Bethesda’s very own Joey Jones, 33, a senior manager at Capital One, was eliminated from The Bachelorette on last week’s episode, so we chatted with him about life post-Bachelor Mansion, the Battle of the Lukes, and where he hangs out in Washington.
So you’re back in the real world! How’s it been?
Joey Jones: “I’ve been back at work for a few weeks, and it’s great, but it’s definitely different being back. There’s a lot of excitement around the show and everyone’s been supportive. It’s fun to be a part of the show with my work colleagues. Obviously, they know I took some time off, so it’s great to watch the show with them.”
“But outside of that, generally it’s back to real life. It’s exciting when the show comes on because I know the guys, I know Hannah, and it’s great to be nostalgic about what happened.”
I’ve got to ask—did you actually develop feelings for Hannah? Or was it all just scripted?
JJ: “I think we had a connection. It gets built up the more and more you get time with Hannah. As you see on the show, it’s really hard to get one-on-one time with her. There are a lot of guys in the house. Obviously, I wasn’t on a one-on-one date, but I did get some great one-on-one time with her. You know, it’s weird—it can be a really intense situation. I thought our connection was great from the first night and it grew over the next few weeks. I thought the last couple of days we had together were really good.”
“The unknown is what her relationship is like with the other guys in the house. So you think about your relationship with Hannah, where you are, but you’re like, I don’t know where she is with the other guys. So that’s the unknown variable, and that comes out when you watch it on TV.”
How did you feel when Hannah sent you home in the third episode?
JJ: “I definitely was a little surprised when I didn’t get the rose. I was upset by that because I thought we were heading in a really great direction. You don’t get to say everything you want to say because there are a lot of great guys vying for time with Hannah.”
What made you decide to go on the show in the first place?
JJ: “It’s come up over the years in between relationships. Ultimately, my mom is a huge fan of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, which I find amusing, so she encouraged me to apply. I was single, and I thought, you know what? I haven’t had very much success in my relationships, so I might as well see if ABC can help me find the right woman. I went into it totally open as a new adventure. It’s kind of crazy how it happened, but I applied and the next thing I knew, I started filming.”
What are your thoughts on the Battle of the Lukes?
JJ: “I heard it was coming, and I was actually really excited to watch it. You know, I never had any issues with Luke P. during my time there. I obviously wasn’t around for that episode, so I didn’t catch the level of intensity it had escalated to, but yeah—ultimately it’s not good for Hannah. She had to take time to deal with this instead of taking time to spend with the guys she really cares about. I know how precious time is. I feel bad for the other guys.”
I’m just going to address the elephant in the room: Are you Team Luke S. or Team Luke P.?
JJ: “I’m Team Hannah. That’s my response. I want Hannah to figure out what needs to happen with that situation because it can be difficult when you’re there in the moment. I’ll leave it at that. I like to be PC, Mimi.”
Okay, fair. What’s next for you? Are you going to become an Instagram celebrity? Go on Bachelor in Paradise?
JJ: “We’ll see what happens. I’m super thankful and blessed for the experience I had on The Bachelorette. I wouldn’t have traded it for the world. It make me realize a lot more about myself and past relationships that didn’t work out and for that, I’m forever grateful.”
“As for what’s next? Right now, I’m working and I’m always up for an adventure. We’ll see what comes down the pipe. I don’t know if I’m going to be as successful on Instagram as these other guys. Maybe it’s because I’m the old man of the group.”
Have you received any crazy Instagram messages from fans?
JJ: “Yes, I’ve had one or two of those come through. I have to say, they’re quite amusing. Honestly, what I take away from the DMs is that everyone is so supportive and sweet and loving. There are a lot of folks reaching out and letting me know that their sisters are single. They’re trying to play matchmaking. But the biggest one is ‘I would have given you a rose’ or ‘I’d give you a rose.’
I know you live in Bethesda, but where do you normally hang out around the Washington area?
JJ: “I don’t live far from Montgomery Mall, so I’m always going there to get food because the Chick-Fil-A is there. And now there’s a Cinnabon, which is awesome. I hang out in downtown Bethesda because I go to the Equinox there. On U Street—801 and Hawthorne. Those are the two places I’ve been getting drinks at recently. Woodmont Grill [in Bethesda] is one of my favorite restaurants, and I have to give a shout out to RPM Italian in DC.”
Oh, nice, what’s your Cinnabon order?
JJ: “I mean, it’s pretty boring. It’s just a regular Cinnabon. I don’t get the extra frosting because I feel like that would make me kinda fat, but here I am eating Cinnabon anyway.”
Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. She’s written for The Washington Post, Garden & Gun, Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Del Ray.
