The Bachelor 13: Interview with Naomi Crespo, Eliminated 6th Episode

[Erika]

Interview with Naomi Crespo

Eliminated in The Bachelor Season 13's Sixth Episode

After a very eventful Hometown Date, Bachelor Jason Mesnick made eliminated Naomi Crespo from the running to become his wife. Naomi spoke in a conference call about her experiences on the Bachelor, her connection with Jason and her now infamous Hometown Date. Below are the transcripts of that interview.

Question: It’s been mentioned your hometown date was one of the most unique ones on The Bachelor and I'd have to agree. Has your mom ever made any of your other boyfriends give a eulogy for a dead bird or anything like that?

Naomi: Oh gosh, no. That was so - it was so embarrassing. Oh my God. My mom has met one serious boyfriend and that was my longest relationship. And obviously nothing that crazy, I mean my mom's kind of out there but I think she definitely could not wait to make her television debut. So I think that she's really excited and wanted to just - she's quirky like that and she's just, I don't know, sometimes I wonder.

Question: You mentioned, you know, she's never done anything quite that embarrassing but has she ever done anything else that you know like a date in high school or anything like that where you were just like, oh God, mom, please?

Naomi: You know my mom and I, we had a strange relationship for a long time. It's not - my parents divorced when I was younger. My dad got custody and my mom kind of gave him custody. She was experiencing, I don't know, I still don't know what it's called, midlife crisis or whatever. But we went to New York with my dad. And I actually kind of spent the rest of my childhood there. I was back in high school, my freshman year in Puerto Rico. I moved out to California in my sophomore year, was living with my sister, my older sister who was always kind of like my motherly figure I guess you could say. And went to high school, sophomore year there, and then back in New York for junior and senior years. So I didn't have really a relationship with my mom throughout that time. It wasn't, you know, she didn't have the opportunity to do that.

Question: What about dad? I mean he seemed like a lot more mellow. Did he ever, you know, really embarrass you in front of a date or anything like that?

Naomi: You know I love my dad. He's hilarious because he's just got the sweetest heart. And my dad he loves me so much. I mean I have overcome a lot of resentment towards both of my parents and there wasn't always - my relationship with them wasn't always this way as it is now. But, you know, people change and people make mistakes and both my parents have owned up to that, you know. And I think that with my dad he's just so - he's so true to like what he believes in and he wants the best for me and he's just - he wants me to be with, you know, a man of God, and he just wants me to be happy. And but he's very supportive, and he knows that I've kind of grown up on my own and the choices I made in life, I've made good choices with my life. And I've - you know, my parents trust my judgment. So and my dad as far as the embarrassing thing, he's never done any - like in high school I mean I dated guys. I never really brought guys home and but actually my senior year, my junior and senior year I went to a private Christian school out in New York that my dad taught at, so all my friends were in class with him. But it was just everybody just love my dad. He's just so, you know, lovable.

Question: So what's next for you? Do you think you're going to try the personal modeling career off of this or are you dating anybody, what's happening with you?

Naomi: No, no. You know after I left, I definitely felt like it is the time to go solo and, you know, get myself, you know, get back in touch with myself. And I think the experience was just, it was incredible. Definitely growing, like I grew a lot from it. And I came off of it just knowing that, you know, having a whole new outlook on what I want in life, who I want - the type of person I want to be with. And, you know, as far as a career, I'm just working right now. I've been flying, I'm a flight attendant. And I'm looking into getting into other careers probably in outside sales or marketing, advertising that sort of thing. I majored in communications. So it's been fun flying, but I think I'm ready to move on. As far as the modeling thing, you know, I did that - I have a modeling account on there that, you know, the person that comes up. And I did one test shoot. When I moved out to Austin, I was thinking about getting into modeling then because I worked with a girl. I was bartending at the time. I worked with a girl who was a model and she was booking jobs on there and getting paid like $500 a shoot for like an hour, two-hour shoot. So I'm like oh, you know, I'll do it for the money. But no, I'm not actively pursuing a modeling career. If something - if a great offer came my way then I'd consider it but it's not what I'm trying to do with my life.

Question: And are you seeing anybody?

