Bachelor in Paradise Finale and Reunion

I cannot believe that this season of Bachelor in Paradise is over already! What a great finale, and I am so excited for our new Bachelor! Let’s get right into talking about this finale episode so that we can chat more in the comments!

The Finale

I want say a few quick thoughts on the couples that got engaged and of course the one that didn’t.

Clay and Nicole

I wasn’t surprised they didn’t end up together at the end of the season. But honestly I thought it would be Clay completely ending it and not Nicole. It’s funny because Nicole was on our podcast a few weeks back and the way she spoke about Clay was very complimentary.

Demi and Kristian

I cried my eyes out watching them! I hung on every single word and felt so much love between the two of them. I know a lot of people have mixed feelings or are angry about the fact that Kristian was able to come to Paradise when she wasn’t originally on the show. And I get that frustration. I do. But I think the bigger picture here is what their relationship is doing for so many around the world is much more important. I’m so happy for them! They are the real deal. I can’t wait to continue to watch their love story unfolding!

demi kristian proposal engagement finale

Hannah and Dylan

Of course, I’m super happy for Hannah and Dylan because they are just such a darling and sweet little couple! I have no doubt that they are in this for the long haul. And I can’t wait to see their cute little babies one day!

hannah dylan engagement finale

A few notes about the reunion…

JPJ

What a disappointment. I’ve gone back-and-forth on my feelings about JPJ so much this season because I think I just desperately want to like him! Because there’s so many great sides and things about him! But the fact that he didn’t apologize to Krystal and Chris when he was given the opportunity is so disheartening. I got to talk to Krystal about this because she helped me cohost the podcast while Rachel was out on her honeymoon.

john paul jones jpj reunion tayshia finale

The day that Krystal co-hosted with me, JPJ had posted a public apology to Chris and Krystal on his Instagram page. However, I asked her right then and there if he had ever reached out to her directly to apologize and she said he didn’t. So it seems pretty obvious to me that that Instagram post was just about saving face in front of the people that follow him and not actually apologizing to Chris and Krystal. I’m bummed about his actions. He was given the perfect opportunity to apologize and he just didn’t.

That said I LOVE him with Tayshia and I am so happy for them! I am just so confused. What are your thoughts on this?

Chris and Katie’s Relationship

Katie and Chris’s relationship was definitely concerning. I really felt for Katie because you can tell that she so badly wants to be loved by Chris. And she so badly wants to get any sort of emotion out of him and the only emotion it seems like she is getting is his anger. That said, I will say that I do kind of feel like she blindsided him at the reunion. And that’s just not really OK. The whole point of a relationship is having open communication and it seems like the conversation they had with Chris should’ve been bad in private. But then again maybe she’s tried to get him to talk about it in private and can’t.

katie chris engagement finale

That said, I do feel like we saw more of the real Chris when we saw them talk outside of the studio. I do think he had a right to be angry. But I also think that side of him is this the side that he hides when on television. What did you guys think? How did you feel about it? I feel weird even giving my opinion because there’s so much we don’t know, that it’s almost impossible for anyone to give an accurate assessment of the relationship. And like I always say, only people that know anything about what’s really going on in the relationship are the two people that are in that relationship.

Our next Bachelor is… Peter!

You guys know I’ve been pulling for Peter to be the Bachelor for quite some time now. I absolutely adore Peter and feel like he is going to be one of the best Bachelors ever! However, I got thinking about why I felt that way. And I realized after talking with my friend and former Bachelorette, Rachel, that it’s because Peter is a lot like and reminds me so much of Ben Higgins. And I adore Ben Higgins!

peter is the bachelor finale

I don’t like to pick favorites but I could definitely make a strong argument for the reasons why I think Ben is one of the best Bachelors we’ve ever had. And his relationship didn’t work out from the show! But I strongly believe that whether or not a relationship works out from the show is not a good enough reason to say whether or not someone was a good Bachelor or not. I think Ben did everything in his power to find love and it just didn’t work out. Anyway, I’m getting sidetracked. Peter reminds me a lot of Ben and I think that’s why I’m so excited about him! But in that same breath, maybe that’s not a good thing.

After talking to Rachel about it, I started to look at things differently. We’ve seen Peter as the Bachelor before. And I do feel like it’s time for the franchise to switch things up. Rachel put it this way, and I really appreciated what she said, the Bachelor has been showing us in the past few seasons that they aren’t scared to switch things up! They let Kristian come to Paradise even though she wasn’t a past cast member. They let Colton go after Cassie. They brought Arie back to be the Bachelor from many seasons ago. So why don’t they change things up now?

I get that maybe Peter was the strongest choice for them from this past season. And I know a lot of people are pulling for Mike. I for one was not pulling for Mike. Not because I don’t think Mike is a great guy. I absolutely do! But I just never connected with him for some reason. I think that’s because the show didn’t show us enough of him. And I’m sure there’s a reason for that. Because the show knows what they’re doing. But whatever the reason we just didn’t see much of him.

So how cool would it be, and again I’m stealing all this from Rachel so I want to give her credit, if the show went and did an open casting call and interviewed a diverse group of men to find the absolute best candidate and switch things up! It’s funny because you guys as viewers had said you want the franchise to bring in somebody new season after season and I’ve always argued that the show doesn’t do that because they have a formula that works. But I don’t argue that anymore! I think the show and producers now know that switching up the formula totally works! So I kinda wish they did that this season

January Can’t Come Soon Enough!

And there we have it! While I am somewhat happy that I will be getting back 4 hours of my week since I have been so busy, I am also really sad that this season is over! It feels so bittersweet. What do you think of all the couples? I am so happy for everyone, and I hope it works out for all of them! And now the wait begins… January 4th!

Outfits

I’m kinda sad that this is the last week that I will be hunting down outfits for the cast! I’ve had a blast finding your favorite pieces from each episode! PS. Demi’s floral dress is 50% off from Nordstrom, but there are only smalls left!

DEMI

 1. FLORAL DRESS | 2. YELLOW FINALE DRESS

KRISTINA

 1. BLUSH LACE DRESS | 2. ACRYLIC HEELS

CAELYNN

 WHITE STRAPLESS DRESS

KATIE

  BLACK SEQUIN DRESS

HANNAH

1. LIGHT BLUE DRESS | 2. HER DRESS IN CORAL

TAYSHIA

$14 WHITE DRESS

KRYSTAL

 LACE JUMPSUIT IN BLACK AND WHITE

 

If you didn’t see my post yesterday, or if you don’t follow me on instagram, yesterday was my birthday! I had the best weekend and birthday spending time with Kevin, and the kiddos, and some friends!

