ASHLEY *No Spoilers*

[Arielflies]

A native of Madawaska, Maine, Ashley is the youngest of three siblings. An academic scholar, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of Maine with a BS in biology. A love of dance fueled many of Ashley's successes. She was Maine's 2002 Junior Miss and went on to compete in America's Junior Miss, where she received a scholarship for the fitness portion of the competition. She was the captain of the dance team in college and also worked in an after-school program teaching dance. Since the fall of 2007, Ashley has attended University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and will graduate in May with a 3.96 GPA and the degree of DMD, Doctor of Dental Medicine. She still teaches dance: ballet, jazz and hip hop.

Ashley loves her family, including her nieces, nephew and her dog, Boo. Her most romantic date would consist of a night staying in with her guy, a bottle of wine, music and a roaring fireplace. Which one of the bachelors will she meet on the series to share that perfect scenario with her? Ashley can't wait to find out.

[maryhse]

She's petite and cute but that voice just makes me want to mute her from time to time.

[Arielflies]

Congratulations, Ashley, on receiving your degree...or should I say Dr. Hebert.

[glasshouse]

She's my favorite bachelorette so far- smart, driven, she has a lot of things going for her and yet she seems like such a genuinely nice person. Hope things work out for her.

[carriealexander]

Ashley is growing on me more and more. She is so cute and spunky this season, obviously she has her insecurities like they all do but I have high hopes for her!

[cantstopwatchin]

Ashley is growing on me more and more. She is so cute and spunky this season, obviously she has her insecurities like they all do but I have high hopes for her!

I'm wondering if a lot of Ashley's insecurities stem from the rumor that Emily was F2 last season and she knew that everyone expected Emily to be the next Bachelorette. It wasn't a secret who was supposedly F1, so she knew all the guys believed, as they were being interviewed, that they'd be meeting Emily. [That said, CH did say that all the guys knew it was Ashley before they met her.]

So... there poor Ashley was all during Brad's season, hearing that Emily was being prepped for the Bachelorette through her edit and all the blogs calling it for her when, all of a sudden, she's offered the gig. That'd make me more than a little nervous too.

I'm not looking forward to tonight. To see from the previews that she's going to be given a hard time from both Bentley and William, that would prob. put a lot of us over the edge too. Ugh.

[fireflyer]

I didn't know much about Ashley, just recognized her from last season and thought she was not really the type to carry the "Bachelorette" show. I've only seen a couple of her episodes but I don't really find her that appealing.

I was surprised to read her bio (at the top of this thread) which really makes her sound like she has a lot on the ball. So I'm having a hard time joining the impression of Ashley as dumb/naive with the impression I read here (smart/accomplished). Which is she?

Also, I don't mean to make anyone angry by this, but I'm surprised the producers would pick such a flat-chested girl to carry the lead role. I wish that comment didn't sound so sexist. But the fact is that many men like a woman with a bosom, so the odds are against the Bachelorette from the start if she doesn't have all the typical female characteristics. I know some guys prefer butts, and some don't really care about appearances at all, but what are the odds that ALL 25 men will be attracted to a flat-chested woman? Seems like the show would've planned something with better odds.

[fireflyer]

P.S. Why WASN'T Emily chosen as Bachelorette?

[imissme]

This season is DULL. Ashley cant even be saved from being dull by producer driven tactics such as masks, idiots, and Bentleys. I can not watch anymore. I will tune in for the FRC just because I want to know who she is going to dump in the upcoming months. YAWN.

[Arielflies]

P.S. Why WASN'T Emily chosen as Bachelorette?

Because she was wearing Brad's engagement ring at the time they cast the show. Chantal also wasn't chosen because she found a boyfriend right after she got home and was still involved at the time they cast The Bachelorette. Ashley, at F3 was the next option and she had the heartbreak backstory (she loved Brad, or so she says) Oh, Shawtel, the F4 also had a boyfriend when they cast.