Jump to content

The Real World: Houston


shinoda28107

Recommended Posts

Okay, I love Maddox's reply to a hate mail about MTV.

See http://maddox.xmission.com/hatemail.cgi

"Well excuse me all to hell. I guess I was wrong about MTV; this person makes a good point: MTV truly is real. Where else could I gain as much valuable insight about the real world than from a show titled "The Real World"? Dumbass.

I have a better idea: instead of watching the "real world" on TV, why not live in it? It's easy, all you have to do is turn off the TV and go do something. All sorts of "real" stuff happens in the "real world." You can ride a bike, eat a sandwich and you can even prove to the world that you're a dolt by sending me poorly written hate mail."

This is Maddox's critique of the show.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 85
  • Created
  • Last Reply
Real World what? Who gives a rat's behind what MTV does. MTV is an 80s thing and real people are off and doing their own things. Who sits at home watching MTV???? Jeez......... I guess some of you live for MTV. I haven't seen it in three years and don't wanna.

LOL... You say MTV is an 80's thing, and then you go on to say that you haven't seen it in three years - or since 2003.

I've been more convinced by alcoholics who say they've been sober for 1 week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would only be okay with Real World in Houston if it were protrayed as the young, rich, upscale city it is like in Uptown, Midtown, or the museum district. Someplace and some format that sucessful Houstonians in their early 20's would probably live and find appealing to them. If it's gonna be stereotypical of what New Yorkers THINK of Houston, don't come...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would only be okay with Real World in Houston if it were portrayed as the young, rich, upscale city it is like in Uptown, Midtown, or the museum district. Someplace and some format that successful Houstonians in their early 20's would probably live and find appealing to them. If it's gonna be stereotypical of what New Yorkers THINK of Houston, don't come...

Are you saying their should be a surburban located season, because we have lots of that here, but it would not be as interesting. :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think for the amount of people and the amount of places we have to offer, the media just ignores us.

I mean, movie wise, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles all have "fictional" stories that showcase the town, especially in movies like romantic comedies.

I can only think of Urban Cowbay (Pasedena), Robocop (Houston), and some persian movie about Omar Khayyam; whereas other cities have countless movies about them.

Is there a definitive list of movies/shows that take place in Houston.

If we only have like a dozen or less, than we have a problem, because it just means that people think Houston is too boring to be the setting of a movie, which could be the reason why television shows are a rarity too.

Update:

I forgot about that Animal Planet show about the Houston Animal Cops

Movies about or set in Houston have been surprisingly more than we know.

Houston's been covered from the big old money such as the two Terms of Endearment movies, interesting sci-fi like I Come In Peace and The Outing, slacker 90s like Reality Bites...and even really eccentric quirky like Brewster McCloud from 1970. Houston's had some decent looks in the big screen...and yes, it does get really old to have practically everything set in L.A., so Houston could use more story considering it is so large, concrete and cosmopolitan.

Houston's actually had more than a dozen (some quite stereotypically forgettable)...and there's a thread here that lists them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kind of hard to portray Houston as hip & trendy when it is hardly either.

Compared to most other places in the USA, Houston is hip and trendy. A city that's had two nightclubs placed in top ten listings in recent years(Mercury Room in Playboy and Hush in some dj's industrial magazine)...I think the demographic mindset is in the Space City. John Mariani, the acclaimed New York food critic proclaimed Houston as the sixth best restaurant city in the USA in Esquire magazine, and again later in Paper City said Houston and Dallas are perpetually top ten US restaurant cities (even if they are both lacking in beaucoup French bistros that set the bar high in his opinion).

Houston's got the stuff...and it has the hipness and trendiness consumption going on. I've walked the fabled streets of the Sunset Strip on a weekend night...and Houston's overall party crowd seemed just as trendily dressed...if not more so.

