Chris Bukowski: Jamie Otis should have expected her feelings could get hurt on 'Bachelor Pad'

Chris Bukowski decided to give Bachelor Pad a shot after failing to win the heart of Emily Maynard, whom he fell in love with and introduced to his family, during The Bachelorette's most recent eighth edition.


Chris, a 25-year-old corporate sales director from Chicago, IL, paired up with Blakeley Shea at the very beginning of Bachelor Pad's third season but was slowly turned off by her super-competitive edge and the possessive partnership she was requesting of him. To break free from her control, Chris decided to make out with Jamie Otis, which then led her to become smitten with him.

Chris continued to hookup with Jamie but quickly realized he wasn't interested in her for any other reasons besides having a kissing buddy in the house. He then dropped Jamie for a date with Sarah Newlon in which the couple ended up spending the night together in a hotel. Caught in a crazy love-square, Chris wanted to vote out Blakeley -- who had turned on him and stopped trusting him -- for his own safety. However, his closest allies didn't follow through on their word and Jamie got kicked to the curb instead.

During a conference call with reporters on Thursday, Chris talked to Reality TV World about his Bachelor Pad experience thus far and his love-square with three girls whom had all vied for his affection -- including whether Emily breaking his heart had anything to do with his controversial behavior on the show, whether he saw a change in his personality going from The Bachelorette to Bachelor Pad and why he doesn't take full responsibility for leading Jamie on, and whether he has any regrets.

Below is the first portion of Chris' call. Check back with Reality TV World soon for the concluding portion.


Reality TV World: I'm sure you're aware that many viewers think you've been coming across very differently on Bachelor Pad than you did during Emily's season of The Bachelorette, especially with how you've been treating the Blakeley, Jamie, Sarah triangle. So could you talk about whether there was actually a change in your personality, and if so, was it on purpose? Was it because you just wanted to win the money and didn't care about anything else or was there more to it?

Chris Bukowski: Right, well I definitely had a different approach, (laughs) you know? Going into Emily's season, I was there for love and I was very close to finding that. I did, but it didn't work out. I was actually really surprised how everything went on Emily's season and it wasn't easy for me.

Going into Bachelor Pad, there was only one thing on my mind, and that was winning the money. To do that, there's gotta be some things -- you know, you've got to lie a little bit and you've gotta play the game.

I wouldn't say my personality changed in my real life, but obviously on the show, you see a different side of me that is kind of just trying to win some money. You don't really get that opportunity to win money and I'm just trying to win it!

Reality TV World: Just to clarify, some viewers are wondering whether your behavior on the show towards Jamie and Blakeley was kind of a result from Emily breaking your heart and you entering Bachelor Pad still hurt and kind of angry with Emily or women in general. Would you mind elaborating on that? Do you think you were acting out on the show a little bit because of what you previously went through? 


Chris Bukowski: Like I said, I didn't expect what happened on Emily's season. (Laughs) It was so real for me and it was so great, and obviously there wasn't a happy ending. I was heartbroken. I really was. And I guess you could say a little bit of the way I acted was because of that.

It was because I was hurt and I laid my whole heart on the line during The Bachelorette, and I didn't go into Bachelor Pad thinking there was any chance I'm going to find that girl that I want to be with. So, I just took a totally different approach and played the game.

Reality TV World: As Jamie was walking out of the house following her elimination, she basically called you out for treating women in the house poorly and you seemed to get very frustrated because you were campaigning to keep her around. Regardless, Jamie said you were going to regret your actions, so do you? Are there things you wish you had done or said differently?

Chris Bukowski: No, I don't regret anything. I don't want to see anybody get hurt, but if you're going to want to go on a game show like Bachelor Pad, you should expect that your feelings may get hurt. People are going to lie to you to win and that's how to play the game and win, and to be honest, I was expecting a big hug from Jamie.

I did not think that she was going to call me out like that and I was shocked when she did, because I actually was campaigning for her to stay and I was trying to make a critical move in the game. And for her to say that -- I can understand why she was hurt and stuff, but I really didn't expect that from her. So, it is what it is.


Reality TV World: When you discovered Jamie was going home instead of Blakeley, what immediately went through your mind and how confident were you in your alliance leading up to that moment when Blakeley got the rose?

