Ok, so I’m a little late. Sorry. Just needed to find the time and motivation to sit down and hash this thing out. First things first, if you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you saw me mention last week that I got dressed up for Halloween for the first time in probably 20 years this past weekend. Good times. Happy Hour lasted till the wee hours of the morning. No, I didn’t go as Jake. I thought it was rather obvious who I went as, but I’d say 75% of the people who came up to me asked, “Are you Octodad?” Huh? Who the hell is Octodad? Once I pointed out the Bluetooth, the earrings (which you can’t see in the pics), the Ed Hardy shirt, the eight kids, and the lovely inscription on the back, they seemed to guess correctly.

More “Bachelor” News

So I’ve gotten this bit of info regarding a girl who was cast to be on this season with Jake. I emphasize “was”. This particular girl was flown out to LA to be one of the 25 bachelorettes. The afternoon of the meet-and-greets, she was upstairs getting ready, then came down to film her ITM (in the moment). When she sat down, her handler gave her a piece of paper with lines to memorize. She was told to memorize those lines and say them when they started filming. What was she supposed to say to the camera? “When I first saw Jake, I fell in love. I can’t wait to fly away with him someday.” The girl basically told her handler, “No, I’m not saying this. I haven’t even met the guy yet.” The handler told her she had to, and that they’d just run it after she met him. The girl said no. Back and forth they went, until the girl just decided she didn’t want to do the show anymore and walked out, got her stuff, and left the show.

Now, obviously no one will ever see this when the season starts. This girl will never be on camera since she’s not one of the 25 bachelorettes. She left before the filming started. When the show flys all the girls out for the beginning of filming, they bring in more than 25 girls just in case something like this happens. Wasn’t the first time it happened, and it certainly won’t be the last. But just know it happened this season. Kinda funny that now they are actually telling people exact lines to say instead of just putting them together and saying, “Here, talk about this.” Look, we’ve always known the show wasn’t real and I think a lot of people have come to accept that. But my problem has always been that they constantly are trying to tell us it is. That they just “throw 25 women in a house, roll the cameras, and drama ensues.” Uhhhh, not quite. “Here, read these lines about how much you love Jake even though you haven’t met him yet” is a bit much, don’t you think? So when you’re watching the first episode this season, and you hear girls falling all over Jake talking about how great he is and they are so in love, just know that those were filmed before they even met him, and that the girls saying that were basically ones who just agreed to do whatever the producers told them to. As opposed to the other girl I just told you about who basically stood up for herself and realized how ridiculous the whole thing was.

Had a great night last Wednesday night at the Dallas Stars hockey game with Jeremy, Tanner, and Kiptyn. Tanner has basically turned into a rock star from his appearance on the show. I think more women were interested in talking to him than watching the game. My first chance to ever meet or talk to Kiptyn. Glad to see that he got to witness his first hockey game. No need to go into details about what was talked about and all the shenanigans that transpired that night. Some things are better left unsaid. All good guys, we had a great time, and I’m guessing in the near future, we’ll be dropping more drinks and catching falling drunk women back there in no time. I will say this on Tanner’s behalf: I think he and I watch the same exact shows. After going through his recorded shows on his DVR, I could’ve sworn it looked like an exact replica of mine. The city of Dallas belongs to Tanner Pope. We’re just all lucky he lets us live in it. Daddy is a rock star, no doubt.

So did you see this article last week in “People” magazine regarding Ed and Jillian? Interesting to say the least. Why some reporter decided to ask them about Jillian’s lingerie collection is beyond me. Of course Ed, being a man who has such a way with words (“I want to molest you when I get home”, “Bring the beer and condoms”), had this to say when asked what’s the sexiest thing a woman could wear. “No panties.” Ok, first off, he didn’t even answer the question. The question asked the sexiest thing a woman could wear, and he responded with something that she SHOULDN’T wear. Secondly Ed, it’s perfectly normal for you like it when your girlfriend goes panty-less. Especially when they don’t tell you about it beforehand. I just tend to think that’s not the answer you want to give to a magazine read by millions of people. Showing some tact would be nice, but I guess then consider the source and everything we’ve read and heard about the guy. Maybe that’s just who he is. But c’mon buddy. Probably not the answer you needed to give in that situation. By all means you can think it, but personally, I just wouldn’t have expressed it to “People” magazine. To each their own.

