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.

We've got big snow in the mountains and fierce winds in Denver. If you're in the neighborhood of either and looking for something to do tonight, and a fan of vintage clothing or the Bachelor/Bachelorette, head up to Breckenridge for the opening party for Vintage Sweet and Chic, at 215 South Main.

The store is co-owned by former Bachelor contestant Ann Csincsak, married to former Bachelorette winner and snowboarder Jesse Csincsak, and Katie Meyer. A bunch of former Bach/B'ette contestants will be there, as well as Evel Dick from Big Brother and some current and former Survivor contestants.

Here's a list of attending reality TV folks:

* Natalie Getz – Bachelor 13 /Bachelor Pad 1
* Erica Rose – Bachelor Rome /Bachelor Pad 2
* Jeff Medolla – Mask guy from Bachelorette 7
* Richard Mathy – Bachelorette 4
* John Hardesty – Bachelorette 5
* Kirsten Pittman – Bachelor 14
* Mark Huebner – Bachelorette 5 (pizza guy from Denver)
* Suzie Williams – Bachelor 5
* Eliza Orlins – Survivor
* Jim Rice – Survivor (Medical marijuana dispensary owner from Denver, show still airing)
* Evel Dick Donato (Big Brother)

I've looked at many of the store's offerings online and think Ann and Katy have quite a knack for picking good stuff. The prices are really affordable. I think this shop will be a hit.

It starts at 7 pm with a “red carpet.” If you can't go in person, you can follow on Twitter, just start with Jesse and you'll find the rest of them. I hope they post pictures of what Baby Noah wears to the event.

The X-Factor seemed to start off on a bad note when it dropped British judge Cheryl Cole. Replacement judge Nicole Scherzinger didn't seem to me like a good fit during auditions. But now that it's clear the judges' role is not just to vote every week, but to train their assigned group of contestants, I've changed my mind. I can't see Cheryl Cole coaching any of these teams to musical super-stardom. Nicole may be lacking in the magnetic personality department (as she was on DWTS, which she won) but after watching the judges' home segments, I think she'll be a winner as a coach.

It was definitely a struggle to stick with the show through the weeks of auditions. L.A. Reid and Simon were the only reasons I kept watching. For the most part, the contestants were either very physically unappealing or far too young. But in the end, with tonight's selection of the final 17, it was worth it and made for pretty riveting TV.

The X-Factor is not the same as American Idol. To say it’s more emotional is an understatement. It’s like Queen for a Day on steroids. There's the homeless guy, the garbage collector/recovering drug addict (sober now 70 days); the emotionally battered wife/mother; the precocious 13 year old going on 30; the 14 year old reincarnation of Taylor Swift; the baby rapper; the hot likeable tart; the overweight, stringy- haired white guy with acne who makes burritos and has a voice that blows away most of the competition, and the 59 year old “sleeper”.

Aside from the non-exciting group category the show handed off to Paula, for entertainment purposes, I think the show got the finalists right tonight. It's not just about the voice but creating a star. What makes a star? The undefinable X-Factor, of course. That intangible quality you can’t define but you know it when you see it. The finalists are all talented, but in addition, they either have a compelling sad-sack story or are immensely watchable.

There will be a fierce competition between L.A. Reid, coaching the “boys” and Simon Cowell coaching the “girls.” Talent-wise, I think Nicole has the edge with the over-30 group, but can any of them be turned into a superstar? I would have thought “no” until I saw the show's final promo at the end. The X-Factor might have the best makeup/makeover department in television. They made every one of them look attractive with star-power. Even Josh Krajcik looked good.

As suspenseful as the show tried to be tonight, the choices were pretty obvious. The ones they focused on from week 1, and whose stories they repeated every week, all made it. Did anyone doubt Stacy Francis, Chris Rene, Rachel Crowe, Tiah Tolliver or Drew Ryniewicz would make it? Even Melanie Amparo's return at the end wasn't surprising — they spent too much time on her during the audition weeks.

My favorites:

• Over-30's: Stacy Francis and Josh Krajcik are both knockout singers. Weaker: Leroy Bell. Weakest: Dexter Haygood.
• Boys: Chris Rene, Brian Bradley and Marcus Canty. Phillip Lomax is the weaker link.
• Girls: Rachel Crow and Tiah Tolliver. Yes, Melanie Amaro has a better voice but I think she lacks the star power and personality and I think Tiah is more compelling to watch. Weaker links: Simone Battle and even though she's a fan favorite, Drew Ryniewicz.
• Groups: I have none. This category and Paula are unnecessary filler.