In my post yesterday, I talked about the super amazingly thoughtful thing that Kevin did for my birthday. He knows that I don’t like when he spends a lot of money on birthdays, so he really thought outside the box! He did Mommy and Me outfits for me and Molly from Nordstrom – that’s because he knows that I’m always looking for content for my blog and he knew I had a Nordstrom post to write (I work with them) !!! Honestly, I don’t think of things that thoughtful for him! He just really listens and cares about me and cares about what’s going to make my life easier and I love him so much!

Given that he bought this so I would have something to write about, I almost saved these dresses to do an entire other blog post. But I decided that the gesture was just so thoughtful that I wanted to share them now. As soon as Molly saw that we had matching dresses, she immediately wanted to put them on. Well actually, she wanted to wear my dress and she wanted me to wear her dress. Ha! Now that would’ve made for some interesting pictures.

Also, I’ve got to give Kevin major props for getting mommy and me matching dresses that aren’t super matchy matchy. I feel like that was very smart of him. When I think of mommy and me, I always think of things that match exactly. But I actually kind of think it’s cool that he didn’t go so matchy matchy with these. Well done babe! He also nailed getting me outfits to write about for my blog that are affordable! My dress is under $80 and Molly’s is $35!

mommy and me leopard dresses finale

1. ALI’S HAIR PINS | 2. ALI’S DRESS | 3. MOLLY’S DRESS | 4. MOLLY’S COWBOY BOOTS

And I forgot to mention one of my favorite things he did! I casually mentioned the week before at the mall that Molly needed a new pair of cowboy boots because her other ones were too small for her and he went out and got her a pair! Again husband of the year award! And I have to say these new ones are slightly different than her old ones, but I think I may like them even more! I like that they’re a taller boot than her other pair that she’s wearing in the photos above. I hope she gets another year and a half or more out of these like she did the others! And I’m sure she would get even more years out of them if toddler’s feet didn’t grow so dang fast!

mommy and me leopard dresses ali manno 35th birthday

1. ALI’S HAIR PINS | 2. ALI’S DRESS | 3. MOLLY’S DRESS | 4. MOLLY’S COWBOY BOOTS

Aren’t they so adorable? I seriously cannot thank him enough for this gesture of thoughtfulness. He is the BEST! I love you, Kevin!

Here’s a photo of the kids singing me happy birthday! Kevin also got them dressed in these super cute outfits. He really just blew my mind this year!! And he continues to everyday!

ali manno 35th birthday finale

1. SWEATER| 2. JEANS | 3. MOLLY’S TOP | 4.MOLLY’S SKIRT | 5. TODDLER COWBOY BOOTS

Thanks so much for coming by my finale BIP blog post of the season! It’s been so fun recapping and chatting with you!

118 Thoughts

118 thoughts on “Bachelor in Paradise Finale and Reunion

  1. Was i the only one who found it strange we didnt see ANY of clay and nicole on the reunion? After so much drama and time focused around them and then no word afterwords. Was surprising

    1. I was wondering the same thing! I was disappointed we didn’t get to hear their side of things or even acknowledge them…

    2. Clay posted on IG and Twitter that he was at the reunion. They did not show his sit down with Nicole. He said he explained why he didn’t think they were far enough along for a proposal. He explained that he wanted to leave with the relationship in tact and continue to grow it in the real world. He also wished Nicole the best with her new relationship. I thought it was a mature and realistic approach followed in previous seasons successfully, but I guess for Nicole it was a ring or nothing.

      1. Agreed. The way Nicole acted when all Clay was really asking was to take it slow, see how things go after Paradise, really spoke volumes. She didn’t really love him, she was all about leaving with a ring. The way she stormed off proved that.

          1. Nicole was the Annaliese this season, in my opinion. She kept saying how strong her relationship was with Clay, and from the beginning, you could tell Clay was conflicted about where it was going to go after Paradise. Although Nicole has a bit better sense of self, I found many of the same traits in Nicole as we saw last year in Annaliese. I truly wish both women success in finding their happily ever after, but they both seem to have self worth issues, and should work on loving themselves and being confident in who they are before looking for love next time around.

    3. Agree 100% – where were they? I’m so surprised the show didn’t want to debrief with both of them – that would have been some good TV! Maybe there wasn’t enough time?

      1. Ashley I and Jared said Clay and Nicole were cut from Reunion airtime bc the content was basically the same as what was said in Paradise.

        That After Reunion show was 2!! hours – so snip snip!!

    4. I was wondering the same thing! Not even a mention! I looked at Nicole’s Instagram account though and she did make a statement about their relationship

    5. I’m glad they cut out clay. He has proven that he just wants fame, at the expense of two great girls, both of them he led on to just “not be ready” in the end . He didn’t deserve more air time to further his “fame”

  2. I really appreciate what you wrote about switching things up. I really like Peter and think he’d make a fantastic bachelor, but it really does feel like he fits into a formula we’ve seen season after season. If nothing else, Mike as Bachelor would invite a much more diverse group of Bachelorettes. And I had the same thoughts about Demi and Kristian – like, why pretend this show even has rules anymore when they go ahead and invite Kristian on, but on the other hand, how amazing is it to see this same sex couple get engaged on national tv?!

    I feel bad for how much I love JPJ. I feel like a lot of his behavior was inexcusable and not properly atoned for, but at the same time I adore how much he adores and RESPECTS Tayshia. The fact that he didn’t pursue her but gave her space and respected her decision, even though he loved her, I think that’s more romantic than what Colton did in chasing after Cassie when she rejected him. Not that it’s Tayshia’s responsibility to change him, but I do think this show shows how the right person can inspire you to act better. Ironically, Chris and Krystal were the villains of their season but became better people with one another, so I think JPJ can be redeemed.

    1. AJK 🌹
      Never apolgize.for LOVING J P J !!!

      Our Cave Man Poet gave us EVERYTHING a Bach Fan could ask for:
      P a s s i o n LOVE Valor Honesty and: JOY!! Is he perfect? Um, I suspect JPJ would chortle at the thought, But Dude Has Conviction – means what he says, and if Kristal and Goose haven’t accepted his apology that’s on THEM ( and I don’t know that they haven’t, btw). In fact, it could be argued that having JPJ apolgize ONSCREEN A S e c o n d time would be disingenuous Image Polishing Bullshit.

