Or maybe not: The explanation for the room's lack of a crowd could be the lack of any real Real World credentials:
Writes NameIs:
I hate to break it to you, but casting for the next 'Real World' officially wrapped in December (Casting Calls were held Sept & Oct). Production is near underway, and the season after wouldn't even begin casting again until late summer.The process you described is also very unorthodox to how casting calls for the show are typically done for 'The Real World' (it's the same process every year, and it's not how you described).Not to mention the production company in charge of the show didn't even make announcements of this casting call on their website OR twitter (which they frequently do).You my friend, got duped.
Dupe or dope? Find current info about casting calls for all MTV shows here.