Because she’s been there and done that, literally, former Bachelor contestant/tear fountain Ashley Iaconetti is recapping this season of The Bachelor for Cosmopolitan. With insider insight as well as a clear eye for what’s going down both in front of and behind the cameras, she’s got a whole lot to say…and you’re gonna wanna hear it.
This post contains spoilers for the 3/15/21 finale of The Bachelor.
I’m putting my Carrie Bradshaw hat on for this finale recap of the latest Bachelor season. These are my closing thoughts on the season, all laid out in “I couldn’t help but wonder…” fashion.
Did Matt’s mom realize the effect her words would have on her son as the Bachelor when she told him “love fades” and “love isn’t the end all be all”?
Love is the reason he came here. The actions of Matt’s father have cut them deeply. I feel sad that love is so scary to this family because of their scars. Relationships and family make life rich. If this conversation led Matt to think seriously about his readiness for an engagement, that’s totally okay. Getting engaged after eight weeks is pretty wild. I just feel badly for him if his parents’ past is influencing him to run away from love. In my opinion true love doesn’t fade, it evolves. True love withstands the fading of the honeymoon phase. After observing Matt throughout this three hour episode, it seems he needs to heal those wounds before being in a relationship.
Craig Sjodin
Why did Matt refuse to see Michelle after their breakup to give her the closure she was hoping for?
Envisioning Michelle crying to producers in her hotel room hit close to home, and this story had me boarding the Michelle for Bachelorette train. Matt’s been such a gentleman and so respectful and sensitive toward the women on his season, so why couldn’t he make two minutes for someone he said he loved (but wasn’t in love with)? To me, this demonstrated that Matt was not in the right place emotionally for marriage. I still find Matt to be a delightful personality who has a kind heart. I don’t want anyone to think that I think less of him because he’s not ready for marriage, because that’s absolutely not true. I wasn’t ready for marriage until going through the Bachelor process FOUR times!
Why did Matt skip out on having date time with Rachael?
Okay, I know the answer to this question, but I think it’s important enough to spell out. He didn’t need time to decide which girl he had stronger feelings for. He needed time to figure out whether or not he should propose. I don’t think that an extra date with Rachael would have made him feel comfortable with an engagement. Matt made the right decision for himself and Rachael. He knew in his gut he wasn’t ready, and their breakup would have been even worse and a waste of a precious, monumental moment if he got down on one knee.
When did Matt know it was officially over with Rachael?
Matt said that he stayed with Rachael when rumors of her racially insensitive photos started to swirl. He hoped that they were just rumors, but they were never rumors per se as they originated from photos, aka actual physical proof. Matt said he broke up with her after she publicly apologized because he said she didn’t understand his Blackness and he felt Rachael needed to do the work on her own. While he said that feelings don’t go away overnight, Matt seemed very disinterested in rekindling a romance with Rachael. He even denied the offer of hugging her at the end of After The Final Rose. I’m curious about what else may have happened behind closed doors that wasn’t uncovered during the ATFR conversation.
Seriously, guys, I couldn’t help but wonder, is Matt’s beard symbolic?
The beard! Is it a physical representation of his desire to hide? Is it a protective shield from the public? Is it a security blanket? All I know is that there must be a deeper meaning beyond aesthetics, because he can’t possibly feel his most attractive with it.
Why are there two Bachelorettes, Katie and Michelle?
Well, the rumor I hear is that they wanted Michelle to be the lead. She’s definitely the more empathetic character of the two chosen. As a teacher, she didn’t want to leave her class mid-year, which is so respectable, but they needed to film during the spring for their designated early summer air slot. My hope is that Katie was chosen for this position as she was the woman who prominently stood up for other women during a season of multiple bullies. It’s wild that between both Bachelorette seasons, Bachelor in Paradise, and the next season of The Bachelor, they’re going to be filming every month from now until the last week of November. Last summer they planned on filming both BIP and Summer Games until COVID-19 got in the way, so my guess is that the second season of The Bachelorette is unofficially taking the spot of Summer Games.
Now it’s time for a needed Bachelor break, a glass of wine, and a fresh start in May.
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