Re: *No Spoilers* The Bachelor 18 Media Thread

[2observe]

Potentially, and only potentially, there is the feel of a PR plan as amongst Harrison ("JP didn't get it" "didn't give himself over to the process", implying it didn't work for him), and JP ("I wouldn't do it again" "it was tough"), and then a bunch of trash talking off the record about the girls.

Last season, they pulled off a big surprise.  If the surprise is ROMANCE, that's more fun to watch.

If the season is a dud, we're watching a damage control PR plan.

SO, that's the fun of it!  A little bit of suspense for this week.

Like many, last year, when that last episode pivoted (with Desiree's obviously heartfelt "you were always by my side" speech) I was so irked that I'd paid too little attention all season along to the quirky, sweetness to her interactions with Chris.

This season, I'm keeping a more open mind on purpose, and unlike with Emily/Jef where he literally spoiled the season before he got back to the States with that picture from Mustique, there are no smoking gun proof points out there for whether it's a happy ending, and who it's with.  Yay, I think that's better.

Regarding the bolded comments, funny you should say this because I think that the Soccer game picture is a clue that Juan left with no one at the end just like Brad's football game was a clue that he would leave alone during his Season 1.  jmo

[Litta123]

Last season, they pulled off a big surprise. If the surprise is ROMANCE, that's more fun to watch.

If I could pick the "surprise", just once I'd like to see a spunky F2 to respond with "That's okay - I've been practicing how I was going to turn you down anyway."  Nikki is snarky enough to pull that off if Clare is F1.

Oh, that's a fun idea! I vote for that.   

[Guest]

Bachelor's Chris Harrison Breaks Down Hometowns, Previews Andi's "Nightmare" Fantasy Suite

Feb 24, 2014 10:00 PM ET
by Robyn Ross




Juan Pablo Galavis and Andi

On The Bachelor hometown dates, Juan Pablo was met with more than one disapproving family member, but that didn't seem to affect his ultimate decision.

As Juan Pablo traveled to meet each of the four remaining women's families, it was in Atlanta with Andi and Sacramento with Clare that he met the most resistance. While Andi's dad was on the defense almost the minute the pair sat down, in Sacramento it was Clare's older sister Laura whose disapproval left Clare in tears. But even though Juan Pablo appeared to have a tougher time with Andi and Clare, he sent Reneehome after a nearly perfect date.

Should Juan Pablo have taken single mother Renee through to hometowns if he had an idea he wouldn't keep her around? And why have the remaining three women yet to profess their love to our Bachelor? Plus: Are the promos for Tuesday's "nightmare" of a fantasy suite date as bad as it looks? Host Chris Harrison weighs in.

Nikki had the first hometown and her family was immediately welcoming to Juan Pablo. Did that surprise you?
Chris Harrison: I wasn't sure what to expect with any of the parents, but Nikki's was probably the most amicable and easygoing. They just said, "Well she looks happy, she's a smart girl. If this is what she wants to do, we're all for it." So it was by far the easiest of all the hometowns.


She wants to say, "I love you," but doesn't. Was it just a case of cold feet?
Harrison: I can't think back to another season where we've hit this point and not one woman has professed their love for the Bachelor to his face. I don't know if that has to do with Juan Pablo or our women, I'd say it's a combination of both. Juan Pablo doesn't make it easy. Maybe Bachelors can't say, "I love you," back, but they can definitely show that they are open and wanting to hear that and making the women in many other ways feel loved, and I don't know that Juan Pablo has done that. Obviously he hasn't garnered any of the women to say it so maybe he hasn't made them feel comfortable enough. Heading into exotic dates, this usually doesn't happen in this day and age of the show.

I did not take Andi to be the kind of woman who shoots guns.
Harrison: Probably being Assistant District Attorney, you have to have a little bit of that training in your background. But she's a bada--, my kind of girl!

Andi's dad, who was very skeptical of Juan Pablo, was the star of the episode.
Harrison: Chai is awesome. I always think of how I'd act if my daughter brought a guy home, and it was this scenario and he spoke for all us dads out there. Juan Pablo has weeks to show his emotions and feelings, but to walk into a pretty tense situation and try and articulate everything in one evening, it's a little much. I don't think Chai was rude at all, but brutally and lovingly honest which is what made Juan Pablo take the direction as more endearing than he was a jerk.


