"Paradise Can Be Hell": Meet the cast of the Real World: St. Thomas

With his tattoos and gauged ears, Brandon does not look like your typical Real Worlder. Growing up in Boston's infamous "Southie" neighborhood, he has had to steal and hustle to survive. Right now he is homeless and couch-surfing. Since graduating high school, he has worked day and night in order to support his mother and his younger sister Savannah, who is the light of his life. Though he's currently doing electrical and construction work, Brandon's dream is to leave all that in the dust and become a music journalist. He's extremely open about his past and often comes on very strong, very quickly. He typically goes for tattooed punk girls with indie sensibilities, but that doesn't mean he is averse to challenging himself with a preppy girl every once in a while. That time may have come because it looks like Laura might have caught his eye in St. Thomas. And he certainly won't be shy to express his affections. With extreme exhibitionist tendencies, Brandon -- who was a virgin until he was 19 -- has since slept with over 100 women and deflowered a nearby high school's cheerleading captains. After a particularly heart-wrenching breakup with his first love, Brandon had a year of promiscuous sex and coke-fueled partying. He has now been drug-free for five months. Brandon sees the Real World as his opportunity to get out of his town and have a shot at a normal life. Will he be able to stay on the straight and narrow path while in St. Thomas or will he succumb to his old wild ways?

Don't let the name fool you. LaToya Jackson is not a member of that Jackson family, but this self-proclaimed "Head Bitch in Charge" still has plenty personality to spare. Bubbly and energetic, Toya, as her friends call her, worked in local TV news but soon realized that she is meant for something greater. Toya grew up, went to school and spent her entire life in the same city. But her outgoing personality cannot be contained and she is desperate to experience life outside her little town. A recent graduate of Virginia State University, where she was an RA, LaToya was admired on campus and even considered herself and her then-boyfriend to be the Michelle and Barack Obama of VSU. Full of sass and style, what kind of drama and mischief will Ms. Toya bring with her to St. Thomas?

Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, this corn-fed cutie got an unusual present from her adoptive parents when she was born: a shotgun. Extremely sporty and outdoorsy, Laura's passion is leading her towards a career as a wilderness guide. Though Laura grew up in a strict household full of antiques and needlepoint, this ugly-duckling turned swan is anything but a conservative country girl. After breaking up with her ex-boyfriend, Laura has really let her inner party girl fly free. A former cheerleader for much of her life, she now does a standing backflip while drinking to test how drunk she is. In high school, Laura was booed out of the men's locker room for wanting to join the football team. So instead she tried out and made first string quarterback for the Lingerie Football League. She is also a master flirt who has high standards for the men in her life. That doesn't mean that Laura dates less frequently, she's just a pro at finding hot guys. Maybe she'll put her expertise to use in the Real World house with Trey. The problem is Laura has a reputation for falling fast and hard. Will history repeat itself?

A self-described "down ass bitch," Marie is one hell of a good time. With "Statitude" to spare -- that's Staten Island Attitude, for those not in the know -- Marie describes her worst trait as calling people out too often. She is going to put you in your place, whether you like it or not. Marie seems to be rebelling against her strict SVU cop mother who ruled with an iron fist while she was growing up. Partying and drinking often, she is a treasure trove of good stories and always seems to end up in bizarre situations. She once called in sick from her new job at a bar so that she could party. Later in the night, she got so drunk that she ended up partying at the same bar that she had called in sick from. Needless to say, she was fired. There's also the time that Marie lost a tooth and just went on partying for two weeks, toothless and fancy free. Marie is always looking for Mr. Right or even Mr. Right Now. With a house full of hotties, including a roommate who has the same Hakuna Matata tattoo as her, it doesn't seem like Marie will have any trouble finding a man. St. Thomas -- it's a wonderful place.

Robb will be the first to tell you that white guys CAN jump. At 6'6" with bright red hair and piercing blue eyes, Robb stands out wherever he goes. Robb is extremely competitive. A former basketball star, he regularly shocked people with his dunking skills. He also has a great sense of humor, which he uses to his advantage when it comes to wooing women. But Robb's nonstop jokes conceal a rough upbringing. His relationship with his father has been strained and, although he doesn't hold a grudge, he is much closer with his mom and even moved home in part to be closer to her and his sister. He is studying criminal justice with an eye on becoming a cop or an FBI agent but is having trouble balancing schoolwork and partying. Robb likes to shock his mom with explicit details about his sex life and, like fellow roommate Trey, is developing a reputation as a "man-whore." But the emotional scars left by his father are more than just skin deep and this baggage seems to have found its way on the flight to St.Thomas. Will Robb be able to live by his problem-free philosophy and embrace the mantra behind his Hakuna Matata tattoo?

