To the Nines

"We'll be filming at Mardi Gras and several clubs downtown from February 19 through the 21st," says XL Staffing and Security owner Joe Mackey of the still-unnamed reality show being produced about his firm. "It'll mostly focus on our staff and how they command in suits and ties instead of windbreakers and tattoos."

Founded in 2000, XL has around 220 staffers dressed to the nines and working around town at about two dozen venues, including On Broadway, Aubergine, Stingaree, Ole Madrid, and 94th Aero Squadron.

"Five locations downtown have agreed to let us film, but we're not announcing where the cameras will be ahead of time. We don't want someone showing up just to start a fight and get on TV."

Mackey says his company owns a portion of the program, along with MTV/VH1 producer Rob Cohen.

"I wanted to make sure I get something close to final say over what airs."

Before the deal was signed, Mackey says several other TV programmers expressed interest in working with XL.

"Court TV contacted us about doing a show. Wife Swap wanted to have one of our female guards do a show for them.... Around ten percent of our staff is female. Fremantle Media, who do American Idol, they wanted us to do a show called 'Bounced,' where every episode ends with someone getting physically booted from someplace. We told them that's not what we're about."