The Real World: San Francisco is the third season of MTV's reality television series The Real World, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras follow their lives and interpersonal relationships. The San Francisco season premiered on July 6, 1994, and featured the housemates living in a house on Lombard Street in San Francisco, California.
The Real World: San Francisco is noteworthy for the depiction of Pedro Zamora's struggle with AIDS, as well as the confrontations between David "Puck" Rainey and his housemates (most notably Zamora). It was the second season of The Real World to be filmed in California after The Real World: Los Angeles in 1993.
Cast:
Cory Murphy: August 28, 1973 (Fresno, California)
Biography '94: Twenty-year-old Cory is a junior at the University of California, San Diego, where her major is undecided. To help with college expenses, Cory has been working as a hostess at an Italian restaurant. Cory loves the outdoors and counts photography as one of her hobbies. Cory says that the most important issue facing her is what she will do with her life when she graduates from college.
Trivia Notes: Murphy was among the three people, along with Pam Ling and Sean Sasser, mentioned by Winick in the dedication of Pedro and Me, which reads, "To my fellow travelers...I love you with all my heart.
*Murphy was one of ten Real World alumni who starred in the film The Wedding Video, a parody of The Real World that centers on the wedding of the first season's Norman Korpi.
*As of 2002 Murphy is married, and living in Anaheim, California, where she teaches middle school English and Spanish
Judd Winick: February 12, 1970 (Long Island, New York)
Biography '94: Twenty-four-year-old Judd is a struggling animator/cartoonist. A cum laude graduate of the University of Michigan, he left college thinking he had a development deal with Universal Press Syndicate. However, six months into development, the deal was canceled and he was forced to move back in with his parents. Judd now supports himself doing freelance cartoon work for greeting cards, flyers and T-shirts.
Trivia Notes: Winick designed illustrations for The Complete Idiot's Guide to... series of books, and has done over 300 of them, including that series’ computer-oriented line. A collection of the computer-related titles' cartoons was published in 1997 as Terminal Madness, The Complete Idiot's Guide Computer Cartoon Collection.
*Winick created an animated TV show named The Life and Times of Juniper Lee in 2005, which ran for three seasons on the Cartoon Network.
*Winick proposed to Ling in March 2000, wearing a gorilla suit. They married in a civil ceremony on August 26, 2001. Writer Armistead Maupin spoke at their ceremony.
Spouse: Pam Ling (RW3:SF)
Children: 2
Mohammed Bilal: March 28, 1970 (San Francisco, California)
Biography '94: The one thing Mohammed is completely passionate about is his band, Midnight Voices. Well known throughout the San Francisco Bay area, 24-year-old Mohammed is the band's lead singer and writes most of the music. Mohammed supports himself by doing makeovers at The Body Shop and by working at his father's dance club, The Upper Room, where he occasionally reads poetry. Mohammed is known to be a mellow, spiritual guy.
Trivia Notes: He is the lead singer and songwriter for Midnight Voices, a band from the San Francisco Bay area.
Pam Ling: April 21, 1968 (Los Angeles, California)
Biography '94: A native Californian from Los Angeles, 26-year-old Pam is a third-year medical student at the University of California, San Francisco. She was her high school's valedictorian and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard/Radcliffe. Pam claims that she has never failed at anything in her life and is an extremely motivated perfectionist. Her goal is "to be a compassionate physician who can relate to people's social and spiritual needs as well as their physical pain."
Trivia Notes: Engaged to fellow Real World cast member Judd Winick. They got engaged after dating for five years. [March 2000]
*Is a doctor, specializing particularly in HIV and AIDS research. Was a medical student in 1994 when she was on "The Real World."
Spouse: Judd Winnick (RW3: SF) [August 26, 2001- Present]
Children: 2
Pedro Pablo Zamora y Díaz: February 29, 1972-November 11, 1994 (Havana, Cuba)
Biography '94: Twenty-two-year-old Pedro was born in Havana, Cuba, and came to the United States in 1980 in the Mariel boat lift. Leaving behind his family in Miami to move to San Francisco is one of the toughest things he's ever had to do. Pedro works as an AIDS educator, speaking to organizations and schools. As a gay man living with AIDS, Pedro has had to overcome many obstacles, but he takes them all in stride. Pedro is a driven young man who has an inherent need to connect with people he meets.
Trivia Notes: Died the day after the last San Francisco "Real World" episode aired.
*Pedro came to the United States in 1980 in the Mariel boat lift.
