The character--A singer with a boyfriend back home, who leaves when he comes to visit for really no apparent reason. [I’m sure they’ll find a reason…] If reality seeps through at all, she’ll be the mean girl.

The real Erika--The mean, bossy girl. From day one she was telling her roommates who they could and couldn’t talk to and trying to fight people like me. She’s also a tad crazy, as you may know.

Josh Colon

The character--A rockstar with a girlfriend back home that he constantly cheats on with a new DC girlfriend and maybe some other randoms. He’s going to get in a lot of fights with the hometown girlfriend.

The real Josh--He is a rockstar, and he does have a girlfriend back home, and he may have cheated on her… but he’s just an early 20s-year-old guy who is looking to have fun on one of his life’s biggest adventures. He’s very dedicated to his new band and they have big plans for the future. He, too, is a very nice guy to anyone that talks to him.

Mike Manning

The character--I’m sure he’ll be the token gay guy who is all about gay rights and dates a couple guys from the area.

The real Mike--Extremely, genuinely involved with the Human Rights Campaign, equality rights, and politics as a whole. He loves the DC life because he can get involved. He’s more than just a gay/bisexual guy who dates bartenders.

Ty[rell] Ruff

The character--The man was supposedly one of the most fine Real Worlders ever. I’m sure he’ll be the crazy, cocky guy that everyone hates, gets in fights with, and gets thrown off the balcony by. He’ll also be the guy hooking up with a million girls.

The real him--He’s a bit crazy in the party animal way, and seemed to always be out [unless the group was at a bar he got banned from]. He does make out with a lot of girls, and he’s a typical guy who wants to play in the NFL. I found him hysterical.

Now the countdown begins! I can hardly believe it! I hope all of you enjoyed the adventure as much as I did!

To the roommates--Thanks for giving DC the excitement…We’ll miss you! [Most of us, anyway…]

The final week!

Bethany Ploger — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 19:22:47 GMT

As I said before, this crazy summer of "Real World" being in DC is about to come to an end. In fact…this was their final full week in the capital.

You’d assume they’d be out getting super crazy every night of the week and having the time of their lives with their roommates….

….But that didn’t entirely happen this week thanks to the production crew.

It started on Monday when the roomies wanted to go to Steve’s Bar Room. As soon as one person tweeted that they heard they’d be there, they had to change their plans to a lesser-known [over the internet, anyway] place.

Tuesday was devoted to filming the opening credits of the show. They were all over D.C. in front of monuments etc., shutting down streets, and filming “8 STRANGERS! PICKED TO LIVE IN A HOUSE!!!” But.. no work together….

Wednesday night involved another 80s party at Tattoo hosted by Kelly Ann Collins. It was only Ty and Josh at the party, and for a while there weren’t any cameras. As soon as there was any conversation with me, BAM! Cameras came rushing out of nowhere and keeping the two away. Ugh.

[Side note about Wednesday night: Josh was part of a dating auction! He went for $175, which surprisingly wasn’t the most expensive date!]

Last night (Thursday) - A benefit was held at Gallery Plan B featuring poetry from Emily, paintings from Andrew, and photography from Callie. Obviously I went!

Well, I went to Gallery Plan B… But when I got to the “release form” table, a very important producer [who I won’t name] came up and “kindly” told us we were not allowed inside, despite our intentions, money, who invited us etc.

I don’t know if I should be mad or laugh at it all, really. I really don’t understand it all, and I wish I could swap places with the producer for just one day so that I could find out what they’re thinking and why, and they could see that I’m actually a pretty cool and normal person.

Now… As the last weekend approaches… I will keep my distance. Not because of the producers, but because I want to make sure the roomies get the best weekend of their summer. They better do it up to the max or else… Mmmm… I don’t know. I’ll kidnap them or something until they do!

"Real World DC" lends a helping hand

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:58 GMT

Tuesday night checked off another roommate on my “at work” list. I went to the benefit that Emily hosted as a part of her internship with Africa Action (see the pics).

It was called “Just Words” and held at the Rock and Roll Hotel, where Josh performed last week. They had a bunch of tables set up with stickers, pens, t-shirts… The works! They also had a nice line-up of performers that included anyone from poets to rappers to a 14-piece band! It was quite the entertaining benefit, if I do say so myself.

I’m sure you want to know beyond all that, though…. You want to know the juice, don’t ya?!

Well, the first thing I noticed was that Ty was missing from the RWDC line-up. I didn’t know why at first, but we found out later that he was actually banned from the venue thanks to a tiff with one of the managers last week! Oh snap!

Emily was wearing an Africa Action tee, of course, but she cut it up so it looked really cute. At the very beginning of the show, she was called up on stage to read her poem: [I don’t know if these are the exact words, but this is how it sounded to me…]

A word that is combined in such a simple way
Waiting to read
Waiting to hear
Waiting with anticipation
Yearning to be exposed
Who is it that will speak these words that are pure and wrong in form?
Speak to me Just Words
Sing to me a song so that my heart feels no fear
Let the beat of the drum resonate
Through my bones, my body, my heart, my soul
For when all else fails we have those words
No longer simple, but full of justice, ready to be heard

She seemed to be very nervous going up there, but she was very well received. How could she not be?! She’s an incredible writer!

Mike, Ashley, and Callie were there for the entire event to support their roommate. [Josh had to leave and go to work pretty early in the night.] All of them were mingling around quite a bit… Not only with “regulars,” but new people too.

