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RW: Boston (1997)

Stinger97

By Stinger97
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Stinger97

Stinger97

The Real World: Boston is the sixth season of MTV's reality television series The Real World, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras follow their lives and interpersonal relationships. It is the only season of The Real World to be filmed in the New England region of the United States, specifically in Massachusetts.

 

 

Bastet

Bastet

I liked Montana, Genesis and, especially, Kameelah from this season.  Kameelah so deftly handling that little girl who said "I hate gay people" is something I will never forget.  I also liked her schooling the guys at the T station on how to properly address a woman.

If I'd had their job, I'd have pulled a Montana and given the kids wine so I could get fired and go work with adults instead.

Stinger97

Stinger97

  • Author
(edited)

This was a season in which I loved each of the cast members, even the ones who were kinda shitty. And I always regretted (as if I had something to do with the issue) that the house was divided in the end between Sean/Elka/Montana vs. Genesis/Kameelah/Jason, with Syrus playing both sides of the fence but really just being Sean's best bro.

And I'll never forget the episode in which Genesis hung "Genesisms" around the house to Montana and Sean's chagrin.

Edited by Stinger97
Bastet

Bastet

(edited)

Now I see a bunch of early 20-somethings trying on personas.

 

They were, but in this period of the show it still featured people doing so in the genuine way one goes about finding one's identity at that age rather than the calculated method of playing a pre-scripted role showcased now.  It could be cringeworthy at the time, but it was relatable.  And in hindsight, given modern "reality" television, it's refreshing.

 

I still laugh at their fake band Scotch Tape.

 

Ha - I had forgotten that.  The silly moments were always so much fun; I adored the "Shit They Should Have Shown" specials for the plethora of such random moments.

Edited by Bastet
  • Love 4
Crystal

Crystal

They were, but in this period of the show it still featured people doing so in the genuine way one goes about finding one's identity at that age rather than the calculated method of playing a pre-scripted role showcased now.  It could be cringeworthy at the time, but it was relatable.  And in hindsight, given modern "reality" television, it's refreshing.

 

Yes! And they were interesting people with ambitions, and strong opinions about things. There was some pettiness, but you also got to see them learn about people and lifestyles that were wildly different than there own. They were still 20-somethings who drank, partied and acted like kids, but that's not all they were.

 

A lot of people I liked on the show were people outside the house, like Vaj and Adam the Drag Queen. And poor Anthony from the center. These guys did not make his life easy. 

Starscream

Starscream

I looooved Jason then, but now he seems so pretentious to me.

I thought he was a pretentious d-bag from minute one.  He annoyed me so much that I sided with the rest of the house against his clique with Genesis and Kameelah even though they were both perfectly fine.

 

The things I remember most watching it way back then was how much I enjoyed Syrus and Sean's bromance and how I got a kick out of Genesis buying Playboy (and not for the articles).  Oh, and how messed up Montana was even though she seemed pretty cool at first.

  • Love 1
Maharincess

Maharincess

This was one of my favorites. I liked everybody, Cyrus being a favorite but I couldn't stand Kameelah. I thought she was a racist asshole.

I'll never forget how pissed off she got when she found out Cyrus was dating a white woman.

She said something like "I was worried that I would be the only black person here, now I guess I am" meaning that because Cyrus dated a white woman, he wasn't really black.

Couldnt stand her.

  • Love 2
scowl

scowl

I liked Cyrus since he acted like an adult and had some insights on race that were not the superficial things you hear.

 

Jason arrived as a pretentious twist ("I journal"???) but as hard as he tried, he couldn't suppress his real personality: a goofball with a great sense of humor ("Come on, Cyrus! Get into this white music!"). Once he accepted that, he was more fun.

 

To me this will always be the season of the WHHOOOOOOOOOOOOORRREEE! Now scream that word over and over until you become the joke of the season.

  • Love 2
Bastet

Bastet

This season is up on YouTube, and I am bound and determined to judge Sean on this alone like I did the first time around, not knowing the professional dickwad he became, but looking at him or Rachel now tends to make me twitch, so it will be an effort.

I've only watched the first episode so far (the second is missing), and, wow, I did not remember Jason being a jerk in the beginning (a bit of a pretentious twit, yes, but not a jerk).  About five minutes after the first half of them arrive, he decides his "vibes" are telling him no one else is worth his time so he's just going to be rude and exclusionary on day one.  Okay, dude.

I remember loving Kameelah, but her first move being to quiz everyone on whether they drink and snotting "I don't put alcohol in my body" wasn't a good introduction, either.  It's not like anyone was shoving a glass in her hand and mocking her.

ljenkins782

ljenkins782

3 hours ago, Bastet said:

This season is up on YouTube, and I am bound and determined to judge Sean on this alone like I did the first time around, not knowing the professional dickwad he became, but looking at him or Rachel now tends to make me twitch, so it will be an effort.

I've only watched the first episode so far (the second is missing), and, wow, I did not remember Jason being a jerk in the beginning (a bit of a pretentious twit, yes, but not a jerk).  About five minutes after the first half of them arrive, he decides his "vibes" are telling him no one else is worth his time so he's just going to be rude and exclusionary on day one.  Okay, dude.

I remember loving Kameelah, but her first move being to quiz everyone on whether they drink and snotting "I don't put alcohol in my body" wasn't a good introduction, either.  It's not like anyone was shoving a glass in her hand and mocking her.

Yeah, Jason made a terrible first impression. And Kameelah had a lot of really good qualities, but she also had some really rigid 19 year old ideas (eg, the list of like 90-something qualities her ideal boyfriend had to have) about life and a very blunt way of expressing those views. 

Politically, I'm not a fan of Sean's but I never really disliked him on these shows (this or Challenges), with the exception of some moments where he was a dick to someone. 

The sequence of Montana getting fired and having to face the fact that she'd wanted Syrus out IF he got fired, but wanted to stay after she DID get fired, was an interesting arc. I really liked the guy who ran the center and how he handled the whole thing.

 

  • Love 3
Bastet

Bastet

I can't stand being around children, so I'd have done something to get fired on day one.  I thought the same thing watching Chicago - I wouldn't have been able to pass the swim test (I'd have tried more than Cara did, certainly, but I'd have known from jump I wasn't going to pass, and told them what she did - there are a lot of things I can do, but saving someone in the water is not and should not be one of them), so then I'd have just wanted to go home when I found out the B job was making a mural with kids (I can't draw any better than I can deal with kids).

I remember the poor guy - Anthony? - who was their boss.  I had forgotten about Syrus's job being on the line, too - he dated a kid's mom, right?  The one thing I vividly remember from the center was Kameelah expertly dealing with the little girl who said she hated gay people.  I can't wait to re-watch that.

Bastet

Bastet

In the third episode, Montana says, "Kameelah has a lot of attitude, but as long as she uses that attitude for good instead of evil, I am all for her," and I think that pretty much sums up why I liked Kameelah.  She had the growing up to do that all 19-year-olds do, but she was starting from a good place and I knew she would, indeed, grow up.

I don't remember how I felt about Elka.  The other women I remember liking, but I can't remember much of anything about her other than crying at her mom's grave and having a boyfriend come visit her.

choclatechip45

choclatechip45

I think this is the first time I've ever seen Boston besides clips and random parts of an episode. 

My thoughts so far a few episodes in:

1) I don't like Sean's politics, but I remember him being cool on The Challenge. I like him so far. I was expecting this really conservative guy not this guy going out with Syrus and making sexual innuendos. 

2) I like Montana & Sean's friendship 

3) Jason is a jerk 

4) I understand why so many people love Genesis. She was groundbreaking

5) I've always been a fan of Kameelah base on the scene of the day care explaining why being gay isn't bad. It is interesting to see her on her original season, I can see why she was considered bossy. It's cool that she achieved her dream of being a doctor. I'm glad she is doing well. 

6. This cast is very cliquey so far. 

  • Love 2
Bastet

Bastet

So far, I'm not seeing indications Sean would go on to be as awful as he is.  However ...

"Just because my grandpa enslaved your grandpa, I shouldn't have to be punished."  Okay.  Good to see his keen understanding of affirmative action already existed back at 25.  But he at least listened to Syrus explain how things were and are very different for him than they are for Sean.  He only got it through his privileged skull maybe 10% of the time, but the potential was there.  It's a shame. 

Speaking of him being older than a lot of the roommates, I love that in addition to telling him not to ever say that again, Kameelah's reaction to him calling her a "bitch" included saying to Genesis and/or Montana, "Really?  He's 25 years old and in law school, and that's how he argues?  Is he going to stand there in court and object by telling the judge, 'She's a bitch'?"

  • Love 3
Bastet

Bastet

(edited)

"How often do you meet an underwater archeologist who's taken an entire class on the Uluburun?"

Montana made me laugh one minute on the Puerto Rico trip (which I completely forgot they went on), and then had me tearing up later when she talked about sending her dad a letter when she was eight years old, saying he didn't have to write back, but she wanted him to know who she was; here's a picture, I like hopscotch and science, etc.  And getting it back unopened with "return to sender; don't write to me again" on it.  Ouch.

Timber:  "You'll have to tell me when I'm being too needy and dependent."
Me:  How about when you MOVED TO BOSTON because Jason had been gone for two months and wouldn't be back for four more?

Good grief.

She and Vaj should have gotten together, they're both so clingy and babbling on about the depth of their love.

And, poor woman, she's undoubtedly heard this her entire life, but every time someone called her name like they were felling a tree, I laughed.

Lastly, I am loving the songs used this season; this was one of my favorite years in music.

Edited by Bastet
  • Love 1
Bastet

Bastet

I just have the finale still to go, but it's been interesting revisiting this season, because of how divided the house is by the end, and how I like most people on both sides of that divide, and understand most of why those who are irritated with/don't care enough to make time for someone feel that way.

Jason is probably the one I like least, but he's harmless.  Even Sean isn't bad.  Really, the biggest flaw any of them have is needing to grow up.  Which is more a fact of life than a flaw at that age.

Anthony needs to check himself, rightly calling out unprofessional behavior of the roommates but then turning around and talking about them to each other and in front of the kids.  And then out to lunch with Kameelah and Genesis, sitting there asking questions about house dynamics like a junior high gossip.

Bastet

Bastet

Aw, this season was back when I'd still tear up at everyone saying goodbye on the last day. 

Poor Genesis; she was unhappy to be there, and then so unhappy to leave.  I hope life worked out well for her, and she found a place where she felt like she fits in.

Boy, watching Sean say he realizes his insular environment affected how he interacted with Genesis and Kameelah, and if the Sean who's leaving the house had been the Sean who walked into it, things would have been different, and he's sorry it wasn't, I bet I had hope for him back in the day.  I wonder if Montana and/or Syrus still have any sort of relationship with him.

choclatechip45

choclatechip45

3 hours ago, Bastet said:

Aw, this season was back when I'd still tear up at everyone saying goodbye on the last day. 

Poor Genesis; she was unhappy to be there, and then so unhappy to leave.  I hope life worked out well for her, and she found a place where she felt like she fits in.

Boy, watching Sean say he realizes his insular environment affected how he interacted with Genesis and Kameelah, and if the Sean who's leaving the house had been the Sean who walked into it, things would have been different, and he's sorry it wasn't, I bet I had hope for him back in the day.  I wonder if Montana and/or Syrus still have any sort of relationship with him.

Syrus did an AMA about a month ago and I asked him about Sean. He said he keeps in touch with everyone and considers Sean a friend even though they have extremely different views about the world but he is his friend. 

The cast did a zoom reunion during quarantine that Syrus arranged. Jason took a picture and posted it on his instragram. Kameelah said in a podcast her and Sean were arguing about masks because he was on his way to a Trump rally. Kameelah also said that her and Sean will probably never get along. 

 

  • Love 1
choclatechip45

choclatechip45

(edited)

Here is the picture Jason posted on his instagram from the zoom reunion.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_NlYpWJsXM/

Here is the Kameelah podcast interview. I really enjoyed it somewhat strange the interviewer did not ask Kameelah about Jason. Favorite fact Kameelah was asked for her interest to do a show that seemed like Married to Medicine NY, but her husband said no.  

 

 

Edited by choclatechip45
  • Love 1
Asp Burger

Asp Burger

(edited)

Kameelah (or "Dr. Kameelah Phillips") is awesome now. Her patients love her, and she's collected numerous community service awards. She's someone I can say I knew was going to make good when I was watching Real World Boston, and the little bit about her I didn't like seemed to be gone already when she did Extreme Challenge four years later. Just like boss Anthony said, some people are talkers, others are doers, and Kameelah is a doer. 

She also did the Bunim/Murray experience the right way: she got it out of her system young and then got down to adulting. I don't think she's appeared on official B/M television since the 2001 mega-reunion that aired between New Orleans and B2NY. (One of my vivid memories of that is when Puck was being Puck at the photo shoot and she literally started to go after him, and people had to get between them.)

Edited by Asp Burger
  • Love 1
choclatechip45

choclatechip45

3 hours ago, Asp Burger said:

Kameelah (or "Dr. Kameelah Phillips") is awesome now. Her patients love her, and she's collected numerous community service awards. She's someone I can say I knew was going to make good when I was watching Real World Boston, and the little bit about her I didn't like seemed to be gone already when she did Extreme Challenge four years later. Just like boss Anthony said, some people are talkers, others are doers, and Kameelah is a doer. 

She also did the Bunim/Murray experience the right way: she got it out of her system young and then got down to adulting. I don't think she's appeared on official B/M television since the 2001 mega-reunion that aired between New Orleans and B2NY. (One of my vivid memories of that is when Puck was being Puck at the photo shoot and she literally started to go after him, and people had to get between them.)

When they did the 2008 Real World Bash there were some extra clips on the MTV website and one of them was Kameelah in her white coat saying how she couldn't make it due to her residency and gave a brief update on her life. I always thought it was cool like you said she did it the right way and isn't ashamed of her experience. 

  • Love 2
Miss Slay

Miss Slay

Boston was the first Real World that I watched in its entirety. I loved it -- but I was far too young to be watching it in the first place. I was curious how it would hold up with adult eyes. I'm so pleased that I was able to revisit it - IMO it's one of the best re-watches of the franchise because every cast member is interesting to watch - whether you like them or not.

I noticed a few things this time. I don't remember Elka having an impression on me at all when I first watched the show. But this time, she just seems so young. Now I see the obvious "Julie" prototype that they casted every season, usually 19, sheltered, a virgin, and will be the person having the first time experience. However, no cast member quite lived up to RWNY'S Julie, IMO. That said Elka is such a strong person to come on the show so soon after her mother's death. Her relationship with Walter was very sweet and was so teenagey. I had to look them up - I see they were together for quite a few years after the show! 

Montana had one of the most iconic RW moments ever with her phone conversation with Vaj. Watching it this time -- it's so obvious that Montana just isn't into Vaj anymore but won't just end it. Also...Montana giving the kids wine, oh vey.

I really like Cyrus, he has a great personality and seems like a good friend. But I would not want to be his roommate.  Bringing home people at all hours of the night? No thanks.

Sean is a lesson on why diversity is needed. Sean wasn't around black people or gay people and thus he offended Kameelah and Genesis and didn't know how to interact with them. The good thing is - he realizes this. But he's already 25 and it's too late for him. It isn't lost on me that the person who doesn't know anyone of color or anyone LGBTQ in his 20s becomes someone who is a proponent of anti-black and LBTGQ legislation in his 40s. The connection is there.

Jason was such a cutie - I always lowkey wanted him and Kameelah to hook up. His girlfriend Timber seemed like...a lot. It was funny to me that the two people who seemed to dislike Kameelah instantly became her two closest friends. Kameelah is just a lovely person - and to be so fantastic at 19 - that's an accomplishment. I' m not at all surprised to see that she became a doctor. I saw that she was going places.

I really liked the friendship between Kameelah and Genesis. I feel like Genesis never had a friend who was also an advocate for her before. It's one thing to have a friend who you get along with - it's another thing to have a friend who will speak up for you when you can't. She was really touched by the way Kameelah handled that child Jessica.

What I loved most about Real World Boston is that it felt like a snapshot of seven really interesting young people on their way to wherever they were going to in life. That's the best version of the show.

