
Jake Pavelka
ABC's The Bachelor is one of my guiltiest of guilty pleasures.
First of all, there's the catty, phony, ditsy, antifeminist, shallow and sometimes psychotic behavior of many of the girls on the show, which just makes the rest of us look bad. And how many of these conversations and kisses, when surrounded by camera crews, could actually be genuine? And don't you think ABC is going to shape the comments and actions of the people on this show to portray them in the way they think will bring in the highest ratings? And isn't it true that the majority of the relationships and even "engagements" formed on the show fail almost instantly once the cameras stop rolling?
I know all this. And yet, I can't stop watching. Because somewhere amid all of the sweet nothings and strapless dresses, the stolen kisses and spray tans, a few girls each season actually seem to develop genuine feelings for the bachelor, and he for them. How do they do it? It fascinates me.
Tonight ABC aired the premiere of the new season, titled The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love. Yep, our new bachelor, Jake, is a pilot. Naturally, he's also a reject from the last season of The Bachelorette, in which Bachelorette Jillian Harris deemed him "too perfect." Jake proclaimed all along that he was looking for true love, was on the show for the right reasons, and was not too perfect. When he was eventually dismissed, he complained that "Nice guys finish last."
So now is his chance to choose between 25 ladies. If all goes according to plan, he'll propose to one, whom he will have known for about eight weeks. I'm pretty sure 100 percent of marriage counselors would say that this kind of impulsiveness is ill-advised. But who cares? It's such good entertainment!
Among this season's crop of bachelorettes are four models, two dancers, a pilot, a flight attendant and a nanny. The frontrunner so far appears to be Tenley, a 25-year-old from Oregon who got the first kiss and the first impression rose both on the first night. But Tenley has been married before, and she hasn't told Jake yet. Maybe he won't care? Maybe he will? We shall see! She seems like a sweet girl.
I can't wait to watch this season in all of its glorious, unnecessary drama. Maybe Mr. Nice Guy will even break a heart or two.
So what does the bachelor have to say about this season, anyway?
Episode Awards:
Best Quote: Ali, for telling Jake, "It's like Christmas morning right now, and you're my gift."
Worst Pick-Up Line: Ella, for asking Jake, "How does it feel to be talking to the woman that you're going to marry?"
Most Likely to Go Insane: Michelle, for crying after only knowing Jake for an hour.
— Linsey Maughan, Courier Reporter
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