The eight Cancun roommates bring the total number of Real World “strangers” to a grand total of 162.  (You can challenge me on that, but it includes replacement roommates as well.)  In terms of the millions of people who live in the United States, that’s a miniscule percentage of our total population.  The odds of picking Derek and Jonna, two people who already know each other are pretty slim.  Derek and Jonna both worked at the Cadillac Ranch in Tempe, Arizona, when they came to the Real World auditions.  Neither knew the other had auditioned.  It wasn’t until the finals several months later that it became apparent that these two were friends, and both headed for Cancun.  During the process they never talked to each other about the fact that they were both in strong consideration for the show.  A worried Derek told me at finals, almost in a whisper, that he knew Jonna was also up for it -- he was afraid it would kill his chances.

In the end both Derek and Jonna, acquaintances at work, came together to Cancun – and became lifelong friends because of it.  This is not the first time two friends have been picked for the show:  Nathan and David, two Virginia Military Institute cadets were in the Season 7 cast of The Real World Seattle.

The season of familiarity in Cancun doesn’t stop with Derek and Jonna – CJ and Emilee were Facebook buddies, even though they had not met.  They had several mutual friends from the University of Massachusetts, where CJ attended.

It doesn’t stop there.  Joey, also of Massachusetts, is friends with Scott of The Real World Brooklyn, Season 21.  In fact, Joey has shared drinks with Scott and Ryan of Brooklyn prior to coming to Cancun.  What advice do you think they gave Joey?

On The Real World Denver, Season 18, Davis and Colie had friends who were friends who divulged their identities to each other via e-mail, before coming to Denver.  And JD, of Brooklyn, met up with Davis in Miami one week before JD began shooting the Brooklyn season.  And then there was Will (RW Hollywood) dating Janelle (RW Key West)…and so it goes. 

Yes, it’s a small world.  How many of you have run into a Real World roommate in your time?  I bet nearly every one of you…and yet there are only 162 of them.