So the biggest news in the last week regarding this show was the engagement in New Zealand of Jason and Molly. Before I give my comments, I actually found this amusing, which is odd, since I didn’t think Regis Philbin has done anything funny in 20 years. But the re-enactment of the Jason/Melissa break up gave me a good chuckle. Here it is:

Lets first off talk about the engagement itself. Congrats to those two. If it works for them, then so be it. Personally would I have done the engagement back in New Zealand and immediately had the tabloids reporting it? No. I thought they wanted this all to go away? I understand most Jason & Molly fans are thinking more like, “Awwww, he proposed where they had their first date. So romantic.” But for as much as those two got criticized for everything that happened, and I was front and center leading that charge, I guess I would’ve just laid a little low and not made such a presentation out of it. The proposal back in New Zealand, pictures ready immediately, cover of “US Weekly” saying you’re not the “villain”, etc. Look, I get that he wanted to do it back where he says he should’ve done it in the first place. I just wouldn’t of if I’m trying to distance myself from everything that happened. Their words say they are, but the actions don’t.

With that said, I’m going to share something with everyone that very few people know. When Jillian’s season ended, I actually got in touch with Jason and we finally had a man-to-man talk about everything that went down. He shared his side, and I shared mine. Do we agree on everything? No. He was very persuasive in what he said, and I told him how I felt about how everything played out. Til the end of time, we will both agree to disagree on the events that happened while he was on the show. I feel my sources had no reason to lie to me, and he says that’s not how it went down. I’m fine with that. I don’t hate the guy. Never did. I just expressed to him I think he could’ve handled the whole situation completely different. But that’s yesterday’s news. It happened almost a year ago. He’s moved on, he’s happy, he’s engaged, Melissa’s moved on, she’s engaged, so who am I to harp on it anymore? It’s put to rest. We both said what we needed to say to each other, and I think both of us came out with a better understanding. I emailed him after I heard about the engagement congratulating him and Molly, and he responded with a thank you. I’ll admit, I was rather harsh on the guy for a good two months. Sure he deserved some of it, but probably not as much as I gave.

I don’t think Jason and I will ever be golfing buddies, and I’m certainly not expecting any sort of invite to the wedding, but for those that think I’m out to ruin peoples lives and constantly make fun of them, well, I just don’t think you understand the site and how I write. That’s ok. It’s not for everyone. I’m glad Jason and I hashed things out for the most part. Who am I rain on he and Molly’s parade? Hey, at least they got engaged as opposed to most of these couples who don’t even get that far. Personally, I just wish he’d stop going to the “I’m not a villain” card and just let everything that happened on the show go. No matter what he says or does, people are still going to hate him regardless. It’s almost like he’s trying to please everyone and that’s just impossible. He’s got his fans, and he should just enjoy them. The haters will be there no matter what he says. But telling people again his side of what happened just isn’t what needs to be done now.

I will say that what he told “US Weekly” about having to confront Molly on TV rather than lose her to the “Bachelorette” was exactly what he told me a couple months ago, so, I at least give him some credit for keeping his stories straight. We can debate that until the end of time (and I think I did on the phone), but regardless, it’s over and done with. They’re engaged, Molly’s moved to Seattle, she found a job, and they’re happy. In the end, I guess that’s all that matters, right? No need to bring them up anymore until their wedding or if there’s some nasty breakup. So good luck to the two of them. Been a pretty crazy year, but it seems like they’re happy and moving on. Good. Now I can too.

Yes, in case you haven’t heard the news, both Holly and DeAnna are dating the Stagliano brothers. Holly of course is still dating Michael from Jillian’s season, and DeAnna has been dating Stephen Stagliano for a good month. I really have no idea what to make of all this. Good luck to the four of them. I’m sure the world will be a better place with Holly Durst and DeAnna Pappas as sister-in-laws someday. Oh my. Somewhere Jesse Csincsak is gathering former contestants for another reunion, making sure video cameras are rolling, and shaking his head.

