Local Real Worlders Hit Key West

One of Bostonist’s favorite weekend activities is catching up on all those trashy MTV reality shows that we often miss during the work week. And luckily, this weekend we were able to watch the premiere episode of "The Real World Key West", which we believe will be the most mentally unstable of all the seasons. This week’s episode included the standard “seven people picked to live in a house and have their lives taped” but Bostonist also noticed that there are a couple of castmates who hail from New England. The gay cast member, Tyler, is 23, grew up in Minnesota, recently graduated from Tufts University and now resides in Davis Square with roommates. According to a recent article in the Herald, he’s pursuing television production and of course, he’ll now fall into the group of pseudo-Boston celebrities that have done reality shows. While Tyler definitely made some snide comments here and there, we enjoyed him as he threw catty comments at some of his roommates. And a hint from Tyler as what’s to come this season:

"I honestly was expecting this trailer-park train wreck. But once I got there and met my castmates, I thought, ‘This isn’t Austin.’. . . We had a lot of politically charged discussions. We’re a very intelligent group. It’s not just boozing and sex this season.”

But in comparison to his roommate, Paula, Tyler looks to be the most sane. This 24-year-old graduated from Quinnipiac University and now lives in Meriden, CT. In the course of the first hour, the willowy blond is cast as the anorexic, severely lacking self-confidence roommate who cries all the time and doesn't like men in general. While we know that reality show producers do quite a job editing the episodes, we doubt they completely created the ups and downs of Paula. According to her MTV profile, she loves to party…we assume this is not with her roommates since she has several crying episodes between Bud Lights. The profile also mentions an abusive ex-boyfriend and a “body issues.” Look for the drama to follow this one throughout the season, which happened to tape during three hurricanes while in Key West. Bostonist must ask the Real World producers: why cast someone that is so fragile that she’ll break in “The Real World”? Oh, that’s right…because we’ll tune in and watch it, that’s why. The latest episode airs tonight at 10p.m.