This is the most dramatic podcast ever and iHeartRadio podcast. This should be interesting.
That's a word for it.
I guess this should be interesting. Sitting down with Brad Wollmack.
Huh, here we go. Man, I'm almost I'm a little scared about this. I'm gonna be honest, buddy, I am too.
I was thinking about what you and I were going to talk about, sure, and then oddly I drew a blank. Okay, but there's but there's so much material and so much we haven't talked about, even though you and I have been friends. What year let's see, what year were you the Bachelor?
I'll tell you exactly the first time two thousand and seven, and then second time was twenty.
Ten, two thousand and seven.
Yes, yes, I'm old. I'm very old.
How old are you?
Fifty one?
I say, you're a year younger than me.
Yeah.
Yeah, that was like the rare time you and Byron Velvick, the bass fisherman who actually maybe have to look he might be older than me. So we did this, like you know, that was the our version of the Golden Bachelor. Back then. It's like, let's do an older guy, and so we got Byron Velvic, this bass fisherman, and that season didn't go awesome. Yeah, but he but we kept in touch too. He's a really good guy. Still we
still chat. And then you were the next one where it wasn't old at the time, because what were we back in what two thousand and seven?
Was thirty four I believe, yeah, thirty four, thirty thirty four, yeah, yeah, yeah, thirty four. Jesus see, that's how old I am. I can't even remember things in the past.
Fourteen years ago.
It was a long time teen years ago.
Holy cow, so I would have been thirty eight.
Wow, yeah, yeah yeah. So well, good times though, really good times. That's nuts kind of but it was. I had to throw that in there. We're good.
Well, I'll tell you what. I think we have to break this up. Well, because you were the only person to be on two Bachelor seasons. You were the Bachelor twice for those that don't know, Brad was the Bachelor in seven and ten, ten, twenty ten, and we had never done that before. I think they'll never do it again after that. But this is also back in the day. This is old school when we would get really good
guys find them. You didn't have to be on the show before, right, yeah, yea, you know it's you know, Bob Guiney had come off the Bachelorette. There were a couple, but it was more like Aaron Burgee, Andrew Firestone, you and some of these others where we had never met you before. The first time we met you was when you were the Bachelor.
Right yeah, yeah, pretty organic way to do it, I would imagine, you know, for you guys, and yeah.
It's well, it was a scary thing because sure we liked it because you got to build a story and you got to know somebody on the show. But the other thing is we really you could cheat a little bit, and if they were on a prior show, there was a built in audience, right. People loved you, people hated you. They had an idea of what they thought about you. Therefore, there was a story built in when the store, when the season starts, Okay, I already know what I think
about Brad Walmack. Now I'll just meet the ladies and we're off and running makes sense, And so that was kind of the change of the show. We felt like that was the kind of tie we always wanted to have. But with you, you were kind of a throwback too. We just met Brad Walmack, this bar owner from Austin, Texas.
Sure, yeah, yeah, how.
Did you become the bachelor? Who found you? How to happen?
I'll tell you it's actually a funny story. It's my brother and my business partner at the time. It was a Sunday afternoon and as Chad your chid, my twin brother and my other business partner, Jason, and true story, I'm just gonna be honest. We were doing a little day drinking and so we wound up at a popular restaurant in Austin and and you guys were casting for the girls, and so we were eating. Casting agent came down, tapped me on the shoulder and said, hey, this sounds crazy.
Have you heard of the Batcher? And I'm not gonna lie. I was a big fan of the show. And then you guys, of course were making waves and.
It would have been huge back then at seven it.
Was big, man, it was really big, and so there's obviously a very flattering encounter. Of course, my first reaction was I don't know if I'm going to be the right guy, you know, And she said, well, we can be very convincing at least give me your number and we'll call you. And sure enough, you guys called it think the week after and I was on my way to LA So I mean, just I mean fast track, can do you know? This wild adventure? You know?
And who did you meet first? Like, how did that all go? Because it was different back then than it is now. I mean it's it's gotten so much more professional, so much more there's so many more levels you got to get through back then, right, I'm guessing it was you know, a couple of the executive producers and you met a couple exis it is and we're off and running.
That's exactly who what? Who it was? It was well Mike of course, and then the show, right, and then uh Lisa at that's her? Yeah, yeah, And then I was fortunate enough to meet the president of ABC at the time. But it was such a whirlwind. Man. You take a guy from Austin that I had no aspirations being TV man, I'm sure you see.
And then you're sitting down, I'm guessing it was Lloyd Braun back then. Was that the president of ABC at the time?
Truly connect it was, And.
So you're sitting down with the president of ABC exactly.
Yeah. Yeah.
I mean you're like, and they're asking you about love, and you're like, what do you want out of life?
Yeah? Well that's actually what it was, you know. And then you know obviously what I did for living on this lowly bar guy. Yeah, and this well no, I mean just uh and and I mean, but I'll tell you it was one of the coolest experiences of my life meeting people of that caliber, of course, and then you know, it's a it's a story that I'll hold on to.
