Meet Your New Bachelor

Earlier this summer, ABC announced the latest unlucky-in-love choice Brad Womack to play the lead in this fall's 11th season of The Bachelor and with just a few days left until his special debut, it is time to get to know our man.

Hot, hot, hottie
According to ABC: The new "BACHELOR" is a sincere, sexy, successful, self-made man who may be the series' hottest guy yet."

Let's see...sincere, sexy, successful, self-made and HOT? ABC has handily summarized my kind of man in just a single sentence. Why Is it Christmas already? Finally, someone understands my superficial interests!

I would have to add one more item to our shopping list ABC - INTELLIGENT - although this may not seem all that important at first, believe me in a number of ways it plays a role in sustaining a relationship.

Enter The New Brad
The network is touting the Atlanta-born, Texas-raised Womack as a self-made entrepreneur, marking a drastic change from the pedigreed guys of years past.

The 34 year old ambitious Brad comes to us from Austin, Texas where he co-owns a chain of bars along with his two other brothers (one of which is his twin, Chad).

Further, ABC would like us to believe that for all of Brad's hard earned accomplishments, there is one thing missing from Brad's life he's ready to find his soul mate, settle down and have the family life he has so long desired. Oh, that clever marketing department....

Looking for Reality Love
The amazing thing about looking for love on a reality show is that it never seems to last. Why is that?

As you may be aware, I have a fascination with dating shows. The interest is more related to the psychology and composition of the orchestrated events.

I often wonder exactly what do people (The lovelorn) expect to find? Do they really think they will be successful on a television dating show, rather than finding true love in real life? Is it even possible?

Well, let's look into the construct of a reality dating show:

• One suitor (9 out of the past 10 seasons of the show of topic, have been male);
  
• Something like 20 other women competing for the same suitor (After the initial elimination the number is somewhere equal to the number of weeks of the episodes);
• There are always several dates that occur (Everyone has to kiss the same mouth);
• Everything is always a competition (Even eating dinner becomes a dramatic event);
• Confessional is MANDATORY (Because we care about what everyone is thinking);
• There is always an elimination 'ceremony' (People just can't walk off the show);
• The families always have to get involved (a.k.a The Hatrocks);
• Oh, and everyone lives together in a mansion (For 13 weeks).
  

True Love vs. Entertainment Value
Out of all of the reality dating shows such as The Bachelor, Beauty & The Geek, Joe Millionaire, Age of Love, For Love or Money, tons of others and even Flavor of Love - NONE of the before mentioned have successfully managed to pair a lasting couple.

The only exception to the above was the one and only season of The Bachorlette (Trista & Ryan).

Which raises another question, are women better than men at finding true love on said dating competition shows? And with such an unsuccessful track record for bachelors, why have there been more seasons featuring a bachelor? The model may be flawed...

Neilsen ratings for The Bachelor have indicated a steady decline over the years - perhaps this is an indication that the public really does have an interest in successful, lasting love stories.

It's Time for Professional Expertise
I would like to see an actual matchmaker on of these shows - Let's get serious and really try to bring together the next reality show super couple, rather than another public spectacle.

While on the subject - A&E (Yeah, I am quite fond of them as well) has a great show called, Confessions of a Matchmaker - East coast pro-matchmaker Patti Novak dishes tough love and advice to hopeful daters.

I say, maybe it is time for some tough love counseling on a few other shows as well! I have an idea to bring these two shows together (Think of it as Confessions of a Matchmaker for the Bachelor)...

As for our new Bachelor, Brad will begin passing out his roses to 25 contestants - I mean women, in a 90-minute season premiere on Monday evening (9/24) on ABC.