Buckle up and hold on tight—The Bachelor, Season 19, Episode 6 is one rollicking roller coaster ride!
The show continues exactly where Episode 5 left off, with Kelsey writhing on the floor seemingly in a full panic attack, or at least a well acted impression of one. The other girls suspect Kelsey staged her hysterics to manipulate Chris and get his attention. Kelsey even confesses to the camera, “I’d better get a rose for my anxiety.”
There is an early rose ceremony. Prince Farming says with determination, “I know what I want to do tonight.” We get down to the last rose. Drama. Will he keep Kelsey or send her packing? Kelsey says she feels empathy for the other girls. They are wasting their time. Sure enough, the last name called to stay is Kelsey. Yep, she gets her rose. Mackenzie and Samantha are out.
The other girls are disappointed and frustrated that Chris doesn’t see Kelsey for the fake she is. Close up on Carly, who says, “Kelsey is a black widow.”
Prince Farming tells the camera, “I’m not here for drama, I’m looking for a wife.” The Bachelor audience is probably shouting back at Chris, “In that case, lose Kelsey!” I know that’s what I’m shouting at him.
A switch of settings brings the girls and Prince Farming a bit of the Wild West at the historic Deadwood in the Black Hills of South Dakota. This week will include a one-on-one date, a group date and a two-on-one date. At least one of the girls will be sent home at the end of the two-on-one date. All the girls cringe, not wanting to hear their names called for that one.
The first card arrives and reveals Becca, the virgin, gets the one-on-one date. Close up on Kelsey frowning. “I’m not happy. I need reassurance. I didn’t go through all this for nothing.”
Chris tells the camera he picked Becca for the one-on-one because, “She’s the one girl I haven’t kissed.”
Prince Farming takes Becca horseback riding. She’s reluctant at first, a fish out of water. But she takes to riding. Becca’s sense of humor delights Chris and he offers her a rose. She will be around for next week.
Back at the girls’ hotel room, the group date card arrives, names are called out. That leaves Kelsey and Ashley I. for the two-on-one date. Close up of Kelsey and her evil laugh as she spouts, “It’s really a one-on-one. He’ll send Ashley home.”
Ashley I. appears thrilled to be on the two-on-one date. She’s bent on exposing Kelsey’s fake ways to Chris and feels this will give her the perfect opportunity. She envisions that the moralistic Prince Farming will send Kelsey home once he knows how manipulative she is.
The group date begins on the dusty streets of Deadwood. Two men saunter toward Chris and the girls. It’s all very reminiscent of High Noon. The girls are shocked to come face-to-face with two country music stars. When the dust settles, Big &Rich inform the girls that they must write and later sing a love song. There are lots of mixed feelings about this assignment. Carly, the singer, is overjoyed. She’s in her element. At the other end of that spectrum is Jade, who is scared since she can’t sing. In the end, the girls give it their all. Their lyrics are filled with feelings for Chris, who stands there blushing proudly.
The light, fun atmosphere suddenly turns somber when Chris steals Brit away from the pack. They runoff to a Big & Rich concert where they are invited up on the stage in front of a sold-out crowd. Chris and Brit dance, then he offers her the I-want-you-to-stay-around-for-next-week rose. It’s all very fantasy-like for Brit. But they must return to the other girls who are fuming after being left alone for more than an hour. The pot is about to boil over when they see Britt, all smiles, holding her rose.
Furious, some of the girls wonder aloud why they’re wasting their time here.
Whitney calls it “The Chris and Brit Show.” Awkward!
Chris says he wishes they could remain positive the way the rest of the day had been, then he leaves. Poor Brit is left to feel the wrath of the girls. Come on, Chris, you left your beloved Britt to be devoured by the pack. Not cool!
For the two-on-one date. Ashley I. says, “I’m Glenda, the good witch, and Kelsey’s the bad witch. Ding-dong the witch is dead.”
Chris, Kelsey and Ashley I. fly to the Badlands in a helicopter. On their way, they hover over Mount Rushmore. The helicopter lands in the middle of the desert. Amidst all that sand is a canopied bed decorated with flowing sheer curtains right out of Aladdin. Ashley I. gets her long-awaited time alone with Chris. She immediately fills Chris’ ear with how strategic and fake Kelsey is and how the other girls can’t stand her.
What does Chris do with his new-found knowledge? He confronts Kelsey, letting her know he found out from Ashley, then he walks away. It’s like causing a car crash and not staying to help pick up the pieces. As unsuspecting Ashley returns to the Aladdin bed, Kelsey confronts her, saying, “I know what you did.” Ashley I. is shocked that Chris went directly to Kelsey with the information. She finds Chris and through tears asks, “Why did you tell her what I said to you? What did you think she was going to say?” Instead of explaining, he lets her go, noting that they are at two different places in life, so it just wouldn’t work out.
Back at the hotel, the girls are lounging in the living room. The door opens and Ashely I’s suitcase is taken away—the sign that Chris sent her home. The girls are distraught. How could he keep Kelsey over Ashley I?
Back in the desert, Kelsey is perched on the bed alone. She smiles her evil smile and, motioning high up, says, “I’m here.” Then, making a downward motion, adds, “and she’s here.” Kelsey goes on to call Ashley I. a “Kardashian girl” who needs to go home and play with her makeup.
Not so fast, wicked witch of the west!
Chris tells Kelsey he can’t keep a girl around who is so disliked by the other girls. He climbs back into the helicopter and it takes off leaving both Kelsey and Ashley I. behind in the desert. Now they can really do that final scene right out of High Noon. I need to know if there’s another helicopter waiting out of sight of the cameras to lift these two enemies off the desert. I can’t imagine the chill between them during the ride back to civilization—icier than Frozen. In the desert.
The final scene of Episode 6 is back in the girls’ hotel room. The door opens again and Kelsey’s suitcase is carted off. The girls are surprised at first. That means Chris sent both girls home. The realization that Kelsey will not be returning sends the girls into peals of laughter. It’s a celebration!
Post Script:
Good Morning America’s Lara Spencer interviewed Ashley I. on Tuesday morning. Ashley I. informs Spencer that as awkward as the confrontation appeared in the show, it was actually way more awkward in real life. Surprisingly, she also says that time away from the romance and fantasy surrounding the girls on the show helped her realize she would not be happy down on the farm. She’s glad she left when she did and happy she took one for the team by disclosing Kelsey’s evil ways. Ashley I. says things will probably be uncomfortable when she sees Kelsey at the taping of the “Women Tell All” show next week .
And yes, we have heard from Kelsey again, too. She attended a viewing party in her hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan on Monday night. In an article by Todd Chance, the West Michigan Entertainment Concierge for MLive/Grand Rapids Press, Kelsey addresses critics who lashed out at her for calling the death of her young husband “amazing.” She explains, “What makes my life amazing is that I picked up the pieces of my shattered life and I put them back together. I have the capacity in my heart to love again.” Since leaving the show, Kelsey quit her job as a school counselor and plans to fly off to Paris to be a writer. She said, “If you’re going to be a writer, you might as well be a writer in Paris.”
That comment is just another example of Kelsey being overly dramatic. If one wants to write, one writes at home in one’s study, on the train headed for the Hamptons, on the beach or in the library. It doesn’t have to be so Ernest Hemingway. Poor Kelsey, she still doesn’t get it.
The Bachelor airs on ABC every Monday at 8 p.m.
Barbara Anne Kirshner is the author of Madison Weatherbee-The Different Dachshund. She is a regular contributor to DansPapers.com.
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