Here is the full transcript of the interview with Amber T. as promised!
Question: So let’s start from the beginning. Why did you want to be on the show?
Amber Tierney: Why did I want to be on the show? Actually, I kind of did it on a whim. I went with my friend, who’s this huge fan of the show, and she was going and she – we kind of talked and she was telling me, “You should go,” and I was like I kind of questioned it at first. I didn’t know if I really wanted to, and she kind of talked me into it, and I was like, well, I really don’t have anything to lose. So I decided to go, and then it was a good experience from there, so.
Question: And did you – had you seen The Bachelorette with Ben? Did you know who he was, and were you happy he was the Bachelor?
Amber Tierney: I actually did not. I watched the first and the last episode of The Bachelorette, so I knew a little bit about him prior to going on, when I did find out he was the Bachelor. I was happy to hear that he was, and I just learned more about him through ABC is where I found out more information about him.
Question: So, based on your interviews (inaudible) a shoo-in to get a rose, and I was really surprised that you didn’t get one. Were you surprised?
Amber Tierney: You know, I was a little surprised. I was a little bit disappointed as well just because I did see that Jenna had got a rose, and it kind of made me question, I guess, Ben’s intentions at that point in time. But then I realized that – I kind of reflected on it and realized that she was pretty fragile at that time and that he didn't really want to hurt her anymore, so. I was a little surprised, though.
Question: It’s always interesting to see what everyone does on the first night to get his attention. Was there anyone in particular who really shocked you?
Amber Tierney: You know, I didn't see – I didn’t see a lot of what went on between Jenna and Monica. I was – excuse me – I was pretty shocked with how upset that she did get, and she was just a little bit emotionally unstable. But, then again, it's a really long night of shooting and everyone's tired, so emotions can definitely be a little bit more exaggerated in that situation.
Question: So from the start, you know, obviously people have, you know, girls in their mind that they think will win. Who – which, you know, are a couple of girls that you thought stood out and that Ben really liked from the get go? Was it Courtney or was it maybe Kacie?
Amber Tierney: You know, I did see that he made a comment about Courtney being beautiful. And so, you know, I could see possibly she's one of his favorites. I'm wondering, once he gets to know her if – you know, her – she just seemed a little cold to me. But one of my favorites was actually Nicki. She's from – she’s from Texas, and I felt like they had a connection. I also thought he kind of had a connection with Kacie.
Question: Yes. Very cute. And also what was the girls’ take on Jenna, the blogger? I mean, we couldn’t – you know, watching at home, we couldn’t tell if she maybe had a couple too many glasses of wine or if she was just a little, you know, just too emotional. What was your take on her?
Amber Tierney: You know, I honestly did not see everything that happened in the – in the situation when I was there. You know, personally, I kind of thought that she was a little bit of a hot mess, you know? She got a little emotional. But, like I said, it – everyone – you know, it was a long night and everyone's tired and, you know, emotions are high. And, you know, drinking is involved. So she could have had, you know, a couple, you know, too many drinks as well.
Question: So we saw kind of a lot more gimmicks than normal. I mean, the horse, the grandma, you know, poems, raps. Do you feel like, A) you wish that – you know, you regret not having sort of more of a gimmick? I mean, maybe a plate of beef nuts or, you know, bringing your grandma for him?
Amber Tierney: You know, I guess I probably could have brought some. But, yes, you know, there was a lot of stuff going on and a lot of people were kind of trying to show their personalities and try to find a connection with him.
But, you know, I'm more – I’m just more lighthearted. I liked to joke around, and so I thought kind of with talking and saying something that I thought might surprise him at the beginning would be more my personality. Though I thought, you know, I was thinking probably the beef nuts probably would have – might have scared him away, but.
Question: It might have. It might have backfired anyway.
Amber Tierney: Yes. Yes.
Question: So, I just want to know, like, do you have any insight as to why you might have been eliminated? Like did you think you were forming a connection with Ben or no? And basically what reasoning do you think went into his decision to let you go so early on?
Amber Tierney: You know, I still really don't know. I think that he has a little bit of time to talk – to try and get to know, or form some sort of connection with, 25 girls. I didn't have any one-on-one time with him and, as you saw with the first episode, the one-on-one time that I did get, he was blindfolded.
