Hey Steve!
Nice reading your stuff as I travel through China. Most things are blocked here – Google, Facebook, Netflix, YouTube, etc… but not Reality Steve! You’ve made many a bus & train ride entertaining. A long one, sorry…
I haven’t even seen the season yet (you can use a VPN in China to bypass restrictions, but internet is painfully slow and unreliable anyway), but it sounds like a typical “copy and paste” job from the Bach producers. Really, we’ve had plenty of lackluster bachelors. And now we have new Corrine, new Chris Soules/Arie-level intellectual conversation. Familiar characters, familiarly boring leads. It’s an old, tired formula, and yet they’re still on air. It seems that while some of us are #TeamSteve (spoiled), too many viewers love to buy into the cheap fantasy of good looking people finding happily ever after in impossible circumstances…
Does it seem to you that there are a large number of Colton crazies this season? I ask because, I’m getting this uneasy feeling that Colton will get a nauseating rallying of support for the fact he ditches the show to chase Cassie, once it airs. “America’s most eligible bachelor risked it all to chase the woman of his dreams” – I can hear Chris Zima saying it now, and I can feel Bach Nation lapping it up. And yet, Colton pinning his virginity on Aly, his back and forth with Tia, saying he’d do anything to be bachelor, and you hinting that this guy is a total phony for further reasons you can’t divulge (which can only mean you’ve got some killer dirt on him), I really just won’t be able to stand a sh**storm of Colton crazies hailing him as an amazing bachelor when this is all over. I feel like it’s all going to play right into his hands, the way he wanted all along…
And when it all goes south with Cassie, I’m sure his PR team will have his media narrative crafted right to his advantage… except he won’t fool you, Steve, and you won’t let him off the hook. Where would we be without you, Steve??! Thank god for you, and the few who report and credit your findings, is all I can say.
Also, not sure if you pointed out the slogan on Colton’s bachelor poster already: “What has he got to lose?” Are they kidding?? These people are probably in stitches in the Bach studios, it’s a complete joke in every way. Top 4 + virgin + charity + almost athlete = lead, apparently. A lead they can mercilessly make fun of behind the scenes… makes me squirm thinking Caelynn has a strong shot at lead for her “story”, the show doesn’t care about the message they send, they care about staying on air and the ratings they can draw in. Total exploitation. A steep price to pay for your 15 minutes of fame…
Comment: You’re right, what would you do without me? Thank you.
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Hi Steve,
In case you hadn’t heard, Rachel isn’t buying what Colton is selling and talks about his master plan to become the bachelor:
I hadn’t heard anyone of importance in bachelor nation speak out and talk publicly about this so far this season.
Comment: Rachel is dead on. She knows.
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Hi Steve! I’ve been a loyal reader since Jojo’s season, and it’s safe to say that I’m a fan of your work.
1. When they go to different cities on the show, how much do you think it actually benefits each city? I know that I haven’t been more interested in visiting a particular city or country based on what I saw on an episode of the bachelor. But, it seems to benefit each city enough that they continue to pay for the show the film there, and from what I understand, production doesn’t pay a cent to do so. I don’t know how the tourism boards even measures how much the show going there for an episode benefits them. It’s got to, right? Or else they wouldn’t do it. Is it based off travel booked within a couple weeks of that particular episode airing? I’m not sure how they do it. Kinda like Super Bowl commercials. I’ve never understood why Coke and/or Pepsi spends $4 million on a :30 commercial when everyone already knows about Coke & Pepsi. Like, who’s seeing that commercial during the Super Bowl then suddenly deciding to drink Coke or Pepsi? Or maybe that’s why I’m not in advertising and that’s not what they’re looking at.
2. Why do you think the show never acknowledges Holly and Blake? I haven’t seen a single shout out. Obviously Bachelor Pad wasn’t the most popular show from the franchise, but they are the only successful couple to come from that show. I’m not saying I expect them to make regular appearances or anything, but when they have montages of all the couples from the franchise they seem to always be left out.
