A Reality Check With ... Andy & Tessa (ABC's "The Bachelor")

Andy & Tessa, the happy couple, joined the media on a conference call this morning. I stole a few minutes with them & here's what they had to say:

RC: Andy, what initially drew you to Tessa when you first met her?
Andy: That corny muffin joke! She has an ease about her that is so elegant & real. She’s true to herself. She’s different than all the bachelorettes, she made me laugh til I got side stitches. It’s rare to have someone like that!

RC: Andy, what went through your mind when both girls said they loved you?
Andy: I was stressed! I was really, really stressed. It’s such a bizarre situation but one that becomes permissible given the format for the Bachelor. You can really develop strong feelings coming down to the end. You could see my emotions really show, I hated to break somebody’s heart. The love I felt from Bevin was so powerful, she really loved me. I didn’t feel the same necessarily back to her. Dealing with that was intense. I was falling in love with Tessa & once she gave that back to me, I knew I had to let Bevin down.

RC: Tessa, Andy said that he prepared you for what you would see in the episodes. Did anything surprise you & what were you told about the finale?
Tessa: Actually, I hadn’t seen the finale yet! We were flying to NY. Andy prepared me in the sense that … there’s only so much you can say or do to prepare someone for this. Andy was there to remind me how much he loved & cared about me.

RC: How do you guys keep romance alive?
Tessa: Are you kidding? With Andy?! He is the most romantic person ever!

You can catch up with Andy & all girls on tonight's Bachelor reunion on ABC!

The Bachelor: The Final Rose (5/21/07)

I have a talent. A gift, really. I always back the girl who gets dumped on national tv. During The Bachelor: Rome, I picked Sadie but Lorenzo picked Jen. And when The Bachelor: New York featured Charlie O'Connell, he picked Sarah but I rooted for good ol' what's-her-name. Such is the case this season. Despite having to warm up to Bevin, I pulled for her all season long. When Andy dumped her at the final rose ceremony, I couldn't believe it. More shocked than me - Bevin, who could not even find words to speak. I actually felt bad for her. Damn you, Bachelor, you got me.

At least Andy admitted in his ABC conference call last week what a cheeseball he was. It made me feel better knowing he was aware & actually proud of it. His own sister laughed at him when he did a Baldwin family huddle in their living room at the start of last night's finale. Both Tessa & Bevin came to PA to meet Andy's family. Both women left lasting impressions though both had their struggles. Tessa fumbled when the Baldwins asked where she saw herself in 5 years. Bevin talked about wanting to work with people who were sexually dysfunctional & her religion that she was raised in - the Bahai faith. Still, after the family meetings, it looked like Bevin was winning.

Bevin looked like the frontrunner the whole episode. On the final 1-on-1 dates, Bevin told Andy she loved him. But hold up, Bevin. Tessa dropped the L-word too! Lots of gift-giving & making out took place. Andy says when Bevin said she loved him, it was the best moment of the whole show. Wait a minute. He ALSO said when Tessa said SHE loved him, that's what he had been waiting for. I'd pay a lot of money to have been sitting in the living room with the happy couple last night watching this back. Awkward much?

At the final rose ceremony, it was clear from the beginning of Andy's speech that he was letting Bevin down. The minute I saw her step out of the limo first, I knew what her fate would be. She never saw it coming, breaking down immediately & could not find words to say back to him. Bevin expressed herself more on the limo ride home saying she never thought she would be the one to get dumped, saying this always happened to her, and she felt like a fool. It's hard not to empathize with the girl. Tessa showed up last to a very happy Andy who proposed right there. She said yes (although rumors on the internet said she initially said no) & the two seemed very happy together.

Check back later today, I'll be talking to the new couple - Andy & Tessa! And don't forget tonight's reunion airs at 8pm on ABC!

For more Bachelor links, visit sirlinksalot.net.

