Rules Oinnoad
row down the pile to a group of five on his mind. MTV describes him
dynamic souls who would make as being "perpetually hormone-
an interesting mix to watch on TV. charged," and Jake admits that
The screening process is "before the show, I was all about
"Road Rules," created and exec-
tougher and more draining than girls. I started working in a record-
utive produced by Mary-Ellis
most job interviews. After Jake ing studio so I could tell girls
Bunim and Jon Murray and pro-
sent in his videotape, he had to fill [about it]. Everything I did re-
duced and directed by Clay New-
out a 10-page questionnaire, and volved around the opposite sex. I
bill, is in its sixth season.
then participate in a phone inter- totally knew I was going to meet
Each episode of the 10-week
view. The next step was an in-per- somebody on the road.
series features a new locale and
son interview in Los Angeles
a mission the group must
with MTV staffers, followed
complete in order to get
by a call-back interview
there.
where a camera crew filmed
Some of this year's ad-
his every move. MTV even
ventures include surviv-
interviewed his friends.
ing on the desert island of
"I knew what to expect.
Hans Lollick in the U.S.
I had a feeling what they
Virgin Islands and being
were going to ask— like the
rescued by Gilligan (Bob
craziest place you had sex,
Denver); learning how to
what you wouldn't want
sail in Martinique; wing
your parents to know about
walking in Key West;
you, and the first person you
spending a night in an ac-
kissed," says Jake, who had
tive volcano on the island
an agenda when he audi-
of St. Vincent; and audi-
tioned.
tioning to be extras on
"I think I was trying to be
"All My Children" on the
shocking with my answers.
island of Manhattan.
I said if I didn't become the
next cast member, I was go-
"I decided to move to
ing to become the next porn
New
York when I was in
star."
the middle of the
He had no doubt that he'd
Caribbean. I just want-
be cast. "By the time I went
ed to be close to Kalle,"
to my final interview, I was
says Jake, who plans to
obnoxious and cocky be-
study writing.
cause I felt that I'd already
It didn't phase Jake
been chosen. I told them
that he was the only
they had to choose me be-
Jewish person in the
cause I wasn't going to do it
group. "It was the
any other season. [But] if I
biggest deal for Kalle.
Jake: "There was a point where I was like,
had to do it again, I wouldn't
She never knew anyone
`Oh my God, I'm making an idiot of myself and
have been so in their face."
Jewish. When the 10-
everyone is going to be watching this. —
Living on very little mon-
week trip was over, she
ey and no credit cards test-
was
real
eager to learn about [Ju-
ed his survival skills. "It was a
And he did. He connected
challenge to eat on this budget.
with 20-year-old Kalle, the nat- daism]," he says. Kalle visited
Everyone else was gaining weight, ural-looking blonde who sports Jake's home and went to a seder
and I was losing weight. I'm a a gold hoop earring through one and attended synagogue with
skinny guy and I lost about 12 eyebrow. They are still togeth- him.
Jake's family, which includes
pounds."
er, and both now live in New
a 25-year-old sister, his architect
Thin maybe, but women weigh York.
father and his mom, an "aspiring
- -0 1MOPFTIPIRLIPIPAIR7
Last summer's crew traveled
to the Bahamas, Key West, Fla.,
and California. The group's ad-
ventures included working as a
field crew for the Oakland A's
baseball team, riding on the
back of a one-ton bucking bron-
co and dressing up as Elvis.
The cast included a 23-year-
old Israeli, Efrat. She grew up
in an Orthodox Jewish family,
but her views were modern
and she never hesitated to ex-
press her strong opinions. She
experienced America , for
the first time through "Road
Rules."
The show has attracted a fol-
lowing beyond just college stu-
dents:
man, 26, marketing coordinator
of Olympia Entertainment in
Detroit.
— "Getting in a car and dri-
ving around the country with
a group of strangers is some-
thing I think everyone would
want to try," says David Dubin,
28, a mortgage broker in South-
field. "It's something different
on TV that you can relate to. I
like that it's not prewritten like
everything else."
— "The concept is so cool.
How exciting to be able to trav-
el everywhere. I wish I had the
guts to do it," says Alyssa Katz-
— "I like seeing how the peo-
ple interact with each other,"
says Julie Zimmerman, 16, who
attends Berkley High School. "I
would love to do it. I wouldn't be
embarrassed to have a camera
in my face. It would be uncom-
fortable at first, but it would be
worth it to go to all those
places." Cl
psychologist," did not react neg-
atively to his personal life on
screen.
"My mom was pleased because
after high school I had decided not
to go to college. 'Road Rules' led
me back to school."
In his spare time, Jake listens
to a mix of music from old gospel
and funk to rap and reggae. He
also works out in an effort to turn
the weight he's gained back into
muscle.
Now that his "Road Rules"
episodes are airing, he has groups
of friends over to watch them. "I
try to tell them everything that
happened behind the scenes, but
nobody gets from the show what
I got out of the trip," he says.
The experience was an impor-
tant life lesson. "I think I should
wash and cut my hair more often,"
he jokes. "I expanded my horizons.
Before the show, I never really
wanted to leave Philadelphia. By
the end, I didn't want to be in
Philadelphia because I saw so
many other people and places I
never thought about before."
Living in the tight, often smelly
quarters of a Winnebago makes
for a small setting with little es-
cape from each other's moods. "I
got annoyed with other people and
I felt they got annoyed with me,"
but overall there were strong
bonds formed. Jake says the
friends he made on the trip are
lifelong friends and he would do
the trip all over again in a second.
"A year ago I graduated from
high school and didn't know what
I wanted to do. Now so much has
happened, and I'm savoring the
growing process." ❑
On The Road With Jake
Jake's "Road Rules" castmates include
Kalle, 20, was born and raised in the small town of Fort Collins, Colo. She is warm and
honest and cannot tolerate superficial people. She is so sensitive, she was practically in
tears when Jake announced he was going to "abandon ship" on an early episode. She
sensed right away that she felt closest to Jake. It's hard for either of them to be in a room
without talking.
Vince, 20, on the other hand, is more of a loner. He can handle walking off on his own
to savor a moment. He's not a touchy/feely type of guy. He is focused and disciplined
when it comes to pursuing his goals. He is a black belt in two forms of karate. He seems
to get along with the group, but he can be frank and direct when he needs to be.
Oscar, 19, is a native of Puerto Rico. He is stubborn, opinionated and proud, but he has
a big heart. He experienced some problems dealing with authority early in the trip, but
he strongly believes the group should stay together and no one should bail ... no mat-
ter how tough things get.
The cast of "Road
Rules': Oscar, Erika,
Jake, Vince and Kalle.
Erika, 22, is a competitive rower from California who at first seems
calm and mature. She describes herself as a perfectionist with a
prudish side, but she definitely lets loose on the show.