Emily Maynard - ABC Teleconference 5/16 - Discussion

Love_Me wrote:Bump!

Emily's interview transcript can be posted in this thread when it becomes available! I believe sometime tomorrow?

Sorry, for the delay.

San wrote:There is a link to the transcript of Emily's Teleconference on ABCMEDIANET, but when you click on it, it goes to a press release for the new show, Duets.

Did you feel like it was cruel that the producers included Arie - a racecar driver? Even Arie seemed a little worried about how you'd take it!
"No. I mean, I was really just grateful that Arie was so open about it. The very first night he told me. But I know about NASCAR - I don't know anything about IndyCar. They're two completely different worlds. I had never even seen one before, so I didn't know anything about it. And I mean, Arie's such a great guy - he could be a taxicab driver and I wouldn't have cared."

So you didn't feel shocked?
"No, not at all. And maybe that's what people were expecting, but no, I didn't care about that."

PRESS RELEASE - ENTERTAINMENT - TRANSCRIPT FROM THE MAY 16TH "THE BACHELORETTE" TELECONFERENCE WITH BACHELORETTE EMILY MAYNARD


"The Bachelorette" airs MONDAY, MAY 21ST (9:00 - 10:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. On Monday, May 28th, "The Bachelorette" moves to its regular time period of 8:00-10:01 p.m., ET.





Operator: Welcome to Disney's The Bachelorette Call. Natalia Desrosiers as the leader. This call is being recorded. By staying on this call, you are confirming that you consent to this recording. If you do not wish to be recorded, please disconnect from this call at this time.


Thank you. Ms. Desrosiers, you may begin your call.


Natalia Desrosiers: Good morning, everybody. Welcome to the first call of the season with our lovely Bachelorette, Emily Maynard. Before we get started, I just want to remind everyone that we will be airing at 9 PM this coming Monday and we will be back to our normal time slot at 8 PM starting Monday, May 28.


I have Emily on the line, so we will go to our usual format of one question and a follow-up, and I think we are ready for questions.


Operator: Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, if you would like to ask a question, please press star and then the number one on your telephone keypad. Your first question comes from Nancy Harrington from Pop Culture Passionistas.


Nancy Harrington: Hi, Emily. Thanks so much for talking to us today.


Emily Maynard: No, thank you.


Nancy Harrington: We wanted to start sort of in the beginning of this process and ask if you had reservations about becoming The Bachelorette and what ultimately made you decide to do it.


Emily Maynard: I had a million reservations about being The Bachelorette. You know, they had asked me to do it previously and I said no to anyone who would listen. I told everybody I would never do it - never in a million years. And then, time went on and after coming off the breakup with Brad, the last thing on my mind was putting myself through all these again - and even dating really.


And then, we started talking about it a couple of months later and they were just so accommodating with Ricki and moving the entire production to Charlotte. I just thought that it is such a great opportunity that I could not pass up.


Nancy Harrington: And did you discuss the decision with Ricki and if so, what did she say about it?


Emily Maynard: Ricki really does not know a whole lot about what is going on. She's only six years old, so I like to keep her a little bit sheltered from all of these. We don't talk about Bachelor or Bachelorette at all. I don't think she has ever heard me say those words, to be honest.


She just loves any kind of chaos going on in the house and she loves it.


Nancy Harrington: That's excellent. Well, thank you and best of luck with the season.


Emily Maynard: Thank you so much.


Operator: Your next question comes from Jennifer Matarese from WABC-TV.


Jennifer Matarese: Hi, Emily.


Emily Maynard: Hi.


Jennifer Matarese: Hi so there seems to be a lot more gimmicky entrances this year than maybe in the past and I was wondering what you made of those and if you had a hard time taking those guys seriously.


Emily Maynard: Honestly, it was - I was standing there in the moment. I didn't even really notice because I was so nervous. You know, it was a nerve-wrecking night and it is really overwhelming.


Because there's this so much stuff going on and so much stuff you have to remember, and everything is so - it really did not even hit me until watching it just on Monday night with everybody else, but definitely Travis with the egg. That one you know was a tough one, even in the moment.


