“The Bachelorette” Ali Fedotowsky was hit with a bombshell on Monday night’s episode of the ABC reality series after learning that potential suitor Justin “Rated R” Rego had not one – but two – girlfriends back home.
Viewers watched as Ali angrily confronted Justin – after she received a phone call from his longtime girlfriend, Jessica, blowing the wannabe wrestler’s charade – prompting Justin to walk off the show as they filmed in Istanbul, Turkey.
One of the millions watching at home on Monday night was original “Bachelorette” Trista Sutter, who said she was crushed for Ali.
“I felt bad for her. I felt bad for everyone involved – especially the girlfriend and Ali, for someone to waste their time like that is completely disrespectful,” Trista told AccessHollywood.com on Tuesday. “Justin wasted everybody’s time and it was 100 percent not right to do what he did – especially considering the fact there are people there who are true in their emotions for Ali.”
As viewers watched Justin walk off the show, frantically trying to escape the cameras, producers played the audio of Justin’s voicemails to Jessica, which proved he had been calling and professing his love for her – and his plan to get famous while pretending to pursue Ali — while on the show.
“Genius!” Trista exclaimed of hearing the messages. “As a viewer, it was so satisfying to finally have someone who we know lied and couldn’t get out of it. Finally, they had proof that this guy was totally lying!”
So does Trista think Justin – who often touted his professional wrestling moniker “Rated R” while on the show — will soon be getting his 15 minutes of fame as he hoped?
“In the wrestling world, it’s not like you need to have a classy persona, at least from what I know,” Trista joked. “So maybe it will get people to come watch him. People are talking about him and they say any press is good press – but I don’t necessarily think even if you wanted publicity you’d want to be called all the names he’s being called today.”
Although Trista avoided scandal during her run as “The Bachelorette” – eventually finding love, and soon thereafter a family, with Ryan Sutter (who is currently training for 10 events this summer, including the Ironman triathlon in Lake Placid, to help benefit First Descents, a non-profit outdoor adventure cancer therapy organization — for more info, click here!), she admitted she would’ve loved the chance to tell one of her potential suitors off if they tried to pull a fast one.
“I was wishing the whole Justin thing happened during my season because I would’ve loved to just give it to him! It would’ve been so satisfying!” she concluded.
And now that Justin is gone, which of the remaining five finalists (although previews for upcoming episodes hint Frank will also come forward with a soon-to-be-revealed hidden relationship) does Trista think Ali might pick?
“I’m no good at predictions. The only person I think I’ve gotten right was Melissa [Rycroft, who was the winner on Jason Mesnick’s “Bachelor” season, before he dumped her for runner-up Molly Malaney],” Trista noted. “But you know how that ended.”
Fans can follow Trista on Twitter @tristasutter.
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