becoming a reality star for the wrong reasons

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Dec 19 1:35 PM posted by Team Ricki

Reality television is constantly seeking the next Snooki or Nene Leakes ("Real Housewives of Atlanta") but casting director Doron Ofir tells Ricki on the “Reality Stars Revealed” show, becoming the next reality star is like “winning the lottery.”

Responsible for finding Jersey Shore’s Snooki and Mike the Situation, Doron tells TheRickiLakeShow.com social media has made it harder to find real, authentic people from the masses who want to become reality stars for the wrong reasons.

What was it like casting Snooki and The Situation on Jersey Shore?

For me, casting for reality TV is all about authenticity.  You can spot when someone isn’t “real.”  To cast Jersey Shore, I went to tanning salons and the gym.  It’s organic, I went to where those people go.

After so many years of casting reality shows, what have you learned?

I’ve learned that the “Me Generation” is completely narcissistic and self-obsessed!  It’s a generation of total delusion!  There’s a lot of ego involved.  You have to look at why someone wants validation from strangers. 

Why do you think people want to become reality stars?

The addiction behind applause is very intoxicating.  It’s like high school – wanting people to like you, or in the case of Twitter wanting people to follow you.  But in the plethora of reality shows, there are very few people who turn into iconic superstars.  A lot of people on reality TV are not going to be relevant years from now.

What advice do you have for teens that want to be famous reality stars?

I would warn them that fame is very fleeting.  When you get your “15 minutes,” there’s a start and an end, and sometimes it hard to transition after that time period ends.

What advice do you have for the parents of these teens?

Parents should make sure they instill self-love in their teens and help them understand what matters in the world.  They should help their child be grounded.

Doron Ofir has also cast for Millionaire Matchmaker, Rupaul’s Drag Race, Tool Academy, A Shot at Love, Wedding Wars, My Antonio, and Paris Hilton’s My BFF, just to name a few.