I’ve noticed a lot recently that they’re all really comfortable in DC now. They’ve formed their cliques and know how to react to the people around them. They and the production crew have also finally warmed up to myself and other bloggers. I think I can officially say that we will all be best friends forever and ever.

…. Everyone but Callie, anyway. For some reason she hasn’t warmed up to me or my camera very much. In fact, she dodges it at all costs. Her and Mike were total BFF’s all night dancing and having a good time. Every time I’d bring the camera out, it’s like she went into sudden hibernation. I don’t know why! She seems like a totally cool girl to me… I guess she just doesn’t want the pictures.

Mike was definitely the host of the party, if you will. The boy was all over the place dancing with his roommates, jumping up and down with randoms, talking to several people, and even hanging out with little kids. He’s such a cool guy. I can’t wait for him to be here in DC for good and get uber involved sans cameras.

One guy who did not seem to be partying or just there to enjoy himself and the people around him: “Guest”/Adam. He’s interesting to me. Last week I thought maybe he was liked by some of the roommates even though Ashley didn’t want him around, but this week changed my perspective.

He is always introducing someone to the roommates, and then they stand by themselves and he’ll go interact every once in a while. There seems to be a decent amount of tension involved so I’m assuming there had to have been a love triangle within the house. Either way, the cast didn’t seem to be too inviting of him last night. He actually looked like one of us… But worse.

As the night came to an end, some of the roommates and cameras ended up at Rhino, while the others dispersed and either went out alone or went home to prepare for an early work day.

My feelings are so bittersweet right now. I’m so excited that everything is going so great now, but it’s just in time for them to leave. The move-out date is sooner than any of us thought-- Within the next couple weeks.

So, if you haven’t caught up with the 7 roommates yet, now is your time! You don’t have much longer so live life to the fullest while you can! I know I will be!

The missing piece to the puzzle

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:57 GMT

After Josh’s performance with his band Wicked Liquid at the Rock & Roll Hotel on Thursday, a lady jumped on stage and started talking about something random. Then she pulled Emily up on stage.

Earlier in the night I was given this flier for a benefit that was going to be held there this Tuesday. I was told I should definitely come because this person’s friend was hosting it. Later on, another person who was with the cast gave me another flier. [Maybe they wanted to make sure my partner-in-crime got one, too.] They insisted I come and I didn’t know why until Emily jumped on that stage.

Here’s the video of the moment that I said “FINALLY! We know where she works and what she’s involved with! It’s about time!

After watching the video and remembering the night, I’m sure Emily made a point to say where she works just so that I would hear it and complete the work-place puzzle. [We are best friends, after all…]

The event is called “Just Words” and it’s a benefit concert for “peace and justice in Africa.” The line above the title says “MUSIC TO MOVE. POETRY TO INSPIRE. A CAUSE TO SUPPORT.”

I can only assume Emily is going to get up and read a couple of her poems, and that is so exciting to me! Then there will be some Reggae music performed. [It’s only fitting for Africa… Duh.]

Doors open at 6, it starts at 7, and should be over by 10. It’s $20 admission, or $15 if you’re a student. Remember: It’s to benefit Africa and Emily’s job, so every penny is worth it! I hope to see you all there because I will absolutely be front row center!!

A double dose of MTV

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:54 GMT

Last night was just another night at McFadden's... With a little MTV bonus.

Ashley was bartending, just like every Tuesday. Mike was there to keep her company along with his local friend.

(Mike was at McFadden's early in the night with a friend to keep Ashley company and "support" her at the upstairs bar)

... And so was Big Black from MTV's "Rob and Big."

He was there for the second time in 3 months, and the roommates made it a point to meet him.

Mike looked for him throughout the night just wanting to meet the co-MTV-star. Eventually, Ty, Callie and Andrew showed up also looking to meet with Big. By the end of the night, they all had their chance.

Big Black joked with Mike about the fact they are both on MTV shows, and that he knows how hard it is to go through the process, but at least he got paid for it. When Mike responded saying they get paid too, BB reminded him that it was basically chump change compared to what he made with Rob Dyrdek.

(Do Big Black and Ty have the same curfew?They left McFadden's at the same time and talked on their way out)

Ty also joked with Big about the MTV connection on their way out of McFadden's. He then met Callie outside and they hopped into the back seat of a taxi followed by two crew members, a big camera, and a boom mic. I'm sure the taxi drivers love all of that in the car. It was pretty fascinating to see them all fit.

Other sightings throughout the night:

*Callie was with some shaggy haired boy all night and left the bar with him. The guy, whoever he is, didn't get in the cab with the roommates, though. I guess he'll have to put in a little more effort. [Unless, of course, there's something I don't know.] On another note- She looks GREAT! I’m thinking she might have lost weight while here in D.C.

(Callie was seen with this boy all night. She looked great in a little black dress!)

*Andrew was with his girlfriend Andrea. The two are a pretty adorable couple. They were giggling and flirting all night and hanging with one of the bartenders. It's pretty obvious Andrea's not a big fan of the cameras or publicity, but I'm thinking it's rather impossible to remain "invisible" like they try to.

*Ashley's former fling [who I called "Guest" and then I heard his name was Alex, and now I think it's Adam or something...] showed up and went straight to the bar Ashley was bartending.... With another girl. It looked like he was doing anything he could to make Ashley jealous. How RUDE.

