Spoiler alert! Details from the Season 21 premiere of “The Bachelorette” below.
Jenn Tran, the 21st “Bachelorette” star, broke with tradition on Monday night by kissing only one of her 25 suitors.
The only kiss of the night – a steamy, nearly minute-long one that took place outside the mansion as the sun rose – was saved for her First Impression Rose winner, Sam M.
“I’ve seen the show, I know what it’s like, I know everyone kissing,” Jen told USA Today in an interview ahead of the show’s premiere. “I just wanted to stay true to who I am.”
The kiss capped a night in which Jen frolicked with more than 20 men all trying to impress the 26-year-old aspiring physician assistant. One guy named Grant beatboxed, one guy named Brendan ate a whole bell pepper, and a real estate investor named Jeremy showed off his sleek sports car. All for love.
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Jen effortlessly handled all the antics and displays of masculinity as he quizzed the men about themselves and revealed what they wanted from “tough” love.
Here’s what Jen had in mind on her first night as a single woman:
Making History:Jen never thought of herself as the lead character. Now she’s the first Asian ‘Bachelorette’
Why Jenn Tran only kissed Sam M. on The Bachelorette premiere
During the episode, Jen vowed, “I feel like I’m in love. I’m going to get engaged and do it my way.”
While past “Bachelor” and “Bachelorette” stars have traditionally kissed a few contestants while searching for a date on the first night, Jen’s decision not to do so was a way to stay true to herself.
“[The kiss with Sam M]was my first kiss of the night and the only kiss of the night,” Jen said. “I knew that when it came to relationships, it took a lot to get to that point with someone. I think kissing is a very intimate thing and there had to be an emotional connection before you got there. So I didn’t think I would kiss that many people.”
“I didn’t know how many people I’d end up kissing, but I did know it would be a little more than just, ‘Hey, how are you? Let’s get flirty,'” she said, laughing.
Jen also admitted that the reason she only got to kiss one guy wasn’t because the other contestants didn’t try hard enough.
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“A lot of the guys were definitely following my lead and probing,” she said. “There were probably a few times where I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t know,’ and kind of brushed it off at some point.”
“It was all in fun,” Jen said, emphasizing the importance of not feeling pressured to do something you may not be ready for.
“As women, sometimes we think, ‘Oh, if someone leans in, I have to kiss them,’ but it’s not true, you have a right to your opinion about what you want to do, so just say no. It doesn’t mean you hate the person, it just means you’re not ready yet. And it’s okay to let someone know that.”
What made Sam M.’s first impression on The Bachelorette stand out?
During the episode, Jen opened up about her “undeniable connection” with Sam, a 27-year-old contractor.
But she called Grant, a 30-year-old day trader, “just my type” (“He’s hot, hot and hot,” she confessed), and had a heart-warming conversation with Thomas N. about their shared experience growing up with Vietnamese immigrant parents.
So why Sam?
“I was just reflecting on who made me feel the most at ease, who I was most comfortable talking to, and who I felt I connected with the most on the first night,” Jen told USA Today.
“Then I just kept thinking about Sam, and I thought, ‘If I keep thinking about this guy, I’m going to give him a rose because I think he has potential.’
After Sam received the first rose, Jen pinned roses on the lapels of 17 men, then ruthlessly cut seven from the cast after an all-night shoot.
“I was on adrenaline all night,” she says. “I don’t think I really realized how tired I was until the noise died down, after the rose ceremony and the sun was out. I was like, ‘Oh man, I couldn’t sleep last night. I’m screwed.'”
Who went home on “The Bachelorette”?
Matt, Brett, Kevin, Dakota, Ricky, Brendan and Moz were sent home on the first night.
Who received Jen Tran’s rose?
The order of the rose ceremony was as follows:
- Dylan
- Thomas N
- Spencer
- Grant
- Marcus
- Thomas A.
- John
- Jeremy
- Devin
- Brian
- Aaron
- Jahan
- Hakim
- Jonathan
- Austin
- Marvin
- Sam N
