The anti-love show

One for 19! Examining The Bachelor & Bachelorette's dismal success rate

Jillian Harris and Ed Swiderski of "The Bachelorette" continue to move the cursealong. That is, no one ever stays together on this show.
Photo by Mario Perez/AP for ABC
Jake Pavelka and Vienna Girardi of "The Bachelor" continue their tabloid war.
From "The Bachelor," Shayne Lamas and Matt Grant. Matt Grant seems like more ofa "fame whore" since he has sold a reality show and openly wants to be part ofBachelor Pad for fame.

Another couple formed on The Bachelorette has broken up. Jillian Harris and Ed Swiderski called off their engagement.

The couple is officially "taking a break." After their season of The Bachelorette aired, it came out that Swiderski had flings with two other women off-camera while courting Jillian, though they stayed together long after this revelation.

No matter the circumstance, a televised speed-dating search for a spouse nearly always leads to splitsville. The Bachelor and The Bachelorette prove it again and again — almost every single season.

Another insanely short-lived Bachelor engagement is the case of Brit Matt Grant and Shayne Lamas (daughter of bad action movie/TV star Lorenzo Lamas). The two remain "acquaintances" and Matt Grant has sold a show to Warner Bros called Pimp My Bride!, about when a groom-to-be takes over planning the wedding.

He told Us Weekly he would like to be on The Bachelor Pad: "I've thought about doing it because I'm obviously not famous anymore and it would give me 15 minutes of fame!" Looks like Vienna should have called Matt a "fame whore" as well as Jake.

Luckily, Wikipedia has kindly made up a chart of the 20 seasons of the The Bachelor (14 seasons) and The Bachelorette (currently in the middle of its sixth season) of the show:

There were 11 yeses.
There were 10 breakups, including the nasty recent Jake and Vienna split.

Only one couple has actually fulfilled the ultimate goal of the show. Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter from first season of The Bachelorette have beenmarried since 2003 and now have two kids.

Any dating website with the miserable track record of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette would go out of business in less than three months. These are the shows you should go on if you don't want to be married.

Maybe ABC is finally realizing the that with its debut of The Bachelor Pad. Romance is dead, so why not go the MTV route? Can't wait 'til Jonathan Novack gets body slammed by Craig M.

[Editor's Note: In the CultureMap office, this critical world topic brought out a heated discussion on whether Jason Mesnick and Molly Malaney's marriage should count as a Bachelor success. Malaney wasn't Mesnick's first choice. She wasn't the show "winner."

He first humiliated her by giving Melissa Rycroft his final rose, switching (successfully) to a relationship with Molly only after dumping Rycroft on national television. Should we count their second-take marriage as a second Bachelor success story?]

unspecified

Time to Tailgate

Houston sports fans score great food and fun at CultureMap's Tailgate

Photo by Daniel Fernandez

Chris Lueking, Bailey Murphy

It's rare to get a Houston evening with low humidity, crisp air, and cool breezes, but the stars aligned for The Tailgate presented by Verizon, CultureMap's third annual signature event, on November 11. The weather was absolutely perfect.

Held at 8th Wonder Brewing, the (mostly) outdoor event offered about 500 guests plenty of space to mingle, eat, and enjoy the laid-back vibe of sports-themed fun. Houston pride shone brightly with attendees donning their best Astros, Texans, Rockets, and Dynamo gear.

VIP admission gave guests access to a special meet-and-greet with two of the Houston Texans' most popular alumni — defensive stars Brian Cushing and Travis Johnson, courtesy of presenting sponsor Verizon. The players handed out their autographs and snapped photos with fans to kick off the evening.

Of course, no tailgate is complete without delicious food. Guests gobbled up generous samples from some of Houston's favorite restaurants, including:

Adobo beef tacos from 1891 American Eatery & Bar
Wings and loaded french fries from Big City Wings
Comfort Foodies' signature empanadas in four flavors: oxtail, beef and cheese, chicken and cheese, and spinach and cheese
Shrimp ceviche shooters and brisket on a croissant from The Halal Guys
St. Louis ribs with Comeback Sauce from Josephine's Gulf Coast Tradition
Spicy and regular Layne's chicken fingers with dipping sauce
Smoked salmon handroll from Kokoro
Loro's smoked brisket tostadas with shishito salsa
Ramen Frito pie from Ramen Tatsu-Ya
Lobster rolls, corn and crab bisque, lobster bisque, and whoopie pies from Mainely Sandwiches
Smoked pulled pork bahn mi pizza from Pizarro's Pizza
Al pastor sausage and challah lobster roll from Saint Arnold Brewing Company
Sweet jerk chili wings from Southern Jerks
Spicy ranch wings from Taste Kitchen + Bar
Laab chicken sandwiches with tortilla chips from Thai Tail
The Waffle Bus' Hot Mess Fries: seasoned waffle fries topped with spicy buttermilk fried chicken bites, white cheddar mac and cheese, and Thunder Sauce
72-hour sous vide wagyu short rib from Uchi
Wagyu meatballs and edamame fritters from Uchiko Houston

With virtually no wait time for drinks, the bars served up signature cocktails by Jameson Irish Whiskey and Weber Ranch Vodka. Guests sipped memorable espresso martinis made with Shipley Do-Nuts cold brew, along with THC seltzers from Howdy and 8th Wonder beers.

Big City Wings beat out 15 other competitors in a bracket-style tournament to take home the title as winner of the Ultimate Wing Showdown. And The Waffle Bus scored a repeat win as attendees' favorite dish of the night; they also took home the title in 2023.

Local sports organizations were well represented, with the Texans raffling off a coveted CJ Stroud-signed White Panel Football. The Astros showed off their Shooting Stars dancers, plus the 2017 and 2022 World Series Trophies. And Houston soccer stars the Dynamo and Dash raffled off team-signed jerseys.

The night wound down with a spirited kolache-eating contest sponsored by Shipley Do-Nuts; the lucky winner received free doughnuts for a year.

At the end of the night, there was only one complaint to be made for The Tailgate: It had to come to an end for another season.

The Tailgate was presented by Verizon and sponsored by 8th Wonder, HOWDY, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Houston Powder Coaters, Holey Moley Golf Club, Mizzen + Main, Shipley Do-nuts, and East River 9.

Photo by Daniel Fernandez

Chris Lueking, Bailey Murphy

The anti-love show

One for 19! Examining The Bachelor & Bachelorette's dismal success rate

Time to Tailgate

Houston sports fans score great food and fun at CultureMap's Tailgate

How to watch the invite-only Michelin Guide Texas ceremony — plus predictions

15 food and drink specials saluting Houston's heroes on Veterans Day

Houston's essential Jewish diner looks better than ever after refresh