Off The Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe - Jenn Tran | Navigating the Spotlight as the New Bachelorette!

Episode Date: July 8, 2024

#752. In this premiere day special, Kaitlyn Bristowe chats with Jenn Tran, the groundbreaking star of the new Bachelorette season and the first Asian-American lead in the Bachelor franchise! Jenn opens up about her struggles with identity growing up, her thoughts on aliens, and the future of dating shows. She gives us an inside look into her season, sharing her relationship history, the twists and turns that left her shocked, and how she mentally and physically prepared for the journey. Jennifer also reveals the red flags she watched out for, and the life-changing moments she experienced by not having her phone while filming. Plus, she spills an embarrassing story that you won’t want to miss! Tune in for an episode filled with heartfelt moments, laughter, and excitement as Jennifer takes us behind the scenes of her historic season! If you’re LOVING this podcast, please follow and leave a rating and review below! PLUS, FOLLOW OUR PODCAST INSTAGRAM HERE! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS: (4:26) - Jenn discusses her identity crisis growing up as a Vietnamese-American. (6:22) - Jenn and Kaitlyn share their belief in aliens! (32:34) - Jenn's nerves about audience reactions to her season. (35:25) - An embarrassing story Jenn has never shared before! Thank you to our Sponsors! Check out these deals! Boll & Branch: Visit BollandBranch.com and use promo code VINE20 for 20% off and a free gift!Dime Beauty: ​​Go to DIMEBeautyCO.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Okay, let's talk about the original enemies to lovers story. Before all of our reality TV couples, before the rom-coms, we binge, there was Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy in pride and prejudice. An Audible has just dropped a brand new original that will have you completely hooked, I am. It's not just any audiobook. This is a full cast performance. So Marisa Abella, you might know her from industry, brings Elizabeth Bennett to life.

And Harris Dickinson from Baby Girl and Where the Crawdad Sing is Mr. Darcy. And honestly, the chemistry, you guys, it's everything. Plus, you've got icons like Glenn Close, Bill Nye and Will Polter in the mix. Talk about a dream cast. Now, what I love is how Marissa pulls you right into Lizzie's world, her stubbornness, her wit, her messy family dynamics, and of course, her complicated feelings for Darcy, and with a vibrant new adaptation and original score by Grammy-nominated composer,

it just feels so fresh and modern while still keeping that timeless Jane Austen charm. So whether it's your first time experience, seeing Pride and Prejudice or you've read it a million times. You're going to fall absolutely in love all over again. So go listen to Pride and Prejudice now at audible.ca slash Jane Austen. Hey everybody, welcome to Off the Vine. I'm your host, Caitlin Bristow. Today we have the next Bachelorette Jen on the podcast today. It was so nice to actually get to know her. I know we didn't get enough of her on The Bachelor, but talking to her today made me so excited to watch this season of The Bachelorette. We were talking about this yesterday. I talked to charity about it,

where you come off the show, you get so many opportunities, you get to do so many cool things, and then you will go through a phase where you go, what am I doing with my life? Right. And I will be there for you in that phase. I'm here for you through it all. But in that phase, I'm like, yeah, trust me, it's just, it's a tough, tough spot to be in. It's a lot to figure out. It's a lot to, like, just process. Yeah. And yeah, I still don't really know where I'm going with it all, but I'm having fun with it. Well, okay, let's talk about your 26, 27, 27. Oh, how old I am?

Yeah. Oh, I'm 26. Okay, 26. So, when are you turning 27? In November. Okay. So my favorite thing is, and everybody who watches this podcast and listens to it, knows that I say 27 is one of the most pivotal years for women in the best way possible.

Okay. So the fact that you had this experience at 26, do you get told or do you think you're an old soul or do you feel like you're just no okay well you seem more mature a little bit of a little bit of everything i definitely i'm very introspective i'm definitely a thinker but i'm also like um you're very bubbly and like to live life and be a little crazy sometimes so you're sagittarius i learned to you're adventurous and psycho at the same time yes yes absolutely that's i feel like and we'll get into all this about how much you've learned about yourself through this process but i want to start with some fun facts because yesterday i was i was talking to charity and doten and

And we were laughing about their fun facts because Charity was like, I never said that I wanted to live in Disney World. I never. She didn't? No. They also said she throws a mean axe. She's like, I've never thrown an axe. Really?

So I'm wondering if your fun facts are true or not true. Like from last season? I don't know. You tell me. So here are some facts that I've learned about you through this research. Oh gosh. You're dedicated to helping others. Yeah.

Okay, that's nice. I've always been like that. Really? I think just like I like helping people. I like just being able to be of help to somebody in need. And I think that, I think it comes from my naturalness in, like, having empathy for other people. Yeah. And that's kind of why, like, I'm in PA school and stuff.

