Hey, rosebuds! Did anyone feel a windy chill in the air last night? It must have belonged to Joan Vassos two birthplace dates in Chicago. With fantasy suites right around the corner, things get serious in Week 6
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What happened this week 📺
This week’s hometowns revealed that two of Joan’s men were all in and two weren’t quite ready to commit. With fantasy suites set for next week, only one straggler prevailed.
Where the birthplaces were: Jordan and Pascal made Bach history by giving us the first ever hometown week with two dates in the same city: Chicago. Guy took us to Reno, Nev., and nearby Lake Tahoe, while Chock took us to Wichita, Kan. [People]
Who had the best date: Chock recently lost his mother to cancer, so his birthplace was unusually poignant. Joan helped his family plant a tree in her honor in a moving ceremony that made her feel part of the family. [Entertainment Weekly]
Who went home: After her hometown, Joan knew Guy and Chock were all in, but she wasn’t sure if Pascal or Jordan would choose to stay with her if she proposed. Unfortunately, Jordan didn’t make it. [USA Today]
Seniors superlatives 🏆
1️⃣ Best hair: Maxim
Fittingly for the progeny of a stylist, Pascal’s son, who wears the same stacked bracelets as his father, has a perfect head of hair and, unlike most teenage boys, actually uses the right amount of product. [Entertainment Weekly]
2️⃣ Class Clown: Pascal’s grandson Pryce
Cheeky children are a priceless gift for the TV, and little Pryce came to play. First he asked Pascal if he had slept in the country house “in a bed full of other old grandpas,” and then he questioned Joan about their kissing. Classic! [USA Today]
3️⃣ Dearest sisters: Greer and Gayle
I’ll be honest: other than being a nice ER doctor who can’t peel lemons, Guy hasn’t impressed me much this season. His sisters really sold him as a big-hearted, supportive teddy bear. Well done! [Deadline]
4️⃣ Most insightful offspring: Ali
Ali easily predicted Jordan’s biggest limitation: Shortly after speaking to Joan, she asked if her father had really opened up after not being in a serious relationship for a decade after his divorce. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case and so he went home. [People]
5️⃣ Dear gift givers: Chock’s family
We all have different love languages, but since I love gifts, Chock’s family convinced me by giving Joan a pair of high-heeled “ruby slippers” for her trip to Kansas. There is indeed no place like home! [Wichita Eagle]
Can I steal you for a moment? 💬
One-on-one with Kathryn VanArendonk
Vulture critic Kathryn VanArendonk is one of my favorite journalists covering reality TV, so of course I was thrilled to steal a moment from her to talk hometowns (and the upcoming fantasy suites).
Laura: What’s your favorite dating trope in your hometown?
Kathryn: It’s hard to outdo one skeptical family member. You don’t want it to be an entire group siding with someone, but you definitely need that one questionable sister-in-law who keeps staring in the background.
Laura: Do you have a favorite (or least favorite) Bachelor Nation parent?
Kathryn: I don’t have a favorite parent. I have a favorite fake hometown location, though, which is when producers had Jason Mesnick pretend to live in a houseboat.
Laura: Whose fantasy suite date are you most excited to see next week, and why?
Kathryn: It seems like Joan is most excited about Chock, but I’m personally a little curious about the extremely French things Pascal is going to say to explain what’s going on between two adults in a bedroom.
Go deeper: Here are some more wild animals Bachelor birthplace dates back through the years.
Can I go there? ✈️
If Pascal and Jordan’s dates have you hesitant about booking a plane to Chicago, rest assured that you can do everything we saw on those dates.
Lou Malnati’s, where Joan and Jordan shared a deep dish, was founded in 1971 by Adolpho “Rudy” Malnati Sr. — who claims to have come up with the idea for Chicago’s famous deep dish pizza.
The rainbow cake Jordan and Joan shared came from local supermarket The Goddess & Grocer, and if you’re wondering what that drink was that made Joan so angry was a lot, I would bet the entire Chicago River it was Malört. [Food Republic/WGN/ABC 7]
😢This week’s cry counter: We got no less than 10, the highest since the premiere. My favorite was a double cry: Pascal cried because of how much he loved his son, and then his son cried after seeing him cry.
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