So I’ve been mum on TV shows lately. What am I watching now? Really ONLY Harper’s Island (big finale on SAT…woot, woot), Cake Boss (fun new show with incredible crafty cakes…wow!), and the Bachelorette. And I have to comment about last night’s episode. JILLIAN FINALLY SAW THROUGH WES!!! What a friggin creep, scumbag, whatever you wanna call him. His comment to the guys a t the Rose ceremony, then his comments in the Limo…SERIOUSLY, after this, who would want his CD? And to Jillian, one of the coolest Bachelorettes thus far… come on! How cool was she to turn down the suites (especially when Wes, after the big confrontation, was like, “I think we should” - LOSER!) I have a TON of respect for her. And I hope she calls Jake and Tanner to say Thank-you. Though I’m sure she will at the “Men Tell All”. Audience reaction to Wes should be interesting. So final two? Kiptyn and Reid. And Jake might just be the new Bachelor…might!

So what else has been going on in life? Went to the CUbs game on Sunday with my Dad, first time at a Cubs game in years. It was great to just hang out with my Dad. I really wish I got the chance to do it more often. And we went to Goose Island after the game…highly recommend the Bourbon Stout…wow! Heaven in a glass, even if it’s 13.5% Alc/vol. and $12! Worth every penny!

Other than that, a bit bummed, as I saw no fireworks for the 4th. Oh well. Not like I haven’t seen them before. I think last year we saw 4 shows in four days or something! So, kinda made up for this year!

Take 2, this season of the Bachelor is finally over.  In short, Melissa is still bitter but moving on keeping as positive as can be, as she always is.  And Jason and Molly are happy, though not engaged yet.  Will they last?  Who knows…  And the world, and other Bachelorettes for the most part agree he did the right thing, the wrong way, and all is forgiven, and he’s stilla  great guy.  And so the season ends, the big shocker is over, and our feelings quickly fade.  Meanwhile the show is saved as rating were HUGE!  Congrats ABC!

And congrats to my fav bachelorette, Jillian, who will be the official Bachelorette on the new season come April.  (By the way, did anyone notice how Jason kept referring to Molly as his best friend, they were continuously becoming best friends through the show…isn’t that what Jillian was?  Still think she’d be better w/him and Molly the next Bachelorette or Melissa, but so it goes…I’ll get over it!)

Still reeling in the wake of last night’s Bachelor.  Almost went to be after the show, but decided to see what all the hubub was about with the After the Rose, and boy, was I stunned.  Can you believe this?  What a rollercoaster, for whichever one you were rooting for.  You end the show on such a high note, and then boom! He wants the other one and is breaking off the engagement?  Are you kidding?  ABC must be ecstatic, as this was certainly compelling, emotional TV.   My emotions were mixed, as I agree 100% with Melissa…”Why wouldn’t you fight for the relationship?”  And I had so many other questions.  I really wanted Molly to slap him, and say “No way”, but of course she wouldn’t.  And why did Chris sit there most of the time?  He had to be smiling the whole time in his head, ecstatic about how great this is for the show…sick, compelling TV.  He should have left.  I’m convinced he’s a sleeze!

Anyway, I since have watched Jimmy Kimmel, where Jason was interviewed yesterday.  He explains that the real world with Melissa was strange, and just not the same, and they weren’t even together going into the After the Rose taping.  So it wasn’t a complete shock.  And as to why he proposed instead of just say let’s see how this works in the real world…well, he came to the show looking for his bride, and he did what he felt like he needed to do at the time.  And he had to break up on TV, more or less because of contractual obligations. He says it’s not the way he wanted to do it, cause he knows that’s wrong.

After all this though, you still have to wonder…if he chose Molly, would he have broken it off after months because he couldn’t get over Melissa?  If Molly doesn’t work, is he headed to DeAnna?  Why didn’t he want to fight for the relationship?  Why did he let Jillian go…that would’ve worked! (I had to throw her in there again!)