      Man of his word – fought for Tayshia, apologized to Kristal and Goose, declared his love, accepted her refusal – and then L i t e r a l l y opened his foor – and his 💙 -When Love Came To Town.
      JPJ ROCKS – a bright JOY & A TRUE MAN – among any cast, any season.

      He admitted his confrontation with Derek was ungainly -but didn’t cave to making a people pleasing TV apology. GOOD on him for his conviction and courage.. I see it as RARE, not a red flag or something to grow out of – a man willing to be held accountable for his actions is admirable, honest, and THRILLING, in my book.
      💍💍💍

  3. I love the Bachelor franchise but it does seem like it puts more emphasis on a proposal and anything else is not okay. BIP is only 3 weeks long. Love takes time for some people and I actually found myself feeling bad for both Clay and Nicole. Clay because he needed that time an Nicole being led to believe it had to be all or nothing.

    1. i like Nicole, but Clay dodged a bullet. She is not at the adult marriage stage yet in her love life. He wasn’t great abt handling her interest- but, he’s human, didn’t mean her harm, and ultimately did the right thing by walking away from fantasy suites.
      That she was still attached to a proposal after Clay declined to spend time with her privately shows me that Nicole was willing to FOOL HERSELF w a y more than Clay ever could. Accusing Clay of fooling her showed a lack of maturity.

      1. I agree! Firstly there is far too much focus on the proposal which is not realistic after just a few weeks. Secondly, I think Nicole was immature during the show in how she made fun of Angela etc. and I agree with you that accusing Clay of fooling her showed her immaturity. He was trying to be realistic and the way she handled the fantasy suites etc showed her true colors.

        1. Girls! The whole point of the franchise is to get engaged! Filming of the Bachelor/ette is longer yes, but the bachelor/ette really only spend between 48-72 hours total with the person they chose to get engaged to. On paradise yes filming is only 3 weeks but you are able to spend every waking minute with that person so in reality you spend so much more time at paradise being able to be an exclusive couple and not share your time with other people. Not that it’s enough time for most people. Not that it has to be the ring or nothing. Not that you have to stay a couple after the show. But these people have been in this speed environment before, some people are just quick movers in general, 3 weeks is a heck of a longer time when the max you’d spend with the bachelor/ette is 72 hours. Ever wonder why Paradise has a much higher success rate?

          1. Very good point. I agree with that. Never thought of it that way. I still think that if you truly love someone, you will be more about the relationship once the show ends than purely a proposal on the last episode though.

          2. I agree and understand where you are coming from but I found that Nicole was more interested in the proposal itself than in the actual relationship.

          3. I disagree with this statement. Chris says it all the time about the whole franchise and “Will they find love?” It does not need to end in an engagement! That’s a HUGE step! And if I literally just met someone and was with them every waking minute for 3 weeks there is no way I would be ready to get engaged! That’s lust not love. And sooooo much pressure just being on the show. I honestly think what Nicole did was cowardly. Clay never said he will never love her he just needed time in the real world with real problems and no cameras!

    2. This was the first season of Paradise I watched. It’s a crazy formula to begin with: get a rose or be gone but more people come later. What if the perfect match is just missed? (Like Connor ).
      And I agree completely. All of the “I just don’t think I can get there” talk is insane! They should be happy with “I want to be your boyfriend/girlfriend and see what happens in real life.” A great connection in 3 weeks sounds fantastic! If you absolutely feel it, then sure, an engagement might happen but it shouldn’t be the expectation!

    1. At first I thought Nicole forfeited screentime bc she didnt like how she appeared in the show. And then I read the post that Production s c r a p p e d Clay and Nicol’s After time.

      The show gave us SO MUCH Clay and Nicole that It seems odd – and petty?- to omit them.That Clay did an IG story on it suggests some discord – but it could be that Prodicuton was bored with their material comoared to other storylines. Wish we knew.

  4. Ali, I agree with you! Not sure why Mike was not selected, but as you say, we don’t know him very well. Tyler will be kicking himself when GiGi dumps him, knowing he could have explored things with Hannah or have been the Bachelor. I don’t think Derek was ever really in the running. That leaves Peter! I think he will make a perfect Bachelor, one that is ready for marriage, one that is mature, and one that has a kind heart and good values. Can’t wait To watch and see how it all unfolds.

    1. I see Peter as the backdrop for ALOT of amazing women ahead. Much as I criticize production I trust they know what they are doing this round.

      Mike is a player.. Wanting a Black ( or Brown!) Bach is justified – but Mike is UNWORTHY: he threw Cam under the bus For Himself – not Hannah – and he taunted and branded Luke as mentally ill REPEATEDLY.
      Handsome, Charming, Intelligent and Verbally Shaming does not earn anyone the priveledge of Next Bachelor – Black OR White.

    1. Abusive?
      Really?
      I’ve seen emotional abuse..I wouldn’t say.that is Bukowski AT ALL. In fact, he seemed to be suffering humiliation, from Katie’s statements on air. I would say shut down or with-holding but not abusive.

      I felt for her AND him. I will say I think she really stuck it to him on air – that it was SUPER aggressive and betraying to lay hin out like that, and as Ali wrote very likely bc she.was getting nowhere privately.

      Thing is, Katie blaming Chris for HER feelings is a destructive move on her part. I’m sure she isnt getting what she wants – or.deserves – but if telling a guy fails then a woman has to WAlK.away – maybe a few times – and set the standard for him to Meet or Fail.
      Ultimatums S u c k. so I get why she hasn’t enforced anything, but exposing him and blaming him on Freaking TV makes her look deatrucrive, passive aggressive and co-dependant to me.

        1. Chris needs to see a therapist or some type of counselor to help him learn to show his feelings. He needs to show more than anger. I think he is a good guy and afraid to open up emotionally.

          1. Hi Betina – News Flash: Chris and Katie were on Strahan TODAY successfully IN LUV.

            I was amazed/shocked. They’ve been getting help in the weeks since for communicating and understanding each others love *language*.

            Wish we had thar update Last Night – I thought things were looking bad, but not anymore!!

