HOME SWEET HOME

It’s where your heart is

My father and mother have lived in the same house for almost 60 years.

The house has changed over the years they’ve added a bedroom, a bathroom, an office and a den. They’ve painted, repainted, painted yet again and finally gave up and added metal siding to the outside of the place. They’ve mowed and tended the acreage so lovingly, I swear they know most of the blades of grass and even the weeds by heart.

They’ve fixed water leaks, solved electrical problems, dealt with foundation cracking, repaired broken windows (at least two caused by my childhood baseball game simulations throwing a ball against the wall), and dealt with all kinds of happy times and personal calamities there, too.

There are far more memories than problems in a house that has become a home, but the good times of the past still can’t change the realities of the present.

Today, the house and grounds are far larger than two jokingly self-described “old” people need, even as the house and storage buildings are jammed with just about everything anyone in the family ever acquired over the years — including what appears to be every school project my sisters and I completed from kindergarten through college.

They are not hoarders, at least in the current reality-TV vernacular. But like many of us, since they have room to save stuff, lots of stuff has been saved.

So I asked my dad what it would take to get them to move to a smaller home that would be easier to care for and would demand less from them as they continue try- ing to defy the aging process.

He paused, thoughtfully I presumed rather than for that “give-the-kid-the-ideaI’m-actually-considering-this” effect, and said words that ring true regardless of age and status.

“I don’t know,” he told me. “It just seems a lot easier to stay put here where we’ve always been.”

It is easy for my sisters and me to express our concerns and offer our opinions, because of course we know what’s best for people other than ourselves. But only my mom and dad can determine what’s best for them, and if they choose to ignore us, should we blame them? They’ve done just fine over the years despite all of the things we’ve dragged them into, through and over.

DISTRIBUTION PH/214.560.4203

ADVERTISING PH/214.560.4203 office administrator: JUDY LILES

214.560.4203 / jliles@advocatemag.com display sales manager: BRIAN BEAVERS

214.560.4201 / bbeavers@advocatemag.com senior advertising consultant: AMY DURANT

214.560.4205 / adurant@advocatemag.com senior advertising consultant: KRISTY GACONNIER

214.264.5887 / kgaconnier@advocatemag.com advertising consultants

SALLY ACKERMAN

214.560.4202 / sackerman@advocatemag.com

NORA JONES

214.292.0962 / njones@advocatemag.com

FRANK McCLENDON

214.560.4215 / fmcclendon@advocatemag.com

GREG KINNEY

214.292.0485 / gkinney@advocatemag.com

EMILY WILLIAMS

469.916.7864 / ewilliams@advocatemag.com

MICHELE PAULDA

214.292.2053 / mpaulda@advocatemag.com classified manager: PRIO BERGER

214.560.4211 / pberger@advocatemag.com marketing director: MICHELLE MEALS

214.635.2120 / mmeals@advocatemag.com

EDITORIAL publisher: CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB

214.560.4204 / chughes@advocatemag.com managing editor: EMILY CHARRIER

214.560.4200 / echarrier@advocatemag.com editor-at-large: KERI MITCHELL

214.292.0487 / kmitchell@advocatemag.com editors:

RACHEL STONE

214.292.0490 / rstone@advocatemag.com

BRITTANY NUNN

214.635.2122 / bnunn@advocatemag.com

ELIZABETH BARBEE

214.292.0494 / ebarbee@advocatemag.com senior art director: JYNNETTE NEAL

214.560.4206 / jneal@advocatemag.com assistant art director: EMILY MANGAN

My parents have earned the right to live their lives how they see fit, not that they need my permission to do so anyway, and if health-permitting they want to ride off into the sunset in this house they’ve called home for so long, I guess that is their call. It certainly isn’t mine.

That point was clear as I left their home after a recent pilgrimage, driving off into the sunset myself.

There they were, arm in arm and waving goodbye while standing in the front door of the only home they’ve known together — just as they have so many times over so many years and under so many circumstances.

214.292.0493 / emangan@advocatemag.com designers: LARRY OLIVER, KRIS SCOTT, EMILY WILLIAMS contributing editors: SALLY WAMRE contributors: SAM GILLESPIE, ANGELA HUNT, GEORGE MASON, KRISTEN MASSAD, BRENT McDOUGAL photo editor: DANNY FULGENCIO

214.635.2121 / danny@advocatemag.com contributing photographers: JAMES COREAS, RASY

RAN, JENNIFER SHERTZER, KATHY TRAN, ANDREW WILLIAMS, SHERYL LANZEL one copy per reader. Advocate was founded in 1991 by Jeff Siegel, Tom Zielinski and Rick Wamre.