So, you know, we didn't really get a chance to form a connection or have chemistry. The only meeting we had was that initial meeting. So, you know, I think that if we – if we would have got some time together, my personality would have definitely shined through and I might not have been eliminated, so.
Question: So when Ben greeted you outside the limo, he seemed to find your double entrance in which you told him you were giving him a second chance at finding love at first sight pretty endearing and cute. Plus, it became known that Ben appreciates a little corniness anyway.
So it seemed like you guys hit it off at first, but, you know, since you are a game hunter and Ben might have possibly found that a little intimidating or maybe out of his comfort zone or something, you know, how much of a role do you think your hobby played in his decision to eliminate you?
Amber Tierney: You know, I'm not sure. I can see that it could possibly be intimidating, just because it's something that generally is more masculine, maybe. But, the thing is, is that with hunting and doing that sort of – it's a hobby, so it can definitely be intimidating to some guys. Not where I'm from. Guys love that kind of stuff, but I could see where that would be intimidating to him.
Question: So, in your final words, you said you were upset because your parents felt you had wasted time on something, and this would have been your moment to do something for yourself. It was something along those lines.
Could you talk a little bit about what you meant by that? Like, what exactly were they referring to, and is it considered kind of unusual to yourself to kind of put yourself first in a given situation, or what was behind that?
Amber Tierney: I think that I was really excited about the experience and I was hoping to learn more about Ben, and I think that my whole family and my friends, they were really excited about the experience and I kind of felt like I sold myself short a little bit. And I think that, you know, if given another chance, I probably would have been a little bit more assertive in the situation.
But it was more about the experience. I really wanted to – I thought it was a great opportunity, a great experience, and I didn't really get to have – I wasn't there very long, obviously.
Jennifer Matarese: Hey, so I know you said you didn’t get like a one-on-one time with Ben, but did you get any chance to talk to him at all? And what did you get to say to him?
Amber Tierney: Actually, I didn't get a chance to talk to him at all. It was really that initial meeting and then sitting in on – sitting in on him blindfolded, so…
Jennifer Matarese: You didn’t – I thought you could like strike up a conversation while he was sitting there?
Amber Tierney: You know, the thing is that there is – there’s 25 girls, and they are – you know, they are fighting for him and they – you know, everyone's aggressive and everybody, you know, he tries to find time to spend with everybody.
And with kind of the drama going on with Jenna and Monica and that, that kind of took time away from the other girls getting to know him, because he tried to be a mediator in that situation, and so, that's why I think that some of the girls didn't get any time at all.
Jennifer Matarese: And, looking back, do you wish that maybe, you know, you would have gone up to him while he was talking to somebody else and just like said, you know, some of the girls would say, “oh, can I steal you away for a few minutes” or something like that. Do you wish you would have done that or do you think it just wasn't meant to be? Like, if the circumstances would have been right, it would have worked out?
Amber Tierney: You know, I think initially there wasn't a whole lot of chemistry, but I think that if we would have had time to sit down and talk to each other, I think that that could have been different. I do wish that I would have been a little bit more assertive and I would have approached him and tried to have a conversation with him.
But it was – it was a pretty crazy night, and it isn't like me to really go and I guess interrupt and try to, I guess, do something that I wouldn't normally do, because that's not me. I guess I would normally just – like I'm just not the type of person that would go in there and do something to kind of make myself stand out, whether it’s negative – in a negative way, I guess, so.
Question: I was just wondering, in observing Ben, what was it that sort of gave you the impression that he was actually looking for a wife?
Amber Tierney: In observing him, honestly I guess I didn't get a whole lot of time to really get to know him. My initial impression was that he was a little bit maybe more into himself or into the drama than he was into getting to know all of the girls really well.
And, like I said, I wasn't there for a whole lot of time. I wasn't with him, you know, throughout the whole episode or throughout the whole filming, excuse me, so I'm not – I can't – that's kind of an assumption. You know, that was my observation.
Question: And do you – from what seen in the girls that he picked, do you think he’s giving the right girls a chance?
Amber Tierney: He can only go off of the conversations that he had that night. You know, the thing with me is – like I said, initially I kind of questioned his intentions and his character for picking Jenna because that seemed to me, if you're looking for a wife, that's not somebody you would choose, somebody that's not very stable and started causing drama already. But, then again, like I said, I kind of reflected on that, and she was fragile and I'm sure he didn't want to hurt her. But in looking for a wife, at that point in time, that’s not something that should really matter. As to, you know, you shouldn't necessarily feel bad about that and you should pick people that you truly could see yourself with. And so, I don't – I don’t think all of his choices are that – you know, I don't think that – I guess actually what I should say is that in the time he had, he made the best choice that he could. That's what I should say.
