When Ali Fedotowsky was on Jake Pavelka‘s season of The Bachelor in 2010, Instagram was about to launch and she actually was an employee at Facebook. There was never a question about whether the contestants in Bachelor Nation at that point were on the show for “the right reasons” — the find true love. Now, leads of the franchise face a constant battle trying to figure out if their prospects are in it for love or the Instagram followers. Ali, speaking to HollywoodLife in partnership with Birds Eye Vegetables, offered her candid thoughts on the topic. “I’ll tell you, if I went on right now, that’s what I’d be thinking about! I’ve said this from day one for a decade — nobody goes to show thinking they’re going to find love,” Ali dished on the HL Podcast. “Maybe you’re looking for love and hoping you find love, but you don’t believe it could work. You’re really thinking this is just a cool adventure, and I would say 95% of people go in with that same attitude.”
The mother of two continued, “So yes, I do think people are doing it for fame, I do think they’re doing it for followers, but I would think the same thing if I was going on right now. I’m a businesswoman, Instagram is now people’s jobs and you can be very successful on Instagram.” However, Ali did warn that it is not cool to “try to stay longer just for the Instagram followers.”
“What’s changed, I think, over the last decade is that now it’s, ‘I’m going to go on, have a good time, and oh my gosh, I’m going to become internet famous!’ And then, when they’re there, they figure out, this could still work and they could find love. I think the show will be okay — as long as the people don’t try to stay longer, just for the Instagram followers,” she said.
Ali admitted that she’s always asked if she would allow her daughter to go on the show one day, and said her answer has recently changed. “I’ve always been like, ‘Yes oh my gosh, no question.’ It was one of the best things of my life and such a great experience, but my answer has now started to change because I never want my daughter to have to go through that kind of hate online,” she explained. “I’m always open minded, never say never, but I would think twice before wanting my daughter to go on the show at this point, just because of the hate everyone receives.”
Speaking of her kids, Ali revealed she found the perfect way to get her 5-year-old and 3-year-old to eat their veggies — sometimes an impossible feat for parents! “This is my mom hack I tell everybody about! I noticed when I put on a show for my kids, they mindlessly eat. So, instead of popping them a bowl of popcorn, I take the Birds Eye Frozen Vegetables, pop it in the microwave, and give the kids fresh and delicious broccoli that they eat like chips!” she gushed. “The reason I love it so much, particularly the Birds Eye Vegetables, is because you can steam them in the microwave right in the bag.” Yum!