Hi Steve! What do you think about Tom Bergeron hosting the next season of The Bachelorette? Or do you think he is done with ABC? Mark Walberg is still my favorite choice. I think they could have Wells host Bachelor in Paradise. I can also see Chris returning for the next season of The Bachelor. I personally think he should have a chance to redeem himself after taking time away but I know many disagree. I just can’t see Tom as host of this show. I can’t see him hanging with the show for 8 weeks at a time on location somewhere. Just doesn’t fit. Plus, I don’t think someone like him would WANT to be part of this show. I feel that’d be a step down in his career.
All of your ideas mentioned for Bachelorette are good ones. I hope it’s Bri, or Michelle or Abigail. I think Serena and Pieper are too young and belong on Paradise. I hope Katie gets to go to Paradise too. I really wish they would give it to Angela though as I mentioned last week! I think after all the drama to this past season, it would be nice to have an “Arie” type season where they take a former contestant we haven’t seen in a while. But I know you have said it’s very slim pickings in terms of who is available at the moment. It certainly seems like it’s gonna be one of Matt’s women. I just can’t see them taking someone out of nowhere or a previous season.
I think your advice for Taylor was really good…she needs to stop commenting on The Bachelor. She certainly has shown that people can do the work and change, but it’s a lot harder to hear her say, “Chris should be fired” (which I don’t agree with) now knowing about her tweets. Her tweets are so much worse than anything Chris has done. Even in listening to your podcast with Taylor, she said contestants felt that Chris didn’t like them. I think as humans, we often think that people feel a certain way about us, which may or may have be true.
I recently listened to your first podcast with Ashley spivey… I had never heard it before! It was really fun to listen to!
Comment: I can’t even remember my first podcast with Ashley. That must’ve been 4 years ago. Was it any good? We’re much closer friends now than we were then. So I can’t imagine it flowed as well as we do now.
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Hey Steve,
I for one am intrigued about the new host for After The Rose Emmanuel Acho, but it’s no surprise quite a lot of Bachelor Fans are the most upset about this since they seem to worship the ground Chris walks on. I honestly haven’t seen so much drama since my time being in the Pretty Little Liars fandom. It’s always a few people that ruin the fandom for everyone. I would like to say I want to see change, but tbh I dont think that’s going to happen anytime soon. At this point now, I just sympathize for Matt. The show, producer, so many have done him dirty. Him being the first black bachelor was supposed to be something great, but they ruined it by showing just drama, not enough of him. the whole thing with Chris and both Rachels. This was not fair to him. I wouldn’t be mad if he turns away from the franchise and wants nothing to do with him. This franchise and honestly mainly the fans are problematic.
The Women Tell All was so not even worth mentioning because to me it was just so bad, the honestly good things that happened when talking with the girls that were in the hot seat, especially with Abigail. I relate to her so much because I’m hard of hearing as well. I was born with an incomplete cochlear so it’s nice to see someone I can relate to on screen.
Now for the million dollar question I hope you have the answer to
What producer thought it would be a good idea to find Matt’s dad and bring him to the show to talk with him when Matt hasn’t even seen his dad for years. I feel that that was incredibly wrong and an invasion of privacy to bring someone that left you when you were a child. Obviously it seems like the conversation is not going well at all. If producers can be that evil to do that, then I don’t think I can ever apply to be on the show. idk if they done something worse, this is only my second time watching The Bachelor, but please I need thoughts on this
Comment: Yeah, I have no idea if Matt was given a heads up beforehand and signed off on it, or not. My guess would be no. This show doesn’t care about their contestants well being, they care mostly about shock value and TV moments. But it’ll be interesting to see how that conversation goes.
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Hi Steve,
Ugh. When it rains, it pours. What will happen next in Bachelor Land?
1 – Taylor Nolan. I get that the tweets are somewhat old and she does do a lot of good work on Anti-Racism. I learned quite a bit in just the few podcasts I listened to recently. However, those were some terrible tweets. And her initial apology and video were awful. She blamed the tweets on her ‘whiteness’ and blamed the leak of the tweets on white trolls. She did this to herself – white people didn’t do this to her. The color of your skin does not make someone post hatred on the internet. A hate filled heart makes you do that. And I still heard some of that hate in her initial apology/reaction. I’m not sure what she can do to redeem herself in my eyes. Plenty of people feel that way. That’s how much damage her tweets did. She has to accept that.
2 – Rachel K. I truly think her past actions were out of ignorance, not out of hate. I read an article with an interview with Rachel;’s mom who said that she quit the sorority because she didn’t like their views. I think she is trying to ‘put in the work’. People may see it as Platforming – but she has a platform, so she should be using it to help educate others in similar positions. This is something Hannah B has not done. I have no problem with what Rachael has done up to this point. Clearly still being a contestant on the show and the “winner,” she can only do so much on social media. Going forward once the show is over, lets see how vocal she is on IG and social media in general.
3 – Chris. It’s hard to undo 50 years of blind ignorance. What he did in the Rachel L interview was wrong. For him to come back in any shape or form, I think he needs to talk a long look back in his past. When he can start pointing out things in his past that were racist, then I’ll know he’s learning. If he can point out White Privilege, he’s starting to get it. I think it will take awhile and take a lot of soul searching. I wish he would’ve gone on twitter or instagram in defense of all the hate Rachel L is getting. But I’m sure he’s hiding under a rock somewhere. Well, looks like tomorrow morning is when his sit down with Michael Strahan is on GMA. So while we pretty much know what he’ll say, it’ll still be interesting to see and hear him say it.
