You thought we were experiencing some hot and steamy days here on Long Island—well they’re nothing compared to what the promo highlights are promising when Kaitlyn Bristowe, the latest Bachelorette, faces the men she sent home on The Men Tell All.
Preshow
For me, (my sister and friends), this is the one episode we could skip. It usually rehashes hurt feelings, allows the losing contestants to confront the Bachelor/Bachelorette and is a general waste of time when the viewing public really wants to get to ‘the final rose’ and find out who won.
Not tonight however. This season, like no other, has been fraught with twists and turns. To her discredit, Kaitlyn’s two remaining choices are men who have been at each other’s throats for most of the season. Nick Viall, a returning bachelor from the Andy Dorfman season, got under everyone’s skin by arriving late to the game and staying. Shawn Booth spent most of the season tortured and annoyed by Nick. Kaitlyn let Ben H go last week, but rumors have it that he will be the next Bachelor. You go, Ben H! You deserve it. Ben H proved to be a gentleman right to the end.
From all indications, The Men Tell All will be as heated on coast to coast TV as the sweltering sun has been on all of us these last few days.
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The men prepare to "tell all" on The Bachelorette! Photo: ABC/Rick Rowell[/caption]
Showtime: From Sizzle to Fizzle
Host, Chris Harrison, introduces the men left behind and builds up expectations by calling this season the most controversial Bachelorette show ever. But we quickly go from sizzle to fizzle.
First up is Ian. You recall his remarks when he was on his way off the show. He called the other bachelors lame and shallow, then insulted Kaitlyn. Tonight, however, Ian the former tiger showed up as a lamb, apologizing on bended knee to the other contestants. Ian even accepted Tanner’s insults appearing to own them fully. Tanner laced into him, “You never gave us a chance. Princeton needs to teach a class in how not to be a ____.” Ian admitted, “I regret the way I left and I’m sorry. I want to apologize to you guys, to Kaitlyn, to Kaitlyn’s mom and to my mom. This is who I really am.” It’s a surprising about face after so much bravado during the regular season. One must question his sudden change of heart and, as it turns out, it seems he got bumped from the cover of Princeton’s alumni magazine, so maybe that was the reason we saw a completely contrite Ian. I remain suspect of his motives.
Next is Clint and JJ’s bromance. They both swear they are not gay. JJ says that Clint was someone he could talk to and nothing more happened. JJ says, “There wasn’t a lot of meat to the relationship.” Was that a euphemism or what?
The bachelors were pretty low key, all except for Corey who seemed to have some ax to grind. He’s critical of Clint and JJ. Corey says Kaitlyn should apologize to the bachelors for bringing Nick into the mix. Corey didn’t even last that long on the show. He didn’t have much invested, so I don’t get why he is so angry now. Kupah chimes in with Corey by saying, “It was unfair for Nick to sucker his way into the show.” Why should Kupah care since he was gone even before Nick’s arrival?
Some of the other contestants actually said they understood Kaitlyn wanting to give herself every opportunity to find the right man. I think that was pretty big of them for understand Nick’s sudden appearance and Kaitlyn keeping him, especially since he is one of the two men left standing.
It’s hot seat time and one by one Chris Harrison invites JJ, Ben Z, Jared and Ben H to sit down. A retrospective of each of their journeys with Kaitlyn is played, followed by some banter with each man. Ben Z admits to being very uncomfortable during the mock eulogy of Kaitlyn since he was very young when his mom passed away. Jared said that he moved on, but he still has feelings for Kaitlyn. Ben H, oh, if you didn’t go off to that shower leaving Shawn and Kaitlyn alone for her now famous admission to Shawn that ‘he is the one’ who knows what could have happened.
Soon it is time for Kaitlyn to face her rejected bachelors. The big surprise of the evening was when Chris Harrison reveals the cyber-bullying and threats that Kaitlyn has been receiving. Harrison reads two tweets and one email that represent many mean and nasty messages she received calling her the worst Bachelorette in history and even stooping to call her a whore. In reality, she just might be the most honest Bachelorette in the show’s history. She followed her heart for all to see on coast to coast TV.
The love that both Ben H and Jared still harbor for Kaitlyn is apparent, and she seems to have feelings for them as well. Ian, who expressed regrets to the guys earlier, gives Kaitlyn a letter and offers his sincerest apology for saying such inappropriate things to her on the show.
Kaitlyn’s decision has been made or has it? Speculation has it that she doesn’t take either man in the end. My take, if she picks one of them, it will be Shawn. Nick will wind up in the same exact spot he was in last time, runner up.
Stay tuned forThe Bachelorette Season 11, "The Final Rose" next Monday night, July 27 at 8 p.m. Check DansPapers.com the next day, on Tuesday, for our next Guilty Pleasure Recap.
Barbara Anne Kirshner is a regular contributor to DansPapers.com and the author of Madison Weatherbee-The Different Dachshund.
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