Writing this week's recap was like pulling teeth. Something is wrong—I'm not nearly as excited about The Bachelorette as I expected and want to be. It seems blah so far. As I was reviewing the tape of the show, I was trying to figure out exactly why that is. Then, one of my fellow posters on Joker's Updates pinned it down for me. (Thanks Alexa!) So far at least, Jen just doesn't seem that interested or happy to be on the show—she's going through the motions. As we'll see tonight, she has two more one-on-one dates, and neither one brings sparks. Jen's attitude on the show is very different than that of Meredith on Bachelorette 2, who seemed to genuinely enjoy doing new things, and spending time with different guys, even if they weren't "the one." Also, Meredith had a passionate side to her that we haven't seen yet in Jen.

As I'll mention again later in my recap, I think part of the problem may be that Jen hasn't yet had any say in the choice of men for her one-on-one dates. This isn't any different than Meredith's first dates, but, by chance, Meredith's second one-on-one date was with Ian, with whom she had immediate chemistry, and who she eventually picked at the end of the show. Watching the romance develop between Ian and Meredith was one of the pleasures of that season. So far this season, if Jen has started to feel real passion for any of the men, the producers have made darn sure that we haven't seen it.

It may just be that Jen isn't that passionate a person. Or, dare I say it? I'm starting to wonder if Jen isn't just a little shallow. I hope I'm wrong about that, because the thing I enjoy most about The Bachelor/Bachelorette is trying to uncover the real person behind the repetitive voiceovers and "nothing" conversations shown us by the producers. If the "shallow Jen" we've seen so far is the real Jen, then I'm in trouble.

For now, however, I'm going to give Jen the benefit of the doubt. At this point on the last season of The Bachelor, a lot of viewers still didn't like Byron that much, and didn't warm up to him until near the end of the show. We tend to forget that the Bachelor/Bachelorette doesn't really get interesting until we get to the hometown dates, when the bachelors have more time alone with the bachelorette, and we get to see more of everyone's real personalities. I sure hope so.

Despite the above, I have plenty to say about tonight's show. However, first I'll briefly cover what we learned on the Internet last week.

Internet News and Gossip Since the Last Show

Nothing on the Internet this week rivaled last week's revelations that Fabrice is almost certainly gay (or, at least, bisexual). And, we also learned nothing to lead us to believe that the gay rumors are false...However, we did hear a disappointing rumor about Matt, the NY firefighter who was sent home by Jen last week. Matt had talked on the show about how he would treasure his ticket to the NY Knicks game, because Jen had signed it and kissed it. Then, right after last week's show, we heard rumors that the "treasured" autographed ticket was for sale on eBay. So much for sentiment. However, to be fair, when I went to eBay to check, the ticket wasn't there—and I don't know whether it had been removed, sold, or the rumor was false and it had never been on sale in the first place.

We also found out a little more about a few of the other bachelors....It turns out that John Paul is the oldest of five brothers, all of whom have double first names. Must be a Southern thing....Also, Ben is writing a weekly column for Aspen (CO) Daily News, giving the inside story on what it was like being a Bachelor. I've read Ben's first two columns and both of them were entertaining and worth reading....On Josh's Web site, he posted some of his life philosophies, as well as a love letter to his "future wife." Some Internet commenters liked it, but, it didn't appeal to me. We also learned from an interview with Josh by Runner's World Magazine, that the producers gave him an hour, or an hour-and-a-half each day to run, so he was able to run an average of 80 or 90 miles a week during filming. Josh also suggested in the Runner's World article that he showed up at the door without his shirt on last week's show at the producers' request, as an informal exchange for letting him have time for a run every morning.

Sorry, I don't have anything more shocking and salacious for you. Maybe next week. So, on to the show.....

Previously on the Bachelorette and Preview of this Week

Most of tonight's "Previously on the Bachelorette" segment was just about the same as what we saw last week...New material included short glimpse of Jen's one-on-one date with Keith, and Josh's comments that "Jen needs a lover and she needs a warrior and someone who's gonna fight for her."

"Tonight, one-on-one dates with Jen are on the line and the competition gets a little out of control on the (basketball) court."...."And, with more romantic fantasy dates, things get serious with Jen and some of the men, and Fabrice comes on a little too strong."..."And then, at the rose ceremony, Fabrice falls apart, and Jen has to make a very difficult decision. Who will she choose? Who will she reject? Find out tonight...."

