Hi Steve,
Long-time reader. I have thought about a comment you’ve made about politics in the past–that no matter what you say you’ll anger half your audience, so you’d rather not go there. Long-time readers or listeners have heard other pieces of your personal life, so I’m not surprised people have been curious about your political/religious beliefs, but I always thought your stance made sense. Your posts about the attack of the capitol surprised me, but not in a bad way. It was a horrifying event and people normalizing and justifying it is even worse. I wouldn’t stop listening or reading your work based on your political views either way, but I appreciated you using your platform to speak out about this, just as I’ve appreciated you tackling other difficult topics like diversity within the Bachelor world, and online harassment of the contestants.
I’m looking forward to Monday more than usual for an escape from all this and I’ll look forward to your take on the next episode!
Comment: Yeah on something like that, something that will go down in history books as one of our darkest days as a country, just like what happened this summer, I’m going to speak on it. But on a daily basis where I’m offering my opinion on what’s happening in the political world? Never. It’s nauseating. I don’t follow politics enough to be well versed in it. Last Wednesday didn’t even really have to do with politics anyway. It was about human decency. Yes, there were political leanings in it, but it was so much more than that. Unfortunately, some people don’t see it that way.
________________________
Hey,
I’m trying to fall asleep, so I put on your latest podcast – and yes, that’s a compliment. I swear nothing calms me down more than your voice ????? But then my blood started pumping because how many times do you need to defend yourself about Tayshia’s ex podcast you did? That podcast is old news (in context of where we are in the world of Bachelor now), that I’m getting angry on your behalf for all this flack (for a lack of a better word, because I’m half asleep) that you’re getting. I heard the same thing you heard that whatever his name is said, and what the hell? She absolutely made it sound like her ex cheated and now that’s such a deal breaker. I’m sorry, but I’m fairly certain MOST of us thought her ex is a douchebag. And her ex probably had to answer to his gf, his gfs family, his family, his clients, etc etc for how SHE worded things. So like, what? He’s not allowed to publicly defend statements, which were made against him (also publicly)??? Still a head scratcher to me for people that think he shouldn’t have spoken. Maybe you didn’t like what he said or how he presented himself, but he had every right to come on.
I don’t think you dispute that cheating was a factor to the dissolution of marriage, I just think the intent was NOT to bash tayshia but to explain that he’s not a piece of S husband, carrying out an affair throughout their marriage. And yet people are so focused on this podcast and the role youuu played in it. Give me a break. A good journalist remains neutral when reporting a story (right?) and I do not recall you “siding” with him. I recall you being understanding and compassionate and whatnot. Anyways, I just feel like people need to leave you alone about it and I don’t believe you should continue justifying yourself or your point of view. Wtf. Just want to show you some support. You’re fine. The podcast was fine. People need to calm down. Guaranteed, if the roles were reversed (between Tayshia and ex husband), and she was on your podcast, the audience would EXPECT you to be compassionate and understanding and exactly how you were. There are more pressing issues in the world, people need to relax with this bachelor crap. I know you appreciated him being respectful and stuff, I’m just annoyed that people are still bringing It up. I was surprised that there was so much backlash to begin with. Geeeez.
K, hopefully the rest of this will help me sleep. Again, that’s a compliment.
Comment: Thanks. I’m glad I can put you to sleep. Maybe I should do audio books.
________________________
Defending you again. It’s simple. If Tayshia would just have said “our marriage was rocky and then he cheated once” this all would be a non issue. However, she IMPLIED they had a perfect marriage until the scoundrel cheated, and that’s why Josh was understandably pissed and frustrated. You, however, explained it better than he did!
Comment: Thanks. I did my best, I felt he had a right to speak, so I let him. The amount of negativity towards me having him on, frankly, I’m over. I’ve heard it all and I just disagree with that stance. End of story.
________________________
Hey RS,
Did you see that article that came out last week about how Reddit is more of source of spoilers now than you are? How does that make you feel? You’re becoming so irrelevant that your site doesn’t mean anything. Nobody reads you any more because they don’t want to hear you babble on for days without any spoilers! Reddit is where all the spoilers are coming from, and you even steal yours from there. Have fun turning into nothing. I won’t go to your site anymore since you have nothing new for me to read. Reddit is passing you by my friend. Couldn’t happen to bigger asshole.
Thanks!
Comment: Great. Congrats.
________________________
Hey Steve,
Thanks to you and Ashley for another great Live!
