The Bachelor host Chris Harrison spoke to reporters via conference call today and shared his thoughts on the re-engaged Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson. Chris paints a fair portrait of the controversial couple, and sympathizes with Courtney (though he concedes he and his family were Team Lindzi from the start). Will the couple make it? Will we see them on TV again? And what was it like whipping out that ring on the After the Final Rose special? So many questions. Excerpts from his lengthy interview on all of that and more below: On whether he’s rooting for rooting Ben and Courtney : “Of course I’m rooting them on. You know, why wouldn’t you?” “I mean, I know that she wasn’t the most popular choice and that if you put it to America’s vote maybe she wouldn’t have been in it, but I think the important thing and the great thing about the show is that was Ben’s choice.” “Why not respect that? Who am I not to respect that? And so of course I wish them the best and the million dollar question, will they make it? Who knows? Who’s to say which couples make it in life? But I wish them the very best.
Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson of The Bachelor cover Us Weekly this week … for the fourth time this year. None of which have been positive portrayals. In the aftermath of The Bachelor season finale , the tabloid uses the following headline to describe the lovebirds: “Liar Liar! Inside Their Web Of Deceit.”
Ben Flajnik’s decision to propose to Courtney Robertson on The Bachelor finale was not exactly well received, but he stands by it, saying they’re a great fit. The reality star hopes that as the recent controversy dies down, “people will get a better understanding of who we are and why we’re still together .” Ben admits he saw signs of Courtney Robertson’s now-infamously catty behavior this season, “like when she would skip back after getting a rose.” Just the same, “I asked [the other women] for specific examples and [they said], ‘She’s weird,’ or ‘She’s different.’ That wasn’t reason enough.” Ben Flajnik says there were “many really sweet moments that we had together” that kept him interested in Courtney Robertson , come what may. Plus, he adds, “She was one of the only girls on the show that questioned the experience and that’s what I found attractive about her – and I still do.” “Courtney was always like, ‘I’ve only been on two dates with you, why should I bring you home right now? My family is really important to me.'” “It was like, finally, someone who asks the right questions instead of [saying], ‘It’s going be wonderful and we could be married for the rest of our lives.’ ” Despite acknowledging that the two split for several weeks this winter, during which he kissed a bunch of random girls , Ben says they “will be fine.” “Maybe someday people will get behind us, but for now we work really well together,” he says. “The Bachelor will not define me as a person.” Question is: Will Ben and Courtney last?
ABC confirmed last night during The Bachelor finale that the network will order a third season of the reality show’s summer spinoff, Bachelor Pad. Sweet. The Pad , a Big Brother -like battle of the sexes in an L.A. mansion populated by former Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants, will return in mid-summer. And there will be twist: Some lucky random schmoe fan can apply to join the show and go up against the castoffs vying for a 16th minute of fame! Yesss! Season 1, won by Natalie Getz and Dave Good, was a bit of a mess as ABC struggled to wing the format on the fly, but it attracted a decent following. Season 2, won by Michael Stagliano and Holly Durst, who got engaged to Blake Julian right after the season, averaged a strong 7.10 million viewers. Other memorable castoffs on the Pad include Jake Pavelka (obvi), Gia Allemand, Kasey Kahl, Vienna Girardi, Michelle Money, Kiptyn Locke and Wes Hayden.
With the cast of The Hunger Games gathering in Los Angeles tonight for that blockbuster’s world premiere – return go THG tomorrow for all the scoop and all the fashion! – Lionsgate has released another sneak peek at the upcoming big screen adaption. It features Peeta talking to Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci) and responding to a question about his love life? Does he have a special someone? Yes, sort of. Will he be able to date her if he wins The Hunger Games? No. Find out why in this clip from the film and lay your eyes on when Katniss first meets Cinna … The Hunger Games Clip: Crushing on Katniss
Earlier this week, the first photo from Breaking Dawn Part 2 hit the Internet. And it may have been a close-up of Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen , but let’s be honest: It wasn’t really all that revealing. Fortunately, a new image is here to rectify that. Taken from a feature on the special DVD handed out last month during a Twilight Saga-related event at Target, we’ve now gotten our first glimpse at Bella Swan as a vampire. Check it out below: “It’s strange,” the red-eyed, pale-skinned Bella tells her husband in the clip from which this shot is taken. “Physically I feel like I could demolish a tank. Mentally I feel just drained.” The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 hits theaters on November 16, 2012. Check out a sneak peek at the final installment now!
