By David Bauder
The Associated Press

Campos

NBC is standing by its man, despite a report that the bachelor star of For Love or Money had been expelled from a military program for drunkenly groping the breasts of a female Navy officer.

NBC and Nash Entertainment, producer of the summer reality show (9 p.m. Monday, Channels 5, 22), said they were unaware of the incident before casting. The second of six episodes aired this week.

For Love or Money stars Rob Campos, 33, a Dallas lawyer who chooses a potential mate from 15 women. At the show's end, the woman will choose between Campos and $1 million.

Campos' groping incident isn't the kind of publicity NBC wants for a romantic fantasy game whose success depends in large part on the appeal of its leading man.

While in a military judge's training program in Rhode Island in 1999, Campos knocked on the door of a female acquaintance late one night, according to a report on the Web site The Smoking Gun, which has specialized in uncovering embarrassing incidents in the pasts of reality TV stars.

He was let in her suite and began grabbing the 27-year woman's breasts. She kneed him in the groin, he collapsed, and she fled the room, the report said. He then allegedly vomited in the woman's bathroom.

Campos was expelled from his training program and ordered to undergo substance abuse treatment. The incident effectively ended his military career, the Web site said.

"I have apologized to NBC and Nash for not informing them about the incident," Campos said in a statement issued Monday by NBC. "I had believed that it was a private matter that had been resolved."

Campos did not object to any of the facts outlined by The Smoking Gun. He said he didn't believe the incident was relevant to his participation in the show. "I have acknowledged that I behaved inappropriately," he said.

NBC believes the incident was relevant: "Clearly, this would have been material information during the screening process," the network said in a statement. The network said the incident was not found in any of the public records checked before Campos was cast, and he didn't tell anyone.

Production has been completed. NBC said it wasn't changing any plans to broadcast future episodes, and wasn't going to tell viewers about the incident, spokeswoman Rebecca Marks said.

The Smoking Gun has posted several stories about reality stars. It found that the star of Fox's Who Wants to Marry a Multimillionaire, Rick Rockwell, had been the subject of a restraining order. Fox also kicked American Idol contestant Corey Clarke off the show this year after the Web site found he had a pending assault case.

'Sopranos' delayed

Instead of the usual September launch, new episodes of The Sopranos won't air until the first quarter of next year, says David Chase, creator and executive producer.

HBO could have a packed schedule next winter with new seasons of The Sopranos and Six Feet Under, plus the final original Sex and the City shows.

TV today

• Are you really a safe driver? Find out by watching The Court TV Safety Challenge: Behind the Wheel (8 p.m., Court TV).

• No West Wing means back-to-back Law & Order repeats about a murdered teacher (9 p.m., Channels 5, 22) and a dead gambler (10 p.m.).

• Love Chain looks at the past relationships of Pamela Anderson and Kid Rock (9:30 p.m. today, E! Entertainment Television).

Talk show guests

Regis and Kelly (9 a.m., Channel 9): Bruce Willis, retired baseball player Paul O'Neill.

Wayne Brady (10 a.m., Channel 9): Camryn Manheim, Ty Pennington, Leonard Maltin.

The View (11 a.m., Channel 9): Carnie Wilson, Juliette Binoche.

Caroline Rhea (3 p.m., Channel 19): Mariska Hargitay, singer Frenchie Davis.

John Kiesewetter and TV Data contributed to this report.