The Bachelor Episode 7: Backstabbing, Tears, and Catfights.

The Bachelor moves out of the warm paradise and into the chill as Colton and the girls set up base in his hometown Denver, CO. The weather is not the only thing chilly as the relationships between these girls get pretty icy and the target this week is Cassie and Caelynn. I hope you like 7th grade drama because this episode is full of backstabbing, tears, catfights, and Colton ready to jump that fence…Almost ready. Let the fun begin!

Colton starts off this wild ride with a close-up confession venting his frustrations about the rumors flying around that someone is not here for the right reasons and he is fed up. Instead of making these next important dates about getting to know the girls on a deeper level he is just wanting to find out WHO the girl is and he is scared to death that it might be Cassie... the only girl he is truly falling for and the others are just backups. Luckily Ben Higgins is there in Denver to give him a pep talk. Because Ben Higgins has had SO much success in love, he is the guy to help? Interesting choice. (eye roll)

Ben Higgins

They wore basically matching shirts too…how adorable. It was a weird meeting because I couldn’t help but notice how lovingly Colton was gazing at Ben…that’s a whole other blog in itself…I’ll leave that to someone else to write.

Tayshia

Here come the dates! The first 1 on 1 goes to Tayshia…she is good 'ol Miss Reliable, normal, stable, solid, smart, a shoe in for Hometowns but too safe for Colton. You know she is not ‘The One’ when he asks for her opinion on who the girls are in the house that are not here for the right reasons.

If he really was so into Tayshia he wouldn’t bother fishing for info on someone else. I don’t see him asking Cassie for gossip on other girls???. And Tayshia certainly doesn’t make things any easier for him when she tells him that Caelynn and Cassie just want to be the Bachelorette.

Caelynn and Cassie

Colton looks like he is going to cry… Meanwhile back at the house lots of tears are shed when the second 1 on 1 is announced for Caelynn and the mood was just as somber there as it was for Colton hearing all the gossip from Tayshia.

He picks himself back up though and they salvage the “casual Saturday” date and go to his place to cook. I really like his throw pillows on his couch, nice decorating Colton.

Then Colton shows Tayshia his bedroom where he says “no action” happens LOL…they have a nice steamy moment and Tayshia is officially bringing home Colton to meet her overprotective Dad. Good Luck Colton!

And Good Luck Tayshia when Caelynn finds out what you said about her…as we move on to the next 1 on 1 with Colton and Caelynn snowboarding in the Denver mountains.

Let me tell you from experience how much fun a snowboarding date is if you have never snowboarded…NOT FUN…NOT FUN at all…guess what you do the whole time? You fall…and fall… And fall some more until you are like “I need a hot toddy and a heating pad”. And then you have a Harry Potter marathon…oh wait wrong date…Back to The Bachelor: So, after these two have enough tumbling in the mountains Colton confronts Caelynn about the rumors said by Tayshia.

Caelynn looks either like a deer caught in headlights or just caught…I can’t wrap my head around who is telling the truth here. She is probably here to be The Bachelorette, but she is convincing us and Colton that she is here for the right reasons…and he takes the bait and off to a romantic private concert given by country music singer Brett Young at the Red Rocks Amphitheater.

And another Hometown rose is gone. So now we have 2 roses left and 5 girls to go…Who’s next.

Its Hannah B.! Oh, Hannah B…always smiling…too bad she is about to get blindsided. Colton’s 1 on 1 with Hannah takes place at his parent’s house. Wait what? And why?

He knows he is not giving her a rose but yet thought it was a great idea for her to meet the parents before sending her home…or the producers needed some B-roll for previews to throw people off…yep. So, after meeting the parents poor Hannah B. is thinking…oh yea I’m getting the ring…not so much. Colton starts throwing signs something is up and Hannah B. slowly starts to catch on but Miss Optimistic is hoping for a chance. Colton lets Hannah B. tell him one last time how much she is falling for him before he FINALLY tells her he can’t get there with her and quickly wants to walk her out.  

They have a really awkward hug and her beast mode wants to come out at this moment, but she reels it in and stays classy. This isn’t the last of Hannah B…The producers need her for more drama…she’ll be back and then beast mode can come out.

Speaking of Beast mode…Caelynn gets a 1 on 1 of her own with the new Villain of the house…Tayshia…and lets her have it for spreading lies to Colton. Tayshia backpedals and blames it on Katie for spreading the rumors…pretty easy to blame the sabotage on someone who isn’t even in the house anymore.

My take on the whole situation is that Tayshia doesn’t have any proof that Caelynn and Cassie are there for the wrong reasons…but she is right…both of those girls have thought about being The Bachelorette or going to Paradise and all the fame and partying that will come after the show if they aren’t picked…EVERY single girl in the house has thought of this…including Tayshia…and if she hasn’t well then she is the oddball out.

