Fall TV Blog

Bachelorette Jillian toured Spain trying to figure out which of the final four were in for the long haul. In most cases, she liked what she saw although her eyes were finally opened to the ugly truth about the remaining Romeo.

Madrid Montage: She wandered the streets contemplating the pros and cons of her remaining few suitors. Is Kiptyn too perfect and out of her league? Is Reid ready to start life with her? Will she ever be more important than Ed’s career? Is Wes single? Will he ever wear anything other than cowboy shirts?

It Takes Two to Flamenco: Kiptyn and Jillian strolled in a Madrid park while she tried to get to the bottom of his emotions. Her face fell when Kip revealed that “a proposal seems far off,” but he didn’t notice. He was just as dense during the flamenco dance lesson in an unflattering bolero and skintight pants, but Jill found hope in his ungraceful moves. After crashing a moped into a curb, they sat down to dinner and deep discussions about children, how he reminds her of her spineless dad and the Canadian snail/slug population. When the fantasy suite invite came, she explained that she wasn’t “ready to spend an entire night with somebody yet.” It was his turn for his face to fall as he tried to make her believe that he respected her wishes. He obviously had more in mind than her idea to come up and “cuddle a little.”
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EEEEK!!! OMG, YOU GUYS!!! I have been ITCHING to write THIS blog since day one!! YES, I did it (sent Wes home)! I don’t even know where to start with this one. I think I will keep it mostly to the Wes scenario, as this has been the bone of contention for sometime.

But first, you guys, I need to tell you that I DID read all 364 comments (and counting!) that were left after my blog. I do read them all every time. I try my best not to read all the other stuff on the other websites (there is some nasty stuff out there!), but this one is my baby. For some reason, last week, you all wrote the sweetest most sincere messages. I truly sat on my couch with a little tear in my eye, holding my hand over my heart — I felt like each note was a reach out from a best friend. Thank you all for caring for me so much, making me laugh and wanting me to be happy.

The funniest entry I read was from Karen:

Dear Jillian,
If you have rejected Ed, I think I might leave my husband and two children and wander around Chicago with a bullhorn looking for him and his adorable sweater.

Girl, I sure hope it works out for you! (more…)

New Yorker Michael Stagliano, 25, danced and joked his way into viewers’ hearts on The Bachelorette, but unfortunately Jillian didn’t feel the same about the breakdance instructor/model/bartender/young adult author. (He recently published a “nerdtacular” collection of short stories called Wesley’s Stories: Afterschool Adventures.) Stagliano, who has an identical twin brother, spoke with PEOPLE about getting his heart broken, being labeled too young, the controversy between Jake and Wes, and the possibility of twin Bachelors. – Carrie Bell

How’d you react to Ed’s return?
At the ceremony, I put my hand up to ask Chris Harrison, “Is this legal?” I didn’t understand the concept of “I’m gonna leave for about a month and then we’ll pick it up from there.” But it doesn’t matter what I think. It’s about Jillian. If she cared for Ed, he should be able to continue. But when Ed came back and Reid got the first rose, I knew I was going home.

You seemed genuinely heartbroken after being eliminated.
There is definitely a moment of “Wait a minute, what was that?” It’s a hypersensitive situation to meet someone in — no stress, wonderful dates, only girl you see for six weeks — but absolutely real feelings develop on the show. (more…)

Dallas pilot Jake Pavelka, 31, didn’t make a love connection with The Bachelorette’s Jillian Harris, but cared enough to crash Wes’s hometown date to confess what he knew about “Girlfriendgate.” He spoke with reporters about why he believes Wes had — and still has! — a girlfriend, who he thinks is right for Jillian and the possibility of starring on the next Bachelor. – Carrie Bell

Why did you come back?
A producer called me to see if I was doing okay because I took leaving hard and I broke down. [I said,] “I need to tell her some things. Any way I could talk to her again?” I ran through it and they made it happen. I was lying in bed every morning going, “I screwed up. I should have told her before I left.” I wanted to come back because I had information she needed to make the best decisions about the remaining guys and to be there for her. Now I sleep easy at night.

PEOPLE spoke to Laurel and she denied being together during taping. Do you stand by what you claimed, that Wes said he had a girlfriend?
I don’t believe it. I know it. Without a shadow of a doubt, he and Laurel were together. They’re still together. It’s an act and Laurel was in cahoots with him. They had an agreement to put their relationship on the back-burner so he could go on and sell CDs. His biggest fear was making it far enough to go on overnight dates because that wasn’t okay with Laurel. Evidently she cleared [him] to kiss. I’m a God-fearing man and if I am mistaken or he didn’t tell me that, God can strike me down with lightning right now. (more…)

Austin resident Laurel Kagay was minding her own business and watching The Bachelorette on Monday when suddenly her name was mentioned, sparking one of the season’s most dramatic moments yet. Ousted suitor Jake had returned to tell Jillian that musician Wes still had a girlfriend named Laurel. Wes denied it; Jake stuck to his guns — and Laurel sat in shock at home.

“I was like, ‘What?’” Laurel, 29, tells PEOPLE. “There was this pause before he said my name — and then he said it quite a few times.”

