TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

An obstacle course of trap doors, unstable platforms and devices designed to send contestants plummeting into a chilly pool below may not appeal to most people, but it's right up Matthew Borton's alley.

"It's like a giant bounce house on water. Why wouldn't you want to go on that?"

The Bakersfield actor competed on ABC's "Winter Wipeout," the seasonal version of the network's popular game show, in an episode that aired Thursday. While he didn't win the big prize -- $50,000 -- he was glad to have made it to the second round before falling victim to a "killer quarter-pipe slide."

Making it to national television is something Borton, 27, has had in the works for the past couple of years, since he has been applying to participate on the show both online and at mass casting calls. The successful application filed last year was particularly inspired.

"I assume (it worked) because I filled it out in pirate," he said. "I shared all my pirate stuff. I told them about the room I live in, which was an 8-year-old's before it was mine.

"There are pirates painted on the wall and a skeleton hanging from the ceiling with a noose around his neck. He was not a very good pirate -- he got caught."

Along with the story, he gave pirate answers, telling producers he would spend the prize money to buy a ship to sail around the world, find an island and some treasure.

Later, he realized his plan was counterproductive "because I'd have the $50,000, and that would be a treasure in itself."

After the approval of his application, Borton headed to Burbank for a videotaped interview, followed by a flurry of signatures on waivers. The taping took place a couple of months later at a course set up in the mountains near Santa Clarita.

Though not taped in the season the show is named for, the temperatures were still chilly, Borton said.

"It was pretty cold in the morning. In the afternoon, it was warm enough, but the water was still pretty cold."

Borton got up close and personal with the water, which was topped with a foam to simulate snow.

"(The water) was very clean-looking. It doesn't taste that bad. I ate some of the foam snow, though. It went right down my throat. I was gagging after that."

A series of falls from the first two rounds made him a reluctant faux-snow connoisseur.

"'How many times did I not fall in the water' is a better question," he joked.

"Every time you fall in the water, it's so tiring, so exhausting."

Still, he was able to finish among the top 12 of 24 contestants to move on to the second round, which narrows contestants down to six.

Borton said he was doing well despite losing a shoe early on.

"It didn't hurt me too badly until the last obstacle. I needed to get a running start before the slide, and I couldn't get fast enough. I either didn't have enough body weight, I couldn't go fast enough or something."

Although his appearance on the show was brief -- episodes are edited to focus on the final six contestants -- Borton was memorable for his striped pirate shirt and "shiver-me-timbers" call before taking a spill in the first round. He hopes the impression he left was unique enough to get him called back for the all-stars episode.

"I hope I'm on the episode enough that they'll think, 'Hey, we really liked him. Let's bring him back for all- stars," he said Wednesday.

Even if this was his last chance to wipe out, the Starbucks supervisor, who has an associate of science in culinary arts from Bakersfield College, will stay in the public eye.

"I'm pursuing acting -- not wholeheartedly yet. I'll be doing improv in L.A. at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. I signed up for some classes, but I'll have to change the date so I don't know when I'll be up.

In Bakersfield, Borton got his start with ComedySportz as a freshman at Centennial High School in 1997 and currently is involved with Center for Improv Advancement and Major League Improv at The Empty Space.

"I was in the background for 'Once Upon a Mattress' (at Centennial). Someone in the musical suggested I check it out, and I made the team."

Seen most recently in "Boy Gets Girl" and "The Nighttime Show with Michael Armendariz," both at The Empty Space, Borton is looking for another role at the theater, having auditioned for "Avenue Q."

Whatever his next role or TV appearance, Borton is committed to sticking with performing and improvisation because it's what he loves to do.

"At the drop of a hat I get to be and do anything I want. I can pull a sandwich out of thin air and be watching a sunset from the moon."