As far as this season – I’m a couple episodes behind. I haven’t seen hometowns or WTA. However, like others, I think Matt has been quite boring and I don’t see any real connections. Maybe it’s because they’ve chosen not to air all the dates. I wouldn’t blame Matt if he completely leaves the Bachelor in his past. His whole season was overshadowed by bitchy girls in the house and everything that has happened offscreen. Poor guy – he came on the season for fame and to build his brand – but all the talk has been about everything BUT him.
Comment: Yeah. Might be why he’s pretty much done with the franchise.
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Hi Steve,
Just wanted to say that I think you’re being a great friend to Taylor in the true sense of the word. From your column this week it really appears like you have an understanding of what it means to ‘have someone’s back’. People often interpret this as defending our friends no matter what. But i think a true friend holds people accountable because we want to see our friends grow and be better people. It’s often the harder thing to do because it would be so much easier to tell Taylor you agree and that everyone else is overreacting. Holding friends accountable while also being a support is very counter-cultural so thank you for showing all of us that it can be done.
Comment: I wouldn’t be a real friend to Taylor if I coddled her and blew smoke up her ass and told her that her tweets are being blown out of proportion and I’m indifferent about it. Yes, she’s a friend, but that doesn’t mean I can’t tell her how I felt. And it was the first thing I said to her. I was upset, disappointed, and she really let me down. Not fun hearing that from a friend I would assume.
1. Have you noticed Tyler Cameron has not said a word about this show, this franchise, Matt being the Bachelor, etc. since his cameo episode aired? Goes to your point that Matt wants this all behind him. Sounds like so does Tyler. Whatever Matt feels about the show, Tyler does.
2. I also agree with what you said yesterday. Taylor should leave social media and go live a private life. There will be no coming back from this sadly, even if she has done so much good work. She should just leave this show in her past and live her life offline. I don’t know if she’ll have a private life, but, I do think she should never weigh in on anything Bachelor related anymore.
3. And to that point, would you say Rachael Kirkconnell should probably do the same? I know people on reddit who claim to know her are saying she really wants Matt back, but it seems he wants this chapter closed.
Comment: Well I don’t see them getting back together. But she doesn’t have a public job, so, I think we won’t see her doing much publicly I wouldn’t think.
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I cannot believe they brought on Matt’s father. This is wrong in so many ways. It’s inconsiderate to capitalize off of Matt’s real life trauma AND it’s playing into a stereotype that white people have of Black fathers.
I know you spoiled the dad showing up months ago but I had assumed the whole crying mess shown in the previews was BEFORE Matt went and spoke to his father. After seeing the latest preview they aired Monday, it looks like Matt is having that complete break down AFTER the fact. (He is speaking to his dad in broad daylight, but then Matt is crying on the curb at night time. He’s wearing the same black sweater).
Do you know if Matt was able to sign off on his dad coming on?….or did he completely throw that consent out the window when he signed on the dotted line to be The Bachelor?
Comment: I can’t imagine he did. But this is par for the course for this show. Not surprising they did this. But I’m sure Matt will talk about it post show, so, we’ll hear his real sentiments regarding that.
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Do the contestants have to be asked to attend the tell alls or can any/all attend?
Comment: Yes. They only invite “x” amount each year.
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Hi Steve,
Long time reader, first time emailer. After watching the WTA I really wanted to get your take on the 3 dates that never aired. Granted the dates weren’t super exciting compared to other seasons when they are usually traveling but still, it would have been nice to get to know the girls a little more considering I felt like I barely knew anyone or their story. And I’m fully aware they didn’t put a ton of money into the pancakes, eggs, or bugs but still it seems like a lot of footage for them to just throw away.
Thanks!
Comment: I mean, I’d heard about the ring one, but that was the first time seeing the egg swallowing and pancake eating. Pretty much everyone is on the train of “why wasn’t this shown in favor of bullying and arguing amongst the girls.”
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Hi Reality Steve,
Thanks for all of your hard work. I really enjoy reading your weekly recaps of the show. They are well written, hilarious and a reminder that this is a television show. Producers working overtime to create good TV.
Have you read Emmanuel Acho’s book? I can’t wait to see him host the After The Final Rose show. He’s such a welcome change. No, I haven’t. But I have watched a couple of his YouTube series under the same title. I know him more through his college football coverage on ESPN and now his daily “Speak For Yourself” show on FS1. Always liked his work.
In regards to Taylor, I am still shocked by what I read. The tweets were horrible, disgusting and so full of hate. Do you think this is the worst that has been posted by a contestant? I did unfollow her because I have a friend who was sexually assaulted. I also did volunteer teaching and a couple of my students have disabilities. But, I do believe the work she is doing is sincere and not performative. I am just so disappointed with her right now. Yes. Especially because of the volume. It’d be one thing if it was one, five, or ten insensitive tweets. It still would’ve been bad, but close to 300? Like it almost doesn’t seem real. But it is.
I completely agree with you about the tweets. Get rid of them. Nobody should have to read those especially people directly affected by them. And, yes, I agree her initial apology was too defensive. It actually made things worse. She claimed the tweets were not deleted to show her journey and growth. Yet, she accused Racist Bachelor Nation of uncovering them to undermine the work she has done. If she was concerned about her work being undermined, why not delete them so they were never found? Preaching to the choir.
I’m glad she’s got you to talk with. It’s good for her to have a friend who will be honest and direct.
Finally, I really hope Rachel does your podcast when she can. Also, Kelley and Madi would be great too.
Comment: I’d love to have all of them on. I think Rachel might be a possibility when things die down. Madi and Kelley might be tough.
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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.
