Topic: The Bachelor 15...Brad Womack

[RealityFreakWill]

ABC press release:

ABC reveals "The Bachelor" for January 2011 edition of romance reality series

BRAD WOMACK - A CHANGED MAN - RETURNS IN A "BACHELOR" FIRST
TO FIND LOVE AGAIN ON ABC'S HIT ROMANCE REALITY SERIES,
"THE BACHELOR," WHEN IT RETURNS IN JANUARY 2011
The Sincere, Sexy, Successful Self-Made Man Will Be the First Star
of the Series to Return for a Second Chance at Love

Brad Womack - once considered by many to be the "most hated Bachelor" in the series' history - has spent the better part of the last three years going through a radical personal transformation after the shocking finale night that changed his life forever. Now he is really ready - healthier both in body and mind - to make a genuine commitment to a relationship, as he stars in the next edition of ABC's hit romance reality series, "The Bachelor," when it returns to ABC in January 2011.

Womack, 37, did the unthinkable by most fans' standards and did not choose either Jenni Croft or DeAnna Pappas on his finale back in November 2007. The day after it taped was the loneliest day of his life. Disappointed in himself for wasting this great opportunity, Brad kept to himself for two to three months afterwards. Unaware at the time that he really wasn't ready to commit to a relationship and not knowing the reasons why, his fears and worries were validated when a media firestorm and viewers from across the country let him know what they were thinking. With that, he started therapy to learn what problems were confronting him. He desperately wanted to fix whatever it was that wasn't allowing him to let people into his life.

For the last three years he has undergone intensive therapy, looking at who he was in a quite painful journey of self-awareness. In the meantime, he put his head down and worked - buying and selling three companies and building one from the ground up. And although he has dated during this time, he hasn't had a serious relationship. Adding to his sense of urgency are his two brothers: Chad, his twin, is not only married now but has a daughter; and Wes, his younger brother, who also is married, now has a little boy and girl. Brad is the last one without a wife or family.

Brad is convinced he is a better person in many ways than he was in 2007. Get ready to see a changed, revitalized man who is still optimistic and confident about finding love on "The Bachelor." He is more ready than ever to find a wife and start a family.

Currently residing in Austin, Texas, Brad had an early plan to make his mark on the world and, at 19, left Texas State University (known then as Southwest Texas State) after one year of college to work in oil fields across the country to save up money. His eight-year odyssey took him all over Texas and then to Louisiana, North Dakota and California.

After working diligently in the oil fields, he got into bartending with his twin brother, Chad. Some eight months of tending bar later, he had enough money saved to finance the purchase of his first drinking establishment with his brothers in 2001, when he was just 28.

However Brad has had to overcome some obstacles on his way to his booming business career. Born in Atlanta, his family stayed there until he was 12 years old, and then the family moved to Livingston, Texas, where he went to high school. Growing up in a single-parent home, his challenging days as a youngster helped to instill in him a good work ethic, the importance of a stable family and the ability to be a good provider. Not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he is appreciative of what he has accomplished on his own. These strong values, coupled with great looks and undeniable sex appeal, make him the perfect catch.

http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=092710_17

[RealityFreakWill]

Premiere Date Announced:

Monday, January 3, 2011

[RealityFreakWill]

Alli

Age:24

Occupation: Apparel Merchant

Hometown: Columbus, OH

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you bring and why?
A crossword puzzle to keep me occupied, diet coke because I can't live without it, and a pen to do the crossword with.

What kind of music do you listen to most often?
Country and Hip-hop/Rap - very random combination

Tattoo Count:
0

What's your worst date memory?
I was on a date with a guy and we ran into his ex-girlfriend. She stopped at our table and talked for a little too long! I could tell he was still into her.



Ashley H.

Age: 26

Occupation: Dentist

Hometown: Madawaska, ME

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you bring and why?
Phone - to connect with family/friends and listen to music
Toothbrush/paste - can't stand a dirty feeling mouth
Sunscreen - stay young!

Do you speak any other languages other than English?
No. Understand French

Tattoo Count:
1
Location:
Inner right wrist

Do you consider yourself a romantic and why?
Yes! I watch all the movies, think about ideal romantic dates and am very hopeful for extreme romance to enter my life.



Ashley S.

Age: 26

Occupation: Nanny

Hometown: Ellerbe, NC

Who do you admire most in the world and why?
My little sister. She has been through a lot in her seventeen years on Earth and she remains to be the most positive and resilient person I know.

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you bring and why?
A Knife - most handy thing to have on an island
Sunscreen - so I don't get melanoma after I'm rescued
A picture of my family - it would provide me with motivation to get off the island

What is your favorite all-time book and why?
Atlas Shrugged - most thought provoking book I've ever read--also a very good love story.

Tattoo Count:
0

Do you consider yourself a romantic and why?
Yes, I grew up watching 80's movies. i want the Jake character from the end of 16 Candles or Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything -- I want the guy to pursue me and then make an enormous romantic gesture like holding a boom box over his head.

Do you have any family holiday or special event traditions that you plan to uphold?
Every Christmas Eve we exchange the ugliest pajamas we can find and play a family board game together.



Britnee

Age: 25

Occupation: Paralegal

Hometown: Holland, PA

Do you have any pets and if so, what kind?
Tinkerbell, she is my life, my heart, and my everything. She's a ****zu and the prettiest princess.

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you bring and why?
A sharp knife - for protection & to make shelter & to prepare food
Matches or lighter for warmth and cooking
A serious water supply for drinking and cooking

Who is your favorite author?
Stephenie Meyer

Tattoo Count:
0

Describe your idea of the ultimate date?
Homemade meal, a glass of wine with candles by the fire and great conversation

What's your worst date memory?
When a guy asked to buy me bigger boobs.



Britt

Age: 25

Occupation: Food Writer

Hometown: Woodinville, WA

Do you have any pets and if so, what kind?
A rabbit named Norbert. He's potty trained and doesn't live in a cage; which is pretty cool.

If you could be someone else for just one day, who would it be and why?
Martha Stewart because of her business savvy, perfectionism, and a general domestic Goddess-ness!

What is your favorite memory from childhood?
Baking cookies with my mom before gymnastic competitions/usually gymnast-shaped cookies

What is your favorite holiday and why?
Halloween - I love dressing up, and every year I host a costume party with a fancy, multicourse, Halloween-themed dinner that I prepare

Do you speak any other languages other than English?
No, but I know American sign language.

Tattoo Count:
0

[RealityFreakWill]

Chantal

Age: 28

Occupation: Executive Assistant

Hometown: Mercer Island, WA

Do you have any pets and if so, what kind?
2 cats- birmans and 1 dog - pomeranian

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you bring and why?
My phone for games and to stay connected.
My dog boca
My e-reader for reading

Who is your favorite author?
James Patterson

Tattoo Count:
2

Location:
Right ankle and lower back

What's your best date memory?
There was a date where we were having so much fun that we kept finding more stuff to do because we didn't want it to end.



Cristy

Age: 30

Occupation: Attorney

Hometown: Davie, FL

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you bring and why?
iPod with an unlimited batter supply (got to have tunes)
Sunscreen because I never tan just burn
A friend to keep me company

What is your favorite all-time book and why?
The Alchemist - helped bring perspective into my life when I was at a low point, great message, great story

Tattoo Count:
0

I hate it when my date:
Puts no thought into the evening, is sloppy and lacks conversation skills.

What is your worst date memory?
Finding out my date had been a date prior to mine that same night. Oh, and then him asking his friend to take me home when I said I wouldn't be sleeping with him.



Emily

Age: 24

Occupation: Children's Hospital Event Planner

Hometown: Morgantown, WV

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you bring and why?
Radio - I love music
Sunscreen - No wrinkles!
Diet Coke - I drink way too many but can't get through the day without it!

Would you say you're a little bit country or more of a city person?
Growing up in West Virginia I'm pretty sure my father would have disowned me if I didn't enjoy getting dirty, but I also couldn't live without some of the luxuries of living in a city.

What is your favorite holiday and why?
I love the 4th of July because we always spend it on the lake with friends, family and good food.

Which U.S. city is the most romantic to you and why?
As much as I love hot weather, Aspen is very romantic to me because after being outside all day you can sit in front of the fire.

Tattoo Count:
2

Location:
On the wrist and behind the ear

What's your worst date memory?
The guy was so rude to the waitress. I went back the next day to apologize.



J

Age: 26

Occupation: Operations Manager

Hometown: Seattle, WA

What is a typical Saturday night like for you?
Power yoga, have people to my place, have a couple drinks, head to the local bar and dance our butts off.

What is your most embarrassing moment?
They happen daily. Probably, laughing so hard while skiing in the 6th grade that I pee'd my pants.

If you wanted to really impress a man, what would you do and why?
Dress up a little bit and laugh at his jokes. Guys are visual and feel appreciated when they feel funny.

Tattoo Count:
0



Jackie

Age: 27

Occupation: Artist

Hometown: Warwick, RI

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you bring and why?
A pet companion so I'd have happy company!
Fireworks so I could have some hope of getting saved (or a cell phone)!
A gun to kill predators and hunt to survive! haha

What is your greatest achievement to date?
Moving to New York with nothing, no job, a total city virgin, and finding my way -- it proved to me I can do anything and am confident & independent.

What is your favorite holiday and why?
The 4th of July! The weather is nice+hot, there are great parades and American patriotic pride! And fireworks, barbeques...people are happy.

Who is your favorite author?
Jodi Picoult...such an array of interesting storylines - total page turners with twists at the end.

Tattoo Count:
0

Describe your idea of the ultimate date?
Chivalry! A man to pick me up at home, nice dinner and genuine, interesting intellectual conversation, followed by a Broadway show, art opening, a cultural activity to enjoy and be able to discuss together.

What's your biggest date fear?
Rejection. That I'd go out on a limb to make myself vulnerable to be open to get hurt. It's so painful and hard to get over, without feeling like there's something wrong with you.



Jill

Age: 28

Occupation: Sales Director

Hometown: Houston, TX

Do you have any pets and if so, what kind?
Yes! Abby, miniature cocker spaniel.

What is your favorite memory from childhood?
Playing ball in the driveway with my mom, dad and sister.

Who is your favorite author?
Laura Roberts

Tattoo Count:
0

Describe your idea of the ultimate date?
Somewhere tropical, zip line through the rainforest with a nice romantic dinner on the beach.

What's your best date memory?
Catching a homerun ball at a Rangers game, drinking beer and eating a hot dog. So much fun!

[RealityFreakWill]

Keltie

Age: 28

Occupation: Radio City Rockette

Hometown: Hollywood, CA

What's the most outrageous thing you've ever done?
I flew to London without any plans or anywhere to stay because I just really wanted to go!

What is your favorite all-time book and why?
Ahhhh! so hard to choose. I am such a book nerd. I love "Perks of being a Wallflower" because in it is my favorite literary line ever, "and in that moment we were infinite." I also love Wally Lambs "She's Come Undone," by Pamela DeBarres "Take Another Piece of my Heart" and no matter what people say James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces"

Tattoo Count:
5

Location:
Ribs, wrist, finger and back

What's your biggest date fear?
Having food in my teeth, I ALWAYS have food in my teeth! UGH!!

What's your worst date memory?
Maybe the time my date admitted he "had a girlfriend but wanted to see if he could still score dates!" AWESOME!



Kimberly

Age: 27

Occupation: Marketing Coordinator

Hometown: Orlando, FL

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you bring and why?
iPod - music makes everything better!
Picture of my family - they keep me going
Sunscreen - I'm fair-skinned...too much sun=ouch!

What is your favorite holiday and why?
Thanksgiving - Food, Family & Football...What more could you want?!

Who is your favorite author?
C.S. Lewis

Who is your favorite author?
Spanish - I used to be fluent, but lost it. I'm actually planning to enroll in classes as a refresher.

Tattoo Count:
0

Do you consider yourself a romantic and why?
No. I enjoy romance occasionally but I think romance has the potential to blind people in terms of their feelings. But I do love thoughtfulness.

What's your biggest date fear?
I hate when the guy is really into you, but you have no feelings/attraction towards him.



Lacey

Age: 27

Occupation: Insurance Agent

Hometown: Tampa, FL

If you could be someone else for just one day, who would it be and why?
The Queen of England, to be royalty and have so much positive influence on your kingdom.

What is your greatest achievement to date?
Being part of an organization that has helped raise over $150,000 for Breast Cancer.

Who is your favorite author?
Ernest Hemingway

Do you have a family vacation spot that you visit annually or often?
Yes! Islamorada - Florida Keys!

Tattoo Count:
0

What's your best date memory?
Kissing in the rain



Lauren

Age: 26

Occupation: High School Teacher

Hometown: Culpeper, VA

Do you have any pets and if so, what kind?
A toy poodle, Gabby.

What is your favorite holiday and why?
Halloween - I love the spookiness and handing candy out to kids. I always have my house completely decked out with decorations.

Who are your top 3 favorite groups/artists & why?
Lil Wayne! Taylor Swift because her songs are so relatable, Dave Matthews Band because their songs are calming and great to put on repeat.

Who is your favorite author?
Phillipa Gregory - She has great insight on the life and wives of Henry VIII and I'm obsessed with that part of history.

Tattoo Count:
0

I love it when my date:
Tries hard to show me their personality and shows that he enjoys my company.

What's your best date memory?
Watching a meteor shower in a lifeguard stand on the beach.



Lindsay

Age: 25

Occupation: 1st Grade Teacher

Hometown: Plano, TX

Do you have any pets and if so, what kind?
Family dog, Griffon, half Chow half Australian Sheppard.

Tattoo Count:
0

Do you like to dress up or do you prefer casual attire as a rule?
Dress up. I love wearing dresses that you can dress up or down.

If you wanted to approach a man you had never met before, how would you go about it?
Notice something interesting about the person and bring it up, introduce myself.

[RealityFreakWill]

Lisa M.

Age: 24

Occupation: Marketing Coordinator

Hometown: Ottawa, KS

Who do you admire most in the world and why?
My sister Bridget. She is 5 years older than me and is the most influential person in my life. She has worked so hard for where she is and lives a life I'd love to succeed to. She is supportive of me and wants the best which makes her even more admirable.

What is your greatest achievement to date?
Getting a college athletic scholarship for running track & cross country at the University of Kansas.

What is your favorite all-time book and why?
Twilight Saga - yes, I admit. Such a great read, love story, drama and Stepenie Myer really makes her readers feel like they are part of the saga.

Tattoo Count:
0

I love it when my date:
Takes charge. If both are indecisive on what/where we want to go. i love when someone just makes the decision and rolls with it.

Do you have any family holiday or special event traditions that you plan to uphold?
Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival, Winfield, KS. Camping, bluegrass music, biggest Kansas festival, up to 20,000 people attend. We've gone every year since I was born.



Lisa P.

Age: 27

Occupation: Sales Consultant

Hometown: Dix Hills, NY

If you could be someone else for just one day, who would it be and why?
Oprah. I think she does amazing things for those less fortunate and I wouldn't mind living like her for a day.

Who is your favorite author?
Candace Bushnell - I relate to the characters in her books.

Tattoo Count:
0

Describe your idea of the ultimate date?
Adventure, Spontaneity and Romance

I hate it when my date:
Runs out of things to talk about and incorporates money into the conversation.

What's your best date memory?
My date got me flowers and ordered my favorite dessert without even asking.



Madison

Age: 25

Occupation: Model

Hometown: Vail, CO

Do you have a family vacation spot that you visit annually or often?

We travel to the Caribbean to scuba dive. A very rustic lake house in Wisconsin to fish, shoot and swim.

Tattoo Count:
1

Location:
Very hidden

Do you consider yourself a romantic and why?
Absolutely. I love it all, the candles, the roses, the lighting, the intimacy. having only two people & being unguarded & emotionally open. It's rare and beautiful.

If you wanted approach a man you had never met before, how would you go about it?
Catch his eye first. Act calm and cool to get a read on it. Unless I'm feeling bubbly then right in, no cheesy lines, just "Hi"



Marissa

Age: 26

Occupation: Sports Publicist

Hometown: Mesa, AZ

Do you have any pets and if so, what kind?
Yes. Dog - Boston Terrier

What do you do for a living and how important is your career to you?
Sports publicity; my career is very important to me because I do what I love and have combined my passions in order to make a living.

