Take away the Courtney vs. Emily showdown, the gorgeous Park City landscape and the randomness of Blakelely highlighting Emily’s hair with foils and what we had tonight was kind of a yawn fest. I’m liking Jennifer – felt like she came out of nowhere. She seems like a calm, collected, down to earth person. She’s not pouring out the Ben love declarations – she’s just enjoying herself. Her smiles are genuine and I like her interaction with Ben. The Rachel date was blatantly awkward for me. She’s a beautiful woman, but I didn’t seen any sparks – only heard crickets when they were talking about how pretty the canoe date was.
Between Kacie B’s tears at the beginning and me being overwhelmed with the desire to brush Lindzi’s bangs away from her face, there was not enough to keep me very interested in tonight’s show. My law school friend Nyieri texted me while watching tonight, “This show is really pissing me off! But I’ll keep watching…” I wonder which part bothered her the most.
Courtney played Ben like a fiddle during their one on one time on the group date. Saying she feels insecure, etc. about how Ben feels about her – puh-lease. Guess it got her the rose in the end, but I’d be surprised if she’s remotely interested in him.
More tomorrow night. Interested to hear what your thoughts are at this point in the process. Is Ben in love? Does he have a chance at making it work with any of the ladies? Did Emily blow her chance by bringing up Courtney? She seems to really regret it, but then she starts babbling about her again according to next week’s coming attractions.
I am so excited that we are going to Vieques next week. They must be staying at the new, amazing W Hotel there. It’s supposed to absolutely incredible though quite pricey and a bit of a hike to get to. Good thing The Bachelor is making all of the arrangements. Now they just need to bring me and The Husband to blog about it on location.
mamainga says
I still believe in kacie b. with Ben. Jennifer is a second pic but don't think she will be able to hang onto him over the years. My advice to courtney is leave now, she is awful and so insecure its not funny, plus she is mean, rude and Ben is smart enough to see it, but he had already given her a rose. What was he supposed to do tell Emily , well I messed up, no he is a gentleman, he will keep Emily and Courtney and watch the two come up on a double date. Courtney will go home, and then Emily won't get a rose at the ceremony. Bingo two birds with one stone. If he is smart anyway. I like Emily but don't see Ben with Emily. Still kacie b. for me. I am just on ole grandma here but been in love more times than you know, know and have seen the signs so many times. Now let's see if kacie b. can hang in there.
Amy's Avon says
I think Ben is a little dumb… If he has seriously been in love 4/5 times in his life and I'm sure he has had other girlfriends why didn't he learn anything… For example how Courntey just played him on national tv? I mean she is seriously quoting 'winning' who does that and means it… It's become caddy over the last couple of years but this season takes it because I thought Ben was genially looking to meet a partner not a hollowed out BS artist….
Amy's Avon says
I think Ben is a little dumb… If he has seriously been in love 4/5 times in his life and I'm sure he has had other girlfriends why didn't he learn anything… For example how Courntey just played him on national tv? I mean she is seriously quoting 'winning' who does that and means it… It's become caddy over the last couple of years but this season takes it because I thought Ben was genially looking to meet a partner not a hollowed out BS artist….
mamainga says
Don't be so hard on Ben, I wouldn't be surprised if they told him to keep the withy one on another night, I still say he will send Courtney packing next week if Emily doesn't do it for him. He really hasn't gotten to talk much to a couple of the girls, give me their chance and then let's see. Courtney really did sucker him. And he said it himself, he had planned on giving the rose to someone else, I think it was kacie b. glad he did at the end. Kacie b still has my vote, has from day one. I have picked idol every year right with exception of one. I have figured out this show every year so far, this could be my bad year, but I hope not. Time will tell.
Amy's Avon says
Emily and Casey B deserve better… I am really do not think any of the other girls feelings are genuine except theirs and not be all they do is cry but … I'm shocked that Ben thinks making out with everyone is helping him make a real decision and not to mention the women all standing around waiting… I think Emily had it right when she said… I'm not sure if I can trust Bens judgement…I do not!!!!!
