The Real World: Key West (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The Real World: Key West is the seventeenth season of MTV's popular reality television series The Real World, which focuses on seven diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras follow their lives and interpersonal relationships. This season was shot in the Key Haven neighborhood of Key West, Florida in late summer and fall 2005, at a 6,000 square ft. mansion at 32 Driftwood Drive on Raccoon Key, and debuted February 28, 2006. It is the second season of The Real World to be filmed in southern Florida (The Real World: Miami was filmed 10 years prior in 1996); and the fourth season to be filmed in the southern United States (Miami in 1996, The Real World: New Orleans in 2000 and The Real World: Austin in 2005.)

The season was filmed during the busiest Atlantic hurricane season ever; filming was scheduled to start the week Hurricane Katrina made landfall but was delayed as several castmembers were stuck in Miami. Later in the season Hurricanes Rita and Wilma made landfall forcing the cast to evacuate to West Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale, respectively. During Hurricane Wilma, the cast was forced to evacuate again, this time to Orlando after the Ft. Lauderdale-area hotel they sought shelter in was damaged by the storm. Conflicts incurred by the production included an unsuccessful lawsuit by tourism mogul Ed Swift III, a neighbor to the Driftwood Drive house, who sought to stop filming at the location. After MTV threatened to cancel The Real World: Key West in light of the lawsuit, a judge threw out the lawsuit and allowed Bunim-Murray Productions to continue filming the season, with some minor production restrictions put in place.

Some of the music for this season was provided by Denis Taaffe.

Assignment

Every season of The Real World, beginning with its fifth season, has included the assignment of a season-long group job or task to the housemates. The Key West housemates were assigned to assist in starting a Mystic Tan franchise at the Pineapple Gallery. It closed briefly after Hurricane Wilma had devastated the store. Shortly thereafter, the store reopened and the roommates were back in business. Despite the struggles the cast encountered, they successfully provided state-of-the-art tanning services to the residents and tourists of Key West. However, the tanning salon was destroyed during Hurricane Wilma.