The Basketball Game

Maybe Jen complained about having to make the corny video invitations to the dates, because this week, Jerry "just happens" to go downstairs and find an invitation from Chris inviting the guys to the park....The invitation reads, "Hey, guys. Meet Jen and me at the park. Dates are on the line. Bring your best game. Chris"...Chris and Jen meet the men at a basketball court, and we are treated to a Bachelor/Bachelorette "first"—Chris doesn't look like a nerd! Chris is wearing a black leather jacket, black T-shirt, and jeans, and actually looks pretty hot.....Chris tells the bachelors that they will be playing four-on-four basketball. The winners will get a shot at individual time with Jen. The losers will get a group date...Chris designates Jerry and Fabrice as team captains, and they get to take turns picking their teams....Fabrice picks Ryan, John Paul, and Ben...Jerry picks Wendell (whom he calls "troll boy"), Josh, and Keith....Chris announces that the teams will be "shirts and skins," with Jerry 's team the "skins."....Jen says to the camera that she is pleasantly surprised at how good the guys look without their shirts...Personally, I was particularly impressed by Keith. I'm normally not wild about tattoos, but Keith can come over and show me his anytime. <g>

The guys play much rougher game than necessary—it reminded me of a bunch of seventh-graders showing off for the girls' gym class....In the end, the "shirts" win by a score of 15-1....Hmm, either that was a very short game, or these guys s*ck at basketball. Probably a little of both.

Chris announces that two one-on-one dates were at stake. The first individual date goes to the leading scorer, which was John Paul, with six baskets....The second date goes to the lowest scorer on the winning team, which was Fabrice, with two baskets....The men who didn't get one-on-one dates are disappointed....Jerry says, "How the heck did Frenchy get a one-on-one date with Jen?"....And, Jen is disappointed, too, saying that she would have preferred to get a one-on-one date with Ryan or Ben, to get a chance to get to know them better....Chris has the last word, "Thanks for 'hooping it up' today! See you at the next rose ceremony."

Jen and Fabrice Go to the Cotton Club

Even though Fabrice was not Jen's first choice for a one-on-one date, she tries to make the best of it. Jen tells the camera, "Fabrice has such a cuteness and warmth about him. He's unpredictable and he's exciting and he's not your average guy, and I find that really intriguing.".....Jen comes to the bachelor house to pick up Fabrice, and Fabrice tells the camera, "She just looked amazing. I was just dazzled. So I hope that, on this date, I'll get the occasion to show her my romantic side and maybe even steal the first kiss."....Fabrice and Jen arrive at the empty Cotton Club, and it turns out that they are going to get a special performance by Vanessa Williams....Vanessa looks great, but I wasn't impressed by her voice. Maybe because it was a private performance she didn't give it her all.

We see Vanessa perform part of one song, then she comes over to the table to greet Jen and Fabrice....Jen is still wondering about Fabrice....Jen says to the camera, "He seems to have all these different dimensions to him, but will he understand my dimensions? (Or) will we just never quite meet in the middle, given the fact that we're from different places?...Fabrice tells Jen, "All I want is to be with someone I love and who loves me. I want stability. I want a family. I want children. I want to raise some positive image of a family that I've never actually known."....Jen likes this. She tells the camera, "He (Fabrice) talked about how he wants to live his life. And, those are all the things that I want, as well."

Back at the house, the men are wondering how Jen's date with Fabrice is going....Josh thinks that Fabrice will definitely try to kiss Jen....Keith tells the camera that the guys think that Fabrice has bad intentions and isn't really compatible with Jen...Josh says to the other guys, "If (Fabrice) shares with her what he shared with me the other night about not thinking marriage is forever... He told me, 'I think I'm gonna get a divorce. If she knows his view on marriage--if he's honest with her about it--there's no way. Jen's serious about this....Jerry asks Josh, "If (Jen) were to ask if there's anyone you'd be concerned about her being with, would you tell her Frenchy and why?"...Josh answers, "If she asked me, I would definitely tell her. Would I offer it up to her? No way."...Jerry says to the camera: I've gotten to know Frenchy's opinions on dating. I can see her being caught up in, maybe, in his charm, but I just don't see the two of them together, mainly because I'm trying to see myself as a potential mate for her, and the thought of Frenchy and Jen has made me sick....Jerry tells the other guys, "That may be something she's interested in. Then you are not gonna see me after the next rose ceremony"...I wish the producers had let us see the conversation between Fabrice and Josh. For example, we saw previews of Fabrice telling Josh(?) that he could never go six weeks without sex, but we never saw that scene on the show.

