Emily Maynard talks about turning the tables and starring on 'The Bachelorette'

Emily Maynard thought she had found lasting love with Brad Womack on the fifteenth season of The Bachelor, however, their romance quickly fizzled out after a few months.


So after some initial hesitation, Emily accepted the role of starring on The Bachelorette's eighth edition with the hopes of getting a second shot at finding a potential husband on reality TV and a suitable father-figure for her daughter Ricki.

During a Wednesday conference call with reporters, the 26-year-old single mom talked to Reality TV World about her The Bachelorette season which premiered Monday night -- including why she felt the need to tone down the sexiness of the season, how convinced she was that Brad or Bentley Williams was going to be stepping out of the helicopter and what her reaction would've been, why she'd be ready to move to be with the love of her life when she held back on moving to Austin, TX for Brad, and whether she really felt like she "missed out on" Jackson's muscular body.

Below is the first portion of Emily's interview. Check back with Reality TV World soon for some more highlights from the rest of the call.

Reality TV World: You said in a recent interview you planned to be more reserved this season than prior Bachelorettes in that you didn't want to kiss a lot of guys and hoped there would be no hot tubs during the season. So did you express those wishes to the producers and did you feel your requests were granted or your wishes respected?


Emily Maynard: Well honestly, I didn't even say it as a protective barrier around me -- that there weren't going to be any hot tubs. I just said it in general. If I was a single 26-year-old girl without a daughter back home, I'd probably be doing all the same things the other Bachelorettes did too. (Laughs)

But I just meant it in a way that I wouldn't -- I'm just going to go through each moment and experience -- I don't know how to say it. Sorry, I'm a little nervous. I just wanted to live in the moment with each guy and take each relationship as it goes, but with that said, I wouldn't get into a hot tub with a guy on a first date in normal everyday life.

So, I sure as hell am not going to do it on The Bachelorette. (Laughs) And the producers were so wonderful with me. They get what I'm comfortable with just as a mom and how I am in my everyday life. They were totally onboard with everything and so respectful and couldn't have been better.

Reality TV World: When did you decide to begin introducing your daughter Ricki to the bachelors and what went into making your decision? How did you determine what the appropriate time was?

Emily Maynard: I mean, she was very sheltered the entire way through and obviously, I can't say if I introduced her to anyone or not, but she had no idea what was going on. She didn't meet any of the guys, you know.


Reality TV World: You said in your People blog this week that you were worried Bentley or Brad was going to show up in that helicopter during the first night. How convinced were you at the time that that might happen and if either of them did appear on the show, what would your reaction have been? Would you be angry or disappointed in the show's producers or anything like that?

Emily Maynard: Um, hmmm. I definitely thought it was going to be Brad or Bentley getting out of the helicopter. I thought, "There's no way just some random guy would make an entrance so gigantic, I guess." And at the time, I was a little bit -- I was stressing out a little bit to be honest -- waiting for whoever to come out of the helicopter.

But I don't know how I would have reacted, to be honest. I don't know. I tried to stay open through everything, and I'm just really glad that everybody I met the first night was a fresh face and someone that I had never met before. That's as politically correct as possible. (Laughs)

Reality TV World: Were you worried some of your suitors would go into the season confident but then end up having second thoughts about what dating a single mom would really entail? And if you did have some concerns at first, did you end up being right about that or did the guys end up being more mature and ready than you had initially expected?

Emily Maynard: I was scared going into this that they weren't going to be into me at all much less figuring out and seeing how my everyday life is and wondering if they were at a point in their lives if they wanted to date a single mom, and you'll have to watch and see because that was an issue at one point, but for the most part, all the guys were so just onboard with everything above and beyond my wildest dreams.


Reality TV World: You recently said you'd be willing to move wherever the love of your life might live. However, some viewers are a little skeptical of that because you didn't move to Austin when you were dating Brad although he made it pretty clear he was going to expect that of his final bachelorette, and you even filmed the beginning of your season in Charlotte. So do you mind elaborating on how things might be different this time around?

Emily Maynard: Sure! They're really not that different. I was totally onboard with moving to Austin and I was looking for apartments for Ricki and I, and Brad and I were even looking at homes together for whenever we got married. I was so excited. I just -- because I'm a mom, I can't just pick up and move and say, "We'll figure it out when we get there."

I have to have 100% percent confidence in our relationship and that it's going to be forever before I pick up Ricki's life and just move it because that's what I want to do. I have to put her needs before mine, but with that said, I would move in a heart beat if I knew the person I was going to be with forever lived even in a different country! I don't care. Ricki's happy wherever I'm happy.

Reality TV World: Chris Harrison made it pretty clear he felt there was a double standard in you being the Bachelorette as a single mom and Jason Mesnick who was the Bachelor and also a single parent. Did you feel there was a double standard as well in that people seemed to be supportive of Jason but critical of you for taking your daughter along on the journey and all that? And if so, do you think the public sentiment has changed a little since you first announced you'd be starring on the show?

Emily Maynard: I definitely felt like there was a little bit of a double standard with Jason and I, but I was really happy whenever they agreed to move filming to Charlotte, and I think people will see that Ricki's life was not really affected at all. I got to spend a lot of time with her and take her to school and do all my "mom stuff."


Plus, she got to travel the world and see so many things that she never would've gotten to see otherwise. She was very protected throughout the entire process, and I will stand behind that to anyone who has any questions.

Reality TV World: Could you talk about why you didn't give Brent, the father of six children, a rose? Were you just not ready to be a stepmom to six kids and that played a role in his elimination or do you think it would've just been too much too soon?

Emily Maynard: I'm open to anything, and I would -- the opportunity to be a stepmom is a blessing -- but at the same time, with six kids, he's probably not wanting to have any more, and I obviously do.

Reality TV World: Jackson, the fitness model, had a pretty funny closing interview which aired during the end of The Bachelorette's premiere broadcast. Could you talk a little bit about what your one-on-one time was like with him because viewers didn't get to see any of that? Did he talk about his body with you and is that what made you deny him a rose, or what happened there? Did you realize what you'd be "missing out on?"

Emily Maynard: I didn't realize all that was going on underneath and I am kind of bummed that I missed it! (Laughs) But I wouldn't change anything. He was very nice during our conversation, but I just kind of had a feeling that we wouldn't be that great for each other in the long run. And I can confidently say that any guy that would take his shirt off and say that is probably not my type. So I stick by my decision.


Reality TV World: You eliminated David, who was the singer and songwriter, during Monday night's show. Could you talk about your reasoning behind that decision? Did you worry he was on the show just for exposure and to promote his music, did you just not feel a connection with him, or was it something else?

Emily Maynard: Honestly, I don't even remember. I just -- so many of the other guys, I did feel kind of that immediate connection with, and I just didn't feel it with him.

Above is the first portion of Emily's interview. Check back with Reality TV World soon for some more highlights from the rest of the call.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski