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Having your heart rejected twice on national television is pretty ego deflating, but leave it to “Bachelorette” contestant Ryan Park, who we could envision having a good time at the DMV, to find the positive in just about any difficult situation.

The 31-year-old solar executive talked to reporters on Thursday about how he felt when Ashley kicked him to the curb for a second time in Fiji, what he thinks of the guys’ annoyance towards his sunny disposition, and the potential of becoming next season’s “Bachelor.”

What was going through your mind when Ashley first let you go in Taiwan?
A lot of things were going through my mind. I was rather surprised. I really didn’t see it coming. After watching it, now I totally understand: I see the connection she has with the remaining bachelors, but I just felt that we needed something more. When she said she didn’t have the passion for me or didn’t feel the spark between us, it was strange to me because I had felt it earlier.

And notice I’m saying I felt it earlier. It doesn’t mean that she necessarily did. And our date was wandering around a temple and performing Tai Chi, which unfortunately wasn’t shown on television, and not really the type of date that’s so hot and steamy. And being our first one-on-one date, I’ll just sum it all up and say that I was shocked.

Are you glad you went to Fiji? Did you get the closure you needed?
You know, I’m glad I did go. When I was let go, I just didn’t really totally understand. I mean now everything really comes clear after seeing her interact with the other guys. But what wasn’t shown on TV is some of the really good interaction that we did have together and some of the really good conversations.

But I’m very happy I went back. And I’m happy I got that closure I needed.

Did you think you had a chance the second time around?
You know when I showed up at her place she was so surprised. It was classic, totally classic. I thought the show did a decent job of capturing that. The energy level was really, really high there, and I did feel that there was a chance. I didn’t feel that there was a great chance. I mean, going out there anyways was somewhat of a long shot.

But I guess I’ll call myself an eternal optimist. It’s just that I see the brighter side of things. And so I thought I have nothing to lose here, and I’m going for it.

Were you in love with Ashley?
No. There are obviously qualities in her that I completely admire and do love about her. But I am not in love with Ashley.

Why do you think some of the guys were irritated with you?
It’s going to come out pretty clearly that they didn’t feel that I was insincere. But at the “Men Tell All,” it all smooths over.

I’m just a happy being, so to speak. And there’s time when you’re sitting around after being cooped up weeks on end and, people get grumpy about being in that situation. But I still maintained a positive demeanor from early in the morning until late in the evening. And, yes, I can see how that can kind of get on some people’s nerves. I definitely learned a lot about myself through that.

I don’t want to call myself unique, but I think it’s just different in that most of the time when you do see someone with a real happy outside, it’s trying to cover up something inside. I definitely don’t blame the guys for thinking that way up front. But those gentlemen that were around much longer realized that the proverbial mask is not coming off of me. That’s just the way I live my life.

Some people have been giving ABC flack for choosing Ashley as the Bachelorette. Do you think Ashley fits the mold?
I believe she was great casting for “The Bachelorette.” What people have to realize is that being the Bachelorette is hard. I mean, so much scrutiny; you have to be on every day, all day long. And I guess whatever flaws a human may have are going to be magnified exponentially.

It’s no secret that Ashley is a normal girl that came from a small town and gets catapulted into the spotlight. It’s no secret that, yes, she has insecurities, and some of her self-confidence can be somewhat low. That’s why whoever ends up with her, whether it be J.P. or Ben, I believe that either one of those gentlemen will help make her feel stronger about herself.

It’s just unfortunate that she’s been attacked so badly for her insecurities and then the elephant in the room—Bentley—preyed on that, unfortunately.

Would you ever consider doing “Bachelor Pad” or the “Bachelor”?
As far as “Bachelor Pad,” no. No offense to the program, I’m looking forward to watching it, but I do not envision myself ever participating in it. Regarding “The Bachelor,” we’ll see. Chris asked me that point blank if I’d do it, and as of right now, I’d just have to say it’s a maybe. For starters, I actually have a real job. Not that past bachelors haven’t, right? But it’s not something I need—it’s not like I’m aspiring to try to go that way.

Who do you think is better for Ashley—J.P. or Ben?
First off, they’re both great guys, but very different guys. You’ve got J.P. who was born and raised as a city boy his whole life. And then you’ve got Ben who’s spent a lot of time growing up in the Napa-Sonoma area and the outdoors and spending time living in San Diego. He’s more of your typical California boy. So both guys are very solid guys that come from different backgrounds.

I can see Ashley with both of them. But after being there and witnessing and watching it, her connection with J.P. is just extraordinary. I just see them resonating so perfectly.

Watch the “Men Tell All” Special this Sunday at 9pm EST, followed by the “Bachelorette” finale on Monday at 8pm EST on ABC.

ABC

This interview can also be found on XfinityTV.com.

When Ashley Hebert eliminated charming Ames Brown on Monday night’s “Bachelorette,” poets, romantics, and nerds beat their aching hearts with great disappointment. However, their sorrow turned to joy (and perhaps confusion) when ABC made the recent announcement that the Yale/Columbia/Harvard-educated portfolio manager was going to make his second reality appearance on the upcoming season of “Bachelor Pad,” which airs Monday, August 8.

The 31-year-old chatted with reporters about his experience and the lessons he learned while on the “Bachelorette”— specifically, the emotional devastation he felt when Ashley let him go, what he’s looking for in his future soul mate, and why an uber sophisticated smarty pants like him would choose to be on reality TV. (No offense to reality TV, ahem.)