A "Real World DC" performance

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:53 GMT

I said before that Josh's band, Wicked Liquid would be performing before the cast leaves D.C., and it looks like it's going to be happening sooner rather than later!

They are scheduled to perform this Thursday at the Rock N Roll Hotel on H Street!

I can only assume that this band is the same one Josh was handing out t-shirts for at Rhino one night, but there hasn't been any "official" confirmation...Only a couple tweets and mentions.

Glittarazzi blogger Kelly Ann Collins, who I hear from a couple sighters could be dating Josh. Collins tweeted the event and is promoting it on her website! Hmmm... Her "friend" is the lead singer...Could this be a major *hint hint*?!?

I know I'm not taking any chances and I will be there this Thursday night!

If you want to take the chance and join me, tickets are only $10!

Reading a Roommate's Thoughts

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:51 GMT

It came to my attention a couple months ago (thanks to Vevmo) that Emily had a blog that was based around poetry she wrote. I checked it out back in July and thought everything was really well written, but that's about all that crossed my mind.

After checking back a couple times, it never got updated after the late July date, so I figured production banned her from doing it. Then, just like magic, September rolled around and so did more posts on her blog.

It's called "My breath of fresh air." and has three super cute pictures of her as the header! I'm pretty jealous of it, really. The pictures are great!

Anyway.. Before I reveal any blog-crush, I should move on.

A lot of her poetry has something to do with taking risks, being herself, and living life to the fullest. She also has posts that don't contain poetry, but are very well written. If she isn't already, she should probably consider a career in writing of some sort!

The best part about it for all of you RWDC fans is that she's writing about her experience in the house. Though it is very indirect and people who don't know her may not pick up on it right away, you can definitely find the connection.

Here... I'll show you some significant blurbs:

Tuesday, September 15
....As all my doubts start to unfurl
I spread my hands wide and high
I am fully naked under this sky
My doubts, my cautions, no longer exist
Because with that comes life I refuse to miss
I am in the moment, I begin to thrive
All in fruit of my inner drive
This is my life in all its beauty....

Wednesday, September 2
Cages of loneliness, depression, institutions… Cages that restrict a beautiful being from living. Some, or most, can pinpoint the cages in our lives, put there by others. But more importantly, what about the ones put by ourselves? What cage have I restricted myself with? What cage have we all restricted ourselves with?....
....I fear most that I will find something about myself that I cannot come to terms with. What if I am afraid to face something within? What is my cage?....

Tuesday, July 28
Never knew how hard it could be
To let the whole world really see me
Opening a book in a thunderstorm
Without allowing a page to be torn
Afraid of effects when the cause is through
I tell myself to always be true
Holding my chin high when all else has failed
Persevering after the ship has sailed......

Those are just some blurbs from the blog that I assume have something to do with her "Real World" experience, but I must admit, every sentence on that website is interesting and amazingly written, so I suggest you check it out.

It's interesting that she touches on "the cage" and what she'll figure out. It seems to me that every season of RW has at least one roommate that "figures themselves out." Will she be that girl?

I'll make sure to pay attention to the blog and let you know when anything gets added! Hopefully we'll have something else soon!

Mike goes to work!

Bethany Ploger — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:42:42 GMT

My quest for finding everyone in their work environment is moving along! [Well, sorta….]

The next employee: Mike.

He works at the Human Rights Campaign and the Energy Action Coalition and true to what he told me last month, he is getting very involved in this DC community and the government.

Multiple people have forwarded me emails that he has sent them and it’s super exciting! Basically, Mike is asking for everyone he has met here in DC to write to their senators, congressmen, etc. and ask for equal rights.

He’s even held events to help this subject matter:

He's really making sure he uses this networking opportunity to its greatest potential and I love that! These emails are genuine and just looking for the support from those he has met here so far. It's a great way to get people involved! Who wouldn't want to listen to a RWDC roommate?!

A screenshot from a video where Mike was interviewed about green jobs.

Now I just need to make it to one of these events and we'll be set!

On another note: Rumors are flying that Andrew has officially landed his job/internship! It's looking like he'll be another media-worker and spend some time at The Washington Times. He won't have very long there assuming they're leaving in about a month, but I'm sure he'll make the best of it!

Now, as I think about all of this, I think Emilee is the only one with an unknown job status. She was also the one whose last name seemed impossible to find for a while. She's a sneaky one, that Emilee.

And be sure to check out my latest "Finding The Real World" video blog!

Ashley goes to work!

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:45 GMT

My dream came true: One of the RWDC cast members is working at McFadden’s!

The best part: It’s my favorite of the 8!

Ashley started working as a bartender last night for “WTF Tuesday” and of course I had to be there for the welcoming!

Ashley hard at work!

She was working with my favorite bartender, Joel, and they were a great team! She was super friendly, talking to everyone and having a good time.

She especially enjoyed when the male bartenders took the "stage."

At first it was only her and Andrew there. Andrew was with a brunette for most of the night who I’m beginning to think may be his little fling. He helped her on the bar then tried to get her down for a couple songs so they could leave and remain “invisible.” [Note to Andrew: I feel like that’s impossible… But whatever floats your boat. ;)]

Andrew tried to stay hidden with his girl, but it didn't work out too well.

Almost like a movie, as soon as Andrew left, the rest of the roommates came in. Everyone helped welcome Ashley to her new job except for Josh [because he was busy working at Rhino] and Erika [for obvious reasons]. Callie and Emilee hopped up on the bar to dance and Ashley and Joel joined them. Ashley and Joel started swing dancing while the crowd made a circle around them…. Until she fell on her back. Woopsies.

