The Bachelorette season 21 contestant Aaron Erb is backtracking his “victory lap” following Jenn Tran and Devin Strader’s split.
“I just wanted to talk about The Bachelorette really quick,” Aaron, 29, began in a Wednesday, September 4, Instagram video. “For the first, and probably last, time ever because it’s in the past and doesn’t affect me anymore. However, enough of you commented on my little ‘victory lap’ reel today saying how insensitive and not the time it was.”
Aaron admitted that he agrees with his fans. “I just wanted to say, that was for me. How misunderstood and judged I was — pretty much the entire time I was on the show for being involved with drama and nobody really understanding my side of anything because it wasn’t shown — it felt vindicating how everything played out.”
Aaron noted that he shouldn’t “kick someone when they are down or drag them through the mud even if it makes me look better.” He added, “That wasn’t my intention, nor will I do that.”
Jenn revealed during the live finale of The Bachelorette on Tuesday, September 3, that Devin called off their engagement over the phone. The following day, Aaron made headlines for posting a TikTok where he celebrated being right about Devin’s character.
“Tried to warn everybody how bad this dude was when all I had to do was shut up and let him do it himself,” Aaron wrote on his Wednesday video.
In the clip, Aaron lip synced to audio from SpongeBob SquarePants which said, “What am I getting so worked up about? I’m sure that by tomorrow, this whole ugly mess will be a funny memory.” The audio then cut to a newscaster, who said, “Our top story tonight.” Aaron smiled at the camera while lifting his hands up in the air.
“I [really] tried to bite my tongue,” Aaron captioned the upload. “Jenn from all of us men; we’re sorry, you truly deserved better.”
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After apologizing for his video hours later, Aaron sent a message to Jenn while poking fun at fellow season 21 contestant Sam McKinney’s infamous catchphrase.
“In keeping the main thing the main thing, I just wanted to address you, Jenn, and tell you how sincerely sorry I am that you went through that and that’s how the season ended,” he said on Wednesday. “Watching you onstage — essentially all alone up there, let’s be real — having to reprocess and relive those emotions again, I know how strong of a person you are, but how difficult that must have been in the moment.”
Aaron noted that Jenn handled herself well, adding that he’s “rooting for you like I know you’re rooting for all of us.” He concluded, “This is just a little speed bump in your journey and down the road you’re going to find everything you’re looking for.”
Devin and Aaron feuded on season 21 of The Bachelorette after the former pulled Jenn for one-on-one time during a group date. In response, Aaron confronted Devin with a book titled, Principles for Self Growth.
After Jenn sent Aaron packing on the show, he informed her that some of her contestants weren’t there for the right reasons but remained tight-lipped about who he was alluding to. Aaron later admitted during the Men Tell All episode in August that he was referring to a few contestants, including Devin.
The Bachelor franchise will be back with The Golden Bachelorette, which premieres Wednesday, September 18.