It’s all come down to this. After months of speculation over The Bachelor spoilers and controversy swirling around a woman who has left an indelible mark on the show (for better or for worse), Courtney Robertson squares off with Lindzi Cox for the final rose. Who will Ben Flajnik give it to? The next three hours will reveal all as the two ladies go on their last dates with Ben in Switzerland and he makes the proposal that brings this season to an end. After he does, the After the Final Rose special will catch us up on Ben and his fiancee’s current status. We’ll be here throughout with THG’s LIVE +/- recap: Chris: It’s the most controversial finale IN BACHELOR HISTORY (this year)! Plus 11 . Swiss Alps: So beautiful. And a Fitting venue for the Ice Queen’s coronation. Plus 9 . Does ABC freaking have David Gray on retainer? Minus 13 . The MOUNTAIN gives Ben hope?! Uggggh. Minus 7 . Ben’s sister looks a little Shawntel Newton-esque. Plus 4 . Red flag? Understatement of all time. Minus 8 . Lindzi looks as cute as she has all season. Things certainly haven’t gone downhill since she rode in on a horse … dinnertime silverware faux pas aside. Plus 12 . Lindzi and Julia are talking smack about Courtney? We’re not even 15 minutes into the episode! Minus 8 for rehashing the obviously coached ABC narrative. “Red Flag” and “modeling” drinking game, anyone? Plus 6 . WHAT is Ben wearing, a shirt made of alpaca fur? Minus 5 . Courtney, in nasally baby voice: “You like me? You like me?! Aww.” Shoot us now. After we take two shots for the modeling and red flag references. Minus 9 . The creepy Courtney soundtrack definitely isn’t designed to foster the psycopath image ABC has created for her. Not at all. Nice work, sound guys. Plus 8 . Julia “will never truly know went on this season” … until she watches it unfold on network TV and becomes sick to her stomach every single week. Minus 7 . Wait, Court won her “Barb” and “Jule”? Did we see different footage? Minus only 2 , ’cause she did handle the questions well, but she’s not that pretty or charming. The Flajnik family’s take: Lindzi is a “lovely” person. Courtney is “honest,” has “depth” and there is “more of what [Ben] wants.” Advantage: Court. Minus 20 . For some reason Ben annoys us when he says things. Like “Zermatt.” Or “these women.” Or “mountain caps.” Or anything, if we’re being honest. Minus 12 . Oye, Lindzi’s roots are looking kinda rough. Still hope she wins, so Plus 1 . Lindzi can totally trust Ben “on the slopes and in life.” GROAN. Minus 19 . Promotional consideration furnished by: Zermatt Tourism! Ya think? Also sponsored by models, red flags and wool! And in about 45 minutes, Neil Lane! Plus 6 . Even when Lindzi’s annoying, she’s so darn lovable. Plus 7 . Still, this feels more like fun banter than romantic courtship. At this point she may need to pull a Tonya Harding on Courtney to have any chance. Here’s hoping! Plus 30 . Ben keeps saying he “needs more time” since things have been “moving more slowly” with Lindzi. Just because some girls don’t hijack one-on-one time or strip buck ass naked on a group date doesn’t mean they’ve failed somehow. Minus 12 . Mmmyeah Lindz is acting kinda drunk up in herrrrre. Plus 18 . Lindzi: [breathy voice] “I love you …” Ben: [nods, silent]. Minus 45 . This guy makes Brad Womack look charismatic … he can’t even fake it at this point. OMFG they’re in a helicopter!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Minus 13 . “New heights”? Are you guys kidding?! Minus 17 . Courtney Robertson Auto-Tuned Someone’s got to spoof her exulting “I got the stamp of approval” and doing lame baby talk as a sequel to this video of Courtney auto-tuned (above). Plus 9 . It’s “kiss the cook,” not the “chef,” you two. Minus 10 for this nausea. People “keep taking and taking and don’t give anything back” to Courtney? She’s the one who goes skinny-dipping and bikini-less on the third date. Minus 12 . Courtney’s “very special gift” to Ben somehow wasn’t herself naked! Plus 15 . ABC’s interns did a really a mediocre job on that scrapbook. Minus 18 . And also on styling Ben. Suspenders? A vest? AND the hair? Minus 9 . What a surprise, Ben may be “second guessing” his decision now. He can’t even sell stuff straight out of the Bachelor textbook. Which we would totally buy. Plus 5 . OOH, look at the artistic, blurry retrospective montage! Plus 4 . This is cheesy even by Bachelor standards. “I know what true love is” in this “fairy tale romance”? Honestly? Just put the cue cards away, it’ll sound more natural. Minus 7 . Courtney claims she’s “never been with a man she’s really trusted”? Ohhhh, snap. Jesse Metcalfe is totes rolling in his grave watching this right now. Plus 10 . Are they wearing capes? Is this The Bachelor: Hansel and Gretel edition? Who has elbow-length satin gloves lying around? No, no, no. Minus 12 . This is going to suck for Little Red Riding Lindzi. Minus 23 . Look at Chris, escorting her to her doom. Pimp always keeps it professional. Plus 10 . Ben’s liked her from the start, she’s pretty, she’s perfect, he’s fallen for her, but … NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Minus 270 . Geez, didn’t waste a lot of time showing her to the chopper either. Minus 38 for Ben just letting her blame herself (?) and not even looking that upset by it. Plus 40 for Lindz handling that a lot better than, say, Kacie B. might have. This is about as anticlimactic as it gets. In a word, meh . Minus 15 . “You’re my forever.” Eyes? Rolling hardcore. Sweet though. Plus 4 . She said yes! SHE SAID YES!!!! OMG!!!! How magical. Simply breathtaking. Ben