ABC’s new Bachelorette?

There are various reality television websites and other news sources reporting that DeAnna “Are you really going to let me walk out of your life twice?” Pappas, of the most recent Bachelor, is going to be the next Bachelorette.  I tried to confirm at abc.com, but after a quick glance, I didn’t see anything.  These reports are probably correct, but I was hoping that they were a mistake.  Do we really need to see DeAnna blink uncontrollably at 25 different guys?  More than that, do we really need to see more of her forced emotions and rehearsed declarations of love?  How do you feel about DeAnna as the new bachelorette? 

The Bachelor: Brad tries to explain himself

Ok, so I said I was going on vacation, but I had to comment on, arguably, the most surprising and awkward ending in Bachelor history (sorry ABC, Hillary’s exit was nothing compared to the final rose ceremony).  More awkward than the final rose ceremony was the special “After the Final Rose” episode.  It seems that Brad not choosing either girl really upset alot of people (naturally Jenni and Deanna but also millions of Bachelor fans around the country). 

Brad had the chance to explain himself to the two women he rejected on Tuesday’s After the Final Rose.  For the most part, I actually understood what he was saying.  I think he really didn’t see himself with either woman in the long run (which is supposed to be the ultimate goal of the show, right?).  We all know that love is a feeling, something that often can’t be explained in words.  I can understand why he wouldn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings which is probably a reasonable explanation for why he was so complimentary all of the time.  Jenni was really graceful in talking about her feelings and what happened during the show.  She seemed to genuinely understand that Brad didn’t feel that way about her or Deanna.  The only thing she was confused about was why Brad didn’t try to make it work with one of them.  Even still though, she didn’t come across as angry and antagonistic.  The same could not be said for Deanna.  She was pathetic and self-righteous.  How many times was she going to ask Brad if he’d let her walk out of his life twice?  I wanted to say, “Sweetheart, he’d let you walk out of his life repeatedly.  That’s the point!” 

I think Brad wanted it to work with one of the women and went into the show with honorable intentions.  Also, no matter what ABC says, I am willing to bet they “coached” him a little bit about how to act and what to say.  For all we know Brad could have decided halfway through the whole thing that none of the women were right for him, but ABC would not have just let Brad off the hook.  I don’t think that’s really the case here, but my point is that Brad has some obligation to ABC to do certain things.  Here’s what I think really happened this season.  I think Brad genuinely liked Jenni and Deanna, and in the heat of the moment (or the show), he convinced himself to choose one.  The Bachelor creates this false microcosm of romance and emotion that is just so different from the real world.  On the final day (and mostly in those final moments with Deanna), he probably realized that he couldn’t go through with proposing to her or continuing their relationship for the sake of a storybook tv ending.  While Brad is on a popular tv show, it is, after all, still his life.  If he knows something is missing, that’s all that matters.  Deanna needs to stop for a moment and try to understand that just because everything looks good on paper, it doesn’t mean it’s meant to be. 

I’ll be away for awhile, but feel free to discuss amongst yourselves.  Here’s a couple of questions to get you started.  How do you feel about Brad?  Do you think he’s a jerk and/or has a fear of commitment? 

The Bachelor: Something isn’t right….

I should have known something was awry on The Bachelor last night when they got right down to business at the start of the episode.  Usually they have a good five minutes or so of fluff and recap, but if I am not mistaken, they cut right to Deanna’s visit with Brad and his family.  Brad’s family seemed quite taken with Deanna, which was surprising to me because everything she says sounds so rehearsed and monotone, like she’s just reciting things off of a mental list.  More troubling than that, though, is her constant blinking.  At first, I thought she was unsuccessfully trying to bat her eyes at Brad, but it’s become more prevalent in recent episodes.  Maybe it’s something that acts up when she is under stress or nervous.  Or maybe it’s an indication that she is lying (just like Ned from Pushing Daisies).  Anyway, Deanna and Brad didn’t interact that much during her visit.  Brad’s mom did most of the talking with Deanna.  I know that everyone is supposed to act like this girl that Brad brought home could be the real thing, but I always cringe when the parents of the bachelor or bachelorette broach real, actual issues, like how many kids they plan on having.  It just seems too soon to be talking about that with someone who has only known your son or daughter for 6 weeks (possibly less as Bachelor time is indeterminable).  I was kind of hoping that someone would throw Deanna in the pool just so I could see her reaction.  She’s been extremely serious the whole time, and I worry that she might not be enough fun for Brad.  It makes me question how well she will be able to accept his lifestyle.  Owning and operating bars requires late nights, and Deanna might not be equipped to deal with that. 

