The Bachelorette host Jesse Palmer has dished about the tension between Devin Strader and several of Jenn Tran's other bachelors during her first week of dates in Australia.
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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 and treated her to some gelato.
"I feel like in a group setting, guys can get idle," Devin told the cameras.
"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."
But Aaron Erb complained about how Devin was stepping on the other guys' toes and "making an ass" out of himself.
Some The Bachelorette viewers appreciated Devin taking initiative and creating moments for himself with Jenn, but most of Jenn's other bachelors considered the aggressive move to be selfish and arrogant.
Jesse shared of his take on Devin's controversial gesture, "As host, I am staying neutral, but I can certainly see both sides."
"I think Devin is leaning into his opportunities with Jenn and is focusing on her," Jesse elaborated. "He isn't concerned [with] what the other men think."
But the drama didn't stop there.
Jenn's second group date of the season was cut short for seven bachelors because Dylan Buckor, who had stood out during an animal wildlife photo shoot, got to enjoy a romantic dinner with Jenn alone that evening.
As a result, Thomas Nguyen and a couple of the other men were hoping to secure some lengthy quality time with Jenn at the cocktail party preceding the second Rose Ceremony of the season.
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Thomas therefore asked Devin and the rest of the cast to have respect for their wishes and show some "fairness."
Devin announced to the group in reply, "I'm not going to fall back to the end of the line, but you know, I think it goes without saying that you guys deserve a little bit more."
However, at the cocktail party in Melbourne, Australia, Devin pulled Jenn aside for a conversation before any other man had a chance.
Thomas was clearly disappointed and angry, and so he interrupted Devin and Jenn's conversation only to scold Devin.
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Thomas' decision left Jenn alone in a room with a glass of champagne, and Devin couldn't believe that Thomas had been so focused on him rather than on talking to Jenn and building a connection with The Bachelorette star.
Jesse recalled to EW of that whole exchange, "That was as intense a night that I've been a part of since hosting this franchise. It felt like it could go off at any moment."
Tension heightened once Devin and Thomas fought outside of the building.
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"He made it nothing about her and all about him in that moment," Devin complained in a confessional on the show.
When Devin attempted to explain himself in front of the cast, Thomas yelled at him to "shut the f-ck up."
At that moment, Jesse walked into the room and announced how the Rose Ceremony was about to commence.
"When I walked into the room, you could cut the tension with a butter knife," Jesse admitted.
Another dramatic moment of the episode was when Aaron gifted Devin a book titled Principles for Self-Growth.
Aaron claimed the gesture was well-intentioned and from the kindness of his heart, but Devin viewed the gift as a passive-aggressive way of telling him that he lacked emotional awareness and intelligence.
Jesse called Aaron's gift "very ironic" as well as "a full-circle moment."
Jesse explained, "Bachelor fans will remember [Bennett Jordan] giving Aaron's twin brother [Noah Erb] a similar book during [Tayshia Adams]' season of The Bachelorette."
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Based on previews of what's to come on The Bachelorette's 21st season, Sam McKinney is going to get wrapped up in drama, and Devin is going to continue to make enemies.
One of Jenn's ex-boyfriends also suddenly shows up and asks to join The Bachelorette cast, leaving Jenn afraid that she was going to make the wrong decision and repeat history.
Jenn has been very open in interviews about how she was a bad picker of men in the past.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski