The Bachelorette bachelor Grant Ellis has defended Devin Strader amid all the drama, namely with Aaron Erb, that unfolded during Jenn Tran's first week of dates in Australia.
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"I think Devin was locked in on Jenn... I feel like Devin, [Sam McKinney] and me, those were the guys who were really locked in," Grant admitted during the July 18 episode of the "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast.
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On The Bachelorette's second episode that aired Monday night on ABC, Devin stole Jenn during the first group date of the season for a gelato tasting in Melbourne, and Aaron complained Devin was stepping on the other guys' toes and "making an ass" out of himself.
Aaron, the brother of Bachelor in Paradise alum Noah Erb, later gifted Devin a book titled Principles for Self-Growth, suggesting that Devin lacked awareness and emotional intelligence.
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Some The Bachelorette viewers appreciated Devin taking initiative and creating moments for himself with Jenn, but many of Jenn's bachelors considered Devin's aggressive tactis to be selfish and arrogant.
For Grant's part, the 30-year-old day trader from Houston, TX, gave Devin a pat on the back for having the courage to do his own thing and fight for Jenn amid backlash.
"That's how I felt because there's always a situation where someone smiles to your face and then says something behind your back," Grant explained to Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt on the podcast.
"But I felt as though Devin, if he feels some type of way, he's going to say it and that's how he's going to do it."
Grant continued, "If he feels some type of way, that's what he's going to say and he's going to let you know about it -- and that's the way that I am! So I respected that."
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When asked for his perspective on the Devin vs. Aaron drama as a result, Grant acknowledged, "I was there during the beef and I saw what was going on, but when two guys are beefing over stuff or they're starting drama or they're involved with something like that, I just focus on myself."
"I sip my wine and I watch," the bachelor quipped. "I might try to throw some fuel on it, but I didn't really know why they were [butting heads]. I didn't really understand. I know it gets pretty intense."
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Grant noted there "was definitely some division in the house" during that first week of filming.
"It was a 'pick your side' kind of thing," Grant said of Aaron and Devin's dispute.
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"I kind of stayed in the middle of it, and I kind of stayed neutral, but yeah, there was definitely a team that was with Aaron and there was a team that was with Devin. Every situation is going to have two sides of the story."
Grant pointed out how he's "a confident dude" and so he "made the most" out of any alone time, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, that he received with Jenn.
"Nobody is owed anything, so I'm not going to interrupt [another guy]," Grant noted, seemingly taking a shot at Thomas Nguyen.
Not only did Devin clash with Aaron, but the outspoken suitor also angered Thomas at the cocktail party preceding the second Rose Ceremony of the season.
Devin pulled Jenn and spoke to her first even though Thomas and six other guys had been robbed of time with The Bachelorette star during the second group date. (The second group date, a wildlife photo shoot, ended with Dylan Buckor winning a solo dinner date with Jenn that evening).
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"If somebody feels like they're owed time, like, I don't owe you time... I'm trying to be with Jenn, so I'm going to approach it like that," Grant explained.
"If someone feels like they're owed time, they better wait in line."
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While Devin believed some of the guys were targeting him, in part, because he was a threat to win Jenn's heart, Grant admitted he didn't really view Devin in that light.
"I wasn't really worried about Devin. He lives in Houston and I knew that he was going to be himself," Grant told Joe and Serena.
"I wasn't really worried about any of the guys. I was just focusing on, you know, what I was supposed to be focusing on, and I didn't know what Devin and Jenn's connection was, or anybody else on the date. I was zoned in on what I [had going on with her]."
Grant shared how some guys were "open" about the fact they weren't on The Bachelorette "to make friends" while other suitors were "trying to make friends" for sure.
While Grant said his focus was certainly on Jenn, he also wasn't going to go out of his way to make enemies.
"I'm going to let Jenn know I'm here for her... I'm going to always reassure her and be myself," Grant said.
"If she's my person, then things will play out the way they're supposed to play out, and if she's not, then I'm going to be on the first ticket home. I didn't have a strategy... I just wanted to let her know I was very intentional and serious about the situation."
Devin had a similar outlook on the dating process.
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Devin told The Bachelorette cameras, "I feel like in a group setting, guys can get idle. I don't want to be another guy in the group. For me, it's always been about her and stepping up to the plate and giving her what she deserves."
The Bachelorette host Jesse Palmer dished about how he "can see both sides" of the Aaron and Devin conflict during a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, and it appears there is more drama to come when an ex-boyfriend from Jenn's past shows up and asks to join the cast.
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Click here to read episode-by-episode spoilers about how Jenn's The Bachelorette season unfolds, including who Jenn picks as her winner and runner-up.
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