There is a beautiful life after reality television

It's been almost two years since Brittany Knott came oh-so closer to snagging $125,000 on "Beauty and the Geek 2," in which she played, well, one of the beauties.

When we last spoke with the South Elgin stunner after she exited the show as a finalist, she said she hoped to parlay that opportunity into an acting or modeling career in Hollywood.

Has she changed her mind? And what has she been doing since leaving the show?

For one thing, Knott, 23, has completed her studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

She received her marketing degree last December and graduated with honors, earning a 3.87 GPA.

Right now, she's put her Hollywood dreams on hold, although her new job requires her to jet to the west coast at least once a week.

Since January, Knott has been working at a dental manufacturing company in Algonquin. Her job as a product specialist and marketing coordinator involves introducing the company's products to clients in California, Nevada, Hawaii, Arizona and Utah.

She's decided to remain in her parents' South Elgin home for now because it makes no sense for her to pay rent in a place when she's out traveling half the time.

"It's kind of like living in a suitcase," Knott said from Reno via cell phone.

While on the job, she's found that people still recognize her from her tenure on the show.

On a recent business trip to Reno, a passenger acknowledged her on the plane, even with her new hair cut and bangs.

And when she went to a trade show, she said someone else asked where they knew her from.

"That's been really fun," said Knott, also a graduate of St. Edward High School in Elgin.

She's loving her life as a jet-setter and says when she goes to California, she gets to visit Joe Block, her partner on "Beauty and the Geek 2," as well as other cast members.

"I think Joe is one of her guy best friends," said her mother Kathy Knott.

The Ashton Kutcher-produced program's premise is to team lovely ladies lacking in smarts with gawky gentlemen starved for social skills.

They complete challenges in hopes of the guys coming out of their shells and the ladies relying less on their looks -- Knott was portrayed as the "innocent one."

The show's fifth season begins shooting in January and Brittany Knott says she's been behind the scenes, helping producers find new talent.

For example, she attended a Mensa International conference in Arlington Heights last month in search of potential cast members.

"They were hoping to find some geeks there but everyone was a little bit older and not the right age," she said.

Her parents Peter and Kathy Knott say the show just hasn't been the same since their daughter was on it.

Both continue to follow the it and say their daughter's season was a lot more wholesome than the show is today.

In their view, the show has gotten more sexual, inspiring Kathy Knott's mother -- Brittany's grandmother -- to pen a letter to producers in protest.

"I think the show's gone downhill," Kathy Knott said.

Peter Knott says he's proud their daughter kept a level head throughout the show's run. He also says his fears as a father weren't realized because Brittany was cast with other decent people.

"In terms of its (current) edginess and raciness, I think we're fortunate that Brittany was in the show when she was," her father said.

Brittany isn't the only one in the family with stars in her eyes.

Her turn on the show inspired her 22-year-old sister Aimee to try out for "Beauty and the Geek." Though she was asked back for a second interview, she wasn't cast in the end, Kathy Knott said.

"They were looking for more ditzy people, I think," her mother said.

Meanwhile, Brittany recently had another shot to re-enter the world of reality television when she was invited to try out for "The Bachelor."

But she's decided against it, and it has nothing to do with the other 24 women who would be vying for the bachelor's affections.

"It's probably just more catty because of the girls, (but) knowing me, I'd probably be friends with everybody," she said.

Her refusal has to do with concerns about the amount of alcohol on the show and that producers may delve into and expose her private life.

Although Hollywood is on Brittany's back burner, it's not been forgotten.

She's may move out there in January for her job to help cut down on travel.

Eventually, she'd love to have a career in acting or modeling, but is concerned that her inexperience in both will hurt her chances, given the fierce competition in Hollywood.

And if she ever makes it big in show biz, she's confident that she won't wind up like that other Britney.

"I think my family has helped me to not really take that path and to keep me grounded," she said. "I'm lucky I guess."