Naomi: No, no. I am just taking time to - I'm waiting. I'm waiting on - like I've always had a very strong faith. I'm not by any means the most religious person but I have a strong faith. And coming out of this situation with Jason, you know, the next day I was just praying and praying, praying and I felt like when that right guy comes along, you know, I'm going to be patient. And God's got somebody out there for me and I can't - I don't want to get ahead of myself. I just got to focus on me right now. And, you know, focus on getting myself stable again into a career and, you know, that sort of thing. And when the right time comes, the right guy comes along its going to be worth it so. I'm waiting.

Question: Jason said that your family's antics and stuff on that hometown date didn't play a role in the elimination. Did you believe that?


Naomi: No, I do believe that. I had a tough time that night because Jason, I think he's intuitive. And I think that as far as the way he felt about letting me go, deep down inside it didn't matter what I said. That's just what he felt. You know he's like, I can't, you know, as far as me not being ready at this time in my life. I think that the reason that was and I think that in a different situation, you know, obviously outside of this whole experience, I'm ready. I absolutely want kids. I absolutely want a family. But I think that because we weren't meant for each other, it didn't feel right. And so when you feel that, you know, despite what somebody's telling you, you know, and it's very easy to get caught up in that whole world. You know, I think I absolutely got caught up. But there's a part of me that feels like I definitely built Jason up a lot in my head to the point where I came on the show feeling like I already knew him. And now that I've known him more it was like okay, I don't know. You know would this be any different outside of this? Like if we just met in, you know, normal day-to-day life and got to know each other. I definitely think that my parents, they're crazy and maybe it has something to do with it, but I don't think - I think ultimately in his heart he just felt like I was not the one for him.

Question: You had said during the show that you were fully prepared to move to Seattle if you were chosen. Now that you've kind of had some time to be away from it, do you still think you would've be willing to make the move or that would've been a good decision to do so?

Naomi: You know what this is weird because I went Seattle. I had never been. And I just fell in love with Seattle. I loved it. I absolutely loved it. And I think when you're in that situation and you make it that far, you know, I went in thinking I didn't think I'd be on there that long, but, anyway, I had no idea I'd still be there. But at that point, yeah, your feelings - that's when you start getting emotionally invested in the person and just thinking about a life with that person. It definitely helped that I loved Seattle. I was like wow, I totally see myself living here. But as far as now, you know, having come out of it in hindsight, I'm looking on it with a more I guess clear picture of like the way I was thinking. You know and I can absolutely say that I think I got very caught up in it and it's hard not to. It is really hard not to. When you have this great guy, you know, you've got this love person. He's not - it's just everything. It's like I think I got caught more in the idea of it all. And so in hindsight I realized, you know, everything - there's things in life that can be a huge blessing in disguise and you can't know it when you're going through it. But coming out of it, you can look back and see it. I think that Jason letting me go was absolutely a blessing in disguise. And I'm so happy now. I mean I don't regret the experience. I don't regret anything. I'm thankful for it. I'm thankful I met him. I'm thankful I met all the girls. And it's one of those things I know that he and I were not meant to be. So I'm at peace with it, you know.

Question: So I just wanted to know about the times that you spent with Jason that might not have gotten shown. Were there any times that you really liked?

Naomi: Oh yeah. There is definitely. On our one-on-one date, you know, in Seattle we just had - we had so much fun. It was definitely one of the coolest dates I've ever gone on. You know in between, you know, shooting and this and that we had a lot of great conversation. And I'd given him this little book that I bought at Target. It was like family life and all these really cool pictures from all around the world of different families and different cultures. And I just wrote him a little note, you know, and we had a lot in common as far as that goes. Like, you know, family-oriented and just that sort of thing. So we had a lot of great moments like that. And that day definitely felt like we were a couple even off camera. I mean we just we were having fun so it was cool, yeah.

Question: And a lot of the other women who have gotten eliminated so far, one thing they say about him is that he's really hard to read. How did you feel about that? Did you - could you tell that you were going to be eliminated or like when you interacted what was his behavior like?