Let’s start from the beginning. How familiar were you with the “Bachelor” franchise and how did you end up on it?
I have to admit I wasn’t familiar with the show almost at all beforehand. But I was on a business trip in Central Asia in one of the “stans.” I think it was Uzbekistan, and I got an e-mail on the way back from someone in the casting department that said they had found me somehow and would I be interested in it. At that point, I had been single for more than a year, and I was like, why not? So I flew to Los Angeles and followed it up. I don’t know how they find people really, but I’m very grateful that they did.

Take us back to the night Ashley walked you to the limo to say goodbye. We saw you graciously smiling from ear-to-ear, but what were you really feeling?
I think it would be hard to eclipse my level of disappointment that evening. I definitely had a smile on my face, and maybe that was some sort of emotional guard…I can be pretty sure that it was. I didn’t want to make something that was already difficult for Ashley even more difficult. I just wanted to exit as gracefully as possible…and I just didn’t want to be any kind of blight on that. But that was an awful, awful week. I probably got out of the limousine where I did my interview and probably threw up or something like that. It was unbelievable. I have to admit I was totally disconnected in terms of what I was feeling and what was going on.

Now that you’ve been able to watch the hometown dates, did you see any differences between your time with Ashley compared to the other guys’ dates that may have indicated why she sent you home?
I felt like we had a great date, and I think one thing I really picked on, watching the hometown dates, is that my progress with Ashley certainly was a lot slower than the other guys. But I didn’t see that as a negative necessarily. In fact, in many ways, I was trying to take our relationship a little bit slower just because I wanted it to last forever, and I think a lot of times, both watching this show and out of real life, we see a lot of relationships that move super-quick and then expire just as quickly.

We got a sense that your sister may have felt that Ashley wasn’t completely sold on you. When you got back, did they say anything to confirm that, or were they supportive?
They were pretty morose because they knew that I really, really wanted to move on—especially I really wanted to move on to that next week, the first week in Fiji. So they were pretty sad, and I think that’s just because they knew that I was really sad and thought we had a lot of potential.

Do you think Ashley made a big mistake by letting you go?
I don’t know. I know what makes me happy, but I don’t know necessarily what makes her happy.  And I think, generally, she makes pretty good decisions. The guys she kept around until the end are amazing, and so I think that she probably made a good decision in the end.

Do you regret how far you got with her, considering you got your family involved, too?
No, I had a wonderful time dating her. I don’t want to sound trite, but she is amazing. And so, I don’t regret it at all. It was very, very, very painful surrounding that, and for the weeks following our breakup – or whatever that’s called when that happens – and so that was painful. But it is better to have loved and lost, especially in this context.

Some people have wondered why a guy who’s Ivy League educated would consider being on a reality dating show.
I’ve been single for quite a long time—more than a year—and I guess I just believe that love occurs in unexpected places, and it’s even more romantic when it does occur in unexpected places. And for me, it actually did occur on the show, strangely…because I know how painful it was when I learned that it wasn’t going to be fully realized.

Now that you’ve had time to reflect, do you have a better idea of what you’re looking for in that special someone?
I definitely have learned a lot and got a great feeling when I was with Ashley. And that feeling taught me a lot. She’s an exceptional person in so many ways, like really smart and beautiful, and has a lot of combinations of things that are rare to find in the same person. So I’m hoping, obviously, to find somebody who gives me that same great feeling and has those same great things or similar great things together. It was a learning experience, a painful one, physically and emotionally at the end. But if I had the opportunity to do it all over again, I would definitely do it.

Be sure to catch the last few episodes of “The Bachelorette” on Mondays on ABC at 8/7c. And check out Ames bringing on his A-game once again on the “Bachelor Pad,” which busts out its 3-hour premiere on Monday, August 8 at 8/7c.

ABC

This interview can also be found on XfinityTV.com.

On this past Monday’s episode of the “Bachelorette,” the ever-conservative Lucas Daniels was forced to wear a shimmering gold dress…and was then eliminated right before hometown dates. What a humiliating way to shoot down a Texas cowboy!

The 30-year-old oilfield equipment distributor talked to reporters about how he felt about his elimination, Bentley’s surprise visit to Hong Kong, and what women would have to drink if Ryan P. ever became the “Bachelor.”

Were you surprised that you were eliminated?
I felt very confident going into [the rose ceremony]. I was already prepared to take her home, and I was prepared to say, “Hey, mom and dad, here’s Ashley.” So I was shocked; I wasn’t quite sure what she didn’t see in me versus Ames. But she made great decisions pretty much throughout…but I was bummed out. I was kind of shocked at the end.

What do you think may have gone wrong?
Some of our beliefs, our family—stuff like that. I think we were just really opposite. I’m very, very traditional. I’m conservative, and she is just kind of the other side and that’s fine. Opposites attract…I was surprised that she didn’t keep me around honestly. I didn’t see it coming, but if that was her decision, then I respected that.

We know you were one of the guys who was outwardly disappointed with Ashley when she admitted that Bentley was in Hong Kong. Did you at all emotionally check out with her after that?
I thought we finally made a connection on our date. I thought everything was kind of behind her and then, yes, when she tells all of us that she fell for him, it was just kind of a gut shot. I didn’t emotionally check out, but it really put a damper in kind of the way I was feeling about her at that time. I’ve never had somebody do that before, especially after a date, but I was still checked in.