I remember back in the Dejanews days...when this individual who called himself "Marc" from West Hollywood once had a post called "Have you seen what they're doing in Space City?" He posted, "Believe it or not, the bars and clubs are cooler than most places in L.A...there's an urban chic going on that I didn't think existed outside of NY and San Fran" obviously referring to H-town's burgeoning downtown nightlife.

I mean, Houston per se is not in the industry to create "hip and trendy" but that's not to say that the consumers who like and buy and wear such aren't there.

In terms of unhip places, Houston is certainly not San Diego or the Tampa Bay area. Navy military boys and bermuda shorts...too many of 'em that set those metros quite lower.

The kind of trendy fashion you see in nocturnal downtown Houston on the sidewalks are not readily seen in the party districts of a San Diego, Tampa-St.Pete or Tempe, AZ (that's a cool, fun barhop they have, but I don't see it as hip).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kind of hard to portray Houston as hip & trendy when it is hardly either.

After hanging out in the Museum Tower, on Main Street square, and at Tan Tan on Bellaire Saturday night while jammin' to Paul Wall, Mike Jones (who?) Mike Jones (who?) Mike Jones, Chamillionaire, and Slim Thug on our bangin' system, I beg to differ...

>:) Whu'chu know 'bout dat?! >:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After hanging out in the Museum Tower, on Main Street square, and at Tan Tan on Bellaire Saturday night while jammin' to Paul Wall, Mike Jones (who?) Mike Jones (who?) Mike Jones, Chamillionaire, and Slim Thug on our bangin' system, I beg to differ...

>:) Whu'chu know 'bout dat?! >:)

Of course you do...

Houston is not Hip/trendy. Sorry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But hip and trendy is more about attitude, disposition and outlook. And the folk in Houston have it all wrong. Just read the posts on this board and it is painstakingly obvious how hard folks here want Houston to be seen as something it is not. So it goes. Embrace Houston for what it is and fix what is wrong and perhaps THEN, it will begin to makes it mark and get noticed. I surely do not expect anyone to agree with this.

Actually I do agree with you. As far as I'm concerned, hip is just part of a leg. That's all. I don't know why so few other people seem to recognize that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stop trying so hard folks.

I guess we can agree to disagree.

But is that avatar of yours The Hillcrest area of San Diego?

I've always found that part of town interesting...Nami Sushi in the evening, some of the best my wife and I have ever had.

Houston is definitely hip compared to San Diego, which isn't so bad to begin with. But all those Navy boys, bermuda Midwesterners, insular Filipinos and retirees...and the Gas Lamp? The little strip on University is cool and all but...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After hanging out in the Museum Tower, on Main Street square, and at Tan Tan on Bellaire Saturday night while jammin' to Paul Wall, Mike Jones (who?) Mike Jones (who?) Mike Jones, Chamillionaire, and Slim Thug on our bangin' system, I beg to differ...

>:) Whu'chu know 'bout dat?! >:)

Tan Tan...I've loved that place always.

It's always been hard to find those hip Asian night owl munchers in San Diego (surprisingly) the way they're lined up on Bellaire Blvd. There might have been something on Convoy that I missed...though it's hard to miss the late neon night offerings on Bellaire like Tan Tan, Sinh Sinh, Bodards, Hong Kong, Confucious and all that open 'til 2 or 3 am stuff.

And now in Tampa Bay...while it's kinda nice to note a couple Malaysian cafes here...there ain't none of da hip late night stuff that H-town has at least.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Of course you do...

Houston is not Hip/trendy. Sorry.

We've been a trend-setting city for the past couple years (ESPECIALLY on MTV) Where've U been? We went from not being mentioned to MTV's 2004 Super Bowl fiasco to Destiny's Child getting A-Lister play to Swisha House artists winning MTV Music Awards to Houston models blowin' up Myspace, to Houston athletes blowin' up ESPN etc.

Look at how many times you see rappers (Jay-Z, P-Diddy, all H-Towners) wearing vintage Astros jerseys. Next time you're in the mall, check out how many people are sporting McGrady, Yao Ming, or Vince Young jerseys or shoes.