I was trying to think the first time you and I met, I think.
It was it was either the very first night. I mean, obviously we had to have taped something, but.
We didn't get to hang out a lot before. Like, there's a lot of times where either it well I'll get to know the guys the prior season and you hang out a little bit and then you keep in touch as they lead into the Bachelor. Other times they'll just be in town and I'll get to see them, maybe we'll go out to dinner before I just my recollection is, I don't think that ever happened with you. I think you came in hot and I didn't get to see you really probably and maybe that first night.
I think that's right. I got to tell you. I'm going to sing your praises real quick. I just want to tell you something you I was most nervous about meeting. I just seen you all over the place, and you're this larger than life personality, and I have to hand it to you could not have been cooler man. And so we had a lot.
I think the fact that, well, first of all, thank you. Second of all, you and I kind of are cut from the same cloth. I think we got each other and I found you to be a breath of fresh air and a bit of a relief. Well, not that I disliked. I mean, Andrew Firestone's one of my best friends. So is Bob Ginney. I love those guys. But when there was a guy from Texas, yeah, and about my age, I'm like, I can do this, like this, I get like, I understand this.
It was very.
Easy for me to get to know you, because that's part of the pressure for me was to try to quickly. You know, again, if I meet you on the driveway as a Limos pulling up, I got to figure out what makes this guy tick? Who is he? What are the buttons I need to push? How can I get him to these emotional areas, et cetera. And with you, I found it very easy.
I appreciate you because.
I feel like you know, you and I are very similar.
Well again, I appreciate that coming from you. But yeah, I mean you could not have been more welcoming, and frankly I needed it. I mean that was a very overwhelming experience, especially day one, you know, And yeah, you welcomed me with open arms, and so I thank you for that.
Did you? Obviously, I'm sure you had some trepidation and be human if you didn't. But to have your business and what's your business? By the way, lowly bar guy, you and your brother and your business partner, you guys owned own bars here in Austin at the time. I think it was just Austin were you. They were massively successful and you guys were killing it.
Thank you.
And by the way, back in the day, that was also the concept of the show. Bachelors would have jobs and they would be successful, so therefore you would actually be considered a catch.
Okay, I'll take that whatever it takes.
Right, It's an old concept. We got away from it. It became like broken people with no jobs.
And I'll tell you, guys, they've had some amazing candidates.
Of course, because I kid, actually a kid, because we don't care.
I like that. I like that.
But no. So so that was the original concept, and that was like Chris Soles, this farmer from Iowa, you know, hugely successful and if it wasn't for the show, you know, could they find love? And so that was the premise of bringing in a guy like Brad Womack of this guy's working his ass off opening bars. The only thing he really hasn't found his love.
Sure, yeah, good premise, of course.
Yeah too bad. It did work.
Hey, thanks thanks for reminding me, man, and I'm out. Thanks. It was a great like drop, good seeing you.
But you get into this, you had to have some trepidation, and I'm sure there was the this will promote the bar business, but what were the other things where you're like, man, I don't know if I want to do this.
Man, you know, I got to tell you, I'll back up a little bit. I don't know if you realize. So I never one time mentioned the bars on air, and I did that purposely, you know. And so one, I didn't want to sell out, but of course, I mean it went without saying that, you know, you would get some exposure, of course, but I took my career at the time especially very seriously, and I was a little worried about it damaging the career. And another thing is I know you know me very well, but people don't.
I'm a really, really shy person, and so I was petrified of losing anonymity, you know. I mean for so many years I had just gone to work, like you said, and built a career, tried to find a good girl. She wasn't having me, and so anyway, but so I went into the first night, admittedly with a lot of fear and anxiety.
Well, what was interesting with your time is again remember seven were coming into this with Brad. Yes, it was a huge show, and yeah there was probably twenty twenty four million people watching at the time, So you think, how did you want anonymity? But we also didn't have social media.
You're exactly right.
That was the huge thing. You're exactly You weren't being bombarded. Yes, you had to do People Magazine and Entertainment Tonight and all that stuff, but you weren't faced with the social media dilemma that everybody is now. Sure, so you still got to you know, the idea was you could leave and come back and live your life.
Right, Yeah, yeah, well that's a good point. I think I was just I'm really concerned with what people think of me. Unfortunately, you and me both, man.
That's honestly, it's one of the things as we bond over I agree to a fault.
Yes we do, and yes we do.
Sure our therapists will could get together.
We might have the same one. I don't think they can disclose that, but we might have the same one anytime. She's nodding very aggressively, like I've heard this before. Now I know what Harris. Okay, yeah, you guys are it.
Makes us good at what we do. Sure, it actually makes me a good host because it makes me very empathetic and I care, and again I care too much. You're the same being in the service industry that you get in, not your whole life. But you know, for the most part, sure it serves you.
