Hello everyone!!!
OK, so I know everyone is wondering what in the world is going on with the Bachelor? Some of you know the story and some of you are just now learning that I am even home. Well, lets just start from the first day I left.
Monday, Oct. 13th
-I arrived in LA around 3:oo. My driver (for the first time in my life I had someone standing there with my name on it... it was really fun!!) picked me up and we drove about an hour to the hotel. We drove back roads because of all the fires in Cali, the interstates were so crowded. So we went through some BEAUTIFUL backroads!! We went through Malibu and I was able to see Pepperdine, which I have heard so many wonderful things about. It truely was georgous and Wayne, my driver, was so cool!!
-So when I got to the hotel, the handlers were there waiting on me. They took me to my room and gave me $120 for food, in cash. Then they told me that people would be coming by my room to meet me and check out what I was going to wear out of the limo on Wed night. So people came by until around 10:00 and it was like rush. They acted like they wanted to be your best friend and start conversation but it was so fake. They would not even listen to my answers because when I would later talk about that answer, they were like .. oh, you have 3 sisters... well yeah dumb ass, you just asked me that two minutes ago. So I went to bed and was prepared for Tuesday.
Tuesday, Oct 14th
-I was going to have a photoshoot at 3:00, so I just decided to sleep as late as I wanted. After I woke up late, ate room service, watched the same tv shows for hours and hours (no phone or computer - they take all that away from you when you arrive) ... I started getting ready. My handler picked me up around three and took me to the photoshoot. I wore a red dress with my hair straight. These were going to be the pictures that you see when the bachelor is standing in the room and there is your face in a frame. And I think online pictures and maybe for magazines. So when I got down to the room, there were three different locations I had to wait in. The first was with this girl that was really nice and she was the first person that I felt was normal and easy to talk to. Then she put me in the next room to wait for the hair dresser/makeup artist to come get me. He came in and said my makeup looked perfect!! (shout out to Sarah Kirkland for teaching me how to do it before I left) When he took me to the next room, he pulled my hair up and then I went in the room with the photographer. I took pictures standing up the whole time and just shifted from left to right the entire time. It was really fun!! The only fun thing I did. Then my handler came back to pick me up and took me to my room and said be ready at 6:00 for your interview. Dress how you want but this will be shown on tv... so I just kept my dress on and went like that. I had been soooo bored and ready for the show to just get started. Well I was ready at 6 and around 7:00 when nobody was there, I was getting so annoyed. Finally around 7:15 she came. I was not very outgoing because I had been oversleeping, in a room without a phone, eating takeout for the last 2 days, not worked out in a while, waiting for them to come get me, and I was just grumpy. So as all of you know, I am not good at being fake or cheesy, so needless to say, the interview was not the best.
- I walked into the hotel room where the interview was set up. They had candles lit and all the tv crew and cameras were in there... along with the producers. I was not nervous, just annoyed. They kept asking me questions about Jason and I was like, how in the world am I supposed to answer that when I have not even met him!! Like they were asking how do you feel about him? What are your feelings going to be when you see him for the first time (I mean seriously??) Just questions where girls that would have answered them will answer anything. I knew what they were trying to do and I just wanted to be myself - which is what they push soooo hard for you to do in the first place. Then they started asking me to say stuff in words that I was not comforable saying. I just felt they were wanting me to give them a totally opposite me. I was going to hold my grounds and just be me. I said nothing wrong. I felt my answers were real and fair. Like for example, they asked me what I felt about Jason being divorced and having a kid? My answer was, "I have never dated a man with a kid that has gone through a divorce, but if I fell in love with someone that did, we would be given a challenge that we would work through. We would have to work together and make that work. If I wanted to be with him and love him, I was going to love what came with him just as much".
- So after the hour interview, they took me to my room and told me to be makeup and hair ready by 9:00. And the limo was going to pick us up at 4:00. That was going to be the first time I would meet all the girls. And they told us to get enough sleep because Wed was going to be a long day. We were going to get picked up at 4 but still had a lot to do before the actual meeting with Jason. And then we were going to have the cocktail party and a rose event during the middle of the night. So to be prepared to not sleep for a long time.
