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5.16.05 SEASON FINALE
So, do you want the good news or the bad news first? Ok, the bad news. This week’s column is not like the others. I literally felt like it took about eight hours to watch that finale last night. Don’t get me wrong, it was the best finale this show has ever had, but there’s not a chance in hell I’m writing about all three hours and breaking down everything that happened. Yeah sure, so Charlie’s mom’s doggy bone necklaces were rather amusing, but if you’re actually looking for humor this week…sorry. Fresh out. So sort of like last season’s finale, where I just gave my overall thoughts on the finale, that’s what this column will be like, but on a much softer side. Won’t be nearly as long as it usually is, and is definitely less humorous. Trust me, you’ve been warned. Yes, Reality Steve actually did write what you are about to read. You’ve been warned. The good news? In case you haven’t heard, ABC announced the “Bachelor” has been picked up for the fall season, so we’ll have at least one more season to go through. Wait, maybe that isn’t such good news. And I thought I was done after this season. Oh well. As long as they’re going to continue to do this show, I’m going to continue to write about it. Onto the finale….
-As I said earlier, I thought this was by far the best finale they’ve ever done. The fact that they did it live and we didn’t know beforehand who he was choosing was a good thing. Did they drag it on? Yes. Could it have been shorter? Of course. Could Charlie have not repeated the same thing of, “I’m not looking forward to this” less than 100 times? Yes, again. But I think last night really showed Charlie’s likability and the reason why this was the best season yet. Say what you will about Charlie’s horndog approach (and I’m the first to admit I was on him all season about it), but I think he was pretty sincere last night. If that guy made all that up last night, then he deserves an Oscar. I honestly doubt for the life of me that he would be that emotional over some girl he could care less about. If he was, give him an Emmy because that was a brilliant performance.
-Does that mean I’m convinced he and Sarah will get married? No. But I think this is pretty much a no-nonsense guy that wears his heart on his sleeve, and we saw that last night. He’s got more personality and is so much more real than the previous six bachelors combined (with maybe the exception of Byron), that you couldn’t not like the guy for what he did last night. I thought he handled himself about as well as one could under those circumstances. Back when I was writing about “For Love or Money”, as hokey as I thought that show was, I thought it was incredibly difficult to have to stand in front of every male or female contestant, whether you were Rob, Erin, Preston, or Rachel, and have to tell people to their face that you wanted to keep them or send them home. I couldn’t do it. And I’m sure most people watching couldn’t. So to see how he handled it last night, and the emotion he carried out with it, I give him major props for that.
-Maybe it was the live audience that added to the emotion, I’m not sure, but that was by far the most emotion any bachelor has ever showed at the end of any show. And it’s not like he turned on the water works just for the finale. How many times did he cry this season? Four? Five? Did any of the other bachelors? He could’ve easily picked Sarah, told her he’d love to continue the journey, gave a few fake kisses, and they could’ve fake smiled their way through it all, but I really don’t think that was the case. Unless I’m mistaken, I don’t remember any finale where the two people were constantly telling each other over and over again, “I love you”. And we know in season’s past, with the finale being taped months in advance, the possibility of being in love with someone after six weeks of filming just isn’t possible. The fact they’ve dated and kept in touch for the last two or three months is what made it that much more believable. It still remains to be seen what’ll happen, and yeah, they could break up next week, but I’d be shocked if they did. Either Charlie has improved his acting skills 100%, or he was completely genuine last night. And from what we saw of the guy all season, I’m thinking the latter. The guy doesn’t hold much back and says what he feels. The last thing Charlie is, is fake. And could I possibly get any more sappy and be gushing with any more compliments? Wait, there’s more…
-For those who had their issues with Krisily all season, myself included, I thought last night she redeemed herself for how she handled everything that was thrown at her. Honestly, I can’t say enough about how impressed I was with her. Yeah, she’s a chatterbox, and yeah, she’s kinda loud and might rub people the wrong way, but I thought everything she said before and after she got dumped was pretty dead on. How could you not be impressed with her last night? First off, I thought she looked the best she’s looked all season. I’m sure most women out there will find something wrong with the way she wore her hair, or how she did her make-up, or god knows what else, but the fact is, she’s a very attractive girl. I think what made her less attractive in most people’s eyes was her mouth. But there’s no denying she’s pretty. And I really thought last night kinda showed that, without other females in the house, and without being put in situations where the show pretty much creates unnecessary drama, Krisily is another one that wears her emotions on her sleeve and isn’t very fake. I know, I know. “Reality Steve, what the hell’s gotten into you? Do you actually have a sensitive side?” Believe it or not, yes I do. I like teddy bears, long walks on the beach, great conversation, and cuddling too. Ok, let’s not get carried away, but I think you get my point.