Well.
Well, I appreciate one of our greatest weaknesses is also a strength.
Well yeah, okay, well I like that take on it, of course, and I do want to sing your praises another time as far as you caring, but you're by far the most compassion one of the most compassionate people, and so it makes it easy for guys like me or contestants, whatever you want to call it. Whenever you do come in with that anxiety, you kind of tamp that down a little bit. So we appreciate you. Man.
It's like it's a weird thing. And I always I was always very empathetic because it was interesting that people in the control room they're removed, right, they're just looking through a monitor and they're they're looking on screen and they they they're not going to get dirty, they're not going to get oil on them, so it's easy for them.
And they're in their little earpiece to like or in my earpiece to say, hey, say this to Brad or make Brad do this, or you know, they're not feeling the nerves, the tension, the fear, the excitement, the sorrow, all those emotions that I would feel by standing on that wet driveway sure as the limos pull up, or as a girl just walked through, and you know, there's so many things you guys are trying to do that gets lost because we're watching the show and we just
want you guys to you know, you're kind of jumping through hoops all that, but you guys are kind of serving a lot of masters. And I'm sure you felt this. You can speak to this. You wanted to please me, you wanted to please the network, You want to make sure your family's proud, you want to like you know, there's a thousand things other than just I would like to find love.
Well, another thing and the most important thing I'll be the first admit again, is I wanted to make a good impression on the women. Yeah. I mean, let's face it, you guys, there are some amazing I know I use that word too much, but there are some amazing women that come through that show. And then seeing every single one of them get out of the limo and you're thinking, well, you know, you almost kind of have imposter syndrome. What the hell am I doing here?
You know, I would think so, of course.
I mean, I'm standing next I'm not again just building you up, but standing next to Chris Harrison. I'm on one of the most popular shows on television on one of the most popular networks. And then meetings some just beautiful, achieved, I guess, motivated women. And so yeah, it was just it was really nerve wracking.
Well, it's hard to understand the power of the mansion. The lights. Of course, everything's on you. And then when you you know, we talk about it and we get you ready and we prepped you and all that, but until it's you know, until the director, you know, Fuke says all right, you know, roll the first limo in sure, and you have that realization of because then I leave and you're standing there alone.
Where'd you go, buddy?
You're standing there by yourself on that driveway and the limo pulls up. You're like, oh shit, right, you see the lights, the camera and its action time. That's that's a big pill to swallow.
It is and and but it's so exciting man, and and you know, of course I do have some regrets just on some of the things I personally did before and after the show. But I'm so grateful for that time, man, and and the relationships that I made with you and some of the girls and some of the producers and everything. So yeah, wouldn't have traded anything.
What regrets before and after, during and after you.
Know, well, some of the things I say and do. I'm a complete idiot, man, I'll be the first to say. I mean, we all are it Jesus buddy. But you know I didn't carry myself in in ways that I normally do back home. I don't know if I got up in moments. I don't have specific examples, but I really do. It's not like I watch it back, especially now, but some of the episodes, I'm thinking that that's not you. I don't know if I was trying to put on a facade, and because that's typically not like me.
You know, I don't think you were putting on airs like. I never got the feeling you were being disingenuous.
I hope not.
But what I think is if I was your therapist, and I was for a short.
Time, yes you were. Yes, you're much appreciate. In fact, you still have an invoice to me. Thank you.
No, what I saw from you is you try so hard. You always do this, and this happens in our own life when we're at dinner or whatever. You try hard to make everybody feel loved and appreciates.
Man.
So you know when you were with those women, I think again, you were trying to please everybody. You're trying to please the camera guy, the audio, you know, the producers and take care of these ladies. And I think the way that you really have to go through that show is you got to be a little selfish.
You know what. That's a that's an outstanding point, actually, And I don't That's one thing I'll give credit for. I don't think I have a selfish bone in my body, right, And I think a lot of that. I could see a lot of that same fear and anxiety and the women and come on, man, we're supposed to be protectors as men, you know, we just start even if I just met these girls, and whether they asked for that protection or not, but so a lot of times I would I try to make them feel okay, and all
the time I'm just going absolutely insane inside. But it worked out, man, And so maybe, you know, regret might be a strong word. I just look back and I wonder, you know, what was I thinking at that moment, you know, because I was.
Going to ask you are you were a regret guy. I'm not a big regret guy.
I'm not either. I'm not either. So maybe again that might have been the wrong word. So maybe I just would have done things differently. I mean, I have the benefit of watching it if I want to change anything.
Well, that's like when you wake up on Monday and watch the Sunday football game. It's easy to break down game.
There you go, it's easy.
There you go, Monday Morning Quarterback. But that's why the show is so great, right, And there's still that audience, that insatiable appetite for these reality shows and shows like this sure is because we get to judge. I mean, you are the Monday Morning quarterback and you get to watch Brad Womack and everyone like him, you know, trip and fall and make mistakes and find love or not find love, and we get to watch that and judge it.
