There are times when I question the effort and hours spent writing and maintaining this blog. I could, after all, just be a regular viewer of the show - enjoy it for what it is and then move on with my life. I'd be a less tired person doing her full time office job and simply watch with The Husband like the 20 other shows we enjoy. The blogging on the train, late night posts, pestering The Husband about when we're going to do our next Video Review - it's all exhausting. That said, there are a couple of things that immediately snap me back into being a Bachelor blogging obsessed fool. First off, I get contacted by some of the kindest folks out there who are fans of this blog. You guys keep me going, so thank you to all of the followers, readers and commenters of this blog!
Second, there are sometimes incredible side perks. Last season it was the Blue Bunny Ice Cream sponsored season premiere party. This season, it was something completely different. I have a strong appreciation for those who decide to turn their love of The Bachelor into a creative venture. Last week, The Husband and I had the privilege of being invited to the Upright Citizens Brigade in New York City to see Leila Cohan-Miccio and Caitlin Bitzegaio's "The Bachelor: Romance, Roses and Romance." The show, directed by Beth Appel, had two performances this month. When we arrived at the theater, we were told that seats had been roped off for us. Never in my life have I felt so VIP. Not only that, but we didn't have to wait on the long line in the cold weather with the rest of the theater-goers. Once we got our tickets, The Husband and I spent 20 minutes at the grocery store next door to the theatre killing time with me squealing, "We have roped off seats!" at random intervals in the bread aisle. When we arrived at our seats, we noticed several other roped off seats as well, including a pair with the name "Fedotowsky." This obviously caused quite the internal stirring in my brain - and as you will read below, Ms. Fedotowsky was in fact scheduled to attend the same performance, only it didn't work out. Would I have fainted, or what?
A satirical one-act comedy written by Ms. Cohan-Miccio and Ms. Bitzegaio, The Bachelor: Romance, Roses and Romance follows the top five contestants in a made up Bachelor season making their way through the cocktail party and rose ceremony. It hits on some of the most loved and ridiculous themes of The Bachelor - how crazy the women get, how competitive they can be and why on earth women continue to think they can find true love on national TV by dating a total stranger along with twenty something other contenders. The Husband and I laughed a ton and truly enjoyed the night out. I was able to ask Leila and Caitlin some questions about their writing, the show and thoughts on The Bachelor. Is it me, or is there some sort of unspoken family of Bachelor loyalists who you feel an instant connection with once you exchange views on the show? In any event, Leila and Caitlin are two bright, funny and creatively talented women. Here's what they had to say:
Q1: How did you guys meet and start writing together?
Leila: Caitlin and I met at an improv class (taught by Lennon Parham, whose show BFF debuts on NBC this Spring), but we didn't really become close until I asked her to direct my sketch show, This Is About Smith in late 2009. Afterward, Caitlin and I collaborated on a web comedy about a feminist magazine, which ended up being Vag Magazine, released last fall.
Q2: How did the idea of writing about The Bachelor come about?
Leila: Caitlin and I (along with others at the Upright Citizens Brigade) are obsessed. One day, it occured to me that we should write a show about it.
Caitlin: I didn't even watch The Bachelor before being friends with Leila, but since I trusted her reality TV instincts, I tuned in and have texted her 3500 times about the show.
Q3: What was the writing process for your show like?
Leila: We initially sat down and made a list of everything we thought was funny about the show, from the weird emphasis on personal tragedy to the fact that the Fantasy Suite cards are signed "Love, Chris."
Q4: Are there future plans for your show?
Leila: Yes! The New York run is continuing indefinitely for now - in February we'll be up in New York City again at 8 PM on Thursday, February 9th and at 9:30 PM on Thursday, February 16th. You can make reservations by clicking here. We're also hoping to take it to Los Angeles this spring. Not least, because Chris Harrison wants to see it.
Q5: How long have you been watching The Bachelor and why do you like this show so much?
Leila: I've been watching since the first Brad Womack season. As much as I'd like to pretend that it's ironic, it's obviously not, since I've been doing it for five years now. I love the train wreck aspects, but I also get genuinely emotionally invested (I'm still made Brad didn't pick Jenni Croft in that first season)
Caitlin: I only started watching during Ali Fedotowsky's season of The Bachelorette because of peer pressure.
Q6: Why do you think people are so entranced by this show to make it last 10 years and going?
Leila: It's just such an effective format. Whether you're watching for the right reasons (as the contestants themselves might say) or not, you're going to be entertained.
Caitlin: I think there's a spectrum of Bach viewership from completely intense genuine belief in the romance of it to people who just hate-watch and everyone can find a place on that spectrum.
Q7: Who is your favorite Bachelor and Bachelorette and why?
Leila: I love to hate Jake Pavelka (in an early version of this show, Caitlin and I had a running joke about him being a serial killer), but my all-time favorite dude on any iteration of the show is Chris Lambton from Ali's season. He is the dreamiest - and being from Cape Cod doesn't hurt. Ali is totally my favorite Bachelorette - she was actually planning to come to last week's performance, but it didn't work out.
Caitlin: I like Ali as well. She seemed relatively drama-free and says things like "I get to go on a lot of dates with cute boys! Yay!" Favorite Bachelor is hard; they all kinda creep me out in some way.
Q8: Do you have a routine for currently watching The Bachelor?
Leila: One of us usually watches it live and live-tweets @RomanceRosesUCB
Q9: Are you watching this season with Ben? What do you think of the women?
Leila: Oh G-d, this season might be my favorite yet! It is so insane. Ben doesn't seem like he actually likes any of them, except possibly Kacie B and Courtney, which is fun as a train wreck. I don't think he finds love.
Caitlin: I think the women are there for "the right reasons," which is to say getting free wine and travel.
Q10: What do you think about Emily Maynard being the next Bachelorette?
Leila: I think all those dudes who went on Ashley's season hoping it would be Emily are going to be real mad. She seems lovely, though, so it's a good choice.
Caitlin: I am excited. I actually think it sort of overshadows Ben's season. Guys are gaga for Emily, so it should be fun.
Q11: Anything else you want to share with fans of the show?
Leila: Please accept this rose and begin this journey with us and come check out our February shows! We're here for the right reasons!
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