From Simon's cockiness about ratings that haven't materialized, to the mid-audition shift in judges and being bumped by baseball, the X-Factor has been challenged from the get-go. As much as I enjoy watching Simon Cowell, and I really do, I don't expect anyone to feel sympathy for him. He's far too rich, arrogant and self-absorbed. In the end, I don't think we'll need to. Turning the X-Factor in Queen for a Day is a great twist. There's nothing America likes more than watching people at the most miserable point in their lives rise up from the ashes and succeed. American Idol doesn't give us that.

Hate her or not, the whiny, obnoxious Rachel was the only finalist who deserved to win. And win she did, by only one vote, which surprisingly came from Shelley (who probably voted for her to to get further back into Jordan and Jeff’s good graces.) And what a surprise (not): After repeating ad nauseum all week he would vote for the person who won round 3 and the most competitions, Adam voted for his friend and fellow newbie, the sleeper/lounger extraordinaire, Porsche.

The season’s biggest losers: Take your pick.

Porsche and Adam didn’t even belong in the Final 3. While Porshe slept and sunbathed, Adam waddled from side to side and was both boring and a boor to watch. (Watchng Adam was about as bad as watching Kalia eat non-stop from morning till nite.)

None of the others, including Brendan, were more than a blip on the radar screen.

But let’s end on a positive note: Jeff was America’s favorite (and Jordan played a big role in that) — well deserved.

And yes to the teamwork we saw from Jordan and Rachel.

Time to step it up Big Brother. Now that you are renewed for Season 14, please choose some more interesting contestants. This season was so bad even those of us who hated Rachel had to root for her to win.

What a season for Bachelor Pad. Trashy Vienna came close to ruining the season, followed by the supremely self-delusional Kasey and the unhinged Melissa.

Holly and Michael and Michelle and Graham not only saved the show, they elevated it, from what began and for most of the season remained, an almost unwatchable whine-fest.

Michelle put her unlikable Bachelor Brad character behind her, and clam-like, wooden Graham finally showed us a glimpse of a personality. They are a good couple, they actually humanize each other. Graham seems to have grown up since his spoiled-boy days on Deanna’s season. They might actually make it, and I hope they do.

Michael and Holly have a similar, uncanny trait: their feelings instantly show on their faces. It’s not acting, or even a conscious disregard of the cameras. It’s just how they are– simple, uncomplicated souls who feel rather than think everything to death.

You had to know Michael and Holly were done romantically when Brett Michaels sang to them. Watching them sitting through the song, knowing it was too late for them, was so awkward. Even Brett Michaels knew it. But that was nothing compared to tonight, with Michael getting blindsided by Holly and Blake’s engagement. It was easily the most awkward moment in Bachelor history — it even outdid Jake and Vienna’s blow-up. And Michael was priceless: “Can’t I get a glass of water? Or a commercial break?” He came back quick and classy, as always. But I’d still rather be friends with Holly.

Holly is a very upbeat person. She’s always giggling. But the whole season on Bachelor Pad, she never laughed with Michael. She just sat there stone-faced. He could never answer her question: Why is he so sure he’s in love with her now, when he had three months before the show to change his mind about dumping her? If there had been no Blake and no threat, would he be so sure she was the love of his life again? Michael does have some growing up to do.

Holly was her happy self around Blake. Who cares that no one else liked him? He was no better or worse than the others. He’s a dentist who goes on national dating shows for excitement who happened to fall in love. More power to him.

Blake lit up like a Christmas tree tonight talking about Holly before revealing she’s moving to South Carolina and they are engaged. All night, he was beaming, just looking at her. Good for him for knowing what he wanted and going for it. And not being intimidated by Michael’s “woe is me” attitude in the house. (And especially for not caving to the insufferable Melissa. )

So it’s no surprise that Holly and Michael won, they played the game and took risks while Graham and Michelle stayed in the shadows to avoid controversy. That’s not playing, that’s surviving. Michael won some challenges, but Holly made the biggest play of the game, sending Blake home out of loyalty to her game partner Michael. I’m glad they got the majority of the votes and that they each decided to split the money. Although that was a given, no matter how the show tried to make it suspenseful.

