After months of teasing, The Greatest Little Bachelor Book in Texas is finally on the stands and in the hands of eager local females. Billed as a guide to the state’s most desirable hunks, TGLBBIT contains photos and bios of 200 men, sporting a variety of backgrounds, careers, and birthdays. Half of the entries are from Dallas, not surprising since the book was published here.
The reaction of Dallas women ranged from panting to retching. Of those polled, most agreed the idea was fun, but the choices were less than ideal: “Most of those guys are nerds,” quipped one experienced lady. “I even know two in there who are gay.” Some poked fun at the men’s ages (a few of the swingers had birth dates like 1921, 1926, and 1934), while others joked about the rather scarred marital histories of the bachelors.” In fact, only half were genuinely untainted, and several weren’t even single when the book was release
Futher criticism was directed at the photography and writing, but none of this has hindered sales. A major distributor, Martin News, reports that TGLBBIT was selling well, despite the unusually high $4.95 price tag.
Conspicuously absent were prominent Dallas eligibles such as Billy Bob Harris, Gene Street, Freddie Merrill, Jack Knox, and several members of this magazine’s staff. Many of those who did agree to be in the book are now expressing regret. “I was told guys like Billy Bob were going to be in it, so I went ahead,” explains one who’s sorry now. “When the book came out, it was nothing like what I’d been told. I feel misled.” Writer Gene Wilson also apologized: “I just did it on a whim. Now I’m getting all kinds of kooky calls and letters. I’m too old for this.” SMU sports promotion director Brad Thomas stated flatly it was “the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done
Radio personality Kevin McCarthy, TGLBBITs most-nominated bachelor, took a much more casual stand, not only about the book but also about his marital status: “It’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.”
Whatever the critical response, Publisher Sue Goldstein obviously has a hit. Even the single women who find the book trashy concede that TGLBBIT is harmless amusement.
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