This is the most gut-wrenching episode of any Bachelor or Bachelorette show I have ever watched – and I have watched them all. What went down on Monday June 6, 2011’s episode was so awful that it almost shut down production of the show, three weeks in.
ONE-ON-ONE DATE WITH BEN C
Chris Harrison met with the men at the top of the show to tell them there will be two solo and one group date before the next rose ceremony. Ben C. got the first one-on-one and Ashley took him to a private dance studio to teach him a dance number. OK, Ash, we get it, you like to dance. But I am a bit confused as to whether you are looking for a life partner or a dance one. Or are they one and the same?
For the second part of their date, Ashley took Ben to an outdoor mall (The Americana) and surprised him with a flash mob dance of the number she had taught him earlier. Ben was a great sport about it all even though he’s not really a dancer. And while he was dancing with Ashley and 100 other strangers, he looked at Ash and realized she is “the kind of girl he could spend the rest of [his] life with.” WOW–Ben is easy. If Ben was that impressed with a flash mob dance, imagine what he must have thought when Far East Movement appeared out of nowhere to play the same song the couple had just danced to, live. Later that night, during a romantic dinner, Ben told Ashley he wants to live in an unrealistic bubble of love. And he kept going on and on about his vision of romantic love. Of course Ben got the rose. Ashley told Ben she fears that not all of the men are genuine in their intentions. Oh Ash – you are so right about this fact, but you are just so dead wrong about who those men with the bad intentions are…
THE MASK COMES OFF
When Ashley came to pick up her group dates, Jeff took her outside and said it was time to reveal his face. Yet he just kept on talking and talking instead and I thought he’d never take the damn mask off. But he sure did finally do just that and revealed a cute face. Ash told the camera her first reaction was, “I’m happy he finally took it off.” She continued, “He’s a lot older than I thought he was but I think he’s cute.” Click here for a photo of what Jeff looks like. Interesting note: If you watched through the end of the show, you learned that Jeff wore that mask all the time before the big unveiling, even when he was taking a dump.
THE GROUP DATE
Aames, Ben F, Blake, Jeff, Lucas, Nick, Ryan, Chris D, William, and Bentley got the group date. Bentley was stoked he got a date because he thought Ashley was digging the crap he was serving and he was now ready to go in for the kill. I now wonder if this guy will ever find a woman dumb enough to date him again after this show.
The group date was set against a comedy roast with Ashley as the guest of honor – The perfect recipe for disaster in the waiting since jokes were to be made at the expense of a woman with admitted insecurity issues! Jeff Ross came to help out the men come up with their best roast and told them roasting comes from a place of “love and affection.” He said, “if you can make a woman laugh at herself, you can make her to do anything.” With that, he encouraged the men to not hold back anything.
THE ROAST GONE BAD (DO ANY EVER GO WELL?)
Before the roast bloodbath began, Ash said to the camera, “With every statement made, there is probably an ounce of truth to it, so, maybe I will learn something about the men today.” She also said she has spent the most time on the show with William, so, she looked most forward to hearing from the guy who knows her the best. Be careful what you ask for Ashley.
Most of the men were smart and kept the bashing centered on the men rather than Ashley cause they wanted a rose when it was all over. Jeff did make a joke about Ash’s boobs being small and she agreed with him. That opened the door for Nick to pick on Ashley’s boobs and say she was the first woman he’s dated with a smaller chest than his. If the men weren’t making fun of her breasts, they were making fun of her for coming in third on The Bachelor or being Brad Womack’s leftover…Ash was a good sport about it all…
WILLIAM MAKES ASHLEY CRY
But, William, oh William! He got too starry-eyed with this whole project and went from seeking Ashley’s heart to hoping he’d be discovered on the show. He told the camera beforehand he’s always wanted to be a comedian and thought if he did a great job, he could land a gig roasting a famous person soon. Oh William! He took Ross’ advice of not holding back too seriously and “took off the gloves.” He called Ashley “used” and compared her to “one man’s trash.” He crossed the line so far with the Ashley jokes, he may never ever find himself back. I mean, this guy, the one who won part of Ashley’s heart after the season’s first one-on-one date, dove right in for the kill and even told Ash that he came to the show with the hopes that either Emily or Chantal were the Bachelorette but instead found Ashley. He finished it the blasting with, “Who gives a f*ck,” and asked for donations for the Ashley Boob Fund. OUCH!