I not sure if I’m mad at Jason.  As he said, it’s his life, and ultimately he has to do what makes him happy.  However, I don’t think he tried hard enough, and mentally was not faithful to Melissa.  On Kimmel he said in time, he hopes he and Melissa will be friends.  Jimmy said leave that alone, and I certainly agree on that.  Jason, deep down you are a good guy, a nice guy, but you messed up big with her.  Take her advice and let her be.  Some exs don’t make best friends, not when the break-up is this brutal.  Interested to see how tonight’s update is.  And if a live audience, what they’re reaction will be.  Boos?

Apparently, ABC is lacking programming.  Why give us a 2 hour Bachelor “The Women Tell All” when the women barely talk but for maybe 30 min of 2 hours?  Why?  Especially on this, one of the least catty seasons of the show, where in the final couple rounds, all the women got along?  Couldn’t wait for it to be over to be honest with you.  And how many times did they need to show us the “horse goes crazy” and “wierd noises in the hot tub” outtakes?  Only redeeming moment of the night…finding out what old bachelors/bachelorette contestants are up to, and seeing that the very sweet Noelle, is with the genuine nice guy,  Fred, who is of course from Chicago.  Though I was expecting to see a proposal, looked like he was about to at one point.  And to hear the girls say the Robert, the cook from DeAnna’s season, is creepy…my thoughts exactly from her season.

Still very intriqued more by next week’s After the Rose, than the actual show.  However, I’m thinking maybe no studio audience because it’s not LIVE this year (for whatever reason) and they can’t have an audience before the winner is announced to the general public, or else it would leak out.   Probably chooses Melissa, but can’t propose in the finale, as he’d have to meet her parents yet, and does the proposal on the after the rose.

Oh, and I’ve given up on my Jillian theory.  But she WILL be the next Bachelorette.  Just a thought!

Don’t get excited about the DeAnna thing, it’s too overblown to be a big issue.  Knowing this show, of that I’m sure.

I was wrong, I admit it.  Saw it coming, but didn’t want to accept it.  Last night, Jason rejected Jillian, saying he wants more that a best friend, and they don’t have much in common.  Unless I missed something, aren’t they both adventurous people, with a huge love of family and life?  And didn’t she prove to you she can be far more than a a best friend, but also a passionate spouse? Talk about a steamy hot-tub makeout session…  I think he made a big mistake, as I’m not fond of Molly.  She seems a bit prude, and not as FUN loving and spirited as Mel or Jillian.   And the family issue with Mel, that’s a hard topic for him, as family is so important.  And if they’re as close as she says they are, why have her friends not met her parents??? Plus, he said she reminds him of his ex and DeAnna…that can’t be a good thing, right?  I’m not sure who’s the better choice…well, except for Jillian!!!

Who knows what’s in the cards, especially the way they plugged the “After the Rose” ceremony last night. Did you catch that?  “Due to sensetive nature, tonight’s show will be very intimate” says Chris (the host) as a disclaimer for the post rose show.  And with DeAnna returning next week saying, “I made a mistake…you haven’t proposed yet.”  What is coming?  They want you to think something wild, and knowing this show, it’ll probably be nothing.  DeAnna has said she and Jason have spoken numerous times since the show, even since she and Jesse split, so I don’t think there’s going to be any Jason/DeAnna hook up.  But I am thinking Jason may feel he made a mistake, and my speculation is Jillian.  The whole “what is she doing here?” as heard in previous promos, was not aimed at DeAnna, as the girls probably never see her.  She simply comes in as a friend/advisor, and is only at Jason’s suite.  But maybe he brings Jillian back, realizes he made a mistake, and chooses her, which would explain how “tense” the “After” show would be.

Maybe it’s just wishful thinking, who knows.  But they need to keep us on our toes and guessing with a show that’s become completely systematic.  And they need a Bachelor whose relationship works out.  And I think with the family investment (Ty), they really want to take care of Jason. But she would have to meet Ty first, so who knows.  I guess it’s all just wishful thinking.  We’ll find out next week if Jillian shows up on the “women tell all” show.