*Was a very influential HIV/AIDS activist and educator, appearing on numerous television programs, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, before he appeared on MTV's The Real World: San Francisco. After his death, the mayor of his hometown, Miami, dedicated a day in his honor and a street was also renamed Pedro Zamora Way.
*He and Sean Sasser exchanged vows on "The Real World" (1992). A first for American television.
David "Puck" Rainey: July 18, 1968 (San Francisco, California)
Biography '94: Puck is a San Francisco bicycle messenger who was born and raised in the Bay Area and wouldn't want to live anywhere else. At 25-years-old, he has reached the pinnacle of his career as a bike messenger and is widely known in and around the city. Puck calls his life "harsh," and takes at least one good spill on his bike every week. Always stirring things up, Puck's hobby is racing Soap Boxes.
Trivia Notes: Has a son, Bogart, with wife Betty.
*Married on MTV's "Real World/Road Rules Battle of the Sexes", in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Rachel Campos-Duffy: October 22, 1971 (Tempe, Arizona)
Biography '94: Rachel graduated from Arizona State University in December 1993 with a degree in International Relations and a Woodrow Wilson Graduate Fellowship, which she will use to attend graduate school in the fall. Twenty-three-year-old Rachel is an active Republican who is passionate about her politics. She plans a career as a college professor. A rebellious Catholic girl, Rachel says that she can be a bad judge of character initially and sometimes trusts too easily.
Trivia Notes: Auditioned for "The View" (1997) in 1999 to fill the "twenty-something" spot left vacant by Debbie Matenopoulos. Campos was beaten out by Lisa Ling.
*First Real World alumna to marry a fellow Real World alumnus. Her husband, Sean Duffy, was a roommate on The Real World Boston while she was a roommate on the Real World San Francisco. They both met on the first Real World/Road Rules Challenge show.
*She gave birth to her first child, Eva Pilar [Oct 1, 1999]
*November 2001, gave birth to second child, a son Jack.
Is a finalist to fill the spot that Lisa Ling vacated on ABCs "The View" (1997). *Announced that she is pregnant with her third child. [November 2003]
*Third child, daughter Lucia Belen Duffy born April 2004
*Fifth child, Paloma Pilar Duffy, was born on May 18, 2008.
Where Are They Now?:
(January 2006) Co-hosting Lifetime Channel's "Speaking of Women's Health" with Florence Henderson. Florence and Rachel host this weekly talk show that focuses on the latest health news, tips and inspirational stories for women.
(2006) 4th child, son John Paul was born in 2006.
(December 2007) Pregnant with her 5th child.
(October 2009) Pregnant with her 6th child.
(October 2009) Releease of her book, "Stay Home, Stay Happy: Ten Secrets to Loving At-Home Motherhood".
Spouse: Sean Duffy (RW6:Boston) April 4, 1999
Children: 5
Joanna "Jo" Rhodes: August 7, 1971 (London, England, UK)
Biography '94: Jo was born in London, England and eventually made her way overseas to The States. She was living in Tahoe before she moved into the San Francisco Real World house. Jo loves the outdoors and extreme sports such as rock climbing. Divorced from her husband, Jo is now trying to make it through school and life on her own.
Episode 1. "Planes, Trains and Paddywagons"
Premiered: July 6, 1994
Cory Murphy meets with AIDS educator Pedro, whom she immediately likes, but is crestfallen to learn he is has AIDS himself. Liberal Long Island cartoonist Judd meets with Arizona State University graduate Rachel, whom he immediately likes, but his enthusiasm is tempered upon learning that she is a Republican. They are met at the house by med student Pam, and then musician Mohammed. Bike messenger Puck shows up to the house later after having been arrested, and immediately makes an impression with his eccentricity. Pedro reveals his HIV status to the others by showing them his scrapbook as an educator. Although Pam and Cory react positively, Rachel is made uncomfortable by the revelation, and walks away, concerned over how living with someone with AIDS will affect her.
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Episode 2. "Love Stinks"
Premiered: July 13, 1994
The Puck/Rachel flirtation begins with a trip to church and is carried throughout other outings. Puck cancels a long-awaited dual date for Valentine’s Day and when Rachel offers to be a substitute, he rejects her.
Pedro is repulsed when Puck sticks his fingers into the communal peanut butter. At a house meeting, Rachel loses her battle to establish separate male/female bathrooms, and Puck feels that he is picked on for his unsanitary habits. Rachel and Pedro discuss the living situation and her questions about his disease. Valentine’s Day brings everyone--with the exception of Mohammed--together in a “lonely hearts club” outing to the Stinking Rose Restaurant.
