We’ll see what the Stork brings

Tonight is the finale of what ABC calls the most romantic version yet of “The Bachelor” (9 to 11 p.m., KXLY-4 in Spokane).

Sightings around Nashville of “Bachelor” star Travis Stork are nearly as popular as ones for Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban. They’ve even been spotted in the same places – just not together.

Now we’ll finally learn whether ER doc Stork picks Nashville teacher Sarah Stone or the show’s emotionally charged villain, Moana.

Stork’s boss, Dr. Corey Slovis, chairman of the department of emergency medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, says Stork represented Vanderbilt well.

But before the show started, he said he feared some fans might fake injuries to meet Dr. McDreamy. Were his fears founded?

“At the very beginning, it was infrequent,” Slovis says. “As the show progressed, Travis has become a national star.

“We have had a few younger women request a breast exam if ‘The Bachelor’ was in. Some EMS paramedics were going room-to-room wanting to get his autograph. There were phone calls for the ‘senior resident’ in hopes that Travis would answer. People pretended to be a physician and called to consult with him.

“At no times has it interfered with care, and he’s such a pleasure to work with, he’s such a fine physician. It’s a delight having him in the program.”

As for the contestants, Slovis says, “As I look at Travis – who’s a professional, an athlete and shy – perhaps women who were a better match to start with, who were also athletic and had professional careers, may have been a better pick. Like lawyers, doctors, tri-athletes, women who have advanced degrees similar to Travis.

“The dissimilarities to Travis (among the contestants who were on the show) are quite striking, with the exception of one who may have had a close resemblance to a Glenn Close character in ‘Fatal Attraction.’ “

(That’s a reference to oncologist Allie G., who delivered the famous line about her need to reproduce soon because of her “rotting eggs” and confronted Stork on why he rejected her in the first episode.)

Slovis says he has no idea who Stork might pick.

“A number of people have tried to discuss with Travis or joked with Travis about what happened,” he says. “Travis, to my knowledge, has never given a facial signal, a wink, a nod, no indications of anything about the show.”

As for whom he’d bet money on Stork choosing, he says: “I like the kindergarten teacher, Sarah from Nashville. I think Sarah is a very sweet woman who has a lot to offer.”

So was being “The Bachelor” a good move for Stork?

“I think it was a great experience for Travis,” Slovis says. “It’s certainly bittersweet. When patients want to talk to him as a celebrity rather than a physician, it’s been a negative.

“But I’m certainly excited about Travis Stork as an emergency-room physician getting a lot of exposure.”

The birthday bunch

Actress Joanne Woodward is 76. Actress Elizabeth Taylor is 74. Actor Howard Hesseman is 66. Actor Adam Baldwin is 44. Singer Johnny Van Zant (Lynyrd Skynyrd) is 46. Actor Grant Show (“Melrose Place”) is 44. Singer Chilli (TLC) is 35. Singer Josh Groban is 25.