Tattoo Count:
1

Location:
Lower Back

Describe your idea of the ultimate date?
On-field passes for the Tampa Bay Rays game, seats behind home plate for the game, romantic & nice dinner ending with slow dancing.

What's your worst date memory?
Walking into a parking meter.



Meghan

Age: 30

Occupation: Fashion Marketer

Hometown: Princeton, NJ

Do you have any pets and if so, what kind?
Yes, well kind of. Funny story - I bought a baby bulldog in the window of a pet store last year but my building doesn't allow animals so i gave her to my parents. My Dad couldn't be happier - my Mom wants to kill me.

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you bring and why?
My best friend, cell phone and mallowmars - best cookies ever! I couldn't be stranded without my best friend to laugh with, cell to call friends+family and food to survive.

What is your most embarrassing moment?
This is a good one -- most embarrassing had to be when I was making out with a guy that I was dating. His A/C was broken and it was summer and my spray tan got all over his new white sofa because I was sweating so badly. I was mortified then and still am now.

Tattoo Count:
0

What's your best date memory?
I was on a really bad date - we went to a bar and I ended up talking to another guy, we hit it off and my date went home and I dated the other guy for several months. It happens when you least expect it!

[RealityFreakWill]

Melissa

Age: 32

Occupation: Waitress

Hometown: Westport, CT

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you bring and why?
Food - So that I could survive
Solar Powered Laptop - So that I can be entertained
A Bottle, Pen and Paper - So that I could write a save me note and throw it into the water

What is your most embarrassing moment?
I've had so many. 9th grade, new school, no friends, underwear was stuck in the leg of my jeans and fell out as I was walking. I obviously had no idea. Unfortunately due to all of my years at sleep-away camp, my name was written in my little girl's underwear. MORTIFIED!

Tattoo Count:
0

I hate it when my date:
Is narcissistic and only talks about himself and doesn't even offer to pay.

What's your biggest date fear?
Going to a theme park to ride roller coasters. I'm not a fan



Michelle

Age: 30

Occupation: Hair Stylist

Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you bring and why?
Tweezers - I have hair that grows out of a mole on my face that totally bugs me!
My iPod - I love music!
Bobbi Brown Hydrating face cream - I can't live without it!

What is your favorite all-time book and why?
Eat, Pray, Love

Tattoo Count:
0

Do you consider yourself a romantic and why?
Yes. I'm pretty romantic. I like sexy music and sharing feelings and mood lighting and all that fun stuff!

What is your ideal mate's personality like?
Funny, confident, easy-going, compassionate, confident and Confident!

What's your biggest date fear?
Not having good conversation.



Raichel

Age: 29

Occupation: Manscaper

Hometown: Fullerton, CA

Do you have any pets and if so, what kind?
I have a yorkie named Otis, so adorable!!

Who do you admire most in the world and why?
Wow! Great question. OK so I know that an appropriate answer would be Mother Teresa or Ghandi, but I admire my mother. She is a woman of triumph, good natured, loving, patient and has a successful marriage and family. Also, Jennifer Aniston, that woman is tough.

What is your most embarrassing moment?
Oh gosh!! Probably farting on accident when I was on a date and we were shooting basketballs at night. It was so quiet and right when I shot the ball...."Blurrrr" LOL.

Tattoo Count:
5

Location:
Hip, lower back, ankles and toe.

What's your best date memory?
Great conversation, chemistry, eye contact, and uncontrollable urge to make out! haha.



Rebecca

Age: 30

Occupation: Esthetician

Hometown: Mission Viejo, CA

Who do you admire most in the world and why?
My Grandma was an amazing woman. She lived a crazy live. Although she made a lot of poor choices in her life, she spent the last 30 being the most loving, strong, encouraging woman who put family first. She taught me unconditional love, forgiveness and that everyone deserves a second chance at life.

Who is your favorite holiday and why?
Christmas - It brings the good out in people. I love doing things for others that bring a smile to their face. I always find neat opportunities to help others around Christmas.

Who is your favorite author?
Nicholas Sparks

Tattoo Count:
1

Location:
Hip.

Do you consider yourself a romantic and why?
Yes. I love a good love story. I enjoy coming up with ways to make someone feel ultra special. I love surprises and showing the people I love how much they mean to me.

What's your worst date memory?
A guy took me on a first date (last date) to dinner. When we got to the restaurant he was rude to the host, after we were sat he was rude to the server. We sat there having uncomfortable conversation for what felt like forever and then he took me home. He spent the next six months trying to get me to go out again. He claimed we were "meant for each other" after one night.



Renee

Age: 28

Occupation: Nanny

Hometown: Burbank, IL

Do you consider yourself neat or messy or in between?
I'm a hot mess! Just kidding — I'm pretty organized but I do get out of hand sometimes.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen!

Who is your favorite author?
Nicholas Sparks

Tattoo Count:
One

Location:
A shamrock (in a special location)

Do you consider yourself a romantic and why?
Yes, I wrote my future husband a love letter to be delivered on our wedding day when I was 20 and I still have it!

What is your longest relationship you have been in and why didn't it work out?
Three years. He left me for another girl that looks and acts like me — what a creep!

What's your biggest date fear?
My date has bad breath or bad body odor.

[RealityFreakWill]

Sarah L.

Age: 25

Occupation: Musical Theatre Performer

Hometown: Saginaw, MI

Do you have any pets and if so, what kind?
My parents have a cat named Snowball. I have a Pomeranian named Foxx.

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you bring and why?
A book of Sudoku puzzles, so I'm not bored
A knife to protect myself & help with survival
Brad Pitt for some hot company!

Where did you go to High School?
I was home schooled.

Tattoo Count:
0

If you wanted to really impress a man what would you do and why?
Cooking is very difficult for me, so I would cook dinner just to how much I care.

What's your biggest date fear?
Not making a connection and having lots of awkward silences.

What is your worst date memory?
A blind date. We had nothing in common and my then-best friend showed up because she'd left her car keys in my purse. After telling him I didn't want a 2nd date, I accidentally left my cell in his car!

Tell us something we didn't ask: My favorite Disney princess:
My favorite Disney princess is "Belle"



Sarah P.

Age: 27

Occupation: Real Estate Broker

Hometown: Denver, CO

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you bring and why?
My Mom — I could never get sick of her
Wine — this would make us laugh a lot
Cheese — want some cheese with that wine

Tattoo Count:
Two

Location:
A heart on the back of my neck and a shamrock in a private area.

I love it when my date...
Makes me laugh and compliments me. Basically putting a smile on my face.

What is your worst date memory?
Went on a blind date, double date with parents (got set up by mom), and him leaving me at the end to go play with his dog!

Tell us something we didn't ask:
I have been raising my nephew with my sister for the past two years. It's my turn and I'm ready to find love and build a family of my own.



Shawntel

Age: 25

Occupation: Funeral Director

Hometown: Chico, CA

If you could be someone else for just one day, who would it be and why?
A Pathologist. I've always thought that would be an interesting job.

Tattoo Count:
Four

Location:
One on my neck, one on my back, one on my hip and one on my wrist.

What kind of music do you listen to most often?
Country and Reggae

What is your favorite all-time book and why?
Eat, Pray, Love. So inspiring.

Who is your favorite author?
Sarah Wise. Charles Dickens.

If you wanted to approach a man you had never met before, how would you go about it?
Introduce myself and just start talking. I'm very open with myself and love to talk!



Stacey

Age: 26

Occupation: Bartender

Hometown: Quincy, MA

If you were stranded on a desert island what 3 things would you bring and why?
My St. Anthony's prayer card , my iPod and a great book.
The card for hope, iPod for music and sanity. The book for relaxation.

What is your greatest achievement to date?
My modeling contract. So many people told me I wasn't good enough or it was a stretch!

What is your favorite holiday and why?
I love Christmas and Christmas Eve because my family cooks together and we have a ton of traditions. One tradition includes an Italian feast with 7 fishes. And we always do a talent show.

Tattoo Count:
Two

Location:
Private areas

What is your favorite all-time book and why?
Tuesdays with Morrie. It's touching and inspiring.

Who is your favorite author?
I love Candace Bushnell. She writes modern, relatable stories.

What is your worst date memory
I can make the best of any sitution, but once this guy updated his facebook status to say, "Boston women are recycled."

[RealityFreakWill]

I know how the whole season goes down. If anybody wants to know, shoot me a PM and I'll spoil ya with the info.

And yes, Brad actually picks someone this time!

[RealityFreakWill]

Chris Harrison blogs 'The Bachelor' season premiere

Welcome back! I’ve missed all of you. It’s hard to believe this is season 21 of The Bachelor/Bachelorette. That is an amazing run in network TV, and I want to thank you for making that happen. As you all know, we tried something a little different this season. For the first time in the show’s history, we brought back a Bachelor for a “do-over.” The reaction to Brad has been mixed; many of you were skeptical and some of you were even a little angry. I have to admit, I kind of like that. We’ve never gone into a season where our Bachelor or Bachelorette wasn’t your overwhelming favorite. It’s going to be very interesting to begin this season with someone who, from the start, needs to prove himself to not only the women on the show but also to you, our fans. Believe me when I tell you that none of this pressure was lost on Brad — or me for that matter. When Brad and I met up that first night, despite his trademark smile and Texas charm I could tell this guy was feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. Say what you will about Brad — you have to give the man credit for stepping up and owning what he did. He hasn’t just said, “I’m sorry” and moved on with life in Austin. He has stepped up to prove publicly in front of the entire world that he is a changed man. He is essentially putting all his chips on the table for one roll of the dice. If he comes off as anything less than sincere or committed to this, he knows he’ll be run out of town. That’s why my final words of advice to him that first night were “don’t screw this up.”  So it was with all this pressure hanging over us that we sat down that first night at the mansion for our chat. Yes, we’re back at the same house again. If I’m not mistaken, Brad was the first Bachelor to ever use this house three years ago. During our chat, as you saw, I surprised Brad by bringing out the two women he left standing at the rose altar last time, Jenni and DeAnna.  He had no idea they were there that night or that this was going to happen. I thought this was a great idea for several reasons. First of all, I wanted to see if Brad was truly a changed man and would own up to what he did and explain why. Brad couldn’t just say it wasn’t “right”; these two women wouldn’t let him off that easy. I was impressed to see him admit that upon reflection — and yes, some therapy — that he wasn’t really the man he was pretending to be back then. He wasn’t capable at that point in his life to commit and truly fall in love. He is truly sorry for hurting Jenni and DeAnna. The women have obviously moved on so this meeting wasn’t about love or an opportunity missed. This was about an overdue apology and step one in Brad proving to you, and more importantly to himself, that he’s a changed man.

After our talk it was time for the 30 women to arrive. All Bachelors are nervous at this moment. This is when they finally realize, “Holy cow, I’m the Bachelor and this is really going to happen.” Despite having been there before, Brad was still anxious. He knew how it all worked but he had no idea what the women’s reactions were going to be. I should explain at this point that I usually watch the shows by myself the week before they air so I can write this blog and be ready to do any press interviews I have lined up to promote the show. This first episode was a little different. As some of you may have read on my Twitter page I decided to watch this first episode illegally (sorry ABC) with my family and friends over the holidays while I was home in Dallas. This gave me a whole different perspective on the show, as you’ll read below. I should warn you, yes there was wine involved in the viewing of this show. The first thing I learned watching this with family and friends (most of them women) is that there is a game you can play, toasting every time you see Brad without his shirt on. I quickly realized after two segments that this is not a good game to play if you’re trying to write a blog and stay awake through the end of the show.

If Brad was wondering how the women would react, all his fears were quickly realized when the first woman out of the limo, Chantal (not to be confused with Shawntel the funeral director), gave Brad a good slap across the face for all the women in America. Let me answer the questions my friends had. Yes, the slap was very, very real and no, Brad had no idea it was coming. He handled it much better than I would have and actually got a good laugh out of it. During the arrivals you had the usual fun and games as women tried to make a good or lasting first impression — and a few of them did. Brad actually liked Chantal and her slap. Ashley S. and her cute southern drawl set him at ease. Emily also made a solid first impression. Right now Brad doesn’t know her tragic story, but she is someone you’ll get to know a lot more about. The woman who really stood out to Brad, and I think you could tell by his reaction, was Michelle. She is also someone you will get to know and she’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the house this season. Now normally I would have continued watching the show and making my notes, but because I was watching this with a group and somebody had the great idea of toasting every time we saw Brad without his shirt on, we got a little sidetracked. Because of Michelle’s last name, somebody brought up the singer Eddie Money. I had to explain to someone in our group that Eddie was not a member of Van Halen (that’s Eddie Van Halen) but was in fact a solo artist with hits like “Two Tickets to Paradise” and “Baby Hold On.” After pausing the show and discussing Eddie Money for about five minutes, we were ready to move on. (Personal note here: This is the last time I’ll preview the show with a group of friends and family!)

Once the women got in the house and the cocktail party began, so did the personal attack on Brad. He knew it might be tough and that he would get some questions about his past, but I don’t think he expected as much as he got. I think it got to the point where he was a little frustrated. Overall, Brad handled himself very well that first night putting all the women at ease, and answering every question they had as open and honestly as he could. One person we have to discuss is Madison. Everybody at my house was screaming, “Come on!” so I assume you were as well. I loved how Brad just flat out called her out on the fangs. Is Madison a model that wants to be noticed? Probably so, but that’s something Brad has to figure out. Although he has a good idea that’s the case, there is something about her that intrigues him (not the teeth) so he wanted to keep her around at least one more week to see if there’s more to this woman than just her overbite. One of the crowd favorites at my viewing party was Raichel the manscaper.  First let me say there was a guy at my party who didn’t know what manscaping was. Is that possible? I get if that’s not your thing, but isn’t it common knowledge what it is? Brad’s reaction to the idea of getting his “undercarriage” waxed or getting “bat wings” (I hadn’t heard of that one myself) was fantastic.

The first impression rose went to the sweet southern woman Ashley S. From the moment she stepped out of the limo she made Brad happy and relaxed. While so many other women were aggressive or put Brad on the defensive, she was sweet and made his life easy. Some in my group think she looks and sounds a little like Tenley — what do you guys think? My favorite part of the first episode is the very end in what we call the super tease that promotes the entire season. As you saw, once again we will be traveling the world to places like Costa Rica, Anguilla, and South Africa. This season is fantastic and very different than any we’ve ever had. Brad obviously brings a very different element, but so does this group of women. I always say what makes this show so interesting is the people and the baggage and history they bring with them. This season we have stories we’ve never seen or heard before and that makes Brad’s journey very intriguing. I have said in the press there are no major “scandals” this season, but that definitely doesn’t mean this season is without its fair share of drama! Brad is in love but how he gets there, whom it’s with, and what the real story is will definitely be worth watching! I’d like to thank my friends at EW.com for having me back here in this forum to chat with you this season. Some of you have already heard but for those that haven’t I want to announce a new fun way to check out all things Bachelor. It’s our official Bachelor web site, TheBachelor.warnerbros.com. We have just gotten this up and running and will be updating and adding great content in the coming weeks and months. From casting to comments to upcoming events and appearances it’s all right there on the site. As always, thanks for watching. Please leave your comments and questions below, and you can always find me on Twitter @chrisbharrison. Happy New Year!

