The Bachelor's Shawntel: Why I Took Brad to a Funeral Home

Shawntel Newton

Craig Sjodin/ABC

There will be no "til death do us part" for The Bachelor star Brad Womack and funeral director Shawntel Newton. Following her elimination, the Chico, Calif., resident, 25, spoke with reporters about taking Brad to meet the parents, the thrill of putting him on her embalming table and finding love – she swears! – on reality TV.

A majority of your hometown date took place at the funeral home. Weren't you worried you'd creep him out?
I thought I might as well lay my cards out on the table. This is my job. This is what I grew up around and if he wants to get down on his knee and propose, he should see what I do. It's the final test almost to see if he could handle it.

Your family took your willingness to move to Austin for Brad badly.
I always thought I would stay in Chico and take over the business so it's never been brought up. It was a shock to my family ... They were hesitant because everything came at them at once – me saying I'm in love, I might be leaving this lifestyle we have in Chico, moving out of state. But Brad's from Austin and wants his wife to be there. I was falling in love so I was willing to move.

Besides being concerned that he'd take you away from them, what did your family think of Brad?
My mom thought he was a doll. They really liked Brad and could tell I was in love and happy and I haven't been in a long time.

You said you were shocked to be let go. What went wrong?
He and I didn't have a lot of time at the end when I told him I was in love. It was like minutes [before] he left. I thought I'd have more time to explore what he thought about me moving, saying I love him, the funeral home. Unfortunately, he wasn't feeling the same. I have no regrets telling him I was in love. I put myself out there and am very comfortable telling people how I feel.

Did your dad's reaction to your possibly moving influence Brad's decision?
It had a big role. He saw my dad was having a hard time allowing this. He did give his blessing, but I think Brad felt uncomfortable.

Have you been able to move on or are you still pining for Brad?
I compare this to someone who has lost a loved one because we go through the same stages of denial. With losing Brad, I allowed myself to get angry, to start bargaining and wonder, "Gosh could I have done something different?" I allowed myself to go through the stages in a healthy way and I'm not in love with him anymore.

Having seen the other dates, do you feel better about his decision?
I thought Ashley H. was going home. I knew that she hadn't told him that she was falling in love, and I had. It was a shock that he'd let a girl go who was in love and willing to leave her life. But my personal opinion is that he is in love with Emily and has been for a while. Emily's everything he wants. He wants to be a father to her child. She wants to get married and have more kids.

You seem eager to fall in love. Is it hard to find the right guy because of your job?
Being a funeral director has challenged my love life a lot. When I go on a date with a guy and we start talking about what we do, it's a step back when I start talking about the funeral industry. It's like, "Okay, wow, that's different."

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Bachelor's Jesse Csincsak: Fatherhood Is 'Amazing'

Bachelor alums Jesse Csincsak and Ann Lueders welcomed their son, Noah Theodore, on Feb. 2 in Colorado. Arriving early in the morning by emergency c-section, Noah is now happily settled in at home with his proud parents.

The new dad shares a photo and short blog with PEOPLE.com, and also asks that you vote for him on the Popchips Facebook page, where he’s just applied to be the VP of Popchips to work alongside Ashton Kutcher.

Courtesy Jesse Csincsak

After 20 hours of labor, the baby’s heartbeat kept dropping rapidly so the doctors knew something was up. What they didn’t know was that Noah’s umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck twice. Ann was so tired that when they told her she needed to have a c-section she was like, “Let’s just do whatever is gonna be best for the baby.”

When Noah came out, he was all blue from head to toe and wasn’t breathing. They had to resuscitate him with one of those pump bags over his face. Ann was looking at me going, “Is he okay?” She couldn’t see him because of the sheet they had in front of her face during surgery, plus he wasn’t crying when he came out. I looked at her, squeezed her hand and just as I said, “He’s gonna be okay” he began to cry!

Ann is recovering nicely. Every day she gets a little bit stronger and the look on her face when she sees our son is priceless. We are a happy family! Breastfeeding was a slow start but now Noah’s a drinker! And as any parent will tell you it doesn’t matter what you had to go through to bring your child into this world, it is ALWAYS worth it. Kids are amazing!

– Jesse Csincsak

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The Bachelor's Michelle Money: 'I'm Not a Villain'

Michelle Money

Craig Sjodin/ABC

As long as there have been reality shows, there have been misunderstood villains who blame editing for their bad image.

Michelle Money, 30, a Salt Lake City hairstylist, stuck to the same story during a recent conference call with reporters as she discussed her snarky comments, aggressive behavior and failed attempt to find love with Brad Womack on The Bachelor.

Did you anticipate that you'd become this season's villain?
I never in a million years expected to be the villain. I was actually really surprised and shocked by it in the beginning. I'm an easy target, [because] I'm upfront and honest. It has been hard to see one very small side of me being the only side portrayed. But that's what you get for signing up for a reality TV show.

Do you regret doing the show?
I have no regrets, no hard feelings. My experience was nothing but positive. I just wish those great experiences had been shown. And at the end of the day, I know what my experience was, what really happened and the friendships I made.

What about the caught-on-camera mean remarks?
I have a very sarcastic, dry sense of humor. That can come off as very intense. When you just get a small, chopped-up version of me being sarcastic, it comes across the wrong way.

And what about the aggressive behavior with Brad?
When I left, I felt really great about who I was and the choices I made. I felt Brad got a clear idea of who I am ... I went on the show to find love so I took advantage of every opportunity to have time to see if he was someone I'd want in my future. Because if he wasn't, I wanted to go home to my daughter.

Chantal seemed to be your biggest enemy.
I don't have anything against her. She's a beautiful, smart woman. It's unfortunate everyone only got to see the catty side. Chantal was hard to get to know. She keeps her distance from women. But I left feeling that if I ever saw her again, I'd give her the biggest hug. I still don't think she's right for Brad.

Who is?
Emily. He needs someone soft-spoken and feminine. She's just a Southern belle, ladylike and sweet. Emily will be the one who ends up with him, if that's what she wants. It'll be more about her choosing him.

Did you have a clue that night that you wouldn't get a rose?
Something was off ... After our photo shoot and time to talk at the pool, something felt different. His kisses weren't as passionate or emotional. I could tell his heart was with someone else. In my opinion, that's when he started falling in love with Emily.

Why not talk to him on the way to the limo or once you were inside?
Brad and I did have a personal, positive conversation that gave me closure and helped me feel confident in his decision. They didn't show it. I had a lot to say in the limo as well ... Me laying down was a result of being car sick from talking to the camera while driving down a bumpy road with lights in my face. I was going to throw up.

Are you worried about how you were portrayed and how it will affect your future dating prospects?
Once you meet me face to face and have a conversation, it's very clear that I'm not a villain. I'm not worried about dating. I've just had a hard time finding people to date in Utah. Being a single mom, it's hard to get out and travel and meet men. I'm hopeful. I want to get married and have more kids. I want to be in a committed, healthy relationship with somebody who is confident, can make me laugh and can be a great example to my daughter.

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