And when it comes to hanging out at night, have you ever tried Bellaire in Alief ( >:) da SWAT, baby!!! >:) ), Starbucks on Westheimer & Post Oak, Montrose, Warehouse district near 3rd Ward, Main Street Downtown, Sugarland Town Center, Westheimer's car crews, or Midtown? We have more millionaires in Houston than any city in Texas, and plenty that are middle-upper class, and a lot of them are under 35. That means they love to splurge, and this city accomodates. They're the ones setting the trends, while making mad international business. There's a reason why seven Cinncinati Bengals were arrested outside a Houston nightclub and not in Cincy. And they weren't playing here the next weekend, either.

Another problem with Real World coming to Houston isn't the fact that it's not hip or trendy; it's the fact that there's no one definition as to what hip or trendy is in Houston. Every area of town is like another city here. It's difficult to have just one personality and call that Houston. Montrose, Bellaire SWAT, Uptown, and Downtown are like four different worlds. Difficult to call just one Houston. But if there was one, I'd say Uptown...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bellaire SWAT

What does SWAT stand for in "Bellaire SWAT"?

Stop trying so hard folks.

Stop trying so hard to despress everyone here into a coma. I'm sure there's a Dallas forum you can take your "Houston-hate" to, instead of spreading it here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

SWAT stands for SouthWest Alief Texas. If U ever hear someone on the radio claiming "the SWAT", it means they're from Alief. Bellaire SWAT means Bellaire in the Alief area.

News to me...and you guys say were are not trendy! Anyways, another factor that lures reality tv to any city is the fact that everything is within walking distance of the residential pad. By "everything", I mean any hot club/attraction. There are only a few spots in town where that would be feasible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've been a trend-setting city for the past couple years (ESPECIALLY on MTV) Where've U been? We went from not being mentioned to MTV's 2004 Super Bowl fiasco to Destiny's Child getting A-Lister play to Swisha House artists winning MTV Music Awards to Houston models blowin' up Myspace, to Houston athletes blowin' up ESPN etc.

Look at how many times you see rappers (Jay-Z, P-Diddy, all H-Towners) wearing vintage Astros jerseys. Next time you're in the mall, check out how many people are sporting McGrady, Yao Ming, or Vince Young jerseys or shoes.

And when it comes to hanging out at night, have you ever tried Bellaire in Alief ( >:) da SWAT, baby!!! >:) ), Starbucks on Westheimer & Post Oak, Montrose, Warehouse district near 3rd Ward, Main Street Downtown, Sugarland Town Center, Westheimer's car crews, or Midtown? We have more millionaires in Houston than any city in Texas, and plenty that are middle-upper class, and a lot of them are under 35. That means they love to splurge, and this city accomodates. They're the ones setting the trends, while making mad international business. There's a reason why seven Cinncinati Bengals were arrested outside a Houston nightclub and not in Cincy. And they weren't playing here the next weekend, either.

Another problem with Real World coming to Houston isn't the fact that it's not hip or trendy; it's the fact that there's no one definition as to what hip or trendy is in Houston. Every area of town is like another city here. It's difficult to have just one personality and call that Houston. Montrose, Bellaire SWAT, Uptown, and Downtown are like four different worlds. Difficult to call just one Houston. But if there was one, I'd say Uptown...

These examples you are providing are far from hip and trendy. They only prove my point more...STOP TRYING SO HARD!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess we can agree to disagree.

fair enough

But is that avatar of yours The Hillcrest area of San Diego?
why yes, yes it is!
I've always found that part of town interesting...Nami Sushi in the evening, some of the best my wife and I have ever had.

um okay...great. glad you found it "interesting".

