Did The Real World beget Facebook? That's the theory put forth by Details' Jeff Gordinier in his think piece on MTV's ur-reality series which is in its improbable twentieth season.

After explaining how the series created "a New America," Gordinier writes:

In 1995 a paperback titled The Real Real World was published to capitalize on the success of the first four seasons of the show: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and London. A few pages were devoted to the cast members from each season, studded with grainy snapshots and factoids. Flip through the book today and contemplate Kat’s favorite song (“Africa,” by Toto), Puck’s favorite snack (“Nuts, exotic ones”), and Becky’s preferred mode of transportation (“I usually walk”), and it doesn't take long to realize that you’re looking at an early, analog blueprint for a social-networking site: the beta version of Facebook. “We’re living in an age where everyone has to be famous,” [MTV's Brian] Graden says. “There’s a current belief that every small thing I do is fascinating, so I’m going to share it with all my friends."  read more »

Celebrity tots are getting ready to stumble for MTV's new show, Rock the Cradle. Premiering on April 3, kids of popular (or maybe washed up) performers will compete against one another. The offspring of Olivia Newton-John, Kenny Loggins, M.C. Hammer, Eddie Money and Dee Snider will participate, according to Variety. This should be a sad display of rich kid privilege and temper tantrums, but that seems to be MTV's forte recently (admittedly, My Super Sweet 16 is a train wreck we can't help watching sometimes). MTV also wants that American Idol appeal with a new show, Celebrity Music Mentor Project. More on that from Variety after the jump.  read more »

NOAH CALLAHAN-BEVER NAMED EDITOR IN CHIEF OF COMPLEX MAGAZINE

Mr. Callahan-Bever was formerly deputy editor of Complex--a position that he has held for the past year. Before joining Complex, he was senior editor of Vibe magazine. Prior to this, he served as editor in chief of Mass Appeal and also worked as a writer for MTV's Direct Effect and MTV News. He began his publishing career at ego trip magazine, where he started as an intern and later became senior editorial assistant.

Complex published its largest issue ever in August/September while the new October/November issue will hit newsstands Oct. 10 with 146.12 ad pages, a 28 percent increase from the 114.07 pages that ran in Oct/Nov 2005. This leaves the magazine with a total of 678.20 ad pages year-to-date, a 17 percent increase from the same period last year.

To: Time Inc. Employees

Re: Staff Announcement

I am delighted to announce that Josh Tyrangiel will be taking over as the new editor of TIME.com and will become an assistant managing editor at TIME. Josh will be charged with taking TIME.com to still greater heights, further integrating it with the magazine, and making it a must-visit daily news site for our unique blend of breaking news and fresh analysis. In addition to writing and editing national and international cover stories, Josh has been TIME's music critic for the past five years and has proven himself a high-energy journalist who brings tremendous intelligence to his coverage of the arts and culture. Before coming to TIME, Josh worked at Vibe and Rolling Stone magazines, produced the news at MTV and received a master's degree in American Studies from Yale University.

R. S.

At 12:30 this afternoon, Mayor Bloomberg (plus Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and Brooklyn BP Marty "Mar" Markowitz) will be dedicating the 6,600 square foot restaurant. And eating.

"[H]ere it was acting just like the many despotic regimes it covers so well around the world, regimes to which the British feel so superior, regimes that deny that their people are a public and deny that their city streets are public space."