The Bachelor

New "Bachelorette" Andi Dorfman has stunned her boss -- the D.A. of Fulton County -- by bailing in the middle of a murder trial to appear on a TV show ... but he's grudgingly giving her a shot at stardom.

TMZ obtained the letter written by Fulton County D.A. Paul Howard Jr., who calls her request "highly unusual."

Truth be told ... most law firms and prosecutors' offices would give someone like Andi her walking papers, because they would normally view the request as flaky. But Howard grudgingly agreed to take her back, calling her "a valued member of the DA's office." She's also hot.

But two strings attached. Her leave will be unpaid. And, she has until May 31st to come back. After that, she's just another professional reality star.

There's been a mysterious disappearance in a notorious murder caper in Atlanta ... and TMZ has put the pieces together and the missing person ... IS THE NEW BACHELORETTE!

There have been rumors Andi Dorfman -- the smoking hot lawyer lady who dumbed herself down to impress "Bachelor" Juan Pablo -- will become the next "Bachelorette".

So here's our smoking gun that it's true. Andi is currently in the middle of a murder trial in Atlanta and she has mysteriously just taken a leave of absence -- and no one in the Fulton County D.A.'s Office will say why.

Here's the thing. We've now confirmed that Andi is indeed this summer's "Bachelorette."

So case closed.

Sean Lowe's face says it all ... he's finally having sex -- a big deal for the former 'Bachelor' who claimed he was a "born again" virgin.

Yeah ... we're thinking guys can't actually be one of those, right? Women, on the other hand ...

It's official ... Mt. Sean Lowe has erupted -- the ex 'Bachelor' is walking around with a grin that can only mean he finally cleared his pipes by losing his alleged virginity a few weeks after getting married.

Lowe couldn't contain his joy at LAX on Thursday ... exactly 18 days after tying the knot with Catherine Giudici.

The 30-year-old insurance salesman and fitness model claimed he was saving himself for marriage.

So ... 18 days later. Still smiling ear-to-ear? Way to go, Catherine.

UPDATE: 2:23 PM PT ... Shayne's husband, Nik Richie, just went on the record with TMZ, telling us, "Shayne had a life-saving emergency surgery. She is on a ventilator system and is in a sedation-induced coma. Her vital signs are now currently stable."

Tragedy has struck the Lamas family -- Lorenzo Lamas' daughter Shayne (famous for her stint on "The Bachelor") has just lost her baby from a freak pregnancy complication ... and she's in a coma.

TMZ broke the story last month -- Shayne and her husband Nik Richie (founder of TheDirty.com) were pregnant with their second child. Shayne was 16 weeks along.

But Sunday, at 7:35pm, law enforcement sources tell us paramedics were called and rushed to Nik and Shayne's OC home after Shayne collapsed. She was taken to the hospital.

When Shayne arrived, doctors determined she was bleeding internally around her uterus and the situation was dire. Doctors were stumped and brought in specialists to figure out what was causing the bleeding.

Shayne lost the unborn child during surgery.

We're told Shayne is currently in a coma and not breathing on her own. Doctors are optimistic about her recovery.

Nik and Shayne's dad Lorenzo are by her side.

"The Bachelor" star Juan Pablo Galavis is not a hateful, homophobic butcher of the English language ... he's a sensitive, caring man who just can't express himself very well ... says a woman who just got booted off the show.

Chantel Forrest -- a black account manager -- tells TMZ she got to know Galavis well during her time on the show and says he would NEVER offend anyone because they're gay or a different color.

Galavis -- who's Venezuelan but born in the US of A -- told an interviewer gay people are more "pervert" than others ... then asserted the ol' language barrier defense.

Chantel says Galavis shouldn't be bashed for bad grammar.

"I was not offended by his comments at all," she tells TMZ. "They wouldn't have changed my opinion of him. I wouldn't change anything."

Former bachelorette Victoria Lima -- who was booted from "The Bachelor" last week -- tells TMZ, Juan Pablo's anti-gay comments are a HUGE turn-off ... so sleeping with him is out of the question.

Victoria tells us, "If I could do it again, I probably wouldn't go on the show with him being the Bachelor."

Victoria says if Juan Pablo asked her to sleep with him now ... she'd turn him down, and not just for the anti-gay comments. She says he's coming off as kind of a jerk on the show -- a real turn-off.

As we reported, Juan Pablo told a reporter ... he doesn't believe there should be a gay "Bachelor" because gays are perverted influences on children. He later apologized, saying he was quoted out of context ... and his English was bad.

Victoria's NOT on board ... calling the comments "thoughtless and inconsiderate."

She adds, "We should all have the same opportunities when it comes to finding love. Why shouldn't we have a gay bachelor? This is the 21st century, people."

Shayne Lamas -- who decided to marry her hubby HOURS after meeting him at a drunken pool party -- is re-writing all the rules of marriage ... 'cause not only is she still with the dude ... they're still HAVING SEX.

We know that ... because sources close to Shayne tell us she's pregnant again.