Juan Pablo came away from the date thinking it went really well so it felt like he didn't get the seriousness of his conversation with Andi's dad.
Harrison: I think we've seen throughout the season, especially withSharleen and Clare, he's not great at reading body language and understanding the moment. He's missed a lot of cues and red flags and this is really no different. I think a lot of other guys would've come off that date thinking, "Man, that was not smooth sailing." But he's a little bit oblivious to that kind of stuff.

Andi said in her interview she could be falling in love. Did that surprise you that she got to that point already given their slower build?
Harrison: I was a little surprised, but I feel like with Andi she might've talked herself into it. You'd have to specifically ask her, but that's the impression I get. She wants this so bad she's going to convince herself after spending this much time with him [that] there's something there.


Juan Pablo got to meet Renee's son, and her parents were very supportive even though I'd expect them to be the most protective having a child.
Harrison: With a son comes amazing responsibility and she's incredibly mature with a great head on her shoulders so I think it leads her parents to worry a lot less about her decisions. Her family actually seemed more of a fit with his life than any of the others. Having been around his family off-camera, Renee's family felt more like the Galavis clan than anybody's.

In Sacramento, Clare's sister Laura was a tough cookie.
Harrison: It was an uncomfortable situation. When this traveling circus pulls into town and comes into your life, it's a lot, and Clare signed up for this, but her family didn't. People have to understand Clare has gone through this for over eight weeks and is immersed into Juan Pablo, and you expect everyone to go along with that and understand, but it takes a special person to really be able to digest all of us quickly. I think Laura was just very protective of her mom and her family, and her guard was up.

Renee was eliminated. Do you think he shouldn't have taken Renee to hometowns knowing she wasn't the one?
Harrison: I'm OK with it. If you take Juan Pablo's word with the way he treated the two single moms, I get why people might say that because of how he set it up, but I think it was the right thing to do. He liked Renee a lot and wanted to see more of her, and it could've been her with the rose. It was really close, and I know that [by] talking to him in deliberations.

The promos for Tuesday make it seem like something major goes down with Andi. What can you tease?
Harrison: We've never had a fantasy suite turn into a nightmare and we've never had one seemingly begin so well and end so badly and easily change the end of the show.

Check back after Tuesday's episode (8/7c, ABC) for Harrison's thoughts on exotic dates!
web page

[Guest]

Harrison: We've never had a fantasy suite turn into a nightmare and we've never had one seemingly begin so well and end so badly and easily change the end of the show.

Hmmm

[albean99]

I just watched the Jimmy Kimmel preview of Andi & JP talking.  [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]  
This is where Andi is saying that JP talked about being on an overnight with Clare. They don't say it was the night before so think this is later. She said "you joked about me being here by default" so that explains that part. What a dummy to not understand that she wouldn't appreciate either of those things.  I don't know if it's a guy thing or what.   

If you didn't catch it there's a really funny video he did about the girls crying on the show right after the preview clip.

[Mirzam]

Retweeted by Nikki Ferrell
Kelly Travis ‏@kellytravisty 10h
If there's one thing I've learned from #TheBachelor it's that Chris is a liar. "I just talked to Juan Pablo."

[JBF]

Harrison: We've never had a fantasy suite turn into a nightmare and we've never had one seemingly begin so well and end so badly and easily change the end of the show.

Hmmm

Here Juan discusses "what happens in the fantasy suite". "I don't kiss and tell..."

[Guest]

Juan Pablo's Bachelor Blog: The Hometown Visits and a Difficult Goodbye
By JUAN PABLO GALAVIS
02/25/2014 at 08:50 AM EST
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Juan Pablo's Bachelor Blog: The Hometown Visits and a Difficult Goodbye
Juan Pablo Galavis
CRAIG SJODIN/ABC

PEOPLE MAGAZINE
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Juan Pablo Galavis, former pro soccer player, single father and star of this season's The Bachelor, is blogging for PEOPLE.com each week about the ladies, the dates and the difficult decisions he faces. You can also follow Juan on Twitter @JuanPaGalavis.

I really loved the hometown dates because you get a better sense of how the girls are in their own environment. You get to see how they treat their families, their values and if I could fit into their lives. I was also looking to see if their families accepted me having a daughter, because for some parents, that is not an easy situation.

