Bachelor Nation is full of content creators, and one of the most fulfilling parts of my journey with the show has been linking up with other Black women who participate in all things Bachelor Nation.
For my very first interview, I reached out to Ria, curator of Bachelor Rabbit Hole, one of the most popular Instagram accounts in the nation. I love her comedy and her commentary, so it was a joy to talk Bach with her.
Ash Talks Bach (ATB) Tell me about you! What’s a fun fact about the person behind Bachelor Rabbit Hole?
Bachelor Rabbit Hole (BRH): Hi Ash! I'm Ria. I'm 28 and live in California. Here's a fun fact that has everyone scratching their head: I live on the West Coast but I operate on East Coast hours because of my job. That makes watching the show live pretty interesting. Because when the show is airing in California at 8pm PT, my body clock is at 11pm ET.
ATB: What season was your first one? What made you start watching the show?
BRH: I had a very on-again, off-again, relationship with the franchise until the pandemic when I really started watching consistently. The first season I remember watching was Ashley Herbert's! I don't know why I was watching it back then. I got back into the show when Matt James was announced as the Bachelor. I was excited to see a season with a Black bachelor until I watched the premiere. IYKYK.
ATB: What made you start an Instagram account for The Bachelor? What do you think makes your page stand out from other Bachelor accounts?
BRH: When I started watching Matt's season, I was lightly engaging in Bachelor Nation content on Instagram, but because my job is corporate, I didn't want to get too involved in the social media aspect. When Katie's season started, I wanted to chat about the show, but none of my friends or family would watch it in real-time. That's when I started participating in the Reddit live watch threads. That completely changed the viewing experience for me. It was so much fun to "live watch" with hundreds of people while chatting about the show in real-time. I started an Instagram account after Katie's season ended to post during the off-season and almost a year later it's developed into my favorite hobby.
I'm constantly asking myself "Why do people even follow my page?" and I honestly am still looking for the answer. The best I can come up with is they relate to my perspective. My page isn't the kind of page that posts about all things Bachelor Nation. I post about the people I admire or connect with and I post commentary on topics and gossip that interests me. And I don't think it's a coincidence that I am a black woman and many of my most engaged followers are black women.
ATB: Who is your favorite Bachelor contestant to follow on social media? Why?
BRH: Right now it's Jasmine Nguyen from Peter's season. She creates gorgeous content, has an aspirational style, and her Insta stories are always so positive and entertaining.
ATB: Which do you prefer for Bachelor content: Instagram or TikTok?? Why?
BRH: Instagram because all Bach alums have an account. Plus I've only seen a handful of contestants who are killing it on Tik Tok.
ATB: Favorite bachelor podcast? Why?
BRH: Dear Shandy. The most detailed and thorough recap podcast.
ATB: Who is your problematic favorite person in Bachelor Nation?
BRH: Nick Viall. He's messy as hell and hated by many, but I listen to his podcast every week.
ATB: What made you want to start your own Bachelor podcast? What can we expect?
BRH: After I started the Bachelor Rabbit Hole Instagram page, I began noticing that I was a lot more clued in to what is going on in Bachelor Nation compared to the hosts of so many podcasts.
From my podcast, you can expect raw emotions and commentary from people Bachelor Nation isn't used to hearing from: young women of color.
I'm not afraid to call people out, whether that be contestants, production, or casting. Plus I'll be elevating the perspectives that are shared from our Instagram community as well, through a voicemail line that listeners can call into, and through reading some hot takes from my Instagram comments.
ATB: Current favorite Bachelor couple?
BRH: I am still grieving the loss of Naychelle. Although I won't ever stan another couple, I do admire Thomas and Becca, as well as Noah and Abigail.
ATB: Favorite Bachelor couple that never was?
BRH: Clare and Jason. Their date on her season was creepy and hilarious. Plus he self-eliminated when Tayshia took over because he fell in love with Clare. Can't help but wish they had a chance!
ATB: Who’s your favorite Bachelor content creator?
BRH: Bachelor Fantake! He makes hilarious and insightful content on Youtube. He's the creator that showed me it was possible to build a strong brand while still maintaining anonymity in Bachelor Nation.
ATB: Top 3 Bachelorettes of all time:
BRH: Michelle, Rachel, JoJo
ATB: Top 3 Bachelors of all time:
BRH: Can I do top 3 worst Bachelors? I think that's easier: Clayton, Juan Pablo, Peter
ATB: Favorite Bachelor moment:
BRH: When Gabby refused to let Clayton walk her out.
ATB: What are you most looking forward to for this season of The Bachelorette?
BRH: A change in format! It's undeniable that the format has gotten stale, so I'm excited to see what changes are made with two leads.
ATB: What are you most looking forward to for the upcoming season of BIP?
BRH: I'm looking forward to seeing who production allows to have a redemption arc and who they turn into a villain.
ATB: Who is your favorite person from Bachelor Nation that follows you?
BRH: Michelle Young.
ATB: What’s one thing you would change about the show if you could?
BRH: The casting process. Contestants are not cast because they would be a good match for the lead. They're cast to make a TV show.
ATB:You’re throwing a dinner party and can only invite five people from Bachelor Nation. Who would you choose?
BRH: Rachel Lindsay, Michelle Young, Bri Springs, Ryan Claytor, and Tahzjuan Hawkins
ATB: What’s your favorite part of being in Bachelor Nation?
BRH: The black women and women of color I've connected with. Before Michelle's season started, I created a group chat for women of color who support her. That group chat is still popping and some of the ladies in that chat will be featured on the podcast!
This interview was so fun! Make sure to follow Bachelor Rabbit Hole on all platforms!
Sorry for the brief hiatus, but Ash Talks Bach is back! Thanks for going on this journey with me once again!