Now that ABC has chosen Kaitlyn and Britt to become the next Bachelorette, there are several rules that both girls will need to follow to create a compelling season. Fans are already taking sides in the battle over which girl they want to see make the journey to find love on the next season of the show, but it's up to whichever girl becomes the final Bachelorette to win everyone over and keep them on her side — all while being filmed at her best and worst moments for months at a time. It's a tall order, but here are nine things the future Bachelorette must do to be beloved by America, and the men on the show.
There have been very few Bachelors or Bachelorettes who have been outright hated. But even if the fans don't hate the Bachelorette, they don't always necessarily like her. The most often-used complaint is that a contestant is "boring," and that's something a reality TV star desperately wants to avoid.
Fortunately, I've been watching the show for several years now. I've been through the best and worst the show has to offer in terms of talent, and so I've had the chance to see what works and what doesn't. No matter who we'll journey through the next Bachelorette season with, here are nine golden rules she needs to live by to make her season stand out as a winner.
Try Not to Be Manipulated
Sometimes it's hard to see that someone is pulling something over on you, but there's a good way to figure out if your instincts are right: talk to the house. Every season there's a contestant that the house hates — but the Bachelorette doesn't send them home because they never see that side of them. However, when 24 men are all telling you the same thing, it's probably a good idea to listen and at least confront the person they have a problem with.
Don't Kiss In Front of Other People
I don't care how many men the Bachelorette smooches; that's not the important thing here. But I think it's polite to not do it in front of the other men. Sean Lowe almost ditched his season after seeing Emily Maynard kissing Arie, so yeah, feelings get hurt.
Keep the Interesting People Around
The worst thing a Bachelorette can do is send all the most... unique people home on the first night. A season without any drama is very, very boring. But, sometimes, the "crazy" one can actually end up being really cool. Lindsay Yenter wore a wedding dress and got super hammered in her first night, and she made it all the way to the final two during Sean Lowe's season. While first impressions count, the Bachelorette must try not to judge everyone too much by their nervous limo night stunts.
Be Confident In Who You Are And What You Want
Andi Dorfman was a great Bachelorette because she was very serious. She wasn't playing around, and she knew exactly what she was looking for. Furthermore, she didn't make any excuses or apologies for who she was. She was there to find someone who liked her for who she was, and she was a strong woman throughout the whole season. I admire her a lot for her drive and tenacity and ability to suss out the lies some contestants tried to feed her.
Don't Let Someone Propose If You're Not Going to Pick Them
Ashley Hebert was a pretty good Bachelorette, but she made one huge mistake. She let Ben Flajnik get down on one knee and propose before she gently helped him up and sent him home. Proposing is a serious thing, and if you know you're not going to say yes, don't make them go through that.
Remember This Is a Two-Way Street
It's important to remember that mutual affection isn't a given. When Desiree Hartsock fell in love with Brooks Forester, he didn't feel the same way and she was crushed. Keep those lines of communication open so contestants know where they stand, and the Bachelorette can know how they feel too. It's not automatic that everyone is going to like her, and she needs to take that into consideration.
Have a Twitter Presence
In the age of social media it's fun to see the people on the show commenting on the drama. Of course the Bachelorette shouldn't give anything away, but interacting with fans or posting behind-the-scenes pics can help the nation love her.
Have a Sense of Humor
Laughing at yourself is the most important thing a Bachelorette can do. Everyone is going to say stupid things or have awkward moments, but it's all about how they handles those moments. For example, Andi took her "staaahhppp" catchphrase in stride, and it made me love her all that much more.
Be Dedicated to the Process
Don't be Juan Pablo. When you sign up to be the Bachelorette, follow your journey and submit to the process. Sometimes it really does work, and it's worth giving it a shot if you're there anyway. Let yourself be open to the possibility that you really can find the love of your life on TV, and who knows? You could.
Following all this advice will ensure that the future Bachelorette will have a smooth journey on TV and off. Best of luck to the winning lady!
Images: ABC; fuckedinparkslope; imgflip; Martha Sorren (2); giphy (3); sydneyandrews (2)/Tumblr