Callie and Emilee dance on the bar with the bartender, Joel, below them.

Other sightings around the place:

The girls had matching hairstyles, which I have noticed is a trend with them. Last night’s choice: French braids in the front, as made popular by LC from “The Hills.”
Mike with a group of guys, mingling around the bar and having a great time after his event at Halo.
Ty making his rounds from girl to girl, and doing the usual escape to a different, less crowded floor for some alone time. He started with a brunette, and ended up making out with some blondie before leaving with Ashley to make curfew.

Ty "mingled" around the floor with tons of ladies.

So after last night, I’ve only seen 2 roommates while they’re on the job. This needs to change pronto, but if you want to see Ashley in action, which I totally recommend, I assume she’ll be working at McFadden's every Tuesday, and probably Friday.

For more pictures from the night, check out our Real World Spy Photo Gallery!

Its official, Erika has moved out of the "Real World" house!

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:44 GMT

Yes, the Twitter rumors are officially TRUE! “Cancer” has officially left the “Real World DC” house and moved in with her boyfriend in Cleveland.

We knew that she has been extremely unhappy in the house for quite some time now. She hated all of the followers and random people taking pictures and she got in a fight with Ashley.

Why would you ever want to leave the house, though?! I can’t imagine the drama that was probably going on inside! I know I can’t wait to watch it, that’s for sure.

Anyway, Erika started packing her things when her boyfriend was here visiting on Monday night, and was out of the house sometime between 10 p.m. and the morning.

As of now- I’m about 99.9% sure there is someone moving in to take her place. Someone was notified to get ready to come this way a couple weeks ago, and supposedly they’re finally here. This isn’t Britannica approved [more like Wikipedia-approved], but her name is Lindsay, from New York, and a radio personality.

She should be moving in within these next couple of days. She doesn’t have a lot of time in the house so I hope she brings some craziness to make up for it. [By the way- The cast is likely moving out late October, not Thanksgiving like we first heard.]

Standby everyone! Keep your eyes PEELED! You never know when she’ll show up but it’s going to get interesting. I will most definitely keep you updated so stay tuned for more.

When the "Real World DC" crew attacks!

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:36 GMT

Now I get it.

We've already seen evidence of the "Real World DC" crew causing trouble, but now I understand why some DC’ers are hating the fact that MTV is invading their town and “ruining” some of their nights.

Before last night I never really had nor witnessed any personal problems with the crew besides the move-in day fiasco. Then I witnessed and experienced the wrath of the camera crew and its helpers when out in Dupont last night.

The cast started their night at Halo [where Erika was supposed to DJ, but we assume she started that rumor herself] and then Callie moved on to Nellie’s. [As if that’s anything new.] Josh was working at Rhino like he does every Thursday. The only difference- He had on a crazy shoulder sling thanks to the dislocation that occurred at Sunday’s pool party.

Callie and crew started off the night at Halo. [Courtesy of @seanr1978 on Twitpic.]

By 11:30, Ashley, Emilee, Ty and Andrew were on the roof deck at Public Bar in Dupont, another place they have been quite a few times.

I’ll be honest and straight up: They weren’t doing anything too exciting. This is really all I witnessed:

Ashley talking to a couple guys. No making out, just some flirting. She has a boyfriend, after all.
Emilee talking to the same group of guys as Ashley. Again, no making out or groping.
Andrew mingling throughout the bar, talking to a variety of people, including the downstairs bartender that was serving no one because everyone was on the deck.
Ty was talking to a blondie all night, and even took her to the bottom floor to have some alone time on the dance floor. No one was around, not even the cameras. It was a pretty precious moment, really. Movie-like, even.

Ty talked to this girl all night and even shared a "moment" with her alone downstairs.

The excitement of the night involved the crew, like I said. I’ll admit the reason my group ended up at Public was because of RWDC, but I have been there multiple times. I was there to enjoy myself and have fun with my friends while scoping out some local celebs, if you will.

I was taking video of my friends and everyone around for my eTV series “Finding the Real World Cast.” No roommates were getting caught on camera [unfortunately]. All of a sudden there are flashlights in my face and camera lens and the crew is yelling at me to put my camera away.

Please remember: If you are in a public place such as a bar or restaurant, or even on the side of the street, you are absolutely allowed to take pictures of the cast and crew.

Someone else in my clan was taking pictures of the scenery when a crew member put up his hand to block the shot. He then proceeded to knock the camera out of his hand.

The RWDC crew insisted on blocking all pictures and videos even if the cast was not included in the shot.

THIS is when the crew A) has stepped over the wall that is supposed to keep them separated from the “real life” the roommates are living, and B) has been downright rude and disrespectful for no reason, thus ruining a local resident’s night like some have claimed.

It went on all night. Even when the roommates were nowhere to be seen around us, we were not allowed to go along with our nightly routine of having fun and taking pictures.

It had nothing to do with anyone working at Public Bar. I’m sure they could care less if anyone is taking pictures inside. The Real World DC crew members were like an army coming after anyone with a camera, apparently forgetting that they were guests inside a very popular bar.

Lesson I learned: Don’t hate on the people who complain about the crew being around town. They may have a legit reason.

Lessons the crew needs to learn: Pay attention to the roommates, not the people around them. I bet a lot more interesting things happen that they’ll never catch on tape because they’re too worried about random people like me. Also, respect the bar and the people who go there by letting them do their thing.

