There's an unwritten Bachelor rule that you don't mention how the dynamics in the house might play on national television. The women last week didn't call Victoria Larson a "villain," a word fans use during seasons, they accused her of bullying. But Week 5 of Matt James' season, that all changed when Jessenia Cruz's confrontation with MJ Snyder turned The Bachelor into an episode of The Office by breaking the fourth wall and (hopefully) earning her a spot on Bachelor in Paradise.
The epic moment occurred at the end of the episode, when MJ and Jessenia found themselves on a surprise 2-on-1 pre-cocktail party. Apparently, Matt was unsure of who to believe after Jessenia accused MJ of participating in the toxic environment in the house and MJ denied it, saying she stood for "harmony and love" and believed she "led by example" (whatever that means). But the standard Bachelor fight came to a screeching halt when Jessenia dropped this truth bomb: "You'll find out the truth when this all airs. And so will he."
MJ tried to brush off the comment, but Jessenia knew she nailed it. How do I know? She looked right into the camera, smirked, and giggled. That's right: Jessenia straight up pulled a Jim Halpert, and Bachelor Nation loved her for it.
Jessenia's face says it all. It's the face of a woman confident that that the producers have all the footage they need to show how complicit MJ was in the "J.V. vs. Varsity" feud. The face of a woman who knows that, even if Matt doesn't believe her now, he will once he watches the show back. It's a rare instance of a contestant seemingly thinking ahead, which is why fans loved it so much.
There's a strange thing that happens to people when they enter the Bachelor house. All of a sudden, the only post-show future imaginable is leaving the show engaged and in love and not the potential tarnishing of a contestant's public reputation in the real world. But Jessenia's Jim moment proves she's acutely aware that this will all be on television, and she knows how she wants to come across.
It's honestly refreshing to see a contestant, especially one who hasn't had any real one-on-one time with the lead, be aware of their reputation on the show and how valuable it can be. Let's face it: Jessenia is probably not going to get the final rose. If Matt can't even bring himself to trust what she said about MJ after he unceremoniously sent Anna Redman and Victoria packing, then odds are he's not falling in love with Jessenia. She seems aware of that, to a certain extent, which is why she's looking out for her future. As she should be.
If there's anything we've learned about the inner-workings of The Bachelor, it's that after the show, you're on your own. You have to deal with the fallout of your actions, the heated fan reactions, the online hate. Chris Harrison won't help you. You have to help yourself.
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Image: ABC/Craig Sjodin