Naomi: I felt like with Jason, I would have to agree with some of the girls. At times it was very hard to read. And there's only so much that he's able to say to us, you know, as far as what he's thinking and feeling because of the situation. But at times, it definitely was. I felt the chemistry with him. And we had a lot in common as far as the things, the different things that we've done, you know, like things that we care about. And I think we started off kind of more on a friendship level. So that got to grow. But even despite that I don't know that I feel like I totally got to know Jason. That's what I'm saying is I don't know in this kind of situation that it's even really possible. I didn't get to see him, you know, in his normal day-to-day life. It's just it's not - I don't know. I think that he was honest with me as far as his reasons for letting me go. Did I see it coming? I think I felt it coming more than anything. And it shows on my face. It shows in the last couple episodes. The season or the, I'm sorry, the week prior, you know, when Stephanie left that was a really emotional night. And I thought I was going home. I really did. Then when she left, I mean she was just incredible. Stephanie is a, the word amazing, I hate to use the word amazing but she really is. And it was tough. But I thought I was going. You know I think I felt it more than anything. And I think towards seeing the end, I was kind of hanging on a string and just hoping that like, again to go back to the whole idea. I think I really got caught up in the idea of Jason and the life in Seattle. So coming out of it though, I mean I realized I'm okay, you know, I'm going to be okay and it just wasn't meant to be.

Question: A question I have for you, pretty simple, you got all these women surrounding you. The game play amongst the women must be ferocious.

Naomi: The tactics, okay. Yeah. I definitely did not - watching it was different than actually being there. There is a couple things I thought of. I was like interesting. As far as that goes, you know, you go into a situation and you know that you've got, you know, limited time to be able to kind of step in there and try to I guess step up your game sort of speak. And girls have different mentalities as far as that goes, there are some girls who are different willing to kind of steal him away and jump in there and just be like here I am, you know, I want to get to know you. And I think he really liked that. I think he appreciated that. He should, you know, knowing that these girls are really here for me and they're going to - they're willing to do whatever it takes. I had a harder time doing that because this is not my nature. And in reality I've never been that way as far as competing for a guy. I'm not - I compete most with myself. I don't really compete with other people. It's just - I've never been that way. So it's different. Everybody had their different method. But the girls were great. You know I - overall.

Question: It seemed like you were really, really happy to see Jason on the home visit. And I thought to myself, it's been a number of days since they've talked to one another. How long did it take between the last time you saw him and the next time you see him at your home?

Naomi: Okay. Well I - it had been a week for me. So I was actually - I hadn't seen him for, yeah, seven days. And I, coming out of the last rose ceremony, I was nervous. I mean I really thought I was going home. So I felt like I really had to, you know, when he pulled me aside, I was just like my heart was racing and I'm like, this is it. You know he doesn't feel like I'm ready for him (and Ty). And so I thought I was going home. So I was really nervous that whole week. Going - and when he got to my hometown I was absolutely happy to see him because I wanted to be able to basically reiterate the fact that I absolutely was - I want that. You know these are the things that I want. I want a family. I want, you know, to be a mother. I want to be a wife. I want - I'm over that whole - I really genuinely am over that whole party phase in my life. I mean that's something that everybody goes through. I don't even have the desire to do that anymore. I think he was concerned…are you are ready to just kind of stay home and, you know, pop in a movie and open a bag of popcorn. I'm like that's what I do everyday, you know, yeah. But again, I don't think that - I really don't think that he was able to completely get to know me and I - and vice versa. And this situation was just, it's hard. It's really hard to. So yeah, I was happy to see him though, absolutely.

Question: How long have you lived in Austin and how did you apply to be on The Bachelor.

Naomi: Well its funny. I actually - I was living in LA beforehand. I was up in LA pursuing acting at the time. And the director of the show had been in my restaurant and saw me and, you know, was kind of trying to recruit for the London season so. It's funny. Yeah, at the time I was okay with that. And I said I don't believe the reality TV and the world of acting should ever intermix. But I just kind of laughed. I'm like yeah, Bachelor, if I was going to ever do reality TV I don't think that that would be the show I would do, no offense. I ended up moving to Austin. I kind of gave up pursuing acting as a career, which going into this season, I had said I didn't want to be typecast as that girl because its not what I'm doing anymore. But anyway so I moved to Austin about a year, over a year ago now. It was January and I ended up watching that season. And I actually went to college with Amy. So, I kept on watching because I was interested. And one night I had gotten home from work. I was working at the time and I'm watching. And all of a sudden I'm just like drinking a couple glasses of wine at this point. I'm like, oh it looks like a lot of fun, actually. Maybe I'll just apply. And so, I did again and then, you know, the opportunity - they got in touch with me and they were really interested. And when I found out - the deal breaker for me was definitely finding out that Jason was chosen as The Bachelor because I knew enough about him to want to meet him. So that was the deal breaker. And I ended up doing it. And I'm glad I did. You know it was a great experience. And the first rose ceremony, the director actually goes to me, you look familiar. I'm like I know I do so.

