Just a nomenclature issue first: The first time I discuss a particular cast member, I will identify which season that person was on. After that, you're on your own. Okay, here we go.
The reunion begins by showing the opening credits from the first season of Real World, the one in New York. About halfway through it cuts out, and Julie from NY interrupts to say, "That was the true story then, but now I'm back in Alabama teaching dancing," and that it boggles her mind to go to a reunion. Jon from LA pops up and says that they've been invited to LA with the NY and San Francisco (SF) casts. Tami from LA says she is "on edge" and doesn't know what to expect. Eric from NY tells us that they will be "hanging out in the studio with a live audience" who will be asking them questions. Then there are a series of "man on the street" type interviews where people get to ask a question. The first woman says, "Does Eric have a girlfriend?" Oh, lord. Please do not tell me people still think Eric is hot. A man asks, "How come they kicked David out of the house for just playing with Tami?" That issue will be discussed to death in the hour, so if you were wondering about it too, you will get your answer. Heather from NY says that she wants to meet the people who got kicked out because if they had tried to kick her out, she wouldn't leave. Kevin from NY think this will be "like a high school reunion." Judd from SF compares it to "Laff-A-Lympics" where you finally get to see "Scooby Doo and Huckleberry Hound in the same place." Have I mentioned how much I hate Judd yet? This seems like a good time to mention it. I hate Judd. Yeah, we get it, he's a cartoonist and he has to relate everything to the world of cartoons because he draws cartoons for a living. Got it. Check. Puck from SF says he doesn't "give a crap" about any of the other kids. He's holding a Chihuahua, and the dog looks terrified. Wouldn't you be? The extra-special reunion credits roll. They consist of an amalgamation of all three season's credits, so you get Jon singing "True Story" and Heather yelling "Would somebody get the phone?" all in one credit sequence. The reunion is taking place at Universal Studios. I don't know why that matters, but Universal must have paid a lot of money because they mention it like every five minutes.
We see a sign telling us we are in the state of Alabama, and then a shot of a tractor-trailer driving down the highway. I swear, they recycled some of this footage for Challenge 2000 because I recognize that truck. Anyway, if we're in Alabama, this must be about Julie. She is in her yard, playing with her dog. She's got her hair in two little buns, which I think is pretty fashion-forward, considering this took place in 1996 and she's in the Deep South. Anyway, in case you were dead during the opening sequence, she explains that she's going to LA to do a reunion in front of a live audience with Alison Stewart hosting, and people asking questions. Suddenly, she's at the airport. She's excited to see her friends and she's nervous to meet the people she's only seen glimpses of on television. Heather picks her up at the airport in LA. Heather is standing at the end of the ramp from the airplane, yelling to Julie to hurry up, like is she supposed to just run over all the people in front of her or what? They hug. I notice that the logo on Heather's shirt is blurred out. Does MTV still do that? I remember they used to do it all the time, but I don't remember seeing it lately. Maybe they loosened up. Anyway, Julie says she and Heather have the phone bills to prove how close they are. We see clips of Julie and Heather together when they were in NY. Wow, Heather lost a lot of weight between her season and this reunion. The two women get into a limo. Heather is excited to see Eric, and she hopes no one gets on her nerves. Julie hopes no one gets on Heather's nerves too. Heather says she just wants to have a good time. Julie thinks they will have the best time. Is Julie capable of thought, or is she just going to repeat everything Heather says? Just wondering.
Norman from NY tells us that he is "bi-coastal" so it was no problem for him to come to the reunion. He meets up with Eric from NY in the hotel lobby. Eric is wearing a newsboy cap, which is not now, nor was it then, cool. Eric says he was looking forward to "meeting" Norman. Meeting? Didn't he live with him for three months? It just seemed like a strange choice of words. Anyway, Eric feels that Norman was easy to talk to and hang out with, because he's like an open book. Eric and Norm go to the airport to pick up Rachel from SF. Eric says the only person he's talked to from his season is Heather, a couple of times. Norman talks to Julie, "every hour, on the hour." Julie says they have a "hot line." Seriously, they need to get e-mail or something. Julie's phone bills must be outrageous.
Back in the chicks' limo, Heather says she can't believe Andre didn't come, and asks Julia what his excuse is. Julie says she's mad he didn't come, and that at the very least he should have wanted to see them. Heather points out, "We might be the reason he didn't come."