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Episode 3. "White Like Me"
Premiered: July 20, 1994
Rachel pursues politically-oriented work, sparking a discussion on politics with the others, and ridicule on their part. The cast attends a poetry reading at Mohammed's father's club, where Mohammed reads some of his work, inspiring self-consciousness in Cory, who is still adjusting to life in San Francisco. Pedro begins dating fellow activist Sean, whom he met at a march in Washington DC. Cory's questions about Mohammed's girlfriend, Stephanie, lead to a discussion about race.
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Episode 4. "From a Six to a Nine and Back Again"
Premiered: July 27, 1994
Judd pursues romantic opportunities. The housemates find difficulty in communicating with Puck. Puck goes to court concerning to address his required drunk driving rehabilitation. He offended when only Rachel attends his soapbox, but the cast feel he is playing the victim for not being able to monopolize all of their time. Puck, who has developed a mutual dislike of Pedro, responds by not participating in Pedro's birthday celebration, and developing further conflict with Cory.
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Episode 5. "You Gotta Have Art"
Premiered: August 4, 1994
Judd shows his cartoons to the San Francisco Examiner and an LA production company, and talks about his career difficulties. Mohammed and Puck disagree over their perceptions about rap music, though Puck is supportive of Mohammed's work. Judd and Pam grow close, and spend time with Christopher, her long-distance boyfriend of eight years. Judd's strip, "Nuts and Bolts", is published in the Examiner.
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Episode 6. "Trouble in Paradise"
Premiered: August 11, 1994
Judd and Rachel flirt, as do Rachel and Puck. Pedro, who is concerned about the gay jokes the latter two make over the phone, ponders his relationship with Sean. The cast offers their opinions of Rachel's taste in men, but Rachel perceives Puck to be interfering in her life. Rachel's friends visit, providing social opportunities for Puck and Judd, and provoking tension with Rachel.
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Episode 7. "Coffee and Sympathy"
Premiered: August 18, 1994
Cory, Rachel, Pam and Puck discuss their frustration with their career and educational prospects. As Puck continues to resolve his legal difficulties, he finds a stray dog and takes it home. Cory sees a man named Jeff, but he may not be right for her.
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Episode 8. "Together and Apart"
Premiered: August 25, 1994
Pedro and Judd attend a memorial for reporter/author Randy Shilts, who died of AIDS, but are troubled by the presence of anti-gay protesters. As Pedro's CD4 T cells drop, the White House coordinates an NBC interview with him. He speaks at Stanford University, but the cast is frustrated by Puck's monopolization of conversations in which Pedro attempts to speak with them, and by Puck's dismissal of Pedro's work.
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Episode 9. "Collision Course"
Premiered: September 1, 1994
Pedro and Puck's conflict continues, and as Pedro isolates himself from Puck, he finds himself isolating himself from the others by extension. Pedro announces his engagement to Sean, and Puck dismisses it as a joke. Puck openly states that he dislikes Pedro, and feels no need to change for him or anyone, leading to an emotional group discussion among the others.
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Episode 10. "Kiss and Tell"
Premiered: September 8, 1994
Puck's relationship with the rest of the cast breaks down, including his friendship with Rachel, amid the revelation that they kissed on three prior occasions. They discuss how to deal with Puck over Mohammed's birthday dinner. Puck announces that he and Toni Cook, a girl he and Rachel met in the park, are getting married on Mother's Day.
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Episode 11. "Getting Dropped"
Premiered: September 15, 1994
A house meeting in which the cast attempts to get Puck cease his abusive and inconsiderate behavior ends in a heated argument, obstinance by Puck, and an ultimatum by Pedro, who threatens to move out if Puck stays. After much soul-searching, the cast decides to evict Puck.
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Episode 12. "Rebel, Rebel"
Premiered: September 22, 1994
Following Puck's eviction, the cast adjusts to the more peaceful atmosphere in the house. Rachel discusses her rebellious relationship with her parents. Rachel and Pedro grow closer, and he accompanies her to Arizona to meet her family, and to speak at a local school. Judd hosts a mock episode of This Is Your Life in the house for Pam's birthday, which includes a surprise appearance by Christopher.