As far as the “Bachelor/ette” reunion cruise from LA to Mexico last weekend, I don’t think it’s going to be its own show. Probably just like the Vegas reunion, I’m sure there’ll be footage popping up somewhere on a “Men Tell All” episode. When I saw Kiptyn last Wednesday, he mentioned that he was going on it. As were Wes, Jesse Kovacs, Jesse Csincsak, Robby D, and a few others. That’s about all I know. Pictures are already all over facebook if you want to go look for them.

One final note on the “Bachelor”, it was announced yesterday that this season is going to be the first one in HD. Outstanding. So are we actually going to get to see the implant scars this season? Or the botox injections? I cannot wait. Jake is already claiming that his wife is one of the 25 women cast for the show. And now that we’ll get all their physical defects in HD, can this season possibly get any better? I highly doubt it. To see him get down on one knee and propose to some goody two-shoes, church going, southern belle might be the highlight of my 2010. Then to watch them celebrate by letting off a bunch of white doves and going crazy with the milk and cookies, can that possibly be topped? “The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love” beginning January 4th. Get your barf bags ready, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.

I wanted to cover more this week, but I’m tired, I have a long day ahead of me, and I still need some catching up to do on some shows. So next week we’ll return with “Reality Roundup” as I cover “Survivor”, “Dancing with the Stars”, the new “Celebrity Apprentice” cast, “Sex Rehab”, the “Ruins”, plus some other tidbits. Also, the interview with former “Survivor: Micronesia” and “Fans vs Favorites” Eliza Orlins will be happening soon as well, so stay tuned for that. To follow me on Twitter or become a friend on Facebook, scroll down the right hand column and find the corresponding link under “My Stuff”. Any questions, comments, emails, praises, criticisms, or opinions, feel free to email me at steve@realitysteve.com. Until next week…

Sorry it took me a couple days to post this. Here is a 2 minute clip from the interview Jason Mesnick did Friday morning on a Seattle radio station where he has Reality Steve on the mind:

Jason Calls Out Reality Steve

Let’s dissect some of the things that Jason says here, since the guy is contradicting himself all over the place.

“That guy heard a rumor…that I ended things with Melissa and started up with Molly.” Uhhhh, last time I checked pal, that wasn’t a rumor, it was fact. And I never reported it as “Hey, speculation is”, or, “Hey, maybe this happens”. From day one, I told everyone this isn’t what I thought happens, it’s what I know happens. So, it wasn’t a rumor, nor did I ever report it as one.

“I don’t even wanna mention his name, he’s got this reality website. I don’t even think anyone should ever even talk about this guy.” Sooooooo then why are you talking about me still three months after the fact when I basically had forgotten about you and Molly since about a week after the season ended? March 9th was really the last mention I made to your name in my column, yet here you were on June 19th bringing me up in a radio station interview promoting a Fathers Day event. I’m glad you have me on the brain. Is this a man crush?

“But, he made up the whole story in between, so everything he says is a flat out lie. He had the bookend right, but made up the whole story in between.” Well, apparently not since the main story I reported last season before anyone else, that you dumped Melissa at a taped ATFR show and asked Molly back, was true. So yet again, another inaccurate statement. Not everything I say is a flat out lie. In fact, most of it is true. And this season, when I told people last week that Ed does come back on the show, that’ll turn out to be true as well. As for making up the stuff in between, that will always be up for debate. I know I didn’t. You think I did. Then again, you’re under contract and not allowed to talk about certain things, so it’ll take a hell of a lot convincing on your part to turn the people who believed what I said.

“So I will tell anybody out there if they know who this guy is, he’s a bunch of BS. And I can promise that everything he says on his website is all his own stories. He’s a storyteller.” Wait, I’M a bunch of BS, or what I write is a bunch of BS? Please be more clear. And EVERYTHING that I say on my website is my own stories? Except for the little minor detail of finding out about the secret ATFR show you taped six weeks prior to the finale airing. And lets not forget, posting what happened at the ATFR 2 taping about one hour after it ended. Talk all you want about not liking some of the things I write, trust me I get that all the time, but don’t say I was factually inaccurate and a “storyteller”. Not true.