Props to Erica for the best one-liners of the season. She was always ready with a clever, biting quip and most were spot-on.

One person who I like who ended up a bit of a disappointment was Ella. She seemed more genuine and less prissy than she was on Jason’s season. But after repeating every chance she got that she needed the money the most because she was a single parent and wanted to buy a house for her and her son because no one else would, she decided to have extensive plastic surgery — after she lost and knew she didn’t win the money. And the bad judgment to brag about it to Life and Style — nose, breasts and liposection Even though Erica’s father, who performed the surgery, probably gave her a huge discount, it probably wasn’t comped entirely. I assume she got a cash bonus for making it to the final four on Bachelor Pad. But if she was honest about her need for the money, why not put it aside for her son or their house?

Erica’s dad did a good job on Ella. he also did Vienna’s nose. (What other reason would Vienna and Kasey have for spending a week at Erica’s house in Houston? ) So Erica’s dad is 1-1. Vienna’s nose job is a bust from the profile view.

No need to write about Jake, he’s as transparent a fame wh* as his ex, Vienna and the unappealing Justin. Will he get some B-rated reality TV show, start flashing some money, resulting in Vienna leaving Kasey to go back to him? I wouldn’t be surprised. I don’t believe for a second he went on Bachelor Pad for closure with Vienna. He just wanted to use the show to audition for a new role.

Jackie was a whiner tonight. Hint: Rent a copy of “He’s Just Not That Into You” and get over it. Ames was right for cutting it off sooner rather than later, once he realized she wasn’t the secure, independent person he thought she was. And Ali, the dark-haired one, no matter how hard she tries, she’s never going to get attention. She doesn’t have “it.” She reminds me of Nikki from Jake’s season. TV and stardom aren’t in their cards.

Gia was a quitter this season. She was way better on Bachelor Pad last season. She needs to toughen up, and realize she has assets that can take her much further than the Bachelor franchise ever will. She’s beautiful and has a modeling background — she should get a contract with a cosmetics company. And stop wearing her heart on her sleeve.

Anyway, to sum up, the final four represented Bachelor Pad at its best, salvaging a season so filled with cheap drama it was almost unbearable.

On to Ben as the next Bachelor. He was the best guy Ashley had on her season, but I wonder if he’s too meek and introspective for the role. Hopefully the Bachelor knows this and will compensate by casting some outrageous female contestants we will love to hate. I suspect he’s doing this to promote his wine business, not to find love, but knowing the Bachelor, he’ll end up head over heels.

I’m already thinking ahead to the next Bachelorette: Emily, please reconsider and say yes.

Reality Steve has some spoilers on Bachelorette Ashley Hebert’s first dates and several of the 25 contenders vying for her roses.

• Tuesday, March 15: Meet and Greet, 25 guys
• Thursday, March 17: 1 on 1 date-Bellagio, Las Vegas
• Friday, March 18, group date , Monte Carlo Hotel (Jabbawockeez show) Las Vegas
• Saturday, March 19, 1 on 1 date, Ryan “Mickey” McLean , Mandalay Bay (private concert from Colbie Caillat performing her song “I Do”) Las Vegas
• Monday, March 21, 1 on 1 date, Ben Castoriani, Americana at Brand outdoor mall in Glendale (flash mob video), Los Angeles
• First week of April: Filming in Phuket, Thailand

Two contestants who may be around for awhile: New Orleans lawyer Ben Castoriani:

and Ryan “Mickey” McLean, a chef from Ohio.

Another contestant: Ben Flajnik of Evolve Winery.

Benjamin Flajnik is and always has been an entrepreneur at heart. Benjamin studied music production in college and crafted his own wine and beer on the side. He then set out in the field of Internet advertising and soon realized his true passion was outside: creating, crafting, and getting his hands dirty. Benjamin was born and raised in Sonoma, California, which provided him the appropriate foundation for his passion for wine and the art of winemaking. Benjamin is currently studying winemaking at UC Davis and has worked in the alcoholic beverage industry on/off for the past eight years.

