The Real World: Chicago

**The Real World: Chicago** is the 11th season of "The Real World." It aired from January 15, 2002 to July 9, 2002.

It is the first season of the series to be filmed in the East North Central States region of the United States, specifically in Illinois.

The season featured seven people who lived in a converted bookstore/coffeehouse in the Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood.

This was the first season in which production would start months (sometimes weeks) after wrapping the previous season allowing filming and broadcasting almost immediately unlike the usual annual season.

The season depicted cast members dealing with learning of the September 11th attacks, although criticism was leveled at the series for staging this as the cast was actually at Wrigley Field for a photo shoot when they learned of the event.

Bunim-Murray Productions experienced a number of problems with the production of this season, including a nearby shooting and numerous protests and vandalism by local activists, anti-globalists, anarchists and radicals critical of MTV and its parent company, Viacom and opposed to the production's perceived contribution to the neighborhood's gentrification.

## Season Changes

This was the first season of The Real World to feature two openly gay cast members: Chris Beckman and Aneesa Ferreira.

A previous season The Real World: Hawaii featured two LBGT cast members: Justin Deabler was gay and Ruthie Alcaide was bisexual.

## Residence

The cast resided in a loft at 1934 W. North Avenue in the Chicago neighborhood of Wicker Park, which had formerly served as a sweatshop, storage facility and after falling into disrepair in the 1980s, a drug den. After it was renovated, it served as Urbis Orbis Café, a classic hipster hangout, then an antique shop.

Chicago Scenic Studios constructed the loft's interior and interior decorating was overseen by local designer Suhail.

After filming, fixtures and other items used during the production were auctioned off, and the space was converted into a Cheetah Gym, which opened in 2002.

## Assignment

The Chicago roommates were assigned to three different jobs at the Chicago Park District. Some were lifeguards at the Lake Michigan beaches while others worked with inner-city children on a park mural.

The cast then worked on "Chicagoween" (a portmanteau of "Chicago" and "Halloween") and had to devise a story to act out for the children at Chicago's Halloween celebration.

## Cast Members

* Chris Beckman
* Kyle Brandt
* Tonya Cooley
* Keri Evans
* Aneesa Ferreira
* Theo Gantt III
* Cara Kahn

## List of Episodes

1. Welcome to Chicago (Season Premiere)
2. Brothers And Sisters
3. Summer Summer Summertime
4. Bonding Session
5. K Likes K
6. Animal House
7. Off to Work
8. The Screaming Match
9. Knowing a Thing Or Two
10. Romantic Retreat
11. Taking The Next Step
12. Kid Craziness
13. The Boyfriend From Hell
14. Roomie Tensions
15. The Gang Gets Their New Job
16. The Day That Changed Everything
17. Changes
18. Getting Closure
19. Heading To New England
20. Spooky Real World
21. The Skits
22. Aneesa's Love Triangle
23. Halloween Madness
24. Moving Out (Season Finale)

## After Filming

Six months after the cast left the Real World loft, all seven of them appeared to discuss their experiences both during and since their time on the show "Stop Being Polite: The Real World Chicago Reunion" which premiered on July 15, 2002 & was hosted by television personality Brian McFayden.