The Bachelor 20 - Ben Higgins - General Discussion - *Sleuthing - Spoilers* - #2

Although Jared is great, IMO he is not in the running. Not after that comment to Clare about being too old and then going back to Ashley I just to get her rose for next week.

I think that they are waiting with official news to avoid what happened last year when Arie announced on Twitter a day before the official announcement that he was not the bachelor and to enjoy our time on the farm. Now Ben H and Nick are both under contract, but the official news can (and probably did) already slip out. I could see them bringing both guys to the After Paradise show in hopes of keeping the final choice a secret from both guys and then announcing it live. That would be "dramatic"...

nutty1 wrote:Jared!!! I would love that!! Though I do believe it's Ben!

I would like Jared also but IMO the show mostly ruled him out by putting him on BIP and keeping Ben H off BIP. Both are relatively "neutral palettes" that the show can plan story lines around with a lot of flexibility though I think the story line is more likely to be the traditional "in love with two people with the final decision the morning of the FRC". But that story line has worked for many (most?) seasons and it's hard to argue with success. I do believe it's Ben and has been for some time and they are just playing out the typical charade to keep a buzz going until they're ready to announce.

AllAboutLove wrote:elan gale ‏@theyearofelan  23 minutes ago
If you have a big announcement tomorrow, just tell us tomorrow

I think Elan may be talking to Fleiss. Who knows though, certainly funny timing. I can only imagine what those producers talks must be like... (and by talks I mean rants). Probably a lot like UnReal the tv show.

I find that hilarious. I love that! Don't say anything until you're going to say it because everything before that, doesn't mean anything.

Dragging the announcement out also keeps people watching After Paradise for as long as they can .

Rolly wrote:Dragging the announcement out also keeps people watching After Paradise for as long as they can .

Exactly. They know how to play the game.

It's so funny that while US Weekly is saying that it's Ben, they choose to follow Nick. All the clues point to Nick and some media outlets are saying it's Ben.

It does seem that they couldn't come to a concensus, similar to last season.

You are right, Rolly. However, I gave up watching BIP last week. SO--I will get all my news from my trusty BBF friends.

Kashathediva wrote:You are right, Rolly. However, I gave up watching BIP last week. SO--I will get all my news from my trusty BBF friends.

I didn't watch either. It just doesn't hook me like TB, or B'ette. I am positive the news will be here just seconds after the announcment anyway.

So How Is the Next Bachelor Actually Picked? Inside the Intense Process

Meet your new Bachelor: Ben Higgins!

As E! News was the first to report, the 27-year-old software salesman and third-runner up of Kaitlyn Bristowe's season is the top pick to be the franchise's 20th Bachelor. (ABC has yet to officially announce the news.)

But his road to Bachelor-dom wasn't a smooth one as the process to find the next Bachelor or Bachelorette is way more involved than most viewers would anticipate.

We hounded down franchise super-producer Alycia Rossiter, the woman behind your obsession with all three shows, about how they actually pick the next Bachelor and Bachelorette each season.

"We always look for fan favorites," she said, calling it the "'Who do you want?' phase" of their process, where she actually polls fans for their opinions--including us! "And so if you're looking for fan-favorites, it's really finding out who the world wants and who are potential women who are coming on the show to meet the love of their life."

Aside from being popular amongst fans, the chosen one must also be authentic. "We also look for is this person really ready to find the love of their life and get married?" she explained. "We really want to find someone who honestly wants to get married and start their adult life in a partnership. There's so many factors. The audience has to love them, but if you love them and I think they're just in it for a rollercoaster ride that's no good for us."

But how does the show decide, like they did with Britt and Kaitlyn, to have two leads? "I've always been into two," Rossiter said. "The only thing is it has to warrant that. I don't think you want a gimmick. I think that only works if we're really undecided and if our cast pool of 25 women is really split. If they're not split and there's a ground-swell toward a Bachelor, that's who we're going to name."

When you have a Bachelor as nice as Ben H, or Chris Soules before him, it might seem like a good idea to cast, well, crazier-than-usual contestants (Kelsey Poe anyone?) to ensure drama. But Rossiter rebuffed that theory, telling us, "When you get the right Bachelor they are so phenomenally appealing that they bring out desire in all of us. So you don't have to cast crazies. They are such a prize that we all work hard for them."

And having a long history with the franchise doesn't actually hurt someone's chances, with Rossiter saying the show would consider having a Bachelor in Paradise contestant as a future Bachelor or Bachelorette. Her one example? Jared Haibon.

"Jared's a great guy, he's so handsome," she gushed. "He was one of those ones that he evolved into the heartthrob. Some guys walk into our casting and they already know they're a heartthrob. Jared grew and I still don't think he feels comfortable being a heartthrob. And that's his appeal."

What could hurt a candidate's chances though is their professional career, like Chris "Cupcake" Strandburg, who is a dentist. "I love Cupcake, but I mean [he] has a really serious job," Rossiter explained. "It takes a lot of time off from your serious job."

Do you think Ben H is the right choice to be the next Bachelor? Sound off in the comments!

http://www.eonline.com/news/686207/so-how-is-the-next-bachelor-actually-picked-inside-the-intense-process

^A lot of that sounds like BS but I do believe they want to cast a guy the women will be excited competing for. I'd guess most of the women at those auditions were hoping Ben H or Ben Z would be the bachelor.

They should really do a season with 2 leads throughout. Double the storylines.

"When you get the right Bachelor they are so phenomenally appealing that they bring out desire in all of us. So you don't have to cast crazies. They are such a prize that we all work hard for them." - Bachelor franchise producer Alycia Rossiter

http://ca.eonline.com/news/686207/so-how-is-the-next-bachelor-actually-picked-inside-the-intense-process

IMO, this statement foreshadows that we will be watching a true love story for The Bachelor Season 20. NowTHAT would be refreshing!!