Mike Johnson says he was trying to change the subject when he asked out Keke Palmer on a date during his recent appearance on her "Strahan, Sara and Keke" talk show.
"She had asked me a second question, and I really didn't want to speak on it. So, I did what most people would do in the situation that are good at doing interviews, they flip it."
Johnson received backlash for the moment which featured Palmer covering her face before asking her co-hosts Michael Strahan and Sara Haines to continue the interview.
"I thought I was being cute and funny and innocent because I flipped it," Johnson continued on the podcast."I got like, the most unfollows ever in one day yesterday," he said about the response to the moment on social media before noting that he isn't bothered by the critics.
"My mama loves me, my sister loves me, my grandma loves me."
"It really scares me to date people in the industry," the actress said. "Number two, he asked me in front of everybody, I felt totally like no."
"I felt ambushed, I felt like it was a big ol gag, like I was the gag," she continued.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group!