Trouble in Bachelor Town?

Every season, the day after the airing of the Final Rose ceremony and After the Final Rose show, the happy couple from the Bachelor/Bachelorette do a teleconference call with the media and answer questions. When they are done, the rejected Final 2 contestant comes on the call to answer questions.

Another staple every season: The happy couple begins their media tour right after the final show. Usually, they go on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and then a morning show. Then they hit the talk show circuit. Within a few weeks, they fade into obscurity as attention focuses on the next season.

The first sign of trouble in paradise came earlier this week when ABC posted its press release of the post-show teleconference. Brad Womack and the woman he chose, whom everyone says is Emily Maynard, will not be on the call. Instead, host Chris Harrison will be on the call to talk about them (translation: dto do damage control.) After that, Brad’s rejected F2 (Chantal O’Brien) will answer questions. The second sign of trouble was learning that the couple won’t be on Jimmy Kimmel Live after the final show airs. Instead, he’ll be announcing the next Bachelorette.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that interest in Brad and Emily will be greatest — and ratings highest –in the hours and days immediately following the final show’s airing. ABC and The Bachelor aren’t in this for a love story, they are in it for money. The contestants are bound by contract to appear on media shows as requested. There’s no way the Bachelor would give the couple a pass. It’s contrary to their financial interest. So, the question is: Did Brad and Emily break up? And, are they together now, or not? Continue reading

Bachelor Brad Ending: Who Makes Him a Better Person?

We don’t need Reality Steve’s spoilers or even sleuthers when we have Brad Womack himself giving away the ending to this season’s The Bachelor. He does all but shout he’s picked Emily Maynard:

Teleconference with Brad 12/15/10, after filming but before show began airing on what he’s looking for:

I’ve always wanted to wind up with somebody that is just genuinely sweet and that is just as much of a friend as anything else and so I found that and you know it’s someone that makes me want me to be a better person.

Discussing Emily in last week’s South Africa episode (in video clip above):

Emily is one in a million….the person I am around Emily, I’m a much better person. I’m myself, but a much better self.

Brad on Emily (3/5, People)

“She went through a tough situation with the plane crash,” Womack, 38, says, “and becoming a single mom. But she rose to the occasion beautifully and I admire that. She makes me a better person when I am around her.”

Game over. Congratulations, Brad and Emily.

Reality Steve Throws a Fastball: It’s Emily, Not Chantal

Oh, no. After believing Reality Steve all season that Brad Womack’s final rose goes to Chantal O’Brien and the couple are happily engaged, he now tells us he was wrong and Brad is engaged to Emily. He also says Chantal turned down the Bachelorette gig for next season, and that’s how we end up with Ashley in that spot.

RS says it doesn’t matter why his sources were wrong. I’m not convinced of that. I think people will still follow his spoilers in future seasons, but no one will rely on them. They will be just another piece of the puzzle. Which is a good thing, because sleuthing the seasons, as they do at FORT, is the most fun.

The final question: Is this latest spoiler from RS what really happens?

In tonight’s episode, you will see Brad tell Emily on their overnight date that he’s falling in love with her. He hasn’t said this to anyone else this season
-Ricki is NOT part of the finale and is not brought to South Africa
-It is a regular final rose ceremony in terms of the presentation. Brad doesn’t pull an Ali and let Chantal go early. He makes her do the whole song and dance, says whatever he says, then rejects her

At least RS copped to his mistake, didn’t try and pass blame and apologized to those affected, from Brad to Chantal to readers. And thanks to FORT for breaking the new ending over the weekend.