What did you learn from this experience?
Well, one thing I learned is how to really open up and talk about my feelings because I’ve never talked about my feelings like that in a long, long time. I’ve always said what’s on my mind since I was small, but this just really gets you in touch with your feelings and just helps you open up. I think she deserved that.

Now that you’re able to watch the show, what’s the one thing that surprised you?
Probably the most—and it’s kind of the same thing everybody has been talking about—but it is Bentley. I didn’t really see that in him, of treating somebody like that. I guess it’s the way I was raised. You just don’t treat somebody like that, so it really shocked me.

Do you think you would’ve survived as a couple if Ashley took you all the way to the end?
I think it would have been an uphill battle. I really believe everything happens for a reason, so I think it was probably a good thing I was sent home. I would have still given it a shot if she wanted to come to my home town, but yes, it probably would have been pretty tough. I mean, we were pretty different.

Why were you guys so annoyed with Ryan?
He wasn’t a bad guy—he was just too much. We were exhausted because he was just through the roof the entire show.

Rumors are going around that he might be a contender for next season’s “Bachelor.” Any thoughts?
I guess [he] would be a decent Bachelor. Those women better be very, very energetic and have a lot of Red Bull. But anyway I think a perfect candidate in my mind just because he was a very good friend of mine is Ben F. I think he’s wonderful. We got really close, he and Constantine. We’re all good buds on the show, and I think he’d be a great candidate.

Who do you think is good for Ashley?
If I had to pick—Ben F. I think they have the most fun together.

“The Bachelorette” airs Mondays on ABC at 8/9c.

ABC

This interview can also be found on XfinityTV.com.

Do you smell that? Oh, it’s just “Bachelorette” Ashley Hebert still burning to a crisp post-William Holman’s roast faux pas.

Although the 29-year cell phone salesman hit the ground running when he romanced Ash on their wedding-themed Vegas date, he crashed and burned shortly thereafter—first at the infamous roast, next when he tattle-taled on Ben Castoriano (a.k.a. Ben C.), and finally when he giggled about his “Peter Pan” complex on their final two-on-one date. Needless to say, the Leading Lady couldn’t find any redemptive sparks between the two of them and sent the “30-year-old boy” packing.

Will talked to reporters on Thursday about his regrets, how he feels about Ben C., and if he still wants to be a funny guy for a living.

When you roasted Ashley, did you think she was the type of gal who could handle it?
Earlier that day, I thought she was very secure in herself. I didn’t watch the past season to know that she really had any of those insecurities, and for myself, I’d never been up onstage before. It has been a dream of mine, but unfortunately, I got up there and I was just scared ridiculous thinking about having to be up onstage. I took it the wrong way.

Why I thought that it was appropriate, I don’t know. I thought, “roast,” and I wasn’t even thinking about the outcome. It was just a little bit of immaturity in me still left. It was a bad idea.

I figured if all the guys were going to roast each other, why not roast her, and maybe I was thinking that I was trying to win over the guys’ approval and be friends with the guys because I spent too much time with them. It was definitely a bad move.

When you told Ashley you’re a “30-year-old boy” on your two-on-one date, did you expect her to find that attractive?
I don’t know. I just wanted her to know that I want to live life and still have fun throughout life. The way I said it probably didn’t come across the best way, but I want to stay true to myself, and I don’t want to try to be somebody else to make somebody happy. I wanted to be me, and if she didn’t like me for being me, then unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be.

Did you think you were going to get a rose at the end of the date?
Being completely honest, I didn’t feel that I would get a rose at the end of the two-on-one date. It was just one of those things where I was hoping to see her again…we would see if we could rekindle those feelings that we had in Las Vegas, but the two-on-one date definitely didn’t go as expected. If I could do it over again, I would—even knowing that I would be sent home.

What exactly did Ben C. say about visiting online dating sites? Do you think he was kidding or really being serious?
He was talking about specific online dating sites, and I don’t want to reveal those dating sites that he had discussed, but they were dating sites that he’s used before and his words were, ‘After the show is over,’ he was ‘going to be able to clean up.’ To me, it didn’t sit well with me, so I felt that she needed to know.

If you had the chance to talk to Ben C., what would you say?
I would definitely let him know that I owe him a lot for how it came out. It didn’t look the best, and it comes down to the wire there. You don’t get to be out and about in the world and get outside of the house that much. It’s one of those things where I guess I just was getting some frustration from being stuck in the house.

I really like Ben C., and I think my frustration with just really wanting to get out again and having a date with her took over. I like the guy a lot, and he didn’t deserve that, and it was a cheap shot.

When we spoke to the Mask Man (Jeff Medolla), he said there were only maybe three or four dudes who were into Ashley. Do you agree with that? If so, who do you think those guys are?
I wouldn’t necessarily agree with “The Mask” on that one, but I would say that there were guys who definitely had stronger feelings for Ashley than others, and Ben F., J.P., myself, and I even thought Bentley in the beginning. I didn’t realize what was going to come out in the show, but Constantine in the beginning didn’t seem like he had strong feelings for her, but then he really grew [feelings for] her.

What do you think of Ames? Do you think Ashley kept him around because she really had feelings for him, or do you think she was feeling guilty because he got a concussion (and the fact he had to wear those hot pink shorts)?
[Laughing] I was worried for Ames when he got the concussion. He’s a great guy. Ames is like no other. He’s by far the most interesting person I’ve ever met in my life.

