The Village Voice got its newsprint-stained hands on an unsigned copy of the 30-page contract MTV gives to Real World cast members. It pretty much absolves MTV of any responsibility, and lets cast know they may be treated in totally inhuman ways, but especially if they’re female.
All cast members regardless of gender are made aware they might be subjected to “non-consensual physical contact which could result in which could result in my contracting of any type of sexually transmitted disease, including without limitation, HIV/AIDS, gonorrhea, herpes, syphilis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), Chlamydia, scabies (crabs), hepatitis, genital warts, and other communicable and sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy.”
So Real World peeps, you might get raped. Because as it says in the contract, MTV producers are not liable for conducting background checks on potential cast members, and even if they do, they don’t have to share the results with you. BUT, if you’re raped AND get pregnant (read: female), then you’re really in trouble. Section 38 of the contract stipulates that cast members not be pregnant when they start production, and not become pregnant while filming the show. If someone does get pregnant, regardless of how they got that way, they must tell the producer immediately because pregnancy is grounds for dismissal. Interestingly, if you get someone pregnant while on Real World, you are not on the chopping block.
The whole thing’s pretty vile, though, regardless of whether you can get pregnant or not. Here’s the full contract.
