'Bachelor' Bob Guiney becomes engaged to ABC soap opera star Rebecca Budig

We finally know what Bob Guiney, the egoistical star of ABC's The Bachelorette and The Bachelor 4, was seeking in his ideal mate: someone with a full-time publicist. No wonder Estella Gardinier and Kelly Jo Kuharski didn't even merit an engagement ring.


Extra! TV reports that Bob and ABC soap opera star Rebecca Budig became engaged to be married on May 20 and then announced it publicly at this past weekend's Daytime Emmy Awards. Bob gave Rebecca a 2-carat diamond ring which he co-designed. "They are so in love, it’s sickening," US Weekly’s Lori Majewski told the entertainment news magazine. According to Guiney's official website, the couple will be appearing on Wednesday's edition of its syndicated The View daytime show (presumably to gush over the engagement.)

Although Bob's singing career has tanked despite the support of the powerful independent label Wind-Up Records (home to Evanescence and Creed), Rebecca's career is going full-tilt. In addition to her five-year role as Greenlee Smythe du Pres on All My Children, Rebecca spent three previous years on CBS's The Guiding Light. She has also recently started hosting Full Frontal Fashion on the WE cable netwok. And, more relevant to her relationship with Bob, among her other credits are hosting roles on ABC's The Bachelor: Aaron and Helene Tell All, the wrap-up show after The Bachelor 2, and the ABC Family Channel rebroadcasts of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.

One thing Bob and Rebecca share is a Midwestern background. Bob is from Metro Detroit and graduated from Michigan State University; Rebecca is

Rebecca Budig Photo courtesy ABC

from Greater Cincinnati and graduated from Miami (Ohio) University. (Fortunately, neither has a direct connection to the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry!) Another thing they share is a desire for doing whatever it takes to grasp the limelight -- Rebecca, for example, once hosted a World Wrestling Federation program.

We wish Rebecca and Bob happiness in their future lives. We note, however, that the sagging ratings for The Bachelor may be directly linked to the show's perfect 4-for-4 failure rate in matching up real-life couples (which may soon be 5-for-5, since Bachelor 5's Jesse Palmer gave Jessica Bowlin nothing but a one-way ticket to NYC).

Will audiences continue to follow reality dating shows when the only "love connection" being made is between the male star and the female rerun host? We -- and ABC -- will soon find out.