Bachelor Brad - the final 6

Well, I’ve been a little bit slack about blogging for the last week…sorry about that. I don’t know if I have it in me to recap both of the last two weeks of The Bachelor, but I can’t believe we’re already down to four and hometown dates are next week! I wasn’t too sad that Brad got rid of Jade last week, definitely didn’t mind him letting McCarten go, and I kindof liked Stephy, but oh well.

This week, the superlative was THE MOST DRAMATIC EXIT IN BACHELOR HISTORY, WHEN HILARY LEAVES THE SHOW AND THE TEARS DON’T STOP! Oh my gosh, I really don’t see how Chris Harrison can blatantly lie every week saying stuff like that. This was so NOT the most dramatic exit in Bachelor history. Sure, Hilary got really upset, but there have been others with way more drama in other seasons…the nutso girl who came back after Jessie Palmer rejected her and broke in on his date with another girl…the doctor girl who told Travis Stork she was ready to procreate because her eggs were rotting…crazy Erica on Prince Lorenzo’s season – hello, that girl was the definition of drama. But nevertheless, Hilary’s exit is now deemed the most dramatic in Bachelor history.

This week, for the 6 girls remaining, there are 2 individual dates and a group date. The first individual date goes to…Bettina! She and Brad are going on a gondola ride, which the other girls inform her means that they have to kiss when they go under bridges. It’s so weird how this whole process works…they’re all competing for this guy and talking about how other girls are dating their boyfriend, but then they’re also acting excited and helping each other get ready for dates with, supposedly, their own boyfriend.

On Bettina’s date, she supposedly LAYS IT ALL ON THE LINE, but again, that phrase pretty much has no actual meaning when Chris Harrison utters it. She told Brad this is like her second date since her divorce, and she tells him – shocker – that she, too, wants to fall in love and get married. He’s like, oh my gosh you’re the only person I’ve ever met that feels the same way as I do…NOT. The other girls back at the house confide to the camera and each other that Bettina is still viewing this as a competition. What kind of reason is that? Oh yes, the WRONG REASON. I don’t dislike Bettina, but I’m just not feeling the chemistry between her and Brad. Even with all her “be patient with me and take it slow,” I don’t see it as much as I did with Tessa and Andy last season. They didn’t even kiss on the lips when they went under the bridges, and their body language was very awkward and guarded still. She may or may not make it to the final 3, but I don’t see him choosing her at the end.

The 4-on-1 group date is a pool party at “Brad’s house” (aka, the mansion The Bachelor producers rented out for 8 weeks and let him stay in). Attendees are DeAnna, Jenni, Kristy and Hilary. Poor Kristy, she is just not a fun girl, and no amount of tearful begging is going to make her appear to be fun to Brad. “Please, please, I don’t want you to get the wrong impression… Just because I am completely insecure and embarrassed by acting silly and I don’t participate in the slip ‘n slide or any pool games and I just sit on the dry concrete, leaning back so that my stomach doesn’t roll, I don’t want you to think I’m not fun!” Oh, of course not, I didn’t get that impression at all (eyeroll) – Brad.

Hilary continues her obsession with Brad – not with tears this time, but with expletives and a bleeped-out list of X-rated things she wants Brad to do to her. Wow, Hilary. Too bad while she’s thinking of him as “not just my friend, but also my lover,” Brad is thinking he really ain’t feeling it with her and they’re just good friends. He sortof tries to tell her this while they are semi-naked on a raft, but in a completely vague and twisted way that she just hears the way she wants to hear it, which is “I like you the best out of all the girls and we have something different and special,” and she can tell by the way he looks at her that he feels the same way she does. She’s in for a big disappointment.

Brad has his one-on-one time with DeAnna on some lounge chairs that are set apart, but still in full view of the other girls. Ha – sucks for you DeAnna. No hanky panky this time! They both tell the camera that they want to kiss each other but won’t do it in front of the other girls, so they sortof just sit there awkwardly and pat each other’s arms for a while. Brad made it sound like he wanted to kiss DeAnna for the first time, but they actually made out in the hot tub last week after dismissing Jade. I think Brad is attracted to DeAnna, but again I don’t really see tons of chemistry. And her voice still annoys me.

Who knew Jenni would be the smart one – taking Brad away to a private hammock for their one-on-one time? Smooth move. They spent the time…well…making out. Maybe they talked too, but the producers didn’t show us that. I just think Brad and Jenni have so much more chemistry together than he has with any of the others. A bar owner and a cheerleader…what could be more perfect than that?

Finally, Sheena gets the other individual date because twin Chad was in love with her, and it is one of those you-have-to-guess-what-to-wear-because-we-won’t-tell-you-where-you’re-going events. She gets all dolled up, and then Brad takes her to another big mansion so she can pick out a dress from the mannequins the producers have set up and change clothes. If only she had known, she could’ve started out in sweatpants. Personally, I didn’t think any of the mannequin dresses were any better than the one she already had on, but oh it was SO romantic! Wade, I hope you’re taking notes ;-). Just kidding. But seriously… After they change clothes, Brad and Sheena go out to a dinner scene set up on the balcony covered in white and silver balloons. Now that really is romantic, I must say. It kindof makes it look like floating in the clouds – ahhh… So pretty. They have a pretty good conversation over dinner I think. I can’t remember much about it, but I think they talked about a few things of substance and not how this experience is amazing and they never thought they’d feel this way about another person.

At the rose ceremony, the girls are on edge and Brad has to make the next most important decision of his life. Hilary says she loves her dress and hopes it reminds him of how good she’ll look in a wedding dress. Yeah, that’s how GIRLS’ minds work…NOT guys’ minds. Jenni calls Bettina out on her comment that her date was lame and boring after Sheena described the magic of the dress and balloons date. Bettina’s defense that she was just joking is far too defensive itself – methinks she just got caught and doth protest too much.

The first 3 roses go to DeAnna, Jenni and Sheena, and then after “ladies, Brad, the final rose tonight…when you’re ready,” Brad gives said rose #4 to Bettina and gets rid of Stick in the Mud Kristy and X-Rated Friend Hilary. Hilary tears up but keeps it together somewhat to hug him goodbye, but when she gets outside to the rejection confessional, the makeup starts running and the bosom starts heaving and she just can’t understand why Bettina is inside with Brad and she is outside alone. Honey, you didn’t listen to him when he told you point blank that you were “too good of friends” – i.e. too good of friends to turn into anything more. I so sowwy.

Yippee for hometown dates next week! That means there are only a few weeks til the finale so we can find out which girl he chose to never make it in a lasting relationship with. Cheers!