This season of Bachelor In Paradise just threw a big wrench in the proceedings. Instead of a festive gathering of Bachelor and Bachelorette alumni getting together to find love and wreak havoc — Ashley Iaconetti’s sister, Lauren, is also on Bachelor In Paradise. She has never been on The Bachelor/ette before, but it's not the first time ABC has brought in a newbie. So, what has happened to non- Bachelor contestants in the past?
Personally, I love the addition of Lauren to the show. I’m already too familiar with the rest of the cast —Jared Haibon and Tanner Tolbert, of Kaitlyn’s season, just left my screen a few weeks ago. And, though I love me some Mikey Tenerelli and Clare Crawley, I feel like I know everything about them. Not so with Lauren, who so far seems to be both the opposite and the twin of her sister, Ashley (that makes sense only if you’re a sister). Plus, I love the sisterly code they speak to each other in. It both reassures me and leaves me in stitches.
But, here’s the thing — though no non-Bachelor alum has ever graced Bachelor In Paradise, the show already tried this gimmick on Bachelor Pad’s third season. In my opinion, Bachelor In Paradise is a far superior show, so maybe it will have a better outcome this time. But on Bachelor Pad , super fans of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette — David Mallet, Donna Zitelli, Brittany & Erica Taltos, Paige Vigil, and Chris Bain — were allowed to compete — and it didn't end well.
While initially exciting for the super fans who got to compete on their favorite show, I think it’s a little akin to going back to teach at your high school. It sounds like a great idea — all those memories — until you finally learn how the sausage gets made, and you hate it. Also, suffice it to say that all of the contestants who actually were on The Bachelor/ette were not happy at this cast of newbies here to crash their party in paradise and they were not very nice.
Revenge on the super fans came, with all of them being knocked out by the real Bachelor stars quickly and efficiently. I mean, none of them even lasted past Episode 4. Spiteful? Maybe. Warranted? Totally, as there was money ($250,000, to be exact) on the line. Better the devils in bikinis you know, than the devils in bikinis that you don’t.
Will Lauren (and any other randoms or siblings that the producers try to throw in later on in the season) suffer the same fate as the super fans? I think she’ll fare better because she’s super cool (Mikey T. is already trying to get with her), and because she comes as a package deal with her sister, literally. If Ashley stays, Lauren stays. Lauren is only one degree of separation from this Bachelor In Paradise crew, whereas the super fans were complete unknowns with no one to usher them into the group.
My advice to Lauren? Keep your sister close and your enemies even closer. And, even if she does get kicked off, at least she still has her family.
Images: Bob D’Amico/ABC; Giphy (3)