Visit #2 with Brad’s family didn’t go quite as smoothly as Deanna’s, in my opinion.  Brad’s family seemed to like Jenni, but I think they were suspicious of her intentions with Brad and her career aspirations.  Brad’s mom kept asking Jenni about her feelings, and I can’t blame Jenni for being noncommital.  Putting her on the spot like that in front of Brad was unfair.  What is the girl supposed to do?  Profess her love to him in front of his entire family for the first time?  I am sure that if she was going to do that, she would want to do it in private.  Near the end of the visit, Jenni got to show off her athletic ability and her playful nature by tossing around the football.  It was good that Jenni showed them that she could have fun because it was in direct contrast with Deanna’s visit. 

Keeping with the “cut the crap” episode, they only briefly showed Brad looking at engagement rings.  I think that should have been clue #2 that the ending would be surprising.  Before we knew it, Brad was already in the limo on his way to the final rose ceremony.  They briefly showed the Jenni and Deanna in their respective limos, and all of a sudden we see someone stepping out of the limo….it’s Jenni.  Brad tells her that she brings out a side of him he didn’t know he had (words usually reserved for someone you love and want to spend your life with), but that something was missing.  Could it be her decision to dance for the Phoenix Suns?  I think it’s a safe bet that Brad didn’t want to enter into a long distance relationship with a girl he’s known for such a short amount of time. 

At this point, we were probably all thinking that Deanna would get the final rose, the ring, and the whole contrived fairy tale, but boy were we wrong.  He seemed affectionate with Deanna, and even led her on when he mentioning saying goodbye to Jenni.  When he stepped off the stage/podium, I thought it was just to work up the nerve to propose.  I didn’t expect him to say the same thing to Deanna as he did to Jenni—that something was missing.  Deanna’s reaction only confirmed what I already knew—that she was a supreme bitch.  The look on her face before Brad even rejected her should have been enough (she was burning a hole through him with that stare), but for those of us who need a little more, her snippy attitude certainly should have done it for everyone.  If you compare her reaction with Jenni’s, it only makes Jenni seem like the better choice.  She was graceful and appeared to be genuinely sad.  Deanna was angry, but not angry because Brad had rejected her.  It seemed like she was angry that she was losing, period. 

Admittedly, I was disappointed when Brad didn’t choose Jenni because I thought it meant he had chosen Deanna.  So his decision to not choose either was a nice surprise for me.  Tonight it looks like Deanna and Jenni get to the bottom of everything on the reunion episode.  I wonder if Brad has met anyone since the show has ended.  What do you think about Brad’s decision?  Was this whole season a tease?  Do you think Jenni would make a good bachelorette? 

The Bachelor: The final two

Bachelor fans, this is it!  It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for….the final two!  Actually, it’s not that exciting because we’ve known for weeks now that, barring some kind of freak occurence, it would be Jenni and Deanna vying for Brad’s heart (and fame).  So, last night’s rose ceremony was particularly uneventful.  In fact, this season has been one of the most uneventful we’ve ever seen.  Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t been floored at previous rose ceremonies on previous seasons of the Bachelor, but I feel that they have been somewhat more unpredictable.  I had an idea of who I thought would be eliminated, but I was never 100% certain.  This season, I have been 100% certain (and 100% correct, as it turns out) at each rose ceremony.  I find almost no reason to blog about the dates because they were predictable and in one case, seemingly scripted. 

I wonder if they set these dates up according to what each person would like to do the most.  It seemed that they put alot of thought into it, and I kind of appreciate that.  It’s nice that they’re paying attention to each woman’s personality and choosing the most appropriate (and comfortable) activity for them.  I thought it was fitting that Jenni went on the date that involved swimming with the dolphins.  She’s the most playful of the three women, so that really fit her personality well.  Could any of you imagine Deanna being playful with dolphins (or really with anyone)?  After the date, Brad and Jenni had dinner and of course opted to stay in the fantasy suite together.  I’m still concerned for Jenni.  So concerned that I feel like she may not be a shoo-in to win anymore.  I think Deanna might win (shudder). 

