University of Pennsylvania dental student Ashley Hebert has carried her insecurity issues with her from her season as a finalist on Bachelor Brad Womack’s season to her current starring role. You would think she would be happy running the show and calling the shots, but each week she seems even more unhappy…and now we know why: her embarrassing paycheck!

While her paycheck is not meager by any standard, compared to past Bachelor and Bachelorette stars, Ashley definitely got the short end of the stick. Bachelorette Ali Fedotowosky was rumored to have received $100,000 for being the Bachelorette. According to US Magazine, Ashley is only receiving $30,000 for her two-month stint. To put it in perspective, that is the same amount Molly Melaney and Jason Resnik were paid for ABC to air their wedding (in addition to paying for the cost of the wedding itself!).

Ashley, who was already ridiculed on-air by the devilishly handsome contestant Bentley Williams, has had to deal with thinking that she was the last choice for the Bachelorette. Runner-up Chantal O’Brien reportedly began dating her now-fiancee right after filming ended on the Bachelor, and Brad Womack chose Emily Maynard (depite recently splitting), leaving second runner-up Ashley as the only possible candidate for the job!

We wonder if ABC would have considered a larger paycheck for Emily or Chantal….

Blair Moylan

More On The Bachelorette!

1. J.P. Says He Is Smitted With Bachelorette Ashley!
2. A Day In The Life Of Ashley’s Dental School
3. Is Ashley Heading On A Romantic Trip With Fiancee?

Bachelor Brad Womack sure did miss his chance at love with Chantal O’Brien when he gave Emily Maynard the final rose and a diamond ring. But now Brad and Emily’s relationship is over, while runner up Chantal is living her happily ever after engaged to the man of her dreams, Jeff Razore. And if it doesn’t work out with Jeff, The Bachelorette producers still want Chantal!

“Chantal’s engaged to a wealthy guy who gave her a four-carat engagement ring,” a friend of Chantal’s tells HollywoodLife.com exclusively. “She really was in love with Brad and was completely heartbroken when that didn’t work out — but now she really knows everything happens for a reason.”

Before Chantal got serious with Jeff, it’s no secret that ABC wanted her to be The Bachelorette. But then she fell madly in love and turned it down.

What’s interesting is that Chantal had actually signed contracts to be in the shoes that Ashley Hebert now fills.

“Chantal was supposed to be the next Bachelorette,” a show insider tells us. “She signed contracts and everything, but then she met a guy and fell madly in love with him.”

“When she first tried to back out, we flew her down to LA to convince her to do the show,” continues the source. “However, it was obvious she’s really in love. We told her we wanted The Bachelorette to be totally invested in finding true love, so we let her out of the contract.”

“However, the offer is still on the table if things don’t work with her guy now,” adds the source.

BFFs — are you happy that Chantal has found love or would you rather see her return as the next Bachelorette?

- Lindsey DiMattina

More ‘Bachelorette’ Stories:

1. Ashley’s Friends Say She Couldn’t Have Slept With Bentley!
2. Ashley’s Secret Rendezvous With Fiance!
3. Ashley Reportedly Slept With Bentley!

Emily plans to get together with crazy Michelle and former ‘Bachelor’ Season 13 contestant Natalie Getz! Do you think it’s smart for Emily to be palling around with Brad’s TV ex?

So much for Emily Maynard being upset about watching her fiance Brad Womack get close with other women on this past season of ABC’s The Bachelor! If Emily was really as upset as she proclaimed to be on the After The Final Rose special that aired on March 14, would she be planning to hang out with fellow contestant Michelle Money — especially after all the chemistry Michelle had with Brad?

That’s exactly what Emily wants to do! She tweeted on March 28: “@nataliegetz @MoneyMichelle You girls say when and I’ll be there! I’m excited to meet you too!”

If you watched this past season, you’ll recall the intensity of Brad’s relationship with Michelle. They had a sexual attraction — including a big make-out session on the beach — that admittedly blinded Brad!

But Brad finally saw through Michelle’s seduction and sent her home after she posed for Sports Illustrated ‘s swimsuit edition beside the soon-to-be Bachelorette Ashley Hebert and runner-up Chantal O’Brien.

