‘The Bachelor’ hits a new low for Nick Viall with New Orleans

nick viall sleazy new low in new orleans bachelor

ABC’s hit reality show TThe Bachelor returned with its weekly dose of dates, tears, and drama. In this week’s episode, the women join Nick in flying out to yet another unique setting. In addition, Nick goes on his first two-on-one of the season.

For me, this was easily one of The Bachelor’s most boring and worst episodes ever. An unhaunted mansion. C’mon, what a waste of time. ABC knows that we want drama, intensity and romantic moments. All the time wasted with that Ouija board was like watching paint dry. The lights going out was so staged, and it only seemed to serve the purpose for Nick to disappear one by one with the girls off into a dark corner.

'The Bachelor' hits a new low for Nick Viall with New Orleans 2017 images

When Nick did his big talk about the perfect place for New Orleans, which was exactly where they were going had me rolling my eyes. Don’t get me wrong, I love this show, but sometimes it can just be too much for me.

As I said last week, I still feel that Rachel Lindsay is Nick Viall’s pick.

the bachelor new orleans girls for nick viall

Here’s the quickie synopsis followed by more details and Nick Viall’s blog time about what he considered to be a ‘fiasco.’

The Almost Drama: When we left The Bachelor two of his suitors were sitting by the campfire and arguing, which, frankly is better preparation for marriage than bungee jumping off a helicopter in Tahiti. Taylor used all of her recently acquired psychoanalytic skills yet still crumpled under Corinne’s tidal wave of pretty rich girl privilege and faux protectiveness of Nick. Corinne tells Nick that Taylor is “entitled” which should be used in ESL classrooms as the definition of the pot calling the kettle black. Nick shows his emotional intelligence by congratulating Corinne on her maturity in telling him her concerns. Kristina also proves her emotional intelligence by suggesting he send them both home. Amen, sister.

The Rose Ceremony: Nick thanks all the women for their efforts, but doesn’t thank for standing in a freezing cold barn in Wisconsin in winter in evening gowns. Whitney (who?) gets the first rose, followed by Danielle the neo-natal nurse; Jasmine the dancer; Rachel (a.k.a. America’s next Bachelorette, right?); Jami, the chef with the nose ring; Josephine the cat lady (she may not actually have cats, but seems like it); Vanessa the Quebec frontrunner; some other brunettes; and the dolphin enthusiast. Then Corinne gets a rose. The final rose goes to Taylor and Corinne takes it very personally, going on a champagne-fueled rant to the camera.

The Group Date: A million comely brunettes (and Josephine) pile into a party van and the producers drive them to a haunted house filled with dolls and poor lighting, and please let this be the start of a horror movie where it all starts as a laugh and then someone dies. Adding to the possibility that someone will kick the can, they find out the house is haunted by the ghost of a little girl and then start playing with an Ouija board. Then the lights go out. On the bright side no one uses it as a metaphor for marriage. The women start to disappear one-by-one, but it’s just to make out with Nick in dark corners. He eventually gives the Group Date Rose to Danielle — just like the Ouija board predicted.

The Two-on-One: It’s Taylor vs. Corinne on a two-on-one date to a voodoo ritual with Corinne muttering something about “Making America Corinne Again” and, well: no. When Taylor gets her tarot cards read, the woman tells her she’s around someone who is toxic and she should not engage. The producers brilliantly cut from that to Corinne telling Nick that Taylor “emotionally attacked” her and that she felt bullied. Then they make out in the woods while the producers cut between a crocodile, Taylor’s tarot reading, and Corinne talking trash about Taylor.

bachelor corrinne whip creaming herself

Picking up from right where we left off last week, Corinne and Taylor are seen arguing right before the rose ceremony. Taylor bashes Corrine for her lack of “emotional intelligence,” in which Corrine comes back at Taylor, calling her “rude.” After a few more minutes of confrontation, Corrine pulls Nick away and tells him that she thinks Taylor acts “entitled.”

With tensions high in the mansion, Chris Harrison gets the rose ceremony underway. In the end, Nick decides to send home Astrid and Sarah, saving both Corrine and Taylor. Inevitably, the two eliminated women couldn’t help but be disappointed in Nick’s decision, as he clearly kept some notably immature contestants in the running.