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/01/04/chris-harrison-the-bachelor-season-premiere-blog/

[ugot2bekidinmeny]

I think that he's gonna crack under the whole pressure of it and will need therapy thruought his new "marraige/relatonship"

My pics are  Michelle  and Ashley S
 

[RealityFreakWill]

ABC press release:

BRAD AND ONE LUCKY WOMAN SHARE THE SEASON'S FIRST KISS,
AS THE BACHELORETTES ENGAGE IN EARLY CAT FIGHTS
FOR HIS ATTENTION, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELOR"

Hit Rock Band Train's Private Performance is the Background Music for a Hot Night
Between Brad and One Lucky Lady, and Jealousy Explodes During the Season's First Group Date

Ali and Roberto Return to Offer Brad Advice on How to Handle the Ladies' Drama

"Episode 1502" - The 20 remaining bachelorettes move into their luxurious Malibu mansion and the fairy tale begins. Two lucky women will get fabulous one-on-one dates: Brad escorts one bachelorette on a fantasy date which culminates at the Hollywood Bowl, where they will be serenaded by the chartbusting band Train. The other individual date finds Brad and another stunning woman on an incredibly romantic date to a private carnival. The group date will give 15 women a chance show Brad another side of their personality as they shoot public service announcements (PSA) for the American Red Cross, but it turns into a steamy face-off between some of the ladies. However, some of the bachelorettes will not have a date at all before the next rose ceremony, encouraging them to aggressively steal any time they can with Brad, on "The Bachelor," MONDAY, JANUARY 10 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Brad whisks away Ashley H., his stunning date for the evening, to a deserted dirt road leading to a mysterious dark wooded area. A large electrical switch appears out of nowhere and, once the couple flip it on, a magical private carnival lights up. They excitedly run through the maze of games and rides like two kids. The date takes a more intimate turn when Ashley H. tells Brad about her estranged relationship with her father. Encouraged by the woman's openness, Brad shares his own painful story of his absentee father. Their connection is palpable. One last ride on the Ferris wheel turns into a passionate first kiss of the season.

The next day the first group date of the season features Brad and 15 excited, gorgeous women. Michelle is already annoyed that she has to share Brad with 14 other women on what will be her 30th birthday. Brad reveals that they will be filming PSAs to remind people about the importance of donating blood through the American Red Cross and encouraging the country to participate in January's National Blood Donor Month. However jealousy rears its ugly head when Brad kisses several of the ladies. In fact, Melissa annoys the others when she rudely interrupts the filming to steal a kiss with the handsome Bachelor. But when Brad shoots a particularly provocative scene with two sexy bachelorettes, Michelle loses her cool and storms out. The drama increases at a rooftop pool after-party. Can these emotional women control themselves in order to get a rose from Brad?

Jackie is chosen for a fantasy date that is the envy of the other women. Brad surprises her at a luxurious Beverly Hills hotel with an incredible array of gowns, shoes and jewels for her to choose from. Later the couple shares an intimate dinner at the Hollywood Bowl, which is followed by a private concert by the hit band Train. Romance seems to be in the air... But when Jackie reveals a troubling relationship history, will Brad decide to give her a rose?

At the stressful and dramatic cocktail party, the drama erupts again as two women face off in a verbal battle for the ages. Brad attempts to comfort each woman in the middle of the snarling catfight, but then Ali Fedotowsky and Roberto Martinez arrive to help him get to the bottom of the situation and to find out who is there for the right reasons. The engaged couple single out one woman to whom Brad offers a rose to before the ceremony. At the end of the night, only 17 women will remain in the chase for Brad's heart.

The 20 women are:

Alli, 24, an apparel merchant from Columbus, OH
Ashley H., 26, a dentist from Philadelphia, PA
Ashley S., 26, a nanny from New York, NY
Britt, 25, a food writer from Woodinville, WA
Chantal, 28, an executive assistant from Seattle, WA
Emily, 24, a children's hospital event planner from Charlotte, NC
Jackie, 27, an artist from New York, NY
Keltie, 28, a Radio City Rockette from Hollywood, CA
Kimberly, 27, a marketing coordinator from Charlotte, NC
Lindsay, 25, a first grade teacher from Plano, TX
Lisa M., 24, a marketing coordinator from Ottawa, KS
Madison, 25, a model from Brooklyn, NY
Marissa, 26, a sports publicist from Kissimmee, FL
Meghan, 30, a fashion marketer from New York, NY
Melissa, 32, a waitress from Lake Worth, FL
Michelle, 30, a hairstylist from Salt Lake City, UT
Raichel, 29, a 'manscaper' from Fullerton, CA
Sarah P., 27, a real estate broker from Denver, CO
Shawntel, 25, a funeral director from Chico, CA
Stacey, 26, a bartender from Boston, MA

http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=010411_01

[RealityFreakWill]

Chris Harrison blogs 'The Bachelor' episode 2

Let the blood begin to flow. No not between Raichel and Melissa — we’ll deal with their battle later. I’m talking about National Blood Donor month. We here at The Bachelor are very happy to be partnering up with the American Red Cross to shine an entertaining light on a very serious topic. Last Saturday, Brad, a host of former contestants, and myself were extremely proud to host a blood drive here in L.A. This is the first of several we’re going to host across the country. For more info on these blood drives and how you can help, go to our web site. Now let’s get back to the show. This week as promised I didn’t watch with my family and friends, so don’t worry — you wont be digging into the archives for your Best of Eddie Money album. I checked, and there really is a Best of Eddie Money album. Who knew? The first thing we did this week was move the girls into the mansion. There’s a lot more to this than you get to see. Once I meet them on the driveway and move the women in, they run around the house checking everything out. One highlight you didn’t get to see during the move was Sarah P. diving into the pool with her clothes on. Madison followed close behind. They got dried off before I called them inside for the date card talk.

The first date went to Ashley H. Unfortunately for Ashley I think she’s going to fall victim to the Great First Date Syndrome. Now, I just made this up so bear with me. I’ve noticed in the past that having the first date is great, but when it goes well — which Ashley’s did — it then makes it hard to go back to the house and wait and watch all the other girls start to date your man. Ashley will begin to struggle with this like many have before her. The carnival date they went on was fantastic. I really have to give it up to our art department. They had just twelve hours to set this up on one of the hottest days ever in Los Angeles. (One other cool fact is that the ticket booth was the same one used in the movie Grease.) The first date went extremely late and when they got home around 4 a.m., the only person awake was Ashley S. Must be an Ashley thing.

The date card we delivered for the group date was ridiculously long because it had so many names on it. We never have fifteen women on one group date. But as you saw this was a very special date with a very special purpose. A couple notes from the PSA blood drive date: My man Paul Danner (the big man shouting orders) continues to get screen time on the show. We will continue to show him until I marry him off. As I’ve said before Paul is our regular floor manager on the show. The man directing the PSAs is our regular director Ken Fuchs, who also does an amazing job. I just wish on this group date you were somehow able to tell it was Michelle’s 30th birthday. Speaking of age, many of you have asked why we aren’t showing how old the women are this year. I find it interesting their age makes such a difference to you. Not sure why age would make a difference in finding love. There actually is a technical reason the ages aren’t on there this season: We changed the graphics up a bit and they just don’t fit. But I will tell you if you pay attention you will learn how old these women are as we go. You found out how old three or four of them were this week alone, and the ages are up on the web site on their bios. As I said last week, Michelle, who’s 30 years old, is a person who goes after what she wants, and she definitely stirs things up along the way as she does it. By the way, Madison and her fangs didn’t get a lot of airtime this week but the girls did not forget about her. While she was out on the group date Sarah P., Lindsay and Ashley S. devised a plan to see if Madison was really a vampire. They made crosses out of branches in the backyard and stuffed cloves of garlic under all the mattresses (just in case).

Jackie’s date is what we like to call the “Pretty Woman” date. The car Brad is driving on this date and during the show is the Aston Martin DB9. This is an amazing machine. I know this because they were crazy enough — I mean kind enough — to lend me one to drive during the show as well. After a day of pampering at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, Brad and Jackie drove out to one of the most iconic spots in Los Angeles, The Hollywood Bowl. This was such a cool once-in-a-lifetime experience, I also showed up for this date. I said a quick hello to the couple but stayed off. To go to the Hollywood Bowl is one thing; to have the place completely to ourselves is another. All I could think of is the movie Some Kind of Wonderful. I know I just dated myself with that one, but check it out it’s a very cheesy but good coming-of-age date movie. One funny note from the date: When Brad gave Jackie the rose, he then told her there was a surprise and pointed to the stage… and nothing happened. The band wasn’t set yet so they had to wait a couple minutes, and then he introduced the surprise guests again.

I’m a huge fan of the band Train so after the performance I went backstage to meet Pat Monahan. Two reasons I know this guy is a great dude. One he really loved and respected the history of performing at the “Bowl” and two, turns out he’s a huge fan of the show. By the way, Jackie got to keep the amazing diamond earrings that Brad picked out for her. The other girls were crazy jealous. A lot of the women back at the house didn’t think Jackie would get the rose and would be going home. When she walked through the door the girls quickly began to realize they couldn’t predict what Brad might do. While Jackie was on her date, Keltie taught all the girls to do high-kicks in the backyard. Most of the women joined in but not Melissa, who was already at odds with Raichel as well as some of the other girls at this point.

Let’s talk about this Raichel vs. Melissa battle. I don’t know who was right and who was wrong and honestly I don’t really care. What I do know is they spoiled the cocktail party that night for a lot of women. Their constant bickering brought the whole mood down in the house. Poor Ashley S. spent the night trying to reason with them and calm them down but neither would listen. A couple things these girls should now know about Brad: First of all he has no poker face. Did you see the look on his face while he was talking to Melissa? The second is that Brad doesn’t like drama. I was impressed that he nipped this problem in the bud and sent both Melissa and Raichel packing. I will credit Melissa with giving us a great line by calling Raichel ” an energy suck”; I love that and will be using it now.

One final note before I let you go this week. It was really good to see Ali and Roberto and have them back on the show. It’s interesting how these couples walk back in the house and the cast looks at them like rock stars. They helped Brad pick Emily and give her a rose. Up to this point she really hasn’t had much time with Brad and he has no idea about her story. That will begin to change next week in what is a very emotional episode. We also showed you a preview of the Capitol Records date where another one of my favorites, Seal, makes an appearance. This season just continues to get better and better as we go. I’m really excited to let it unfold for you and see your reactions. I want to leave you this week with a personal note: I’m proud to be hosting the 90th annual Miss America Pageant on ABC next Saturday, January 15, at 9 p.m. I hope you can join me. Remember it is national blood donor month, so as Melissa would say don’t be an energy suck, give blood! Please continue to leave your comments below or you can always find me on twitter @chrisbharrison or look us up on our new web site, thebachelor.warnerbros.com.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/01/11/chris-harrison-the-bachelor-episode-2-blog/

[ugot2bekidinmeny]

UGGH can Brad act? i mean really he's been thru this before and he's stiffer thana starched shirt when it's camera time.

I see a ton of makeout scenes  as filler because there's only so much talking that ABC will be able to put together as conversational scence for their clips.

Brads conversations are: "wow, oh, sure u can, talk to me, awww, it's ok, dont be nervous", and the forerver repeated " I  really like this girl"

I dont care for the chics that are insecure & thank goodness 2 of them left this week.  My earlier pic Michelle, is certainly aggressive  in wanting her alone time with Brad. I believe that will be her downfall.

[RealityFreakWill]

ABC press release:

MUSIC AND ROMANCE FILL THE NIGHT AS BRAD AND ONE WOMAN SHARE A LOVE SONG, JEALOUSY RULES DURING THE FILMING OF A ROUGH AND TUMBLE ACTION ADVENTURE MOVIE, AND ONE BACHELORETTE ABRUPTLY EXITS, LEAVING A STUNNED BACHELOR, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELOR," MONDAY, JANUARY 17

International Hit Recording Artist Seal Pays a Surprise Visit to Brad and One Lucky Lady on a Special Musical Night

"Episode 1503" - Tensions are already mounting among the 17 remaining bachelorettes and resentment runs high when it's revealed there'll be two special one-on-one dates - each with a rose at stake - and a group date. And once again, some women will not get a date at all. Ashley S. gets to duet with Brad at the famed Capitol Records studio when a surprise visit by superstar recording artist Seal makes this a once-in-a-lifetime date. Then Brad gets down and dirty with 12 very competitive bachelorettes when they shoot their own action adventure movie, as they battle to become his leading lady. Emily, the sweet, single mom, is chosen for the week's final individual date, but will she be able to reveal her tragic past to Brad? An emotional Bachelor makes some personal inroads with the help of his therapist, letting him be more vulnerable with the women. However, one mysterious bachelorette makes a stunning departure that throws Brad for a loop and leaves the women in shock, on "The Bachelor," MONDAY, JANUARY 17 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Ashley S. is invited to find her "love song" with Brad as the couple visits the iconic Capitol Records building where so many legendary singers like Frank Sinatra have recorded their hits. Brad tells Ashley that they'll be crooning a tune of their own. Little does he know that the song he has chosen - Seal's "Kiss from a Rose"-holds significant meaning in his date's life. Ashley is emotional enough, but when Seal himself appears, it's a moment she will never forget. But will this vulnerable bachelorette conquer her fears and make beautiful music with Brad, or will the singing and romance be totally off key?

Twelve bachelorettes get ready for their close-up as Brad takes them to shoot their own action adventure movie. The competition is fierce, but only one woman can be his screen co-star. When an especially playful bachelorette gets physical with Brad, jealousy reigns. Later he escorts the women to a spectacular rooftop after-party where he finally discovers a softer side to one tough lady. One determined bachelorette locks lips with Brad - stopping at nothing to secure herself a rose.

Emily has the final one-on-one date with Brad, but anxiety soon overrides her excitement as she realizes she has to reveal her tragic history to Brad on the date. The majestic California hills of the wine country serve as a perfect backdrop for a day of romance. But will this reserved bachelorette open up? And if she refuses, will Brad send her home without a rose?

Brad handles a tough but exciting week of dates, but feels he would like to talk to the therapist he has seen for the last three years in order to sort out his feelings. He wants to make sure that his past Bachelor experience doesn't repeat itself. He discovers with his therapist's help that he should be more open for the women to feel more comfortable with him. Brad puts the advice to good use at the cocktail party and it works like a charm. But just when everything seems to be going his way, one enigmatic bachelorette makes a startling departure that leaves Brad reeling and jolts the women. Only 14 women remain at the end of the night to continue on the fairytale journey.


The 17 women are:

Alli, 24, an apparel merchant from Columbus, OH
Ashley H., 26, a dentist from Philadelphia, PA
Ashley S., 26, a nanny from New York, NY
Britt, 25, a food writer from Woodinville, WA
Chantal, 28, an executive assistant from Seattle, WA
Emily, 24, a children's hospital event planner from Charlotte, NC
Jackie, 27, an artist from New York, NY
Kimberly, 27, a marketing coordinator from Charlotte, NC
Lindsay, 25, a first grade teacher from Plano, TX
Lisa M., 24, a marketing coordinator from Ottawa, KS
Madison, 25, a model from Brooklyn, NY
Marissa, 26, a sports publicist from Kissimmee, FL
Meghan, 30, a fashion marketer from New York, NY
Michelle, 30, a hairstylist from Salt Lake City, UT
Sarah P., 27, a real estate broker from Denver, CO
Shawntel, 25, a funeral director from Chico, CA
Stacey, 26, a bartender from Boston, MA

http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=011111_02

[RealityFreakWill]

Chris Harrison blogs 'The Bachelor' episode 3

I’d like to start this week by talking about another dramatic show that I hosted, The 90th Annual Miss America Pageant. It was an honor — as a TV host, there are a few jobs out there that you always look forward to checking off your bucket list, and that is one of them. My thanks to the folks at Miss America and ABC for making it a great weekend. While I’m thanking people I want to thank one of my favorite people in this business, Ellen DeGeneres. She has always been such a huge supporter of our show. I have no idea how many times I’ve been on her show over the last nine years, but I love each and every visit with her, and I enjoyed being back on last week. Now, I’ll return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

The episode started with me walking in to talk to the girls the morning after the rose ceremony. You have to understand that rose ceremonies go late, so often times only a few hours have passed since I just saw them and the drama of the night before ended. In this case it was a rough night. Raichel and Melissa really stirred up the house and the girls really felt Michelle only got a rose because it was her 30th birthday. Not sure if you heard, but last week was her 30th birthday.

So when I walked in there was still a bit of a dark cloud hanging over the house. Ashley S got the first one-on-one date. Her biggest fear was that the date was karaoke. Good news for her, it wasn’t. Bad news for her — it was worse, actually recording a song at the historic Capitol Records studio. Brad had no idea just how meaningful this date would be for Ashley. As a child she loved the old Batman shows with Adam West. This is why her and her father would sing the Batman songs, like “Kiss From a Rose” from the Batman Forever soundtrack. It turned out to be a very touching moment and date for the both of them. Ashley and Brad actually sang for about an hour and the folks at the studio really did press a CD which Ashley got to take home, and I’m sure it will be selling on eBay very soon. Ashley obviously hit it off with Brad and got the rose. Can we all agree that Seal is an unbelievable talent? The guy just amazes me. I’m not gonna lie — I was hoping Heidi Klum would be with him, but oh well.