After Michelle left the show she told Ellen DeGeneres that she thought Brad was in love Emily the whole time.

In any case, it doesn’t erase the fact that Brad had an intense physical attraction to Michelle.

So given Brad and Michelle’s past, is it a smart idea for Emily to be becoming BFFs with Michelle?

Tell us what you think!

- Lindsey DiMattina

Since the Sports Illustrated bikini shoot on last season’s The Bachelor, readers have been speculating about Chantal O’Brien‘s weight. The 28-year-old Seattle native was fit and trim when she first arrived at the Bachelor house, but by the final few rose ceremonies she was filling out her dresses more than before. Sources tell HollywoodLife.com our eyes weren’t deceiving us — Chantal fell victim to the unhealthy lifestyle at the Bachelor house!

“Chantal gained about 15 pounds when she was on the show,” insiders tell us. “They feed them tons of food and alcohol and it’s hard to stay healthy.”

Bachelorette Ali Fedotowsky went through the same thing during her stint at on the show last year.

“I didn’t think much of it, but everyone noticed,” Ali said about her 10 pound weight gain to OK! magazine last summer. “I just wanted to eat more [while I was on the show]. I also wasn’t as active as I usually am at home.”

Luckily, Ali was able to shed the weight pretty quickly by following some key guidelines that she explained here.

Since finishing the show, Chantal found new love and we’re sure she’s getting back to her healthy regiment. Can you imagine living in The Bachelor house with unlimited gourmet foods and drinks? We’d gain weight too!

Kirstin Benson

Read more about Brad Womack’s out-of-control temper!

Read more about Emily Maynard’s relationship with her daughter!

Read more about Brad and Emily’s relationship problems!

Wow! Do you think Chantal would have made a better ‘Bachelorette’ than Ashley? Here’s how Chantal lost her chance!

Talk about a battle of the roses! ABC asked Chantal O’ Brien — one of the final two contenders on Brad Womack‘s second season of The Bachelor — to be the next Bachelorette before they approached Ashley Hebert, who now holds the title.

“Chantal quite possibly would have been our Bachelorette, if she hadn’t not, quote-unquote,’ fallen in love with some goofball in Seattle,” Bachelore/Bachelorette creator and producer Mike Fleiss tells Entertainment Weekly. “I’m sure they’ll be together forever.”

When Chantal turned ABC down, the network had to go with their second choice — Ashley.

“She’s kind of cool, she’s spunky and she’s got a lot personality,” says Mike.

“It’s also the first time we had an actual professional woman as a Bachelorette,” adds Mike. “She’s not a party planner, she’s a dentist!” Ashley will finish up her studies at the University of Pennsylvania after filming The Bachelorette and before she starts practicing.

“That’s a good step for us,” says Mike. “I think it’s a cool good lesson for young ladies out there to see an accomplished woman still struggling to put the personal side of her life together. That’s something a lot of women can relate to. She will be a different kind of Bachelorette!”

You can say that again! But what about Chantal — how is her love life working out with her new man, Jeff Razore?

“I think because of my experience, it’s allowed me to be where I am now and be in a relationship,” Chantal tells People.

BFFs — would you have rather seen Chantal as The Bachelorette instead of Ashley?

- Lindsey DiMattina

Ashley Hebert gave herself a special rose while filming ‘The Bachelor!’ Exclusive!

Are Brad & Emily REALLY in love? Click to read expert love consultants reveal the truth!

Brad and Emily have already broken up once, but on ‘After The Final Rose’ they both said they are engaged again! But is Emily being serious about her feelings for Brad?

It’s clear that Brad Womack has finally fallen head over heels for a girl … Bachelor winner Emily Maynard. BUT when the couple was reunited on the After The Final Rose special edition on March 14, some serious questions arose about the status of their relationship. Emily told Brad that she’s not ready to move to Austin or get married, but she definitely considers herself engaged to him and eventually sees them as a married couple. She’s just not sure when. Now, former Bachelorette winner Jesse Csincsak — who went through a similar situation with DeAnna Pappas — questions whether Emily is being real.