Jennifer Matarese: And I was wondering what it was about Doug that made you want to give him the first impression rose.


Emily Maynard: I mean, obviously, he is a great looking guy and so sweet, but more than anything, I know what it is like to really put yourself out there and take a chance at love and have to leave, you know, the biggest piece of your heart back home. And so the fact that he had enough faith in me - to leave his son back home really meant a lot to me. I wanted him to know that it wasn't something that I took lightly.


Jennifer Matarese: Great. Thank you so much.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Operator: Your next question comes from Carrie Bell from People Magazine.


Carrie Bell: Good morning.


Emily Maynard: Hi.


Carrie Bell: I was wondering actually when I first realized that you are going to be The Bachelorette, I thought, "Oh! She is so nice and sweet and that's great!" Like you know, I don't know if you are going to be able to be as feisty as you need to be or decisive because you often come up very sweet and very polite and very Southern.


And then while I was watching what happened in the season highlight reel on Monday - you know, there was a scene where you know apparently it looks like someone tells you something that someone said and you confronted them.


And you know at one point, you say, "What do you have to say for yourself?" And then you know someone says, "Nothing." You say, "Well, then get the F out!" I was like, "Damn I am no longer worried about her."


Do you think that side of you - did you know that you had that side of you and did you think that the men knew you had that side of you, or do you think that they came in expecting you to just sort of be this polite, nice, and sweet girl, too?


Emily Maynard: I definitely think that all the guys came in having this one image of me in their head, but as time went on and they got to know me better. They all said the same thing like you are nothing like we thought you are going to be. And I hope that's a good thing. They all said it was a good thing whether they mean it or not. But anybody that knows me, you know, laughs at all that.


People are saying she is too this and too that because they know me and they know that I am feisty and I am sassy, and you know, it takes a little bit for me to really feel comfortable but once I do - you know, I have never been called boring before in my normal everyday life. That's for sure.


Carrie Bell: And you know, now that you have kind of done it and (inaudible), obviously you can tell us how it is, but are you happy that you changed your mind and made the decision - you know, to participate


Emily Maynard: I cannot even begin to think about - you know, well let me start that over. I am so happy that I came back and did everything. It was the best experience even just getting to travel so much and Ricki got to travel with us a lot. So, getting to give her that opportunity to see everything that she got to see and I learned so much about myself.


And there just - it's - there are moments that I'm never ever going to have back and I'm never going to go through again and I'm so, so grateful that I was given the chance to do it.


Carrie Bell: OK. Cool. Thank you.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Operator: Your next question comes from Beth Kwiatkowski from Reality TV World.


Beth Kwiatkowski: Hi, Emily. How are you?


Emily Maynard: Hey, I'm good. How are you?


Beth Kwiatkowski: Good. So, you said in a recent interview that you plan to be more reserved this season than prior Bachelorettes and that you didn't want to kiss a lot of guys and hoped there would be no hot tubs during this season. So, did you express those wishes to the producers and did you feel like your requests were granted or that you - you know, your wishes were respected?


Emily Maynard: Well, honestly, I didn't - I didn't even say it as a, you know, protective barrier around me that there weren't going to be any hot tubs. I just said it in general like, you know, if I was a single 26-year-old girl without a daughter back home, I'd probably be doing the same thing all the other Bachelorettes did too.


But I just - I just meant it in a way that I wouldn't - I'm just going to go through each moment and experience what the, you know - I don't know how to say it. Sorry. I'm nervous.


Beth Kwiatkowski: No, it's OK.


Emily Maynard: I just wanted to live in the moment with each guy and take each relationship as it goes. But with that said, I wouldn't get into a hot tub with a guy on the first date in my normal everyday life. So, I sure as hell am not going to do it on The Bachelorette.


Beth Kwiatkowski: Sure. Got you.


Emily Maynard: And the producers were, I mean, so wonderful with me. They get, you know, what I'm comfortable with. And just as a mom and - just - that's how I am in my everyday life. They were totally on board with everything and so respectful and couldn't have been better.


Beth Kwiatkowski: OK. Awesome. And when do you decide to begin introducing Ricki to the bachelors and what went in to making your decision? Like how do you determine what the appropriate time was to do that?


