Why Don’t The Bachelor Contestants Eat The Food On Dates? Host Jesse Palmer Revealed How He ‘Ruined It For Everybody’

Why Don’t The Bachelor Contestants Eat The Food On Dates? Host Jesse Palmer Revealed How He ‘Ruined It For Everybody’

As a seasoned gamer who has been following The Bachelor franchise for over two decades, I was utterly fascinated by the recent revelation from host Jesse Palmer about the origin of the rule that contestants don’t eat during their dates. It turns out that it’s all his fault!


For over two decades, “The Bachelor” has graced our television screens, and even though devoted fans may think they know everything about the series, there are still some behind-the-scenes mysteries yet to be uncovered, particularly regarding the reason why contestants never eat during their dates. Jesse Palmer, the show’s host, might have shed light on this enigma, as he recently explained to Jenn Tran from “The Bachelorette” that it was actually his doing that led to this rule being established.

On the July 29th episode of “The Bachelorette,” prior to Jenn Tran’s dates in New Zealand, she shared a meal with Jesse Palmer. With an abundance of food being served at their table, Jesse decided to share some trivia from “The Bachelor” franchise with Jenn. As it turns out, Jesse was once the host of this series, starting from 2004, but before that, he was the star of Season 5. He confided in Jenn that he’s the one who started the rule about contestants not consuming food on the show because of an incident during his own time as a participant. Jesse explained:

Have you pondered over the reason behind avoiding eating during one-on-one dates? Let me explain. On my reality show, I used to scarf down food during every date while attempting to engage in deep, intense conversations. The result? I was merely talking with a full mouth, making it difficult for my date to focus and fully participate in the conversation. Consequently, the producers had to put an end to this practice for everyone’s sake. In essence, I spoiled it for all.

During Jesse Palmer’s confession, there were a few clips displayed where he struggled to speak with a full mouth of food. It’s astonishing that the producers didn’t intervene and take the corn on the cob away from him. Imagine trying to share your deepest feelings during those emotional one-on-one dates while your date is preoccupied with food. Jesse was once a football player, but I can’t help but wonder if he was denied food when off-camera. Those clips left me in stitches!

Over the years, I’ve encountered various explanations about why some food remains untouched, and once Tayshia Adams from ‘The Bachelorette’ expressed her view that it’s challenging to get soundbites amidst all the background noise during eating. After all, producers need to piece together edited clips without dealing with chewing sounds. Similarly, Sean Lowe from ‘The Bachelor’, in his book ‘For the Right Reasons’, stated this issue and added that by the time the couple reaches the date, the food has been sitting out for some time.

It appears that the contestants are not allowed to eat during filming, as producers prefer them not to do so while speaking. This rule apparently stems from the show’s early days and was initiated by the future host, Jesse. Isn’t it amusing?

1. To catch Jenn Tran and her remaining suitors abstaining from their meals, tune in for the latest episodes of “The Bachelorette” every Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. If you miss it, don’t worry! You can stream it the following day with a Hulu subscription.

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2024-07-30 05:37