ABC/Paul Hebert
Colton Underwood does not want to be associated with “The Bachelor” franchise anymore—especially when it comes to business matters.
Two months after the former star of the ABC dating show came out as gay, he reacted to reports that he and several Bachelor Nation stars received Paycheck Protection Program Loans (PPP) loans for their small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Underwood is founder of the Colton Underwood Legacy Foundation, a non-profit created to provide resources for people living with cystic fibrosis –and he doesn’t want to be confused as one of the former franchise stars who now work as influencers and also received loans meant to help small businesses retain their employees during the pandemic.
“Let me save you the clickbait headline,” Underwood wrote on his Instagram story, per E! News. “My nonprofit filed for a PPP because we cancelled our charity events for this year. We help people living with CF. I don’t make a dime from my nonprofit…please stop lumping me in with the bachelor. I don’t f–k with them anymore, they don’t f–k with me. Point blank. Thanks.”
Underwood Is One of Several ‘Bachelor’Stars Who Received a Loan Through the Government Program Meant to Help Small Business Owners Keep Their Workforce During the Pandemic
According to Vulture, Underwood received a $11,355 loan through the U.S. government’s pandemic relief program, as did several other Bachelor Nation stars.
Underwood’s ex, former “Bachelorette” star Tayshia Adams, took out a $20,833 loan for her one-person LLC, Tayshia Adams Media, Vulture reported. In addition, former “Bachelor” star Arie Luyendyk and his wife Lauren received a $20,830 PPP loan for their company, Instagram Husband. “Bachelorette” winner Dale Moss also applied for a loan for more than $20,000.
A string of angry Reddit threads slammed the questionable loans obtained by the reality stars, with some demanding to know if the money Underwood borrowed went to him or the kids his foundation supports.
A rep for Underwood told TMZ that the former football player participated in the government bailout program because his foundation could not hold its usual fundraising efforts during the pandemic.
“Colton’s nonprofit filed for the PPP loan after their annual fundraising events were cancelled due to COVID,” the insider told TMZ. “None of the PPP went directly to Colton. In fact, Colton has never received any form of payment from the foundation, all of the proceeds go directly to people living with cystic fibrosis.”
A representative for Adams stated that her loan enabled her to hire an employee during the pandemic, while Luyendyk has still not explained his loan, Vulture noted.
Colton’s statement about his PPP loan – and his request to not be confused with other members of Bachelor Nation – came just as his foundation held its first in-person charity event in nearly two years.
This Is Not the First Time Underwood Has Slammed Bachelor Nation
ABC / The Bachelor
Underwood has been turned off to “The Bachelor” franchise for the past year. He even accused the franchise of taking advantage of his ex, Cassie Randolph, when she was blindsided with questions about their breakup during an interview with former host Chris Harrison.
“I was more frustrated for her, because she just got completely taken advantage of and completely manipulated,” Underwood said on the Reality Steve podcast in August 2020. “The whole thing with the franchise and them interviewing her is what really bugged me and really upset me.”
At the time, Underwood also revealed that he planned to distance himself from the franchise that made him famous.
“I’ve distanced myself from them, just for my own mental health right now,” the former “Bachelor” star said. “There have just been too many things that I’ve found out about and that has happened for me to feel comfortable working with them.”
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