Why ‘The Real World: New Orleans’ Star Danny Roberts Matters
Daniel D'Addario Chief TV CriticTo some subset of the audience of the 2000 reality show “The Real World: New Orleans,” Danny Roberts was the biggest celebrity on TV.Roberts was the gay cast member on a TV franchise that placed a premium on frankness, openness, and unpracticed charm. The first episode of Roberts’ season saw him gradually and haltingly coming out to the six housemates producers had arranged for him to live with for months, at one point announcing he was gay in French so as to avoid doing so in English.