C.J.: Courtney Robertson seems to tell all about herself, "Bachelor"

Courtney Robertson thinks ABC's "Bachelorette" Andi Dorfman may pick Josh Murray, the ex-baseball player.

Josh is geographically desirable; he lives in Georgia, too. But Andi seems so beguiled by Nick Viall, it makes me think the assistant prosecutor doesn't have a smarmy-meter.

But is Josh or Nick the first name called in the rose ceremonies? Humm.

In Robertson's book "I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends: Confessions of a Reality Show Villain," the woman "Bachelor" Ben Flajnik picked — but apparently wasn't interested in long-term — claims that the first name called may be a clue about who's leading the love pack.

Robertson's book — part auto-bio and part behind-the-scenes look at this TV franchise — is very racy.

But during my startribune.com/video at the Mall of America before her recent book signing, she didn't speak a single word that I couldn't get into the newspaper — unlike that spicy book, which recounts a celebrity dating history that she said included Adrian Grenier, of "Entourage," Jesse Metcalf, of "Desperate Housewives," and race car driver Arie Luyendyk, Jr., one of "Bachelorette" Emily Maynard's runners-up.

Q: Well, aren't you courageous to write this book?

A: Thank you. Honestly, it was pretty stressful at times. I really struggled with should I do this? This is putting my whole life story out there. I just thought, if I could help one person, I'll be happy.

Q: Who are you trying to help, people who want to go on the "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette"?

A: It's the whole story of my life, my heartbreaks and all my breakups, my early modeling years. (She counts work for Target, in a career that has seen her book many print ads and commercials.) I think they'll get a little fun, inside dish. I wanted to give them the scoop. [On] the show, I was America's most hated, getting death threats. It was crazy. And I had this public breakup [with Ben]. I just wanted to share the whole story, 'cause I showed America [me] falling in love.

Q: Which were you more surprised that you had to endure to be on "The Bachelor": a visit with the private investigator, the STD test or the psychological test?

A: It was the psychological test. The thousand questions. Multiple choice: If you were standing on a ledge. Apparently I passed. [Somebody who went over the test remarked:] You said you made bad decisions, when you were drunk once? Haven't we all?

Q: I am guessing that an IQ test is not among the tests given to "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette" contestants?

A: No. I would love to take an IQ test.

Q: That's because you're smart.

A: [She smiled.]

Q: What was so appealing about Ben? He was radiating self-absorbed, selfish, jerk to me all the way.

A: Some of my friends said to me, Courtney he's getting a lot of bad press, too. I was like, "Really?" I thought it was because of me, it looked like he was falling for me. I, from night one, almost backed out of the show. I said, 'Go night one, meet him, if you don't like him, you can leave' and I was like OK. I got there and I saw him. I really felt drawn to him. I know it sounds crazy. Then I talked to him and we had this chemistry. I really fell for him.

Q: In retrospect, didn't you see the red flags?

A: It's kind of like one of my favorite movies, "100 Days of Summer." You look back and you see things more clearly. There were definitely times when, yeah, maybe it wasn't all that.

Q: It appeared, based on what magazines were writing, that he wasn't into you fairly soon after he selected you.

A: Yeah. I was shocked, too. Shocked as everybody else. I was like, I'm going to stand by him, protect him. My mom called and said, Courtney do you realize he was a cheater? No, I don't.

Q: I don't know why you were on this TV show. You're a very pretty woman and you are not having trouble meeting men, based on what is written in your book.

A: I never really have. A couple of my serious relationships, the guys didn't want marriage. My parents have been married 34 years and I believe in marriage. I was raised more traditional and in L.A. it's tough. I'm thinking of moving back to Arizona.

Q: On TV you seemed to embrace your unlikability. That comes from a place of security, clearly.

A: Well, thank you. I felt, at times, really messed with and defensive. I think that came through a little bit. There are long days. They are filming all day and also even this makes me a little nervous, doing interviews all day and knowing it's going to air. I was definitely feeling secure as much as I could in that situation. It's so unnatural.

Q: Did you know you had an air of unlikability on the show?

A: When I was filming, I thought we were going to have this fairy tale story. I knew I said some sassy things. I didn't realize that was going to be all of it — that that's what they were going to air — all of that. But it was also that I knew the girls were saying things about me. That was hard. I wish they [had] shown more of me, talking about Ben, my feelings. The love stuff, but they just didn't.

Q: I assume you had your own condoms since you noted not seeing any in the TV show's Fantasy Suite.

A: I didn't see any; it didn't come up.

Q: You had unprotected sex?

A: You do the math.

Q: I assume future stars of the franchise will be told not to give the first rose to the eventual winner, because you kind of busted the code.

A: Yeah. Ben was saying to me: I don't want you to be uncomfortable. You are there; so much anxiety. He would give me the rose [first] as much as he could. I noticed Juan Pablo [Galavis] doing it. Juan Pablo gave it to Nikki [Ferrell] almost every rose ceremony. I was: That's who he's picking. There are certain things they can do.

Q: You're not angling to be the next "Bachelorette"?

A: No, I'm not. That would never happen. I want to meet someone the organic way. I would be open to trying match.com

Q: You haven't lived long enough to be married.

A: I thought I would be married like at 25. Everybody is like, Take your time, Courtney, take your time. I want to have kids by the time I'm 35. I think maybe I don't need marriage. I could be like Diane Keaton; she has never been married, she adopted two kids. She's happy. I like being single. I don't have a man telling me what to do. It's pretty great. I'm on my own time.

Q: Do the producers really think viewers are so stupid we need Chris Harrison to come out and announce: This is your final rose tonight?

A: I know. It's so dramatic.

Q: Would you be willing to start a campaign to get the words "journey" and "amazing" banned from the franchises? Or at the very least, get those words bleeped like one of Jimmy Kimmel's "Unnecessary Censorship" bits?

A: The journey or the process. It is kind of a journey, though. But you're right, that should be a drinking game. Every time somebody says journey, somebody takes a sip.

Q: Why do people on these shows start behaving as though this is a normal dating situation instead of a game show?

A: I did that, too. I wanted to make this feel real as possible. Like if I was really in Puerto Rico with my boyfriend, what would I do? I would probably go skinny dipping. That's something I have done. I kind of forgot the cameras were there. There's always that one girl who realizes halfway through, there [are] other girls here. Like, duh, that's what you signed up for.

Q: What did you think of Andi castoff Marquel Martin?

A: Love Marquel. I think Marquel should be the next "Bachelor." I really do. He was so likable and funny. Some people's personality doesn't come across. Obviously mine came across in one very specific way. Did you like him?

Q: I don't think, and this is just my hunch, Marquel is into black women. I think it will be weirdly entertaining — to say nothing of creating unusual racial issues for ABC — if the black "Bachelor" only had white women contending or he sent all the black chicks home right away.

A: Really. It would have to be mixed.

Q: Is that on the questionnaire: Would you be open to an interracial relationship? I didn't think the assistant prosecutor from Georgia was going to pick a black guy. And I say this as someone who has said my next husband will be a white guy.

A: I thought they had some chemistry. These are good questions. I've been doing lots of media. You did your homework.

Interviews are edited. To contact C.J. try cj@startribune.com and to see her watch Fox 9's "Buzz."