The Girls' Myspace Pages - Bachelor 10 **SPOILERS**

[simplechef]

So I sent an email to Moana, from Travis' season, and asked her about whether TPTB come to these sites. She very kindly replied. Here's her response (she gave me permission to post this).

"I would have to say the following would be true from our collective vantage point: ("our" being Moana, Trista, Susan (from Rome) and Sadie)

ABC is always monitoring the message boards and they are writing and re-writing the storyline every week to "stump" the audience and keep you tuning in, weekly editing the show while you are watching, responding and posting.

Keeping in mind that this is TV that serves the sole purpose of entertainment, the more twists and turns they can throw in the plot weather or not they are within context, accurate, or misrepresented, the better for the network. The intent is always to confuse the audience by taking you on an emotional rollercoaster by making you hate one week- the same person you will love the next. You become emotionally involved with the "characters" and therefore- you tune in each week- and ABC has successfully created brand loyalty.

With that being said- "yes" ABC does care what you write. At the end of the day- it's entertainment that has more often than not been re-written, and re-told. Think of the game “telephone”, except there is a financial objective that drives the line. If anyone is truly concerned who is or isn't watching, or listening, you might want to remind them that those girls are reading what you write, and so are their parents and friends and their families, those are the only “real” people who are affected by your words. Despite the idea that you are watching a "reality" show- you should also keep in mind that context in any conversation is extremely important- and in the name of "entertainment"- a lot of context is lost and fallaciously presented to an eager public. (I thought this was pretty interesting)

I personally view the situation of course from my perspective, which I am sure may perhaps be flawed or swayed by my personal experiences. However, considering that I also know many of the other girls who have gone through the same process, with the same intentions as myself ; which were: “trip to Paris/Rome-girls, fun, free, whynot? Wait- can we skip the whole guy part? Uh- oh, ok, so the guy’s great- super, now it’s on TV- wait, that’s not how it happened!” I feel that I might be representing the honest majority of the girls who have been on the show.

I thought Moana comments were insightful and very interesting. It was very generous and pretty darn nice for her to even respond. I know it changed how I think of the show and each participant. Hopefully many will now be a little more gentle with their words and opinions about the individual participants.

[Google]

 

[marlap]

Originally Posted by simplechef

I thought Moana comments were insightful and very interesting. It was very generous and pretty darn nice for her to even respond.

Wow. Thanks for posting that simplechef. That was very nice of her!

Originally Posted by simplechef

Hopefully many will now be a little more gentle with their words and opinions about the individual participants.

I hope so too!

It's interesting to think they edit each week based on the boards. We're such a small percentage of the viewers--maybe TPTB know that a lot of fans read the boards even if they don't participate.

They are being VERY stingy with screencaps this year!

[Jennie]

Originally Posted by simplechef

.... those girls are reading what you write, and so are their parents and friends and their families, those are the only “real” people who are affected by your words

Thanks simplechef for the informative and insightful information. Thanks also to Moana for taking the time to reply...she is such a class act.

I wonder how many of the bachelorettes, and their friends and family know about the FORT?

[Jewelsy]

Thanks for sharing, simplechef.

[MsFroggy]

Hee, Moana! I just want to say that Moana was one of the few girls on this show that I liked. Oh, okay, not from the very beginning but hey, nobody's perfect.

Now, where's Agnese?

Thanks, simplechef.

[BlondieGal]

Thank you for sharing this, simplechef. I have heard the same from others too, so I do keep in mind to remember that when I write about a bachelorette or bachelor, that it is only the edited personality that I see. A bachelorette can only pray that she obtain a good edit. If she is the F1 with a less than glorious edit, it is not a favored position to be in with the fans ~ and sad for her and her family to see.

[Secret]

Thank you for posting that message, Simplechef. Like you, I have been pretty skeptical at times that the ABC production crew pays much attention to the message boards, at least any farther than gauging the interest in the show from week to week. Not that knowing they do will change the 'sleuthing' process for me, but it is interesting to know.

It is also interesting to hear that the women and their families do visit these boards, too. I never really think about that side of things very much, generally speaking - except I do get a bit squicked out when we're able to learn *all* about some of these ladies, their families and their friends just by connecting a few dots and scouring the internet. I don't know, maybe that's just me, but I think there should be a limit to how far we dig at times?

