Amber Tierney was one of the first seven bachelorettes The Bachelor star Ben Flajnik eliminated during Monday night's premiere of the ABC reality dating series' sixteenth season.
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During a conference call with reporters on Thursday, the 29-year-old critical care nurse from Waverly, NE, talked to Reality TV World about her The Bachelor experience -- including whether she had any insight as to why she was eliminated so early on, what she thought about Anna Snowball's decision to blow past Ben and avoid an introduction after she exited the limo and whether she thought her hunting hobby intimidated Ben and played any role in her ouster.
Reality TV World: Do you have any insight as to why you might have been eliminated? Did you think you were forming a connection with Ben or no and what reasoning do you think went in his decision to let you go so early on?
Amber Tierney: I still really don't know. I think that he has a little bit of time to talk -- to try to get to know, or form some sort of connection with, 25 different 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 [by another girl].
So, we didn't really get a chance to form a connection or have chemistry. The only meeting that we had was that initial meeting. So, I think that if we would have gotten some time together, my personality would have definitely shined through and I might not have been eliminated.
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Reality TV World: 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 endearing and cute. Plus, it became known that Ben appreciates a little corniness. So it seemed like you guys hit it off at first, but since you are a game hunter and Ben could have possibly found that a little intimidating or maybe out of his comfort zone, how much of a role do you think your hobby played in his decision to eliminate you?
Amber Tierney: 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.
Reality TV World: 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. Could you talk a little bit about what you meant by that? What exactly were they referring to and is it considered unusual for you to put yourself first in a given situation?
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 were really excited about the whole experience.
I feel like I sold myself short a little bit and I think that, 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.
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Reality TV World: When Anna stepped out of the limo, she chose to blow right past Ben without saying anything. What did you think of that entrance? Chris Harrison has said her move really upset Ben, and that after that, she had no chance with Ben. 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 -- it's kind of a pretentious move, and I guess if he kind of felt maybe offended by it, I could see maybe why he wouldn't want to get to know her better.
But I think the thing is, is that everybody kind of makes their entrance and I don't think that she meant anything by it. I think it was just something that she did to try and catch his attention. But obviously, she probably shouldn't have done that.
Reality TV World: In addition to Anna and yourself, [Dianna Martinez], [Lyndsie James], [Holly Johnson], [Amber Bacon], and [Shira Scott] were also eliminated at the first Rose Ceremony. How well did you get to know any of those girls and what were your impressions of them? 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, [Anna], she did seem slightly pretentious to me, so that could be a reason. Dianna was kind of meek and she just wasn't very outgoing, which could have been a reason. She was being kind of quiet. The other one from Kentucky, Holly, I didn't really get to know the other girls. I didn't really meet the other girls.
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The only two that I had met was Dianna and that's really when I was sitting there and she had blindfolded him and then Anna. The one from England, Lyndsie, she seemed like a sweetheart. So I have no idea. Maybe she didn't get the one-on-one time.
I mentioned earlier that with all the drama going on, he didn't -- there were a handful of girls that he didn't get one-on-one time with and that's a good 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. I didn't really talk to [Amber B. and Shira] at all that night.
Reality TV World: How did you end up on The Bachelor? Did you apply or did someone nominate you, and was it your first time applying for the show?
Amber Tierney: Yeah, yeah. It was my first time doing anything like this. (Laughs) 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 thought to myself, "What do I have to lose?" And I did and it was positive from there on out.
Also in the call, Amber told reporters whether she was surprised that she had failed to receive a rose that first night, who she thought would have been her biggest competition if she had remained in the competition, what she had to say about the drama that played out between Jenna Burke and Monica Spannbauer, and what her first impressions were of Ben.
Why did you decide to go on The Bachelor?
Amber Tierney: Actually, I didn't do it on a whim. One of my friends is a huge fan of the show and she was going, and we talked and she said, "You should go," and I kind of questioned it at first. I didn't know if I really wanted to and she kind of talked me into it. I thought I didn't really have anything to lose if I did go, and then it was a good experience from there.
Had you seen Ben on The Bachelorette? Did you know who he was and were you happy he was The Bachelor star?
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 that he was. I just learned more about him through ABC -- where I learned more information about him.
What was your reaction when you didn't get a rose at the end of the first Rose Ceremony? 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 gotten a rose and it kind of made me question, I guess, Ben's character at the time -- at that point in time, but then I realized -- I kind of reflected on it -- and realized that she was just really fragile at that time and he didn't really want to hurt her more. But I was a little surprised though.
Out of all the girls who fought for Ben's attention that first night, was there anyone in particular who really shocked you?
Amber Tierney: You know, I didn't see a lot of what went on between Jenna and Monica. I was pretty shocked with how upset she did get and she was just a little emotionally unstable. But then again, it's a really long night of shooting and everyone's tired, so I think emotions can definitely get a little bit more exaggerated in that situation.
Which bachelorettes did you think stood out who might have captured Ben's eye from the get-go?
Amber Tierney: I did see that he made a comment about [Courtney Robertson] being a beautiful brunette and so, I could see how possibly, she's one of his favorites.
