I think I should start a food blog. Or be a food critic. Not some elitist that ranks 4 and 5 star restaurants. No, just some dude that reviews fast food joints. If you remember during COVID, I told you one day when I went into Olive Garden, I noticed within 5 seconds of getting my meal that they had changed their breadsticks and marinara sauce. I’d been eating at OG since college. So yeah, if there’s a change to the taste in a meal I ate all the time, I’m gonna notice. Well, the same thing happened the last few times I’ve had Chick-Fil-A. Their waffle fries were some of the best fast food fries out there. But the last few times I had them, something seemed off. Seemed harder, crunchier, and almost scraped the roof of my mouth eating them. Welp, I decided to Google it and got my answer. They HAVE changed how they cook their fries now and I guess use pea starch to make them crispier. Horrible decision honestly. They’re just not the same. Way to go Chick-Fil-A. Way to ruin a good thing. Anyway, that’s my rant for the day, which is also part of my Daily Roundup today.
Yesterday, Beverly appeared on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast and said the reason she had to leave the show for medical reasons was because she had appendicitis. The day of the group date (2 days before her 1-on-1 was supposed to take place), she said she was throwing up on and off for 12 hours and had to be taken to the emergency room where she eventually had to have surgery to get her appendix removed. That sucks. We can expect her for sure down in Paradise I would think since that was out of her control to continue on Grant’s season.
And Jesse Palmer went on a podcast I’d never heard of yesterday and basically re-iterated the “Bachelorette” isn’t cancelled it’s just being paused and the way he was talking, it was basically like he knew it was coming back. He just didn’t give a time frame or why it was paused for the time being. So for those who are freaking out over it, just remember we didn’t get BIP last year and now that show is back. So just because “Bachelorette” is taking a season off doesn’t mean it’s gone forever.
Lets get to your “Reader Emails”…
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Which Bachelor had a female friend of his pose as one of the girls on the show to
report back to him?
Comment: Pretty sure that was Jesse Palmer. I think that’s one twist they could add again in a future season. With social media nowadays, as long as the women or men don’t know who the Bachelor/ette will be until after they’ve given up their phones and are sequestered so they can’t scroll his/her IG and maybe recognize a friend, it’s possible to pull off. Also would make for good drama on night one, or perhaps even longer. I believe Jesse’s friend stayed like 3 or 4 episodes didn’t she?
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Hi Steve! Glad to see reader emails are back!
Tell me you were shocked when you saw that when the night one eliminates left and it was still dark outside! I was so confused! Was this the first time you’ve seen this? Honestly wasn’t even paying attention. But yeah, it’s been a while since we’ve seen that.
Another random question. Do you love your job? I think you have one of the most unique jobs out there. Can’t say I know anyone else that does what you do (successfully)!
Thanks for all your commentary and spoilers!
Comment: I thoroughly enjoy what I do. It’s not hard, I’m my own boss, I come and go as I please, and I can basically do it from anywhere. Can’t complain in that aspect. The social media part of my job has gotten a little annoying over the years, but nothing I can’t handle.
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Hey Steve,
I just listened to Thursday’s podcast with Rachel Reilly, and I know what Alan meant by the ending of the show. At the end of the show when they go out to the fire, they throw in the green bag if they want to end the show or the red bag if they want to banish someone. The last two seasons of the US series, if someone was banished, that person would reveal if they were a faithful or if they were a traitor.
Alan said at the start of this season that this time, that person would not reveal that information. So, if they do banish someone at the fire of truth part, then they will not know if they banished a traitor or a faithful.
I hope that clears it up!
Comment: Got it. I figured it was something along those lines. It’ll be interesting to see it play out this season.
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Hey Steve,
Do you know which, if any, of the girls from Ben F’s season were considered to be the bachelorette?
Comment: Man, I can’t remember sometimes what I had for dinner last week. Remembering that from 15 years ago is tough. I’m sure they were talking to multiple women, but once Emily became single, it was a no brainer.
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(1) On the Bachelor/ette franchises are the contestants allowed to have (legal) substances/medications (vapes, cigarettes, mental-health meds, vitamins, protein powders, pre-workout powders, etc) or do they typically steer-clear of contestants with physical/medical dependencies (I’m not passing ANY judgement, BTW). The reason I ask is because this has come up on other reality shows recently:
-The Challenge- it was reported that the reason Jenni was melting down so badly in this past finale (despite how well she was doing) was because she is an avid Vaper and was having withdrawals during the finale
-“Love Island”- 2 contestants said that almost everyone vapes (but you have to declare it prior to joining the show) and there were even people who weren’t prior vapers but brought vape pens along and declared them just because that would ensure that they had a couple of minutes each day away from the cameras and the other contestants to vape
-“Below Deck” several years back Hannah (lead stew) got fired in a controversial way because she took anxiety meds while on a charter. Even though they were prescribed to her, she hadn’t “declared” them prior to joining the boat so it was considered a violation.
Just curious what the policies are for such things on the Bachelor franchise. I’ve heard they’ve allowed vaping in recent seasons. They’re just not gonna show it.
(2) I know this year’s BIP will have a ton of contestants to choose from (as you’ve mentioned many times), but any idea off the top of your head who 4-5 “shoe-ins” are? I know there are always some villains, some fan-favorites, and some randoms on the beach, but I honestly can’t even remember the villains or favs from the past year so I was hoping you could jog my memory by throwing out a few movers-and-shakers in the franchise that will likely be on the beach (should they be single and willing).
Comment: From Jenn’s men: Jonathon, Hakeem, and Jeremy for sure. I think women like Litia, Dina, Alli Jo, Natalie, Beverly, Carolina, Zoe, and Rose are probably shoe-ins from this season.
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Any chance Jason (Kaitlyn and Kat’s ex) could be the next bachelorette?!!
Comment: This email was sent in last week before the news they were putting the show on pause. With that said, it’s a good suggestion. Do I think she would make a good Bachelorette? I do. I might be biased because I’m a fan of hers AND they’ve only done one single mom before in Emily. The problem is the Bachelorette (all 23 who have ever had the role), were previous contestants. They’ve never gone outside the franchise for a Bachelorette lead. So she has that working against her big time.