Thanks!
Comment: Never really thought about it, but since they never talk about “Bachelor Pad” anymore, it’s possible that’s why. Very few fans nowadays are really clamoring for their Blake/Holly updates.
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Hi Steve!
I’m fairly new to your site (about a year) and did not start attentively watching the Bachelor until also, about a year ago. Anyway, with that being said, do the contestants have a significant amount of time with the bachelor off camera? Or are the dates we see pretty much the extent of time spent? Just trying to grasp how one could “fall in love” with so little time. Obviously, there’s a lot of editing, I know. Thanks for your work.
Comment: They don’t fall in love that quickly. That’s why it’s just a television show. Their environment thinks they really are falling in love, but most people know by now it’s more lust than anything else since your sole focus is on one person the whole time you are there with no outside distractions.
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Hey steve!
Love your site. Here are a couple of questions:
1) what are your thoughts on Astrid and Kevin? I know you had said that he wanted fame and his goal was to be the Bachelor Canada. Has that changed? I was surprised she moved to Canada for him, for sure. But they seem to be doing well. Again though, until these couples walk down the aisle, that’s when I’ll believe it. They’ve definitely taken a major step, so I give them that. Otherwise, I don’t think about them too often. When an engagement and/if a baby announcement comes or something like that, then that’ll be the next step.
2) Let’s talk Temptation Island. I’m LOVING it! We know that in the end there are couples that stay together and couples that break up and leave with a single. What are your predictions for each of the four couples at the end of this?
Thanks!
Comment: Well, if Mark Walberg didn’t say in an interview there were three possible outcomes of the show: the couple leaves together, they leave separately, or they leave with someone from the island, then I would’ve guessed all 4 broke up. But if you’re forcing me to guess, I think Shari & Javen stayed together and the other three are done. But I know nothing. That’s strictly a guess.
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Hi Steve!
Listening to your podcast with Kristin right now, and it relates to something I just heard on Angelinas episode on Rob Has A Podcast. She said she was cast because she was friends with Adam Klein (MilennialsVsGenX winner) and casting saw her Instagram or Facebook. They had asked Adam if he had any friends who were attractive Ivy Leaguers, so that aligns with Kristin’s theory that they look for people within circles they already have access to.
Comment: Makes sense. Kristen was excellent in her views on the show. Take a listen if you haven’t already.
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Hi Steve,
Love the site.
With so much missing footage, and given the season’s structure is almost always hometowns into WTA, can you speculate as to why on earth they would do themselves no favors and drag out overnights + post-overnights across March 4 + March 11 when they didn’t have to? How could there be that much footage to make a tight show? Why wouldn’t they do themselves a favor and stick to the conventional hometowns and then WTA?
My guess would be that the March 4 episode starts with Tayshia/Colton’s day and night, and ends with Cassie and Colton’s overnight taking a turn for, in Cassie’a case, the worst, as her classic indecisiveness rears its ugly head, and in Colton’s case, with him deciding it’s Cassie or nothing for him. I think probably it will end with Colton telling the camera he’s in love with Cassie and wants to marry her and say goodbye to the two others in order to get the proposal on the road, and Cassie telling the camera she will be telling Colton goodbye. Then maybe the cliffhanger is Cassie / Colton knocking on the other’s door. Then the March 11 will be the breakup, Colton’s misery, saying goodbye to Tayshia and Hannah, and going to find Cassie. Another cliffhanger – knocking on the door in California. Then perhaps March 12 is the resolution, Cassie agreeing to give it a shot, and ATFR. It would be interesting if Bach films in some of the same waterfront eateries and landscape settings as Young Once. I guess we’ll see.
Also, it’s been said, but Colton was clumsy with his words in telling Onyeka that Nicola had said she’d been called “mentally unstable”. There is a significant difference between being emotionally and mentally unstable and it sort of shows Colton’s simplicity that he can’t tell the meanings apart. He really put his foot in it there.
Your thoughts?