Heather

Only ONE girl gets that final rose, so you have to have backup options to keep your 15 minutes of fame going or you really did just waste 6 weeks of your life for a vacation and a lot of champagne (which doesn’t sound all too bad). You think Colton didn’t think of being The Bachelor when he went on Becca’s season??? Exactly. It’s a game…and if you know how to play it you can make a career out of it. Back to the game now folks.

Group Date: 4 girls…two roses…and a train.  Heather, Hannah G., Cassie, Kirpa all vying for the Hometown and not too hard to figure out who the roses are going to. Sweet and innocent Heather knows she is not getting that rose and gracefully exits herself from the show. Hey, she got her first kiss, so she isn’t leaving empty handed! Colton lets out a big sigh of relief knowing he is off the hook but still has to let one more girl go.

All eyes on Kirpa…but she has more drama to stir up first. Kirpa turns into a Villain as well and backs up Tayshia’s claims that Cassie and Caelynn are not here for the right reasons. Cassie is fuming and her 1 on 1 time with Colton is all about defending herself.

And then Catfight #2…Cassie confronts Kirpa about the gossiping and she also blames Katie as well…HA! I can’t wait till “The Girls Tell All” episode and hear what Katie has to say. Cassie says she hasn’t done anything to anybody and all of them are out to get her…well guess who comes to her rescue??? Miss Caelynn USA!

After Colton gives Hannah G. a rose and it is down to Kirpa and Cassie. Hannah G. heads back to the house fills Caelynn and Tayshia in on the drama that is happening with Kirpa and Cassie. Caelynn decides she has had enough with the lies and with her giant jean jacket, waltzes in to save Cassie.

We don’t know exactly what was said but Colton sends Kirpa home and all is good with Cassie and the champagne is flowing. Hometown dates are sealed and the Final Four are ready to rock.

I can’t wait to see what happens next week on Hometowns!! Will Cassie and Caelynn live up to the rumors? Will Tayshia keep playing the Villain and spread more lies? Will Hannah G. keep making this face?

I’m not even going to mention the fence because every week we all think he is going to jump it and it doesn’t happen, so I’m done with the fence. (But secretly hoping it happens next week). Cheers!

The Bachelor Episode 6: Who’s NOT here for the right reasons??!

Monday night brought a different kind of drama with the overlying theme of SOMEONE in the house is not here for the right reasons and it has become quite the game of ‘Clue’ to find out who it is.  The girls travel to Vietnam this week and two girls missed the boat…Onyeka and Nicole who were sent home at the Rose Ceremony for causing WAY too much drama…THANK YOU COLTON! Now we can move on to bigger and better drama. In this episode girls can’t handle the  pressure, a Villain’s surprise exit, and an ending that leaves us all in shock…it’s Recap Time!

Good Morning Vietnam! This country is at the top of my Bucket list to visit…it looks absolutely breathtaking and add Colton to the mix and it suddenly becomes even more stunning.

He is feeling more vulnerable as the weeks go by and even though he is the one handing out the roses you get a sense of deep insecurity and a fear of rejection. Some of the other girls are alluding to the fact that someone is not here for right reasons and he is trying to figure out who that girl is…most likely one of the frontrunners.

Sydney

Every week the stakes get higher as the field narrows and the girls get more and more invested and if they haven’t gotten that 1 on 1 they know their time is up. This week the first 1 on 1 goes to Hannah G. and this leaves Sydney, Katie, Demi and Kirpa who still haven’t had that alone time with him. We see all of them unravel with insecurity and doubt about where they stand with Colton, especially Sydney, she is really feeling the pressure and time is running out to solidify a connection.

Hannah G.

The 1 on 1 date with Hannah G. gets pretty steamy as the two of them set off to a relaxing spa. This ‘pampering’ date with massage, seaweed wrap, mud bath and showers sets the scene for the perfect “Make-Out” date. And that’s pretty much what they do the majority of the time…kissing…kissing…and more kissing. It’s undeniable that they have a ton of chemistry but I don’t see anything else. Hannah is very sweet but lacking substance. She opens up and confides in Colton about having a ‘hard’ time with her parent’s divorce but with all of the other dramatic stories we have heard thus far from the ladies , this one doesn’t exactly measure up. He says he is falling in love with Hannah but it is more likely lust than love. She gets the rose but I’m comparing everything to Cassie from this point on and Hannah G. isn’t the one.

Whilst Colton and Hannah G. are getting busy…Cassie and Caelynn are getting busy gossiping about Hannah G…and both feel she is too immature for Colton…or they are just jealous…probably a little bit of both. One of these two might be the one NOT here for the right reasons…something is a little fishy…I bet they both really came on the show to be The Bachelorette and faced with the reality that a proposal might be coming their way…yikes.

