The Bachelorette, Ali Fedotowsky
Here are the things I know about current Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky: She's 25. She grew up in a small town in Massachusetts. Until becoming The Bachelorette, she was living in San Francisco and working as an advertising account manager for Facebook. She is career-oriented. She claims to have fallen in love with former Bachelor Jake Pavelka during her stint as a contestant on his season of The Bachelor. She likes to eat lobster and oysters. And that's about it.
When I think of all the seasons of this series I've watched, I can't remember ever feeling so utterly in the dark as to who The Bachelor or Bachelorette is. Next to being career-oriented (um, except she quit her job to be The Bachelorette), I don't recall a single passion or hobby of Ali's. Maybe cuddling. But seriously, when have we ever heard Ali speak about the things she cares about, next to finding love and her (completely ambiguous) career ambitions? What are her distinguishing qualities and, dare I ask, what makes her so extraordinary in the eyes of ABC's producers?
I'd like to give them the benefit of the doubt and trust that Ali is more than just cute and fun-loving. If we are to buy into the belief that she is such desirable wife material that 25 dashing young strangers would be eager to put a ring on her finger by the season finale, then please, ABC, show us what makes Ali special. Show us her admirable qualities of the non-physical variety (I'll admit her abdomen is awe-inspiring, but come on).
So far, this season's footage of Ali has provided viewers with virtually no insight into the depth of her character, with one exception: on her one-on-one date with Hunter in episode three, Ali said her father sacrificed his dreams so that her mother could pursue nursing school, and that watching this play out between her parents compelled her to strongly pursue her own career.
A couple of the potential suitors this season seem both genuine and interesting, like Chris L. (from Mass. like Ali; is family-oriented; has a tattoo of the signature of his mother, who passed away) and Roberto (from S.C.; speaks multiple languages and is well-traveled; enjoys salsa dancing). On ABC's webpage for The Bachelorette are fun facts on each of this season's men. We can learn their favorite books; what they like to do for fun; their greatest achievements; whom they admire; even what they would bring to a desert island. No such information is provided on Ali; we are only made aware that she is a "beautiful, energetic, charismatic career-oriented woman."
Why, with two hours per week of air time, can ABC not be bothered to show us more of who Ali is? Amid all of the show's fantastical date activities and staging, it is the emotionally honest interactions between people, the moments that put the "reality" in "reality show," that keep me watching. To put it simply, does Ali do anything other than laugh?
-Linsey
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