You know what on that Yeah, that's actually an exciting way to put it, you know. And so you're right, but sometimes, you know, court of public opinion could be really brutal. We all know that. We all know that. Just try not pick you get anybody.
That leads us to Okay, we're in season one, So this is two thousand and seven, and it's not like we had had a run of great success. It's not like we had all these marriages by then. Trista had been married. Yeah, yeah, you know, we had gone through several seasons where there had been engagements, but nothing hugely successful, right other than Tristan Ryan. You're still hanging on.
To that one the way the best great people.
It just had her on the podcast not too long ago, and it's still like we fall right back into place. Like when you come in. It's like there's just certain moments in time and certain people from the show where I see him and I don't care if I haven't seen you for five years, yeah, man or five minutes. We're just you just fall right back into it. I agree, we're you're concerned percent. When you walked in the door, I just you came. You just came to the door.
By the way, this is only the second home interview I've done.
No kidding, Yeah, oh now I feel I'm damn sure. It feels special, taking large part.
Because no one wants to see me, I think, secondly because now I live in Austin. But so Jason Tartick was here. Oh nice Jay, Jay did it. And so you're you're the second home interview.
Yeah, yeah, I've heard good things about Jason. By the way, he's a Nashville guy. Right he is.
Yeah, he's trying to get out now. So yeah, you're you're number two.
Well, I appreciate the invite very much.
It's the only way I could get you to come out to the house.
Come on, man, you know when Chris Harris, I think I told your producers this whenever they texted me and asked me to come on here. But if you asked me to do anything, I'm doing it. Period. I mean it's it's I'm doing it.
So I've always been that good.
Well, no, no, no, no one. I'm not looking for accola or a pat on the back. I'm just saying one, I know you always come from a good place. And two, I just want to see you. I mean, this is cool and all. I just want to hang out with you.
Well, I will tell two stories that will define Brad Womack. Uh oh, and I tell these stories all the time. You are still the only person who's ever been on the show that gave me a parting gift.
Oh well, thanks man, I mean you never of course I do. I'm getting embarrassed, but yeah, what it was, I don't remember what it was. I know I gave you a gift.
There was a shirt I love that you had. This is okay, this is back before you know, I kept wardrobe and all that stuff, and you had a shirt and I'm like, god, I love that shirt and you wore it maybe a couple of times on the show. And clearly, if you're looking at this video, we're not the same size. I'm actually a normal sized human. Jesus man, you are a bulk of a huge Come on, we'll get into that in a minute. Sure, clearly we're not the same size. I'm a sh medium and you're an excel.
So what you did, though, is when the show was over, you wrote me a note and you went and bought that shirt and you gave it to me. It was like this plaid, red and blue shirt, gotcha. And you also got something for Carrie Fetman, who should wardrobe, and
Gina Medica, who has been my longtime makeup artist. And to this day, you were the only bachelor or bachelorette who has given me a little something, just said just to say thank you, even though at the first season was a disaster, did go well and it didn't go well for you, but you gave me. Now, there is one other bachelor and I will not out him.
Okay, Okay, he did.
Kind of give me, Carrie and Gina a gift. Okay, it was a signed headshot.
No it wasn't. I know, it wasn't. I shit you not, Brad, if I ever give you a head shot much less assign, wouldn't punch me in the face.
Swear to you. Really, it was the weirdest moment. I thought it was a joke at first, and then I realized there was a note written on it and he sincerely gave us a headshot say thank you gift. Well, and I thought, you know what, I'm going to take the positive here, and he thought of us enough to write something on his own photo that he gave. I think I still have it. I think I kept it in this draw right behind his ear. But so these head shots, I don't even know if they still do this.
But when a bachelor would come in, we do our fittings for clothes and all that we have the ABC photographer, we would do like a whole press kit. We would do photos for you. So if we ever went out and you know, did a press meeting or whatever, we'd sign you'd had those those head shots and you know, it used to be that was kind of a bigger deal than you know, again, pre social media, you would sign photos. Sure, So that was the only other person that's given a gift is was this bachelor who will
remain nameless. You're welcome, but he gave us signed headshots and I'll never forget because he gave it to us. And he walked out and Gina and Carrie and I were sitting there packing up, and we all just looked at each other, like did that just happen?
That's uh. I feel bad for how I feel inside after it was so because I want to think that came from a sincere place, but yeah, it was who.
Knows not great? Do you remember any of the women from your first season?
Could you? I'm not that old, okay, I.
Think we all know. I think unless you are too young and you haven't watched the show, which is shoot good, but I could watch it. Deanna pappas of course, Jinny Croft where your final two? Who were some other kind of stars from that first season? First and foremost man who I love still to this day. I love to death and deep into the show, Yeah, of course, And I mean just an amazing girl. Anyway, did we travel at all for that first season?