Please and thank you.

Which famous singer is getting Josh's sloppy seconds?

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:34 GMT

As if I didn’t already know this, there’s more than a little bit of proof that some of the roommates definitely didn't always lead a normal, middle-of-nowhere life with no connections to MTV before the show.

It turns out one of the roommates used to date a new “it" girl!

Josh Colon, the musician and Rhino bartender who dislocated his shoulder at Spike’s pool party this weekend, used to date Amber Rose.

If you don’t know who Amber Rose is, I’m sure you know her current boyfriend: Kanye West!

She’s been all over the magazines lately for being the new "it" girl and having a very X-rated past. [Having a shaved head/similar haircut to her A-list boyfriend are also popular mentions of Miss Amber.]

Too bad for Kanye, though. He’s holding onto RWDC’s own Josh Colon’s sloppy seconds! The two are hometown friends who pretty much grew up together and were dating for a decent amount of time! In fact, they were first loves!

Josh has a tattoo of a girl dancing on a pole who he claimed was ex-girlfriend Amber Rose.

Josh said the tattoo of a stripper on his arm is modeled after Amber and that she posed for the picture while his local tattoo artist/friend permanently drew it on his arm.

Here’s what I’m noticing, though: Amber Rose has short hair in every picture that I can find. Josh’s current girlfriend of a couple years, Ashley, has the same haircut as his tattoo. Even though Josh said, “She had the chin-length hair when I dated her and got this tattoo,” I’m wondering if it’s another lie that could potentially hurt his girlfriend. It wouldn’t be the first time in D.C.… He’s reportedly been dating around quite a bit.

Josh and current girlfriend Ashley enter the Real World house during her visit last month.
Credit: @paliking09 on Twitter.

No matter who the tattoo is, it’s got to be pretty cool to look Kanye West in the eyes and say, “You’ve got my sloppy seconds while I’ve moved on to someone who won’t show her junk to everyone else in the world.”

Making Out With the "Real World"

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:29 GMT

*UPDATE!*

We have figured out who "Guest" is!! He's not visiting anyone, and he is becoming a RWDC regular.

Name: Alex.
Occupation: Bartender at Rhino.
Relationship to RWDC: Ashley's BOYFRIEND!

This brings us to another lesson: If you're looking to hook up/get in the house/date/whatever your heart desires with one of the roommates, your best bet is to become a local bartender. It's worked for Alex and Eric, a bartender at Nellie's who is one of Mike's boy-toys.

Original post below!

* * * * * *

Oh, what a night!

I didn’t expect a crazy RWDC night yesterday when I went out to Rhino. The cast was at Good Stuff Eatery as of 10 p.m. and it looked like it was going to be a night-in for the gang. Boy, was I wrong!

The cast begins their night at Good Stuff Eatery.
Courtesy of @therobbstory on UberTwitter.

After their meal, they all headed over to Rhino where Josh bartends on Thursday nights. [Only Mike and Erika were MIA.] There were games of flip cup going on, dancing, and flipping. [Yes… Ty the football player was doing flips in the middle of the bar with the help of some other bar goers.]

And oh yeah… There was TONS of making out!

Andrew talks to his first lady of the night: A brunette!

Andrew was the first to “let loose,” if you will, as always! This time he started out with a brunette, though! Don’t get your hopes up, ladies. He moved right back to his typical make-out companion: A seemingly random blonde girl who will bust out some dance moves and cause a scene at the bar. Once the cameras are around, they go at it.

After showing off their dance moves, Andrew pulls over another lady friend to the couch for some "alone" time.

Ty was hanging at the bar with a brunette for quite some time… As usual. Once she left, he found a blondie! They were on the couch mingling, kissing, etc. with the cameras all in their face until the night ended.

Ty also used the couch to get some "alone" time with a blonde gal.

Something new that I haven’t witnessed until this point but I‘m sure has happened plenty: Ashley making out! With who, you ask? “GUEST!” [Ya know, the guy who got zombified with Mike?!] Now it gets even more confusing. Who is this “guest” that has been here for a week now?! They seemed to be very into each other… It was cute!

Callie and Emilee were also in attendance and mingling with boys, but I didn’t see any action. They were definitely breaking it down on the dance floor, though!

Josh [who has reportedly been dating around even though he has a girlfriend… Hmmm………..] was behind the bar all night. I didn’t see anything sketchy going on. He did give out a shirt for his band and said Rhino would be selling them soon! I have got to get my hands on one!

"Guest" stayed later than the cast and organized some games of flip cup.

Once curfew rolled around, everyone headed out… Minus Guest. He got to stay until close and play some more games of flip cup with everyone around! He’s definitely a fun guy and he’s probably making a fabulous extra character for the show… I just wish I knew who he was!

Once they got back to the house- There was a fight that came storming to the front porch. It definitely involved Ty getting yelled at for “always doing this!” I assume it was Emilee yelling about him kissing other girls, but Erika [of course] was also involved, so it could have been anything. Mike was the one to come outside and calm him down.

A night doesn't end after curfew at the RWDC house... Fights likely bring a majority of the nights to a close.

See fight video:

Lessons learned:

It’s no longer cool to say “I made out with someone from the Real World.” 50% of DC has as of last night.
Guests, whoever they may be, tend to stay for a little longer than it seems to the show’s audience… But they don’t always get to sleep at the house.
Andrew seems to have the same plan of action every night: Find a girl with blonde hair, dance with her, then make-out… A lot. [Hint, hint if you want a chance with him!]
The reason for curfew: Way more fights within the house!