Emily Maynard: I mean she was very sheltered the entire way through. And obviously I can't say if I introduced her to anyone or not but, you know, she had no idea what was going on. She didn't meet any of the guys, you know.


Beth Kwiatkowski: OK. All right. Thank you, Emily.


Operator: Your next question comes from Paige Feigenbaum from Entertainment Tonight.


Paige Feigenbaum: Good morning, Emily, or maybe it's afternoon on the East Coast if you're home.


Emily Maynard: I am. Thank you.


Paige Feigenbaum: I was wondering - this is an interesting method for single mom to do for dating. How did the other single moms feel at Ricki's school? I'm sure that there are other people there as well.


Emily Maynard: Everybody has been so supportive. I mean single moms, just single girls, married moms, everybody has been so, so supportive and I couldn't be more thankful.


Paige Feigenbaum: Great. And Kalon made a grand entrance and rubbed the guys the wrong way. Was that a bit too flashy for you? He certainly outdid Lindsey trotting in on horseback last season.


Emily Maynard: Honestly, it was. Anybody that knows me knows I would take, you know, a classic pickup truck over a brand new Ferrari any day. So, if he was trying to impress me, he probably took the wrong approach. But, you know, he's very unique and he is who he is.


Paige Feigenbaum: Great. Thank you.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Operator: Your next question comes from Catriona Wightman from Digital Spy.


Catriona Wightman: Hi, Emily. It's great to speak with you today.


Emily Maynard: You too. Thank you.


Catriona Wightman: Obviously, on the first night, you have to make a decision very quickly. Looking back, are you happy with the man you kept or are there anyone that you wish you'd kept around longer?


Emily Maynard: I am so happy with all the guys that I kept. I really had a great group of guys. To be honest, if I could go back and maybe keep one extra, I would have kept (Randy), the guy that dressed up as a grandma, because that took a lot of guts.


Catriona Wightman: Fair enough. And then, now, what were you looking for from the men from now on? Did you have a complete (inaudible) in mind or were there certain things you were hoping to see in them?


Emily Maynard: Obviously, I wanted somebody that was at a point in his life that he could - that he wanted to get married and have kids and step into my life and everything that I bring along. But really I just wanted to stay open because I didn't want to shut any of the guys off especially the first night just off the first impression. And I think I did a pretty good job of that going through the season.


Catriona Maynard: Absolutely. Well, thank you so much.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Operator: Your next question comes from Jackie Strauss from Life & Style.


Jackie Strauss: Hi, Emily.


Emily Maynard: Hi.


Jackie Strauss: So, (inaudible) this is the first time that any of the guys in the show (inaudible) about if Ricki will like them and if you could just talk about how that is a little different for you as a mom and what qualities do you look for?


Emily Maynard: Yes. I mean even in my normal everyday life Ricki is at the forefront of my mind with dating, everything. And you know, it wouldn't matter how much I was into a guy or crazy about them if he wasn't at a point in his life where he wanted to settle down and step into the role of being a stepdad and husband and all of that, I would have to, you know, say, "No, thank you."


Jackie Strauss: If you did fall in love, I mean, because this is hard because you are (inaudible) maybe the potential guy that would choose for so long but if you just fall in love and Ricki and him didn't click, what would you do or do you have any fears about that happening?


Emily Maynard: No, not really. I mean six-year-olds are, you know, pretty easy to figure out. Ricki is just like any of the other ones. You know, you play a game with her 15 times, you give her a piece of candy, and you know, play hide and seek, and she is your best friend forever.


Jackie Strauss: Were there any that didn't seem (inaudible) that you kind of was easy for you to (inaudible)?


Emily Maynard: Pardon.


Jackie Strauss: Were there any guy that didn't seem genuine from right off the bat that was easy for you to pick them out?


Emily Maynard: I will - I will give myself a pat on the back. I think I have a pretty good sense of someone's character right of the bat. And - yes, there were a couple of guys that I knew probably weren't there for me.


Jackie Strauss: Great. Thank you so much.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Jackie Strauss: Can't wait to watch the rest of the season.


