Former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy Got His Start in the Public Eye on MTV

Long before politics came calling, former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy, who is also known for being a big part of Fox Business, was on reality television on The Real World. In 20 years, that's something that might be said for even more politicians and high-ranking executives, but for Duffy, that's one mark on his resume that is curious for those who were unfamiliar with him before now.

After President-elect Donald Trump named Duffy as his transportation secretary, it was clear that Duffy's star is continuing to rise in politics. Does that mean he will be back on reality TV someday, by way of a show like Celebrity Big Brother or The Surreal Life? Hey, that's certainly possible. But when was Duffy even on The Real World and what has he said about his reality TV past?

Duffy made his reality TV debut, and really, his television debut overall, on The Real World: Boston in 1997. At the time, Duffy was already a staunch Republican and he had hopes to become a lawyer. Because of his political views, he clashed with some of the other roommates. But on a show like The Real World, you don't get drama among the cast members if there isn't a big difference of opinion and beliefs among them.

After The Real World, Duffy went back to MTV for another popular reality show — Road Rules: All Stars. It was there that Duffy met his wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy, who went on to become a well-known Fox television host. Duffy was also in a season of Real World/Road Rules Challenge. His last appearance was in 2002's The Real World Awards Bash.

In 2019, Duffy spoke with The Internet & Television Association about what he learned from being on The Real World and reality TV in general. And he doesn't look down on his past experience as a cast member. Instead, he credits it as an experience his political career has benefited from.

"If you look at politics today, whether it's Donald Trump or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, there's an authenticity that both of them have, and you have to feel comfortable talking into a camera about your viewpoints and your ideas, your life experiences," he shared. "On reality TV, you're forced to do that every day for a long time. It made it easier for me to embrace social media when I was running for Congress because of my experience on The Real World."

On Nov. 18, Trump nominated Duffy to head the government agency that is in control of rail, aviation, and other transportation. What this means for Duffy as the nominated leader of the Transportation Department is that he will oversee the planning and execution of important federal-level transportation projects. According to Trump, there was no better politician suited for this role in his Cabinet.

"Sean will use his experience and the relationships he has built over many years in Congress to rebuild our nation's infrastructure and usher in a golden age of travel," Trump said in a statement when he announced Duffy as his top pick for the role.

He also said that Duffy is a "well-liked public servant." While that might not have anything to do with his past on The Real World, some might believe that he got his first big boost of public confidence on the long-time reality show. And according to Duffy himself, it helped him feel more at ease with people from all walks of life.