By RODNEY HO, rho@ajc.com, originally filed on December 14, 2014
TLC's Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas has worked hard to keep herself in the spotlight in the past couple of years, appearing on Food Network's "Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook Off," Oxygen's "Celebrities Undercover and truTV's "Face Off." Plus, she helmed a popular VH1 biopic about TLC last year and has been touring on and off ever since.
Last night, she appeared on "Millionaire Matchmaker" on Bravo to seek a companion.
Since her very public break up with Usher more than a decade ago, she has tried reality TV before to seek a husband.
In 2010 and 2011, VH1 aired two seasons of "What Chilli Wants" where she tried to find the man of her dreams but ultimately failed.
What did come out about the Atlanta singer is that she is picky. The men on her list of desirable traits can't eat pork, drink or smoke. They have to be religious, have great abs and a large you know what. At least that's what I remember off the top of my head from that reality show. On the bright side, she is open to dating all races.
Can Patti Stanger strike gold? She certainly tried.
Stanger first interviewed Chilli about her needs. Actors Chris Pine and Rick Yune are the type of guys she likes. She repeated the "six pack" request. She likes a little "spice" and sense of humor. Stanger and her helpers find men who are not in entertainment, who can provide her the space she needs to be the artist she is.
"I've been hurt for two lifetimes," she says. Stanger requests she try to be a little more open.
Stanger hooks her up with three men. She is nervous. Brian is a stunt driver, Felix is an attorney, Sebastian is an ex-chef starting a private training business with serious abs, which he revealed to the world. "He had like an eight pack!" she says.
After some discussions with the men, Chilli narrows her picks to Brian and Felix. (Sorry, eight-pack man!)
She likes how Felix wanted the "simple things in life."
Brian is a parent, which she also appreciates. She ultimately picks the stunt driver for her date.
Bad move. He is sort of stumped what to ask her. The date fails to take off and goes south fast. When he says he doesn't want more kids, something he lied about to Stanger earlier, she ends the date early. "Douchebag!" she says.
"I was waiting on something to happen and didn't," Chilli tells Stanger. "I wanted something more fun."
So Stanger brings in back-up Felix. He is far more spirited than Brian.
They play pool and goof around. I am not sure she feels any romantic feelings toward him but she likes him. My instinct is right.
"It felt like a really nice first date but I didn't feel that real connection," Chilli says after the fact.
Chilli does promise she will date more and seek "regular" guys.
The search for Chilli's future husband is still on, especially if they are in Atlanta.
Other "Chilli" stories I've written:
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