It's no secret that Colton Underwood becoming the next Bachelor is a let-down. Colton is a great guy - he has his own non-profit charity inspired by a family member with Cystic Fibrosis, he loves dogs, what's not to love about him? The fact of the matter is, Colton wasn't our first choice nor was he even expected after seeing him melt down on "Bachelor in Paradise" over his ex, bachelorette Becca Kufrin, and breaking up with former fling and former contestant on Arie Luyendeyk Jr's season Tia Booth on "Bachelor in Paradise". Here are a few men that we would have rather seen as the Bachelor.
1. John Graham, "Venmo John" ("The Bachelorette" season 14 and "Bachelor in Paradise" season 5).
John, famously known as "Venmo John" for helping create the popular app "Venmo," would have been a great Bachelor. He's cute, can hold a conversation and is incredibly smart and humane. He was recently on "Bachelor in Paradise," where he was known for going on first dates with nearly 6 girls, but he ended up leaving the island early. John would have been the perfect pick for "The Bachelor," but alas, it did not work out that way.
2. Joe Amabile, "Grocery Store Joe". ("The Bachelorette" season 14 and "Bachelor in Paradise" season 5)
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Joe has quickly become one of the most successful first-eliminated contestants in Bachelor Nation history. America fell in love with his cute, awkward self, and even called out justice for Joe. Joe got his nickname "Grocery Store Joe" because he owns multiple grocery stores in Chicago. Joe was also on "Bachelor in Paradise", where he had a relationship with Kendall Long from season 22 of "The Bachelor."
The two of them split in the finale, but it was revealed that between "Bachelor in Paradise" and now, they had gotten back together, and Joe was given a spot on "Dancing with the Stars." This, unfortunately, takes Joe out of the running for "The Bachelor," but if this didn't happen I'm sure the riot for Joe to be the next bachelor would have continued.
3. Wills Reid ("The Bachelorette" season 14 and "Bachelor in Paradise" season 5).
WILLS WAS THE DREAM, Y'ALL. For those who were living under a rock, Wills was the last man Becca broke up with before hometowns began on season 14 of "The Bachelorette," and later came onto "Bachelor in Paradise" season 5 with small luck, as he was sent home when there wasn't a woman he made a lasting connection with who'd give him a rose. Wills was all kinds of right - he was kind, he has impeccable taste in fashion, AND HE HAS A HARRY POTTER TATTOO. PRODUCERS WHYYYY. But anyway, instead of Colton, we could have gotten our first African-American bachelor, but we didn't. We just got another insecure white guy when we could have gotten ALL of this goodness. Hopefully something good comes to Wills soon. A sad Wills is a sad America.
4. Blake Horstmann ("The Bachelorette" season 14).
We all thought Becca would choose Blake, as he had such a strong relationship with him. Becca recalled that saying goodbye to Blake was harder than dealing with Arie leaving her, and felt like she was doing to Blake was what Arie did to her in a sense. Producers even thought that he would pass out from the sobbing mess he was after Becca left him in his feelings. America really felt for Blake with how vulnerable and open he was with his feelings on national television, so it was a total blindside that Blake didn't get bachelor, as he was the second-to-last guy. But hey, that's television for you! Maybe we'll see him on season 6 of "Bachelor in Paradise" and all will be all right!
5. Jason Tartick ("The Bachelorette" season 14).
Jason was left brokenhearted after Becca Kufrin told her she couldn't see a future with him compared to the other men, and he even went over to her hotel room a few days later for closure and to give her a scrapbook that he made documenting her time. Jason was pretty overlooked, to me at least, until his hometown date when he brought her to Buffalo, NY and took her to his favorite chicken wings place and dared her to a wing-eating contest. America fell in love with Jason's kindness and respect towards Becca, even after the blindside of the season, and she hopes that he one day finds a woman who will treat him like a king. Guess this narrative will end without the help of Bachelor Nation. Bachelor in Paradise, maybe?
All matters aside, I think Colton is a great guy. I am excited to see him on "The Bachelor," as I'm a firm believer in giving someone a second chance to redeem themselves as ready for something like this. I just know that with Colton, we're in for a season of virgin jokes, double standards when it comes to speaking about a man choosing to be a virgin vs a woman choosing to be a virgin and lots of "What if Tia shows up?" jokes, and I don't really want to see all that. BUT, I'm obsessed with Bachelor Nation, so I'll still be tuning in every Monday.
