EWS Blog: Q&A with Stephen & LC from Laguna Beach

Stephen and Lauren (LC) came to University of South Carolina to talk about their experience on MTV's reality show, Laguna Beach. I've been in arguments with my friends over whether or not this show is real. A lot of people swear that everyone on the show are actors. I already knew it was real b/c I facebooked a random girl that went to Laguna Beach High and she told me all about how it worked. But, I of course wanted to hear it direct from the stars so here's a few of their answers to people's questions.

As far as casting goes, MTV went to Laguna Beach High School for a week or so and let kids fill out these huge applications that had tons of personal questions. Then, they interviewed the ones they liked and eventually got down to a cast of kids that they would film for the show. Some of their friends didn't give MTV permission to be film them and the high school decided not to let MTV tape inside the high school at all. Also, a lot of other places wouldn't let MTV film so a lot of times the producers would give the kids a list of places where they could go. So, if they wanted to go out to eat while MTV was filming them, they had to go to a place that allowed MTV to film. It sounds like MTV told them what to do a lot actually. They said that the producers would tell them what they want them to talk about ... Like, "it would be great if you could mention blah blah blah when you talk to whoever". I figured they did that b/c sometimes the conversations look so fake. So, I mean, eventhough the people are real and all, it seems more similar to a regular directed show than a reality show. They wouldn't film them all the time either. They would come for a weekend and tell them what the plan was. There was never a script or anything but the producers had a story that they wanted to follow before they started filming. Like for example the love triangle between Stephen, his girlfriend Kristen, and LC didn't actually exist. Stephen and LC said that they're just really good friends and when they applied to be on the show, they wrote about how they hooked up one time and MTV just dragged that on as long as they could eventhough it was over by time they started filming. They said they even exagerated it to MTV while they were being casted b/c they wanted to be on the show.

It sounds like MTV was pretty busy in the editing room. They did a lot of sneaky things. LC said that in the first episode, they show her looking at Stephen with this look of lust but what MTV actually did was bring out this big thing of food and film her face when she was looking at the food and then make it look like she wanted to eat Stephen instead. The night on the beach in Mexico when they show Stephen and LC walking away together ... They weren't going to hookup. Stephen was shitfaced and she was bringing him to the bathroom. They always made them put their beer in cups by the way. When they were in a hotel, they made it look like Stephen and LC hooked up but they had actually filmed her putting the 'do not disturb' sign on the door earlier in the morning. Also, she said that in that hotel scene at one point when she says "Stephen", if you look, her lips aren't even moving.

I asked them when they actually get to watch the shows b/c I've always been curious about that. I figured that they get to watch the entire season before it even goes on the air. Nope ... They said MTV is working on every episode up until a few days before it goes on the air and they usually get sent the tape only 1 or 2 days before it goes on TV. Kristen would lock herself in her room and watch the tape and then be mad at Stephen b/c of the whole LC thing eventhough it was all in the editing.

Both Stephen and LC acted exactly like they do on the show ... They said that Laguna Beach isn't all that different from most places though. They said most kids just drive their mom's cars and most people don't flaunt their money like they do in other parts in the LA area. I read the other day that the residents of Laguna Beach are really sick of the show because it portrays the people there to be rich and snobby and they're not like that. Well, you might not all be snobby but trust me, you're richer than y'all think you are. Um, lets see, what else - LC's favorite ice cream is vanilla ... Stephen never wears underwear ... Neither of them have a facebook or myspace profile ... Both live in Los Angeles right now ... MTV is filming another reality show about LC called The Hills right now ... Stephen is taking acting classes ... LC is dating Jason and says that he seems like a jerk on the show just b/c he's really camera shy ... Kids in Laguna really do those dramatic invitations for prom, it wasn't just for the show ... And LC really does hate Kristen. That about covers it.

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