We told you their story ... Shayne is a former winner of "The Bachelor" who fell in love with TheDirty.com founder Nik Richie 4 years ago at a wild Vegas pool party ... and hours later decided to get hitched.

NO ONE expected it to last. But Shayne and Nik are still going strong ... they have a 2-year-old daughter named Press -- and now we're told Shayne's 16 weeks pregnant with their 2nd baby.

"The Bachelor"' star Juan Pablo Galavis apparently believes gays are more perverted than the average bear ... because he thinks putting a gay equivalent of him on the show would poison the mind's of children.

Juan Pablo raised some waxed eyebrows when he spoke to The TV Page saying "I don't think it is a good example for kids" ... and then said gay people are "more pervert in a sense."

Juan Pablo's gag reflex apparently isn't that good ... because he thinks the show would be too hard to watch if the star were gay.

So, we gotta ask ...

12:55 PM PT -- Warner Horizon Television and the show's executive producers just released a statement saying, "Juan Pablo’s comments were careless, thoughtless and insensitive, and in no way reflect the views of the network, the show’s producers or studio."

2:25 PM PT -- Juan Pablo posted an apology on his Facebook page saying his words were "taken out of context" (even though TV Page released the audio with the story) ... and he has nothing but respect for gay people.

Andi Dorfman isn't just another bimbo fighting for a rose on "The Bachelor" -- she's a bimbo with a law degree! Ok, maybe she's not a bimbo, but she definitely doesn't mind acting like one.

Exhibit A ...

Hot bachelorette Andi Dorfman REALLY sold herself short when she ditzily described herself as a lawyer who barely reads -- and TMZ has the proof ... video showing Andi kicking some ass in a huge murder trial involving a famous rapper and the Russian mob.

The court footage was shot Monday in Atlanta during a hearing for the trial of ex-mobster Mani Chulpayev, who's accused of playing a key role in the 2012 murder of rapper Lil Phat.

26-year-old Andi -- an Assistant District Attorney in the Fulton County DA's Office -- kills it.

Pretty shocking ... considering the way Andi presented herself on "The Bachelor" recently. "Legally Blonde" springs to mind -- and it raises the question ... Does a girl have to dumb herself down in order to attract a guy?

Kylie Lewis thinks she has what it takes to bag this season's 'Bachelor' -- Juan Pablo Galavis -- but claims producers wouldn't let her show off her goods.

One thing's for sure -- Kylie definitely made an impression ... as JPG canned her!

One of the contestants eliminated last night on "The Bachelor" is blaming producers -- telling TMZ, they told her to act like a dumb bimbo on the show ... and then broadcast her humiliating rejection.

Kylie Lewis tells us, producers told her to do 3 things that she now believes resulted in leaving the show roseless:

-- They told her to dye her hair from strawberry blonde to red

-- They advised her to wear a pink dress instead of purple

-- They had her tweet Juan Pablo immediately after they met for the first time ... making her look desperate

Kylie -- who's an artist -- says she had drawn a picture of Juan which she intended to give him to create a good first impression, but producers wanted a lame tweet instead, making her look like an immature ditz:

OMG I JUST MET @JuanPaGalavis!!!

— Kylie Lewis (@KLew55) September 18, 2013

If you missed it, Juan selected another bachelorette (Kat) to receive a rose, and Kylie thought she heard her name ... so she walked up to get the flower. When she realized it was a mistake, she was humiliated, and she's crushed producers chose to air it ... TRANSLATION: This chick is naive.

"The Bachelor" contestant Nikki Ferrell is doing everything she can to convince Juan Pablo Galavis she's THE ONE by flaunting her perfect 10 bikini bod.

Great tactic, Nikki! It's working ... on most of us, anyway.

NBA player Ryan Anderson fought through tears today as he spoke publicly about his gf Gia Allemand's suicide ... saying her death has given him new purpose in his life.

Anderson -- who plays for the New Orleans Pelicans -- opened up during the team's media day, telling reporters he hadn't planned to talk about it, but then tearfully said ... "we have a huge plan to do something great in her name that's going to help a lot of people."

As we reported ... Gia, who was once on "The Bachelor" ... committed suicide in August -- just a few hours after she had a bitter fight with Anderson.

Anderson didn't spell it out, but it sounded like he was talking about Gia's rumored battle with depression. He got really choked up as he said ... "This is a topic that is not talked about enough."

Gia Allemand's mother believes her daughter's menstrual cycle was responsible for the extreme emotional turmoil that drove Gia to suicide last month.

Donna Micheletti -- who was on the phone with the former "Bachelor" star when she hanged herself -- described her final moments with her daughter to Dr. Phil, explaining Gia had a history of drastic mood swings around the time of her period.

Donna said, "At that point, with how she felt with her menstrual cycle, she could not see clearly ... It was like night and day. It would come out of nowhere. All of a sudden, something would click in there and she would say 'This isn't right. He doesn't love me.'"

Donna acknowledged that Gia had been upset for various reasons -- including recent fights with her boyfriend and father -- but believes the hormonal extremes are what ultimately drove Gia over the edge.