Emily Maynard: Thanks.


Operator: Your next question comes from Lauren Wang from KI TV.


Lauren Wang: Hey, Emily. How are you?


Emily Maynard: Good. How are you?


Lauren Wang: I'm so excited. I'm calling all the way from Hawaii.


Emily Maynard: Oh, wow. Cool. I'm jealous.


Lauren Wang: Anyway, I felt like the guys - your selection of guys is actually really good compared to the past seasons. They're all seem put together and you know, good looking and mature. How - what was your impression of all the guys? Were you happy with the group they selected?


Emily Maynard: I mean I can't even begin to tell you how great all the guys were going through it. I'm excited for you all to see as the season goes on. The first episode is always kind of hard because a lot of the guys are completely out of their element and I was, you know, not super comfortable just yet. But even some of the guys that didn't make the greatest first impression on me, the strongest first impression, really surprised me.


Lauren Wang: Good. And then just another question, do you think you'll be keeping in contact with any of the guys that you sent home?


Emily Maynard: Absolutely. I mean I know that a lot of the other bachelorettes have stayed in contact and just been friends with a lot of the guys that they had and it's such a unique experience going through everything and nobody can understand unless you were there. So, I think it's really great to have that kind of bond with other people who might do the same thing you did.


Lauren Wang: OK. Great. Well, good luck.


Emily Maynard: Thank you so much.


Operator: Your next question comes from Mary Margaret from Parade.


Mary Margaret: Hi, Emily. How are you?


Emily Maynard: Hi. I'm good. How are you?


Mary Margaret: I'm good. Thank you. I know that you said that you don't mention the word, you know, Bachelor or Bachelorette to Ricki but how did you explain this process to her since it's such an adventure with the cameras and the traveling? I mean, how did you, you know, wrap for a six-year-old head around what exactly was happening?


Emily Maynard: Honestly, I really didn't even know what to do because it's not like you can Google it, you know. But I just told her that I'd be working a little bit and she really did become so close with all the people on the crew and their kids and she loved traveling with everybody and all that. But I told her that it was for a very elaborate family home video that she'll be able to watch way, way later down the road.


Mary Margaret: That was very smart. Well, Emily, thank you so much. Good luck on the season.


Emily Maynard: Thank you so much.


Operator: Your next question comes from Whitney English from SheKnows.com.


Whitney English: Hi, Emily.


Emily Maynard: Hey.


Whitney English: So, you said on the premiere that you looked forward to having a lot more kids. How many do you foresee yourself having?


Emily Maynard: I mean I would take any that I could be blessed with to be honest but ideally I would like four.


Whitney English: Do you see that happening sometime soon?


Emily Maynard: I mean if there is anything I've learned it is to never, you know, really bank on anything but I hope so.


Whitney English: And are you in love right now?


Emily Maynard: You know, I don't know. I don't know. You have to watch. I'll get in trouble.


Whitney English: OK. Thank you, Emily.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Operator: Your next question comes from Tony Wong from Toronto Star.


Tony Wong: Hi, Emily. Welcome - oh well, hello from Toronto, Canada actually.


Emily Maynard: Hi.


Tony Wong: Am I really (inaudible) on this line? This is crazy. I just wanted to say that your composure in the face of (inaudible) what was it? Bobble heads, ostrich eggs, and glass slippers was truly impressive.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Tony Wong: Sorry. I just have to get some Canadian content in her but were you crossed maybe even appalled that there were no Canadian men represented in the 25?


Emily Maynard: I was. Absolutely. Of course.


Tony Wong: OK. Have you been to Canada and maybe a honeymoon on the Canadian side of the Niagara Falls border?


Emily Maynard: I had actually been to Niagara Falls. My dad is really into fishing and there is some kind of great fishing up there and all of our family vacations growing up were centered around wherever had the best fishing that time of the year.


Tony Wong: OK. Certainly, No one has accused you of discrimination but did you know there was a race relations lawsuit against the bachelor franchise when you decided not to pick the real estate consultant? Did it impact your - impact your decision in any way?


