Parent Pressure

SWM, 31, 6’, brwn/blue, athletic, prof. model seeks: Girl good enough to meet my folks.

It’s not often anymore that parents are consulted on who their grown son should date, but Jeannie and Lew Legat of Coupeville will get that chance Friday when they appear on KOMO TV’s Northwest Afternoon’s Valentine’s Day show.

In a show called “Meet My Folks: Speed Dating,” the producers of the daytime talk show have selected eight to 10 women as prospective dates for Jason Legat, eligible bachelor, male model, and Coupeville High School graduate, class of 1990.

According to Northwest Afternoon producer Anna Rodzinski the contestants will start with 30 seconds to do “something” to catch the attention of Jason and his parents. Jason will join the audience, and his parents will narrow the field. They will then move on to 60 second “speed dates” with each candidate, and select the lucky girl.

Jason will then go on a Valentine’s Day date that night with the winner.

That’s a lot of pressure for everyone, but Jason and his parents are taking it in stride.

“We’re picking a date, not a mate,” Lew Legate said philosophically.

“He (Jason) thought it was a real hoot — we did too,” Jeannie Legat said.

“My mom is so nice she will probably feel bad choosing just one,” Jason said, before slipping into a high voice mimicking his mother saying: “I’ll take them all.”

Rodzinski said Jason was selected from several men suggested by Heffner Management, the modeling agency he works for.

She said Jason was exactly what they were looking for.

“He seems like he has everything going for him,” she said. “No woman out there would not want someone as charming as Jason.”

Jeannie Legat said her son has dated “many, many girls,” but only a few have gotten the parent test.

“We’ve loved every one he’s brought here to ‘meet the parents’,” she said.

The Legat family has lived in Coupeville for 30 years, and long-time residents may remember Jason as the quarterback of the football team. He was also the homecoming king, played basketball, ran track and played in the school band and a rock band.

These days Jason is pretty busy running a construction business in Seattle, “Model Remodel,” and traveling around the world on modeling assignments. He said even finding time to go on a date is difficult.

When asked if marriage is in his future plans, Jason does a good job of avoiding the question.

“I’m trying hard to stay single,” he said, citing his busy lifestyle.

He does admit that he is putting down roots in Seattle, and this may be a good time to slow down a little and start looking to the future.

But, with parents who were high school sweethearts and have been married 35 years, the marriage bar is set pretty high.

“My parents are straight out of the great parent textbook,” Jason said. “As a role model, that’s a lot of pressure.”

He did say his ideal mate would be someone who is intelligent and independent, athletic, outdoorsy yet sophisticated, comfortable in hiking boots or high heels. Pretty standard personal ad attributes, but Jason also wants someone with a good sense of family: someone who can meet his parents as well as his 100-year-old grandfather.

“Family is very important to me,” he said.

He has dated a lot of models, but is looking for more than a pretty face (he already has that).

“Looks fade, but personality stays,” he said. “Above all, she has to be kind.”

His parents are also looking for someone with strength of character.

“I think he wants someone who is intelligent, a whole person,” Jeannie Legat said.

“My parents are pretty good at judging character,” Jason said.

Will his confidence in their judgement pay off? Tune in Friday.

Set the VCR

“Meet My Folks: Speed Dating” will appear on “Northwest Afternoon,” hosted by Kent Phillips and Elisa Jaffe, on Seattle’s KOMO TV, channel 4, at 3 p.m. Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.

You can reach Marcie Miller

at mmiller@whidbeynews

times.com or call 675-6611

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