Zombies took over the "Real World DC" house

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:28 GMT

The biggest surprise event was when the zombies took over Dupont! [It happens every once in a while, but normally around Halloween, of course!] It was only convenient for the mass group of wandering zombies to venture right by 2000 S Street.

That’s where they found Mike, Erika and “a guest.” [No, I have no idea who the guest was. Yes, it’s bothering me. I’m pretty sure it was a guest for Mike. Hmmm…]

Mike gets "zombified" (courtesy of Sara Montiel, Brightest Young Things)

True to form [because he‘s probably the most friendly of all the roommates as far as I‘ve witnessed], Mike happily and excitedly greeted the zombies and then got zombified himself! His guest did, too!

(courtesy of Sara Montiel, Brightest Young Things)

"The Real World" girls throw down!

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:23 GMT

I’m so excited!! And I just can’t hide it!

Okay so that was corny, but I’m serious! Last night marked the first fight within the roommates! [Public fight, that is…. I’m sure there have been plenty inside the house!]

Who did it involve? Well, I’ll give you one guess.

Yep… ERIKA! She fought Ashley at Nellie’s during the sports bar’s 2nd Anniversary celebration!

I’m not sure as of now what the fight was about, but it was outside, and a crowd quickly formed. Then, before it could get too serious, producers intervened and broke everything up.

Emilee leans against the wall at Nellie’s after two of her roommates fought outside of the bar.
Courtesy of @Vchizi on UberTwitter.

The cameras filmed Ashley as Callie walked her back towards the house. Suddenly, Erika started crying with one crewmember. [No comment…] The crew then came back to film Erika as they walked her back alone.

Where was the rest of the cast? Emilee was standing outside alone and I assume Mike was inside with one of his friends. As for the other 3 -- it’s a mystery.

Erika sheds some tears outside Nellie’s with a cameraman after the fight.
Courtesy of @MissBurrell on UberTwitter.

I assume that a major part of Erika doing this show is to help out her singing career. It’s not a bad idea! MTV is going to hook her up BIG time!

Some inside scoop: I got word that there will be a producer by the name of Peter Daley who will be coming to live in the house for a week and help Erika produce some music! She will also be starting to work next week! Hmmm.. I hope everyone knows what they’re in for.

I’m going to be a tad biased and say there are no morals to this story. We already knew about Erika, and Ashley is super sweet… I know who I pick to blame.

The Real World cast gets NAKID?

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:19 GMT

After a week of boring-ness, we kicked this week off with some exciting things! [I'm excited, anyways!]

First of all, Vevmo found Emilee from Missouri's last name! It's Schromm! Woohoo! The puzzle is complete!!

The cast also spent their Tuesday night at McFadden's, just like they did a couple weeks back. The scene was a lot like before: The girls stayed together, traveled to the bathroom, and talked a lot about the boys in the house. They also spent a lot of time dancing with the main bartender.

Emilee and the McFadden's bartender get down for the crowd at McFadden's.

Cameramen and producers were outside with all sorts of equipment shooting b-roll today. [Ya know, the extra, random shots of the city/places they go that they show inbetween all of the drama?!] They even had some of the cast members helping out! Is this crossing the line that is supposed to keep the roommates and crew members 100% separate?! Hmmm... They never really did "stay out of their way" from the beginning.

Josh and Mike get their hands on the production side of the show by helping the crew film some random footage of the house.

Now the biggest and most exciting news! Rumor has it the cast will be joining NAKID, an adult kickball league in the city that includes parties, beer, jello shots, and plenty more alcohol and partying! [Yeah, I guess it only makes sense, right?!] It also includes trips on the Boomerang Bus, which the cast is familiar with. [They partied on the Bus during their first week here in the city.]

My question for YOU is, my faithful Metromix reader, who wants to form a team for NAKID?! Shhh... It's a secret!!!....

Our latest adventure with the "Real World DC" cast!

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:18 GMT

The end of last week brought me on my latest adventure with the Real World cast. [I guess we should use the term “with” lightly…]

I headed over to Nellie’s that night because I had never been there, and everyone has been mentioning it lately. [And yes… There was a little RWDC rumor on Twitter.]

Mike and Emily were in attendance. Mike was a given. He’s supposedly dating a bartender there, so he spends quite a bit of time “visiting.” Emily seemed to be his sidekick for the night. She’s also a self proclaimed bisexual, so maybe they’re officially BFF’s all the time?

Could this be Mike's special friend?

Emily was hanging around one guy and a couple of ladies for a while. I assume the ladies work for the show because of what they were carrying around. Most people don’t “fly in to DC and come straight to Nellie’s” like they told me they had. Mike was hanging at a table with a group of about 5 guys, and occasionally another “random” guy who was flipping in the middle of the bar.

Emily had on a cute but rather slutty dress. My friend and I totally loved the dress, and as my friend noted a couple times “they finally picked some Real World women who actually have a body that’s not disgustingly skinny!”

Nice dress!

Since nothing was going on, we headed to the regular hangout -- Third Edition. There were cameras everywhere [along with dancing bodies], but no sight of any RWers.

Then… In the corner… Andrew was at it AGAIN! He was gettin’ all hot and heavy with some blonde chick who was not the same girl as last week. It was like déjà vu but with a different place and a different girl.