I wish we just had a separate show for Ames so everybody could see really what a stand-up guy he is, but as far as Ashley’s thought and what they had or anything—when Ames would come back, he would act like he never got the chance to talk to her and nothing really happened.

But I saw his date, and they get along great. There’s something about the guy that draws you right in right away and you want to know more. So yes, he got the concussion, but I don’t think she kept him for sympathy or anything like that.

Any thoughts on Bentley?
Nobody had anything bad to say about Bentley. Whenever I talked to Bentley, we would always talk about his daughter and that’s all that was discussed. He never opened up and said the things that we heard on TV.

Despite the craptastrophe at the roast, are you still thinking of being a stand-up comic?
You know, yeah. I did the roast, and it was my very first time onstage, and it definitely wasn’t the finest moment that I’ve had. But it’s funny because I’ve had a lot of comics reach out to me and tell me that I have raw talent and they would like to see with training and some practice what I can do.

So, it’s something that I definitely still want to do whether it’s stand-up or some sketch comedy, but I love comedy. It’s something that is a passion of mine—to just make people laugh everyday. I definitely will continue to do something along that route.

Catch “The Bachelorette” on Mondays on ABC at 8/7c.

ABC

This interview can also be found on XfinityTV.com.

“Bachelorette” Ashley Hebert bent the rules and decided to eliminate only one sap instead of the usual two on last Monday’s episode. Unfortunately, the one roseless dude ended up being West Lee, whose wife’s death seemed a little too much for Ash to handle.

The 30-year-old lawyer from South Cackeylackey talked to reporters on Thursday about how he felt about being ousted, the sordid rumors about his involvement in his wife’s death, and what he thinks of Bentley—and hyper-happy Ryan P.

Did it hurt to be the only guy booted off on last Monday’s episode?
It stung a little that I was the only one she chose to leave, definitely. I knew that I was one of the few people on the chopping block that night.

Ashley seemed to doubt you were ready to move on from your wife’s death and also said she felt those shoes were too big to fill. How much do you think your wife’s death factored into Ashley’s decision to let you go?
I mean, obviously that’s what she told me. She said that she had some concerns about it and that she wasn’t sure that I was ready to move on. I think that that was a legitimate concern for her. I’ve dated some women in the past who had that same concern.

So, it was not surprising to me that she would bring it up. I have no reason not to believe that was one of the big reasons that she let me go, but I also think that there was a lack of chemistry there. I don’t necessarily think that she was feeling that chemistry with me, so I think that played a role in it too.

How did you feel about the rumors and interviews by your in-laws that implied you were involved in your wife’s death?
Well, when I went on the show, I knew that my past would be there again. I knew that was a possibility and that might be brought up, and I’m okay with that. I have no skeletons to hide, per se.

So that wasn’t a big deal, but I was shocked her own mother and stepfather would drag their own daughter’s name through the mud like that. I don’t want to say too much because obviously it’s just been talked about and talked about, and I would just prefer that Sarah’s name be allowed to rest in peace at this point, but they were never really involved in her life.

Her mom left her at an early age and a lot of issues that she had were directly as a result of their actions. So, I don’t know. Maybe it was just a thing where they’re trying to pass off blame or deal with their own sense of regret. It’s natural when you lose someone, especially a daughter, that you’re going to wonder what you could have done differently to save her.

Sarah knows I loved Sarah, and I never would have done anything to hurt her. God bless her soul, may she rest in peace. Anyone that knows me and my family and anyone that knew us knows how much I loved her, and I never would have done anything to hurt her. So, I’m not going to worry about anything that her mom or her stepdad might say.

I know that her real father knows that I loved her and I always did my best to take care of her, and I know that he knew I loved her. So, I’m not too worried about what they have to say or what people who aren’t in my situation think. It’s a tragic situation, and I hate that it’s gotten to be what it was. I really do feel bad about that, but it is what it is.

Looking back, do you think it difficult for you to open up to Ashley, considering you lost a loved one?
Right after Sarah passed away, I probably tried to start dating a little too quickly, and not because I was ready to date. It’s because I had this void inside of me. I was hoping to distract myself from it or fill it with something. That just did not work. I just had these strong feelings of love and loss. It took a long time for myself just to be alone. I was not emotionally available to people for better or worse. Finally, I think I reached a point where I was able to put myself back out there, and so I think I went on the show at a good place. It had been over three years. I picked myself up off the ground, passed the bar and got a good job, great friends, and great family. I was so happy again on an individual level, and that’s when it occurred to me that I was ready to share it with someone else.

What did you think of Bentley?
It’s tough to say, because I really liked Bentley…he seemed genuine. He talked about his daughter all the time…and then to see all this stuff on the show was a bit of a surprise. Maybe the truth is somewhere in the middle, but at least in my experience of Bentley, he was a good guy. I like him.

Why are the guys hating on Ryan P.? Did you feel the same way?
I think he’s a really nice guy. He’s solid, he’s sweet, he’s smart, and I think he just means really well.

The thing about him is, is he’s sort of the human equivalent to a puppy. He’s just got high energy all the time and he’s got this joy for life. He’s just so happy about everything, and puppies like people—you love that quality 95% percent of the time, you know?

But the thing is, we’ve been together in such tight quarters for several weeks straight at that point. There was no diversion, no TV, no nothing. So, it was just like we had all reached that 5% percent mode, and it has nothing against Ryan. It had more to do with us just being tired. We were kind of sleep deprived all over the place, and we were just getting kind of cranky at that point. So, it wasn’t Ryan. Ryan’s a great dude.