Amy's Avon says
Emily and Casey B deserve better… I am really do not think any of the other girls feelings are genuine except theirs and not be all they do is cry but … I'm shocked that Ben thinks making out with everyone is helping him make a real decision and not to mention the women all standing around waiting… I think Emily had it right when she said… I'm not sure if I can trust Bens judgement…I do not!!!!!
mamainga says
Now I will give you that about the making out, enough is enough, as a grandma I want to tell him to think with his head on his shoulders not the other. Hope I can say that, I just did. But any women knows if you warn a man about another woman, don't expect that man to pick u cause he won't, you will end up his friend but not the mate. I think Ben is fishing, like any fishermen, he will keep the ones that look interesting, but the brightest one will shine in the end. He will mount that one. Been fishing and making wine all my life. Let's see if I am right. I should have some kind of article in the paper each week says ask mama. I wanted to jump in the tv tonight and grab Courtney and escort her right out f there. Wow, made me wanna take Ben to the kitchen and say listen to your mama son. But then I am not his mom but they should have a show where you get to bring your moms on the show that would be interesting. Those girls would run. So glad my daughter n law loves me. She is a great one. Let's hope Ben makes a good choice.
Stephanie says
Courtney is in it for the game and the attention. It's like she just wants to prove can get a man's attention better than anyone else. She's not interested in Ben–she's interested in “winning.” (lol)
I think Ben's starting to get some strong connections with many of the ladies! I think at this point he believes he will find love at the end. But I agree Stacey, I doubt he will.
I like Emily, and I feel sad that she's getting caught up in the drama. The girls should know to stay out of the Bachelor's relationships with the other women because it makes them look catty and draws negative attention to them instead of negative attention towards the person they're trying to warn the Bachelor about. Just focus on your dates.
I like Jennifer a lot now! Her and Kacie B are the best matches for Ben so hopefully he sees that soon!! 🙁
mamainga says
Amen to that, well said.
CABlogger says
KjamezN@gmail.com
First time EVER I have commented on Anything like this. Normally, I do not watch shows like this, really, how can anyone “fall” for someone under these conditions?
As a Man, I couldnt play women like this and would always have to check and balance them to understand not to invest in their emotions too quickly or as deeply until after the show. Then again, thats why I'd never be picked for the show, too honest.
That said, I LIKE Courtney, and still, unsure of her. She hasnt seemed to have lied so far, and has been clever, in her own strengths. That to me is attractive, rare, and yes… scary. I can understand why he wants to learn more about her.
They are alike and I think they would date a long time, if they werent on this show.
I'll be reading your opinions next week!! Thanks
Anonymous says
i like kacie b and jennifer and i hope ben sends courtney home.. shes evil and not a right fit.. i hope kacie and jennifer are the only 2 standing
Anonymous says
Can i please express how much i hate that witch, Cortney without anyone think i'm a mean person? Cause i'm not, really!! Ben is clearly not seing the girls for who they are because he's busy thinking of Courtney with his other head and she's playing him alright. I'm kinda dissapointed in him and i'm affraid he's gonna pass on somebody like Jennifer, for instance. She's so adorable and they look like a good match.
But. . . I have a feeling he's gonna end up with Courtney at the end of the show but i don't think it's gonna last after all. She doesn't want him, she just wants to win and prove a point. . She's that dumb!! I would feel sorry for him but if my prediction is right and he picks her. . .Well, he deserves his faith.