Not much. I mean I think I think you guys were going through a rough patch.
Twelve two thousand and seven, we didn't do well. We've kind of hadn't gotten to the point where we traveled a whole bunch. That was really kind of kickoff in Charlie O'Connell's season. Good then, But by the time he came back in twenty ten, we did right, We definitely traveled well.
So we went to Cabo in two thousand and seven, and I know you know where I'm going with this, right, tell the story. I want to sing your praises. I always thought highly of you, but this is when I knew you were a very real man. If this makes sense. So we're in Kabo San Lucas and unfortunately, well let me let me back up a little bit. I'll make it quick.
Yeah, no, tell the whole story.
We had a very rare night out. Yeah, okay, and Kabo San Lucas a pretty wild spot. We all know that it's fun, but it can get a little rough.
But this is also before this is kind of old school days where there weren't really many rules to our production and what I mean say is there's no there was no professionalism, there was no line between production casts whatever.
You know, said yes, okay.
So that changed dramatically after a huge flame out and a big blow up, massive proportions that almost killed the show, and you know, people went off to rehab and many things happened. But back then, as you know, we would wrap for the night and then we would all go out.
You and clude and man. Yeah, and so we're all in a van, yes, and three of the production guys, which, by the way, I love that whole cruise.
So we went to do you remember where we went?
I think it was squid Row or Giggling Marlin.
We went to a few plays where it's squid Row.
Okay, So squid Row is again and there was a dust up and and I know it was with three of the production guys, and you and I were already in the van, right.
We had left and we had pulled around.
That's exactly right. And we look over and these guys are in in a little dust up with some locals, and you said, I'm not going to watch this happen. I'm going to get out of the van and help him. Of course, I'm going to help him too. We're both trying to get after him, and of course it was one of the executive producers, but threatened both of us with a lawsuit. I don't know if you remember that. Okay, yeah, you can get out of the van. You're both going down.
And we were in like a twelve seater van. Yes, we were rows, and you and I were kind of two rows back from the door right and we were pulling around, you know, from the parking lot because you and I were heading back to the hotel. And you were the first one that said, oh, ho crap, there's a fight, and we're like, I thought it was kind of cool at first, and then we saw oh my god, that's our crew. Sure, and you know, we think of those guys as brothers, family, and so I was like,
screw that. Stop the car, the guy the driver stops the car. Sure, I go to grab the door. I'm climbing over the seats, just coming after me, and we're like going to jump into this frakas outside of the squid row.
And yes we were.
And that's when I think it was David David Albrick.
That it had to have been David, because I mean, he made no bones about it.
And she jumped in front of the door. You cannot get out of this van, threatened us and told the driver to drive. And we were screaming as we were pulling off, trying to get out of the car to join this fight with these locals.
Well, he definitely mentioned a lawsuit and whether it was just instill fear. But I got to tell you, man, that shows your character that you know, above anything else, you are a good friend to people. You care about people. And so I tell that story. I've told that story a thousand times over. I might embellows it a little bit, like I was the first one jumping out of the van. I'm kidding, but I held you back.
But it is funny, Like how funny is that when I think about if David hadn't been where he was, Like if we had been reversed, if you and I had been sitting in the front seat, he had been in the back. And there's no reason it wasn't the opposite. We just happened to get in the van first and you and I hopped in the back. If it had been the opposite, you and I. In two thousand and seven, sure, the Bachelor and the host. You would have jumped into
a fight outside squid Rus. Yes, we would have probably gotten this kicked out.
Of course we would have come on, man, I mean, neither one. I don't know about you. I can't fight. I don't want to fight.
You and I would have been going at it.
But it would have made for a good story.
It would have made I mean, luckily, it makes for a good story. And despite the fact of how you see me, I've never broken this nose, but that like, we came moments away from just being in a full out brawl in the streets of Mexico.
Yeah, I mean. And again, the takeaway from that story is just how much you care for your friends, you know.
And so I love the crew, and I still have friends on the crew and producers as well, and and and love them because, as you know, it is very intimate, it's very personal. We would travel, you know, we saw marriages, divorces, babies being born, people passing away in our lives, and you know, we were this it was almost like a traveling circus or a rock group that would travel, you know,
on tour. We were together a lot and alone a lot. Yeah, you rely on each other, and so these people meant a lot to us all, and he tried to take care of him. And even if it was you know, after we had way too many tequila shots at squid Row. But that was I mean, those were the old days where we finished shooting. Remember Cassie was there, he and everybody. We were, you know, doing shots and dancing our asses off, and we were soaking wet, just sweating and had a blast.
And then we got up the next day and shot more dates.
Yes we did, Yes, we did. It was a good time, man, And so, yeah, you're right. Even in twenty ten it changed a little bit. Yeah, I mean I could tell, you know, it was like, oh, no, you're not going anywhere after we're filming, you know, And so I just hid in my little corner and did what I was.