Houston is definitely hip compared to San Diego, which isn't so bad to begin with. But all those Navy boys, bermuda Midwesterners, insular Filipinos and retirees...and the Gas Lamp? The little strip on University is cool and all but...
"insular Filipinos" What is that all about? There are insular folks within any ethnic group and insular folks live in all cities everywhere. The idea that anyone would remotely claim that Houston is Hip compared to San Diego is laughable. I travel for a living and therefore have experienced many different places, and certainly San Diego is hardly EVERYONE'S cup of tea, but I really think you need to get out a bit more before saying that San Diego is lacking when compared to Houston. As I said in a post that I deleted, but not before theniche was able to quote it.... Hip and trendy is so much more than a rapper wearing an astros jersey as suggested by someone on here. Disposition, outlook and attitude of a community's populace play a huge part in a community's hipness. And the folks here in Houston are so busy TRYING to look hip and be seen as hip...as is evidenced by the many "but wait look how cool we are" posts on this board that it misses the mark. Houston has the clubs and different scenes but when it comes down to the people, they just aint cool. But don't be down y'all there is hope...

BTW, the Gas Lamp is hopping in the evening like NO PLACE in Houston on any night.

We've been a trend-setting city for the past couple years (ESPECIALLY on MTV) Where've U been? We went from not being mentioned to MTV's 2004 Super Bowl fiasco to Destiny's Child getting A-Lister play to Swisha House artists winning MTV Music Awards to Houston models blowin' up Myspace, to Houston athletes blowin' up ESPN etc.

Look at how many times you see rappers (Jay-Z, P-Diddy, all H-Towners) wearing vintage Astros jerseys. Next time you're in the mall, check out how many people are sporting McGrady, Yao Ming, or Vince Young jerseys or shoes.

And when it comes to hanging out at night, have you ever tried Bellaire in Alief ( >:) da SWAT, baby!!! >:) ), Starbucks on Westheimer & Post Oak, Montrose, Warehouse district near 3rd Ward, Main Street Downtown, Sugarland Town Center, Westheimer's car crews, or Midtown? We have more millionaires in Houston than any city in Texas, and plenty that are middle-upper class, and a lot of them are under 35. That means they love to splurge, and this city accomodates. They're the ones setting the trends, while making mad international business. There's a reason why seven Cinncinati Bengals were arrested outside a Houston nightclub and not in Cincy. And they weren't playing here the next weekend, either.

Another problem with Real World coming to Houston isn't the fact that it's not hip or trendy; it's the fact that there's no one definition as to what hip or trendy is in Houston. Every area of town is like another city here. It's difficult to have just one personality and call that Houston. Montrose, Bellaire SWAT, Uptown, and Downtown are like four different worlds. Difficult to call just one Houston. But if there was one, I'd say Uptown...

I seriously wonder if you have ever been to a city outside of texas?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

fair enough

why yes, yes it is!

um okay...great. glad you found it "interesting".

"insular Filipinos" What is that all about? There are insular folks within any ethnic group and insular folks live in all cities everywhere. The idea that anyone would remotely claim that Houston is Hip compared to San Diego is laughable. I travel for a living and therefore have experienced many different places, and certainly San Diego is hardly EVERYONE'S cup of tea, but I really think you need to get out a bit more before saying that San Diego is lacking when compared to Houston. As I said in a post that I deleted, but not before theniche was able to quote it.... Hip and trendy is so much more than a rapper wearing an astros jersey as suggested by someone on here. Disposition, outlook and attitude of a community's populace play a huge part in a community's hipness. And the folks here in Houston are so busy TRYING to look hip and be seen as hip...as is evidenced by the many "but wait look how cool we are" posts on this board that it misses the mark. Houston has the clubs and different scenes but when it comes down to the people, they just aint cool. But don't be down y'all there is hope...

BTW, the Gas Lamp is hopping in the evening like NO PLACE in Houston on any night.

I seriously wonder if you have ever been to a city outside of texas?

I've been to many, many places outside of Texas. Houston has more urbane variety than San Diego. No ifs and buts.

