by Gina Scarpa

 

Among the eight (er, seven) housemates on The Real World: Cancun is 21 year old Derek Chavez, of Phoenix, AZ.  Derek entered the house this season with friend and coworker Jonna Mannion.  While much of the house has been in chaos, Derek has hung back, stayed quiet, and kept himself out of the drama.  He has worked hard for Student City, his employer during his time on the show, and has been a friend to everyone in the house.  This week, Derek spoke to RealityWanted in an exclusive interview and opened up about the gay scene in Cancun, what it was like to go on The Real World with a friend, and why he’s decided to take time off from school after being on the show.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Have you always been a fan of The Real World?
A. Derek: Oh yeah!  Growing up in a small town, MTV is one of the few things you can do without getting into trouble.  It wasn’t until middle school or high school where I really started getting into it more.  Everyone always said I had the personality for it and should try out for it.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How did you end up being cast this season?
A. Derek: A friend of mine was auditioning and I went along.  I was sick and didn’t think they’d pick me at all.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Tell me what the gay scene is like in Cancun because, other than the first or second episode, we haven’t seen much going on.
A. Derek: The gay scene is dead.  We went to gay clubs 3 times.  The first time, we just wanted to go and check it out – that’s when Bronne told me to gay him up.  There were nothing but locals there, though.  We made the best of it but we went back during Spring Break and there were literally two tourists there.  If you’re a gay person, Cancun is not the place to find someone.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: There’s always mixed reactions from the roommates when they get their job assignment each season.  Did you like working for Student City?
A. Derek: Oh, I love it.  I wouldn’t have had any other job.  We got to meet celebrities and go to amazing parties.  We got to do stuff as a big group and we got to help out charities. 

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You seem like you’re always working hard on the show.  Did it annoy you when some of your housemates didn’t take their job too seriously?
A. Derek: Oh yeah, I’m a person that has to be working.  When I was younger, I would have trouble with group projects because I would always want to take the lead.  When someone slacks off, it irritates me.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What was your reaction to Student City firing Joey and sending him home?  Did you think it was too harsh?
A. Derek: I didn’t think they were too harsh.  They warned him.  Christina wanted him to pick up like, 10 extra shifts but she only ending up giving him one morning shift.  It was just one shift.  It sucked, but I understand why they did it.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Did Joey leaving affect your relationship with him at all?
A. Derek: Oh no, we talk to Joey almost every day.  We played this prank on him after we left where we told him that we had a hot blonde roommate named Laura.  We said that she slept with CJ and Bronne and we made up this huge story.  Finally, we said that she was made up but I think that’s why we were able to stay so close with Joey, because we knew we weren’t getting another roommate.  Even if we did, we’d never erase Joey.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Tell me about getting cast in the same season as Jonna, since she is your friend and coworker from back home.  Did that make things easier or more difficult for you?
A. Derek: It was difficult in some ways because people would want me to expect more from her.  IF she was ever doing something bad, they would say, “Oh you’re friend was doing this…” Even back home, with friends or with fans, it was the same thing.  It kinda sucks because in the real world, friends are an example of who you are.  I didn’t agree with what she did to her boyfriend (on last week’s episode) but editing had a lot to do with it, too.  We were friends, acquaintances really, before doing the show.  We would see each other at work and that was it.  It wasn’t until auditions that we started to become close and say, “Dude, we have each other’s backs.”  She’s someone I can always lean on or count on and it made our relationship closer.  We talk almost every day but we don’t see each other as much because we’re on different work schedules.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Did you go on the show to try to further a career in the entertainment industry at all?
A. Derek: Growing up, we didn’t get many opportunities to do things like this.  I took some acting classes.  I was on a little tv show, I was an extra in a movie but reality set in when college started.  I’ve had agents calling me about some opportunities but I’m like, “I can’t go.”  I’m going to take some time off from school but I absolutely plan on finishing and getting my degree in kinesiology.  Being on The Real World has opened doors for me and I like this lifestyle.  I like entertaining people.  I’d love to get into hosting, acting, or modeling.  I want to see where this takes me.

 

The Real World: Cancun airs Wednesday nights at 10pm ET on MTV.

 

(Image courtesy of MTV)

 

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