Hey Steve! Long time fan, first time writing in! My email is about Bachelor in Paradise. I find it very interesting that both Kristina and Hannah G. are part of the initial cast with Kristina and Blake having briefly dated (both admitted to it) and the intense pressure out there in Internet land for Hannah and Blake to be together. Do you think producers saw this potential love triangle and worked overtime to get Kristina on the beach in Mexico? To be honest, I don’t like the idea of either of them with Blake, but I’m sure he’ll find one of them to be a shiny object and will go for it lol. Thanks for your spoilers and insights, I appreciate them more than you could know!!
Comment: Worked overtime to get Kristina on the show? No. Here’s how I think a text conversation between production and Kristina to gauge her interest in coming on the show went:
Producer: “…”
Kristina: “Yes, of course I’ll come on Paradise! Thanks for asking.”
The end.
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Hi Steve!
Happy belated birthday! Hope the Olive Garden was fantastic! Is it ever not?
I’m wondering how the Bachelor/Bachelorette hometown dates are planned. Does production come up with the locations and activity ideas or is it on the contestant to make suggestions and production takes it from there? It’s a mixture of both.
Also, I know in the past you have mentioned that the “family dinner” portion may not actually be at the family residence, but rather at a larger/nicer location. Is this something suggested by the family or by production? It would seem pretty blunt to tell someone that their home isn’t “good enough” for the camera but I guess that’s tv for you!
Thanks!!
Comment: I think it’s mutual. I don’t think they flat out tell them that, but maybe they ask would they like to have it here or somewhere else?
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Hi Steve,
Thanks for spoiling, it’s the only reason I watch!
Question about BIP – you said they’re going down and filming the intros etc and then actual filming starts Thursday. Do they see each other before the first day of episode filming? What about the group picture with the original cast? I’m curious about the timeline and who knows what going in.
Comment: No. They are kept separate. Group picture is done after everyone arrives on the first day. As for who knows what going in, it all depends on how much someone is active talking to people from the franchise. Most contestants have an idea of who’s coming on, but do they know exactly everyone? No.
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Hi Steve,
Have fun in Vegas this weekend!
Just wanted to know a minor detail about Paradise. After the original cast arrives, when do they film their goofy/cheesy promo shots and their skipping-down-the-beach-hand-in-hand-shots? Is it after they’ve all walked down the stairs and met with Harrison, or before? They all talk about how excited they are to meet so-and-so…
Thanks!
Comment: I think those intros can be shot beforehand. Don’t necessarily need to be shot after everyone arrives.
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Morning Steve!
Last weeks reader emails there was a few times you seemed to insinuate that Hannah/Tyler aren’t a “happy couple” with vague answers to others’ questions about them. Has something changed or you have negative info about him/them post show? Wasn’t sure if you were intentionally keeping things you’ve heard regarding their relationship post-show until you get solid proof of a change or more of just the usual “odds of this couple lasting are low as the others”?
Comment: I don’t remember referencing that at all. I said they weren’t happy?
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Hi Steve,
Thanks for your recaps and podcast! I’ve been a reader for a couple years now and love everything you do.
I just wanted to weigh in on Peter a bit. My boyfriend and father are both pilots, my boyfriend being with a regional airline owned by Delta. A reader asked whether Peter would be able to take an extended period of time off to film the Bachelor and he most likely would because Delta does offer extended unpaid time off to pilots. In fact on the regional side they actively encourage it.
On a personal level, Delta is notorious for their picky hiring and for typically hiring obnoxious douchebag pilots. I’m pretty skeptical of Peter getting hired on at a major airline at age 26 when there are guys like my boyfriend who have been in the industry over ten years and are still stuck at small regionals. Promotions are entirely seniority based and most major airlines will not even consider you until you’ve had x number of hours as a captain at a regional and even then it can just be the luck of the draw. There’s no way he got hired based on his seniority since he wouldn’t have had nearly enough time to build it up. You would definitely have to have some insider connections to make the jump so young.
One other thing, I’m not sure if it actually showed him drinking in the first episode, but it’s a pretty egregious violation of company policy to be seen in uniform drinking. Not sure why he thought that would be a wise career choice.
Thanks!
Comment: I don’t know anything about the airline industry in regards to what you emailed about, but judging by your knowledge, it does seem that nepotism may have played a role in Peter moving up the ranks so fast.
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Hi Steve, when previous Bachelor couples are listed, Blake and Holly are never on the list. Did they ask to be private?
Comment: I don’t know if they did or not. This show is really weird when it comes to picking and choosing their favorites from seasons past and who to highlight. They like some and highlight them, and some they never talk about. Only they can answer as to why. I’ve never really understood it.
As for Holly and Blake in particular, I think a lot may have to do with the fact they met on their spinoff show. Yes, Tanner and Jade, Carly and Evan, and others have met on spinoff shows as well, but, Bachelor Pad 2 aired 8 years ago this summer. I just think a majority of their audience doesn’t have a clue, or care, about them so there’s no reason to focus on them.
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Hey, Reality Steve,
I’m not sure whether I keep coming back for the spoilers, or because I enjoy your snarky humor and bluntness about reality tv, but it’s one of those, for sure!
I was surprised that no one anywhere I have seen has mentioned the fact that contestants are supposedly not allowed to have their cell phones the entire time they are on the show, yet somehow, magically, Luke P is able to look up the definition of psychopath and show it to us. Is he really so dumb that the producers allowing him to have a smartphone to do that out-take didn’t clue him in that maybe he’s being played? Or do you think he just thinks he’s so super special that the producers are giving him special privileges? Somehow I don’t think he’s smart enough to have been able to sneak it past them and not get caught all the way to week 4. That wasn’t his phone. For the purpose of the clip, a producer gave them their phone to use.
It seems like all the “rules” that used to be in place on the show no longer exist. Things like walking in on the lead doing her out-takes, crashing group dates, etc. Do you think it’s because they’re trying so hard to keep the show from getting stale? I’d say those examples you mentioned are definitely to switch things up and add a little behind-the-scenes stuff. I think that stuff is needed for sure, or else it will get stale since the basic concept and format of the show never changes. So all you can really do is start incorporating different things the audience isn’t used to seeing.
Lastly, what percentage of the guys do you think the lead gets to choose at the rose ceremonies, vs. the number the producers tell her she has to keep or get rid of? Also, at one point you said that rose ceremony elimination by producers is to quietly get someone off the show. Why would they want/need to quietly get someone off the show?
Keep up the good work—it’s what keeps Bachelor Nation interesting!
Comment: Impossible to nail down a percentage because I’d have to go back through every season, look at every elimination, and then guess as to whether it was a producer decision or not. I wouldn’t say there are a ton, but definitely a couple or a few every season.
