August 18, 2025 • 22 mins
We continue our conversation with Chad Johnson, the most unforgettable villain from Bachelor Nation.
Chad opens up about how he developed his on-screen persona, and he has an honest message for JoJo Fletcher, Lace Morris and Sarah Herron.
Plus, Chad reveals how his legacy as a “villain” has affected his life after leaving the show.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ben Higgins and Ashley I bring you infamous. Sometimes roses
are red flags.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome back to Infamous, because sometimes roses are red flags.
This is Bob Guiney. I'm filling in for our lovely
hosts s Been and Ashley.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
This is part two of our interview with Chad Johnson.
Let's talk a little bit about Paradise. I know, you know,
you were obviously someone who I'm sure was a you know,
an immediate choice for the producers that we got to
have this guy on Paradise, and and that kind of
extends your you know, extends your fame obviously, but also
kind of puts you back in that in that headspace.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
You know.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
There's a couple of moments I remember, you know, Uh,
for example Lace on the show, a lot of people
mentioned that one as as moments where you know, did
you think she was trying to be genuine with you
or did you think she was coming at you from
like a producer's putting it her up to it, or
what was your thoughts on that.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
I kind of had two thoughts with her, which like
in one thought was like, oh, she knows she's crazy,
and like I like it, Like that's we're having fun. Yeah,
you know, like, okay, I like somebody that can let
loose because in that time, again, I was you know,
drinking and being wild and stupid, and I wanted somebody
that would do that with me that was kind of
like hey, partner in idiocrasy, and so that was great,
(01:19):
you know. I actually kind of was open to that.
But then in the other pocket as well, I was like,
this is great. We're gonna be the whole show like
a crazy girl. Like I was like, this is fantastic.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
And I had had conversations with producers before I came
in because I had the opportunity like should I you know,
because by the end of like The Bachelorette, I was
gonna get like that's when I was getting bad, bad,
bad bad, And I talked to them like should I
go back to like can I go be me? Or
like do you want me to keep doing that? You know?
And they were like, you can dial it up if
you want, and I was like, okay, if I'm gonna
dialo it like so this everything that happened in Paradise
(01:54):
and not the specific things that happened, but it was
all like pre talked about, you know, it was all, hey,
I'm coming in, and I told them I'm gonna be
a nutcase first day, Like if this is what you want,
I'm gonna be insane the first day, and I'm gonna
give you previews. You're gonna have great preview Like it
was kind of strategical, and I don't know if you're
supposed to be that strategical, but I was like, you're
gonna have great previews for the show, and so like,
(02:16):
let me help you, and then you help me. I'll
be crazy for the first episode. You'll get your great
contrailers and previews or you're gonna be able to use
and then I'll go back to being normal second day.
And then you guys like let me actually date, like
let me do what I want to do. You know,
we've been pushing me to be that character, you know.
And but yeah, the lace thing, I really thought we
(02:37):
had it and we were playing the role together and
it was like, hey, we're both gonna play this role
together and I actually kind of do really like you.
And then all of a sudden, like just one minute,
she just snapped and turned and was like I'm not
like this. I'm like, what are you talking about? Like
we're doing this for like seven hours straight like we
have every time. So it was really confused.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
So is she just going to on the rabbit hole
and then changed your mind or like, what do you think?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
I think? So I think they. I think one of
the girls there must have talked to her. Maybe it
was a proud maybe someone was like, if you do
hang out with him, you're gonna look bad or something.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
I don't know, but I mean I do know it
would have been in that like strategically to keep playing,
you know, the stupid thing we were doing, right, and
just gone to bed separately and then the next day
talked and had dinner and stuff and gone on the
flow with the show. But I felt abandoned, you know,
because I was oho, you know, in this alcoholic type episode,
(03:37):
because they gave me you know, well they didn't give me.
They handed me a bottle of Jack Daniels night half
the bottle before eight a m. That day.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yeah, so I was that's that's not the Breakfast Champions necessarily, right.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
No, So I couldn't remember anything, like literally I remember
stepping onto the beach. That was that was like that's it.
Everything else is literally in blackout mode. Yes, yeah, it
just didn't go as as planned and I'd change everything.
But again, it was one of those things where when
you're in the middle of you know, an alcohol problem,
(04:14):
probably yeah, going on a dating.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Show, and yeah, I mean there were some moments.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Obviously you had a couple of things, you know, you know,
and this might have been one of the previews you
were looking to give them, right, But you know, I'll
you know, you like y'all murder everybody on this thing
and your family and some stuff like that. I mean,
was that was that one of those moments. I mean,
that's a pretty intense thing to say. Did that ever
come back around to bite you, you know afterwards? I mean, like,
you know, obviously, I know you said it did emotionally
(04:41):
from the standpoint of dealing with all that stuff, But
I never have any like real life run ins with
people because of stuff you might have sat on television,
like somebody's family members or anything like that confront you
or anything like that.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
No, So that that was me saying all that stuff.
That was just like me and my friends would try
to make the joke, like the worst possible jokes to
each other. Yeah, we were drinking or whatever, and so
that's what that and it did it. Honestly, that's a
good point. I kind of wanted to bring that up.