Well, there was a downtime you mentioned that, and there was a downtime in the show where I had heard Lloyd Brown actually had canceled the show. Oh, where the show was dead and it was not coming back right, And partly because they you know, deep down, I think they wanted to kill it. They did not like the creator of the show. There was all this horribly contentious relationship between the network and the production interesting.
I didn't know that.
Then they hated each other, okay, and then there was me that was like the bastard stepchild, kind of like trying to keep everybody happy and trying to be the liaison between these two warring factions. And it was really weird. But you know, rumor had it that he had canceled the show. And then that's when we did Doctor Travis Stork and we went to France.
Yeah, yeah, okay, and we.
Went to Paris and we're like, screw it, We're just gonna go shoot in Paris and spend all the money. And then his show did really well, and then the next thing, you know, we came back and then there was Doctor Andy Baldwin and the show's back. Yeah, and you know, in Jake Pavelka and then you know, now we've gone for twenty some odd years, but back then there was that time when we had really gone high. And then because it was a dysfunctional family at the time, we were kind of falling apart.
So you're told, meself, why I was selected. I throw anyone in there, it doesn't matter.
Know what I'm saying is this is what I wanted to ask you had to. I know you felt I did.
That I did, and and that's something yeah, I think about often.
I know there was a couple of executive producers that you you know, we will name names, we'll go into too many intimate details. But there were some rough nights.
There you hit the nail on the head. And you know, I'll admit there were some times what the hell am I putting myself into? You know, like why did I even make this decision? I don't have to do this, you know, And I try to kind of go with the flow a little bit. I was extremely grateful for
the opportunity, but it sure didn't seem reciprocated. And and you could tell, I mean, anybody with half a brain could tell that there were a lot of different people going in a lot of different directions, you know, and and frankly, it didn't seem like anyone cared about the actual show, you know. And so I mean, you know, you've got a guy, like I said, completely untalented, and you know, I'm just trying to do what I'm told. But yeah I did. I butted heads with some of
the producers big time. And on that same note, though I fell in love with some of the other producers, right, you know.
And that's the thing is there was this well and so back in O seven especially, I was really you know, separated from talent from you, you know. I mean we were together, we'd go out and stuff like that, but as far as the production side of things, I wasn't there to protect you. I wasn't there to produce. I wasn't even really a producer per se at the time. I was just kind of doing what I was told by the executive producers that were really running the thing.
And like you said, then there was this big gap between the executive producers at the time and then those producers under them, And I think those under them are the ones you really found to be lovely and became very good friends with, and they were really intimately trying to help you. Then there was the executive producers that were it was a mess.
It was rough, man, I mean it was rough. And yeah, you know, just uh again, I don't know what to expect in that situation. I don't know what I'm getting in, would you exactly? And so I'm a little unfair, but I mean, hey, look, trust may I'm no one to have a victim mentality. It's just I think we made it through, and unfortunately it turned out how it did well.
That was season one, and obviously there is a season two to come for you that we didn't know about. But at the end of season one, all I remember is we get to the end. Yes, and again I'm a little bit separated. So when I show up that final day, we shoot your final day in Malibu, that's how old school the show is. We're still shooting in l A. Yeah, sure, we have a beautiful house, noting a beautiful house. And I remember showing up that day and this is how naive I was back then. I asked,
Who's who's he gonna propose to? Yeah, that's how out of it out of touch?
Are you kidding me? You didn't know.
No, I didn't know, because I would, you know. I was definitely on a need to know basis back then. They they When I say they, I'm talking about there are two or three executive producers who were really running the show back then. They were uh, control freaks and definitely kind of megalomaniacs in their personalities, and they really controlled information. That's how they controlled you. That's how they controlled the producers under them. That's how they controlled everybody
h and myself included. That's how they wanted to you know, they really wanted to have everybody under their thumb, and part of that was by controlling information. And so I didn't really know exactly what was going to happen that final day.
Can I ask you something honest question? Yeah, not the not the podcast answer, but an honest answer. Really, were you disappointed in me that I didn't pick any.
No, but I was shocked. I told you so when we talked that day. So again, if you guys didn't remember this season, it was the first time ever that a Bachelor didn't choose anybody. At the end of the show. It was down to Deanna and Jenny and two lovely women. You really appreciate it and like them both. I knew that, and Brad Womack didn't choose anybody. Here's what I remember
about that day. There was a guy named Jason, who was Jason Carbone who worked on the show at the time, and you were tight with him, and he was working with you intimately. And then there were the executive producers, and I remember the tension. I remember walking on set that day and everybody was really fired up, like what's happening. It's supposed to be you know, it's final day. And they said, he's not going to choose anybody, but we're working on him. We'll get him to flip, We'll get him.
