"Chick Chat" with Chad Schlee 1/30/04 LINDA: Happy Friday....Chad Schlee is back...should've been back yesterday, but as you know we were up in Toronto (Winter City 2004)....we had a great time....was a little nippy up there....gotta see the Diana Exhibit up there. But, first things first....we got the "Chad Exhibit" here this morning. [Chad laughing] Chad Schlee is back. Alright, you made the cut Wednesday night... CHAD: I made the cut again. Yes it was another dramatic one. She changed things up and went from 6 to 7 roses instead. LINDA: Yeah, so she decided number 7. She didn't want to dismiss him because she said there was a little bit of an attraction. But you didn't have to worry about being #7; you were, what? Number 2 or Number 3? CHAD: Number 3, yes, so yeah she got me out of the way quick....which was nice....let me relax real early. LINDA: Are you getting to know these guys a little better now? CHAD: Yeah, it's a great group of guys, and as she cuts it down further and further, from like 10 down to 7 now, you can see the personalities become more and more similar. LINDA: Yeah. CHAD: First the 15....they were more all over the board, but now you're really starting to see the guys that, you know, have the same personalities. LINDA: Didn't someone like...pitch a hissy fit or something? When he didn't get a rose? What was that all about? CHAD: Yeah, he was very upset at the rose ceremony. It was actually Ryan right there.[conversation continues during video clip of "rose ceremony"] He turned his back on the film.... LINDA: That's not good. I don't want to see a guy crying for something like that.... CHAD: He threw a fit.....he threw his Chapstick into the woods and, uh [Linda laughing]..... yeah, so it didn't go over too well. LINDA: He didn't look too happy.....the blonde guy there [Linda commenting on video shot] CHAD: He's very intense, Matt....he just wants the rose real bad. LINDA: But, I mean, aren't these guys going out with somebody else before they get on the show? I can't believe all these guys are dateless. CHAD: Yeah, no, as far as I know....going into the show, none of them had girlfriends, so.... LINDA: Wow, they probably had 15 women on the set crew, hoping these guys would get dismissed.... So, you're back in. CHAD: I'm back in, yes, and I'm looking forward to next week. You know, we had another party at Gabels again, which was great. Family and friends showed up, and, uh, it seems like each Wednesday it's really bad weather. But everybody keeps making it out. LINDA: Well, that's good, that's good. CHAD: Yeah. LINDA: You know, you're beating the odds in the "Chad Pool"....you know that, don't you? CHAD: Uh oh. LINDA: This has been a lot of fun....it's great. CHAD: Yeah, it's been a lot of fun. It's having a good time with it all...next week should be a really good episode, because now they're going on more individual dates....so that's a good chance that I'll finally get my one-on-one time with Meredith....and instead of just being on a group date. I can finally spend some time with her. LINDA: A group date.....oh, man! CHAD: You know, we'll hopefully see that. So, I've been on two group dates, so hopefully next week is my week. LINDA: I hope so. You're in the paper today... CHAD: I haven't seen that. LINDA: Yes, yes. Mr. Allan Pergament wrote, actually, very nice....nothing at the end, like usually, but so far, so good. [my comment: I guess Allan Pergament is know for knocking people] Another phone call for Chad Schlee....'Good morning' and happy Friday. CALLER: Hi. This is Robin from Springville. I'm calling to see if Chad ever goes on "The Bachelorette" boards to see what they say about him? LINDA: Ooooh.... CALLER: They say lots of nice things! CHAD: Uh, well, you know, I try to steer away from it, just in case there's a couple bad things on there. But, the first couple times....before maybe the first episode, I would go on and check the board, but my sisters and mother keep me updated on everything that's going on....on the boards....so, they try to give me the nice stuff. LINDA: Yeah, stay away from it. CHAD: Yeah, I definitely try to stay away. LINDA: Stay away from it, for now. It'll be fun to read when it's all over. No sense going there. Another phone call for Chad Schlee....hello? CALLER: Hi Chad.....thanks for doing such a great job representing Buffalo. First of all, I want to know why they didn't put you in a Sabres jersey when you were on the ice? CHAD: Well you saw my skating abilities, so that's why....I wouldn't represent well... CALLER: I'd like to know, like on the show, they seem to represent you as more, not outgoing, laid back and hardly even showed you on the show Wednesday night. Do they make that just....do they do that just for TV purposes to kind of keep you guessing, or were you more reserved? LINDA: Yeah, it's