Question: With regards to the other bachelorettes there, who were you closest with on the show?

Naomi: Oh gosh, all the girls are really, I mean different and unique in their own way. But I developed some close relationships there. As far as the closest, I would definitely say Jill and Melissa. You know those girls are - they kind of became more like sisters to me. And being as far as we were together, I think that's kind of what set apart, you know, my closeness with them. And but all the girls are really incredible. You know I know Megan has that whole, you know, the way she comes off on TV or in the drama and this and that. But she is also somebody who I regard highly. So people will see what they see and you don't get the whole picture. It's just, you know, it's not possible. But you get to know these girls, you know, on a more personal level and all of them, I mean Kari, there's just Nikki, everyone. Erica is hilarious. I mean the house was like lots of laughter when Erica left. I mean there's things that don't get shown that I wish did, you know, so that people could get a fuller picture on these girls.

Question: So we know that Jason is an extremely popular bachelor and lately. What do you think it is about him that people seem to be responding to?

Naomi: You know I think that on his season, you know, The Bachelorette (would be on it), he just - he - it's kind of the same way with the final four of us girls. You know he was kind of outside of any drama and he was just himself and he's got this charisma. He got this - I don't know. He's attractive obviously, he's nice to look at. So I think its kind of the whole package as far as why he's so popular. And it's obviously why he was voted in. I mean, you know, he had a huge fan base after his season so a lot of people wanted to see him find love.

Question: I mean because he has a kid, that may be also sort of attracts women who are - not just on the show?

Naomi: I think that's definitely something that, yeah, absolutely. I think that it's not just that he has a kid. It's, you know, the way he comes across and the way he talks about him is that he's got a kid he just absolutely adores him more than life itself. You know Ty is his whole world. And to have found somebody that just kind of fits into that was really what he was looking for. Not necessarily a replacement because Ty, you know, what most people don't know is that he - Ty has a really good relationship with his mother and she's a good mother to him. It's not like she's just, you know, none of that, so yeah. I think that all plays into the whole appeal.

Question: All right. Listen before your hometown date that you looked apprehensive, did you coach your family in any way, tell them to keep the colorful antics down to a minimum, anything like that?

Naomi: You know, what I wasn't able to, but my sister did. And, you know, what you see, is what you get. That's my family for you. My mom is, oh gosh, sometimes I think she fell off her rocker a long time ago and her head's never fully recovered. But it is definitely unique. And I knew - I was definitely a little bit apprehensive because I knew that my mom had something up her sleeve. I definitely did not know that it was going to be bringing out a dead bird and giving it the proper eulogy and burial. I mean that was so beyond me, beyond all of us, Jason too.

Question: Yeah, he reacted real well to that. How did your family feel about - I assumed you watched it with your family?

Naomi: You know, I get different reactions. My sister is definitely really disappointed. You know, I think that you don't want to come off as like the crazy family. I guess I tend to be a little less embarrassed when it comes to my family because I'm just like, you know what everybody's different and that's my family. Like I'm a product of somewhere in the middle of that. But my sister was - she was a little frustrated. You know and I wished that they didn't show her conversation with or her conversation with Jason and, you know, the three of us were talking for a long time and I really wish they did because my sister is, I mean she's my best friend. And she knows me more than even my parents do. So, you know, I guess different things make for good TV. But my mom she was disappointed that they didn't. And at one point there was a conversation I had with my mom and my sister. And she was disappointed that that didn't get shown. You know, I told my mom. I saw it obviously and her conversation with Jason. I was little bit kind of like, you know, you could've toned it down a little bit. You know obviously these are your beliefs. But, you know, I'm thinking all America doesn't really need to know this. It kind of was a little bit embarrassing. But I'm just whatever about it - that's my family.