Like your friend said, Stacie. .this show is pissing me off but i'll keep watching. . .Lol
kate says
This comment has been removed by the author.
kate says
tonight's show was the most blatant case of emotional manipulation ever on this show!! i despise courtney! i hate to get so worked up over a silly reality show – but that woman's behavior reminds we of the ultimate 'mean girl'/bully and i can't stand people like her!
we see sweet, adorable kacie b. have this sweet, adorable moment with ben. he even verbalizes how much he cares for her and how he 'might end up with her'! when do we ever hear that this early on in a season? – if ever?
i adore kacie! she's real. i even like her frizzy hair…it shows that she's a real girl and i think it's great.
courtney's sitting around fuming that he's spending all this 1-on-1 time with kacie – who i'm sure she views as her #1 competition and purposely pulls the crap she did to get the rose from ben! it was so phoney and fake.
and i hate that ben fell for it. kacie should have gotten that rose! i wanted to scream at the tv!
i honestly don't think i've ever been more pissed over a bach episode before and the sad thing is i bet he'll end up with courtney…because she'll manipulate him into doing it.
has anyone else noticed that courtney is not really all that hot? she's got tree trunk legs and i hate that weird thing she does with her lips.
oh – and i'm glad he sent samantha packing!
Anonymous says
Yes, that's exactly why i said he'll end up w/her, in my previous comment. Oh yeah, i hate the lips thing too. I really am not a mean person but this Courtney chick is pissing me off to the point i wanna reach through the tv and choke her. . .If i was in the house, she would not be competition to me. .Lol
Anonymous says
Ben picking Courtney is just showing his true colors. Maybe it's him that has got some people fooled. I don't think he deserves someone like kasie b. if he chooses to be with with someone like Courtney. She is unattractive in every sense from looks to personality. Kasie b just needs to get out now!
Anonymous says
The show is so blatantly staged, it's so hard to watch. Ben says in interviews he was looking for a good “catch” on the fishing group date. Then he was testing Jennifer's trust on the crater pond 1-on-1 date and realized that he could “fall” for her and dive right into a relationship with her? Sure, Ben's a good-looking guy, but he's awkward. And not bright at all. He talks with a unrhythmic abruptness, and walks funny. He’s so awkward he dang nearly fell off the horse when it jumped into the creek as he was meeting the girls on the group fishing date! There’s just no way he’s bright enough to make up those puns without script writers.
And how real can some of the girls be? In “real life,” I know there are girls like Courtney, but in “reality TV life,” girls like Courtney actually can’t really exist. If they do, Ben is the biggest idiot on the planet. No guy can really get on bended knee to propose to a seemingly intelligent and genuine 5’1” dental student in Ashley, then come on the next show and seek to find love in a 6’ tall, superficial, mean-spirited model – with ugly legs. If he ain’t dumb, Ben would have to be in on the Fix with the producers of the show, and how to pump the drama out of the show.
But these producers got to stop. They need to restore credibility to the show by not casting (yes, I did say “casting”) fakers like Courtney just to create drama, who is clearly the antithesis of the type of girl one would think Ben (or any past bachelor for that matter) could or would fall for. Yet there Ben is…sucking face with Courtney saying how they have such a “connection.” I’m a guy, and I know guys are dumb, and yes, Ben can be dumb…But he IS on TV, and I have to think he’s smart enough to figure out when Courtney is manipulating him to get the rose. Dude, this is the same girl that says “winning!” and “syonara!” …in front of you! Geez.
It’s pathetic the producers have manufactured storylines like Courtney v. Emily (probably pretty close to Ashley in looks actually). No self-respecting woman truly looking for love can be so fake and manipulative on TV, can she? I understand past bachelorettes like Vienna, whose petulance and compulsiveness seemed too emotionally raw to be fake. But Courtney? She's playing the “villain” role as if she’s paid by the show to be the instigator…Like former “model”-like Michelle Money in Brad's show telling him when or who he should be kicking off the show.
It's just a shame there's not more transparency about the show. Part of the allure of the show is whether there are genuine connections between the contestants. It seems that the show has lost focus on exploring those connections and have devoted much more time to the type of drama reserved for daytime soaps. Just in a different format and timeslot. There needs to be a petition started to have more transparency on how the contestants are selected, what scripts are being used, and what the contestants are “forced” to say.
