Sam Called His Bachelorette Portrayal “Disheartening”

Hometowns are almost here, and the looming milestone forced Jenn Tran to have some difficult conversations.

Specifically, much of the Aug. 12 Bachelorette episode saw her trying to get to the bottom of her connection with Sam McKinney. The Myrtle Beach-based contractor told Jenn he loved her, but instead of it being a swoon-worthy declaration, Jenn was troubled by its abruptness and apparent lack of sincerity.

“Nothing sounds genuine to me,” she said in a confessional. “I’m nervous that he’s saying things to make me happy, and I just don’t believe him when he says it.”

Jenn was unsatisfied after pressing Sam to explain his feelings. She ultimately sent him home early, expressing regret for putting so much into her connection with him.

Sam, for his part, was frustrated by the conversation. “The energy that she brought was very dull,” he said in his final interview. So, where is he after The Bachelorette?

He’s Spoken Out Against The Show

If you’re one for social media sleuthing, you likely already knew that Sam would leave The Bachelorette — and not on the best terms.

On TikTok user @oliviaschueller’s video about his behavior on the show, Sam himself commented “Context context context...”

He elaborated under a second video. Off the user’s observation that “something went wrong” regarding his actions in Week 3, Sam actually agreed. “Most felt like that and rightfully so. I even felt like that. It was incredibly disheartening to be portrayed in that fashion,” he said, seemingly suggesting that the show’s editing was to blame.

Sam added his hopes that “the truth will come out” at Men Tell All, but he was wary of saying too much before then. “Oh and legally I’m not allowed to speak on it… and now I’m figuring out why,” he wrote.

Jenn, for her part, responded to Sam’s comments on the Love to See It podcast.

“Listen, nobody can put words in your mouth,” she said. “You are the person that is saying those things, and so ... sometimes, you just gotta take responsibility for the things that are coming out of your mouth.”

Sam’s Family Has His Back

Sam isn’t alone in claiming his Bachelorette edit was misleading. His sister, Hannah, commented her thoughts on a sneak peek of Jenn and Sam’s one-on-one, where the Season 21 lead was stressed about jumping off Auckland’s Sky Tower.

As you’ll remember, Jenn said she was “terrified” about jumping, and Sam wasn’t “reading [her] emotions at all.” However, Hannah tagged the show and wrote, “Let’s see all the footage ... I’m waiting.”

She continued her thoughts in an exchange with a fellow commenter, seemingly hinting that the tower date didn’t tell the full story. “Again, they only show you the scenes that they want you to see… remember a lot is taken out of context and not everything is shown before you go talking about bad behavior,” she wrote.

Hannah also declared that her brother “isn’t a bully and never has been.”

In addition to the social media support, Sam’s family showed up for him in the month since filming wrapped, from watching The Bachelorette together to spending time exploring the great outdoors.

“What I’ve learned is to chase what fills your heart,” he captioned one recent post. “And chase it with a fire that illuminates your soul.”

As Sam left Jenn’s Bachelorette season, he promised to “keep the main thing the main thing” by finding the right person to spend his life with. However, given his qualms with The Bachelorette’s editing methods, he may not have his eyes on Bachelor in Paradise.