Time for Group Date! The envelope arrives and Heather, Hannah B., Tayshia, Cassie, Sydney, Demi, and Katie are going on the Group date…and Kirpa gets the 1 on 1. Kirpa? I don’t get this at all…we have barely seen Kirpa in any of the other episodes and she even got stitches on her chin and the producers didn’t even bother to show any footage of her…so this seems super odd to me. But not as odd as this Group Date…the combat date…where the girls learn ‘Vovinam’ a Vietnamese martial art and spar against each other.

Except when they spar against each other they definitely didn’t use anything they learned because it looks like typical ‘girl fighting’ and not even close to martial arts. Katie really got into it and Demi took quite the beating…it got ugly. Colton pulled the plug on the sparring and off they went to the cocktail party to lighten things up. Except things weren’t about to get light…a dark cloud named Sydney was about to bring the storm.

Demi

As the night progressed each girl had their unique  1 on 1 time with Colton…some playful, like Hannah B. ….she might have had too much of the cocktail…and some more serious like Katie, Tayshia, and Demi. Katie and Tayshia both expressed their feelings of insecurity and how hard it is to keep up with all the other relationships. Tayshia was more confident than Katie in their 1 on 1 time and Katie really showed just how much she is struggling with this whole thing. Demi gets serious in a different way by taking her time with Colton to give her mom, recently released from prison, a call.

Demi…you made the WRONG call girl. Way to kill the romance by calling your mom who just got out of prison….can we say awkward????!

The most serious of everyone though was Sydney. The pressure and insecurities she had been feeling came flooding out and she realized she couldn’t handle it anymore and said goodbye to Colton much in the same fashion as Elyse did.

She tells Colton that there are girls worthy of him and some that are not and for him to not get distracted by “shiny things”…hmmmmmmmm…who is the shiny thing? This was the right move by Sydney because she wasn’t going to get to the next level with Colton and she was done wasting her time…and since the producers weren’t giving her that much screen time it wasn’t probable that she was going to be the next Bachelorette…there is always Paradise??  Tayshia gets the Group date rose and the evening ends on an intense note…as Colton is really starting to doubt some of his relationships.

Kirpa

On to the 1 on 1 with Kirpa and none of the girls think she will be coming home. I agree…I didn’t think she would either…but Kirpa has a very mature demeanor and Colton appreciates that.  They go on an exciting snorkeling adventure in the beautiful waters of Vietnam and it is pretty hard not to have a great time! They weren’t overly affectionate towards each other but there Is more depth to their conversations than some of the others so I understand why he gave her the rose…he genuinely wants to get to know her more. Watch out girls…Kirpa is coming back!

Right after Kirpa comes back with the rose, Demi gets the idea in her head to go put some moves on Colton in good ol’ fashion Demi style. She goes to Colton’s room to express how much she is falling for him and in return she gets “I don’t think I can see myself in the end with you”…Bye Bye Demi. So it’s official…all the villains have been eliminated …who will arise as the new drama queen??

The cocktail party is canceled because Colton already made up his mind and at this point it was between Heather and Katie on who goes home. Katie’s insecurity really factored in on Colton’s decision and she ends up in the limo without the rose but leaves him with some confusing words about the girls aka that some of them are not not here for the right reasons. Colton is left feeling uncertain about all of his relationships and then the dramatic preview of next week’s episode has all of us in SHOCK! Does CASSIE, his favorite, go home?? We see Colton crying, her crying, and something definitely goes down …is this where he jumps the fence? Oh Monday get here now!

The Bachelor Episode 5: It’s Official: ‘Never Been Kissed’ gets liplocked in Thailand. →

We are half-way through the 23rd season of the Bachelor and each episode from here on out is going to be more dramatic than the last. The previews reveal that Colton has a breakdown at some point and I’m dying to know why he jumps over that fence! When is THAT going to happen!? And Why?! So many questions and I will have answers for you very soon! In this week’s episode ‘bon voyage’ to Singapore and ‘hello’ Thailand. There must be something in the water in Thailand because we hear the words ‘falling in love, a big kiss happens, a girl in Colton’s bed, and one front runner makes an early exit and that’s not all….we have a new villain in the house…because you’ve got to have one right??? Let’s get this Bachelor Party Recap started!

Heather

 All the girls are vying for that 1 on 1 date because if you’re going to have a 1 on 1… you want it to be in Thailand paradise. The first 1 on 1 date goes to Heather aka ‘Never Been Kissed’ and I was a little surprised because she is not one of the front runners and there is no way that Colton thinks she could be the one. She seems more like a little sister than a love interest. The whole date was centered around ‘The Kiss’…will it happen? Who will make the first move? The suspense was killing me! After much anticipation and close up shots of their mouths, lol, Colton gives Heather her very first kiss on a soft sandy beach under an explosion of fireworks. I hope she is aware that  first kisses usually do not happen like this.