Thanks to Curiosities in Lakewood Shopping Center and McShan Florist in East Dallas for lending props to “The Real World” cover story.

Radiation oncologist Dr. Ramzi Abdulrahman leads a dedicated team of health care professionals who specialize in delivering extremely precise cancer treatments that allow our youngest patients to continue their journey into adulthood with fewer long-term side effects. UT Southwestern is the No. 1 referral center for Children’s Medical Center, and the only local facility that regularly treats children with advanced radiosurgical tools such as the Gamma Knife and CyberKnife. This is UT Southwestern—where scientific research, advanced technology, and leading-edge treatments come together to bring new hope to cancer patients.

To learn more, contact: Radiation Oncology at 214-645-8525 | UTSWmedicine.org/radonc

Interview: Chris Harrison

He’s written a romance novel, emceed Miss America pageants and landed the limelight role on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” but Lake Highlands native Chris Harrison is most famous for his part on “The Bachelor,” the trendsetting reality show he’s hosted since 2002. By phone, the 44-yearold Los Angeles resident talks TV, discusses his book, “The Perfect Letter” and disses the Dallas media.

How did a nice Lake Highlands guy like you wind up on“The Bachelor”?

My goal was to live in Dallas and be a sportscaster, maybe eventually become the voice of the Dallas Cowboys. But when I got a broadcasting job offer in LA, I thought, what the hell — why not go enjoy the surf and sand for a bit? I’ve been out here ever since. I was kind-of a hired talking head when I first went in, just doing what they asked me to do. Today I’m more of a producer, therapist, counselor you name it. The show has changed my life and my whole family’s lives.

What did your wife and mother think of the premise of “The Bachelor”?

At first it was so abstract and crazy that I was worried, because I am that conservative Texas man, and I thought, “Dear God, will I ever be able to show my face?”

Does the show’s popularity make it hard to find sincere contestants?

There was a sense of naiveté when we started, and people were on the show not knowing what was going to happen and now we’ve been on almost two decades, and people have all that knowledge going in. They might be there to boost their acting or modeling career, or to get the attention of an ex — who knows? But what I love, you face those same doubts about sincerity in life. I think our show has been a bit of a mirror a hyper-extended, maybe bastardized reflection of what’s going on in the real world.

You’ve spoken the phrase, “This is your final rose,” a gazillion times. Ever considered changing things up?

It is an iconic piece of our vernacular now. I mean you can’t give a rose now without thinking of my line. Mike Fleiss [producer and writer] was genius at repeating things until someone got so annoyed that they would write an article about it. One season we did away with the usual lines, and people revolted. That line will follow me the rest of my life.

Do you feel bad for those who get rejected?

I’ve always cared for people. But we all know what we signed up for. My role and relationship with contestants has evolved; they’ve been watching the show for years and they know and trust me. They know that I am fair. But they also know that if they are dishonest or lying I will call them on it.

Has that happened?

Nothing’s ever been overly contentious toward me. Not my job to get involved in those types of things. Now, the interview with Juan Pablo [the polarizing Season 18 bachelor] was awkward and uncomfortable. But I don’t get angry — not like he’s doing anything to me. I’m just trying to get the answers out of him that people want to hear.

You film at night — are the contestants exhausted, and are they intoxicated?

Rose ceremony and date nights go late, but they can sleep all they want. As far as alcohol goes, just like when you go on a date, you choose to drink or not. How much to drink. The beauty of the show is, it’s all about choices.

Your thoughts on copycats, parodies and Lifetime’s Bachelorbased show “Unreal”?

“Burning Love” is a good one. Done by Ben Stiller, they understand what a parody is. There are other shows that are just rip-off shows trying to capture the magic that we have, and those have failed. You can’t capture it. We are very good at what we do. When you see stuff on “SNL” or “Jimmy Kimmel,” that’s a badge of honor that means you are a part of the social consciousness. I have never watched “Unreal.” I saw one scene and I thought it wasn’t very good and I stopped watching. I don’t know the producer or anyone on the show or anyone who watches it. I just know it hasn’t done very well.

Do you foresee a same-sex couple version of “The Bachelor”?

I don’t know. We just talk about doing a great show and keeping it on the air as long as possible. And no matter what it is, if we think we can make the show better, that’s what we’ll do.

Now that you are divorced, would you consider being the bachelor?

