You know I hate that drama thing*

Not to spend too much time on this subject but what I'm saying essentially is that I just don't make much distinction between David Simon's dramatic reenactment of events sold as some sort of documentary truth and... say... this.

Before shooting began on the current New Orleans season of "Real World," pre-production announcements by Bunim-Murray Productions, the Los Angeles company that pioneered the series, seemed targeted at reversing that reputation by promising its cast would participate in recovery activities.

"Hurricane Katrina threw New Orleans for a punch, but the city is coming back, and we're hoping our cast members and the series can play a small role in the city's rebirth," said Jon Murray, co-creator and executive producer, in a news release.

At the same time MTV heralded "Real World's" high-minded return to New Orleans, however, the network was striking pop-culture gold with "Jersey Shore," a "Real World" clone that celebrates less-than-altruistic values.

The "Real World" episodes in production here now are expected to air later this year.

Flot, the police spokesman, wondered whether the toothbrush episode might have been contrived to get attention for the upcoming New Orleans season.

"This is a reality show," he said, "so who's to say this wasn't done just for some publicity?"

The details of the "toothbrush episode" are covered earlier in this story.

It started as a routine stop for New Orleans police: On March 1, officers were dispatched to look into a disturbance Uptown in the 1600 block of Dufossat Street.

What unfolded from that point was the stuff of reality TV -- literally.

The call came because a cast member of MTV's "Real World," now filming in New Orleans, had accused another of urinating on his toothbrush and then using it to scrub the toilet. The aggrieved housemate, Ryan Leslie, blamed the tainted toothbrush for a subsequent illness and summoned police. Though police conducted interviews and confiscated evidence, no one was arrested.

Whatever they say about their intentions, all of this pretty much amounts to peeing on our collective toothbrush and selling that for someone else's amusement.

And that's the last I'll have to say about this for a while, I hope. EDIT: It's the last I'll have to say until I actually watch Treme which I obviously pretty much have to do now.

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