What's New

August 8 , 2005

In the market for men - Impresario of Newport's bachelor auction turns her attention to TV's "The Bachelor."

By Andrew Edwards, Daily Pilot

Some people sell cars, others sell homes. Lately, Caren Lancona has been in the business of selling men -- first with a bachelor auction, and now in connection with the reality-TV show "The Bachelor."

The founder of a Newport Coast-based social club called Just Friends, Lancona helped organize a recent bachelor auction to aid the Newport Beach Centennial.

The auction was held in July. Marie Knight, the Centennial's project director, said the event raised about $12,000 for the year's worth of festivities planned for Newport's 100th anniversary.

With the auction behind her, Lancona is trying to branch out into show business.

Lancona's first plan was to try to unite reality television with Newport's centennial. She had hoped to hook up the producers of "The Bachelor" with an eligible gentleman from Newport Beach. She wanted to negotiate a way for a Newport bachelor to ride on the city's Rose Parade float.

But late Friday, Lancona said her top prospect was not a Newport resident at all, but a Los Angeles man she described as "really rich."

Though she is looking toward Los Angeles for the show, she has not abandoned Newport-Mesa. She is planning another auction in September to benefit the Costa Mesa Firefighters Assn. Widows and Orphans Fund.

For "The Bachelor," Lancona has been working with Roz Taylor Jordan, senior talent executive for the show's producers at Next Entertainment and Telepictures Productions.

Jordan is working on an Aug. 17 deadline to find a man for the show, which is set to start production in October in Paris. The show will likely air early next year.

Lancona could have a lot of competition in her drive to put her choice on the small screen. Lancona has not been hired by the show's producers, but she could earn a $5,000 finder's fee if she locates the man the producers end up choosing.

"You could help out. You know somebody?" Jordan said. "Anybody in America could call and say, 'We've got your guy.'"

Still, Lancona has other plans that could give Newport men a leg up on the competition. Through Just Friends, Lancona said she connects about 5,700 club members to philanthropic social gatherings.

She said members of her club get a shortcut through the casting process, and she is planning an open casting call at Ozumo, a Japanese restaurant at Fashion Island.

The casting call is scheduled to be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Ozumo, Lancona said. Women can come too, because Lancona is also in the market for bachelorettes.

"We want to find someone who's dynamic and charismatic and just fun to watch," Lancona said.

She said her business background is in marketing. She is also the chief executive of B Scene Advertising and Public Relations and considers her bachelor-hunting work to be more of a charitable venture.

"I think it's a natural evolution to go from working your butt off to survive to take it to the next level and do something you really enjoy," Lancona said.

Caren Lancona :: Founder
Just Friends
3098 Sumatra Place
Costa Mesa, CA 92626

phone: 949-278-1017
email: carenlancona@aol.com

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Just Friends is OC’s premier philanthropic social club that supports different charities with each of its 20 events per year. Just Friends was founded by B Scene President, Caren Lancona and Celebrity Stylist, Cinnamon Davis. The founders saw a need for a social club that provides elaborate high end fun events, with internal public relations, advertising and promotion opportunities to its prestigious members. The members of Just Friends include male and female business owners and professionals throughout Orange County . Members provide each other special offers on their products and services and meet each other at really fun high energy events.

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