Back in the guys' limo, Eric says his life has been crazy. His career isn't going in the direction he wants. Norm looks concerned for him. Eric says he doesn't want to be an actor for the rest of his life. When was he ever an actor? He was on The Grind and he did some workout tapes. He had a small part in Above The Rim and he played himself on Days of Our Lives. He's not an actor. He's a personality! Anyway, Eric's ready to "attack the world with a message of peace and love." Is he serious with this? Norm, who I expected to burst out laughing, says that Eric has "done the Hollywood thing" and now he wants to use his influence. What are they talking about? Maybe it's just the benefit of nearly five years of added insight, but they are on crack. They arrive at the airport, and Norm says he'll be supportive of Eric's career. Eric leads them to Southwest when they are looking for Sky West. Norm cracks, "Sorry, Rach, we couldn't find you because Eric tried to save the world." See, that's what I'm talking about. That's the Norm I remember. They finally find the right spot and Rachel gets off the plane. Rach says she's met both Eric and Norm before, and she loves Norm. Ooh, she conspicuously didn't say that she loves Eric. Interesting. Norm carries her bag for her, and tells us that he has a little crush on her and that he's "bi-coastal" and he thinks she's cute. Okay, the bi-coastal/bisexual joke officially isn't funny anymore.
Back in the chicks' limo, Heather is saying that "they are mad phony, yo." She adds that she doesn't want to "pre-judge" the other casts, but she thought they were phony. Well, I think she did just pre-judge them. Heather isn't saying that they had the best season, but Julie is. I think so too, but this will be a recurring theme throughout the show -- the snobbishness of the NY cast. Let me just say that their experience was very different than the other casts. They didn't know what they were getting into, sure. But the producers were also not as manipulative and adept at editing, and the cast was not reduced to stereotypes as much, I don't think. So going first cuts both ways.
Jon from LA is singing at the Hard Rock Nashville. He tells us he doesn't know how to feel about the reunion. He's been touring for a few years and he's back and it's another life. Beth S. and Irene from LA pick him up at the airport. Irene tells us she keeps his picture on her desk. Okay, that's a little weird. I mean, they did have a close friendship during their season, and the producers intimated that Jon was in love with Irene, but it just seems weird. Irene claims that she is not naming her son after Jon, so she must get that a lot. Jon exits the plane and hugs Beth and Irene. Irene mentions that she talked to his dad. See, their relationship is a little weird. Beth asks him what it was like opening for Alabama, and we see a clip of Jon performing in front of a huge crowd. Irene is excited to see his career taking off. Jon says he recently signed a deal with Capitol Records. I checked, and I couldn't find any information about if he is still on a label at all, which means he's probably not. It's making me kind of sad to watch this, and see the big plans these people have made, but knowing what happens afterwards is pretty much nothing. Okay, I'm over it now. Thought I was getting soft there, didn't you? Jon wants to see Irene's baby. Irene says it doesn't seem like they were ever apart. Jon makes a comment about Beth's bleached blonde hair. Jon hopes for a good experience, not a bad one and Beth says it will be good.
Julie and Heather finally arrive at their hotel. Heather tells some kids in the pool, "No splashing, shorty!" Heather is so sassy. They meet up with Kevin and Becky sitting by the pool. Everyone hugs and stuff. Becky is wearing a crocheted skullcap, which looks pretty good on her. They are all sitting around chatting when Tami from LA walks across the courtyard carrying a baby. Heather gives her the stank-eye. Tami introduces herself and says that no one is there from her cast, so she joins them. Heather repeats that she's not passing judgment (even though she totally is) but that her cast seemed phony. Tami thinks the NY cast has a "slight attitude," and she's right. I love them, but she's right. Heather accuses the people on LA of being always done up for the camera. Tami says she "walked around with scarves on [her] head" half the time. Tami was always herself and she's kind of offended at what Heather is saying. Heather says they showed "every side of [me]." Tami points out that Julie was portrayed as the "naïve, Miss Virgin, Just Don't Know Anything" and Kevin was the "political" and Kevin fills in "angry, black man." Tami presses her luck and says that Heather was portrayed as the "ghetto queen." In a voiceover, Heather says, "What is a ghetto queen?" Julie tells us that the situation with Tami "wasn't cool" and it made for a "tense situation." Everyone just sits there in silence. I guess Tami and Heather won't be swapping recipes anytime soon.