Who do you think is right for Ashley?
Based on my gut and interacting with people, I really thought that J.P. was going to be one that she picked just because they have that natural chemistry. You could see whenever we were on a group date together, she tended to gravitate towards him, and there was just an easy kind of connection that was evident.

As far as another person, probably Ben F. He’s just a really easy to get along with guy, super fun. He’s just always so laid back no matter what the situation is. I thought that was really cool.

Catch an all-new “Bachelorette” Monday on ABC at 8/7c.

ABC

This interview can also be found on XfinityTV.com.

If you thought former “Bachelorette” contestant Jeff Medolla (primarily known as Mask Man) was just weird, then the joke is on you (or so he mockingly claims). In his brilliant mind, he’s an ingenious “prankster” with a smart societal message, and he’s guffawing all the way to the funny bank with his friends and family. Oh, Mask Man, you kill us, you silly goose! Hahahaha!

The 35-year-old businessman, who owns a wine brand aptly named Freaky Muscato, took time out at a conference call to dole out his rambling thoughts on his beloved mask, bad boy Bentley Williams, and the two’s lovely toilet scene together.

Uhh, why did you wear a mask?
I’ve got an extremely dry sense of humor, and I love comedy, OK? I am a business man, and I own a wine called Freaky Muscato, and I’m a huge risk-taker, OK? Why the hell would I walk in as just regular old Jeff? I mean that’s just easy.

I was thinking about maybe doing like a big, fake mustache, like Tom Selleck or something … get out of the limo eating a donut … really kind of flipping the script around and really throwing her off and throwing everyone off. That’s how I operate. I knew I wanted to go in disguise, and that’s kind of how I also had the mask idea. After talking to the producers, of course, they were like, ‘I think it’s genius,’ and ‘Let’s roll with it,’ so that’s what I did.

As much as it was a joke, there was great meaning behind it because there is a great message, which is don’t judge me for what I look like, or maybe money that I have, or materialistic things.

Were you there to find love or make a point?
Well, I could tell you that if you spoke to any of the casting directors about me, they would tell you that I’m a very genuine, sincere person, and I do want to find somebody that I can spend my life with.

You don’t go [on the show] knowing exactly who it’s going to be. If you get lucky and you walk in and there’s like chemistry or something, then it makes the experience that much better. But I didn’t talk to Ashley all that much … I only talked to her like three times like in the whole time that I was there.

I just kind of went in with a different angle. I like to twist things and go in different.

Pray tell us, what is the future of the mask?
I had two of them. So, you know, one was burned. I have one more. I’ve had hundreds of people say, ‘You going to start selling masks?’ and I’m like, ‘Well, I don’t know. Maybe I will.’

It seemed you were fairly friendly with Bentley, being his roommate and considering the hilarious bathroom outtake and all. Are you at all surprised at what he was saying on-camera about you guys and Ash?
I don’t think Bentley is like a total a–hole. I just think he was like playing the camera. I don’t think he really wanted to be there. After maybe four or five days, I could just tell.

I mean, there is no doubt in my mind that he missed his daughter. I’ve had friends say it’s like everything he said is just very contradicting, and it doesn’t all add up. And maybe that’s what he was just trying to do. I have no idea.

But did it offend me? No, I could give a sh-t less. I’m not saying like I trust him totally, but I don’t really trust anyone on there because I don’t really know those people.

Could you elaborate a little more on why you found his trash-talking so inoffensive?
I think you’d have a more honest group of 25 guys showing up that were willing to hard-core compete than when you just go out there and you don’t know who [the Bachelorette] is. And like, maybe only three or four guys there were legitimately into [Ashley]….

But I think everyone there liked Ashley. It’s just that you don’t know who it’s going to be when you go there. [Bentley] obviously thought it was going to be someone else or something like that. I have no idea.

One more question about the mask: Do you think wearing it actually ended up hindering your relationship with Ashley?
Yes. It was a barrier, of course. But it was also a joke. I mean, I’m a big prankster. My initial thought was how friggin’ hilarious would it be to show up to this big old party, where everybody’s nice looking and everybody’s relatively successful and just not show your face. I didn’t realize that a long time would go in between the next time I even saw her again. But I don’t have any regrets of what I did because there was a lot of meaning behind it.

Who do you think is the best fit for Ashley?
Everybody’s kind of talking about J.P. – J.P seems like a nice guy. [He] seemed like he was actually like genuinely into her. So yes, I’d go with him.

Considering most people just focused on the mask, was there anything you wished viewers knew about you?
You know, I’m a smart businessman, and I knew what I was doing … you want to think I’m a freak, go ahead. Like who in the hell would be in a pool swimming with the mask on or all the funny things that—all I did was funny things with the mask … but my character on the show was Mr. Serious Guy. You never see me smiling and laughing.

And I guess that’s kind of what is disappointing … but it doesn’t matter … I don’t care what people think about me. Like, I don’t care what these millions and millions of people think I’m odd or strange. That was the point, too, is that I can relate it back to my line of work, and I want you to think I’m weird. I want you to think that.

And that’s what’s awesome, because all my friends just laugh their a– off when they’re watching it, because when I’m reading the newspaper on the toilet, making stuff up as if I’m like a boat with no motor and steering wheel and Bentley’s fixing his hair—we were just having a good time.

Catch the less freaky “Bachelorette” on ABC this Monday at 8/7c.

ABC

This interview can also be found on XfinityTV.com.

