Danny Roberts on teaching queer history, ‘Real World’ fame & the reality show he’s dying to go on now
A post shared by The Real World Homecoming (@realworld)It’s been 24 years since Danny Roberts was picked to live in a house and have his life taped as part of MTV’s groundbreaking reality series The Real World.Roberts was part of the show’s ninth season, which was set in New Orleans and aired over 23 weeks way back in 2000 during the early days of reality television.A recent University of Georgia graduate, he was 22 at the time and saw the MTV opportunity as a way to fully come out as a gay man.
Subscribe to our newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.With his wholesome good looks and laid-back demeanor, queer audiences quickly found themselves clamoring on his every word as there were so few depictions of a young adult gay man living openly and honestly on television at the time.His storyline also came with added real-life drama as he had recently started a relationship with an Army captain, which thrusted them into the midst of the military’s controversial “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
During the show’s run, producers blurred Roberts’ boyfriend’s face to keep his identity anonymous for fear of being discharged.Remember Danny Roberts from Real World New Orleans in 2000.
pic.twitter.com/KKMnviPyu8After the series ended, Roberts became the face of gay rights for a generation and traveled the country speaking at schools and panels on various LGBTQ+ topics.
