"The AZ Insider" with Kathy Shayna Shocket: Get the inside scoop on Arizona's social scene and celebrity news.
This week: Why didn’t the women fall head over heels for the TV star bachelor?
Taking place at Cadillac Ranch in Tempe, the 2nd Annual Single in The City Bachelor Auction to benefit the Team in Training (TNT) of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society started with an energizing clever production. As the song “It’s Raining Men” set the mood, the Master of Ceremonies and Comedian Matt Broome was escorted down the runway by two Skyy Vodka reps carrying pink umbrellas.
Event Emcee Matt Broome being escorted down the runway
Yes, the party, which took place on April 21, 2011, was a success. But when the bids for a date with most of the local bachelors on the auction block generated more interest and money than the TV star guest. It was surprising, especially to the group of local bachelors who were backstage wondering how they were going to compete with him on the auction block. Billy Jeffrey was the event’s special celebrity guest who flew into town for the event and graciously waived his typical appearance fee.
Billy is a TV reality star (ABC-TV’s “True Beauty” produced by Ashton Kutcher and Tyra Banks and the network’s “Dating after Dark”) who rose to fame after being one of the top ten finalists on FOX’s “Sexiest Bachelor in America Pageant.”
Billy was so popular with the women that he caught the attention of Chippendales and they signed him to an image contract for photo shoots and personal appearances. He’s in the 2010 and 2011 Chippendale’s Calendar.
Billy Jeffrey, and event hosts Rita Hawks and Linda Hubbard
Yet, interest and bids for most of the local bachelors were higher than the $250 that was bid for a date with Billy. (Some of the women speculated if it could have been the braces Billy had on his teeth.)
The bachelors with Linda Hubbard and Rita Hawks
Among the group of local bachelors (as seen in these photos above taken by Jeph Delorme) were Phoenix bachelors Jonathan and Tyler Cheek. The two who are brothers “sold for” $375 each. Not only that, but Jonathan’s coworker offered to match the $375 bid, putting him as the money-making winner of the evening of $850.
Bachelors Jonathan and Tyler Cheek
Following the bidding of the local bachelors, the women with the highest bid picked numbers at random to the corresponding date packages. The packages donated from businesses included skydiving, dinners and a visit to Out of Africa Wildlife Park.
This second year grassroots event was organized by Rita Hawks, who runs marathons with TNT in memory of her brother Steve Hawks, who died at 32 from Leukemia, as well as her friend’s son Josh White, whose life was taken by Luekemia at age 12.
Kathy Shayna Shocket is a Phoenix based writer. If you have a good item for The AZ Insider, you can email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
