Hey Steve,
I’ve been a fan for a long time, love your work, (even went to one of your parties one time), but I’ve really enjoyed being unspoiled this season and not knowing who wins (even though I know everything else). I’ve never been able to NOT look at spoilers, and if they’re out there I end up finding out one way or another.
That being said, have you considered not spoiling this season on purpose to let us experience that? Or would it “ruin” your “reputation” too much?
Comment: No. My job is to spoil. That’s what people come to my site for. Inside information, pictures, videos, live spoiling in real time, and breakdowns of what you’re gonna see on the show. To not give them that is not what this site is. So I don’t see why I’d stop just to do something different.
_____________________________
Hi Steve!
As I was reading your article today about how Madi leaves on her own, something popped into my head and I want to hear your thoughts. So with Colton’s season, I feel as if Cassie was the clear front runner for a majority of the show. Her father did not give Colton his blessing, and then Cassie basically eliminates herself. I remember a lot of people thought the “break up” between Colton and Cassie was staged to create drama, increase rating, and to throw people off because Cassie was the obvious choice. I was wondering if you think this same situation could have happened with Peter and Madison. Like maybe the producers are making Madison “leave” and “break up” with Peter to stir up drama and suspense? She’s obviously the front runner and everyone expects him to choose her, so maybe the producers would pull something like this to not make the ending so obvious. It is far-fetched, but just an idea.
Comment: I don’t think it’s far fetched, but I also don’t think they told her to leave. She felt a certain way so she decided it wasn’t for her. But being that it was down to final 2, to leave like that is something they never have had before, so why not just go with it and let her go. Especially when it seemingly looks like they knew Peter wanted her. We all know that if Madison wanted to leave in like, say, episode 4 or 5, they wouldn’t have let her. Somehow they would’ve talked her into staying. But now when they can have something unprecedented? Madison doesn’t leave without permission from production. She cannot pack her stuff, board a plane in Australia and (possibly) leave the country until production allows her to. Which, by all accounts, is looking more and more like what happened. And for storyline purposes, they ate this up.
_____________________________
All I can say is “WOW” after reading your recap today, Steve! I was so NOT expecting to read anything remotely hinting at aspoiler about the ending. But it seems that the intel you’ve gotten about the girls spilling the beans about having sex with Peter in the Fantasy Suite, sure does point to what might very well happen. Funny, it seems like Ashley I is pulling a “Jimmy Kimmel” move. In her Bachelor recap in Cosmopolitan today she states that she has a “hunch” about the season ending (FYI…her recaps come out later in the afternoon, LONG after yours). And w/o re-stating verbatim what you proposed in your recap, she wrote that after watching end-of- season previews last night, she deduced that Madison somehow finds out that Peter slept with one or both of the other women in the Fantasy Suites and that she is “guessing” that Madison leaves w/o saying good-bye to Peter. Yikes! Why can’t she just say she read that on your site? Her recap sounds like a rewrite of yours. I don’t read all her recaps as she always tends to stick to whatever the popular theories going around…rarely expresses any original thoughts. Moving on…I simply do not get why Madison would be surprised that Peter would have sex in the Fantasy Suites. It’s pretty common knowledge nowadays that the leads have sex with multiple women (and the Bach-ettes with multiple men). And, for crying out loud, Peter’s claim to fame is that he had sex FOUR TIMES in a WINDMILL with Hannah last season. Has Madison been hiding under a rock?? No idea what Ashley I. wrote, but if you say that’s what she wrote, then I’m not surprised.
As for Madison, no one is saying she didn’t know Peter has had sex before, or, would have it during the overnight dates. What’s at play here is the fact that Peter knew how Madison felt and how important overnights were to her BEFORE that week ever started. And he still chose to sleep with someone else. I think that’s a big difference. Plus, we don’t know exactly what Madison said to him. We won’t know til next week. Once we see exactly what she says to him, we’ll have a better picture. You cannot go off voiceovers you hear in promos. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with telling him if he’s intimate with others in the fantasy suite, that would make her uncomfortable. Whether or not she laid down a direct ultimatum remains to be seen. We’ll know on Monday.