and his own personal dominatrix Cruella de Vil, together forever. Minus 70 . At least she took her glove off for him to put a ring on it. Plus 14 . Think Ben’s dad is smiling down upon this? No points , just asking. Her hair does look pretty good. Plus 9 . You know when Chris is asking the audience to withhold judgment on the winning relationship at 10:02 p.m. that this has been one heck of a season. Plus 25 . Minus 125 for Ben’s facial hair. Good grief. Wait, they broke up?! Plus 80 . After watching this season play out all winter, it’s no wonder he had to “reassess.” At least he acknowledged her suckitude. Wow, Chris even brought up his alleged cheating. Nice! Plus 20 . I did not have kissing relations with that woman! Uh, you did, and your hand was on her ass no less, but Radar Online has zero credibility, so you might as well just lie and hope people believe you over them! Plus 20 for strategy. Courtney’s wedding dress shopping thing was a total PR stunt to take the heat off Ben. Unreal. Chris is right … these two are very weird. Wash . First winner of The Bachelor to come on stage to boos since … Vienna Girardi? Plus 16 . She seems semi-sincere in this interview, and it’s possible she regrets what she did on the show, but there’s something that just rubs us the wrong way. Minus 4 . They’re a couple now … “I think.” When you have to think, never a good sign. Minus 6 . When the going got tough, they split. Why? Because it was hard for him to watch the drama, and hard for her that he didn’t have her back. At the very least, they’re being honest about their trust issues and don’t seem like they’ve fully figured it out yet. Tough crowd. Plus 10 . This is one uncomfortable interview. Minus 5 . Gotta love their reaction to the immediate backlash from the “haters.” Hey, maybe it will help them put on a united front going forward? Their engagement has been so SOILED by The Bachelor . Which they chose to go on. Audience? Not too sympathetic it seems. Minus 10 . Aww, their pimp brought the ring! And it’s back on! Plus 75 for such a tear-filled, non-scripted ending to a mesmerizing special! Ben reunited with J.P. Rosenbaum? Awkward! Plus 10 . Nice vote of confidence from J.P., though. He’s right, the worst is without question behind Courtney. Whether she’ll ever earn his trust is the question. They’re opening up Bachelor Pad to random schmoes? Lame. Minus 15 . Ashley Hebert is pregnant … just kidding! Darn you, JP! Plus 10 . Chris Harrison is maybe seriously going to officiate their wedding. Plus 250 . EPISODE TOTAL: -73! SEASON TOTAL: -92! Ben and Courtney: Will it last?
On Monday’s episode of The Bachelor, fans will watch Ben Flajnik propose to either Lindzi Cox or Courtney Robertson to conclude a most controversial season. If you want to know who he supposedly gives his final rose to, read The Bachelor spoilers page at THG … if you dare. Either way, it’ll have people buzzing. Interestingly, Courtney and Lindzi, whose personalities and styles are polar opposites, selected similar dresses for the final rose ceremony in Switzerland. Which woman’s black dress do you like best? Vote below: The 28-year-old Robertson, the black widow herself, wears a black Alberto Makali design with an embellished neckline and elbow-length leather gloves. The 27-year-old Cox’s finale dress is a black strapless Tadashi Shoji with a midnight blue tiered skirt. Which of them will be trying on wedding dresses. On, right, we kind of saw that publicity stunt already.
Ellen DeGeneres has – to quote Chris Treager from Parks & Recreation – litch-rally inserted herself into the ongoing reality TV cat-fight that is The Bachelor . In a funny new video, the talk show host splices actual footage from the Monday’s confrontational Women Tell All special and puts herself in the hot seat. Much like the controversial Courtney Robertson was in real life, Ellen finds herself on the defensive amid a barrage of allegations, name-calling and worse. Costumed like a stereotypical Bachelor girl, sporting sparkling earrings and an equally glittering jacket, she admits she was there for the wrong reasons. “I really did come here to make friends,” Ellen says. “I was not here for Ben. I mean, let’s face it, I was here for the girls.” Watch the hilariousness below: Ellen on ‘The Bachelor: The Women Tell All’
Bachelor Ben Flajnik was allegedly caught kissing a girl not named Courtney Robertson or Lindzi Cox recently. You can see the photo of the kiss at Radar Online . We think. That could be her name, but that’d be an major coincidence. The finale of The Bachelor will air March 12 (see The Bachelor spoilers we’ve compiled for clues at how that turns out), but Ben and his fiancee are reportedly on the rocks already. There have even been rumors that it’s over . The alleged photo, taken on February 18, shows Ben clearly kissing a woman … and not in the way one kisses a friend or one’s sister. At least we think not. Ben and the brunette spent the evening walking his dog and made out in the cool San Francisco night. The two of them were all over each other, PDA style. Supposedly. Radar is not exactly reliable, though Ben has said that being The Bachelor was the worst experience ever, and watching this season has to hurt. Tonight, Courtney makes a surprise appearance on The Women Tell All special, during which she apparently acted annoyed and not very into Ben either. We’ll find out for sure in a matter of hours. In the meantime, who do you think Ben should choose on the finale one week from tonight, Lindzi or Courtney?
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