Producer Mike Fleiss: "Bachelor Finale Was Not A Fake"

Jason from The Bachelor is one of the most hated men in America, but it was producer, Mike Fleiss, in the hot-seat during a media conference call today. He fielded questions about the brutal finale of the show where Jason dumped Melissa for Molly in a last minute upset.

Right out of the gate, Fleiss denied the show was rigged. "It's not true. We don't do that," he insists. "The great thing about unscripted television is that it's unpredictable. That's what this was."

Fleiss confirms Jason and Melissa tried to work things out prior to that jaw-dropping ending, but it became obvious Jason was smitten with Molly.

ABC Network was quick to point out that the publicly-jilted Melissa would not speak with the press "for obvious reasons." Understandable, yes. But her feelings were hardly spared for the finale, why bother now? Fleiss claims they can't force her to participate even though she's contractually bound to the show.

Melissa may step up in future, but apparently not as a contestant. Instead it will be eliminated hottie, Jillian, making the choices when the Bachelorette returns. Fleiss acknowledges Jillian was an inevitable choice. "Well, Melissa didn't want to do it," he explains adding, "Molly became the one he chose. Jillian became the next biggest campaigner. She's super relatable, she's got that girl-next-door thing. I think she has a Jennifer Aniston quality."

The Bachelorette returns May 18, 2009.