Ashley whispered “No rose for you,” as William gave her a hug when done, and you could tell she was holding back her tears. As soon as the show was over, Ashley went backstage and balled her eyes out. And things went from bad to worse for Ashley as Bentley found her and figured he would not “pass an opportunity to mess with her head.” He approached her, kissed and hugged her. He told the cameras he hates when people cry–and just as I thought maybe, just maybe, this guy has some kindness in him, he finished his statment by saying, “crying is just not attractive at all.” Poor distraught and vulnerable Ash found comfort in Bentley and confided in him that she feels she let the guys down because she is not Emily. Bentley of course did not tell her he was hoping Ashley were Emily. He instead lied to her about how much he likes her and told her with a devilish smile that out of the 25 men who came here, at least 24 were excited that it was her as the object of their competition.
Ashley came and told the men, while fighting back tears, that she didn’t mind the small boob jokes but what bothered her was thinking the men were disappointed she was not Emily. William looked like he wanted the earth to open up and swallow him whole. William took Ashley aside and tried to explain he wants to always make people laugh and her feelings were not his concern and he admitted he went for “the jugular.” Instead of apologizing or telling Ashley how much he likes her, he offered to leave the show to make things better (oh that grave kept getting dug deeper…Just APOLOGIZE WILLIAM!). When Ashley said, “no,” William then said another dumb comment instead of comforting Ash: “Go talk to another guy to cheer you up.” WHAT?!! Seriously?? GOODBYE! NOW, it makes sense why this handsome guy has had a series of one bad relationship after another: He has a serious case of foot in mouth, William went to the street and caught a bus back to the mansion??! Not sure. Oh never mind, looks like he ran back.
No one was able to comfort Ashley – until Ryan sat with her on a couch, looked her in the eyes, held her hand, and told her, convincingly, “Ashley, you’re who I wanted here.” And then he kissed her…Oh, I like him…Instead of spending more time with this nice guy, she took Bentley away again and told him about Michelle Money’s warning about Bentley wanting to only come on the show for two weeks just to promote his business. He didn’t say much other than Michelle is friends with his ex-wife and she should not be trusted. When poked further, he said, “I’m on the same page with you. I am following you every step of the way.” Instead of asking, “What the hell does that mean?” Ashley smiled. Man, us women really hear what we want to hear, don’t we? Ashley told the camera she feels “warm” and “secure” with Bentley and said she could trust him forever. THANKFULLY, she gave the rose to Ryan. That snubbing gave Bentley an excuse to “check out” of the show.
BENTLEY WILLIAMS LEAVES THE BACHELORETTE
The next day, we hear Ashley telling the camera she fell in love with Bentley last night. She says, “he is my guy and if it were up to me, I would grab Bentley and leave.” Bentley instead is next seen packing his bags. “I’m just not feeling it..this is a waste of time, and it is better to just walk away,” Bentley tells the camera. He told the men he can’t be away from his daughter anymore and the men believe him. He tells the camera that he fooled everyone and that has never happened on this show before. He continued, “I came in thinking Ashley is not attractive at all. I knew for a fact I wasn’t gonna fall in love with her, so I need to go say goodbye to Ashley…Heartbreak is worse than any illness, in my opinion. It’s not just physical pain, it’s emotional pain, but it has to happen….so, I am gonna make Ashley cry. I hope my hair looks OK.”
Bentley showed up at Ashley’s house. While walking up to the house, a soundtrack of Bentley’s voice is played and we heard him say that he wanted Emily because she is such a “standout” and is “breathtakingly beautiful.” He also called Ashley an “ugly duckling” (Side note: I’ve met Ashley – she’s cute as a button!) His lines got even better – after saying he has not rehearsed what he will tell Ash, he said he has to go “poop it out!”
