Editor's Note: Season six Bachelorette and current host of NBC's 1st Look Ali Fedotowsky is blogging exclusively on E! Online about the current season of The Bachelorette, giving her reactions and spilling behind-the-scenes secrets.
This season just keeps getting better, and last night's episode was jam packed with drama, man tears, awkward make out sessions, f-bombs and more! Let's talk about it.
I want to start by talking about Brooks. A lot of you seem to think he's the one she chooses in the end. I'm not saying I disagree with you. I think there's a good chance he could be Desiree's guy. Most seasons (not all of them), we don't see a ton of the winners at the beginning (and we haven't seen a ton of Brooks). We usually see more of the guys who cause the drama, and a lot of the one guy they're trying to make us fall in love with, so we can feel terrible for him when he gets his heart broken later in the season, and then be excited when he gets a second chance at love as The Bachelor. We really haven't seen a lot of Brooks, but we do see that he has a great connection with Desiree, and for those reasons I think there's a good chance that he is the last man standing. But I'm not completely sold yet. I think it could be Chris. But before I get to that, let's discuss Drew.
There was some pretty heavy stuff on Desiree's date with Drew. I feel like we really got to see him bare his soul to her and I find that extremely endearing and brave of him. It allowed Des to see him as he truly is. I love that. I also really loved how he kept kissing her throughout the date, but the passionate makeout sessions at the end was way too cheesy for my taste. Stuff like that is supposed to be spontaneous and it seemed like he planned it. I wish he just reached across the table and started kissing her. I get that he was trying to get away from the cameras, but come on Drew. You know you can't escape them! Ha. And then right after he tried to be cheesy—oops, I mean romantic and passionate, he proceeded to tell her about James. I found his timing to be super awkward and off. Oh, well. Regardless of how he told her about James, I'm just glad he was man enough to bring it up. I'm still totally a fan of a-dork-able Drew, and think he would be a great guy for Desiree if she chooses him, but after last night's teaser I don't know what to think? Will he really end up leaving her?
I need to take a minute to talk about Desiree's time with Chris. There is something very "innocent" about their relationship. They are like little kids together, but in such a mature way. It's hard for me to find words to explain what I see in them. Most importantly, Des showed me last night that Chris is her guy at this stage in the journey when she wrote him a poem! That fact that she took the time to do that says so much about what she is feeling. As far as we know, she didn't write any of the other guys a poem. And I know what you're going to say: 'But he wrote her a poem so she's just writing him one back.' Trust me, if he wasn't her top guy right now, or at least in her top two, she wouldn't have taken the time to write one at all. As the Bachelorette, you are constantly exhausted from non-stop traveling and dating. When you aren't on a date, all you want to do is sleep or not think about the guys for once. Desiree wrote that on the plane, and when I was flying during the show, it was one of the few times I got any decent sleep. She took the time to write that poem because she thinks Chris could be the guy for her. I honestly think Chris is her guy. If he isn't, wouldn't he make an incredible Bachelor?
Speaking of the next Bachelor, let's talk about who will definitely not be the next Bachelor: James. He makes me so angry. Would he even be thinking about becoming the Bachelor if he was really falling for Desiree? Anyone who has truly been in love will tell you that nothing else (besides family) matters when you are falling in love with someone. When I was on The Bachelor, I never once thought about being the Bachelorette. That's the honest truth. And not one girl on my season of The Bachelor ever brought up being the Bachelorette. And truthfully, I don't give a crap that James wants to be the Bachelor; what truly bothers me about James is how he manipulated Desiree into thinking that something was wrong with her for questioning why he would be thinking about the possible future scenarios after the show.
He said something like, 'There's nothing wrong with thinking about the future, right Desiree?' Then he basically forced her to agree with him. That's almost like saying, 'Really, Desiree? Only a crazy chick would think there was something wrong with thinking about the future. You're not a crazy chick right?' Grrrrr! Such a manipulator! If he had just admitted saying it and then apologized, I totally could have forgiven him. But then again, Drew said it right when he said that James disrespected Desiree by talking about the "reality" of being the Bachelor after the show and then James responded to Drew by saying, 'She didn't think so.' That's because he talked her into thinking that she shouldn't be mad about it. It drives me nuts that some men think they can mess with women this way. Not all men. There are so many wonderful men out there. I happen to have a fantastic guy in my life that would never try to manipulate me like this. But I did date a guy like this once (before I was on The Bachelor) and I will never let that happen to me again, nor will I sit by and watch a guy deceive and try to control a girl I adore without saying anything about it. I wish I could give him a piece of my mind. I am so glad that Desiree sent him home. By sending him home she not only stood up for herself, but stood up for every girl watching that has ever been manipulated by a man before. Way to go, Des!
Before I get too heated about the James situation (too late), let's move on to happier thoughts: questions from my Twitter followers!
Jeanette (@VaughanJeanette) asks: From big #Bachelorette fan! What do u think is the one factor that would bring couples increased success post-air? @AliFedotowsky @eonline
I honestly don't think anything can "help" a couple from the show stay together after the show is over. I've said this many times and stick by my belief that once the show is over, you're either a solid couple or you're not. No outside factors are going to keep you together or break you up in the long run if you are truly a legit, meant-to-be couple. People like to say that staying away from Hollywood and the "limelight" is what makes a couple stay together. Well, that's so silly if you ask me. I want my husband to stick by me through thick and thin, through my darkest days, through anything and still be right by my side. Wouldn't you? If Desiree is one of the lucky few that meets the true love of her life on this show, then my only advice to them is to enjoy every minute of this experience, during and after the show, and to love each other endlessly!
Ashleigh (@ashfwee) asks: @AliFedotowsky what happens when the guys do not get a rose, can they go back to their families and lives? #bachelorette
Yes, they get to go home! Which is crazy to me because I'm pretty certain that many reality shows (like Top Chef) don't allow you to go home until the entire show is done airing. But yeah, the guys get to go home pretty much immediately (maybe a day later).
Sara (@sarbar2012) ask: @AliFedotowsky @eonline Do the guys get to workout or go sightseeing while Des is on dates or just sit around all day? #thebachelorette
Workout, yes. They get to schedule times to go to the gym–usually with a producer. But sadly, no sightseeing. I remember feeling so bad for my guys when they were cooped up in the hotels while I got to explore Iceland, Istanbul and Portugal. Can you imagine being in a beautiful country having to spend 75 percent of your time stuck in a hotel room? On top of that, you're with a bunch of other guys trying to date the girl you like! It goes without saying that it can get a little tense in there.
I can't say it enough, I love answering your Twitter questions so keep them coming! Make sure to follow me on Twitter at @alifedotowsky because I live tweet during the show every week and could choose your question to answer in my blog next week.
Oh, and if you're wondering why I didn't talk about Desiree's date with Zak: I thought it was cute but I really just don't see a future with the two of them, so I didn't want to spend time talking about it when there were so many other juicy things to cover in this episode. And next week looks so intense! Do you guys really think Drew leaves her? I heard that Chris Harrison or maybe Desiree (I can't remember) said that we will be "shocked" by the end of the season. Could Drew leave and then come back? Oh man, I have no idea! I really can't wait for next week.
Until next week…
Ali