The Bachelorette star Desiree Hartsock eliminated her first six suitors during Monday night's premiere broadcast of the ABC reality dating series.
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In addition, Micah, a 32-year-old law student from Denver, CO, and Mike R., a 28-year-old dental student from Dallas, TX, were also denied roses.
The Bachelorette's ninth-season premiere began with a brief recap of Desiree's life growing up and her journey as one of Sean Lowe's bachelorettes on The Bachelor, who got eliminated right after her hometown date.
Desiree arrived at her temporary cliffside Malibu estate and received keys to a brand new teal-colored Bentley convertible. The show then featured introductions to several of Desiree's suitors and a sit-down interview between The Bachelorette star and host Chris Harrison.
Desiree noted her parents have been together for over 35 years and she wanted a love like that for herself. She told Chris that when she falls in love, she falls head over heels. Chris then asked Desiree what her rule was on kissing guys this season, and she said that she didn't put a time frame on it -- when the moment felt right to kiss someone, she'd simply take advantage of it.
Desiree explained she was hoping a love story would unfold and that a guy would eventually get down on one knee and propose. She was looking forward to the time when she could design her own wedding dress, and she said she felt like Cinderella.
Desiree was only a little nervous before her bachelors arrived because she had been in their shoes before and felt fairly confident and very excited. She was ready to start the process of finding her husband.
The 25 bachelors then arrived at the mansion in LA and met Desiree one by one before the initial cocktail reception commenced.
Some of the suitors' entrances included Zak W., a 31-year-old drilling fluid engineer from Mico, TX who came out of the limo shirtless, showing off his six-pack abs; Diogo, who introduced himself in a medieval suit of armor; Chris, a 27-year-old mortgage broker from Seattle, WA, who pretended he was going to propose but just ended up tying his shoe; Jonathan, who offered Desiree a fantasy suite card; Brandon, a 26-year-old painting contractor from Costa Mesa, CA, who rolled up on a motorcycle; and Ben, a 28-year-old entrepreneur and single dad from Dallas, TX, who followed his four-year-old son Brody out of the limo.
Desiree immediately declined Jonathan's offer to skip the cocktail reception and join him in his own private fantasy suite, while she said Ben showing up with his son Brody "melted her heart."
Chris Harrison then told Desiree she didn't have to wait until the Rose Ceremony to hand out roses if she was to establish a connection with or take a liking to any of her bachelors beforehand.
Once inside the mansion, Nick R. announced he was going to do a magic trick and make The Bachelorette star disappear. However, he just escorted Desiree out of the room to talk alone.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWTheir conversation quickly got interrupted by Brandon, who gave Desiree a coin from his mother who's been sober for seven years. The coin ultimately decided for the suitor he should participate in the interviewing process to appear on The Bachelorette instead of attending a birthday party thrown for him by his grandparents. Brandon told Desiree to keep the coin and give it back to his mother during their hometown date at the end of the season.
Desiree then sat down with Ben, who talked a little bit about his son. The pair found commonalities in their hobbies, such as how they both loved camping when they were younger and Ben enjoyed hunting like her father. As a result, Desiree gave Ben a rose.
Ben therefore accepted the first rose of the night and was excited. He wasn't sure whether he had received the rose due to his own personality or his adorable son, but he said either way, "all is fair in love and war."
When the other bachelors saw Ben get a rose, they began getting nervous and antsy. Zak W. tried to impress Desiree by jumping into the pool in his boxer briefs. He was freezing and lost his chance to talk to Desiree in the meantime, but shortly afterwards, Desiree offered him a rose. Zak W. admitted to the cameras he felt he had earned that rose.
Desiree then gave Bryden, a 26-year-old Iraqi War veteran from Missoula, MT, a rose after he told her a story of how he had spoken with a little local boy while serving in Iraq and felt he had made a difference in his life even if his time spent overseas didn't make any other noticeable differences in the world.
Afterward, Juan Pablo, a 31-year-old former pro soccer player from Miami, FL, played a little soccer outside the mansion in front of Desiree. Desiree noted to the cameras she basically thought he was sexy. As the night was winding down, the guys who didn't receive roses were beginning to question themselves.
Desiree then sat down with Drew, a 27-year-old digital marketing analyst from Scottsdale, AZ, and felt a spark, so she gave him a rose. She thought he was sweet and appreciated the fact he was so nervous when he first stepped out of the limo.
During Monday night's broadcast, Desiree also gave roses to Michael G., a 33-year-old federal prosecutor from Miami Beach, FL, and Nick M., a 27-year-old investment advisor from Charlotte, NC, although their conversations were not shown.
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Jonathan then tried to explain who he was as a person, insisting he just had no filter and wasn't a reserved guy like Sean Lowe had been. Jonathan didn't understand why Desiree wasn't cooperating.
Desiree kept trying to end their conversation, but once Jonathan got overly persistent about the fantasy suite and asked her to join him several times, she decided she didn't want to wait for the Rose Ceremony and therefore eliminated him right on the spot. Desiree told her fellow bachelors Jonathan made her uncomfortable.
Prior to the Rose Ceremony, the bachelors were anticipating receiving a rose, as seemingly all the men wanted to get to know Desiree better.
The Bachelorette's first ninth-season Rose Ceremony then commenced.
Besides Drew, Bryden, Ben, Michael G., Nick M., and Zak W., Desiree gave roses to Brandon; Zack K., a 28-year-old book publisher from Newport Beach, CA; Will, a 28-year-old banker from Chicago, IL; Brooks, a 28-year-old marketing consultant from Salt Lake City, UT; Juan Pablo; Brad, a 27-year-old accountant from Denver, CO; and Kasey, a 29-year-old advertising executive from San Luis Obispo, CA.
James, a 27-year-old advertising executive from Chicago, IL; Robert, a 30-year-old advertising entrepreneur from Los Angeles, CA; Brian, a 29-year-old financial advisor from Baltimore, MD; Dan, a 30-year-old beverage sales director from Las Vegas, NV; Chris; and Mikey T., a 30-year-old plumbing contractor from Winfield, IL, also received the night's roses.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