making us all start to think now. They're not putting you on as much---that you're the underdog. CHAD: That's what a lot of people are starting to....you know, they edit it the way they want to edit it. You know, and I do consider myself to be laid back, and just kind of relaxed. I'm, basically on the show I've been the 'credit guy.' At the very end when the credits start to come up, I tell a funny story, or an embarrassing story, and then uh, you know, that's my part, so.... I don't know. We'll just have to see what happens next week, and hopefully I'll get more air time. LINDA: Well I'm anxious to see how the show does nationally, because in Buffalo, obviously, when you look at the nightly ratings, it's winning the ratings. Everybody wants to know how Chad from Buffalo is doing in Buffalo. So, does a big cheer go up at Gabels everytime you make it on? CHAD: Yeah, it's nice. It's almost like being at a Bills game or something, because family and friends just go crazy, and it's good to see the support. LINDA: You said your mother came last night. CHAD: Yeah, my mother was there on Wednesday, it was good to get her out; a bunch of her girlfriends came, as well, so it was nice to see. LINDA: Oh, this is fun. Alright, good morning, your on with Chad... CALLER: Hi, I wanted to say "Congratulations Chad," for moving forward! CHAD: Oh, thank you. CALLER: And you, among the good-looking guys....I wanted to know....Rick got kicked off.... How can I contact him, or have him contact me? [Chad and Linda laughing] LINDA: Is that the guy who was really egotistical? CHAD: The slippers.... LINDA: Oh, the slippers guy [Linda curling her nose, making a face once she realized who Rick was] CHAD: That was Rick, yes. LINDA: I don't think you can get in touch with him, really. CHAD: Yeah, we're actually not allowed to speak with any of the guys now We have to wait until the show's over. LINDA: And then you can contact them? Would you contact them again? CHAD: Yeah, most of the guys I'll be in touch with after the show [Chad nodding]....without a doubt. LINDA: That's interesting. CHAD: A big group of new friends.... LINDA: Yeah, OK another phone call for Chad, hello? CALLER: Hi, my name's Angela. How are you? CHAD: Good. CALLER: I just want to say "good luck" and we're all rooting for you. My sister and I make a big bowl of popcorn, and we're just rooting for you, and we really want you to go all the way, but, um, good luck with everything... CHAD: Thank you. CALLER: I think they should give you more air time. I think that's unfair....they show all the jerks. [Chad laughs] Every show, they show all the mean guys, but we hope you go all the way...and good luck! CHAD: Well thank you very much....thanks. LINDA: I feel funny....hoping that you go all the way, so to speak, because that means you have to marry this girl. I mean, what if, you know what I mean? It's like you're....it's kind of a....if it's right, if it's meant to be I hope it works out.... CHAD: Right. LINDA: But I wouldn't want to wish you to win....put up with her 6 months from now, you know? CHAD: Actually, the premise of the show is....you don't have to propose at the end if you don't want to. If you feel comfortable just making a commitment, and extending a relationship....then they want that, but obviously the show wants you to propose if you can. So, going into it, I wasn't going to propose to her unless it really felt right. [Linda nodding] You know, and uh, so I would just have to see, on the show, what the feelings were like. LINDA: Do you get....is there any prizes, per se, or just by taking part, um, and being involved in the dates this long....they're picking up the charges for you going places....like tuxes, and everything? CHAD: Like the suits, and all the clothes and stuff.....we wear on the show are ours. There's no prizes....you don't get paid to be on the show. Really, the only prize is, you know.... LINDA: Meredith? CHAD: Meredith! Exactly.... [Chad smiling] which is, to me, a great prize, so.... LINDA: Now, do you have to pay for your date, though? CHAD: No. Everything is....they set up everything. You don't even know what the date is....until you start to go on the date. So, it's a nice surprise. LINDA: Wow! How is the production people, like the producers when they talk to you? Are they nice? CHAD: Oh, they're extremely nice. LINDA: .... feel the pressure? CHAD: No, not at all. It's an extremely nice group of people. And you really don't get a lot of interaction, because they don't interject. They don't try to change things. You go as you can, and if there's an emergency or something, that's when they will talk to you. LINDA: Are they doing makeup on you guys, and stuff? CHAD: Just for the rose ceremony....they do a little makeup. LINDA: A little touch up? CHAD: So we don't shine when we get nervous....you