Not a Great Year for Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky

ali and roberto

Ali and Roberto have called it quits. Count me among those who are not suprised.

It has not been a good year for Ali Fedotowsky. First she had a head injury in a kayaaking accident. Then she injured her leg kickboxing which required surgery on her femur. By August, she had left her job at Fox5 News San Diego and postponed the wedding. In October, she said there are no wedding plans. On Nov. 1, she was fretting about needing another knee surgery. And on Nov. 7, it was announced the Style Network wasn’t giving her a TV show after all (the show had been announced in April.) The only work I see she has now is on a shopping website called OpenSky. She has a PR firm, and a manager, but her website has been “under construction” forever.

Ali and Roberto didn’t seem to have a lot in common to me. She was bent on a show business career, signing with William Morris soon after her engagement, and then she had a gig on Fox 5 San Diego (now over.) He’s an insurance agent and a jock. What was there to talk about at dinner?

Who knows what went wrong. I think they are very different people, from their politics to their values. She’s much more of a free spirit, while he’s pretty traditional. She’s into clothes, fun and celebrity, he’s into sports and work. They lasted 18 months — probably not long enough under their contract with The Bachelorette to even keep the ring.

Here’s hoping next year is better for Ali. I suspect she’ll be moving to LA (if she’s not already there.) If she really has her heart set on a TV or broadcasting career, she should consider acting and speech lessons while she’s recuperating. She’s very telegenic, enthusiastic and facially expressive, and instantly recognizable, but her voice and speech cadence need a lot of work. The Bachelorette may be a short-cut to a media career for some, but it’s not a substitute for talent. Self-promotion and PR reps will only get you so far.

“Men Tell All”: Kirk’s Broken Heart

ET! The Bachelorette “Men Tell All” preview.

Poor Kirk. Or should we say lucky Kirk? Monday night is the “Men Tell All”, which typically isn’t much more than a placeholder until the Finale the following week.

Rumors are running the gambit between her picking Roberto, Chris and no one. Some are speculating she’s back with Frank. I think she’s single, and on the “After the Final Rose” episode which airs right after the finale, she’ll finally tell us why. Is she engaged, does she have a new love, go back to an old love, or does she have an incredible new job or career move? As of now, I’ll say it’s a new job or career venture.

The Bachelorette: Location Scoops for Last Chance Dates and Finale

Finale Estate Pool

Who gets what date on the season finale of The Bachelorette, filmed on Hawaii’s Big Island, and where did filming take place? Here are some scoops. Going further, KapohoKine Adventures says on their website they took Jillian and one of the F2 bachelors on this date:

Tune in and watch Jillian and one of the two final bachelors relax in style at one of the many breathtaking private locations available only to KapohoKine Adventures’ guests. After being flown over hot lava by private helicopter, then landing alongside a stunning, secluded waterfall for a gourmet Hawaiian barbecue followed by kayaking, champagne and frolicking with her man, Jillian allowed the magic of Hawaii and the aloha spirit to relax her soul and guide her heart in her quest for true love.

The second date was arranged by Captain Zodiac Adventures. Here’s their press release about the date (pdf): Continue reading

Bachelorette’s Wes Hayden Says “The Gloves Are Off”

Country music singer Wes Hayden, who as I’ve frequently written, is mad as h*ll about the way he was edited on the Bachelorette, is coming out swinging.

Wes Hayden

Hayden was portrayed as a ruthless player who wasn’t on the show to find love, but instead had a secret girlfriend and a larger motive to promote his singing career. Now Hayden says he’s on a mission to clear his name. He is denying that he had a girlfriend while taping the show, and he says he’s a victim of creative editing.

“I signed a contract with them, so I knew they could portray my character any way they saw fit,” Hayden said. “But they have totally slandered me and taken my words and put them out of context. They cut, they paste, they left vital sentences out.”

Sounds like Wes has lawyered up and a battle may be brewing. I’ll bet it’s good for both Wes and the show. Jillian Harris may have moved on to Ed, Kip or Reid (yes, he may return, remember it’s the revolving door season) but Wes is between a rock and a hard place. Either he stays silent and endures hate mail and concert cancellations due to the allegedly phony editing, or he plays David to Goliath and fights back against ABC.

He’s got a growing following on Facebook, My Space and Twitter. And, he’s ramping up his media interviews. Continue reading