A Reality Check With ... Andy Baldwin (ABC's "The Bachelor")

In a recent press conference, bachelor Andy Baldwin took some time to discuss what he likes about Bevin & Tessa and what it's been like to keep everything a secret. He downplays rumors that the woman he proposed to said no & speaks openly about his life since taping The Bachelor.

On what his family thought of him doing the show…
Initially when ABC called me & made the proposition that I be the next bachelor, my mom was like, “Oh gosh Andy, what have you gotten yourself into?” They’re excited but they don’t know who I chose.

On finding someone to settle down with…
I’ve had a very busy life in the military going through medical school & diving school. I’ve been stationed all over the world & the country. It’s not something you can make happen. On this show, I didn’t know how it was going to end. I didn’t know the women that were coming out for it. It’s not a formula … falling in love & marriage & family, it’s not an equation or subjective. It’s just something that happens. I’ve had a number of serious relationships in the past and for whatever reason, it wasn’t meant to be.

On what he likes about Bevin & Tessa…
Bevin & Tessa both, as I say often on the show, are amazing women. They have different stories as to how they go to this point. Bevin is not afraid to show who she really is, she wears her emotions on her sleeve. She’s open with showing her affection & I knew she was in it without a doubt. Tessa, on the other hand, is very grounded. She’s had skepticism & doubt from the beginning. She & Bevin were best friends in the house. That interaction wasn’t shown on the show but it came into play towards the end.

On being able to reveal who he proposed to…
I’m very excited, we’re counting down the days. It’s so hard, not only on her but on me as well. We haven’t gotten to spend much 1-on-1 time together. We’re tired of looking at the past, we want to look to the future. Our love for each other as grown more & more since the finale.

On rumors that the woman he proposed to said no then changed her mind…
I’m not going to comment on that. I proposed, she said yes, and we’re very happy.

On watching the show back with his fiancé…

I know what I did but it’s hard for her because all she lived out was her time with me. I did my best to prep her & let her know what she’s going to see. I told her, “Listen, honey, put yourself in my situation.” The methods & madness and the way this Bachelor format works is that you’re dating several women down to the end. Let’s focus on the future & not the past.

On seeing the girls on the episode…
When I see these episodes every Monday, it’s the first time I’m seeing it too. It was very enlightening and revealing. There were definitely some shockers. I do realize it’s edited & they’re trying to characterize people. Stephanie from South Carolina was so over the top. The footage I was really interested to see was Tahoe – what happened in their suite. That’s when everything hit the fan and it was tough on me with all the drama.

On the show being an accurate representation of him…

There are definitely some times I cringe – every time I say “amazing”. Do I really say it that much? There are times I would use big words & they would say, “No you need to say it another way. People won’t understand you.” A lot of the cheesy lines are my cheesy lines. I’m a romantic guy & that was all me. People can make fun of me as much as they want to.

Tune in to the season finale of ABC's "The Bachelor" this Monday night!

For more Bachelor links, check our sirlinksalot.net

The Bachelor: The Psychic Was Wrong (5/14/07)

The field has been narrowed to three as Bevin, Danielle, and Tessa fight for the man they … love? Tonight, he brought the girls to Hawaii to share his life with them. He begins his dates with each woman by showing them Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona. He speaks so passionately about this & it’s a very poignant moment in the episode – something real in a very surreal environment.

Andy’s first 1-on-1 date is with Tessa who meets him in Kauai to have a little fun & do a zipline over a ravine. They also went over a suspension bridge & took a romantic walk. They end their evening with a picnic. It seems Tessa & Andy are really falling for each other, more than I expected them to. He has really been fighting for her all along – it’s nice to see her let her guard down. At dinner, Tessa lets Andy know just how she feels & he offers her the fantasy suite card. She accepts to have more time alone with him & uses the time to talk to Andy about their relationship. Don’t worry, people, they got lots of kissing in too! J