Now it's Friday afternoon. I don't know what all that stuff before was. Friday morning? They never said. Anyway, Rachel, Eric and Norm are in their limo. Rachel wants to know if they are eating first or going straight to the hotel. Everyone votes to eat first. Eric says he knew Rachel before picking her up at the airport, and that she's really cool and they had a great time. At the restaurant, Norm suggests they drink margaritas. They all eat. Norm says "bi-coastal" again, in suggesting that they all share a room. Norm is Bunim-Murray's dream. Rachel asks if Norm likes her or Eric better, but Norm dodges and says he likes them both. Norm tells us he enjoyed meeting Rachel, and that he heard she was a "Republican bitch," so she was not what he expected. Norm tells his dining companions that he "doesn't know about the second season" and they all laugh at the lame-assity of the LA season. We see some clips from the LA season, most notably the David/Tami incident, and a lot of other fights. Eric says he's uncomfortable with the David/Tami situation, and he thought it was unfair that they came together and voted David out. Rachel asks what he thinks about them kicking Puck out. Norm and David both say it was the same thing, that it was bad. Norm says he knows Puck and that it was tough. Eric wants to know "who are you to say, 'You're out.'" Rachel says he obviously hasn't lived with Puck. Eric says Puck is a human being out there trying to survive. Because Eric's all about attacking the world with peace and love. Rachel says she loves Puck (she does?), but that the other people in the house were trying to survive too. Cut to a clip of Puck driving down the road, nearly getting in an accident and yelling at someone. Then, in an interview, Puck tells us he's "glam rock to the bone." Let me say that I had little patience for Puck when his season was actually on, and that patience has actually decreased in the time since. Puck shows off some pictures of himself in a magazine and tells us it's "hard for [him] to do this interview without dropping any Hollywood names, because I'm on the inner circle here." Whatever. Puck is such a colossal waste of flesh. Rachel says that her season became a "big Puck issue" instead of showing the cast living in the house and dealing with each other. In other words, Puck stole the spotlight from her. That argument seems to be over for now. Rachel says that everyone thinks she is dating "Green Day or something" but she's "totally single." Guys used to come up to her all the time before Real World. Eric says this weekend will be "one big sob story." Rachel says her post-show experience isn't what she thought it would be, that she thought it would be a "date hookup." Eric jokes that everyone will break down crying that they can't find a date on the reunion. Back in the limo, the trio seems a little tipsy, and Norm opens the sunroof and pops out of it. Later, they go to a really empty dance club, and Norm says he got to see Eric dance.
Eric says that when he got to the hotel, Heather and Julie were there. Eric says, "Seeing Julie for the first time in three years, I was just like 'Wow, there's Julie' and I was just like 'Wow.'" Well, they didn't cast him for his intellect, people. We see clips of Eric and Julie from their season. Julie says it feels like they lived together for a long time, but a long time ago, and any grievances are swept under the rug.
Now it's Saturday morning. Judd, Glenn, Mohammed, and Cory from SF all arrive. Beth A. and David from LA arrive as well. Kevin says they had lunch before the "symposium." Symposium? That must be what the producers told him to get him to show up. Anyway, at the lunch, they were all broken up into smaller groups with a mix of cast members from various seasons. Heather and Judd meet. David is not sure about seeing Tami, and that none of them called each other after the season so the wound is still there. Heather asks her table about David, but Judd says that wasn't his house. Heather asks Irene about David. Irene says they didn't know if he would go off, and that he was very temperamental. David tells us he was twenty-one, and now he's had two years of growing up. Kevin is sitting between Tami and David at lunch. Tami leans behind Kevin to talk to David, and the cameras are right there. She says that she's had a hard year, and it's good to see him, and that she saw a different side of the whole incident after it was over. David tells us that Tami apologized and that's all she had to say. Tami says that David was kind, and that they can put the incident behind them now. Maybe Tami is faking it for the reunion, but she seemed to handle that very maturely. They both did. David says the show has left all of them with a scar. Kevin says the reunion is closure for him. Rachel tells Tami she wanted to meet the "other bitch" and they slap hands. David says he has a "weird bond" with Puck (who is not at the lunch) because they are both named David, and that Puck is like his "bad half." Judd says that when people ask why they threw Puck out, he asks if they watched the show. Heather says that no one paid rent, so how could they kick someone out? I like Heather, but she didn't have to deal with someone nearly as toxic as Puck on her season. David may have gotten a bad rap, but I don't blame the SF cast for kicking Puck out. Judd says Puck "didn't care about anybody else and he made life hell." Tami asks Rachel if she dated Puck. Rachel wouldn't say "date," but there was an attraction. Kevin says she likes the "non-conformist type." Rachel says they'll see about Puck today, and she hopes they see "a little piece of David, because David's really nice, but if you see Puck, it's all about Puck" and that he'll sit there and go off. Lunch is over, and everyone walks to the auditorium. We see some shots of everyone getting made up and preparing for the show. Puck is there, and he tells Jo from SF not to touch him. She says she doesn't want to. Puck kind of raps, "I'm electric, and if you touch me, you'll get shocked."