Brandon Swift, who goes by Swift, recently graduated from Temple University with a Business Administration degree in legal studies. In addition to having entrepreneurial aspirations, he also wants to become a sports and entertainment lawyer, a career he may be ideally suited for. Swift will argue his point endlessly and he's easily fired up when he feels disrespected. But there's another side to him, one that is charming, charismatic and drives the ladies wild. A strong sense of loyalty he has for his friends and family also causes people to gravitate towards him. Currently, Swift is working as a VIP host at a popular local club. He is conflicted about relationships. Girls tend to get obsessed with him and while he's not exactly ready to settle down, he finds the player's life shallow and empty. Will he find depth with one of his female roommates or will he just end up playing her?

Born in a blue collar section of Baltimore, Trey had a rough childhood. His drug addict father was in and out of jail for much of Trey's life on charges related to murder, leaving Trey to be raised by his mother and grandmother, to whom he's incredibly close. He remembers fondly watching soap operas with his mother, which to this day has remained a guilty pleasure for Trey and maybe a potential career goal. He had once hoped to erase his father's legacy by pursuing a career in law enforcement, but those dreams were dashed when he got caught selling prescription drugs to his football teammates. This star athlete with an aggressive temper and "old school" values is actively working on becoming a better man. He credits his sessions with a life coach for motivating him to turn things around. A bit of a "man whore," Trey is also struggling to change his reputation and to find the right woman. He arrives in St.Thomas with a girl back home, but is the relationship strong enough to withstand temptation?

New Challenge Spoilers: A potential new cast list has been leaked for next season!

A potential cast list has been floated out there for this upcoming Challenge. Challenge lists are not typically leaked this early. In addition, the cast is still active on Twitter. This list is subject to change. But here's the list:

Alton (Las Vegas) Chet (Brooklyn) @chet_cannon CJ (Cancun) @CJKoegelMTV Danny (Austin) Derek (Cancun) @DerekRW22 Dunbar (Sydney) @DunbarMerrill Dustin (Las Vegas) @DustinZito Frank (San Diego) @MTVFrankSweeney Issac (Sydney) @DrIsaacStout JD (Brooklyn) @JDOrdonez Knight (New Orleans) @Knight_MTV Preston (New Orleans) @PrestoMagic24 Robb (St. Thomas) @RobbMTV Trey (St. Thomas) @MTVTrey Wes (Austin) @BergmannWes Zach (San Diego) @ZachMTV

Ashli (Sydney) @AshliRobson Ashley (San Diego) @AshleyMarieMTV Devyn (Brooklyn) @DevynSimone Jasmine (Cancun) @JazMTV Jemmye (New Orleans) @JustJem24 Jonna (Cancun) @JonnaMannion Kelly Anne (Sydney) @KellyAnneJudd Lacey (Austin) Laura (St. Thomas) @LauraLeeMTV Marie (St. Thomas) @MarieMTV McKenzie (New Orleans) @McKenzieCoburn Melinda (Austin) @MelindaStolp Nany (Las Vegas) @NanyMTV Sam (San Diego) @SamIAmMTV Sarah (Brooklyn) @Sarah_Rice Trishelle (Las Vegas) @TrishelleC

Check back for updated information as we get more spoilers on the cast!

Some tidbits that make this cast list interesting, post your observations in the comments section!

• There are 32 challengers. 
• There are only Real World castmembers represented. 
• There are eight cities represented in the cast:  Austin, Brooklyn, Cancun, Las Vegas, New Orleans, San Diego, St. Thomas, Sydney
• There are two males and two females represented in each season. 
• Frank (San Diego), Knight (New Orleans), Preston (New Orleans), Robb (St. Thomas), Trey (St. Thomas), and Zach (San Diego) are Challenge virgins. 
• Ashley (San Diego), Devyn (Brooklyn), Jemmye (New Orleans), Lacey (Austin), Laura (St. Thomas), Marie (St. Thomas), McKenzie (New Orleans), Nany (Las Vegas), Sam (San Diego) are female Challenge virgins. 
• Nearly half of the cast has never been on a Challenge. 
• Enemies last time we saw them: Ashley/Zach & Frank/Sam (San Diego); JD & Sarah (Brooklyn); Danny & Melinda (Austin)
• Couples last time we saw them: Ashley & Zach (San Diego), Knight & Jemmye (New Orleans)
• Past winners: Alton (Gauntlet 2), Wes (Duel), Dunbar (Cutthroat)

Mark will host TV Guide Channel's "Hottest Celebrity Bods"

Mark (USA Tour 1) will be hitting your TV screens this coming Monday. 

Mark Long - Road Rules (USA Tour 1)

Mark is hosting TVGuide Channel's Hottest Celebrity Bods for 2012. The show will air this coming Monday at 9PM. Congratulations Mark!

Tami is appearing on the Wendy Williams show today

Former Real World: Los Angeles castmember Tami will be making an appearance on the Wendy Williams Show today.

Talk show host Wendy Williams

Tami will appear to talk about her VH1 show, Basketball Wives. This will be her first appearance on the show. They might talk about The Real World, but it's highly doubtful. Check your local listings for showtimes.

The Real World: St. Thomas Trailer is now online!

Watch the Real World: St. Thomas trailer, which first premiered online earlier tonight! Watch as we get the first glimpse of Brandon, LaToya, Laura, Marie, Robb, Trey, and Swift.