The bachelor’s next date is with Danielle who meets him aboard a catamaran for a day on the ocean. On the way, they see dolphins & whales – what is better than that? And while we’re on the subject of questions … who knew snorkels & goggles were sexy? Andy & Danielle played in the water, swimming with the fish, and stealing some kisses along the way. Afterwards, they sat together while the sun set but I couldn’t help but giggle at the musak version of “Up Where We Belong” playing in the background (notably off the “Office & A Gentleman” soundtrack). At dinner, Andy brings in a psychic to talk to Danielle who brings up the loss she suffered with her college boyfriend. This blows Danielle away who wonders if she still needs to deal with the issues she has. The fantasy card is offered at the end of the evening & Danielle also accepts.

The final date for Andy takes place with Bevin. They start the day off with a kayak ride & then on an “adventure hike” as Andy called it. They end their hike at a waterfall where the bachelor scores again with some fun & some love! Their evening leads them a romantic luau where fire & hula dancers perform for them. At the dinner, Andy spends time trying to get to know Bevin better & find out if she’s here for the right reasons. He also brings up his insecurities again about her previous divorce. She reassures him that she wants him to know everything about her & love her for who she is. No surprise that at the end of the evening, Bevin accepts her fantasy suite card.

Before the rose ceremony, Andy struggles with his decision so his friend flies out to help him talk through it. It is a stressful time for Andy as this will impact the rest of his life. Not surprisingly, the first rose goes to Bevin (who is my pick to win this whole thing). The last rose is given to Tessa whose relationship with Andy has grown over the last few dates. This leaves Danielle without a rose & on her way back to Connecticut. He gave her the “you’re gonna make some man really happy” speech & sent her on her way. Andy & Danielle both took it hard though, getting emotional about it after saying goodbye.

Later in the week, I’ll be talking to Any Baldwin himself as he struggles with his final decision to choose the woman he’ll spend his life with. The season finale of The Bachelor airs next Monday on ABC.

For all the Bachelor links you can handle, check out sirlinksalot.net

The Bachelor: Hometown Dates - The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

It’s time for Andy Baldwin to make a cross-country trip to visit the hometowns & families of: Tessa, Bevin, Danielle, and Amber. It’s bad enough when you have to meet your girlfriend’s family but to meet FOUR families in the span of a week or so? I don’t envy Andy & the decision he’ll have to make once he meets everyone.

Up first is a trip to Seattle to see Bevin, who has been waiting to share a secret with Andy. She sits him down to drop the bomb – she has been previously married & divorced. Andy tells her that he appreciates her honesty but confesses to the camera that he’s worried. The trip home proves to be very emotional for Bevin, who worries about getting her heart broken. Any leaves Seattle feeling comfortable with Bevin’s family & hopeful for a future with Bevin.

He then heads clear across the country to Connecticut (yay for my home state!) to see Danielle. Danielle’s family expresses concern that their daughter will want to move to Hawaii to be with Andy but Danielle says she just wants to be where she is happy. Though Andy & Danielle seem to be having fun together, it doesn’t seem like there is a huge spark between them – but maybe I am missing something.

The good times don’t last too long as Andy heads to Washington, D.C. to see Tessa and gets grilled by her family. What are your faults? What’s it like to date so many people? Do you see yourself living in the suburbs or city? Are there qualities in the other girls that Tessa is missing? Ouch. While their intentions are good & they’re just trying to protect her, my heart goes out to Andy. Besides going through the gauntlet of questions, he also worries she’s not here for the right reasons.

Side note: If I have to hear Andy use the phrase “go the distance” one more time, I’m going to throw myself off a building.

Andy’s last stop is Sugar Land, Texas to see Amber the schoolteacher. They meet at her school where Andy gets to see her classroom as well as meet her students. Amber sits Andy down, also to drop a bomb. Andy won’t be meeting Amber’s parents or aunt & uncle. Amber has a very rocky relationship with her family, who are unsupportive of her being on the show. Andy finds a different dynamic when he goes to Amber’s apartment with her roommate. At the last minute, Amber’s aunt shows up to surprise her & save the date from going downhill.