-Krisily answered every question asked of her, didn’t hold anything back, got dumped on live television with family and friends sitting in the front row, and was classy throughout the whole thing. Yeah, maybe her reaction would’ve been different if she had lost out to say, oh I don’t know, Sarah W. But put it this way, I’m guessing most women watching last night, and even men for that matter, gained just a little more respect for her for how she handled everything compared to what they previously thought of her. And if you saw you didn’t, you’re lying. I can’t think of one thing that she did or said last night that didn’t seem 100% sincere. Just put yourself in her shoes during that whole fiasco last night and ask yourself if you could’ve acted the same way. I couldn’t possibly imagine being in Charlie’s, Krisily’s, or Sarah’s shoes last night. That was brutal.
-Everything that was wrong with this show for the previous nine seasons was finally corrected with how everything played out this season. They didn’t make the relationship start out in fantasyland, they didn’t give us ridiculous expensive dates that no newly formed couple would ever truly go on, they didn’t force a six week proposal on us and expect us to believe it would work out, etc. I think every person who was down on the “Bachelor” franchise and complained about how ridiculous the concept was should’ve been at least mildly impressed with this season. It gave us exactly what we wanted. Something we could actually believe could happen. Like I said, I don’t know if Charlie and Sarah will stay together. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t. But at least we can accept what they went through as real. I’m sure it was awkward for two girls to know they've been dating the same guy for the last two months, and yet, it seemed to be the best decision this show has made since it started. Too bad it only took them nine tries before figuring that out.
-The number one complaint most people had with the series was that it wasn’t believable, and none of this happens to normal people who’ve just begun dating, so how are we to expect complete strangers to meet, fall in love, and be engaged in six weeks? Yeah, it worked for Ryan and Trista, and so far for Byron and Mary, but two out of nine isn’t great. And the way the other ones ended, you could see the choice of “Bachelors” was just awful. Guys were more or less going on the show to promote themselves more than actually wanting to try and find someone. Maybe Charlie did dump his ex-girlfriend a month before going on the show, and maybe in real like he is a skirt chaser and this thing will blow up in our faces, but after watching last night, I really don’t see it. That was as genuine and sincere as I think most of expected from him. The guy has a personality, he does care about Sarah, and he cared enough about Krisily not to embarrass her in front of a live audience.
-Man, have I turned into a softie or what? Geez. I just reread everything I’ve written so far, and I’m getting this out-of-body feeling right now that someone else wrote this. Do I have anything funny to say about what happened last night? Was I completely sucked in by all the emotions last night? Apparently so. As mentioned, other than dragging the thing out for what seemed like eight hours, I really thought the show was well produced and played out the way they probably hoped it would. I think it’s one thing for Charlie to choose Sarah two months ago with the cameras on, and those two being the only ones around, than doing it how it went down last night. Live television, both girls families are sitting in the front row, a bunch of strangers around you, I mean, are you kidding me? Did you see how nervous the guy was? The guy couldn’t stop shaking every time they did a close up of his hands.
-So that’s pretty much my assessment of what I saw last night. I’m sure most of you are still picking your jaws up off the floor right now and trying to really convince yourself it was Reality Steve that just wrote that, but trust me, I did. Here’s something you’ve got to understand about me and this column: I do this for fun. Do I exaggerate things? Of course. Am I a little harsh on people when I maybe shouldn’t be? Absolutely. I don’t know these people, and I don’t hate any of these people, but my feeling has always been the same since day one about these shows. And that is, if you choose to go one, you certainly are opening yourself up to made fun of. I’m sure if I appeared on one, I’d make a complete ass of myself and people would make fun of me too. Hell, I would expect it. I’m here to entertain, not take everything so seriously, and hopefully in the meantime, give people a different way to view the show. My humor can get a little harsh and vulgar at times, but that’s just me. I can’t help it. I’ve always been opinionated, I’ve always been a little brash, and I’ve always been on the sarcastic, smart-alecky, pompous ass side. Ever since fifth grade when I was voted “Class Clown”, it’s pretty much stuck with me and it’s who I am. But I don't think I'm saying what most boyfriends, or husbands, or guys in general are thinking. I just have a website to express it. So I apologize to anyone I’ve ever offended, whether it be someone who appeared on the show, or someone just reading the column. I just don’t like taking things so seriously all the time, and it’s shows like this where you gotta just sit back, enjoy it for what it is, and have a good laugh every once in a while. And hopefully my column provides that for you. If it doesn’t, no one’s forcing you to read it. So until September when the show resumes again, thanks for reading yet another season of the “Bachelor”, and we’ll see you in a few months. “Reality Roundup” is up now, and will continue periodically throughout the summer, because there will be some new summer reality shows I’m giddy about seeing and I’m sure I’ll cover. Thanks again for reading. Take care.
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