He even left the exact same way he always does-- The cameramen tell him it’s time to go mid-make-out, and without much of a goodbye, he’s out the door before I can even catch up with them. LAME!

So lessons learned:

1.    Mike and Emily likely stick together, whether it’s by their choice, or the producers’.
2.    Lots of cameras does not always mean lots of roommates, though I hear they were all at Third Edition earlier in the night.
3.    Andrew is a pimp! If you’re a cute blonde girl and looking to get some Real World action, he’s your guy!

If you want to see more video from the night, check back throughout the week. I will have another episode of my Finding the Real World DC Cast up by Friday.

A boring week for "Real World DC" cast...

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:17 GMT

I know, I know. It’s been a while since you faithful Metromix readers have gotten a Real World DC update. The truth is, it’s been a relatively “boring” week in the land of RWDC.

Yes, some things have been going on. Duh! Things are always going on in 2000 S Street. The problem is, we’re not seeing much of it, and they haven’t been getting to wild and crazy out on the town.

Here’s what has been happening in the past couple of days:

The girls were spotted at some dunk tank in NW. I’m not sure what the purpose was, but it did look like fun. Erika knocked Ashley into the water! Softball background or just evil?
Mike had people visiting from home which I hear were mostly girls, if not all girls. They went to Nellie's Saturday night where he reportedly has a boyfriend who bartends.
They had a precious little family dinner on the patio the other night. Everyone gathered around the table enjoying some food, cameras, bright lights, and stalkers on the street.
There has been rumor that Erika is moving out of the house. False statement. Shabooty did the Googling to prove that wrong.
The cast went to Tattoo last night for their second 80’s party.

Yeah… Seriously… It’s been that exciting-boring. I’m hoping they bring out the wild childs tonight! Let’s all keep our fingers crossed!

On a completely random side note: Last Thursday the cast went to Public Bar after Nellies closed. My friend and fellow intern chatted with Erika who yelled at him for asking about Real World, Washington DC, and me. She definitely hates me, but I don’t blame her! Plus, who says the feeling isn’t mutual? I have the other 7 to love.

Here are some pics!

Some of the cast members sit outside the front of the house with their best friend: the cameraman. Courtesy of Matt Dailey on Flickr.

What a nice little family dinner the roommates shared on the patio this week. Courtesy of someone on Flickr.

Callie and Erika watch as Ashley sits in the dunk tank in NW Washington, DC. Courtesy of the Washingtonian.

Erika throws the ball at the dunk tank target while Ashley pays more attention to Callie. Courtesy of the Washingtonian.

Erika receives a high-five while the cameraman captures the moment of Ashley being dunked. Courtesy of the Washingtonian.

Is that a waiver?! It looks like this man is the latest to sign over his life after giving Erika a celebratory high-five. Courtesy of the Washingtonian.

The truth about Erika

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:15 GMT

Little Miss Erika Lauren Wasilewski seems to have an interesting past in her hometown of Chicago.

My run-ins with her have not been great, and I can say she is the only roommate I can say I have any issue with. Turns out, I’m not alone.

Erika’s nickname at home is “Cancer.” Why? Well, thanks to my sidekick Martin, we have some “official” statements from two of her hometown “friends.”

Apparently about 3 years ago, she broke up with her boyfriend. In order to get him back, she decided to pretend to have Skin Cancer 8 hours after the break-up. She went along with the story for 9 months before finally admitting she was lying. She even had her family in on it.

Erika performs at 9:30 Club on Tuesday, July 28 with The Cab

Here is what some of her ex-friends have to say about the situation that she can‘t escape, even after she went to school at Illinois State University:

“When they broke up she was devastated and I guess for attention or who knows what she started to tell people that she was just diagnosed with skin cancer. She was telling me all about her chemotherapy and showing me her stomach where she takes some kind of shot every morning..? She had my best friend crying and defending her so much that it ruined a lot of friendships. Some of her stories just didn't seem to add up and a girl I know that actually did have cancer called her out on it one time. She finally couldn't take it anymore and decided to tell people the truth. There is a conversation somewhere that we're trying to find where she says how sorry she is and that she needs mental help. The crazy thing is that when my friend would go to her house even her parents were in on it. She got so deep into her lie that she made her parents lie as well. My friend was like Hey can I just see a doctors note or something so we can put this all to rest? And Erika said if you see a doctors not then we will never be friends again, and my friend said I don't care I want to see the doctors note. And then Erika never showed her and never talked to her again.

God she is a NUTCASE. Of course they picked her to be on the real world.. look how much publicity she is getting already. By the way I HOPE you listened to her music and think it is hilarious like everyone back home does. We are going to have real world parties when it airs.”
-Friend

“She faked cancer for 9 months… just wouldnt give it up. When she first told me she started bawling her eyes out immediately and really sold it to me. She deserved an Oscar for her acting performance that night. This went on for so long, and her cancer "kept moving" from different parts of her body and people were really feeling bad for her. She even told us that she was losing her hair because of chemo and treatments. There were people who didn’t believe her at first, and I was one of the ones who everyone hated for "making fun of the girl who has cancer" but things just didn’t add up. People kept asking her questions, and she was avoiding answering them and it just came to a boiling point where she finally admitted she never had cancer. She absolutely dropped off the map socially, and everyone hated her so bad. They still do, you won’t have any trouble getting this story from 50 more people. I was the one who finally got her to admit that she didn’t have cancer through an AIM convo. I’m sure America will see her true colors.”
-Ex-boyfriend’s best friend

They say cops were called on them numerous times for harassing her and constantly asking for doctors’ notes etc. She was constantly threatening friendships, but no one seemed to care.

