Christian O’Rourke, a Millstone resident, chats with Paige Duke, the woman for whose affections he and 21 other city and country guys were vying, during the filming of Country Music Television’s “Sweet Home Alabama.” While Millstone Township may be one of the last places that comes to mind when New Jerseyans think “city,” that all changeswhen one crosses the Mason-Dixon Line. Township resident and rising reality TV star Christian O’Rourke found that out firsthand when he recently headed south to vie for the affections of a Southern cutie for Country Music Television’s “Sweet Home Alabama.”

“Any chance to be in front of the camera and represent myself and where I’m from is a great opportunity,” O’Rourke said.

Although O’Rourke didn’t make it past the show’s season 3 premiere, which aired Jan. 13, he said the three weeks spent filming inAlabama was a fun experience that helped to further his budding career in television.

Millstone resident Christian O’Rourke tries his hand at archery alongside some of his competitors during the filming. Of the 22 city and country boys competing to win her over, Paige Duke, former NASCAR Miss Sprint Cup and previous contestant on the show, chose to eliminate O’Rourke and Matt Beard, one of the country guys, at the end of the show’s twohour premiere.

“There just really wasn’t a great connection,” O’Rourke said. “We came from totally different lifestyles, and we just really didn’t connect.”

For example, he said, Duke hunts and farms, two things that are not exactly up O’Rourke’s alley.

Although the 32-year-old personal trainer and health enthusiast is not a vegetarian, he said he is most definitely not into hunting.

His zest for fitness and health extends beyond the gym setting, prompting him to follow a diet consisting of pure foods and fresh vegetable juices. O’Rourke said one big reason for this is the prevalence of diseases like diabetes and cancer in American society.

“I won’t eat it if it’s not organic and I don’t know where it came from,” he said.

Such foods in this area are as accessible as the nearest Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s — not so inAlabama. Most foods there are fried, and even vegetables often come laden in butter, he said.

The food selections weren’t the only culture shock O’Rourke experienced down south. A little butting of heads took place in the house where the city and country guys came together for the show.

“It was a little weird mixing and being in the house with [everyone],” he said. “We were kind of in their territory. Anytime you take two totally different lifestyles and put them together, there are going to be disagreements.” He pointed out that any group of 22 guys who are put together in a house would probably clash at some point. Still, evidenced by the show, the group of men seemed as staunchly split as the North and South during the Civil War, with insults like “hillbilly” and “guido” flying, and even physical blows being exchanged at times.

As O’Rourke approached the house for the first time to meet his country competition, one of the Southerners likened him to the caveman of Geico commercial fame, because of his long hair and beard.

Despite the assumptions both groups made about their opposing teams, O’Rourke said he doesn’t fit neatly into any stereotype.

“I’m not your typical … Jersey Shore guy,” he said, adding, “If I had to categorize myself, I would say I’m more of a city guy.”

In addition, any bad-boy assumptions that could be made about O’Rourke based on his extensive collection of tattoos would melt away upon closer examination. Many of the tattoos that adorn him are based on his spiritual beliefs, which O’Rourke said are very important to him. On the show, Duke questioned himabout his ink, and he lifted his shirt to show her a rendering of the Virgin Mary.

“Everyone has done it — we’re all guilty of judging a person on their appearance,” he said. “But once you get to know me, I’m a great guy.”

Viewers often question just how real reality television really is, but according to O’Rourke, the situations on “Sweet Home Alabama” came about organically.

“The cameras are there and you pretty much ignore them,” he said. “Things are all pretty natural.”

One of the show’s producers, however, did try to put a bit of a spin on O’Rourke’s persona.

“They kind of wanted to change my image,” he said.

Perhaps because there was already another personal trainer from the city on the show, the tattoo-ed and long-haired O’Rourke was asked to play up his passion for playing the drums. Granted, he has played since fifth grade, but his greater passion lies in working out, he said.

“I did the whole corporate thing for a while,” said the 2004 Rutgers University graduate, who has a bachelor’s degree in communications and marketing. “It really wasn’t my thing.”

O’Rourke’s career as an independent personal trainer allowed him to pick up and go when he got the call to tell him he had been cast on the show at short notice.

“They let me know Wednesday, and I flew out Saturday,” he said. “It was pretty hectic. I was able to tell my clients and they understood.”

Along with his commitment to a life of health and fitness, O’Rourke has had a longtime love of reality TV since he was 15 and a fan of MTV’s “Real World.”

“I wouldn’t consider myself an actor. I’ve always wanted to do reality television,” he said.

His wish came true when he was cast on “Millionaire Matchmaker” in July 2010, and then again when he garnered a spot on VH1’s “Why Am I Still Single” in October of last year.

“I really want to pursue more opportunities,” O’Rourke said. “All the things I’ve done are dating shows, so I’d like to get away from that. I don’t want people to say, ‘God, this guy must really need a date!’ ”

Nevertheless, his budding fame has helped to get him recognized when out and about. He said people especially seem to remember him from “Millionaire Matchmaker,” when he was matched up with a 6- foot-3 Russian woman.

“I don’t have any groupies yet,” he joked.

Going forward, O’Rourke said he would like to be featured on a show that somehow relates to fitness, because he said there is a lack of physically fit role models for kids today.

“Who do these kids look up to? The guys from ‘Harry Potter’ or ‘Twilight,’” he said, adding that during his own upbringing, he looked to physical powerhouses like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno as mentors.

Another dream would be to get cast on FX’s “Sons of Anarchy,” a TVdrama about an outlaw motorcycle club.

“It would be easy for me to fit in that role,” he said.

Despite entertaining thoughts of moving to California to further chase his aspirations, O’Rourke said he has decided to stay put. Besides, it appears as if he is doing just fine right where he is.

“And I love this part of the country,” he said.