Why This Bachelorette Fan Favorite Doesn’t Want to Be ‘The Bachelor’

Joe Park’s time on The Bachelorette came to an end on episode seven when he was one of four men not to receive a rose from Tayshia Adams. But a tremendous amount of fans of the show hope it’s not the last they see of the New York anesthesiologist.

Many in Bachelor Nation are campaigning for Park to be The Bachelor in 2022, a year after Matt James fills that role in 2021. But does Park want that? Well … not exactly.

“The first thought when I saw that was like — I know Matt James is the Bachelor now, and I was like, man, I hope I’m not still single by 2022,” Park told Entertainment Weekly. “I hope I’m in a committed relationship by then! … It’s flattering, but I hope I’m not single until then, if I’m honest with you.”

While Park isn’t doing backflips about the idea of being The Bachelor so far in the future, that’s certainly not a steadfast refusal. That’s good news for the many who hope to see Park on television again. And if 2022 is too long to wait for Park, maybe Bachelor in Paradise would be a more appealing option. On an episode of Viall Files, Nick Viall asked about the possibility of Park hitting the beach and he gave a similar answer, albeit a more detailed one with hesitations he has about dating on television again any time soon.

“I think it’s like moving, or an even more an apt analogy is like having kids,” Park said. “After I got back, I was like ‘Man, I loved it, but I’m glad to be back.’ It was an amazing experience and I’d obviously do it again that first time if I could, because you learn so much. But it’s like moving where after you do it you’re like ‘Ah man, I’m glad I’m in my new place, but I’ll never do it again.’ Or like having kids where you’re like — and this is just what people tell me — ‘That was really hard and I don’t know if I could do that again,’ but as time passes you’re like, ‘It actually wasn’t that bad and I’m ready to do it again.’

“But I really hope I’m not single by the time Bachelor rolls around. I hope I’ve found somebody, something meaningful, to be honest with you.”

Joe Park Has an Influential Fan in Lauren Zima

At least some level of impartiality is required for people directly associated with The Bachelor franchise. For example, don’t expect to hear the show’s host Chris Harrison gushing about how much he hopes any one particular person on the show should be a future lead.

So what’s the next best thing? Harrison’s girlfriend, Entertainment Tonight producer and reporter Lauren Zima. She’s recently gone to bat for Park in her own, incredibly over-the-top fashion.

If anyone spearheading the “Joe for Bachelor 2022” campaign has any real push it’s Zima.

Joe Park Could Be the First Asian-American Bachelor

Diversity has been an issue for the Bachelor franchise and ABC is taking some steps to amend that with Tayshia Adams currently acting as the second Black woman to ever be The Bachelorette. In January, Matt James will be the first Black man to be The Bachelor. While those steps are important and monumental for the show, people of Asian descent are still woefully underrepresented.

On Viall Files, Park said he didn’t initially realize how few Asian people have been on the show.

“I was not aware of it, and only after I came back was it made aware to me that there was a lack of Asian representation,” Park said. “And actually, that’s not true, on the show some of the people there were like ‘Hey, by the way, there haven’t been many Asian people on the show. Like no pressure, but you’re kind of like the entirety of the race is on your shoulders. But no pressure, do your thing. Be you.’”

With ABC working to create a more diverse film set on The Bachelor, Park has a chance to be their biggest Asian-American star.

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