On season 15 of The Bachelorette, contestant Mike Johnson quickly became a fan-favorite in Bachelor Nation. Even after his turn on the Bachelor spin-off, Bachelor in Paradise, Johnson remained an important figure in the franchise.
Now, he’s using his platform to speak out about life after the Bachelor and the controversy surrounding Rachael Kirkconnell and host of The Bachelor, Chris Harrison.
In a controversial interview with Bachelor personality and TV host Rachel Lindsay, Harrison seemingly defended current contestant Kirkconnell’s past behavior, including resurfaced pictures of her with a confederate flag and attending a “plantation-themed formal.”
Harrison went on Good Morning America to formally apologize on Thursday, but host Michael Strahan still felt a bit skeptical even after his appearance. Strahan explained, “His apology is his apology, but it felt like I got nothing more than a surface response – obviously, he’s a man who clearly wants to stay on the show.”
theGrio caught up with Mike Johnson and discussed everything from the intense controversy surrounding The Bachelor franchise right now to his new projects and partnership with Schick.
Read More: Michael Strahan slams ‘Bachelor’ host Chris Harrison for his ‘surface’ response to racism scandal
When asked about Harrison and the current state of Bachelor Nation, Johnson explained, “Rachael Kirkconnell, Chris Harrison, and Taylor Nolan all made mistakes, and for all those individuals that have, I want them to know that, hey, me [Mike Johnson], I have also made mistakes…we want to see those three individuals actually learn from those mistakes.”
He continued saying, “For me, what I would want us to do within Bachelor Nation and even bigger than Bachelor Nation, is to absolutely hold those individuals accountable…absolutely, and with that, we also can watch them rise.”
Johnson also opened up about The Bachelor franchise as a whole and holds them accountable for continuing the conversation as the show moves forward. Johnson explained, “I think that the show is a conglomerate, they are colossal, and they are penetrating the minds of the American people, so I would love to see them do a wonderful job with this moving forward.”
Johnson also exclusively told theGrio who he would like to see on the next season of the popular Bachelor spin-off, Bachelor in Paradise. He revealed, “I’d want to see Connor Saeli, my roommate…I would love to see him there! For the ladies, I’d love to see a beautiful melting pot of the women from Peter’s season as well as Matt’s.”
Johnson is currently busy with plenty of projects outside of the Bachelor universe, including his partnership with Schick.
Johnson explained, “Being in the military and shaving every single day, I would get ingrown hairs due to my curly hair, and I’ve tried lots of razor products myself. With the Schick Hydro Stubble Eraser, it has the stubble comb that lifts the hairs and makes my skin comfortable.”
Read More: Mike Johnson on new book ‘Making The Love You Want,’ finding self-love and support for BLM
While 2021 has certainly been interesting for Bachelor Nation, Johnson feels hopeful and has plenty to look forward to this year.
“In 2021 there’s still so much to look forward to…I’m looking forward to my partnership with the Schick Hydro Razor and love being able to inspire people and bring positivity back into the world, and I’m looking forward to being able to see my family at some point in time.”
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