Ashley opened the door and was comforting him…he told her he missed his daughter and used her as an excuse to leave instead of manning up. “I don’t know how to share my heart with you when my angel back home has my whole heart,” he said. Ashley believed him and consoled him. She told him he has her heart and pictured him at the end with her. Bentley continued the mind f*ck and instead of just leaving Ashley with closure, he told her that he wants to keep the “dot dot dot” open. He then said, “dot dot dot is better than a period.” This guy angers me. He told the camera he’s not smitten with Ashley, but said she’s the kind of girl he would hook up with from time to time. I wonder how Ash feels tonight after watching this episode. Girl, I feel you. We all have had a-holes like that in our lives and these jerks and their deplorable actions say nothing about who we really are. Hang in there girl.
ASHLEY IS DEVASTATED
Ashley crawls into bed and sobs and says out loud, “How can I do this?” She cries, “My heart is totally broken.” She justifiably fears that there is not enough time on the show for her to fall out of love with Bentley and fall in love with someone else.
ONE-ON-ONE DATE WITH J.P.
J.P. finally got chosen for a date. He came to Ashley’s house with a bouquet of flowers. Somehow, Ashley pulled herself together and put on a smile and opened the door. J.P. was understanding and made sure she was OK. They had dinner in front of the fireplace. He told the camera his heart is in the right place and that he is here for the right reasons. I believe him. She then got in her PJs and eyeglasses and he put on PJs too and the two of them enjoyed “the little things of life” by just talking and enjoying the fireplace. She gave him a rose and told her of all the guys, she was happy it was him who came over that night and promised him a “fun next date.” J.P. called the date, perfect. The two kissed and Ashley said she preferred kissing J.P. over kissing Bentley. So, to Bentley I say, maybe it was you and not her after all making you two’s kiss “suck.”
ROSE CEREMONY
Ashley says she saw her husband in the room at the last rose ceremony. This week, she doesn’t even know if she can finish the process. Chris Harrison came in and tried to find out why she fell so hard for Bentley. Chris tried to explain that the “dot dot dot” comment and leaving things open-ended was a “guy thing to do” and said if Bentley really had intentions to resume things ever with Ash, he would have stayed. “A real man would have moved heaven and earth to fight for you,” Chris said. Ashley responded, “He was my guy and when I walk into the room tonight, I’m gonna feel so alone.”
WHO GOT A ROSE AND WHO DIDN’T
There was no cocktail party at Ashley’s request. Chris D and Jeff did not receive a rose and were sent home. The 12 men who received a rose and still remain are:
Ames, 31, portfolio manager from New York, NY
Ames, 31, portfolio manager from New York, NY
Ryan P., 31, solar energy executive from Corona Del Mar, CA
Ben C., 28, lawyer from New Orleans, LA
Ben F., 28, winemaker from Sonoma, CA
Blake, 27, dentist from Greenville, SC
Constantine, 30, restaurant owner from Atlanta, GA
J.P., 34, construction manager from New York, NY
Lucas, 30, oilfield equipment distributor from Odessa, TX
Mickey, 31, chef from Cleveland, OH
Nick, 26, personal trainer from Tampa, FL
West, 30, lawyer from Chapin, SC
William, 30, cellular phone salesman from Galloway, OH – Somehow he survived despite making Ash cry, though Ash did make him sweat a bit and left the last rose for him. HE DID FINALLY apologize though as he got pinned with the rose.
Ben F., 28, winemaker from Sonoma, CA
Blake, 27, dentist from Greenville, SC
Constantine, 30, restaurant owner from Atlanta, GA
J.P., 34, construction manager from New York, NY
Lucas, 30, oilfield equipment distributor from Odessa, TX
Mickey, 31, chef from Cleveland, OH
Nick, 26, personal trainer from Tampa, FL
West, 30, lawyer from Chapin, SC
William, 30, cellular phone salesman from Galloway, OH – Somehow he survived despite making Ash cry, though Ash did make him sweat a bit and left the last rose for him. HE DID FINALLY apologize though as he got pinned with the rose.
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