My last rant is about Victoria F. Yikes, what a train wreck she is! That whole “poor little girl” act is getting so old…but I guess men fall for that. Is she cute? Yes…but I don’t think she’s overly attractive. Maybe it’s her petiteness? You’re a guy, you tell me what the attraction is with her? It is SO obvious that as childish as she behaves, he simply wants to get naked with her. As dumb as he’s been all season, I doubt he’d think she’s marrying material. I can’t wait till someone spills the beans about all her affairs with married men next week. But for him to allow her to stay even after being told that, illustrates what a F-ck Boy he is. Whoever he ends up with, I sincerely doubt you’ll be having to send them a wedding gift!
Keep up the fine sleuthing, Steve!
Comment: Well yeah, I’ve kinda hinted at that all season that no matter who Peter ends up with, I highly doubt he’ll ever marry them. 1) the odds are not in his favor and 2) I just don’t think Peter is ready to be married right now.
_____________________________
I swear you post your blog update on what you know and everybody is throwing out your information as their own. It’s not even happening to me, and I’m mad!! Ashley I. The LA reporter who wrote the bachelor book. I’ve seen it EVERYWHERE.
Comment: Not a whole hell of a lot I can do about that unfortunately.
_____________________________
1. I don’t know if you heard this, but I read an article this week that said that a girl who went to middle school with Victoria F. tweeted that Victoria F bullied her and she shaved her arm hair for 7 years afterwards to avoid “looking like a gorilla.” She originally sent the tweet in January 10th and only said that the bully was a contestant on The Bachelor. After the white lives matter controversy last week, she decided to reveal that it was Victoria. Hadn’t seen that. But I’d say on the list of stories that have been told to me about Victoria F. since September when I first heard about her, that’s probably about 15th on the list in terms of behavior.
2. I think it’s hilarious that Peter fell for a girl that wouldn’t sleep with him the minute that she got the chance. Maybe he likes the chase.
3. I bet that the producers are high-fiving themselves that they picked Peter as the bachelor. His indeciveness and willingness to go along with them has probably created more drama than if they had gone with Tyler or Mike. Hard to say how either of them would’ve been, but, for how Peter has acted this season, I’m sure they’re not complaining. And his ratings are on par with Colton’s through 7 episodes. As I always say, it doesn’t matter who the lead is. This show is made in casting. And people want to watch the formula of the show and as much as they complain about the cattiness, NO ONE is watching is everyone gets along, everyone’s buddy buddy, and there’s no fights or arguments among the cast. They’re just not.
4. I’m a millennial and I have seen Ghost. It is one of my favorite movies.
Comment: Thank God. I was stunned to hear people say they had no idea what that Peter Oscar parody was.
_____________________________
Peter seems to equate crying with sincerity, which is why Victoria F seems to be sticking around.
While there wasn’t much point in keeping Mykenna for an extra hour, I do think the producers wanted to check off the box for one on one dates and show a villain getting defeated.
There wasn’t much reason to pick Natasha over Mykenna since Peter wasn’t into either, although Mykenna was into him. I think producers wanted to see her suffer, but they also needed to improve the diversity of the top six.
Some recaps are suggesting that Peter has had sex before Fantasy Suite. But I haven’t seen real evidence for this. Is it possible? Has it happened in past seasons? Yes. Did Peter? No. Who are they saying he had sex with? Sydney? Because of a voiceover heard in the season preview? Yeah, didn’t happen.
Many people are blaming Madison unnecessarily for the disagreement. While these items may be true, I don’t think they’ll be helpful. Can you imagine Peter catching up with Madison and saying: “You should have told me sooner. You should have know what I was like before coming on the show. I’m Windmill Guy.”
A Bachelor having sex with multiple candidates is just “part of the process”. You should trust the process. I just needed to test out who I was sexually compatible with.
More seriously I believe that it would be best for Peter to take responsibility for his own actions, based on what he knew and when.
I don’t think producers will let it rest. I’m sure the contract calls for Madison to stay in Australia till the end. And I’m sure they can also force Peter and Madison to at least have on camera conversations between now and AFTR. They can also obligate Madison to at least attend the AFTR. They’ve done that for warring couples.
Comment: Well, she’ll definitely be part of ATFR. And I’m sure we’ll see footage of something that happened between end of filming and ATFR. Probably what was being filmed yesterday. That’s a given. But I think the key will be next Monday and what exactly she tells him before fantasy suite dates.
_____________________________
Hi Steve,
Thanks as always for the weekly distractions from work.
Do you know the order of the fantasy suite dates? I think it will be fascinating no matter what. If Madison is first that means Peter slept with one or both women after Madison asked him not to. If she was second then he may have lied to her during the date (because we know she doesn’t find out from him) and will potentially sleep with another person after the date. If she is third, that means he almost certainly lied to her face.
IF Madison and Peter are together now it will be interesting to see if what they show on TV makes her feel differently about her decision to come back.
Comment: I don’t think it matters what order she went now, because we know she tells him at the end of next week’s rose ceremony she’s a virgin and how she feels. So as Robert Mills said in that clip on page 1, Peter knew where he stood with Madison, and he basically couldn’t keep it in his pants.
_____________________________
Steve!!
You are the best – thank you for the latest spoilers!
I do have a few questions:
1) isn’t what Madison doing to Peter the same thing Luke P did to Hannah? I understand Madison is much more likeable and perhaps peter telling her that he’s falling with love with her is also a factor, but still, it’s a bit of a double standard isn’t it? I Guess we’ll have to wait for twitter to decide next/next-to-next week! I don’t think so. Madison laid it out there before fantasy suites happened. Luke didn’t exactly handle it correctly when he was told AFTER Hannah had already had sex. I think there’s a difference.
You can argue that why someone who has the religious convictions would even come on a show that’s so overly sexual in the first place. That’s fair. But in that moment, I think she made her intentions clear, and in that moment, Peter didn’t seem to care.
2) I’m genuinely wondering why Mike didn’t get picked – I understand that peter had more of a storyline and was a fan favourite too (also I’m not taking peter’s abysmal performance as the bachelor into account). But, from a TV/selfish perspective on abc’s part, wasn’t it just better or to have a person of Colour – everyone was pushing for mike, it still seem absurd to me that he wasn’t selected, to add Hannah brown didn’t have such a big storyline in colton’s season either, she was sent home the same time! How were they so sure that mike wouldn’t make such good tv and peter would be better? I don’t think Mike had any sort of backstory or storyline they could sell. Peter grew up being a fan of the show, he lived 5 minutes from the mansion, he’s a pilot, he had sex 4 times in the windmill, etc. They had a theme they could run with all season. And they have. What’s Mike’s story they could harp on all season? This is very important to them. Every season has a theme. I just don’t see them having any sort of theme for a Mike season.
3) you had mentioned in another podcast that Kristina Schulman really wanted to the bachelorette, will that ever happen? (I liked her but paradise this season was not a good look…)? And was it ever going to happen? No.
4) Do you think the franchise will stay relevant in the next 5 years? I do feeling awful for watching the show from a feminism standpoint (the lingerie pillow fight was a Low point…), do you think people will be okay with this in the near future? Yes. They’ll continue to watch no matter who is cast. It’s been happening for 17 years and 39 seasons. This franchise is now ADDING shows to their franchise, not eliminating them.
Also, you are the best but if it’s possible, do you mind changing your website design a bit, it’s a bit user unfriendly!
Sorry for the Long email!