It really screwed me over because so I had a
girlfriend and and here's one thing. I don't know if
(05:14):
you ever heard, like I had a domestic violence thing
a few years ago. I had a girlfriend who said
that I hit her right, she had videos of me
yelling because I was drunk, and yeah, I did yell,
like you know, I was being an idiot yelling and
like hitting the door and stupid stuff like that. And
I don't even know when I was mad at but
I've never laid hands on a girl. But I played
(05:37):
that character and I said those things, so everyone automatically said, yes,
it must be true. I saw him be this way
on TV, so yes, he must have done it. No
one took two seconds to play skeptic at all. So
one hundred percent it's affected me.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Yeah, where I.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Have to be extremely careful in relationships now because like, oh,
the bad boy did something bad, you know what I mean,
anyone can make up anything about me and people are
gonna be like, well, yeah, the bad boy did something bad,
and I'm like no, but I don't actually do anything
bad in real life. I just who's gonna who's gonna say, no,
(06:14):
we didn't. Everyone's gonna think you're the cool person.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Well with that, with that in mind, I mean when
people look back at the show and they you know,
obviously these clips are gonna be around forever, right, I
mean it's when when they when they look back at
the show, do you what do you wish they would
have seen, you know, in those moments, like you know,
if you had some of them to do all over again,
like you think about, you know, like the moment you
have with Sarah Harron for example. You know, I know
(06:38):
you later said you were disappointed in yourself for that.
I mean, if you had a minute to sit with
any of them and you know, what would you want
to say to them?
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Well? I did find out, not not to like cover
myself or anything, but I didn't. They edited that SoundBite
of the arm thing in from a from a like
an interview I had with one of them. They made
it look like I said in front of the whole group,
which I didn't do. I didn't realize that till years later.
But but yeah, just I mean the stuff I was saying,
(07:05):
you know, but I got caught, you know, like I
was making horrible jokes because again that's what I did
with my friends back home. And when I'm that many
drinks deep, you know, I started making those jokes again,
What's the worst thing I could possibly say? And I'm
sitting there with the producer that I thought was my friend. Yeah,
there's a can't you forget there's a massive camera and
(07:28):
an audio guy standing there, and you're making these horrible
jokes like you would to your friend, just just to
get a chuckle out of your friend, you know, something
you would never want the other person to say, especially
never want the entire country to hear. So, I mean,
if I could take it all back, the number one
thing I would do was just not drink that I
would that would People don't understand how much that would
(07:49):
have changed. I mean the whole my whole life would
be different if I didn't drink that day. I have
no idea where I would be, honestly.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Yeah, no, I understand me. It's a lot. I mean
a lot of people say that.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
You know, a lot of people become a different person
when they drink, and and you know that's one of
those things you hope that you hope you become a
kind or gentle version of yourself.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
But you also can put yourself in a spot.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Where you know, but but you know, like you said,
you you wish you wouldn't have done it on national TV.
You wish you wouldn't have done it when all these
people were hearing you. Well, well a lot of those
same people will hear you now. So if you had
something you wanted to say to Sarah, to Lace or
to Jojo, you know, you can say it now and
they and they would hear it, and you know, you
could let them know that you know, you own those
moments and you you know, but you're also you know.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Aren't that guy or whatever or whatever you you know
might want to say.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
I mean, I'm sorry, Sarah, I'm sorry, Lace, I'm sorry, Jojo,
I'm sorry for everything. You know. I mean, it's not this.
It's hard to apologize for the guy because it's so
long ago, you know, but me mean now, I'm so sorry,
but I wish I could take it all back.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Yeah, you know, man, I mean, I think it's one
of those things you go through some some phases in life, right,
and yours just happened to play out on national television
on a on a huge stage, and you know, it
is tough to take that back. But you know, I'm
sure they'll see that, and you know, who knows, maybe
it'll affect you guys when you get a chance to
to cross paths again, you know, in the future someday
(09:18):
if you do right.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
So, I mean, if they came to.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
You today and they were like, you know, hey, Chad,
we're going to do another version of Bachelor in Paradise.
It's going to be the villains. You know, uh, would
you what would you do? Like, would you would you
allow yourself to go back to that character or do
you think you'd or would you even do it?
Speaker 1 (09:37):
I guess it's first and foremost.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
And if so, would you allow yourself to go back
to that character or would you go back on and
be like, there is no way I'm gonna let myself
be edited like that guy there's I'm coming one hundred
percent from the heart.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
You know, what would your choice be in that matter?
Speaker 3 (09:50):
I don't think I could play that character anymore like it.
It would be too inauthentic at this point, you know,
if they ever wanted me to do something at this point,
now it would one hundred percent be like, you need
to let me be like, let me be regular, you know,
let me be good like I originally intended, you know,
And I just have to not let myself slip into
(10:11):
doing something. But you know, to be honest, I don't
think they would ever call, and I don't I don't
really have any need for that stuff anymore.
