-Time for the bowling group date, and I’ll be honest, this was the best group date of the season. I don’t give a sh** if it was in a bowling alley. I love bowling. It’s fun, you can still have conversation, and I’ll kick your ass. All the elements of a wonderful date for me. And oh yeah, bowling brought us the greatest group date in cinema history when all the kids from Rydell went there one night and this broke out:
It’s probably impossible to try and put into words how much that movie shaped my childhood, so I won’t try. Just know that I could recite every word from that song and have been able to since I was 7. There aren’t many people out there who could ever stump me on “Grease 2” trivia, but go ahead and try if you want. It’s the greatest worst movie of all-time. And if you think that’s the only song from that movie I can recite, you are mistaken my friend. You can add all these to the list as well:
If you don’t think that while I went and found all those clips last night I watched every single one of them at least two more times, then you don’t know me at all. Stephanie Zinone was sex on a stick when I was a young boy learning things about myself. Straddling a ladder in tight jeans? Yes please. I thought my girlfriend when I got to high school would be exactly like her. I was wrong. That’s it. I’m re-watching the movie again this weekend. That’s what I get for going down that rabbit hole.
-I’m so distracted by this bowling and the “Grease 2” link that it’s hard focusing on this 6-on-5 competition Arie put the girls in, with the winning team getting to spend extra time with him. The Pin Ups were Lauren, Marikh, Kendall, Bekah, Ashley, and Seinne versus the Spare Roses Becca, Krystal, Maquel, Jenna, and Jacqueline. The Spare Roses won, which made Krystal over-the-moon giddy. Until it didn’t. Arie was told by producers decided that he felt bad, so now all 11 girls would join him on the after date party, and Hurricane Krystal started forming. Before we get to that, how do we even know the Spare Roses won? No rules were given. We never saw any scores. We have no idea how this even played out, yet, oh by the way, the team with only 5 players beat the team with 6 players. And the winning team had Krystal. Regardless of if they actually won or not, when producers were setting up this date, they absolutely knew Krystal would be on the winning team and absolutely knew the losing team would end up joining them. That’s how things work.
-You can’t defend Krystal for how she acted on this date. She can’t defend it either and I hope she doesn’t take to social media to try. Just own it. She acted completely ridiculous and acted bat sh** crazy. Complete overreaction. Has she not seen this show before? How many times has a losing team ended up joining when they were initially told they weren’t? It’s happened before. And even if she’d NEVER seen the show before and the thought of that is utterly mind boggling to her, the bottom line is she freaked out over something so inconsequential. Really? You got THAT mad over THAT? She doesn’t deserve to be called names and told she needs to die on social media. But she for sure needs to accept criticism for how she came across on television. You know why? BECAUSE THAT’S ALL WE CAN JUDGE HER ON. She isolated herself in the house. That’s very clear by this point. And when you do that, you have to accept that people will criticize things you said and how you acted on the show. Fair game.
-They got back to the hotel, Krystal pouted, said she wanted no part of the after party, and went in her room while everyone else got dressed. Another way to make everyone in the house dislike you. Of course, Arie goes and checks in on her first, and nothing gets resolved. She’s still not happy, Arie tells her she shouldn’t have handled it this way, and basically he hasn’t made up his mind what to do about her right now. Probably the first time this season that Arie did something noble. Good job, my man. So Kendall was up first at the after party, and tells him she’s felt layers of love in relationships before, but never felt she was in a relationship where she wanted to marry that person, and that’s why she’s never had anything longer than 8-10 months. I’m sure that went in one ear and out the other with Arie since he had his tongue cleaning her teeth within :10 seconds of her sharing that story. He doesn’t discriminate people.
