By Sarah Carlson, Staff Writer

Even if Brent Ellis wanted to describe what he endured last November, his publicist won’t let him.

Ellis, senior marketing major from Southlake, competed for $100,000 on the reality TV show Mad Mad House on the Sci Fi channel, set to premier at 7 p.m. March 4.

Ellis was one of 10 guests chosen to live in a mansion with five “Alts,” or people with alternative lifestyles. A Wiccan, a naturist, a Voodoo priestess, a modern primitive and a vampire comprised the Alts, who judged the guests on their abilities to perform house activities and their tolerance for different lifestyles.

“It’s like The Real World and Big Brother meets The Addams Family,” Ellis said.

Filming began Nov. 2 last year in the Los Angeles area and went on “for about a month,” Ellis said.

Along with the house activities, Ellis said the contestants competed in immunity challenges where the winner was immune from being voted out of the house that week.

Ellis said the Alts described their lifestyles and performed demonstrations for the guests.

“It’s almost like a sociological experiment to see how the regular people get along with the judges,” Ellis said.

Ellis was set to graduate last December and is now finishing his requirements.

He said a talent scout approached him at a Pat Green concert in Lubbock last semester with the prospect of the TV show. He said he was originally skeptical, but his friends talked him into auditioning, and he was soon flown to Los Angeles and offered the part.

Ellis said he turned the offer down at first because he was unsure of the experience and had never thought about being on a reality TV show before.

“I prayed about it a lot and sought advice from people I trust,” Ellis said. “I just decided to take a risk and make it a learning experience.

“Being outside of the ACU bubble really helped me grow in my faith,” Ellis said. “I met some cool people I still keep in touch with and learned a lot.”