Hi Steve,
There seems to be a lot of unlikeable girls this season. Who would you say is the villain?
Thank you!
Comment: Well, lets see. We all know there are levels of “villainy” on this show. People say “villain” and automatically think there this terrible, horrible person that should be burned at the stake. Not the case. Villain could just mean the woman who caused the most drama that particular episode, upset the other women the most, even got the funky music behind her, etc. So I’d break it down like this:
Episode 1: Hannah Ann – for all the interruptions and the other women not liking it.
Episode 2: Hannah Ann again probably due to ChampagneGate even though we know what really happened. The episode showed her as the one who stole Kelsey’s champagne bottle. That makes her the “villain” so to speak.
Episode 3: Alayah. Goes without saying.
Episode 4: Probably Alayah still but also maybe a little Victoria F.
Episode 5: Tammy, for obvious reasons.
So they’re kinda all over the map at this point. But going forward, I think it’ll mostly be centered around Victoria F. once hometowns roll around.
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Dear Steve,
Since Peter had the scar on his forehead, did production have a problem with ITM pickups and continuity?
Thank you
Comment: I guess we won’t know that until future episodes. I can’t imagine they’d be that careless to show any scene of Peter for the remainder of the season without the bandage or scar on his head. If they do, then we know it’s footage from before Costa Rica being used.
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Reality Steve,
Just curious your perspective on the situation with Peter sending Alayah home. I personally think he has no back bone and should’ve stood up to the girls and said “if this is what I want to do you have to respect it” but instead he caved and did what they wanted. Doesn’t that seem like he’s basically letting these women run his experience and “journey”?
Thanks for your hard work!
Comment: Pretty much.
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Hi Steve,
I am aware you do not listen to the Almost Famous Podcast however; quick question for you in regards to something they said. Ben and Ashley have said they are not affiliated with the show and or ABC but in their live podcast they “bleeped” out Mike Feiss’ name (when they were referring to
Him in a negative sense ie. a tweet Kaitlyn Bristowe had sent out). Just wondering if they aren’t affiliated why would they need to have that “bleeped?”
Comment: I really don’t know.
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Hi Steve! Given the amount of times I’ve read your reader emails I feel I need to include this clause just to do it. First time writer, thanks for all you do, been reading since Chris’s season, can’t watch this show without your perspective. There. I said it. I hope you gained a lot of validation from this.
You always answer my questions (which is why I’ve never written) so this is more a comment that I’m curious if you/other readers have noticed. Do you see a personality resemblance between Tammy and Kaitlyn Bristowe? Maybe not necessarily personality but mannerisms- the way they speak/articulate? Anyone? I think it every time she speaks.
Next time you do a “summer tour” come to Boston!! Fenway is calling your name.
Comment: I haven’t noticed, but probably more so because I haven’t listened to or seen enough of Kaitlyn recently to have her mannerisms at the forefront of my brain.
Not sure the Summer Tour will happen again this season and, well, now that you’ve traded Mookie for about $.10 on the dollar, why would anyone wanna watch that team? Haha. Kidding.
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Hey Steve – you said you’ve been shocked with HOW you’ve received spoilers. What are some of the surprising ways they’ve ended up in your hands over the last few years?
Comment: That would give away sources, so I’m not gonna do that.
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Hi Steve! Thank you for all you do! My husband and I watch the Bachelor and we are enjoying this season except we find Peter is clueless and adding to the drama.
We don’t understand how he listens to what each girl says literally whether true or not, goes and finds the girl the other girl was talking about, reveals the name of the girl who talked about them in front of everyone, and creates more drama. We think it’s really immature of Peter to continuously do this. He should ignore it as Kelley stated. I understand production may be behind it but it’s getting really annoying. For example, when he brings back Alayah and then sends her home. Does he even know what he wants? If I was there, I would question his motives and if he was really ready to settle down based off this. Kelley was dead on. She put him in his place. He’s inviting the drama himself. I mean, can we list the ways: giving Sydney the group date rose after the pillow fight date, basically saying “I believe you over Alayah.” Giving Alayah a the group date rose to a group date she wasn’t even on. Giving Kelsey a rose Monday night because she came and saw him KNOWING that would piss everyone off, then doubling down by cancelling the cocktail party saying he’s gotten his clarity. There are others, but those are the four most egregious ones I’ve seen thus far. All unnecessary.
