'True Life' follows 2 from area as they move to New York City



The pair are seeking a bigger and better life.
By GUY D'ASTOLFO
VINDICATOR ENTERTAINMENT WRITER
NEW YORK -- Two Struthers, Ohio, residents are featured in Thursday's episode of the MTV documentary series, "True Life."
Frank Marando and Dana Neal are two of the four persons in the new episode, entitled "I'm Moving to New York." A portion of the show was filmed in Struthers.
Marando and Neal, both 2003 Struthers High graduates who just turned 21, are close friends. They answered an online casting call, and were selected from among hundreds who responded, said Cheryl Sirulnick, producer of the episode.
Sirulnick stressed that "True Life" is not a reality show. "It is not contrived at all," she said. "[The subjects] don't get paid, and we do not influence them at all."
Marando, Neal and two others who are also featured on the episode were already planning to move to New York when contacted, said Sirulnick.
The episode documents the four as they leave their hometowns, move to New York, and find apartments and jobs. Marando and Neal do not live in the same apartment as the other two subjects.
Before their trip, Marando was working at Burlington Coat Factory and Neal was at Infocision.
Goal
Neither went to college, nor did they have firm career plans, said Sirulnick. They both simply wanted to move to the city and have a bigger and better life.
Both have found jobs in New York and are getting by, said Sirulnick.
The film crew spent several days with Marando and Neal in Struthers in May, filming the area in order to get a feel for their lives, said Sirulnick.
Thursday's episode airs at 10 p.m.

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