Re: Matt Agnew - Bachelor Australia - Season 7 - Discussion

by leavers Sun Nov 24, 2019 8:15 pm

I think the way the show (and all reality TV) works now, in 2019, means that there's not much point participating if you're not willing to be in the public eye. It's not like the earliest days of reality TV where you could slink back to your real life and nobody would bother looking for you. Social media has put an end to such innocence and privacy, I believe. Leads become leads not only because they're looking for a relationship but because it's a huge boost to their career and their following, which directly translates to $$$$. You better be willing to go along with that if you 'win', I guess. If leads didn't want more fame out of it, they'd just do what everyone else does and stick with Tinder. JMO

Everyone thought Matt was different... he is not, imo. And I reckon whilever Instagram and social media exists, all leads are in it for the exposure just as much if not more than they are for a relationship. I kind of feel like Matt and Chelsie's short relationship and swift breakup is the nail in the coffin for the last shreds of believing the show is really about love as its core premise.

Side note: Did anyone here catch Sophie's (Nick's season) youtube video she put out last week? Where she basically said for her it was definitely about being on TV with a side of "I'm single, I might find love" and that's true for a lot of the women who want to be models or actors (see: 6:17-6:42)? She said she definitely did like Nick though. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZNtwRF6VTg

by Vjeff Sun Nov 24, 2019 8:25 pm

Bobette wrote:
Just Looking wrote:@Bobette I hope this isn’t the case with Angie and Carlin

I wasn't going to go there but... IMO that's exactly the case.

Another re: Chelsie not wanting to be in the spotlight:

EXCLUSIVE: How fame tore The Bachelor’s Matt Agnew and Chelsie McLeod apart

''Chels really couldn't handle being in the public eye.''

NOV 25, 2019 6:30AM

Their love was written in the South African stars, but just two months after The Bachelor finale, Matt Agnew and Chelsie McLeod have gone their separate ways. Noooo!

While there's been much speculation over the break-up, NW can reveal that the pair decided to split because Chelsie, 28, couldn't deal with life in the spotlight – and Matt wasn't prepared to walk away from it.

"Chels really couldn't handle being in the public eye," a close friend tells NW. "Her anxiety got so bad that she sometimes couldn't even leave the house because she was afraid of getting mobbed or followed by fans."

That's not all. According to the insider, Matt, 32, began losing his patience after having to decline numerous TV offers because Chelsie didn't want the attention they'd bring.

"Matt lost out on a lot of really good work opportunities because Chelsie refused to take part in any of it and forced him to say no," says the source.

The revelation comes after the former couple took to their respective Instagram accounts to announce the split.

"Our relationship hasn't translated from filming to the real, everyday world," Matt wrote to his fans , with Chelsie later adding, "Thank you to everyone for your support during such a challenging and emotional time."

In the Bachelor finale, Matt confessed he had fallen head over heels for chemical engineer Chelsie and gifted her a "memory" ring in honour of their time on the show together.

Speaking to Now to Love after the episode aired, Matt and Chelsie revealed just how difficult it was to keep their relationship under wraps while the show was still airing.

"[It was] bloody hard!" Matt said, but admitted he had an easier ride because he was the Bachelor, rather than a contestant.

"Probably a bit easier for me because unless I didn't pick someone, people know there's going to be someone that I'm texting so as long as I had a code name in my phone I could still message, I could still send things and people couldn't really deduce anything."

Source

Literally the last line of my finale recap:

Matt and Chelsie are IMO an excellent match and have a decent shot at making it in the real world, if she is willing to put up with the attention and lack of privacy that comes with the win.

Source

You called it with that recap. I also echo the confusion of others here when I ask why you would go on this show when you don't want to be famous? Chelsie is an attractive and smart girl - although she is extremely insecure, don't tell me she thought at 28 her only option to find love was to compete against a couple dozen females on national TV? Download Tinder or Hinge like a regular person your age..

