Dallas pilot Jake Pavelka, who was rejected last season by Bachelorette Jillian Harris, tells Usmagazine.com he is "honored" to be given a second chance at love as the new Bachelor star.
"It's such a unique opportunity," Pavelka, 31, told Us after the Dancing With the Stars taping in Los Angeles Tuesday. "I still cannot believe this is happening. How did I get here?"
On The Bachelorette last season, Pavelka famously accused contestant Wes of having a girlfriend back home while pursuing Harris. So will he be asking any of the upcoming contestants if they have boyfriends back home?
"I hope that's something we don't deal with this season," he said. "I'm going to give everybody a clean slate going in, and I think over time [contestants] will weed themselves out. I'm hopeful."
He also said he won't come on too strong – a mistake he made on The Bachelorette.
"It was good I got to watch an actual first date on TV," he told Us. "I was like, 'Oh! Tone it down a bit!' That's what I took away from The Bachelorette. I was just so excited. I wanted her to like me because she's so gorgeous and such a great person. And I tried just a little too hard."
He told Us he doesn't plan on consulting any past Bachelor stars for tips.
"I've seen a lot of other seasons, but I'm not planning on that," he said. "I want to go in fresh. I know that they are making a show that ultimately doesn't have anything to do with my goals. I want to meet these girls, and I want to fall in love and let them down as gently as possible at the end."
So who's his dream girl?
"I'm going to look deep into the heart for character," he told Us. "The four most important things to me are similar qualities — someone who is romantic, passionate, compassionate and protective … and will laugh at my jokes!"
The new season of The Bachelor is slated to premiere in early 2010 on ABC.
