5 Questions With TV's 'Bachelorette'
Jillian Harris, 'The Bachelorette,' has gotten past a naked guy in episode 1, a dude with a foot fetish and some very personal bleeped-out compliments to get down to the final four.
Now Ed is back in the running -- though, as Jillian says, he's got some catching up to do -- and Wes may or may not have a girlfriend (although most believe he's only using the show to promote his music career). So who's a girl to pick to live happily ever after with?
'Bachelorette' Jillian gave us the exclusive scoop on trying to find love on TV (and having to watch yourself try to find love on TV), being "extremely happy" and why you won't see her on 'Dancing With the Stars' or getting married on TV. -- By Maggie Furlong
The Bachelorette': Jillian Harris Photos
THE BACHELORETTE - Jillian Harris (pictured), the intelligent, independent, passionate woman will have her own opportunity to find true love, starring in the fifth edition of "The Bachelorette," which premieres MONDAY, MAY 18 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.
Adam Larkey, ABC
THE BACHELORETTE - Jillian Harris (pictured), the intelligent, independent, passionate woman will have her own opportunity to find true love, starring in the fifth edition of "The Bachelorette," which premieres MONDAY, MAY 18 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.
Adam Larkey, ABC
THE BACHELORETTE - Jillian Harris (pictured), the intelligent, independent, passionate woman will have her own opportunity to find true love, starring in the fifth edition of "The Bachelorette," which premieres MONDAY, MAY 18 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.
Adam Larkey, ABC
THE BACHELORETTE - Jillian Harris (pictured), the intelligent, independent, passionate woman will have her own opportunity to find true love, starring in the fifth edition of "The Bachelorette," which premieres MONDAY, MAY 18 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.
Adam Larkey, ABC
THE BACHELORETTE - Jillian Harris, the intelligent, independent, passionate woman who fell just short of her goal has her own opportunity to find true love, as the fifth edition of the female version of the ABC's popular romance reality series premieres MONDAY, MAY 18 (9:02-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/ADAM LARKEY) FRONT ROW: EDWARD, MATHUE, MIKE, REID, JILLIAN HARRIS, KIPTYN, BRIAN D. GREG, MICHAEL; SECOND ROW: SIMON, ROBERT, TANNER F., JACOB, JOHN H., STEPHEN, JOHN P., CALEB, BRAD; THIRD ROW: JOSHUA, JESSE, MARK, WES, BRYAN, DAVID, TANNER P., ADAM, SASHA; TOP ROW: KYLE, JUAN, BRYCE, JULIEN
Adam Larkey, ABC
THE BACHELORETTE - "Episode 501" - Jillian Harris, the intelligent, independent, passionate woman who fell just short of her goal has her own opportunity to find true love, as the fifth edition of the female version of the ABC's popular romance reality series premieres MONDAY, MAY 18 (9:02-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. This season's premiere, "Episode 501," began with 25 eligible men arriving from all over the country to try and win Jillian's heart, including an Olympic cyclist, a break dance instructor, a pizza entrepreneur, a commercial pilot and a wine maker, as well as a successful lawyer, general contractor, business developer and oil and gas consultant. Each is more handsome than the next with standout personalities. By the end of the evening, Jillian, was having the time of her life and confident that her future husband is among this group of men, eliminated ten of the 30 bachelors the first night, leaving 20 to compete for her affections and, in the end, her heart.
Adam Larkey, ABC
THE BACHELORETTE - "Episode 501" - Jillian Harris, the intelligent, independent, passionate woman who fell just short of her goal has her own opportunity to find true love, as the fifth edition of the female version of the ABC's popular romance reality series premieres MONDAY, MAY 18 (9:02-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. This season's premiere, "Episode 501," began with 25 eligible men arriving from all over the country to try and win Jillian's heart, including an Olympic cyclist, a break dance instructor, a pizza entrepreneur, a commercial pilot and a wine maker, as well as a successful lawyer, general contractor, business developer and oil and gas consultant. Each is more handsome than the next with standout personalities. By the end of the evening, Jillian, was having the time of her life and confident that her future husband is among this group of men, eliminated ten of the 30 bachelors the first night, leaving 20 to compete for her affections and, in the end, her heart.