Chris Bukowski: I was very confident. I was confident. I had faith in my guys that Blakeley was going to go home, and when she didn't go home, I basically said -- well I did say, "Oh sh-t." (Laughs) I was like, "Oh goodness! This can't be good for me." I took a huge gamble and it didn't work out.

So obviously going into next week, I have a target that's sitting on my back it's so big. So, it was definitely worrisome and I wasn't happy with what happened, but at the end of the day, it's a game and everybody else is playing it just as much as I am.

Reality TV World: You were convinced getting rid of Blakeley would better your chances in the game because Jamie would still kind of follow you and support you since she had a crush on you. But considering the ups and downs you two had in the house for awhile, why were you so certain that was always going to be the case? Were you worried she'd just get pissed one day, turn the tables and rally votes against you to get you out?

Chris Bukowski: Sure, absolutely, but you have to take those chances that you could get somebody on your team. I thought [Kalon McMahon] and [Ed Swiderski] were on my team, and obviously, they weren't at the last second. So you have to take those chances and those risks to get as many people on your side as possible.


So I thought keeping Jamie around, she would be on my side -- maybe not long-term -- but if it just took us to the next week, then I'd be willing to accept that. I knew Blakeley wasn't on my side anymore, let's just put it that way. So strategically, I still thought Jamie was going to be on my side for at least going into the next week or so.

Reality TV World: You noted you thought you had a huge target on your back once Jamie left the house, so since Blakeley still remained at this point in the season, how did you think her presence was going to affect your game? Did you think she was going to ruin things for you at the time or did you think you had enough power in the house to say, "Oh well, I'll just get rid of Blakeley next..?"

Chris Bukowski: Um, (laughs) Blakeley is very well spoken and she has a lot of power herself. So I knew I was in big trouble. I'm very worried going into the next week after Jamie got eliminated.

I wasn't confident at all actually, as far as where I stood -- picking, taking Sarah on that date was a huge game-changer, because Sarah was very neutral as far as being in the house. But she wasn't on that alliance that I was on with Blakeley. So, it just wasn't looking too good, I'll put it that way. (Laughs)

Reality TV World: You ended up making out with Jamie and Blakeley before getting to know and hooking up with Sarah. So would you mind talking a little bit about why you didn't like Jamie and Blakeley? Why weren't they the girls for you and how was Sarah different from them in your eyes?


Chris Bukowski: That's a great question. Blakeley, from the beginning, I said was a great competitor. I initially told her that I want to be partners with her until the end, but I think she kind of took it differently. I wanted to play the game and she preached to me during the game. You guys all saw her say, "Stop thinking emotionally."

And I told her not to think emotionally, but it just wasn't going to work out. I was at the point where I wasn't having fun in the house anymore with anybody. I wasn't communicating with people. It was just me and Blakeley, me and Blakeley all the time, and that wasn't fun for me.

With Jamie, I think Jamie's a great girl and I didn't lie when I told her that I thought she was the most attractive girl from [Ben Flajnik]'s season. I meant that and I told my parents that before when they were watching the show. With her, she was not -- she couldn't be a good partner just because the girls really didn't get along with her too well in the house.

If I made that move and became partners with Jamie and we didn't win the next challenge, then I'm pretty much out the door. Sarah, I'll say it over and over again -- very neutral, an unbelievable girl. She's very kind of careless. She just kind of goes on with her life and doesn't try to get too emotionally involved with things. She just had fun; She's a lot of fun and she's a sweetheart.

Reality TV World: Looking back on the season so far, would you kind of agree that you led Jamie on at all or do you think you gave her enough signals to make her realize you just weren't that into her? In other words, do you think it's kind of your fault or her own for falling for you so hard and fast?

Chris Bukowski: I'm not going to say it's not my fault, but obviously, it takes two. I told her, I don't know, I denied her more than once and we talked about not getting so emotionally involved during the show. So yeah, I'm not going to sit here and say that it's 100% percent my fault, but yeah, it is my fault. I did lead her on.


I kissed her and all that stuff, but I meant to. I wanted to kiss her. It was just I couldn't be partners with her. I just couldn't, because when it comes to the game, it just wouldn't be a smart move for me. It takes two. It really does as far as any relationship in general.

It takes two, it's not just me. So she's a smart girl. She could've realized that, "Okay, Chris is probably -- it's probably not the best idea to pursue Chris." She could've moved on and it was really just a tough situation, to be honest.

Above is the first portion of Chris' call. Check back with Reality TV World soon for the concluding portion.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski