'Real World' patronizes local eateries

Throughout the city and on Penn's campus, the cast of the Real World is making a splash.

Since it began taping last month at 3rd and Arch streets, the long-running MTV reality television show has attracted a sizable following of young people. It has also proved a boon for local business owners.

"Overall, I'm very happy," said Aris Katourtsidis, the owner of Old City Pizza, which is across the street from the building that houses cast members.

Katourtsidis was present when the cast dined at his restaurant.

"It was fine," he said. "We had no problems. We were busy when they came in. They ordered; they sat down talking to each other. The camera was rolling."

Katourtsidis said that the camera crew did not pose a problem for him. Rather, he was excited for the publicity his eatery would garner as a result of being featured on the show.

"We've definitely seen an increase in business," Katourtsidis added.

In recent weeks, cast members ventured beyond their Old City neighborhood to dine at businesses on Penn's campus.

Pod, a Steven Starr-owned eatery on campus that ratings Web site OpenTable.com labels as "a modern pan-Asian restaurant," also received a visit from the Real World castmembers.

"They were wonderful to have in the restaurant," said Beth Evangelista, a manager at Pod. "They were a nice group of people."

And Evangelista agreed that the hassles of hosting the camera crew were minimal in comparison to the value of the show's publicity.

Pod was previously featured on A Dating Story -- a series on The Learning Channel that tapes first dates between couples -- several years ago, "and we still have people talking about it," she said.

Another campus locale the castmates visited was the Philly Diner, a casual restaurant regularly frequented by Penn students.

Managers at the Philly Diner confirmed the recent presence of the Real World cast, but declined to comment on the visit.

The local taping of a show as nationally-known as the Real World has attracted a large following of fans, and there is local concern about a group of eager young people regularly invading the relatively quiet streets of Old City.

"Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, from 7:30 until 2 in the morning, it's absolute bedlam down here," Tony Rodgers, who is trying to start an Old City-area restuarant, told The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Real World began taping last month, after the show's producers and union leaders negotiated an agreement.

Producers initially withdrew their decision to set the current season in Philadelphia after conflicts arose between local unions and the production company Bunim-Murray.

This season marks the 15th for the popular show, and the first time it has been set in Philadelphia.

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