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Real World creator: diversity “almost requires having a gay or lesbian just as it requires having a black or Latino person.

by Andy Dehnart 16 Apr. 2002 | 7:45 am

Real World creator: diversity “almost requires having a gay or lesbian just as it requires having a black or Latino person.
The Real World has always been accused of casting to fit certain roles or even stereotypes, and co-creator Jonathan Murray admits as much in this week’s Advocate cover story, which focuses on gay and lesbian people on reality TV shows. Murray says the concept for the show involved “putting seven diverse people in a house,” and that diversity “almost requires having a gay or lesbian just as it requires having a black or Latino person.” Other revelations in the article: There’s “a rumored lesbian yet to be revealed” on Survivor Marquesas; The Real World Chicago‘s Chris from says he “had no idea they could record from [the] cameras” that captured Kurt and Chris making out; Mark Burnett didn’t want to cast Brandon for Survivor Africa because he “didn’t think I would last,” Brandon says, but CBS’ president Les Moonves “really enjoyed” Brandon’s discussion of “[two previous Survivor contestants] who were obviously gay but pretended not to be….”); and Brandon says 10 percent of his fan mail is “die-fag-die”-type letters.

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about Andy Dehnart

Andy Dehnart’s writing and criticism about television, culture, and media has appeared on NPR and in The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Pacific Standard, and other publications. He has covered reality television for more than 18 years, and created reality blurred in 2000.

A member of the Television Critics Association, Andy, 40, directs the journalism program at Stetson University in Florida, where he teaches creative nonfiction and journalism. He has an M.F.A. in nonfiction writing and literature from Bennington College. More about reality blurred and Andy.

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reality blurred is your guide to the world of reality TV and unscripted entertainment, with reality show reviews, news, and analysis. It was created in 2000 by Andy Dehnart. He's still writing and publishing it today.

reality blurred is regularly updated with highlights from the world of reality TV: news and analysis; behind-the-scenes reports; interviews with reality TV show cast members and producers; and recaps and reviews of these reality TV shows, including Survivor, Big Brother, The Great British Baking Show, Shark Tank, The Amazing Race, The Bachelor, Project Runway, Dancing with the Stars, Top Chef, and many more.

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