What can I say about Deanna?  She’s pretty and upon first meeting seems like she has a good head on her shoulders.  Then you see more of her, and she gets catty and becomes more and more scripted.  It was very fitting that she had the date that was the most competitive.  She has proven that she is a competitor with the constant batting of her eyes and too perfect speeches about love.  How scripted did her speech about falling in love with Brad sound?  The whole thing sounded so rehearsed.  I can only hope that Brad didn’t fall for it, but I think he might have.  Maybe he’ll realize how fake she is being, and he’ll pick Jenni. 

For the sake of being thorough, I should at least mention Bettina.  Bettina’s date, I suppose fit her personality nicely because it was a whole lot of nothing.  Sailing, long walks on the beach, quiet dinners….it’s almost like the producers couldn’t figure out Bettina either!  In the end, even though she shared her first kiss with Brad, she was sent packing.  Brad said that he felt like Bettina was still a mystery to him after all these weeks.  I suspect the real reason may be that she and her family insulted him on the hometown date last week and that probably made a lasting impression.

As usual there’s going to be a “reunion” in the form of “The Bachelorette’s Tell All” next week.  Does anyone care to hear what the jilted bachelorettes have to say?  Who do you want Brad to choose?  Does that match who you think Brad will pick?  More importantly, does it even matter?  Does it really seem like Brad has a deep connection with either of the final two?

The Bachelor: Does he look good on paper?

This is the second week in a row where I am concerned for Jenni’s well-being (and by well being, I mean her chances of getting the final rose).  Her hometown date to Wichita, Kansas went well for the most part.  Brad seemed at ease, and the family was very welcoming.  It just seemed like their usual spark was missing though.  In previous episodes, it was painfully obvious that Jenni was the one Brad wanted to be with all the time.  However, for two weeks in a row, it seems like Deanna has all of a sudden become the frontrunner.  Either Brad is unsure about the year apart he might have to endure should he choose Jenni or the producers are telling him to step it up romantically with someone other than Jenni to create some kind of mystery, even if it is false.  I am hoping it’s the latter. 

If I had never seen past episodes of The Bachelor (and if they dubbed Deanna’s voice with a more soothing one), Deanna would have won me over on her hometown date to Somewhere, Georgia.  She showed a sensitivity that has not been seen before, and we got a glimpse into why she has such a gruff exterior.  Deanna’s mother died when she was young, and as a result, her childhood was not the best.  That being said, this does not excuse her behavior in previous episodes.  For the most part, she has been catty and has treated the whole thing like a game she is going to win.  I never got the sense that she genuinely wanted a soulmate.  She seemed ultra competititve for the sake of being competitive.  As I mentioned earlier, it seems that Brad is very smitten with Deanna these days. 

Sheena’s hometown date was strange.  The best way to describe it is mystical.  Well, at least that’s how her mother would describe it.  I think Sheena’s mother has been out in the sun too much because she is just flat out crazy.  Brad did a good job of looking interested when Sheena’s mother was talking about Sheena being the one, not necessarily the one for him, but the one nonetheless.  WHAT?  She kept going on about how she knew the moment she saw his eyes that he was right for her daughter was almost creepy.  Also, I have to say to Sheena’s mother that a Scorpio is not a good match for an Aries.  You’d think someone into astrology would know that.  Maybe she was just trying to avoid bad karma for them, so she lied about it. 

