Desiree Hartsock is going into The Bachelorette with an open heart and mind — and she hopes viewers are too. While talking to Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS FM show on Friday, May 24, ABC's newest reality star talked about some nerves she's feeling before the show's May 27 premiere, including what the audience will think of her.
Seacrest pointed out a noticeable difference between the Bachelor vs. the Bachelorette : "As the Bachelor, you kiss 25 girls — no big deal, as the Bachelorette, you make out with 25 guys, and it's a bit…," the 26-year-old bridal stylist agreed, charging that the franchise does indeed have "double standards" that made her cautious about signing on.
"I do think that being a girl, you’re judged a little bit differently," she said. "But I don’t get it. I try to take each and every relationship completely separate, so when you’re dating someone, you have to kiss in order to know if there’s going to be a connection. That’s where it’s tricky, I don't know."
Although Hartsock says she was "emotional" after being sent home by Bachelor Sean Lowe last season during the week eight rose ceremony, she explained that she's ready to find love again. (Lowe, for his part, is currently engaged to Catherine Giudici.)
"I wanted to come back, because I know from first-hand experience the feelings are very real, and you really can form a relationship from it," she said. "Throughout this season, you’ll see I really wanted to make sure I was going to be the right person for them, as well, because I was really aware of that. I made sure if I’m not going to be the right person for you, let me know. It’s always a two-way street."
When Seacrest and his cohost Ellen picked out their favorite suitors (Brooks, Juan and Zach) among her 25 guys, Hartsock was tight-lipped on their predictions. "You’ll have to stay tuned," she said. "I feel like all these guys, they really surprised [me]. You'll see."
The Northglenn, CO, native was more forthcoming about another topic, insisting hat she didn't join the show for fame.
“That [to be famous] is not my desire at all,” said Hartsock, who adds that she hopes to become a wedding dress designer. “It was a surprise for me to even be on TV, so I want nothing more to go back to my normal day to day life … I definitely don’t want to be an actress, not at all.”
The Bachelorette premieres Monday, May 27 at 8pm on ABC.