Back at the Cotton Club, Jen and Fabrice have moved to a couch, and Fabrice is telling Jen about what he wants from love....Fabrice: First, I want to meet someone I love. Be loved. Enjoy something fantastic like, you know the first kind of like, excitement. Like, the thing that just makes your heart beat...Jen asks Fabrice if he's felt that a lot...Fabrice: Once in my life. Two years ago. It was tough....Jen asks, "What happened?"....Fabrice: I found a woman I just fell in love with. I was, like, head over heels. We were together for, like, seven months. One day, she came and she said, 'I'm not in love with you, and it's not gonna happen ever.' ....Jen asks, "Are you still upset about it, or you think you're okay?"....Fabrice assures her, "It's been two years ago. I've changed a lot. I just feel like I need to feel somebody who I feel comfortable with. I've been waiting to fall in love ever since."

As Fabrice is talking, a single tear falls down his cheek...Oh puhleeze. Did Fabrice learn that one tear trick in acting class?....Jen tells the camera: Fabrice and I are having a great time, and all of a sudden, he starts crying. I feel so awful. I just want to have fun. I don't want to get so heavy and too deep, but everything's sort of just taking a nose dive...Fabrice assures Jen: When I'm happy, I just become overwhelmed by emotions. And I've been charmed by you, so I'm happy to be here....Then, in another rapid mood swing, Fabrice grabs Jen and kisses her. At first, Jen responds to the kiss, but then pushes Fabrice away when he rams his tongue down her throat....Fabrice apologizes, and tells Jen that he just wants to hug her. As he starts to do so, Jen says to Fabrice, "I think that it is time for us to go," and gets up from the table

As Fabrice and Jen leave, Jen tells the camera, "This is not normal. I mean, there were tears. I didn't know if he was sad or happy. All of a sudden, he leans in for a kiss. The more I try to put it out of my mind, the more freaked out it makes me. Tonight has been one of the more uncomfortable dates I've ever had. And right now, I'm really not quite sure as to what I'm going to do about Fabrice."

Geez, that whole date was just too much. Is Fabrice a total liar in his story about his relationship with a woman two years ago, or is he bisexual, and thus, only a partial liar by all the things he doesn't tell Jen...And, Fabrice's move on Jen was NOT that of a romantic Frenchman, experienced in love. Women give obvious signals when they want to be kissed, and Fabrice missed all of them. If Fabrice were 14 or 15, I'd write off his actions on lack of experience with women. Oh wait, maybe Fabrice IS showing his lack of experience with women....Jen probably has her "gaydar" turned off because she knows that the bachelors have been "screened" and isn't expecting a gay or bisexual guy. Or, maybe Jen's "gaydar" is working full blast, but she's too polite to say so, or the producers decided not to show us her remarks....Yuck. Enough of that. Even recapping the scene is making me nauseous.

Jen and John Paul Go to a Spa

Am I the only one who sees the title above and pictures Jen and the Pope sharing a couples massage? I apologize for any offense my imagination may have caused Catholic readers. I think I still haven't recovered from that last scene with Fabrice. To prevent possible offense from my imagination in the future, I'll call him JP from now on.

Jen tells that after her date with Fabrice, she hopes that JP can kind of lighten things up....But Jen says: Jen tells the camera: I don't know really much about (JP's) personality. Will we get along? Will we be able to have fun? And I'm also looking to see if he's mature enough to settle down...There's that "Is JP mature enough" storyline again.

For this date, JP meets Jen at the front door of her house.....JP: It (picking Jen up, instead of Jen coming to the men's house) put me back in the element I'm used to--being a man and taking charge and going to pick the girl up....Oh great. We've gone from a guy who's sexually confused at best, to one who seems to have gotten his macho attitude from a 1950's dating manual. Okay, to be fair, some women like that. But, JP seems to be putting far too much weight on picking Jen up--something that was probably just set up that way for filming convenience....Next we hear again about how young JP is....JP: I am 25, and I am younger than Jen. But today's gonna be a good chance for me to show Jen that that's not an issue....As Jen and JP first get in a limo, then drive to a helicopter, Jen is having flashbacks of her earlier Bachelor experience...Jen: I feel like there's already a lot of pressure on this date. We're taking a helicopter ride to a spa. That's what Andrew and I did on our first one-on-one date. I'm just hoping that this time around, it turns out a little bit better.

As Jen and JP first fly over Manhattan and then north to Connecticut, it is another gorgeous clear day. (After a little rain at the beginning of this season, the producers have lucked out and gotten some perfect weather for filming.)...The helicopter lands, and Jen and JP walk into the Mohegan Sun. The Mohegan Sun is much better known for its large casino, but there is no gambling on tonight's agenda. Instead, Jen and JP are ushered into a huge suite where a large buffet meal has been laid out...Jen tells the camera that the setting is very romantic and she wonders if she will ever feel that way about JP...The two of them talk while they eat....JP talks about his business (which seems to be his favorite topic of conversation, other than his young age).....JP: I have an investment company. We basically specialize in real estate. We'll buy, like, apartment complexes and fix them up and just sell them....Jen: And it's your company that you started?...JP: I started it in college, actually....Jen is impressed. She tells the camera, "I learned today that (JP) runs his own company, and I find that to be very impressive given that he's only 25. And I might just have to rethink my age limit"....JP goes on talking about his business...JP: Right now I can afford to be risky with what I do, but my philosophies on business will change once I, you know, start---if I'm engaged or get married.....Personally I think all the business talk is a little dull, but at least Jen doesn't have to worry that JP is going to start crying....And, poor Jen, both Fabrice and JP seem far more interested in talking about themselves than in sharing conversation or asking about her. For now, I'll give JP the benefit of the doubt that his "business" conversation is the way the show has been edited. (Fabrice has already used up all my "benefit of the doubt.") But, I'm still not impressed by JP.

Back at the house, the guys are noticing that it's late and Jen and JP are still on their date...(Of course, Jen's date with Fabrice probably ended earlier than scheduled.)....Jerry comments, "They're at a spa. I'm assuming that they're enjoying themselves".....Jerry then asks, "So, what do you kids know about JP? Let's get to the dirt."....Uh? What's with the "kids"? Aren't the men all pretty much the same age as Jerry? (And Wendell is older.) Sorry, I know lots of Internet folks love Jerry , but when he's with the men (as opposed to with Jen), Jerry gives vibes of being more than a little stuck on himself....Jerry goes on, "He (JP) comes in with a couple of sharp suits and whatever....Ben: He runs an investment management group of some sort....Josh says to the other guys, "Jen's looking for her soulmate."...Jerry is more cynical, "What if she's looking for a better guy with money, as opposed to the guy she had with money? What the heck was his name?....One of the other men reminds him--"Firestone."...Jerry goes on, "There was something in him that she liked. And I'm just wondering if that something is in any of us here."...Josh is still the romantic, and tells the camera "I think this is about Jen's heart and who she feels that connection with, and I just don't feel like money's a big priority to her. If it was, then I think she would have stayed with Andy."....Josh proposes a toast, "To Jen leaving Andrew and giving us all a chance."

At the Mohegan Sun, Jen and JP have changed into their bathing suits and lie down to get side-by-side massages...Then, the two of them get into a hot tub...Jen asks JP what his favorite part of the date has been...JP replies, "Besides having a great massage, I'm probably gonna say sitting and talking and getting to know you."...Jen agrees....She tells the camera, "(JP) is so much more attractive to me than some of the other men, because he's not throwing himself at me. He definitely knows how to flirt without coming on too strong. And the more I get to know him, the more I like him."....Funny, maybe it's just that they haven't shown those clips, but I haven't seen any flirting by JP at all. Despite the romantic setting, I haven't seen much emotion on either side...JP tells the camera, "Being semi-naked with Jen was fine with me. She's beautiful and gorgeous. I'd very much like to kiss Jen, but I want to wait a little bit and make sure that she sees that I'm for real about this. It's something that is worth waiting for, and something that, when it happens, it's going to be right and perfect for the both of us."....I was pleased to hear that JP was even interested in kissing Jen, because he sure hasn't shown much interest. But, unlike Fabrice, JP is picking up Jen's signals of "Don't get too close."....Then Jen and JP share the obligatory Bachelorette chocolate-covered strawberries...Jen tells the camera, "This date with (JP) has been a great first date. It's better than any first date I've ever had. He seems to have a great head on his shoulders, he knows what he wants out of life, and all I know is that I want to have another date with him. And I'm really optimistic about what this could lead to."

That's a great first date? Well, the setting was certainly gorgeous. And, after the Fabrice fiasco, it probably came as a relief...Maybe the Bachelorette producers made a mistake in not letting Jen pick her one-on-one dates. I don't think any of the first three one-on-one dates (Keith, Fabrice, JP) has been exciting. This isn't working.

