Hi Steve,
I missed this batch of reader emails but figure it can be for next week!
First, love your site – you make the show so much more enjoyable that I truly can’t imagine watching without your spoilers. Few random thoughts/questions –
I watch this show to be entertained. I don’t care if Colton or whoever is out for self-promotion and to become influencers, I really just care that they’re not total garbage human beings. I know the show is low-brow but I watch shows like Game of Thrones to be intellectually challenged (do you watch? Best show ever). But you can’t ever watch The Bachelor/ette though without almost knowing “too much” to ever get any type of enjoyment out of it. Do you have a hard time watching because you know SO much compared to the average viewer? I have a hard time with them taking themselves so seriously most of the time and the fact that they like to pretend there isn’t a sh** to of manipulation and producing going on behind the scenes.
Do you think we’ll notice a difference in next season without Elan? Or do you think it will be the old saying “everyone is replaceable” and business will go on as usual without a hitch? I think Elan will be missed, but, will we really see any change in the actual show that we watch? I doubt it. To me, it’s the same show every season just with different people. You’re still gonna have producers who are good at getting contestants to do/say things they want. Will anyone ever be as good as Elan? That’s debatable. But unless there’s zero drama next season (which we all know there won’t be), I don’t see how we’ll notice too much of a difference on screen as viewers.
What do your friends/family/girlfriends think of your job? Do any of them watch the show? The only close family member of mine and closest friends of mine who watch is my mom. That’s it. They all know what I do, and when I see them, they usually have a story for me about someone they work with watches and reads, and when they tell them they’re related to me or grew up with me, they can’t believe it. But my Dad and sister don’t watch, read, or listen to anything I do. Only my mom.
Which girl is your favorite contestant to watch this season? Could be because you think she’s entertaining/actually a good person or whatever – just curious.
Thanks!!
Comment: I can’t say I really have any favorites this season. Doesn’t mean I dislike everyone, but no one really stands out. Not to mention, they’ve only allowed us to focus on a couple this season with their storytelling, so it’s kinda hard to develop a favorite.
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First time emailing but have read since the beginning of time…
1) How many producers are there on a given season? Is there one assigned to her girl/guy or how does that work? And then do the same people work on all the Bachelor franchises? There’s a lot. You get one assigned to you when the numbers start dwindling. But in the beginning, numerous producers have multiple contestants they produce. And yes, this is a pretty tight knit group that keeps the same crew every season.
2) What in the world do the contestants do all day? Is their a gym at the house? Do they get to watch TV, read??
3) Do the contestants know beforehand who the Bachlor/ette will be while interviewing to be on the show?
Comment: I think someone is a newbie to this franchise.
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Hi from Australia,
Just a few questions for you… sorry if they are boring.
I know this show is not about a love story at all but is there any of the past Bachelors or Bachelorettes that you think were actually genuinely wanting to find love? I’d say the earlier seasons, like well before social media. Because there was really nothing to gain from going on the show. But once the show became popular in the mainstream, all bets were off.
With Coltons season – why do you think that he went after Cassie rather than just finishing it out with someone else if he isn’t really that interested in finding someone? Because it’s a television show.
Why do you think we don’t really hear anything from Bachelor franchise about Rachel Lindsay? I had to google her to find out she is actually getting married this year. As opposed to the constant updates we hear on others. Not sure on that one. Could be because she’s been vocal about the franchise and hasn’t always portrayed them in the brightest of lights. But I don’t know the actual reason.
Last question on Arie and Lauren, have you changed your mind in the slightest or do you still think that Arie is a player or maybe he’s actually found love?
Thanks heaps
Comment: I would hope he’s found love considering he’s now married with a kid on the way.
