Melissa Schreiber and William Holman talk about 'Bachelor Pad'

Melissa Schreiber and William Holman were eliminated from Bachelor Pad during Monday night's fourth episode of the second season of The Bachelor reality franchise spinoff in which former bachelor and bachelorettes compete for a $250,000 cash prize.


Melissa, a former fifteenth-season The Bachelor bachelorette, was eliminated based on votes cast by Bachelor Pad's six remaining former The Bachelorette bachelors, while William, a former seventh-season The Bachelorette bachelor, was ousted based on voting by the competition's six remaining former The Bachelor bachelorettes.

During a Tuesday conference call with reporters, Melissa and William talked to reporters about their Bachelor Pad experiences -- including why William believed viewers didn't get to see much of him prior to his ouster, how Melissa admitted she currently feels about fellow contestant Blake Julian (here's a hint -- not good), why William defended Melissa in her previous relationship with Blake, what their opinions were of Jake Pavelka, and who they hoped would make it to the end of the show and win the grand prize.

Melissa, you had a very strong reaction when you left the show. What was going through your mind at that moment?

Melissa Schreiber: Besides just being completely exhausted, I felt very betrayed at the time by my friends in the house. But I also understood that it was a game and that it was a very likely outcome. But honestly, at that very moment, I was just so exhausted. That's why I didn't really talk in the limo. I just had nothing to say. I was just kind of over it at that point, I think.


William, viewers didn't really get to see much of you in the house. What would you have liked them to see?

William Holman: I think I did a lot of stuff that was just me. It was comical. There was a lot of funny stuff that I did, but I think for ABC, it probably didn't fully pertain to the storyline that they were trying to portray and really have the [Jake Pavelka], [Vienna Girardi] and [Kasey Kahl] thing go on.

So, I think they kind of pushed that aside because they had so much footage to go through that they want the storyline to be purely Bachelor Pad and it's for the $250,000 and the relationships that are being built between the guys and the girls. I didn't have a relationship that was going on with any of the girls in the house, so there wasn't much of a storyline to go with there.

William, how would you change your strategy if you could go back?

William Holman: You know, the only thing that I would definitely think about changing was that very last night -- maybe convince everybody that I was worth keeping around and maybe that Kasey should have been the one that was voted off that night. As far as strategy, you know, I think I played the game pretty well.


But when it came down to it, I wasn't as competitive as some of the other people that were on there. The only thing that I would change is actually trying to talk more with everyone in the house about why they should keep me onboard.

I think because I laid low, it was easy for people to just say, "Yeah, let's take William out because we don't want to hurt Kasey's feelings, because he'll definitely say something to us about it if we let him go."

Melissa, you had received some very negative reactions on Twitter despite many of the show's contestants coming to your defense. Do you have any regrets about what happened in the house?

Melissa Schreiber: Well, I don't think I had negative reactions on Twitter last night. I always try to respond to people who say nice things, and so I try to tweet them back and say, "Thank you." The other thing is that a lot of people don't know, especially if they just watched the show and they don't go on Twitter and Facebook, is that we're all -- most of us are actually really good friends.

So, that's kind of a misconception a little bit. I don't regret any of it. Do I wish that I had done things differently? Absolutely. Do I wish that I had chosen a different partner in the beginning? Absolutely. So, I don't regret it but I do regret some of the decisions that I made.


Melissa, you were so emotional while on the show. Did your behavior affect anything in your real life?

Melissa Schreiber: Not at all. My friends and family have been so supportive and they know that I'm not that emotional outside of The Bachelor world. It's so funny because every episode that aired, I get like 50 text messages from just friends and family saying like, "Who are you? We don't even recognize you on TV."

For some reason, when I'm in The Bachelor house, I am just so overly emotional. But there definitely hasn't been any backlash or anything like that. It's all been really positive.

Both of you, if asked, would you ever consider doing the show again?

William Holman: For me, I would definitely do it again just because yes, they didn't show a lot of me, but the relationships that I made and the friends that I made in the house are some of the best friends that I've ever made. It was a lot of fun. I definitely enjoyed it.


It's a shame that people didn't get to see all the jokes because there was some pretty funny stuff, but I would definitely do it again. I wouldn't -- like [Gia Allemand] -- I wouldn't go and do a second season of it, but going back, I would definitely do it again.

Melissa Schreiber: You know, I'd have to agree with William. We made so many good friends and had so many laughs and so much fun that right now, if you asked me, "Would you go back and do Season 3 of Bachelor Pad?" Hell no. (Laughs)

But you know, when it comes time and they ask you, it's like I don't know how I would respond. If a producer of the game came up to me and said, "Would you do it again?" I'd like to think that I would say no, but I don't know for sure because it was so much fun.

William Holman: The people that you're on the show with are great. Granted, we have moments in the house that are emotional and what not, but you also enjoy hanging out with the producers. You get to enjoy seeing them again and they're all great people.

Melissa Schreiber: Yeah and I would do things differently.


It might be hard for viewers to believe you had all formed strong friendships because there was so much conflict in the house.