Question: Hi. So you did touch on the kind of gimmicks people used earlier in the call. I was wondering in particular what did you make of Lindzi arriving on her horse and then Brittney arriving with her grandmother? Were you thinking that was going to give them such an extra edge, or were you just kind of laughing along with it, thinking it was funny?
Amber Tierney: You know, with Lindzi riding in on her horse, I thought that was pretty clever. She definitely deserved that first impression rose. That was really neat.
You know, they did things that made them really stand out, so they're definitely going to have that extra edge for sure.
Question: And was there anything that you saw in any of the girls that we maybe didn't see during the show that would make you think they're going to kind of be the ones to watch this season? Maybe they’re going to be causing a lot of drama or that they’re going to be interesting for us to watch?
Amber Tierney: Well, with the – let's see here – you know, I think that I'm a really big fan of Nicki. I actually – I had a couple of conversations with her, and she was just a genuinely sweet girl. Though, at the same time, (inaudible) and I think that she'll voice her opinion and what she thinks.
So, if anybody gets in the way of what she wants, I think she'll let it be known how she feels and what she thinks. At the same time, she seemed like a really, really sweet girl.
With drama, I think you could kind of tell from the first episode, you know, Jenna might be a little bit emotional. I think Monica will definitely, you know, maybe be the puppet in the situation and she'll be able to play a lot of people for sure.
Question: OK. I was wondering, assuming that you are still single currently, is there a previous Bachelor or one of the suitors from The Bachelorette that you would be interested in going out on a date with and getting to know better on a personal level?
Amber Tierney: You know, prior to J.P. being picked, and, you know, obviously now getting married, that was somebody that I was a really big fan of.
The other one, and I don't even remember his name. I think he went on a date with Ashley to – they went to Las Vegas, and I can't remember his name. But…
Question: The one (inaudible) got married? (Inaudible).
Amber Tierney: Yes. Yes. That date, and it was kind of a joke. Yes, that – oh, that was William? Yes, definitely. He seems like a really nice, down to earth guy, and that's kind of somebody that I'm looking for.
Question: OK. And did you witness that whole scene between Monica and Blakely cuddling? I know you had brought up Monica and Jenna, but you didn’t bring up the Blakely situation.
Amber Tierney: Yes. I did not see that. I mean, I did watch the episode and I saw it there, but I wasn't there. When I was there, I did not see them together, so.
Question: So my first question you’re a successful young woman. What was – what went behind your decision to participate in The Bachelor?
Amber Tierney: You know, there were a couple of different things. One was that I actually moved to Kansas City and it's really, really hard to date here, and I thought, you know, why not? Why not try it? Who knows, I mean, maybe something really good could come out of this.
And the other thing was is the experience, just going in and having fun, having a good time. I have worked hard my whole life and, you know, I just needed to do something for myself, and I thought the experience would be something that I would truly enjoy.
Question: And was there ever a point – do you think that other contestants, including yourself, ever get concerned about being – participating in The Bachelor, how it would affect their careers and their future lives afterwards? Did that ever cross your mind or do you think that crosses people’s minds in general?
Amber Tierney: I hope that it wouldn’t cross people’s minds, but, you know, I don't know if it does because it’s like whatever you say, whatever you do can – people can take that how they want to or can (inaudible) or you portrayed or edited in a way that maybe you did not necessarily mean it.
And, the thing is, when you go on something like that, that’s something that you need to realize can happen, and maybe some people don’t, but I would think that everybody would take that into consideration prior to signing up for something like that.
Question: Hey, Amber. So a quick question, did you bring – how many dresses did you bring with you for this show? And did you – you know, how did you pick out your dress for the first night?
Amber Tierney: Oh, wow. I brought a lot of dresses. It was probably – including like cocktail, it could have been 15 or so.
And then how I picked out my dress, I actually got together with my family. It was a couple of nights before I left, and we all got together and I tried on a couple of them. And they really were – they loved the yellow one, and so that's what we had really decided on, was that one. We just all got together and that was the – that was the crowd favorite, so.