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(11:17):
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Speaker 2 (11:38):
Well, I was gonna ask, like it's one of those things,
you know, It's like a do you return to the
scene of the crime or do you do you just say,
you know what I'm gonna you know, I don't need to.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
Go on a TV show again to show everybody who
I am.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
I already know who I am in here and I'm
gonna prove it in other ways. Or you know, you
got a lot of choices to make in those moments.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
I'm sure, I mean I would it would be I
guess there's there would be some positive to it, you know.
Like so for the most part I the last ten
years now, I just keep to myself because I never
know what people are thinking of me because or what
show did they see, or you know, which seemed to remember.
You know, because I've had people where I'm nice to them,
a nice to them for an hour and a half
and then they're just like, you know, at the end
(12:16):
of the time, I'm like, what, like you're mad because
the show six years ago, you know, like, yeah, we
just had a great time, so it's weird.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
I was going to ask you that.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
I was going to ask you if you've ever had
you know, I heard about a few people like having
experiences with them be at a bar and someone will
throw a beer at them and they're like, what is
going on?
Speaker 1 (12:35):
You know, I was.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
I was wondering if that ever was an experience that
you had, because you know, some people, they might have
that image of you in their head and not even
give you a chance to, you know, possibly show them otherwise.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
I've probably had, I mean a dozen times where I'm with,
you know, a girlfriend and I'm you know, at a
restaurant or a bar, and I go to the bathroom
and either a girl or an old lady or somebody
will come up to my girlfriend and say you need
to get away from him. You know, yeah he's crazy,
and it's like and it got to the point where
(13:08):
I'm like, like, let me know which one comes up
and says something, you know, just just because I'm going
to be curious, you know, right right to the point
where I go talk to these people and be like,
why'd you do that like, you know, you're watching a
TV show, right, Like you're not gonna go yell at
Dwight from the office.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Right right.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
I think I think in that regard, you know, people
people see a reality show and and to them that
is reality, you know, and not realizing it's a television
show that is produced and everything else.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
And so you know, I mean, I guess I could.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
See the confusion, but I also, you know, can see
it from from the standpoint of hey me, and that
was ten years ago, and you know, yeah, I did
some crazy stuff on that show, but I'm trying.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
To own it now. I mean, it would be hard.
It'd be really hard.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
I would think to you know, taking it on your
word that you're a totally different guy now, I obviously
don't know you, so I would say, taking in on
your word that you are, it would have to be
really difficult to have people still throwing stuff at you
from ten years ago that you might not even remember
having done, right, given the circumstances.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
All the time. And I mean, I guess the one
thing I couldn't imagine is like all the guys that
got out of the show, right, and they either had
a good portrayal or they you know, they stuck to
their their guns and they just stayed true to themselves.
You know, like that had to be so crazy to
like to go out and you know people are thinking
positively of you, you know what I mean, just to
(14:32):
like you go out to a local restaurant, like when
I go out anywhere, Like I just went to, you know,
with my father yesterday. We went and had lunch sitting
in a restaurant, and I like, see, you know, some
girls looking at me, and I'm like, they think I'm
an asshole. They probably think I'm an asshole. Like they're
probably thinking.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
What's going to be hard? That's that's gotta be hard
moving in.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Oklahoma or you know, like yeah, yeah, but like that
every time, like every interaction all the time until I
get some form of like comfort. So I've been keeping
myself for a decade.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
You know, so right, I just I get it.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
That's tough, you know, don't think that way.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Yeah, well, I mean when you look back on it too,
you know, if you had to, if you had to
think about it from on a zero to one hundred scale,
you know, what percentage of your actions and your words
and your you know, responses, I guess your emotional responses.
Do you think we're influenced by the producers on that
show from a zero to one hundred scale.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
I mean I think it was once there was the producer,
so it was from like episode one or two. Basically,
once the producers influenced that, Hey, we want you to
go this direction and we want to see more of
this side of you, then I didn't need really that much,
you know what I mean influencing. Yeah, you were just going, yeah,
(15:47):
you know what I mean.
Speaker 6 (15:48):
But but I wouldn't beyond you know what I mean,
that same path, Like yeah, so it's like from what
I actually would do to where I you know what
it was is huge, but it didn't it didn't.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Require any producer, you know, interruption. But also I wouldn't
even be in let's say this entire like like i'd
be in an argument, or i'd be in you know, uh,
just just in the middle of a scene or something.
And I'm like you, I wouldn't be here had it
not happened three weeks ago or six months ago, that
(16:20):
you know, we split into this of this direction.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Yeah, yeah, you know, I'm curious to you like that
kind of like that I guess it was sort of
like the swan song for you on the show. But uh,
you know the final interview you had with Chris Harrison
and and you know, I'm Bachelor in Paradise when he
was like, Okay, it's time to leave, you know what
that had to be. I would imagine that was probably
the because Chris was obviously the one, you know, staple
(16:45):
of the show every season up until that point. You know,
you know was that one that resonates a lot with
fans to this day.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Yeah, people like that one that To be honest, though,
if you if you compare these two things, you'll immediately
make the connection. But if you've seen me spounding down
Kenny Powers, yeah that's all I did. I just before
I went on the show, I watched like episodes over
and over and over in case I needed to keep
that character as a backup. And so the moment they
(17:13):
told me they were kicking me off, I was like,
all right, well, I know that that character is popular
over here and it's doing well. I could just play
that character here and then will you know what I mean?
