8 Things We Learned From Colton Underwood's 'Variety' Interview

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8 Things We Learned From Colton Underwood's 'Variety' Interview

Colton Underwood's redemption tour continues, this time with an in depth interview with Variety. In his first big interview since coming out as gay on Good Morning America, Colton talked about everything, from his Bachelor journey to his relationship with final rose recipient, Cassie Randolph, their messy breakup — which ended in her getting a temporary restraining order against him — and his upcoming Netflix show.

Right after his GMA interview, reports emerged that Colton was already filming a new reality show for Netflix which, according to Variety, was "focusing on Underwood living his life publicly as a gay man." The news was immediately hit with backlash, with many calling out Netflix for reportedly giving a platform to a man accused of putting a tracking device on his ex's car (as detailed in Cassie's court documents). A Change.org petition to have the show canceled currently has over 35,000 signatures. Now, Colton is finally speaking out about the show, teasing his upcoming return to reality TV and addressing some of the backlash that followed his GMA interview. Here's what we learned.

He Understands The Backlash About Cassie

Image: Bachelor Nation/YouTubeH

The former Bachelor responded to accusations his coming out was part of a PR strategy to rehab his image, saying he wasn't doing it "to change the narrative, or to brush over and not take responsibility for my actions."

Colton also claimed that this interview would be the last time he would speak about Cassie publicly, saying they had a joint agreement not to discuss some of the private details of their split. "I want this interview to be the last time I address her, because it's not fair for her to have her name in articles every time I talk," he explained. "I'm sorry and I want her to know that I hope she has the best, most beautiful life."

However, it seems likely that Cassie will, at the very least, be mentioned in the Netflix series. As Vice President of Unscripted and Documentary Series at Netflix Brandon Riegg told Variety, "Colton has been public about his past and the bad choices he's made and this will be a part of the show." And if "the bad choices" are going to be incorporated into this new docuseries, then it stands to reason that Cassie will inevitably be involved, directly or indirectly.

Cassie & Colton Were Filming A Reality Show After They Broke Up

Another reason I suspect there might be more Cassie/Colton content coming our way is the revelation that they were filming a show following their initial breakup in 2020 about their evolving friendship. Per the report, the show was never officially pitched to network, and filming ended after Cassie got a restraining order that September. Variety also noted that the production company behind that failed show is also behind Colton's new series. And I gotta wonder, who has that footage if not for this company?

Colton Never Came Out To Cassie

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In a video clip accompanying the interview, Colton clarified that he never officially came out to Cassie. "I never had the courage to talk to her while we were in a relationship, and especially after," he said. "I didn't have the courage to come out to myself."

He also used this opportunity to clear up some rumors about his relationship with Cassie, mainly surrounding the nature of the restraining order, which has since been removed. "I did not physically touch or physically abuse Cassie in any way, shape or form," he claimed. He did, however, admit that he had acted out towards the end of their relationship, implying that he was trying to control the situation because she was "someone that I thought could make me straight."

No, The Netflix Show Won't Just Be About Colton & Gus Kenworthy

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According to the article, Underwood's show won't just be about his journey coming out. It will also feature interviews with other members of the LGBTQ community, including transgender Latina pastor Nicole M. Garcia. And Colton promised that he is committed to exploring his own privilege within the LGBTQ community, with Kenworthy's help. "He's been somebody that I've not only learned so much from, but he's helped me accountable and he's allowed me to see the privilege of being a straight-presenting gay, white man," Colton said.

As A Teenager, Colton Turned To Ricky Martin & Brokeback Mountain For Gay Representation

In the interview, Colton stressed that he didn't grow up knowing any gay people, nor did he have any public figures he could really relate to. "The closest person I ever could look at was like Ricky Martin because I loved music," he said. Colton also revealed that he borrowed a friend's Blockbuster card to rent Brokeback Mountain as a teenager. "That was very authentic to who I was, growing up in the Midwest."

He's Not Mad At The Bachelor Anymore

In the years since his Bachelor season, Colton has made headlines for calling out the franchise for being manipulative, but he said that he's actually not mad at the producers anymore. "I was always looking for somebody to blame," he said.

Colton Did Hookup With Men Before Going On The Bachelorette, But Says He Didn't Lie About Being A Virgin

Colton was famous for being "the Virgin Bachelor," and while he insists that he was a virgin when he took up the Bachelor mantle, he also admits to hooking up with men prior to entering the reality TV world. "When I say 'hookups,' not sex," he clarified. He even had a Grindr account under a fake name in 2016 or 2017.

Colton Isn't Saying No To Being The First Gay Bachelor

Asked about whether or not The Bachelor should consider having a gay lead, Colton said that it "should be a conversation." But don't expect him to take on that role just yet. "I don't like speaking in definitives, but I'm not in a position to be in a show like that," he said. "I'm at a crossroads in my life right now."

Read more...

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Image: Variety/YouTube

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