Well, you see, when you go to downtown Houston...at least all the times I've partied there...all sorts of cool Asians meander about, lining up at nightclubs. I just have never seen that all the times I wander the Gas Lamp. Token Asian here or there...

So in San Diego, there are Asians there, but where are the nocturnal masses? Houston's Asian population is something similar to San Diego's: around the 200,000 to 300,000 number, give or take. But that's right. Filipinos are the majority of San Diego's number and they choose not to make the San Diego Gas Lamp a hip pan-Asian spot the way other Asians do in Houston.

I'm of Filipino descent and I do castigate my ancestors when all they want to do is hang out at Filipino places (San Diego, San Diego is where it's at) while Asians in Houston like to mix it up where the cool people are. I love it.

I mean c'mon. The people in the Gas Lamp are so unhip. Military boys, military boys...Fred and Ida from Kansas all over the Gas Lamp. For a Pacific city, it's generally just white folks enjoying the Gas Lamp.

In Houston, black folks partied at the Red Cat...Asians at Spy...Latinos as Azure...the resultant sidewalk action was certainly more diverse than the usual frat-military-midwest stuff of downtown San Diego.

Hillcrest is a wash with Montrose in terms of demography. But they're both cool. I like the urban vibe of Hillcrest as much as like the Montrose's textured neighborhood vibe.

Downtown Houston is not as touristy in volume or temporal activity as the Gas Lamp...but it is far sexier to me. I lived in downtown San Diego for a few months...I also worked in downtown Houston for seven years. I kinda know both areas. In terms of character, downtown Houston is much more open-faced. There is no high culture in downtown San Diego. There is not the freewheeling cool set of the downtown tunnels in San Diego (tourists, more tourists and flip flop bunnies, whoo hoo!).

But if hipness is such a factor in Real World appeal...well, unhip San Diego got one.

To me it's all a beauty contest. These TV media makers, so uncreative, only want the typical touristy scenes. But Houston's activity in the downtown tunnels, the Med Center, the Galleria, Rice Village, downtown at night, Montrose cafes at night, Kemah, Galveston...all these scenes offer some of the tourist tv cliches as well as something different for tv. But folks just want to be so down on Houston just because.

And to query your remark, what is so uncool about the people from Houston? This is a city made up of folks who come from India, Manhattan, Los Angeles, Vietnam, Taiwan, Pakistan, Japan, Louisiana, Chicago, Nigeria, Lebanon, Iran, Mexico, Miami....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been to many, many places outside of Texas. Houston has more urbane variety than San Diego. No ifs and buts.

Um, that question was directed toward DJLawrence...notice the question followed Djjazzylawrences' quote.

And to query your remark, what is so uncool about the people from Houston? This is a city made up of folks who come from India, Manhattan, Los Angeles, Vietnam, Taiwan, Pakistan, Japan, Louisiana, Chicago, Nigeria, Lebanon, Iran, Mexico, Miami....

Just reread your post, and that will tell you right there how uncool people are in Houston. Good Grief. "Montrose's textured neighborhood vibe" YOU are trying way to hard to come off as some super hip finger on the heartbeat of all things cool asian individual. Just like DJ Jazzy lawrence. Y'all are just to cool for your own good and Houston's good.

OMG, you did not mention Kemah!!! There is no point whatsoever to continue this dialog!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OMG, you did not mention Kemah!!! There is no point whatsoever to continue this dialog!

Dude. As bad as Kemah is, sooo many other so-called "hip" cities promote their attractions that suck just as much.

BTW, I don't know...Houstonians and our club scenes aren't that bad compared to the more popular spots in the country. Then again...we must be seeing different things. Just my opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I seriously wonder if you have ever been to a city outside of texas?

I just moved back to Houston from South Korea this past May. Prior to that, haven't lived in Houston since May 2001. I've been to 17 states, visited 3 countries, and lived in another in the past 7 years, so yeah, I've been outside Houston once or twice....

