KSU graduate and former wrestler to be on new Fox Reality Channel show.

Kent State graduate and former wrestler, Eric Chine, 23, will be watching his reality TV debut for the first time along with friends, family and co-workers at a viewing party held at the Water Street Tavern on Saturday, Jan. 30 at 9 p.m.

¶ Chine, and 23 other men, will have the chance to date supermodel Cindy Margolis on the new

Fox Reality Channel show, “Seducing Cindy.”

Chine did a casting call for VH1’s reality show, “Daisy of Love,” but didn’t make it. He kept in contact with the casting director, who showed him a Web site that has castings nationwide for TV shows. While looking through the Web site, Chine came across the opportunity to audition for the show.

“I’ve always watched reality TV and I just felt like my character would be good for it,” Chine said. “I’m not as loony and nuts as some of these people though.”

He submitted basic information and a photo to the network and received a call from them two months later. Chine was then required to send them video footage and complete a considerable amount of physical and psychological tests.

Chine had booked tickets in advance to fly out to California. The week he was scheduled to leave, Chine was informed he had been selected for the show. He then called his sister and braced himself for the call to his mom. It was difficult for Chine to tell his 51-year-old mother that he was going on a reality show to date a woman who is 43 years old.

“She was definitely a little upset about it at first, but I convinced her that it’s an experience that you can’t pass up,” Chine said. “Not a lot of people get this opportunity.”

Chine’s best friend Jermail Porter was happy for him when he found out he would be on the show because he knew his friend had been auditioning for a while.

“I’m definitely looking forward to seeing it. It’s been a long time coming and the wait is over, so to speak,” Porter said. “I’m looking forward to seeing the whole series. The whole thing is very exciting.”

Eric’s cousin, Aaron Chine, was also excited to hear about his cousin’s success of making it on “Seducing Cindy.” Aaron said he knows that Eric will carry himself with dignity and respect. He also has high hopes for his cousin after the show’s completion.

“I just hope that people get to see what a good guy he is, and hopefully that will take him further in his career in whatever he decides to do,” Aaron said.

Chine’s boss Mike Beder, owner of the Water Street Tavern, hopes this is not the last time they see Chine on the season and laughed as he left him with some well wishes.

“I hope Joel McHale goofs on him on ‘The Soup,’” Beder said.

The show has been completed for a while and Chine has been left to keep the secret of his experience to himself until the show’s premiere.

“It’s been really hard to keep it a secret, especially when people know about it,” Chine said.

He explained that feelings were involved on the show with Margolis, as well as with the other men in the house. He formed close friendships with several people and explained that you worry, not only that you could be eliminated, but that your friends could be, too.

“I went into it as a blank canvas,” Chine said. “I thought if I did find love, then that’s great and if I didn’t, then it would just be a great experience.”

He also was very pleased to see that Margolis was a genuine person. She is very involved with the organization Resolve, which supports infertility. Since she had all three of her children through in vitro fertilization, she agreed to finally pose for Playboy, if part of the profits from the issue went to the organization.

“Cindy is gorgeous. She’s beautiful, and she is 100 percent a real person,” Chine said. “She’s not just your typical supermodel.”

So did Chine find love on reality TV?

“You’re going to have to watch and find out,” he said.

Contact student life reporter

Lauren Vogel at [email protected].