First Kiss

Like Ever. Mine sure didn’t!  I had pink lipstick on and it got all over my face after but I thought the lipstick was a rash and that I was allergic to the boy I had kissed and freaked out…oh well…you live and learn. Back at the girls suite the Group date envelope has arrived and Elyse is in a panic waiting to see if she will get her second 1 on 1 or have to struggle through another Group date again.

She and Colton had a huge connection  early on but sometimes the earlier the flame the sooner it can burn out. Not having that continuous time and reassurance from Colton has made her doubt the relationship.  Some girls are just not cut out for this type of relationship…like having to share it with 20 other girls.  I don’t blame her…she is too old for this nonsense…uh oh…did I just call Elyse old? I meant mature.

Sadly, Elyse’s wish does not come true and she is picked for the Group Date with Hannah B., Nicole, Onyeka, Hannah G., Demi, Katie, Tayshia, Kirpa, Caelynn, and. Sydney. Soooooo Cassie is going on the 1 on 1! Finally! Before the next date happens big drama goes down that was a shocker even to me! I usually don’t get shocked when it comes to the Bachelor but what Elyse does next is insane. She leaves! What!?  She is all dressed up for her big goodbye and goes to Colton’s room to say farewell. He is upset, obviously,  but really doesn’t fight for her like I thought he would.

He must not be feeling the feels that we all thought he was or else he would not have let her go. She was looking for him to convince her to stay and he didn’t do that. He just put his hands over his face a bunch of times and sighed but needed to do more than what he did to keep her around. I guess it wasn’t meant to be but she could have at least stuck around so she could be the next Bachelorette??? Come on Elyse…everyone knows you don’t exit before hometowns if you want to be the next Bachelorette! I seriously need to write a guide book called “Bachelor 101”.

The  Group Date was one short but no one even seemed to notice and the game resumed as usual…except it was now taking place in a jungle in Thailand. The Bachelor meets Survivor for this next Group Date and the girls break up into teams of 3 to see who can bring back water and food… bugs are eaten, snakes are crawling, and champagne bottles are poppin. Wait what?! Champagne grows on trees? Nope…but team Demi, Hannah B. and Hannah G.  got clever and snuck into town to bring back champagne and cheeseburgers…such genius.

After surviving the jungle it was time to get glam and get some one on one time with our Bachelor. Hannah B. takes her 1 one 1 time with Colton  to drop the first “Im falling in love” line. I don’t think he is ‘falling’ back but he gave her a nice smooch to say thank you.

The Group date was all too drama free up to this point so I knew something was coming and I was right. Onyeka thought it was her ‘duty’ to tell Colton something important that Elyse had told her about Nicole or rather something Nicole told to Elyse. Nicole apparently said she needed the show to get out of Miami. This  3rd party drama is just plain ridiculous (eye roll) but boy the producers needed something! I bet they pulled Onyeka aside and were like…”You want some camera time?” … “then start some drama” . It was the same old storyline of she isn’t here for the right reasons…but Nicole?? Of all the girls (what about Demi and Caelynn??) you think Nicole is not here for the right reasons?

Hannah B.

Tayshia came to the rescue to defend Nicole because she was actually there for the conversation that went down with Elyse. She confirmed that Nicole didn’t say anything remotely like what Onyeka said she did. So somebody was lying…and my money is on Onyeka. She should have confronted Nicole first before going behind her back to Colton…but then we wouldn’t be watching The Bachelor.

The Group date rose went to the girl who opened up to Colton about her feelings and not the girl who chose to trash talk during her time. Hannah B. got the rose and the cameras didn’t pan to Caelynn once so we a know this feud REALLY is over! Both these girls got the memo that if you want to be the next Bachelorette, stay away from the drama.

Cassie

Now time for less drama and more falling in love as Cassie gets ready for her 1 on 1 with Colton. The other girls suspect what I have all along which is that Cassie is the one to beat. Colton saves the ‘best’ date for his ‘favorite’ girl and they set off on the most romantic date of the season yet on a private island for just the two of them. After seeing these two together on this date I have concluded: GAME OVER.

He picks Cassie..no doubt in my mind. There is no other girl that has this connection with Colton like Cassie. They are already completely in love with each other and the show might as well end now …I don’t know how the producers are going to spin it from here on out but unless something crazy happens (which definitely could) that ring is going on her finger. They even have a steamy cuddle in Colton’s bed! So now the other girls aren’t competing for Colton anymore…they are competed to be the next Bachelorette.

Catfight

If you want to be the next Bachelorette you don’t do what Onyeka and Nicole do at the cocktail party ….have a cat fight. But now Nicole is the one showing her catty side as she starts trash talking about Onyeka to Colton and Onyeka was not going to let her get away with it. They were arguing so loud at the party that even Colton could hear them while he was trying to talk to the other girls and he was not happy. He was so upset at the drama the episode ended…literally…TO BE CONTINUED. Oh I hate when they do that! But the drama ran out of time and we just have to wait till next week to see Onyeka get eliminated along with my other prediction Sydney and possibly Demi. Demi didn’t have any drama on this episode which means she is out…unless you are a front runner or a villain you might as well go home. The Countdown to jumping fences is on!

