Bachelorette Hot and Cold feat. Elyse Dehlbom: Some well-deserved love for Riley

Hot & Cold is a weekly look at which direction our Bachelorette contestants are trending, this week, featuring The Bachelor season 23’s Elyse Dehlbom.

This season’s teased drama was on full display in the third episode of Clare’s Bachelorette journey. While most of the focus was on the connection between Clare and Dale, this edition of hot & cold gives you a (perhaps much needed) break from their relationship.

This week, we’re joined by the amazing and beautiful Elyse Dehlbom, from season 23 of The Bachelor, who gave us one of the most iconic Bachelor exits of all time. Elyse is back at work in Arizona but has been following Clare’s season of The Bachelorette.

She brings a unique perspective on this season’s most controversial contestant, so let’s start there.

Cold: Yosef

Elyse: “Does this even need to be said? Yosef, Yosef, Yosef! He wasn’t even on the dodgeball date! While he certainly and understandably could have negative opinions about the stripping, he’s giving Clare too much credit. Does he sincerely think every date is her idea? As if there isn’t a team of people coming up with them?”

Bruin: “I’ve been saying this since that date – There’s no way all of those guys went out to play dodgeball in matching thongs. This whole idea was obviously not Clare’s.”

Elyse: “IF he had been on the date, he might have noticed she also handled it very gracefully when someone was not comfortable removing their shorts.”

The strip dodgeball date was a hot topic for fans, who were split between it being fun and inappropriate. Clare took the brunt of the blame from some, though, which was definitely misdirected. If you watch the scene a second time, you can see Clare reassuring some of the men that they don’t have to strip. Yosef, who saw none of what happened, took his displeasure to another level.

Elyse: “When Yosef began his ‘speech,’ Clare was trying to connect with his expression about the sacrifice of leaving the people you love to be on the show. When she told him that she was sacrificing time with her ill mother, HE CUT HER OFF! There was not one momentary pause in what can only be called his impending tirade to show empathy to someone who confided in something deeply tragic.”

Yosef made his daughter a point of reference throughout his talk with Clare, stating that he gave up time with his daughter to be taken seriously, not for strip dates. When Clare very gracefully tried to navigate the conversation, he wasn’t having it.

Elyse:  “When I tell you I was shocked – my jaw Hit. The. Floor! At that moment, it became clear he had NO intention of approaching this conversation as a concerned potential partner, nope! Yosef was on the attack and wanted to be sure his voice was the ONLY one heard.”

Bruin: “I couldn’t agree more. There was a shift in the conversation where he went from a somewhat legitimate concern to being a full-blown jerk. 90% of what he said was mean and unnecessary and he wasn’t hearing a single explanation Clare was trying to give.”

Elyse: “Good riddance, Yosef. I, for one, won’t miss you.”

Hot: Riley

Elyse: “It was difficult to choose a stand-out, as this episode was so centered around the connection between Dale and Clare, but I am giving my pick to Riley. GIVE THIS MAN SCREEN TIME!”

From the limited interactions we’ve seen between Clare and Riley, there’s been nothing but positive vibes. The 30-year-old attorney from New York is quickly starting to gain momentum as a potential front-runner for Tayshia’s take-over.

Elyse: “In past episodes, he seems earnest, doesn’t involve himself in the nonsensical drama, can laugh at himself – And anyone that can reference the greatness that was Boys II Men in the ’90s is a winner in my book!”

Though Clare has had her heart set on Dale since the beginning, Riley has been one of the men who were able to advance, at least somewhat, their relationship with Clare. And listen, if you are upset at Clare for not respecting the traditional Bachelorette process, remember the reason she is here – to find love. If she has that with Dale, then we should all be happy for her (and excited for Tayshia).

Elyse: “I have a runner up pick as well. Clare, speaking out for all women in their 30’s (like myself) with her crowning line: ‘because we don’t settle for MEN. LIKE. THAT!’ I hear you loud and clear, Clare! Everyone’s path to ‘happily ever after,’ is different, and if you are still on that search in your 30’s that is NOT a reflection of your worth! Perhaps we just have to kiss a few extra toads along the way before we meet the right partner for us.”

Due to election coverage, The Bachelorette airs at a special time, next Thursday at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC. 

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