Ex-Bookseller Plays the Dating Game

by Judith Rosen, PW Daily -- Publishers Weekly, 3/31/2006

What's a bookish New England guy to do, when two out of the three bookstores he works for close—Waterstone's and WordsWorth Books? And after moving to New York the only publishing job he can find involves writing copy for Victoria's Secret? If he's former events coordinator Jim Behrle—who has since become associate publicist at Overlook Press—he trolls Craig's list for possibilities and answers an ad for VH1's new reality show to debut next month, Can't Get a Date?

"I was looking for jobs in early February last year and the show was looking for people," explained 33-year-old Behrle. If it wasn't exactly a match made in heaven, it was definitely a respite from checking that the mike works and that there's plenty of fresh water at author readings. Taped over the course of several months, Behrle had to participate in VH1's exercise boot camp; grow out his hair and shave it off; and find a woman willing to go on a seven-hour first date filmed for TV. There are no roses á là The Bachelor, although Behrle does give his lady friend, who has since moved across the country, a sunflower. And those who tune in to VH1 in advance of Behrle's April 22 episode (at midnight Eastern), may see a teaser of the publicist for playwright Edward Albee and espionage writer Charles McCarry on his bed in the buff.

So far the tips of the show's host haven't paid off in a steady relationship. "They want to bring me back for another date," Behrle said. Frankly, he adds, he's much more excited about the April 2 New York Times Book Review for McCarry's The Last Supper that questions, "Was le Carre really #1—or is another espionage master lurking in the shadows who might be deserving of the palm?"