And I'm like, okay, well, just that sentence alone is really left up. Of course, if he doesn't want to pick anybody, and we're going to try to convince him to do something that he clearly doesn't want to do. Sure, we're in a pickle. This is this is not great. Sure, and I saw you and you were despondent and definitely uh detached.
Of course. Yeah, can I explain that, Yes, I give you my word. This is as sincere as I can be. I was thinking more about the girls, and and only because I knew I had already dug my grave. Man, I mean, I knew this was going to be really bad. And again mentioning the producers, they let me know it was going to be really bad for me. And it's not It's not a good thing to walk into, right, but but I swear to God above man thinking about both Jenny and Deanna because I did care for both
of them. They deserved much better than me. But they also deserve the truth, right, and so that show unfortunately, you know the premise you kinda even if it's involveoluntarily lead people on, you just do. Yeah. I never said the word I love you to either one of them. I was very adamant about that. But anyway, so I was thinking about this, and I was really nervous about how that would go for those two women. I didn't
want them to think I was trying to publicly embarrass them. Yeah, and again I had, unfortunately producers in my ear kind of beating me up a little bit. Oh yeah, normally we have a rap party. You're not getting wey, I mean telling me that before we're filming.
With Okay, you're being too nice. I remember, Yeah that day, Yeah, there was a knockdown drag out five.
Yes there was. There was. I'm glad you're bringing that up. Yes there was. It was just wild. It's kind of Hollywood stuff, you know. And and let's just call it the proverbial open checkbook to make me change my mind, right, And I'm so glad I have a chance to tell people this right now, because i'd hold back. But and I very very proudly.
Declined I've never heard this.
You didn't know that hand to God. That's a true story, man, I believe I'm a hand to God. And and I've never heard that story. And and that's it did get.
I wasn't in the room that day. Yeah, they kept oh no, you weren't.
It was uh, well, you know, yeah, four of the it was the four right and and so, and it was just one of those things that basically, what will it take? And and I'm really proud about that moment. But after that, after they knew there was no flipping because again I never knew they said, We're going to try to flip into you and and so, but it got really rough. Man reminded that, you know, I'm nothing
without the show, and okay, great. I mean, you know, one last thing I'll say about that whole situation though, in my very initial interview went by the very first one in LA and it was all on camera. I looked to the camera and I was laughing saying this, and I said, I want to say this to the camera. I might not be the right guy because if I'm not feeling it, I'm not going to pick anybody. And I brought that up in that meeting that I was telling you about, and I said, please review the tape
man and so anyway, but yeah, unfortunately they didn't take it. Well. I get it, there's you know that show, there's an expected ending, But to me, that's real life. I didn't go on there to fake it.
And what when you asked me, was I ever disappointed? My answer is absolutely not, because I thought that was the most real ending we'd ever had. And that's not to say obviously Ryan and Trista and people got married, that was very real. But what I mean by that is this was the truth, like, this is what happened. I never thought the show was successful or that it was predicated on the fact that it had to be
successful in the end. I think the realism is sometimes it doesn't work out sure life, and to pretend and to have a fake, you know, proposal, which we had had up to that point. We had had a few
couple fake ones. Sure that they just wanted an ending and the person felt pressure, probably like you did, and they they caved, maybe they took a check, who knows, who knows, but at the time they did propose, and then you know, they would quickly fall apart and there's different reasons for that, right, you want to impress everybody, You want to, you know, keep the girl happy, you want you know, you you do things for a lot of reasons. But in your situation, I thought I had
no problem with it. My only problem was I really liked you as a friend by then, and I was thinking, this guy is going to get crushed.
Oh man, he's.
Going to get his ass kicked in the court of public opinion. And I did, even though you let everybody down gently and you were very honest, honest about it. Sure, but you got your ass.
Kicked, buddy. I this is another thing you don't know that I'll tell you. I'll tell you how bad it got. I can sum it up, you know, about three months after that, and I was just getting railed, man, And thank god there was no social media then. I can't imagine. I mean, I just can't imagine.
And the show wasn't exactly protecting you because they were mad at you.
Oh no, I mean they And you know, I actually kind of understand that I was thrown under the bus by the show. But I kind of understand that. I get it. I get it, I mean, shield of course, but also I mean just call it clickbait for ratings. I mean, you know, yeah, he's a terrible persone. I get all of that to understand it kind of what I signed up for. But about three months into that, the the public beating, I lost my voice for like
eight weeks straight. I couldn't speak, and I mean I mean literally had to write.
Down my stress.
Stress. Yeah. I would go to every specialist and then finally a I went to the therapist and she realized there was stress. And I'm kind of embarrassed to a bit that because I wish I could say that I have such thick skin. Shit. But I mean I lived in a high rise, right. People would come to the front door, try to get up and just to tell me to f off and thank God for security. I mean, I'd be at gas stations and sweet looking young girls would come up just give me the middle finger walk away.
True story, yeah, true story.
