-Raven’s date was a given it was gonna be my favorite just because it involved the roller skating rink. I mean, who doesn’t like that place? Not to mention it was the most spoiled date on Twitter I had this season, so I was looking forward to how much of it got shown. The answer? Not much. I think I spoiled more on Twitter of what happened at the rink than what was shown. But before we get to that, lets backtrack a bit to the beginning of the date where Raven did the ol’ run and jump into Nick’s arms thing. Have we seen that yet this season? I can’t remember. Granted up to this point there were only 3 previous 1-on-1’s. Danielle L. didn’t do it because he gave her the date in front of all the others. Danielle M. didn’t do it because the first time we see them on their date was in the helicopter. So maybe Vanessa did it. Can’t remember. Whether she did or not, I think Raven might’ve had her beat with the amount of air she got on that jump and number of rotations Nick made with her in his arms. The Russian judge scored that a 9.8.
-They go to Bella’s soccer game first because it’s in Bella’s contract to appear more on this show than Whitney. Or Josephine. Or about half the remaining girls left. Bella is a beast on the soccer field. The way they staged that game, it looked like she scored 700 goals and was playing with a bunch of 6 year olds. But whatever. Nick even took some time to get in goal himself and lets just say he won’t be replacing Tim Howard on the USMNT anytime soon. Don’t quit your day job, Nick. Whatever that may be. Oh yeah, it’s a men’s grooming business that is launching next month. I mean, I wish all the best to the guy, but considering how many players there already are in that market, I don’t see what would make them any different. My guess is Nick won’t be involved in the men’s grooming business by Jan. 2018.
-Lets get to the roller skating rink. That’s where all the fun happens. You know, since my niece and nephew have moved here to Texas this summer, we’ve only been to the one out here once. Our fun time has been taken over for their obsession with Dave & Buster’s. So maybe they’re outgrowing the roller skating rink. Not sure. But dammit we will find our way back there at some point. Oh no, I don’t skate with them, I just watch, take videos, eat nachos, and play games. I think I put on the skates once, and when you haven’t skated since 8th grade, it took a little time to get used to. It was a bit of a struggle for a while there before I got the hang out of it and was basically Scott Hamilton on wheels. Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating. Hence the reason I sit out, watch, and enjoy the hell out of the teenie bop music the DJ plays. This date was really no different, although the only song we got to hear was “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer. There were others played: Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, etc. Of course, will this roller skating date ever top JP and Ashley cruising around to REO Speedwagon on his hometown? No. Nothing ever will in the history of ever.
-I think my favorite Raven quote from last night (quote the Raven nevermore) was, “I don’t want to just be Nick’s roller skating partner, I want to be his partner in Laugh.” Well, she said “life” but with that twang, it sounds like “laugh.” This happens every season. Right after you see someone’s 1-on-1 that you know doesn’t win, you start predicting “Bachelorette” for them. So naturally, a flood of tweets last night all want to see Raven get the “Bachelorette” gig. Frankly, I would too. But it’s still early. Rachel’s 1-on-1 is next week, and I’m sure when her date ends, people will love her. Just like they loved Danielle after her date. Then Vanessa after hers. Then Raven after last night. It’s very predictable to see how people will feel because there are so few 1-on-1’s throughout the course of a season. I said it in November and I’ll say it again. I’m pretty sure the “Bachelorette” is between Rachel and Raven. Not going out on a limb there. All 12 previous “Bachelorettes” finished top 4 of their season. Rachel and Raven do this season, with the only other one being Corinne, who has zero chance at being the “Bachelorette.” We have no idea who they’re choosing and they will string everyone along until the last minute. I think the show finally has their black lead they’ve been looking for and wouldn’t be surprised if they go with Rachel. But my preference would be Raven. Who knows what they’ll do.