It was great to have all the ladies ask me if I was nervous to meet their families, and they were surprised that I wasn't. While doing an interview with my producer, we figured out the reason why. In Venezuela, which doesn't have thousands of prestige universities like the U.S., people usually stay at home while attending to college. After they graduate, they move for a job or get married. So when visiting a girlfriend, I always went to her family's house, and if she wasn't ready, I would sit down in the living room and talk to her parents. Sometimes I would even stay for dinner.

My dad told me something that is so true. He told me, "Juan Pablo, in the U.S. there is a movie called Meet the Parents" – something that I told him would probably never happen in Venezuela. It's so different here; there are people who grew up in New York and might go to school in Los Angeles, and when they meet their girlfriend or boyfriend in college, they usually take them across the country for Thanksgiving or Christmas to meet their families, which is usually a bigger introduction.

Keep up with your favorite celebs in the pages of PEOPLE Magazine by subscribing now.


Kansas City, Mo.
Nikki's hometown visit started with a pretty look at the World War I Memorial. The weather was fantastic, and she looked amazing. It was like three days before her birthday, so I decided to give her a little present. She was very excited.

I was starving, and she took me to Oklahoma Joe's. I have to admit, they were some of the best barbecue ribs I have ever ate. The hot sauce was unreal. I wanted to sneak a bottle for the road. The place is in a gas station, and the line went out the door.

She is such a cowgirl (I had no idea), and she took me to ride a bull. It was my first time on a mechanical bull, and I don't think I did that badly. I have to tell you guys a secret – I was such a rookie on the bull that when it moved, it kind of squeezed my nuts.

Meeting Nikki's family was great. Her mom is so funny, and her dad reminds me of my dad – very smart, honest, wise and cares for his children. Her brothers also were great. Eric, the youngest one, talked to me for a bit, and he was like, "Whatever my sister wants is okay." However, her other brother Alex was very concerned about my intentions with his sister. Her dad told me something that I really appreciated. He told me he wanted the guy who proposed to his daughter to be 100 percent sure he is ready for marriage. I told him that in this situation that would be very difficult, but I respected his opinion 100 percent.

Atlanta, Ga.
Andi and I met at a park and walked along for a bit until we decided to sit down for a little picnic. We ate barbecue and talked for an hour. Our conversation was great as usual, but she told me something that made me think a lot about my decision for next week's fantasy suites. She told me, "I want to fall in love so bad." I replied that you shouldn't force love, and it made me think a lot about my decision for the Rose Ceremony. Communication in this situation is so important that I almost sent Andi home and took Renee to the overnights, but I gave her the benefit of the doubt and went with my feelings.

After the picnic, Andi took me to shoot some guns. I absolutely loved it. We did pretty good, though on TV it doesn't seem that way. I really liked shooting the rifle. It had a laser sight, and we had to aim a little bit higher because of the distance of the target. When all the fun was done, it was time to meet her family.

Going into Andi's house, I wasn't feeling nervous at all, but Andi was so scared that she was pooping her pants. She was very concerned and put a lot of pressure on herself. I talked to her sister, and she was the toughest of them all. She asked me a million questions. Her mom was sweet, and her dad was straightforward and very honest, something I really appreciated. I believe he didn't understand me when I told him I wanted someone that can fit into my family first. I obviously look first for someone I will be happy with and who complements me, but they also have to understand my situation as a father. That's very important to me as well. However, this was another family that I liked.

Sarasota, Fla.
Sarasota was one of the hometowns that I was the most excited about. I couldn't wait to meet Ben and, of course, Renee's family. The fact that she has spent so much time away from her son got me excited to be there for their reunion.

We met at the beach, and it's one of Renee's favorite places. We talked and enjoyed the beach for a while before taking off to see Ben at the baseball stadium. I had no idea where we were going. She really wanted to surprise me. When Renee saw Ben's face, it was priceless. The love that she showed for her son just made me melt. She is such a great mom. The game was so much fun, and Ben made some big plays. Ben was also wearing pink socks because of his grandma, who is fighting cancer.

The nighttime was brilliant. Her family was exactly what I expected. Her mom was so kind. She even cooked Venezuelan food and had some Venezuelan candy for me. Her brother and I bonded in a second. He plays golf, and I love sports, so we understood each other right away. Her dad is very smart and trusted his daughter with his eyes closed. All of them were very understanding and supportive of Renee and the situation. Ben is beyond a nice kid – educated, smart, cariñoso (loving) and very happy.

