There's always drama on The Bachelorette group dates and at
the cocktail parties – and Desiree Hartsock's season is no exception.
Single dad Ben Scott, 29, is already making enemies for
interrupting another suitor's chat with aspiring bridal designer Desiree,
despite already having a rose.
Scott, a Dallas-based entrepreneur, spoke with reporters on
a conference call Thursday to discuss smooching the Bachelorette, bringing his
son on the show and possibly being this season's snake.
Have you gotten any
heat for introducing your son on the first night?
It didn't matter what everybody else thought. [I only
wondered] how is this going to affect Desiree and my son's mother? I confirmed
with her that she was 100 percent okay with this before any of it happened.
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Were you worried Des
might not be ready to be a stepmom?
The main reason I brought Brody was to see how Des reacted
when she [realized] I was a father. It was a big risk. It could have gone two
ways: [either] she's going to love the fact that I'm a father, proud of my son,
or it's going to show me that she's not ready to jump into a relationship where
she has to become a mother figure. Des was 100 percent open to [it]. It made me
extremely happy. That's one of the reasons our relationship grew so fast.
Do you regret barging
in on Michael's one-on-one time?
I have no regrets. This is a show to find love. I was there
to see if [she's] the one I'm going to spend life with and I had my way of
going about it. That came back to bite me with some guys. But without time, you
can't grow your relationship. Those minutes I got were great minutes that
helped. I love talking to her. Could how I got that time been handled
differently? Of course. But you're nervous in a situation you're not used to and
I saw her and wanted to talk. I feel bad that I hurt somebody's feelings but in
the moment, it felt right.
Are the guys acting
out of jealousy because you got the first rose?
From what I hear, getting the first rose isn't always the
best thing. It was for me. It was confirmation that this was where I needed to
be and what I should be pursuing. It was a great step in our journey.
How'd it feel to see
them talking about you behind your back?
I've gone into this process knowing that things may be said
that I may not like. I'm not worrying about what other people said. I don't
hold anything against the other guys. They have a right to their opinions.
Were you worried that
drama would get back to Des?
That didn't cross my mind. I don't focus on negative things
so I wasn't going to let what happened with Michael affect what was happening
with me and Des.
Were you interested
in making friends with the other guys?
I had friends in the house and I spent time when I wasn't on
dates learning about the other guys. I never wanted to hurt anybody. My
intentions were in the right place. Des was my main concentration.
Seems like you're
being set up as this season's villain. Fair or unfairly targeted?
Some people make judgments without truly knowing somebody.
People will decide on their own.
Were you concerned
with what the audience would think about you?
The only people's [opinions] that I would be concerned with
was my family, and as long as I'm being who I am and I'm doing things my mother
would be okay with seeing on TV, then I am okay.
You may be in the
clear if next week's secret girlfriend isn't yours. Did you see it coming?
That scene is something to watch and a big part of the next
episode. The guys are pretty vocal on the situation.
Was your first
impression that Des could be the one?
I don't jump into things extremely fast, but there was
definitely a connection. We have a lot of things in common and things are going
really well. I'm excited. Des is an amazing kisser.