I’ll be excited to see where will they film. For Phuket, maybe they will be at The Banyan Tree. Or the JW Marriott. It seems too early in the season for aa resort like Amanpuri, which would be perfect for a Fantasy Suite Date or the Final Rose Ceremony, but you never know. Will they also go to Bangkok? And Chiang Mai? Both would make for great date places.

Bachelor creator Mike Fleiss explains the show’s success today in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Shorter version: The Bachelor owns the romance field, everyone else can just step aside. He’s right about that.

He also has a favorite word. “Goofball.” As in Reality Steve:

EW: Reality Steve spent most of the season predicting that Chantal will be the winner. Once he owned up to being wrong, fans crowed that he had been `Fleiss’d.’ Did you or anyone involved in the show feed him misinformation?

FLEISS: I wish I could take credit but he duped himself. He’s nuts, a goofball. He says these things with 100 percent conviction but he’s right only half of the time. It doesn’t matter that much to us, it’s just that he acts like he knows everything. He’s the Michele Bachmann of reality TV facts. But the leaks are not really coming from production. They’re coming from former cast members. That’s a hard thing to police. The best way to combat him is to let himself shoot himself in the foot.

The Michele Bachmann of reality tv facts? Ouch! But it’s nice to know Mr. Fleiss has his politics right. Makes me like him more.

As to RS’s sources, he doesn’t sound concerned. He says they aren’t coming from production, but from past contestants, and there’s little control over that. Except I can’t believe he’s not tempted to feed some false information to selective past contestants. What better way to ferret out the leakers, than feed them a highly specific, false piece of info. Then, when Reality Steve runs with it, he’d know where it came from. I’m not entirely convinced that’s not what happened this year with RS being wrong about Chantal. In which case, Fleiss knows perfectly well who RS’s source was on that one.

Who else is a goofball according to Fleiss? Chantal’s new boyfriend. He confirms Chantal turned down being the Bachelorette.

EW: Did you ask Chantal O’Brien?

FLEISS: Yeah, Chantal quite possibly would have been our bachelorette, if she hadn’t not, quote-unquote,’ fallen in love with some goofball in Seattle. I’m sure they’ll be together forever.

Another revelation from Fleiss: They won’t be going back to unknowns, but will continue to pick future contestants from their in house stables.

And on the lack of ethnic diversity: “Oh, we have to wedge African-American chicks in there! We always want to cast for ethnic diversity, it’s just that for whatever reason, they doen’t come forward. I wish they would.”

Fleiss says there are more viewers than the ratings indicate:

We did 20 million viewers on Monday and have another cover of People magazine, despite the fact there is some really important stuff going on [in the world]. There’s a degree of absurdity to that. But I think our ratings are way higher. People watch this show in groups.

While I’m not thrilled about Ashley, the vanilla dental school student cast as the next Bachelorette, I’m hopeful the guys she dates and the date locations will make it worth watching. The more money Fleiss and the Bachelor rake in, the more money they can put in the production budget, and that just means a better show for viewers.

EW didn’t ask Fleiss about Brad and Emily and I’m not surprised. I doubt he cares. This is a numbers gamae to him. He just wants people talking about the show. What happens in real life to the participants is hardly his concern. As he says,

You’d be hard pressed to find people in the country who didn’t know what happened on Monday. For a show to be on 10 years, it’s a miracle!

Fleiss, whose 2008 deal with Warner Brothers’ Horizon TV division has made him one ot the most highly paid reality tv producers, can crow all he wants as far as I’m concerned — so long as he keeps delivering, and I’m betting he will.

The Bachelorette starts shooting tonight in LA and begins airing on May 23.

The Bachelor season ended not with a romantic proposal, a twirl, and declarations of undying love, but with a breakup. It was no secret Brad would propose to Emily and she would accept. The question was going to be, are they still together?

The final rose ceremony was filmed in South Africa on November 19. The “After the Final Rose” show taped last week, which means while both aired tonight, one occurred four months after the other in real time. A lot can happen in 4 months.

As soon as the ATFR began, Chris Harrison, looking tired, stressed or botoxed, take your pick, announced that the couple had already split once since leaving South Africa, and hadn’t seen each other in the past month. Later, Chris throws in another bombshell: Brad and Emily were supposed to get married on the ATFR show, which had been planned to film in Anguilla, where the couple fell in love. But Emily called it off.

Chantal came out first, looking terrific in red, then Brad came out, and Chantal, like the good-sport she is, asked the pertinent questions aimed at getting closure. It didn’t go the way she wanted.