Bettina’s hometown date to our nation’s capital did not go smoothly at all.  Right from the start, her parents were skeptical and arrogant.  Things didn’t get much better when they found out that Brad owns and operates four bars in Austin as a career.  The looks on everyone’s faces were priceless.  You would think he just announced that he was a pimp for a living.  Bettina’s parents were overly critical of Brad because of his job and completely cold to him.  At one point, Bettina’s mother was barking orders at him, telling him to bring in all the plates from outside and clear the table.  Bettina’s private conversation with her father was also very telling.  Could it be that Bettina was pressured into marrying her first husband by her parents who called her ex-husband wonderful and proclaimed that she would never find a better man?  Meanwhile, Brad was inside talking to Bettina’s mother and her aunt (??), but mid-conversation, they left saying they had to take the dogs out.  After the date, Bettina told Brad that it’s ok that he doesn’t look that great on paper because she doesn’t either.  I am not sure if she meant this as a compliment or something to diffuse the situation, but it only made matters worse.  “What is so bad about me on paper?” Brad asked.  It was clear that he was insulted by her family and worst of all, by Bettina.  It’s true that Brad doesn’t have a college degree, but it is obvious that he is intelligent and successful.  He has four businesses to prove it.  I am not trying to be a higher education elitist, but I wonder if Bettina’s father knows what she does for a living.  Last time I checked she’s a realtor and you don’t need to be college educated for that.  Using his logic then, why would someone with a graduate degree or doctorate want to marry Bettina? 

Despite the disastrous date with Bettina, Brad eliminated Sheena.  I am not really surprised because he didn’t have that much chemistry with her in the first place.  Also, it doesn’t really matter what order they get eliminated because we know that Bettina is a goner after the overnight dates anyway.  I don’t foresee Brad getting rid of Deanna or Jenni.  What do you think?  Is it conceivable for Bettina get a rose after the overnight dates?  Do you think Deanna or Jenni will win? 

The Bachelor: Hillary gets put in the “friend zone”

I have to say that Hillary’s exit was not the most dramatic exit in Bachelor history.  She was extremely emotional, but I think the situation was made out to be much worse than it was.  Brad feeling guilty about sending Hillary home and going outside to talk to her, as nice as it was of him, escalated the situation further.  Hillary would have just continued to bawl her eyes out, but eventually she would get into that limousine and be fine.  I don’t remember actual names, but I think that there have been similar exits in Bachelor history.  Someone is always crying or cursing at the camera.  The fact that Hillary can’t seem to take a hint and is so delusional is what made Monday’s installment a classic Bachelor episode. 

Bettina went on the first date (which was a one-on-one).  Their date was really a yawn.  It consisted of Bettina attempting to open up and not play “hard to get” despite the fact that she was always taught that.  That seems somewhat inconsistent with what we already know about Bettina.  How does someone who is always playing hard to get marry so young?  I think Brad likes Bettina well enough, but her wounded, fragile act might be wearing a little thin, especially since the reason he seems to like Deanna so much is how strong she is. 

Speaking of Deanna, the sparks seemed to be flying between she and Brad during the group date.  I found it slightly disturbing though, that minutes after whisking Deanna away from the group (presumably for some quiet time, aka making out), he grabbed Jenni for some alone time and proceeded to do the same thing.  I was worried that Jenni and Brad didn’t talk that much on their date, but I am still sticking with her as my pick to win.  Meanwhile Hillary was too busy being delusional to realize what Brad was trying to tell her in the pool.  I am not entirely sure what he was getting at, but the gist of it was that he thought of her more like a good friend.  How many times does the guy need to say the word “friend” before she gets it through her head.  Apparently he can say it as much as he wants because Hillary was convinced that they could be friends, lovers, and husband and wife.  Oh yeah, Christy was also on this date, but she absolutely refused to do anything but sit on the side of the pool.  Her unwillingness to do anything was her downfall. 

The last date of the evening belonged to Sheena.  It was like the prom, Bachelor style, complete with ball gowns to choose from and diamond earrings!  It was surprising how much he seemed to like Sheena because previously he had never talked to her all that much.  Sheena seems like a nice enough girl, but I didn’t get the sense that they had a whole lot of chemistry.  My suspicion is that he kept her because he had to keep four women, and better her than crazy, obsessed Hillary. 

I was surprised to see Jenni confront Bettina about her comment when Sheena got back from her date.  Bettina said something about her date sucking in comparison to Sheena’s date, and I think Jenni and Sheena may have taken it out of context.  I am not a fan of Bettina, but I really do think she was joking and trying to make light of her jealousy.  I was disappointed that Jenni confronted her because up until then, she didn’t talk about anyone.  Maybe she was feeling stressed out about not getting alot of time with Brad.  Let’s hope her hometown date goes well next week. 