And so it was like it was my hail Mary
as like you're kicking me off. Let me give one
best like last big little fireworks show.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Right, Yeah, well I was that it happened you were
able to do that. It was definitely there.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
I mean, it's one of those things I think, you know,
especially now where there's so many seasons of the show,
you know, there are some standout moments over the years,
for better or for worse, right, and.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
You never think about it.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Although oddly enough, it was the first thing I thought
of when when I found out I was going to
get to talk to you was I was like, man,
I wonder how this has affected him over the years,
because I can't imagine it's been easy to live that down,
especially you know with like you say that that isn't
who you feel you you.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Are, but you're kind of that's.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Going to live in people's head rent free for a
really long time.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Oh yeah, you know. I mean, I'll tell you one thing,
you know, Like, the one thing that's taught me is
that no one like you could say anything to me.
I won't get upset. No one can make me upset,
like at all, because I have seen I have heard
the worst things a human can possibly hear, day in
day out, hundreds of comments a day, people in person.
(18:32):
So after just years of that, I'm just like a
stone wall, which is kind of like a superpower in
a way, because I choose. I choose when I'm happy,
I choose when I'm sad, I choose when I'm upset,
Like no one can affect me anymore.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
But has that been I mean, did you seek therapy?
Did you go to see somebody? And like, I mean,
is this all self? Yeah? I mean there's no shame
in that game. Man, I'm just curious, you know, I
think I would have for sure.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
I went to probably three or fourth therapy. I've read
probably five dozen books, I guess. You know, then just
spend hundreds thousands of hours just meditating, watching whether YouTube
videos and on you know, spirituality and trying to find
God and trying to find meaning and what was the
point of all this? And why did this happen? Am
(19:19):
I supposed to become stronger?
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Like?
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Is that? Why did I put myself in this position
for this? You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (19:26):
Did I bring this on myself on purpose?
Speaker 2 (19:29):
You know?
Speaker 3 (19:30):
It's like, so I don't blame anyone or anything. It's
like I definitely put myself here for some reason, whether
I like it, or not, because when they when they
start trying to push this character, I could have gone,
you know, the other way, right right, but I didn't.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
So you made the choice, right, You made the choice.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
You went with it and got the good, the good
of it, which I guess was a lot of at
that time anyway, a lot of camera time, and then
you got the bad of it, which as a result
of that camera time, you got a lot of backlash
and a lot of tough years, tough years that you
had to with some stuff, right, kind.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
Of like that. You know, the people that inherit a
lot of money randomly when they're a kid, they never
really appreciate it, that type of thing, and they never
get to learn the desperation that it takes to like
build a successful business. I put I forced myself into
desperation through the turmoil and trauma that I had to take.
And I forced myself to go through a decade of
trauma by putting myself into that character, playing that role
(20:22):
and taking heat for it. And so now the things
that I know, the things that I forced myself to
study and with meditating and God and spirituality and just
learning and learning business and have to take care of
myself because no shows are calling and no business will
take me because I couldn't work a job, any job
I was going to work. All I was going to
do is end up talking about the show, you know, right,
So you got a way to make money online. Yeah,
(20:44):
that's why my life has been and I think it's
got me to a better place. It took a very
long time. It wasn't fun, but I'm happy I'm here now.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
You know.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
I think it's made me a much stronger person than
I would have been had I not put myself into
that terrible of position. Right still would go back and
change it.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Yeah, No, I understand, I understand. I mean it's it's definitely. Uh,
it's interesting to hear you talk about it. And I mean,
I'm sure you know.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
I I don't.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
I don't pretend to, you know, to know you or
your family, but I'm sure you know you set out
to make your mom proud, right by going on television
and and doing that stuff, And you know, she'd probably
be a lot more proud of the person you are
right now from all the work you've done on yourself then,
you know, just from having been on television. And I
don't know you so I hope you don't take offense
to me saying that, but you know, you can tell
(21:35):
you've done some work, you know, and that's tough to do, man,
it's a tough.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Thing to do.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
Yeah. Yeah, it's been a long road.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
Yeah. Well, I really appreciate you coming on and talking
to us today. Thank you for being a part of
the show. I think, you know, like you said, you
you you you know, hopefully this opportunity to kind of
air some stuff out will make you feel a little
better about you know, the experiences that you've had and
and you know, it's not an easy road to get anywhere, right,
the the journey is always uh you know, the fruit
(22:04):
right that everyone thinks the destination is the most important part,
but it's getting there that's the tough work.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
Work, yeah, with the destination, but the journey on this
last last night.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Yeah, well you put in the work, man, and uh,
you know, I wish you the very best and and
and thank you so much for making time for us
and and for being you know, for being vulnerable and
being willing to talk about this stuff. I'm sure it's
not easy.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Yeah, for sure, Thanks Bob.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Thanks, You're welcome, man, all Right, we'll take care of Chad.