Emily also looked beautiful, with a new hairdo in a darker blond (or maybe just added lowlights) and a shorter cut. We also got to see she has a personality, something the show tried to hide all season. She was tough, spontaneous, and funny — who would have guessed? She complained about her “edit” — the boring, poised lady edit — and insisted that if she had gotten the dates Chantal got, she would have had fun too.

So why did they break up? According to Emily, it was Brad’s temper. They have been having knock-down -drag-out fights. Emily says she has a temper too. As a result, Emily says she loves Brad, but they have to work on the the “way they fight” and she’s not moving to Austin anytime soon. Brad says he will keep working to convince her. Secondary reason: Emily was very uncomfortable watching Brad’s serial kissing of the other contestants all season.

Emily seemed to be in apology mode the whole show. She kept rubbing Brad’s arm, locking arms with him and telling him she loved him. Brad kept insisting how much he loves her, but his body language didn’t match his words. He was stiff and physically unresponsive. Either he is scared to death of her, or he already knows she’s going to break his heart and knows there’s nothing he can do to prevent it.

Chances these two will get married? Not great. I wonder if Brad has any idea of who Emily is as a person, or whether he simply created a persona based on his idea of a perfect Emily. He has her on such a pedestal. How can she ever match up in the real world? The reality will never live up to the image and the dream.

That said, I hope Brad and Emily make it. He really believes she is the woman of his dreams. And tonight, a week after the taping of the After the Final Rose. Emily is with Brad in Austin, hanging out one of the four bars Brad owns with his brothers and partner Jason. Jason took this happy picture of Brad and Emily. You can find it and more at JasonCarrier1 on twitter.

A word about Chantal. She had a very classy exit, maintained her dignity and her face didn’t crumble. Just little (crocodile?) tears. A poster at FORT had some words of advice for Brad, after seeing Chantal, stunning in a one shouldered smoking hot red dress: (From the Eagle’s song, Desperado:)

Don’t you draw the queen of diamonds, boy
She’ll beat you if she’s able
You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet

Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones that you can’t get

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?

Reality Steve, whose initial information this season was wrong, today says he has a new scoop. As much as I’d like not to believe him, what he writes is exactly what I’ve been thinking all week and makes too much sense not to be true. Bottom line: Brad and Emily got engaged, and then broke up. Right now they are back together, but it’s anyone’s guess what will happen. There’s trouble in paradise.

That may explain why the After the Final Rose Show will feature three past couples, with only a short segment with Brad and Emily. One, the show needed filler. And two, as Steve suggests:

The ATFR almost seemed like an intervention from the shows successful couples to tell them how to make it. Almost like a pep talk….

I have never thought Emily Maynard would uproot herself and her child from Charlotte, NC, and move to Austin, TX, after dating a guy a handful of times over three months. She’s only 25 years old, and for her entire adult life she’s been known as a “Hendricks.” She’s been very connected to them, financially and otherwise. I can’t imagine the Hendricks want their grandaughter moving to Austin, TX. They may not have a direct say in the matter, but I suspect they’ve made their feelings known and raised concerns.

Also, Emily and Brad come from very different economic backgrounds. Emily comes from money — her father is a wealthy businessman , and the Hendricks are very wealthy. She and her late fiance, Ricky Hendricks IV, met in Key West where both sets of parents were building multi-million dollar second homes. Brad Womack owns four bars in Austin, with his brothers and another business partner, but he is not a wealthy man, not by the Maynard-Hendricks standard. Nor does he live the lifestyle she’s accustomed to.

Brad is 38. Emily is 25 with a 5 year old daughter. Neither have ever been married or raised a child with a partner. (Emily’s fiancee died before she learned she was pregnant.) They have no friends in common and don’t share a common lifestyle. For Brad, leaving Austin is not an option. Emily has to be wondering whether it’s too soon to be making such huge changes in her and her daughter’s lives and losing the only support system she’s ever had as an adult.

There’s no question Brad believes he’s head over heels in love with Emily. Emily seems enamored of Brad. But she doesn’t seem head over heels in love with him. She may just be in love with how much he professes to love her.

