It's time for Penn State students to stop being polite and start getting real for this Saturday's Real World 22 casting call.

Tomorrow, Penn State students will have the opportunity to audition for MTV's Real World at Tony's Big Easy, 129 1/2 S. Pugh St., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. All applicants must be between 18 and 24 years of age and must bring an ID and a photo.

Gimmicks and "Pick Me" T-shirts are usually popular tactics to capture the casting director's eye, however, Real World supervising casting director Damon Furberg said it won't get students on the show.

"There is no bigger tragedy then when you see someone putting on an act," he said.

Furberg described the ideal Real World candidate as multi-dimensional, personality-driven and charismatic.

These are the qualities Florian Touze (junior-journalism) said he possesses.

"I'm a character in myself. I'm controversial. I'm honest and brutal," said Touze, who plans to audition.

Touze is not new to casting calls. He tried out for MTV's Made when they visited his high school, Central Bucks East, in Pennsylvania, Touze said.

"I wanted to get better at volleyball, so that's why I tried out," he added.

Though he is uncertain of how to approach completing school if he made the Real World cast, Touze said he is realistic in thinking his chances of making the cut are slim.

He will approach the casting call without any tricks up his sleeve and said his presence should be enough. And if not, then at least he tried, he said.

"I have an aura about me," he said. "I'm rough around the edges."

The casting directors are a diverse group of people who, in turn, attempt to translate that diversity into their cast of choice, Furberg said. The goal is to be able to select seven people whom everyone can identify with at least one person.

This casting call is the first of many interviews, he added. Out of 10,000 to 15,000 applicants, only seven are chosen, so the process is highly selective.

"Somebody can be amazing the first time and the next time they can lose steam," he said.

Students are sectioned off into group interviews with about 10 people. In this portion of the process they interact with a panel of casting directors, Furberg said. The next day, those who are selected to move to the next round are called in for a one-on-one interview.

This is the second year Tony's Big Easy has hosted the event, owner Tony Sapia said. Last year's casting call for Real World 20 lured between 700 and 900 applicants. Sapia said the initial group interviews last about five minutes so the line moves quickly.

Although applicants can also be selected via e-mail or videotape submissions, it is beneficial to go to the physical casting call because it's a more direct process, Furberg said. Sifting through e-mails and video can take much longer, he added.

The only Real World cast member from Penn State thus far has been John Devenanzio, also known as "Johnny Bananas," from Real World: Key West.

However, one member from Real World: Hollywood might as well be a Penn Stater. Before his reality stardom, Dave Malinosky frequented Penn State despite his previous enrollment in Coastal Carolina University.

"I love Penn State," he said. "I give my props to Canyon Pizza for their $1 slices."

Malinosky went to an open casting call while at Coastal Carolina University, he said.

After his first interview, the process included about four months and numerous phone calls until he officially became part of the cast, he said.

"I always had this weird feeling that I had already made it, that they were just making me go through the steps," he said.

Only 13 hours of the several months taped were actually aired, Malinosky said. His experiences on the Real World were trying, but he said he would do it again.

"I think in a way, it tests different things. Things start to wear on you," he said.

Regardless of whether or not students make it through the first casting call, it will be a good experience, Furberg said.

"We'll make sure you have a good time," he said.