The most dramatic craft-services meal ever? The Bachelor franchise creator Mike Fleiss posted a number of food-related tweets this month that have led some fans to wonder if he was addressing the switch from Caila Quinn to JoJo Fletcher as the next Bachelorette.
Host Chris Harrison announced during the After the Final Rose special on Monday, March 14, that Fletcher, Ben Higgins‘ Bachelor season 20 runner-up, is the season 12 Bachelorette. Us Weekly previously reported that producers had initially picked second runner-up Quinn to star and had even filmed her introductory package in her hometown of Hudson, Ohio. But they ultimately decided that Fletcher’s storyline — centering on her bouncing back after Higgins said he loved her during the February 29 episode — was more compelling for fans. Quinn’s name was not mentioned during After the Final Rose, and producers have yet to comment publicly on switching Bachelorettes.
On March 6, two days after Quinn, 24, filmed her footage, Fleiss, 51, tweeted about the kind of food that would be served onset on the first night: “After 5 years of BBQ chicken as our Night One dinner, I’m thinking of mixing things up this year. Maybe a little Thai food… Yum!”
Then on March 16, he posted several tweets about the filming of the season’s first episode, including this one: “I chickened out and went with BBQ chicken. If it ain’t broke… #Bachelorette.”
After 5 years of BBQ chicken as our Night One dinner, I’m thinking of mixing things up this year. Maybe a little Thai food… Yum!
— Mike Fleiss (@fleissmeister) March 6, 2016
I chickened out and went with BBQ chicken. If it ain’t broke… #Bachelorette
— Mike Fleiss (@fleissmeister) March 17, 2016
Some people are wondering if these are somehow cryptic references to Quinn, whose mother is Filipino. (Fletcher’s mom is Persian.) Each previous Bachelorette star has been white.
Fleiss appeared to address the confusion with a follow-up tweet on Friday, March 18: “Calm down. My favorite restaurant in Malibu is Cholada Thai…”
Earlier this week, a source told Us exclusively that Quinn is moving to New York City and “excited” to find love in a new city.
Tell Us: Was Mike Fleiss addressing the Bachelorette change?
The Bachelorette returns to ABC on Monday, May 23, at 8 p.m. ET.
