As the reality-television equivalent of R.E.M.’s 1992 hit “Everybody Hurts,†The Bachelorette pulled off a spectacularly depressing twist on Monday night’s episode: Leading lady Katie Thurston was dumped by contestant Greg Grippo, the destined winner and day-one frontrunner, after he angrily vocalized how Thurston had “completely dismissed†his declarations of love to her. The episode ended with a breakup montage of the couple (Gretie: 2021–2021), but viewers holding out hope that it might have been just a romantic red herring seemingly now have to come to terms with the fact that Thurston will, indeed, end up with either the sex-crazed franchise three-peater or Twitter Reaction Man instead. E! News reports that on Tuesday, Thurston posted a series of Instagram Stories that screenshotted explainers about gaslighting and how to identify the behavior. Among the Stories Thurston posted, gaslighting was defined as “a form of emotional abuse†within relationships.
Grippo, who has been notably inactive on his Instagram throughout this Bachelorette season, has not posted anything in weeks, E! News adds. On Monday’s episode, he and Thurston’s communication breakdown began during the end of their “hometown†date, when he told her she was filling an emotional hole in his life that he hadn’t experienced since the death of his father. Their conversation began as such:
Greg: I think you’re beautiful, and I think you’re great. I didn’t know I was going to fall in love with you. I didn’t know that. And I am in love with you. You just make me the happiest I’ve ever been. I see it with you. This is real to me. I haven’t been this vulnerable with anybody in my life. I don’t know what else to show you at this point or what else to tell you at this point. I know in my heart I’m not going to have any regrets after this. I’m not going to get down on one knee twice. It’s a one-deal thing for me.
Katie: I just love looking at you.
Compelling stuff.
The couple reconvened in Thurston’s hotel room the next day for another talk, in which Grippo was more combative with his words. He repeatedly said, “I don’t give a fuck about the rose,†with Thurston responding that she couldn’t “even comprehend†the points Grippo was making. “I want to leave, if I’m being completely honest, because I didn’t see any of this happening,†she added. Grippo proceeded to self-eliminate and exit the show. Can somebody remind us how long we have to wait until Michelle’s season?