Keene Equinox

Issue date: 11/10/05 Section: News

Media Credit: Meghan Duffy "Real World" cast members MJ Garrett and Karamo Brown came to Keene State College to talk about tolerance and diversity issues at KSC.

MJ Garrett and Karamo Brown, of MTV's "Real World: Philadelphia," spoke to just under 350 students in the Mabel Brown Room Nov. 2, in an event that was aimed for discussion about tolerance and diversity, but will likely be remembered for condom-throwing and Garrett's tattoo display.
During a laid back talk over such issues as stereotypes, responsible drinking, and safe sex, Brown said, "You would hate to ruin your life over one night."
At that point Garrett advised the female students, "Don't let the guy talk you into (having unprotected sex)."
"Don't fall for it, use a condom," said Brown, at which point, a male student threw a condom down from the second floor to the speakers sitting on their stools, causing laughter among the overwhelmingly female crowd.
The interaction between the speakers and the crowd began early, when Garrett and Brown asked audience members whether they felt they understood the two Real Worlders just from television alone.
"Most people think they know who you are... they just see bits and pieces of it," said Garrett. The two later estimated that only about two percent of the entire filming ends up in episodes.
"I've never seen anybody like me on television," said Brown, who is a gay African-American who doesn't fall into the queer eye for the straight guy stereotype that is portrayed in the media.
"(I went on the 'Real World') so people can meet somebody like me. You make friends that look like you, act like you. My purpose was to grow as a person."
Despite being a minority, Brown admitted that he didn't have a diverse array of friends until he came to the "Real World."
"I really wasn't diverse. It's one of the most important things you can learn in your life."
Garrett, a blond-haired Tennessean, said he found it more difficult to deal with Brown and roommate Willie Hernandez's homosexuality. Garrett said that his first impression that he gained from where he was raised was that "gay people want to have sex with me."
Garrett said rooming at the "Real World" "was a powerful thing for me to do. (Gay people) are human as well."
The overall message that Brown said he wanted to portray was that it's important for everybody to reach out to others that wouldn't normally be in the same social circle. Just from the "Real World" experience, Brown said he'd never experienced people like his other roommates.

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