Next up was the group date where the cast shot an action movie. I thought this date was pretty darn cool. The director you saw was Steven Ho. He did stunts in the new Green Hornet movie and was the fighting double for Donatello, one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Not sure if it’s just my age or what, but I was never really into the whole Ninja Turtle thing. I have to admit for a bunch of amateurs the acting ability in this group was pretty impressive. The two that really stood out the most were Chantal and Shawntel. (I know, don’t get me started on the whole name thing.) Shawntel made such a strong impression that she eventually got the rose that night. Come on, admit it — we had you going for a minute. You thought Michelle was getting the rose didn’t you? If you’re wondering what was going on back at the house during this date, well, I’ll tell you. Ashley S, feeling pretty good with a rose in hand, started challenging the girls in the house with little competitions. She bet the girls they couldn’t eat eight saltines in a minute or eat a teaspoon of cinnamon. Very serious stuff.

In my opinion this was easily one of the most emotional episodes we have ever had. First Ashley opened up, then Chantal — but nobody had any idea what Emily was about to tell them. When Emily let the girls in on her past and the tragedy that had taken place, the women fell apart. You saw a little bit of it, but the crying didn’t stop for some time, and understandably so. Interestingly enough this is what really sent Madison over the edge. After she heard the story she sulked around the house for a bit and just realized she wasn’t in this for the same reasons Emily and the other girls were. As emotional as it was to tell the other women Emily was really dreading telling Brad. She was so excited to get a date she didn’t want to bring it all down by telling him about her past so she deflected as long as she could but eventually gave in. There are no words to describe what Emily has gone through, and I along with everyone else who meets her am amazed at her strength, bravery and courage. The ironic thing about Emily finally telling Brad was she was dreading it so much, but by being open and honest it really took a huge weight off her shoulders and helped Brad see her in a completely different light, which he loved. There was something special about that moment for both of them that I haven’t seen on any other date we’ve ever had on this show. It was really good to see Emily genuinely smile for the first time this season.

After a great week of dates and talking to his therapist, Brad was in a great mood for the cocktail party. All of a sudden he really seemed to have a handle on this situation and had a very clear plan on how he was going to handle this from here on out. At the party Ashley H’s struggles with “first date syndrome” were clearly getting worse. She’s feeling more and more insecure by the day. As for Madison her exit was really unexpected. I really think she convinced herself during the rose ceremony. I find her very intriguing. I look forward to talking to her at the Women Tell All special because like Brad I can’t quite figure her out. Did she come on this show for her 15 minutes of fame and then all of a sudden feel guilty about it after hearing Emily’s story? Did she come on the show with her defenses up (the fangs), putting on a show, not really letting everybody in — only to realize she made a big mistake and blew a good chance? All I know is there’s a lot more to this woman than meets the eye, and to Brad’s credit he saw it right away. My only hope is whatever her motivation, she learned a valuable life lesson from this experience and can grow from here.

After this week the emotions in the house are at an all time high and it doesn’t get any easier. As you can probably tell Michelle is relentless. She’s strong, calculated and ready to go after what she wants, and that’s a dangerous combination for the other women. She really starts rubbing girls the wrong way — Chantal in particular. This is a battle that will build in the weeks to come. Thanks for the comments and questions below and thanks for coming back in such strong numbers to support our show once again. You can always find out more about the show at our web site, and you can always find me on twitter @chrisbharrison. Until then, you can find me watering down the driveway at the mansion.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/01/18/chris-harrison-the-bachelor-episode-3-blog/

[RealityFreakWill]

ABC press release:

NEXT WEEK ON THE BACHELOR (1/24)

WILL MICHELLE'S LEAP OF FAITH AND CHANTAL'S DIVE TO THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN
KEEP THEM IN THE HUNT FOR THE ROSES, AS BRAD CONTINUES THE SEARCH FOR
HIS SOULMATE?, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELOR," MONDAY, JANUARY 24

A Lively Session on a Popular Radio Show Uncovers One Woman's Shocking Secret

Emily Get Special Time with Brad, Enraging the Other Bachelorettes


"Episode 1504" - The drama continues to escalate as 14 fortunate bachelorettes try to stake their claim to Brad's heart. But the week gets off to a mysterious start when one baffled bachelorette wakes up with a black eye - and has no clue about how she got it. Did she fall while sleep walking or is it just a disturbing ploy to get Brad's attention? The Bachelor has an underwater fantasy in mind when he takes Chantal on a one-on-one date to beautiful Catalina Island, but the thought of submerging to the ocean floor has the nervous bachelorette wondering if she left her sense of adventure on shore. A group of the ladies have one of the most revealing dates of the season as they join Brad as guests on an emotional radio show where secrets are uncovered about the women's love lives. And the bruised Michelle finds out she must take a courageous leap of faith with Brad or risk falling from his favor. Finally, Emily becomes the target of fiery jealousy among the women when Brad offers her a special picnic right before the rose ceremony, on "The Bachelor," MONDAY, JANUARY 24 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

A thrilled Chantal was the recipient of the first individual date, but little did she know that the date card message -"How deep is your love?" - would be actually be a nightmare for her. Arriving with Brad by helicopter to Catalina Island, she discovers that they'll be donning wet suits and diver helmets and plunging to the ocean floor for the scenic stroll of a lifetime. However, it turns out that Chantal has a phobia about water. Will this normally self-assured bachelorette conquer her fear with Brad, or will her chance for romance be lost at sea?

The next day Brad takes nine lucky women on a date they won't soon forget. They arrive at a radio station where they discover they'll be guests on "Loveline" with Dr. Drew & Psycho Mike, the famed talk show where the hosts dig deep into matters of the heart. In the revealing session, one woman discloses a shocking secret that could jeopardize her relationship with Brad. The intense drama continues at the after party where another bachelorette melts down when she thinks her connection to the Bachelor is fading. However, a reserved woman finally opens up to Brad about her feelings for him, which might boost her chances of getting a rose.

The following day Brad picks up his "black-eyed" date, Michelle, for their one-on-one date, but she seethes with resentment when Brad takes time away from her to first reassure one sensitive woman that their connection is real. Michelle is infuriated that she is losing time with Brad because some other bachelorette can't keep her emotions in check.  But finally Brad whisks Michelle away in a helicopter to the top of a skyscraper in downtown Los Angeles. Once he reveals that they will be rappelling down the side of the building, Michelle grows weak in the knees. Can she overcome her fear of heights and take a real leap of faith with Brad, or will she fall from grace?

Brad is overwhelmed by all the connections he is feeling with a number of women and consults his therapist, who assures Brad that he owes it to himself - as well as to the women - to explore the bonds he is forming with them. Heeding his therapist's advice, Brad pulls out the delighted Emily for a surprise picnic in front of the mansion during the cocktail reception, causing a massive outpouring of envy and resentment from the other women and bringing one to tears.

After a tense rose ceremony, 11 women remain to begin the fabulous worldwide travel with Brad. The first stop is Las Vegas. 

The 14 women are:

Alli, 24, an apparel merchant from Columbus, OH
Ashley H., 26, a dentist from Philadelphia, PA
Ashley S., 26, a nanny from New York, NY
Britt, 25, a food writer from Woodinville, WA
Chantal, 28, an executive assistant from Seattle, WA
Emily, 24, a children's hospital event planner from Charlotte, NC
Jackie, 27, an artist from New York, NY
Lindsay, 25, a first grade teacher from Plano, TX
Lisa M., 24, a marketing coordinator from Ottawa, KS
Marissa, 26, a sports publicist from Kissimmee, FL
Meghan, 30, a fashion marketer from New York, NY
Michelle, 30, a hairstylist from Salt Lake City, UT
Shawntel, 25, a funeral director from Chico, CA
Stacey, 26, a bartender from Boston, MA

http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=011811_02

[ugot2bekidinmeny]

This is soo painful to watch! I'm glad though that Madison thought it thru and left on her own.  no way being a model in NY that she doesnt get or cant find a nice guy.  For her, after hearing Emily's story she saw how intense some of the women are and she just wasnt at that level  emotionally/relationship wise

 I give her a HUGE for doing the right thing!

Michelle is STALKER material.    She creeps up,   goes stealth mode and then gets twisted when other girls  are making out with Brad.

 I wonder how much manipulating  production has to do to keep her in just for the drama and comedic value she brings!

[RealityFreakWill]

Chris Harrison blogs 'The Bachelor' episode 4

Hey ladies, have some cheese with all that whining. This week you might have noticed that the ladies got just a bit emotional. One interesting side effect of Brad’s therapy and newfound honesty is every girl he’s with feels like she’s the only girl in the world. That’s a good thing — unless you’re one of 30 women dating the same guy. With each girl feeling so special and feeling so much emotion, things are bound to boil over. Before we deal with the drama, we have to deal with the great mystery this season, Michelle’s black eye. Here’s what we know: Everybody went to bed after the rose ceremony. I returned to the house early the next morning to wake the girls up and send them on their dates. Michelle woke up, looked in the mirror and bam, black eye. The truth is nobody has any idea whatsoever how Michelle got that black eye. I don’t think its possible to get a “stress black eye” as she said, and I don’t think she beat herself up. I’ve mentioned in the past that we don’t have cameras rolling 24/7, and we don’t have secret cameras in the girls’ bedroom. Much like the Bermuda triangle, Hugh Hefner’s upcoming wedding and the Kardashians’ popularity, some things just can’t be explained. It was pretty amusing to see Michelle milk it all week using frozen peas, corn and popsicles to try to keep the swelling down.

Chantal got this week’s first one-on-one date. If you’ve done your Bachelor homework you know that the first helicopter date of the season is a big one. Ali took Roberto on the first helicopter date and Jake took Vienna on one as well. Some of the girls in the house did the math and got a little ahead of themselves; we’ll have to see if history repeats itself. Because our fans are incredibly observant I’m sure you noticed that the helicopter that picked them up isn’t the same chopper that dropped them off. The reason for the change is our driveway is a very tight landing area and can’t handle a big helicopter. So once they got picked up they switched helicopters for the ride out to Catalina. Okay, that’s about enough helicopter talk. As far as the date goes I think the chemistry between Brad and Chantal speaks for itself. (By the way it actually did rain in Los Angeles so the driveway back at the house was legitimately wet!)

The group date they took this week was to go see two of my favorite people. I have been on Loveline and have the utmost respect for Dr. Drew. Psycho Mike does a great job of pushing things to the limit and getting the unflappable Dr. Drew to crack up from time to time. One thing you didn’t get to see on this date is that Dr. Drew spent a lot of time with the ladies and gave his recommendations to Brad. Gotta give Stacey some credit for admitting her past cheating. I doubt she was the only one who has cheated, but she was the only one that had the guts to say so. Considering she got sent home, maybe it wasn’t such a good idea. Although at least it allowed us to even know she was on the show. I was wondering who that girl was.

Michelle finally got her one-on-one date. I absolutely loved how Chantal stuck a pen in her balloon by pointing out how the date card didn’t have the world “love” in it. This really did bother Michelle, and she spent much time contemplating what this meant. Michelle’s fear of heights was very real and so is her game. She’s got Brad wrapped right now. I’m sure many of you are wondering why Brad is falling for her games. You have to remember Brad doesn’t see or hear everything. He’s not privy to all the drama in the house. I’m sure you noticed there’s no love lost between Chantal and Michelle. These two went at it over Ashley H and they’ll go at it again. You might be wondering why Brad grabbed Emily during the cocktail party for an impromptu date. Well, Brad had heard the women complain that after a one-on-one date they didn’t feel special so he attempted to do better with Emily who didn’t get a date at all this week. This sent the girls into a tailspin second-guessing everything they thought they knew. Further proof of just how real and raw emotions are at this point.

You might have noticed that I told the girls I just talked to Brad; we did shoot a deliberation room interview but obviously we didn’t use it. You will see Brad and I deliberate as the season goes on. This is the last rose ceremony at the house this season. It’s actually the last rose ceremony in Los Angeles. We usually come back home before we leave for exotics but not this season. From here on out we’re on the road, and you’re coming with me. Go pack your bags! As always, leave your comments below. For more about The Bachelor check out ABC’s website, and you can always find me on twitter @chrisbharrison.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/01/25/chris-harrison-the-bachelor-episode-4-blog/

[RealityFreakWill]

ABC press release:

LAS VEGAS PROVIDES A GLAMOROUS BACKDROP, AS BRAD TRIED TO NARROW
THE FIELD TO THE EIGHT WOMEN HE WILL TAKE AROUND THE WORLD,
ON ABC'S "THE BACHELOR," MONDAY, JANUARY 31

A Dramatic Two-on-One Date Guarantees One Woman a Ticket Home;
Emily's Past Haunts Her on a Competitive Car Racing Group Date


"Episode 1505" - The eleven remaining bachelorettes leave the mansion and travel to exciting Las Vegas, but two nervous women - Ashley H. and Ashley S. - face the dreaded "two-on-one" date where one of them will be sent home immediately. How will Brad handle making a heartbreaking decision at the end of the night? The Bachelor takes eight competitive ladies out for the ride of their lives at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Shawntel gets a one-on-one date that would be the envy of every woman -- an upscale shopping spree, and the sky's the limit. Then, as an exhausting week comes to an end, Brad must confront the escalating drama that has been building with the bachelorettes all week as he prepares to take eight women around the world with him in his search to find love, on "The Bachelor," MONDAY, JANUARY 31 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

No sooner do the women arrive at their luxury suite at the Aria Resort and Casino than Brad whisks Shawntel away on an unbelievable shopping spree, where everything her heart desires is hers. When she returns to the suite, the rest of the women are green with envy. The date continues with a romantic rooftop dinner, but how will the night end, as Shawntel reveals the unsavory details of her profession...? Will it be fireworks or a deathly thud?

Brad feels the need for some speed and takes eight lucky ladies out for a true NASCAR experience at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway - the same racetrack where Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jeff Gordon will be racing five weeks from now. Brad hopes to ignite some romance on the track, but when he's reminded that Emily has a tragic link to the racing world, the romance is sidetracked. Brad puts everything on hold to comfort Emily, but at the after-party emotions are at an all-time high, as some very jealous women seethe with resentment over his partiality to one woman. Will Brad risk the ire of the other ladies and give the rose to Emily, or will he choose to wave the checkered flag for another bachelorette?

The Bachelor must face the difficult task of taking Ashley H. and Ashley S., two women he's fond of, on the famed two-on-one date, vowing to have fun - even with a painful choice looming at the end of the night. What a surprise Brad has in store for the ladies! They go backstage of the hit show "Viva ELVIS by Cirque du Soleil," where they discover they'll be a part of the performance later that night. But there's a catch: the number they'll perform is a duet, and Brad will need to decide which woman will stay and perform with him. The tension filled dinner does nothing to make Brad's decision any easier, as he sends one woman home in tears.

Brad calls on his therapist to help him figure out how to deal with these emotional women. The solution? He's advised to open up in the face of emotion in order to truly find the love he seeks. At the cocktail party, Brad makes one insecure bachelorette feel special, and connects with another more confident woman who tries to convince him to send some of the women home.

After more tears, eight women remain to begin a worldwide tour with Brad. Next stop... Costa Rica!

The 11 women are:

Alli, 24, an apparel merchant from Columbus, OH
Ashley H., 26, a dentist from Philadelphia, PA
Ashley S., 26, a nanny from New York, NY
Britt, 25, a food writer from Woodinville, WA
Chantal, 28, an executive assistant from Seattle, WA
Emily, 24, a children's hospital event planner from Charlotte, NC
Jackie, 27, an artist from New York, NY
Lisa M., 24, a marketing coordinator from Ottawa, KS
Marissa, 26, a sports publicist from Kissimmee, FL
Michelle, 30, a hairstylist from Salt Lake City, UT
Shawntel, 25, a funeral director from Chico, CA

http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=012511_03

[armandjones82]

Interesting read about this one. I also have found out that the upcoming episode of it surrounds kind of a controversy. I've seen this link, which i'll put below and see what you guys think.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/01/26/bachelor-nascar-date-emily/

Tell me what you think about this one. Thanks!

[georgiapeach]

to RFF armand!