    2. We cannot say abusive when we don’t even know that person.

      Chris has a lot of issues to deal with so he needs to figure it out and love himself more in order for him to love someone. He seems he loves Katie but he doesn’t know how to handle his emotions. Or I feel instead of moving forward, he is going backward and he is stuck on the same emotions where he started.

      I don’t blame Katie for feeling and expressing that way but not on national TV where your partner doesn’t know. I wish Chris had invited both of them and clear things up or do this on their own terms not on camera.

      I always tell my friends and my nephews/nieces that if you are not happy in a relationship, and instead of feeling miserable everyday, and you are not married yet, go away. Yes, there is no perfect relationship but it should be pleasant and lift up both of you rather than putting each other down because of expectations that aren’t met or reciprocated.

      Katie deserves better. Chris should find himself first and clear his mind on what he wants in a relationship; hopefully retires from being on TV..

    3. Hi, I saw an update (I think the Wednesday BOP recap on Sara and Strahan) where Chris and Katie are doing well. Chris realized he needed to work on him communication skills and Katie realized that they spoke a different “love language” (Where one person expresses their love for another may be different than how another expresses their love) Katie said for her love is expressed by actions and she learned that Chris expressed his love with devoting his time to Katie. Once they recognized each others style they were able to advance their relationship and let go of some hurt feelings.

  5. So apparently Clay & Nicole WERE at the Reunion… but for some reason it didn’t get aired (which I find strange). Here is what went down according to people who were at the live taping who then told Reality Steve:

    Nicole says they aren’t together anymore and she’s now dating a new guy in Miami. She and Angela are actually friends now. Clay says he wanted to leave Paradise together as boyfriend and girlfriend to get to know each other in a more realistic setting. Nicole said she wanted more out of Clay then he was able to offer her at the time…

  6. Why were either Nicole or Clay on to talk about their feelings post show? Why didn’t they ask angela if she had any communication with Clay since the show? Weird to me.
    Chris B has really matured but he lacks the ability to commit, in my opinion. Katie is amazing and he knows it and it scares the crap out of him. That’s my opinion.
    My husband said they should do a casting call for bachelor and then, bring too five woman from all the season and interviews them for the show.
    Jordan was right when he said last season of BIP didn’t have these pre show communications with cast. Personally, seems like the younger Franchise generation is so much more immature and are in this world for fame/money making. The older cast did not go in with those intentions, had no idea the lifestyle it was going to bring to them – like Chris And Desirae, JP and Ashley? Blake and Holly, Sean and Katherine, Chris Lambert and Peyton, Deanna and The twin (don’t know who she is with) these originals have gone on to have lives they don’t revolve our Instagram social marketing, etc. I just think the intentions of casting now is different. Many are just out looking for fame.

    1. Hi Loris,

      Totally feel the same. But Jordan is still new in comparison to a lot of those people remember his first go around at paradise was only last season. I know that they don’t want the contestants talking to each other but obviously producers know they do. There is a private facebook group for bachelor alum. Everyone has facebook, twitter, instagram, snapchat. They all have bachelor nation in common that only very few people will ever know about. They all get invited to social things HELLO STAGE COACH. They’re all connected to someone who knows someone. It’s almost impossible to have the completely organic blind date experience Cam allegedly was looking/hoping for.

      1. Enjoyed your detailed outline, Allie.
        The train has left the station on that one (sorry cam).

        I’m sure producers Love collecting the gossip – it really help *make * this season.

  7. I’m disappointed in the bachelor choice. I like Peter. I think he’s great and I will be watching and I hope he finds love, but I would’ve loved to see Derek get the lead!! He knows what he’s looking for and I think he would’ve done an amazing job!!

    1. The Derek/Taylor love story last year on B
      I.P..was one of my faves ever. He really has a beautiful understated depth.

      Bach could still happen for Derek, right??!!
      2020 ??!!

  8. Ali! I am also so disappointed in JPJ, he has some
    Growing up to do. I’m not a fan because I just think he has some maturing to do.
    I was surprised they didn’t show Clay and Nicole but maybe there was not more to explore? I got married later in life and I can say I would not have accepted a proposal from my hubs after 3 weeks, and dating him was so fun! Why rush, nicole’s Reaction was good for her but a red flag if I’m Clay. Curious at what you think?
    Peter is cute but I liked when they went back to Nick or went outside of the box, I think he will be predictable and that’s boring!
    Happy Birthday!

    1. One of my favorite things about Nick’s season was that they gave us WINTER.
      S u c h a romantic backdrop..

      His season was one of the best of mens IMO. Womack and Lorenzo were my other Faves. Liked Sean, too.

  9. I agree about the whole Chris thing. He displayed his true self off camera. Honestly I’m sure yes it’s not fun to be blindsided, but the way he talked down to Katie and the look in his eyes, I really didn’t like. As a women to feel so rejected and literally you can see that sparkle in her eyes from Paradise is barely a dim light. For her to feel that low and have nothing left and to make her feel that way…to be respectful I have a feeling that there is so much more to what is going on in their relationship that this is only the tip of the iceberg. Hope you had an amazing birthday with your sweet family. I thoroughly enjoy your Instastories with your sweet angel and also LOVE Kevin’s new music Fridays! Tell him to keep it up he always gives great suggestions of music to listen to. Love your sweet Molly. She has such a cute personality and I think she is the future Beyoncé with that singing 🎤 Havana 💃🏻 Sweet Riley is such a bundle of joy. His smile lights up the room. Thank you for sharing your life it’s beautiful to watch. Also LOVE your blog! I will miss your BIP recaps! Also you and Big Rach are straight up fire 🔥 on your podcast! Haven’t missed an episode. I love how she is the “yin to your yang”. You both balance each other out so well. Love how straightforward and honest you are. You are the sweet honey 🍯 to her spicy 🌶 sweet chili! You guys are awesome! Just wanted to send you some love! Been a fan since the Bachelorette and you were my favourite. Sending you much love and positive vibes!
    Michelle Ontario, Canada

  10. How many times do you have to repeat that yesterday was your b’day???? Do you think you’re the ONLY person on earth that has a b’day??? Be real 😁

    1. Hey Leila -it feels attention grabbing to see someone post publicly abt their B Day? Sincerely asking…bc I’d like to underswtnd what makes you feel angry. I usually keep mine secret, which feels right for me, but I gotta say I *notice* when others are so free about declaring their big day – cuz I *can’t * and I suspect it’s out of fear (sigh).
      Anyway, I hope my inquiry finds you feeling a little better…chime back if you like.