Anyway if Matt did cheat as it seems he did I am hardly surprised. I think here on these forums we are pretty good at calling personalities as they really are, and many of us called Matt as definitely not being the 'nerd' he was portrayed as.

by potpot712 Sun Nov 24, 2019 8:48 pm

My 2 cents' worth, it didn't matter if Chelsie didn't want fame, between the two of them she's more active in social media anyway. I don't think that was the cause of the split.
It is really maybe more on he's really not into her and has a roving eye? If you are really into someone, who cares if the partner wanted fame or not. Why would he choose an engineer in the first place, and not the one perceived to be the Instagram influencer wannabe if that is all that he was after.
The Jessica Brody insta post, I think they were referring to the bachelor process where Matt dated many girls in the show...they did put the "rose" symbol.
We have to stop taking tabloids' word as gospel...we're all just speculating haha

by Bobette Sun Nov 24, 2019 8:53 pm

@Vjeff I doubt Chelsie applied through the normal channels - IMO she would have been scouted for the show. IIRC someone sleuthed that she has links to Georgia's dad? IMO TPTB had the "brains vs sex" storyline planned from very early on with the cast they chose.

by leavers Sun Nov 24, 2019 9:16 pm

potpot712 wrote:My 2 cents' worth, it didn't matter if Chelsie didn't want fame, between the two of them she's more active in social media anyway. I don't think that was the cause of the split.
It is really maybe more on he's really not into her and has a roving eye? If you are really into someone, who cares if the partner wanted fame or not. Why would he choose an engineer in the first place, and not the one perceived to be the Instagram influencer wannabe if that is all that he was after.
The Jessica Brody insta post, I think they were referring to the bachelor process where Matt dated many girls in the show...they did put the "rose" symbol.
We have to stop taking tabloids' word as gospel...we're all just speculating haha

I think there's a big difference between being on Instagram, even a lot (what 28 year old isn't?) and wanting to turn Instagram into your career/life. IMO.

But I also think Matt isn't into her and never really was... I think what was mistakenly seen by viewers as him having a more intellectual and emotional connection with Chelsie was actually disinterest. I think when he likes a woman for real, he acts the way he did with Abbie, ie he could barely contain his boner most of the time IMO.

I'm kind of annoyed, by the whole thing tbh. It almost makes me not want to watch anymore (but who am I kidding).

by potpot712 Sun Nov 24, 2019 9:37 pm

leavers wrote:
potpot712 wrote:My 2 cents' worth, it didn't matter if Chelsie didn't want fame, between the two of them she's more active in social media anyway. I don't think that was the cause of the split.
It is really maybe more on he's really not into her and has a roving eye? If you are really into someone, who cares if the partner wanted fame or not. Why would he choose an engineer in the first place, and not the one perceived to be the Instagram influencer wannabe if that is all that he was after.
The Jessica Brody insta post, I think they were referring to the bachelor process where Matt dated many girls in the show...they did put the "rose" symbol.
We have to stop taking tabloids' word as gospel...we're all just speculating haha

I think there's a big difference between being on Instagram, even a lot (what 28 year old isn't?) and wanting to turn Instagram into your career/life. IMO.

But I also think Matt isn't into her and never really was... I think what was mistakenly seen by viewers as him having a more intellectual and emotional connection with Chelsie was actually disinterest. I think when he likes a woman for real, he acts the way he did with Abbie, ie he could barely contain his boner most of the time IMO.

I'm kind of annoyed, by the whole thing tbh. It almost makes me not want to watch anymore (but who am I kidding).

I don't see how, by turning her career into something else and be famous, can help Matt in his career though....He can be famous by himself, why does he want to be a part of a duo? It's not like he is actively promoting himself either.

But yeah, just like you, I am so turned off by this I don't want to emotionally invest in any bachelor again EVER haha

by leavers Sun Nov 24, 2019 10:36 pm

potpot712 wrote:
leavers wrote:
potpot712 wrote:My 2 cents' worth, it didn't matter if Chelsie didn't want fame, between the two of them she's more active in social media anyway. I don't think that was the cause of the split.
It is really maybe more on he's really not into her and has a roving eye? If you are really into someone, who cares if the partner wanted fame or not. Why would he choose an engineer in the first place, and not the one perceived to be the Instagram influencer wannabe if that is all that he was after.
The Jessica Brody insta post, I think they were referring to the bachelor process where Matt dated many girls in the show...they did put the "rose" symbol.
We have to stop taking tabloids' word as gospel...we're all just speculating haha

I think there's a big difference between being on Instagram, even a lot (what 28 year old isn't?) and wanting to turn Instagram into your career/life. IMO.