Adam Larkey, ABC
THE BACHELORETTE - "Episode 501" - Jillian Harris, the intelligent, independent, passionate woman who fell just short of her goal has her own opportunity to find true love, as the fifth edition of the female version of the ABC's popular romance reality series premieres MONDAY, MAY 18 (9:02-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. This season's premiere, "Episode 501," began with 25 eligible men arriving from all over the country to try and win Jillian's heart, including an Olympic cyclist, a break dance instructor, a pizza entrepreneur, a commercial pilot and a wine maker, as well as a successful lawyer, general contractor, business developer and oil and gas consultant. Each is more handsome than the next with standout personalities. By the end of the evening, Jillian, was having the time of her life and confident that her future husband is among this group of men, eliminated ten of the 30 bachelors the first night, leaving 20 to compete for her affections and, in the end, her heart.
Adam Larkey, ABC
THE BACHELORETTE - "Episode 501" - Jillian Harris, the intelligent, independent, passionate woman who fell just short of her goal has her own opportunity to find true love, as the fifth edition of the female version of the ABC's popular romance reality series premieres MONDAY, MAY 18 (9:02-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. This season's premiere, "Episode 501," began with 25 eligible men arriving from all over the country to try and win Jillian's heart, including an Olympic cyclist, a break dance instructor, a pizza entrepreneur, a commercial pilot and a wine maker, as well as a successful lawyer, general contractor, business developer and oil and gas consultant. Each is more handsome than the next with standout personalities. By the end of the evening, Jillian, was having the time of her life and confident that her future husband is among this group of men, eliminated ten of the 30 bachelors the first night, leaving 20 to compete for her affections and, in the end, her heart.
Adam Larkey, ABC
THE BACHELORETTE - "Episode 501" - Jillian Harris, the intelligent, independent, passionate woman who fell just short of her goal has her own opportunity to find true love, as the fifth edition of the female version of the ABC's popular romance reality series premieres MONDAY, MAY 18 (9:02-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. This season's premiere, "Episode 501," began with 25 eligible men arriving from all over the country to try and win Jillian's heart, including an Olympic cyclist, a break dance instructor, a pizza entrepreneur, a commercial pilot and a wine maker, as well as a successful lawyer, general contractor, business developer and oil and gas consultant. Each is more handsome than the next with standout personalities. By the end of the evening, Jillian, was having the time of her life and confident that her future husband is among this group of men, eliminated ten of the 30 bachelors the first night, leaving 20 to compete for her affections and, in the end, her heart.
Adam Larkey, ABC
1. What made you decide to come back to give reality dating another shot?
The first time I signed up for this, I was just as skeptical as everyone else who's watching. You know, like how is this even possible? This is fake." And yes, a lot of the dates are set up, and yes, a lot of times, you are reminded of the important questions you need to ask. Yeah, a lot of that stuff isn't real life, but the people are real and the feelings that develop are real. There's no way any of that can be staged. So when I got so far with Jason and I got a little taste of what falling in love would feel like and what a potential marriage would feel like, I got really excited for that. And I got home, I was bummed out, but at the same time, I just couldn't wait to find Mr. Right. So when the offered me this opportunity, I was chomping at the bit!
2. What surprised you most about being on the other side of the process?I think it was the schedule -- how crazy it is. Everybody just imagines the Bachelorette waking up in the morning with a bluebird on the end of the bed, having breakfast served to you. No -- like, you're up at 5AM, get showered, grab breakfast on the go, coffee spilling, oh, you have a date. OK, what do I need to say? What do I need to remember? Oh wow, this is not going good -- how am I gonna let him go? You come home, you're exhausted. Don't forget you've got a date tomorrow morning -- gotta be up again at 6! [Laughs] I think that's the part that really surprised me, but I'm a super fast-paced girl, so I did my best to keep up.
3. Is it frustrating watching this with the rest of the country?
I've been screaming at the TV, like, "Jill! Can't you see what's going on?" [Laughs] In a few episodes, I cry over something, and I'd normally never cry about it. Normally I'd be like, "Whatever, who cares." But it's one of those things -- it's all heightened. There's just so much energy and so much emotion. And I eventually just had to give myself a break and say, "This is what I signed up for, just roll with the punches and have fun. And leave here with what you came here to get ... love."
