‘Most hated Bachelor’ to become a father
In the course of the classic children’s rhyme, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes …
But for Lauren Burnham, a contestant on Season 22 of “The Bachelor,” there was lots that came before the “baby in a baby carriage” part — a new development she and her reality-TV fiance Arie Luyendyk Jr. announced Wednesday. Yes, there were lots of, um, speed bumps on the road to Burnham, 26, finding happiness with race car driver turned real estate agent Luyendyk, and to the two becoming engaged, planning a wedding and reproducing.
First came Burnham’s audition for “The Bachelor,” then a psychological evaluation and an expenditure of probably thousands of her own dollars to furnish the cocktail dresses and bikinis to attract Luyendyk’s attention on the show. There was lots of K-I- S- S-I-N- G and maybe there was love — at least they talked about love in their scenes together.
But then came the humiliation of Luyendyk, 37, rejecting Burnham in favor of presenting the rose to Becca Kufrin. That was followed by Luyendyk changing his mind several weeks later, capped by the most agonizing and, some critics say, exploitative finale in “The Bachelor” history: Luyendyk breaking Kufrin’s heart and begging Burnham to take him back.
Burnham took him back, even though Luyendyk’s actions led to his dubbing as the “most hated Bachelor ever.” Several ex- girlfriends came forward in media reports to portray him as a cheat and a liar, who always is auditioning for the next pretty young girlfriend. But Burnham proclaimed her faith that her salt-andpepper-haired heartthrob would be true to her forever.
And now there is going to be marriage: A destination wedding scheduled for Jan. 12 in Maui. And of course, the two got the jump on the “the baby in the baby carriage” part. They’d both said they were anxious to start a family.
Luyendyk, the son of two- time Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk, tweeted out his excitement about their baby news.
In an interview with Us Weekly, Luyendyk and Burnham revealed they weren’t trying for a baby. It just happened.