Joey Graziadei Has Heard Your Complaints

Joey Graziadei knows his Bachelor journey is getting the meme treatment, and he’s OK with that.

Between saying the island nation of Malta has an “old-school vibe” and confusing Gypsy Rose Blanchard for late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the viral gaffes have only endeared more viewers to the Season 28 lead — proving that while this is a serious journey, it can also be a little silly.

“There’s been something every week,” Joey tells Bustle with a laugh, acknowledging his Week 4 pun rhyming alta and Malta “wasn’t [his] proudest moment.” But, he adds, “It’s fun to see my personality come out a little bit more.”

Along with those moments of levity, Joey and his contestants are forging real connections. According to Season 28’s very dramatic trailer, his journey will go down as “the most romantic season in Bachelor history.” But that doesn’t mean it won’t be complicated, and as host Jesse Palmer has teased, the ending should be an “unprecedented, shocking first” for the franchise.

Viewers have to wait a few more weeks to find out if that claim hold up.

In the meantime, Joey opens up about intimate one-on-ones, visiting the White House, and the Bachelor moment his sisters won’t let him live down.

You made a great comment defending the women’s vulnerability on your one-on-one dates. Has hearing their stories affected the way you approach your own mental health and emotions?

Yeah, part of this process is [the fact that] time is of the essence. You don’t know how much time you’re going to get. You don’t know the best time to share something. The beautiful thing about those one-on-ones is that it’s an uninterrupted space where you have the floor, and you can share things that are important for the person you might be with to get to know who you are. And that’s why I made that comment.

It might feel like these women are, as [critics] keep saying, “trauma dumping,” or putting a lot on me. It’s more that they’re sharing things that make them who they are. I welcomed it with open arms, and I was doing it back to the women, even though not everyone sees it. They learned a lot about me through this whole process. And that’s how it should be — both people feeling open to share intimate things about them to see if there’s a real connection you can build off of.

Your family has supported you throughout this experience, but I’m sure your sisters have had some things to say about the show. Is there anything specific that they’ve teased you about?

They’re always in my corner, but if they see something that’s a little ridiculous, they’ll let me know — as they should. The Spain date when I was in the flamenco boots, my sister never let me live that one down. Carly was giving me all the business during that one.

You recently visited the White House, which isn’t a normal stop on The Bachelor tour. What was that like?

It was wild. They reached out to us and were interested in me coming to get a tour and see what it was like. They were all so sweet. It was a day I won’t forget. Getting to see the history, walking through the West Wing, some of those things you never thought you would do.

A fellow Bachelor, Peter Weber, is on The Traitors right now. Do you watch that show, and would you ever go on it yourself?

I’ve heard about it. I actually got a chance to meet Pete, and I’ve seen him a couple of times in New York. He’s a great guy. I hear he’s doing amazing from what I’m seeing on social media. So I need to catch up. Yeah, that could possibly be in my future — I would be open to that.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.