The Bachelor
I confess. Sometimes I watch the Bachelor but not often. I didn't watch this season, however, I tuned in last night as it promised to be shocking. The more shocking, the better for the ratings.
Yesterday, a former Trump Aide had a veritable melt-down on various media, before Erin Burnett asked him point blank if he was drunk. He denied drinking and said all he had that day was his anti-depressants. (I would be curious to know if he was on anti-depressants before or after he worked for Trump.) Yet, that wasn't the stop story yesterday.
The bachelor occupied twitter and a great deal of social media. Why do we fall for this?
First of all, it is really easy to fall in love when you having a private dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower or you are in the Caribbean with lots of sunshine and not an ordinary worry. It is quite a different story when you are back in actual reality fighting over whose turn it is to make supper or having the reality of bills and things like that. It is no mystery why most of these relationships can't exist in actual reality.
The current bachelor proposed to Becka and sent Lauren home. Then, less than a month later, he broke up with Becka and said he wanted to pursue a relationship with Lauren. The break-up was shown on television with Becka seemingly overwhelmed with emotion and cried profusely. This was great television but it clearly crossed a line. The poor woman should not have had her grief televised like that. Or, did it? Obviously, Becka knew that the cameras were on and she could have asked them to stop recording at any time. She did not. Why Arie would have wanted this filmed is also a complete mystery. At worst, he looked like an unfeeling monster. At best, he looked like the biggest idiot ever as she was telling him over and over to leave and he did not.
On the Monday night episode Becka was on and looked devastated. It set us up wanting more answers so the next night was another two hour special.
During the next 24 hours, social media erupted. Even a State Assemblyman from Minnesota tweeted that if his tweet was shared 1000 times, he would table a bill to ban Arie from the State of Minnesota. He became the most hated man in America, and this is the same America that has Trump as President.
On Tuesday, there was the usual re-play of Becka's emotional break-up. She appeared, but this time she was much more composed. She said she wanted to talk to Arie just for closure and that she was over him.
We watched Arie go back to Lauren and beg for forgiveness. Lauren tried to make him sweat, but, as we learned later, they had been in contact and she knew he was coming. This scene was just an act, and frankly, neither were good actors.
Becka confronted Arie, but her heart wasn't in it for some reason. She confirmed she was so over him.
Arie and Lauren appeared. Arie ended up proposing to Lauren. No one cared. They were given the advice to leave the US for a month and don't look at social media and then live low.
And, then the announcement that we all had been waiting for, the announcement of the new Bachelorette. Of course, it was Becka.
Even though many of us watch, many of us don't want to admit to watching. I look at all these gorgeous women with great careers and think, "wow, if they can't find love on their own, what chance do us plain Janes have?" I also wonder why people put themselves out there for the humiliation and ridicule.
Well, it is obvious why people want to get on the show. The Bachelor or the Bachelorette get $100,000. for their participation. Apparently, the highest paid has been Emily Maynard who got $250,000.
If you are proposed to, the engagement ring is about $80,000. There is a clause in the contract that if the relationship doesn't last 2 years, you have to give the ring back. If you get married on tv, you get an appearance fee plus your whole wedding paid for.
The contestants don't get any money for their appearances, but, for most, it is a spring board to a career. If you are lucky to appear on The Bachelor in Paradise, you get $10,000 for the first week and the number goes as high as $50,000 if you appear on the last week.
If you are invited to appear on Dancing with the Stars, you also get money. Reportedly, you get $8,000 for the first week and that number increases every week that you are on the show. No wonder they can always attract people I have never heard of.
Not to mention, small mall appearances, appearing on other reality shows, etc. But, as noted, the biggest payoff seems to be if you are dumped dramatically, you are guaranteed 6 figures to come back as the Bachelor/Bachelorette.
So, that explains why people participate on these shows. It doesn't explain why we watch. Well, watching some one else's drama is a nice escape from our own lives. But, despite my cynical comments, I believe that when it comes right down to it, people really are searching for love. Anyone that has been single for a long period of time knows how difficult this is and wonders if it is possible, but we were all told fairy tales as children. I think we want to believe that our Prince Charming is out there looking for us. Only this Prince Charming is a modern one who wants us to have our career, be an equal partner, and devotes his life to making our lives easier. Simply put, despite everything, we still want to believe that there is a fairy tale ending out there.
Good luck, Becka.
Yesterday, a former Trump Aide had a veritable melt-down on various media, before Erin Burnett asked him point blank if he was drunk. He denied drinking and said all he had that day was his anti-depressants. (I would be curious to know if he was on anti-depressants before or after he worked for Trump.) Yet, that wasn't the stop story yesterday.
The bachelor occupied twitter and a great deal of social media. Why do we fall for this?
First of all, it is really easy to fall in love when you having a private dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower or you are in the Caribbean with lots of sunshine and not an ordinary worry. It is quite a different story when you are back in actual reality fighting over whose turn it is to make supper or having the reality of bills and things like that. It is no mystery why most of these relationships can't exist in actual reality.
The current bachelor proposed to Becka and sent Lauren home. Then, less than a month later, he broke up with Becka and said he wanted to pursue a relationship with Lauren. The break-up was shown on television with Becka seemingly overwhelmed with emotion and cried profusely. This was great television but it clearly crossed a line. The poor woman should not have had her grief televised like that. Or, did it? Obviously, Becka knew that the cameras were on and she could have asked them to stop recording at any time. She did not. Why Arie would have wanted this filmed is also a complete mystery. At worst, he looked like an unfeeling monster. At best, he looked like the biggest idiot ever as she was telling him over and over to leave and he did not.
On the Monday night episode Becka was on and looked devastated. It set us up wanting more answers so the next night was another two hour special.
During the next 24 hours, social media erupted. Even a State Assemblyman from Minnesota tweeted that if his tweet was shared 1000 times, he would table a bill to ban Arie from the State of Minnesota. He became the most hated man in America, and this is the same America that has Trump as President.
On Tuesday, there was the usual re-play of Becka's emotional break-up. She appeared, but this time she was much more composed. She said she wanted to talk to Arie just for closure and that she was over him.
We watched Arie go back to Lauren and beg for forgiveness. Lauren tried to make him sweat, but, as we learned later, they had been in contact and she knew he was coming. This scene was just an act, and frankly, neither were good actors.
Becka confronted Arie, but her heart wasn't in it for some reason. She confirmed she was so over him.
Arie and Lauren appeared. Arie ended up proposing to Lauren. No one cared. They were given the advice to leave the US for a month and don't look at social media and then live low.
And, then the announcement that we all had been waiting for, the announcement of the new Bachelorette. Of course, it was Becka.
Even though many of us watch, many of us don't want to admit to watching. I look at all these gorgeous women with great careers and think, "wow, if they can't find love on their own, what chance do us plain Janes have?" I also wonder why people put themselves out there for the humiliation and ridicule.
Well, it is obvious why people want to get on the show. The Bachelor or the Bachelorette get $100,000. for their participation. Apparently, the highest paid has been Emily Maynard who got $250,000.
If you are proposed to, the engagement ring is about $80,000. There is a clause in the contract that if the relationship doesn't last 2 years, you have to give the ring back. If you get married on tv, you get an appearance fee plus your whole wedding paid for.
The contestants don't get any money for their appearances, but, for most, it is a spring board to a career. If you are lucky to appear on The Bachelor in Paradise, you get $10,000 for the first week and the number goes as high as $50,000 if you appear on the last week.
If you are invited to appear on Dancing with the Stars, you also get money. Reportedly, you get $8,000 for the first week and that number increases every week that you are on the show. No wonder they can always attract people I have never heard of.
Not to mention, small mall appearances, appearing on other reality shows, etc. But, as noted, the biggest payoff seems to be if you are dumped dramatically, you are guaranteed 6 figures to come back as the Bachelor/Bachelorette.
So, that explains why people participate on these shows. It doesn't explain why we watch. Well, watching some one else's drama is a nice escape from our own lives. But, despite my cynical comments, I believe that when it comes right down to it, people really are searching for love. Anyone that has been single for a long period of time knows how difficult this is and wonders if it is possible, but we were all told fairy tales as children. I think we want to believe that our Prince Charming is out there looking for us. Only this Prince Charming is a modern one who wants us to have our career, be an equal partner, and devotes his life to making our lives easier. Simply put, despite everything, we still want to believe that there is a fairy tale ending out there.
Good luck, Becka.
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