So but anyway, it was uh a wild time because you know, when anybody says, and I'll defend anybody on the show, I don't care who you are, when anybody says you signed up for this, sure, yes, technically you signed on the dotted line, but there is no way that a bar owner from Austin, Texas is in any way prepared for what you're going to face and whether it was good or bad.
Well, I agree with that. Man.
It's like I always say, it's like being shot out of a cannon without a net on the other side. Yes, sir, you know you No one prepares you to go from you know, the concrete cowboy over in Austin to Jimmy Kimmel Live, and back then was probably Jay Leno the morning shows. You know, like you just you're the Dance and Chicken all of a sudden absolute it is. It's hard to fathom how much attention you get, especially back then before social media, but the interest level was so high.
Well and on that note, man, you know what's so funny and one of the main motivators of me doing the show is and now I think you know me very well. Now I'm a really shy person. Man, I don't like attention you are. Yeah, well, I don't know what I'm thinking here knowing.
You later after the second season, I never I'm like, how the hell and why the hell did this guy ever do the show?
I'll tell you why. Man. I was talking about twin brother Chad and said before I ever went on and said, maybe this is a good way to force me out of that box. I mean, I'm in a very social industry, meaning bar business and hospitality, and maybe this is a way. Maybe that's why I haven't met the right one who knows, you know. And so anyway, and we mentioned at the beginning of this, I do care what people think. So it was a rough time.
But yeah, it's funny. Your personality is not one that I would think because it's not like you have this type a overly you're a charismatic guy. But you know, when you're in an intimate situation, you're you're fantastic. But I get the shyness in you. Surely you're not a I want to be in the lifelike kind of g I'm still not on social media today.
I still love that. I think I'm the only dinosaur that is never Actually I tried Instagram for about six weeks and posted one thing and it made my skin crawl. It was so disingenuous.
God bless you made it out alive, man.
I mean, I'm telling you. And so anyway, yeah, it was just rough just being thrown at that spotlight, especially such a negative one.
Before we go on this episode. What was the reaction of Deanna and Jenny when you did? You know, obviously in the moment we all watched it on TV. But after did you ever talk to them later? Do you keep in touch with either one of them?
You know? I wish I kept in touch, you know that when I talked to them after that. The first time was when we filmed the first night of my second season. Okay, and so many people thought that was scripted. I'll tell it it was not there. It was not.
It was scripted by us. We had planned it clearly, of course you did.
I didn't know it all. And there were a couple of times Deonna and I stayed in touch. I really cared for her, Yeah, and actually I really cared for Jenny. But Deanna and I definitely had a connection and her reaction, and in particular, she's a very, very caring human being, and from what I know of her, she wears her emotions on her sleeve, and I'm saying that in a good way. She's not afraid to let you know.
She went on to be a great bachelorette. Yes, And if we talked about Jenny as well, Jenny I think was in Arizona and got married kids. I ran into her or heard from her not too long ago, and actually I hear from Deanna quite often. We still keep in touch little bit. You're just like a sweet, sweet woman, both of them. Yeah, we really are. This is a might be tough and you could take the fifth. You do not have to answer this. Tell you how close
were you to actually proposing, you know? Or was that just completely a.
No, nowhere close? Okay?
And if it had been, if you had chosen gun to your head, sure, were you closer to Deanna or Jenny Deanna?
Hands down?
I thought so too.
Yeah. I think that's been publicly said, and I want to publicly say it's nothing against Jim. It's just you know, you have certain connections. Yeah, I really had feelings for Deanna.
Y'all are more similar anyway. Your personality is I could see that, especially back then.
She's tough man, she's an obs person. I love that. I love when people are very direct, right, you don't have to sugarcoat anything with me.
So, but I kind of had that feeling that if it had been somebody, it would have been Dianna. Yep, such a tumultuous time after the show. Sure you're getting your brains beat in. Sure people are, like you said, coming to the door of your condo, and sure coming after you. And you decide, m h, I'll do this again.
I knew where this was going and and I'm actually happy to say this. I give you my word. I mean this. I believe in that show. I believe in that show, and I believe and I'm not a guy that needs redemption for anything. I think life happens how it should man, And and I really really really derailed my life in that in the first season. But yes, I did do it again because you know, I believe in second chances. But again, it wasn't redemption at all.
It was I believe in the possibility of seeing that one person that it just gives you that spark and it's fun and it's it's exciting. You know.
Well, there was a season two of The Batchel with Brad Womack. What in the world was he thinking? How did it turn out? And what's he up to now? Is he still single? Business wise? How is life for Brad Womack? That will be in our next episode. Thank you were the Bachelor twice you get two episodes of the most dramatic podcast ever. Has there ever been a more appropriate reason to have two episodes? We'll see you
next time. Thank you, buddy, Thanks for listening. Follow us on Instagram at the Most Dramatic Pod Ever, and make sure to write us a review and leave us five stars. I'll talk to you next time.