Thanks for being on Infamous Man. We appreciate it all right.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Thank you. Follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous
podcast on iHeartRadio, or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
Ben Higgins and Ashley I bring you infamous. Sometimes roses
are red flags.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome back to Infamous, because sometimes roses are red flags.
This is Bob Guiney. I'm filling in for our lovely
hosts s Been and Ashley.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
This is part two of our interview with Chad Johnson.
Let's talk a little bit about Paradise. I know, you know,
you were obviously someone who I'm sure was a you know,
an immediate choice for the producers that we got to
have this guy on Paradise, and and that kind of
extends your you know, extends your fame obviously, but also
kind of puts you back in that in that headspace.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
You know.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
There's a couple of moments I remember, you know, Uh,
for example Lace on the show, a lot of people
mentioned that one as as moments where you know, did
you think she was trying to be genuine with you
or did you think she was coming at you from
like a producer's putting it her up to it, or
what was your thoughts on that.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
I kind of had two thoughts with her, which like
in one thought was like, oh, she knows she's crazy,
and like I like it, Like that's we're having fun. Yeah,
you know, like, okay, I like somebody that can let
loose because in that time, again, I was you know,
drinking and being wild and stupid, and I wanted somebody
that would do that with me that was kind of
like hey, partner in idiocrasy, and so that was great,
(01:19):
you know. I actually kind of was open to that.
But then in the other pocket as well, I was like,
this is great. We're gonna be the whole show like
a crazy girl. Like I was like, this is fantastic.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
And I had had conversations with producers before I came
in because I had the opportunity like should I you know,
because by the end of like The Bachelorette, I was
gonna get like that's when I was getting bad, bad,
bad bad, And I talked to them like should I
go back to like can I go be me? Or
like do you want me to keep doing that? You know?
And they were like, you can dial it up if
you want, and I was like, okay, if I'm gonna
dialo it like so this everything that happened in Paradise
(01:54):
and not the specific things that happened, but it was
all like pre talked about, you know, it was all, hey,
I'm coming in, and I told them I'm gonna be
a nutcase first day, Like if this is what you want,
I'm gonna be insane the first day, and I'm gonna
give you previews. You're gonna have great preview Like it
was kind of strategical, and I don't know if you're
supposed to be that strategical, but I was like, you're
gonna have great previews for the show, and so like,
(02:16):
let me help you, and then you help me. I'll
be crazy for the first episode. You'll get your great
contrailers and previews or you're gonna be able to use
and then I'll go back to being normal second day.
And then you guys like let me actually date, like
let me do what I want to do. You know,
we've been pushing me to be that character, you know.
And but yeah, the lace thing, I really thought we
(02:37):
had it and we were playing the role together and
it was like, hey, we're both gonna play this role
together and I actually kind of do really like you.
And then all of a sudden, like just one minute,
she just snapped and turned and was like I'm not
like this. I'm like, what are you talking about? Like
we're doing this for like seven hours straight like we
have every time. So it was really confused.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
So is she just going to on the rabbit hole
and then changed your mind or like, what do you think?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
I think? So I think they. I think one of
the girls there must have talked to her. Maybe it
was a proud maybe someone was like, if you do
hang out with him, you're gonna look bad or something.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
I don't know, but I mean I do know it
would have been in that like strategically to keep playing,
you know, the stupid thing we were doing, right, and
just gone to bed separately and then the next day
talked and had dinner and stuff and gone on the
flow with the show. But I felt abandoned, you know,
because I was oho, you know, in this alcoholic type episode,
(03:37):
because they gave me you know, well they didn't give me.
They handed me a bottle of Jack Daniels night half
the bottle before eight a m. That day.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Yeah, so I was that's that's not the Breakfast Champions necessarily, right.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
No, So I couldn't remember anything, like literally I remember
stepping onto the beach. That was that was like that's it.
Everything else is literally in blackout mode. Yes, yeah, it
just didn't go as as planned and I'd change everything.
But again, it was one of those things where when
you're in the middle of you know, an alcohol problem,
(04:14):
probably yeah, going on a dating.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Show, and yeah, I mean there were some moments.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Obviously you had a couple of things, you know, you know,
and this might have been one of the previews you
were looking to give them, right, But you know, I'll
you know, you like y'all murder everybody on this thing
and your family and some stuff like that. I mean,
was that was that one of those moments. I mean,
that's a pretty intense thing to say. Did that ever
come back around to bite you, you know afterwards? I mean, like,
you know, obviously, I know you said it did emotionally
(04:41):
from the standpoint of dealing with all that stuff, But
I never have any like real life run ins with
people because of stuff you might have sat on television,
like somebody's family members or anything like that confront you
or anything like that.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
No, So that that was me saying all that stuff.
That was just like me and my friends would try
to make the joke, like the worst possible jokes to
each other. Yeah, we were drinking or whatever, and so
that's what that and it did it. Honestly, that's a
good point. I kind of wanted to bring that up.