  11. Katie and Chris are not meant to be. I don’t think she should have confronted him on TV and she just needs to walk away if the relationship isn’t giving her what she wants. Did anyone else notice her ring was off again when her and Chris were outside the studio talking, just moments after he had placed it back on her finger?

    1. Ring as prop – N o t a good look!!
      Gotta say their proposal in Paradise had me weeping. This discord post Paradise beyond sad. I really wish they both felt Loved and Honored.

  12. Luv that we had a clip of Caelynn and Dean On The Road…WISH we had more deets- they seem cozy, does that mean Dean is more stationary ?(Cause Caelynn didn’t sound like she was travelling with him)

  13. The part I found strange is when Chris & Katie were talking outside she wasn’t wearing her ring again… did they film that before, did something else go on there… something seemed off to me

    1. I agree. Something was off. Chris and Katie need to have a deep conversation with a counselor together and then Chris needs to go by himself. I see they both love one another but he is wearing her out. In time she will get tired of his non communication on emotional issues.

  14. Charlize Tneron vibes on Kristian’s look tonight!
    Had a giggle at Neil Lane plotzing over advertising TWO diamond rings with same sex Female Couple Proposal ( N e i l! )

    In the end K’s case of nerves was endearing- it flubbed the Ring Shot which made things sweeter.

  15. Honestly, my biggest fear is that the bachelor franchise is starting to think “oh we did this once, so we don’t need to do it again”. Black bachelorette? Done. Same sex couple? Check. No. I want to continue seeing all types of diversity. I want to see people of different races, different sexual orientation, different SIZES (Has there ever been any plus size contestant?) basically I want to look at the cast list and not feel like I’m looking at the same person over and over again. I would have LOVED for them to open up the spot to someone unknown. I feel like the bachelor is barely moving forward and as a viewer I’m getting bored and frustrated. (Saying all this I’m sure Pete is a nice guy).

    1. Mmmm.
      S i z e s.
      G o d ~ Y e s.

      I enjoy the cast, but they do *repeat* their types. We need new blood. Surely producers are seeing us viewers repeat this wish!!

    2. Repeating isn’t the only issue. They stop identifying the girls/guys way too soon! Same names Aretha’s much a problem as everyone looking the same!
      I am looking forward to Peter’s season. I loved his answer for advice for the women. Now if the producers will actually show more of the interaction on the dates and focus less in catty interaction, I will be pleasantly surprised and happy!

  16. I don’t find Blake even remotely attractive anymore and he was my favorite from his seasons what the heck. Really appreciated Jordan cutting off Derek having to answer the question about hooking up. That’s really nobody’s business. If he’s single he can do what he wants and he’s clearly smarter about it than Blake. Why didn’t they show Clay and Nicole???????? Chris has a whole bunch of issues he needs to work out, and I hope Katie finds the confidence in herself to realize that’s toxic and she deserves sooooo much more. Disappointed with JPJ’s comment and lack of comments, but then swooned over him and Tayshia!!! Kristian’s proposal was sooo sweet!
    PETER IS BACHELOR PETER IS BACHELOR PETER IS BACHELOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    1. One difference between Katie.and Chris is that Chris KNOWS he has stuff to work on- whereas Katie seemed to overlook how destructive it would be to air dirty laundry in public.
      BTW, I’m not endorsing dating a taxing partner, but the way Katie is abandoning herself and the relationship is as toxic (maybe more so) than anything Chris is up to. I can’t” blame him for ditching the confrontation while being filmed. If it were me I would have been devastated, and pissed – hopefully they got to communicate once the film crew left.

      1. It’s pretty said when 20 out of 50 comments on this blog are from the same person. Get a life Missus! Stop piggy backing on Ali’s blog and write your own if you have so much to say.

        1. Engsging with others here enriches my experience of the show, CZ
          Even when I’m wrong or get Too Into It it helps me, bc I get to see my flaws and – hopefully – gain the awareness to improve IRL.
          Thanks for your two cents, even though it’s critical – everyone counts, right?

  17. I think Peter is going to be an awesome bachelor! I don’t care who the lead is or what the color of their skin is as long as we can leave the politics out of the show. Why can’t we just see everyone for who they are and not what the color of their skin is? My fear about having a black bachelor is the whole show ends up being about the color of their skin and not about finding love. I feel like it went that way on Rachel’s season. I’m all for diversity but I feel like the only reason people wanted Mike was because he was black. He has to have a lot more great qualities than that.

    1. Srsly.
      And TBH, Mike deserves better than that.
      Would anyone really want to be *hired* bc of the color of their skin or eyes or hair ?

      Black is on every networks radar since Avatar proved profitability. When someone of color qualifies For Who They Are we’ll surely have a Black Brown Yellow Bach!!!

    2. Yes!!! So sick of hearing this every season. It should be about who the stand out people are for bachelor, not what color they are. Things start to feel forced and unnatural when they work so hard for diversity- just pick the best people. And the formula for the bachelor/Ette is heterosexual couples. I feel like that’s a whole different show if they deviate from that.

  18. When Ali writes:
    * Seems pretty obvious JPJ’s Instagram post was about saving face in front of the people that follow him and not actually apologizing to Chris and Krystal * I think :
    If he wanted to *game* his viewers then he would have apologized in front of America a g a i n on the Reunion show.

    It could be proof of his sincerity that he apologized Once, formally, in print online. It could also be viewed as a humble lack of expecting Additional Airtime during Krystal and Chris spot with Tanner, Jade, Carly and Evan families…

  19. Ahh.. I just listened to the podcast with Blake and he still dodged the question about why he asked Tayshia on the first date instead of Hannah! Did he give you any insight on why he did that other than the fact that Tayshia is a great girl?

  20. Hannah and Dylan – their proposal was adorable and they do actually seem in love which is sweet- happy for them.

    Katie and Chris- it’s very clear he should NOT have proposed to her at the end. Maybe he felt the pressure (from not just the show itself but also from having made so many appearances that he felt he had to do this). I do think he liked Katie a lot, but was not ready to propose. I was totally uncomfortable watching that entire segment. Don’t blame either of them bc like you said we honestly don’t know the whole story, but I don’t think this one is meant to be.

    Clay and Nicole- actually really weird they didn’t air them at all. However, I actually didn’t even realize until it was over. I guess they did not catch my interest at all for me to really care. Still weird they weren’t aired at all.

