By Nicole Crawford
Julie Stoffer, aka “The Horny Mormon” from The Real World, New Orleans cast, surprised most spectators with her down-to-earth attitude and ability to field questions casually and truthfully when she stopped by UNO to speak last week.
Taking a respite from touring with her band, the Bunkbed Incident, Stoffer spoke to a full house in the Milo Bail Student Center’s Nebraska Room on Thursday, Sept. 26 in an event sponsored by the Student Programming Organization.
Those who attended the event were serenaded by Bunkbed’s sun kissed lead singer, Gabe Bowling, as he played a few acoustic versions of songs off their CD, which was sold for $5 during the event.
Throughout her presentation, Stoffer energetically paced in front of the audience as she discussed her five-month long experience on the show and offered new insight into being a part of the reality TV craze that has swept the nation.
Laughing about herself being severely stereotypically edited, she was quick to point out the fact that she isn’t ashamed of being a part of the “disposable talent” that act as the stars of reality-based shows. She unapologetically admitted to going into the situation knowing she was cast as “the innocent, virgin, blond girl.”
What she wasn’t ready for was seeing the highly edited version aired again and again on MTV.
“The aftermath is what sucks. … It’s like [they] edit a person’s freakiest behaviors and put Rage Against the Machine in the background and you look like a freak because you are. … But, if you’re going to show one part, then show the rest, too.”
So what’s her take on spirituality now?
“It’s better than it’s ever been.” Stoffer says.
She still talks about God in her life like a little girl who has just gotten out of her first Sunday school class, though she claims that the worst backlash has been from the Mormon community.
She says the backlash has included various acts, including having her car egged and getting beat up on the street by random girls of the same religion.
“There’s no way to please everyone,” she says. “You can’t be a human being and not offend someone.”
Claiming that her best opportunities have been since the show, Stoffer’s life now not only includes drumming in her band but also being a spokesperson for the Truth Campaign, which takes on large tobacco companies. She also speaks to young people as part of the National Abstinence Campaign.
When asked if she’d do it all over again, Stoffer compared her experience on the show with that of high school.
“I’m glad I did it and I learned a lot,” she says, “but I’m also glad that it’s over.”