Emily Maynard: No. Not at all. Not at all. And want to say that all that stuff happened far after we filmed any of this. He was cast on the show way before any of that happened. So, no, I didn't even know what was going on.


Tony Wong: OK. Thank you, Emily.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Operator: Your next question comes from Theoden Janes from the Charlotte Observer.


Theoden Janes: Hey, Emily.


Emily Maynard: Hi again.


Theoden Janes: How are you?


Emily Maynard: Good. How are you?


Theoden Janes: Good. Thanks. I wanted to ask you a little bit more about the experience of filming in Charlotte.


Emily Maynard: Sure.


Theoden Janes: One thing I'm curious about is whether the experience felt less like a reality show that it would have been if you've been in LA? I can also - was it hard to switch gears sort of between doing the taping and then going home to your domestic life?


Emily Maynard: As far as it being more like a reality show, it was definitely more just real life for me, getting to come home and sleep in my own bed and everything else, and you know, I get to see my girlfriends. Life went on pretty normal.


And then - I'm sorry. What was the next - the other one - the second part?


Theoden Janes: Well, basically...


Emily Maynard: Oh, was it hard? It was - it was hard just because of the lack of sleep I got. But to be honest, I didn't even feel like we were filming. It didn't feel like work or anything like that. It was just - I was having the time of my life and I was just having so much fun.


Theoden Janes: And the other thing was I got to tour of the mansion yesterday. It was incredible.


Emily Maynard: Yes. Oh, it was amazing. Oh, yes.


Theoden Janes: It was way over the top.


Emily Maynard: Oh, yes.


Theoden Janes: I was just curious what your favorite room in the house was.


Emily Maynard: My favorite room in the house was probably the Rose Room. It was just so beautiful and it looked out over into the courtyard and I love the whole pool area too. I mean it was an amazing house for sure.


Theoden Janes: Well, thank you very much, Emily. I appreciate it. Good luck.


Emily Maynard: Thank you so much.


Operator: Your next question comes from Ann Oldenberg from USA Today.


Ann Oldenberg: Hi, Emily.


Emily Maynard: Hi.


Ann Oldenberg: Last week, Chris Harrison, we were asking him about overnight dates and he stated they were just getting underway. Have you shot those and can you tell me where they were and did you decide to do them?


Emily Maynard: I can tell you that, you know, overnight dates are over and that filming is done but I can't tell where they were or even if they happened. I'm sorry.


Ann Oldenberg: OK. But they did offer them to you and then it's up to you to decide whether to do that?


Emily Maynard: Oh, yes, Ma'am. You know, Chris Harrison always offers them to everybody no matter who the Bachelor or Bachelorette is.


Ann Oldenberg: Good. Great. Thanks.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Operator: You have a follow-up question from Beth Kwiatkowski from Reality TV World.


Beth Kwiatkowski: Hi, Emily.


Emily Maynard: Hey.


Beth Kwiatkowski: So, you said in your People blog this week that you were worried Bentley or Brad were going to show up in that helicopter during the first night.


Emily Maynard: I was.


Beth Kwiatkowski: How convinced were you at that time that might happen and if either of them did appear on the show what would reaction have been? Would you have been angry or disappointed in the show's producers or anything like that?


Emily Maynard: I definitely thought it was going to be Brad or Bentley getting out of the helicopter. I just thought there is no way just some, you know, random guy would make an entrance so gigantic I guess. And that time, I was a little bit - I was stressing out a little bit to be honest waiting for whomever to get out of the helicopter.


But I don't know how I would have reacted to be honest. I don't know. I tried to stay open to everything and I'm just really glad that everybody I met the first night was a fresh face and someone that I had never met before.


Beth Kwiatkowski: Sure. OK.


Emily Maynard: I try to be (inaudible) correct as possible.


Beth Kwiatkowski: Yes. Were you worried that some of your suitors would go into the season confident but then end up having second thoughts about what dating a single mom would really entail and if you did have some concerns at first, did you end up being right about that or do the guys end up actually being more mature and ready than you had initially expected?


