MTV Ditches Rich-Kid Shows for Do-Good Obama Era

And 'Dark Knight' just might end up filming them, too

(NEWSER) - Participating in Occupy Wall Street might actually get you a job … on the Real World. The New York Observer points to a Craigslist ad that showed up Monday: “MTV's Real World is seeking cast members to tell their unique stories on our show,” it reads. “Are you a part of the OCCUPY WALL STREET movement?” If so, better get your bio and three recent pictures over to Bunim/Murray Productions lickety split! But if you "appear to be" over the age of 24, you need not apply... More»

'Village Voice' highlights the frighteningly specific warnings

(NEWSER) - Want to appear on MTV's Real World? First you might want to take a look at the contract, an "amusingly specific ... 30-page spectacular" the Village Voice got its hands on. Highlights, as interpreted by Camille Dodero:

• "You may die, lose limbs, and suffer nervous breakdowns."
• "If you undergo any medical procedures while involved in the show, they carry the risk of infection, disfigurement, death."
• "You may be humiliated and explicitly portrayed 'in a false light.'"
• "If you contract AIDS or other sexually transmitted diseases while filming ... MTV is not responsible."

Amber Portwood roughed up her boyfriend on camera, faces felonies

(USER SUBMITTED) - Teen Mom star Amber Portwood has pleaded not guilty to beating baby daddy Gary Shirley. The altercation that was captured by MTV during the filming of the reality program shows Portwood slapping and hitting her then-boyfriend during a heated argument. All of it took place in front of the couple's 2-year-old daughter, Leah. Portwood, who faces felony charges of battery and child neglect, has been released from jail but can't yet have contact with her daughter, reports TMZ . Click here for a sample of Portwood's previous trouble. More»

'Jersey Shore' star's arrest puts town back on the map

(NEWSER) - "Snooki arrested!" screamed the headlines around the world, and the mayor of the town where the Jersey Shore star faces a disorderly conduct charge couldn't be happier, reports the New York Post . "We're getting wonderful publicity!" says Ken Hershey. "We couldn't pay a half-million dollars for this!" Details of the incident are still emerging: In the Post's account, a drunk Snooki, aka Nicole Polizzi, was heard saying, "Do you know who I am? I'm fucking Snooki! You can't do this!" as Seaside Heights, NJ, police took her into custody. More»

Laguna Beach led to more robberies, rapes, study says

(NEWSER) - MTV's Laguna Beach contributed to a rise in crime in the real Laguna Beach, a new study suggests. Researchers from Occidental College analyzed crime statistics from 2004 to 2006, when the popular reality series was on the air—and perhaps turning the ritzy, gated enclave into a tourist hub. The researchers found that non-residential burglaries and rapes posted steady increases every year the show was on the air, AOL News reports. More»