Have you done, yes. I've learned this too that you're in PA school. Yes. Have you ever done an enneagram test? What is that? Okay. I wonder if you're number two. It's the helper.

Oh. It's a personality test. You need to take it. I'm very curious. Oh, I've done that. Oh, do you know you are? I'm not a helper. Oh.

No. I don't, I don't, I don't, remember i think i got like the entertainer okay which is like part of i think i'm a lot of different things well so there's like very specifics and then you can be like a two wing like a two wing you could be this but you're a helper as well i did it so long ago i don't know okay you're gonna have to do again because i'm curious okay so that's true i like that fact yeah you love reading um see it's like in theory seven husbands of evelyn hugo i do love that book that's a really great book. I think as of right now I don't have time to like read all the time. And it's just my attention span

is so bad. And I think everybody's is because TikTok and the world and like why I read when you can scroll. I know. It's tough. So I'm trying to get back into it because I do love a good book. But it takes me a little bit. Oh. I've got a book club. I don't know that. Yep. I love to. I do it on the Off the Vine podcast. So we are reading Hannah Brown's book right now. And then she's going to come over on Monday and we're going to do a Zoom with all of the book club members. And it's very fun. That's very fun. Okay. You love paddleboarding, traveling, and you're excited about your Vietnamese history? I think they mean heritage. Heritage. Yes. Yes. I think that was a title. All true things. Yeah. All true things. Okay. All them are true. Yeah. I love in Miami. So paddleboarding is like huge there. If I ever just like want to go out and be in the sun but like not be tanning and sitting in the sand. Yeah. I'll go paddleboarding. I love to travel. Absolutely. That's the Sagittarius in me. Yes. And yeah, I'm very excited about my Vietnamese heritage, which hasn't always been the case. when I was growing up. And is that because just society has, yeah.

Absolutely. So that must feel nice to be celebrated as the first bachelorette and I feel like you can be like a pioneer in that way. Absolutely. I do feel like a pioneer in that way. But I think, yeah, I mean, growing up, it was tough. It wasn't easy. I think not seeing a lot of Asian people in the media on TV.

I didn't know who I was looking up to for guidance. And I didn't know who I was either because, yes, I said I was Vietnamese because my parents are immigrants, but I'm also American because I was born here and all my friends are American and I didn't have a lot of people that looked like me. So it was an identity crisis growing up. And when you're young and you're middle school and you're in an elementary school, you want to fit in, you want everyone to like you. So for a period of time, I definitely pushed away like my Vietnamese heritage and was like, I just want to be like everybody else. I don't want to look different. I don't want to act different. I don't want

to bring different things to lunch and have people like judge me, you know. Oh, that breaks my heart. Yes, of course. But it's like, it's just like when you're younger, those are the things that you, like, worry about. And then, like, through high school and college and, and, and leaving college, I was able to just really embrace, like, my differences. And we live in a different world now, too, where it's like, we openly talk about this kind of stuff. And also with Asian representation in the media, it is getting better. There's still so much work to be done. But I think because of all those combined factors, it allowed me to, like, explore my heritage a lot more and be, and celebrate that and be proud of that. And that's definitely, like, where I'm at today.

Because it's so cool to be able to learn about where you came from. Because once you have more knowledge, I feel like you appreciate more, you learn more, you think about where you're, everyone before you came from and the work that they've put in to get to where they are. Yeah. I love that. And I think that's an important thing that the franchise is doing is, you know, starting to celebrate different. And I think they need to do it in always. I mean, shape, size, color every way. And I feel like they're starting to. Well, they have started to over the years. And obviously, like you said, there's so much more work to be done. But it's good change. It's good change that's happening. Oh, I love that. Okay. Next fun fact, you believe in aliens.

I do believe in aliens. I do. Okay, good. We're in this together. But I never know because Charity was like, none of these facts are true. So I'm like, do you believe in aliens? You do. If these are true, yes, yes, I do. Is your TikTok just like a wormhole of aliens? Sometimes, yeah, depending on the time of month, if I'm, like, in a deep dive on aliens, and absolutely, yes. Have I ever had an alien encounter myself?

No, but I would love to. I feel like they're here to help us. I think so, too. I think they're already here. We just don't know it. I agree, like, they're walking amongst us. Yeah, but they could be like, you're staring at us like we're crazy. That's, you don't believe this?

That's fair. You don't believe in aliens. We are just, we're simply just, there's no way we are the only living, breathing creature in the world. There's no way. No, there's just no. I'm not believe in aliens, but I don't believe that they're like walking amongst us. But, okay, they may not have two feet walking amongst us, like we see in the movies,

like the aliens, but I do think it's like technology could be a little alien-y. Like, AI might be our aliens, you know? I see where you go with that. AI is a whole different thing. That's, those are the aliens. Those things are scary. I can't remember if I've talked about this on the podcast before. Sometimes I repeat myself.

