On Monday night’s episode of “The Bachelorette,” Maine’s Ashley Hebert demonstrated a crucial component of reality TV romance: Heartbreak heals pretty quickly when cameras are rolling.

In last week’s episode of the hit ABC show, Hebert was seen falling hard for Bentley (last names aren’t used on the show) even though he repeatedly told the camera he had no feelings for her.

Later, Bentley told Hebert he was withdrawing from the show. Hebert, 27, spent much of the rest of the episode crying and lamenting Bentley’s departure – though she did go on a date with J.P., a construction manager from New York City, and did some fairly passionate kissing.

Then, as Monday’s episode began, Hebert talked again of the hurt the experience with Bentley had left her feeling.

“I don’t know if I can make anyone happy. … I do think a lot about Bentley. I don’t know if I can forget him,” said Hebert, a native of Madawaska. “The other guys probably feel neglected.”

Not for long they didn’t. Within minutes of the episode’s opening, Hebert was seen announcing she was taking the 12 remaining men (25 started the season on May 23) on a trip to Thailand. On her first date in Thailand, she was seen taking a romantic moonlight beach walk, arm in arm with a restaurant owner from Georgia named Constantine.

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“I’m still thinking about Bentley, but there is definite chemistry between Constantine and I,” Hebert said midway through the date. “I think I’ve gotten a little of my heart back.”

The second date in Thailand was a “group date,” in which Hebert and 10 men helped renovate an orphanage. On the night of that outing, Hebert was seen with J.P., kissing again.

“Kissing J.P. is magical, the best kisses I’ve had here by far,” Hebert said into the camera. “J.P. is one sexy man. That shaved head? Mmmm.”

Her third date of the episode was with Ames, a portfolio manager from New York City, who Hebert said “blew me away.”

“He’s the type of man I want to be with,” Hebert said of Ames.

Later, she praised all but one of the men on the episode. “There are 11 men here I could see myself with.”

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The man she ended up sending home at the end of the two-hour episode was West, a lawyer from South Carolina who had talked to Hebert about the death of his wife.

“Since my wife passed this is the first time I put myself out there,” West said into the camera. “Ashley may have had the wrong impression, she may have thought I wasn’t ready.”

Hebert earned her chance to star in “The Bachelorette” by finishing third on ABC’s “The Bachelor” earlier this year. On that show, she competed for a marriage proposal from one man. On this show, she’ll get to pick the one man out of 25 she might want to marry.

The finale of “The Bachelorette” is scheduled to air Aug. 1.

Though she already has had two stints on reality TV this year, Hebert may get a third. Hebert is now rumored to be in line for a role on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” this fall.

Reality TV blogs have been reporting that ABC is talking to Hebert about “Dancing,” but Amy Astley, a publicist for the show, said Monday “we don’t comment on casting rumors.”

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Hebert said before “The Bachelorette” aired that she was not considering a career in entertainment and definitely would go into dentistry. She said she is nearing the end of her coursework in dental school at the University of Pennsylvania.

 

Staff Writer Ray Routhier can be contacted at 791-6454 or at: rrouthier@pressherald.com

 


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