Question: Very good. And so – and were the girls at the (inaudible) ceremony, do you guys like critique each other out – you know, (every other) girl’s gowns or how does that work?
Amber Tierney: Excuse me. You know, I’m sure everybody’s kind of like sizing the other person up, looking and saying, “OK, well, you know, what is this girl wearing? Who is this girl?” That sort of thing. So I’m sure that’s what happens. It’s not something, though, that they’d talk about. I’m sure it’s something they think.
Question: We loved seeing you on the show, and now that you have an insight about the process, what do you think about Jenna’s behavior?
Amber Tierney: I think that Jenna could have handled the situation a little bit differently. Like I had mentioned, you know, when I saw her, I was thinking, "Oh, my gosh. This girl is a hot mess.” This is ridiculous to get this upset over something.
But, when I look back, I just, you know, also need to take into consideration that it was a long night. There was some alcohol involved and emotions were high, and she was already upset. So – but, then again, you know, her coming in mid-Rose Ceremony and getting a rose was definitely disappointing for sure.
Question: Right. And since you were there the night of the Rose Ceremony, how do you think Ben felt about her behavior that night?
Amber Tierney: Well, the thing is, is that I think that he didn’t probably want to hurt her more. He already saw that she was upset and maybe didn't want to hurt her anymore. But I would think that that would be kind of a red flag for him –
Question: So when Anna stepped out of the limo, she chose to blow right past Ben without saying anything. What did you think of that entrance, because in Chris Harrison’s blog, he said her move really upset Ben, actually, and that after that she had no chance with him at all. Do you agree and feel that's what happened? And would you say you'd feel the same way as Ben if you had been in his shoes?
Amber Tierney: No. You know, I guess I would have kind of looked at it as – you know, the thing is it's kind of a pretentious move, and it’s not something, you know – I guess if he kind of felt that – maybe offended by it, I guess, I could see maybe how he wouldn't want to get to know her better.
But I – you know, I think the thing is, is that everybody kind of makes their entrance. I don't think that she meant anything by it. I think it was just something that she did to catch his attention. But obviously it was what – she wasn’t – obviously she probably shouldn't have done that.
Question: And besides you and Anna, Dianna, Lyndsie, Holly, Amber B. and Shira all got eliminated as well. How well did you get to know any of those girls and what were your impressions of them while you were on the show? And do you have any idea why Ben might have eliminated any of them?
Amber Tierney: Let's see here. The girl that walked by him – what’s her name again?
Question: Anna.
Amber Tierney: OK, Anna. You know, she did seem slightly pretentious to me, so that could be a reason. Dianna was kind of meek and she just – she wasn't very outgoing, which could have – could have been a reason why. She just seemed kind of quiet. The other one – let’s see here. I think she was from Kentucky, I believe.
Question: Holly?
Amber Tierney: Holly, yes. I didn't really get to know the other girls. I didn't really meet the other girls. The only two that I had met was Dianna, and that was really when I was sitting there and she had blindfolded him, and then Anna.
Beth Kwiatkowski: OK.
Amber Tierney: Let’s see here. The one from England…
Question: Lyndsie?
Amber Tierney: Lyndsie. She – was she eliminated the first night?
Question: Yes.
Amber Tierney: Yes. No, she seemed like a sweetheart, so I have no idea. Maybe she didn't get the one-on-one time. I mentioned earlier that, you know, with all the drama going on, he didn't – there were a handful of girls that he didn't get any one-on-one time with, and that could be a reason, that he didn't get to talk to her, so he had no idea who she was or what she was about, and that's what he had to go off of.
Question: Sure. And any thoughts on the other – Amber or Shira? Amber…
Amber Tierney: I don’t think I talked to them at all that night.
Question: OK. Sure. And my last question is I know you might have touched on this a little bit, but just to clarify, you know, how did you end up on The Bachelor? Did you apply or did someone nominate you? And also, was it your first time applying for the show?
Amber Tierney: Oh, yes. Yes. It was my first time doing anything like this. So, it was not something that I would normally do. It was actually a friend. A friend was going. She was a huge fan and she said, you know, you should go, and I just thought to myself, what do I have to lose? And I did it, and it was positive from there on out.
Hugs, Kisses & Roses,
Jennifer Matarese
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