William Holman: Well, I would say that yes, some people didn't develop quite the relationship with friends, but there's a couple guys in that house and there's a couple girls that I will always be friends with and my place is open to them.

If they ever come to Columbus, they know that we're going to hang out. If I go to them, we're going to be hanging out. It's guaranteed all 18 people are not all tight friends or anything like that, but some strong relationships were made.

Melissa Schreiber: I have to say that I've been in LA for a couple of weeks now, and I have become so close with so many of the people. I would honestly tell you that I consider each and every single person -- except for maybe two people -- close friends.

William Holman: Sorry, Melissa.

Melissa Schreiber: Wait, what did you say?


William Holman: You said there were two people you wouldn't consider close friends. I'm assuming me, so I apologize.

Melissa Schreiber: No, you're not one of them.

William Holman: Oh, okay. Just checking!

Melissa Schreiber: No, no, You were not one of the people. I did consider you a friend.

William Holman: Okay. Just checking.

Melissa Schreiber: Yeah, no. You're not one of those people.


Melissa, what are your feelings toward Blake now?

Melissa Schreiber: I actually have no feelings whatsoever towards Blake. I am kind of at a point where I'm over it, you know? I feel like he's still going on Twitter and saying things that I don't think are appropriate.

He's still re-tweeting these nasty things about me and we actually had some email correspondence that were very passive-aggressive on his end. So, I literally have nothing to say about him other than I just want to be done with him.

Both of you, who do you think is going to make it to the end?

William Holman: Well me personally, part of my strategy in the whole thing was a lot of people thought getting rid of the power couple, but there was only one true power couple in the beginning, and that was Kasey and Vienna. But when you come down to it and you have three couples in the end, more than likely they were going to vote Kasey and Vienna off.

I mean, I can see that happening in that whoever is left in the end is just going to say, "Well, it's time for them to go." From what I know, there was already a plan set in motion a long time ago for who was going to be on Bachelor Pad. So, guys like myself feel like an angel put in a rough spot because we're fresh coming off of it.


We don't know anybody on the show and everybody was able to try and communicate and talk and set up their alliances even before the show started. So, that was a very difficult thing to overcome. So, I was fortunate with where I did make it in the show.

Melissa Schreiber: Yeah, and I think for the show, we are shooting the finale live so we don't know who's going to win. But what I will say is that Kasey and Vienna, they knew what they were doing. I mean, they came into this playing the game. I respect and love both of them. I wouldn't be surprised if they made it to the final two couples, but we'll have to wait and see.

Both of you, do you have a preference of who you want to win?

Melissa Schreiber: My favorite people on this planet, like right now, are -- I love Kasey and Vienna so much. But Michelle Money, I love her so much. She is like a sister to me, so I would love to see Michelle Money in the end.

William Holman: Yeah for me, whoever makes it to the end -- the two people that I have incredible respect for in that house are definitely Michelle and [Ella Nolan]. They're both single mothers taking care of kids.

That is one of the most difficult things in life, so $250,000, that will definitely help them and raise them in a much better environment. But as far as a team to make it to the end, I would say "Team Money-Graham" [Michelle and Graham Bunn] is who I would like to see in the end.


Melissa Schreiber: I agree.

William Holman: But always support the single mothers.

William, do you think you came off better or the same on Bachelor Pad in comparison to your stint on the seventh season of The Bachelorette?

William Holman: I think because of the environment that we were in, it was different for me. I felt a lot more relaxed and -- I don't know if this is the right word to say -- but it didn't feel as orchestrated I guess, even though it's all set and your days are taken care of.

But there was a lot less pressure on, "Hey there's one girl that we're going after," and you're trying to see what happens in that relationship. This is like you actually get to hang out with the guys and you're not sitting there competing for a girl.

But I think I was a lot more myself on Bachelor Pad. On The Bachelorette, I was still myself but it was a different environment and it was new to me, so maybe I definitely did act differently. But yeah. I was more comfortable and much more myself on Bachelor Pad.


Melissa, you said you spent a lot of time defending yourself after your appearance on The Bachelor, so why did you come back? Was it simply for the money?

Melissa Schreiber: I actually was asked several times to do the show and I said no several times. I didn't actually agree to do it until about two weeks prior to flying out, and I really genuinely came on to repair my image -- that obviously completely did not work the way that I hoped it would -- and also to try to win the money.

So, like I said, I literally did not agree to do it until two weeks prior and I had been asked for months. So, you know, it doesn't always work out the way you hope it will, but I don't regret it.

William Holman: For me, it was also different for me because there had only been two episodes that aired of The Bachelorette and then I was already out in LA filming Bachelor Pad. So, I didn't even know how I was going to be perceived. I was worried about it and I was glad that I was gone during the roast episode.

I was glad that I was gone for that, but I heard about everything once I got back and then there was The Men Tell All. So at that time, I'd already filmed Bachelor Pad. So, I wasn't even sure how I was going to be perceived, but I just wanted to go out there and be me.