It really screwed me over because so I had a
girlfriend and and here's one thing. I don't know if
(05:14):
you ever heard, like I had a domestic violence thing
a few years ago. I had a girlfriend who said
that I hit her right, she had videos of me
yelling because I was drunk, and yeah, I did yell,
like you know, I was being an idiot yelling and
like hitting the door and stupid stuff like that. And
I don't even know when I was mad at but
I've never laid hands on a girl. But I played
(05:37):
that character and I said those things, so everyone automatically said, yes,
it must be true. I saw him be this way
on TV, so yes, he must have done it. No
one took two seconds to play skeptic at all. So
one hundred percent it's affected me.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
Yeah, where I.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Have to be extremely careful in relationships now because like, oh,
the bad boy did something bad, you know what I mean,
anyone can make up anything about me and people are
gonna be like, well, yeah, the bad boy did something bad,
and I'm like no, but I don't actually do anything
bad in real life. I just who's gonna who's gonna say, no,
(06:14):
we didn't. Everyone's gonna think you're the cool person.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Well with that, with that in mind, I mean when
people look back at the show and they you know,
obviously these clips are gonna be around forever, right, I
mean it's when when they when they look back at
the show, do you what do you wish they would
have seen, you know, in those moments, like you know,
if you had some of them to do all over again,
like you think about, you know, like the moment you
have with Sarah Harron for example. You know, I know
(06:38):
you later said you were disappointed in yourself for that.
I mean, if you had a minute to sit with
any of them and you know, what would you want
to say to them?
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Well? I did find out, not not to like cover
myself or anything, but I didn't. They edited that SoundBite
of the arm thing in from a from a like
an interview I had with one of them. They made
it look like I said in front of the whole group,
which I didn't do. I didn't realize that till years later.
But but yeah, just I mean the stuff I was saying,
(07:05):
you know, but I got caught, you know, like I
was making horrible jokes because again that's what I did
with my friends back home. And when I'm that many
drinks deep, you know, I started making those jokes again,
What's the worst thing I could possibly say? And I'm
sitting there with the producer that I thought was my friend. Yeah,
there's a can't you forget there's a massive camera and
(07:28):
an audio guy standing there, and you're making these horrible
jokes like you would to your friend, just just to
get a chuckle out of your friend, you know, something
you would never want the other person to say, especially
never want the entire country to hear. So, I mean,
if I could take it all back, the number one
thing I would do was just not drink that I
would that would People don't understand how much that would
(07:49):
have changed. I mean the whole my whole life would
be different if I didn't drink that day. I have
no idea where I would be, honestly.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Yeah, no, I understand me. It's a lot. I mean
a lot of people say that.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
You know, a lot of people become a different person
when they drink, and and you know that's one of
those things you hope that you hope you become a
kind or gentle version of yourself.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
But you also can put yourself in a spot.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Where you know, but but you know, like you said,
you you wish you wouldn't have done it on national TV.
You wish you wouldn't have done it when all these
people were hearing you. Well, well a lot of those
same people will hear you now. So if you had
something you wanted to say to Sarah, to Lace or
to Jojo, you know, you can say it now and
they and they would hear it, and you know, you
could let them know that you know, you own those
moments and you you know, but you're also you know.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Aren't that guy or whatever or whatever you you know
might want to say.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
I mean, I'm sorry, Sarah, I'm sorry, Lace, I'm sorry, Jojo,
I'm sorry for everything. You know. I mean, it's not this.
It's hard to apologize for the guy because it's so
long ago, you know, but me mean now, I'm so sorry,
but I wish I could take it all back.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Yeah, you know, man, I mean, I think it's one
of those things you go through some some phases in life, right,
and yours just happened to play out on national television
on a on a huge stage, and you know, it
is tough to take that back. But you know, I'm
sure they'll see that, and you know, who knows, maybe
it'll affect you guys when you get a chance to
to cross paths again, you know, in the future someday
(09:18):
if you do right.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
So, I mean, if they came to.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
You today and they were like, you know, hey, Chad,
we're going to do another version of Bachelor in Paradise.
It's going to be the villains. You know, uh, would
you what would you do? Like, would you would you
allow yourself to go back to that character or do
you think you'd or would you even do it?
Speaker 1 (09:37):
I guess it's first and foremost.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
And if so, would you allow yourself to go back
to that character or would you go back on and
be like, there is no way I'm gonna let myself
be edited like that guy there's I'm coming one hundred
percent from the heart.
Speaker 1 (09:48):
You know, what would your choice be in that matter?
Speaker 3 (09:50):
I don't think I could play that character anymore like it.
It would be too inauthentic at this point, you know,
if they ever wanted me to do something at this point,
now it would one hundred percent be like, you need
to let me be like, let me be regular, you know,
let me be good like I originally intended, you know,
And I just have to not let myself slip into
(10:11):
doing something. But you know, to be honest, I don't
think they would ever call, and I don't I don't
really have any need for that stuff anymore.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
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(10:55):
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(11:17):
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Speaker 2 (11:38):
Well, I was gonna ask, like it's one of those things,
you know, It's like a do you return to the
scene of the crime or do you do you just say,
you know what I'm gonna you know, I don't need to.
Speaker 1 (11:47):
Go on a TV show again to show everybody who
I am.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
I already know who I am in here and I'm
gonna prove it in other ways. Or you know, you
got a lot of choices to make in those moments.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
I'm sure, I mean I would it would be I
guess there's there would be some positive to it, you know.
