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Contest Looking For Pittsburgh’s “Next Reality Star”

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Do people tell you that you should have your own reality show?

Is your mom, dad, cousin or next-door neighbor such a character that they just NEED to be on TV?

Do you know somebody in the Pittsburgh area that is doing something so interesting, strange, wonderful or life changing that the world needs to know about it?

Well here’s the chance for YOU or SOMEONE YOU KNOW to become a reality TV star!

Are you Pittsburgh’s next reality star? Click here to check out details on how you can apply and send videos describing yourself, your friends and family and why you think that you will make a great reality show.

Reality hopefuls will also have a chance to meet face-to-face with the people making the decisions at an open casting call at WQED Studios on November 17, where people can line up and get interviewed. If you would like to come to the open call, please fill out your application in advance and bring that and your photo to the open call. Click here to download the application.

One Louder Productions, the company behind MTV’s Emmy award-winning hit show "MADE," and the Pittsburgh Innovative Media Incubator are teaming up for the first Pittsburgh-wide open casting competition to find Pittsburgh’s Next Reality Star.

“Pittsburgh has long had a reputation as an authentic place with ‘real’ people, which is probably why it has had such a disproportionate number reality stars,” said Bob Kusbit, a Latrobe native who has made reality shows for MTV and CMT, and is the Emmy award-winning creator and executive producer of MTV’s "MADE.” Reality stars from Pittsburgh include winners of “Survivor” Jenna Morasca and Amber Brkich, to the current Lifetime hit "Dance Moms,” to Jackie Evancho, who was discovered on “America’s Got Talent.”

Working with Bob as part of this regional casting call is Ellen Berkman Davis, who moved back to Pittsburgh after serving as the longtime casting department manager for CBS mega-reality hits such as "Survivor" and the Emmy award-winning "The Amazing Race."

“As a casting person, we know we have 3 seconds to capture people’s attention before they turn the channel. So in looking for the ‘Next Reality Star,’ we are looking for people with a special unique quality—could be humor, kindness or even that oddness or big personality—which Pittsburghers are known for. Pittsburgh is filled with genuine gems and we can’t wait to find them.”

“Reality TV is filled with over-the-top, colorful and edgy characters, all of which make for great TV.” said Kusbit. “But we’ve found on 'MADE' that you can also wrap reality TV shows around real, caring people following their dreams and trying to change the world around them. We’d love to find a star that shines a great light on Pittsburgh, someone we can be proud of. We know there are all kinds of great characters out there, and we want people to bring them to us!”

“We’re hoping that, on the day of the open casting call, we’ll have the most colorful group of characters lined up for the chance to get on tape,” said Kusbit. “Bring whatever or whoever you need to get your idea across-your dance team, your coworkers at the bakery, the uniforms you wear-this is your chance to prove to us why YOU are a reality show!”

After the casting call and tape deadline, the team behind "Pittsburgh’s Next Reality Star" will sift through all of the submissions and choose five finalists to get to know better at their homes or businesses. One or more winners will be announced at a final event as "Pittsburgh’s Next Reality Star."

The winner(s) will also star in a presentation tape produced by One Louder Productions, and may fly to New York or Los Angeles to pitch their show to network executives.

“Anyone who has lived in Pittsburgh knows what great characters we have in this town. This is your chance to finally see if you really do have what it takes to grab the nation’s attention, the way the Cake Boss or Abby Lee Miller has. We know we have people here as entertaining as Snooki and the Kardashians. Hopefully we can also find people who are positive role models and reflect the best of the real world which is Pittsburgh,” said Steeltown Entertainment Project’s Carl Kurlander, which is part of the Pittsburgh Innovative Media Incubator, which is sponsoring the contest being conducted at WQED. “It’s your chance, to be Pittsburgh’s next star!” 

Who we are:

Bob Kusbit is a Latrobe native who has spent over 25 years in television, and is credited with creating MTV's long running music hit Total Request Live and launching the career of Carson Daly. In 2002 he founded One Louder Productions, and has created and produced hundreds of hours of specials, events and series, including MTV's multiple Emmy Award winning MADE, and the upcoming MTV series TOTALLY CLUELESS. "Broadcast and cable networks are constantly looking for colorful, meaningful and authentic reality characters" says Kusbit, "and we are excited to pluck a gem from Pittsburgh and make them a national star!"

Ellen Berkman Davis returned to her hometown of Pittsburgh after spending a decade or so managing the casting departments of the CBS reality shows "Survivor" and the Emmy Award winning "The Amazing Race.” She also worked in Production on various Fox television shows before that. “I am ready to show off the best of our wonderful city. What makes Pittsburgh unique is the warm and authentic spirit of our people, and the great pride we take in the ‘burgh. I always have been interested to meet new people and learn about their lives and what makes them tick. Even as a kid, I was interviewing all of my neighbors—and that’s the approach I am taking now—looking forward to meeting more of my Pittsburgh neighbors!”