Emily Maynard: I was scared going into this that they were going to be into me at all much less. You know, figuring out and seeing how my everyday life is and wondering if they were at a point in their lives that they wanted to, you know, date a single mom. And you have to watch and see because that was an issue, you know, at one point. But for the most part, all of the guys were so just on board with everything above and beyond my wildest dreams.


Beth Kwiatkowski: OK. And you recently said that you'd be willing to move wherever the love of your life might live, however, some viewers are a little skeptical of that because you didn't move to Austin when you were dating Brad although he did make it kind of clear that he was going to expect that of his final bachelorette and you even filmed the beginning of your season in Charlotte. So, do you mind elaborating on how things might be different this time around?


Emily Maynard: Sure. They're really not that different. I was totally on board with moving to Austin. And you know, I was looking for apartments for Ricki and I and Brad and I were even looking at homes together for whenever we got married and I was so excited.


I just - because I'm a mom, I can't just pick up and move and say, "We'll figure it out when we get there." I have to have, you know, 100 percent confidence in our relationship that it's going to be forever before I pick up Ricky's life and just move it because that's what I want to do. I have to put her needs before mine.


But with that said, I would move in a heartbeat if I knew the person I was going to be with forever lived even in a different country. I don't care. Ricki is happy wherever I'm happy.


Beth Kwiatkowski: OK. Awesome. And Chris Harrison made it pretty clear he felt there was a double standard in you being the Bachelorette as a single mom and Jason Mesnick was the Bachelor and also was a single parent. Did you feel there was a double standard as well and that people kind of seem to be supportive of Jason but critical of you for taking your daughter along on the journey and all that?


And if so, do you think the public sentiment has changed a little since you first announced that you'd be starring on the show?


Emily Maynard: I definitely felt like there was a little bit of, you know, a double standard with Jason and I. But I was really happy when they agreed to move filming to Charlotte and I think that people will see that Ricky's life was, you know, not really affected at all. I got to spend a lot of time with her and you know, take her to school and do all my mom tasks plus she got to travel the world and see so many things that she would never have gotten to see otherwise. She was very protected throughout the entire process. And I will stand behind that to anyone who has any questions.


Beth Kwiatkowski: Great. Thanks so much, Emily,


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Operator: Your next question comes from Amy Kaufman from L.A. Times.


Amy Kaufman: Hey, Emily.


Emily Maynard: Hi.


Amy Kaufman: Hi. So, I'm curious in the opening montage of the show as there were a lot of you spending time with your daughter but we didn't get to see a lot of your personal life or you know your job. What are we getting to see outside of your identity as a mother on the show?


Emily Maynard: Obviously, there is a lot more to me just being a mom. The biggest part of my everyday is just running errands and doing mom stuff though to be honest but I teach a (inaudible) class in my church at a middle school close to my house on Thursdays. I take photography lessons.


I'm a mentor to a little girl at a school close to the downtown in a lower income part of town that I go to see probably twice a week to have lunch with her. I spend a lot of time with my girlfriends and obviously there are other moms too but you'll get to see that a little bit further on in the season too.


Amy Kaufman: OK. And with Ricki, how did you explain to her when the cameras are going to be coming in the house and stuff? Did you guys sit down and had a conversation about what was going on and all that?


Emily Maynard: I tried to explain it to her the best way I knew how for a six-year-old but I don't think she is at an age where she can even begin to understand the reason behind the cameras being in house. And I don't - it's not - it is not something that I want her to know right now to be honest. She grew to love it though. I mean she just loved everybody on the crew just as I did and had the best time with it.


Amy Kaufman: Great. Thank you.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Operator: You have a follow-up from Paige Feigenbaum from Entertainment Tonight.


Paige Feigenbaum: Hi again.


Emily Maynard: Hi.


Paige Feigenbaum: I know you touched briefly on relocating and in a heartbeat you would go across the country or even to a different nation but Doug did get the first impression rose and he also has a concern of an 11 almost 12-year-old son. So, it would be difficult to uproot one child or another. Is that something that you've discussed with him?


Any hesitation versus choosing a guy that doesn't have any other attachments and he only has to worry about himself?