But my girlfriend works for head office of Facebook in London. And she said in the next 20 years that Bachelor, like Bachelorette shows will be dating shows. But it'll be like, are you in love with the real person or AI? Oh my gosh. I could see that happening. Any guys, do you think they're AI? Any robots in the crowd? Actually, yeah, maybe.

Yeah, probably. There definitely could be a few of that kind of life. Oh my gosh. Okay, let's get into it because I just wanted to check in on the fun facts and see. No, I'm glad you did. I'm glad I can confirm for everybody that these are true. Because we don't like when people lie, but like, not that you would lie or that charity did. It was just, I'm like, who did that do you? I think everyone's really curious to see your season because, and I told you this earlier when we were doing CMA Fest on stage, it's interesting to know that we didn't know a lot about Hannah B, Hannah Brown. People didn't really know a lot about her

before her season of The Bachelorette. And it was like, why are we picking? somebody that we don't know a lot of times we like to choose somebody that we've been rooting for we saw them go through heartbreak but her season is one of the best of all times so i feel like that's something to look forward to with you it's like okay we didn't see you get your heart crushed and you're crying and you were a second place and we were all rooting for you but i think we're all curious to get to know you as the bachelorette so for people listening or watching on youtube what can people expect to see and i know you already answered this earlier today No worries. I'm sure you've repeated yourself a million times by now. What can people expect to see

from your season? At this point, it's already recorded. Yes. So you know now. Yes, yes. I think first and foremost, like, definitely you can expect to learn a lot more about me. I talk a lot about just like my relationship history, which obviously has a huge role in like where I'm going with all this. And then like my Vietnamese heritage, I have a lot of conversations surrounding that. And I want to say, like that's kind of one of the first times I've talked about. that while dating because I just like I don't know I've never really had the space to do that before I felt comfortable enough to do that before so I definitely grew a lot in the journey and part of that growth was me being able to finally talk about my Vietnamese heritage and dating and all that

stuff and there's also a lot of twist and turns for sure yeah yeah I yeah did you see the twist and turns coming or were you shocked but yeah so shocked like like you couldn't make it up I was like I cannot believe this is actually happening right now right now I remember remember that same thing because I go, why, like, don't the producers want to like prep me for that? And then I go, no, because the reaction wouldn't have been as good. Yeah. Yeah. Did anybody have a girlfriend?

Not that I know about. Oh. I mean, who knows now? I don't know. Well, sometimes that comes up in a season and I never know. But so you were talking earlier about, I'm kind of jumping all over the place, but we're going to go back to you going to school. Yeah. So what inspired you to become a PA?

Yeah. I think it started with me just like wanting to help people. And so my brother was an EMT when I was growing up. And I thought it was really cool. So when I was in high school, I took an EMT course and I became an EMT at like 17, 18. No way. I was like, I'm way too young to be doing this stuff. But I really liked it.

And I like the aspect of medicine that you're able to kind of like put pieces together of a puzzle and like diagnose somebody, treat somebody and prescribe things. And I was going the med school route for a while in college. But then I realized like I wanted a better. work-life balance and PA's just that lifestyle is a lot better than physicians and so I want to be able to help people but still have a life so you're going to school for that yes like right now right now holy crap how are you balancing everything how are you managing doing both because that's I mean being the bachelorette people don't really know unless you do it how much of a commitment it is for a

very long amount of time and it becomes your identity and your life and you don't really have time for anything else and especially during filming so how are you doing it yeah so during filming so after jory's season i i took a break for joey's season and then i went back to school i did like i think a couple of rotations so i'm in my clinical year right now so i'm in my second year and then i got a call and then i became the bachelor's and so i took another leave of absence from school and now that i'm back I will be finishing up like half of my emergency rotation that I like stopped because I started filming. And so I'm going to finish that up, taking exam and just like close that chapter. And then I'm going to take like a few more months off just because of everything that's going on right now. I want

to be able to like fully like put my attention to that and not have to like split myself because school is hard. And I don't think I'd be able to like survive. So I'm going to take a couple more months off and then I'll restart after that. And then I have a whole year left. And then I have a whole year left. Yeah, I'll catch me. Wow. That's so impressive. I can't even imagine when I was doing Bachelorette and Bachelor, I had three different jobs, but they were very easy to leave, like, restaurant. I was working, I was helping my friend with a nonprofit.