JILLIAN, DON'T PICK ANYONE!
4. So you obviously believe it's possible to find true love on TV ...
Oh, totally! I obviously can't say exactly what this means, but I am extremely happy. I mean, I've learned more about the final guys, and really learned to respect them in a much deeper way than a lot of my ex-boyfriends. You learn so much about somebody when you can ask them point blank: Tell me about why the last relationships didn't work. What is it that you're looking for? What are your biggest fears? All the questions that most girls would be terrified to ask guys ... I can get away with that, and the guys eventually let their walls down. But there are personalities that I'm seeing that I had no idea was going on. I wish that somebody would have given me a little secret camera or something, because I would've stormed in there and put my foot down and said, "This is not acceptable!" But now knowing the decisions that I've made, I know those true colors eventually came through to me, and I eventually made the right decisions. But it's just really hard to see that kind of chaos going on, when it's supposed to be a journey of Jill falling in love. It's supposed to be fun, and flighty and exciting. It's not supposed to be rude and dramatic ... so that part was hard for me to swallow.
5. Is there a 'Bachelor' or 'Bachelorette' alum whose post-show experiences you'd want to follow? 'Dancing With the Stars,' Trista and Ryan's giant TV wedding ...
Well, whoever went back to their normal life and just sort of got out of the limelight, that's what I want to do. [Laughs] So whoever did that, I want to do what they did!
Reader Comments (187)
Connie at 4:28PM on Jul 6th 2009
This show has been become extremely boring! I watched the first five or six but am no longer interested. Everything is so predictable. The entire show needs a refreshing revamp.
difah at 11:32PM on Jul 6th 2009
Jillian,
I have been attempting to find a place to post to you. Please have your thyroid checked. You appear to have a goiter.
I think you are a very pretty girl and I have totally enjoyed the show. I am a fan, I truly care about your health.
michelle rodriguez at 1:57AM on Jul 7th 2009
Jillian,
Good girl for seeing through Wes. The chemistry that you and Ed have is amazing. I know you have already chosen your man but the love that he showed to you during your date, not to mention coming back on the show for you, wow! He would be a really great dad he has that solid, but sweet thing going. Oh yeah Ed you are the one.
Barbara LaCroix at 6:27AM on Jul 7th 2009
Jillian
I was so happy you ditched Wes....I only hope you picked Ed as the guy for you...
Sovaki at 6:13AM on Jul 7th 2009
I found Jillian Harris's sex tape: http://tr.im/rcPL
pj at 6:14AM on Jul 7th 2009
I find it hard to believe that she couldn't see through Wes. Besides which, he look stoned in most of the shots I saw him in. I feel for Jake and I admire him for manning up and telling her that it was Wes, even if she didn't dump him on the spot, at least Jake gave her reason to think. And I think Jake should be the next Bachelor!
Cyndy Hayworth at 6:15AM on Jul 7th 2009
Jillian:
You should have chosen Jake! He and Michael were the two that respected you the most! Best wishes.
lori at 6:19AM on Jul 7th 2009
I am so glad you finally seen through the scum that Wes is ....it has always been about him...and I truly believe he should have gone home the night you sent Jake home. Also I hope it comes down to Reed and Kipton - I think Ed has his chance and he chose his career over you and he made his choice then makes you wonder will he do it again ....but I truly think in the end it will be you and Reed only b/c you two look so natural together nothing fake
Luci at 6:26AM on Jul 7th 2009
Oh Jillian! Please stop wrapping your legs around your dates, waving your fork around during dinner conversations, and speaking with your mouth full. She's pretty, but boring.
gina at 6:26AM on Jul 7th 2009
Jillian,
I wish you could have heard just how smug Wes' exit comments were. He totally scammed you as did his family. After all, his family didn't care about you. I mean, who better to lie for Wes than his family. They knew what he was doing. So what if you didn't get to meet Ed's family. You met Wes' family and where did that get you? You just follow your heart sweetie. Any one of those guys would be a perfect choice for anyone! They're all great. Of course, I liked the pilot.