Tag Archives: Hailey Clark

Ready for Love: Week two introduces Ernesto!

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Part One: Ernesto Arguello

First off, let me say I didn’t expect to fall for Ernesto Arguello, a Texan of Cuban and Nicaraguan descent who lives in Miama, as hard as I did while watching episode two. I kept thinking what an awesome Bachelor he would have made (Sorry NBC!). The man is philanthropic (He and his brother build houses for people in third world countries), handsome (even with a farmer’s tan), and charismatic. His sister and mother talk about him like he’s a god and describe him as loyal, AND he’s never said I love you to a woman. That last part could be a red flag, but watching him with his family and the ladies on their date, it seems like it’s more about his need to find someone real and sincere, as well as beautiful.

The matchmakers (Amber, Matthew, and Tracy) did well picking women that he would mesh with and the only girl I was sad to see go in the initial round was Elizabeth Cappella. The overall favorite seemed to be Alba Reyes (former Ms. Puerto Rica 2004) who broke out her Spanish and won him over. One girl he sent home actually brought a frog. They really speeded through the first round this time. I almost think they don’t need it.

The group date was building a house which was actually a lot more interesting than last episode’s concert and singing challenge with Tim Lopez. The girls were assigned various tasks and it was pretty easy to pick out a few he had chemistry with. He has some cute moments with some of the girls like when he was painting on Kristen Sikorski but the clip that stood out the most for me was the one with Shandi Finnessy and Alba. I think they both may go far!

The next step involved the matchmakers choosing one of their women for Ernesto to get one on one time with. Amber chooses Shandi (former Ms. USA 2004), Matt picks Mandy Wagner(whose twin Allie also makes it out of the first round with bachelor Ben), and Tracy picks Victoria Mora, a fiery, competitive chica who didn’t come off as well as she might have on the group date.

Of course, there is a hot tub waiting for Ernie (as his sister called him) and the three women – it’s a dating show. However, Victoria throws a curve ball when she refuses to disrobe saying she’s not comfortable with that. Ernesto says he respects that and she stays in her big white robe and throws attitude. After a while, he asks Shandi to jacuzzi where they discuss their mutual love of kids, the sacredness of wedding vows, and their faith. Looks like another notch in Shandi’s belt.

Matt’s advice to Mandi is to physically create a moment to remember. She does this by getting in the cold pool and then asking Ernesto for body heat. After this ploy they switch to hot tub where he tells her likes her attitude and feels they’re on the same page.

His time with Victoria doesn’t go well, although I don’t think she noticed. He told her he likes her confidence and attitude but that he feels she’s uncomfortable. She discusses boobs and butts hanging out (amazing the matchmakers don’t point this out considering the flack they gave Hailey for saying fart!). He again says “I respect that” as she continues to complain about the other girls.

As the one on one time ends he says he has concerns for the matchmakers!

In the group review the Matchmakers like that Shandi didn’t bring house drama to date and that Mandy took Matt’s advice, but Tracy gives Victoria heck for not holding back on her competitiveness and being self-centered. The matchmakers have a little conflict regarding Victoria’s refusal to disrobe and airing her feelings of awkwardness. Matthew says her behavior labeled her as “drama queen for life” in Ernesto’s mind.

They also bring up the conflict between Shandi and Olivia Matti, which we’re sure to see more of in the future. Shandi has the maturity edge and Tracy says a woman that can’t get along with other women will make a rotten partner.

For Elimination:
Tracy picks Victoria for all the reasons listed above.
Amber picks Erica for not bringing out her voice as she asked.
Matt picks Kristen because he sees a brother/sister vibe and he wants to see her get sexier.

Ernesto is diplomatic and loves everyone but likes the fun side and optimism of Kristen so she’s safe.

Erica and Victoria go to the pods to go the garden with Ernesto. We are dramatically reminded that only one will come back up while Ernesto does the sign of the cross on the way down! Ernesto is grateful they came and he admits to not knowing much about Erica. He tells Victoria that he admired her beliefs. She aks for his understanding because she was adjusting to the process and the women.

Theirs an awful moment when Erica says Victoria’s not there for the right reason and I seriously wish that he would send them both home at this point! He keeps Erica – not a shocker. Victoria looks like she could kill Erica! Like, she’s seriously scary. But she says it’s just not her, meaning the show.

Part Two: Bachelor Ben – coming soon!

NBC’s “Ready for Love” – To watch or not to watch?