Comment: Ahhhh, figured you’d throw that in there at the end. Nice. I’m always tinkering with things here and there behind the scenes. All stuff that most people wouldn’t understand because it’s not stuff necessarily that’s visible. But I do think the layout of the site will change in 2020 at some point.
_____________________________
hey steve,
i would like to know what is the most disheartening aspect of the bachelor/bachelorette shows? it is obvious to me (and probably you) that this show isn’t good and disguises the theme of “love” with tearing other people down, backstabbing, popularity, etc. and this from what we see in front of the camera…I think the biggest thing is the way they treat their contestants and how disposable they are to them. Yet, they make them think they aren’t.
– this is an aside, you don’t need to include this in your reader’s emails column: i don’t even watch the show, i am merely interested in how you’ve continued to expose the show and bring in good insight for viewers and fans. thank you for the work you have done, it is a thankless job but much appreciated to have someone like you scope out beyond the mirrors and smoke that a big tv show like this casts out to millions of televisions across the nation (and world). i think about how this show dabbles with the ego in a dangerous manner, from a viewer’s perspective. and i continue to struggle with understanding why viewers come to you with dangerous emotions of entitlement. idk, sorry for the personal ramble. once again, thank you!
Comment: I’m including this because it’s important. And my response is thank you, and I have no idea why some people feel so entitled to a free site that provides them information they can’t get anywhere else. I understand they come to expect spoilers from me, and when I don’t, they immediately have to scream and jump up and down and get frustrated. But that’s only because of the precedent I’ve set and what they’re used to. So it’s almost a compliment while also being annoying at the same time.
_____________________________
Hey Steve,
Given the changing nature of the endings of The Bachelor, what would you constitute as solidly spoiling the season? I ask, because after reading your column today, I thought to myself, “Oh, he spoiled it.” Knowing that Madison self-eliminated, and that Hannah Ann was the last woman standing, that seems like a clear-cut ending spoiler to me. It’s like you said: you can’t “spoil” something that hasn’t happened yet. If Peter and Madison’s relationship is still evolving, there’s no way of knowing what’s in their heads or their private conversations. Do you consider this season “spoiled,” as it were? I think a lot of it has been spoiled. I haven’t nailed the ending of what happened in Australia yet. But I think I will soon. Maybe not every detail, but what to expect see happen in the finale. But yeah, most people consider knowing the end of the season and “Who did they pick” as the main spoiler. As of right now, I don’t 100% have that, although I do think it’s Madison. But as I said yesterday, people have such a short term memory when it comes to this show and what I HAVE spoiled this season, and how far in advance I did. The list would be close to 100 items long if I really laid it out for everyone, but no one wants to see that. But does it go unnoticed once the season gets rolling? Yeah, it does. But there’s nothing I can do because it happens every season.
Also, how much do you speculate production realizes you know when you know it? Do you think the information you released today influenced whatever they’re filming with Madison in Alabama just hours later? When Peter was touting that this season would remain “unspoiled,” do you think he knew you would find out the whole Madison self-eliminating because of the girl-chat?
Curious to know your thoughts. Thanks as always!
Comment: I can’t know what’s in Peter’s head and why he said what he said. When this is over, maybe he’ll address why he said it. But whatever Madison was filming yesterday (definitely not “Bachelorette” related) had nothing to do with what I wrote. That had to have already been in place since production was in AL with her. I doubt that all came together yesterday morning because of what I wrote.
_____________________________
Hi! Sorry if this has been addressed already, but how do you feel about the contestants on the show posting photos throughout the season of them with Peter? It feels off-putting to see Hannah Ann post in her Instagram story that she’s “catching feelings” when she’s currently either A. single, and posting things like that because the producers make her or to get attention or B. with Peter, and posting things like that to get attention regardless? And it seems like all the girls post photos like that throughout the season. Are they forced to post a certain amount of photos on social media per episode? If it were me, I’d feel very uncomfortable posting photos months later of myself with someone I thought I’d marry but I’m not, with captions about “feelings.” Thanks!