The season airs Wednesday, June 27, 10pm on MTV.

Watch the Real World: St. Thomas Trailer on MTV

The Real World: St. Thomas trailer premiered on MTV tonight. The season premieres on June 27. 

(From L to R): Trey, Brandon, LaToya, Marie, Robb, Laura, and Swift

The trailer first appeared online after MTV's "Ridiculousness." This story is pending. It also looks like MTV is updating their website.

Follow The Real World: St. Thomas cast on Twitter

The Real World: St. Thomas trailer just premiered tonight on MTV!

Take this opportunity to follow the castmembers on Twitter. All seven strangers have opened accounts to interact and talk with fans as the new season nears.

Brandon: @FaithinRuins
LaToya: @LaToyaJMTV
Laura: @LauraLeeMTV
Marie: @MarieMTV
Robb: @RobbMTV
Swift: @BSwiftMTV
Trey: @MTVTrey


Also, don't forget to follow us on Twitter @rwrrblog!

Favorite Moment: Dan and Melissa's Fight on the Real World Miami

Here's a blast from the past, The Real World: Miami. In 1996, Cynthia, Dan, Flora, Joe, Melissa, Mike, and Sarah lived in a million-dollar mansion on the Florida coast. 

"Was it fucking yours to open up, you stupid bitch?!"

One of the stand-out moments from the season was Dan and Melissa's fight on the stairs. After Melissa had irritated the housemates by going through other people's things, Dan confronted Melissa. Apparently, Melissa had found projection slides in an envelope. The envelope was unmarked, but they were two slides from the Birdcage, the Robin Williams/Nathan Lane movie. Supposedly, they were hundred-dollar slides from Dan's job.

Dan found the slides conspicuously lying around, outside the envelope. He waited the entire day for Melissa to come home, stewing in his juices, ready to confront her. What resulted was one of the shortest, yet most epic Real World fights.

In 2007, Jezebel covered the fight. The fight erupted into a grotesque confrontation, with both Melissa and Dan lobbing horrible insults toward the other in less than two minutes. Jezebel has the full video, complete with uncensored language and commentary from Dan, Flora, and Nathan (Seattle).

Plenty has changed since Miami aired 16 years ago. The Miami house actually had a television, which producers found created hours of footage with the roommates sitting on the couch. Melissa was also a Miami native. Producers would later avoid casting locals in the cities they would film. Melissa would often escape the house to find refuge with family and friends, and moved out before the season wrapped.

However, even with the sensationalized nature of recent seasons, this fight stands out as one of the best Real World fights in the 20-year history of the series.

MTVs longest running program, the Real World, turns 20 today

Twenty years ago tonight, MTV debuted The Real World: New York. 

The first cast of the Real World. 

On May 21, 1992, The Real World: New York was broadcasted into homes and a generation stayed tuned in. The series, a pioneer in the reality television genre, brought contemporary issues to light in the eyes of seven twenty-somethings. The series has aired twenty-six seasons, is currently filming in St. Thomas, and has been renewed into 2013.

Since its debut, The Real World has been responsible for setting off a national conversation about young people and the issues they face today. The series brought serious discussions to the national stage. For example, a fight between Julie and Kevin in New York culminated in a discussion about race relations in the United States. Tami allowed cameras to document her abortion in Los Angeles, setting off a discussion between roommates. Most notably, after HIV-AIDS activist Pedro joined the San Francisco cast, the series gained widespread notoriety for its attention to the global issue.

The Real World is MTV's longest running program. In 1995, the network brought the first spin-off to life, Road Rules. Road Rules came to light after Jon, Tami, and David drove cross-country in a RV during the first two episodes of the Los Angeles season. The two shows experienced a rivalry that would ultimately culminate in the Challenge spin-off in 1998. Road Rules ran for fourteen seasons and the Challenge has started pre-production on its 23rd season.

Critics argue that the series has de-evolved from an honest documentary to a drunken revelry. During the Hawaii season in 1998, out of control Ruthie was sent to a 30-day program for alcohol abuse. The Las Vegas season in 2002 brought constant partying, debauchery, and pregnancy scares. The first Las Vegas season marked a turning point for the series, when the series began to become known for its party atmosphere.

Nonetheless, the series still tackled sensitive issues. In 2004, Frankie, a castmember with cystic fibrosis joined the cast, passing away three years later. In 2009, Katelynn, the show's first transgendered roommate, battled misperceptions and insecurities in Brooklyn. And for the first time, Dustin of the show's second Las Vegas season, a castmember was forced to deal with the consequences of a troubled past that resurfaced during the show.

Congratulations to Bunim-Murray Productions for twenty years!

The Real World: St Thomas premieres June 27

MTV has set a premiere date for the next season of The Real World. 

The Real World: St. Thomas cast

St. Thomas will premiere on June 27 at 10PM/9PM central. The cast includes (from L to R) Trey, Swift, LaToya, Marie, Robb, Laura, and Brandon.