“And Melissa, who lives in the same city as this guy, started believing him.” Oooooohhhhhh, ok. So now I was the one who turned Melissa against you? Even though I’ve never spoken to her in my life, never met her, and have sent her one email that she really never responded to? Yet without having ever spoken to me or had any running email conversation, I somehow was able to convince her of everything that really went on? Damn. I must be a REALLY good writer. Better than I thought. So not only are you a huge RealitySteve.com fan, but apparently Melissa is too, AND, she listens to everything I say. Outstanding.

“And I talked to her after that…well, I haven’t talked to her since this whole thing went down. She was OK, up until that point, but she started believing what this guy was saying.” So which is it? Either you talked to her after she apparently believed everything I wrote which you say was me telling story, or you didn’t? My guess? You didn’t. This guy is flip flopping like a politician.

“He’s the one specifically that started stirring stuff up. He’s a just a miserable guy. He’s just trying to get famous.” Actually, you stirred it all up when you agreed to dump Melissa during a closed set taping and ask for Molly back. All I did was report it. Miserable? I wouldn’t say that. Jaded, skeptical, and weary about anything that actually happens on this show? You bet. And saying I’m trying to get famous is ludicrous. I’ve been part of the media for a while. I’ve covered plenty of athletes and interacted with famous people on numerous occasions. I don’t want that life. Now THOSE are your miserable people. And extremely insecure. And completely crazy. So no thanks, but I’ll pass.

I think I’ve said enough. Lets put it to bed. Jason showed some true colors in this interview, and just hearing the venom in his voice towards me was rather surprising. He’s obviously still bothered by the fact that people still hate him for what he did, so he figures why not take it out on me? I find it funny. I’m just not gonna resort to name calling and blaming others for what I did. I’ve said my peace. Hope you had a wonderful Fathers Day and you and Molly live happily ever after. I won’t hold my breath.

So not only does Chris Harrison seem to have a hard on for me, constantly referring to things I write in his blog, but now Jason Mesnick has jumped aboard that train. Jason was in studio on a Seattle radio station this morning promoting some Fathers Day event this weekend, and took the time to call me out during the interview. Very kind words he uses too. I believe he calls me a “miserable person”, a “storyteller”, and “full of BS”, among other things. Sweet. Glad I’ve made such an impression on him. Of course, he doesn’t mention me by name, but its rather obvious who he’s speaking about. I have the audio clip and will post it later tonight or tomorrow, along with my thoughts on the whole thing.

The funny thing is, I really haven’t mentioned Jason Mesnicks name since March 9th, that was the last post I made filed under “The Bachelor 13 – Jason” according to my archives. Have I referenced what happened during his season while writing about Jillian this year? Of course. But actually calling the guy out for anything he’s said or done? Not in three months. I’m just shocked at the fascincation he has with me. I mean, he’s JASON MESNICK, former Bachelor. Why is some nobody like myself still on his mind? I don’t get it. It’s done, it’s over with. Move on. You’re happy with Molly and you’re claiming you guys will get married. Great. Calling me out just seems idiotic. If I’m so insignificant, why even bring attention to me?

I’ve always said since Day 1 that when anyone asks me about his season, I will tell them that I will believe til the day I die, that it was something he was told to do by producers and that he had contact with Molly in the 3 months from the time filming ended til the time the ATFR was taped. Jason claims it was all real and these were all his choices. Well I don’t expect him to say anything different. Do we expect the guy to honestly admit to that? Unless he wants his pants sued off, then no. I presented my case and gave the readers the option to believe, or not believe me. It’s their decision. Some did, some didn’t. Whatever. The difference between Jason and I is he’s still trying to convince the ones that believe me, to not believe me. I don’t care about the people that don’t believe me. That’s their prerogative. We can go back in forth until the end of time on this. Jason can never admit to any behind the scenes stuff, and I can never prove my allegations without outing my sources, which will never happen. So it is what it is at this point. My word against his.

I had no intention of ever bringing this up again, but if the guy wants to call me out, I’m gonna respond. The audio clip and my thoughts coming later tonight or tomorrow.