I was teaching, like, spin classes, like, very easy things to just be like, well, I'm not coming back for you anyways. But to have, like, something that you're passionate about a career going to school, that must be crazy to, like, we're just going to hold. I've got national television to be making. Like, that's crazy. This was not in my bingo card this year. Let me tell you that.

And it's not the traditional PA school route. Like, nobody does this. Right. So I think it's going to be, it's different. I don't know what it's going to look like when I'm in the hospital, when I'm working. I think it's going to be a little crazy for a while. People will be like not doing well in the hospital.

Can I get a selfie? No, that's what I'm saying. I'm going to have a patient leaning out on the table. And I'm like, wait a second. Are you trying to. I'm like, no, no, no. We got to move on. You're going to have to have a whole new idea, like blonde wig and like go out.

I was just thinking about it. I think I'm going to wear glasses, a little mask, and it'll be fun. Well, have you started to get a taste of people recognizing you and like being like, wait a second? Yes. I definitely like you just notice it when somebody's eyes are on you. And I think at first when it started, I was really shy and I kind of just like, you know, let it happen.

But now I'm like, yes, I am, I am Jen. Yes. As you should. Yeah. But I think that's, I do think it's an. interesting thought and thing to think about coming out of literally doing television on such a huge platform and then wanting to work a regular job where people do recognize you. Is that something that you've thought about?

Absolutely. I'm scared for what that's going to bring and what that's going to look like because being a physician assistant, you know, it's not, I don't know, it's so different from reality TV. so I mean I'm going to navigate it as best as I can and I just hope I mean like it'll die down you know it's not going to be like this crazy forever I'm glad you know that because it really it's I mean and if you want it to die down it will if you don't want it to die down you can like make it a grind in whatever direction you want to go but if you are you know thinking of finishing school and doing that you can you can literally do whatever you want there's just so much

so many avenues that are open for me now and I'm so grateful and I think that I will be I will want to graduate at P.E. School because I've put so much into it. I'm so passionate about it. I want to be able to do that. And I want to be able to work in that, but I'm not going to work in that forever. Right? And there's other opportunities, other things that I want to explore and do with my life. And that's the thing. I think when I was younger, I was so focused on the fact that I had the timeline on my life. I was like, when I was younger, I thought I was going to get engaged at 24. I was going to get married at 25, like all these things. Babies at 26. Yeah. I was going to graduate college go street to med school like whatever like so like when we're younger we just have that in our

heads but now that i'm here i'm like i have so much life left to live i do not need i do not need to put a timeline on things and like i can be a pa at any point of my life literally any point you want anytime i love that i'm like i'm so part of this i don't know i'm 38 and i'm almost 39 and i just see this change in younger women and i'm like so excited for it because we all have had that timeline in our brain of where we're supposed and it's so much pressure but I find that the younger generation which you little baby you're part of that you're people are starting to realize that and going wait I can still live my life do what I want to do follow my dreams I can always have this like I feel like more and more not just women people in general are starting to realize

the power and the control that they have of their own destiny yes I agree I agree I agree I also think as women, we still do have a timeline. Like, if you want certain things in your life, yes. Yes, if you want certain things in your life, there is. So there's also that part of it. Well, I froze my eggs, so. Yeah. I honestly, I probably will too.

You should. It's honestly the best, because, I mean, it's still not a guarantee. Right, right. You know, but it's still nice to feel like a little bit of insurance on that. Yeah, absolutely. And to feel like you have control over, like, when you want to do things and not like just like push for something or enter something that you want to do just because something is in the back of your head. Like I could never speak like you're speaking at the

age of 26 by the way. Like I'm I'm on the board for this company called free to be. We're trying to get these programs in schools for younger kids like like fifth graders to learn more about who they are and celebrate who they are and not feel the pressures of again just sizes, shapes and colors of what humans are supposed to be and feelings not being good or bad like we're very we're trying to get into education systems through it and it's so fascinating to me because if I was in the grades that they were you know we talk about what hey what does it feel like to think of what what perfect would look like to you at this age and they're like like boys will be like white males with this hair like this is what I feel is and and they're really like thought

out answers and but this is who I am and this is what I want to celebrate and I'm like at that age I would have been like I don't know I want to be pretty same yeah you know and so see and even for you 26 at 26 I was just like I was like I'm fucking no I'm just like getting by hour by hour to a restaurant like I couldn't I couldn't do what you're doing to be honest with you I really couldn't and I feel like the bachelorette came at the right time for me in my life because I had done therapy and gone through some hard things and I was in a different point of my life I was turning 30 so it's interesting to know that you know, you're 26, it's very young and able to navigate such a difficult and challenging

situation that you're in. I appreciate that. Yeah. Yeah, it's definitely not proud of yourself. You see. Thank you. I really am. I am. And I do feel like a baby in some senses. But I also feel like I've just, I don't know, I've grown so much. I put so much work in like, in me and like knowing what I want to do and who I am. And so it just, it really does feel like this opportunity came at, like, the pristine time. Yeah. But you're, So you're representing for women in so many different ways. I mean, for you to be one of the first. You are the first.