It wouldn’t work for many reasons. One, I am not a live-out-loud type of person. It’s a job for me. I love it but I’ve never had a desire or thought to be on it.

Ever wanted to date a contestant?

There is no steadfast rule to keep me from doing so, but I also know I have to be careful. I would be leery of doing anything that would lose people’s trust. Then again there have been thousands of contestants now, so I can’t say never. So far, it has not been an issue.

What about your sons being the bachelor or a contestant on its

The Store In Lake Highlands

CANDLES! Wonderful fragrances to choose from in many styles and colors...all made with the finest ingredients. Great for gifts, or for your home. 10233 E NW Hwy @ Ferndale (next to Gecko) 214.553.8850 Mon-Sat 9:30-5:30 TheStoreinLH.com

Yoga Mart

20% off anything Orange and Black for the entire month of October. Come in to see what you can find. Yoga Mart 6039 Oram (at Skillman) 214.534.4469 yogamartusa.com

City View Antique Mall

SAVE THE DATE! Shop 100 Dealers at our Annual Fall Antique Flea Market, rain or shine, October 31, 9-5. Fall Storewide Sale starts Wed.10/28 thru Sun. 11/1. Vintage Holiday items arriving daily! 6830 Walling Ln. (Skillman/Abrams) 214.752.3071 cityviewantiques.com Like us on Facebook.

sister show, “The Bachelorette”? I support whatever they do. Hopefully I’ve instilled in them confidence, self-respect and faith that will lead to good choices.

When you announced that “The Bachelorette” would feature two bachelorettes, critics called the show (and even you, personally) misogynistic — how did you respond to that?

My response was that the critics should have done their homework. We did the same thing on “The Bachelor” and I don’t remember anyone clamoring saying that was sexist. When we started, there was no MySpace or Twitter. There were decent people in the world who didn’t just live to be a-holes. There is so much garbage out there. Journalism has died a horrible and painful death. Getting sources, much less multiple sources, is something you don’t even do anymore. I’m a student of the game, and I come from an old-school journalism background, where it was done right. Before I put my name on something, you damn sure better believe that I’ve done my research and talked to the right sources.

I guess some reporters assume celebrities don’t have feelings. I am sensing that you do have some feelings about this. Even what you wrote, it came from a random opinion that you had. (Editor’s note: Harrison is referring to an Aug. 11 Advocate blog post about his book release in which I acknowledged being “among ‘The Bachelor’ haters.”) It’s sad that some of the worst stuff comes from my own hometown. D Magazine did an article about a book signing I did, and it was the most bitter, poorly written article I’ve seen in a long time. There’s been horrible things said about me over the years and I have a thick skin, but this one hit a cord with me. And I actually gave my time to this reporter during this event and I typically like D Magazine and its writers — but not that one.

Let’s talk about your book. How did you decide on the romance genre?

If I am going to put time into something I am going to have to really believe in it. I did not want to do a dating-advice book or tell-all. But through a series of funny events I thought of a romance novel. It seemed a sensible extension of our brand, what we do on “The Bachelor.” Giving our fans more of what they love and crave.

Where did the characters in “The Perfect Letter” come from?

Some of the book’s characters are based on people I know, but the main characters aren’t. There is a figure toward the middle of the book who kind of acts as a moral compass, and he is all the men in my life that I looked up to — my dad, my grandfather and brother.

Your book is set in Texas but not Dallas, why?

I don’t know — it’s almost like I was too close to the subject. I knew I wanted it to be set in Texas but I don’t feel romantic about Dallas. It’s like a family member, but I think Austin and the hill country is especially romantic.

What were you involved in at Lake Highlands High School?

Soccer was my life. I played in high school and club soccer — a few different club teams including Solar and Comets.

How often do you come to Dallas and where do you hang?

I come about six times a year. All of my family is here. I still have a lot of friends who all went to White Rock Elementary, Lake Highlands Junior High. Ten to 15 of us still keep in touch. We all like places to hide and catch up — that little bar in Lake Highlands [One Nostalgia Place] is one of our places.

When it comes to reality TV in general, how do you think it’s shaped our lives?

You could get really deep, but I think the simple broad brush is that no one could have foreseen the way reality TV would progress. This generation only knows living a public life. My kids have to deal with so much more than I ever had to deal with. Whether it’s reality TV or Instagram, our kids are growing up on camera.

—Christina Hughes Babb

Questions and answers are edited for brevity.

“THE PERFECT LETTER” is available at amazon.com

MORE INTERVIEWS with reality TV show stars on p. 26