Also, you can totally tell Alayah was there for ratings because she didn’t even put a fight to be sent home. An excellent audition for Bachelor in Paradise. Alayah did go home. That’s how she read the spoiler about Victoria F. and Chase Rice.
Also, I know there’s been some speculation that nobody in this cast is the right fit for the Bachelorette but I think Kelley might be. I think she seems self aware, intelligent, and is beautiful. I know the opening up would help her but she could have a good narrative. I know you won’t speculate on this so early but just wanted to state how we felt.
Sorry about your aunt! How’s Luka? Thanks!
Comment: I don’t think Kelley would cooperate for one second with production, which you basically have to do if you wanna be the lead. I don’t see it at all.
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Thank you for all that you do for fans of this franchise. Sort of a Reality Steve equivalent of Megadittos. 🙂 I have no idea what that is, but sounds cool. So thanks.
Do the cocktail party conversations ever last longer than the impression given by watching? Do they approach the length of conversations on dates, especially one on ones? If not, why would contestants think that they are that important? Yes, they last long because he has to talk to numerous women.
Has there ever been any evidence that the lead changed his/her decision based on a cocktail party conversation? Any evidence? Not that I can remember.
Do you have any insight into why the contestants don’t seem to realize that the lead probably doesn’t need the party to know who he/she is interested in and/or physically attracted to and would make sure that those of interest got time? Or, does production set constraints on who he/she spends time with?
Comment: Not really. Complete lack of self awareness or show awareness would be my only guess. We see at least one cocktail party cancelled a season for the last I don’t know how many seasons. It’s not a major deal as a viewer anymore.
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Hey Steve,
Long time reader and fan here. Love logging in for your columns each week after the show airs.
A few things- you mentioned in your column that the tattletale has never ended up looking good and I would typically agree. But when we look back at the episode with Sydney and Alayah- pretty much the opposite happens. Sydney gets a rose, and peter tells her how real and honest she is. Just wondering why you think Sydney was praised for the same behavior most girls get sent home for? I meant looking good in the end. Or one who ends up winning.
Kelsey – she is the ultimate “villain” because I even somehow enjoy her when she is solo with Peter (her one on one was like watching a different person). But the second she’s back with the girls she’s crying, seems totally out of her mind emotional and drunk. One second she is saying she likes a girl and has no issues with her and then calling her a bitch in the same sentence. Tammy tattletale was annoying especially because she was so funny and like able before this incident – but I don’t really feel like Kelsey is getting the negative feedback on the show with the girls that she deserves. They moved right on from her to Tammy after she snuck off to see him and got the rose. It just seems like they have a much higher tolerance for Kelsey than Tammy? And why does Victoria P get away with sitting around looking like a deer in headlights every time she gets caught talking about someone or lying?? She seems to privately, really always be involved in the trouble but hidden from it. I can’t wait to see what ends her time on the show.
Madi and Hannah Ann are always off on their own (smart). I know you mentioned there are two cliques of women – who belongs with who? It’s very confusing because they all seem nice enough to each others faces. But I’m super interested in understanding this cat/rat dynamic. Where does Victoria’s, Tammy, Kelsey, Kelley and Mykenna fall? I have no idea. I just know the cats were Natasha, both Victoria’s, Lexi, and Sydney.
Kelley’s date was so refreshing. Interesting to watch Peter squirm a bit realizing he is into her and he just isn’t sure what her deal is. I’m sure she isn’t there for “all the right reasons” but part of me does think she had something for him. I didn’t think she was just there just for the publicity of the show. Especially because she seems pretty uncomfortable most of the time. It’s fun to watch the lead wonder about someone vs the contestants just confessing their love immediately. She was acting like most people would act on a first or second date!
Best part of the episode for me was watching Madison sit completely relaxed on the rose ceremony steps (without a rose) while everyone else freaked out for last minute time with Peter. She must be feeling herself!