These examples you are providing are far from hip and trendy. They only prove my point more...STOP TRYING SO HARD!!!

I'm just being real. I've been to quite a few clubbing districts, and we do agree on one thing: There's a difference between people being cool and people trying to be cool. Houston's definately a cool city. Most places I've seen have been a wanna-be city where they try too hard to be like another city or follow a trend. Houston, no question, is a trend-setter town as a whole, and people here have established it's own style that's unique to it's own.

I'm scared to ask how you entertain yourself while living in Houston if you've never left your house at night before...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Usually, people who go around telling others what's hip and cool are anything but themselves. The truth is that the overwhelming majority of people aren't cool or hip, including the people who purport to make the rules.

Houston isn't thought of as a cool or trendy city not because it doesn't have the merit but because some unknown posse of culture keepers have decided in their collective minds that it's not.

Screw 'em.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well I think being perceived as cool is generally a function either of size (NYC, LA) or a unique local culture or geography (New Orleans, San Francisco). That said, I really doubt that many people put all that much importance on being seen as cool, much less from the producers of shows like "The Real World".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm scared to ask how you entertain yourself while living in Houston if you've never left your house at night before...

Don't be scared...i'm harmless.

As I mentioned previously I travel for a living so luckily I do not have to spend every day and night in H-town. But I do okay entertaining myself while I am here. I don't mind living in Houston, but I have come to accept that it is what it is and thats that. I do not pretend that it is this great wonderful best place on earth sort of place. I have lived many places and Houston is actually not the worst. But even if people wanted to trash talk the places I do treasure i would not have a problem with it or take it personally. I have been enough places to understand the norms and the unique.

You used the word wannabe...and that perfectly sums up Houston, and the attitude on this board. I've never been somewhere where folks try so hard to make themselves and others believe in it's greatness.

"BBBBut we have the galleria, and the med center, and the museum district...Please please please tell me that counts for somtehing!" The places ain't cool if the peeps in um ain't cool. And the peeps are certainly not cool. The atttidue in Houston is just too crappy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe this new "Houston High" on MTV can make up for Houston being skipped over every season for The Real World. I mean really.....Houston is the largest city in the country without having a "Real World" season. Plus.....the Dallas/Ft. Worth and Houston metros are the largest in the country with out a "Real World".

MTV likes using cast members from Houston in The Real World and in many other reality shows. So why can't we get a season? It could certainly boost our city's image in the eyes of popular culture.

I'll admit, Austin was a great season and an ideal place to place "7 young strangers". I also know that since Austin, the chances of the show returining to Texas soon is really slim (but then again....they've been to Califorina 4 times, NY twice, and Florida twice), especially with other cities, such as Atlanta,Phoenix, Detroit, Portland, and D.C. seeking a season. MTV probably won't venture outside of the U.S. soon because of the Paris and London failures.

Anyways, what should happen?

Then what? :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't be scared...i'm harmless.

As I mentioned previously I travel for a living so luckily I do not have to spend every day and night in H-town. But I do okay entertaining myself while I am here. I don't mind living in Houston, but I have come to accept that it is what it is and thats that. I do not pretend that it is this great wonderful best place on earth sort of place. I have lived many places and Houston is actually not the worst. But even if people wanted to trash talk the places I do treasure i would not have a problem with it or take it personally. I have been enough places to understand the norms and the unique.

You used the word wannabe...and that perfectly sums up Houston, and the attitude on this board. I've never been somewhere where folks try so hard to make themselves and others believe in it's greatness.

"BBBBut we have the galleria, and the med center, and the museum district...Please please please tell me that counts for somtehing!" The places ain't cool if the peeps in um ain't cool. And the peeps are certainly not cool. The atttidue in Houston is just too crappy.

Kinda curious. What cities are you refering to as hip and trendy that makes Houston look so bad in your opinion?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


All of the HAIF
None of the ads!
HAIF+
Just
$5!


×
×
  • Create New...