He achieved mini-celebrity on the New York-based "Real World" of 2001, but Austinite Kevin Dunn isn't a fan of the show and thinks his hometown is going to be sick of the production by the time it wraps in May.

"Austin is a really cool town, and it doesn't surprise me that they're filming here, but I don't think the dynamics match up," says Dunn, the 26-year-old co-host of KVET-AM's afternoon sports show "The Zone." "Austin is a big town, population-wise, but it's still a small town, and 'Real World' is going to be following seven different people everywhere."

Dunn thinks Austin's relatively small size means major hassles for people going to clubs, eating at restaurants and shopping in stores because TV crews will be on the job 24/7.

"If you get caught in a shot, they'll ask you to sign a release form for MTV," Dunn says. "Who knows what context they'll use it in?"

MTV is filming the 16th season of "The Real World" now; the episodes begin airing in June.

Dunn, a Westlake High grad and survivor of lymphatic cancer, took a break from his senior year at the University of Texas to appear in the show's 10th season. He lived in a fabulous loft in Greenwich Village and doesn't regret the experience for a minute.

"But it wasn't a lifetime dream to be on the show, and I told them I wasn't a big 'Real World' fan," Dunn says. "The main reason I did it was to go to New York, which was a very cool experience for a 22-year-old kid. It was a weird deal but a great learning experience, a five-month roller coaster filled with highs and lows."

Dunn, who graduated from UT with a degree in broadcast journalism after his New York sojourn, remains friendly with one of his former housemates, Malik Cooper, a DJ in Berkeley, Calif.

The production has not asked Dunn to participate in the Austin filming, and he has declined all invitations to compete in any of the post-"Real World" challenges.

"I think they feel like I've cut the ties, which I have," Dunn says. "I don't want anything to do with reality TV."

What advice does he have for the new 18- to 24-year-old cast?

"Try to be yourself, and don't get too worried about how you're going to come off," he says. "It's hard, because they pluck you out at an extremely important developmental age. They know a lot about you and play that for drama."

After the shows have aired and the spotlight dims, Dunn says it's good to get back to the real world.

"Don't buy into either the negative or the overly positive," he says. "People will be excited because you're on TV, so enjoy it. Meet people you wouldn't otherwise meet. But don't take yourself too seriously."