Homeless men filmed for reality show spoof find lives off the streets

The idea has angered some advocates for the homeless, who said the series - which has yet to be aired on the Web - exploited the homeless people and mocked them cruelly.

Yet the story had a happy ending of sorts: Four of the six cast members, including Peeler, have gotten off the streets with help from the producers.

After shooting was completed last spring, ManiaTV's filmmakers drove several cast members to detox centers, some more than once, and drove another to job interviews.

"It was time to come in from the cold," Peeler, 53, said recently. He and fellow cast member Johnny "Sgt. Stutters" Kibodeaux, 51, have been sober for almost nine months and are living at rehab centers, where they are working as kitchen managers.

Producer Darwyn Metzger said the filmmakers became attached to the homeless.

"Once you make that personal connection with them, you feel you have to go above and beyond," Metzger said. "I think we were all inspired by the fact they were very honest and had good hearts."

ManiaTV is pressing ahead with plans to run the show on the Internet sometime this year, with at least 10 episodes.

Founded in Denver, Los Angeles-based ManiaTV is an online entertainment business producing antics that have included a live, unscripted show with prankster-comedian Tom Green and dancers in fishnet stockings.

One early trailer for "Homeless Real World" featured homeless people using an advertiser's deodorant and surrounded by beautiful young models.

"The homeless were exploited and used in order to create a sensationalized situation," said Greta Walker, Denver Rescue Mission spokeswoman. "This is a horrible attempt to tell the story of the homeless population in metro Denver."

ManiaTV staff members said the show started out as a comic twist on "The Real World," but that changed. On its website, ManiaTV says: "Instead of following the normal reality formula of exploitation in the name of entertainment, we decided to help these folks along the way. The result is an exposé that will make you laugh, cry and, hopefully, think."