Thanks again for your hard work!
Comment: Yes, when drama is involved, Madison is completely removed from everything. Which is why she’s been a ghost since her 1-on-1 date. Tonight we’ll see more of their connection for sure. But for the last 3 episodes? Nada.
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Hi Steve! Just a few thoughts. I like Peter, but I honestly don’t think he has been a good bachelor. At all. He is not confident in his decisions and is basically letting all these women control the season. It’s not attractive and I think Kelley is going to be loved by everyone for unloading the truth on him. She’s too smart and mature for him and the show. The majority of these women are liars and get even more pissed when they’re caught in the lies. I would not want to see any of these women as the bachelorette. I honestly think Hannah would bring in some good ratings bc despite people complaining about seeing her, they can’t help but watch her. I think it would be interesting to see her a second time around not wanting to put up with any BS. I guess we’ll find out soon. Love your columns!
Comment: That seems to be the sentiment right now that none of these women are “Bachelorette” material and we’re headed for a possible Hannah Brown 2.0 season.
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Hey Steve,
Long time reader, first time emailer. Thanks for all you do!
You addressed a lot of the Sydney rumors in the recap, and I’m with you in feeling bad for her for the horribly racist comments she’s receiving now – no one deserves that. However, as someone who definitively WAS bullied in high school, the way Sydney spoke (well, yelled) at Tammy when she wasn’t involved in the first place brought back alllll my memories of the way the “mean girls” would ostracize and bully me for years. The way she laughed at and taunted her, her tone of voice, the look in her eyes…that didn’t at all seem to me like a girl who was bullied and ate lunch in a bathroom stall. Sure, maybe she picked up on all those habits from her bullies, I don’t know…but it just makes her story incredibly fishy to me – although I totally do believe she was racially profiled as a mixed race girl in Alabama. It’s possible to be bullied in high school, and in the present day not be the nicest person to others. They’re not mutually exclusive. Just saying.
Beyond all of that, the fact that Sydney and Hannah B. graduated together is public knowledge by now, and it seems kind of off to me the show hasn’t somehow brought that up. Like, what’s the point of keeping that a secret if it’s obviously going to come out anyway? And what about when Hannah showed up day 1 & 2 right in front of Sydney? Weird. There’s some other rumor floating around that Sydney actually bullied Hannah in high school, which I know is probably just untrue BS a random person posted on twitter with 0 backing. But that sure would make for an interesting situation if it was true. Have you heard anything on this?
Thanks!
Comment: Haven’t heard anything of the such. I’m guessing that would be front page news if it were true and someone would’ve already dug it up by now.
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Do you think Victoria Fs past is enough for the bachelor franchise to keep her off of BIP/become the bachelorette? Do you think kelly is in contention for bachelorette?
Comment: Victoria F. has zero chance to be the “Bachelorette.” Victoria F. will 1000% be on BIP.
Kelley I answered earlier. No, I don’t see her being a puppet for them.
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Hi Steve,
Producers had a great opportunity to dramatize Peter’ s Golf Cart Accident. I expected to see ambulances, sirens, frantic paramedics but instead got none of this. Instead it was played like a Three Stooges Movie. Why do you think they downplayed it when in the past if someone faints it is catastrophic? For something that was played up, although I’m glad we saw the actual footage and it was humorous, it was also about :03 seconds long. Surprised more wasn’t shown about it.
In Colton’s season they had two Miss USA contestants… Hannah Brown and Caelynn. These two created plenty of drama. Now in Peter’s season they have three… Alayah, Victoria P. And Kelsey. These three have raised the drama bar to new heights.
Do you think on the next Bachelor season they will cast even more Miss USA contestants?
Comment: I would think so with the way this show is headed. Expect at least one if not two every season now. How could they not?
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Hi Steve!
Do you think anyone outside of the top 4 on Peter’s season has a chance to be the next Bachelorette? No.
Since we know Hannah Ann and Madison are the top 2, do you think it’s likely that either one of them would get the gig? Or would it depend on how everything plays out in the finale?
Thanks!
Comment: I’m starting to think none of Peter’s women are getting the “Bachelorette” gig.
