Холостячкa #11

barish

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

'The Bachelorette': Chris Harrison Blogs Episode 8

Welcome back, Bachelor Nation. What a complex and compelling week we have to discuss. The site for this week’s drama was the small western Irish town of Killarney. To get there, our crew loaded up on a big bus and made the four hour cross country trek from Dublin. You want to make a really good reality show? Put a camera on this crew traveling across Ireland together. Just the scene of about fifty of us getting off to eat at a pit stop is enough to sell this idea. This week was so different I’m going to approach this blog a bit differently. So first I’ll talk about who went home and why.

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

Joe was sent home directly from the group date. While it wasn’t a huge surprise he went home this week, as his relationship with Kaitlyn just wasn’t growing quite as quickly as with the other men, we weren’t expecting Kaitlyn to do it right then and there. But after Joe professed his love she felt it was only fair to just rip the band-aid off immediately and not make the guy wait.
Joe’s reaction may get some negative response from fans, and I understand that, but I also understand where he was coming from. Joe just professed his love to a woman and was then rejected. His heart and pride were hurting and that was his immediate reaction. He was cold and distant. I get that in the moment. I also understand Kaitlyn wanting to end it on better terms. At the end of the day this is a breakup, and those don’t always go so nice. Unless of course you’re breaking up with a guy like Jared.

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

Jared took his departure far better. He’s a truly classy guy and everybody on our crew loved having him around. Now we just need to work on his facial "hair.”

Bottom line is, at this point, it’s clear that Kaitlyn is in love or at the very least falling in love with Shawn, Nick and Ben. These other two relationships just weren’t on par with those.

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

Speaking of the final three, let’s discuss Ben first. Ben might just be the guy that swoops in and steals Kaitlyn’s heart while the other two are busy fighting and worrying about each other. Ben is the calm eye in this middle of this drama storm, and Kaitlyn is clearly falling for him. He’s got everything a woman could want and he’s making her the center of attention, not the drama.

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

As for Nick and Shawn, they just don’t like each other at all. These two have never seen eye to eye and they never will. You may have noticed by now that it has gotten to the point where Shawn wont even call Nick by name. He’s only referred to as “the other guy.” Shawn already hated Nick, but then Kaitlyn decided to drop a truth bomb on his heart and let him know she had sex with Nick. Shawn honestly dealt with this about as well as he could. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he had run away or if his head has just exploded on the spot like in some cartoon.

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

He was smart to take a minute collect his thoughts and then approach Kaitlyn. He was ultimately pushed by his heart and his love for Kaitlyn to stay and fight this out. I did appreciate the fact that after more thought, he pulled Kaitlyn aside at the rose ceremony and had a more in depth talk with her. Shawn’s biggest issue is trust, and his worst fears were realized when Kaitlyn had sex with Nick. You knew this wouldn’t just go away. Of all the times I’ve been impressed with Kaitlyn this season it was at this moment during this talk with Shawn at the rose ceremony. I felt she handled herself incredibly well. She was honest and open about everything and explained herself very well. She was incredibly good at articulating her feelings and where she stood on every point. I like how she explains what happened with Nick. I also appreciate her having the guts to tell Shawn that it was a mistake to tell him he was "the one” half way through this process. Kaitlyn has made several mistakes along her journey. Guess what: we’re all human and we all do! Owning those mistakes and where you go from there is the sign of who you really are. I like where she’s gone, and how she’s recovered from those mistakes.

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

While Shawn was able to move on with Kaitlyn he sure as heck isn’t done with Nick. As far as he’s concerned Nick is a snake in the grass and it was time to deal with him. Shawn went to confront Nick and you saw part of that drama. It gets even crazier, believe me.

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

Shawn had a decision to make this week: Tuck his tail and run or stand and fight for the woman he loves. I guess we got our answer. The overnight dates have started, and you saw that Nick’s date went very well. Say what you will about him, but he and Kaitlyn have undeniable chemistry. They are good together and that’s easy to see. You will see the other two overnight dates next week along with the rest of the Shawn and Nick throw-down. This has been a roller-coaster of a season, but the lid is about to blow off this baby and you don’t want to miss it!

