Former “Real World” cast members “Puck” Rainey and Colin Mortenson allegedly met with conflict outside The Union after their presentation Wednesday night.
After the two finished their presentation, The Union began to close. Witnesses said that while Rainey and Mortenson were finishing signing autographs, a Mississippi State University employee began shouting for everyone to leave.
Ashley Lay, a reporter for The Reflector, was present.
“Eventually an MSU employee came to close the building and started yelling at students, Mortenson and Rainey to leave,” Lay said. “Rainey tried to explain who they were, but the man would not listen to him and began making sarcastic comments to Rainey including some about his appearance.”
The men then began exchanging comments and the employee turned the lights off. Puck then asked the man to turn the lights back on and the man allegedly refused. Lay said that the man then threatened to “drag them out of there.”
“If the event had been more organized, as far as the autograph and picture session then maybe things could have been done in a more timely manner and none of this would have happened,” MSU student Nicki Sullivan said.
Rainey and Mortenson left The Union with the remaining students and continued to quarrell with the MSU employee.
“I am from California, I have money and I own my own house. Dude, I am like 50 Cent and you are 10 cent,” Rainey said to the man.
The conflict came to a climax when the MSU employee called the police. When they arrived they took Rainey to the side for questioning. When Mortenson tried to follow Rainey, he was allegedly shoved back by an officer.
“Mortenson held his hands up in a surrendering position and said, ‘Whoa! Whoa man. We are leaving just let us leave it is a big misunderstanding’,” Lay said.
The conflict, however, came to a peaceful end.
“I felt like I was on an episode of the Real World with Puck. The only thing lacking was the cameras,” Sullivan said.
Rainey and Mortenson continued signing autographs and speaking with fans throughout the incident. The officers and MSU employee eventually departed, along with Rainey and Mortenson.