(spoiler discussion)
Before Katie decided Blake was her final pick, do you think it was production’s intention for him to be the next Bachelor? The story line would have been perfect (similar to Nick).
Comment: I have no idea. My guess would be no. Would kinda be Blake overkill.
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Long-time reader and frequent emailer
But today I have some non-bachelor related questions:
(1) on your podcast last week you said that a field producer would never do a podcast and reveal behind-the-scenes dirt since it would hurt their future job opportunities in reality TV. But what about a field producer who is retired and/or works in a completely different field? (Like the former bachelor producer who made the fictional show “UnReal”)? Think they still wouldn’t spill the tea because they are ashamed of their involvement? Do they sign contracts to never talk about what goes on behind scenes? Have you ever talked to a former producer OFF the record and they told you all the appalling stuff that goes on? Yes. I doubt even an old producer would ever truly come on and explain what really happens behind the scenes on the show. But it’s possible the people from UnReal would.
(2) who are your favorite MTV Challengers of all time?
Mine are: CT, Bananas, Nany, Leroy, Jenna. Aneesa has grown on me a lot in recent seasons because she takes a lot of crap but still keeps showing up.
P.s. please do more podcasts with challengers! Your ones with Bananas and Jemmye were probably my all time favorite! I hope to have some in the coming months. I’d say Bananas, Laurel, CT, Kyle, and Cam have been some of my favorites to watch. Bear is a piece of shit, but he was entertaining television. His off TV antics though I could do without.
(3) why do all these contestants move to Nashville after their season? I live here and I know it’s booming, but you would think the reality-star-turned-influencer pool here is saturated. Plus they all hang out together (with other local influencers and reality stars from other shows ?) so they’re all covering the same locations and crap. Plus low key it makes me jealous that they move here and a day later that have all these social ties and start getting invited to grand openings etc. just because they had 15 minutes of fame on a dating show.
Thanks!
Comment: I mean, I don’t know what to tell you there. Yeah, a lot move there. And a lot move there strictly to influence. They need to go where they feel a lot of the market is, and Nashville is one of those places now.
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Hey Steve –
I remember you having guest recappers of other shows on your site. Any thoughts of doing that again or do people just want to do their own blogs, podcasts and YouTube channels these days? Yeah, most people would rather do their own stuff. And also, time is money. Very few people want to write for free. And right now, I can’t justify paying someone to cover another show on the site because the traffic they’d get wouldn’t be enough.
Anybody on Big Brother strike you as a future member of the Big Brother alliance on The Challenge? So far, I’m thinking Derek X. Xavier, Travis, Christian I could see.
What is your first impression of BB this season? For me, it seems like they really tried for a diverse cast and most of the contestants have real professions and education (but some are pretending to have Bachelor type professions). This is a show that has a history of people catching racist comments on the live feeds during some seasons (including Kat’s season). Frenchie seemed to promise the whole house safety in Sunday’s ep so maybe he is not the brilliant strategist he thought. Frenchie is all over the map. I was diving in on the live feeds through Twitter for the first 3 days and now I’ve just stopped. I can’t keep up. I saw who won POV and that was the last thing I read. But yeah, once Frenchie was saying on live feeds he wasn’t putting up any women, or any POC, and then puts up Alyssa and Kyland, you get the feeling he’s in over his head.
Are there any old reality shows you wish would come back? My initial thought is Who Wants to Marry My Dad? as I will always remember one of the dads pleading with his kids to keep the hot woman instead of the one they liked. I also loved Average Joe but your discussion of the egg incident on BPad got me thinking that a show which classifies men or women as unattractive may not fly in 2021 and maybe my younger self should have realized that premise was not very nice. Growth! They could never do Average Joe again. One of the best reality shows ever done was the Joe Schmo show. Especially season 1. Holy crap that was genius. I just don’t think you can pull it off in 2021 because there’s been so many prank shows now, someone would catch on.
Ever watch The Circle on Netflix?
Comment: I watched the first 2 episodes of season 2. It’s just too much texting and reading the screen. After a while I’m like, “Ok, this is enough. I can’t watch a whole season of this.”
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I finally got a chance to watch the Whit and Ry YouTube and I’m disgusted. They were so condescending to you. You did a great job and stayed calm and cool. Be proud of yourself. Really? I didn’t think they were. They challenged me on a couple things, but I never took it as condescending.
Let’s be real right or wrong your old writings is what got you to where you are today. If you hadn’t been writing that way people wouldn’t have been reading. It’s what people were looking for. Yes, it’s terrible but it’s a sign of the times. We have grown past that and so have you. That’s all that can be asked of you! AND you loved passed it way before you were ever called out. So YOU were the one making real change. Thanks.
As for the Demi thing she can go off and cry in the corner. I’m sure she has done far worse to other people. You weren’t trying to get with her you were just sharing a dream!! This one is totally blown out of proportion. I have nothing to add really. I’ve said what I’ve said about that situation.
I enjoy you podcast a lot it feels like I’m chatting with a friend. My only complain is you only have one a week!
Wish I could make it to your fan appreciation but I’m a teacher and it just wouldn’t work out date wise. Well, this is really the only year I’ve had it in August. I’m sure next year I’ll be going back to it’s normal slot and it’ll be first weekend in June, so maybe you can make that.
Do more Big Brother content! I love listening to your takes on it! I hope to this season.
Keep up the entertainment! It makes my long drives much more enjoyable!
Comment: I’m glad people are back commuting and listening to podcasts. You could tell during COVID less people were listening because less people were traveling to and from work, or at the gym, and I think that’s when most people listen.
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I agree with pretty much what all the responses in the tweet with the article about Justin are saying, he was young and has had about half of his life since that point and has probably grown to know it was wrong. What I want to get across though, is to have that same forgiveness towards the women in this show when they’ve done the work, especially the women of color. Also unless you’re a woman of color or part of the LGBTQIA+ community, that apology wasn’t yours to accept but you can acknowledge and appreciate the work being done/has been done. We’ve seen a lot of going towards the throat towards Taylor Nolan for similar tweets and Rachel Lindsey for absolutely nothing but letting Chris Harrison put his own foot in his mouth. No one who needs to listen to this paragraph will but what the hell I felt it was worth saying. Yeah, it’s just not a universal thing. Everyone responds differently to different people. You’d hope some people would think more and assess each situation overall before condemning, but to a lot of people, it’s just easier to hit “cancel” and trash the person. I hear what you’re saying. It’s definitely frustrating.
Next, you mentioned to pay attention to Greg this episode. He’s kind of going more towards the shadows, other than when Katie mentions him or is with him you don’t see much of him. One time he was involved this episode is for Hunter’s top 4 listing. (Speaking of his top four I hope he wasn’t betting money on that…) Greg wasn’t one of the men who said he was lying when he knew the best that he was because he’s the one Hunter told. With other guys you see them so caught up in the “protecting Katie” cough *drama* cough, that they end up going home because of it (ex- Tre, James, that dude who told us who to hate every week when he’d get involved in all the drama… I think his name is Aaron) and then you see Greg who is so careless that it doesn’t even matter that he knew that Hunter lied. Then you have him saying he doesn’t know how she’s feeling, which I don’t believe for a minute if everyone else in the house can see it and tells him about it. She tells him she’s falling for him and it’s like she was blocking the TV and he just wanted to say “okay cool” to get her to move. You can see the excitement to see Katie from the other men, he looks like whatever he is doing is a chore. See Page 1.
I’m not ready to see Michael A. leave but we know it’s coming soon… Some of these men are a class act this season, love seeing how much the men respect each other versus the drama.
That was lengthy, time to put down the wine. Good evening, I wish you all the OG pasta!
Comment: There are a lot of good dudes, seemingly, the last two seasons. At least how they’re coming across on screen. And to a majority of the people watching, that’s all that matters.
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Hi Steve,
Im a long time follower and I dont think this has ever been asked. I was just wondering pre-pandemic when traveling was involved, did the crew travel together with the cast and the lead or do they travel separately? And how do they transport all their decorations to design for dates/rose ceremonies? I feel like Ive never heard about these behind the scenes details.
Thanks!
Comment: The lead and host travel separately for the most part. Rest of cast travels together. But they have crews that leap frog each other depending on where they’re headed.
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Still watching the episode but your thoughts and feedback are needed.
Do you think the “new” producers they’ve brought in have helped with the humanizing of some of the guys? At least the last two “Bachelorette” seasons they definitely have.
Because they actually showed Connor B (is it Connor or Conner? My bad) as someone that the guys liked. And they clapped for John and that other guy last week when he got eliminated.
I will ignore the fact that Blake was clearly given the heads up to pull a “Say Anything” moment.
But the feeling this season seems a bit less hostile, and more empathetic to the friendships in the house.
Or maybe I had an extra glass of wine.
Thoughts??
Comment: No, I haven’t noticed much hostility. I mean, if the worst producers can come up with is Hunter is calculating and a fan of the show, then they’re really stretching for storylines.
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Hey Steve!
I was reading your recap today when you talked about Blake going to Katie’s room, holding the speaker, playing a country song. It was playing Memorize You by Laine Hardy. I thought that was cute since Blake and Katie’s 1:1 date ended with Laine serenading them with that song. Oh it was? Well there you go. Makes sense then. Peter Gabriel would’ve been pissed if Blake pulled out “In Your Eyes.”