Comment: Those aren’t bad guesses, but it’s really impossible to guess what they’re going to do, because that’s 6 hrs of TV you’re asking me to guess on (Mar 4th, 11th, & 12th). The only guess I have is that I think the March 4th overnight episode ends with Colton’s fence jump. If I were a producer, that’s how I’d end it. That’d be the ultimate tease for the finale the following week.
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Hi Steve,
Wondering if there is a forum or some way that viewers are able to suggest to ABC who we would like to be the next Bachelorette.
I must admit I am a fool for this show and really hope the couples actually make it in the end. That being said I know its TV. I am struggling through this season because I think Colton is an immature, fame loving, self promoting guy and just don’t like him as the lead. But..I am one of those fools who still watch.
I know that everyone has mentioned Caelynn as the top choice for the next bachelorette but I can’t stand her. She is so boring! Hannah B is so much more entertaining! She eats bugs, growls, goes on camera make up free, doesn’t look or act perfect all the time. She totally makes me laugh out loud. I don’t like my reality TV filled with messages or serious conversations…I mean if I wanted that stuff I would watch the news.
So I would love to be able to express this opinion to those who actually make the decision, though it probably won’t matter but I just don’t want ABC messing with ridiculously crazy reality TV.
Thanks!
Comment: I don’t think one person voicing their opinion to them makes a whole hell of a lot of difference. It would have to be droves and droves of people all with the same sentiment. But as Kristen and I talked about, whoever this show casts, they can always say, “The fans asked for them” because everyone in the final 4 has a pretty big fan base, no matter who they are. Sure they’ll say they listen to their fans when they choose, but they really don’t because fans all have different favorites. So ultimately they’ll choose who they think will make the best TV and justify it afterwards however they feel like it.
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Hi Steve,
I just read that you are team Kelly over team Brenda in your reader emails and I have to say I think completely differently of you now, I’m sorry but there is just no going back ?. Kelly was awful to fool around with Dylan behind Brenda’s back and all they had was a physical connection, Dylan and Brenda were soul mates!
I also thought that Brenda was beautiful, who did you find the most attractive of the girls on the show? Who were your favorite characters? Valerie Malone and it wasn’t even close. Valerie, Brandon, Dylan, and Kelly were my favorites.
I can’t wait to hear your 90210 podcast, it was definitely the “it” show of the 90’s!
Love your column and all your spoilers, keep them coming!!
Comment: Hopefully that podcast will be coming soon. Both Tara and Sarah are in your boat in that they are much bigger fans of the HS years and of Brenda.
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Hey Steve,
To start, thanks so much for all your fun, funny, and witty cometary on the Bachelor. Please keep doing the riddles with contestants. I literally laugh out loud listening to them try to do elementary math 🙂 Hey, those riddles aren’t easy. I wouldn’t call those elementary. And putting them on the spot to do them, I realized wasn’t great to listen to. Stephen nailed it and it didn’t take him long. But when I first heard it, it took me about 10 minutes (and numerous dead ends I ran into) before I got to it.
Question for you – What do you think about the conversation that Bobby Bones will be the next bachelor? There have been some articles that ABC is “wooing him” and then on his radio show the other day, he said that he was in Hawaii filming American Idol with ALL the ABC execs (in his words… the super high up execs) and then said there were “real conversations about him being The Bachelor” but nothing is set yet. It would be a total 180 for them, but interested to get your take or if you heard any rumblings of ABC making a big change?
Comment: Not a chance.
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Hey Steve,
Based on what you were hearing during the filming of Colton’s season, is it pretty safe to say that the producers told Colton to keep Tayshia around for diversity? I’m not seeing or hearing anything on his end that might explain why she got as far as she did, except that it was producer influenced. The other three women in his F4 made sense from the beginning.
Comment: I haven’t heard anything like that. We saw him specifically get alone time with her 3 different times during the Thailand episode, so he definitely was into her. Way more into her than some of the women eliminated before her. So I don’t think they necessarily kept her around for diversity purposes, no.
