Lindzi.com: What inspired you to send your tape in to MTV?

Jamie of RWNO: I was having lunch with a good buddy of mine at Cornell near the casting call. He really wanted to try out and it was a beautiful so I joined him in the line for the first round of the casting call. We just sat out and had some 'ole Milwaukee and had a great day in the sun. Once we got in there, they asked a couple questions. From that superficial knowledge of my answers they ended up giving me an application and asked me to send in a tape. That's how I initially came into it. I had never watched the show in the past. Through that coincidence of hanging out with that good buddy of mine, the seven round process got underway.

Lindzi.com: What was the audition like?

Jamie of RWNO: In my mind, it was a very relaxing, therapy session. You'd set up a time with the casting directors to hold a conference call. They'd ask you about the core fundamental things that make you tick -- about how you relate with your friends, your parents, and what are some of your goals. What are some intense experiences you've had in life. It's a pretty good way to take stock of who you are, where you've been, and where you want to go. I never was attempting to get on the show. It was just fun for me to talk to these peeps. If I could give anyone who wants to get on the show a word of advice it would be to just open yourself up completely. Don't do it to be on the show. Just present yourself as you really are.

Lindzi.com: What do you think the casting crew is looking for?

Jamie of RWNO: I think that MTV or Bunim Murray, rather, does type cast for this particular show. They look for people they can edit into a specific role. Those people do need to have some deeper element to them other than that role. In my case, I was sort of typecast into the role of a "white, heterosexual male/capitalist/frat guy." Then there was "Julie - The Mormon Girl," "Danny - The Gay Guy," and "David - The Black Guy from the Hood." We all have those surfaced elements to us, but I think each and every one of us has a deeper element that transcends that and that's what they're looking for.

Lindzi.com: What "element" did you bring to the cast?

Jamie of RWNO: I look at the world a little differently. I'm very optimistic. I'm a person that will get out there and experience everything just to taste the richness that life has to offer. Part of my role in the house was to motivate these people to just go out there and do fun stuff. A lot of the things we did never got aired because they weren't centered around drama.

Lindzi.com: Were there any experiences that didn't make the show that you wished had?

Jamie of RWNO: There was so much we did down there that never made the show. Every one of my buddies from high school and college, my family would come every weekend. We had tons of fun going to Jazz Fest and to the French Quarter Festival. The cameras followed us a lot, but if there's no fighting or crazy drama that it's associated with, it'll never get on the show. It's unfortunate. Some of those times were the most special times I had down there. I mentioned something in the Reunion about a trip we took to Angola, which is an unbelievable prison in Louisiana. We had the best experience interacting with the inmates there. A lot of them were genuinely nice individuals. Because it's a maximum security prison, you'd think people would be like animals, but they were all very well behaved. They were open to us talking with them about their experiences there. It's weird because if you get life in Louisiana, you're there for your life without parole. That's pretty crazy, you know?

Lindzi.com: Speaking of crazy, that's pretty insane that you coincidentally knew Katherine of Road Rules.

Jamie of RWNO: We were actually in line together. We existed in similar social circles. I'd say she's an acquaintance. I knew through the process that she was being cast. It was just weird that she was right there pranking us with the Road Rules.

Lindzi.com: Do you think the show portrayed you realistically?

Jamie of RWNO: I haven't really watched the show so it's hard for me to answer these types of questions. I would say no... I saw the casting special and was discouraged because they took those 2 or 3 second sound bytes and created this "white rich kid" that doesn't know anything about anyone. He just lives in his own little rich world. I think that's such bull. They wanted to show this evolution of my character that the Bellfort drew out. The reality is that I didn't have any issues with David being black or Danny being gay. They wanted to create this whole "David/Jamie" "Northside/Southside" "Black/White" kind of thing.

Lindzi.com: So, here's your chance. Tell us what you're really like.

Jamie of RWNO: That's difficult to crystallize in a tight little sound byte. At the core, I'm a very open person who is nonjudgmental. I don't carry prejudices or biases into relationships. I'm very comfortable relating with people because of that. I don't care what music you're into--how you dress--what your age is. If you're a three-year-old and you're the bomb, then I'll hang with you. I have good friends who are 45-50 year olds and I have a lot of friends who are in high school. It amazes me how angry people can get over such petty differences. I don't pay attention to trivial, surface bull.

