'The Bachelorette’

'The Bachelorette’ Season 8 Premiere: 

Emily Maynard’s Freakiest Suitors

By Victoria Leigh Miller 

It was almost a Cinderella story Monday night on Season 8 of "The Bachelorette" as single mom Emily Maynard began her quest to find her Prince Charming.

Setting: Enter a posh Charlotte, North Carolina ( Maynard's hometown) mansion and 25 guys. The single Southern belle met her potential soul mates, and one of them -- a charmer named Tony -- actually presented her with a glass slipper. Unfortunately, she got more than just that.

Most Ridiculous Introductions

But among the princes, there's bound to be a few frogs. Like Randy, who came up with the harebrained idea to greet his princess while dressed as a grandma -- cane and all! Not surprisingly, he didn't get a rose.

The award for freakiest introduction, though, might go to Travis. He approached clutching an egg, and proceeded to say, "This egg is a symbol of some beautiful people, you and Ricki, and throughout this journey I will take care of this egg like I would take care of you and Ricki." Stretching a bit for that metaphor, huh, Travis?

Ryan, the pro sports trainer, went the sweet (albeit high school) route and held up a sign on notebook paper that said "You are beautiful" on one side and "I'm so nervous" on the other. Not a bad approach for the tongue-tied suitor.

When one guy came onto the scene via private helicopter, he endured the wrath, and the death stares, of the others, with one guy saying, "Oh come on, man! Seriously, dude. If someone comes out from that, like it's the last dude, like it's over." And another contestant saying "Whoever it is we're gonna hate him." (Insecure much?) Luxury brand consultant Kalon was dubbed Helicopter Guy for the remainder of the episode, but he told Emily he would have walked to meet her if he had to -- how generous.

And then there was Stevie, a party MC who came in dancing with boom box in hand. 

(Is this "The Bachelorette" or "

America's Got Talent"?)

And like the clichés ("I'm a biology teacher, but I'm here to have chemistry with you," said Aaron), the hair was flying. Yes, some of these guys went a little overboard with the hair mousse. 

(Jef, Travis, Ryan, we're looking at you!)

Who Emily Liked

Chris got the initial-attraction bonus point with Emily describing him as "super hot." He even brought bobbleheads of himself and Emily and took time at the cocktail party to act out a scene with them. Looks like he got a creativity point, too.

Single dad Doug, whose 11-year-old son wrote Emily a note, impressed and earned him the first impression rose. 

(This kid is good! )

At the Heart of the Matter

Before meeting her pool of guys, "Bachelorette" Emily Maynard told host Chris Harrison she sees "a minivan full of babies" in her five-year plan. "I'm tired of being engaged. I want to be married,"

 she said.

Maynard's hard luck tale -- her first fiancé and the father of her child, Ricky Hendricks, died in a 2004 plane crash -- is at the center if her story. Her 2011 engagement to "Bachelor" star Brad Womack fizzled.

By the end of the first night, Emily had whittled her picks down to 19.

"Bachelorette" host Chris Harrison recently told People that Maynard's season "is drastically different and much deeper from anything we've ever done. You don't have the frat house humor and superficial drama that you've seen in seasons past with younger contestants or contestants that weren't parents," he said.

Does that mean Emily's season will be a two-month snooze fest?

Certainly not based on the promos, which show exotic trips to Europe and a fired-up Emily chastising one guy while dropping some not-so-ladylike profanities.

"She's sweet until the time she's not," Harrison recently said of this season's 

"The Bachelorette."

Weirdest Exit

It wouldn't be "The Bachelorette" premiere without a ridiculous exit. Jackson, the fitness model, gets that honor by taking off his shirt after not receiving a rose and saying, "So, um, I guess this is what she's missing out on." What's she missing? Abs. Chances are there will be enough of those left in the remaining pool of guys for Emily to pull through.

"The Bachelorette" 

airs on Monday night on ABC.