Emily Maynard: I always take into consideration the fact that Doug was a dad but I don't see that as a negative at all just because I have a daughter, too, and I know what a blessing she is in my life and anybody would be lucky to, you know, get a bonus along with Doug. But I just - you can't help who you fall in love with and I never - Doug and I did talk about what would happen if it all worked out.


And if he would be willing to move. But honestly, I would never just expect anybody to move to Charlotte. As much as I love Charlotte, I would honestly welcome a fresh start somewhere else.


Paige Feigenbaum: Great. And I noticed that a lot of the guys are from California and not from the South. Are you - I know you said you're happy with the casting, but do you wish that they had thrown in some more southern gentleman in the mix so perhaps you wouldn't have to relocate as far?


Emily Maynard: Well, you know, I live in the south so I feel like I get my fair share of southern gentleman, you know, just living here in Charlotte and meeting them at the grocery store. So, it was fun for me to get to meet a lot of different guys that I wouldn't meet in my everyday life.


Paige Feigenbaum: And one last quick question, every season of The Bachelor or Bachelorette seems to use but at least one contestant and often the audience sees through them from get go. Will we be seeing any of these during the course of this season and you don't find out until weeks later what they're really - what their true identify is?


Emily Maynard: I think that I am a pretty good judge of character and I trusted my heart going through the entire experience. Everything that happened - there was nothing that really surprised me that happened, you know, some things that hurt my feelings but nothing that really surprised me because I kind of had the feeling.


Paige Feigenbaum: Great. Thank you very much.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Operator: You have a follow-up from Jackie Strauss from Life & Style.


Jackie Strauss: Hello there.


Emily Maynard: Hi.


Jackie Strauss: I think that our readers are really rooting for you to find happiness. So, now that filming is over, are you happy and what are your thoughts now that it's done with?


Emily Maynard: I am really happy. I was happy before I went on the show but I'm really happy now. Just having gone through it and just learning so much about myself and really seem like I grew with the person in the past couple of months. And I really couldn't be happier.


Jackie Strauss: Thank you so much.


Emily Maynard: Thanks.


Operator: Your next question comes from Carrie Bell from People Magazine.


Carrie Bell: Hey, Emily, I just have one other question, the race car driver, I know when people are talking to Chris Harrison and after the, you know, the men were, you know, really - you know, shows - when we found out who the men were and what they did, the brief amount of information you're given, you know, a lot of people reacted like, "Wow. That seems kind of cruel of them to put that on there" and I know that, you know, Ari himself was even like, "I'm a little worried how she's going to take this."


Can you kind of talk about what your initial reaction was when you heard that information and was it ever something were you thought, "Wow. That's a little cruel of them" or does that not even equate for you?


Emily Maynard: No. I mean I was really just grateful that Ari was so open about it the very first night he told me. But I know about NASCAR. I don't know anything about Indi Car and they're very - they're two completely different worlds. I have never even seen one before. So, I didn't know anything about it. And I mean Ari is such a great guy. He could be a taxi cab driver and I wouldn't have cared.


Carrie Bell: OK. All right. So, it didn't - it didn't - you didn't feel like it was a shocker moment for you?


Emily Maynard: No. Not at all. And maybe that's what people was expecting, but no. I didn't care about that.


Carrie Bell: OK. And I know - I don't know that I've seen your kind of - if I've any sort of reaction from you about the Bentley thing and what happens with Ashley and I know you're, you know, you obviously know Ashley. So, you know, when that happened, did you - I mean how - what was your thought on that or what was your feeling?


And then with the potential that they could have, you know, sought him out to be on this, were you nervous that they were going to go that route?


Emily Maynard: I was a little bit to be honest. I know Ashley and I absolutely adore her. She is one of the sweetest, most down-to-earth girl I've ever met, and to see her go through that and - I mean every girl has experienced something like that. Not on that level but every girl has gone through and dated a Bentley type and I think every girl's heart, you know, broke for her in that moment and mine certainly did.


I don't - I also know just based on the people that I've met from the show that are completely different in than the way they were whenever I watch it from home that I want to give Bentley the benefit of the doubt, and you know, just hope that he was able to watch it and grow from it because I think everybody does watch themselves and kind of, you know, sees a side of them that they don't love and, hopefully, he was able to, you know, fix a couple of things.


