Wonderwall

Is 'The Bachelor''s Ali Fedotowsky the Next 'Bachelorette'?

Entertainment Tonight, Thursday, February 18, 2010, 2:03pm (PST)

"The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love"'s Ali Fedotowsky took herself out of the running to win a proposal from Jake Pavelka, choosing her career over love. But then she changed her mind and asked to come back. Now, she talks to ET about how hurt she felt when Jake rejected her offer, who she thinks will win his heart, and if she will be the next "The Bachelorette."

"Immediately after the call, I was really hurt," she says. "I thought that I would be coming back, but I understood why he didn't want me back. I understood how he was hurt by my leaving."

As for her issues with semi-finalist Vienna Girardi, which were one of the focuses of this season's episodes, Ali says she now has no feelings of ill will toward Vienna moving forward. But she does explain why she felt what she felt while she was in the house: She was upset with Vienna because she said things before she thought them through.

"I think she did that a lot," the 25-year-old advertising manager from San Francisco says. "I think it was because she thought, 'If I say something about someone in the house, maybe people will want to listen to me more.' I think it started that way. Then she apologized to us. What you don't see is me saying, 'You are apologizing, but prove it.' The talking still went on after that. I have said this before, but my heart goes out to Vienna, because she is being slammed in the media. I don't think she deserves it. I do think she is a decent person. I just think she is a little bit young and her life experience hasn't taught her she shouldn't be saying these things."

With her new insight into Vienna, who does Ali think Jake will choose: Vienna or Tenley Molzahn?

"I think Tenley is innocent, sweet, nice and much more conservative. I look at Vienna and she is much more liberal, outgoing and likes to have a lot of fun and be silly," she says. "In terms of a long term relationship, when I was in the house, did I think Jake and Vienna could have a long-term relationship? No, I didn't think that at all. That is one of the reasons I was confused about him picking me and her. Now that I have had a chance to see them interact on the show, I do think they could have a lasting relationship."

As for the Internet rumors that she is the next "The Bachelorette," Ali tells ET: "I am flattered and I really feel great that people think that ABC would consider me for such a wonderful opportunity. I would definitely have to think about it. As you know, I had to make a tough choice this season when I had to decide whether to stay or leave the show because of work. I would be faced with that decision again, if I was offered, so I would think about it."

That said, Ali also shares that she feels that the time may have come to focus more on love than on career.

"When I saw Jake at the 'Women Tell All,' I felt a lot of regret," she continues. "It was sad. Sometimes when I am sitting at my desk at work, I think I made the right choice. What I can say is that if I have to choose between love and work again, I might chose love. I have to start focusing on that more."

"The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love" airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.