There is a pretty uncompromising divide between those who support the Occupy Wall Street protests and those who oppose them. Those who claim that the protests are ineffective however seem to be overlooking the fact that, at the very least, they’re getting just about everyone talking about the issue. It has evolved into a larger, more visible controversy not limited to the borders of New York’s Zuccotti Park. And what does television do when it spots an ever-growing controversy? Mine it for ratings: MTV has opened a casting call for Occupy Wall Street protesters for the next incarnation of The Real World.
MTV created a Craigslist ad on Monday, asking for OWS protesters “over the age of 20 and appear to be between the ages of 20-24” who are looking “to tell their unique stories on [The Real World].”
As with the protest itself, there are two ways to look at MTV’s move. On the one hand, you might call it a trivialization of many people’s efforts toward what they believe to be a genuine cause. Less cynically, it is a step towards getting the word out even further. So, it’s up to the OWS protesters who happen to get wind of this casting call to decide where they stand on that issue.
Of course, The Real World isn’t the only place OWS protesters can get some screen time. Just yesterday, it was announced that The Dark Knight Rises plans to film scenes set around the Zuccotti Park protests.
MTV’s upcoming 27th season of The Real World is expected to announce its location sometime next month.
Source: LA Times
