'Bachelor,' 'Bachelorette' auditions bring out all types looking for love
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Auditions are being held across the country this summer for potential contestants on future seasons of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette."
The events bring all kinds of people looking for love, and there is clearly no shortage of people who want to try out for reality TV.
"I don't think it's such a far-fetched idea," attendee Brittany McCrorey said. "People find love on the 7 train, on an airplane, at the dog groomer. Why not 'The Bachelor'?"
McCrorey said current Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay has inspired her.
"It just meant a lot for me to see someone that looks like me doing something amazing on TV," she said. "She's probably the reason I'm here."
The reasons they come are many and varied, but bartender Maddie Charles was clear about why she took the time.
"Because New York dating is awful and has not worked out one bit," she said. "So I'm giving this a shot."
It is what's called an open casting call.
"We're looking for girls and guys who are single, of course, and are at least 21 years old and who are willing to take a leap of faith," casting producer Malissa Chappius said.
The applications collected there and in other cities are sent to Los Angeles, where producers review brief tapes before selecting a few dozen for further consideration.
The women outnumbered the men, but fans of the franchise didn't seem to mind.
"It started with my mom and sister forcing me to watch," attendee Mark Gianfalla said. "Now I watch it with my buddies, probably too frequently."
Some viewers looking to try out brought friends with them for moral support.
"I bring the mints and make sure she looks good," said Augustina Bartha, with her friend Litania Colon.
Colon is one of a diverse group of contestants hoping to appear.
"She made me come here," she said of Bartha. "She's tired of listening to me complaining about why I'm single, and she'd rather me complain about my husband instead."
"The Bachelorette" airs Monday nights at 8 p.m. on ABC7.