An announcer introduces Alison Stewart. Remember Alison Stewart? Alison talks about how "the real world" is more than a catch phrase. Who uses "the real world" as a catch phrase? Alison is sitting all hunched over, like she has a stomach ache or really bad cramps. She says that the show started as an experiment, but has become "ground-breaking television" and part of "the cultural wallpaper." Who wrote this crap? Cultural wallpaper? Meanwhile, backstage, everyone is still getting ready. Puck has on a fake beard that looks like it's made out of Muppet fur. He says, "I'm Weird Beard and I'm here on behalf of Puck. I'm going to answer his questions." Okay, here is where I introduce my theory that Puck is seriously mentally ill, and not just unusual or annoying. His behavior is not normal, and it seems like he can't control it. I really think he needs a lot of therapy and possibly medication. Anyway, they are all in some sort of locker room and Puck tells Rachel to get out of "his dressing room" even though there are a bunch of other people in there too. Rachel just says whatever. Puck starts screaming at her, "It's not whatever! Get out!" Rachel says he wanted them to be mad and relive the whole "We hate Puck" eviction that everyone saw on TV, and that it was really weird. Puck yells out to nobody in particular, "Why are there so many people in my dressing room? Out!" Everyone pretty much ignores him.
On stage, Alison introduces the NY cast, as we see clips from the show. Those clips include Julie asks Heather if she's a drug dealer because she has a beeper, Kevin calling Becky a racist, Norm and Kevin yelling at each other, and Heather wrestling Eric and winning. Heather is wearing a brown catsuit with a sweater tied around her waist. Eric has on baggy pants and a baggy shirt. Julie has one a tight shirt with those wide-leg flowy rayon pants that were popular at the time. Norm looks nice in a suit and tie. Kevin has on a burgundy sweater. Becky has on a black dress. Some of them are carrying bags, like didn't the producers offer to hang onto their stuff for them? They all throw candy to the audience.
I'm just ignoring the "man in the street" questions they show after commercial breaks because they never answer them anyway. A guy in the audience stands up to ask the first question. He pops a sucker out of his mouth, takes a dramatic pause, and says, "Why the hell would you want to do this?" This guy's a big dork. Anyway, Heather yells out that it was free, and that "not many people at twenty, twenty-one years old get to live in such a nice apartment" and that there was free food every week. That was the number one reason she did it, and she didn't care who she had to live with because it was free.
question: "Eric, why didn't you ask Julie out?" We see clips of them together. Eric says they were "really good friends" and that Julie had just come from Alabama. Julie gives him a funny look and Heather yells out, "Stop lying! He asked her out and she said no," because Eric always had a lot of girls coming in and out. Heather continues that Eric asked Julie out and she said no like a thousand times. Burn!
The audience member asks if being on the show changed their lives, and if so, how. Kevin says it affects you psychologically because suddenly everyone knows you on the street. Alison says fame is "a pain in the ass" and it's a good thing she feels that way since she's really not famous anymore. She says fame can help your career, and they show a tape of Eric on The Grind and Heather's music video for All Glocks Down. During the video, Heather and Eric are kind of hugging and cheering and Eric totally feels Heather up. I'm sure it was an accident.
The person asks Norman, "In disclosing your sexual orientation on the show, did you feel you were being a role model for the gay community?" Norm says he was cautious because he didn't want to be openly gay and have it come off bad, because that would only confirm some people's negative perceptions, and it was a lot of responsibility. We see clips of Norman and Julie at the March on Washington, and Norm with Charles Perez, who I think is now claiming he's straight. Oops. Heather says she didn't know Norm was gay for a long time. Norm says he just "slipped it in," and that comment could be taken the wrong way. Heather says a guy showed up one day and she asked who it was, and someone told her it was Norman's boyfriend, and she was like, "For real?" But his sexual orientation was secondary to her.
question: "Kevin, when the incident with you and Julie occurred...do you think people assumed it was your fault because of your race?" Kevin says that people ask why he brought up the race issue, but how can he not. He lives in NYC and he still can't get a cab half the time, and race is still a prevalent issue in our society. We see a clip of the incident in question, with Kevin saying everything is about race and Julie saying it's not. Back on the show, Kevin says that they were fighting and the cameras were there and Julie adds that people thought they were filming a movie. Kevin says that now he wouldn't have argued, that he still feels strongly but he has learned how to interact with people better.
Someone asks what the funniest thing was that happened on the show. Julie says that the funniest thing that happened on any season was when Heather fell down and got dragged by Gouda, the dog. They show that clip a few times, and everyone argues about how it happened. Alison finally breaks it up and gets them to move on. This is about the last time she has control of the show.
The person asks if they watched their episodes at the time, and do they watch the new seasons. Kevin says the new seasons suck, and then apologizes. Eric says when they got on the show, all they got was a key and an address and they had no idea what they were getting into. The other groups had an idea about what would happen, so they were better prepared.