[TexasLady]

Interesting read about this one. I also have found out that the upcoming episode of it surrounds kind of a controversy. I've seen this link, which i'll put below and see what you guys think.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/01/26/bachelor-nascar-date-emily/

Tell me what you think about this one. Thanks!

It is an interesting read and I can certainly see how it is controversial. The result could have gone several ways and not necessarily in a good way.

Welcome to RFF armond!

 

[tory]

This is soo painful to watch! I'm glad though that Madison thought it thru and left on her own.  no way being a model in NY that she doesnt get or cant find a nice guy.  For her, after hearing Emily's story she saw how intense some of the women are and she just wasnt at that level  emotionally/relationship wise

 I give her a HUGE for doing the right thing!

Michelle is STALKER material.    She creeps up,   goes stealth mode and then gets twisted when other girls  are making out with Brad.

 I wonder how much manipulating  production has to do to keep her in just for the drama and comedic value she brings!

i was thinking the same thing about y creepy girl allways gets so far.. every season??

[ugot2bekidinmeny]

Brad just did an episode on E!'s THE SOUP. this man can't act! Why are they  giving him air time!

[georgiapeach]

You can see it here:

[ugot2bekidinmeny]

PEACH!! you had to give him RFF airtime too? NOT RIGHT!!!

[georgiapeach]

I don't watch this so don't know...is he really awful??

I thought he got therapy and reformed.

[ugot2bekidinmeny]

yeah he got  therapy and keeps reminding peeps that he did so as well! the show is bad  and he cant act!

[tory]

  ty peach i moved and haven't seen the soup for a while. i have been watching the batch though..and brad has been a cry baby saying for give me every other word  but i have liked this show for years and i allways watch...

[RealityFreakWill]

Chris Harrison blogs 'The Bachelor' episode 5

As much as I would love to begin this week’s blog by talking about the cardigan I wore last week or the driveway being wet, we obviously need to discuss the most talked about controversial moment of the season. Let me first explain how Emily actually ended up on this date. We planned all these trips and dates before Emily was ever cast on this show and we learned of her story. There were only three dates in Vegas, a one-on-one date, a group date, and the two-on-one date. Emily wasn’t getting the one-on-one as she had recently had one and Brad wanted to spend some time with Shawntel. Emily definitely wasn’t going to be put on the two-on-one date for several reasons, one being Brad didn’t want that. So that left one date, and that turned out to be the group date to the NASCAR track. Now with all that said, I’m not telling you at this point that we were completely naïve and didn’t know her story and that we didn’t discuss the situation. What we eventually decided to do is what we always decide to do when faced with situations like this: Don’t mess with the true emotion and situation. You need to remember that Brad who helped us decide who goes on what dates still had no idea the full extent of Emily’s story, and that information couldn’t come from us.

So, bottom line, Emily did end up on this group date and ended up at the very NASCAR track her former fiancé Ricky crashed on to end his racing career. As you saw, what you may have thought would be a disastrous situation turned out to be one of the most heartfelt, beautiful moments we’ve ever had on this show. As Emily said herself, it turned out to be extremely symbolic and therapeutic for her to get in that car and take those laps for Ricky and herself. You very much got the feeling that night that a huge weight had been taken off her shoulders, and it seems Emily is really ready to take that next step and let somebody else in her heart. I talked to Brad after this date in Vegas and it hit him very hard. He obviously felt guilty and sorry for her, but it also turned out to be a very positive step for them as a couple. I can also tell you that now that Brad knows everything, this will really weigh on his mind as he and Emily continue. This is a lot for any man to handle, and Brad is understandably a little intimidated. He put on a brave face that night and gave Emily the rose, but this is something that he will obviously have to continue to deal with. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, no matter what happens on this show Emily is one of the strongest, bravest women I’ve ever met. I continue to marvel at how she has chosen to remain so positive and ambitious when she has every right to do just the opposite.

Like Brad did on the group date I may have spent too much time on Emily here but I know that’s what everybody is talking about today. The first date Brad had with Shawntel was fantastic. Is there a woman in the world that wouldn’t love to have a guy take her to a high-end shopping center and say, “Whatever you want is yours”?  Obviously when Shawntel walked back into the suite with all those bags the girls went nuts and she knew it. The other women were already nervous and jealous of Shawntel but this sent them off the charts. Speaking of off the charts, the girls’ suite at Aria was ridiculous. This two-story suite with fifty-foot ceilings made Rain Man’s suite look like a trailer. When you go to Vegas you gotta have a little fun, so some of the ladies decided to get a little crazy. Ashley H, Ashley S, Marissa, Lisa, and Alli decided to go out and get tattoos. Because we don’t do anything normal, we hooked them up with Mario Barth at King Ink at the Mirage. This might surprise you but I’m not a big “tat” guy, but this dude is a legend. He generally has a two-year waiting list and did tats for celebs like Lenny Kravitz, Usher, Stallone, and many more. The two Ashleys got matching roses right above their ankles. Ashley S got hers in blue to honor her father (Kentucky bluegrass). Lisa got a rose tattoo below her ankle. Marissa got a white rose on her wrist. Alli chickened out — or wised up, depending on how you look at it — and didn’t get one. We did shoot this but because it was such an emotional episode it just didn’t fit and we didn’t have time to do so anyway.

So it turned out to be a little sad irony that the two Ashleys were such good friends and got matching tattoos, because they ended up on the two-on-one date. Oh, did I mention that they were such good friends they slept in the same bed with that big teddy bear you saw at the end of the show?  The girls were positive Alli and Britt would be the two on this date. Once the two Ashleys found out, they spent the entire day crying. They didn’t want to compete against each other but in the end this isn’t about building a friendship with each other, it’s about finding love with Brad. This date and this situation really brought out some insecurities in Ashley S. It was almost like she knew she wasn’t going to get the rose the moment she got picked for the date. Her tearful goodbye was really tough to watch. She’s a very sweet girl and you just wanted to give the poor girl a hug.

Before I leave you, we have to talk a little bit about Michelle. I want to remind you that Brad doesn’t know anything that he doesn’t see or hear for himself. I’d like to get your opinion on if you think that at this point Michelle is playing Brad perfectly. She seems to know just what to say and just what to do to keep Brad on edge and interested. We did shoot deliberation in Vegas, but again because we had so much to show you we didn’t have time to include it. I promise you will get to see this in future episodes and I’m happy you will, because sitting down with Brad in these sessions was very interesting and insightful. Marissa was one of the ladies who didn’t receive a rose this week. Brad handed her a note as she was leaving. He did this because she had written him notes along the way. It was a thank you and a heartfelt belief that she would find the right guy. It made her cry and gave her closure.

This is just the beginning of our travels around the world this season. One thing we’ve added that I love is giving the girls their own flip cameras to shoot as they travel. From time to time we’ll include some of their video in the show. Next week we leave the desert of Vegas for the rain forest of Costa Rica. By the way, if you don’t think your comments are being heard how about this: So many of you voiced your opinions about the ladies’ ages not being included, we have decided to bring them back. Starting next week the women’s ages will be included. One last very personal note this week, last Thursday (1/27) marked the ten-year anniversary of the Oklahoma State basketball team plane crash in Colorado. Among the ten onboard that plane was the voice of the Cowboys and my mentor Bill Teegins. I can’t begin to tell you how talented Bill was, what a great man he was and what he meant to my career. Remembering the OSU 10 this week! Thanks as always for watching the show and please leave your comments below or find me on twitter @chrisbharrison. You can also follow all things Bachelor at our new site.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/02/01/chris-harrison-bachelor-episode-5-blog/

[RealityFreakWill]

ABC press release:


TEMPERATURES AND PASSIONS RISE WHEN BRAD AND THE WOMEN JET TO LUSH,
TROPICAL COSTA RICA, WHERE THE BACHELORETTES TRY TO PROVE THEIR LOVE
TO HIM, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELOR," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7


"Episode 1506" - The eight excited women break out their passports to travel to the lush, tropical country of Costa Rica. The stakes are ratcheted up as Chantal gets a second one-on-one date to zipline through the thick jungle. But when rain threatens to dampen their spirits, but will it cool off their passion? Brad escorts six bachelorettes on a challenging date to the middle of the rain forest, where he and the women must rappel down a waterfall. The night turns serious as Brad surprises all the ladies with his rose selection. Then Alli gets her first individual date, but has to face her greatest fear when she and Brad explore a cave together. And Michelle decides to pay the Bachelor an unexpected late night visit in his room... will it be hot - or not? Dramatic revelations at the rose ceremony kick everyone's emotions into high gear. Only six women will remain on the journey to the romantic Caribbean island of Anguilla, on "The Bachelor," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

The women are in awe at the sight of an active volcano in their luxurious Springs Resort and Spa, but they don't have long to speculate about who gets the first date. Chantal can't wait for her second one-on-one date with Brad, and the couple take a panoramic helicopter ride through the lush countryside before ziplining through the jungle. Love is in the air - but so is rain. The skies open up and ruin Brad's plans for a romantic outdoor dinner. Will the rain wash out romance altogether, or will the two heat up the night?

Six competitive bachelorettes meet Brad in the middle of the rain forest for their group date in which they'll attempt to rappel down a waterfall. Michelle, who has had a rappelling date with Brad, really doesn't want him sharing that kind of close connection with the other five women. Afterwards, Brad takes the ladies to relax at a romantic hot springs, but things turn serious in a hurry when one woman reveals her tendency to sabotage relationships and another questions Brad's decision making. However his decision about whom he'll offer the rose takes all the women by surprise.

Alli gets the last one-on-one date this week. Brad arrives on horseback to take her away for a ride through the Costa Rican countryside. They jump off to explore a 40 million-year-old cave together. Little does Brad know that Alli is terrified of bugs and will be facing her greatest fear inside the cave, where spiders and bats abound. Later that night, Brad tries to dazzle her with a candle-lit dinner, but will sparks fly as Brad hopes, or will he be forced to say good-bye? And still the Bachelor's night isn't over... Michelle feels the need for more alone time with Brad and sneaks into his room, much to his surprise. Things start out with a kiss, but how do they end?

Brad is full of mixed emotions about his upcoming decisions. At the cocktail party, the women really let their feelings show. One swooning bachelorette tells Brad she's fallen in love with him, while Michelle leaves the other bachelorettes in shocked silence when she owns up to making a clandestine visit to Brad's room the previous night. How will things turn out for both of these ladies? And another woman's romantic journey ends in tears when she is stunned to be sent home.

However, Brad has the courage of his convictions and the six women left with roses will accompany him to the beautiful, blissful Caribbean island of Anguilla.


The eight women are:

Alli, 24, an apparel merchant from Columbus, OH
Ashley H., 26, a dentist from Philadelphia, PA
Britt, 25, a food writer from Woodinville, WA
Chantal, 28, an executive assistant from Seattle, WA
Emily, 24, a children's hospital event planner from Charlotte, NC
Jackie, 27, an artist from New York, NY
Michelle, 30, a hairstylist from Salt Lake City, UT
Shawntel, 25, a funeral director from Chico, CA

http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=020111_05

[RealityFreakWill]

Congratulations, Jesse & Ann!

Jesse Csincsak Welcomes Son Noah Theodore

It’s a boy for Bachelor alums Jesse Csincsak and Ann Lueders.

Noah Theodore Csincsak arrived via emergency c-section at 4 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2 in Frisco, Colorado. He weighed in at 7 lbs., 4 oz.

“No words can describe how blessed Ann and I feel having welcomed our son into the world today,” Csincsak, 28, tells TooFab.com.

“We are so excited to finally have him with us — we’ve been waiting our whole lives for this moment!”

The couple announced the pregnancy in August, just weeks before wedding in Las Vegas.

http://celebritybabies.people.com/2011/02/02/jesse-csincsak-welcomes-son-noah-theodore/

[ugot2bekidinmeny]

Michelle is Stalker and i think her time is gonna be up soon enough. brad look pretty annoyed with her when they had their talk before the rose ceremony.

 here's the recarp of it: she sits him down tells him he cant talk then tells him that he needs to send some girls home. all the while aftter each time she makes a statement she kisses him and at the end, when she's done telling him what he needs to do she then makes out with him and says you can talk next time and drags him outa the chair/room back to the other girls!

 OMG can you say obsessive/possesive?

[Jobby]

Honestly, Brad doesn't deserve a second shot at choosing a girl again. It's just...

[tory]

Michelle is Stalker and i think her time is gonna be up soon enough. brad look pretty annoyed with her when they had their talk before the rose ceremony.

 here's the recarp of it: she sits him down tells him he cant talk then tells him that he needs to send some girls home. all the while aftter each time she makes a statement she kisses him and at the end, when she's done telling him what he needs to do she then makes out with him and says you can talk next time and drags him outa the chair/room back to the other girls!

 OMG can you say obsessive/possesive?

i totaly agree, she is a controll freak out of control! omg brad , realy needs to wake the he77 up..

[RealityFreakWill]

Chris Harrison blogs 'The Bachelor' episode 6

The viewers have spoken and the women’s ages are back. This should let you know that we do try to listen to our fans and when we can give them what they want. The ladies were extremely excited to head to Costa Rica even though most of them had no idea exactly where it was, and most thought it was an island. That changed on the long plane ride south as all the girls read up on the country and quickly became experts on all things Costa Rica. We stayed at the beautiful exclusive Spring Resort deep in the Arenal region of the country. It was a long two to three hour ride inland from the airport. As you saw it was literally at the foot of an active volcano. Not sure what our fascination is with volcanoes the last couple seasons, but if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. When I say this volcano is active I mean very active. It actually erupted several times while we were there. You can hear rocks falling down the mountain and if you’re lucky at night you can see lava shooting and spilling out. The resort was completely shut down for us much to the dismay of several tourists. One day a couple of us were on a tour bus returning from a zip line trip with a few other American tourists. When we pulled up to the Spring Resort the tourists wondered how we could be staying here when they were told it was closed for the week. I sat in the back of the bus with my hat and shades on, they had no idea who we were or why we were there. The girls loved the resort and the suite but were quickly sent into a tailspin when the first date card was delivered for Chantal.

The girls pretty much expected the first date to go to Alli or Britt who had not had a one-on-one yet. They pretended not to care, but of course they did. Chantal’s connection with Brad really leaped forward and she became the first of the women to tell Brad that she loves him. Notice I said the first…  I love how the sudden rainstorm surprised Brad and Chantal. There’s a reason they call it a rain forest. The zip line tour they took is a once in a lifetime adventure. The particular tour we all got to do had seven total zip lines through the canopy of the rain forest — the last being a half-mile long, the longest zip line in the world, or so we were told. I know there seems to be quite a bit of animosity between Michelle and the other ladies and to a certain degree there is, but she was very helpful to the other ladies in Costa Rica. Being a hairstylist and seeing as how we were in a hot humid forest, she had her work cut out for her. She was flat-ironing, styling, and braiding all week. Back at the suite Alli was having a little bug problem. Chantal was just trying to help the poor bug outside but Alli freaked out so bad when Chantal came close she threw that full glass of Coke at her. The glass shattered everywhere. No humans or bugs were hurt in the shooting of that scene. I can’t say so much for the ones unlucky enough to end up in my room.

Because of the bug issue Alli and Chantal decided to play a little prank on the other ladies and put twigs in their beds so they would think it was bugs when they climbed in. This was a colossal failure as a gag, but it was still kind of funny. As fantastic as the zip line date was my favorite adventure while we were in Costa Rica was the rappelling. You only got to see the first big rappel on this date but there’s actually a series of about seven rappels down different waterfalls and then a short hike out of the rain forest. It was unlike anything we have ever done before. If you’re ever in the neighborhood I highly recommend doing both the zip line and rappelling adventures. Let’s deal a little bit with Michelle. She is easily the most talked about woman this season and the woman I get asked the most about. Up to this point she has been very careful about how she’s been playing Brad, but this week he started to see through that. For the first time, Brad seemed less intrigued and turned on by her and more confused and even a little frustrated. As for her late night visit, Michelle waited until all the other girls had gone to sleep before she quietly snuck out. Again the entire property was ours so it wasn’t difficult for her to find his place, which was just above their suite.