Yes, Asian American, that's right. Yes, you are the first. Like you said, for growing up, you never got to look up to people that look like you. You get to be that for younger women. And not only that, but just to say the things that you're saying, you can do what you want to do. You can be who you want to be. You can get to know yourself and love yourself and figure it all out. and if you can do it on national television, anyone can do it.

You know? Oh, just wait until I watch this all. I'm like, wait a second. Well, let's talk about that. When it all unfolds and you're watching it back on TV, is there anything that you are dreading watching back that you're like, not that you have regrets, but that you're like, I didn't handle that properly? Or do you feel like, you're like, nope, I did it every way I should have?

I don't have regrets in any, like, decisions that I mean because I trusted myself very much and I still. do, I think everything happened the way it was supposed to. I think that I regret the steamy makeouts because my family will be watching. Yes. You got to do those. But you got to. Steamy makeouts, you don't want to be like pecks on the, oh, we want to see steamy makeouts. I know, I know. But it's just like, it's funny because this time around, the first time around, I was so aware of like the cameras and everything. And then the second time around I was like, what do you mean? I'm just living my life. So, like, in my head, I was like, this isn't going to be televised anymore.

Mom and Dad won't have to watch this. Well, you're in the moment, and I think that's important. It is, it is, it is. I think that's something I did a little too well on my season. I was very much in each moment and forgot about the cameras, but I do think that's, I think that's important. Yeah, I agree. It is.

Do what you need to do. And to be authentic in it. Exactly. It's, it's like a gift to be able to forget that the cameras are there and actually be in it. It's, that's, it's necessary. How did you mentally? or physically or both prepare to be the bachelorette.

Like, did you have time to prepare? I mean, how do you even prepare for something like that? So how it all happened was, you know, like, we had meetings about it. And so it was after Joe's season, it was in the talks. We had meetings. We did interviews, like, whatever. So I wasn't really, but I wasn't thinking, like, I don't know, I wasn't like, oh, it's definitely going to meet me.

Yeah. You know, because I knew that there were other people in contention as well. And so I just, I don't know, I didn't, I didn't really, like, prepare for it in any kind of way. But then when I did get that call, I was like, oh, shit. What is it happening? I was like, oh, what do I do with school? I was like, what am I going to do with my life? Yeah.

This is crazy. And honestly, I didn't, I didn't have a strategy. I didn't know what to do. I really was just like, I'm going to be myself at the end of the day. And in the beginning, like, I did have a lot of imposter syndrome. I was like, am I the right person for this? Am I confident enough for this? Do I like myself enough for this?

You're also dealing with Bachelor Nation who has opinions, whether it's who they wanted or was rooting for or if it wasn't, like everyone has strong opinions and that must be hard to deal with. Well, that was the other part of it too was I wasn't sure I wanted it because I am a very private person. I don't like having my... Not anymore. You weren't love. I know. Unfortunately for me. But I was like, I don't know if I want my life out there. I don't know if I want my story out there. And that was part of it. I was Like, there's just so, there's going to be so much going on. And I decided to do it. And I think that there's going to be pros and cons to all at the end of the day. Like, I am the first Asian American

bachelor. And to have the limelight on that and to, and to be inspiring so many people and be a part of this change. Yes. And a whole generation is something that I wanted to do. Well, it's cool that you didn't feel, well, and you might, you can correct me. Like, that's a big responsibility and pressure. Did you, did you feel that? or did you really lean in and embrace it or both um a little bit of both i leaned in and embraced it embraced it but there were times where you know i had conversations about my heritage and i was like am i talking about this in the right way am i using the right verbiage because i'm like i don't know how other people are going to look at this but all i know is my truth and i don't want to

offend anyone but i also want to be able to speak my truth and and how i feel about things so yes i definitely like thought about it sometimes but at the end of the day you know any exposure get exposure about it, right? Of course. Yeah. Well, especially because, like, I couldn't speak on it, you know? I couldn't. So you're the best person to do that.

It is who you are. Yeah. It is your truth. So you can't, you know, you're... Exactly. Of course, you can worry about how you're saying it, but at the, like you said, the end of the day, it is who you are. Yeah.

I asked you this earlier, too, but, like, did anything surprise you about being the Bachelorette? Like, if you think back, because this is recent that you did filming, what was, like, something that surprised you about being the Bachelorette? How crazy the guys are over you? I was like, when they stood up and clapped when I walked into a room, I was like, a little bit. Yeah, that.