-The next part of Raven’s date is where things got interesting. We all heard the story she told of finding her ex-boyfriend in bed with another woman, beating him with a stiletto and attacking the girl. Well, I thought we all did until I saw a couple of tweets from Arkansas saying a commercial played during that portion of their date. Then Raven posted this tweet last night:
Everyone is asking me what happened- Little Rock & the central AR area censored my story. U'll have to find the clip elsewhere. #TheBachelor
— Raven (@ravengates09) January 24, 2017
After doing a little more digging, I found out that certain ABC stations just in Arkansas cut away right when Raven started telling her story, and came back to the show right when Nick was giving her a rose. This wasn’t because of a weather cut in, or emergency break or anything like that. Hearing what happened, it’s obvious someone had some ties to someone at those particular stations, didn’t want that story getting out, and those particular affiliates obliged for whatever reason. That’s unheard of. Keep in mind for those that might not understand how TV works, this wasn’t corporate ABC who decided to make this decision, because the rest of America saw her tell the story. It was only certain ABC affiliates in Arkansas that chose not to show it. And knowing now that they cut out right before she started her story and came back right when she was done with it? Uhhhh, yeah. That’s about as shady as you can get.
-So what do we make of this? Well, I’m sure your next question is, “Who is Raven’s ex-boyfriend who cheated on her?” I had no idea. Until last night. I was tweeted at and then emailed about her ex. His name is Hunter Henry. And no, it’s not the former Arkansas and current LA Charger (still sounds weird to say) tight end, Hunter Henry. Although Raven’s ex HAS been mistaken for him numerous times, as he was the focal point of this piece done by a local Arkansas station back when people started mixing the two of them up. That’s the doctor Hunter Henry that’s Raven’s ex. I mean, this is such a juicy story and also funny at the same time. So many questions: Who didn’t want that story getting out there? How did they have the power to tell Arkansas ABC affiliates to make sure cut out of it? Did those affiliates just not want bad publicity for Little Rock? Were they protecting Hunter, figuring it’d look bad for an Arkansas doctor to be linked to this story? Were they protecting Raven in that they just didn’t want a negative story about an Arkansas woman attacking a man with a stiletto? Who had the most to lose with that story getting out? I don’t know, maybe a doctor in Arkansas? Hey, I’m just speculating here. But that was no coincidence that Raven’s story gets seen everywhere in the United States EXCEPT in parts of Arkansas. Somebody’s up to something. Maybe Detective Reality Steve can get to the bottom of this. But you can bet your ass now the tabloids will now be going after him and whoever the girl he was having sex with. Don’t be surprised if one or both end up talking to the tabloids. We see it every season.
-We then get to see the beginning of the rose ceremony and, surprise surprise, Corinne is the focal point. First, Danielle L. steals Nick away first even though she has a rose, but Taylor is bothered by this. I think it’s safe to say Taylor didn’t have the greatest of nights last night either. While I have no problem with her confronting Corinne since that’s what Corinne asked for and it was actually Corinne who told Taylor she needed to talk to her, I can get why what I originally reported about Taylor psychoanalyzing everyone came to be true. Yes, Taylor absolutely sees herself as “above” Corinne. And while she probably is intellectually, and I did understand the points Taylor was trying to make to Corinne, it did come off as quite snobbish. Granted, you’re also arguing with a child, so no matter what Taylor said and in what manner she said it, Corinne wasn’t going to listen to her constructive criticism anyway. But this scene ends the show and sets up the Taylor/Corinne 2-on-1 date next week. The episode began with the Corinne show, we were force fed all Corinne’s actions during the group date in the middle of the show, and it ended with a Corinne storyline. And still 7.3 million people watched and it won its time slot. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
Send all links and emails to: steve@realitysteve.com. To follow me on Twitter, it’s: www.twitter.com/RealitySteve. Instagram name is “RealitySteve,” or join my Reality Steve Facebook Fan Page. Talk to you tomorrow.
kimmyfromdablock
January 24, 2017 at 10:40 AM
I am in the helping field and I’ve said this a thousand times, it doesn’t matter what letters you have after your name, people are people. Good therapists are hard to find. Enough said.
