Jason Tartick claims Colton Underwood is “very calculated” with his actions.
During Monday’s episode of his “Trading Secrets” podcast, Tartick alleged that when he, Underwood and Blake Horstmann all interviewed to be “The Bachelor” lead, the former NFL star told producers they should go with him if they wanted “good TV ratings.”
Tartick agreed that he wouldn’t have gotten the same ratings as Underwood – who was ultimately chosen as the Season 23 “Bachelor” – because he “wouldn’t have been manipulated.”
“I’m just not in the business of getting manipulated to create drama … one of the big reasons is because I’m boring. I’m vanilla,” Tartick admitted.
“They know I wouldn’t have been manipulated, I wouldn’t have done crazy s–t. He was exactly right. He nailed it.”
Tartick said that Underwood “nailed” the lead role as “The Bachelor,” as he previously promised producers.FOX Image Collection via Getty ITartick, 33, and Underwood, 30, both competed for Becca Kufrin’s heart on Season 14 of “The Bachelorette” in 2018.
The two lost touch over time, and Tartick noticed that Underwood at some point unfollowed him and his fiancée, Kaitlyn Bristowe, on Instagram.
“No, I don’t talk to him,” Tartick said on his podcast. “Ironically enough, just found out he recently unfollowed Kaitlyn and I. Not sure why. We returned the favor.”
The reality star snatched the lead and starred on Season 23 of the hit ABC reality dating series.Disney General Entertainment ConTartick suggested that Underwood may have done so after his ex Cassie Randolph, 26, appeared on Bristowe’s “Off the Vine” podcast in March.
At the time, Randolph said it was “horrible” and “shocking” that Underwood never told her he was gay prior to announcing it to the world in April 2021.
The reality star also claimed that he and Bristowe, 36, interviewed for “two or three” Netflix shows – none of which was “Coming Out Colton” – that would center around Underwood’s life and relationship with Randolph.
Tartick and Bristowe unfollowed Underwood on Instagram after he hit the unfollow button first.ABC via Getty Images“He was gonna have a show with Cassie, then he was gonna have a show by himself with his friends,” Tartick alleged.
“He was working every angle to get a Netflix show, and I commend him, you know? He knows what he wants and he goes for it.”
Tartick said he told Underwood that he and Bristowe were happy to help and would do anything he needed, but things went south when Randolph and Underwood split.
Tartick said he and Bristowe initially wanted to help Underwood snag a Netflix series.jason_tartick/Instagram“The Bachelor” couple made headlines when Randolph took out a restraining order against Underwood in September 2020 for allegedly stalking and harassing her. However, she dropped it one month later.
“I do remember him making a comment about if him and Cassie didn’t work out,” Tartick recalled. “They needed him and Cassie; it couldn’t just be his show. And I think he put a lot of equity in that.”
Underwood’s ex Cassie Randolph filed and then eventually dropped a restraining order against him.Getty ImagesAfter the breakup, Tartick remembered Underwood being “aloof” and “a little distant.” He also claimed Underwood kept FaceTiming Randolph in front of he and Bristowe, seemingly in an attempt to dispel rumors that there was any bad blood.
Tartick ended the segment by saying that he doesn’t “know the whole story” of what went down and claims he didn’t watch “Coming Out Colton.” Regardless, he said he commends Underwood if he did, in fact, take accountability for his actions.