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

Sharleen Joynt on The Bachelorette: Episode Nine

In real life I’m all for honesty and transparency. It sounds cliché, but to quote the elderly local gentleman at Kelly’s Irish Pub, the secret to 36 years of marriage: “Trust. That’s the trick.” However, this being a reality dating show and not real life, I have a beef with Kaitlyn’s big confession. For sanity’s sake, the more in-the-dark a contestant is, the better.

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

I have the utmost respect for Kaitlyn confessing to Shawn that she slept with Nick. I get that it was coming from a place of wanting to be honest with him. What she did was difficult to watch, so I can only imagine how hard it was to do. However, to make that confession while Nick is still very much in the picture makes very little sense. Firstly, it contradicts her wanting to keep the relationships separate. Secondly, not only is Nick still in the picture, but it’s now Fantasy Suite dates; sex is not an abstract speculation but most likely a sure thing. For Kaitlyn to express guilt over sex with Nick only makes sense if it weren’t going to happen again. Otherwise, if she and Shawn end up together, that can be a conversation for when the cameras aren’t around and it’s been more or less established that she had sex with other people. At that point it would be in the past; what does it matter that she had sex with Nick a little bit sooner?
It’s not entirely dissimilar to Kaitlyn telling Shawn that he was “The One” halfway through the process. With that information, it’s impossible for Shawn not to observe the other relationships and compare his interactions with Kaitlyn to the other guys’. And now, with the information that she slept with Nick, Shawn is left to fester while Kaitlyn and Nick are on their Fantasy Suite date, where they will surely have sex again. Ignorance truly can be bliss. Kaitlyn has insisted that the relationships be kept separate, but by oversharing with Shawn she forces his awareness of them. Again, I get where she’s coming from; she wanted to reassure him and prove her trustworthiness to him. But the timing of this reveal didn’t do either of them any favours.

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

All that said, I would bet everything that the producers suggested and pushed for that confession. After all, it was guaranteed drama, and we know by now drama means ratings. I blame them and not Kaitlyn because, all season long, I really feel she hasn’t done one thing I disagree with. She’s impulsively sent men home in the moment, long before rose ceremonies, just because she didn’t want to draw things out. (Check.) She’s shown early preference for a few select men and has a hard time faking it with others. (Check.) She’s the first lead, in my opinion, to consistently demonstrate that her position is actually not all that enviable. (Check. I literally got goosebumps when she said, “Just one hard conversation out of the way. On to the next.”) I can’t see her wanting to suddenly—needlessly!—tell Shawn that she had sex with Nick weeks earlier without a producer’s persuasion. If they want you to do something, they will find a way to convince you to do it. (Speaking of which, have you seen UnREAL yet?)

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

Also, note to Joe: nothing makes a woman more confident in her choice to end things with you than when you show your Jekyll/Hyde side. Suddenly becoming cold and detached doesn’t save face; grace does. Study Jared’s exemplary breakup behaviour.

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

1. Shawn, 28: There are a few clues that the last man standing is Shawn. First is the very confession that I’ve been harping on. As much as I disagree with it, Kaitlyn was trying to protect and preserve future them. Also, when Shawn said he wanted to talk before accepting her rose in this week’s ceremony, she looked like she might pass out. It’s just hard to imagine this level of investment if he isn’t the man she ultimately chooses. Lastly, their chemistry. Damn.

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

2. Nick, 34: I was thrilled that this week we got to see more of Nick and Kaitlyn than just physical attraction. Their Cork date was much-needed respite from an otherwise torment-filled episode. And, despite the “Morning After” scene striking me as strange—I don’t think we’ve ever seen one of those before?—I was charmed by it nonetheless. I love their banter. The easy compatibility between them is clear.

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)

barish

Going home next week:

3. Ben, 26: Ben is so drama-free that he almost seems of a different species at this point. He and Kaitlyn are cute together and certainly seem on the same wavelength, but I don’t see the electricity between these two that Kaitlyn shares with both Shawn and Nick. Plus, based on how adorable and gosh darn likable Ben is, he has “Bachelor” written all over him.

__________________
“The only thing that was ever wrong with me was my belief that something was wrong with me.” (c)