    Demi and Kristian- so cute!! Love that their love was able to be shown on TV and that Demi found happiness. It’s hard to come out (I have a sister who is gay and she also struggled with it and was uncomfortable having people find out, so Demi was very relatable in that way and I commend her so much for being brave and showing it on tv).

    That being said she honestly is hilarious and needs to come back to BIP and bartender alongside Wells bc her commentary is amazing.

    Not sure why you didn’t mention Blake and Caelynn at all (actually it’s probably bc you’ve addressed it before, which is fair). But this whole scenario really bothers me. How is it that Caelynn is just walking away from this scott free and is able to so easily play “victim” shedding her tears. I get that he showed her texts, but Blake was so well spoken and 100% right that NO ONE would have believed him had he not shown the texts. I really feel like everyone trying to make him apologize on air was wrong. Think about if the roles were reversed. I cannot even imagine what people would be saying. It would be awful. Such a gender stereotype and so unfair to him. She is a liar and it’s kinda gross watching how she easily snaked her way out of it. Yes she admitted her wrongs, but only bc she was legit caught red handed. Had he not shown the texts there’s not a chance she would have. That being said he’s not my favorite person but I don’t think he’s getting enough credit and I think she is getting off way too easily.

  21. I still have last weeks preview of the finale on my DVR. I watched it yesterday morning to remind myself what was going to go down (I’m a nerd lol) and Angela spoke. Since she didn’t speak at all last night I’m assuming Clay and Nicole were there, I just wish we could’ve seen them! I feel like they just needed 30 minutes last night, lol or 4 hours! Also I’m so pulling for Chris and Katie! I agree we can’t judge because we don’t see everything. You can tell he was blindsided by last night. I think one of the problems may be their love languages are different. My husband and I had the same struggle and once we figured that out we were able to work through it.

  22. I am annoyed since many years that they choose people who where on the show already. I think they should cast new people every time.

    1. When Bachelor first started, they had a new guy every season. The reason I think they pick someone from a previous season is because they pick a guy that is really serious about setting down and having a wife and family. The first few guys that were the bachelor are not with the girls they picked. Look at all the Bachelor/Bachelorette couples we have. I think the reason we have more Bachelorette couples is because the girls are ready to get married and have a family, where as the guys might be having a great time dating all the girls and not really looking to find love and marriage. When we have a guy like Sean Lowe, (who was ready to settle down), that’s when we get the amazing love story. I loved watching Sean and Catherine find their love story and I hope Peter finds his this season!

  23. Chris and Katie are sooo problematic!! Very concerning!! I agree that she blind-sided him and it really wasn’t a respectful and mature way to approach things. She doesn’t seem to have great self-awareness either as she didn’t understand why he was upset. That said, I don’t think Chris is right for her either – he does seem to struggle with communicating and committing. A relationship shouldn’t feel this yucky so early on – red flags!! I think they probably just aren’t meant to be.

  24. I am so happy that things seem to be working out for Caelynn and Dean. He seems so sweet and supportive of her.

    I do not agree with changing things up for the Bachelor. I like seeing one of the former bachelors become the next bachelor. I also don’t think that someone should be made the bachelor or bachelorette just because they are a minority. I also disagree that we didn’t see enough of Mike as he was given quite a bit of screen time, both on the bachelorette and on Paradise. He did a few things that made me question his character (like telling Angela that Clay said he never loved her). I believe that is the reason he wasn’t chosen and not the color of his skin.
    Peter has proven himself to be a level headed and grounded guy. He is sweet, mature and has his act together. He is an excellent choice and I am so excited to watch his season!

    1. Peter’s sweetness really counts.

      As for Mike Johnson – alot of build up and then: Nuthin’. It makes me wonder if there is some cloud in his background nobody wants to air – like a Jed style deceit – or simply a real life romance that is keeping him out of the running. It could be he was dull onscreen or demandg offscreen, but given the interest in him that doesn’t seem as likely as Skeletons or a real life GF.

  25. Just because Chris says he was blindsided doesn’t mean he was. I think they had talked about all this many times before. He chose those words to get people on his side. I don’t think Katie was airing dirty laundry, they met on tv, their laundry is already public. I think Katie was grasping to find a way to hold onto to this relationship. It’s time for them both to be honest and let it go. I love Jordan for what he brings to the show but last night was a bit over the top. Just wanting airtime.

  26. Just a thought on your suggestion of bringing in someone new to be the bachelor… I’ve often thought that would be a good idea. However, now I think I wouldn’t watch it it if it was someone new. When it is someone from the previous season I already feel invested and feel like I HAVE to watch to see what happens. If it was someone new I probably wouldn’t watch.

  27. I just want to say I appreciate all your views and feel the same about being a mother and wanting to just hug most of the contestants. I wish I could set up mother therapy sessions with everyone that goes on the show to just talk with them and give them perspective! I think so many people sitting behind their screens form judgements about these people and they forget they are real humans, not actors, they have insecurities, feelings, issues and generally things they are working through in their life and those all play out on national television for open criticism! You’ve been there and know it’s hard, but I can’t imagine all of my issues being displayed for the world to judge and make comments on. These people mess up and don’t always do the right thing and we judge them for every tiny little thing. I still watch every season and love it but we have to remember this is TV, it’s not always “reality” and the producers can spin the show anyway they want for ratings. I always like to see stories unfold and I truly want happiness for all of the people that go on the show but not everyone gets their happy ending in the form of an engagement. Maybe for some it’s about finding their true self, finding great friends, finding fame. I think it all works like it should! I mean had you not ever went on you may have never met Kevin and wouldn’t have those adorable kiddos! Anyways now I have forgotten where I was going with this (mom brain) but I appreciate how you keep an open mind with all your posts and your podcast! I even love that Rachel is always the opposite of you but she always gives you something to think about. I hope all the engaged couples work out and it’s probably better for both Clay and Nicole if they go there separate ways cause it just didn’t seem to be working and JPJ is just a dude being a dude! He seems like a guy that just does what he wants and has fun doing it and I bet that’s what attracted Tayshia to him, only time will tell if it works out! Anyways Happy Belated Birthday, it looked like a great one!

