Web producers defend homeless internet spoof

Denver: A dirty, dishevelled Keith Peeler had been living on the streets for nearly a year when a crew of 20-somethings with cameras jumped out of a van and headed straight for him. Some of Peeler's homeless buddies wanted to run.

But the young people had an offer: $10 (Dh37) a day, plus close to the minimum wage of about $7 an hour, to appear on what they were calling Homeless Real World, an internet spoof of MTV's reality show The Real World. Peeler and his pals took the cash.

Over several weeks, the producers of the show had the cast members compete to build the best cardboard house, sent them grocery shopping in a well-to-do Denver neighbourhood (The homeless got dirty looks) and paid for them to golf on a public course (They got kicked off).

The idea has angered some homeless advocates, who said the series - which has yet to be aired on the web - exploited the homeless people and mocked them cruelly.

"The homeless were exploited and used in order to create a sensationalised situation," Denver Rescue Mission spokeswoman Greta Walker said.

Yet the story had a happy ending of sorts: Four of the six cast members, including Peeler, have gotten off the streets with help from the producers.

After shooting was completed last spring, ManiaTV's filmmakers drove several cast members to detox centres, some more than once, and drove another to job interviews.

"It was time to come in from the cold," Peeler, 53, said recently. He and fellow cast member Johnny "Sergeant Stutters" Kibodeaux, 51, have been sober for almost nine months and are living at rehab centres, where they are working as kitchen managers.

Producer Darwyn Metzger said the filmmakers became attached to the homeless.

"Once you make that personal connection with them, you feel you have to go above and beyond," Metzger said. "I think we were all inspired by the fact they were very honest and had good hearts." ManiaTV is pressing ahead with plans to run the show on the internet some time this year, with at least 10 episodes.

Founded in Denver, Los Angeles-based ManiaTV is an online entertainment business whose antics have included a live, unscripted show with prankster-comedian Tom Green.