Our society is so legalized nowaways it just seems that the real truth of the show is hidden behind the likes of confidentiality, non-disparagement and performance contract clauses. Too bad. Because Ben and some of these women actually seem to be genuine and at times motivated to find love.
Anonymous says
Maybe men really don't get the signals, then, because I think most women on the blogs, as well as the ones I talk to, see through Courtney–and it's painful to watch that Ben (and one ditzy woman on the show) do not see C. for what she is. She's so transparent!
Anonymous says
I would hope that once he sees this, he will understand where it's really at with this shell of a person (C). It does make it very uncomfortable to watch, though…I just want to say to heck with the both of them, if they want to be that stopid.
Anonymous says
I have to wonder what Ben's mother and sister think, watching this show. They have to be mortified.
Anonymous says
I don't like Courtney, but I don't think she has done anything beyond the pale with the other girls. She's obviously immature and competitive, but I think the real problem with Courtney is that it's not clear she has the emotional depth to really love anyone. I'm certainly not convinced about her feelings for Ben. Pair that with a guy who is pretty clearly just falling for looks (don't think anyone can argue that she is interesting!) and we have national frustration just like we did on Ashley's season. Arrgh. Agree with early comment that producers should make a better effort to find quality people for these shows, viewers are interested in real connections, not these sideshows.
Anonymous says
Also, I'm super disappointed that Emily lost her cool. Monica gave her good advice — forget Courtney! — but Emily couldn't control herself. I'm surprised that a woman with so much going on got ruffled by Courtney's elementary school antics. — Anonymous 9:43 AM
Anonymous says
If Courtney is, indeed, a model, she probably has tough skin, has suffered rejection, both personally and professionally, and would know how to play the game. In fact, it is precisely how calculated she plays the game that makes casting her so patently manipulative. I suspect that her addition was not because the producers believed she was a match for Ben or that she would find Ben attractive, but that she would make a great villain and be a tremendous marketing vehicle for the next Bachelor Pad or other Bachelor spin-off. Anybody think she won't be on the next Bachelor spin-off?
Unfortunately, such a “villain” takes away from natural interactions that could otherwise be interesting in real life. Women like Jennifer, Emily, and the no longer present Jenna and self-terminating Brittney, all appear genuine in their efforts to find love. But only Jennifer appears to have avoided the type of meltdowns the producers want to see. (You wonder whether the producers were high-fiving each other for having the sub-plot of Shawntel asking Ben for a rose when they saw Erika faint at the final rose ceremony.)
I don't blame Emily for having a meltdown against the likes of Courtney, and it shows that she is a real person. But the producers shouldn't market this show to the contestants as one where they can find true love. (How many of the Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants are still together?)
I suppose all the women on the show (and the men and women who have chased the bachelors/bachelorettes on past shows from season 2 onward) should do their due diligence, and if they had, they'd come to that realization themselves.
Finding true love is hard enough to find in real life. It's even harder to find on reality TV. The thing is, with what they put these poor contestants through, are the feelings they have when they make it to the final rose ceremony true love, or true elation for having been the last “survivor” on the show? I'd say the latter…
Anonymous says
If Ben ends with the despicable Courtney… that shall end my watching of any Bachelor Bachelorette shows. I don't say the others are better… I just think she's worst. She makes Blakely seems nice!
Anonymous says
Courtney is immature, period. I would say she is like a spoiled child, but that would be an insult to children everywhere. WTH was her comment “I can reach higher than anyone” during final toast. Give me a break??? She does not say these things teasingly or with a niceness about her. She is a game player, she wants the rose much more than she wants Ben. If he doesn't start to see that sooner rather than later then I agree, this season is not ending with a love interest for Ben. Emily needs to get over herself and concentrate on Ben or she is going to find herself going home very soon.
Kacie and Jennifer are by far the most genuine of the bunch.
Anonymous says
Ditto anonymous. First impression: Cortney is a female Bentley.
Anonymous says
Soooo right!
