Turns out “The Bachelor” babe Gia Allemand is a real New York story — in more ways than one.
Allemand, a Howard Beach, Queens native, is also the former flame of ex-Yankees washout Carl Pavano, whose career in The Bronx was relegated mostly to the disabled list.
And now that the hometown hottie’s been chosen by “Bachelor” star Jake Pavelka to be in the final four, Allemand’s past relationship with Pavano is causing lots of buzz among the show’s fan base (and bad flashbacks for Yankees fans).
Allemand, a 26-year-old swimsuit model, was named Miss Bikini USA Model of the Year in 2008. She’ll return to “The Bachelor” next Monday night for the series’ make-it-or-break-it hometown visits.
During the trip, Allemand will take Pavelka, 32, to a Manhattan restaurant and introduce him to her protective family, hoping that they’ll approve of the hunky pilot as her possible future fiancé.
While in the city, the couple will also take some time out to go on a romantic boat ride down the Hudson River.
They’ll discuss Allemand’s “insecurities” and why she’s so reluctant to fall in love, which may or may not have anything to do with her famous 2007 breakup with Pavano.
In Aug. 2006, Allemand was in Pavano’s Porsche with him when he crashed it into a truck in Palm Beach, Fla.
Pavano broke two ribs and extended the stint on the disabled list that earned him the nickname “American Idle.”
The bodacious brunette’s relationship with the under-performing pitcher — who sat out most of his four-year, $40 million deal with the Bronx Bombers due to repeated injuries — ended after a year.
Reports at the time pointed toward Pavano’s infidelity as the reason for the split. (Pavano also dated New York native Alyssa Milano for a spell in 2004.)
After her breakup with Pavano, Allemand was linked to Ottawa Senator defenseman Chris Campoli — a New York Islander from 2006 to 2009 — before moving on to get her big reality show break.
After leaving New York after the 2008 season, Pavano went a combined 14-12 for Minnesota and Cleveland last year.