Access Blogs
You're Welcome, Chris Harrison
So this morning on my way into work I hear "The Bachelor" host Chris Harrison on the radio bashing Us Weekly and Access Hollywood for leaking the Molly/Melissa finale switcheroo. When he says Access Hollywood he specifically means ME because we have never done the story on our show. It's only ever been as part of my blog on our Web site.
Chris questioned how we could dare ruin the ending for the fans. Well, after receiving the ratings news this morning for the finale, I can honestly say I have zero guilt about this and have just one thing to say to Chris Harrison - "You're Welcome."
Thanks to this little scandal that Reality Steve started and I followed up on, "The Bachelor" saw a jump in viewers. A huge jump!!! Seven million extra viewers tuned in for the "After the Final Rose" episode.
The series had been averaging about 10.5 million viewers all season. This information leak made its way all over the Internet and all of sudden people started caring about the show. Would Jason really dump Melissa on national TV for Molly? They wanted to know. So, they watched. It's all anyone is talking about this morning. All of sudden this show is relevant again in a way it hasn't been in years.
Don't get me wrong. I'm sure those ABC promos with Chris standing there on the ATFR stage saying the details of what happens are going to be "so emotionally difficult" and potentially "so dramatic" that they needed to make it as "intimate as possible" did get a few eyeballs to tune in as well. I'm just pretty positive it was more about people who have never seen the show being interested in seeing if the spoilers were right.
With this show, it's kind of like the boy who cried wolf. How many times have we been roped into "The Bachelor's" its the "most dramatic" this and the "most dramatic" that? It's really never that dramatic at all and you just wind up feeling used and abused. You get tired of the false drama. So, millions of viewers had given up on the show since it's initial ratings boon in the first few seasons. Nowadays, everyone loves a good juicy scandal so they tuned it to see what all the hype is.
To put it in perspective. Deanna's ATFR was seen by just ten million viewers, Andy Baldwin's eight.
So, listen Chris, in keeping with the theme of the show why don't you go ahead and send me a rose, instead of bashing me.
Actually, make that a dozen.
After watching last night's show, I will no longer watch the Bachelor. What Jason did last night on television for millions to see was heartless and cruel. He should have never proposed to either and when he broke up with Melissa he should have waited until her tears dried before he jumped on the USS Molly. Karma is a biotch.
Well said Heather. After his ripping Mel's heart out within minutes playing tonsil hockey will Molly. Don't say much for either of them I don't believe. What ever happened to respect?
Come on! They had signed agreements with abc. Melissa knew this as well as Jason. She didn't want to be a loser. She took it well but she never acknowledged the agreements. Jason was honest. He was not able to meet her parents in person and background has a lot to do with the ultimate chemistry between two people. Jason was respectful in not saying what the chemistry problem was and it appeared to me there had been discussion between Melissa and Jason. He made a decision and he followed through. That takes a lot for a guy to do something, knowing he is going to get flack. Melissa can handle it and has written she is doing fine. She is/was a Cowboys Cheerleader! How awesome is that? This may just lead her to the right guy for her, a better fit than Jason.