I'm wondering that if once he gets to know her, if -- she just seemed a little cold to me. But one of my favorites was actually [Nicki Sterling]. She's from Texas. I felt like she had a connection. I also thought he kind of had a connection with [Kacie Boguskie].
What was your take on Jenna? Do you think she maybe had one too many glasses of wine or just happened to be very emotional?
Amber Tierney: You know, I honestly did not see everything that happened in the situation when I was there. I personally kind of thought that she was a little bit of a hot mess, you know? She got a little overly emotional, but like I said, it's a long night and everyone's tired and emotions are high and drinking is involved. She did have a couple too many drinks as well.
Do you regret not having more of a gimmick, such as bringing a plate of bulls' testicles with you, to gain an edge and compete more closely with Lindzi Cox and her horse and [Brittney Schreiner] and her grandmother, for example?
Amber Tierney: (Laughs) You know, I guess I probably could have brought them, but yeah. There was a lot of stuff going on and a lot of people were trying to show their personalities and try to find a connection with him.
But you know, I'm more -- I'm just lighthearted and like to joke around -- and so, I thought with just kind of talking and saying something that I thought might surprise him in the beginning, would be more my personality. So, I was thinking the beef nuts probably -- might have scared him away.
You said you didn't get any one-on-one time with Ben, but did you get a chance to talk to him at all? If so, 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 him blindfolded. The thing is, there's 25 girls and they are fighting for him and 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. He tried to be the mediator in that situation, and so, that's why I think that some of the girls didn't get any time at all.
Looking back, do you wish you would have tried to steal him away from someone else for a conversation or do you think it just wasn't meant to be? Had the circumstances played out better in your favor, do you think the end result might have been different?
Amber Tierney: 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 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 a pretty crazy night and it isn't like me to really go and, I guess, interrupt and try to do something that I wouldn't normally do, because it's not me. I guess I would normally just -- I'm just not the type of person that would go in there and do something to kind of make myself stand out in a negative way, I guess.
While you were on the show, what gave you the impression that Ben was 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 throughout the whole episode or throughout the whole filming, excuse me, so I'm not -- I can't -- that's kind of an assumption. That was my observation.
From what you've seen and based on who Ben has picked, do you think he has given the right girls a chance?
Amber Tierney: He can only go off of the conversations that he had that night. The thing with me is, and like I said, initially I kind of questioned his intentions and his character for picking Jenna. Because that seemed to me like if you're looking for a wife, that's not somebody you would choose -- somebody that's not very stable and has 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 when looking for a wife, I'm pretty sure that in that point in time, that's not something that should really matter -- 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 think all of his choices are -- I don't think that -- I guess that 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.
What did you make of Lindzi arriving on her horse and Brittney bringing along her grandmother? Were you thinking that those entrances would unfairly guarantee them a rose or did you just laugh about it?
Amber Tierney: With Lindzi riding in on her horse, I thought that was pretty clever. She definitely deserved that first impression rose. That was really neat. They did things that really made them stand out, so they're definitely going to have that extra edge for sure.
Was there anything you noticed about any of the girls that viewers didn't see during the show that would make you think they'd be the ones to watch this season because of drama or interest or other reasons?
Amber Tierney: Well, with the -- let's see here -- I think that I'm a really big fan of Nicki. I actually had a couple conversations with her and she was just a genuinely sweet girl, but at the same time, I think 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.
But at the same time, she seemed like a really, really sweet girl. With drama, I think you can kind of tell from the first episode that Jenna might be a little bit emotional. I think Monica will definitely maybe be the puppet in the situation and she'll be able to play a lot of people for sure.
Assuming you're still currently single, is there a previous Bachelor or Bachelorette suitor you'd be interested in going out on a date with and getting to know better on a personal level?
Amber Tierney: (Laughs) You know, prior to [J.P. Rosenbaum] being picked, and 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 Hebert] to Las Vegas and I can't remember his name.
That was [William Holman]. Yeah, definitely. He seemed like a really nice down to earth guy, and that's somebody that I'm looking for.
Did you witness the whole scene between Monica and Blakeley Shea cuddling?
Amber Tierney: Yeah. I did not see that. 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.
Could you elaborate more on why you decided to appear on The Bachelor?
Amber Tierney: 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. I thought, "Why not? Why not try it? Who knows, 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 I just needed to do something for myself. I thought the experience would be something that I would truly enjoy.
How many dresses did you bring with you for the show and 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 cocktail -- it could have been 15 or so. And then how I found my dress, I actually got together with my family a couple nights before I left and we all got together and I tried on a couple of them.
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 crowd favorite.
What did 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, when I saw her, I was thinking, "Oh my God. This girl is a hot mess. It's ridiculous to get this upset over something."
But when I looked back, I also needed to take into consideration that it was a long night. There was some alcohol involved and emotions were high, and she was already upset. But then again, her coming in mid-Rose Ceremony and getting a rose was definitely disappointing for sure.
Since you were there during the first Rose Ceremony, how do you think Ben felt about her behavior?
Amber Tierney: Well, the thing is, is that I think that he probably didn't want to hurt her anymore. He probably saw that she was upset and maybe didn't want to hurt her anymore. But I would think that would be kind of a red flag for him -- how she acted.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski