MTV's Real World Sydney: The Demise of Trisha

Now, I have been an avid watcher of MTV's Real World until this season. But I must say that the commercial exposing Trisha's WWF-like prowess toward Parisa in the "Off the Hook" episode was not to be missed. As I prepared to watch the new episode, I told myself not to pre-judge since I'd missed the first 16 episodes. Who knew the background behind Trisha and Parisa's relationship? Perhaps they liked it a little rough - I don't know, I wasn't sure. What quickly became clear over the first portion of the half-hour, however, is that these girls did not like each other, they never had and it didn't look like reconciliation for any past deeds was in sight.

From the looks of it, Trisha seemed like a snobby, attention-seeking, manipulative user. Parisa appeared to be slightly stuck up and somewhat ostracized, at least among the other female housemates. So following the exchange of some heated remarks heavily coated with malicious intent, Trisha storms over, states that she has a "good family" at home with a "good religion" and pushes Parisa into the floor. Honestly, a common American perspective of Muslims post 9/11 and the ever present notion that "we are better than others" caused me to not be surprised to hear Trisha's words. What she said is sad, she is a sad and ignorant person - but she's not alone in her thinking.

Curiously, the aftermath is more interesting than Parisa's attack, or what I like to call the resurfacing of Satan through Trisha. A startled but determined Parisa must now make the all important decision of whether Trisha poses enough of a threat to her to be thrown out of the house. We wait an entire week. Parisa succeeds in getting her nemesis on the next 20 hour flight back to Fresno.

Trisha's coattail licker, KellyAnne, and newcomer (and thus, the one who just doesn't know any better), Ashli, automatically takes Trisha's side and vows to make Parisa's life at the house even more miserable than it had been while living with Trisha. They cry over her leaving. They give Parisa dirty looks. They spit on the window while she talks to her family on the phone.