Just What She Wants to Hear

Just What “The Bachelor”’s Hillary Wants to Hear by Roxanne McDonald

Replay that episode of “The Bachelor”. Note how Hilary has selective hearing. Watch Hillary implode.

Listen as Brad says “good friends” repeatedly, then tells us he doesn’t have the attraction he tried to have to Hillary. Hear Hillary tell us she is delighted with their attraction. Fast forward to Brad warning her again that are just “too good friends….” Watch Hillary get even more hopeful. Scream at

TV Hillary: pay attention! He is NOT saying anything good, here, and is trying to cut you loose as gently as he knows how!
This is not ambiguity. This is not convoluted courtship. It’s the very old, very cliché kiss of relationship death, Hill.

Years back, Oprah Winfrey issued a caveat: “If he SAYS he doesn’t want to commit, BELIEVE him.” Don’t try to change him or his mind. Forget growing on him, coming into favor. Let go of the possibility of his suddenly realizing what a gem in a dustbowl you are. Pay attention to what he is saying, not what you wish he were saying.

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Bachelor Rose-getting Strategies

Bachelor Rose-getting Strategies by Roxanne McDonald

The twenty-five women arriving at “The Bachelor” mansion this season have amped up the game moves. As Chris Harrison notes, they will do anything to get their man.

They arrived in limos of five bachelorettes each:

First were Sheena, Internet marketing mogul from Walnut Creek, California; Jenni, Phoenix Suns dancer from Wichita, Kansas; Kim, realtor from Woodbridge, Connecticut;

Sarah, bar manager from O’Fallon, Illinois; and Bettina, realtor from Hermosa Beach, California.
Next were news anchor Jessica, from Lady Lake, Florida; graduate student Morgan, from Tempe, Arizona; accounts rep Rigina, from San Diego, California; publishing sales rep Erin, from Tampa, Florida; and ER nurse Tanni, from St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

Third to arrive were DeAnna, a realtor from Newman, California; Juli, a law student from Chicago, Illinois; McCarten, an account manager from San Diego, California; Susan, a project analyst from St. Charles, Illinois; and Lindsey, a model from Livonia, Michigan.

In the next to last limo came Chicago, Illinois acupuncturist, Kristy; Georgetown, Texas esthetician, Solista; Atlanta, Georgia executive assistant, Estefania; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania RN, Hillary; and Annapolis, Maryland biology teacher, Lori.

And in the last limo were Natalie, a law student from Duncanville, Texas; Mallory, a nanny from Honolulu, Hawaii; Michele, a realtor from South Brunswick, New Jersey; Melissa, an event planner from Westchester, New York; and Jade, a boutique salesperson from Nashville, Tennessee.

The women, as new Bachelor Brad said, are all beautiful. But more interesting were the tricks and techniques of tantalizing in a few short hours the man many of them instantly fell goo goo over.

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Will the New Bachelor Break the Break-up Cycle?

Will the New Bachelor Break the Break-up Cycle? by Roxanne McDonald

Can U.S. Navy Lieutenant Andy Baldwin, M.D. break up the break-up cycle?

The new bachelor, who will appear on The Bachelor in the spring of 2007, is Andy Baldwin. He is a U.S. Navy lieutenant. He is an undersea medical officer. He is a world-class triathlete. And he, as all the other bachelors have proclaimed, is looking for true and everlasting love.

Will Baldwin have the balds (ahem) to do what the others haven’t been able to do—sustain a loving relationship with a woman found on a reality TV show?

Season 1’s Alex Michel couldn’t (or wouldn’t) do it: the handsome management consultant who played guinea pig for The Bachelor’s first season, really, was evidently not sure of whom he wanted. According to the NY Post, TV Guide, and Reality TV World, for starters, Michel “continued to carry a torch for Trista Rehn, though he gave the final rose to the younger Amanda Marsh. Michel also continued a clandestine relationship with Rehn. When Marsh found out about this, she dumped him. One down.
Season 2’s Aaron Buerge couldn’t (or wouldn’t) do it: the VP of a chain of family-owned banks was a bit callous in his choice of dumping grounds, breaking it off with fiancé Helene Eksterowicz at a Starbucks, an act which with many others was aired in a “tell-all” episode on ABC that same year (2003)—a show which was so hot and alluring it pulled more viewers than Survivor that night.

Season 3’s Andrew Firestone couldn’t do it - sales manager of Firestone Family estates had a decent run with his chosen Bachelorette, Jen Schefft, had an amicable breakup. Two months after they split (in 2004), Firestone was on business in Chicago (where Jen had returned when they parted)…and reportedly looked up Schefft. There was rumor they might reconcile, but…
eunited when Firestone visited Chicago to appear at the city’s Auto Show event. While in the Windy City, Firestone looked up Schefft (who moved back to Chicago from San Francisco after their relationship ended in December)
Season 4’s Bob Guiney couldn’t do it (directly): the entertaining and overweight contender on The Bachelorette (vying for Trish’s now utterly smitten heart) had lost weight, gotten lots of responses to his losing to Ryan White, and became the one who got away in a different sense. In the most controversial of seasons (or with the most controversial of choices), the creator of a mortgage company had given a “promise” ring to his chosen Estella Gardinier, but broke it all off with her—over the phone—after the couple attended Trish and Ryan’s wedding.

But Guiney was also seeking a music career and seeking that true love he had intimated was possible (wink-wink) in someone else: Rebecca Budig. Budig is now an actress starring on the ABC soap opera, All My Children, but earlier was the host of ABC’s The Bachelor: Aaron and Helene Tell All, the wrap-up show after The Bachelor 2, as well as of the ABC Family Channel rebroadcasts of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette – where, Reality TV Magazine reports, Bob met her, in January 2003, prior to committing to The Bachelor 4.

Season 5’s Jesse Palmer couldn’t do it: the then Giants’ quarterback had given his final rose to Jessica Bowlin, but within a few short months (by June of 2004) was saying to Extra, as reported by Reality TV Magazine, how “Jessica and I shared an incredible romantic journey on the show that began with a friendship that remains strong today. We simply realized that, individually, our next steps take us in different directions.” And according to his bride-not-to-be, “With too much distance and too little time these were not ideal circumstances in which to start a relationship.” Palmer went on to focus on his football and Bowlin to finish her law school studies.

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