She also faked having the West Nile Virus before this, and claimed her grandfather died but said her boyfriend could not come to the funeral because he was not Italian. (Even though she is Polish.)

Ya know, some people are just mean or ignorant or not fun to be around. Some people do bad things here and there. This girl took it above and beyond all of that. No wonder she’s always so worried about us bloggers and news sources being around.

Too late now… The story is out!

Running into RWDC at their workplace

Bethany Ploger — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:17:15 GMT

So I just decided something… I want to see each of the cast members at their “work”place while they are here in DC. [Or, as much of them as possible, anyways.]

Last night it happened for the first time, and not completely on purpose. I know that Josh works at Rhino, but I also know that his girlfriend Ashley is in town, so I figured he’d take the night off.

Turns out he was in fact there, with Ashley and Andrew.

So what was he doing? Well, he wasn’t behind the bar being the bartender that I hear he is. He was outside, bunned up (bunned up- adj; Having a 'wifey' or girlfriend… Being all over and/or all about them) against the wall with Ashley. No cameras were in sight, and neither were any of the other roommates.

After hanging out inside for a while, they both come in, hand-in-hand, and start yelling for Andrew. I hadn’t seen him at that point but then I spotted him- On the dance floor getting hot and sweaty and swapping spit with some blonde girl. [YES! He likes blondes too!]

When Ashley was done yelling for Andrew, they all left around 1:15 or 1:30. After evaluating the scene, this is what I can walk away learning:

When your girlfriend is visiting you on the "Real World," you drop everything you’re doing when she’s not there… That includes work.

Being a bartender while on the "Real World" simply means you get to party more, away from the cameras.

Andrew may be perceived as “the oddball” or whatever, but he definitely knows how to party and get the ladies! He’s ALWAYS pictured and spotted talking to a variety of gals.

Now I wonder who I’ll run into at their job next…?

Find out why Erika's hometown friends call her, "Cancer."

Their new jobs

Bethany Ploger — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 17:43:19 GMT

My night at Halo with my Real World BFF’s proved two things: The cast does not run things in DC, and Mike is the hardest worker and most “real” roommate in the house.

They went to Halo to hang with JD from the Brooklyn cast and celebrate the club’s 5th anniversary on Sunday night. I spotted Erika, Callie and Mike while I was there. Here’s the rundown of what happened:

Erika tried to get us bloggers kicked out by the owner of Halo, but was unsuccessful. She did kick Martin out, but I made sure he didn’t give up and he went back in.

Callie works for a magazine called the Washington Blade

Josh works as a bartender at Rhino

Mike was actually really excited to see me, which obviously made my night! We talked all about his involvement with DC and how he wants to move here after the show is over: He has 2 jobs here in DC [Human Rights Campaign and another volunteering place] and works basically all day, every day. He’s the only roommate to work every day. He’s only seen one episode of the “Real World” and is on the show to open everyone’s eyes on an array of different issues. He loves sports games and is very excited/hoping to go to a Redskins game! [I offered to take him with me. Please oh please oh PLEASE happen!] After the show is over, he has to finish up one more semester of school, and then plans on moving back here to Washington, DC! He loves this city so far! Mike is by far the nicest and most personable roommate of this DC season, so if you see him out, don’t be afraid to say hello! I have yet to see him turn anyone down for a chat!

Oh, and did I mention I made out with one of the "Real World" boys?! I'll reveal who it is later since I still want to remain friends so it's probably not the best idea to kiss and tell at this point.

For all of you Real World: Brooklyn fans- JD was also really cool. He was posing for pictures all night, and I obviously had to jump on the opportunity!

A new romance brewing in the house?

Bethany Ploger — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:15:27 GMT

Maybe this season of the “Real World” is going to be a group of strangers who are “living for a purpose” or “doing things to benefit society” or whatever you want to call it. They seem to be going to a lot of benefit events lately. [Mind you.. They’re all in bars and all of them end up hammered-drunk.]

Last week they went to Tattoo for their weekly Wednesday Totally ‘80s party that raised money for the Batonga Foundation.

To sum their night up as quickly and best I can, I shall rely on my bullets:

Mike was not in sight, even though he’s supposed to be the one who’s really in this for the “make a change” aspect. Reason: He works all day, every day. He’s the only one to do that.

The group seemed to stay together for the most part. A lot of times I see them venture in pairs or even alone around the bar, but they had their little section of claimed territory. (Pictured below Erika, Ty, Ashley and Josh)

Callie was finally out of the corner for once. The cameras seemed to even be focused on her for a long period of time! I wonder what happened that day to make that happen.

Ashley and Josh seemed rather inseparable dancing a lot and being around each other… Hmmm… Is something brewing? (Pictured below Callie, Erika, Ashley and Josh)

Some girl would not leave Ty alone. She was there standing next to him basically the whole time, even if he paid her no attention. He does seem to love the ladies all over him, though.

Erika is just not a happy person for some reason. Does she hate DC? Does she hate bloggers? She didn’t see me there, but maybe she saw someone else. I just want her to smile and have a good time for 5 minutes.

I just don’t see this getting old anytime soon. No matter what the event is, these people are fascinating and I love watching everything unfold.

PS: Credit to dc80s.com for the pictures! I love it when people are on top of these things!