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The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, December 31, 2010 2 coverstory Second time around Past ‘Bachelor’ searches for love again Brad Womack gets another shot at love in “The Bachelor” By Kyla Brewer TV Media things around, whether through dieting, de-cluttering, quitting smoking or any other number of resolutions. For some, it provides new resolve in a quest to find true love. For others, it’s a shot at redemption. For Brad Wom- ack, the debut of 2011 signi- fies both. The dashing entrepreneur T was the subject of the 11th season of ABC’s “The Bache- lor” in the fall of 2007, and he gets another shot at true love in the latest edition. The new season premieres Monday, Jan. 3, on ABC. Although his traditionally handsome looks and success made millions of viewers swoon each week, Womack actually proved to be a very unpopular “Bachelor” in the end. He sparked an uproar he new year is the perfect opportunity for a fresh start. It’s a time to turn among fans when he rejected both of the final ladies in the closing episode of Season 11. Finalists Jenni Croft and DeAnna Pappas were dumb- founded and heartbroken when he explained he didn’t feel strongly enough about ei- ther of them to want to con- tinue a relationship. For the first time in the show’s history, there was no happy ending for either wom- an. “Bachelor” buffs were im- mediately on the rampage, chastising Womack for the de- cision online, by the water cooler and anywhere else people would listen. That’s why the decision to give the so-called “most hat- ed Bachelor” a second chance came as a shock to many real- ity-TV aficionados. The an- nouncement was made in September, during a broad- cast of “Dancing with the Stars.” Soon after, Womack ap- peared on “Ellen,” where he explained that he was a changed man and hoped to find true love this time. What’s interesting is that host Ellen DeGeneres famously called out Womack on her show af- ter his rejection of Pappas and Croft. She later apologized. However, when DeGeneres questioned the latest star of “The Bachelor” about wheth- er he would walk away again, he told her he would if he didn’t fall in love. That kind of statement might have fans wondering what ABC execs are thinking. Even longstanding “Bache- lor” host Chris Harrison ad- mitted to People magazine that he was skeptical when he heard the news. But he went on to explain that, after some contemplation, he was excit- ed by the prospect of giving Womack another chance. After all, the reality-show hunk claims to be a changed man. Media backlash follow- ing the Season 11 finale prompted Womack to retreat from the public eye as he headed into therapy to con- front his commitment issues. While undergoing years of intensive treatment, he fo- cused on work. During the time between “Bachelor” stints, he’s bought and sold three companies, adding to his net worth and eligibility. He’s dated during his hiatus, but not seriously, and has declared he’s now ready to commit. He’s apparently also ready to face the music. This sum- mer, “20/20” cameras cap- tured the drama when Wom- ack made amends with Pap- pas, who had recently become engaged to schoolteacher Stephen Stagliano. Now, it’s Womack’s turn to find love, and his brothers have lit a fire under him. Twin brother Chad has a wife and daughter, and even younger brother Wes is married with children. But with so many fans and viewers still in a tizzy over his actions, it likely won’t be a smooth road to romance. ABC isn’t pulling any punches, or slaps for that matter, either. In November, a promo for the new season of the series cre- ated an Internet brouhaha when it showed one of the new “Bachelor” contestants stepping out of the limo and slapping Womack, saying, “This is for every woman in America.” ”The Bachelor” fans are obviously still miffed because of Womack’s rejection, but it isn’t as if the show has pro- duced many lasting relation- ships anyway. In fact, only one marriage has resulted from the show, and even that wasn’t the intended result. Season 13 “Bachelor” Jason Mesnick married runner-up Molly Malaney in February 2010, not the season’s “win- ner,” Melissa Rycroft. All of the other couples have broken up. Chirstopher’s Coins 2 x 2 Crazy Tom's 2 x 2 hollywoodQ&A By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: Several years ago when “Golden Girls” and “Empty Nest” were on, there was another sitcom in Florida, and one night there was a storm and all three were connect- ed. I can’t think of the other show’s name. A: The third show in this trio was “Nurses,” a hospital-based sitcom that ran from 1991 to 1994 on NBC. ”Nurses” was a spinoff of “Empty Nest,” based at the hos- pital where “Nest” lead character Dr. Harry Weston worked as a pediatrician. “Empty Nest” was, in turn, a spinoff of “The Golden Girls,” with Harry moving into the house next door to Blanche, Rose, Dorothy and Sophia. Indeed, the Miami setting of the three shows figured heavily into their plots, and never as much as when a hurricane hit the southern paradise. NBC billed the night “Hurricane Saturday,” as all three shows aired back-to-back on Saturday nights. For this one, on Nov. 9, 1991, the network aired two new episodes of “The Golden Girls,” making Hurricane Saturday into a ma- jor, two-hour event. Estelle Getty of “The Golden Girls” appeared on “Empty Nest,” warning the characters of the coming hurricane, while “Empty Nest’s” Park Overall (who played Harry’s sarcastic southern nurse, Laverne) and Betty White of “The Golden Girls” popped in on “Nurses.” To round it out, Dinah Manoff, who played Harry’s high-strung daughter Carol on “Empty Nest,” appeared on “The Golden Girls.” Have a question? E-mail us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Personal responses will not be provided.