The Bachelor Episode 4: The Bachelor gets REAL SERIOUS in Singapore. →

Colton diving in

The Bachelor is falling in love in Singapore! We needed a change of pace with all the ridiculous drama that went on last week and Singapore was the perfect reset button… and by reset button I mean we have whole new bunch of new drama in this episode…the Pageant Queens call a truce, an old feud explodes, bungee jumping, exotic food (pigs feet), Chris Harrison calls Hannah B. the wrong name (that was hilarious) and some REAL SERIOUS conversation happens.  

Colton and Tayshia

Let’s dive right in…and speaking of diving that’s exactly what goes on in the first 1 on 1 of the episode. I don’t mean diving into water but diving into the air when Colton takes Tayshia  Bungee Jumping 1,000 ft. up in the air. This was the Bachelor ‘Adventure Date’ that we all know so well and Tayshia was such a good sport…I would have been so terrified and she was all smiles and super upbeat. Not only was Colton falling 1,000 ft through the air but I actually think on this date he starts falling big time for Tayshia.

These two get steamy on the beach after the big jump and there is some major chemistry, we haven’t really seen a lot of her in the past episodes so she is certainly making some waves now in the game and could be one of the final four. She also reveals to Colton that she has been married before which doesn’t seem to bother Colton at all as he gives her the rose and they seal the date with a kiss, once again, this time on the top of rollercoaster known as the ‘Singapore Flyer’.

Meanwhile back at the new Singapore digs, the girls anxiously await to find out who will be going on the Group Date and all the names were called one by one: Hannah G. , Elyse, Kirpa, Sydney, Heather, Onyeka, Tracy, Nicole , Demi, Courtney, Katie, Cassie and Hannah B. but one name was not called ….Caelynn meaning one thing: 1 on 1. 

Hannah B.

As you can see Hannah B. was thrilled.

The Group Date is set in downtown Singapore where the girls get to explore the city and all the exotic food it has to offer. All the girls run in to Colton’s arms for a quick embrace except for one… Demi JUMPS into Colton’s arms and almost knocks him over. Demi keeps claiming how mature she is and she is really showing it by having Colton give her a piggy back ride the whole time on this group date.

Colton and Demi

Demi was almost like a leach….which is funny because the next part of Group Date was to go get leached…literally….they go to a place that puts leaches on you to suck out the toxins from your blood. Just when I think these dates can’t get any weirder on the Bachelor …they get leached…because that is so fun right? This was luckily just a quick stop and the girls were on the move onto Lunch… where all kinds of goodies awaited like pigs feet, intestines, fish eyes, and some delicious pink cocktails (actually those did look delicious). Onyeka was a little too ambitious with her food tasting and it came right back up in the trash can…now that’s love.

After the exciting yet strange lunch date,  the gals got glammed up and headed to a cocktail party where the drama began. Hannah B. grabbed Colton first to talk about the love triangle that ensued last week with her and Caelynn. She obviously knows she is going home if that silly feud doesn’t get squashed and everyone MOVES on. Her conversation went well with Colton and the Hannah B. he likes so much is back and the kiss they shared was pretty intense!

But just when you think he might be falling for Hannah B. you see his connection with Cassie and it is off the charts…he is a smitten kitten…no doubt in my mind she is in the final two and probably the one with the ring on her finger in the end….it seems very real with the two of them.

All the girls get some good 1 on 1 time with Colton except for Courtney. Courtney apparently is taking the “I’m going to wait for you” approach and guess what…that has FAIL written all over it. Colton has 12 other girls on this date so if you want time with him you definitely CANNOT sit on the couch the whole night and wait. Not only does she just sit and wait but she complains the whole time about not getting time with him and is appalled when Demi goes to see him for a ‘second’ time…oh how dare she! The sarcasm is screaming here.

Demi gets the Group Date rose

Demi’s 1 on 1 time was actually on the serious side where she confided in Colton about her mother being released from prison. We don’t get any details from the episode but it turns out, according to sources, her mother was in prison for bank fraud and has a long list of criminal charges in the past including violating probation, grand theft, forgery, and embezzlement. As light and fluffy as Demi always seems to be it has to be extremely painful having this dark cloud hanging above you. This is a very personal subject and she should have waited till she made it to ‘Hometowns’ because right now things are not that serious and I predict she will get sent home within the next 2 episodes. Maybe I am just more private than these girls…but to divulge your deepest family drama before it gets serious is a little too soon.

Jealous about Caelynn’s shopping spree

Courtney obviously didn’t realize that Demi was getting ‘that’ personal because she was throwing major shade to Demi the whole evening. Everyone, including Demi, was encouraging Courtney to go talk to him and she just wouldn’t budge.