Like so for the most part I the last ten
years now, I just keep to myself because I never
know what people are thinking of me because or what
show did they see, or you know, which seemed to remember.
You know, because I've had people where I'm nice to them,
a nice to them for an hour and a half
and then they're just like, you know, at the end
(12:16):
of the time, I'm like, what, like you're mad because
the show six years ago, you know, like, yeah, we
just had a great time, so it's weird.
Speaker 1 (12:25):
I was going to ask you that.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
I was going to ask you if you've ever had
you know, I heard about a few people like having
experiences with them be at a bar and someone will
throw a beer at them and they're like, what is
going on?
Speaker 1 (12:35):
You know, I was.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
I was wondering if that ever was an experience that
you had, because you know, some people, they might have
that image of you in their head and not even
give you a chance to, you know, possibly show them otherwise.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
I've probably had, I mean a dozen times where I'm with,
you know, a girlfriend and I'm you know, at a
restaurant or a bar, and I go to the bathroom
and either a girl or an old lady or somebody
will come up to my girlfriend and say you need
to get away from him. You know, yeah he's crazy,
and it's like and it got to the point where
(13:08):
I'm like, like, let me know which one comes up
and says something, you know, just just because I'm going
to be curious, you know, right right to the point
where I go talk to these people and be like,
why'd you do that like, you know, you're watching a
TV show, right, Like you're not gonna go yell at
Dwight from the office.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Right right.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
I think I think in that regard, you know, people
people see a reality show and and to them that
is reality, you know, and not realizing it's a television
show that is produced and everything else.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
And so you know, I mean, I guess I could.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
See the confusion, but I also, you know, can see
it from from the standpoint of hey me, and that
was ten years ago, and you know, yeah, I did
some crazy stuff on that show, but I'm trying.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
To own it now. I mean, it would be hard.
It'd be really hard.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
I would think to you know, taking it on your
word that you're a totally different guy now, I obviously
don't know you, so I would say, taking in on
your word that you are, it would have to be
really difficult to have people still throwing stuff at you
from ten years ago that you might not even remember
having done, right, given the circumstances.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
All the time. And I mean, I guess the one
thing I couldn't imagine is like all the guys that
got out of the show, right, and they either had
a good portrayal or they you know, they stuck to
their their guns and they just stayed true to themselves.
You know, like that had to be so crazy to
like to go out and you know people are thinking
positively of you, you know what I mean, just to
(14:32):
like you go out to a local restaurant, like when
I go out anywhere, Like I just went to, you know,
with my father yesterday. We went and had lunch sitting
in a restaurant, and I like, see, you know, some
girls looking at me, and I'm like, they think I'm
an asshole. They probably think I'm an asshole. Like they're
probably thinking.
Speaker 1 (14:47):
What's going to be hard? That's that's gotta be hard
moving in.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Oklahoma or you know, like yeah, yeah, but like that
every time, like every interaction all the time until I
get some form of like comfort. So I've been keeping
myself for a decade.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
You know, so right, I just I get it.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
That's tough, you know, don't think that way.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Yeah, well, I mean when you look back on it too,
you know, if you had to, if you had to
think about it from on a zero to one hundred scale,
you know, what percentage of your actions and your words
and your you know, responses, I guess your emotional responses.
Do you think we're influenced by the producers on that
show from a zero to one hundred scale.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
I mean I think it was once there was the producer,
so it was from like episode one or two. Basically,
once the producers influenced that, Hey, we want you to
go this direction and we want to see more of
this side of you, then I didn't need really that much,
you know what I mean influencing. Yeah, you were just going, yeah,
(15:47):
you know what I mean.
Speaker 6 (15:48):
But but I wouldn't beyond you know what I mean,
that same path, Like yeah, so it's like from what
I actually would do to where I you know what
it was is huge, but it didn't it didn't.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Require any producer, you know, interruption. But also I wouldn't
even be in let's say this entire like like i'd
be in an argument, or i'd be in you know, uh,
just just in the middle of a scene or something.
And I'm like you, I wouldn't be here had it
not happened three weeks ago or six months ago, that
(16:20):
you know, we split into this of this direction.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Yeah, yeah, you know, I'm curious to you like that
kind of like that I guess it was sort of
like the swan song for you on the show. But uh,
you know the final interview you had with Chris Harrison
and and you know, I'm Bachelor in Paradise when he
was like, Okay, it's time to leave, you know what
that had to be. I would imagine that was probably
the because Chris was obviously the one, you know, staple
(16:45):
of the show every season up until that point. You know,
you know was that one that resonates a lot with
fans to this day.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Yeah, people like that one that To be honest, though,
if you if you compare these two things, you'll immediately
make the connection. But if you've seen me spounding down
Kenny Powers, yeah that's all I did. I just before
I went on the show, I watched like episodes over
and over and over in case I needed to keep
that character as a backup. And so the moment they
(17:13):
told me they were kicking me off, I was like,
all right, well, I know that that character is popular
over here and it's doing well. I could just play
that character here and then will you know what I mean?