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As nine o’clock Tuesday evening approaches, I’m faced with the choice of staying up after The Voice to watch Ready for Love or turning in early for some usually much needed shut eye. After watching episode one, I think I’m ready to give it a second look. I like the twist NBC decided to put on their new foray into the reality dating business. Using professional matchmakers to pick the women the men can choose from gives it a fresh feel, and the matchmakers themselves (Amber Kelleher-Andrews, Tracy McMillan, and Matthew Hussey) have loads of charisma. Bill and Giuliana Rancic, a happily married couple with reality TV cred, host the show that will feature three bachelors looking for love.

Tuesday night we met Tim Lopez, lead singer from the Plain White Tees (think “Hey There Delilah”), whose divorce from his high school sweetheart over her inability to deal with his music career has left him heartbroken but ready to love again. I’ll admit, from the previews I thought we’d meet all three bachelors that night, but they seem to be alternating hotties.

Each matchmaker picked four girls for Tim to choose from in a blind audition a`la The Voice.

Amber Kelleher-Andrews, a gorgeous and highly successful matchmaker who they showed with her perfect husband and children on horseback, seemed to pick the most real girls, especially Hailey Clark, a 31 year-old elementary school art teacher from Florida who caught Tim’s attention by quoting Dumb and Dumber. I was surprised he kept Siham Bengoua, but she won him over with her french accent and poetry. He also kept 30 year-old Sara Lavagnino. Sara won him over with her sincere and touching revelation that she had lost her fiance of three years to skin cancer. Tim connected with her sense of loss and we were on to round two with another four girls chosen by Matthew Hussey.

The three girls Tim kept from Matthew’s group included the surprise contestant, Leah Trogan, a 27 year-old make-up artist who had a “past” with Tim. At this point it seemed like maybe they had hooked up before, but she sold her story as an “I’ve never told him how I really feel” type story and he decided to keep her so… His other choices, 27 year-old Danielle Duff (divorced after nine and a half years of marriage – say whaaaat???) and 31-year-old Taonaya Fleury weren’t all that memorable.

Tracy McMillan might be my favorite matchmaker for her simple, brash style. She made some great picks, and Sarah Moore, a 28 year-old graduate student from North Carolina, could be a sleeper contender. She was joined by 25 year-old Christina Rigaud of New Orleans. A classically trained pianist, she’s also breathtakingly sexy with eyes that most women would die for. Tim’s final pick to round out his nine ladies was the cute, fun-loving, 23 year-old Jenna Reeves from Austen, Texas.

Next up: Date Night

Of course it wouldn’t be reality love without a group date, and Tim’s starts out just the way a rock star’s group date should. The nine ladies are treated to a performance from The Plain White Tees. After they are sufficiently dazed by his semi-celebrity, he has them show off some of their musical skills by creating and singing some lyrics. I have to say I didn’t really enjoy this segment. It was too polished. Most of the girls voices were better than average, and when they all just happened to hear Leah’s (previous hook-up girl) conversation with Tim because a mike was left on? Well, we got staged drama at its best.

Later each matchmaker chose someone for Tim to have one on one time with. Then, on the show, the girls are critiqued on their dating skills. My favorite as of now, Hailey Clark, went first. Hailey and Tim seemed to have genuine chemistry and their banter was so fun to watch. Matchmaker Amber later critiqued the fact that Hailey answered the dreaded “What’s your most embarrassing moment?” question in a way that included the word fart. Apparently you are never, ever supposed to use this word in front of a man. I don’t know what Amber was watching, but Tim loved Hailey’s honesty and humor.

Matthew sent him off with Danielle Duff who proceeded to let him know she had a “list” of 50 qualities she was looking for in a mate. She also mentioned she’d put the list out into the universe. She was appropriately critiqued regarding making Tim feel inadequate. If he has 25 of the qualities (which she said he did) then that meant he started out in the hole! Don’t look for Danielle to stick around long; their chemistry was less than sparkling.

Matchmaker Tracy chose the sexy Christian Rigaud for one on one time with Tim and she made her time count! Bonding over music, she worked her eyes to the best of her ability and it was obvious he fell for it. She’s not going anywhere soon.

The Final Act
To close the show, each matchmaker had to put up one of their three women and Tim had to send one girl home. Amber put up Hailey for the “fart” debacle. Matthew chose Leah (who didn’t answer when asked point blank by host Giuliana Rancic if she’d been intimate with Tim before) to see if Tim was serious about giving her a chance. Tracy picked Sarah Moore, the quiet, dark-haired girl who had apparently been too nice in defending Leah to the other girls. Again, the matchmakers think you have to be cut-throat to get a man.

To almost no one’s surprise, Tim sent Leah packing and kept Hailey and Sarah.

In short: Good, if slightly crazy and out of touch matchmakers, hot bachelors, and some really good women who actually have chemistry with Tim! I’ll be back.

http://www.nbc.com/ready-for-love/contestants/