Bachelorette 2: Blondes Rule

Introduction

Blondes really had more fun on ABC's most recent edition of The Bachelorette starring 30 year old Meredith Phillips. When it got down to the final two bachelor hunks, the ABC's second bachelorette picked two flaxen haired hotties.

(Image of Meredith Phillips & Ian McKee from ABC - Craig Sjodin - all rights reserved).

While Ian McKee and Matthew Hickl were both blondes, that is where any obvious similarities ended. Just as Trista from Bachelorette #1 and Meredith from Bachelor #2 were as different as night and day, Ian and Matthew were complete opposites.

As Meredith commented during the two hour finale "do I go for the stability and the warmth and the protection, or do I go for the adventure, the unstable, passionate guy?"

Former star college athletic Matthew Hickl was the stable part of Meredith's lament, while currently unemployed investment banker Ian McKee had the unstable, but passionate label.

As close to 12 million viewers watched, make-up artist/model Meredith shocked the carefully coifed Matthew when she told him a tearful good-bye in favor of the eternally tousled playful Ian.

(Image of Meredith Phillips & Texas salesman Matthew Hickl from ABC - Craig Sjodin - all rights reserved).

Although it seemed like Matthew was a shoe-in to win the final rose, there were some nagging indicators, starting from the very first episode, that all was not as it seemed.

From the very first moment of the show when Meredith met Ian and playfully reached over and spontaneously adjusted his tie, there seemed to be a very special connection between the two strangers. Even when Ian neglected to introduce Meredith to his parents, promised his brother that he would never propose and staunchly maintained his need for privacy, it was obvious that Meredith was a goner.

Although I admired the dashingly coiffed looks of Ian, I was personally rooting for the clean cut curly haired Matthew to walk away with brunette beauty Meredith.

(Image of Meredith & Ian during Ian's Marriage Proposal from ABC - Craig Sjodin - all rights reserved).

OK, sure, Matthew is from Texas and I admit to regional prejudice, but he was a true Southern Gentlemen. If you had any doubts about Matthew's good guy charms, replay his graceful handling of the Meredith rejection. How many men who had been told in no uncertain terms that a proposal was desired from them, would have been so gracious when they were dumped on national TV just a few days later?

Even though Meredith specifically told Matthew that she wanted a ring from him after the visit with her parents, she did a 180 turn and selected Ian instead.

Unfortunately for Matthew, Meredith was blinded by love for Ian and chose the dashing New Yorker to receive an impromptu tie adjustment, her heart and the final rose.

Summary

Never say never was the morale of Bachelorette #2. As part of the surprise ending Ian broke his promise to his brother, dropped to one knee and presented Meredith with the gorgeous engagement ring he had picked out. After much hugging, kissing and tears of joy, Bachelorette #2 was over.

But never fear, a new Bachelor is waiting in the win to feed the insatiable reality romance needs of millions of addicted viewers (yours truly included). Which begs answers to the following questions.

(Image of Rick - (ABC/BOB D'AMICO - all rights reserved).

1. Will Meredith & Ian live happily ever? 2. Will Ian overcome his need for privacy and succumb to another Bachelorette wedding extravanza ala Trista and Ryan? 3. Will Matthew return as a future bachelor with even better tresses?

and finally, will Rick (shown above), the self proclaimed Metrosexual with great hair, hold onto his Bachelorette title?

Stay tuned as all the answers will be revealed soon on ABC.

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