For two weeks, we have waited for the answer to this question: Would Clayton become the first Bachelor to revoke a rose? Now, we know. After finding out that Cassidy was in some sort of friends-with-benefits-type situation back home that was, supposedly, going on up until she joined The Bachelor, Clayton decided to give her the boot, even though she had received a rose during the group date.
Here's how it went down:
Last week, Sierra told Clayton that Cassidy told her that she had a friend-with-benefits, who would be waiting to hang out with her when she got back from filming. A flashback clip showed Cassidy talking about this. (An excellent use of a flashback clip from a show that doesn't employ them often, I must say.)
So, this week, Clayton confronts Cassidy, and she initially denies being involved with any man she's interested in at all since the summer of 2019. She then says that she has a friend, "who does not want a relationship," so she had "no interest in resuming that relationship, because I knew it wasn’t going anywhere."
But, the next thing you know, she's admitting to something more during a second convo with Clayton. "There’s a guy I slept with a few times over the course of the past few months, who knows I'm here," she says. "But from the minute I met you all I have done is gush about how I'm already falling into... something with you."
I, personally, do not see any issue with someone coming on to The Bachelor, who has slept with someone over the past few months. Or, heck, even over the past few weeks. But, there do seem to be some inconsistencies in Cassidy's story. As Clayton sees it, he's lost trust in her, because she initially denied everything and then changed her tune. "What I'm concerned about is our trust already being shaken," he says. And, with that, she's shocked to find out she going home.
This marks the first time a lead has taken back a rose on The Bachelor. The closest previous situation happened during season 14, which starred Jake Pavelka. On that season, a contestant was kicked off the show when it was alleged that she hooked up with a producer, which she denied. The contestant was kicked off the show — but not by the Bachelor himself, though he did get the rose back.
Our new host, Jesse Palmer, nearly took back a rose during his time as the Bachelor on season 5. He called out the wrong woman's name during a rose ceremony, and after discussing the mistake with Chris Harrison, they decided to offer her the option to stay on the show, if she would like, even though she would have been going home. She decided to stay and "see how things go," but was just about to hand her rose in.
Now that rose-revoking is on the table, does this mean that anything goes? Should a contestant still feel safe if they get a rose? Will taking back a rose become more common? Judging by Clayton's little speech to the group after Cassidy left, the show wants to make clear that roses are still very serious business.
"It was very hard to take back the rose. It makes me sick to my stomach," Clayton says extremely dramatically. "When I hand out these roses they mean a lot. They mean a strong connection is being made." Okay, then!
Image: ABC