The season’s barely getting started, but ‘Bachelorette’ contestant Bentley Williams is already causing quite a ruckus with his sadistic comments about Ashley Hebert—who is foolishly head over heels for him. But if you think what he’s been spouting off so far is pretty evil, he’s just getting warmed up. On next Monday’s episode, the 28-year-old investment banker plans on exiting the show – but not before saying a few shocking words to Ashley that’ll rip her heart into shreds and haunt her for the rest of the season. Seriously, where does ABC find these guys?

Needless to say, we were eager to chat with host Chris Harrison and ask him a slew of questions about this seemingly unconscionable villain. In a conference call with reporters on Wednesday, he dished out the goods:

When did you know Bentley was bad news?
I thought he was going to be trouble the moment Ashley told me he was going to be trouble. I’ll go a little bit deeper. I usually try to walk that fine gray line of host/friend/confidant, but when you have information before the guy even gets out of the limo, that is beyond a red flag…she was so anti everything she had done on Brad’s season…This season she kind of threw caution to the wind and did the opposite. We actually gave her the option before the limo pulled up—you don’t have to meet this guy. She said, ‘No, I want to meet him. If I don’t like this guy, I’ll kick him off.’ She made the decision to go forward.

What went through your mind when Ashley saw Bentley come out of the limo?
When Bentley arrived and I saw Ashley’s face, I leaned over to one of the producers and said, ‘We’re in trouble.’ Her reaction to Bentley reminded me of my kids. When you tell your kids they can’t or shouldn’t have something, what’s the first thing they’re going to do when they see it? Want it even more! Ashley was clearly taken with Bentley at first glance, and the time they spent talking only solidified her feelings and made her feel that the warning she got about him was bogus. She said on night one he was definitely one of the front-runners. As you saw in the previews this is far from over, and it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

If Bentley was so bent on Emily Maynard being the Bachelorette, why was he cast in the first place?
He obviously didn’t say all those derogatory things in casting. He obviously didn’t say, ‘If it’s Ashley, I’m going to use her and destroy her.’ He wasn’t that open and forthright in casting. We are casting all the time, even while we’re shooting. I don’t get involved in the casting for many reasons, but I never saw any of his stuff. I really didn’t.

Was he scripted as the villain?
Couldn’t be further from the truth. We didn’t put this guy in there. People give us too much credit, and it doesn’t turn out to be a good thing for Ashley or for us, and we almost had to shut down production. This made her question everything—the rest of the guys, herself, if doing the show was worth it. It was rough for her, but it was rough for us to keep her on track.

What kept you from showing her the footage of him saying all of those nasty things about her?
Maybe if this had gone any further—you have to understand, too, we’re only two weeks in this— things had just started getting out of hand and him saying all these things. If it had gone on longer, I don’t know the steps we would’ve taken, if we would’ve finally shown her these things. She was privy to a lot of information and a lot of what we thought. Some of the producers had told her this guy’s not good for you, and I had told her some things. She had so much more information, more than Ali or Jillian ever had about Justin or Wes…she had that information, she had everything she needed, but she always wanted to believe the good in the guy.

Some of Bentley’s buds are saying that he was edited to look like a jerk.
You can’t splice together when you see somebody like that. And honestly, you can’t really take the things he said out of context. Even in joking they’re not appropriate. You don’t talk about a woman like that. I would love to hear what his friends have to say about the stunt he pulls when he’s leaving because I think that is worse than anything he says before.

Do you think it was kosher to air Bentley’s “tickle my pickle” comment?
I think you’ve gotta see what the guy said. If it upsets someone’s sensibilities or if it went too far, as far as any of our fans are concerned, I do apologize for that. But this is what this guy was saying. This was what he thought of Ashley. I think in true context you need to see what this guy was about and what his game was. Ashley didn’t get to see or hear a lot of that…you really had to show both sides to show exactly just how bad it was and how badly she’s going to have the rug ripped out from under her on Monday night.

How hard was it to watch the drama unfold?
Really hard. She’s a friend of mine. This is one of the things I find fascinating about how—where I’m no longer a host—I’m a friend, and I’m about to watch someone have their heart broken. Now all I can do is stand by and watch it and be there for her when it happens. This isn’t just TV; this happens in life all the time. You just have to be there for them…You’ll see in the deliberation Monday night, it was very much not a deliberation. This was a friend walking in to pick up the pieces of another friend who had just had her heart ripped apart.

Why do you think she was so into him?
She never really could answer that. Is it the bad boy? Was it, I wanna fix him? Is it the mother syndrome? Maybe it was a little bit of all of that. I couldn’t put a finger on it, but I found it very perplexing myself. What do you see in this guy? He’s bad news; he’s going to hurt you. But he was so smooth, so caring around her, she never got to see his true colors, and eventually, he was able to use that and crush her.

What does she think of him now?
She called me last week and said, ‘I can’t believe all these things. I feel like such a fool and so played.’ Again, this is hindsight. She’s seeing him for who he really is. It’s funny, she said, “Why didn’t you say something?” “Ashley, I did.” And she’d say, “I know.” That’s the way it works. When you’re friends with someone, that’s all you can do. Let them fall on their face, then give them a big hug, pick them up, and move on.

Is there anything you’d like to say to him at the “Men Tell All”?
I have a son and I have a daughter, and I can’t fathom treating a woman like that anyway, but much less someone who has a daughter. I really hope he comes back to the “Men Tell All,” not so I can rip him apart, but so I can hear his explanation. Can you imagine a man treating your daughter that way? I’d love to hear his response. I don’t know what his end game was or what his motivations were. Things he said and things he did really cross the line of decency, as far as I’m concerned.