And so it was like it was my hail Mary
as like you're kicking me off. Let me give one
best like last big little fireworks show.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Right, Yeah, well I was that it happened you were
able to do that. It was definitely there.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
I mean, it's one of those things I think, you know,
especially now where there's so many seasons of the show,
you know, there are some standout moments over the years,
for better or for worse, right, and.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
You never think about it.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Although oddly enough, it was the first thing I thought
of when when I found out I was going to
get to talk to you was I was like, man,
I wonder how this has affected him over the years,
because I can't imagine it's been easy to live that down,
especially you know with like you say that that isn't
who you feel you you.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Are, but you're kind of that's.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Going to live in people's head rent free for a
really long time.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
Oh yeah, you know. I mean, I'll tell you one thing,
you know, Like, the one thing that's taught me is
that no one like you could say anything to me.
I won't get upset. No one can make me upset,
like at all, because I have seen I have heard
the worst things a human can possibly hear, day in
day out, hundreds of comments a day, people in person.
(18:32):
So after just years of that, I'm just like a
stone wall, which is kind of like a superpower in
a way, because I choose. I choose when I'm happy,
I choose when I'm sad, I choose when I'm upset,
Like no one can affect me anymore.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
But has that been I mean, did you seek therapy?
Did you go to see somebody? And like, I mean,
is this all self? Yeah? I mean there's no shame
in that game. Man, I'm just curious, you know, I
think I would have for sure.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
I went to probably three or fourth therapy. I've read
probably five dozen books, I guess. You know, then just
spend hundreds thousands of hours just meditating, watching whether YouTube
videos and on you know, spirituality and trying to find
God and trying to find meaning and what was the
point of all this? And why did this happen? Am
(19:19):
I supposed to become stronger?
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Like?
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Is that? Why did I put myself in this position
for this? You know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (19:26):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (19:26):
Did I bring this on myself on purpose?
Speaker 2 (19:29):
You know?
Speaker 3 (19:30):
It's like, so I don't blame anyone or anything. It's
like I definitely put myself here for some reason, whether
I like it, or not, because when they when they
start trying to push this character, I could have gone,
you know, the other way, right right, but I didn't.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
So you made the choice, right, You made the choice.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
You went with it and got the good, the good
of it, which I guess was a lot of at
that time anyway, a lot of camera time, and then
you got the bad of it, which as a result
of that camera time, you got a lot of backlash
and a lot of tough years, tough years that you
had to with some stuff, right, kind.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
Of like that. You know, the people that inherit a
lot of money randomly when they're a kid, they never
really appreciate it, that type of thing, and they never
get to learn the desperation that it takes to like
build a successful business. I put I forced myself into
desperation through the turmoil and trauma that I had to take.
And I forced myself to go through a decade of
trauma by putting myself into that character, playing that role
(20:22):
and taking heat for it. And so now the things
that I know, the things that I forced myself to
study and with meditating and God and spirituality and just
learning and learning business and have to take care of
myself because no shows are calling and no business will
take me because I couldn't work a job, any job
I was going to work. All I was going to
do is end up talking about the show, you know, right,
So you got a way to make money online. Yeah,
(20:44):
that's why my life has been and I think it's
got me to a better place. It took a very
long time. It wasn't fun, but I'm happy I'm here now.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
You know.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
I think it's made me a much stronger person than
I would have been had I not put myself into
that terrible of position. Right still would go back and
change it.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Yeah, No, I understand, I understand. I mean it's it's definitely. Uh,
it's interesting to hear you talk about it. And I mean,
I'm sure you know.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
I I don't.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
I don't pretend to, you know, to know you or
your family, but I'm sure you know you set out
to make your mom proud, right by going on television
and and doing that stuff, And you know, she'd probably
be a lot more proud of the person you are
right now from all the work you've done on yourself then,
you know, just from having been on television. And I
don't know you so I hope you don't take offense
to me saying that, but you know, you can tell
(21:35):
you've done some work, you know, and that's tough to do, man,
it's a tough.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Thing to do.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
Yeah. Yeah, it's been a long road.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
Yeah. Well, I really appreciate you coming on and talking
to us today. Thank you for being a part of
the show. I think, you know, like you said, you
you you you know, hopefully this opportunity to kind of
air some stuff out will make you feel a little
better about you know, the experiences that you've had and
and you know, it's not an easy road to get anywhere, right,
the the journey is always uh you know, the fruit
(22:04):
right that everyone thinks the destination is the most important part,
but it's getting there that's the tough work.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
Work, yeah, with the destination, but the journey on this
last last night.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
Yeah, well you put in the work, man, and uh,
you know, I wish you the very best and and
and thank you so much for making time for us
and and for being you know, for being vulnerable and
being willing to talk about this stuff. I'm sure it's
not easy.
Speaker 3 (22:26):
Yeah, for sure, Thanks Bob.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Thanks, You're welcome, man, all Right, we'll take care of Chad.
Thanks for being on Infamous Man. We appreciate it all right.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
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Hosts And Creators
Ben Higgins
Ashley Iaconetti
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