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Episode 13. "Homecoming"
Premiered: September 29, 1994
Pedro goes to Miami for four days to visit his family and friends. Puck meets with Cory, and complains about their eviction of him, prompting a discussion of his manipulation of others. Pedro's best friend, Alex Escarno, questions Pedro's decision to stay in San Francisco with Sean after the show, given his health, which experiences problems during his visit.
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Episode 14. "Old Fish, New Fish"
Premiered: October 6, 1994
Attempts to spend time with Puck outside the house lead to further discussions about his abusiveness. The cast auditions three people to be their new housemate, and picks Jo Rhodes. An avid rock climber, Jo takes Rachel and Cory rock climbing with her after joining the cast.
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Episode 15. "Why Is Love Like An Elevator"
Premiered: October 6, 1994
The roommates are growing close to their new roommate Jo. They feel that Jo is a positive influence in the house. She has great new ideas and an adventurous personality. Jo takes the roommates rock climbing. Rachel achieves a great feat and climbs to the top of the rocks.
Judd has been spending time with a good friend from college named Jessica. He wants the relationship to move to a romantic level, but it doesn’t go anywhere. Meanwhile, Jo receives bad news from her friend Steve. He notifies her that she must appear in court because her ex-husband is appealing her restraining order. Jo is emotionally stressed and frustrated, but Cory is right there to support her through it all.
Judd and Rachel decide to go out for a night on the town. They pretend to be a couple so they will seem more attractive. Jo begins to bond very closely with Cory. A non-confrontational person, Jo loves the house because everyone has so much respect for each other and is so supportive of her.
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Episode 16. "Love and Death"
Premiered: October 13, 1994
Pedro’s health debilitates and he is sent to the emergency room with a temperature of 104 degrees. The cast members begin to realize the full extent of his sickness and try not to let it bother them that he is getting closer to the end of his life. A confused Mohammed breaks up with Stephanie, and then hooks up with a friend from San Diego, then calls Stephanie crying and tries to repair what is left of their relationship. To take a break from all of the drama in their lives, the group goes horseback riding.
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Episode 17. "Hawaii"
Premiered: October 20, 1994
The cast leaves for an adventure in Maui, Hawaii, where they hope that they’ll have a chance to bond and relax. Once they arrive there is trouble in paradise as the group fights over the suite.
Once they are all settled in, they head off to a luau. A vegan, Jo is disturbed when the roasted pig is pulled out of the ground. She thinks the stuffed pig looks like a rotten corpse. Jo accidentally eats some of the pork and runs to the bathroom. The cast tries surfing and the girls do well, while the guys have trouble. Pedro has plenty of time to relax and enjoys parasailing. Jo and Rachel bond by partying and meeting guys.
While the cast is cliff diving, Rachel slips off the cliff. Luckily, she makes it down in one piece. By the end of the trip the group is closer and the friendships grow stronger.
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Episode 18. "Just Friends"
Premiered: October 27, 1994
The cast is back from their island adventure and Rachel has decided to join “Empower America,” a conservative Republican group. The cast accompanies her to the seminar and Judd and Rachel get into an argument later about the supposed “racism” that goes on in the group. Rachel decides to get a tattoo on her lower back, which the roommates think conflicts with her “conservative beliefs.”
Tensions rise between Cory and Rachel because Cory begins to get jealous of the friendship developing between Rachel and Jo. Cory pouts around the house when Rachel and Jo bring home some skater friends and she later confronts Rachel with her issues. Steve starts to make Jo feel trapped as he calls her every day and tells her he is expecting that they will eventually date. She completely moves out of his house in Tahoe to ease the tension and send him a strong message.
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Episode 19. "Love Rules"
Premiered: November 3, 1994
Alex Escarno visits for Pedro and Sean's commitment ceremony, but he tries to convince Pedro to move back to Miami with Sean, rather than stay in San Francisco as he plans. Puck invites his former housemates to his soap box derby, but none are interested in attending. During the ceremony, which is held at the house, Pedro and Sean exchange vows and wedding bands.
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Episode 20. "Last Call"
Premiered: November 10, 1994
As the cast's stay in the house nears its end, Cory, Pedro, Judd and Pam decide to take one last group trip to Monterey. Meanwhile, Rachel and Jo continue to bond, and Mohammed concentrates on his music. Puck persistently leaves offensive messages on the cast's answering machine. As the housemates leave the house for good, they reflect on their time together, with some regretting that they did not spend more time together, but feel the experience has changed them for the better
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Top Left: Cory, Judd, Mohammed, Pam, Pedro, Puck, Rachel.