I knew it… Naomi headed home on the Bachelor.  And to no surprise, she wishes him and all the others the best.  And did anyone else notice how easy it seemed for him to say ADIOS?  Think the CRAZY family had something to do with it?  Don’t think they were a great match as she is very into religion, and he’s not as much interested.  She never discussed that BIG issue with him.  I think she still has some exploring to do in her life.  As for the other 3, Jillian and Molly will easily be the final 2, as I still highly favor Jillian.  She seems like a great friend and companion with a great family, something very important to Jason.  As for Molly, she just doesn’t seem to offer the same.  And for whatever reason, she seems higher maintenance than he seems to be looking for.  As for Mel, she seemed like she could be great.  But after the hometown, there is a generation gap it seems.  And what’s with her friends not really knowing her parents.  MAJOR RED FLAGS!  She’s definitely NOT the right one for a man who put family first.  It’ll be interesting to see how the season ends.  My big question though…isn’t Deanna supposed to stop by?  When is that coming?  With only 2 left?  That’s just cruel and unfair to Jason.  I’ll keep watching and keep you posted!

Go Jillian!

So sue me, I watch too much reality TV, and get addicted.  But, in a sense, I’m old in my choices.  I don’t watch the new ones, or any of the goofy ones on MTV or VH1, but the basics…Amazing Race, American Idol, Dancing With the Stars, and the Bachelor/Bachelorette.  (I stopped watching survivor years ago, replaced it with Amazing Race!)  Today is all about this season of the Bachelor.  Now, I remember watching the first couple seasons of this show, then took a long hiatus, and somehow got hooked again last season with the “British” Bachelor.  However, my wife and I have almost never missed a Bachelorette season.  We favor Bachelorette because it’s without all the cat fights, (which of course, many love), and it’s the only one that’s had at least some success - Trista and Ryan.  All the Bachelors have split.  Why?  For the other reason we’re not interested as much in the Bachelor…guys always think about one thing, and in the end it seems they choose to go with appeal, rather than the obvious perfect mate.  So usually the Bachelorette seems to give them that second chance.  All that being said…

Last Bachelorette, Deanna, was the scorn of a previous season and knew EXACTLY what she was looking for.  In fact, she felt for the guys and made interesting cuts because she knew it would never be more than friends (the Bachelors normally string the girls along.)  So we were stunned when she chose the guy that was her opposite (Jesse) over the obvious perfect match (Jason). (No surprise, she and Jesse didn’t last long)

So that put Jason in the spot to be this year’s Bachelor, and what a season it’s been.  As a previous candidate rejected, and a single Dad, this guy knows what he wants, and is an all around good guy.  Sure, he’s kissed every girl, but again, he knows what he’s looking for, and kissing is obviously important.  And he’s made some surprising moves this year, but he’s gotten rid of the ones he knows are not right, right up to the single mom this past week, who we could see they just weren’t right.

And the girls this year, they’ve been everywhere from the obsessed Jason lover, to the typical looking for publicity and love on reality TV and oh sure I’m ready for a family (not), to the honest girls who actually would be good matches.  And stunningly, the cat fights were over as they got down to the final 5.  For the first year, you could tell numerous girls have HONEST feelings and are in it 100% for the right reasons.  Especially after the previews, it looks like Eva Mendes lookalike, Naomi, needs to go next, and I don’t think she’s quite ready.  But for the rest of them…I have no clue.  I think they’d all be great matches.  For the first time I think in ever watching this show, I am stumped, and am rooting for just about all of them.

So there’s my ramblings, useless babble. If you’ve never watched the show before, this is the season to watch, as it is finally somewhat redeeming and worth it.  And I hope whichever girl he chooses, finally one bachelor will find success.  Because this bachelor, a single dad, has far more at stake, and is using his heart for once, not his “other head”.

Now to catch up on Idol…I love my DVR!