But Laurel, who owns the Peach Body Boutique in Austin, would like to clear the air. Although she dated Wes for three years, she says their relationship turned to friendship a year ago. “I’m absolutely not with Wes, nor would I be with Wes if he were going on a show to be with another girl,” she says. “That’s absolutely crazy.”

So how did Jake get things mixed up? “I think he was definitely upset about not being on the show anymore,” she says. “And I think Wes did say something about his ex-girlfriend. Maybe he said he still cares about me or whatever. Maybe he talked a little too much about me, and Jake just blew that into something else.”

However, Laurel admits, “We are really good friends and we do go out to lunch together, so I could see how people could think we’re together.” (more…)

Thanks to five hometown visits, two surprise comebacks and two more eliminated suitors, this week’s episode of The Bachelorette added up to a good night of TV.

City of Bachelor-y Love: The first stop was Philadelphia to meet Reid’s family. His mom dropped hints that she wanted her son married with children, but his brothers were open about commitment fears and an intense need for family approval. The mood lightened when his extended family surprised him with a 30th birthday cake. But when they mentioned they weren’t used to seeing him affectionate, he reverted to his neurotic norm. Jillian fell hard for him and his family while he’s still only “thinking” he could fall in love.

Raucous Reunion: Next up was Valencia, Calif., to meet the breakdancer’s clan, including his identical twin brother. The twins decided to pull a switcheroo in order to interrogate her, but it failed instantly. Michael laid the goofy on extra thick while his brother tried to assuage her age fears, saying they’d always wanted to get hitched early. His sister, who lives in Australia, surprised them in time for dinner, a brilliant question-for-the-table tradition and an impromptu dance party. “Until the day I die, there’s going to be something I won’t be able to describe about Jillian that hooks me,” a smitten Mike said. (more…)

Hey Guys!

I have to admit I really look forward to writing these little blogs. As soon as I watch the episode myself, I’m on the computer so I can get you all up to date. I also have to admit that it is hard reading all the comments, and how disappointed you all are with me for keeping Wes … especially now that I have let that Handsome Jesse and Sweetheart Michael go for your least favorite guy (Wes). I totally understand where you’re coming from though and I know how frustrating it is when you wish I could have seen what you’re seeing now (I feel your pain!)

But if there is any consolation to you at all, it is that my promise still stands … I AM a smart girl, and I AM extremely happy with the final result. And the most important decision (which is the only one that really matters) was the right one! So pour yourself a glass of wine, sit back, and enjoy! (And please still feel free to make fun of me and laugh at me! It’s supposed to be fun!)

Hometown dates were probably one of my favorite parts of this entire process. I really was waiting for a family that made me think Monster-in-Law, but not ONCE did this happen! Each family got better every time. It was actually very interesting how much the final five guys’ families were alike. They all had such healthy relationships and all had so much fun with each other. (more…)

While the P in Tanner P stands for Pope, it could have just as easily stood for podophiliac (aka foot fetishist) and prankster as he was simply one of the most amusing suitors to ever step foot in The Bachelorette mansion. Post-eviction, the 30-year-old financial analyst discussed Jillian’s feet and his own “manties” from his home in Dallas, Texas. — Carrie Bell

You didn’t seem that bummed out when you didn’t get a rose.
I pretty much knew it was coming. We didn’t have any chemistry. We went the friendship route. It wasn’t that disheartening, but you hate to lose a good girl like that. So smart, attractive, successful — and her personality and everything.

It was a bold move to drop trou on a group date.
We were all talking about what we wear [to bed] and I just felt like, I’ve been kind of the comedian of this whole thing. I’m just going to bust out and show her my manties.

Everyone seemed impressed with what they saw. Be honest, did you stuff? (more…)

Jillian took the opportunity to smack each bachelor’s behind as they loaded onto a luxury train in Vancouver on Monday’s episode of The Bachelorette, which narrowed the playing field from eight to five men.

Liquid Discourage: The bucolic and snowy splendor of the Canadian Rockies was the perfect place for romance unless you’re Robby, who got the first individual date and attempted to have a Cocktail moment when he tried to teach Jillian some fancy shaker moves. During dinner in the caboose, he was too honest for his own good, admitting to a family marriage curse, a small vocabulary and a long romantic dry spell. Jillian withheld the rose and dropped him off in the middle of “the Canadian wilderness.”

Snakes on a Train: Wes swooped in to make her feel better but confessed to the camera that he has a hidden agenda. “There’s no doubt this is going to help me,” he said of being on the show. “I got records to sell. I’ll always have Jillian wrapped around my finger.” While Jillian didn’t pick up on his opportunism, more of the guys are figuring out his ulterior motives. (more…)

This blog is starting to feel more like a confessional as the weeks go on!

I do look forward to writing it though, since it really gives me a chance to connect with all of you. I do care what you think and love having the opportunity to share what I was feeling at the time and how I’m feeling now.

Okay let’s talk about what all of you are thinking right now. Me keeping Wes and letting Jake go. Sigh. Please understand, that I DO NOT see a lot of the behavior that goes on when I’m not there. All of the interactions and conversations that I had with him were indicative of a good relationship. I am so confused by the Wes we all are seeing now, and by what the other guys were saying about him. People will say that I was attracted to his bad boy persona, but believe it or not it was the opposite. Around me, Wes was vulnerable, sweet, sincere and caring — and that is definitely not the Wes that I am seeing now.

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