Did Reality Steve, who released the first spoilers at the beginning of the season that Ali ends up alone get Fleissed? Or did Fleiss himself get Fleissed by Reality Steve? Today, Reality Steve admits he got Fleissed. He says his sources were wrong, Ali ends up engaged to Roberto and Chris leaves early.
Chris leaving early is nothing new. The show practically spoon-fed it to us in previews. That Ali chooses Roberto is also nothing new — or at least it’s something that has been predicted here and at FORT for weeks as the most likely ending (if for no other reason than Roberto has been MIA since filming ended while Chris has been out and about.) Roberto as F1 has been evident as well, except to those who had a different favored outcome (like wanting the F1 to be Chris.) I wrote last week, it is likely to end with “A final rose ceremony with only one guy. The suspense might be in “Will Roberto Accept?” rather than “Who did Ali Choose?” (My tweak on it, which probably won’t happen, was to further speculate she proposes to Roberto rather than the other way around.)
This weekend, the ending became even more obvious. The New York Post had an article with new comments by Bachelorette producer Mike Fleiss and Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky. The money quotes:
Fleiss: “The audience is going to be very satisfied with the outcome.”… “I think it ends up pretty well for her. I think she’s happy.”
Ali: “The finale is really good. Sometimes they can seem very orchestrated. This one is very real,…I feel like I made the best decision that I could.”
She made it clear she’s over Frank:
“Regardless of how this turns out — whether I’m with someone or not — I’m so grateful to have finally realized I don’t have to marry a guy like Frank,” says Fedotowsky. “I don’t want the chase. I want a guy like Chris or Roberto. It’s important for a woman to be with a man who adores her. That’s something you realize when you’re a grown up and I’m finally a grown up.”
Translation: The audience would not be happy if Ali’s final choice rejected her. So scratch off Ali being dumped at the Final Rose Ceremony.
But Chris Harrison is still making it sound like Reality Steve was right and she picks no one.
“What happened with Frank really set things in motion and really set her off,” Harrison said. “She was falling in love with the guy and he was falling in love with her. When she got to Chris and Roberto, from the last-chance dates on, it’s a completely different finale.”
And a finale that will have fans talking about the decision, he says. She feels like she really got her life in order and has come to terms with what she’s done,” Harrison said. “I think they’ll appreciate what she does. It will be interesting to see how the fans react. I think I know but I always have to wait to Tuesday morning to see how the fans react.”
The audience would not be happy if Ali didn’t choose either Roberto or Chris. Both of their edits have been too pristine. No one would understand if she rejected both. The only option that leaves the audience happy: She chooses Roberto or Chris and there’s a happy ending. Which one does she choose? It has to be Roberto. Why? Again, because he’s the one who has been missing in action since the finale was filmed.
As for their happier ever after, it’s likely to be on Dancing With the Stars. I predicted a few weeks ago Roberto would seek it and get the slot, but according to Reality Steve, both will be on, competing against each other. So of course, for Ali, life is perfect. She chose her guy and gets to be on DWTS.
As for Chris as next bachelor, I’m sure he has every intention of turning it down. It’s rumored he has already rejected the deal a few times, even with subsequent offers of more money and maybe even promises of a good edit. Since money has a way of convincing even the most principled (except maybe Kiptyn and Reid), I won’t be surprised if he does signs on in the end. He’d make a great bachelor and what an easy gig (since the season is much more about the women than than the guy.) Memo to Fleiss: Keep upping the ante, he’ll come around. (Update: Rumor has it he’s turned it down for good and the next Bachelor will be Casey James of American Idol. )
Final word: Great job, Mike Fleiss & co. You punked Reality Steve and by extension, those of us who have come to trust his spoilers. Hopefully next season we’ll get back to sleuthing and have learned our lesson to skip the spoilers.
Congrats to Ali and Roberto. It was a very romantic and satisfying ending.