Comment: Well, look at it this way. If only the final one posted stuff every season, it’d be kind of obvious. Every season multiple contestants post pics about their time on the show. But we know only one wins. So yeah, I’m sure they’re told to do stuff, and maybe some don’t want to. But ultimately if you want to build your brand, and start your influencing career, the only reason people know you is because of this show to begin with, so you’d be stupid not to post about your season. It engages the fans that like to see content of you.
_____________________________
Hi Steve,
I remember finding your site when I was a junior in college watching Jason Mesnick’s season. You totally opened my mind to the reality behind reality TV and I’ve been a fan ever since. This is my first email to you though. Sorry if you’ve answered before but I haven’t seen it out there yet.
Do you think that Hannah A ends up leaving at the final rose ceremony? Then Peter is left with no one to choose from. We’ve never seen that before, right? She might decide to leave if she found out he wanted Madison. That could be what Chris tells Peter just happened. We don’t see Peter holding anyone’s hands (Hannah’s) at the final rose ceremony or sending anyone away which they usually put in their promos every season. We just see Hannah being distraught at the final rose. This prompts me to think she also left voluntarily. Any thoughts?
Thanks for spoiling!
Comment: No. She’s there on final rose ceremony day.
_____________________________
This season has shown why the Bachelorettes have so much more success than the Bachelors. Peter like so many of his predecessors ask nothing of importance of these women. His two leading picks from day one were Madison and Hannah Ann. Both of have strong religious beliefs and it’s taken this long for him to find that out. On the flip Hannah B knew night one who had a similar faith. Yeah I know it didn’t work for her but that‘s because Jed lied to her. I think she didn’t choose either Peter or Tyler because they didn’t share the same strong faith.
I’m too cynical to watch this show for “love” but I also need to feel there’s a chance it could succeed. I thinks it’s why I’m in the minority and could care less how this ends. I know whoever he picks it won’t last more than a month or so. So let’s just get this season over with.
Comment: Fair argument. Peter and Madison (if that’s who the final couple is), definitely have some pretty big hurdles to get through in their relationship, no doubt. The biggest being that their relationship seemingly started out on a pretty big betrayal. If they get through that, I think the fact that Madison is strong in her faith and Peter, well, doesn’t seem to be, I don’t know if they fit long term. She’s clearly not gonna change who she is and what she believes. Peter would have to be the one too. Would he be willing to? We don’t know.
_____________________________
Hi RS!
Normally, it seems that the entertainment outlets air next-day interviews with the contestants that don’t get roses at the rose ceremony. During Hannah’s season, I watched most of the next-day interviews with Hannah’s dudes after they were given the boot.
This season, though, it seems as though none of the outlets have access to the contestants – I can’t seem to dig up any interviews with the girls. The only interviews I could locate seemed to take place the first week with a couple of night one evictees.
Just wondering if you know why (and can spill the reason) the media outlets aren’t interviewing any of Peter’s girls the next day like they normally do.
Thanks!
Comment: Did they? I don’t remember next day interviews with Hannah’s guys. Where?
_____________________________
Hi Steve! Hope all is well with you!
A few questions for you.
1. Who does Peter pick? Lol I’m jk
2. All the stuff is coming out this week about Victoria and the married men right? Why would Peter keep her after knowing all that. I’m sure he’s going to be crucified for it. Do you think he kept her cause he realized she was easy and wanted to bang her in the fantasy suites before sending her home for good? Yes, we’ll see Merissa tell Peter on her hometown date next week. And only Peter knows why he kept her after that, and after all season of never really connecting with her outside of a physical connection. So yeah, I think most people will assume that’s why he took her to fantasy suites.
3. I feel all the top girls are getting bad edits this season. Natasha had an ok edit but we didn’t see much of her. Do you think they did this so they can make Hannah B the bachelorette again? That way they can justify why they picked her over Peter’s girls? Seems to be a running theory now.
4. I think Peter means well and crying is clearly his weakness. That’s probably how Victoria F made it so far. I just didn’t get how he tells her she’s making him feel like he’s getting attacked but gave her a rose anyways. She’s been showing red flags all around. Any chance production made him keep her so all this info could come out during her hometown? I think his physical attraction to her probably played a big role. Because their time together is certainly 100x different than his times with Madison.
5. What are the possibilities he is dating more than one person post show? There’s a possibility for anything. But I don’t think that is the case.
6. This isn’t particularly related to this season but all seasons. I’ve noticed whoever gets the first impression rose always waits till at least week five or later to get their first one on one. Do you think production makes the lead wait this long so it’s not obvious that they’re into them? Or to prevent them from having a target on their back? It’s possible, but we don’t know for sure.
7. Do you think Hannah B would do it again if she were asked? I think so.
Can’t wait for the tell all. It’s going to be a train wreck with this group of girls. Thank you for all that you do and sorry for the long email.
Comment: Yeah, it’s funny that I mentioned yesterday how so many of Peter’s women have taken to IG to express their apologies, or give reasons why they acted the way they did, etc. But you know when the WTA films next Friday, it’s gonna be more of the same of them attacking each other and people crying. So what they’re saying on social media is kinda falling on deaf ears.
_____________________________
Hi Steve,
Thank you for all the spoilers! I couldn’t watch The Bachelor/ette without them! I’m so impatient, so thanks for finally posting what you could confirm about the ending and your guesses. That’s good enough for me; although, I’m sure you’ll still get bombarded with emails with endless questions.
This season has been pretty bad overall. I really hope ABC steps up their game next season even though they don’t care because they get the viewership they need. I’m kind of surprised they don’t make Peter look better with him being the lead. Seems like they just threw him under the bus and didn’t care about his edit (getting involved with all the drama and being indecisive).
It was nice to have Kelley on this season with being “normal”, realistic, and honest. That was refreshing. I saw right through her edit on her last episode with producers giving her the mean girl edit.
With the finale being in Australia, do you know if they had any issues with the wildfires while they were there? Do you know what parts of Australia they went to? I haven’t heard they did, no.
Australia is my last continent to visit, which will be this year. Can’t wait! After reading your site and listening to your podcasts for a long time now, that’s one thing I’d recommend to you…start traveling internationally!!! If you ever want any travel tips, I’ll happily provide guidance.
One question I’ve wondered, do any of your sources ever ask you to sign an NDA to make sure you won’t out them (even though you never have done this)? No. I think people know by now they can trust me with what they tell me since I don’t reveal names of where I get info from.
Thanks again for the spoilers! Oh and you made me feel old too after reading you got all those emails about people not knowing the movie Ghost! So crazy!
Comment: I’m still floored by that. If in a future season, they put the lead in a flying DeLorean and no one knows what that is, I’m gonna hurt somebody.
_____________________________
Hi Steve hope I’m not to late for reader emails.
Anyway my question is if Madison eliminated herself before going to meet peters parents how were they having a final rose ceremony in Australia? That would only leave Hannah Ann in play. Peter had to have known then that Madi was gone because he didn’t take her to his parents.
Comment: It’s a good point. I don’t know if she did or didn’t. Seemingly you’d think she met the parents, but, Robert Mills did say we have something on Meet the Parents Week we’ve never had before. So it’s still possible. We know by that point Madison has found out Peter had sex on the overnights. Maybe she felt she couldn’t fake it through a day with his parents knowing how bothered she was by what he did? I don’t know. Just thinking out loud. And if she’s gone by that point, then definitely Chris Harrison isn’t informing Peter about Madison on final rose ceremony day, because he’d already know. So a couple options in play here.
_____________________________
Send all links and emails to: steve@realitysteve.com. To follow me on Twitter, it’s: www.twitter.com/RealitySteve. Instagram name is “RealitySteve,” or join my Reality Steve Facebook Fan Page. Talk to you tomorrow.
