“So y’all wanna know about ‘The Real World’ and all that stuff, huh?” asked the grungy-styled, red-headed Aneesa.

The 21-year-old Aneesa Ferreira, from MTV’s “The Real World: Chicago” spoke to about 800 NIU students Tuesday night at the Holmes Student Center’s Carl Sandburg Auditorium.

Aneesa was brutally honest as she discussed her relationship with fellow cast members and other women, as well as what life really is like after being on one of MTV’s highest-rated shows.

“The students at NIU were really responsive, very talkative,” she said after the show. “And it seemed like they were interested in my experiences and what I was talking about. I really appreciated that. They showed a lot of love.”

During her talk, students asked many questions, especially about Aneesa’s cat fights with Tonya on the show. Aneesa responded truthfully and without remorse while discussing what happened when the cameras were off.

“Tonya is not the brightest star, as you all can see,” she said.

As for her personal life, Aneesa said that since her season on “The Real World,” she has dealt with the status of being a semi-celebrity. She is a GAP employee and lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., with Rachel from last season’s “Road Rules.” Aneesa also plans to go back to school soon.

She said being on the show seemed “very surreal,” and that it was weird seeing herself on television.

“Sometimes people would come up to me and say, ‘Oh my God, you’re Aneesa from ‘The Real World.’ I’ll be like, ‘No, that wasn’t me … that was my sister Alicia or somebody.’”

When asked how hard it was to audition for the show, Aneesa advised students not to send in videotapes because the show’s executives want to interact with potential candidates on a personal basis.

“If you’re not mentally prepared, then you can’t go on that show,” she said. “You have to realize that there is a camera in your face.”

She also said being on the show has not made her a big-name celebrity, but it will help those trying to make it in the entertainment business.

“I’ve talked to Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes,” she said. “But don’t expect me to take your demo or anything like that.”

When asked what made her so unique from the thousands who auditioned for the show, Aneesa gave a blunt response.

“I’m gay, black and Jewish? What else is there?”

Aneesa also said the producers did not show the “happy moments” between the seven strangers, but chose to edit the drama that would become the show’s highlights.

“I think that Theo was represented the best out of everyone,” she said. “They really showed how someone can grow and mature and become a better person afterward.”

Brooke Beyers, coordinator for the CAB Speakers Series, said students seemed to enjoy Aneesa’s show.

“I thought it was awesome. We had a great turnout,” Beyers said.

Sophomore engineering major Christopher Green said Aneesa was very open-minded and down-to-earth with the students.

“I thought she was very cool; she didn’t hold anything back,” he said. “She was very real, and extremely funny.”

This is part four of six in the CAB Speakers Series.