This is a cue to check out how the LA cast is doing. Tami tells us that after the show you get a lot of media attention and people say things about you and you never knew they felt that way. In case you have no clue what she is talking about, they cut to a clip of Tami asking Beth S. why she said that Tami just married her husband for money. Beth claims she never said that, and that Tami shouldn't believe everything she reads in print. I totally think Beth said that, and I think she was right. Anyway, Tami says that's why she asked, because she wanted to hear it from Beth. The LA cast is on deck as we cut to commercial.
Before the LA cast comes out, we see a clip package of highlights from their season, and we also see the cast reacting to the clips backstage, which is actually kind of cool. When they show the clip where Tami tells David, "It wasn't not funny," Glenn and Jon mock her backstage and they all laugh. When they show the clip where Tami slams the bathroom door on the head of Beth S., the audience laughs. The LA cast comes out. Glenn is wearing a T-shirt and jeans. Dude, you could have made an effort. Beth A. is looking very different than she did on the show with longer hair and a dress. Tami is in all black. Jon is wearing a red button-down shirt, black jeans and of course a black cowboy hat. David is wearing a hockey jersey, but the logo is blurred. Beth S. has on a really, really short black skirt. Irene is wearing pants, a shirt and a vest and she looks about ten years older than the rest of them. Dom and Aaron didn't show up.
Alison says they aren't going to tease them, and starts right off by asking Tami and David if they've seen each other since David left. They haven't, but they talked at lunch. David says issues were left as they were, but they've all matured in a year and a half, and when they all saw each other, they breathed a sigh of relief. Tami says this meeting gives them closure, and they all want to just be friends.
Someone asks Beth S., "Regarding the Tami and David incident, do you feel somewhat responsible for instigating it by claiming it was a form of rape?" We see a clip of Beth S. yelling "No means no" at David. It annoyed me more that she was wearing a baseball cap with her pajamas than her ridiculous rape charges. Beth says that she doesn't think about the incident anymore, and that she talked to David, but that she admits it was not "a rape situation." David says rape is a powerful word, and he may be "an a-hole" for pulling the blanket off, and he takes "responsible [sic] for that," but not for rape. Alison asks how watching the tape makes them feel. Tami says she sees David's side now, but when she was in the situation, it changed in the middle for her. David interrupts and says he just wants to give Tami a hug, which he has to climb on top of Beth A. to accomplish. Backstage, Rachel watches on the monitor and says, "You guys, they're hugging." Judd says it's fake, but Cory doesn't think so. Rachel says they were getting along at lunch. Mohammed says he's not into "solving things in thirty seconds" and I agree.
A guy asks, "Do you feel that Dominic and Aaron secluded themselves during the season, and them not being here today shows that?" Objection! Leading the witness! Sorry, I've been watching too much Law and Order. Glenn says he wishes they were there because he misses them. Alison asks if anyone knows what's up with them. Isn't it written on her clipboard? Glen says he talked to Dom, and he just wants to get on with his career and not be known as "Dom from Real World." Jon says that the fact they're not there says a lot. Leave it to Jon to be petty. Tom Petty. I love it.
Someone asks Jon, "Since you're a big star now (he is?), are you still a virgin?" Everyone says, "Ooh!" Eric yells out that it makes Jon a man to hold onto that, and that Jon is strong. In an interview, Jon says he's surprised because Eric is "a hip-hop cool guy that everybody just loves" and he didn't expect him to say that. Jon is so deluded. About Eric, not the virginity thing. Jon replies that his belief in God is very real, so he is still a virgin. I kind of admire that.
Alison asks Irene about a good time she remembers from the show. Wasn't she only on for like three episodes? Irene says the Outward Bound trip was fun, but everyone disagrees. We see clips of how miserable they all were. Irene says she conquered her fear of heights, and they all banded together to gang up on the tour guide, and they all got along really well.
Alison asks Irene about the new person in her house, and Irene looks confused. Why are they spending so much time on stinky Irene? Who cares? Anyway, Irene had a baby. Tami married Kenny Anderson (the basketball player) and was like ten months pregnant at the wedding. Beth S. married her girlfriend, Rebecca, and they make out at their wedding. Class-ay! It has nothing to do with their sexual orientation. I just don't think making out for the cameras is very classy.
Someone has a question for Tami: "It takes a very open-minded and caring person to work at a support center for gays and lesbians. Why did you have the biggest reaction to finding out your roommate was a lesbian?" We see a clip of Jon and Tami finding out Beth A. is a lesbian, because she's wearing a shirt that says, "I'm not gay, but my girlfriend is." Tami says that because of her job, she could not disassociate lesbian and HIV positive in her mind, and then apologizes to Beth for not getting to know her. I may be wrong, but aren't lesbians (as long as they don't shoot up) at a lower risk for HIV than heterosexual women? And you'd think that Tami would have to know statistics like that. Therefore, she's an idiot. Not that I didn't know that already.
