The Bachelorette Meets Potential Suitors

Tonight Emily Maynard made her first step in taking another shot at love on the premiere of ABC's The Bachelorette. The debut also marked the first eliminations of the season, and as the song says: The first cut is the deepest.

Out of the 25 contestants on the show, five had to go home tonight, so everyone was keen on making a lasting first impression. One lucky guy would receive the first-impression rose, ensuring his survival through the first round of eliminations.

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The most impressive entrance went to Kalon, a 27-year-old brand consultant, who rode to the mansion via helicopter. This immediately caused tension among the guys, some of whom expressed concerns over Kalon's intentions.

Perhaps the most questionable first impression was made by Randy, a 30-year-old marketing manager, who did his best Norman Bates impression, slowly approaching the front door of the mansion dressed as a feeble old woman with glasses. Randy was sent home.

As a single mother, Emily was upfront about wanting a father figure for her daughter, so it's no surprise that the first-impression rose went to a dad. During the "getting to know you" portion of the episode, Doug, a 33-year-old real estate agent, presented Emily with a handwritten note from his 12-year-old son that nearly brought the Bachelorette to tears.

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"I can tell that he's a really good dad," Emily said, ultimately awarding Doug with the free pass.

Others to go home included Jean-Paul (a 35-year-old marine biologist), Brent (a 41-year-old technology salesman), Lerone (a 29-year-old real estate consultant) and Jackson (a 29-year-old fitness model).

The Bachelorette airs Mondays on ABC.