When Brad and Emily broke up, I’m sure the show and network pulled out all its stops to get them back together, from offering therapy to getaways. They’ve even enlisted couples from past seasons to give them encouragement. And they may be together now, but even if it’s real as opposed to for show, I doubt it will be for long. There’s trouble in paradise, and this is not a couple who is going to make it to the altar.

Chris Harrison told Extra last month that Brad made the right choice “for him.” He stressed “for him.” Apparently, it may not have been the right choice for Emily. And clearly, their current relationship, if they even have one for real, is far too fragile to withstand media interviews.

I have to say, I don’t blame Brad Womack. He fell in love and proposed. He didn’t wimp out. Unfortunately, as the show has alluded to in previews all season long, the question was always, would the woman he chose be able to love him back? Emily may want to love Brad, but she can’t make the leap. She’s too young and still too much a part of the Hendricks’ family, brand and lifestyle, to be able to make the break. And the more Brad pleads, the weaker he will seem to her, until she breaks it off completely.

To add to this sorry state of affairs, the show has picked a completely uninteresting woman to be the next Bachelorette. Ashley Hebert has as much appeal as going to the dentist (a profession she’s aspiring to, but willing to delay while she takes a second shot at reality tv stardom.) She’s hyperactive, she alternates between shrieks and giggles and clamming up emotionally, she’s not alluring or sexy, her head is too big for her body and she’s as bland as they come. Who wants to turn on their TV only to see the white bread girl next door?

Will I watch? Yes, to see the guys. But if they’re as bland as they were during Ali’s season, not for long.

Thanks to TV Grapevine for posting this extended video of Bachelor Brad Womack as he brings Emily Maynard and Chantal O’Brien to meet his family and on the last chance dates. It’s pretty obvious from the video that Brad is telling Emily she’s the one. He keeps saying he wants to be Ricki’s real father.

It’s also pretty obvious that Chantal knows on the last chance date that Brad is not choosing her. (Its usually the F2 who gets the shark date. ) I think she has known since their treehouse date — another unromantic date (Outdoors, lots of bugs, no jacuzzi, no real bathroom, no luxury. It was worse than a camping date.) Props to Chantal for being the good trooper and going through with the Final Rose Ceremony knowing she was being rejected. I’m not surprised she turned the Bachelorette part down, even before she had a new boyfriend. The show was not kind to to her in the editing.

Ashley Hebert, who will be announced as the next Bachelorette on the Jimmy Kimmel show Monday night, is a disappointing choice for the role. All we can do is hope the guys are worth watching in her season.

The spoilers ruined this season. First with Reality Steve being wrong about Chantal being F-1, then saying 100% that it’s Emily, and then that Ashley will be the next Bachelorette. Even if he turns out to be right about the last two spoilers, it doesn’t make up for the first false spoiler about Chantal. His cocky insistence it positively was Chantal colored our viewing the whole season, until we learned he was wrong (and he later confirmed it.) It was nice of him to do a mea culpa, but it doesn’t restore his credibility. The only good thing to come out of Reality Steve’s false Chantal spoiler is that next season we’ll return to sleuthing, because Reality Steve’s information just can’t be taken as the final word.

On the finale, filmed November 19, 2010, we’ll see Brad head over heels with Emily and the idea of a ready-made family. What will be their status now, almost four months later, filmed this week for the “After the Final Rose” show? Have Emily and Ricki moved to Austin? Are they living with Brad? Are Brad and Emily still together? Will they announce a wedding date?

Common sense tells us if Emily and Ricki are living in Austin, they didn’t just move in with Brad. Brad and Emily need to shop for a home together (his loft is too small), and they will want to bring Ricki along so she feels she’s a part of the process (and it comes of less of a shock when they do move in together. ) Nor could the Bachelor chance having some realtor spill the beans before the FRC. It took Brad and Emily took the whole season to show any emotion for each other. It was like watching paint dry. I suspect their post-engagement plans will be the same — deliberately slow, not rushing into anything, and keeping their cards close to the vest.

I think Emily is a better match for Brad than Chantal. I’m not sure Brad is so great for Emily, or that she won’t get bored by him over time, or want to return to Charlotte for the prestige that being part of the Hendricks clan brings. Had Brad chosen Chantel, I think she’d have fit in really well with his life in Austin. But if Brad wasn’t feeling it for Chantal, then he made the right decison…for him. Time will tell if it’s also the right decision for Emily and Ricki.