My favorites are Raven and Rachel. Corinne is a hoot. More calculating and therefore smarter than anyone is giving her credit. She knows her entertainment value and is riding her 15 minutes hard.
lak377
January 24, 2017 at 10:53 AM
http://www.wetpaint.com/bachelor-2017-raven-gates-ex-boyfriend-1558474/
Wetpaint picked up on Hunter Henry
bsexton
January 24, 2017 at 11:32 AM
On your bit about the “bachelor” franchise reunion in nashville…Lauren B was there. Has anyone else noticed that she’s been doing a lot of traveling and posting absolutely NOTHING about ben here lately? Did they break up and I’m just the last to find out?
hales
January 24, 2017 at 12:05 PM
bsexton, Lauren B and Ben are still together. She doesn’t have a traditional “job” anymore. She makes money through social media now. If you follow any other social media “influencers” they all travel a lot (i.e. Becca Tilley)
katieottawa
January 24, 2017 at 12:25 PM
i just wanted to call out all the hypocritical women who took part on the march on saturday who were demanding respect for womens rights
yet not 48 hours later were among the 7.4 million women who tuned in to this show to again win its slot in the adult women demographic and took part in this show trending as the #1 thing on twitter.
If you are going to fight for a cause and want to be taken seriously, how about also boycotting shows like this that have at its core the purpose of demeaning women while showcasing and encouraging women who are WILLING to act like complete airhead barbie dolls just for some attention/money/fame and instagram followers. The fact that those same people who watch and take part on twitter essentially negate any real significance or future change given to the cause that took place on saturday.
yoyotono
January 24, 2017 at 12:32 PM
The only thing I’m interested in finding out, after reading this whole article, is who Raven’s ex-boyfriend is and how it was possible for the Arkansas Conspiracy.
The last episode ran like an episode of, “The Simple Life”. Everything that happened on the farm date was expected. It was also expected that Corinne would get a rose to stir controversy and that controversy would errupt.
Danielle L. also comes off as fake, even with all that editing. Yes, everyone knows Corinne is entitled, I don’t find her funny either. Just the SSDD, it’s old.
yoyotono
January 24, 2017 at 12:33 PM
Regarding the Amanda/Wells situation, it’s not a surprise Amanda found a different guy from the franchise. She needs to continue to make money off social media, and a new guy fans already know is a good way to do that. Probably the same type of thing JJ & Juelia tried to do.
kimmyfromdablock
January 24, 2017 at 2:20 PM
Scandal above or someone with a vendetta against Raven?
@katieottawa……so you can’t participate in a women’s march if you watch this show? Does that theory or “calling out” include watching beauty pageants, posting revealing selfies, sleeping around, putting on makeup or doing anything else focused on superficial things or things related to objectifying women?
RaRa
January 24, 2017 at 2:22 PM
Actually, Steve, if you had read the entire Knigge Farms article, you would know that they did not actually drink the fresh-squeezed milk. The farmer (whatever his name was) said they are not allowed to drink milk which has not been pasteurized, so they were compelled to warm some pasteurized milk and have the “ladies” drink that.
valadega
January 24, 2017 at 2:38 PM
I hope Rachel gets the gig so the cries of racism can finally go away. I’m getting bored by the show and Corinne has overstayed her welcome. If I never saw her in the Franchise of this show I would be happy. I hope to see the Danielle’s,Taylor and Astrid on BIP. Their good look will bring in the guys panting!
yellowcrayon
January 24, 2017 at 2:55 PM
As a female myself, I can 100% agree that women are the bigger hypocrites. Men have their own flaws, but women take the cake with hypocrisy.
Also, Nick is really dull. I only watched him on Kaitlyn’s season and had no reason to believe otherwise, but yea, very boring.
katieottawa
January 24, 2017 at 9:05 PM
If women were offended about the things trump said regarding women than these same women should also be just as offended by the bachelor, abc and the horndog star himself and his airhead bimbos for the way they act and portray women on this show. This guy is on a tv platform where we can ACTUALLY SEE him grabbing random womens boobs, asses, licking boobs, rubbing explicitly on women, making out with many of them and where one of them was made known to have a one night stand with. Why is this guy or show and network not getting the same level of criticism for his actions which are being publicly broadcasted to a national audience? On a march you protest trumps words yet 7.4 million then watch, tweet and essentially participate and support the blatant message of this show which is to objectify, demean and devalue women by having one guy essentially have his way with multiple women with no self respect and no integrity who choose to let him for fame and money. So which is it?