It's still attack Tami time, as someone says that she's coming off so "pretty and wonderful right now" and Tami interrupts, "No, I'm not. I'm a bitch," and rolls her eyes. The questioner basically says that's what he was going to say, and asks if it's an act. Tami says that we all have our hang-ups and she's not "faboo all the time." Becky from NY speaks up and says that people want the cast members to be politically correct all the time, but they're human. Jon gives the obligatory "You can't judge us" speech. Tami says that the show is real, but perception lies in the hands of the editors, and they have the tendency to make a character out of people, so viewers don't see all of you. Heather yells out that the editors use what you give them, and if you act a certain way, that's what they will use, so don't say you weren't really like that because you really were. I knew Tami would pay for that "ghetto queen" comment.
The SF cast is on deck, and Puck appears out of nowhere to join them. Alison asks the LA cast if they watched the SF season. Kevin holds up a sign that says, "We want Puck." Oh, he'll get Puck. Beth S. says she thinks the SF house had more respect, and that they got along better except for the whole Puck thing. Kevin tells us he's interested in meeting Puck because he likes non-conformists. I hope he likes sociopaths too.
Alison introduces the SF cast, saying their season included "a gay man's struggle with life" and ran the gamut from "snot rockets to terminal illness." Seriously, who writes these things? Snot rockets to terminal illness? We see clips of the SF season. Eric cheers Puck getting arrested in the first episode. Backstage, Puck mocks Judd, which is way too easy to do. Just before they go onstage, Puck says to Judd, "Buckle up. I got a bone to pick with you." And people wonder why they cast Puck? The producers live for this stuff.
After we see a clip of Rachel introducing Mohammed's group at a concert at her college, the cast enters. This wasn't long after their season ended, so everyone looks pretty much the same. Nobody is wearing anything interesting, except Puck. He has on that fake beard, a baseball hat, an orange reflective vest and shorts. Julie tells us she was excited to meet Puck and he lived up to every expectation. Puck gives his "Weird Beard" speech again and then takes the beard off. Alison introduces a tape of Pam, who couldn't come because she is on call at the hospital. Judd appears on the tape and says people always ask him if he found someone and he did -- Pam! Judd says they're talking about getting married, and Pam says they're just talking about it, like slow down, loser. As far as I know, they're still together though. Eric shakes Judd's hand in congratulations. Eric has to be involved in everything, doesn't he? Alison asks if their relationship was going on during the show and Judd says it happened after. Puck yells out that he wants someone to get sterilized immediately. Cory asks who wants to live with Puck now. Puck says he pays his own bills and he doesn't care. See? That doesn't even make sense. Rachel throws up her hands in disgust.
The first question is for Rachel: "How did your family react to all the things you hid from them during the season?" We see clips of Rachel getting a tattoo, riding a bike (she's crazy!) and getting her belly button pierced. She says her mom took the piercing in stride, but she saw the tattoo for the first time on television, and Rachel was out of the country when it aired, which helped. Alison follows up by asking Rachel about leaving the show a different person. Rachel says that Pedro changed her life, and she learned that she can live with other people, then glances at Puck and adds, "Sometimes." Puck yells out that she kissed him. Rachel says it wasn't a high point. Puck says that it changed her life. Rachel says that it must have been a different experience for Puck than for her and everyone laughs. I never really liked Rachel, but she's holding her own in this exchange.
A girl stands up and says that she didn't think Puck got a fair shot when he got kicked out. Puck admits that he is hard to live with, and he's "not stealing," that he tried to be pretty fair and be himself. I don't know what that means. Puck says he is nasty to live with. Mohammed interrupts to say that he gets asked that question a lot, why they kicked Puck out. Puck says, "Because you're [bleep]." Mohammed ignores him and says there were situations where Puck did a lot of acting, just like he's doing right now. Puck pretends to throw peanut butter at Mohammed, from the jar he is holding and eating out of with his finger. Puck says he's not in a band trying to be famous like Mohammed. Instead, he's in Hollywood being himself and he doesn't have to act. Mohammed says almost everything Puck says is a lie. Puck says that Mohammed's going to call him a racist, and that Mo sucks and his band sucks too. Then Puck yells out, "Props to anyone who's in a real band that rocks." Throughout this exchange, Mo is pretty calm and collected while Puck is, well, being Puck. Mo tells Puck that he's living in a fantasyland, and he's "a schizophrenic who believes that he's someone else, a character called Puck" but his real name is David. That's pretty accurate from where I sit. Puck is a 27-year-old bike messenger, and it's not cool to have no responsibilities. Puck says, "I'm retired, bitch." Mo's all, "What did you just call me?" and Puck tries to back down. Judd tells us in an interview that "You don't say bitch to or around" Mohammed. Thanks, Judd. I didn't get that from his reaction. Alison tries to take control and fails. Puck and Mo argue some more and Mo reaches out and flips up the bill of Puck's hat. Jo tries to restrain Mo. Puck gets up, rips off his mike and calls Mohammed a punk. In an interview, Norman tells us he just "went blank" when people started to go at each other and that it was "such a gross display." Rachel tells us that deep down she wanted Mo to hit Puck. Puck sits down and asks if they want "Puck on ten" or "Puck on six" and that now he's at "nine and a half." Rachel says it doesn't matter if he's at nine and a half or ten, he's "still a little boy." Beth A. says that now she knows what it's like to be on Ricky Lake. Kevin says he came out of love, and to put the past behind them, and the cursing is disrespectful. I guess he doesn't want Puck so much now. Puck asks if he can change his seat because Mohammed is "berating" him under his breath. Rachel tells him to deal with it. Puck screams at her to "shut [her] lip" and he's had enough of them. He stands up and walks to the other side of the stage, and sits between Norman and Beth S. Alison asks him if he was ever happy in the house. Puck says it was hard because he had no one to relate to, and he gave them the benefit of the doubt but he got force-fed their parents' ethics. Various cast members shake their heads.
Someone asks, "Do you feel MTV was exploiting you by putting you in the house with Pedro, knowing that you would grow close to him and he would die?" Ooh, good question. Judd starts preaching that Pedro saw the show as an extension of his educational outreach, and that Judd wouldn't give up the experience for anything. Judd is so sanctimonious. Alison introduces a clip package of Pedro's memorial service, a video message from Bill Clinton, the opening of the Pedro Zamora Youth HIV Clinic, and the declaration of Pedro Zamora Day. The final clip is a speech Pedro gave about believing that his life had a purpose and that he's a person living with AIDS, not dying. We see his commitment ceremony with his boyfriend Sean. As the package ends, the cast members wipe away tears. Sean, Pedro's partner, stands up in the audience and Alison says that the video showed "Pedro the person, not Pedro the person with HIV." Well, except for all the parts about HIV. Sean says he hopes people will remember Pedro's bravery, courage and honesty. In an interview, Mohammed says he learned about persistence from Pedro. Judd says that Pedro raised awareness, so Judd has spent the past year lecturing and he encourages others to get out there and do something so they can be as pompous as him. I mean, Pedro was really brave, and he was a good person, but Judd acts like just because he knew Pedro, that makes him a saint or something.
Someone says to Judd, "You seem a little disenchanted here today." Is that a question really? Judd says he didn't want to attend at first. We see a shot of Puck flipping him the bird. Judd says it seems like a lie, getting together and someone can't be there. Personally, he hasn't had time to heal and get some distance so it isn't all so raw. Alison asks Puck how he feels about the experience. Puck says he worked with AIDS patients in San Francisco when he was a bike messenger, but as Mohammed said, he's nobody. Okay, being paid to deliver stuff to people is not quite the same as volunteering to do educational outreach, Puck. Judd stands up and yells at Puck to say what he said when Pedro died. Puck doesn't answer, so Judd says, "You said 'Good riddance.' Everywhere!" Puck tells him to get off his soapbox, which normally I would applaud, but I think Judd's anger is pretty justified here. Judd keeps screaming, "Tell me you didn't say it!" Puck flips him off and says he didn't say it. Judd says he's lying and sits down, defeated. Puck blurts out, "Your mother's my secret lover." Oh, good one. Judd throws his hands up and Kevin throws a pillow at Puck. Puck says, "I'd be disenchanted if I didn't have any ass either. Save your grandstanding, Judd." What does that even mean? Are you seeing what I'm saying about mental illness here? Jon starts to say something but Puck says he's leaving and everyone applauds. Puck says, "I'm a sporty guy and these are all issues that concern me too, but I'm not going to stand here and get berated by this pinhead. I'm human, man." Irene snarks, "You have a funny way of showing it." Puck says she's a cop and everyone's a cop. What? Puck is one step away from the Unabomber. You know it and I know it. Alison tries to let Jon finish his sentence. Irene says at least she does some good in this world. Puck says he has too. Irene tells him to prove it because he hasn't done anything. Puck stands up and says, "Pick, pick, pick, pick, pick, everyone's picking on me." Cry me a river, loser. Irene says, "Pick yourself out of here, then." Woo hoo! Go Irene! I take back when I said you were boring. Puck leaves. Backstage, he says it's a complete piece of shit and suddenly he doesn't want the cameras on him. Afraid they will catch an honest emotion out of you, Puck?
