Reality Check

[April 5th, 2006] Reality TV has hit a new all-time low.

WB's Survival of the Richest, which premiered Friday, is a contest to see if seven poor schmucks can live with seven rich assholes without igniting a class war. Think of it as The Real World meets The Fountainhead.

Hosted by Queer as Folk's Hal Sparks, the show also stars Michael Wayne Keck, a 27-year-old former Portlander, as one of the po' folk. Keck, who's gay and unemployed, lives in L.A. That's where he was when I talked to him about fame, fortune (the winner splits $200,000) and what it was like to live with Rev. Sun Myung Moon's freaky daughter.

QW: You look familiar. Did you used to strip at Silverado?

Michael Keck: No! I was not a stripper! But I used to be a freelancer for Just Out.

So how'd you become poor enough for this show?

I got myself into this situation of being broke and unemployed. But I'm not that poor. And some of those rich kids aren't that rich. Like "Sammy the Princess." She isn't even a princess.

You must've creamed your pants when you first saw Hal Sparks .

I was like OMIGOD! I've seen him naked on Queer as Folk. I've seen his ass over and over on pause on TiVo.

Did you get paid to do the show?

We definitely got paid. The reality of "reality TV" is it's not real. The (producers) had me walk into the mansion 10 different times acting like I had never seen it before. But at the same time, it was very real. They didn't show this, but Nick [Keck's teammate] was blatantly homophobic. He refused to sleep in a room with a gay guy.

Why did you agree to be on this show?

They fucking set me up. Because they were like, "Have you ever been in a limo? Do you like to go shopping?" I thought I was going to live like a Hilton. Then I got there and I was like, "Why am I cleaning toilets? This is bullshit."

What was it like living with Kat Moon [Rev. Moon's mega-wealthy daughter]?

She never talks about her dad, or her money. But she was freaking out her parents were going to cut her off and disown her for doing the show.

So what'd you get out of the experience?

I was surprised they cast me. I thought the WB hated gays. But all I'm trying to do now is enjoy my two minutes of fame.

Do you think you'll get laid off this show?

I hope so, girl. If nothing else, I just hope I get a date out of this.