“It was fun for Emily, but I don’t think she was really serious about it,” Jesse tells HollywoodLife.com exclusively. “Just watching her and her attitude last night …. Brad is 38 — he’s not looking to date for 10 years.” And that’s what Emily seems to think is going to happen!

“If you get engaged to him, you better be ready to marry him because he has been through the ringer,” says Jesse. “He’s done all the crap — he’s over it. He just wants to get married.”

Jesse has four reasons Emily and Brad won’t last:

• The media digging up information about her past that she doesn’t want public. “Everybody has a past — it’s all about whats coming forward,” says Jesse. “She’s so worried about what her friends at home are saying.”
• Brad’s past. “She can’t get over what happened on the show [Brad's affection towards other women] and in general,” says Jesse. “It freaks her out. Whenever she googles his name, it’s right there in front of her.”
• Brad’s 14 years Emily’s senior. “She got pregnant at 18 with the guy she loved,” notes Jesse. “Emily never got to be her own person because she was taking care of her daughter. She never had time to go play.”
• Their volatile fights. Emily’s concerned about how Brad communicates with her — and that his hot temper could be damaging to her relationship. But Jesse says she should know him by now. “Everybody has demons,” he says. “You never get to know somebody til you get mad. They had plenty of times to rendezvous. It’s not like she hasn’t had a chance to get to know him.” Is Emily making excuses?

BFFs — do you think Brad and Emily’s relationship is going to last?

- Lindsey DiMattina

Chantal O’Brien visited Live With Regis and Kelly March 15 to discuss losing in the final rose to Emily Maynard in The Bachelor finale — and how she managed to not get violent with Brad Womack! The reality star admits she knew she would not be getting the final rose as she headed for her final meeting with Brad. “I thought ‘it’s too early for a proposal — they usually do this at sunset,” she said.

Chantal also said her main focus at the time was to remain calm. When Kelly Ripa asked if she considered kicking Brad in the balls, Chantal joked: “I’ve already gotten in trouble for all the violence.”

Chantal is wasting no time however crying over her loss and has already found a new man. Furthermore, she has nothing but well wishes for Brad and Emily. “They obviously have something,” she said.

What do you think HollywoodLifers — is Chantal truly happy for Brad or putting on a brave face?

‘Bachelor’ Brad Womack Engaged To Emily — Says Goodbye To Chantal !’

Lindsey Says: ‘Bachelor’ Brad Womack NOT A Changed Man — He’ll Break Emily’s Heart!

Brad Womack has finally done it! He got down on one knee and proposed to Emily Maynard during the season finale of The Bachelor on March 14. And she said yes! Brad is engaged to Emily!

“I’ve made so many mistakes and been through so many ups and downs,” Brad says to Emily. “I’ve always believed I would find a woman I was looking for my entire life. I knew it would taking convincing myself to take a leap of faith.”

“All it took was coming and here and finding you,” Brad continues. “You are so much more than a leap of faith. You are my once in a lifetime. I’m asking you to please give me your forever. Please let me protect you and your beautiful daughter. I love you, Emily. I mean forever! Give you my absolute word.”

Brad gets down on one knee. “Emily, please make me happier than I have ever been in my life and marry me,” he asks.

Emily accepts!

Sadly, Brad had to say goodbye to Chantal O’Brien.

“Where do I begin,” Brad starts off with his pitiful goodbye. “I want to say this — the very first time I laid eyes on you, I felt a connection. The fact that you allowed me to be myself is something I also looked for. You make that very natural. You are somone I have looked for.”

But “here’s where it gets tough,” Brad says. “I have stronger feelings for someone else. I’m so sorry. I want you to know something, from the very beginning, everything we have and will have is very real. I’ve used every second that you and I were given. It’s simply a matter of me having strong feelings for somebody else.”

“You are an amazing person,” Chantal cries. “Emily is very lucky. It just sucks because I felt so strongly.”

She can’t say anything else.

- Lindsey DiMattina

Click to read about the new bachelorette!

Click to read why Emily wont wear Brad’s ring!