Every time I walked into a room and they were all just staring at me, waiting for me to speak. Yes. Like hanging on the edge of their seat for everything that comes out of your mouth. I've never had that before. Yeah. I've never, like, had to think about what I was going to say because I was like, oh, shit, if I say something, they're going to like overthink about that one word or something.

And because you've been in that position, too. Yes. Yes, yes, yes. So that was definitely crazy for me, for sure. that's I'll never there's certain things that I don't remember and then there's like a lot of little specifics that I remember from being bachelor's and I remember being very aware like when I walk into a room just the eyes all on you and hanging on it and I was like oh shit I said that and the one guy looked like and he was like she's talking to me and I'd be like I wasn't but shit like

there's so many different personalities to take care of yes yes but the other power in that is that you can make a whole speech and maybe like at somebody on the side, you know, and I kind of had a couple of those. I did those all the time. I'd be like making certain words. I'd like make eye contact with the right ones and be like, I think my husband is in this room. I know. Did you say it? Did you say I think my husband's in this room? Like at least 10 times a day, at least 10 times a day. Yes. But I meant it. Well, yes, but that's, I love the, I used to get so annoyed at the little cheesy sayings throughout bachelor and bachelor like the journey this is amazing my husband's in this room like right reasons wrong reasons now i live for those moments on tea i'm like it's iconic yes it really

is although one thing that i hate saying is like oh like these connections and but there really isn't a better word for it i mean i guess you could say relationships but i oh i cringe every time i had to say connections i'm not again well now we know because people you know bachelor nation out there does bingo cards and drinking games. So connections, write that one down. You're going to say it a lot. Husbands in this room, right? Do you have a type?

Like when you were going in to be the bachelor, did you know what you were looking for? Did you have a type or did people surprise you? Yes, people surprise me. I think with my dating, I have a bad dating history. You know, I've never picked the right guys. Of course. None of us have.

No, no. If you're not married yet, none of us have picked the right ones. No, but I think I've always dated just like men who just, I don't know, weren't giving me everything that I needed and were giving me the bare minimum. I just like had a lot of work to do in that area, right? So going into a, I knew that I had like a vibe maybe that I liked. And I think that I maybe the vibe that I usually go for isn't like the best vibe. Right, sure.

But that's all of us in our 20s. Yes, yes. and I think I was able to explore that and also explore other vibes too that I didn't necessarily always go for so I mean my type maybe changed a little bit through the journey and it really was just all about me

knowing what I deserve you know did you find what you deserve I hmm how do I answer it I see it's like the media training is kicking in I'm like what do you got I don't know if I can speak on that specifically but I will say like I'm happy with how it ended okay good I think and not even

just how it ended but how everything played out like it just makes so much sense for me and I just grew so much and learned so much that like the way everything played out just is like oh I'm so excited to watch it I love that I don't think a lot of people feel that way really when their season ends that they're excited to watch it. I mean, I was shitting my pants and, like, terrified and a lot of mixed emotions. Excited, maybe a little bit, but more terrified. Interesting. What are you terrified about?

I just dare you to go watch two episodes of my season and see what happened. Okay, well, I'm sorry that I haven't before. Oh, no, you're like 12. Oh, gosh. You're literally like, no, you were 16. Okay. So it's okay, but it was a doozy of a season. No, you don't have time.

I'll just, I'll give you cliff notes at the end. Everybody who's listening already knows. Joey told me that his season, the ending had never happened like that before. You also said your season ending has never happened before. I don't know if I was supposed to say that. Keep drinking the spade and sparrels. I'm lubing you up. No, that's a great teaser.

So what, I mean, I have so many guesses now. I just went through my head. Okay, let me ask you this before. Oh, gosh. I asked you if you have a type. Do you have major red flags that you were looking for in men? Major red flags that I was looking for? Yeah, like, you know how you're like, I'm going to make sure, like, if he's there for the

Instagram followers or certain things like, were the red flags that you were like, if I see this, you're out. Oh, for sure. What were they? I mean, I would ask these guys, like, how did you get here? Like, and, you know, if they were like, if they didn't have like an answer that I believed. Yeah. Then, yeah, obviously, I'd be like, I don't know about this guy.

Were you cut throat on your season where you're like out? Or did you give people chances? Because you're an empathetic person. Both, a little bit of both. Okay. That's great. I think I was cutthroat in some decisions, and I was also empathetic in some of them. I think there was a lot of times where I wanted to be cutthroat, but the empathy kicked in too.

So there's, yeah. People at home are going to be like, why would she pick? It's probably like the last rose. And everyone's like, send him home. And you're going to be like, Kyle. Is there Kyle on your season? No, no, no, no. Not that I know of unless I'm forgetting.