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Hi Steve,
Your career has allowed you to meet a large number of “Bachelor Nation.” I’m curious to know who surprised you the most. That is, who was the most different from their Bachelor/ette edit. I know everyone is edited. Hmmmmm, good question. Wanna correct one thing. I wouldn’t say I’ve met a “large number” of Bachelor Nation. There’s been over 900 people in this franchise. I’ve probably hung out with less than 20. I wouldn’t say anyone was really that much different than their edit. Leah Block is someone who surprised me. I don’t know what my expectations were of Leah going in. I don’t even think I had any. When I was in Denver last year, I didn’t think know I was meeting up with Leah until after I arrived. But she was super nice and we’ve kept in touch since. That’s really the only one who sticks out only because her edit on the show wasn’t great, and I never got that sense hanging with her.
Additionally, the franchise is what it is. The producers will never stray too far from what works. The goal for production isn’t for someone to find love. Like you, they don’t really care and this is a job. With that being said, for longtime viewers, there has been a shift from the contestants seeming to believe they could find love to now using it as a “business starter.” Can you remember or pinpoint what season and/or what person sort of shepherded this change? I think the easy answer is once IG shilling became a thing and you could start making money by promoting product on your IG page. So about 5 years ago.
I’m always bewildered by the close relationship between contestants and producers after the show. It seems like they are always close. Has anyone discussed the opposite; that is a complete lack of respect for and like of their producer(s).
Thanks for your time.
Comment: Oh sure. I’m not going to name names, but I’ve spoken to quite a few former contestants once the show aired who told me all the things production said/made them do. There are those out there who hate their producers. You just won’t see them posting on social media much about it.
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Steve,
All media is saying Caelynn is 1/2 Native American from her mom & Grandmother’s Side. Did you want to look & mention that. So that puts her in with the 1/2 Persian JoJo & probably gives her a better chance of Bachelorette if they keep mentioning it, it will show some Ethnic diversity in her background. Or lack of since Native American’s were here first!
Do you agree with these reason’s some way important, some just interesting facts, as to why Caelynn will be the next bachelorette?????
1) She’s in the final 4
2) She’s a survivor of Sexual Assault.
3) She Won Miss North Carolina 2018 & placed runner up.
4) She’s NOT a pageant giant she’s only 5’6” (a lot of those pageant gals are mainly 5’10-6-1”)
5) Her Grandma (I can’t find her name on google) was the first Director head of the FBI in Los Angeles.
6) Her dad is/was a Field FBI agent.
(Kinda elusive ala Rachel Lindsay’s dad the judge.)
7) She has a platform for abuse built in to her story line already.
8) She went after her abuser. (Not sure the full outcome) will google.
9) Hannah G. Asked where is Singapore? So I’m guessing Caelynn is maybe a bit more able to date & talk?
Personally I love Both Hannah’s. But both Miss Alabama has not much to say only spew & the edit on Hannah G. Is next to nothing. We know very little about her. In prior years we would see her in the fantasy suite & meet his parents. I guess all we will get is a hometown? Caelynn has a lot written about her early on which gets people interested! It’s a shame that Cassie’s edit is I want to spend time with him but she was not ready. It’s almost like he fell hard for her. He otherwise most likely would have gone all the way to a ring w one of the other 4 gals oh well.
Comment: I would think points #1, #2, and #7 are the biggest things she has going for her in the next “Bachelorette” role if she gets it. I don’t think any of the other points have any sway in it. Her biggest thing is she’s a sexual assault survivor, and we’re in the middle of the #MeToo Movement right now. What better person for this show to cast as their lead, (a show that’s taken a ton of sh** for the treatment of women over the years), than someone as vocal as Caelynn was about her attack. Seems like a no-brainer. But nothing is ever written in stone until they make the announcement. I’d be shocked if it wasn’t her though.
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Hi Steve! Very important question…for Dylan, were you Team Brenda or Team Kelly? I cannot wait to hear your 90210 podcast and find out why you like the college years more than the high school episodes. I liked the high school episodes more although the college episodes with Brenda in the play were some of my favorites. I can’t wait to see how they handle the reboot. I have always wanted to know why Jennie Garth and Tiffani Amber Theissen stopped being friends…Team Kelly. I’m still in the middle of rewatching seasons 1-3 right now, and I’m sorry, Brenda does nothing for me. Her character sucked, she was always mad at something, and I just never got it with her. I have my reasons for it and you’ll hear it when we do the podcast.