And Michelle and Melissa definitely can get emotional, but that's her. That's who you are and you have to accept it. You can be emotional and you can be upset if a guy breaks your heart or anything like that.


That's okay; It's real emotion. Blake played with your heart on that and just own it and be okay with it. We talked about it before in the house and I wish they would have aired that conversation, but honestly, that's a trait of yours and live up to it. Be okay with it.

Melissa Schreiber: Yeah. I'm just disappointed because I never ever fall for people, especially in that short amount of time. I think it was just the environment and also wanting to have a partner so badly to get through the game with that it scared me to not have a partner. I was way overly emotional, like way too emotional. So, I wish I could change it all, but I can't.

William Holman: Plus, Blake probably has a lot of those traits that you're looking for in a guy, so it was very difficult...

Melissa Schreiber: Umm... (laughs)

William Holman: ... to see that, and it's like, "This is the guy that I would like to partner up with and then see what happens outside of the show." Unfortunately, you have to see a different side afterwards, but don't beat yourself up too much about it. You'll find the right guy. You'll be okay.

Melissa Schreiber: Thank you William, and I'm not actually looking for someone anymore. But I did learn -- and I learned it very quickly -- that Blake is not the kind of human being that I would ever want to be with. He's, in my opinion, not a good person. So, I'm just glad that I got X'd off the list. That's how I feel.


William, did you see that somewhat conniving side of Blake while you were on The Bachelorette with him and would you say that he flat out played Melissa?

William Holman: I definitely think he played Melissa. He played Melissa. On The Bachelorette, there wasn't a hint of that. He was just a true full-out honest person about [Ashley Hebert] whenever we had conversations. But Blake in the [Bachelor Pad] house, he's a competitive person and he wanted to win. He wanted to win and he was willing to do whatever he had to to make sure he was safe.

Being with one girl will only get you one vote, but if you can kind of talk with another girl and another girl, you've got it. He played on Melissa's emotions and it worked for him. He's got her vote, but it's too bad that money does this to people. This is what happens and this is the outcome. Money's not everything.

Melissa Schreiber: Another thing is that I'm not good at lying and conniving and backstabbing. I'm just not good at it. I genuinely trusted and there was so much that people watching the show did not get to see and even the people in the house.

Blake and I would go one-on-one off by ourselves all the time and talk and people didn't see it. So, there was a lot more emotion because there was a lot more said to me that unfortunately viewers didn't get to hear and see. There was a lot more kissing, there was a lot more hugs, there was a lot more emotional stuff going on that no one knows about except for Blake.

William Holman: Dry humping. (Laughs)


Melissa Schreiber: (Laughs) I think, as he puts it, he says "jean jamming" actually.

William Holman: He calls it "jean jamming," yeah.

Melissa Schreiber: Yeah, there was definitely some of that.

Both of you, what were your feelings about Jake when you got in the house and when you left?

William Holman: My honest feelings were that I couldn't believe a Bachelor was in the house for Bachelor Pad but it makes for great TV having him and Vienna in the same house. When he gave Vienna that rose the first night, that kind of lost my trust with him because we had talked and he said, "Vienna is going to be the first one to go."

Then to see him give her the rose, I was just in shock and I couldn't get a gage on Jake. So that's the reason I ended up voting for him to go in last week's episode, because I just didn't know where he was.


But he obviously just came on the show to apologize to her and kind of keep knocking on her door and say, "Sorry," as many times as he could. Hopefully those two are just completely done now and there's no communication between them, but Jake's got aspirations out there to do other things and be in the spotlight and that's what he wants to do.

If that's what he wants to do, good. But I couldn't agree with going on Bachelor Pad to try to regain your image as far as like just apologizing to Vienna -- that kind of didn't sit well with me.

Melissa Schreiber: I agree with almost everything that William said. I don't think he went on there to compete for money like we all did. I think he really did come on there to apologize to Vienna and I do respect him. He's been nothing but wonderful to me. He's been a good friend.

He's always been really kind to me, so as a person, I have nothing bad to say about him at all. On the other side of the fence, Vienna and Kasey are very good friends of mine and I spend a lot of time with them, and it hurt me to see Vienna so upset in the house. But I literally do not have a bad thing to say about Jake as far as the way he treated me.

Melissa, watching the show back, had anything surprised you like when Erica Rose made a move for Blake?

Melissa Schreiber: Erica is the funniest person, I swear. She and William should have their own show because they are both the funniest people I have ever met in my entire life. If William and Erica were not in the house, the dynamic would have been totally different because they just keep you laughing 27-7.


William is like the funniest guy I've ever met in my entire life. Erica doesn't realize that she's funny and that's why she's funny. Everything she does, she doesn't mean to be funny, she's just ridiculous. It's just so funny. I knew that Erica was doing everything that she was doing.

I didn't know that she was like going behind walls and couches spying on me. I thought that was hilarious, but I knew that she was flirting with all the boys and was trying to gain a partner, because Erica was the only girl in the house that didn't have a partner. So, I knew that she was doing that stuff behind my back, but I couldn't even be mad at her. She was just so funny about it. 






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski