Average Outcome on Average Joe

And by "average," Gothamist means the pretty girl chose the pretty boy. Not the sweet, stepping–over–his–words New Yawk–New Joisey boy Adam. When Melana said to pretty boy Jason, "I see a future with you," with a jet ready to whisk them away for a "vacation" to get to know each, it was clear it was more a future in the sack. Which does count for a future. Disappointing for the optimists, no matter how shallow we are, yes. But maybe a defeat for Average Joe means the world order is more stable than we thought. As the Times' Alessandra Stanley writes:

It is not impossible to find a heartening moral in the outcome. Adam, for all his gaucherie, is a successful trader (though the apartment he shares with a roommate, spartanly furnished with black leather couches and a wide screen television, did not suggest vast wealth). Jason is a waiter who lives at home with his parents while studying business and accounting. So Melana did not choose money over looks. She just chose looks. Or as she put it, "He's not only gorgeous, he's very sincere.

And really, is this betrayal any worse than Al Gore's snub of former running mate Joe Lieberman by supporting Howard Dean? The future is bright for Adam, though: While falling for Melana is not the most dignified thing, it couldn't be avoided in the hothouse NBC created, and now the reality TV watching world knows he's a "millionaire" (though one with a roommate in typical bachelor digs; maybe he's thrifty). Perhaps the sequel is "Average Joe with Many Shallow Girls Fighting For Him." Gothamist got swept into Average Joe fever for the obvious reasons: Rooting for the underdog is such sweet sorrow. Someone who also knows about sweet sorrow, and lots of it, Red Sox fan Lockhart Steele.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Arts & Entertainment on December 9, 2003 6:50 AM

Comments [rss]

jess

i LOVE average joe. it is like my ultimate favourite show in the world. i love these reality tv shows like bachelor, bachelorette everything. i think they are really good! JASON IS SO GORGEOUS AND HE IS SO ABUSOULOTLY STUNNING!!! my friends at school and i are obsessed with him he is drop dead gorgeous! not only for his looks but he was such a sweetheart and him and melana had a better connection. i saw melana and adam as a best friend type of relationship. i love both jason and adam but i thought jason was more her type. I WANT JASON!!!!!!!!!!!!

rYan

I FEEL SORRY FOR ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE KISSED MELANA BECAUSE THEY MIGHT END UP GETTIN HERPES.. LOL

Ryan

you know what alica.. ur totally right, this can be argued on both sides.. ok Melana picked the pretty boy but you gotta hand it to adam, she was in a dilemma; choose the charming yet not so good looking rich guy, or the pretty boy waiter.. she just did wot any gurl would have done to escape to bad publicity.. i personally think she should have chose adam, but its not up to me.. its just my opinion

Jenny

You are so right Alicia! When you say it that wait it really does make me think. You can't tell someone how they feel.

Alicia

Look Melana is the one who had to choose, knowone else. You don't no what people are like once the cameras are off, so who are you to judge. Adam was always making up these stupid speeches which were so fake. He didn't say what he felt, he just said what Melana wanted to here. And as Melana said she usually goes for the intellegent ones over models but she was lucky to find both qualities in Jason. The connect between Jason and Melana was so much more on the side of a serious relationship, they had chemisrty as soon as they met. Adam was more the big huddly best friend role, who you can share all of your problams with. Yes, clearly Jason is a spunk he can't help that. And yes looks are important but of course not everything. If Melana thought Adam was right she would have picked him but obviously she didnt. Knowone else can decide how the individual feels themselves. Knowone else knows how Melana feels. Everyone is two involved in their own feelings and thinking they are right. I'm sure Melana is glad knowone likes Jason because shes the one who has to love him knowone else. Its Melana and Jason NOT Melana and the world!!

carol

PLEASE TELL ME WHAT HAPPEN WITH MELANA AND JASON.

ADAM REMINDED ME OF MY SON DANIEL. A BEAUTIFUL

SMILE, FUN TO BE WITH, A GREAT PERSONALITY

AND A VERY LOVING MAN.

WHAT IS NEW WITH ADAM?

CAROL ANNE

carol

PLEASE TELL ME WHAT HAPPEN WITH MELANA AND JASON.

ADAM REMINDED ME OF MY SON DANIEL. A BEAUTIFUL

SMILE, FUN TO BE WITH, A GREAT PERSONALITY

AND A VERY LOVING MAN.

WHAT IS NEW WITH ADAM?

CAROL ANNE

carol

PLEASE TELL ME WHAT HAPPEN WITH MELANA AND JASON.

ADAM REMINDED ME OF MY SON DANIEL. A BEAUTIFUL

SMILE, FUN TO BE WITH, A GREAT PERSONALITY

AND A VERY LOVING MAN.

WHAT IS NEW WITH ADAM?

CAROL ANNE

Darrell

Well again the big guys is all ways in last place,I drive truck and make about $1,500.00 week but the good looking gals want the six packs and hard bodys. ALL THE TIME> Oh well still like the the show thanks.Darrell

Al

Jason is a pooh pushing tard who enjoys bum chummery with his pals

evey

I wish she would of choose adam. he was the right man. i would of choose him even if he wasnt rich, he made me laugh,he was so sweet.

evey

I wish she would of choose adam. he was the right man. i would of choose him even if he wasnt rich, he made me laugh,he was so sweet.

Stephanie

Now what happens to Adam when he wont know if he's getting chicks because he's such a nice/funny guy or that he's a millionaire?

Jen

I have just learned that Adam lives in Murray Hill, in the same apartment building as a friend! A little recon might be in order.

Ruidh

I Tivoed Aveage Joe last night. But after reading the writeup, I might just delete it unwatched. The whole show was sort of creepy to watch. I was curioursly fascinated by the whole spectacle.

Frankly, I didn't expect any better of the ex-cheerleader.

karatechimp

I like how Malena describes both Adam and Jason as unassuming in their profiles.

a

yeah, but if she had picked adam, people would be saying that she was shallow for picking the ugly guy with money. she was doomed either way, and i just have to say how annoying these "reality" relationship shows are. blech.

larry dvm

No way did Adam really like Melana. I mean, he *thought* he did, on account of the cameras. What was there to like? She was/is the dullest thing since a bowl of oatmeal. Without cinnamon or anything.

Neil Epstein

I got caught up in the beginning and watched the first two episodes. I flipped last night between this, the Battlestar Galactica remake on Sci-Fi and The Hebrew Hammer on Commedy Central. And although I wished for the nice guy to win, you knew in the end that the bimbo would be how she is bred to be, and nothing can change her reaction when they first stepped off the bus. She played it up to the cameras and sold herself, and in the end showed her true colors.

fshk

My roommate and I watched the finale on opposite ends of the apartment on different televisions. All through the last twenty minutes, we were shouting at each other. My roommate called her a "superficial slut." We decided we both want to date Adam, which I think indicates that Adam is the real winner here; there will be no shortage of women in the near future. Ah, the fleeting fame of reality TV.