The Bachelorette
Special to Page 2

It was kind of like the social equivalent of losing the Super Bowl.

Trista Rehn
Trista Rehn is looking for a man who can make decisions.
One of 25 contestants looking for love on the first season of ABC's reality dating show "The Bachelor," Trista Rehn made it all the way to the final two contestants -- only to have Mr. Bachelor, Alex Michel, pick the other woman.

But don't shed any tears for Trista, a 29-year-old physical therapist, she'll get her man eventually. She has been selected as the subject for the premiere of "The Bachelorette" tonight (9 ET, ABC). Page 2's Eric Neel caught up with Rehn and asked her about being in the driver's seat.

1. Page 2: You were a Miami Heat dancer, right? What was the best part of that gig for you?

Trista Rehn: Yeah. Dancing is one of my passions, so, of course, dancing and performing were the best parts of the job. Plus, being courtside ... I mean, seeing the guys up close, and having Michael Jordan nearly step on your leg ... that's pretty cool.

What was the worst part of the job?

Rehn: I have a bad back. I have two herniated discs, so the pain was the worst part. Our rehearsal schedule was pretty grueling. We rehearse Monday through Thursday, two to three hours a night, and I had a full-time job at the time.

2. Can dancers on the court hear lewd comments made by guys in the stands?

Rehn: Oh yes! Oh yes! Lots of words that your mom doesn't want you to hear. It's not all the time, but yeah, it definitely happens.

3. Is basketball your favorite sport?

Rehn: I love basketball, but I'm also a football girl.

Who do you root for?

Rehn: Are you kidding? The Dolphins!

4. What are you looking for in a man?

Trista Rehn
Now it's Trista calling the shots.
Rehn: I'm looking for someone who is intelligent, who's confident, who's a manly man. Someone who will take care of me and make decisions like where we go for dinner. Somebody who will make me laugh -- which is not that hard to do. Somebody who's adventurous -- I love to travel. I definitely want a family some day, so somebody who's interested in having children. Physically fit, so somebody who's into fitness.

What are your pet peeves? What will cause you to "cut" a guy immediately?

Rehn: If I find out he's lied to me, or if I feel he's not being genuine.

What if he squeezes the toothpaste in the middle of the tube?

Rehn: Oh, I don't care.

What would you say is your own biggest weakness?

Rehn: Ooooooh, well, I think in relationships I tend to think that the guy is going to know what I'm thinking. I expect the guy to know that I should be the No. 1 priority, and not a basketball game.

What would you say is your greatest hidden talent or strength?

Rehn: I'm intensely loyal and very, very affectionate.

Can you describe an ideal first date?

Michael Jordan
Nothing beats an up-close look at MJ's bald head.
Rehn: I love a guy who will make the decisions. If he plans an entire evening, it doesn't even matter where we go.

What's the most original thing a guy has said or done to impress you?

Rehn: Well, there were quite a few things after the show ... a guy sent me a package at work -- I guess he found out I liked Bebe stuff -- he sent me a Bebe towel, a DVD of "Message in a Bottle," and he typed a two-page letter and rolled it up and put it in a bottle.

You mentioned Michael Jordan earlier, what do you like about him?

Rehn: His bald head! He's got a great smile. I mean, please, he's Michael Jordan, what more do I need to say?!

5. What's your favorite movie?

Rehn: I really like "Shawshank Redemption" ... "Grease" and I also love "Pretty Woman."

Do you have a favorite sports movie?

Rehn: What is that one ... in Indiana ...

"Hoosiers"?

Rehn: I've never seen that one. I was gonna say the bike movie.

Oh, "Breaking Away" -- good call.

Rehn: That's it! I love that movie. I also like the one with Keanu Reeves and the cheerleaders -- "The Replacements."

Other than "The Bachelorette," of course, what's the best show on television?

Rehn: Right now, actually, I don't even have a TV hooked up. And I'm bumming, because I'm a TV person. I love "Friends," "Alias," "The Practice," and I love "Will and Grace."

Hoosiers
Just because she's from Indiana doesn't mean Rehn has seen "Hoosiers."
What are the three top CDs playing in your stereo these days?

Rehn: I have mixes mostly. I love Lenny Kravitz, I love Brandy. I like hip-hop music, but I'm also, like, a Janet Jackson, Madonna freak.

6. Do you want a big blowout wedding or a small, informal affair?

Rehn: You know, the older I get, the more I don't want to worry about a big wedding. I still have dreams of being a princess for a day and having that huge wedding I've dreamed about. But I think the older I get, the more I'm leaning toward, "let's go to the beach and have a small ceremony with friends."

With a day off, would you rather go rock climbing or sunbathing on a beach?

Rehn: Definitely a sunbather!

Would you rather eat a gourmet meal out at a restaurant or cook one at home?

Rehn: Eat out. I am so not a cook!

What's your favorite word?

Rehn: Plethora.

What's your least favorite word?

Rehn: Oh, I can't say it. It's not a word I can say on ESPN.com. I don't even want to say it, because it grosses me out. Never mind.

Is it the word no man should ever use?

Wally Szczerbiak
When it comes to guys from the sports world, Wally Szczerbiak makes Rehn's list.
Rehn: Exactly! No person should ever use it.

7. If you could hand-pick bachelors from the sports world to be contestants on "The Bachelorette," who would you pick?

Rehn: Hmmmmm! Jordan is on the list. Who's that guy from the Minnesota Timberwolves? Wally Szczerbiak. I love him! And A-Rod, and ... I need a football player ... I used to like Troy Aikman and, no, no, no, put Jason Taylor!

8. Would you rather have the strength of 100 women, the ability to fly, or the ability to make yourself invisible ... and why?

Rehn: Ooooooh, oh my god, that's hard ... are you talking strength like physical strength? All right, I want to be invisible. How cool would it be to be a fly on the wall? What I loved about "The Bachelor" is that I got to go watch other girls' dates.

9. If someone gave you a million dollars tomorrow, what would you do with it?

Rehn: Pay off my student loans! Then buy my mom a Mercedes convertible, and travel, and pay off my credit card bills.

10. Hypothetical: Your boyfriend's been watching football for seven hours straight and now he wants to watch the ESPN Sunday night game. How do you get him off the couch?

Rehn: Oh, I can get him off the couch (laughs).






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