Jen and the Remaining Six Men Go to Central Park

The remaining six men pick Jen up at her apartment for a date at Central Park....Not surprisingly, Jen is shown telling the camera that she is excited about this date.....Although she doesn't say it to the camera, she's probably most excited that since there are six guys, she won't be stuck with any one guy for too long if she doesn't like him....In one of our few glimpses of Ben, he tells the camera how important this date is for him because there is a rose ceremony coming up....First off, Jen joins the men in a football game. Has there been a Bachelor/Bachelorette without a football game? Maybe it's time...As they play, Jen wants the men to know that "girls" (her word) can throw a football, too...Jen: I can block it, even if I don't catch it....Ryan kids Jen, "Don't do a Marcia Brady."

After football, Jen takes some time to spend individually with each of the bachelors...First she sits down with Warrior Boy, Josh...Josh tells Jen, "I used to travel a ton, but I bought a home last January, and since I've moved there, I haven't left, really, at all.".....Wait, doesn't a pro marathoner have to travel to where the various races are?.....Josh goes on, "I want, more than anything, just to be able to provide for my family."....Jen isn't impressed.....Jen: Josh is a nice guy, but I don't feel like he wants to get to know me, he just wants to show me who he is. I can't really get a word in edgewise, and that's kind of off-putting to me....Josh goes on, "I run between 15 and 25 miles a day. It's one of the things I was created to do."...It sure seems like Josh was created to do a lot of things—warrior, marathoner—how does he find the time?

Then, the football lands next to Jen and Josh, and Ryan comes to get it, and asks if he can steal Jen away for awhile....Jen tells the camera, "When Ryan broke into Josh and I's one-on-one time, I was sort of relieved. I really like Ryan. He's a really easy person to talk to, and every time I talk with him, I like him a little bit more."....I'm glad to hear that Jen has had chances to talk to Ryan before this, because we certainly haven't seen those conversations on the show...Ryan says to Jen, "You were saying the other night when we were at the basketball game, 'I'm not willing to settle.' I think everybody understands the fact that it's a crapshoot....Jen: You're seeing if it's gonna work. Hopefully, it's all worth it. But this whole middle part--it's definitely strange.....That's all we see of Ryan. If you blinked, you missed it.

Next, we see Keith sitting on the grass with Jen...Keith tells her, "I want to know you, and I don't want to compete. It's like I want to just--I want it to be natural. I want you to feel natural, and I want to be."...Jen: You know, like, what I'm looking for is something that's not forced....Then Jen tells the camera, "Keith is the sweetest, nicest guy. He keeps telling me how he wants to be himself in front of me and how he wants things to be natural. The more we talk about it, the more unnatural things become. If Keith could just relax a little bit, I think we'd be a really good couple."...It's funny, at this point we aren't shown another part of this conversation that we've seen in previews, where Jen asks Keith, "Am I the kind of girl you'd date in real life?" and Keith kind of hems and haws....Why did the producers decide to show us this inane bit of conversation, instead of the more interesting conversation they promised us?

Well, that was Keith's 30 seconds....Now Jerry comes to take Jen away...The two of them get on a rowboat on a pond....Jen admits to Jerry that she's nervous, and that she wants him to like her...Jerry says he's nervous, too...For all of Jen's saying that she wants someone to be comfortable with, her one-on-one time with Jerry, when she is nervous, is the only romantic moment on the show tonight....Jerry leans over to kiss Jen, and Jen responds. Jerry is much smarter than Fabrice. Jerry doesn't lunge, and he doesn't try to hold Jen while he kisses her. Only their lips touch, and his hands touch her face...Jen tells the camera: I know that I'm attracted to Jerry . He just makes me feel comfortable, but yet he still makes me sort of feel like a schoolgirl. I'm really worried about impressing him. When Jerry kissed me, I must say that I was very happy and was not disappointed. I am very happy that he just kind of went for it....Next Jerry gives Jen another dance lesson while they're in the rowboat...Jerry says to Jen: "I kind of like the way the boat rocks just a little bit. 'Cause that's kind of how I dance anyway. Do you trust the boat or not?...Jen replies, "I trust you."

