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Along the lines of Monica Lewinsky and the reality tv thing...
Monica Lewinsky Joins Reality TV Ranks
Saturday April 19 3:39 PM ET
Monica Lewinsky, who knows about the risks of sharing romantic confidences, sticks to listening in the new reality TV dating show, "Mr. Personality."
Lewinsky gets high marks from Hayley, the 26-year-old Atlanta woman who searches for true love among 20 masked men with Lewinsky by her side for support. The Fox series debuts Monday.
"She's exactly what I needed to get through the whole thing," said Hayley, whose last name was withheld by Fox. "More than a host, she was like my buddy, my best friend, my confidant, the big sister I never had."
Lewinsky didn't talk about her personal life and Hayley didn't ask.
"What's happened is in the past with her. She's moved on, she's doing other things," Hayley said Friday. "I didn't even go there with her. She probably wouldn't feel comfortable rehashing it."
Lewinsky was a White House intern who had a sexual relationship with President Clinton. She discussed it with her friend Linda Tripp, who secretly recorded the talks and handed the tapes over to investigators.
Hayley, of course, knew her chats with Lewinsky were on the TV record as they assessed potential dates all with their faces hidden so Hayley would have to judge them on character, not appearance.
"She was someone who was a listener. She played the role so wonderfully," Hayley said of Lewinsky. "She's so warm and so thoughtful, and she just wanted me to make the right decision as much as I did."
Is the unlucky-in-presidential-love Lewinsky a good counselor?
"I wouldn't exactly call her a dating guru. A lot of reporters have asked that question, what merits her as someone to give you advice about dating," Hayley said. But Lewinsky served as a sounding board, not adviser, she said.
"When I had someone there to talk to, it made my decisions easier," Hayley said.
Lewinsky declined a request to be interviewed.
The program has its own interesting pedigree. One of its executive producers, Bruce Nash, is a reality TV pioneer whose early efforts included the likes of "Prisoners Out of Control."
Lewinsky, who has been designing handbags, was picked as host for two reasons, said executive producer Brian Gadinsky.
"First, tune-in, curiosity. We thought she'd be a great choice to garner interest in the show," Gadinsky said Friday. "It's worked. Everybody's talking about it."
Lewinsky also was right for the job, he said: "We wanted to find someone who had the attributes of a great personality, who was very friendly. Someone who was not a cutout, not polished, but accessible."
Lewinsky, a TV novice, worked hard, Gadinsky said.
She became "the darling of everybody associated with the show for her professionalism, her kindness," he said. "She appreciated the people who worked hard to help her do her job properly. She was a joy to work with."
He called the job a "whim" for Lewinsky, who had been in general discussions with Fox when the show emerged as an opportunity.
Lewinsky told Newsweek magazine she's unsure whether she'll continue in television and is considering law school or graduate school in psychology.
"I'm trying to see what is going to work best for me and what is my career," she said. "I'm trying to figure out my life."
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