Gainesville is about to find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real.
MTV's "The Real World" is holding an open casting call for anyone between the ages of 18 and 24 interested in becoming one of the "seven strangers picked to live in a house and have their lives taped" for its 24th season.
The interviews will be held today from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. at Hooters, 3265 SW 34th St.
Casting directors ask that those interested bring a photo ID and a recent picture to the audition but leave any rehearsed acts at home.
"The honest truth is that you're being evaluated on who you are," said Damon Furberg, supervising casting director for Bunim/Murray Productions, which produces "The Real World." "You can't anticipate what we want because we don't know what we want."
Furberg said Gainesville was selected in large part because of UF.
"We always go somewhere in Florida [for casting calls] because we always do pretty well there," Furberg said. "It was Gainesville's turn."
Heather Hunter, general manager of the Hooters on Southwest 34th Street, said she is not permitted to disclose exact audition details, but she said Bunim/Murray Productions did not pay Hooters for the use of the location.
However, Hunter expects the casting call to bring increased business even with about half the restaurant's seating reserved for auditions.
"We're looking forward to [today's] events and showing everybody what we're all about and hopefully getting one of our locals on the show," Hunter said.
Everyone waiting to audition will be offered a Hooters coupon good for the rest of this week.
"Anyone waiting in line will have butterflies in their stomach, so they probably won't be thinking about beer and wings," she said.
Three Hooters employees are taking the day off in order to audition, and several others hope to have their shifts covered, too, she said.
Brooke Mulder, a student at Santa Fe College and a waitress at Hooters, plans to audition after her class.
"I'm not really sure what I'm going to do," Mulder said. "I'm just going to go in there and wing it and be myself."
Furberg expects a crowd from anywhere to 200 to 500 people and 15 to 20 of those to receive call-backs tonight.
From there, applicants will have interviews via phone or Web cam.
People from Gainesville and about 75 other cities can also apply via e-mail, but Furberg said that although he received about 20,000 e-mail applications, the in-person applicant pool is significantly better.
"Just be yourself. Certainly, be the best image of yourself," Furberg said. "Don't be hungover or exhausted. Just have fun."
Furberg pointed out an additional benefit to Gainesville's casting call location.
"I don't know if it's a coincidence, but we always end up with a cast member who works at Hooters," he said.
For more information on how to audition for MTV's "The Real World," visit www.Bunim-Murray.com.