Two questions:
1. Will you be involved again with the next Temptation Island, such as having guests on and talking about the show? I’m talking to them as we speak to determine next season’s coverage. The first trailer came out yesterday, I linked to it on my Twitter account, and the season starts on Feb. 16th. So it gives us a month to figure out what my role, if any, will be this season. I hope they wanna work with me again.
2. Is it just me or is “vulnerable” the most overused word in the franchise? It’s definitely starting to be.
3. Also, I’m thinking Matt’s season might not be as dramatic as some others, since they didn’t bring out the usual “most dramatic season ever” or other superlatives. Do you agree or have you heard otherwise?
Thanks again for great entertainment!
Comment: There will be plenty of drama this season. Don’t you worry.
________________________
Hi Steve,
Long time reader and listener. This is not specifically for your site, but a question I would like your personal opinion on whether you choose to respond or not. Just something to think about.
Do you see a correlation between the hate and narrative being directed at President Trump and the hate towards Bachelor Nation “Villains”? Listening to how your guests describe their social media experiences, how the Producers can paint a certain narrative to make someone look good or evil. Since you seem to understand this process, I was just curious what your take on the current political events. I know you don’t talk about politics, but I think you might have an interesting take on this. Thanks!
Comment: No. I think that’s comparing apples and oranges.
________________________
Hi Steve,
What are your thoughts on Kit? She seems so interesting and cool, especially given her family’s background in fashion and art, but I’m surprised she’s doing a show like this at 21. Do you know if she makes it very far into the season? Do you think it’s an Instagram follower-upping ploy?
Comment: She hasn’t stuck out to me at all after two episodes. Hard to form an opinion. I do not know how far she lasts.
________________________
It’s honestly insulting that production believes viewers are so naive and unintelligent to believe for a second that Victoria is in any way for real. She has to be a producer plant. There’s no way around it. She most likely is getting paid pretty nicely (maybe her business has taken a hit from Covid as well and that motivated her) but another theory is that she could be doing it for her spray tan business (she has a lot of followers for this business and I’m guessing with Covid not a lot of people are going out or needing to be spray tanned) her personal IG is less than 10k followers so maybe that’s why she went on the show to grow her business & personal following? Whatever the motivation is, it’s painfully obvious that she is a plant to spice up the season. Even her personal IG doesn’t match up to her TV persona.
It’s also just too coincidental that she lives in LA as well. Like how dumb does ABC production believe it’s viewers are?
Comment: She’s not a “plant” where they’re paying her to act that way. They don’t need to. People have short term memory when it comes to this show because everyone said the same thing about Corrinne, then about Krystal, etc. She clearly is someone with major insecurities who didn’t do well in that environment, producers could see that, and they pounced. They don’t pay contestants on this show, but you’re thinking they decided, “Lets pay this random Victoria girl to act like this for 4-5 episodes?” Didn’t happen. This show brings out the worst in some people, and it has for Victoria.
________________________
Hey Steve!
Hope your week is off to a good start.
I just wanted to ask for your thoughts on a coupke things regarding Sarah. First off, she kind of reminds me of a combo of Ashley Spivey/Tenley looks wise! Has anyone else said that or do you see it? That’s the first I’ve heard of that one. Most people have said she looks like Ellen Pompeo.
Also, I totally agree with your point about producers getting too involved with the lead trying to pull something out of contestants. This one was way worse than the time during Tayshias season, in my opinion because it was their first date! It’s so clear it’s all producer driven because how would Matt just know she had more to say about her family and her dads situation specifically. Really sickening as that’s a horrible disease and it’s really sad they made him play into this.
Comment: It’s getting old and way too transparent. Ali Barthwell has a great explanation as to why it’s wrong in tomorrow’s podcast.
________________________
Hi Steve,
I had a thought last night: remember when the lead would talk to Chris in a room before the rose ceremony, surrounded by headshots of the women? Sometimes he would pick up one of the pictures and look dramatically at it. When did they stop doing this? Oh geez. A loooooooooong time ago. Over 10 years. I used to call those the “Pick Me!” photos.
I’m actually surprised no one’s ever thought of a secret signal before, like Abigail did with the ear thing. Can you imagine if that caught on? A dozen different contestants would come up with a secret signal for the lead, and the poor lead would have to remember all of them. Or maybe two contestants would want the same signal, and there’d be drama between them. Or a woman would be seen sobbing after she leaves, saying, “But he pulled his earlobe three times, just for me! I thought he loved me.” Lots of ridiculous possibilities.
Hope you’re doing well! Thanks for speaking out about the political situation.
Comment: I wonder if that’ll become a thing now that we’ve seen a publicized conversation between and Matt and Abigail about one.