Being more gentle with the ladies and being more understanding that they're edited versions of themselves would be nice. But it's so easy to paint them as 'characters'!

Personally, that side of things I have a little bit less sympathy for than the privacy issues I mentioned above. They signed up for the 'process', after all. Reality TV is not a new idea. There are plenty of articles available to anyone that explain that the shows (the Bachelor specifically, too) are heavily edited and often unfairly so - they should go in with eyes open. It is often said "They only edit what they're given" (usually). Does that excuse the way the editors behave? That's a topic I know we'll continue to debate as this show is on the air...

I have a feeling tonight will be an interesting first test of a more sensitive approach to our view of the ladies in view of the editing...

[Arielflies]

Thanks, simplechef, for your initiative; and thank you, Moana, for responding.

It looks like I'll need to revise my lovelines every week. Kind of like cliffhangers: Will Tessa remain the Reluctant Bride; will Danielle continue to be the sweet girl next door, will Bevin steal a heart as well as screen time?

Twists and turns are coming our way, just as unmangeable to a writer's pen as when characters take on lives of their own. Wait - these characters do have lives of their own. Thank you for the reminder, Moana.

[itsyourmom]

That was great, Simplechef. Tell Moana thanks for sharing. She sounds very nice and articulate.

[pajamasam]

Keeping in mind that this is TV that serves the sole purpose of entertainment, the more twists and turns they can throw in the plot weather or not they are within context, accurate, or misrepresented, the better for the network. The intent is always to confuse the audience by taking you on an emotional rollercoaster by making you hate one week- the same person you will love the next. You become emotionally involved with the "characters" and therefore- you tune in each week- and ABC has successfully created brand loyalty.

I do not think that the producers attempt to highlight one girl and then downplay her the next week , or show her "spots", is totally dependent on what we say on the boards. I think they edit it that way without any regard to us and I think they have always done so. They have to do this to put the non- sleuthing viewers on the rollercoaster. Where the edit changes I am sure is in the bit they do at the end with the credits.

I assume they start editing before the season is even done taping (like we know they do on The Amazing Race.) I also assume they incorporate the roller coaster concept into the editing before one single episode has aired, much less any posters have posted.

Of course we all know that they edit out of context and misrepresent. We know that from the things the women say about one another. Didnt Tina have great things to say about Erin? We - the sleuthing and posting public - understand this. Remember, in the context of sleuthing, trying to breakdown the production manipulation does help.

I dont think that, in general, we are as nasty about the contestents here as on other boards. Sure, we call out the famewhores when we see them. Because many women temporarily leave boyfriends to go on the show to further a career in front of the camera. Particularly on Travis' season as I recall. I dont feel the least inhibited from pointing that out, and if it is going to hurt some aspiring actresses' feelings, then maybe she ought not be reading the boards. Ditto her family and friends.

As to the others, for example, Danielle. I think most/all of us have been very respectful of her situation regarding her late boyfriend. Some of us have said - Oh god why did she bring that up so early? But we say that because we want her to do well and it comes from worry. We know that if she mentioned it only twice over 8 weeks it would be a clear highlighted focus on the show twice. It's drama. And yes, we use it for sleuting purposes. What would ANdy think about that ? Would he feel he had to compete with her love for a dead man? Would he just feel empathy? Would it affect his choosing her whatsoever? I think we are justified in doing that sort of analysis. Again. If that is hurtful - then what the heck are these people doing on the boards?

As long as we are not being nasty, (though I think most of us were spot on about Princess Erica heinous attitudes for example) then I have no concerns about saying what I feel. I'm sorry Moana was so hurt, but it was first Travis, and then Fleiss who did it to her. Not the folks posting on the boards. I think we can all do better in terms of generally being respectful, and I will try harder, but I'm not going to say kind things about Stephanie SC just because her mom might be reading this. Context or not. And I'm not going to feel guilty about it either.

When you read the ABC contract on Smoking Gun that Trista had to sign, (page four of 17) it specifically says that they may relate info about me that may be "disparaging, embarrassing,... factual and/or fictional." We at the Fort understand that facts are being created. I do think that most of the general tv viewing public understands that what we see is not the whole story whenever we watch reality tv. It was kind of Moana to remind us.