This is the true story… about the original cast members of MTV’s The Real World returning to their New York City loft this Sunday, Dec. 21, on OWN.
The cast that comprised of seven strangers — Norman Korpi, Julie Gentry, Becky Blasband, Kevin Powell, Andre Comeau, Heather Gardner, and Eric Nies — made history in 1992, when the first season of The Real World debuted. A phenom when it first aired, the series spawned 29 additional season in other cities, plus spin-offs, including Road Rules and The Challenge — and of course, paved the way for the now-ubiquitous, debated genre now known as reality TV.
On the upcoming episode of Oprah: Where Are They Now?, Heather, Norman, and Julie reunite at their SoHo loft where they lived for three turbulent and eye-opening months — 22 years later. The trio takes a trip down memory lane as they reminisce about their filming experience, as well as being catapulted into the spotlight.
“We shot this show for 13 weeks,” Gardner, now a hip-hop artist, says in the clip. “We lived here, we hung out, we talked, we cried, we partied, we fought, and Eric [Nies] told us — even before MTV agreed to do this show — we were going to be huge.”
“Filming the show was one experience,” adds Gentry, now a married mom who still lives in Alabama. “And then airing it was a whole other ball game.”
Korpi reflects back on his newfound fame in the ’90s. “I’d go to a grocery store, and shut it down,” the artist muses. “We were more recognizable than any musician on MTV.”
In Sunday’s episode, the three also reflect back on their first time at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1992. “Magic Johnson comes walking up the stairs and he’s waving,” Gardner recalls of the ’90s NBA legend.
Heather B also teased Sunday’s episode by tweeting out this message.
Clearly I didn’t become #selfie taker. Ha! OPRAH’S: Where Are They Now? This Sunday for our REUNION. #RealWorld pic.twitter.com/B5ot34jIr5
— Heather B (@thehappyhourwHB) December 17, 2014
Watch the video above and tune in to Oprah: Where Are They Now? on Sunday, Dec. 21 at 9 p.m. ET on OWN.