Average Joe Reject's Revenge
You had to know this was coming... Last year, Average Joe fans saw Adam Mesh jilted by Melana in favor of pretty boy Jason. The rejection smarted, since this show's supposed to give nerdy non-lookers a chance to get the girl. Later, NBC offered Adam the same consolation prize ABC gave Bob Guiney after Trista's diss — his own dating show! Yes, it's Average Joe 3: Adam Returns. But as the Wall Street day trader previously told TV Guide Online, he's loathe to trade his lovable underdog image for a sleazy pig rep like Bachelor Bob. Is Adam selling out? Let's grill him and see!
TV Guide Online: Uh-oh. Are you in danger of becoming Bachelor Bob?
Adam Mesh: I am definitely in a position now where I could do that, but I hope not. As Spider-Man said, "With great power comes great responsibility." [Laughs] So I really hope I make the right decisions. I will reserve any gratuitous make-out scenes for girls I really like. I would like to kiss someone special — not just do it for the sake of making out, while people are eating their dinners in front of the TV. Nobody wants to see you do that with 10 different people.
TVGO: Um, some do, but that's why there's a Spice Channel.
Mesh: Or they can go to Mardi Gras!
TVGO: Besides avoiding the make-out madness, how will you escape Bob's fate?
Mesh: I'll just be myself. In The Bachelorette, Bob was the insecure, funny guy making jokes about himself. Then, in the next show, he did a total personality transformation like, "Oh, look how cool I am." I won't make out with a girl and lead her on if I don't like her. I'll treat her with respect.
TVGO: The show's title — Average Joe 3: Adam Returns — sounds like...
Mesh: A horror movie! The producers flew me out to L.A., put me up in a hotel and said we want you to do another show. It didn't seem like the best idea because everyone thinks so highly of me now. Why would I want to go be in a position where they might think less of me? But they made it seem like a dream scenario. When people are gonna work that hard to make your life exciting and interesting, it's hard to turn down!
TVGO: Alright, what are they paying you to do this?
Mesh: No, they don't pay you. They can't. It's, like, against the rules of reality.
TVGO: But they have to "reimburse you for expenses" like they did Melana, right?
Mesh: They don't have to, but yeah. It's not fair for me to pay rent in New York when I'm living in California and not working. [Editor's Note: Average Joe 3 is taping this month in the same Palm Springs mansion where Melana's edition was set.]
TVGO: Do you fear a twist? You could end up dating Average Janes instead of Melana-like models.
Mesh: I know I'll have fun no matter what, but they said their goal is to give me a happy ending. So if they bring in girls on the sole basis that they're not good-looking, I don't think that would help their cause.
TVGO: Sure, but you know Average Joe has to zing you somehow.
Mesh: I've been told it's girls I'm gonna like. [Cracking up.] I don't know on what basis they're determining that! If they want this to be realistic, I don't need models or Miss Missouri. I'd like regular girls who are cute with good personalities. I just hope those creative producers doesn't test them too much. I hope they don't offer them money to walk off the show, like on For Love or Money!
TVGO: Are you seeking true love or just having a month of fun?
Mesh: Number 2. I'm 28 years old. I'm not like, "Please find me a wife!" It's a great opportunity when NBC wants to give you your own show. I've always loved having crushes on girls and interacting with them. And I'm open to finding the right girl, but if I do, it's just an added bonus... It would be nice. My two best friends from college have little girls already.
TVGO: Last question. Are you watching Melana's GSN show, The World Series of Blackjack?
Mesh: Uh... no. If it were poker, I would watch.
