by Danae Young

This week in The Bachelorette, the remaining four men showed Ali around their hometowns and introduced her to their families. Although Ali anticipated a broken family when visiting Kirk, she found them to be very loving and close. However, she created stronger connections with the other three guys and ultimately sent Kirk home. Today, Kirk spoke with RealityWanted and reporters on his dad’s basement full of dead animals and how he has moved on since the show.

Q. Danae, RealityWanted: Was there any point that you felt like perhaps Ali wasn't returning your feelings?
A. Kirk: Yes, I would say that started in Portugal on our date. It didn’t go very well at all. Especially during the day, it was like she was on another planet. I figured at that point something shifted.

Q. Were you nervous about how Ali would react to your dad’s basement?
A. Kirk: I was a little nervous to see her reaction. To me it’s normal because I grew up around it. But, I gave her a fair warning.

Q. What did you learn on the show?
A. Kirk: I was sick for quite awhile and so I just kind of focused on myself. I didn’t have a lot to give because I had to focus on myself. As I got better I realized I have something to give. Feeling better and developing a real relationship with Ali was the first time I had done so since I’ve been sick.

Q. Would you rather have been cut earlier before you introduced Ali to your family?
A. Kirk: My initial thought after I had gotten cut was that I wish I had gotten cut 5th. My family looks at it as an experience themselves. I don’t think I would have had it any other way. I think now that I have had some time I don’t regret making it that far.

Q. Do you think Ali’s decision had anything to do with where you live since she is more of a city girl?
A. Kirk: She actually expressed to me previously that she didn’t see herself living in that part of the country. So I already knew that up to that point. I just think our relationship wasn’t as strong as the other guys that are left. If she truthfully had strong enough feelings for me I don’t think it would have mattered where I lived.

Q. How do you feel now that this whole process is over and you’ve had a few months away?
A. Kirk: I can tell you that it took a little bit. I was a little bruised and banged up for awhile. Once I got back into normalcy, it was a quicker adjustment than I thought.

Q. Were you expecting to be sent home?
A. Kirk: I actually thought the hometown date went very well. Obviously my dad’s basement threw everybody off. I thought that we had gotten closer together definitely. I was less worried about this recent rose ceremony than I was the previous one.

Q. Who would be your pick for Ali out of the remaining three men?
A. Kirk: Frank, Roberto, and Chris are all good guys. I can’t say a bad thing about any of them. Knowing the guys I just feel like, I don’t even know if I can answer that. In the back of my mind I always thought Frank was going to be the guy, if it wasn’t me.

Q. When you were still on the show, what did you see in terms of a connection with Frank? Why do you pick Frank over the other two?
A. Kirk: I think that stems from Frank having the first date. He talked about how great his date was and this and that and how much he liked her right away and I think it probably started there. You can see how we all interact, and just how Ali was around him in group settings you could tell it was there.

Q. How do you feel about the Frank situation since he gets to stay longer than you?
A. Kirk: First of all, Frank is one of my better best friends in the house so I get along with Frank really well. He came on the show having feelings for somebody else and I came on the show not having feelings for anyone else. It’s a little frustrating but I understand Frank was probably doing what was best for himself so I have a hard time holding it against him, but it would’ve been nice to go to Tahiti.

Q. Did Frank ever bring his ex-girlfriend up?
A. Kirk: Obviously we talk a lot off camera because there is a lot of down time when other people are on dates. Frank had mentioned an ex-girlfriend but I didn’t know to what extent his feelings were but I was aware of her, just not aware of the details.

Q. Do you believe you can find a real connection on the show?
A. Kirk: You know what? I do. Obviously the dates are out of the ordinary and it sets you up very well in these romantic settings and elaborate places. Ali and I formed a real connection on the show. It’s this weird version of speed dating, but it’s very organic and new relationships are formed. I do believe that you can build a real relationship out of the show.

Q. Do you have any regrets about doing the show?
A. Kirk: I don’t to be honest with you. No major regrets. The only thing I wish I had done differently was that I was a little more safe because I was more conscious of what I did. I could have been my more quirky self. I can’t really say a bad thing about the experience.

Q. Do you have a favorite date from the show?
A. Kirk: Actually my favorite date, hands down, was in Iceland. They focused a lot on our conversation at dinner, but we had a lot of fun during the day. Our connection really was built in Iceland.

Q. How did you think your father was portrayed on the show?
A. Kirk: I thought my dad was portrayed as my dad. He is a man of integrity and character and he is a good guy and I think he came off that way, but you put a girl in a room full of dead animals and you are going to get a reaction.

(Image courtesy of ABC)
 
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