TV Party Tonight: The Bachelorette Does AC

In more reality TV news, there’s an Atlantic City hook for tonight’s episode of “The Bachelorette” and free drinks for those who don’t mind being seen watching “The Bachelorette” in public.

If you, like me, watched “The Bachelorette” on ABC last week and cringed when you realized that the whole Lone Ranger dress-up charade was just a lead-in to a commercial for the Lone Ranger movie being released by ABC’s conjoined twin Disney, then you, too, might have learned a sick little lesson about reality shows: nothing happens by accident. So it’s with this newly acquired jaded viewpoint that we speculate that Desiree and her suitors ended up in Atlantic City for this week’s episode not by whimsy but by slick tourism marketing pitches and, perhaps, an incentive or two.

Does it really matter? Maybe only to people who truly believe that a woman can find her soul mate from among a group of focus-group-tested meatheads on a TV dating show. But for our part, it’s just another reminder that the machinations of giant media corporations really do rule EVERYTHING.

Still, if you’re able to see your way past this grumpy harrumph, then by all means take yourself to Chez Colette tonight at 7:30 for a viewing party hosted by the AC Alliance, the people who ask you to “Do AC.” One of four ACA viewing parties held in its target markets of AC, Philly, NYC and Baltimore, our local event features an appearance by William Holman of The Bachelorette Season 7 and Bachelor Pad Season 2 (whom I frankly don’t remember but whose pictures show him looking pretty hot in a clean-cut, boyish way).

What does this have to do with food? Upon reflection, not a lot. But you can eat and drink well at Chez Colette, and the first 100 people through the door will get two complimentary drinks, specials on the “Desitini” vodka martini, access to a candy bar featuring salt water taffy from the Shore, and samples of the light menu from Sofitel’s other restaurant, Liberte. And of course, you can watch Des smooch half her “boyfriends” at places like James’ Candy (which is supplying the taffy for the candy bar) and Tony’s Baltimore Grill.

“TV Party” by Black Flag [Youtube]