At the rose ceremony, Andy finds it particularly difficult to let one woman go. Tessa is the first to receive a rose, much to my surprise. Next, Bevin is called to accept her rose. Finally, Danielle is called leaving an emotional Amber out in the cold. Andy pulls her aside before sending her off in the limo. He plays the age difference card which upsets Amber further. Next week, Andy takes the 3 remaining women to Hawaii. My money’s still on Bevin.

For more Bachelor links, check out sirlinksalot.net!

The Bachelor: Six Become Four (4/30/07)

Tonight, 6 women become 4 as Andy decides which women he’d like to travel with to meet their families. All the women board the yacht, spending the day with Andy who is happy he doesn’t have to hand out any roses until the ceremony. First, he spends times with the brunettes where Tina causes an awkward moment by picking Andy’s teeth! Then, he’s off to the blondes where Bevin steals him away for a kayak ride on what was supposed to be a group date.

A package arrives at the house later for the girls for Stephanie who is invited out on a 1-on-1 date. Andy takes her to a winery where they can mix & make their own wine. They have a great time and Andy keeps trying to get her to open up. He asked her a lot of questions but she really wouldn’t give him much. The date cooled off quickly & it was time for Andy to prepare for another date.

The date box arrives for: Amber, Tina, Bevin, and Danielle – meaning Tessa gets the other 1-on-1 date. The 4 girls are picked up & head to a schoolyard where they repaint the playground there for 60 kindergarten students. Once they were finished, Andy surprised them by bringing out half the students to check out their new playground. The girls were thrilled & everyone spent time playing with the little ones.

When Andy picks up Tessa, he is not alone – he brought 2 million dollars worth of jewelry with him! This does not sit well with the other girls in the house, particularly Bevin who has developed very strong feelings for him. Andy takes Tessa dress shopping to pick out anything she wants (ahhh, every girl’s dream!). They have a wonderful time even as Tessa continues to express reservation.

At the rose ceremony, it’s time to decide who is getting the hometown dates which proves to be very stressful to Andy. Bevin gets her rose first, much to her delight. Amber, Tessa, and Danielle receiving the remaining roses, leaving Tina & Stephanie out in the cold. Andy’s comin’ to CT (my home state)! Next week looks interesting and Bevin will spill her secret to Andy that she’s been married once before. I still think she might take the whole thing.

Kissing Tally: Bevin, Stephanie, Tessa

The Bachelor airs Monday nights on ABC!

For more Bachelor links, visit sirlinksalot.net

The Bachelor: Milkin’ The Ankle For All Its Worth (4/23/07)

Last night's installment of The Bachelor featured two group dates & an individual date. Everyone boarded a private jet to head to Lake Tahoe for their dates with Andy. After the private jet, the party bus ride, and the arrival at the suite (and many girly screams later), group assignments were doled out. The first group would be: Nicole, Stephanie (Kansas), Danielle, & Bevin who had to immediately throw on some party dresses & go gambling with Andy. Bevin began to crack under the pressure. She broke down on the date, taking Andy away from the other girls, much to their dismay. The waterworks kept flowin’ as Stephanie (Kansas) also broke down to Andy. That guy should carry Kleenex with him at all times! Andy decides to give the quality time to Bevin, who took full advantage of the situation – wink, wink.

Meanwhile, the second group date card arrived at the suite. Tessa, Kate, Tina, and Stephanie – South Carolina went skiing with Andy. This left Amber to take the individual date. Tessa skied to impress & found herself having some time with Andy to talk, expressing her doubts & insecurities about the experience. Stephanie (SC), on the other hand, took advantage of her alone time with Andy to smack talk the other girls in the house. She also called Andy out on the fact that he’s been kissing everyone, saying all the girls were mad at him. Meanwhile, Kate uses her time to spread rumors about Amber & slam Stephanie (SC). Cattiness & jealousy has taken over Tahoe!