The cocktail party started off with a very strange vibe. The other girls felt like something was not right. It was interesting listening to them as they tried to put this puzzle together. Shawntel and Chantal wouldn’t let it go and were determined to figure this out. They pretty much knew but didn’t want to call Michelle out as the one who gave Brad grief for not handing out a date rose. Well as you saw, they finally flushed her out and she admitted to sneaking up to see him. The two women who were sent home this week pretty much fell into the same category: “friends.” As Brad explained on his date, Alli is a great woman but Brad just knew there just wasn’t that spark or that deep connection that he already has with some of the other women. Jackie also fell victim to this. The further this goes and the more serious it gets, the more you can see the changes in Brad. The way he called Michelle on her B.S. or the conversation with Emily is a good example of how he now confronts situations head on. This is a much improved man with a clear vision of what he now wants and it was good to see this side of him because it gets much, much tougher from here on out.

As confused as some of the women were about Costa Rica, Brad really threw them for a loop when he told them we were going to Anguilla. They were extremely excited, but then really wanted to know where it was. I’m sure many of you are also going to have to check the atlas. The easiest way to find it is to find St. Martin and then find the small island right next door. That’s her, and that’s where we set up camp next week for what turns out to be a very pivotal episode. I think you can see how things are coming to a head with many of the ladies. Something about a little sunshine and salt water forces things to a boiling point. Check out the map and I’ll see you on the island next week.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/02/08/chris-harrison-the-bachelor-episode-6-blog/

[ugot2bekidinmeny]

Stalker Michelle soooo needs too go! but i fear with the excerpts for the upcoming shows that are left  some of the others will crumble and make brads choices for him.

Drats first we had "fang chic" and now "stalker girl"    and wtheck was that knock on the door crap!    didnt know they could just invite themselves to his place.  I'm sure that will take place more often on  upcoming bachelor shows

[RealityFreakWill]

ABC press release:

WITH HOMETOWN DATES LOOMING, THE BACHELORETTES FALL ALL OVER THEMSELVES
-- AND BRAD -- TO SHOW THEIR REAL FEELINGS FOR HIM IN ROMANTIC ANGUILLA,
ON ABC'S "THE BACHELOR," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14

A Sexy Photo Shoot for the Acclaimed Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition
Makes for a Steamy But Contentious Group Date

Brad Makes Some Shocking Decisions That Leave the Women Reeling

"Episode 1507" - The pressure is mounting on Brad as he struggles to decide which four women he will escort home to meet their families. But first, the remaining six bachelorettes continue their adventurous trip around the world to the romantic Caribbean island of Anguilla. Emily soars to new heights with Brad on a helicopter tour of the island, but storm clouds gather for the couple when the possibility of a hometown date and the prospect of Brad meeting Emily's daughter are discussed. Then Shawntel and Brad use the island as their personal playground as this outspoken bachelorette makes her feelings known. Brad takes Britt for her first one-on-one date, and it's up to the Bachelor to make sure the romantic connection is electric. Finally, Ashley H., Chantal and Michelle get an early wake-up call from Brad to participate in a seductive shoot for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. Emotions are raw and revealing -- in more ways than one -- but Brad has still another surprise for the women when he cancels the cocktail party, on "The Bachelor," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

After Brad and the bachelorettes settle in at their new luxurious surroundings at the CuisinArt Resort and Spa, the Bachelor swoops in to take Emily on a helicopter tour of the panoramic island scenery. They set down on a deserted island for a romantic dinner, but things turn serious fast when the talk turns to the upcoming hometown visits and the inevitable issue confronting the couple about whether Brad should meet Emily's daughter. Is the question answered? And what surprise announcement does Brad have in store for Emily?

The next day, Brad and Shawntel bicycle through the streets of Anguilla, stopping at a farmers market to pick up some local cuisine for a playful picnic. Shawntel makes sure Brad knows how she feels about him. Later, after a romantic beach dinner, Brad surprises the bachelorette with a performance by Anguillan reggae superstar Bankie Banx. They hit the dance floor and finish the night on a moonlit beach sharing a kiss.

The other women look on green with envy as Brad takes Britt to a luxury yacht for her first one-on-one date. Everything seems to be going swimmingly, but everyone is shocked by an unexpected decision Brad is forced to make.

The alarm rings at 2 a.m. for Ashley H., Chantal and Michelle, as Brad wakes them for the unbelievable experience of being photographed for the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition (out on February 15). Ashley and Chantal really heat things up, while Michelle insists on posing for her sexy shoot with Brad. The competition gets a little out of hand and Brad needs to comfort and reel in the distressed women at the after party. One woman calls him out for being disconnected, and another bachelorette shows a side of herself that the Bachelor has never seen. Brad's choice for the rose leaves the other two women extremely distressed.

When the women arrive at a gorgeous beachfront villa for the cocktail party, Brad is nowhere to be seen, and they wonder what is wrong. A determined Bachelor has cancelled the cocktail party, and at the rose ceremony he narrows the field to the four lucky bachelorettes who will take him to their hometowns to meet their families.

The six women are:

Ashley H., 26, a dentist from Philadelphia, PA
Britt, 25, a food writer from Woodinville, WA
Chantal, 28, an executive assistant from Seattle, WA
Emily, 24, a children's hospital event planner from Charlotte, NC
Michelle, 30, a hairstylist from Salt Lake City, UT
Shawntel, 25, a funeral director from Chico, CA

http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=020811_01

 

[ugot2bekidinmeny]

OK so the cats outa the bag! Michelle is GONE! she sealed her own fate with that whole beach scene. im actually glad that Brad saw all that for what it was!

I felt bad for Brittney.. she had to swim out to that yatch! she is soo skinny i dont know how long it  took her to swim that whole distance!  Again glad brad told her tht there was no chemistry  so she didnt have to endure anymore wasted waiting.

OHH EMILY!!! i think you're a darling!  you deserve soo much better! BUT If you do wind up with Brad  I believe in your choice!

 for the sake of Emily i hope it comes down to both Chantel/Shawntel   ths way ABC will give Emily her shot at being the bachelorette  if she chooses that  path!

what's the deal with brad..he cant say these womans FULL NAME!  em, ash, brit, it's not like they are LONG HARD names just  leaves me fealing uncomfy when he speaks to them "in a romantic setting" 

[RealityFreakWill]

Chris Harrison blogs 'The Bachelor' episode 7

We packed our bags, left the rain forest in Costa Rica for the beautiful Cuisin Art resort on the island of Anguilla (pronounced like vanilla). Once the girls figured out where this island was they were extremely excited. I flew in on the same flight with the ladies and it didn’t take long for our cover to be blown. Tourists were quickly snapping pictures of the ladies in the St. Martin airport. Anguilla is a short boat ride away from St. Martin, and the women loved the speedboat cruise across the crystal blue ocean to our island getaway. Like in Costa Rica, we once again had the entire resort to ourselves. It makes it so much easier when the cast and crew don’t have to worry about who’s watching what we’re up to. Once the ladies got settled in their private villa, the first one-on-one date was set between Brad and Emily. There are not a lot of helicopters around this island so we had to bring one in from a different island which also means a different country. Apparently it got held up in customs, so the date was delayed. That bit where Brad and Emily sat on the bench and had a glass of champagne wasn’t planned. It was quickly improvised once we realized their transportation wasn’t coming any time soon.

Once the chopper arrived it took the couple to the private little place called Sandy Island. Was it just me or did anybody else catch the humorous irony that the island was very much in the shape of a male… well let’s say manhood? If you didn’t catch that I’ll give you a minute to go back and check it out before we continue. I wasn’t kidding. Couple things stood out to me about this date, other than the shape of the island. First of all it was important to Brad that he make a good impression on Emily and get permission to meet her daughter. This was the first time I can remember anybody telling someone they would definitely be getting a rose prior to a rose ceremony. Brad did this to make sure Emily knew just how he felt and that he was very serious about wanting to meet Emily’s little girl. Speaking of Brad it was good to see him in a good mood in Anguilla. He had a rough week in Costa Rica and was having a tough time with everything. By the time he got to Anguilla he was in a much better state of mind. I got to spend a lot of time with Brad on the island. We had breakfast together just about every morning we were there. It was kind of like our morning deliberations. I should say, he was in a better mood until the group date from hell.

Shawntel got the next one-on-one date. The street date was a blast for them. Shawntel didn’t know much about dominoes but quickly learned and really got into it. The older woman they met and talked to, Auntie Bea, was really sweet but turns out she was a little like Dr. Ruth. She ended up giving Brad and Shawntel sex advice. That night they got to experience one of the coolest things I’ve seen in the history of this show. There was a little shack hanging over the ocean just a few hundred yards down from the CuisinArt resort. It’s called the Dune Preserve and its home to Bankie Banx, one of the most famous and talented reggae singers in all the Caribbean. The crowd you saw was a few locals and folks from the tourism board. The great thing is once Brad and Shawntel left, the party continued. We sat around listening to Bankie, and when he took a break his daughter, who sounded just like Alicia Keys, took over. Amazing to see so much talent on such a small island.

Britt got the third and final one-on-one date this week. We all woke up that day to find the ridiculously huge yacht parked just off shore. Considering how fantastic Brad’s previous two dates were and how close he feels towards Emily and Shawntel, it didn’t take long to realize he just didn’t have that with Britt. As you saw, Britt’s exit was very different than any we’ve ever had before. Instead of just leaving you got to see Britt go back to the ladies villa and tell the other women she was packing up and going home. Nobody saw this coming and the women were shocked and upset. Once again this move proved to the women that Brad was very serious about finding his wife.

Unfortunately because of all the drama the women didn’t go to bed until about one o’clock in the morning. Brad had interviews to do when he got back to his room, so he never got to sleep that night, because he had to be back at the women’s villa at about 2:30 for the wake up call for the group date. So the girls had been asleep for about an hour when Brad snuck into the villa and woke them up. Ashley H was a little freaked out and thought there was an intruder. Let me just say that over the years we have done some pretty cool things but being a part of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition might just take the cake. This is such an iconic magazine and issue; it’s a real honor for us to be apart of it. I got up early that morning to meet the SI crew and watch them work. I have to give the women credit. Most women would have absolutely freaked out if you surprised them with something like this. This is something most women would probably like a little heads up on. Michelle, Ashley and Chantal took it all in stride and really stepped up to the challenge. They all looked like they had been modeling for years.

The other thing I quickly noticed while talking to the women was that the claws were coming out, and I knew this was going to turn out to be a long day for Brad. As bad as I thought the date might go for him, it actually went worse. At this point the novelty of hanging out together and even living together has completely worn off. These women now just want to date Brad alone. As you saw, the date went from bad to worse and there was nothing Brad could do to put out this fire. One important thing I should point out is the green frozen drinks they were enjoying on this date were frozen mojitos. This is a specialty at the Cuisin Art resort and they are fantastic. Other than a bad group date, they are guaranteed to make your life better.

The rose ceremony was at a beautiful private house about ten minutes away called Le Bleu. If you have the coin, you can rent this house, which comes with a chef and butler service. This place was incredible. The little beach cove where we held the rose ceremony was like it was made for us. I have to once again give major props to our lighting and art department for dressing it up and making it look that fantastic. Dennis and Ange, you guys are the best. By the time Brad arrived for the cocktail party he was done and he was especially done with Michelle. I know many of you have been dying for this day to come and it finally did. Brad’s patience quickly wore thin with Michelle and their relationship really fell apart over the last two weeks. On a personal note, I will miss her narration of the show. She has a wicked sense of humor and was fun to have around. Come on — you have to admit she made you laugh a few times with her comments.

One last note about St. Martin/Anguilla before we pack up and head back home: If you ever get a chance to go you have to stop by the famous sunset bar. Its one of those things you have to check off of your bucket list. The bar is literally at the end of the runway at St. Martin’s Princess Juliana airport that backs up to the beach. The novelty of it is the planes landing come right over your head. When planes are landing or taking off all the patrons file out of the bar and walk out on the road. Go to YouTube and look up planes landing at sunset bar and you’ll see what I’m talking about. A few of us got up early the day we were leaving and went to check it out and we were blown away, literally. From the Caribbean we head back to the states for hometown dates next week. As you can imagine these are both emotional and extremely entertaining. Wait until you see Shawntel show Brad exactly what she does for a living. Until then, thank you for watching the show and thanks to those that watched me host the Grammy red carpet show for TV Guide Network Sunday.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/02/15/chris-harrison-the-bachelor-episode-7-blog/

[RealityFreakWill]

ABC press release:

BRAD CROSSES THE COUNTRY TO JOIN THE FOUR REMAINING BACHELORETTES
IN THEIR HOMETOWNS AND FINDS HIMSELF ON THE HOT SEAT WITH
THEIR FAMILIES, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELOR," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21

"Episode 1508" - The stakes are high for Brad as he leaves on an exciting, emotionally charged trip across the country to visit the final four women's hometowns. How will he withstand the scrutiny of Chantal's very successful entrepreneurial father? Will Ashley H.'s ambitious career goals stand in her way of finding love with Brad? Will Shawntel, the beautiful mortician, be able to stand up to her father and his long held, cherished plans for her to succeed him in the family business? Finally, will Brad get to meet Emily's daughter, who she has never been introduced to anyone she has dated, and how will that decision affect their relationship? Everyone meets in NY as Brad makes another gut-wrenching decision to narrow the field to the final three women, on "The Bachelor," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Brad is eager to meet the families of the four bachelorettes and learn more about the women he is falling in love with. His first stop is Seattle, the home of Chantal, the feisty bachelorette who has taken him on an emotional roller coaster ride. He gets to see her more lovable side as she introduces him to her pets. But when he escorts her to her family's imposing residence, he must win the approval of her father, a former professional football player and self-made businessman. Will he impress this intimidating impresario, or will his nerves get the better of him?

Next Brad flies cross country to Madawaska, Maine, where Ashley H. couldn't be more thrilled to show off her hometown. Although Ashley has shown Brad her insecure side in the past, here she is all smiles and full of energy. Brad is charmed by the quaint town, where the couple pick out lobsters at a local market and shop at an unmanned fruit stand where payment is on the honor system. Later that night, after talking to her proud stepfather, Brad wonders if he might be getting in the way of Ashley's ambitious career goals. What will he find out from Ashley's sister, and will it change his mind? It is definitely a topic that he will need to address with her before he thinks about a proposal.

The spookiest hometown date in "Bachelor" history awaits Brad in Chico, California, where he meets up with Shawntel at the mortuary where she works. She gives Brad a tour before taking him to the embalming room, where she shares the intricacies of the process with him. It may be a little creepy, but Brad gains a newfound respect for this beautiful woman, realizing that her true passion is to provide loving support for grieving families. However, when he meets Shawntel's family, her father reveals that he plans to have his daughter succeed him as director of the funeral home. Will this stand in either Shawntel's or Brad's way in pursuing a happy ending?

Brad's final hometown date is with Emily in Charlotte, North Carolina. This sensitive single mom must figure out if she is comfortable enough to introduce Brad to her daughter, who has never met a man she has dated. Will she be able to take this crucial step, and how will it affect her romance with Brad?

When Brad and the women meet in New York for a dramatic rose ceremony, the Bachelor has a difficult goodbye for one heartbroken bachelorette, but he is that much closer to finding his future wife. Now three women remain, and they are off on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to South Africa.

The four women are:

Ashley H., 26, a dentist from Philadelphia, PA
Chantal, 28, an executive assistant from Seattle, WA
Emily, 24, a children's hospital event planner from Charlotte, NC
Shawntel, 25, a funeral director from Chico, CA

http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=021511_01

[Jobby]

Michelle is GONE!!

[Jobby]

 

[RealityFreakWill]

Chris Harrison blogs 'The Bachelor' episode 8

I’ve said it four or five times and I’ll say it again: I love the hometown dates on this show. The trips to Costa Rica and Anguilla were fantastic, but Brad and the women were happy to stop living in the group dynamic and take this next step. We started in Seattle with Chantal. Brad had never been to Seattle so what was the first thing he wanted to do? Yes, stop at a Starbucks for a cup of coffee, because as you know Seattle is the only place in the country to get Starbucks. The irony of this trip was that it’s rained on us everywhere we’ve been but the weather in Seattle where it always rains was beautiful. Chantal was looking forward to Brad meeting her family, but she was really nervous about him meeting her dog Boca. A couple things stood out to me on this hometown date: Brad really seems comfortable and to fit in with Chantal’s family. They seemed all but ready to have a wedding on the spot. The other thing I noticed is Chantal’s dad’s wine cellar. Wow, I have cellar envy.

After Seattle, Brad and the crew headed to the other side of the earth (at least it felt like it) to visit Ashley in Madawaska. When the travel agent said, “You can’t get there from here,” we should have listened. Our crew flew from Seattle to New York City. From New York it was down to Boston, and then a little prop plane to a place called Presque Isle. That leaves you a lovely two-hour drive to Madawaska. With a small town comes small hotels. The crew had to split up into a few different hotels as I think we tripled the population of the town when we arrived. As Ashley pointed out there are a lot of moose in this town. They warned our crew not to drive at night, as there’s a really good chance you’ll have a run-in with a moose. Brad helped Ashley’s stepdad boil the lobsters. The family messed with Brad for just a bit and made him put on a lobster bib before letting him in on the joke and allowing him take it off. Not sure if you noticed but Ashley’s mom is a big fan of the show, so she was really excited to meet Brad. He was a bit of a celebrity in the house. Overall, like Chantal’s visit it was easy and comfortable. It was a really good rebound for Ashley after what has been a couple rough weeks for her.

Then there was the hometown trip of death, literally. As you could tell, Shawntel is very serious about her job and she and her family mean a lot to the community in Chico, Calif. The conversation Brad had with Shawntel’s father, who expressed his concern about his daughter leaving the city and thus abandoning the family business, definitely weighed on Brad’s mind the entire week. Yes, in the end her dad did say he wished them well and gave them his blessing, but that moment and that pressure of taking her away hung over the date and probably played a factor in Brad’s final decision. Add to that the fact that Brad wasn’t feeling nearly as much for Shawntel as she was for him, and it made the decision to send her home the right one to make this week. Oh, there was one other thing on Brad’s mind — the fact that the guy is a little freaked out by death doesn’t help when you’re dating a funeral director. That’s something he can talk to the therapist about next time. In her exit interview you could really tell she’s an amazing woman and really cared for Brad. There was no bitterness or contempt, just appreciation for the experience and love for him, and that was very cool to see. One last little note about Shawntel’s hometown date: Her mom Coleen loves Mai Tais, so Brad brought all the fixins over and tried to make her one. That was the drink Brad handed her in the kitchen while they were talking. Not nearly as good as the frozen mojitos we enjoyed while in Anguilla.

From Chico, it was time to head east again to Charlotte, North Carolina. This was a very important trip for Brad and he was more nervous about this visit than any of the others. He had made so much out of meeting Emily’s daughter Ricki that the pressure was palpable. In the end Ricki did warm up to Brad and they had a great visit. Ricki actually drew Brad a picture of him with a butterfly, representing the kite he gave her. But there is something about Brad and Emily’s relationship that’s almost awkward. The part where Brad told Emily he wasn’t going to kiss her out of respect for her and her daughter cracked me up. That was spoken like a guy who doesn’t have kids. I loved Emily’s reaction where she said if this works out she’ll be upstairs sleeping every night!  Brad is trying so hard to do the right thing here — it’s very sweet but quite entertaining to watch. I met Brad and the ladies back in New York City for the rose ceremony. We usually hold this rose ceremony in Los Angeles but we figured since we’re heading on to South Africa we might as well keep it on the east coast. Next week we head off on the exotic dates deep in the bush in South Africa. It’s a very interesting episode as the fantasy suite cards arrive.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/02/22/chris-harrison-the-bachelor-episode-8-blog/

[ugot2bekidinmeny]

Ok call me Shallow!!!

 but who woud pass up that MANSION of Chantel O's family?? although Emily's is the most down to earth choice.. and Ashley is the bubbly- funniest one..  Chantel has the most to offer brad in financial  security.. No one can say that wouldnt impact thier choice..

poor Shawntel.. she shouldnt have done the step by step embombing procedure with Brad.. it ultimatly showed Brad that she can quielty rid of him thru the nite with no mental impact/guilt!! .. OKKK JUST JOKING PEEPPS!

[RealityFreakWill]

ABC press release:

A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME ADVENTURE BEGINS AS BRAD SWEEPS THE FINAL THREE
BACHELORETTES AWAY FOR FANTASY OVERNIGHT DATES IN THE EXOTIC LAND
OF SOUTH AFRICA, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELOR," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28

This Season's Spectacular Cast of "Dancing with the Stars" Will Be Announced Live
During Tonight's Episode of "The Bachelor"

"Episode 1509" - Romantic adventures await Brad and the final three women - Ashley H., Chantal and Emily - as they travel to spectacular South Africa. From a remarkable safari, to a private ride on an elephant, to a picnic high atop majestic cliffs known as "God's Window," the dates are filled with passion and excitement, as Brad continues to explore what his future would be like with each of these potential mates. At the end of each evening, Brad will present the bachelorette with an invitation to spend an intimate night together in a "fantasy suite," with the hope that she will accept. But will she? It's a wild, romantic ride with each of the women - until Brad makes a shocking, heart-wrenching decision he thought he would never have to make -- on "The Bachelor," MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Brad and the bachelorettes settle in at the picture perfect Lion Sands Private Game Reserve in Kruger National Park in Sabi Sand, South Africa. The Bachelor begins his South African journey with an exclusive safari with an excited Chantal, who can't wait to explore the African wilderness with him. As their jeep powers through the rugged terrain, the couple find themselves up close and personal with remarkable creatures... giraffes, elephants and lions roam freely around them. Later, at an intimate dinner, Chantal wastes no time making her feelings and intentions clear to Brad. Will her passion serve as a cautionary red flag to the Bachelor, or will he throw caution to the wind and offer her the fantasy suite card so that they can spend the night in a romantic tree house in the wild?

The next day Brad fulfills one of Emily's dreams - a private elephant ride for two. A breathtaking jaunt atop the giant animals brings them to an elephant watering hole, where they stop for a snack. Emily expresses her fears about Brad stepping into the role of an instant father to her beloved daughter. Will he be able to allay her concerns, and will Emily be ready to take the next step with Brad to the fantasy suite, or will she leave him disappointed?

On his final date this week, Brad surprises Ashley H. with an incredible helicopter tour over the magnificent South African landscape. They touch down for a picnic high atop the dazzling cliffs known to the locals as "God's Window." The setting might have been romantic, but the conversation turns serious as Brad expresses his concerns over Ashley's ambitious plans for the future. Later that night, tensions rise between the two as they try to communicate as they once did. Will this once starry-eyed couple be able to reconnect with the help of the fantasy suite card?

The drama starts at the rose ceremony - even before any roses are offered - as Brad asks to speak to one of the women about their overnight date. He is hoping that the intense conversation he has with her will bring the clarity he needs to make this important decision. In one emotional moment, Brad makes a jaw-dropping choice. The Bachelor and the final two women toast to their final destination, Cape Town, South Africa, and the opportunity to meet Brad's family. But as Brad's second chance to find love on "The Bachelor" is drawing to a close, the question isn't only whom will he choose, but will she accept?

The three women are:

Ashley H., 26, a dentist from Philadelphia, PA
Chantal, 28, an executive assistant from Seattle, WA
Emily, 24, a children's hospital event planner from Charlotte, NC

http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=022211_01

[RealityFreakWill]

BREAKING NEWS!!!

FOR THOSE WHO PM'D ME IN THE PAST WANTING TO KNOW THE RESULTS OF THIS SHOW NEEDS TO PM ME AGAIN! NEW INFO REGARDING THE FINALE! THANKS! 

[RealityFreakWill]

Chris Harrison blogs 'The Bachelor' episode 9

It’s been a long road, and the end is in sight for Brad and three lucky ladies. After an incredible week of hometowns and a very emotional rose ceremony, Brad told the women about our next stop, the beautiful country of South Africa, home of the 2010 World Cup (as a soccer fan, this is a huge deal). Emily, Ashley, and Chantal were extremely excited. Every week they tried to guess where we were going next, and none of them ever guessed that Brad would take them halfway around the world. We’ve traveled all over the world, but there are very few places that take longer to get to than South Africa. But after over 20 hours in the air, we arrived at Kruger Mpumpalanga International Airport, and let me tell you, from the moment we landed, it was worth every second. Lush rolling hills, friendly people, and the promise of the most anticipated dates of every season of The Bachelor, the overnight dates.

Yes, it’s that time again, where Brad will have to hand these women an envelope with an all-too-familiar message. But before we go any further, I want to address a question that a lot of people have asked me: Yes, for the most part, people know what’s in the envelope and are not surprised about the fantasy suite, but that doesn’t take away from the nerves, excitement, and anticipation of finally being able to be alone with someone after weeks of dating. All day, they have to consider whether or not they’re ready to take that next step, and when the envelope arrives, it’s really a telling moment.

Now, on to the dates. All of our dates took place in or around Kruger Park, which is one of the largest game reserves in the world. When I say large, I mean massive. They told me it’s roughly the size of Israel. It’s the very definition of epic and it’s probably the best place to see Africa’s “Big Five.” On a great safari, you’ll see all of them — lions, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, and leopards.

Chantal got the first date, and pretty quickly they saw four of the big five. Only the leopard eluded them. But those weren’t the only animals that they saw. The hippo that was joining them for lunch was close enough to charge, but they didn’t know how dangerous hippos are until after lunch. Of course, we had guides nearby to make sure everyone was safe, but that hippo was not kidding around. During lunch, the animal hi-jinks continued, as Brad tricked Chantal into eating worms. It looked a lot like beef jerky and Brad didn’t let Chantal think anything different until after, when he explained worms are a local delicacy. This didn’t sit very well with Chantal and I don’t recommend any man tricking his date into eating worms. Once the fantasy suite card arrived, they got to see one of our coolest locations ever. The tree house is unbelievable. It’s literally out in the middle of nowhere and has a complete 360 degree view of the African bush. Needless to say, there were huge flying beetles dive-bombing the canopy and as we drove away for the night, we could hear the loud growling of lions. We just hoped Brad and Chantal would make it through to the morning. I talked to Brad the next day and he told me it was one of the most amazing and scariest experiences of his life.

As soon as Emily found out she was going to South Africa, she said that one of her lifelong dreams was to ride an elephant. Brad didn’t know this, but he picked the elephant riding date especially for her. I think a big part of that had to do with Brad thinking what a cool story this would be for little Ricki. As soon as Brad and Emily got on top of Tembo, they immediately started talking about her hometown date. He told her how much it meant to him to meet Ricki, and Emily just wished that Ricki could have been with them both in Africa. We took some pictures so Emily could take them home to share the experience. The elephants were really well cared for, but they are still wild animals. Our crew had to hide in bushes all over the trail to make sure that none of the elephants got spooked. The watering hole where the elephants stopped and played was a real highlight. It was amazing to see such big animals playing like little kids. Emily and Brad spent a long time watching them. Although at one point the elephants took their play to the next level; you’ll see what I’m talking about next week on the Women Tell All special!  Let’s just say I may have given the fantasy suite card to the wrong couple.

The dinner location for Emily’s date was spectacular. Things were going really smoothly all day, but to be honest, no one knew if Emily was going to accept the fantasy suite card. After all, she has a daughter at home, and she always put her daughter first. That said, she made it clear that she just wanted time to spend with Brad, especially if she was going to move forward in the relationship. Just to make things awkward, when Emily opened the envelope, the key fell to the ground, slipped through the cracks of the floorboards, and disappeared into the water below. Luckily, we had a spare.

The final date of the week went to Ashley. Who would have thought that Ashley would be afraid of helicopters? This is The Bachelor! She was pretty quick to come around and hop in, but this helicopter ride was a little different. Brad’s side of the chopper didn’t have a door, so he was just about hanging on the outside. When they landed at God’s Window in Nelspruit, the name spoke for itself. Views like this just don’t exist anywhere else. During the aerial tour of the bush, they even got to see something really rare: a pack of wild horses running through a clearing. While this was going on, back at base camp, an angry hyena tore through one of our coolers with its teeth and drank a lot of our water. Of course, we held off on dinner for Brad and Ashley for a while until we were sure the coast was clear. Maybe this was a sign, as this was a very emotional date for Brad and Ashley, and I think their up-and-down relationship was starting to wear on Brad. It’s a little close to the end to keep “retracting,” to use Ashley’s words. (On a side note, as we drove in for the rose ceremony, we finally did see a leopard up in a tree. Check that one off, and the “Big Five” was complete.)

It was good to be back in the deliberation chair with Brad. We’d talked every step of the way, but now, I could see that Brad was really starting to feel the pressure of his decisions. He’s been making bold decisions this whole way and now he felt like he had to make another one. I really respect Brad for pulling Ashley aside and trying to make sure he was doing the right thing by letting her go — it was a tough and surprising moment for everyone.

I have so much more to say about Ashley, her exit and her relationship with Brad, but I’m going to hold off until next week. Next Monday night, all of your favorite bachelorettes from this season will be back to talk about everything you did see and some things you didn’t on The Women Tell All.  This turned out to be one of the most surprisingly aggressive and emotional Tell All specials I’ve ever hosted. I can’t begin to tell you how blown away you’ll be by Michelle. It’s a special you won’t want to miss! As always, you can find much more about the show on abc.com/bachelor, and be sure to follow us at @Thebachelortv and @chrisbharrison on Twitter. Have a great week and I hope to see you all at the Tell All next Monday night!

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/03/01/chris-harrison-the-bachelor-episode-9-blog/

[RealityFreakWill]

ABC press release:

BRAD FACES THE WOMEN HE REJECTED AND THE CLAWS COME OUT, AS 15 OF THE SEASON'S MOST MEMORABLE BACHELORETTES CONFRONT  THE HANDSOME ENTREPRENEUR ON "THE BACHELOR: THE WOMEN TELL ALL," AIRING MONDAY, MARCH 7 ON ABC
"The Women Tell All" -- It's an explosive reunion viewers won't want to miss, as the most memorable bachelorettes from this season - including Alli, Ashley H., Ashley S., Britt, Jackie, Madison, Melissa, Michelle and Raichel -- return to confront each other and Brad one last time on national television to dish the dirt and tell their side of the story. Michelle, the season's most controversial bachelorette, comes under fire from the other women. Will she fight back and be her fiery self, or will viewers see another, softer side of her? Will sparks fly when Melissa and Raichel face off again after their volatile argument that likely cost both a chance to be with Brad? A devastated Ashley H. admits she still has regrets about her last date with Brad, but what has she learned from her experience? And will Ashley S. find the closure she never got from the Bachelor after her disastrous two-on-one date?

A sneak peek at the season finale and the final two bachelorettes - Chantal and Emily - will also be featured, on "The Bachelor: The Women Tell All," MONDAY, MARCH 7 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Michelle is the target for the women's wrath. The bachelorettes confront her about her whole approach to dating Brad and how her snarky comments about the other women really ruffled their feathers. A tearful Michelle admits that her behavior is a defense mechanism and that she feels guilty for leaving her daughter. She claims that she really came on the show to find love for both her and her daughter. But that just sets the women off more. Sarah, Jackie and Stacey pile on, with Michelle becoming hysterical. But Britt defends her and wonders why anyone would take her behavior so seriously, given how beautiful and funny she is.

Nothing has changed between Melissa and Raichel since their explosive fight at the beginning of the series. They really go at each other, as Melissa tries to explain herself and Raichel immediately reverts to calling her "poisonous" and "toxic," blaming her for ruining her chances with Brad. But the other women jump in and point to errors both women made, in an effort to calm them.

When a distraught Ashley H. takes the hot seat, she admits that she didn't really hear Brad when he tried to tell her how he felt about her the whole time, and that her retracting from him in the end was a way of protecting herself. Was she truly in love with Brad? This was an eye-opening experience for Ashley H., and she reveals how she has changed because of it.

Ashley S., who had one of the most emotional departures of the season, discusses the impact her past bad relationships have had on her and why she was hopeful in dating Brad and getting the "first impression" rose. Her optimism turned to despair when Brad rejected her in Las Vegas, telling her she wasn't the woman he saw as his wife. She compares it to "a dagger to her heart."

Then Brad takes the hot seat and is confronted by the women he rejected. What will he tell Ashley S., Michelle and Ashley H. about his decisions to move on without them?

