Devin Strader, Jenn Tran's Choice on 'The Bachelorette,' Was a Ticking Time Bomb with an Abusive Past

By Dustin Rowles | TV | September 18, 2024 |

By Dustin Rowles | TV | September 18, 2024 |

For context on this piece, I delved into the latest drama from The Bachelorette finale. Jenn Tran, the Bachelorette on the most recent season, had to spill the tea in front of millions that Devin Strader — her chosen Bachelor — had unceremoniously dumped her over the phone after a lukewarm two-month post-show fling. As if that weren’t enough, Devin pulled what was characterized as a betrayal by following Maria Georgas, a Bachelor-nation alum, the very next day. (Side note: for the second time this week, I’m compelled to point out that we, as a society, might be reading too much into Instagram likes and follows.)

I don’t watch The Bachelor/ette, but I’d read a number of articles about the cruelty of that finale, which may have been slightly overblown. I understand that Jenn Tran was hurt, and I understand that Devin Strader was a dick, but I don’t particularly understand why anyone would put much faith in a relationship that developed on a dating competition show. Once the artifice is removed, I cannot imagine many relationships are built to survive in the real world, where couples have to agree on what to have for dinner, who has to do the dishes, and how annoyed one-half of the couple will be about the inexplicable piles that litter their home.

I mention this only because the fact that Devin Strader fell out of love with Jenn Tran when the artificial conditions were removed does not necessarily make him a dick. What he did to an ex-girlfriend — and what The Bachelor producers failed to discover — absolutely does make him a dick.

Granted, it happened seven years before the most recent season of The Bachelorette and the restraining order had been sealed, but the circumstances surrounding the restraining order and Strader’s arrest certainly would have been disqualifying. According to an affidavit discovered by RealitySteve, Strader had been arrested for burglarizing his ex-girlfriend’s apartment and breaking several personal items and stealing a diamond necklace that Strader had given the unnamed ex. She also had to file a restraining order because Strader appeared at her house several times and banged on the door.

That’s bad. This is even worse. From THR:

She also alleged that Strader “made a fire out in the street with what appeared to be the actual restraining order” and when she “had a tire flattened in her vehicle and when it was getting changed, [Strader] came outside and began laughing at her.”

The ex-girlfriend also noted other past incidents in the now-unsealed petition, obtained by THR. She alleged that Strader once “put me in a choke hold covering my mouth” and “spit on me and threw his drink on me at [a] Pelicans game in front of everyone in the stands.” And after she awoke to bruises on her “knees, elbow, stomach, arms” and a “pounding” head, she claims he said he almost “killed” her and didn’t “want to talk about it.”

Two things here: Jenn Tran dodged a bullet, but also, the producers on The Bachelorette should do a much better job vetting their contestants because if RealitySteve can uncover a restraining order, the network should be able to, as well.

via THR