Wed, Oct 15th
Ok, so remember, they wanted me ready by 9:00. Well, 12:30 came around and I was wondering where in the world they were. Finally, I had a knock at my door. It was the casting prducer, who I have talked with a ton! She and I really hit it off and I just thought she was wonderful. But she never came to see us much, even more, never by herself. So she came in and immediately said we have bad news. My first thought was taping is not going to start for a while and I was going to be stuck in a room bored to death even longer. She then said ABC has decided not to cast you in the show. So now I am thinking ... What in the world did she find out about me? The first thing she said was, and I quote, "You are too normal for this show" ... WHAT??????? She went on to say, they cast "characters" for the show and just a handfull of normal girls that they feel would work with the bachelor. They put me on the show as the normal girl that would make it far and possibly be the one for Jason. Well after my interview, they did not feel that I was compatible with Jason. They did not feel that I was ready for a kid and divorced dad. They said my personality test did not match up with his. I stopped her and said that was bull, because I took that test a month ago when I was out in LA the first time. I told her that I thought this was soooo unprofessional and so wrong to do to somebody. I have been preparing for this for so long. I told friends and family members about this and how embarrassing to go home and have to let everyone down. They said that they really want Jason to find love and this to really work out for him and they did not feel I was that into it. So in other words... I would not kiss their ass and give them what they wanted for ratings. I told them this was their loss and they did not even know me. She did not feel that I would have fun in the house with all the girls and would not think it was a fun experience. Well that proved it to me even more that it was for ratings only, because I could have fun anywhere at anytime! Especially if its free... I think that in my interview they realized that I was not going to say what I did not want to. I was going to be myself and not let tv ruin who I am and what I stand for. They could not handle that and had to go with the girls that would give them what would make them more money. Sad. But I am better off.
-You know, Jason is Jewish and they NEVER talked about that. They told me that when they called and told me I made the show, but it was never talked about again. For two people that are going to fall in love, it sure would be important to talk about that a little further.
- So, 3:00 came around and I was back in LAX airport flying home. I arrived in Nashville at 10:30 and JP came to pick me up. He had a rose for me and was so sweet. We walked outside to his car and a limo was sitting out there. I said to him, well I never got to ride in one of those tonight. And right as I was saying that, Emily Fleming popped out with a rose and sign that said will you accept this rose. She shut the car door and then came out Heidi. Then Jenny. Then Sarah. Then Jessica. Then Caroline. Then Shelly. Then Karly. They each came out with a rose and asked me to accept it. And then the other would pop out. It was so funny and so perfect to end my terrible let down. They had tons of signs and champagne. We drove around for an hour... went by to see Jake, bc he has been my biggest support!! Running partner (well kind of slackers - to all of us), and brought be a cookie cake (my favorite) before I left and it had on there "will you accept this cookie cake? with a rose on it that he put on there himself. Then we went back to my house, drank trader joes wine and made videos to the bachelor in my dress I never got to wear. It was the perfect night and I would not want this to be any other way - well lets be honest, I would have loved to get out of that limo and been on tv once. Oh well. Everything happens for a reason and I know that there was one for me not making it on the show 4 hours before we were going to get in the limo. I WAS SO CLOSE!!!!!!!
- I am excited to see what is next for me and will not let this get me down. I am so happy in my life right now and have the perfect people in it. Thanks again to everyone for your support and I do apologize I will not be on tv anymore... sucks, but I think we will all get through it... haha.
Oh and PS... I am not uncomfortable at all talking about this, I just had about 100 people want to talk and I just thought telling you all at once would help me out so much. This is everything and please forward on to anyone that is wondering what in the world happened. The producers wanted me to call them today so I will keep you all informed as to what they have to say.
And I want to say I am sorry to everyone that had their feelings hurt that I did not call you. I have not at all been wanting to call anyone and did not even keep my phone near me when I got back. I hope this answers all your questions because it took me forever to write this!!! The only people I called to tell were my mom and JP. I did not even call my sisters. In fact , I still have not even talked to Kara and Colby.... so dont feel you are the only one I have not called. Love you all and thanks to all your support throughout this process.
So close to being on the bachelor,
Val