Carrie Bell: Hopefully, a couple. Thank you.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Operator: You have a follow-up from Theoden Janes from Charlotte Observer.


Theoden Janes: Hey again.


Emily Maynard: Hey.


Theoden Janes: Yes. You know, you mentioned earlier on this call of being nervous and you said that you don't like to be the center of attention.


Emily Maynard: Yes.


Theoden Janes: So, how was it for you to watch this all back like is it fun and interesting or is it excruciating for you?


Emily Maynard: It is - it's fun for me in one way because I get to see all the behind the scenes stuff, you know, with the guys and all that I didn't get to be there for but at the same time it is just painful. I am my own worst critic. Yes, it's not fun. I have to watch it by myself.


Theoden Janes: Well, the other thing I was curious about is it for Monday's night premiere - I mean, who did you watch it with? Were you here in Charlotte? (Inaudible).


Emily Maynard: I didn't even watch it with everyone else to be honest. I had to TiVo it. But I watched it by myself, and you know, just to kind of watch it like everybody else I guess and try to take it easy on myself.


Theoden Janes: Well, thanks again.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Operator: You have a follow-up from Catriona Wightman from Digital Spy.


Catriona Wightman: Hi again, Emily.


Emily Maynard: Hi.


Catriona Wightman: Earlier, you said weren't so sure about the gimmicky entrances. I'm just wondering if any of them did work for you.


Emily Maynard: Any of the gimmicky ones?


Catriona Wightman: Yes.


Emily Maynard: Yes. I love Ryan's little note that he wrote. The one that said, "I'm so nervous and you're so beautiful." I thought that was really sweet and endearing. Jes rolling on a skateboard I thought was so cool. There were a lot that I just thought were funny in the moment and even the really cheesy ones were a great ice breaker I think especially in that moment when you're so nervous. It was just - even though it was for fun.


Catriona Wightman: Right. Thank you.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Operator: Your final question is a follow-up from Beth Kwiatkowski from Reality TV World.


Beth Kwiatkowski: Hi, Emily. I just have a couple of questions about some of the guys you cut during Monday night episode.


Emily Maynard: Sure.


Beth Kwiatkowski: Could you talk about why you didn't give Brent, the father of six kids, a rose? Like were you just not ready to be a stepmom to six kids and maybe that played a role in his elimination? Do you think it would have just been too much too soon or what was the thought process?


Emily Maynard: I am - I am open to anything and I would - the opportunity to be a stepmom is a blessing but at the same time with six kids he is probably not wanting to have any more and I obviously do.


Beth Kwiatkowski: OK. And Jackson, the fitness model, had a pretty funny closing interview which aired during the end of the premiere. Could you talk a little bit about what your one-on-one time was like with him because viewers didn't get to see any of that? Like did he talk about his body with you and is that what made you deny him a rose or what happened there? Like did you realize what you'd be "missing out" on?


Emily Maynard: I didn't realize all that was going on underneath all of that. And I am kind of bummed that I missed it but I wouldn't change anything. He was very nice during our conversation but I just kind of have the feeling that we wouldn't be that great for each other in the long run and I can confidently say that any guy that would take his shirt off and say that is probably not my type.


Beth Kwiatkowski: OK.


Emily Maynard: I stick by my decision.


Beth Kwiatkowski: Sure. And my last question is you eliminated David who was the singer and songwriter during Monday night's show. Could you talk about your reasoning behind that decision? Like did you worry he was on the show maybe just for exposure or to promote his music? Did you just not feel a connection with him or was it something else?


Emily Maynard: Honestly, I don't even - I don't even remember. I just - so many of the other guys I did feel that kind of immediate connection with and I just didn't feel it with him.


Beth Kwiatkowski: OK. Thank you, Emily. It was nice to talk to you.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Operator: And there are no further questions at this time.


Emily Maynard: Thank you.


Natalia Desrosiers: OK. Thank you, everyone, for being on the call. And don't forget to tune in to episode two airing at 9 p.m. on Monday, May 21st.


Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, this will conclude today's conference. Thank you for participating. You may now disconnect.


END