Back when I was doing MISSING, and it was still called 1-800-MISSING and starred Gloria Reuben, Dean McDermott was one of the stars. I liked him. I thought he was a nice guy. And he was close friends with the two writers who created the show. But one of female story editors got an immediate, bad vibe from him.
"He’s a sleazebag," she said.
I was shocked. "Did he say or do something that offended you?"
"No, but I’m telling you, he’s sleaze. Scuminess radiates off of him. He’s going to cheat on his wife and run away with her money or something."
I shrugged off her comments as ridiculous. Well, it turns out she was mostly right. A few months later, Dean dumped his wife (Canadian TV personality Mary Jo Eustace, the mother of his 7-year-old son and his recently adopted baby daughter) and ran off with Tori Spelling, who he met on a TV movie. Dean and Tori got engaged over Christmas.
Obviously, my friend’s sleaze radar is stunningly accurate. I may bring her along to every network or studio meeting I have from now on.
The hand-in-back-pocket thing is an instant sleaze signal, too!
Lee, women just know this stuff more than men. Just accept it next time.
Mary Jo from that Canadian cooking show? GODDAMMIT, is nothing special or sacred in this life anymore?