Brianne Schurott
This is the Story of Seven Supermodels, Picked to Live in a House:
A Glimpse into Casting for "Real"ity TV
Long before our culture's obsession with reality television, the foundation was laid with The Real World: New York (1992), where seven strangers were put together in a house to have their lives taped 24-hours a day, for several months. As reality television grew in popularity, and subsequent seasons and premises were created, the emphasis on aesthetics increased, and reality shows seemed more like a casting call for models, rather than the girl or boy next door. This content analysis was aimed at tracking the aesthetics of characters cast on the first seasons of The Real World and Survivor, and comparing data with the most recent seasons of the shows. The two shows were picked for their varying format, as well as their success and longevity.
