Monica's New Man Hunt

Thu., Mar. 20, 2003 9:00 AM PST by Lia Haberman

Not content to bag the leader of the free world Monica Lewinsky has set her sights on a new leading man: Mr. Personality, the newest love-between-commercial-breaks series from Fox that judges men on their character not their dimples.

Lewinsky, who became intimately acquainted with former President Bill Clinton's, uh, personality back when she was an impressionable young White House intern, will serve as host of the Fox show which bows April 21.

"Since Fox is the network that has had the greatest success with this genre, I was very excited when they approached me to host the show," said Lewinsky in a statement released Wednesday, adding, "It sounds like good fun."

The news comes just after Lewinsky's former presidential paramour scored a 10-week job as TV commentator for CBS matching wits with former opponent Bob Dole on 60 Minutes.

Fox's latest reality series concept, sort of a caffeinated Dating Game, requires an attractive young woman to pick her soul mate from several masked bachelors. The average-looking guys, who are disguised throughout the romancing process, must woo the clueless lady based solely on their charms until she chooses her match. However, viewers will get a glimpse at the whole package. The show takes over the time slot of Fox's other morally minded series, Joe Millionaire.

Fox has yet to find a suitable follow-up to Joe--the network's latest offering, Married by America, has tanked in the ratings.

Lewinsky, who last honed her oral skills on HBO's 2002 documentary Monica in Black and White, came close to signing a $2 million deal with Fox in 1998, when the net was looking to tape an exclusive tell-all special about the indecent relationship that came close to toppling the Clinton administration. The agreement fell through when the Sexgate star failed to dish enough dirt. Instead, Lewinsky gabbed to Barbara Walters a year later.

Finding herself largely unemployable after her scandalous exit from government, Lewinsky has kept a relatively low profile the last few years, designing handbags and accessories she sells on her Website, www.therealmonica.com, and at specialty boutiques. While she made an appearance on the Tom Green Show three years ago, Lewinsky shunned offers to appear in Penthouse and on Fox's Celebrity Boxing.

A source close to the production says Lewinsky was pitching a project to Fox when she was asked to read for Mr. Personality and impressed the producers with her unique abilities.

A bio of the 29-year-old provided by the network says the Lewis and Clark grad lives in New York and is considering a future career in law--perhaps she'll specialize in workplace issues?