-We saw both Becca and Bekah get their time with him and he made out with both, per usual. Not a whole lot of substance to the conversations, although Becca they made sure to show her telling him how easy it is with him, and she doesn’t seem to get jealous or ever talk about the other girls. Even though she hasn’t had a date in 3 weeks. You can see that they don’t really need to do anything with Becca’s edit. All they have to do is show everything that happened with her and Arie, since they’re the two that get engaged at the end. The non-spoiled people will think it’s a great love story and Arie has turned things around and he’s ready to find love and settle down, then BAM! They won’t know what hit them and these fanatics will literally be sobbing for what he did to Becca, they’ll practically beg for her to be the “Bachelorette.” It’s the most built-in story a lead has ever had going into a season. All she has to do is take it.
-Now, as for Lauren’s edit, it definitely was interesting what each of them said to each other during their time at the after party. I mean, yikes. Talk about foreshadowing. When playing a game of 21 Questions (I thought it was 20 Questions? We can now just add one for the hell of it?), Arie asked Lauren what she was scared of. Her response, followed by his response:
Lauren: “I’m afraid that I fall for you and you choose someone else.”
Arie: “My biggest fear is choosing someone that isn’t right for me.”
Whoa. I mean it’s not like they went back after the season was filmed and took them to Ft. Lauderdale so they could reshoot that. They said that to each other back in October when it was filmed. The irony certainly isn’t lost on the people who know the spoiler. But no, this isn’t some conspiracy theory as some have alluded to after watching that conversation last night. It’s what they said to each other so they showed it. Certainly it has a stronger meaning to the people who know the spoiler, but they don’t edit every season based on the spoiler. So I wouldn’t read too much into it. Arie changed his mind after 2 months, broke off an engagement, and we’ll hear his reasoning when the finale airs and we see what he said to both girls. I won’t buy a lick of it, and neither should Lauren, but obviously for the time being she has. Poor girl. Lauren ends up getting the group date rose.
adelina
January 30, 2018 at 11:24 AM
Steve, what you forgot to mention is the ludicrous and completely gross scene of Arie licking the bowling ball!!! It was so odd and disturbing. Clearly producer encouraged, but who agrees to do that? Oh I know….a closeted dude who actually likes to lick balls.
missrubikscube
January 30, 2018 at 11:36 AM
I think a lot of people were grossed out by the bowling ball licking! It’s actually a reference to a scene from The Big Lebowski (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cYQ-1O5cmE) – but i’m not sure how many people caught that!
rob22
January 30, 2018 at 12:13 PM
I know this show is built on drama and it would be even more boring trying to weed through 20 girls without something else going on. But the scenes with Krystal are painful to watch. She’s obviously extremely self absorbed, and by that I mean more self absorbed than the average self absorbed contestant. But it just amazes me how these women can completely implode on national TV. I’m trying to feel sorry for her, but not succeeding. I think everyone can partially relate to being disappointed that Arie chose to invite everyone to the cocktail party. But the gig is that Arie and the Producers can do whatever they want. If they can make girls drink donkey semen and fake pee, they can also change who comes to the cocktail party. Honestly, I’d be more upset about the former than the latter. I think most people would. Did Krystal not get the memo?
Bekah creates a lot of dissonance. She’s 22, so she’s very young. But her conversations are less superficial than expected. She actually seems to be pretty intelligent and able to keep up a good adult conversation without having to stop and explain things to her. I know that’s a low bar, but for the show, that passes for maturity. But she’s a Nanny. Is she in college, or something and doing Nanny duties on the side to pay her tuition… and they just threw up Nanny by her name for giggles? Because once you’re adult aged, if you’re a Nanny, you’ve pretty much failed at getting a decent job. It’s pretty close to a minimum wage job. As in, college wasn’t my thing, so I decided to be a Nanny while I figured out what I was going to do. Or, after working on a cruise ship for a few years I decided that the travel was too crazy, so now I’m a Nanny. The whole thing doesn’t totally add up for me. Obviously she’s too young for Arie the gray haired f-boy, but she’s more intelligent & more mature than 90% of the other girls. In fact, she’s possibly more intelligent and mature than any of the other girls. I know. Low bar. What am I missing here with Bekah?
j1scarlett
January 30, 2018 at 2:21 PM
@rob22 Nanny jobs, at least around where I live in the NJ/NY area, pay way more than minimum wage. I made $20 an hour as a Nanny last year. It paid better than my current job as a paralegal. I’ve had plenty of “decent” jobs, but I was happier and better paid as a nanny. Oh, and I have an MBA, which has been fairly useless.
shenanigans
January 30, 2018 at 4:29 PM
According to her bio, Bekah is an art major at UC Irvine.