Instead of pulling Colton aside to spend time with him she pulls Demi aside to tell her how she disapproves of her actions. Well that didn’t score any points with Colton so what was the point in that? And guess who gets the Group Date rose: Demi.

More on that confrontation later….but first we have another 1 on 1 to recap…and Caelynn receives the invite and Hannah B. is fuming.

This date is every girls dream or at least one of mine! Colton takes Caelynn on a shopping spree and buys her an entire wardrobe …it was a scene straight out of ‘Pretty Woman’

I’m happy for Caelynn but if there is one girl who doesn’t need more clothes especially evening gowns it is a Miss USA runner up (I speak from experience).

All the girls back at the house were trying to contain their jealousy when Caelynn walked in with bags and bags of new clothes. Even level headed Cassie gets emotional when she sees all the clothes she could have gotten.

“So happy for you … “

The second part of the date was much different than any other episode we have ever seen because a topic that is very pertinent in today’s society comes up: Sexual Assault. Caelynn opens up to Colton at dinner about a very painful event that took place when she was in college. She and 2 other friends were drugged and sexually assaulted and her world became a nightmare.

This was such a personal matter that I question whether this was appropriate to be told to Colton in front of  cameras and crew and millions of television viewers because it is such a private moment. I wish they would have had Caelynn tell Colton off camera so they could have some true privacy and then later in a confessional to the cameras tell her story for the rest of the world. But, either way, it is a very important subject  it can certainly help other victims to come forward . Prayers to all victims and their families that have ever had to endure a painful experience like Caelynn.

Hugging it out

Colton also opened up a little about his past relationships and how his ex-girlfriend was also sexually assaulted and it might have something to do with why he is a virgin. I have a feeling this is the beginning of the breakdown of why he has made this big choice to wait.

The end to this rollercoaster of an episode is the dramatic filled Cocktail Party and we begin with a truce between our royal queens. Yes it is true…Hannah B. and Caelynn finally let their past pageant feud go and end up friends…well at least end up in a hug!

However, not everyone gets along at this cocktail party and the confrontation between Demi and Courtney gets uglier. Courtney won’t stop making condescending remarks towards Demi and Demi is over it. So what does she do? Tell Colton of course! And then Colton tells Courtney how Demi thinks she is the ‘cancer’ of the house…Bad choice of words obviously on her part. Courtney then goes back and talks to Demi…are you as exhausted as I am? An explosive fight ensues and the one that wins in the end is Demi because not only does her other nemesis, Tracy, go home but so does Courtney! Demi is free! Colton probably told the producers ‘I’m done with the drama’ and begged to let these two go.

Little did he know bigger drama to come next week as we see in the previews for Episode 5 and I’m dying to find out what happens!!! We see on the preview that Heather and Cassie get the 1 on 1 and something really dramatic goes down with Elyse??!! Noooooo…not the Cougar! The countdown is on until Monday night.

The Bachelor Episode 1: Monday Nights are Back!

Oh Monday Nights are back!! Yes! This is a happy Mama right here…because I live for ABC Bachelor Mondays. My kiddos are asleep…I’ve got my sweatpants on, nachos ready to eat and wine glass filled so you know it is Bachelor time! Bachelor Colton Underwood did not disappoint as the Bachelor Monday night ( I mean he is no Peter…but who will ever live up to Peter….Peter are you ever coming back?) showing not just his gorgeous face and physique but a real down to earth tone and you could tell he was just as nervous as the girls which made him very relatable and sincere…so kudos to you Colton! The girls however…definitely beautiful and classy and intelligent but….dare I say too normal? I never thought I would say this but I missed a little bit of the crazies.

We saw a mix of Pageant Queens, Never Been Kissed,  Content Creator (still trying to figure that job TITLE out), Fake Australian, DJ, Phlebotomist, a Dog Rescuer and a Sloth. But what there wasn’t was the usual trainwreck or multiple trainwrecks that always steal the show.  Where were the Ashley I. girls (I mean that with love) and Corinnes? Maybe they will show themselves in later episodes…I’m counting on it.

The episode was pretty tame compared to past seasons and I was expecting a little more drama. But ofcourse, ABC had to have a little drama …it started with the 2 Miss USA contestants, …the producers instantly pinned them against each other. I didn’t buy it though…I competed in Miss USA in 2002 and you become really good friends with all the girls so I doubt there was much of a tiff there, don’t believe the stereotype!

The other tiny drama was a repeat of pretty much every season in Bachelor history…same old storyline…the girl who steals all the time from the other girls. Last season it was Krystal and her voice and this season it’s Catherine the DJ and her Dog. This storyline will go on and on and on and on…when will these girls learn to LET IT GO…you’ve gotta be COOL and not go after the other girls that are a tad aggressive or in DJ’s case borderline stalking aggressive. Put your blinders on and let the other girls make their own mistakes (believe me, they always do) and don’t go fueling the fire. The ones that start drama and talk bad about the other girls to the Bachelor NEVER NEVER get the final rose. Confidence in YOURSELF and YOUR OWN relationship is the best strategy to be the one that is proposed to in the end. Geez, I should be a Bachelorette coach! Is that a job?? Chris Harrison ..Call me!

