How many times have you said, `hey, there’s that person from that reality show,’ and you can’t remember exactly who they are or even what season. Well, for those that choose not stay in the spotlight, there is life afterwards. Caught up with two former ‘Bachelor’ people at authors Scott-Vincent Borba’s and Debbie Appel’s Skintervention book debut party.
JESSE KOVACS AND GIRLFRIEND, SUMMER ALBERTSON
You were on Jillian’s season of The Bachelorette and last fall’s Bachelor Pad, those experiences are all behind you now, what did you learned from that situation?
JK: Aw, man. It was a definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity and both those shows are just a hyper version of real life. You spend a month in a house getting to know these people but you are talking to them every second of every day. So it’s like getting to spend time with a friend for six months.
I made a lot of new friend and relationships and I learned how important relationships are.
Did being on a reality show help your career?
JK: Absolutely, My brother and I started a wine business three years ago, so after The Bachelorette and getting a hometown date and having the cameras come out to the winery, it’s been major as for as recognition of my business. We get a lot more orders and I’ve been able to write a book about wine, travel the country on a wine and book tour, throwing wine events. I don’t think I’d have had that opportunity if it weren’t for the reality stuff.
Do you watch any reality shows now?
JK: I do, kind of, now. I never watched the show before I was on it and now, my brother who’s so anti-reality show is hooked. We just sat down and watched the second episode of Brad’s season of The Bachelor and now I’m fully invested.
What do you think about Brad being back on the show?
JK: I heard Brad found love and I’m glad the guy got a second chance because I don’t think there was anything wrong with what he did the first go around.
He made the right choice in letting them both go at the time and it’s good to see he’s getting a second chance.
How did you two meet?
JK: We met through a mutual friend in late summer. August-ish. And we kind of … it’s just one of those things, when you know you know and I was never a big believer of love at first sight or any of those romantic ideas but with Summer and I, it was one of those things were we gradually, I guess, grew up together in a such a short of amount of time and you just kind of know.
Was there anything in particular that allowed you to ‘know’ that you knew?
JK: Yeah. I will try to keep a long story short but it was just one of those things where I had never felt a certain way and when I realized that … honestly, it was a turning point where I realized how do I feel when she’s not in my life versus when she’s in my life and that was kind of the turning point.
And what do you do Summer?
Summer: I own a clothing boutique in La Jolla called SummerElizabeth.
JK: SummerElizabeth.com!
Summer: I am totally devoted to it. I love my clients. Jesse’s taken a passion to it as well.
Are both of you living in the area?
JK: We just got a place together in San Diego.
So no geographically undesirable problems?
JK: There was for a little bit but not now.
Any plans for Valentine’s Day?
JK: I’m looking forward to it. I’ve never spent Valentine’s Day with someone I’ve felt so strongly about so this is kind of a cool time for me. This is all new and exciting for me so I am looking forward to eating chocolates and playing around with some roses.
Name of winery?
JK: KovacsBrothers, kovacsbrothers.com. The book is called The Young and the Thirsty.
JUAN BARBIERI
What have you been doing?
JB: I’m happy to say that I’ve been working, working with the family business. We’ve been really busy after a couple of dreadfully slow years.
I got a house in Los Feliz that I bought and I’ve remodeled it. It’s really nice and I’ve just got a new puppy, Berkeley, that I rescued. I found her in the street and she’s four months and she’s deaf. She’s just the most docile, the sweetest, just the most beautiful dog you’ve ever seen and I’m not a dog person.
This is my first dog ever.
How do you train a deaf puppy?
JB: It’s ironic, I used to watch a lot of Cesar Milan (Dog Whisperer) so I was actually prepared when I had a dog and I took this dog in. Dogs live with their nose, eyes and then their ears so it’s actually the last thing they really use. So you do hand signals, treats and food. She’s so smart. I get a little frustrated when she doesn’t turn around but … she does fine and she’s my first dog so I don’t know any different.
So, post reality show, how has life changed? Do you regret doing it?
JB: I certainly don’t regret it. That’s why I agreed to do The Bachelorette in the first place, because I knew whether I came across not well, people’s attention spans are so short that within six months, no one would remember anything about it anyway, so I knew I would regret not doing it if I turned it down so it was a risk I was willing to take.
I had such a great time meeting all the contestants and there were a lot of people behind the scenes that you spent a lot of time with. Luckily I live in LA so I get to spend time and keep in touch with them. But absolutely not a regret. I was really naïve going into it. I never once thought about what would happen after the show came out. I didn’t understand what it would be like to be recognized, have opportunities to do things, go to charities, travel or all the invitations that you are given or things that you are given. I really didn’t think about that. I didn’t think about how popular the show was.
Did you even watch the show before?
JB: I did actually. I always watched the show before I got involved. I had girlfriends who were fans of the show, hooked on it.
You said people have a short attention span. Do people still recognize you?
JB: Yeah, actually, less than before obviously. There’s new shows, new people.
Did anyone ever say weird, off-the-cuff, humorous stuff to you as a result of this fame?
JB: Oh, I don’t know. I have fun with people. Sometimes they can’t exactly place me. They’ll know my face and think we’re old college buddies or something and I’ll say, `ok, what’s your name and I will say I’m Juan and a light bulb will go off. They’ll say they still can’t place me but they know me and they know my name is Juan. So I kind of toy with him.
You watching this season?
JB: I am.
What are your thoughts on Brad?
JB: He’s a lucky guy. He gets to do it twice? That’s ridiculous. I would kill to do it once and he got to do it twice. We did a ‘Bachelor’ charity event, bringing awareness to the Red Cross. I donated blood for the first time. I got to meet Brad and he’s just a real nice guy. Unfortunately, he couldn’t hang out with us because he’s still under lock and key.
So life after reality TV is good?
JB: Yeah, I’m a little bit older some of the guys so I have responsibility. I’m a little bit more, I guess, grounded. If I had gone through this experience when I was 27 or 28, I’m sure I’d be a lot different. I’d be partying and going a little crazy and running around and stuff but I’m a lot older than some of the guys so I have other priorities.
Christina
great article!