Here’s the link: http://articlebio.com/bekah-martinez
mariet
January 30, 2018 at 5:00 PM
“Because once you’re adult aged, if you’re a Nanny, you’ve pretty much failed at getting a decent job. It’s pretty close to a minimum wage job. As in, college wasn’t my thing, so I decided to be a Nanny while I figured out what I was going to do.” WTH? Do some research, Rob.
atlfan
January 30, 2018 at 5:25 PM
Fun recap, Steve! You didn’t mention Arie’s conversation with the cute little old lady bowlers at the very end. I loved that! It was actually charming (not my go-to adjective for this show).
ladyjane747
January 30, 2018 at 6:49 PM
Wow, that conversation with Lauren was total foreshadowing! Love watching this show knowing what I know. Bekah M. bugs me for some reason and Krystal is just out there. I do feel kind of sorry for her.
upmyalley
January 30, 2018 at 8:00 PM
I can’t feel sorry for Krystal. Everything she says about the other women is exactly what she is herself. She’s very insecure, jealous, immature and fake fake fake. I wish I could see her face as she’s watching herself come across as a psycho and a narcissist. I bet she is cringing and wanting to slit her own throat. Another 5th degree clincher bites the dust.
tinyred500
January 31, 2018 at 12:33 AM
@rob22 There are nannies and there are nannies, but any half decent one has some qualifications. However, Norland Nannies are the crème de la crème in the nanny world. Their salaries start at £25k and they can earn anything up to £225k (or $35.5k – $335k) per year depending on their experience etc. Nothing to be sniffed at there.
I have to say though Arie licking that bowling ball was just gross. I know it was based on a scene from the film The Big Lebowski, but even so…just nasty to watch! Put me off my tea! 🙁
jlal
January 31, 2018 at 8:02 AM
So, happy others have already address the ignorant comments about being a Nanny. Most of the Nannies I have known have at least Bachelor degrees if not Masters. It is a very high paying, important career. I think Rob is confusing being a teenage babysitter with being a Nanny, which is like confusing a teenager who cuts grass and a professional landscaper. Two very different things. However, I do agree with Rob that Bekah seems to be the most emotionally intelligent and very mature for her age. She could just be getting the better edit to though.
As for the show, it was one of the most interesting to date. Krystal is a manipulative, narcissistic, emotionally high-maintenance insecure, beeotch. This time her attempt at manipulating Arie failed and she knew it too. That is why she tried to salvage the situation by showing up at the cocktail party, which backfired too. He should have sent her home, but I’m sure production told him she had to stay for drama value.
I think Tia would make a good next bachelorette. She would bring some spice and honesty, plus she is well educated and intelligent unlike some past bachelorettes. Bekah would work too from the interesting and intelligent stand point, but is just too young to take her wanting to marry seriously.
rob22
January 31, 2018 at 8:11 AM
Sorry if I booted the Nanny pay. But it wasn’t just a shot in the dark. I’ve worked with a few Nannies, all immigrants, on their finances and they were getting around $10/hour, or less. It’s good to know that some can make better money. I always felt like these women were being paid pretty poorly. And, perhaps as immigrants… I don’t know if they had legal status… they had to live with that kind of pay. Regardless, for Bekah, since she’s at UCI, that answered my question. Yes, she’s doing it on the side & the show decided to put that up on the screen instead of “Art Student”. I wonder about their motives for that.
jlal
January 31, 2018 at 8:14 AM
Forgot to say that I was happy that Arie was tough on Krystal and burst her little manipulating bubble with the “…it may be our last fight too…” comment. The look on her face was priceless. She knew then she had overplayed her hand.
