I will freely admit that I don’t watch The Bachelorette, like more freely than if I did watch it. From what I know from the mocking recaps on The Soup, one of the biggest plot points this season was Ashley getting hung up on a jerk named Bentley who treated her like crap, left the show on his own volition, and whom she still kept talking about constantly. (Here’s a link to a clip of The Soup where they compiled all the times she mentioned him.) Bentley came back to the show in episode six for Ashley to get closure because she was still supposedly pining for him. Like a lot of this ridiculous show, that whole Bentley plotline was cooked up by producers, according to the National Enquirer. I believe it. It would make more sense than Ashley falling for the guy after the way he treated her. Here’s part of the Enquirer’s report:

“Ashley really wasn’t a strong ‘Bachelorette’ and producers knew it,” revealed a show insider.

“Usually the contestant understands that she has to perform. They’ll act out their own little scripts while the producers nod and wink.”

But naive Ashley didn’t get it in the beginning – so they rigged it, say sources. Producers reportedly decided to cast divorced, Utah-based business owner Bentley as a villain -and Ashley allegedly got on board, according to the insider.

“Before she even met the guys, Ashley set the stage by telling show host Chris Harrison she’s been warned about Bentley,” explained the insider. “She then goes on to play the doormat to Bentley’s cad.”

Acting every bit the bad guy, Bentley, who left in the third episode, made crude remarks about Ashley’s body, her “boring” kiss and “overall attractiveness.”

In an outrageous travesty, Ashley pretended to be smitten with Bentley even as he was trashnig her, said the insider.

“It was the most exciting story line on the show – and when Bentley left, things started to fall apart.”

Producers quickly realized that dental student Ashley was boring – and without Bentley, “The Bachelorette” was downright dull.

Fearing that viewers might flee in droves, execs brought back their villain in episode 6.

“Bentley’s return was a completely manipulated and scripted event that Ashley was talked into and coached through,” said the insider.

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, August 8, 2011]

I guess that’s not surprising at all. It sucks for Ashley in that she’s been stepped on all over the place and has been made to look like she’s too stupid to know any better when that may not have been the case.

Ashley is down to two suitors, J.P. and Ben. If you want to know who she chooses and how their relationship supposedly turns out, go here for major spoilers. Given that hardly anyone who has ever been matched on these shows is still together, I think you know the outcome.

Entertainment Tonight has a clip from the upcoming finale on Monday in which Ashley’s sister challenges her about her choice (they don’t reveal which man it is) and says that Ashley seems to have had stronger feelings for the last bachelor, Brad Womack. Ashley’s sister is a real bitch to her, but given how fake this show is she was probably put up to it.

Neither Kaiser, Bedhead nor I watch the Bachelorette shows, but I swear I overheard three conversations about the finale for The Bachelor the last time I was in the states. These shows are popular, and I keep meaning to check them out. (Blame the new HBO Go. I’m about to watch all six seasons of Oz this summer and won’t have much time for network television.) Anyway, based on my knowledge of this show gleaned entirely from gossip magazines and clips on The Soup, Ashley has piss poor taste in men and keeps getting waylaid by a dude named Bentley who was using her for the fame while playing her for a fool. Bentley left the show on his own volition, telling the cameras that he wasn’t into Ashley, but then he came back sweet talking and finally gave Ashley the chance to get a clue. She sent him on his way and recently blogged that she understands that he was a scam artist and is over him and ready to find love.

Major spoilers for this season of the Bachelorette
According to OK! Magazine, Ashley found her temporary prince and it was J.P. I guess this news has already been leaked by other outlets, but OK! has the exclusive detail that Ashley and J.P. have unsurprisingly broken up already, with J.P. doing the dumping. The way OK! tells it, J.P. messed with Ashley’s head the same way Bentley did and “turned out to be a complete fake… [who] was just using her to be famous.” This girl should have gone to counseling before she went on a reality show looking for love. Here’s part of OK!‘s report:

“The word is that the guy was just using her to be famous,” a source tells OK!. “He turned out to be a complete fake! Apparently, he accepted the rose and gave her the engagement ring, but then as soon as the cameras stopped rolling, he did a total 180.”

The source insists that J.P. manipulated Ashley and played on her insecurity. “He made her feel like she was ‘the one’ and then totally betrayed her…”

Naturally, the unluckiest Bachelorette is embarrassed. “She’s been pretty much beside herself,” explains the source.

But Ashley should find comfort in the fact that she wasn’t the only one duped. “The guys in the house thought he was sincere, and so did everyone involved with the show… This guy pretended to be so sincere for the whole time; he was actually the biggest user of the bunch.”

[From OK! Magazine, print edition, July 11, 2011]

Bad luck to anyone who thinks they can find love on The Bachelorette or Bachelor, but they should know better given those shows’ track records. They may get lucky at the alumni reunions though. There have been some random hookups there.

Is Ashley one of those women who gets dumped on no matter what she does? I know women like that and you want to shake them and tell them they’re better than the assh*les they pick every damn time. “But I love him,” they protest, “you should see how he is when we’re alone!” Those type of guys rarely go for women who won’t put up with their sh*t. And those are the type of guys who end up reality shows, vying for their 15 minutes.

Photo credit: ABC

Bentley

J.P.