In the past, Andy Nikic was stopped on the street for his sleek, jet black hair and tan complexion.

“A lot of people think I’m one of the Gottis,” said the middler communications major.

These days Nikic is being recognized, for another reason: his uncle Bobby.

Nikic is one of 10 finalists on MTV’s “The Reality Show” – the newest addition to the reality TV craze where participants pitch their own show ideas and get voted off, one by one. The last person standing gets their very own MTV series.

Nikic’s show, “Life with Uncle Bobby,” is based around his Italian family and his Uncle Bobby, an outspoken 42-year-old bachelor who never ceases to give his nephew invaluable advice on love, life and everything in between.

Every week, the judges and a studio audience watch individual clips from each contestant’s entry. The judges choose three clips they dislike and vote them into the bottom three.

“This is in the judges’ hands,” Nikic said. “It all comes down to whether the judges like it or not.”

Afterwards viewers from across the country can go online at www.mtv.com or use Virgin Mobile phones to vote for which contestant should be booted off the following week. The cycle continues until one contestant remains.

Thousands of potential reality TV stars from across the country submitted entries along with a 15-page application vying for the 10 coveted spots. MTV sorted through the massive applicant pool over the summer and chose the 10 they believed had a shot at winning the competition.

Nikic’s life has changed since the show started taping six months ago. He divides his time carefully, juggling his academic studies and this new endeavor simultaneously. He attends classes Monday through Thursday and flies to Los Angeles for the weekend. Sunday night he boards a plane to make it back in time for class. He does his schoolwork on the plane flying back and forth, he said.

Nikic’s social life is different as well. He has developed friendly relationships with the other cast members and noticed an increase in attention from the opposite sex. He hopes this newfound fame will get him closer to one specific female he met on the show.

“I push to hang out with [the former Miss Teen USA],” he said. “She’s the one I want to spend the most time with.”

A typical weekend day consists of waking up and heading to the MTV studio where the show is filmed. Nikic gets “all dolled up” in hair and makeup, and meets the judges, he said. The judges are all reality show alumni, two of which participated in shows that aired on MTV. The mainstay is actor/comedian Andy Dick, whose spoof show “The Assistant” aired in 2004. Other judges rotate, including Trishelle, a cast member on “The Real World: Las Vegas,” and Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth of “The Apprentice.”

Contestants of “The Reality Show” don’t know which clip of their show MTV audiences will view each week. The show is run in that fashion to maintain the element of surprise for both the audience and the contestants and is quite nerve-racking, Nikic said.

“As America watches, we’re watching too,” he said.

The showbiz bug didn’t bite Nikic until later in high school when he began taking general mass media classes. His teachers recognized his spark and encouraged him to pursue a career that focused on communications.

In fact, it was his former high school teacher Mr. Morado who told Nikic about MTV’s search for contestants for “The Reality Show.” Morado, who also has his own local TV show in Long Island, saw an ad in the newspaper early this summer and immediately phoned Nikic to encourage him to apply.

Nikic turned to his family for inspiration, knowing something as simple as a family dinner was pure entertainment in itself. He had an idea to portray an “Italian New York City-themed show” that focused on his family and friends.

About a month after submitting his entry, Nikic was relaxing in a barbershop chair when his cell phone rang. He looked down and noticed the California area code 320. When he picked up the phone and listened to the MTV studio executive on the other line, he said he was shocked, convinced it had to be a prank by his friends.

On Sept. 16, MTV flew him out to the West Coast to begin taping for the show. While living in L.A., he experienced somewhat of a culture shock. Everybody there was “trying to be somebody,” he said.

“When you eat at a restaurant, waiters are always aspiring actors, comedians, whatever,” Nikic said.

Uncle Bobby, the show’s co-star, has his own opinions about this newfound attention.

“He’s not gonna get excited unless we’re talkin’ turkey,” Nikic said, explaining his uncle is in it for the peripheral benefits: “fame, red carpets and girls.”

For Nikic, though, the most valuable benefit is simply the experience.

“I want to use this show to get a feel for the business,” he said. “It’s not necessarily ‘hands-on,’ but seeing how everything works.”

One thing he won’t parlay this stint in Hollywood to is an acting career. His dream is to one day become an executive producer and be the one calling the shots and making “the big decisions.”

Northeastern prepared him for this experience as much it could, but according to Nikic, “You just gotta be there; you gotta learn by doing it, not sitting in the classroom.”

His future plans remain bright. If he wins the competition he plans to take his new reality show and keep the focus on his family, he said, adding he still has “a lot of funny ideas” to work with. But for now he plans to keep his studies a top priority.

“[I’ve got to] make the best attempt to juggle both Northeastern and a reality show,” Nikic said.

The aspiring star has advice for Northeastern students who wish to pursue show business.

“Don’t be swayed by others,” he said. “A lot of people always told me how hard it is to crack into this business, but look at me. I’m 19 years old and I cracked it. If you have the drive you can make it happen.”

It looks like that drive has paid off for Nikic. “The Reality Show” airs every Tuesday night at 10:30 p.m. on MTV.