What’s that line from The Dark Knight? Either you die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain? Well, JJ Lane certainly left Bachelor In Paradise as a hero. He’s not dead, obviously, but for the show’s purposes, he is sure not coming back. Why? Well, last week, Bachelor in Paradise star JJ revealed that he had a girl back home that he broke up with, but now realized he needed to be with. Upon JJ’s announcement that he was leaving the show, Carly summed up the situation best, saying that usually, you hate when people on Bachelor shows have a love at home. In this case with JJ, it’s much more, “go, go on and get your woman back!” So, I have to ask — Are JJ and this mystery woman still together?
I’m really rooting for JJ here, which is something that I never would have said if I had ended my television relationship with JJ on Kaitlyn’s season of The Bachelorette. While I think that he is very self-aware (especially now that he’s gone through a season plus of this thing), he was a little too smarmy for me the first time around. On Bachelor In Paradise, JJ has been the super-ego of the show, plainly calling everyone (especially Joe) on his or her crap and defending poor, sweet Juelia.
For those of you unfamiliar with that situation, the gist is this: Joe used widow and single mother Juelia to get a rose and dumped her when Samantha Steffen, the girl he really wanted to be with, got to Paradise. Everyone was mad, JJ called Joe out on it, and they nearly got into a physical fight. Later, when JJ was set to give a rose, he wanted to give it to Juelia to save her, as she wouldn’t be picked by anyone else. But Juelia didn’t want the pity, so he — wild card — gave his rose to Ashley S., gave his speech, and left the show.
Now, that’s a way to leave: Realizing you don’t want to be with anyone in Paradise, giving a rose to someone who wants to stay, and then bouncing to go find the person you love. I adore every bit of it, and I am proud of JJ for making that decision. Because, really, if you don’t like anyone there, why bother to stay? Go win back that girl you left behind.
Unfortunately, JJ’s grand gesture didn’t seem to work out so well for him. When asked on Twitter about his new relationship, JJ revealed things didn’t go as planned:
Heartbreaking! I’m sure she had her reasons, but the romantic in me would have loved to have JJ and his mystery lady live happily ever after. Luckily for JJ, I (and I’m sure very many women in this country) find his honesty refreshing and attractive. It takes a big man to say, “Yes, I screwed up my marriage. I now live with my parents and I’m spending all of my time taking care of my daughter.” Remember what I said about being self-aware? In a world (and an industry) full of such falsities, what we see with JJ is what we get. Though it didn’t work out this time around, I hope he finds love soon.
Images: ABC/Rick Rowell; Giphy (2)