  • Love 4
choclatechip45

choclatechip45

Genesis was on Hot Takes and Deep Dives it was a really good interview some tidbits:

  • Everyone besides Sean said yes to a Homecoming Season of Boston, Sean wants to run for office again which is why he won't do it.
  • She still talks to some of the children from the after school program.
  • Genesis is married and Lives in LA 
  • The whole cast is in a group text minus Sean because he never responded in the original group text so they felt bad for blowing up his phone and made a new one. 
  • Elka is back living in Texas. 
  • Montana is a single mom of two girls and is an acupuncturist and lives in LA.
  • Love 5
choclatechip45

choclatechip45

28 minutes ago, shantown said:

I am petty as hell, because I love this! They should just do a reunion season without him!

Is this a podcast or a web series or something? Would love to watch/listen to the whole thing.

Podcast Hot Takes and Deep Dives you can find it on Apple. She has also interviewed Kameelah, Mohamed, and Danny those can be found on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/JessRothschild/videos. 

  • Love 1
Bastet

Bastet

6 hours ago, choclatechip45 said:

Everyone besides Sean said yes to a Homecoming Season of Boston, Sean wants to run for office again which is why he won't do it.

Thank goodness (that he won't do a Homecoming season, not that he intends to inflict himself on the public again).  Hopefully that means if there is a SF season, Rachel won't appear.

6 hours ago, choclatechip45 said:

The whole cast is in a group text minus Sean

Okay, I know the reason why is he didn't respond and they didn't want to keep spamming his phone with something he wasn't part of, but this still makes me laugh.

6 hours ago, choclatechip45 said:

She still talks to some of the children from the after school program.

That's sweet.

  • Love 2
Miss Slay

Miss Slay

I listened to the interview but I don't think it was very good. I wish the season was available so the interviewer could have recently re-watched and asked better questions especially about specifics about the season.

Was it a LGBTQ podcast? The first part really focused on Gensis contribution to LGBTQ representation  on television and there was mention of that now iconic scene with the young after schooler. The interviewer seems like a white feminist in her glaring omission to Kameelah's contribution to tha that scene and her allyship. Gensis had to bring it up. I felt that she could have asked Gensis more about her feelings in that moment.

I'm glad she asked about Montana and Sean but Gensis had to mention Elka and Kameelah. There was very little mention of Syrus and Jason. I would have loved more updates on the cast.

The interview could have delved much deeper in my opinion.

  • Love 1
LemonSoda

LemonSoda

On 10/20/2021 at 6:48 PM, Miss Slay said:

I listened to the interview but I don't think it was very good. I wish the season was available so the interviewer could have recently re-watched and asked better questions especially about specifics about the season.

Was it a LGBTQ podcast? The first part really focused on Gensis contribution to LGBTQ representation  on television and there was mention of that now iconic scene with the young after schooler. The interviewer seems like a white feminist in her glaring omission to Kameelah's contribution to tha that scene and her allyship. Gensis had to bring it up. I felt that she could have asked Gensis more about her feelings in that moment.

I'm glad she asked about Montana and Sean but Gensis had to mention Elka and Kameelah. There was very little mention of Syrus and Jason. I would have loved more updates on the cast.

The interview could have delved much deeper in my opinion.

It’s selfish of me but this is one of my greatest complaints about podcast interviews in general. Sometimes I forget that most podcasters don’t have professional interviewing skills and many were either in diapers or not alive when many of these shows aired. I forget my age a lot. I’m not sure if I truly forget it but I don’t feel it so I have moments of How was this or that 25 years ago? 
 

On 10/19/2021 at 12:00 PM, shantown said:

I am petty as hell, because I love this! They should just do a reunion season without him!

Me too. They don’t need him! I will say when I try to think of something nice about Sean the only thing that comes to mind is on the road trip to get the log, he seemed to be genuinely bonding with the other guys and let his guard down for a bit. 

On 9/5/2021 at 8:03 PM, Miss Slay said:

Boston was the first Real World that I watched in its entirety. I loved it -- but I was far too young to be watching it in the first place. I was curious how it would hold up with adult eyes. I'm so pleased that I was able to revisit it - IMO it's one of the best re-watches of the franchise because every cast member is interesting to watch - whether you like them or not.