Question: Can you comment on it on your reaction after you were eliminated?

Naomi: Yeah, its okay. Yeah. Well I mean I watched that. And I definitely, at that point you're so invested in this and you get - you become more emotionally invested. And I think that I built everything up in my head and that was my problem. It's almost hard not to. But at that point you're so like - you're kind of so wrapped up in this whole idea of being with this person and fitting into their life and it's not - and I think that he felt like I wasn't ready to, you know, for Ty. I think that was his biggest thing and that was the week before when he pulled me aside. I did not throughout the course of the whole thing talk about, you know, oh I can't wait to meet Ty and tuck him in bed and do this and this and this and that because in my mind I'm thinking, you know, I want to fall in love with you first. And then anything that you're in love with I'm actually going to fall in love with as well, you know, but let's work on this first. I wasn't really trying to get ahead of myself as far as having a relationship with Ty. So I didn't talk as much about that. But I absolutely love children. I mean I want kids. I absolutely want kids and it will be with the right guy at the right time. I want to adopt. See that's a big thing with me. I definitely - I've traveled overseas. I went to Southeast Asia. I worked in an orphanage from or several different orphanages with kids that come from really rough lives, you know, trafficking and AIDs and, you know, it's not - I wanted to adopt every single one of them. I mean, I'm not like a girl who doesn't want to be a mother. I absolutely want to. And my niece and nephew, I mean they're like kids to me. I love them like they're my own. They're my sister's kids, but I know for a fact I will be a mother and I will be a great mother one day. I just think it wasn't meant to be with Jason.

Question: Okay. And then would you be willing to be the next Bachelorette if ABC wanted you to come back?

Naomi: Oh gosh, I don't know. I mean I don't even know if that - I mean I don't even know if I qualify for the running. But I don't know it'd be something to think about I guess and I don't know. I'm going to say I don't know about that.

Question: Just my last question. So who are you rooting for for the three remaining girls?

Naomi: Oh my gosh, well Jill or Melissa. I mean those two are like I love them. I love them to death. I mean it was nothing. I mean I think Molly is great too. I just I didn't get as close with Molly as I did with those two girls. And, you know, I - he'll be happy with anybody though. I think that I laughed really trusting that I was leaving, you know, three great girls behind so. But yeah, they're - I love them.

Question: In watching the home interview episode when he called your name out, I thought it must have been the talk your dad had with him that caused that. What do you think?

Naomi: I think that absolutely, I think more than my mother I would have to say if my parents did play an influence on his decision it probably would've been that. I can see how that would have really intimidated Jason. My dad is a very loving guy and he definitely meant well. And he's supportive. He knows that whoever I end up with he's going to support me no matter what. And he's very easy to get along with. But I think yeah, it probably was very intimidating. Jason, I mean they come from two different worlds. So what my dad cares mostly about as far as the kind of guy that I end up with is not - you know, I don't think that's Jason. I mean Jason's a great guy but I don't, you know what I mean. It's that whole belief system that he - I don't think that Jason shares that with my dad. So I could see where that would be very intimidating.

Question: Knowing your dad's stance on that issue, would you have married a non-Christian?

Naomi: You know my dad and I talked about this. He came out when I was on this thing. And I was born and raised in Christianity. I have challenged it in the course of life but mainly going to college. I graduated from a liberal state college. And I became so open minded, and I'm just naturally that type of person. I'm very open. And I'm very curious about other beliefs and other ideas. And so, I've thought that out. And I think that in the end of all that my faith will never change, and I will always have strong faith, and I'll always have a strong prayer life. The core of what I believe in hasn't changed. But at the same time I'm not going to - there are certain things that I don't necessarily agree with as far as, you know, I absolutely have to marry a Christian man. I, in my mind, I have to marry somebody who shares a faith. And prays and believes that there's something out there guiding them. Like that's what I'm more concerned about then what you call yourself, you know, because God only knows if I was born in the Middle East would I would be Muslim. If I was born in Utah would I be a Mormon. Like if I was - you know I think a lot of things play into that and everybody's born and raised differently. But ultimately I'm a very open minded person and I just want to - you can't help who you fall in love with. So I don't, you know, I don't have a rule as far as that goes at this point in my life.



