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.
Real World Reunion
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 "nave, 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.