Entertainment

Billy Eichner predicted that Colton Underwood was 'the first gay Bachelor' 2 years ago

billy eichner colton underwood
Colton Underwood and Billy Eichner in 2019. Rick Rowell/Getty Images
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Two years before "Bachelor" lead Colton Underwood came out as gay in an interview on "Good Morning America," comedian Billy Eichner predicted the reality TV star could be "the first gay Bachelor."

During the first group date in Underwood's season, Eichner was called in as a celebrity guest to help run "Camp Bachelor." Eichner and Underwood spoke about Underwood's virginity (famously, he was the "virgin Bachelor"), and then Eichner unwittingly predicted the future.

"I'm gay. I know that's a shock, Colton," Eichner joked. "That, I think, you should look into. Maybe you're the first gay Bachelor and we don't even know."

Underwood responded with stammering and uncomfortable laughter, to which Eichner said, "Put that in your promo. See you later" — ABC actually did.

 

Underwood came out during an interview that aired on "Good Morning America" on Wednesday. He explained he'd known he's gay since he was 6 years old, but he said he had been coming to terms with it for the past year.

He also broke up with his girlfriend, Cassie Randolph, last year. She later filed for a restraining order against him, alleging he had stalked her, in September 2020. She dropped it in November.

Underwood's admission makes him the first lead from "The Bachelor" or "Bachelorette" to be part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

 

Since the interview, celebrities have been tweeting in support of Underwood, including Andy Cohen, Kalen Allen, and Bachelor Nation members Onyeka Ehie and Nicole Lopez-Alvar.

"Happy for @colton for speaking his truth. We support you," Ehie wrote.

On Wednesday, Eichner had the moment brought to his attention with a tweet accompanying the clip that read, "This *did* age well." Eichner added: "I'm happy for @colton. If you're gay, be gay! I've been gay forever & I love it!"

 

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Gabbi Shaw
Gabbi Shaw is a reporter on Business Insider's editorial partnerships team. She has covered entertainment, travel, food, and lifestyle for Business Insider and Insider Inc.'s partners, including MSN, Apple News, and Yahoo since 2018, and her work has taken her to iconic mansions of the Gilded Age, the Westminster Dog Show, Disney World, the Hamptons, and more fast-food restaurants than she cares to remember.She graduated from Tulane University in 2017 with a degree in public health and now lives in New York City.