Anonymous says
I don't think his proposal to Ashley was genuine. He had to know that she was going to reject him, it didn't even look he meant it. When he started talking while on bended knee I started thinking, what?, this can't be real. It seemed staged. Yeah, it could have been nerves, but didn't seem genuine at all.
Eva says
She is a model. She was on the cover of Fitness magazine. Just google her name and you'll see a few of the jobs she's done. She's also done commercials and what not.
girl with a stethoscope says
Ugh can we move on to the bachelorette already??
I say Ben ends up with Courtney I mean clearly he is already smitten so we may as well just end the show.
I like Emily..I think she is very intelligent, beautiful, and very real. Kacie B is way too sweet and I am kind of surprised because from how they portray her, you'd think they would be setting her up to be the next bachelorette (hence another reason why I think Courtney will be the final girl).
Anonymous says
Right on, mamainga! I also like Kacie B. the best, with Jennifer as second. I hope Ben sees through Courtney, although I unfortunately think the producers have an input in telling Ben to keep Courtney on longer to keep the action going. I really hope Ben doesn't end up with C. If he does, he's dumber than I think. Emily is spot on about Courtney and I give her a lot of credit for speaking up to Ben about it, but don't see Ben picking Emily in the end. Kacie is the one for him!
Stacey B says
You guys posted some great comments – thanks for sharing your thoughts. As much as we may be opposed to Courtney (and the males seem to like her), it's doubtful that Ben ends up with her. First because he says in blogs how surprised he is at her behavior and also because in the end, the super hot scheming contestant never wins. Or that's what we hope.
littlepeach says
read littlepeach's bachelor recap!
http://littlepeach.ca/2012/01/24/bachelor-recap-episode-4/
Anonymous says
To pick up on what “girl with a stethoscope” (I had to check the spelling on that!), I think this season just confirms the difference between having a man or a woman as the decider. Ben's behavior is consistent with that of all past Bachelors. In the best case, like with Ben, we at least hope that they are going to be sincere and make decisions with an eye to finding long-term happiness, but every season it's the same: They whittle it down to the “hottest” women with little regard for common interest or a long-term future. I find the Bachelorette much more compelling . . . to the point that I wish they would just drop the Bachelor altogether. — Anonymous 9:43 AM
Anonymous says
But Courtney is not the “hottest” looking girl there. And Ben hasn't just chosen the “hottest.” He took a liking to Blakely, who is old, with an average face and fake teeth. Jennifer, whom Ben appears to like, is plain. Casie B is super cute, but not drop dead gorgeous, though she has a great body. Emily is very attractive, intelligent and incredibly articulate. Maybe too smart and too good for Ben, who, while he should get “credit” for exploring his vulnerabilities and opening up emotionally, is STILL emotionally immature. He just convinced himself, finally, during the middle of the last show that he could make himself emotionally available to find love after spending years keeping his emotions in check because of the death of his father. Then he went down on bended knee to Ashley like four dates and four weeks later.
Clearly, Ben is not emotionally mature or ready to marry, though he may “think” that he is because that's what he thinks people want him to tell them (like his mom and sister). He doesn't want to let them down. But he just doesn't seem ready to settle down.
But he clearly is ready to date, and kiss, and date, and kiss, and enjoy his newfound hotness/celebrity status. I read he went on a date with Jennifer Love Hewitt in between the last show and this one. I don't think Ben is as ready or stead to marry than any other guy presented with a wealth of beautiful women with no one he needs to compete against. (Another detraction from the show, actually, because in real life, dating doesn't work that way.)
Ben might ask one of these girls to marry him, but I doubt it has any chance of lasting. Another commentor mentioned how he should have kept Shawntel on even if it wasn't fair because if he truly thought she could be the one, why does it matter what the other girls who started out at the beginning of the show think? It's as if Ben was more concerned about not hurting other girls' feelings than finding true love. That demonstrated to me that Ben hasn't thought through what finding the One True Love really means, and that he was more interested in keeping his dating harem happy so as not to disapoint any of them. That's the mindset of a player; not the mindset of someone looking for true love.