'Bachelorette': Goodbye Charlotte, hello narcissism

Boy, it’s a good thing ABC moved production of “The Bachelorette” to Charlotte this season. The flight to Bermuda is a lot shorter from CLT than it is from LAX.

After what seemed to amount to a couple of nights in Emily Maynard’s hometown, where producers agreed to set up shop to accommodate their new star’s desire to minimize disruption in her 6-year-old daughter’s life, host Chris Harrison gleefully tells the 13 remaining bachelors at the beginning of Monday night’s episode: “Pack your bags because you’ll be leaving this mansion forever!”

 “Emily has already left Charlotte,” he says, and is playing croquet, flying kites and spinning around on a hilltop in paradise with Ricki, having what appears to be much more fun than she’s had with any of her suitors.

This week involves three dates:

• A one-on-one date with Doug in which they go boutique shopping, sample cakes, try perfumes, making us wonder whether he is the perfect boyfriend or a gigantic sycophant. At dinner, he tells Emily his greatest flaws are that he spends too much time with his son and won’t wash her car very often, so we are leaning heavily toward the latter. He gets a rose anyway.

• A group date involving Arie, Jef, Kalon and Ryan, who narrowly defeat Charlie, Chris, Sean and Travis in a urinating contest disguised as a sailboat race. Arie gets to make out on the beach with her, Jef doesn’t, Kalon must have articulated nothing of interest at all in Bermuda because he gets almost zero screen time, Ryan gets his share of screen time and then some while babbling platitudes about depth and good timing and communication skills (in speeches that lead us to believe he has none of the above). Emily gives Jef the rose, perhaps to keep Arie from getting too big a head.

• A two-on-one date involving a guy whose nickname is “Wolf” and a kid named Nate. Neither do much that’s memorable beyond turning their noses up at quinoa, then Emily flips a mental coin and sends Nate on his way.

The biggest trend emerging is that apparently crying is a bad omen. Charlie cries in the van on the way back to the hotel after his team’s loss (my mind reels as it tries to comprehend why); he does not get a rose and is sent home. Nate cries while telling Emily about his awesome brother (why his bro is awesome isn’t clear); he does not get a rose and is sent home. Michael cries after he is eliminated, although maybe it’s just because his ponytail is too tight.

Meanwhile, Chris – who has a superiority complex because he’s the most mature 25-year-old on the planet – gets annoyed at Doug. Doug – who has a superiority complex because he’s the only dad in the group – gets annoyed with Arie. Arie – who has a superiority complex because he’s fairly level-headed and most of the other guys are toolbags – gets annoyed at Ryan. And Ryan … well, Ryan has a superiority complex, too. Titanic-sized one. But see, he's just doing his due diligence. As he does his due diligence, Ryan says things like “I personally feel like God has blessed me in a lot of ways. I’m romantic, I’m athletic and a charming guy, all those things.”

And “I guess guys do see me at the head of the pack, a guy they have to beat out. Sometimes actually I feel sorry for them.” And “I’m a good catch, and I think that other guys see that.”

Next week, the group heads to London, where Emily gets angry at someone and tells them to “Get the ---- out.” Please, please, PLEASE let it be Ryan.

Hey, ladies: Want to be on 'The Bachelor'?

To all the women out there who have been watching Emily Maynard this season on "The Bachelorette" and longing to follow in her footsteps (i.e. look for love under the watchful eye of millions of Americans): Time to show casting directors for the series what you've got.

From 5-9 p.m. Thursday, the Suite nightclub in uptown's EpiCentre (210 E. Trade St.) will host open casting calls for the upcoming season of "The Bachelor" on ABC.

All applicants must be 21 years or older, and cannot be involved in a committed intimate relationship. Duh.

To get a jump start on the casting process, click here. Otherwise, just show up looking your best. Or -- if this season of "The Bachelorette" provides any insight -- maybe bring an ostrich egg. Or dress up as an old man. You never know what ABC (or the guy of your dreams) will fall for...

Justin Bieber tickets on sale Saturday

It seems too early to be making plans for 2013 already, but if you're a Justin Bieber fan, and you're hoping to see him perform in Charlotte next January, this is the weekend to start making your plans.

Tickets for Bieber's "Believe Tour" -- which stops at Time Warner Cable Arena on Jan. 22 -- go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday through timewarnercablearena.com, ticketmaster.com, the arena box office, all Ticketmaster outlets (including select Wal-Mart stores), and charge by phone at 800-745-3000.

A few things to note about the show:

Carly Rae Jepsen is scheduled to open. She's got the biggest hit of the spring to her credit right now -- "Call Me Maybe." Once it gets stuck in your head, you can't get it out of there for days.

It's a school night (Jan. 22 is a Tuesday), so kids, plan to be up past your regular bedtime.

Also, tickets are $82.15 for upper level seats and $99.05 for lower level and floor seats, if you're wondering how significantly his concert is going to break your piggy bank. 

If you are a truly hardcore Bieber fan (and most are -- people either love him or hate him), you can go for the Justin Bieber VIP Meet & Greet Experience. Cost is $425, includes a premium reserved seat, exclusive Bieber merchandise, a souvenir program or photobook, the meet and greet, a photo opportunity with Justin, and an autographed vinyl copy of his new album. Not his phone number, though. Sorry, girls.

Mint Museum on next episode of 'Bachelorette'

Charlotte was all over last Monday's episode of "The Bachelorette," which this year moved here to accommodate Emily Maynard and her 6-year-old daughter, Ricki.

