Hopefuls try to get in Touch with Reality
By: Nicole Frehsee

Itching to be on reality TV? Get ready to lose a lot of things: your privacy, your temper, your dignity, maybe even your clothes. Or all of the above.

But reality wannabes don't have to lose precious time or money seeking dubious fame. You can head to this one-stop shop for reality hopefuls.

The site is the brainchild of once-aspiring reality star Brian Ostrovsky, 24, who coveted a spot on season two of NBC's The Apprentice but missed the deadline because of work and school. RTVStar.com simplifies the tedious reality show application process: Hopefuls can post a profile and personal video into a database available to more than 80 reality TV casting pros.

The free service allows you to get pointers from casting experts, watch recaps of reality shows and receive insider e-mails touting new programs in the pipeline. It can save budding stars hours and dollars traveling to casting calls, submitting multiple applications and checking sites of the 100-plus reality shows on the air and in production, Ostrovsky says.

Included in the service are a list of questions the applicant can expect in interviews, including, "What is the wildest thing you've ever done?" and "What is your most embarrassing moment?" And it offers genre-specific questions for 15 types of reality shows, including dating, adventure and makeovers.

Although none of his clients has yet been cast, Ostrovsky says he hopes that with the plethora of reality shows and the ranks of undiscovered talent, anyone serious about snagging a show role will get a shot at stardom.