Is Aaron Erb a producer plant? 'The Bachelorette' fans question star's future edit with sudden exit
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: Fans of 'The Bachelorette' believe their suspicions about contestant, Aaron Erb—a "producer plant"—have been validated. On Night 3, Jenn Tran had an exciting and rather heated date night. She went on a helicopter flight with Spencer Conley and participated in a Magical Mike-style group date where Devin Strader and Sam McKinney competed for the greatest dancing routines.
But when experienced aerospace engineer Aaron received a call, things became intriguing. Aaron was forced to decide between staying and pursuing Jenn or returning home to get his pilot's license so he could fly F-22 Raptors for the Air Force when flight school contacted him to beg him to return.
The biggest surprise about his departure wasn't that he opted to self-eliminate.
"I wish I was further along where I felt like, as long as I have Jenn in my life, I’m happy,” Aaron explained to Jenn. “So I’m just not there yet, so I made the decision, the dream, aspirations I have, I’m choosing those.”
Jenn acknowledged this and informed Aaron that she would rather encourage him than "be a source of resentment ever."
Aaron was criticized by fans on a Reddit discussion board who said he was a production plant on the program just to stir up trouble and perhaps land a future Bachelor edit.
One user wrote, "I really hope this isn't his "the next bachelor" edit. After bookgate and now this phone call, although we know they don't get to use their phones... like come on...I don't want another Matt James type bachelor season." Another person chimed in, "Interesting take... I never thought about it but highly possible. Although, he is recently divorced."
One user even though doesn't consider a Bachelor edit but agrees to Aaron beind a producer plant, "There's no way this would be a Bachelor edit, haha. And yeah they don't get to use their phone day to day but if there's an important phone call like he had, they allow you to use a producer's phone. I do think he was a producer plant but otherwise your speculation is totally off course."
A fourth person wondered, "I don’t get Aaron’s motivations for agreeing to play this part in the season. For screen time? You’d think he would have had conversations with his brother about how production works and situations to avoid. I don’t get why he’s playing producer puppet."
Another person added, "Yes!! It’s been so obvious and I caught onto it as soon as the pointless drama started and when the producers had a book ready to go."
Aaron Erb warns Jenn Tran ahead of 'The Bachelorette' Season 21 exit
"There’s people that I don’t think will be ready at the end like you are," Aaron warned Jenn about the remaining males before heading off.
Aaron refused to give Jenn the names, even though she begged him to.
In a confessional, Jenn stated, "I feel like it was a disingenuous conversation," and she also claimed that she thought Aaron was "cruel" for not telling her who he explicitly believed had terrible intentions.
Jenn addressed the group at the cocktail party, saying, "I’ve made the wrong decisions in the past, and I’m not going to do that anymore. So, if you think that this is not the place that you should be, then you need to get out."
Aaron Erb is related to popular 'The Bachelorette' and 'Bachelor in Paradise' alum
Aaron is already familiar with Bachelor Nation because his twin brother, Noah Erb, competed on Seasons 16 and 7 of 'The Bachelorette' and 'Bachelor in Paradise'. During the latter show, Noah got to know his fiancée, Abigail Heringer.
Since he was aware that Noah had found success with the process, Aaron claimed he joined 'The Bachelorette' Season 21 in the hopes that he would too.
But Aaron's affinity for the show indicates unequivocally that the producers specifically chose him to compete in 'The Bachelorette' Season 21. Although there's nothing unusual about this in itself, along with Aaron's conduct throughout the season so far, it begins to look as though something more nefarious is going on.
Aaron Erb locked horns with Devin Strader in 'The Bachelorette' Season 21
Devin, a 28-year-old Houston, Texas, freight company owner, elicited some heated emotions from Aaron during 'The Bachelorette' Season 21, Episode 2. He stole Jenn during a group date in Australia so the two of them could enjoy some gelato in private.
This upset Aaron, since he believed that group activities were the only appropriate part of a date. But he should have known that males often grab the lead for a little one-on-one time, especially since his own brother was a former participant on the show.
Later on in the episode, Devin snatched Jenn from Aaron by giving her an ice cream sundae during the group date cocktail party. But then Aaron came back to take Jenn back, and Devin followed suit once again.
It was an absurd spectacle that seemed to have been made up entirely by the producers.
New episodes of 'The Bachelorette' Season 21 air on Mondays at 8 pm ET on ABC, and are available on Hulu the following day.