Bachelor Nation won’t go down without a fight. One day after Kelly Ripa criticized The Bachelorette for being disgusting during her daytime talk show, Bachelor star Colton Underwood fired back with a snarky dig.
Underwood, 27, tweeted on Wednesday, May 15: “How mad is Kelly Ripa going to be when The Bachelor wins an Emmy this year? #ThankYouForYourConsideration.”
The former professional football player also replied to a fan and suggested that his girlfriend, Cassie Randolph, win best supporting actor instead of the fence he jumped over during an episode of his season.
Ripa, 48, made headlines on Tuesday, May 14, when she dissed the reality series on her show, Live With Kelly and Ryan. “You guys, you know how I feel about the show; it disgusts me,” the All My Children alum told cohost Ryan Seacrest and members of the audience. “I can’t stand the idea of 25 exceptional women fighting over one ordinary fella, in my opinion. You know how I feel, ladies, we are too special to be arguing over a guy.”
The Hope & Faith alum’s words sparked backlash from many of Bachelor Nation’s most prominent figures. Longtime host Chris Harrison tweeted on Tuesday: “Look out #BachelorNation @KellyRipa is coming after you and your ‘disgusting’ Monday night habit.”
Arie Luyendyk Jr. admitted the following day that Ripa’s disdain got him “worked up.” The race car driver, 37 — who is currently expecting his first child with wife Lauren Burnham, whom he got engaged to after The Bachelor season 22 finale — noted via Instagram Stories: “Why tear down relationships, the show is about love. Why so much animosity @kellyripa?”
Hannah Brown, who is the latest Bachelorette, also defended the show during an appearance on Ripa and Seacrest’s daytime talk show on Thursday, May 16. “Being a part of the show, it’s not women fighting against each other. Really, some of my best friends came from the show and were really supportive,” Brown, 24, said. “It was one of the most empowering things that I ever did because I had to grow as an individual. That is why I decided that I wanted to be the Bachelorette. That’s why I wanted that so bad.”
However, not everyone was on team Bachelor Nation. Ellen Pompeo defended the I Love You, Mom! author after Bachelor creator Mike Fleiss suggested that the dating series pays her salary.
“Okay @fleissmeister … that’s some handle bro! Your show does NOT pay @KellyRipa salary,” the Grey’s Anatomy star, 49, tweeted on Thursday. “Also we don’t attack successful women on our network and men certainly cannot take credit for their success. Don’t get me started on your show cuz I’m a savage … #bachelorsoooowhite.”
The Bachelorette airs on ABC Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