know? You can see my lip start to sweat on the, uh, some of the rose ceremonies. [Chad smiling] LINDA: A little tissue, just in case the guy's gonna start to cry... CHAD: Exactly. [smiling] LINDA: You're not gonna cry, are you? CHAD: I don't know. [Chad smiling] LINDA: That's not a Buffalo thing, you know? CHAD: I don't know. We'll see. I'll see if I can edit that part out [teasing and laughing with Linda] LINDA: Oh, you're something [both laughing].....another phone call for Chad, hello? Not a good look, we think, for crying....Mike Robatie....we got tough guys into it....crying? Ack....it's frowned upon.....hello? CALLER: Good morning....my question for Chad is.....why would she keep Ryan, when he was sort of telling on the other....on the slipper guy..... [Linda & Chad laughing] I can't even remember his name because I don't like him. CHAD: The slipper guy, yes.....a lot of people are asking about Ryan.....Ryan is the guy who has a lot of energy and talks a lot.....and just goes, goes, goes and goes, and kind of talks with no oxygen. I don't know how he does it, but it's pretty funny. But, uh, he actually is a really good guy. And, on TV, he's coming across as just this guy that only talks and babbles. But he is a good heart-to-heart guy that you can sit down and talk to....so, she obviously sees something in him....the qualities that she's looking for. LINDA: Now, are you finding this interfering with your life in any way? Can you still go about your business? CHAD: Yeah, no, definitely. It's a lot of fun. LINDA: Are women backing off, thinking, maybe he's already spoken for? Is this a good thing for meeting women, or a bad thing? CHAD: Uh, it's just meeting people in general.....it's nice.....because, it's, I guess sometimes it just breaks the ice when you're talking to someone, you know, it's a good conversation piece. Actually, I'm really interested to hear people's opinions, so, when someone approaches me, and says 'Congratulations' and then they give me an opinion about different guys on the show....it's neat to hear what they think versus what I know. You know?...which is kind of neat to hear. LINDA: Is it going to be OK for you, when this is all over, to go back to Chad Schlee, before "Bachelorette?" CHAD: Yeah, definitely. LINDA: We'll still have to have you on. [Chad laughing] Because we made an attachment now. CHAD: I'll come here, have some food that's on the show.... LINDA: [laughing] You'll come here and eat! CHAD: I have a big appetite. LINDA: We're a family now. Another quick phone call with Chad Schlee....who's been, again, getting his rose every week now.... CALLER: Hi....this is Jill from Buffalo.....Chad, I love you! [Chad laughing] But Meredith, like when she was on the other show, "The Bachelor", she was like so cool. But now, she's like a snoot! LINDA: She's what?? CALLER: She's a snoot! LINDA: A snoot? Oh, like stuck up? CALLER: Yeah, don't you think, she's kind of....I mean, she's cool, but she's kind of acting like.... Chad, you're too good for her! LINDA: [to Chad] Well? CHAD: Well, thank you, uh, Meredith's a great girl, and it's tough to be in that situation because she has to, um, be brutally honest. And she's the type of girl that has a great sense of humor, but not afraid to hide and just tell everything. So, when she doesn't like something, she'll say it. And again, a lot of it's in the editing, so they can.... LINDA: Yeah, you really only.....we can tell from TV, you're seeing two percent of what really goes on. CHAD: Exactly. LINDA: And they have to make decisions; and it may not put her in the best light, but that may be the video they need....because they may need to highlight a guy who has not been on, so, yeah.....try not to judge. CHAD: Yeah. It's uh, I know she's a great person. She's got a great personality and she's real easy to talk to, so, like you said, everybody's got their own different opinions. LINDA: You are being so closed mouth about this.....can you give us anything? CHAD: I don't have the 5 million dollars.....that's why.... [jokingly] LINDA: Can you give us anything? Anything to go on for next week? CHAD: Uh, next week, actually, is a nice turn in the events, because 2 of Meredith's friends come into the house. And one of them is Kelly Jo, who was on the last "Bachelor", and another one is a friend of Meredith's. So they move into the house, and their job is to see who is the best suited for Meredith.....and they report back to Meredith. LINDA: All right. Are they single? Just out of curiosity.... CHAD: Uh, yes. LINDA: All right.....we found that out! Chad, we will be watching next Wednesday for ABC's, "The Bachelorette." Now, we're gonna be at the car show, Chad, so we're gonna work something out so we can make sure we get the 'Chad Report' on AM Buffalo..... But you watch Chad Wednesday night..... THE END