As soon as I heard about Chris Harrison and who he is dating, I thought of your podcast with her. Hopefully she will come back on as a guest if they break up?? I am glad he is dating someone so that people can stop saying he should be the Bachelor. Yeah, saying Chris should be the “Bachelor” for years just got old. Was never gonna happen. As for Lauren, who knows? I’m sure at some point she’ll come on again, but I couldn’t tell you when.
I want to stick up for Colton for a second. I know he wants to be famous much more than he wants to settle down and get married BUT in terms of him being a virgin, I wish his choice was being respected and admired rather than him being criticized or made fun of by viewers. I actually understood his comment in regards to being with Ali. He loved her, he wanted to lose his virginity to her, but knew what she’d been through and it wasn’t going to happen. Then he supposedly loved Becca and wanted to sleep with her, but she knew he wasn’t going to be her husband so she could not sleep with him in the fantasy suite then break up with him. Have you seen pictures of Colton in high school? He recently posted his prom pic. He was dorky and awkward (he admits this!) and hasn’t always been attractive. I think it’s sweet that he wants to wait to have sex with someone he really loves. Especially in contrast to the disgusting guys who assaulted Caelynn. I will agree to disagree on this point. Maybe I’ll have something for everyone in the future, maybe not. Still working on things.
I think because of Temptation Island coming back I have been thinking about Bachelor years ago. Trista, Molly, and Deanna seemed 10 years older than the girls this season. It’s hard to imagine that any of these girls (except for Elyse) are actually ready to settle down. But then again, look and Lauren and 22 year old Becca from Arie’s season and both are now pregnant! I think you are right about Caelynn being Bachelorette… especially with the ratings from this week’s episode.
Your recaps are so funny this season! I can’t wait to listen to this week’s podcast. I am so thankful that Craig is still here and getting help. I always thought Gia would have been a perfect Bachelorette. 🙁
Comment: The outpouring of love for Craig has been overwhelming. Just know I appreciate it and so does he. He’s definitely seen that him talking has made an impact, and that’s what he wanted.
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Just watch the introduction show for the new season of The Challenge. Can’t wait for it to start next week. Thanks for talking about it so much I had to check it out and love it! What is your thoughts on the new season? Who do you think will stand out of the newbies? Thanks for all the time you put into your columns
Comment: I really don’t know any of those other people outside of Chase. I’m excited for the season to start, but I can’t say that any of the newbies I know a thing about. Maybe they’ll surprise me.
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1) Has there ever been a contestant that you haven’t heard a single bad thing about? I think you mentioned recently that there was one you hadn’t heard “much” about but it made me wonder if there was any who, instead of people e-mailing you to say what a horrible ex or coworker or whatever they were, what a stand-up person they were? I’d also be interested in seeing how long they actually lasted in their season (ha) Very few, if any. And no one jumps out to me right now. Obviously with over 900 contestants on this show, I don’t hear something about everyone. So lets narrow it down to people who are known names from the franchise. Yeah, I’ve probably heard something negative about almost all of them. Of course there’s also a level of negativity. Some are worse than others.
2) Do you know what ever happened to WetPaint? I recently realized that I hadn’t seen anything from them pop up recently and went to look, and it’s been nearly a year since they really put anything out. Went out of business.
3) Does Craig have a public instragram? I was going to send him a message because he was hopeful about his story impacting someone, and I wanted to share with him that I listened to the podcast a week after learning that my father-in-law, whom my husband and myself had a very complicated relationship with, had died suddenly. My FIL was an addict, but I didn’t really know that until we were cleaning out his apartment. I work in mental health, but it’s really so easy to forget that it’s a disease. Hearing Craig’s story at the time that I did really helped me feel a compassion for my FIL that I’ve never felt before. I don’t have Twitter, and the Instagram account I found for Craig is private. Heck, if you even want to just forward this message to him, that’d be awesome. I just would love for him to know that his sharing positively impacted me. For sure. Email me and I’ll forward it on to him. I’ve done that with quite a few emails I’ve gotten to this point.