I noticed a few things this time. I don't remember Elka having an impression on me at all when I first watched the show. But this time, she just seems so young. Now I see the obvious "Julie" prototype that they casted every season, usually 19, sheltered, a virgin, and will be the person having the first time experience. However, no cast member quite lived up to RWNY'S Julie, IMO. That said Elka is such a strong person to come on the show so soon after her mother's death. Her relationship with Walter was very sweet and was so teenagey. I had to look them up - I see they were together for quite a few years after the show! 

Montana had one of the most iconic RW moments ever with her phone conversation with Vaj. Watching it this time -- it's so obvious that Montana just isn't into Vaj anymore but won't just end it. Also...Montana giving the kids wine, oh vey.

I really like Cyrus, he has a great personality and seems like a good friend. But I would not want to be his roommate.  Bringing home people at all hours of the night? No thanks.

Sean is a lesson on why diversity is needed. Sean wasn't around black people or gay people and thus he offended Kameelah and Genesis and didn't know how to interact with them. The good thing is - he realizes this. But he's already 25 and it's too late for him. It isn't lost on me that the person who doesn't know anyone of color or anyone LGBTQ in his 20s becomes someone who is a proponent of anti-black and LBTGQ legislation in his 40s. The connection is there.

Jason was such a cutie - I always lowkey wanted him and Kameelah to hook up. His girlfriend Timber seemed like...a lot. It was funny to me that the two people who seemed to dislike Kameelah instantly became her two closest friends. Kameelah is just a lovely person - and to be so fantastic at 19 - that's an accomplishment. I' m not at all surprised to see that she became a doctor. I saw that she was going places.

I really liked the friendship between Kameelah and Genesis. I feel like Genesis never had a friend who was also an advocate for her before. It's one thing to have a friend who you get along with - it's another thing to have a friend who will speak up for you when you can't. She was really touched by the way Kameelah handled that child Jessica.

What I loved most about Real World Boston is that it felt like a snapshot of seven really interesting young people on their way to wherever they were going to in life. That's the best version of the show.

Absolutely! This entire post is amazing. This season of the show was amazing. I wish it were easily available for viewing. 

choclatechip45

choclatechip45

On 10/20/2021 at 9:48 PM, Miss Slay said:

I listened to the interview but I don't think it was very good. I wish the season was available so the interviewer could have recently re-watched and asked better questions especially about specifics about the season.

Was it a LGBTQ podcast? The first part really focused on Gensis contribution to LGBTQ representation  on television and there was mention of that now iconic scene with the young after schooler. The interviewer seems like a white feminist in her glaring omission to Kameelah's contribution to tha that scene and her allyship. Gensis had to bring it up. I felt that she could have asked Gensis more about her feelings in that moment.

I'm glad she asked about Montana and Sean but Gensis had to mention Elka and Kameelah. There was very little mention of Syrus and Jason. I would have loved more updates on the cast.

The interview could have delved much deeper in my opinion.

That is an interesting observation since the person who did the podcast did an interview with Kameelah and really gave her a lot of credit for her allyship.

  • Love 1
Liamsmom617

Liamsmom617

On 6/1/2021 at 8:37 PM, Bastet said:

Aw, this season was back when I'd still tear up at everyone saying goodbye on the last day. 

Poor Genesis; she was unhappy to be there, and then so unhappy to leave.  I hope life worked out well for her, and she found a place where she felt like she fits in.

Boy, watching Sean say he realizes his insular environment affected how he interacted with Genesis and Kameelah, and if the Sean who's leaving the house had been the Sean who walked into it, things would have been different, and he's sorry it wasn't, I bet I had hope for him back in the day.  I wonder if Montana and/or Syrus still have any sort of relationship with him.

I remember crying watching the kids sob and say goodbye to the "volunteers", and then again when Kameelah, crying, hugged Montana goodbye at the airport. Just the way she said, "Bye, Montana" killed me...they hated each other at that time! I loved when Sean kissed Syrus on top of his bald head (can't deal with Sean and his bimbo wife now, but back then he seemed to have potential...)

  • Love 1

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