The time came for the individual date but Stephanie (SC) & Kate had done their damage. Andy spent a good portion of the evening grilling Amber on the rumors that he heard. Satisfied with her answers, they wasted no time getting in the hot tub to make out. Andy got the rose & presented it to her. Nice try, Stephanie & Kate!

Full drama ensued at the cocktail party prior to the rose ceremony. Andy expressed he was looking for his soul mate but it was hard for me just to look past Stephanie (SC)’s breasts in that dress! Tessa expressed wanting to leave while Andy continued to try to console her & convince her to stay. A hot Navy doctor shouldn’t have to work so hard! The rose ceremony leaves 3 girls out in the cold without roses – Nicole, Kate, and Stephanie (SC). Kate took it graciously while Nicole & Stephanie broke down.

Kissing Tally: Bevin, Danielle, Amber, Tessa

Interesting Fact Of The Night: Andy ‘fesses up to Tina that the car & yacht aren’t really his. Way to foot the bill, ABC!

Find additional Bachelor links on sirlinksalot.net

The Bachelor: Andy Doesn't Show Love For Texas (4/16/07)

Last night's episode began with a Bachelor boot camp session. Bevin looked promising until she fell and seriously injured her ankle. Not the worst thing in the world since she got a rose & some serious 1-on-1 time at the hospital with Andy. Peyton was the first one sent home as Tessa claimed the rose on a 2-on-1 date aboard a navy ship. Group dates featuring a mud treatment at a spa and high speed car races led to Stephanie (Kansas) & Erin getting some 1-on-1 time with him. At the rose ceremony, with Tessa & Bevin safe, Erin & Amanda found themselves without a rose. Andy kept trying to get both girls to open up to him through the episode but they held back & got a limo ride home to show for it. I thought maybe Stephanie (SC) would go but she'll be around to play the villain a few more weeks. Every season's gotta have one!

A Reality Check With ... Alexis from ABC's "The Bachelor" (4/16/07)

We check in with Alexis, the 26 year old attorney from Southlake, TX who did not receive a rose on last week’s episode of ABC’s “The Bachelor”.


RC: On paper, it doesn’t seem like a home-schooled virgin would be too interested in being on “The Bachelor”. What made you want to do the show?
A: Everyone always thinks that there is a certain type of girl who goes on the show but everyone was apprehensive. These girls don’t need to go on tv to get a date. We all did it for fun & to meet this great guy!

RC: By the 2nd episode, though, some girls already seemed to be emotionally invested. They acted jealous, spoke of getting married, said he was theirs. Can it feel real in such a short amount of time?
A: It didn’t feel REALLY real. It feels just like you have a crush on Jude Law. I don’t think everyone was personally invested in it at that point, no one was catty about it.

RC: So we can assume you weren’t too disappointed after the rose ceremony?
A: Oh no, not at all. They show me saying, “Of COURSE I’m disappointed!” but the question I was asked was, “Weren’t you disappointed AT ALL?”

RC: You got some 1-on-1 time with him while a few others didn’t who made it through. Did that bother you because it seemed like Andy understood you?
A: We all got time to talk to him & I actually didn’t talk to him until the very end of the night right before the rose ceremony. After, I went & sat with Amanda and said, “We did not have a connection. I think I’m going home tonight.”

RC: Many girls seemed to go to extreme measures to get Andy’s attention (backflips, singing, etc). Were they encouraged to do that or did they decide to do that on their own?
A: Whether or not they’re encouraged, that’s up to each individual girl. No one forces anyone to do anything although maybe there was some peer pressure. I made it a personal choice not to act like that. I’m not going to TRY to get his attention. He’s a 30 year old man, if he wants to talk to me, he can come up to me.

RC: Did you make friends there or were you not there enough time to establish personal connections?
A: I definitely made friends! We were together 24/7. They were super nice girls. I am good friends with: Amber, Peyton, Erin, Tiffany W. and Stephanie from Kansas.

RC: Who do you think would be a good match for Andy?
A: Amber or Bevin would be a good match so I’m rooting for them!

RC: What’s on the agenda for you now?
A: Just back to normal life for me.

Thanks to Alexis for talking with RealityCheck!
For all things reality, check out http://www.realitycheckbygina.com/

The Bachelor airs TONIGHT (Monday) on ABC at 9:30EST

The Bachelor: Premiere Episode (4/2/07)

I have to admit ... The Bachelor roped me in right away. They showed new bachelor Andy Balwdin runnin around without his shirt, throwing rocks into the ocean while talking about how much love he has to give, and holding his Humanitarian Of The Year Award. What girl wouldn't swoon? Dammit! I hate being girly.

On his 30th birthday, Andy had the opportunity to meet the 25 women would be fighting ... er, VYING ... for his love & affection. During the first meetings, it seemed like he was enjoying brunettes better than blondes because he kept saying "Oh my Gosh" at the pretty brown haired girls. Stephanie T. ended up getting the first impression rose but I was not too thrilled because she actually said to him, "What's the deal with that rose?" Don't you people know you don't bring up the rose? You act like you don't see it and you MOVE ON!

A nervous Andy showed up his birthday party to find the girls competing in every way they could for his attention. One girl sang the national anthem to him & I was surprised that he said he was almost moved to tears by her performance! The girls, in their confessionals, talked about how hot he was & how he's a doctor & he's going to be theirs. Stephanie said: "I'm going to get rose after rose after rose until I get a ring on my finger". Ummm, didn't you guys meet 5 minutes ago?

In mid-episode, I'm feeling that Linda, Lindsay, and the drunk girl (Blakeney) won't make the first cut. Since I'm blogging as I'm watching, let's see just how good I am.

Can I just say, while I'm at the midway point, that I could never be on this show. I can watch it, but I can't be on it. There's too much girliness, cattiness for my liking. This is why I eat cookies on the couch & watch it as opposed to participating in it!

The desperate attempts for attention continued - baking a cake (using tequila instead of eggs - I wish I was kidding), backflips, pushup contests, squats contests, and yes ... someone did the worm across the living room floor. At the rose ceremony, Peyton received the first rose mostly because it was also her birthday (her 24th). 13 more were given out (including to the singer & the cake baker).

Am I amazing or WHAT? I called 3 that would be going home & I was right about all three. I'm like a reality goddess ... but I don't know if I'm proud of that. This season looks like it's full of intrigue & drama. I think Andy makes out with every girl & every girl claims she's falling in love with him. I'd be WAY too jealous to put with that ... but I'll be watching all season!

PREVIEW: The Bachelor (4/2/07)

I have issues with ABC's The Bachelor but I always get roped into watching. So yes, I'll be watching this season entitled "An Officer & A Gentlemen" but for me, The Bachelor, it's do or die. Watching The Bachelor is like watching The Apprentice except nobody gets hired. Thanks, Trump. I wasted 16 weeks of my life & I can't get that back. None of The Bachelor romances last so it's hard to get emotionally involved in the storyline. I watched The Bachelor: Rome. Lorenzo chose Jen ... then it didn't work out. So he ended up dating 2nd runner up, Sadie. And ... THAT didn't work out. I mean, I'm starting to get annoyed about it. I'm hoping that this season redeems itself. I need a real Trista/Ryan story to help put me back on track. So, let's all give The Bachelor a chance. Andy Baldwin is quite the looker so he'll keep me watchin. How long before we realize one of the single ladies is completely out of her mind? I'm gonna go with episode 3. Pay attention to the special time:

Monday, April 2 at 9:45/8:45c
"Episode 1001"
U.S. Navy Lieutenant Andy Baldwin, M.D. , a real-life "officer and a gentleman" who's also an accomplished doctor and triathlete, faces the most exciting mission of his life - finding true love!