Comments on: Homophobic RWDC Security Threatens DC Residents, Impersonates Park Police

By: Hector

Hector — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 07:09:55 +0000

You all need to get a life. I love how this stupid site is “Anti” Real World, but you waste all of your pathetic time stalking and blogging about them. Get lives people. Wast your time on bigger issues the a stupid reality show. PATHETIC

By: DliefMx

DliefMx — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:24:02 +0000

The property is owned by the Jemal family who has long had the District government in it's back pocket. Any zoning variance required in order to get this lucrative MTV lease pushed through probably wasn't too hard to get considering the family's storied history.

That being said, why doesn't anyone think it's exciting to have a TV show filmed in their neighborhood? Moreover, the people who edit the Real World are among the best and brightest. They create the story, no matter how moronic and ridiculous the cast is.

I am astonished at how many HATERS there are around here.

By: dcgrrl

dcgrrl — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:58:09 +0000

Just tuned in. A lot of this snark is a waste of time, but I'm glad this incident was brought to light. Keep your eyes open, ARWDC. We're listening.

By: districtchatter

districtchatter — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:44:01 +0000

311 is no longer a non-emergency number. Not sure how valid this "complaint" is. All police calls go to 911.

However, MTV can't take over the city and prevent people from using public sidewalks.

By: that girl

that girl — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:30:11 +0000

Wow. Lots of apologists here who don't actually live in DC. I don't really know how you can give any kind of opinion as to how the residents of this city should react when you haven't lived here, aren't here now, and don't know how intrusive people are being (MTV crew and gawkers alike). But either way-TV doesn't trump people. You don't become part of some special privileged group that has the right to do whatever, wherever just because it's "TV-OMG!" Let them do whatever they want in their house, but people on the sidewalk have the right to do whatever they want, as long as it's legal by district law. And if that creates trouble for the RW, that's MTV's problem. Why should residents have to "get over it"? Why shouldn't MTV get over themselves? God forbid the residents here not kiss their asses.

By: treqker

treqker — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:47:42 +0000

In the older part of DC, where the Real World house is located, most buildings were built right at the property line. I.e., They were built without front yards. To make the city more visually interesting, regulations were enacted in the 1870s to allow people to fence off the area between the sidewalk and the property line (i.e., the facade of the house/building) and treat it like a private garden. Those regulations also allowed bays and stairs to extend over the property line into this garden area, also in the hopes to make the city streets more visually appealing. The aim was for people to "park" the city streets by being allowed to fence off the city property between the sidewalks and the property line/ front of their houses. Technically this area is called the 'parking area' (i.e., what in 21st century speak we'd call the 'greening area'). It remains public property and isn't supposed to be used for any purpose other than to green the city with the legal exceptions of the bays and stairs that were allowed to extend into this area ... and the much later exemption for outside eating areas for restaurants.

While the general public doesn't have a right to stand on this public space, because the 1870s regulations allow it to be fenced off, it's still public space and only the specific exemptions allowed by the regulations are permissible. Closing it off with a tent to put a hot tub is not one of those permissable exemptions. I'm surprised (or maybe not) that it is being allowed.

By: Greymurph

Greymurph — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:50:26 +0000

Sorry about not using paragraphs. I don't have my computer with me, so I was typing on my phone. We're lucky that what I wrote was even slightly coherent. I told the cops it was strange he chose park police. They thought it was weird too. Maybe it was hyperbole, but one of the officers said there are 101 law enforcement agencies in DC.

By: Nerdette

Nerdette — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:14:52 +0000

Bunim-Murray nor MTV nor anyone else has done active outreach to the neighborhood. They might have attended the first ANC meeting but they did not actively identify themselves or attempt to answer questions.

I agree that the protest might be a bit over the top, but the security detail should know that impersonatig law enforcement professionals is a very bad idea.

By: Dee Cee Doo Right

Dee Cee Doo Right — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 15:42:06 +0000

Suitablegirl, so where do you live now? And why are you so furious?

I'm sure your old neighbors are having to deal with some major and minor inconveniences due to the presence of RWDC. Washington has movies and TV shows filming in neighborhoods all the time with similar disruptions - just not for 5 months at a time.

MTV and the city likely did a terrible job of working with the residents to address their concerns about lights, crowds of curious onlookers and obnoxious hangers-on, blocked streets and sidewalks, etc. But was it really necessary for the people ACTUALLY AFFECTED to incite an angry mob and start a war?

It's kinda funny that this sort of retaliatory behavior is a perfect reflection of how the kids on the show act. Just watch Episode 2 of RW Cancun. (BTW, this tit-for-tat retaliation also strikes me as a cultural reflection of the Bush Administration.)

Have your neighbors tried negotiating with the production company?

By: kasdc

kasdc — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:20:43 +0000

In this town we are used to being inconvenienced by many things from tourists who can't ride escalators to daily motorcades which block off streets. We fully understand that is a part of living in the District. The problem is here that you have people coming into a residential neighborhood that continue to not respect the residents who live there.