However, in talking about the woman he chose in the end, Brad reveals that he is happier than at any other time in his life. This woman has changed his life, and he has fallen in love with her more and more each day.
       
It's the bachelorettes like you've never seen them before! The special also includes a sneak peek at the season finale and the final two bachelorettes, Chantal and Emily.

http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=030211_02

[RealityFreakWill]

Chris Harrison blogs, 'The Bachelor: The Women Tells All'

chris-bachelor-padTo be honest this week I don’t have a whole lot of dirt for you: The name of the show — The Women Tell All — really speaks for itself. Obviously, we don’t leave any of the good stuff out. My interview with Brad where we go over the season and talk about the unseen moments is always a fun night for all of us. We shoot it at the Bachelor house a few weeks before the Tell All special. It’s fun because it’s a relaxed, laid back, pressure-free atmosphere with just a few of us at the house, so we all share some good stories and have some laughs. I think this is where you see the “real” Brad. This is the guy I see all the time, and wish you got to see more of this season.

We shot the show in a new studio. It was much smaller than the one we usually use. For this reason it was a very tight, intimate setting. When I introduce the women, I always find it interesting to listen to the audience’s reaction to each woman. Ashley S., Ashley H., and Shawntel got the loudest applause. Madison got an odd response, like the fans still don’t know what to make of her. Michelle definitely got a mixed response. Fans obviously feel very strongly about her one way or the other. As soon as the ladies came out, so did their claws. I honestly figured by the time everyone came back for the Tell All, all would be forgiven and the girls would try to make nice with each other. Not so much!  During the season I felt that Melissa really came off as the instigator and the woman at the center of all the drama. But on this night it was Raichel who just wouldn’t let it go. There is just something about Melissa that just drives Raichel crazy. I still don’t think Raichel fully understands the ramifications of her actions. Even when Brad came out and flat-out told them both the reason he sent them home was because of all the drama they caused, Raichel still blamed Melissa. She would claim responsibility for her actions but in the same breath blame it all on Melissa. At the very end of my interview I gave Melissa a chance to apologize to Raichel and the other girls and she did. I then gave Raichel the same opportunity and she once again followed up her apology with the dreaded “but,” as in “but it was Melissa’s fault and I just don’t like her.” As Melissa said, “You can lead a horse to water…”

Ashley S. was a tough interview for me to do. I feel bad for this woman. You can tell she’s been deeply hurt before and she really thought this time would be different. She just seems so vulnerable. I truly hope my words got through to her. She is a very sweet, intelligent woman and I’m guessing she will find love quickly after this show now that she knows what she’s really looking for. I also enjoyed my talk with the new Ashley H. I, for one, love the new look and new attitude she was showing on the special. The main thing I got from her was that she has a lot of regret. Ashley H. really regrets not putting herself out there more and questioning everything so much. She feels that had she not fallen on her own sword she might have been the final woman standing, and I can’t say for sure that she’s not right. Brad said himself back in South Africa that he couldn’t believe he was saying goodbye to Ashley when just weeks before he had such strong feelings for her. One thing I love about the Tell All is to see how people change and grow from this experience. It was good to see Ashley H. has grown and learned a lot. She really did seem like a new woman to me.

Have I left anybody out of this blog…? Oh that’s right — Michelle. After ten years of hosting this show not much surprises me anymore. Michelle surprised me. The moment I introduced the ladies, the attacks on Michelle started. Instead of fighting back Michelle got very emotional and started crying. We took a commercial break, Michelle composed herself, and then I brought her up to the hot seat. She immediately lost it again and really broke down. It shocked all of this to see this strong personality so frail and vulnerable. Then things really got bad when Stacey attacked her and brought up her daughter. Let me say something to the folks out there who don’t have kids: You can say a lot of things about people, but questioning someone’s parenting skills or decisions is not smart. Michelle understandably got very defensive but also really lost it emotionally. She was literally shaking and hyperventilating. The bizarre thing was despite Michelle cowering and sobbing, the girls just kept right on talking and taking shots at her. That’s when I got a little protective and had to step in and calm things down a bit. We took another break so Michelle could try to calm herself down but she never really recovered. She had a rough day.

Before I wrap this up I want to talk a little bit about the best part of this season for me. During the special we showed a piece about the Henna School in South Africa. This was a local school Brad and I visited our first week there. As you saw this is an amazing school with some inspiring children. I’m happy to be apart of a family like The Bachelor that gives back like we do. Brad and I both agreed that was a day we’ll remember the rest of our lives. There is much more that can and needs to be done for these children. If you’d like to learn more or get involved, please go to our website or ABC.com.

We are a week away from the finale. A week away from seeing if Brad can exorcise his demons and find what he so desperately came back here to find. The finale next week is an amazing two-hour event that you won’t want to miss. Then stay tuned for a special edition of After The Final Rose immediately after the finale.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/03/08/chris-harrison-the-bachelor-episode-10-blog/

[RealityFreakWill]

ABC press release:

SEASON FINALE


IT'S ONE OF THE MOST ROMANTIC AND DRAMATIC NIGHTS EVER ON ABC,
ON THE SEASON FINALE OF "THE BACHELOR," MONDAY, MARCH 14

And Immediately Following the Season Finale,
Brad Looks Back at the Dramatic Ending to His Journey to Find Love,
on "The Bachelor: After the Final Rose"

Ali & Roberto, Jason & Molly and Trista & Ryan Return to
Talk About Their Different Paths to Happiness During the Special
     

"Episode 1510" - In this dramatic conclusion, Brad, who came back for a second chance at love, prepares to make one of the most difficult choices of this life. His search for love is now narrowed down to two very different women - Chantal and Emily -- and he is falling in love with both of them. Now, after having his family meet them in Cape Town, South Africa, and under immense pressure, he must make one final heart-wrenching decision that could change his life forever. After three years of soul-searching, will he be able to propose to one of the women -- and will she say yes? -- on the season finale of "The Bachelor," MONDAY, MARCH 14 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

With his search for his soul mate over, emotions run high, as Brad, talks to Chris Harrison about both Chantal and Emily, taking us back to those final days in South Africa. Three couples who have found their own soul mates on "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" - Ali & Roberto, Jason & Molly and Trista & Ryan -- return to share the very distinct ways in which they have found lasting happiness. Then the woman who received Brad's final rose joins him for the first time in public as a couple. They discuss the high and lows of their relationship, their near wedding plans that went awry, the difficulty of sustaining a relationship in secret and what the future holds for them. It's the emotional ending to Brad's heartfelt journey to finally find true love, on "The Bachelor: After the Final Rose," MONDAY, MARCH 14 (10:01-11:00 p.m., ET).

As Brad prepares to make the decision that might change his life forever, he reunites with his family who will meet the final two women and, hopefully, will be able to offer him some valuable advice. Chantal arrives first and immediately professes her love for Brad. She assures the family that she has learned from her divorce and now knows exactly whom she wants in her life. She is so certain that Brad is that man, she tells his family she is ready to marry him right now. Brad's family is drawn to Chantal's outgoing personality, and Brad is thrilled that they think she would fit right in with them.

Chantal has set the bar high for Emily, and when she arrives, she is filled with anxiety. The tension escalates when Brad reveals to his family that Emily has a daughter. When she recounts the heartbreaking story of how her ex-fiance died in a plane crash, there isn't a dry eye in the house. But Brad's family is now more concerned about whether he's really ready to step into fatherhood.

Brad's family is impressed by both women. Now -- more confused than ever -- Brad hopes that his final individual dates with the bachelorettes will bring clarity as to whom he should choose to be his future wife.

Brad's last date with Chantal, whom he considers a very strong woman, will test the love she feels for him as they go swimming with sharks. After slipping into wetsuits and submerging in shark-infested waters in a cage, Chantal is justifiably terrified. But she knows she must do whatever is necessary to prove her love for him. Later that night with the adrenaline rush behind them, Chantal opens up her heart to Brad. She may truly be the woman for him.

The next day Brad takes Emily on a helicopter ride soaring over Cape Town with gorgeous views of the Cape of Good Hope. Everything seems to be going well until Emily takes Brad by surprise, questioning whether he is really ready to be a father to her daughter. Brad leaves the date totally confused and with the biggest decision of his life facing him.

Brad came back to find love a changed man, ready to open himself up to love as he never had before. Will he complete his search with a proposal? And will the woman say yes?

The remaining two women are:

Chantal, 28, an executive assistant from Seattle, WA
Emily, 24, a children's hospital event planner from Charlotte, NC

http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=030811_01

[Jobby]

Brad sounds like a changed man.. and i think either one of the woman he picked, he will have a great r/s with her to last for a lifetime.

Does anybody have any idea whom he will pick in the end? I have a feeling, Brad's going to pick Emily.

[RealityFreakWill]

CONGRATULATIONS, BRAD WOMACK AND EMILY MAYNARD!

[RealityFreakWill]

Who Won Brad Womack's Heart?



Brad Womack's first stint on The Bachelor in 2007 didn't end so well. The Texas bar owner famously walked away from his final two women, leaving both in tears and earning him a reputation as someone with a phobia of commitment.

This season Womack, 38, vowed he was a changed man and ready to find everlasting love. And he's been bursting at the seams for months, saying in interviews that he's in love with a special woman.

But is it 28-year-old Seattle executive assistant Chantal O'Brien, who made a lasting first impression on Womack when she declared, "This is for all the women in America," and slapped him across the face? Or did demure Charlotte, N.C., single mom Emily Maynard, 25, win his heart?

Keep reading to find out ...

On Monday's season 15 finale, viewers saw that while Womack had an undeniable affection for O'Brien, it was Maynard who got the final rose. Womack told O'Brien that she was not the one for him.

"I've fallen in love with someone else," he said as tears filled her eyes. Knowing she was heartbroken, he escorted her to her limo, said goodbye and waited for Maynard's arrival.

As dusk came to the vast South African sky, an emotional Womack then professed his love for Maynard.

"You're the one, Em. You're my once in a lifetime," Womack said. "Please let me be your once in a lifetime. Please let me be your best friend. Please let me protect you and your beautiful daughter, and please let me love you for the rest of your life. I love you, Emily. I am truly in love with you."

As Womack got down on his knee, Maynard held his face in her hands.

"Emily, please make me happier than I've ever been in my life and marry me," Womack said, his voice shaking with emotion.

"I would love to," Maynard replied, bending over and pulling Womack in for a passionate kiss, before allowing him to place a Neil Lane diamond engagement ring on her finger.

"You just made me the happiest girl in the world," Maynard said softly into Womack's ear as the two embraced.

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20473666,00.html

[RealityFreakWill]

Chris Harrison blogs 'The Bachelor' and 'After The Final Rose'

Three years and two go-rounds as the Bachelor, and Brad Womack has finally found love. It’s not exactly as cut and dry as that, as you saw on the After the Final Rose special — but we’ll get to that in just a bit. Let’s back up to where this final episode landed us in the world. We left the bush of South Africa for the beautiful city of Cape Town. Our entire crew loved the One and Only resort right on the waterfront, just a ten-minute walk to the new stadium built for last summer’s World Cup. (Speaking of, a huge thanks to USA Soccer for having several of us as their guest when the U.S. national team played South Africa. They were nice enough to not only have us as their guests, but they were good about keeping it a secret that we were there.)

Brad didn’t stay at the resort with us; he was at a private house about ten minutes away. You’ve heard time and time again how much Brad’s family means to him but it was very evident just how much when you saw his reaction when they showed up at his house.

Both women made a great impression on his family. I thought Brad’s brothers did a good job of asking Brad the tough questions about Emily and what it really means to become a father. The proposal site was out in the Stellenbosch wine region about 45 minutes drive from Cape Town. We shot at Ernie Els’ vineyard. Thanks to the ladies out at the vineyard for keeping my glass full. The “Big Easy” knows how to make a big bold red — and I’m ready for that golf game any time, Ernie.

I want to jump forward a bit to the After the Final Rose special, which we shot about a week ago. Chantal hadn’t seen her breakup yet and was extremely emotional. Despite the fact that she says she’s now in love with another man and has moved on, you could tell she still had serious feelings for Brad and had a lot of questions to be answered. When Brad was sitting there with her you could feel the emotion and tension between them. She was really hurt and I’m not sure Brad really could have said anything to fix that. Chantal wanted to be assured that what she felt and what Brad said was real. As Chantal announced on the show she has found somebody since the show wrapped and has apparently fallen head over heels in love. I wish them the best and truly hope she finds what she’s looking for.

The proposal to Emily in South Africa was beautiful. As you saw on the special, what awaited Brad and Emily after The Bachelor wrapped was the surreal world of growing a relationship under the scrutiny of a desperate tabloid media, but that’s not their only obstacle. As she’ll admit, Emily is a bit insecure and had a lot of trouble watching Brad’s relationships with the other women — especially his journey with Chantal. Add to these issues the fact that week after week the two of them have to deal with ridiculous, irresponsible, and, at times, completely made up stories about each other in the tabloids, and you have a recipe for trouble. Despite all these negatives stacked against them, as you saw their resolve is strong and their love is true. They are fighting hard privately to make this work and I truly hope they do.

One thing that definitely helped them was bringing back the only people who know exactly what they’ve gone through. It was a bit bizarre but extremely cool to see Ali and Roberto, Jason and Molly, and Trista and Ryan all together on one stage at the same time. The stories and advice they had for Brad and Emily were perfect and exactly what they needed to hear. I know it really helped for them to realize they are part of a bigger family that is there to help and protect them.

It was another incredible season of The Bachelor that once again took us to some of the most beautiful places in the world, and believe it or not we’re about to do it again!  If you watched Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday night you heard the official announcement that Ashley H. is our new Bachelorette. I’m very happy Ashley is coming back to be our Bachelorette, as I know she will be great and it will be a fascinating season. The new season of The Bachelorette will premiere May 23rd on ABC, and then season two of Bachelor Pad will premiere later this summer. So while we have a lot to look forward to and be excited about, I’m very hopeful Brad and Emily will keep fighting and make it work. On behalf of the hundreds of people that work so hard to make this show, I want to thank you for watching and making this franchise such a huge success. Beyond the great people on the show, my other great pleasure is hearing from so many fans about how much they love this show and what it means to them.

http://popwatch.ew.com/2011/03/15/chris-harrison-the-bachelor-episode-11-blog/

[Jobby]

Brad sounds like a changed man.. and i think either one of the woman he picked, he will have a great r/s with her to last for a lifetime.

Does anybody have any idea whom he will pick in the end? I have a feeling, Brad's going to pick Emily.

I'm going to say a man's heart is easy to read. Emily had a child to begin with and he knew about it, the reason why he kept her around was because he truly loved her. And i'm sure he figured that out himself.

[ugot2bekidinmeny]

on the after the rose show! Emily is SOO wearing the pants in that relationship!  I knew she would be screaming mad once she saw all the footage if he did pick her.

 I'm glad she's smart enough to know not to go off and marry him till they have worked everything out.

 But whats that saying??" once a woman scorned???" 

HUGE pet peeve: Brad proposing to Emily and calls her "EM"    for petes sake cant he call her by her formal name when proposing on national television!

[ugot2bekidinmeny]

The Bachelor

Brad Womack Hospitalized
By Muffins

The Bachelor star, Brad Womack was rushed to the hospital this afternoon after paramedics responded to an emergency 911 call. The 2 time star of the ABC reality show, The Bachelor was in a park when a medical issue came up.




Our Sponsor

Authorities have confirmed that Brad was in a park near his apartment in Texas when paramedics were called. He was seen walking around with his twin brother, Chad after help arrived.

Brad has been transported to a hospital in Austin with a non-life threatening medical issue. This is confirmed by Brad's rep who insists that everything is fine.

Just a week ago Brad was finally able to reveal that Emily was the lady who had stolen his heart on the latest season of The Bachelor, although rumors have been swirling that the relationship is already in trouble. Although Brad and Emily say that everything is fine, a body language expert broke down the After the Rose Ceremony program found clear indications that Brad and Emily can barely tolerate each other.

Time will tell, but for now TVGrapevine.com hopes that Bachelor Brad makes a speedy recovery from his mystery illness.

http://www.tvgrapevine.com/index.php/abc/261-the-bachelor-2011/10500-the-bachelor-brad-womack-hospitalized