Lindzi.com: What have you learned from your experiences with Real World?

Jamie of RWNO: I learned a lot about myself. I'll use an analogy, if you go overseas and travel to different lands, you'll learn what it means to be an American because you see those subtle differences that you'd never see if you lived here all your life. Living in the Bellfort house, it's the same thing. If you are thrown into an environment with six diverse people who have different personalities and beliefs, then you'll learn your own just by mirroring yourself against your roommates. That's very healthy. People need to experience diversity because it gives you exposure to everything that's out there and also allows you reflect on what makes you you.

Lindzi.com: Definitely! You're forced to look at yourself.

Jamie of RWNO: You're constantly justifying yourself and analyzing how you interact with people. The production process behind the show really draws that out. I joke, but the show is like a big therapy session.

Lindzi.com: By the way, what was going on with that whole Julie/Jamie saga?

Jamie of RWNO: It didn't go on. People have to realize that The Real World is very sensationalized. It's just so funny. That footage of us, supposedly, kissing was completely fabricated by Bunim/Murray. I got a phone call from Julie. She was like, "Jamie, remember when you were talking with me on the stairs? They overlaid sounds of us kissing." That was fake! The reality was that Julie and I were friends and they got me talking about how we once kissed -- a peck! They created this whole love triangle between Julie, Melissa, and me. It's hilarious how they can create drama around something innocent.

Lindzi.com: Was the reunion awkward at all?

Jamie of RWNO: People have e-mailed me asking, "Jamie, are you sad?" I'm not sad. I was really sick when we filmed that. I had the flu. It was a little bit awkward, though, because we had to watch the last two episodes with all of us sitting there. I was like sh*t talking David with him sitting behind me, in front of a live studio audience. We all understand that that was then and this is now, but it's sometimes hard to separate things.

Lindzi.com: Who have you kept in touch with?

Jamie of RWNO: I talk to Melissa and Julie a lot. Matt's doing some graphic design work for Soul Gear, my company. I actually have to call him when I got off the phone with you.

Lindzi.com: So, what have you been up to since the show?

Jamie of RWNO: I filmed another show, "The Challenge," with MTV and Julie. We had a lot of crazy times filming that in Europe. I've also been working really hard on Soul Gear.

Lindzi.com: Tell me a little about Soul Gear.

Jamie of RWNO: We're a community, content, and e-commerce website for adventure and extreme sports. We carry news information and equipment and apparel for 13 different extreme sports. During the spring of 2001, we're going to be launching a whole line of apparel called SG. It's going to target the college/teen sports enthusiasts.

Lindzi.com: Where'd you get the whole idea for the company?

Jamie of RWNO: I met my business partner over in Hong Kong when we were traveling there. We were thinking about our future and what we want to do. Our rational behind getting into the industry we're a part of is that we both love the outdoors. We wanted our passions to finance our passions. Every day I'm working, but I'm having the best time with it. We go out surfing and meet all the athletes at these competitions. It's a tough market in the dot com world. It's very competitive. The act of financing a company and raising money when you're 22 years old in a hyper competitive market is a challenge.

Lindzi.com: I'm sure your exposure on MTV has helped with the company, right?

Jamie of RWNO: A lot of opportunity has come about from my exposure on the show. We stopped filming in May and I rolled right into the company. I've been working in ignorance to the fact that I'm actually on a TV show. I don't get out that much. My life hasn't changed too drastically.

Lindzi.com: Hmmm... you don't get out and, yet, you have a girlfriend?!

Jamie of RWNO: Yeah, well -- that's probably part of the reason I don't get out much. I had met her in college so I knew her well before I was on TV.

Lindzi.com: Since the show, do you have privacy issues?

Jamie of RWNO: I live in San Francisco and work in the financial district so a lot of people don't watch the show. It's not that big of a deal. I never cared about this sort of ephemeral fame that the show brings after it airs. For me, it was just the actual act of being in New Orleans and experiencing that from the daily life. If you have a good solid foundation filled with family and friends, that's all you want and all I need.

Lindzi.com: You seem like a pretty chill guy... what DOES drive you insane?

Jamie of RWNO: {silence} I'm trying to think of something witty to say...