And, given the string of incidents over the past few seasons involving people who aren't happy about having "The Real World" in their neighborhood, the production staff perhaps ought to include bodyguards.

It's not like producers haven't intervened before. They insisted one of the cast members of "The Real World: Hawaii" go to rehab because of her obvious drinking problem.

You could argue that this is some sort of documentary and no intervention is possible. But that's baloney — this is contrived TV, as anyone who's ever watched the show knows.

And, while I'm certain cast members signed releases absolving MTV and Bunim-Murray Productions of legal responsibility, I'm talking about moral and ethical responsibility.

But then expecting moral and ethical responsibility out of MTV is obviously asking for more than the network is capable of giving.

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com