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[01/11/05 - 12:00 AM]
Oxygen Seeks Gorgeous Guy to Grace the Covers of Harlequin Romance Novels
[via press release from Oxygen]

OXYGEN SEEKS GORGEOUS GUY TO GRACE THE COVERS OF HARLEQUIN ROMANCE NOVELS

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Oxygen�s Newest Comedy/Reality Series, Mr. Romance, Awards Appearances on Romance Book Covers, Premieres Monday, March 14 at 10:00 PM*

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LOS ANGELES, January 11, 2005 � The tension is palpable as Oxygen turns a comic eye on the search for the next Fabio. Mr. Romance, created by Gene Simmons of KISS, chronicles the trials and tribulations of aspiring Adonises who compete to see just who will grace the cover of the next Harlequin romance novel. The show, premiering Monday, March 14 at 10:00 p.m. features 12 beefy guys who enter a veritable �romance boot camp� and prepare to compete in the Mr. Romance man-pageant. The winner walks away with guaranteed appearances on Harlequin romance book covers and a $50,000 cash prize.

Cameras roll for five one-hour episodes and a two-hour finale as twelve participants train to strike the pose, walk the catwalk and sculpt their bodies into temples worthy of worship. Viewers will be left breathless and begging for more as their future knight in shining armor gets lessons in seduction and kissing for the camera. With no elimination until the final pageant, the season finale dramatically culminates with a grand man-pageant in front of a live, all-female studio audience and a panel of celebrity judges/guests and romance professionals, including Fabio, Gene Simmons and TV personality Tina Malave.

Comedian Fred Willard of Best in Show and Anchorman also joins the finale as a pageant commentator, similar to those of more traditional televised beauty pageants. Alongside Fabio and Malave, Willard provides the TV audience with color commentary punctuated by his notable humor and satiric observations.

Fabio, featured on the covers of over 1,000 romance titles, acts as a role model throughout the series, providing the contestants the inside knowledge and know-how on what it takes woo and charm the ladies. Whether making a gallant entrance on his white horse or dishing out words of wisdom, Fabio adds a flavorful and fun approach to finding the newest romance novel cover model.

Cindy Guyer, who has appeared on more romance novel covers than any other model, acts as the �headmistress of the romance academy.� Guyer, the former model for Nancy Drew book covers, has appeared on over 2,000 national magazines and book covers.

�We love this show because it�s funny, affectionate and sexy�all at the same time. It�s a funny take on a fairytale land,� said Debby Beece, President of Programming for Oxygen Media. �We want to paint a portrait of the quirky world of male modeling competitions�chronicling these men, not mocking them�giving women a glimpse into the absurd and the serious side of what it takes to get on the cover of a Harlequin Romance Novel.�

The Greif Company (Lifetime�s Intimate Portraits, Headliners & Legends) and Jude Weng (The Mole 3 and The Next Action Hero) are the series� producers.

About Oxygen Media

Oxygen Media is a 24-hour cable television network that puts a fresh spin on television for women. Oxygen airs a diverse array of original series including the spontaneous, unscripted, daily Oprah After the Show, the hidden camera prank show Girls Behaving Badly, and the live call-in show Talk Sex with Sue Johanson. Oxygen is also the home base for Ellen DeGeneres with the acquisition of her hit talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show and sitcom Ellen. Oxygen airs more original programming and delivers the youngest audience of all the women�s networks. Founded in 1998, the network is independently owned and now available in 54 million cable households. Oxygen Media also owns and operates www.oxygen.com.





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· ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW, THE (SYNDICATION)
· MOLE, THE (ABC)
· MR. ROMANCE (OXYGEN)
· NEXT ACTION STAR, THE (NBC)




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