She and one of her dates were featured dining at Osso Restaurant & Lounge at the NC Music Factory, then dancing on the venue's outdoor plaza (as country band Gloriana played). Later in the episode, she and several of her suitors attended a fundraiser starring the Muppets at Booth Playhouse in uptown Charlotte.

Next week, the Mint Museum Uptown gets a big moment in the spotlight.

 

Maynard and one of the bachelors vying for her heart will scale the exterior of the five-story building using harnesses, rigging and climbing ropes, then dine on the rooftop -- an area normally off-limits to the public. After dinner, they strolled down the middle of Tryon Street and were serenaded by country artist Luke Bryan and his band at the closed-down intersection of Trade and Tryon.

According to a Mint Museum press release, filming for "The Bachelorette" "involved a lengthy cooperative process between the Mint, the city of Charlotte, Wells Fargo, and 'The Bachelorette's' producers. The museum has been a favorite target of location scouts in recent months, with other television series and independent films also shooting scenes at the Mint."

The Mint's moment on "The Bachelorette" will air at 8 p.m. Monday on ABC.

'Hunger Games' fans: District 12 is for sale

If you're going through "Hunger Games" withdrawal now that you've read the trilogy multiple times and seen the movie version over and over, there's a unique way to tide you over till the second movie comes out in November 2013. All you need is about a million bucks (give or take).

The Henry River Mill Village property in Hildebran, which stood in for "District 12" in LionsGate's post-apocalyptic film this spring, will be sold via sealed bids this summer through the auction house Profiles in History. Estimated value? More than $1.2 million.

The 72-acre abandoned mill town, home of fictional spots like the Hob and the area known as the Seam, will be featured on the Syfy channel's "Hollywood Treasure" series at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, June 5. According to a press release, "Viewers will be able to watch (Profiles in History owner) Joe (Maddalena) and his team visiting 'District 12' ... as Joe is able to get the owner to entrust him to sell this 'collectors dream.'"


“The Hunger Games,” which was filmed entirely in North Carolina, is based on Suzanne Collins’ bestselling book series about a girl who volunteers to take her sister’s place in a televised death match against other children. The film, which starred Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, was a box-office smash, earning more than $635 million worldwide to date. The property exists exactly as it is seen in the film, from the bakery owned by Peeta Mellark's family to the house where Katniss Everdeen and her sister Prim lived.

If you're interested, just make sure to raise the cash fast: The bidding deadline is July 31, 2012. May the odds be ever in your favor ... since we're assuming most of you would have to win the Powerball to afford this piece of movie memorabilia.

The Los Angeles Times contributed to this report.

Tony Lucca to perform in Concord

Singer-songwriter Tony Lucca will perform a live acoustic set at the Event Center of Concord (10099 Weddington Road, Suite 138) at 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 25 .

Tickets for his Concord show are on sale exclusively through the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau Information Center located at 10099 Weddington Road, Suite 102, in Concord. Tickets are $15. Must be 21 or older to purchase, Call 1-800-848-3740 to order or for more details, check outwww.VisitCabarrus.com

A peek inside 'The Bachelorette' mansion

Want to sneak a look at the "Bachelorette" mansion, where Emily Maynard's suitors stayed while they were in Charlotte for the series' taping? The address -- 16424 Marvin Road -- is easy to pinpoint on a map, and a ridiculously short (4-minute) drive from Ballantyne Village in South Charlotte.

But most people will never see it.

Not surprisingly, a black iron gate will greet anyone trying to get into the private community in which the 12,000-square-foot house is nestled, although if you could get through ... it's the second house on the left.

I got a chance to tour the $5.9 million Mediterranean-style residence on Tuesday thanks to Peters & Associates, Inc., the brokerage firm that is listing the property for owner Sajjan Dhaliwal of Jas-Am Group. The house, built in 2006 at a cost of $8 million, has been on the market for more than three years.

It's easy to see why ABC selected this home from the moment you walk through the front door and into the massive foyer (featured prominently in Monday night's premiere, as Emily greeted each of the 25 men). To the immediate left is the "grand ballroom" where the rose ceremonies took place, with its 20-foot-tall marble fireplace, mahogany trim, and gold flaking ("It's actually melted-down gold, and hand painted," broker Nick Peters told us).

Among many, many jaw-dropping features: a media room upstairs that had to have been 1,000 square feet -- so big that the billiards table in the middle of it looked remarkably tiny; the backyard pool fed by a 15-foot-wide waterfall and flanked by stone elephants; an elevator large enough for six people; and silk window treatments throughout the house that cost, all together, more than $400,000.

In addition to the rose ceremony room, I got to see the backyard swing sofa where Emily took multiple guys for private conversations and the dark-mahogany-toned room off the master suite where she gave Doug the First Impression Rose.

Nothing about this place is typical. Solid wool carpeting that cost $50 a square. ("Normal carpeting in a house is gonna range from $2 to $3 a square foot," Peters said.) A completely soundproof room behind the media room, with its own half bath. ("Their son plays guitars and drums. Close that door, you can't hear it anywhere in the house.") Restored bathroom tiles that came from an old building in India, at a cost of $180 a tile. A urinal in the men's room off the dining room.

On Monday night's premiere episode of "The Bachelorette," one of the men showed up late, arriving in his own private helicopter. The other guys groaned that it was overkill, excessive, over-the-top. Ironic, considering that -- at least on camera -- they didn't make a similar remark about the house itself.

Check out Observer photographer Todd Sumlin's photos of the "Bachelorette" mansion here.