The segment of Jerry and Jen in the boat was very sweet and romantic. And, I was glad to finally see Jen really excited, instead of "put on" excited for the cameras. But, ugh, why did it have to be Jerry? Jen may trust Jerry, but I don't. We've seen how Jerry acts with the other men and it's just the opposite of the sweet, almost humble way he acts with Jen. I know some men are like that—one way with "the guys" and another way when they're alone with a woman. But, personally, I don't trust any guy who has two such obviously different faces....By the way, there were preview screencaps of this scene, and Internet sleuths noticed that in the background in a wedding dress, sitting alone on the shore of the pond, looking at Jen and Jerry. On the show, she's visible only for half a second, but she's obvious in the preview caps. What's that all about? Apparently there are lots of weddings in Central Park, but why is she alone? Has she been left waiting at the pond, uh altar? We'll probably never know.

As Jen and Jerry finish their dance lesson, Wendell yells over to Jerry from the shore, "Hey Gilligan!"... Wendell tells the camera, "(I) told Jerry to get lost and it was my turn with Jen"...Wendell takes Jen over to a wooden shelter by the pond. He asks Jen how her day is going...Jen replies, "Some people are much easier to talk to than others. I just feel like I sort of know you and I'm comfortable with you....Wendell: I feel the same way. Maybe it's the Chicago thing...Jen: It's not that. I think it's the personality....Wendell tells the camera that he liked talking to Jen and it was very natural....Wendell tells Jen, "I think you're gonna make the right decision in the end. Even if it wasn't me, you can still make the right choice."....Jen says to the camera, "Before I left for New York, my mom told me, 'Make sure you look for someone who makes you feel good about yourself.' And that's what Wendell does for me. He makes me laugh. He's easy to talk to. And I just enjoy being around him."

As Jen and the guys leave the park, Jen tells the camera how the guys are constantly surprising her and how the next rose ceremony is going to be so difficult....Wait a minute--we forgot someone! Where was Jen's one-on-one conversation with Ben? The preview screencaps showed Jen and Ben lying on a blanket in Central Park, but nothing of their conversation was shown on the show.

The Cocktail Party

Jen arrives at the cocktail party wearing a black dress that's hard to describe, with her hair down. Jen always looks good, but she doesn't look as good as she did at last week's rose ceremony...Jen tells the camera that she has no doubt about who she is sending home tonight, and that nothing anyone says or does tonight could really change that....As usual, Jen takes some time for final one-on-one conversations with a few of the men.

First, we finally get to see Jen talk to Ben....Ben says to Jen, "You know, call me old-fashioned, but I'm just used to committed relationships. I was just wondering, how did you deal with it when Andrew was going on dates with other girls?...Jen replies that it's never easy, that there is jealousy and you start to question yourself...Jen: Ultimately, if it's meant to be, it will be. Truly, in the grand scheme of life, what's a month of dating all these other people in order to get to where you need to be?...Jen tells the camera that she felt more relaxed that she's ever been talking to Ben... Jen: He (Ben) seemed to open up a little bit. He let me know that he's feeling weird about the situation, but yet he's willing to give it a try....Ben says to Jen: That whole jealousy thing rears its ugly head, you know?...Jen replies: I don't think you're human if you don't get jealous...Ben tells Jen: I'm thinking to myself, if I can get through this, I'll be a changed man.

While this is going on, Jerry and Fabrice are butting heads, as usual...Jerry: I think there's three things in a relationship that make it work. I think there's got to be a "you" and there's got to be a "me" and there's got to be an "us." I think that if you can maintain your individuality as a person -- who you are...Fabrice cuts in, "Where did you read that sentence? It sounds like you read that from a book."...I agree Fabrice--I was thinking the same thing.....Jerry protests that that is how he really feels...Fabrice tells the camera: He (Jerry) is the pretty boy who's funny and everything, but I don't think he cares much about Jen....Fabrice tells Jerry: I have trouble picturing you with Jen....Jerry replies: I hope so....Fabrice asks, "What do you mean, you hope so?:...Jerry says, "I hope that you don't even see it coming."...Jerry tells the camera : Fabrice is full of [Bleep]. Fabrice is here to win a game, not to win Jen's heart....Interesting, the two biggest phonies among the men have figured each other out pretty well.

Jerry takes Jen aside for a moment. ...Jerry: It is getting so [bleep] downstairs, you have no idea....Jen: What do you mean?...Jerry: We're all crazy about you. If you want to give me a rose and tell everybody to go home, I am very comfortable with that....Jen: So I'm taking it you still want to stay?...Jerry: I want to stay.....I was glad to see Jerry show a little of his arrogant side to Jen, and Jen seems to have picked it up, as well....Jen says to the camera, "When I'm with Jerry, I love how I feel. But is that his way? Does he charm every girl like this? There's a possibility that Jerry is too good to be true and maybe he's playing me and maybe he's just trying to win. Maybe it's just the thrill of the game and not really me."

