It’s been years since I’ve really been able to watch MTV’s “The Real World.” Since the Las Vegas season it’s pretty much been nothing but drunks with questionable ethics, and anger management problems on that show (except for Isaac from Australia–he was awesome). Frankly, it’s a little sad that the same show produced both of these people:

However, nostalgia for my brief Brooklyn days persuaded me to give the new season as chance, and boy was I pleasantly surprised. Perhaps the show intentionally decided a return to its old format of finding legitimately interesting people of different backgrounds, rather than the people most likely to get drunk and fight with each other.

This season they have a “former lesbian,” and Iraq war vet, a Mormon, a beauty queen, a gay man from Miami (who also happens to refreshingly smart and not catty — you’ll understand if you’ve seen any of the recent season), a bodybuilder/model from Salem, NH — complete with a New England accent — an adorable little dancer, and a transgendered individual.

They have a beautiful house in Red Hook, looking out at The Statue of Liberty, and frankly, it makes me miss my Williamsburg days. So, I’ll keep watching, in the hopes that MTV has gone back to bringing issues to the light –like HIV in Pedro’s day, and now gender issues — and hope no one gets so drunk they try to paddle to the Statue of Liberty.