Odds on who will become the millionaire’s wife

We’re down to the final six!  I have to admit that I never really understood odds and how to calculate them.  Nevertheless, here are the odds on who I think will get the final rose and the Texas millionaire:

 Jenni (Even):  The other girls don’t stand a chance with Jenni in the picture, and they all know it.  Why else would everyone look like their cat had died when the helicopter came to whisk Jenni away to some rooftop dream date?  I was surprised to see Jade being so giddy and celebratory with Jenni, mostly because she’s the one who felt the need to show everyone Jenni’s modeling book as proof that she’s not there for the right reasons.  On the actual date, Brad looked nervous and excited to see Jenni, but at the same time comfortable talking to her.  They spent the evening cuddling on a (deliberately) small loveseat (it looked more like an armchair for one).  I think it’s pathetic that all the girls keep saying that Jenni is treating this like a game because they’re jealous.  My money is on Jenni to win.

Deanna (3:1):  I knew she was fake, but I didn’t know she was a bitch on top of that.  In previous episodes, I don’t recall her talking down to the other girls.  This episode, she and McCarten treated everyone like they were children.  They even made Jade look nice and had me hoping she would actually stick around.  We all know how I feel about Jade, too, so Deanna really did a good job of taking the title of bitchiest person in the house away from her.  I am still giving her a fairly decent shot to win because Brad doesn’t really see through that sweet, yet mature facade that she puts up.  Like Jade said, Deanna has all the right answers.  She says exactly what someone would want to hear in a situation like that.  He either will eventually see through it or he will decide that something he can’t quite put his finger on, is missing.  Of course, if it’s the latter, we’ll know it’s Deanna’s inability to connect with someone because she is too busy being fake. 

Bettina (7:1):  Bettina showed her true colors during the most recent cocktail party.   Calling Jenni a slut and a liar after finding out that she had the first kiss with Brad was so unbelievably catty!  Up until then I saw her as the slightly quiet and insecure divorcée.  Of course, Brad will never hear the comment she made about Jenni, so I am definitely picking her as one of the final three.  Ultimately he won’t pick her because she has been divorced.  When Bettina told Brad she had been married, he seemed shocked (and not in a good way).  His reaction surprised me too because I didn’t think that divorce was that big of a deal anymore.  He obviously thinks that marriage is a big deal and doesn’t appear to believe in divorce.

Kristy (50:1):  Poor, serious Kristy.  She’s just not a party animal and definitely not into improv.  I can’t blame her for freezing up on stage due to being put on the spot.  It’s a tough situation to be in for an introvert among a group of wild and raucous girls.  I thought Brad’s comments about Kristy being too refined were strange.  What does that mean?  He described himself as a little rough around the edges, but it’s not like Kristy is coming off as Queen Elizabeth.  He could have just said that they didn’t seem to have alot in common which is why he might be hesitant. 

Sheena (50:1):  The only thing I can say about Sheena is that she is…still around?  Honestly, she hasn’t had that much face time with the bachelor, but she’s still managing to get roses during the rose ceremony.  I really think the only reason he’s keeping her around is because Chad was impressed that she was able to tell them apart when they pulled the old switcheroo.  That’s the only thing he ever says about her, and since they haven’t had any one-on-one dates or alone time, it has to be the reason why he keeps giving her a rose.  This does not bode well for the other girls who have had even less time with him which is probably why they were eliminated (I’m talking about you, Stephy and McCarten). 

Hillary (1,000,000,000:1):  If ABC didn’t give it away during the previews for next week, I would have given Hillary the same odds as Kristy or Sheena.  Since we know she’s leaving “in the most dramatic rose ceremony in bachelor history,” I have to cheat and give her terrible odds.  I should probably refrain from giving her any odds, but you never know with ABC.  This whole preview thing could be one gigantic hoax!  It could be “the biggest deception in Bachelor history!!”  The only thing I can say about Hillary is that she is over the top, over dramatic, and clearly OVERcompensating for being insecure.  When she was basically crying about Jenni’s helicopter date and leaning on Jade for support, I wanted to yell out, “Pull it together, woman!  He doesn’t even like you!”  During the improv date, I found her to be just plain too much.  She was trying too hard, and it was nice of Brad to say she stole the show.  Clearly she didn’t.  Otherwise she would have gotten the rose on that date.  Also, her comments likening Bettina to a used car were really cruel.  That’s not the type of nurturing and comforting behavior we’d expect from a nurse, is it?  I can’t wait to see next week’s episode where she is eliminated.  She looked like she was going to hyperventilate and die.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Seeing Double