Downstairs, several of the men are talking, and one of them challenges Fabrice to say who he thinks is getting the rose tonight....Fabrice kiddingly says, "I think everybody but you two." (It's not clear who he is referring to.)...Wendell tells the camera, "Fabrice is acting like an idiot. I think Fabrice knows he's going home tonight, I think he's trying to stir the pot before he leaves."

Fabrice takes Jen aside for a talk, and Jen admits to the camera that she's scared to talk to Fabrice, because their date was so awkward, and she's not sure she wants Fabrice to stay around...Fabrice says to Jen, "I don't know if you gathered that, but I'm like 100% honest. Maybe sometimes I'm too forward or anything, but it's just like I know what I want, and I know when I feel and say something, it's for real."... Groan from me—Oh puhleeze....Fabrice: I felt you seemed a bit distant...Jen replies: This is just really stressful for me, too, and hard for me to maybe hurt some people's feelings....Fabrice: You mean there are some people whose true intentions you're not sure of?...Jen: Well, a little bit. ...Fabrice: If I can help you make your choice, maybe I could tell you what I think about it....Jen: What if I ask about all seven of them?...Fabrice: You can....Jen says to the camera, "When Fabrice was willing to talk about the other guys, I felt a little guilty. But I need all the information that I can get, so I figured I might as well take advantage of it 'cause he didn't seem to be bothered by it."...Jen says to Fabrice: Okay, (what about) Keith?....Fabrice: Keith--I like Keith a lot. The thing is, he doesn't feel comfortable with you, and he told me he didn't feel you were comfortable with him....Jen: What about Ryan?...Fabrice: Ryan is the nicest guy, and you should definitely know him better....Jen: What about Jerry? ...Fabrice laughs...Jen says to Fabrice: Oh, that's the one, huh?...Fabrice: No. Jerry, the thing is, he likes to win. So I don't think he feels anything for you yet. He's a charmer....Jen says to the camera, "The thing I appreciated about Fabrice tonight was that he told me that even if he wasn't the one for me, he would still help me determine who was right. And that says a lot about him and about his character. He has an air about him that is cute and funny and charming. I just would like to have seen a little bit more of that.....I have very mixed feelings about Fabrice at this point. We know from the Internet that there is some very important information that Fabrice is keeping from Jen. And, Fabrice's act on his one-on-one date was obnoxious. But, I thought the information Fabrice gave Jen about the other men was right on target, based on what we've seen so far.

Meanwhile, Josh is talking to the camera as if he's getting himself psyched for a marathon...Josh: I just really feel good about Jen and I. Do I think I'm gonna get a rose? Yes. At the next ceremony? Yes. The next one? Yes. Do I think I'm going to be one of the last two guys at the very end? Yes.

Jen comes back downstairs to join the men, and very soon after that Chris arrives to take Jen away to make her decisions....Jen tells the camera, "I was really confident coming into tonight knowing who I was going to keep, and, once again, they're all opening up, and they're all surprising me. And I'm more confused than ever."

Before we go to the rose ceremony, I want to mention a couple of promos that we've seen tonight before going to commercials. One promo said, "At the rose ceremony, Fabrice is furious with the bachelorette.". Another promo said, "Why does Fabrice crack under the pressure?" and shows Fabrice standing at the rose ceremony with a single tear running down his cheek.

The Rose Ceremony

When we return from commercials, Chris and Jen are walking up the stairs, and the men, as usual, are standing in a line at the edge of the rug on the other side of the living room...Chris gives his standard spiel that there are only six roses to hand out tonight. And, Jen gives an unremarkable speech about how difficult this is, but what makes it bearable is that it takes her one step closer to what she's looking for. She begins to hand out the roses:

--John Paul (BTW—Why isn't John Paul wearing socks with his suit?)
--Jerry
--Ryan
--Ben
--Wendell

Then, as suspenseful music plays, Chris reminds us that it's the final rose tonight.

--Fabrice

When Fabrice comes up to accept his rose he is totally stone-faced, with no smile for Jen. As he goes back to his place in line, we see Fabrice's trademark single tear on his cheek...Huh? What's Fabrice's problem? He got a rose, after all...Jen is wondering the same thing...Jen tells the camera, "Fabrice's reaction to being called last was a little bit disconcerting to me. I didn't know if he was angry at me or upset or didn't want the rose."...Fabrice clears things up in an interview with the camera, "I'm angry because Jen gave me the last rose and obviously I didn't deserve to get the last one because I know she likes me, so she wanted to test me. She's played games with me, and I think that's total [Bleep.]"...Sheesh, Fabrice, haven't you ever watched The Bachelor/Bachelorette before? It's obviously the producers who pick the order of the roses, to prolong the suspense for the viewer. I doubt that Jen had anything at all to do with the fact you were picked last.

Josh and Keith give the typical last interviews to the camera...Josh says his hopes for true love have been dashed, but it's good it happened at this point, because he would have continued to get more invested...Keith says that he didn't think Jen got to see an ounce of who he is, and that he is 10 times more genuine than any of the other guys.

After the Rose ceremony, Jen's mood seems flat. She tells the camera, almost as if to convince herself, "I do think that the person I'm supposed to be with is here. I'm still trying to be a little bit cautious, but I hope that I can say, at the end of all of this, 'Thank god I did it, because I found what I was looking for.'"...Jen toasts the remaining six men, "Here's to the next step."

Next Week on the Bachelorette

In previews for next week's show, Chris tells the men that they each have to write Jen a letter telling her why they would be the best husband for her...And, four men have to race to the top of the Empire State Building, for the chance of a one-on-one date...."And, at the most unforgettable rose ceremony ever, Fabrice has a shocking announcement for Jen. What will he reveal? And how will she react? Find out next week on The Bachelorette."

The outtakes over the credits are pretty funny, as Wendell is dared to do an imitation of "Frenchy" at the next rose ceremony. In a bad French accent, Wendell says, "I just want to have sex with this beautiful woman....Jerry replies, "Frenchy, but you can't have sex with this girl."...Wendell/Frenchy: But I don't understand. In France, we get to have sex with everything. It might be a tree. It might be a bottle of wine Then Ryan comes in wearing a long towel to the floor and another towel over his head, and asks, "Where's the rose?" Wendell comes over to Ryan and hugs and kisses him, saying, "Jen, you look great!"

Spoilers and Speculation

If you don't want to be spoiled as to who gets one-on-one dates with Jen next week, as well as other spoilers and speculation about the upcoming dates and the final men, stop reading here.

Sharp preview screencap watchers have already figured out that Ryan and Jerry get the love letter one-on-one dates on next week's show (1/31). And, it appears that Wendell wins the Empire State Building race for the third one-on-one date.

Poor Ben – he seems to have missed out on the one-on-one dates. I've liked him on the show, and, as I said earlier, I've enjoyed his weekly columns in the Aspen Daily News. It's rare that a bachelor or bachelorette gets picked for a hometown date if he or she hasn't been on a one-on-one date, and the hometown dates are on the show after next (2/7).

By the way, here is the tentative schedule for the remaining shows:

-- February 7 – Hometown dates
-- February 14 – Fantasy dates
-- February 21 – The Bachelors Tell All
-- February 28 – Finale, followed by After the Final Rose live show

So far, I'm still sticking to my prediction of Ryan as the final man. I was disappointed to see almost nothing of Ryan on the show tonight—that's two weeks in a row! But, that could be a good sign if he and Jen are starting to hit it off, and the producers want to hide any chemistry. I'll be looking forward to Ryan's one-on-one date with Jen that we're expecting on next week's show.

I did see a newspaper article last week that made me feel a little discouraged about Ryan as my pick. The Oregon Mail Tribune did an interview with Ryan's mother, Barbara Sheaffer. (Ryan grew up in Medford, OR, although he now lives in Manhattan Beach, CA.) According to the article, Ryan's mother isn't convinced yet that Jen is good enough for her son. The comments by Ryan's mom suggest that she has met Jen, but that isn't surprising, since we've already figured out that Ryan makes it to the final three, which means that Jen went to visit his family as part of the hometown dates. But, it's hard to draw a conclusion from the remarks. They could be a sign that Ryan wasn't picked. (Although Bachelor producers say that the outcome of the show is kept a secret from the contestants' families, we know from past shows that the families of some finalists were told the outcome of the show, while other families weren't. Other possibilities are that Mrs. Sheaffer was misquoted, or, that she is just a mother who's protective of her oldest child. And frankly, unless Jen starts getting more interesting and excited about being on the show, I might decide that Ryan IS too good for Jen.

Until next week!