Cast

Cast Member	Age	Hometown	Biography	RW/RR Challenges
Zach Mann	22	Vashon Island, WA	(b. April 14, 1983) A communications grad from Lewis and Clark College, Zach comes from a Jewish family. Zach was at one time overweight, but has since transformed himself and emerged as an energetic, confident young man. He angers Svetlana when he informs her that he would also like to apply for team leader of Mystic Tan. At the reunion show, all of the castmates laughingly point to Zach when asked who "got the most booty."	The Gauntlet 3
Jose Tapia	21	Brooklyn, New York	(b. December 19, 1984) Known to his friends as "The Don." He was raised in Brooklyn surrounded by drugs, violence and the influence of "the wrong crowd". During the season, viewers learn that while living in Key West he is in the process of moving out of an apartment he shares with his former girlfriend. Now living in Sunrise, Florida, he is in his junior year at Florida State University, the owner of multiple rental properties and the holder of a real estate broker license.	None
Paula Meronek	24	Meriden, Connecticut	(b. July 7, 1981) Since her graduation from Quinnipiac University, Paula is a corporate employee by day, and parties at night. Paula is still experiencing problems with an abusive ex-boyfriend, and with her body image. On July 11th, 2006 Meronek was arraigned on a misdemeanor assault charge. Cromwell police said she bit her boyfriend several times in an attempt to let her into his home. She was charged with third-degree assault. Paula has been on Miami Ink. Paula appeared on The Duel and was the second girl sent home. On The Inferno III, Paula's team, The Good Guys, made it to the end, but lost to The Bad Asses.	The Duel, The Inferno 3
John Devenanzio	23	Fullerton, California	(b. June 22, 1982) A recent graduate of Pennsylvania State University, his casting made headlines in the Daily Collegian, PSU's student newspaper. He initially flirts with Svetlana but she remains unwavering due to her boyfriend at home. At one point during the season, he jokingly removes Janelle's bikini top in the ocean. Concerned about being asked to leave the house, he apologizes to Janelle and she accepts but not without reprimand. He and Tyler share relationship characterized by numerous practical jokes they play on one another. At the reunion show, John informs viewers that before he came to Key West, he had bought a manicure set, which everyone in the house used. Tyler, who enjoys chewing on his own fingernails, had played a joke on John. John in turn admitted to Tyler that he had taken everyone's fingernails from the manicure set and dumped them in Tyler's jeans, so that Tyler would mistakenly chew on everyone's finger and toenails in the house. Though horrified, Tyler took it good naturedly. John's first appearance on one of the spinoff Challenge shows was The Duel. He was the first to leave, after losing to his former roommate Tyler. He has also appeared on Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno III.	The Duel,The Inferno 3
Janelle Casanave	22	San Jose, California	(b. September 23, 1982) Friends describe her as "strong-willed" and "independent." She overcame a difficult childhood and recently graduated from San Jose State University. She dreams of attending law school in the near future. During the season her boyfriend comes to visit her, but during his stay he angers her when he meets strangers at a club and attempts to bring them back to the house. They fight and she refuses to allow him into the house when he discovers that he will be unable to fly back home that night. Several of her castmates have deemed her a diva who thinks too highly of herself. She has also appeared on Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno III.	The Inferno 3
Tyler Duckworth	23	Minneapolis, Minnesota	(b. March, 1982) A gay gymnastics and figure skating enthusiast who at one time was on track to becoming a world-class swimming champion. He was devastated when a freak accident shattered his Olympic dreams. Although doctors told him he might never walk again, he proved them wrong. A recent graduate of Tufts University, he must decide what to do with his life. In the show, he admits to feeling the closest to Jose in the house. However, his relationship with Svetlana is at best tumultuous. They often fight, and he continually puts her down. He refers to John as his "little brother," and they spend most of the time in the house, playing practical jokes on one another. He also appeared on Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel where he was the second male to go home.	The Duel
Svetlana Shusterman	20	Richboro, Pennsylvania	(b. December 1, 1985) A pre-med student at Temple University who was born in Odessa, Ukraine. A first generation immigrant with a reputation for being the "crazy Russian chick," she is torn between her dependency on her family, and the need to venture out and embrace all of life's adventures. During the season, she is in a problematic relationship with her boyfriend from home. She feels that he has allowed his friends to speak badly of her in their presence, resulting in a multitude of phone fights throughout the season. At the reunion show, she reveals that they have broken up. In the house, Svetlana is often referred to as immature and a liar by her roommates, with the exception of Paula. She and Tyler fail to see eye-to-eye on many issues, and he along with some of their roommates compose together a book of lies and unintentionally funny statements that she has made. Svetlana discovers it and calls her mother complaining about the abuse she feels that she has suffered. Tyler confronts her while she is on the phone, and curses and screams at her. She appeared on Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Duel and was the runner-up. In 2007, her 21st birthday was featured on MTV's My Super Sweet 16. She celebrated her birthday in 5 different cities in one weekend. She is currently living and studying in Miami, Florida in hopes of becoming a doctor.	The Duel

The house

The nearly 6,000 square foot Spanish Mediterranean style five bedroom, four and a half bathroom House is located in Key Haven, an area just north of Key West and outside the city limits. The House sits on 32,000 square feet of waterfront property. In addition to the House, the property includes a tennis court, a separate building housing an indoor racquetball court and gym, 60 feet of open dock space, and a vacant lot that sits on the corner of a canal and open water. The lease between R.W. Productions, Inc., and property owner Andrew Lippi was from June 28 until December 30th 2005 with a one month option, and included all buildings on the property and the two adjacent lots. The 1st floor foyer opens up into a vaulted ceiling room overlooking open water views. The centerpiece of the house is a 12 by 20 foot indoor pool and spa. The indoor pool was converted into a sunken lounge area during the filming of the series. Off of that room is the open kitchen and bar, a formal dining room, living room and a den. There is also a bedroom and two bathrooms. The 2nd floor houses the master bedroom suite with walk-in closets and a bathroom with both a shower and a Jacuzzi tub with water views. The master bedroom also has an indoor balcony, which overlooks the pool in the foyer. In addition to the master bedroom, there are three additional bedrooms on the 2nd floor that share a bathroom. The laundry room is also located on the 2nd floor.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.It uses material from the Wikipedia article "The Real World: Key West". Reality TV World is not responsible for any errors or omissions this article may contain.