No, Jen, no. No. Are you nervous for, I guess, people that are watching with all their strong opinions. Are you nervous for how people are going to react to your season or do you let that get to you? Depends on the day. I'm the exact same way. I'm always like, depends if I'm on my period or not.

Yeah. Because if I am, I'm like, everyone I hate, everyone, I cry. Usually I'm pretty like, I don't give shit. Yeah. I know who I am and I'm confident in that and I made the right decisions for me and I did me and then that's all I can ask for. But then there are days where I log onto Instagram and, there's just a lot of hate on there or a lot of like mean mean people and really mean really mean

yeah like like not just like oh I don't like her no it's very mean vile yeah and they're not just the comments I get DMs I'm like how is someone this angry about someone they don't know that they want just trying to find love like yes you like what did I do to you no so it's things like that sometimes yes gets to me for sure but at the end of the day like I have to realize that these people don't know me at all. No. And I just have to keep living my life. And some days I just don't even log on to Instagram because I'm like, I need a mental

health break. Yeah. God, I love your generation. Like, we didn't do that in my 20s. We didn't take mental health breaks. Right. I mean, it wasn't as like, you know, like now it's like okay to do that back in the day. Like nobody was talking about mental health back then.

I love that you do that for yourself. Well, when I was filming, that was the best time of my life because I didn't have a phone. Yeah. And I'm telling you, it was the most freeing experience of my life because you just, like, when you're on your phone, you're constantly connected to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, whatever it is. And then also like the 500 people that you're texting. So your brain is like overloaded with information. And sometimes I feel like I can't have a conversation with a person because I'm thinking about what's on my phone. Yeah. Yeah. And so to have that like a race is was so nice. It makes you more present for sure. Way more present. Which is obviously important in finding a relationship that you're serious about, you know? Like even when people. watch you, you're the Bachelorette. They think they know you. Right. Your Instagram, they think they know you. You're sharing so much information about yourself and of course people see a side of you, but nobody will ever really know who you are except for the people that, you know, are in your life. Exactly. And just hang on to that. Yeah. Yeah. I'm going to try to. We added you into the Bachelorette chat today. I'm so excited. You are in officially with all the Bachelorettes

and we are all here for you. Like it's a very, very supportive group of women. So if you ever need anyone to lean on or advice or like even if you're like I need to vent like no one in that group chat judges or like everyone just wants to support you so I hope you know that that's a lot of a lot of women that means a lot of women that want to support you women supporting women that's what I love yes and that's a lot of that going on in there I always make people give me a confession on my podcast something embarrassing that's happened to you whether that be on the season something that you're like this still haunts me every night before I go to sleep like something in your life that you're like, I've never told this story before. It's so embarrassing.

Oh, God. Caitlin, what are you doing to me? I do it to everyone. I'm literally building in my house. I'm building a podcast studio. And the closet is getting turned into a confession booth. Oh, my gosh. Because this is such a big part of the podcast. Oh, I love that. Okay. Like, you're going to have like a black book of like people's most embarrassing moments ever. I love that. I do. And there's been some dozes on the podcast. I'm trying to think like, like people have told.

hold me some really gnarly shitting their pants stories. Oh, I've had, I have one of those. But please, well, pick your, I'm going to pick my poison. Yeah, pick your poison. That's maybe for the next time I see you. Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, fair. So we'll do another interview when you are either with someone or not and at the end, and then you can tell me in front of them you're shitting your pants for it.

But until then, tell me a different one. Okay. Oh, gosh. This is every, I love this. Everybody's reaction goes, okay. Oh, no. Oh, gosh. Okay, I'm going to tell you. Oh, God. Yeah. Okay. The only reason why I'm thinking about this is because I was on the plane coming here and I was thinking like, when was last time I was in Nashville? Last time I was in Nashville was three years ago. I met my very, very toxic ex-boyfriend. Yeah. I was thinking about like that relationship and then I was going through my notes app because, oh, actually, this is how it started. I was clearing out my photo album and my tags and my emails as one does on a plane. And then I was like, I'm going to clear out my notes.

