Chris Harrison Blogs 'The Bachelor' Episode 4
Confession: I already miss Ashley S. the most. But is Ashley S. really the crazy “Ashley” here, or is Ashley I.? Ashley I. started the week out with a great gem during the group camping date: “If a guy’s driving, it’s the sexiest thing he can do.” She does realize that this is the equivalent of saying a guy breathing and walking is the sexiest thing he can do… right?
The group camping date really seemed to annoy Kelsey. Actually, it seemed like everything annoyed Kelsey this week. As we move forward, you are starting to catch a glimpse of the other side of Kelsey. She’ll become a lightning rod for controversy in the house, and you’ll start to see the other women really try to figure her out.
Still, the two Ashleys were really the story on the camping date. Ashley S. was there — well, at least her body was. She finally had one too many bizarre confrontations with Chris and he just had to send her home. Believe it or not, there were times when the two of them would have good, normal conversations, and he would see a very sweet side of her. But after the camping date he knew it wasn’t happening and it was time to send her packing. But for my money, it was really Ashley I. that made the bigger mess of things this week. Ashley I. is really consumed with the fact that she’s a virgin — and she assumes everybody else is as well. She made a bizarre attempt to talk to Chris about her “innocence” but it was in such a strange way. There is not a man, woman, child or alien around who would have understood what she was getting at.
Related: 'The Bachelor' Recap: 'Her Mouth Is Not a Virgin'
I will say this about the whole “virgin” thing: Being a virgin isn’t a huge deal nor does it raise a red flag for me. I think what most people would be interested to know is why someone made that life choice. If it’s a big enough deal to consume your life — as it appears to consume Ashley’s —you’d figure there’s a story behind it… but you’d be wrong. Later in the week, at the cocktail party, Ashley felt she had to explain it to Chris again and just spell it out for him. After she clearly told him this time she was a virgin, the first thing she followed it up with was, “Don’t be freaked out about it — it’s not anything I’m super serious about.” Sorry, WHAT??? She’s so into being a virgin that’s all she can talk to the girls and Chris about, but it’s not something she’s serious about?
Chris didn’t see what happened after their talk — but we did. Ashley was all but breaking down because after she broke the news to him, Chris didn’t try to jump her bones. (Again, WHAT???) This is all a huge red flag for Chris as it shows she’s just a young girl still trying to figure things out in her life. Until you truly know yourself and are comfortable with your sexuality, you can’t fully give yourself to somebody else. I think Chris is starting to sense this, as are some of the other women who are tiring of her antics. But man, is she amazingly fun to watch.
The greatest moment off all the virgin drama? While Ashley is freaking out and making a big deal out of her virginity to the other women, Becca calmly looked her in the eye and said, “I’m a virgin too.” That really showed the difference between a woman who’s comfortable with herself, and a girl still trying to figure things out. So, now that Becca has told the other girls that she is a virgin, we have two confirmed virgins living in the Bachelor mansion. It should be interesting to watch how two stories about the same thing can be so different.
There were some other dates and fireworks we need to discuss this week. Chris’s sisters came on the show and picked the woman that would be joining him on the Cinderella date. Up to this point we haven’t really seen a lot of Jade, but after this week you’ll be seeing a lot more. She really impressed Chris’s sisters, and on the date she really captured Chris’s attention. I loved the date in general, as Chris had no idea who would be walking down those stairs to join him for the night. Jade and Chris had great chemistry and she’s definitely another girl that is high atop his list.
The last group date this week was meaningful. I really love that we have the platform to shine a light on meaningful topics and charities, and this week we were able to promote MS through the Muckfest MS mud run in San Francisco. The date was eventful, too, because it marked the quick rise and fall of Jillian. I’m not sure what I’ll miss more — Jillian or the black bar that covered her butt all season. (It is my sincere hope that the black sensor bar will come back and join me at the Women Tell All so I can ask it the burning questions we all want answered.)
Jillian made short work of the other women and the mud run course and absolutely demolished everybody in the race, but once Chris got that one-on-one time with her, he quickly saw she wasn’t the right girl for him. Jillian is really young, and Chris could tell she still hasn’t figured out who she wants to be when she grows up. He needs a woman who is strong, confident, and comfortable with who she is and what she wants.
The other thing of note this week was Britt calling Chris’s sincerity into question. Up to this point, Britt has been a frontrunner, if not the girl leading the way, but I’m not sure that’s the case after this week. I get that Britt felt a little insecure in this scenario, but dealing with it by questioning Chris’s morals and sincerity was not the answer. This is something that really hit a raw nerve with Chris. He is a good, honorable man and to have that questioned really made him take pause. By the time I ended the cocktail party and pulled Chris aside, I could clearly see he was bothered by it. Still, he gave Britt another chance, and instead said goodbye to Ashley S. and Juelia.
Sending Juelia home was easily the toughest goodbye so far. Chris really respects the woman she is, and because of that, it was tough to say goodbye. I really respected his move of walking her out personally and not just giving her a hug and saying goodbye in the rose room.
As you can clearly see, things are heating up in many ways on the show. Next week, we leave the friendly confines of the mansion and hit the road. Next Monday, we land in Santa Fe, New Mexico for a week of dates and drama. You saw in the preview a glimpse of Kelsey stirring things up — the other women will start to question her sincerity as she starts to capture more and more of Chris’s attention. Whose side will you be on? Let me know at @chrisbharrison on Twitter and Instagram.
The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