Catch all of the drama this Monday on ABC at 8/7c.

ABC

This interview can also be found on XfinityTV.com.

It’s about that time of the year again: boy hunting season. Starting this Monday at a special time (9/8c), ABC embarks on a new adventure of the “Bachelorette” with dental student Ashley Hebert, and you better believe the producers came in with their drills loaded and grills cleaned!

The friendly 26-year-old took some time out to speak with us (but mostly spent her energy dodging our questions like a deft ninja word assassin). You know how it goes, “Bachelorette” fans: Cheerful ambiguity is protocol for the franchise’s star players until it’s all said and done…and plastered on Star magazine. Ahem.

Regardless, we still got some nuggets from Ash worth sharing…

Now that it’s all said and done, what was the best part of being “The Bachelorette” and what was the worst part?
The first night was so exhilarating meeting all of the guys; I just love talking to people and meeting people—that was probably my greatest first experience. The hardest thing for me was saying goodbye to some of the guys—whether or not there was a romantic connection or just a friendship. I don’t like saying goodbye to people. That was the hardest part.

We know there’s one guy who comes in as bad news. What was the alleged rumor on why he came on the show?
You want me to give it away?! I can’t give it away! I will tell you this…there was talk that there was a possibility of somebody coming in for the wrong reasons. It’s going to be interesting to watch, and I think I went in saying I was going to be very open and honest and I did just that.

Aside from him, were there more villains you ended up having to deal with?
Umm, I really wouldn’t say that any of the guys were villains…yet! [laughing]

What astonished you about the selection of guys you had?
I knew there were going to be great people because they were hand selected, but I was so surprised at how well rounded they were. I mean the physical was there—gorgeous men—and successful, interesting, and engaging. Every guy was so unique. I was really happy.

Was this season fairly free of bad drama or were there scandalous moments? And if so, could you clue us in on any of the crazy stuff?
There is a lot that happens. There are some crazy, scandalous events that happened—it was emotional for a lot of people. You have your fair share of scandals and your fair share of romance, but I don’t want to give too much away!

In the end, did you choose someone and can you tell us if you’re happy now?
I am happy with everything that happened. I stayed very true to myself and what I felt, and I am very happy with the way things worked out for me. I’m hoping everybody’s gonna be supportive of that.

What was the biggest personal lesson you took from this experience?
I think I realized what makes a committed relationship work and what I’m looking for in a person. I also realized that I don’t like breaking up with guys! I don’t like it one bit! Break up with me, I don’t want to break up with you!

The season premiere of the “Bachelorette” airs this Monday on ABC at 9/8c.

ABC

This interview can also be found on Fancast.com.

On last Monday’s episode of “The Bachelor,” the communication between Brad Womack and Ashley Hebert got lost in the jungles of South Africa, and he regretfully gave her the boot. It seemed clearer—at least to him—that the the two’s life goals were figuratively and literally miles a part: He was all about running business in Austin, and she was about running drills in people’s teeth—somewhere other than Austin.

The ambitious 26-year-old dental student from Philly talks about her regrets, how she feels about Brad taking her out of the running, and how her next man better take care of his teeth.

Do you respect Brad for not putting you through the rose ceremony?
Oh absolutely, yes. I have a whole new respect for him. I left really heartbroken, but after seeing that, I think it kind of helped me put a little bit of closure and solidified what kind of relationship we had, which was one that was full of respect and mutual admiration.

Considering your 12-year age difference, do you think you and Brad were just in different places in life?
I think there was a lot of miscommunication between Brad and I. I’m certainly at an age where I feel like I am ready to settle down, and I am ready to, you know, kind of enjoy the finer things in life. But I really think it was a lack of communication. I have to admit that throughout the whole process, I went into it not really expecting to feel as strongly as I did, and I think I guarded myself. So I definitely learned a lot from that and hope I can move forward and not make that mistake again.

When the cameras turned off, what did you guys discuss during the fantasy date night?
Oh gosh. Brad and I talked about a lot of things. I feel like we should have talked about the important questions that we touched upon at dinner, but we just continued on with a really fun, light relationship, and I think that’s where things went wrong. We had the opportunity to kind of talk about the more serious things…we both opted to take the light route again. I didn’t answer all the questions like he needed. He didn’t answer all the questions that I had, so I think in the end, we ran out of time and that night was just the demise of our relationship.

When Brad told you he believed you’d be in the final two before your bad date in South Africa, did that make you feel better or worse?
Ugh, it absolutely made me feel worse. When I left, the one question I had was, Will he regret this? Is it something that he thought twice about, or is this that he’s really confident? So to hear him say that he thought from the beginning that I was going to be one of the two people, it confirmed what we had in my mind, and it made it harder to live with the regret of being so closed off. It was definitely a lot harder to hear that.

Do you think it would’ve mattered if your date came before Emily’s?
You know, I actually do. I think that since I was directly after Emily, he was done for. I think that he fell for her. He knew what was going to happen, and I think part of the downfall of that date had to do with him falling in love with her directly, right before. So I do think it played a role, but then again, I think he had stronger feelings for both Chantal and Emily, stronger than what he felt for me. So I don’t know if it would have changed the end result, but I certainly think the quality of our date would have been a little bit better.