app. And then I was scrolling through my notes app. And then, you know, naturally, I had like 10 essays from three years ago when I was in a very bad relationship. And, you know, like, when you're in a bad relationship, you write essays to the guy because they're not giving you everything that you want, right? So I'm reading through these, whatever. And so what I thought of is when we broke up. So I was in Miami. He had helped me. He had just helped me move down to Miami. And then he went back to New York and we were just like having a bit of a rough patch but like the whole relationship was really rough so it was just like not a good relationship and how he broke up with me was we were on FaceTime you were having like a little bit of a tiff over something and he was

like I'm not doing this anymore I don't think we should continue dating and yeah I just don't want to talk to you right now hangs up the phone and like doesn't give me like an explanation like doesn't like give me anything you know and like this is a person that I spent an entire year so naturally I was like besides myself I was like what the hell just happened like this doesn't make any sense to me was calling calling calling he wasn't answering he wasn't texting me he just like dropped off the face of the earth essentially for a whole week classic little coward yes okay so then for that whole week I was yeah really upset and I was crying in my apartment I lived in a one bedroom at the time every single night and day I'd

wake up I'd be crying I'd go to school I'd go home I'd be crying it was just like I didn't know how else to control these kinds of emotions that I was like what the hell is going on in my life whatever and I you know there's there's quiet cryers there's ugly criers and then there's me screaming cryers. Hey there's no better way to get it out like it sounded like the purge like I was like it was like I was possessed and I was like trying to get something out of me it was really for like probably we're trying to get something out of you emotions you're like for hours at a time And so at the end of the week, somebody knocked on my door and was like, what the hell's going on in here?

Like, we've been hearing, like, screams for the past week. And I was like, I was mid-crying already. So I was like, tearing up. And she was like, is there somebody in here with you? Is somebody, like, hitting you? Like, are you okay? We're going to have to call the cops. And I was like, no, no, like, everything's fine.

I'm just, like, upset. I'm so sorry. I have no idea what's going on. Oh, my gosh. And she threatened to call the cops. on me. Like I was like, she's like, this has got to stop. You just buy yourself, try to process heartbreak. And they're like, are you being injured in there? Because the noises coming out are scary. It was that bad. It was, the noises were that

bad. I was so embarrassed. I was like, holy shit. I didn't know how thin the walls were. That is so sad and also very funny. Yeah. Now. Yeah. Yeah. It's funny now. In the moment, I was like, oh my gosh. I've been there. The cops were also called on me once for my, oh my gosh. that was also when I got broken up with and oh so we're the same yes I literally was screaming so loud crying that the cops were called and they had to separate me and my ex and there was no no physical emotional abuse going on it was just like screaming yeah okay you know what I feel so much better now that's what this is for the confessions are always for you to get it off your chest feel better everyone at home is going to relate to you as well it's okay to scream and cry it's literally

Encouraged. Yes. It's encouraged because I always say we're like children. We need to get the emotions out somehow. And sometimes a scream cry is the best way to do it. And then after that day, I never screamed and cried again. See? Something shifts in your brain. You let it all out. Yeah, I just need seven days of straight screaming and crying in my apartment. That poor, I actually feel bad for my neighbor. I should. Are you still in that apartment? No, no, God, no. I moved immediately. Okay. You're like sold the place the next day. I would see her near my mailbox. Like every time I go get my mail. and I would just, like, be so ashamed. I'm like so, I was so embarrassed. It's all learning lessons. Yes. Everything, the tables have turned. You are now the Bachelorette.

No more screaming crying. No more scream crying. Well, you know, unless you need to. Yes, unless I need to. Okay, well, thank you so much. This was, do you feel like? I do. I feel way better.

Oh, I'm so glad I got that off my chest. You guys just missed a really great story, by the way. Oh, yeah. Yeah. A really embarrassing one. You'll have to watch. To listen and, yeah. that's amazing okay tell everyone where they can find you and that's pretty much it like my

Instagram and sure I don't know like I always say this at the end I think my Instagram name is Jen Tran X why is there an X there I was gonna ask I everybody I's in my emails too like it's so embarrassing when I go to the store and they ask me for my email and I have to say there's an X there and I feel very Gen Z about it that's but that's actually kind of funny because nothing beats when I got a call a call back for a dance audition and they were like what's your email address and I had to say Candy Kiss 609 No, you did not. Yeah, so that's when I changed it.

At least I changed. I used to be JT Skater 24. And before that, I was Pink Miss, Little Miss Pink Pup 24. Did you ever skateboard? No, but I skated. So that's where I played a role there. I had a skateboard that said girl power on it, but I never touched it. But I was like, I'm a skater girl.

That works. Thank you so much. I'm so excited to watch everything. And again, you're in the chat now with all the bacheloretts. So we're here for you. I'll be blowing up the group chat every episode. Every Monday blow it up, we will. There will be 21 women waiting to support you.

Oh, that actually sounds so nice. I love a nice group of women, just supporting women. Well, that's what this is. It's the best. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you for having me. I see, like, it's been so great to actually, like, finally get to meet you and talk

to you, too. I know. And you're just, like, the absolute best. No, you are. No, you are. We bonded earlier when we were about to go on stage and we shared a tequila shop. I'm Caitlin Bristow. I'll see you next Tuesday.

See your next news like.