Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Pandora Jewelry, Josh Vertucci via Getty ImagesFormer The Bachelorette star Kaitlyn Bristowe fully endorses the choice of Hannah Brown to follow in her footsteps...and speaking of which, she has some choice words for people who don't.
Earlier this week, ABC announced that 24-year-old Hannah, Miss Alabama USA 2018 who had competed on the recent 23rd season of The Bachelor, will be the star of the upcoming 15th season of The Bachelorette.
"This world that we live in, of Bachelors, Bachelorettes, it's always, your 'All-American Hero,' your 'All-American Sweetheart,' the 'Girl Next Door.' It's always like, the same cookie-cutter. Hannah B, to me, is deprecating," Kaitlyn, the star of season 11 of The Bachelorette, said on her Off the Vine podcast on Friday. "She's like, she's got like this right amount of insecurities, she's awkward, but it's her. Like, I don't feel like she's faking that."
Public reactions from members of Bachelor Nation to the naming of Hannah as the new Bachelorette have been favorable. But many viewers are not happy with the choice.
"People are giving her s--t, they're being so mean to her, [saying] 'She smiles too much,' Kaitlyn said. "I'm like, really? That's what you're gonna pick her apart for? Smiling too much? What a psychopath! Stop smiling, you psycho!"
"This is going to help her grow, this is going to help her realize who she is and come into herself and we need to support her along that journey, because it's gonna be a beautiful thing," Kaitlyn continued. "And we can turn it into her being an actual, like, you know, 'pageant nightmare' if we're all hard on her and trolling her. If we support her, it can be a beautiful thing."
Kaitlyn slammed the online trolls who have criticized Hannah.
"And I am so sick of little...trolls on the Internet, just jealous of...God damn, she's just being herself! People are like, 'She's so awkward.' I'm like, 'Of course she was. She just got thrown into being the Bachelorette, she's not used to being on TV—so what [if] she does pageants?—and all of a sudden, she meets five guys that could be her potential husband and she loses her words. You would too, bitch. God, I get fired up."
"I'm like, God, what are people not just rooting for people's happiness?" she said. "I'm so sorry that she was chosen as the Bachelorette and you don't like her for these reasons that don't make any sense to me, but give her a god damn chance."
Kaitlyn joked that Americans had better warm up to Hannah, "Or they'll have me, the Canadian, to deal with. Watch out, America. This 101-pound Canadian will getcha."
See what Bachelor Nation stars have said about Hannah being chosen as the new Bachelorette.
"This is going to help her grow, this is going to help her realize who she is and come into herself and we need to support her along that journey, because it's gonna be a beautiful thing," she said on her podcast Off the Vine. "And we can turn it into her being an actual, like, you know, 'pageant nightmare' if we're all hard on her and trolling her. If we support her, it can be a beautiful thing."
"I think just watching her progress throughout the season, we learned more about her," the former Bachelor contestant told E! News. "She had quite a few breakthroughs I think just becoming more Hannah B. versus the pageant. I think it's going to be very nice to see her grow and be one of the very relatable Bachelorettes. I think everyone will be able to relate to her on some level."
As for who her first choice would have been, Schulman told E! News, "I may have had someone else in mind just because I saw Tayshia as someone who would have been an amazing lead just because she's well spoken, she's mature, she's looking for that someone. It's not to discredit Hannah that she's not ready. Just for me, I related to Tayshia so much more and I would have really enjoyed watching her."
"I think Hannah B. is going to be great. She's going to be very open and you need that as a lead," the former Bachelor contestant said. "I think she's someone who's going to be so authentic and real. Sometimes I think people think these leads are going to be so stoic and like not their selves because we saw that a little bit with Colton at first, but I think she's going to be raw and straight to the point. A little weird and crazy, but maybe that's what we need."
However, "She would have not been my first choice," Goode said. "No shade, but I think Tayshia is great. She would bring something new. We've seen the Hannah B. before in a way—like her look I'm just going by—but, time will tell. We'll see what happens."
"I love her, but I feel like I had to be convinced on her for Bachelorette. I want to be friends with her. I think she's cute and fun and quirky, but I just felt like I saw her in Paradise," the former Bachelor contestant told E! News. "I felt she would be so great there. But, I'm excited. The more I hear of other people's reactions, the more interested I'm getting in the new season. I think it's going to be fun."
Who would have been her top picks? "Hannah G. or Tayshia. Tayshia would have been so freaking phenomenal."
"I absolutely love her. I keep saying it," the former Bachelor in Paradise contestant told E! News. "I feel like she was the underdog this season and nobody really expected her to come out on top. I appreciate her realness so I'm really happy for her and so excited for her."
"I'm happy for her. I've never met her, so I don't really have an opinion on it. Here's my thing. She went to Alabama. Hasn't Alabama won enough?" the former Bachelorette contestant told E! News with a laugh. "Can another college win something at some point? We get it. Everyone wins in Alabama. You can't go wrong. The show isn't about the lead. It's about all the people that come for the lead, so the success of the show isn't really dependent upon her shoulders. It's dependent upon all the personal trainers that show up to date her."
"I think she's going to be one of the more fun Bachelorettes," the former Bachelor contestant told E! News. "She seems lighthearted and very silly, so I'm excited to see her season. Out of all the girls, I feel like she's going to be really hilarious."
Who would have been her first pick? "I'll be honest. I was surprised that she was chosen because I think there were so many people for the position that had made it a lot further and had incredible stories. Caelynn and her story—she went through so much and she would have been an amazing Bachelorette as well," she said. "But with Hannah, I think she brings lighthearted and silly, which will be refreshing to watch."
"I love Hannah B. I'm a huge supporter," the Bachelor in Paradise alum told E! News. "She just gives you a lot of different emotions. She's a little crazy. She's exciting. She also gets a little frustrated. She cries. Why was Colton Bachelor? He's multi-dimensional. He gives you a little bit of everything."
"I feel like when your time is your time, you deserve the opportunity and she got it. But, in my honest perspective, I think Hannah G. should have been the Bachelorette," the former Bachelorette contestant told E! News. "I feel like even though she didn't get a lot of airtime, she's very mature for her age. She was there the whole time. But Hannah B., congratulations. This is your time. Own it, have fun, be all that you are and I think it would be great."
"Honestly, I love Hannah Beast," the Bachelor in Paradise alum told E! News. "I think she's going to be really unpredictable. She's just so multi-dimensional and is fun and exciting and she's going to give the guys a little run for their money."
Who would have been Nielson's first choice? "Tayshia was the MVP of this season and I really wish she would have gotten more attention because she deserves it. She's such a good communicator. I hope we see more Tayshia."
"I do think she will do a good job. I was surprised. I think she's an underdog, which is kind of cool," the former Bachelorette runner-up told E! News. "She's very endearing. I think she genuinely wants to find somebody and I think that's important."
If he were in the producer's chair, "I think Caelynn would have been a good Bachelorette and Tayshia. Colton had a great top four. I'm surprised they went out the top four, but I knew Hannah B. could handle the situation and pressures and all that."
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