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'Real World: Brooklyn': Meet the roommates and tour their digs

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Chet, left, and Ryan -- two of the cast members on "The Real World: Brooklyn." (Photos: RJ Mickelson/amNY)

By Julie Gordon

“The Real World: Brooklyn” cast-members believe it’s a real shame people are already judging them.

The show debuts on Jan.7, so America has not yet met them. And even before they had set foot in Red Hook in August to film the show, local residents were already harping on the negative images of seasons’ past: sex, drinking and public rowdiness.

“We’d hear, ‘Oh, it’s Fake World. You guys suck,’” said roommate Scott, a 23-year-old personal trainer and model from New Hampshire, who is one of the eight “RW” guys and girls (yes, it’s eight this season). “This one guy in a bar said we were a virus,” Scott said. “So I walked up to him and said, ‘Really?’ You don’t know who I am.”

amNewYork spent time with the cast yesterday and gave them a chance to introduce themselves to our readers:

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J.D., 22, Miami Beach, Fla.

A dolphin and whale trainer back home, J.D. describes himself as strong, smart, independent and “not your typical gay guy.” He said he has been forced to be independent — he was abused as a child by his father, and grew up partly in foster care.

One reason he auditioned for the show was to find the family he didn’t have as a kid. And though he said everyone in the house became “really good friends,” the group wasn’t as tight-knit as he thought it would be.

While in New York, the roommates were allowed to pursue a career path of choice. JD worked on public policy for the LGBT community center and for the gay-lesbian-straight network.

“One of the reasons why we really got along was because we had the outlet of doing what we wanted,” he said.

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Scott, 23, Salem, N.H.

Scott isn’t a big partier — never has been, never will be.

“I went to college for four years and I went to three college parties,” he said. “Why? Because college is a place to learn and not to party.”

He felt similarly about his move to New York, saying going out every night to have sex, get drunk and do drugs is “B.S.”

Instead, he spent his time focusing on a budding modeling and acting career — appropriate, as Men’s Health magazine gave the personal trainer an award for his rock-hard abs before he moved to New York.

“It’s OK in the first episode they show me in the gym doing my thing. I worked in a gym my whole life like that’s me. That’s my hobby,” Scott said. “But you know what’s going to be great? When the stories start to unfold and you get to know me.”

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Sarah, 22, San Francisco

Sarah’s passion is helping victims of sexual abuse through art therapy, which she had to put on the back burner in New York because she was always being followed by cameras.

Instead, she spent her time helping a nonprofit called Free Arts that brings art programs to inner-city schools, and teaching art therapy at the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Center.

Sarah is currently in a relationship with a guy who lives in San Francisco, though she previously only dated women. She said her heart truly is in San Francisco, where she plans to live once the “RW” hullabaloo is finished.

She said she “totally” understands why some NYC locals were hesitant to have their establishments filmed for MTV.

“In San Francisco I have little coffee shops and bars and I would not want some crew coming in there and advertising their names,” she said.

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Baya, 21, Salt Lake City
One of the bars that allowed the “Real World” crew to film inside was East Village joint Angels and Kings, which is partly owned by Fall Out Boy musician Pete Wentz. Baya DJ’d there on Tuesday nights.

Besides getting a gig as a resident DJ, Baya pursued her love of dance while in the city.

After the show, Baya is staying in New York, moving to a Stuyvesant Town apartment with “RW” roommates Scott and Devyn.

Baya said she wants people to understand that though she may look one way — when we saw her she was shoeless and wearing leggings, a tie-dye shirt and tons of silver jewelry — she has a variety of interests.

“I love hip-hop dance, my soul is in hip-hop, but at the same time, I’m really rooted in the earth. That’s my home,” Baya said. “I’m a free spirit.

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Devyn, 20, Kansas City, Mo.

Confident and outspoken, Devyn thinks the reason some New Yorkers weren’t welcoming to the Brooklyn “Real World”-ers is because they’re closet fans.

“Nobody likes to be yelled at, but it’s almost like a compliment,” Devyn said. “You need more haters. That means you’re doing something right.”

A former Miss Missouri Teen and Miss America Teen, Devyn attracted male attention while on the show, but she loves reciting the quote, “It is easier to get into heaven than into Devyn.”

While in New York, Devyn was the public relations director for a new fashion label, and is set to transition into their spokesmodel. She also performed with a local rock band in Brooklyn.

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Katelyn, 24, West Palm Beach

Katelyn is the first transgender person on the show, a fact she was reluctant to share with the roommates at first.

“I didn’t want to come in with this chip on my shoulder, like, ‘I’m Katelyn, the transsexual,’ and I dare you to knock that off,” she said. “I wanted them to realize,
‘Hey, this is Katelyn.’ Transgender may be what I am but it’s not who I am.

Katelyn underwent gender reassignment surgery this summer in Thailand.

She said she used the television exposure to reach out and do advocacy work in the LGBT community. She’s also working on a book.

“I can normalize the transgender label,” she said.

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Ryan, 23, Gettysburg, Penn.
Want to see Ryan’s face light up? Mention Lower East Side spot Creperie.

“We went there so many times, I might even go tonight,” Ryan said.

On a more serious note, he is an Iraq war vet, and enlisted in the Army at age 17. While in New York, he got involved in veterans’ organizations since he’s now in the public spotlight. But he doesn’t want people to only associate him with his military background.

“Yeah, I was an Iraq vet, but I do other things, too,” he said.

That includes writing songs and a memoir, and taking classes at the New York Film Academy.

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Chet, 23, Salt Lake City

Chet said he’s not as unaware as some cast members of past, including Julie from the New Orleans “RW” cast.

“While she [JULIE] found herself questioning what a condom was and confusing it for candy, I’m really not that kind of person,” Chet said. “I’m 23 years old and I know everything from A to Z about sex, about drugs, about sexuality.”

That said, Chet, a Mormon, is a virgin and doesn’t drink.

“But Mormons can go out and have fun and dance,” Chet said. “I love dancing. That’s how I feel most comfortable.”

Chet hopes his outgoing personality — and love of music — will translate into a career as a host on a “Total Request Live”-style show. He noted the connections he made with MTV, hopefully they will help him with that pursuit.


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Comments (2)

Love the Real World!

Chet is so cute

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