Who do you think is the best match for Brad?
It changes from week to week. I thought Chantal O. until last episode, and now I’m a little bit more apt to say that he’s falling in love with Emily. So in terms of what I think Brad wants out of life and in a relationship, I think Emily’s probably a better match, but I love him and Chantal together. I love the way they complement each other well, and they bring out kind of like this playfulness that I really like to see.

In a nutshell, what exactly do you think wasn’t working in your relationship with Brad?
I say this in the most respectful way: I think Brad was really looking for somebody to fit into his life in Austin and kind of like not skip a beat. And for me, I think I’m looking for somebody to create a life with. I’m not looking for anyone to fit into my life; I want to start a new life with somebody. And I want them to be open and open to trying a new location and a little bit more. Look, I’m still young. I’m looking for a little bit of excitement, and I think for him, he’s been through everything that he’s been through, and he wants to just settle into his life and I want to settle up into mine.

Do you regret not saying the L-word to him?
I’ll tell you this: When I was there, I personally didn’t feel like I was ready to say I love you. I think love means so many different things to so many different people, and I just couldn’t say that I was in love with him…I think I was falling in love with him, but I couldn’t say it to him. I don’t know if it was because I was guarded, but what I can say is that when I got home, I realized that I did love him. But at that point, it was too late. What was done was done; what was said was not that.

Would you consider being the next “Bachelorette” or go on “Bachelor Pad”?
I don’t think I would be as happy about “Bachelor Pad,” but if they asked me to do the “Bachelorette,” I would definitely consider it. I feel like the process worked for me once, and I would be so excited to do it.

Turning to your promising career as a dentist, are good teeth a requirement for someone you’re dating?
You know what? I like good teeth, but I don’t like perfect teeth. I like something that’s a little bit off, so like a little bit of a rotation here, maybe a little bit of a chip here. I don’t like perfection, but there has to be good oral hygiene. That’s my only requirement.

Catch “The Bachelor’s” Women Tell All show this Monday on ABC at 8/7c.

NBC

This interview can also be found on Fancast.com.

In one of the most memorable “Biggest Loser” tear jerkers, Arthur Wornum, the heaviest—and arguably, the funniest—contestant ever to step foot on the ranch, ran with all his might on a 5K treadmill challenge on Tuesday night’s episode, only to fall short and thus, get eliminated.

Despite emotional pleas by trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels to keep Arthur on the show, the Red Team tenaciously stuck to their original alliance and booted off the once 650-lb. Funny Guy.

The 32-year-old from Portland, Oregon—who’s now at 340 lbs.—talked to reporters yesterday about how he feels about the Red Team’s decision, what life is like for him off the ranch, and if there’s budding romance between a couple contestants on the show.

On whether he was bitter towards the Red Team for eliminating him:
Animosity, none whatsoever. I mean when you’re put in an us-versus-them mentality, it’s just the way the ball bounces. I understand why they did it. And to be honest if I was in their situation, it was probably the smart thing to do if you’re looking at game play. And unfortunately, it’s always going to be a game.

On whether he regrets breaking up the original teams:
Do I regret it? What I regret is not bringing my concerns to my team about Jay and Jen. That’s what I regret. I should have voiced my concerns to my team. But when you’re in a situation where you don’t have any time to strategize or think about anything and you’re working on emotion like I was, you do things in fear. And that was the path that I was supposed to go down.

On what his life is like now that he’s off the ranch:
Since I’ve been home, I knew I could do this on my own. You know, I’ve done it on my own. But when you’re away and you’re at the ranch, you’re isolated; all you’re doing is focusing on this so your weight loss—it took me a year and a half to lose 140-something pounds [at home], where it’s taken me since October [at the ranch] to do that. One thing that I’m very fortunate for is I have a tremendous support system, absolute tremendous support system. So the focus not only for me but the people that love me and care for me…was for me to maintain that ranch mentality. So I’m not working. My main focus is to work out. I spend six to eight hours a day through travel, that’s with walking and exercise. My daily job is to get this weight off me.

On what he’d do with the at-home prize money if he won it:
Oh, let me be honest with you here; I have already won. I have already won. I am 100 pounds away from my goal weight. I remember sitting back being 400 pounds away. I remember thinking I have to lose 400 pounds. So I have already won. Knowing that I’ve lost over 300 pounds in a little over two years I’ve already won. If for some reason come finale I’m blessed to have that cherry on top of that sundae which means I get that $100,000 after taxes what am I looking at about, what, $56,000—I’ll probably pay off all the credit debt I have, put a little away, and that’s about it. I mean, there ain’t going to be much left so, you know? [laughing] It has never ever once been about the money for me, though. In fact I will tell you there has been plenty of times where I would tell them keep your money, I just want my life back.

On whom he thinks will win “Loser”:
If I had to put money on it, Olivia Ward will win this season of “Biggest Loser.” She has everything it takes to win. She has that work ethic. I can’t tell you how strong mentally that girl is. So I would put my money on Olivia, my heart says Courtney, and my dark horse is my girl from Portland, Irene.

On whether there was romance on the ranch:
I will be the official one to tell you that my time on the ranch there was absolutely zero romances. Courtney and Austin—you’ve got to understand Courtney is a smiley—[but] there was never any budding romance between them two. I will say word is that there is a romance going on now involving Austin, but I will say it’s not with Courtney. And I’ll just leave it at that.

The “Biggest Loser: Couples” airs Tuesdays on NBC at 8/7c.