But I also think Matt isn't into her and never really was... I think what was mistakenly seen by viewers as him having a more intellectual and emotional connection with Chelsie was actually disinterest. I think when he likes a woman for real, he acts the way he did with Abbie, ie he could barely contain his boner most of the time IMO.

I'm kind of annoyed, by the whole thing tbh. It almost makes me not want to watch anymore (but who am I kidding).

I don't see how, by turning her career into something else and be famous, can help Matt in his career though....He can be famous by himself, why does he want to be a part of a duo? It's not like he is actively promoting himself either.

But yeah, just like you, I am so turned off by this I don't want to emotionally invest in any bachelor again EVER haha

It's probably because there is power in being a part of a couple. Bachelor couples seem to do better in social engagement than ex-bach people on their own. IMO that's what's driving Ali and Taite to stay together. Even on this forum I've seen people have stopped following Chels and Matt post breakup because seeing them as a couple was the only thing they were interested in.

by Bobette Sun Nov 24, 2019 10:45 pm

leavers wrote:...snipped

I think what was mistakenly seen by viewers as him having a more intellectual and emotional connection with Chelsie was actually disinterest. I think when he likes a woman for real, he acts the way he did with Abbie, ie he could barely contain his boner most of the time IMO.

I'm kind of annoyed, by the whole thing tbh. It almost makes me not want to watch anymore (but who am I kidding).

You nailed it with the bold IMO, @leavers.

Re: almost not wanting to watch anymore, I noticed a big change to the show when Warner Bros took over and have become far more cynical in recent seasons.

Genuine love stories have become a rarity IMO but I still enjoy the sleuthing, analysis and discussion, so I just accept the show for what it is - entertainment.

by Just Looking Sun Nov 24, 2019 11:15 pm

I really wonder why Matt didn’t choose Abbie. Rewatching some of their videos, they were so into each other. Maybe, choosing Chelsie was the easier option - both live in Melbourne, work in similar fields, similar lifestyle, closer in age etc etc. anyway, I feel for Chelsie

by Dirty Street Pie Sun Nov 24, 2019 11:29 pm

Such a good point @Just Looking, I know we often accuse the Bachelors of thinking with their little head, and choosing accordingly (Richie choosing Alex over Nikki for example), but perhaps Matt, being a man of science overthought it, made the "good on paper" choice as mentioned by previous posters, and regretted it afterwards?

by leavers Sun Nov 24, 2019 11:41 pm

Dirty Street Pie wrote:Such a good point @Just Looking, I know we often accuse the Bachelors of thinking with their little head, and choosing accordingly (Richie choosing Alex over Nikki for example), but perhaps Matt, being a man of science overthought it, made the "good on paper" choice as mentioned by previous posters, and regretted it afterwards?

I have a feeling we might be going to see the same thing play out with Pilot Pete on the US show too. ie Doing the "right" thing instead of just going with the gut instinct of chemistry and attraction.

by appiah01 Mon Nov 25, 2019 12:50 am

Matt seems smart enough to know that choosing Abbie was not a viable option for his image. They literally only had sexual chemistry- she couldn't even understand or feign interest when he nerded out about science. He was also well aware that his friends did not want him to choose her. The man is smart. He googled how to screen kiss before going on the show so choosing the 23 year old who he was hot for wouldn't really fit into the image of nerdy, sweet, sexy science guy. The only viable options were Helena, who was not into him, and Chelsie. I don't believe Matt was looking for a life partner but I think he liked Chelsie. Not loved but liked well enough and would try to date her for a bit to see what happened. My guess is as soon as he got out of the Bachie bubble, and removed the adrenaline inducing dates, all affection faded and he realized he wouldn't even be able to capitalize on opportunities that come from the exposure of the Bachelor so he broke up with her because he didn't have enough feelings to trump that reality.

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