As a true advocate then you would be offended by all encompassing matters that negatively impacts how women are treated and viewed with this show being a huge contributor to the problem and therefore not wanting to support it either. I called these so called feminists who marched hypocrites because they set up a march with a clear personal dislike for trump yet wanted to disguise it as a cause for women’s rights to add weight to serve their purpose of protesting. Just dont wear pussy hats and pretend to be all offended by the things that trump said but then 2 days later tune into the bachelor and be fine with it and then make us believe that womens rights are all that important. If these women want us to take them seriously than they cant just select certain matters that suits them to serve their cause while overlooking others just as significant or else it loses all its purpose and importance.
langpla
January 24, 2017 at 11:22 PM
http://www.uamsem.com/class-of-2016.html
Here are two bad photos of the ex-boyfriend. RS, you are amazing. “You do you…”
walker
January 25, 2017 at 11:13 AM
I am saddened that women do not understand what a march for woman’s rights is about; It’s about the right to continue to have legal access to choices in our lives. In my opinion, Rights does not equal feminism; the commentators above seem to be confusing the two. My concern when I joined my local march this past Saturday is my and my daughters losing the right to make medical choices regarding our bodies and healthcare. My concern is the loss of rights for all people easy leagl access to vote. My concern is deregulating multi billion businesses so that they can undo all environmental safeguards that have been installed in the past 20 years to protect our drinking water, our soil, our air to breathe (have you seen pictures of the air quality disaster in China, well the US is on its way to match such poor air quality in some areas, and great strides have been made in past years to nip this potentially irreversible disaster in the bud, Trump just used his executive power to undo these safeguards yesterday with one stroke of his pen, great for the profit potential of a very few billionaires, bad for the people/businesses who live in areas impacted negatively by oil spills, toxic run-off in water/soil/air etc. – this is what I marched against) TV Bachelor Nick is not the leader of the most powerful nation and the girls have signed on with consent to participating on the farce of the Bachelor as a career path to success after the show – it is entertainment. How can one really compare Nick’s consensual behavior with these “actresses” who more often than not instigate themselves the physical contact with the bachelor, to the President of the United States of America groping women without permission and then bragging about it (that is sexual assault and is a jail time offense) tsk. Makes me sick. Just because I watch the Bachelor for the faux entertainment silliness that it is, does not mean I cannot also passionately want to defend real life funding and access to healthcare and equal pay for all women. If men can get government/insurance funding for viagra, you better believe that women should get same funding access to birth control, especially if people preach that they don’t want unwanted pregnancy. Men can get Government assistance for prostrate screening/treatment, but GOP wants to defund Planned Parenthood whose primary care is cervical/breast cancer screening, Prenatal care, family health for children, and access to affordable birth control to limit situations where abortion might be then be a legal choice. I may not agree with what the women on the show may want to present themselves as in relation to how they go about winning the show, but I sure want them to have the right to be who they are even if I don’t agree. (As long as they are not harming anyone, I do not like at all the bullying). I marched for Women’s Rights, The protection of the environment, fair living wages, unfettered access to scientific facts and information (are you aware that Trump just shut down yesterday ALL public access to scientific research/communication of several major agencies including EPA, Labor dept, Interior, National Park Service and others – no access allowed at all, banned from communication to public – this is serious people!!!) With little warning and no explanation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention canceled a major climate change conference that had been scheduled for next month in Atlanta. “The Climate and Health Summit, which had been in the works for months, was intended as a chance for public health officials around the country to learn more about the mounting evidence of the risks to human health posed by the changing climate. I marched against this abhorrent silencing of science. And sadly so much more…. Please do not negate all these very important concerns because I am also a woman who watches a stupid TV show – that makes no sense. Disagree, sure, but don’t try to badger me because I watch TV – my life concerns are real for me and my children and the future of this amazing nation and planet. I can be against torture and committing war crimes by stealing by military force oil of another country and still want to drink a glass of red wine or bourbon while watching the farce of The Bachelor. Thank you for your understanding even if you do not personally support. For now thankfully, that is still your right – I will march to protect that right.