And, to address earlier comments about Arie being in the closet. I know as friends/family and work with a lot of gay people. I don’t get the gay vibe at all with Arie. Heck, no self respecting gay man would wear jeans, t-shirt and tennis shoes to a nice dinner or on a nice date. That right there is an American straight man fashion faux pas all the way.
Also, I don’t get RS making a big deal out of Giustina. They obviously have been friends with benefits for years. So what? I have had FWB and though now married are still friends (though without the benefits) with them still. Don’t understand the significance of that relationship to he being the bachelor. He was single and had a FWB, okay…
jlal
January 31, 2018 at 10:08 AM
Rob, if they have a motive at all for listing her actual profession as Nanny vs. student, it may be to make her look more responsible and older.
jlal
January 31, 2018 at 10:12 AM
Also Rob, it wasn’t that you “…booted the Nanny pay…” It was that you dissed the entire profession by saying Nanny’s failed at getting a decent job. Being a Nanny is a decent career/job, no matter the pay. Most Nanny’s I know make more than the Social Workers I know. Both do really worthwhile, important work. Pay doesn’t always dictate the value of a profession.
tjudd
January 31, 2018 at 11:52 AM
I am going to disagree with you on the nanny thing! I had a college degree, taught for 5 years, lost my job due to the economy & became a full-time nanny ( for over 10 years). Let’s just say it wasn’t minimum wage! I was making as much, if not more than, when I was teaching. I only worked M-F, 40 hrs. Don’t knock someone’s job if you’ve not done it. Also, not a fan of Bekah at.all. She grates my nerves & needs to grow that 12 year old boy haircut out! Lol
tjudd
January 31, 2018 at 11:55 AM
Exactly! I live in South FL & was a nanny for several years afer graduating college & working a “decent” job. Made more then than I do now at a “decent” job! Lol.
wpeate
January 31, 2018 at 1:59 PM
Hi Steve, did you see that Courtney Robertson and Arie’s Instagram stories show the same scene with charcuterie?
debb0
January 31, 2018 at 8:03 PM
Have to chime in on “The Nanny” thing as well…my son’s girlfriend has a 4 year college degree in communications, but unable to find a job in that area. So with student loans & bills to pay, she babysits, waitresses, & is a salesperson. Can’t always judge & assume.
beapancake
February 2, 2018 at 5:05 AM
Thank you for linking. Mind boggling people don’t know about this film!
beapancake
February 2, 2018 at 5:08 AM
Nannies I know make at least $15 an hour
katieottawa
February 4, 2018 at 4:20 AM
seriously not one person commented grease 2?? its grease 2 people!! WAY more entertaining than discussing this farce.
steve had the exact same thought as me. as they were on the bowling date right away i thought of grease 2 especially with that 50’s looking girl on the date. i thought they missed the boat when no one named their team pink ladies.
one of the best recaps in a long time because you referenced grease 2 and had the videos of the songs uploaded. as for the show and these brainless bimbos fighting over a dbag i couldnt care less. ill take michelle pfeiffer and maxwell caulfield anyday
i relate to steve. I am a grease buff. love both grease equally. i used to have grease parties where i played both movies and soundtracks and we would reenact all the scenes and dances. yes i proudly admit to being a nerd in my teens.
and the scene when handsome maxwell caulfield removes his helmet with his hair disheveled. oh. my. god.
arie is no maxwell caulfield when he removes his racecar helmet i can guarantee you that ladies.
shanna429
February 6, 2018 at 6:21 PM
Well I doubt she is going to college because at one point she ran off to work at a marijuana farm. Although I’m not 100% if that’s true.
shanna429
February 6, 2018 at 6:24 PM
I doubt it. She won’t see herself that way because she’s clueless and self absorbed.