Tube Talk
mbuttelman@the-signal.com
Posted: July 2, 2009 2:40 p.m.
Jillian Harris, the fun-loving Canadian beauty of last season's "The
Bachelor," has been described as "intelligent, independent and passionate." As the star of this season's "The Bachelorette" many woman across the country started the season rooting for her to find love after "The Bachelor," Jason Mesnick, dumped her just short of the finale.
Women everywhere could identify with her search to find a man who could be her best friend, soul mate and future husband.
However, after starting with 30 handsome and interesting guys Harris is down to the final four seeking her hand - and the Internet is abuzz with disapproval.
Since last Monday's amazing episode in "why-arranged-marriages-probably-should-never-have-been-abanoned" I've spoken to several women who have all said the same thing about Harris.
To wit: "What in the heck is she thinking?"
And: "I'd be happy to take Jake off her hands."
And: "What an idiot. She deserves what she gets."
The reason for the outrage is Harris' decision to eliminate handsome, perfect, pilot Jake and keep dirtbag user "musician" Wes. Yes, Wes, the guy who said on camera, "I'm not here for the girl, I'm here to get publicity for my CD." Frankly, from what's been shown on the program Wes appears to have as much musical talent as my cat.
Wes, who bragged to several of his fellow contestants that he still had a girlfriend in Texas, was confronted in a brave, "knight-in-shining-armor" gesture by Jake who revealed Wes' duplicity, only to have Harris select Wes to move on to the final four.
If Harris is not the dumbest Bachelorette ever, I can't imagine who could claim that title. Granted Jennifer Schefft, from season three, runs a close second after she rejected the proposal of the bachelor she had chosen in the finale.
During Harris' "hometown" dates Wes' first move is to invite Harris to meet his band so he can talk about his CD. Talk about being on the show for every wrong reason in the universe! To see Harris gaze at Wes with infatuation oozing from every pore of her body is cringe-worthy television at its worst. I should feel sorry for her, obviously her mother never warned her to stay away from musicians. "Bad boy" musicians are the worst and Wes fits that bill perfectly.
However, Harris has said she is attracted to Wes' "bad boy" persona and knows people have said Wes is there only to promote himself and his music - and she doesn't care. But when straight arrow Jake tells you Wes has a girlfriend, you should really take notice.
There has only been one success story in the entire "Bachelor/Bachelorette" universe. The first Bachelorette, Trista Rehn, married the last man standing, Ryan Sutter. The couple is still together and has two children.None of the 13 bachelors have tied the knot, though Byron Velvick from season six is still together with Mary Delgado, the woman he chose at the end.
Charlie O'Connell from season seven and Sarah Brice broke up, but got back together and now are planning to wed.
Obviously, attempting to find true love on a dating reality show has to be considered a long shot, but there are ways to play the odds a bit better than Harris.
Harris needs to stop worrying about having so much "fun" and worry more about what will make good husband and father material. I think even Tanner, the guy with the foot fetish, might have been a better choice then Wes.
In addition to Wes, the final four includes Ed, a bachelor who left the show after choosing his job over Harris, then returned and begged Harris to take him back.
The other semi-finalists include Reid and Kiptyn. ABC publicity reports that recently booted bachelor Michael, 25, a break dancing instructor, reportedly had his "hometown" date with Harris here in Valencia.
To see if Harris comes to her senses and kicks Wes to the curb before the finale of "The Bachelorette" watch 8 p.m. Monday, channel 7, KABC.
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