In his online MTV bio, Will Gilbert is described this way: "Age: 23. Detroit, Mich. Cute charismatic and witty, Will is the true ladies' man of 'The Real World' house."
Ah, finally some good ink for the city.
Then, near the beginning of tonight's debut of "The Real World XX: Hollywood," one of his roommates blurts something to the confessional camera after meeting Gilbert for the first time.
Kimberly, 24, an aspiring celebrity reporter from South Carolina, admits she's "kind of shocked that somebody so cute and nice can come from there."
There being Detroit, of course. (At least Kimberly has the good sense to beg immediately, "Please, can I take that back?")
So what did Gilbert, a music producer and songwriter, think when he first saw the moment, at a wrap party back in January?
"I just looked at her and we both just busted out laughing," says Gilbert, chalking up the comment to the cast's initial nervousness (and a few shared bottles of wine).
Fair enough. Shaking up stereotypes and making friends outside your comfort zone is part of "The Real World" tradition. So are tricked-out apartments, hot tubs, sexual tension and screaming matches.
The 20th installment of MTV's long-running reality series, still a ratings draw for the 12-to-34 crowd, will have more crazy drama than ever, promises Gilbert.
"You can call it racially, financially, sexually, whatever. We set a lot of records this season," he hints.
Speaking by phone from Chicago before a deejaying gig, Gilbert describes growing up near 8 Mile and Meyers, going to high school in Oak Park and Ferndale, studying advertising at Michigan State University and making a name for himself on campus as a mixer of songs and maker of beats.
"I went the way of Kanye West, is the best way to put it," he says of his decision to leave MSU after three years and focus on a career in music.
After taking classes on sound engineering and production at the Recording Institute of Detroit in Eastpointe, Gilbert interned at the local hip-hop label Barak Records, where he learned about the business side of the industry.
Gilbert was in the process of moving to Los Angeles when he was invited by MTV to join six other housemates on the breaking-into-show-biz themed season.
"I did it for fun," says Gilbert, who enjoys being a goofball. But he also considers himself the hardest-working cast member, insisting, "In no way am I looking for this to boost my music career. I like to get everything on my own. I don't like anything handed to me."
In the opening episode, he's shown doing some break-dance moves on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and selling his CDs to passersby.
"That's the Detroit hustle," he says.
Viewers also will get to meet Joey, 24, a personal trainer from Chicago who wants to be an actor (and who's reminiscent of Joey from "Friends"); Dave, 22, an outgoing jock from Pennsylvania; Brianna, 20, a singer from Philadelphia with a complicated past; and Sarah, 23, a broadcast journalist from Arizona.
There's also Greg, 20, or "Pretyboy," from Florida, who was selected as a cast member by "Real World" fans through an online vote. He refers to people as "peasants" and immediately alienates everyone else with his ego.
The Hollywood edition features an eco-friendly green house that has energy-saving touches like a solar-heated pool.
"No pun intended, but we wanted to test the waters," says Gilbert of the pool and hot tub, the place in the first episode where the fun and feuding starts, naturally.
And the action is just getting started.
"I learned some deep, dark secrets about these people in the house and I'm just like, wow, what have I gotten myself into," he says.
"The Real World XX: Hollywood" airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on MTV.
Contact JULIE HINDS at 313-222-6427 or jhinds@freepress.com.
