While the taping of MTV's The Real World Philadelphia has brought some much-sought-after attention to the city, the show itself is suffering from over-eager public participation beyond the norm from previous seasons.
Production of the 15th season of the popular show started in April, after a well-publicized labor dispute that almost made the show leave Philadelphia. Local city and labor officials were able to come to a settlement with Bunim-Murray Productions -- the show's producers -- following demonstrations by activist group Young Involved Philadelphia and other outraged citizens.
However, the national publicity garnered from the dispute revealed the location of the cast residence much earlier than usual, according to past statements from Bunim-Murray. The house is located in Old City, at the former Seamen's Church Institute on 3rd and Arch Streets.
This has caused problems, both for the cast and for the producers. During the show's first week on site, a few cast members were heckled by a drunken crowd and told to "kill yourselves" after they had exited a bar in Old City.
On May 8, a Philadelphia police officer detailed to The Real World house was assaulted by a group of five men -- including two off-duty police officers -- that allegedly wanted to gain access to a party at the house.
Most recently, police arrested Ahmadu Baari, a 37-year-old Austin, Texas, man, for breaking into the residence and taking pictures over Memorial Day weekend. Baari was charged with burglary, criminal trespass, defiant trespass and criminal mischief, but his case was dismissed for lack of evidence by Municipal Court Judge Gerald Koskinski.
One of the show's producers, Tracy Chaplin, testified in court that he couldn't be sure that Baari had not been invited in by one of the castmates. Guests are only allowed into the house when accompanied by a castmate and after a mandatory background check.
There was apparently little interest in prosecution, as no additional testimony was forthcoming. This decision adhered to the show's propensity for maintaining a low profile.
"Our approach is to shoot as invisibly as possible," said Todd Beck, president of Bunim/Murray's public relations firm. "In certain cases, this is more feasible than others."
Security for The Real World is provided by the Philadelphia police, with labor costs split by the City and the production company.
According to Francis Dougherty, special assistant to the managing director of the city of Philadelphia, both plainclothes and marked units are used to protect the cast from undue harassment.
"Plainclothesmen go with the cast when they go out clubbing, and a marked unit sits across the street from the house on weekends," Dougherty said. "They're not really needed on the weekdays, as that hasn't been a problem."
Though there is plenty of curiosity regarding the celebrity guests in town, most Philadelphia residents disapprove of the aggressive tactics some locals have used to get close to the case of The Real World.
"Personally, I'm a Real World fanatic, but I don't think going to those sorts of extremes is a good way to try and get on the show. It's disappointing to hear that the Philadelphia cast can't feel comfortable in this city," College senior Sylvia Indyk said.
To deal with others who are overzealously attempting to catch a glimpse of the cast members, the police department has increased training to let officers know what their mission is.
"Maybe they weren't so vigilant," Dougherty said.