  28. I just had some thoughts about Peter and Ben Higgins.. I do see the similarities and Ben is a great guy, probably one of the best to come from the franchise. However, I don’t think he was one of the best bachelors. I remember loving him on Kaitlyn’s season and thinking he was the best choice for Bachelor but then he became Bachelor and I changed my mind. I didn’t like that he told Jojo that he loved her as well as Lauren – if I remember rightly, he said I love you to both of them during their last date. But there were also other points when I wasn’t sure about whether he was the best choice after all. I felt even more this way because I thought Nick’s season was one of the best and I guess he could’ve been Bachelor when Ben was. I do love Ben and I did love Peter throughout Hannah’s season – I like that he’s got cuban heritage too but I am concerned that him and Ben are quite similar.

  29. I’ve loved reading your post “game” play by play all season! I am not sure what to think of Peter, but I do agree, they need to widen the pool of contestants, its starting to feel a bit incestuous honestly!

    Also happy belated birthday… and I’m sorry I missed you when I was on Home & Family the week before last. I think you had left by the time my segment was done taping.

    Lisa Steele
    Fresh Eggs Daily

  30. This is the first season in a long time that I’m super excited for their choice in the bachelor. I really liked Peter on The Bachelorette from the beginning and I’m excited to see his love story unfold.

    Unpopular opinion but am I the only one that isn’t a fan of Ben Higgins? I don’t see how he and Peter are similar. I don’t know Why but I’ve never been a fan of his. 🤷‍♀️Not that I dislike him but just…meh.

    1. My memoriea of Ben’s season:
      His mom Face Of Doom when he said he was in love with two women . Caila blindsided by his rejection after she surprise visited him – and JoJo figuring out he said I Love You to The Other Girl, too. I have other faves, for sure!!

  31. Hi Molly! I absolutely adore you and can’t get enough of the cute photos and videos of your little fam….and beautiful home! Any chance you could tell me where you got the white and blue rug in the photos of your mommy and me matching outfits?? I’d really appreciate it!

  32. I also think they need to switch things up. I get annoyed how there are contestants who they have met already. I have already heard that Peter has been on a few dates with one of the contestants. Switching it up would also eliminate this factor which I think would be good.

  33. Has no one else heard that Mike recently had a date with Demi Lovato?? Maybe they spoke with him and he wasn’t interested?? I don’t like that Rachael Lindsay complained about him not being the Bachelor. To me, it seems like she wanted it to be him just because he is black. There, I said it. Yeah, he was a great guy but I also think it would be a boring season if it were him.

    1. Mike seems to *love* women. If I were a black woman Id want to see a devoted tyoe of man as black Bach. I agree it appeared Rachel was atrsched to him as the kead bc of his skin coloring, charm, good looks

      1. …but he seems more intersted in dating lots of women – and fame- then getting married and making a family in the near future.

  34. I’m so confused as to why they didn’t show the Nicole and Clay conversation! What are your thoughts?

    Also I love Peter for bachelor, but totally agree things need to be switched up in future seasons.

  35. The Bachelor starts Jan 6 — you have the 4th in your article unless there’s been a change?

    I was not a fan if Mike got Bachelor — something just wasn’t clicking there. Not sure what. Handsome and has a great smile, but didn’t seem like Bachelor material.

    Peter is fine … or is “basic” a better word? I feel that girls from his recent past (post Bachelorette) are going to create some drama. But, overall, he doesn’t have much of a personality. Yawn!

    .

  36. I was rooting for Derek just for an older Bachelor… I’m afraid the girls coming for Peter will be 19 at this point. But Mike? I just dont get the love. They have him giving the SAME LINE to his dates on BIP as he gave Hannah – playa! & I’m sorry – I CAN NOT get over the idea that he says it’ll be his 4th queen – after his mom, grandmother & sister. Your wife should be #1… every time he would say that to Hannah, I’d cringe – & then people would say MIKE FOR BACHELOR & I’m like, what is wrong with everyone???? … Tell Rachel Sorry – they made a great call not giving it to him. & he’s not hurting – Hello Demi Lavato… he doesnt need any Bachelor gig anyways. There’s no need making him one just because of his skin color. I’m sure theres way more that goes into this decision than just this.

    1. 19!!
      I laughed out loud! Soon enough I am afraid you’ll be right!

      I.wonder how pissed the ahow is *losing* Tyler, and now Mike, to Super Famous Women…hmm

    2. BtW:
      I think D.P. still has a shot – for next round?

      That Rachel pushes for a black Bach makes total sense – of course, it needs to happen !! But promoting Mike, with his player *charm*, sharp elbowing one lead, then Psych Shaming the other is Blind at best.

      When Rachel criticized the use of word *attacked* by Hannah G describing how she felt when Tayshia asked her about Blake on Paradise, I questioned Rachel’s bias. Since when is saying * I’m feelibg attacked* a racial slur? Had Mike J neen white and Luke P black would Rachel find the words Psychopath and the phrase Youre Threatened By Me OK ? S u p e r Unlikely.
      We all have biases baked in, sadly but my regard for Rachel sunk after her ongoing promotion of Mike bc it EXCUSWD Hater Labeling endorse verbal attacks from a man of color and

      1. that last part should have read:

        *…Because it Encused Hater Labeling and endorsed verbal attacks by a man of color…*

        It’d be one thing if she explained her feelings about hearing a white woman say XYZ to a black woman, but to spotlight Hannah Gs word choice ad being insensitive and ignorantly racist to Tayshia -At Best- or casually racist at worst seemed misguided and indulgent to me.

        Rachel is in a position to educate and enlighten, but her more extreme judgements ( pro Mike, anti Hannah G ) undermine her black agenda.

  37. I think the Bachelor formula is old and tired. I think Derek Peth deserved to be the next bachelor for many reasons. Hannah B’s season was one of the worst Bachelorette seasons in the history of the show and choosing someone from her season I think is safe and boring to be honest. I would love to see a Bachelorette season with male and female contestants. It’s 2019, this gender normative way of doing things is passé. On another note. Caelynn and Dean are my favourite couple from this season! They are my new Kevin and Astrid. Really rooting for them!

  38. I agree with what Rachel said on the podcast about change.
    The bachelor is boring. I’m not interested in Peter at all. Too bad they can’t expand their horizons.
    Wish they did not cut Clay and Nicole out-smh.

    1. Hi Leah- cutting Clay and Nicole seems tk have bugged Everyone!! Why couldnt they give us an after link online or something – tp show us the footage.
      In light of the diversity issue it seems especially insensitive to cut a Mixed/Latina couple.

