Is there life after the Bachelor/Bachelorette? Apparently so, and while for some it leads to bigger and better things, like Melissa Rycroft who went on to Dancing With the Stars and Good Morning America, for others does it turn into “same as it ever was”…or worse?
Deanna Pappas, who was my favorite Bachelorette at the time, chose Colorado snowboarder Jesse Csincsak during her season, then dumped him. She moved to LA, went on to host a cable show about weddings based in Atlanta , was on TV some more as a commentator during Jason and then Jillian’s season, but hasn’t had much of a high profile the past few months — other than for dating the twin brother of one of Jillian’s rejected contestants.
Did she move back to her native Georgia and return to selling real estate? Hardly. According to E!, she’s still in L.A., and she’s bartending. (She was a bartender in Georgia back in college.) The place: The Tea Room at H.wood.
So, is it a step down from the Bachelorette to bartending? I don’t think so, here’s why.
Deanna has always wanted to get married and loved the glitz and glam. The bar she’s pouring drinks for is frequented by some pretty big stars, from Leonard DiCaprio to Adam Lambert, Kate Perry, and more. Although she’s currently dating someone, that could change, and this would be a great way for her to meet, and maybe even fall in love with a rich and sexy guy.
And it’s certainly not a full-time job. The place is only open on Wednesday nights.
This super hush-hush enclave is the brainchild of Jean Paul Rodriguez, the Alliance promoter who has likely turned you away from celeb-favored spots including Teddy’s, My House and Crown Bar at some point in your scene-seeking travels. Only in it’s second week of operation, Tea Room is open solely on Wednesday nights–for now.
To me, it sounds like it’s meant to be a fun job — hardly a drop in “life station.”
As for what Jesse’s been up to, he’s got a TV co-hosting gig during the Olympics coming up, for the AP show, Beyond the Medal. You can watch a segment here. He’ll be filming another episode of MTV MADE where he teaches someone to snowboard. He also continues to appear at charity events to raise money for various groups, and hold reunions with former Bach/ette contestants. His home base is still Breckenridge.
So Deanna seems intent on bright lights, big city, having fun and star-power. Jesse has been quietly building his fan base on Facebook and Twitter and working hard to turn his snowboarding creds into a sports media career,while carefully crafting a wholesome image. In this sense, for Deanna, it’s same as it ever was. For Jesse, he’s way ahead of where he started before the Bachelorette, and while he’s not a rocket like Melissa, I think he’s on his way.