‘The Bachelor’s Joey Graziadei Is Owning His Ruth Bader Ginsberg And Kathie Lee Gifford Flubs: “Let The Internet Say What They Want To Say”

The Bachelor‘s Joey Graziadei is done defending himself for his recent pop culture flubs.

Sure, the 28-year-old Bachelor lead confused Gypsy Rose Blanchard for Ruth Bader Ginsberg in a mortifying “How Online Are You?” mix-up. Yes, he stunned Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos by admitting he had no idea who Kathie Lee Gifford was during an episode of Live with Kelly and Mark. But Joey’s got his sights set on the future! He’s leaving the shame and the haters behind, and he’s moving forward with a remarkable sense of humor.

“I was waiting for it,” Graziadei told Decider with a chuckle over Zoom when asked about mistaking the legendary late Supreme Court Justice RBG and GRB, the 32-year-old internet sensation who served 7 years in prison for conspiring to murder her mother.

“The Ruth Bader Ginsburg thing was not my shining moment,” Graziadei admitted. “I don’t even need to try and defend myself anymore. I’ll just take that one.”

For those who need a refresher, while playing the beloved Betches quiz game earlier this month, Graziadei was shown a photo of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and asked if he could identify her. “I do know who this person is!” he exclaimed. “Is it Ruth? It’s Jinsburg or Ginsburg or something like that. Am I wrong?”

Graziadei was, indeed, wrong. But at least knew Blanchard’s general backstory. “I know that she had something happen where she went to jail because of her mom,” he said. When the correct answer was revealed to him, he added, “Ruth Ginsburg? I don’t know what I’m saying.”

“The Ruth Bader Ginsburg thing was not my shining moment. I don’t even need to try and defend myself anymore. I’ll just take that one.”

Joey Graziadei, The Bachelor

Needless to say, the internet poked some serious fun at Graziadei for the mistake. Instead of sweating the slip-up, the Bachelor lead leaned into the joked and delivered an iconic apology straight from the White House. A TikTok posted on February 15 shows White House Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre walking Graziadei past a collection of framed photo before stopping in front of a portrait of Ginsburg and saying, “You know, you say you’re really good with names…” 

“I’m so sorry,” Graziadei said as Jean-Pierre laughed. “It was a bad time. I knew that that wasn’t actually her in the photo. Ruth came in my head, but I know I won’t live that one down. I know how much of a legend [Ginsburg] is and how much she’s done for equal rights and woman empowerment.”

@bachelornationabc

Reminiscing, roses, and RBG. All in a day’s work 🌹

♬ original sound – The Bachelor

“The White House was a really really cool experience,” Graziadei told Decider about his perfectly-timed trip to Washington, D.C. “They reached out not too long ago and asked if I’d want to get a tour and just be able to see some things that you don’t usually get a chance to see. It was a special experience, and I’m just grateful to be able to get that chance.”

Just when Graziadei thought the pop culture backlash was behind him, he guest starred on Live With Kelly and Mark where Kelly Ripa asked for his thoughts on Kathie Lee Gifford/Golden Bachelorette rumors.

“I will be honest, I have no idea who Kathie Lee Gifford is,” Graziadei bluntly admitted.

After Consuelos hinted that Gifford used to occupy the very chair Graziadei was sitting in as co-host of Live with Regis and Kathie Lee from 1985 to 2000, Graziadei said, “I’m only 28! I’m sorry!”

Decider asked The Bachelor lead about his follow-up flub, and his response is so refreshingly transparent, we have no choice but to respect it.

“To be honest, I think what we’re seeing is how honest I am — that if someone asks me a question I don’t know I’m just gonna be truthful about it,” Graziadei laughed. “I think what you’re feeling is the fact that I lived in Hawaii for a very long period of time. I did not know a lot about pop culture. I don’t really pay that much attention to those things.”

“My brain is filled on other things that I focus on, and it’s showing,” he continued. “But I’m okay with it. I know that that’s not something I should or would know usually. So let the internet say what they want to say.”

“I think what you’re feeling is the fact that I lived in Hawaii for a very long period of time. I did not know a lot about pop culture. I don’t really pay that much attention to those things.”

Joey Graziadei, The Bachelor

In case haters had any doubt that Graziadei could, in fact, name a woman (aside from the 32 Bachelor contestants he dated) Decider asked him to “name a woman” in the spirit of that Billy Eichner bit that’s morphed into a TikTok trend.

“I would say — let’s go with my mom,” Graziadei said, refusing to spoil the season by naming the Season 28 winner. “I’ll say Cathy. I’ll go with my mom. I know what you were hoping for so I went with the safe bet. I went with that lovely woman I can talk about.”

So there you have it, Bachelor Nation. Joey may not have known Gypsy Rose Blanchard or Kathie Lee Gifford off the top of his head, but he’s sorry, he’s only 28, he’s fully capable of naming a woman, and he’s owning his mistakes in a delightful fashion. We love to see it.

Be sure to read our full midseason interview with Graziadei for more Bachelor insights from the Season 28 lead.

New episodes of The Bachelor premiere on ABC Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET with next-day streaming on Hulu.