  39. Ok first love your IG and blog!

    Here’s my breakdown…so disappointed in JPJ. I think he’s immature and I’m not impressed with him and Tayashia. Not my relationship of course but I felt like she had a solid head on her and having watched the season back and seeing how he treated Derek and behaved at the wedding, I would have thought she would have ended it. Thumbs down to him. Should be noted I really like him up until his temper tantrum.

    Looooveeee Hannah and Dylan and of course Kristian and Demi. So don’t care that Kristian got to go on the show. What evs.

    I loved Chris’ proposal but I kind of feel he needs to figure himself out a bit more. I feel like he loves the idea of love but isn’t ready to love if that makes sense. Agree that Katie blindsided him though but we don’t know the whole story.

    Thought it was kind of weird that Clay and Nicole weren’t on the ATFR last night. They felt forced to me though and I felt it was unrealistic that Nicole demand he propose and love her when we now know they filmed for 21 days!!! Seriously. He was open to trying it all out in the real world. If you really love someone you would go for that…not just the sparkly ring you’re vying for. That’s probably not fair but after her deal last year on BIP I’m just not a huge fan.

    Ok – finally looooovvveeee Peter as the new Bachelor. Would have equally loved Mike though too.

  40. Agree that the franchise need more diversity. Mike as the Bachelor would have been sooooo much better! But the rumour is that he is seeing Demi Lovato right now.
    I love this season’s cast!
    Clay really doesn’t seem to know what he wants. First, with Angela, then with Nicole. I feel so bad for both girls.
    JPJ didn’t actually apologize to Chris and Krystal at the finale. Which I find so odd.
    Katie and Chris definitely need some counselling sessions together.
    So happy to see Dean & Caelynn, Hannah & Dylan, Connor & Whitney, Demi & Kristian

  41. Wow. Amazing how people think differently. I think Ben H was one of the worse bachelors ever. Now don’t go saying I’m homophobic, far from it, but BIP was not the stage for this. I believe ABC was so worried about being called homophobes themselves That they broke all rules to let Demi bring her girlfriend when all others were sent home.

  42. Hi Ali!
    I completely agree that Peter reminds me of of Ben Higgins! I had the exact same thought last night as he was talking to Chris Harrison. And I also agree that Ben is hands down the best Bachelor of the whole franchise.
    I have to give you a shoutout because I love your blog and appreciate everything you share with us!
    Megan

  43. I’m hearing that Mike wasn’t chosen as next bachelor because he has been seeing Demi Lovato. Anyone else hear of this?

  44. I would love for The Bachelor to choose the lead where they bring on two completely different candidates and let the girls for the season choose (like they did with Baron’s season or Kaitlyn’s season) or make it some kind of vote for the fans and make it a surprise on the season opening episode which one was voted in. With social media they could make it much more interactive for fans.

    I also like the idea of bringing on a new unknown person like they used to do. Bachelor in Paradise already gives a great opportunity for those that have been on the show before so I think bringing on new people with no expectations would work really well too!

  45. I would have NO interest whatsoever in watching a guy that I don’t care about at all be picked from obscurity to be the Bachelor. He’d just be a guy who wanted to be on TV, get laid a lot, and get a groupie following. The early bachelors were athletes, rich guys, a “prince” even, and not a SINGLE one wanted a wife, they only wanted fame and girls. It wasn’t until they finally started to pick from the pool of rejected Bachelorette guys that I felt they actually wanted to meet someone (and a bunch a THOSE guys ended up with their final picks, or went on to BIP and met their wives, etc). A bunch of guys from the general public are not going to want to be on the show for a wife, so I just won’t waste time watching it (and it doesn’t help that they have no backstory so I also have no emotional investment at all).

    I admire Clay for turning Nicole down. They’ve known each other less than a month, and she wanted an I love you and proposal?? I think she wanted to be in a Bachelor Nation couple, because she didn’t love him (she barely knew him) and was making ridiculous demands.

    The new Bachelor will be fun to watch 🙂 I already love his family!

  46. I’m guessing mike isn’t the bachelor because he’s been seen on a few dates with Demi lovato. He probably wanted to explore things with her instead.

  47. The Clay Nicole segment can be seen on the internet..There was no advancement of anything that wasn’t said on the beach. The fact that Clay blind sided Angela was a red flag to me. I don’t think Clay is totally honest with himself. I think he’s wants to be in a relationship, but when it comes down to it is not ready.

  48. Hi… I am torn over JPJ…on one hand is is delightfully quirky, but I see BIG red flags that he is unable to take responsibility for errors in judgment. Why was he unable to apologize to Krystal and Chris for making a scene at their wedding. Why was he SO INTENT to bash Derek for a perceived slight? I see how happy he seems to make Taysha but I don’t think you can overlook those flaws. I wish them luck, but I don’t see this lasting.

  49. Love reading your posts and listening to your podcast! Can you share where Hannah’s G’s dress in the proposal is from?

    Thank you!

  50. I cried during the reunion when Cristian purposed to Demi and she got to have a ring too.

    Nicole and Clay that whole thing was so weird. If you really want to be with him you wouldn’t give up that easily and would be happy that after 2 or 3 weeks of knowing each other he wants to leave in a relationship and meet family’s etc. she’s just seemed so immature through the whole show and now again.

    Chris needs to get it together lol I like him and her and them together. I hope he realizes to let all walls down and be who she needs.

    Why are Dean and Cailynn my fav and they didn’t even complete the show or have much of a moment on the reunion 😂🤷‍♀️ I just love them and think they can balance each other idk I just love them haha

  51. Giving Rachel credit or pointing the hate in her direction in case people didn’t agree lol??

    I agree Mike wouldn’t have been a good choice. He was gone too early and hard to connect with. They didn’t change it up because why would they? Hannah had some of the best guys ever. Peter was the clear choice and so deserving. We have not already seen him as the bachelor just because hes a white guy and super nice like Ben Higgins. Peter is his own person and people truly connected with him. Why would you not go with such a clear fan favourite? If there came a time when there wasn’t such a clear choice like Peter then yes for sure recruit someone brand new! Switch things up! But it makes no sense at all to do it right now. Arie’s season would have been the perfect time to recruit someone brand new but then with what happened Becca was the clear choice. Just saying there will be a time when there isn’t such a clear choice from the previous season but this was not the time. Peter deserves this 100%!!!!

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