Back onstage, Mohammed says Puck was edited to be portrayed as "an individual" but really he was much worse. Rachel says in an interview that the audience saw them reacting to Puck, but they have relationships that have nothing to do with Puck. Some girls in the front row were mouthing, "We feel so sorry for you" to her, but she doesn't want them to feel sorry because she got good friends out of it. We see clips of some happy times in SF. After the clips, we see that Puck is back, behind the scenes.
Someone asks if anyone has a "weird or unusual casting story." David yells out, "I was lying on the casting couch..." and everyone laughs. Puck sneaks in through the audience, behind Alison Stewart's back. Alison asks Norm about his experience. While he tells the story, which is boring, Puck is standing behind Alison Stewart with no shirt on. Alison glances back at him and tries to ask Jon a question. Puck walks up to the stage. Cory tells us she knew Puck would come back because he can't stand to have other people be the center of attention. Puck says he can't be constructive with everyone "nailing him" so please get off his back. He has the microphone dangling down over his face instead of clipped to his shirt. He says that he's more naked now so he's comfortable. I'm not.
An audience member notes that the NY cast seems relaxed, and asks if they have any advice to give to the other casts. Actually, the question he asked was really long and boring, so I edited it down for you. You're welcome. Julie says that the show is "emotionally grueling" and that their first reunion was "yucky." Hey, I remember that! They all came on and introduced videos, and it was pretty tense. Julie says it just takes time. In an interview, Becky says there's a period after the show where you feel like you belong to the world, and you have to have a sense of humor or you'll go crazy. David says they have all done so much in their lives, that in coming back, they just laugh and say, "It was bull. Let's move on."
Alison Stewart brings out the London cast, how have just finished their season. Everyone but Jay files out. They don't have a couch, so they just have to perch on the arms of the other couches and on the floor. Judd says that the London cast being there was a complete surprise. Norm was happy to meet the London cast, and he heard about a tongue that got bit off. He thought Neil was wild and crazy, but also cute. Norm is always scoping the hotties, isn't he?
Alison lets each cast member say something. Mike cut that god-awful haircut he had during the season. He says he is still racing cars and he's back in college. Jacinda has been modeling and she got her pilot's license. Lars is still a DJ and he's been producing records. When Neil is introduced all the girls scream and he is taken aback. He says he is doing psychology research and "writing rude songs." Someone asks about his tongue and we see the clip of it getting bit off. Neil says that he was at a gig and a guy was hassling him, so he kissed him and the guy went psycho and bit his tongue off. Sharon has been travelling, and she's moving to LA. She is holding Legend, their dog, who is no Gouda or Leroy. Kat looks so different than she did on Challenge 2000. She looks a lot better now. Anyway, she is back at NYU and looking at graduate school in archaeology. Alison asks about Jay, who is doing a play and couldn't make it. Someone asks if anything happened between Neil and Kat. Kat says the possibility kind of ended with the tongue incident. Then they both says no, and that they are just friends.
Alison asks if the Real World is real. Julie yells out, "It's TV! It's as real as a TV show can be." Eric says his cast was real. Judd says the problem is the name of the show, and Julie says they protested that. Judd says in the real world, people pay rent, which gets a big laugh.
Alison asks who would do it again. Mike says yes. Mo says yes. Cory says yes, in a couple of years. Rachel says yes. Judd says maybe. Heather says no, which is ironic since she went on to do the Challenge. Kevin says yes. Becky says no. Norman says yes. Neil says maybe. Tami says maybe. Irene says yes, like she even did a whole season. David says yes, but this time he would pull his own blanket off. Puck uses both hands to flip off the cameras. Jon says he has a whole new respect for the show after doing the reunion.
Afterwards, they had a party where all the cast members mingled. Puck says he got to hang out with the kids he liked. Heather says she was surprised because she thought she would go off on someone, but the people she met were cool. Well, didn't she kind of go off on Tami? Beth S. rubs Mike saying, "Ooh, you're Mike from the Real World." Could she be any more desperate? Mike looks around for someone to save him. Heather and Becky are at the piano. Becky says she loved seeing her roommates, and that the show is like her home movies. They all gather to get their picture taken. Kevin says this is like closing a chapter. Eric says their paths will cross, and they'll get back together in a year or two, but it would be cool to do it in fifty years. Julie says that people find a common link, and get to live in a great place with interesting people and it's fun.