Local Flavor in MTV's 21st Best Real World Season Ever

Apparently, MTV is still making Real World programs. In fact, it never stopped, even though most of us stopped watching when they closed the Real World San Francisco house because that's when Newt Gingrich moved in with the Clintons and that was more interesting. Two of the eight new cast members are South Floridians: JD of Miami Beach, who is either gay or willing to pretend to be since the producers needed someone for that role, and Katelynn, of West Palm Beach, who -- SPOILER ALERT -- used to be a man.

Well, not much of a spoiler, since the New York Post has already ruined the surprise, and in their video (Katelynn comes on at about the 50-second mark) she seems to be talking about the issue in an oblique TV trailer-friendly way:

I could either stand up and be a voice for my community. Or I could go back to my Little Podunk House on the Prairie life.

For those who don't remember, Little Podunk House on the Prairie was, I believe, the spin-off in which the Ingalls family moved to Sheboygan, Wisconsin, only to find that Busch Light is a gateway drug to crystal meth. A bit avant garde, and not in a good way.

The sad part is that for Katelynn to be a "voice for her community" people will actually have to watch the show. Hardly a sure thing. (Quick: Where was Real World 16 filmed? Answer: Austin, Texas.) See?

The prefab drama starts Jan. 7.

-- Thomas Francis