On this week’s installment of the Bachelor, we were given a special treat as promised in all of last week in the promo clips, Brad’s twin brother Chad!  1 of about 5 generic blonde girls (let’s just call her 1 of 5 from now on) summed it best when she said “Brad and Chad?!” and then burst into mocking laughter. 

But before we discuss Brad n’ Chad, let’s get to the circus!!  Group date #1 was at the circus.  Jenni is, of course, the first girl that gets whisked away by Brad.  They talk outside and Jenni opens up about her concerns about making it work if he picks her because she has a life in Phoenix.  She wanted to make sure that Brad would be willing to do a long distance relationship for a year, and then after that she would be willing to move or discuss moving.  She also said that she doesnt want to be the last girl standing; she wants to be the girl he falls in love with.  I actually think she is a genuine girl, and I am not sure why the other girls don’t like her.  It couldn’t possibly be because of evil Jade showing everyone her modeling portfolio.  Honestly, when I saw the portfolio it looked more like a scrapbook.  It looked very homemade and not at all like a professional portfolio.  The rest of the date is shown through clips of the circus and reactions from the girls and Brad.  I thought for sure he would give the rose to Jenni, but I was wrong again.  Last week, I thought Jenni would get the rose on the group date at the beach house, but it went to someone else.  This time it goes to Stephy, which is odd because I felt like their one on one time consisted of her raving about how her father is a triathlete and perfect.

Meanwhile back at the bachelorette house, we find out that Hillary gets the one-on-one date.  I think she could learn a thing or two from Jenni about not kissing and telling.  She says something ridiculous about how she wants the first kiss so she can brag to everyone about it.  Nevermind that he has already kissed Jenni (twice if I remember accurately) and two other girls I think.  So Hillary, I hate to break it to you, but best case scenario is sloppy seconds.  Their date is taken right from Pretty Woman complete with expensive diamond jewelry that makes all the girls swoon and taking a jet to San Francisco.  The only thing missing was an Italian opera.  Just when I think Brad has a good head on his shoulders, he does something so inconceivable–like giving Hillary a rose instead of sending her home.  She has a breakdown (on the verge of psychotic) about how she didn’t expect to be feeling this way.  Her tearful confession SHOULD have scared Brad off, but instead he excuses himself from the table to get the rose!  Meanwhile, they show Hillary blathering on to the camera about essentially being in love with being in love.  I really hoped that Brad would have seen through this, but there’s always next week. 

Group date #2 was a sailing trip.  Christy, the boring accountant, showed her goofy side which apparently consists of making funny faces and giggling about nothing.  This apparently, was good enough for Brad because he went ahead and gave her the rose.  I guess his choices were a bit limited because he couldn’t possibly give the rose to divorcée Bettina or the stripper/pole dancer Solisa.  McCarten gave a performance that I thought would send her home.  Brad asked her about the “friend vibe” she has been giving off, but I didn’t think she was that convincing about feeling a romantic connection with Brad.  She came off as cold and a bit stuck up when she said she wasn’t an insecure person.  There were a few other girls on this group date, but they didn’t get much camera time.

Brad n’ Chad time!!!  At this week’s cocktail party before the rose ceremony, Chad went around to various women pretending to be Brad.  Only a few women were able to tell the difference.  Some people knew almost right away, but others had no clue.  Take, for example, Lindsey who was completely clueless.  She just kept asking questions and agreeing with Chad (as Brad).  In the end Lindsey, Sarah, and Solisa got the boot.  Lindsey, for being a complete tool, Sarah, for being a complete tool, and Solisa for having a funny way of showing off those morals she keeps mentioning. 

What are everyone’s thoughts on Jenni?  Does she seem genuine to you?  Lastly, what could he possibly see in Jade or Hillary?