Overall, I give the Bachelor premiere a 7.5 for entertainment. The show probably would have gotten a 5.5 overall but the live segments with the viewing parties, former contestants and their babies, Chris Harrison’s mom and wedding proposals were tons of fun so A+ to the producers for working that in. The night was like a one big party…good stuff. Now on to more good stuff with Best and Worst of the Night:

Best Dressed: All the girls were really glammed up and it was sparkle city! I loved it! Best dressed goes to  ‘Sydney the NBA dancer’…in a gorgeous, unique and stylish black evening gown that was both chic and just the right amount of sexy. Way to go Syd!

Worst Dressed: This was actually pretty ironic because I thought the worst dressed was ‘Tracy the Wardrobe Stylest’. The dress just did not flatter her and it basically was a crop tank top with a sparkling skirt that to pull off you would need to be a super model going to an after party…just fell flat.. but I did like her shoe coloring idea! So props for that!

Best Intro out of Limo: This Premiere was missing a lot of big dramatic entrances or super clever intro lines as we have seen in past seasons. Most of the girls were straight forward and not over the top at all…’downplayed’ seemed to be the trend for the evening…oh and showcasing foreign languages. So I give the best intro to who I thought had a the best spark out of the limo and that was ‘Cassie The Speech Pathologist’ who had the box of butterflies. She was a little nervous but very sweet and Colton was completely smitten. The runner up I have to mention is ‘Bri the Model’ who pretended to be Australian…I totally believed her! I just can’t wait to see if she keeps the accent up. LOL

Worst Intro: Well this is easy… ‘Alex D. the Sloth’: if you’ve seen the episode you know what I mean and if you haven’t seen it then “Beware of the Sloth”. Alex D. was trying to pull an ‘Alexis the Shark’ intro from Nick’s Season which was actually pretty funny and she gained some major attention points there…but ‘Alex the Sloth’ was more weird than funny and it backfired which is probably why she was sent home when usually the pranksters are kept around for a couple more episodes… The runner up for Worst Intro was ‘Erin the Cinderella’ who went all out with a real horse and carriage and I felt really bad for her having to be with one shoe for most of the evening and still she did not get a rose.  

Best One of One time: Colton seemed to really make connections with a handful of the girls but one connection stood out in my mind and surprisingly wasn’t the one who got the first impression rose. I thought he had an amazing connection and chemistry with ‘Katie the Medical Sales Rep’. Their body language was so natural and he seemed very at ease with her and vice versa. They were totally into each other, like two people on a real date completely falling for each other and it ended with a great kiss too! Runner up has to be ‘Hannah the Content Creator’…I mean she did get the first impression rose so Colton’s is definitely into her. I’m just curious about what content she creates…hmmmmmm.

Worst One on One: ‘Alex the Sloth’. Sorry to keep picking on the Sloth…but it’s too easy…she was more awkward out of the Sloth suit than in it. ….yikes.  

And now my predictions!!! Whoop Whoop!

Hometowns:    1. ‘Cassie the Speech Pathologist’

                         2.  ‘Hannah B. the Content Creator’

                         3.  ‘Katie the Medical Sales Rep’

                          4.  ‘Hannah G. Miss Alabama USA’

Fantasy Suites:  1.  ‘Cassie the Speech Pathologist’

   2.  ‘Katie the Medical Sales Rep’

   3.  ‘Hannah G. Miss Alabama USA’

Final 2:  1. ‘Cassie the Speech Pathologist’

               2. ‘Hannah G. Miss Alabama USA’

Final Rose:  ‘Cassie the Speech Pathologist’…plus she is a Speech Pathologist and Colton has a             little bit of a lisp (which is kinda cute) so it could be a match made in heavenJ

There it is! Can’t wait for next Monday and the most dramatic season yet!

Diet Tip of the Week!

My diet of the week...Coconut Oil! I know you've heard the buzz...read the articles but Im here to tell you that this tip is going to make a huge difference in your daily diet! This oil is a saturated fat that actually cleanses your body and helps lower the risk of disease. It is rich in antioxidants and also gives you an energy boost because of the way it is absorbed by the body.  The list goes on and on for health benefits but my liking to it is because it is great in smoothies, sauteed veggies, coffee, or just a spoonfull is delicious! So try it...you will be happy you did and start feeling the difference in your body! Lets get healthy people!

"The Voice" vs. "X Factor"

     This post is a little different this week than my usual "movie pick of the week" because I feel there is a dilema on the Reality TV circuit. Two of the same type of Reality TV shows airing on primetime......at the SAME TIME! Oh Dear! Who will get the higher ratings?? Its NBC's "The Voice" vs. Fox's or I should say Simon Cowell's "X Factor". 

