The Bachelor host Chris Harrison has revealed Juan Pablo Galavis didn't think it was a big deal Nikki Ferrell met his immediate family although many viewers believe that was a sure sign the bachelorette has the competition in the bag.

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"Talk about a huge cultural difference. I thought it was a huge deal that he took Nikki to see his parents because that's something you save for the final stages. When I said that to Juan Pablo, he laughed and said, 'Meeting someone's parents and family is not a big deal. You guys [in the U.S.] put so much pressure on meeting the family. In Venezuela, we usually stay with our parents through University and sometimes after, and if you're with somebody of course you'll know their family. It's not a big deal,'" Harrison told TV Guide in an interview.

"Was it a big deal to Nikki? Maybe so. For him it wasn't a huge step, but the natural thing to do since they were in [his hometown of] Miami. Is it fair that Nikki met the family and the others didn't? I have to defer to the rules which are ever changing."

Not only did Ferrell meet Galavis' parents and four-year-old daughter Camila, she was also introduced to his stunning ex-girlfriend Carla Rodriguez -- a Venezuelan actress, model and the mother of Camila.

"She is beautiful and a posing figure, but she's around quite a bit. She's a part of his life and that's what you marry into," Harrison said of Rodriguez.

"Is it right to meet her on one of your first dates? Lord no. But maybe that's a huge cultural difference. And also it could've been her saying, 'If you're going to have Camila on the show and meet one of the girls, I want to be there.'"

Ferrell emerged as a frontrunner after Clare Crawley had pretty much been dominating Galavis' attention beforehand. Harrison said it's no surprise the two blonde bombshells clashed, however, it's probably not because of their personality differences.

"[Tension] is going to happen when you have a bunch of girls and they're traveling together and dating the same guy, and I'm surprised it's taken this long. At this point in the show, the girls are going to feel like, 'If he likes a girl like that, how can he like a girl like me?' They see each other as very different although they're really not," the host told TV Guide.

"They're both really sweet girls with a big love for family. People don't get to see the sweet side of Nikki, but Juan Pablo sees that. If Clare and Nikki really took the time to get to know each other, they might find they're more similar than they think."

Galavis also apparently felt very strongly for Sharleen Joynt, an opera singer from Germany, and was hurt when she decided to leave him and quit the competition. The Bachelor star had told his cousin Sharleen may "be the one" before their one-on-one date during Monday night's episode.

"Sharleen was at the top of his list from the moment she got out of the limo. We talked about this during deliberations that you didn't see. I kept asking him and pushing him about Sharleen and whether he felt that the level of chemistry and respect was being reciprocated because I never saw it. He was just so captivated by her and I just think he liked the fact that she was so sophisticated and talented and had so much to offer. He was blinded by that and really wanted it to work," Harrison explained.

"I was surprised it lasted this long. She would convince herself to leave, but then somehow when they were together she would lose her words and be into it and make out with him again. Finally, I think she just thought, 'Enough is enough and it's time to rip the band-aid off.' She also started feeling guilty because then she's taking a spot and you're bringing families into this next week and it's a lot more serious. She rode this as far as she could in good conscience and did her due diligence to see if something was there and I respect that."

Next week's The Bachelor episode will feature the hometown dates of Ferrell, Crawley, Andi Dorfman, and Renee Oteri. One woman's date will stand out for negative reasons, according to Harrison.

"The ladies have obviously had their cultural differences with Juan Pablo, but now you're dealing with families... and some of these parents are not as excited as the girls are. Clare's family, people will see, are a little skeptical and aren't as apt to just give their blessing. They want to see more and don't have that much time with him," the host said.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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