After the rose ceremony, the women find out that they will be joining Nick in New Orleans. Subsequently, the group jets off to the historic city, where Rachel kicks off this week’s dates with a one-on-one with the bachelor.

the bachelor nick viall with rachel 2017 images

Together, Rachel and Nick spend their day exploring the city of New Orleans. They make sure to solicit all of the things that the city has become known for, from oysters to decadent pastries. Later on, they dance alongside a lively street parade. The duo ends up at a local club, where they take in a performance from singer Lolo. Throughout the date, it seemed as though both Rachel and Nick’s romance continued to blossom. This is not all too surprising, as Rachel has been a show front-runner from the very start. Inevitably, the date ends off with Nick presenting Rachel with the date rose – giving her immunity at the next rose ceremony.

the bachelor nick viall white boy dance with rachel 2017

After his one-on-one date with Rachel, Nick invites a big group of girls to join him on a group date in a New Orleans haunted house. The contestants who joined Nick on this outing included: Alexis, Danielle L., Danielle M., Jaimi, Jasmine, Josephine, Kristina, Raven, Vanessa, and Whitney. Once they all arrive to their spooky destination, the group goes on a private tour of the venue. They learn about an 8-year-old girl named May, who supposedly haunts the location. After exploring the house, Nick and the 10 contestants sit down to tinker with an Ouija board.

During the date, Nick manages to have some private time with each of the ladies. However, he ultimately decides to award Danielle M. with the date rose – giving her immunity at the next rose ceremony.

the bachelor new orleans unhaunted mansion nick viall 2017

With Rachel getting this week’s one-on-one date and the other 10 contestants going on the haunted house group date, Corrine and Taylor were the guests of this week’s final date – the dreaded two-on-one. Inevitably, the show’s producers encouraged this pairing, as they have already butted heads numerous times in the past few weeks.

Together, Taylor and Corrine go on a boat ride with Nick on one of Louisiana’s infamous swampy bayous. Following their boat ride, they run into a Tarot card reader who (of course) offers to read their personal Tarot cards. Half-heartedly, Corinne asks the reader for a Voodoo doll, as she has evidently been having some trouble with the other ladies in the competition. During each of their private talks with Nick, Corrine and Taylor proceed to bash one another – attempting to get the other competitor sent home from the date. Heads up, in case you are not an avid Bachelor viewer, the bachelor or bachelorette is supposed to send at least one of the contestants home by the end of a two-on-one date.

the bachelor nick viall two on one date

Nearly every minute they were left alone together, Taylor and Corrine were heard bickering and criticizing each other. While Taylor condemns Corrine for lying to Nick about her, Corrine snaps back, “The fact that you’re a mental health counselor blows my mind.”

Unfortunately for Taylor, Nick decides to give the date rose to Corrine. Thus, Taylor was sent home while Corrine happily boated away with Nick.

To end off the day, Nick and Corrine go for a private one-on-one dinner back on dry land. Addressing Taylor’s elimination, Corrine tells Nick that she is “glad the negative energy [is all] gone.” However, not long into their romantic meal, “the negative energy” comes back to haunt Corrine. Taylor manages to make her way to the duo’s romantic set up – despite already being eliminated. She goes on to pull Nick away, as she just has to tell him something. Prior to grabbing the bachelor from his date, Taylor tells the confessional camera, “Tonight, Nick is going to find out the truth about Corrine, and I wish her the best of luck.”

You can see what happens next when the Bachelor returns next Monday, February 6th on ABC.

Here’s what Nick Viall had to say about his ‘fiasco’ on The Bachelor”

Hey guys! We’re back where we left off with Corinne and Taylor confronting one another at the rose ceremony. To back up a little, let me just state the obvious: This is an environment that is filled with all personality types, so of course it is unrealistic that everyone will get along. It’s clear when watching Corinne and Taylor, that just happens to be the case.

At the time, I never knew their issues with one another was this intense, but of course, I was aware of the tension. I knew that Corinne’s assertiveness and occasional napping had rubbed some of the other women the wrong way. I was also aware that Taylor is a person who will confidently state her opinion, personal and professional.

Up until this point, Corinne had not wasted any of her energy focusing on how the other women were approaching this environment — while Taylor had seemed to critique Corinne’s every move determining whether Corinne had a right to be here. I didn’t know much at the time, but I did know that with two polarizing personalities, sometimes more comes to the surface if it’s all there right in front of you. While yes, I had questions about these women, I was still very intrigued by them.

Corinne is a woman full of life, and as she states herself, color. I love how assertive she is, and I admire the confidence that she has even under pressure. She never seems to lose sight of who she is. Taylor is a woman who is undeniably impressive. It’s attractive how successful and driven she is in her career, all of which she worked hard for. It’s interesting, for a woman who carries herself like Taylor, to allow herself to open up emotionally. And like Corinne, she is a woman who stands by who she is and what she wants in life. I decided then that a two-on-one date would be the best to navigate these relationships.

New Orleans
Wisconsin had been amazing to share with these women, but it was time to keep moving. Leaving a place I still call home was bittersweet, but I was pretty excited to be heading somewhere I’d never been before: New Orleans. The second I reached New Orleans it felt unlike any other city I’ve ever visited. The unique culture of this beautiful and lively city hits you all at once. The architecture, food, music and people — all full of life. I was excited to kick things off right away and explore this city.

nick viall with rachel date bachelor new orleans

Rachel
Choosing Rachel for my one-on-one this week was easy. From the very first night we’d had an instant connection and chemistry. Over the past few weeks, I felt like we had built something special and this was a date that I felt could really push our relationship forward. This day was pretty much all about exploring New Orleans together, and it felt like something we would do as a couple outside of this world. Of course, helicopters and yachts are romantic and unbelievable experiences — but there is something about just walking through a city with no real plan that makes a bond so much greater. It was also pretty cool that Rachel had just been to New Orleans, so she was giving me the inside scoop on these new experiences for me.

From eating the most delicious beignets to dancing in the streets and listening to some amazing live music, my date with Rachel couldn’t have been more fun. I also have to admit that those beignets were highly addicting. They should really warn you because I didn’t play it cool at all. I think I may have eaten five or six, I can’t lie. But OMG were they worth it. Thinking about it now, I could probably toss back another dozen.

Also, what you guys didn’t see was the show we stopped into. Lolo, is this really cool artist that has an unbelievable voice and stage presence. Not to brag, but I think Rachel and I tore up that dance floor and Lolo loved us! But with Rachel on my arm, who wouldn’t? Am I right? But honestly, I ended up downloading a bunch of Lolo’s music later that day and playing it for Rachel that night as a surprise.

As yummy as the treats were — and Lolo was also really cool, I have to say that the second line was by far the coolest part of our day. What a welcoming feeling, to have a city open their arms to anybody in such a joyous way. This tradition is something that I’d never seen in any city in my life. The music, the energy and the sense of community was intoxicating. I remember feeling such a high this day and reflecting on my decision to give her the first impression rose the night we met. I was reminded of how confident I felt about her then, but on this day, also so confident in what was to come.

The energy of our day carried into the evening. The location where we had dinner was so cool, I wish you guys could have seen more of it. This place is the home to hundreds of Mardi Gras floats that range from traditional to absolute insane. We started the evening off running around like kids playing hide and seek, and stealing a few kisses in private away from the eyes of the floats.

It was really moving when Rachel opened up about the reason she had just visited New Orleans not that long ago. It is tragic to lose someone close, but having that reminder to take advantage of every opportunity that life gives you. Rachel is someone who in the past, had expressed how it was hard for her to open up, but that evening we connected more than we ever had before. I couldn’t help but feel this desire to let Rachel know just how excited I was about our relationship — I was crazy about her! Moments like this can be few and far between and I didn’t want to waste the momentum that we had.

Rachel has a way of allowing herself to be vulnerable without losing confidence or questioning herself. By the time our evening ended, I had almost forgotten that there was a rose on the table, but there was no doubt that I was giving it to her, and there was no doubt that I was starting to feel like this relationship had a big future.

bachelor ouija group date for nick viall

New Orleans Group Date
When you’re on the road it can feel like your routine is a little off. So, the morning before the group date, I challenged Chris Harrison to a run. We don’t actually see each other that much during filming, so it’s nice when we can find a quiet moment to catch up. We thought it would be more fun to run through the city than the gym. I mean it was a beautiful day and New Orleans is amazing, so why wouldn’t we want to explore? Four or so miles later, I think we were both ready to drop dead… not so much because we weren’t used to running a few miles a day, but we ended up getting a little lost. We had to backtrack and it ended up being a little more of a fiasco than expected. But all in all, I was able to get my workout in and see a little more of the city then I had anticipated!

For the group date, we drove outside the city to one of the most beautiful estates in Louisiana. This was a date I’d been looking forward to for a while. Not only was I excited to see the women who I hadn’t seen since Wisconsin, but I absolutely love history. Knowing how much history was connected to this place, I was excited to explore. Now, I wouldn’t exactly file ghost history in with the usual historical interests of mine, but this place was something else. I’m not the most superstitious person, but I thought it was be fun to do some ghost hunting. I figured if there was ever a place to encounter ghost activity, it would be here.

This place was beautiful, but I have to be honest, it really did get creepy once the sun set. There was some crazy inexplicable stuff happening that night! I mean, come on Jasmine, you should never have touched the hat or the statue! But actually … Jasmine, much like me, went into the evening not quite believing in Mae’s ghost, but I think I can speak for both of us and say that by the time we left, we certainly had a different opinion. I really loved how seriously Vanessa and Jaimi took the evening. Jaimi was nothing but courteous regarding the spirits around her and I respected that. Whereas Vanessa was afraid, ok no, lets be real — terrified, but still took the evening in stride and ended up finding peace with the spirits and the experience enjoyable. This evening could have been a total disaster, but it was like a fun spooky night at summer camp and we all had a blast.

One thing I think that we’ve all seriously enjoyed was finding out that Alexis is terrified of Nicolas Cage, the actor. Alexis had admitted this fear the week before in Wisconsin. So naturally, I immediately went on Amazon and ordered a Nicholas Cage mask. You guys have no idea how much I had looked forward to this moment. Knowing this spooky date was coming up it was the PERFECT time to strike, but I can’t believe when I went to surprise her she felt it coming! It was still totally hilarious, and I think that I may have a small part of helping reduce this fear of hers.

Even though there was a lot of scary things happening that evening, I was able to still get quality time with the women. It had been a week since my date with Danielle L. and it was really great to sit down with her and reconnect. I had such an amazing day with her in Wisconsin, and it was important to me that we still had that spark. After such a great date, I decided to give the rose to Danielle M. Getting the first one-on-one is a great feeling at the time, but it can also be hard as weeks pass. But Danielle was someone I had already connected with, and that evening I had felt like we were still right where we were that first date. I wanted to make sure she knew I still felt that way and was confident in us.

corinne and taylor date with nick viall on bachelor

The Dreaded Two-on-One
Now, what I know you guys have all been waiting for ….

Coming off last week, I knew tensions were boiling over between Corinne and Taylor. And as I said before, sometimes taking two polarizing personalities can help navigate my feelings for each person. A two-on-one can be awkward — actually, it’s pretty much guaranteed to be. But I thought it would be the best way to figure out which relationship had potential and which one would be best to say goodbye to.

My relationship with Taylor and Corinne at this point, while different, were probably equal in terms of how far we had progressed. There were things about both women that intrigued me, but also plenty I still had questions about. I had never been to the bayou before, but man, how fitting was it for this date.

I reminded myself going into this date that there are two sides to every story. When Corinne shared her side of the story with me about Taylor, I was shocked. I wasn’t going to fully ingest the information until I spoke with Taylor, but it was still disappointing to hear. Once I sat with Taylor, it became more clear what the issues were about.

When you strip it down, it became clear that Taylor believed Corinne lacked the emotional maturity to get married or really to be dating me at all. Listening to Taylor talk, it became obvious to me that Taylor didn’t realize that she was guilty of the same thing she saw in Corinne. Like Corinne said, Taylor was telling Corinne that she didn’t call her stupid while implying that she was stupid. You can say a lot of things to someone while being pretty clear between the lines.

From my point of view, Taylor either wasn’t self-aware enough to understand how she was coming across or she thought that I wouldn’t notice. Either way, it just felt like at this point that Taylor was too fixated on proving to me that Corinne wasn’t right for me rather than focusing on our relationship. Giving Corinne the rose had just as much to do with saying goodbye to Taylor as it was to validate my relationship with Corinne. After a pretty intense day, I was looking forward to some one-on-one time with Corinne.

I was totally caught off guard when Taylor showed up at dinner to interrupt Corinne and me. What was she there for? Did she want to come back? Did she have more to say to Corinne? Was there something else I didn’t know? A million questions flooded my brain. Saying goodbye is never easy, but having someone come back unexpectedly is no cake walk either. Taylor certainly isn’t saying goodbye without a fight. I think you’ll be interested in what Taylor has to say and how I take it. But that is just the beginning.

Next week the drama heats up as the women and I travel to St. Thomas. There I’m faced with shocking truths and unexpected goodbyes. I find myself questioning, can this journey lead to a happy conclusion? Next week you’ll see how it all goes down.

Thanks for reading,
Nick