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The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, May 20, 2011 2 coverstory Season of love Romance and reality heat up summer By Kyla Brewer TV Media S ummer is the perfect time for romance. Warm breezes, sweet-smelling flowers and carefree days give way to dreamy nights, espe- cially in prime time. Ashley Hebert searches for such romance as the summer TV season gets off to a roaring start with the premiere of the seventh edition of “The Bach- elorette,” airing Monday, May 23, on ABC. Fans of “The Bachelor” may remember the Madawaska, Maine, native as one of the final women com- peting for Brad Womack’s af- fections in the most recent in- carnation of the hit reality TV series. Things didn’t work out with Womack because she couldn’t honestly admit she was in love with him. (Incidentally, Womack has reportedly split with his “Bachelor” love, Emi- ly Maynard.) But Hebert has been given a second chance to find her soulmate in prime time. Her appointment as the next star of “The Bachelor- ette” came as a bit of a sur- prise to fans, who expected Season 15 runner-up Chantal O’Brien to headline the show. It was quickly revealed that O’Brien had started dating someone and was off the market. 28-year-old winemaker Ben F., 27-year-old construction- company CEO Chris M., 26-year-old personal trainer Nick and 30-year-old lawyer West. In a twist, Hebert re- veals she’s already familiar with 28-year-old Bentley. Ap- parently, a fellow “Bachelor” contestant warned her about him before the show starting taping. Chris Harrison hosts “The Bachelorette” Reaction to the news has been mixed among the blogo- sphere and Twitterverse. While some fans adore her so-called “kid-sister” quality, not every- one is sold on Hebert. Luckily for her, she only has to worry about her potential suitors, as “The Bachelorette” isn’t one of those reality TV shows that relies on viewer voting. She only needs to be concerned with the 25 hand- some eligible bachelors pro- ducers have lined up for her. She’ll mingle with the men in the premiere, but her old inse- curities surface when she con- fides in host Chris Harrison that she worries they’ll be dis- appointed to find out she’s the next Bachelorette. It seems unlikely, given her perky personality and popu- larity as a contestant in “The Bachelor.” Those who got to know the formerly blond beauty on the show may be surprised by her darker locks, but she’s actually a natural brunette. As with many former contestants, the focus has of- ten been on Hebert’s looks, especially since she posed for the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. However, she’s more than just a pretty face. She’s study- ing to be a dentist at the Uni- versity of Pennsylvania, one of the top dental schools in the country. The new Bache- lorette is also a trained danc- er and dance teacher, special- izing in ballet, jazz and hip- hop. Hebert isn’t the only one with an impressive resume. Some of her suitors would make excellent catches for the soon-to-be dentist. In fact, she’ll surely find some com- mon ground with 27-year-old dentist Blake. The other men trying to woo her include A/Auto Boutique B/The Green Giraffe 2 x 2 Regardless of their occupa- tions or backgrounds, the men will have to pull out all the stops to stay in the competi- tion. As in past seasons, the men will face elimination each week, and only those who earn a rose from Hebert will stay. Together, Hebert and the men will embark on a whirl- wind adventure, which will take some of them to exotic locales for the ultimate fanta- sy dates. In addition to Las Ve- gas and Hollywood, Hebert and her chosen suitors will travel to Thailand, Hong Kong and the Fiji Islands. ABC isn’t the only network relying on romance to heat up summer nights. The folks at NBC have decided to take a chance with a new take on the reality-romance genre. Sched- uled to premiere in June, “Love in the Wild” follows men and women on an ad- venture in the remote jungles of Costa Rica. The singles will pair up to compete in exhila- rating challenges, such as navigating crocodile-infested waters or descending down a waterfall. Chirstopher’s Coins 2 x 2 hollywoodQ&A By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: I am searching for the name of a movie. There was something in it about kneeling cows at Christmas. I have always thought it starred Margaret O’Brien as a child. A: You thought right. It was indeed Margaret O’Brien who sought out a kneeling cow before midnight on Christmas Eve in the 1948 classic “Tenth Avenue Angel.” O’Brien was, in fact, the angel of the title, a young girl named Flavia Mills, living with her impoverished extended family in Depression-era Manhattan. It tells of the return of her aunt’s fiance, after what Flavia is told was a trip around the world but was in fact a year in prison for associating with gangsters. Further financial troubles hit the family, and then on Christmas Eve her mother goes into la- bor and is left on death’s door. Flavia remembers being told a fable her mother told her about praying to kneeling cows on Christmas Eve, and so she sets out to find one. O’Brien was already a child star at the time, and in fact was pushing past that toward young adulthood by the time the film hit the screens (it was actually filmed in 1946). As with many child stars, adulthood wasn’t as kind to O’Brien, and by the age of 11, when “Tenth Avenue Angel” was released, her most famous years were already behind her. A/Crazy Tom's B/Allstar Auto Wash 2 x 3 Have a question? E-mail us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. P be provided. ersonal replies will not

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