Question: Given that you've done some bartending here in Austin, have you ever run into Brad Womack, the former bachelor.

Naomi: You know what I - it was one night and it was actually before I was working at this bar. And he was in there drinking. He owns a bar called The Mark, like right around the corner from where I work. So I had seen him and I was dancing with Laura, my friend and I was like, I think that's the bachelor. And, you know, from what I remember there was glances exchanged, but I didn't go up to him and say anything or anything. I just kind of left that night. So that's the closest encounter I've ever had with Brad.

Question: Okay. And then I also wanted to ask you a little bit about Molly, that episode several weeks ago with the tent. I was wondering if you were surprised at all by the extent of the intimacy they had so early on the show.

Naomi: You know that whole night was just crazy because he had been on such a long date before and then by the time, you know, they got to - it was just a late date. And so in that situation for any one of us to have, you know, gone out that late I mean I definitely - she came home the next day and, obviously, she was wearing his clothes. And it was just we were talking to her and she was just like obviously nothing happened. You know it was innocent. And they both say that. So you can't - you know I would never be like oh they're lying, you know, you just believe it or not so it was innocent.


Question: I love the episode a few weeks ago. Stephanie said that you were a doll but maybe not the same maturity level as some of the other girls. So was that something that you were getting from the girls and Jason while you were on the show?

Naomi: You know, what I actually was a little surprised by that comment. And it hurt a little bit coming from Stephanie. But, you know, it doesn't change the way I feel about her. I think she's great. And I really loved her. And as far as her saying that, I think maybe it's that she didn't get to see sides of me that the other girls did, you know, as far as I don't know. You know there are certain people that you really open to and there are certain people that know more about you than others. And I don't think she knew enough about me. I think that there's times that I even feel like people don't take me seriously and they look....she's just I don't know. I was a bartender, you know, people say that. And so you just kind of get stuck in that whole association. Like I don't know if she's mature enough and what are you going to do. But I don't hold it against her. I think that she's just expressing her opinion. Maybe she felt like as far as the other girls, that they just had more stability in their lives. I'm a bartender. I'm kind of back and forth all the time. And maybe she just felt that as far as the mother thing, like I said, I wasn't - I never really talked too much about Ty and wanting to be this and that for Ty because I didn't - in my mind it wasn't appropriate to emphasize on being a part of Ty's life. But I'm just trying to get know Jason first. I'm the type I'm like if I fall in love with somebody, it doesn't matter if you have a kid. I will love your kid because I love kids in general. And I know have the potential to be a wonderful role model and stepparent if that was the case. But maybe she just didn't get to see sides of me that the other girls did.

Question: By the time you all gathered for the rose ceremony for Monday's show, had you heard that Melissa's parents didn't want to take part in the show? And if you had, do you think that might've - did you think that was going to save you at the time?

Naomi: You know that's a good question. We - the three girls, Molly, Jill and Stephanie they were out on their date. And Melissa and I were back at the suite and that's when she found out, you know, she had talked to her parents and I was there with her. You're not going to see any of this. But, you know, she really had a breakdown. And it was really, really tough for her. And we had a great talk that night. You know I told you, you just got to trust that this is meant to be. If you're one then, you know, it's not going to matter. In the end, he can't hold that against you. If what you're saying to him is true her parents she says they're awesome people. They're great, I love my parents. They're awesome. Yeah, we're totally different. But I know that they would accept them. I know that they would love them. They're just very private people. They don't want to - you know obviously they don't want to go out and be recognized on the street. They just - they don't - they're private. So that's completely understandable. And I don't think Melissa's parents were too supportive with her doing the show in the first place. But they support her because they love her. And so she probably had a great relationship with them. It was just it was really tough. And she definitely had a breakdown and we talked it through and then she felt better. She's still in the running, so she's great. She's great.

TV FunSpot would like to thank ABC for allowing us to be part of the conference call and of course many thanks to Naomi for speaking so candidly with us. Please feel free to post comments or you may email me at Erika@TVFunSpot.com

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