     Both shows are singing competitions that have no age restrictions and can be groups or solo acts. Both shows feature a 4 judge panel...and both shows feature judge mentors for the acts, both are LIVE, and both require America to vote for the winner. Hmmmmmm.....it sounds as if they are perty darn similar....but which is better???? Ill tell you which is better....for a few different reasons..."The Voice" gets my vote because

1. THE HOST: The Voice's Carson Daly is far more seasoned then Khloe Kardashian and Mario Lopez...even though Mario has a bit of hosting experience...Khloe completely de-credits him and the show as well. Come on Cowell....you really couldnt find anyone better???? Also, Carson genuinly is interested in the acts...their is a bond that you see between him and the contestants where as with Mario and Khloe they are just reading a teleprompter and faking it. Its extremely transparent and a big downfall to X Factor.

2. THE JUDGES: Im sorry, but Brittany Spears might have been the worst choice EVER to be a judge. The purpose of a judge is to bring personality, creative and constructive critisim, be a mentor, and be entertaining. Her vocabulary consists of one word..."Amazing" and thats it. She is awkward and it is uncomfortable to watch. Demi Lovato isn't much better, she is too busy "fake fighting" with other judge Simon Cowell to have a really good opinion. Plus....she is completely one dimensional on stage, except for her hairstyles. Thank God for L.A. Reid and Simon Cowell who atleast have some impactful thoughts. "The Voice"'s Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green, and Adam Levine are DYNAMITE...their chemistry is off the charts...they are witty, smart, engaging, and completely genuine. Their is no comparison here between these judges and X Factor...."The Voice" nailed it.

  3. THE PERFORMANCES: "The Voice" wins in this category too....with the "Battle Rounds" where each contestant goes up against the other and then their mentor picks the best...its intense, emotional and entertaining. The perfomances are raw and showcase the talent's voice abilities and own style. Where the "X Factor" has ridiculous production performances with cheesy background dancers, horrible over the top costumes, and nothing raw and intimate about the performances. Plus,  you can barely hear the contestants sing because the sound system and back up vocalists overpower the perfomance. "X Factor" got it wrong. 

     The only and I mean ONLY thing that "X Factor" has going for it is that it has incredible talent on the show....and I do see a lot of them making it really big in the music business.  "The Voice" has great talent as well but I do see a lot of the same TYPES of singers in the competion which gives the advantage to " X Factor" in that department. But overall ........"The Voice" is the WINNER! 

WATCH IT.

LD movie pick of the Week....Cloud Atlas!

     Have you ever had that feeling when you meet someone....that it wasnt the first time...that feeling of Deja Vu. I have certainly had that feeling in my life and so it was easy for me to connect to the movie Cloud Atlas. Cloud Atlas is entirely about how our lives our connected through the past, present, and future and how every choice you make in your current lifetime will effect your next life. The idea behind the movie is so deep and poetic that you cant help but leave the theater wandering..."Who was I in my past life" and you find yourself looking more closely at the choices you make in this one. Every kindness and every cruelty become the factors that either enrich your next life or take away from it.

     The movie stars long list of talente actors including Tom Hanks and Halle Berry , Jim Broadbant, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Doona Bae, Susan Surandon, Hugh Grant, Ben Whishaw, James D'Arcy, Keith David, David Gyasi, and Xun Zhou. Whew...just writing them all is exhausting! But I had to mention all of them because like in the movie...they all are extremely important parts and all are connected. Each actor has the challenge of playing 5-6 different characters all from the past, present, and future. Every single actor was phenomenal and so believable that you become apart of the movie..you feel the connections between all of the characters and you start to believe.

     I could see the only criticism to this movie is that it is hard to follow all the connections between characters and find the meaning behind their choices because the movie does jump around from different time periods and different character relationships. The highlight of the movie for me was the relationships between Hae-Joo Chang (Jim Sturgess) and Sonmi-451 (Doona Bae) . Sonmi-451 is a droid like being in the future who tries to escape her captivity and save her people and is rescued by Hae-Joo-Chang who believes she is the key to saving the world. They have such a strong connection to each other and fall completely in love...the acting is so superb and the emotion conveyed by them makes every other character relationship between the two REAL. That is what you call AMAZING ACTING!

      I could go on and on about the acting but let me throw a nod to the makeup and costume design ....incredibly artistic , lightyears ahead of its time (literally), and also a key factor in making these characters believable.  I predict some Oscars are coming their way! With three different directors they better get an Oscar nod for directing too! Im on board for seeing this movie grab some gold statues. Even though the other reviews say its confusing, all over place, yada yada yada....who cares!? This movie is an ART PIECE with a core that makes you think about life, love, and choices. Every now and then you need a movie like this that makes you think....and this is the one.

SEE IT.