Sacramento, Calif.
Going to Clare's hometown was very interesting, especially because it was the only home that did not have a father figure there, although he was definitely the father that I knew the most about and respected the most. The way Clare spoke to me about her dad during the past seven weeks made me wish he was alive so I could meet this amazing person.

Clare took me to her favorite park, a place where her dad used to take her. I got watery eyes when she told me the story about who would dance with her on her wedding day. The fact that her dad told her to pick a song right away and danced with her made me swallow hard, I almost cried. He was such an amazing person.

After the park we went for ice cream and then to her job, where she gave me a haircut so I looked sharp to meet her family.

Opening the door at Clare's sister's house and seeing a bunch of women and just one guy was kind of funny. In my country we would say "Dichoso entre todas las mujeres" ("Blessed among these women"), but sometimes it is kind of with a sarcastic tone because is not easy.

Her mom cooked some Mexican food (which I love), and Clare had her special recipe, with no cheese, because of her allergies to it. My conversations with her sisters were very nice. They all understood the situation pretty well, especially her mom, whom I had a great time speaking Spanish with. At the end of our talk, she even told me I was welcome in her house whether or not I choose Clare at the end of my adventure.

It was a little tense when Clare's sister Laura didn't let me speak to her mom alone. She felt she had to protect Clare. I pulled Clare aside and told her that everything will be okay and that I would talk to both of them and then to her mom by herself, and that's how it happened.

The Rose Ceremony
Letting Renee go was very difficult. I almost sent Andi home, but I went with the stronger connection instead of who I thought had more feelings for me. During my eight weeks, I have to say that Renee is the woman who reminded me the most of myself in this situation. She took the adventure the same way I took it while I was on The Bachelorette. She never tried to show me something she was not. She never tried to impress me or get involved in drama. She helped everyone and showed the maturity of being a mother and was realistic about the situation. That honesty is important when trying to get what you are looking for.

As usual, I spend a lot of time reading what you think on Twitter and trying to understand it. It's funny how some people say I'm not seeing the red flags with some of the girls, but you have to remember, when you don't see me on the TV screen, I'm not aware of what they are saying or doing. I only know what they tell me and how they interact with me. Anything that happens in the house, cocktail parties, interviews, etc., is out of my knowledge.

Watch Tuesday to see my overnight dates in beautiful St. Lucia with Andi, Nikki and Clare. You will have to wait to see if they want to spend the entire night with me, by ourselves, away from the cameras.

Please leave your comments on my social media. They are really helpful.

Besitos/Kisses
Juan Pablo

[JBF]

Juan Pablo's Bachelor Blog: The Hometown Visits and a Difficult Goodbye
By JUAN PABLO GALAVIS

She is such a cowgirl (I had no idea), and she took me to ride a bull. It was my first time on a mechanical bull, and I don't think I did that badly. I have to tell you guys a secret – I was such a rookie on the bull that when it moved, it kind of squeezed my nuts.

Why is it that he is always "handicapped" on Nikki's dates? In Miami, his leg hurt... and when that hurts, not everything else is functioning at its peak performance.

Going to Clare's hometown was very interesting, especially because it was the only home that did not have a father figure there, although he was definitely the father that I knew the most about and respected the most.

Hmmmm...

They all understood the situation pretty well, especially her mom, whom I had a great time speaking Spanish with. At the end of our talk, she even told me I was welcome in her house whether or not I choose Clare at the end of my adventure.

Oooooohhhh.... I guess he has to throw that in simply to keep the Nikki fans' hopes up one more episode.

[quietpal]

Juan Pablo's Bachelor Blog: The Hometown Visits and a Difficult Goodbye
By JUAN PABLO GALAVIS

She is such a cowgirl (I had no idea), and she took me to ride a bull. It was my first time on a mechanical bull, and I don't think I did that badly. I have to tell you guys a secret – I was such a rookie on the bull that when it moved, it kind of squeezed my nuts.

Why is it that he is always "handicapped" on Nikki's dates? In Miami, his leg hurt... and when that hurts, not everything else is functioning at its peak performance.

   

[Mirzam]

Oooooohhhh.... I guess he has to throw that in simply to keep the Nikki fans' hopes up one more episode.

We don't need our hope up. But thanks anyway.

[Mommyof2]

Oooooohhhh.... I guess he has to throw that in simply to keep the Nikki fans' hopes up one more episode.

We don't need our hope up. But thanks anyway.

   

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