Matt James — the first-ever black star of The Bachelor — had tongues wagging on Friday when he did his first TV interview promoting the reality series sans pants.
The former football player looked dapper in a salmon blazer and dark blue button-down shirt when he appeared on Good Morning America, but behind the scenes he kept things a bit more casual from the waist down.
A cheeky clip posted by Matt's close friend Tyler Cameron revealed that the 28-year-old didn't have any pants on during his live interview. He appeared to be wearing just his underwear with his bare legs on display.
Behind the scenes: Matt James, the first-ever black star of The Bachelor, filmed an interview with Good Morning American on Friday in his underwear
Roomies! Matt's close pal and former Bachelorette alum Tyler Cameron shared a behind-the-scenes video of him doing the interview sans pants
The Instagram Stories video begins with Matt sitting in a chair in his boxers as he is being interviewed on GMA.
Tyler, who is his roommate, then pans the camera to the TV in the living room to show that his pal can only be seen from the waist up during the live broadcast.
Matt was the picture of confidence as he discussed ABC's announcement that he would be the first black Bachelor in the show's 18-year history.
'It's an honor,' he told GMA. 'I'm just going to lean into myself and how my mom raised me, and, hopefully, when people invite me into their homes on Monday nights, they're going to see that I'm not much different from them and they see that diverse love stories are beautiful.'
After the interview, Tyler revealed in a follow-up clip that Matt celebrated the exciting news by working up a sweat.
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Professional up top: Matt wore a salmon blazer and a dark blue button-down during the interview, which was filmed from his waist up
Feeling comfortable: The former football player was the picture of confidence on GMA. Fans would never guess he was actually sitting in his underwear
The Walt Disney Company Privacy Policy
'When something big happens, I'd probably go celebrate and drink a beer or something,' he said. 'This man, Matt, had me running stadium steps. You are out of your mind. Congrats brother.'
The 6-foot-five North Carolina native was named as the new lead for the popular reality franchise on Friday and will star in the 25th season of the hit show.
His casting comes amid global protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and amid a public outcry over the lack of diversity and inclusivity in The Bachelor franchise that has been led by some of its former stars.
Matt, who lives in New York City, was originally cast by ABC to star in the upcoming season of The Bachelorette, in which he would be among the men vying to win the heart of former Bachelor star Clare Crawley.
Although the new star of the Bachelor is normally not chosen until after The Bachelorette has aired — with producers often selecting one of the most popular contestants — Matt's casting appears to have been fast-tracked.
Production of the latest season of The Bachelorette was put on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic, but producers announced on Friday that Matt had already proven himself to be the 'perfect Bachelor.'
On the rise: Earlier in the day, ABC announced that Matt will be the first-ever black star of The Bachelor
Credentials: The 28-year-old was originally cast as one of the suitors on the upcoming season of The Bachelorette, but production was put on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic
'When filming [on Clare's season of The Bachelorette] couldn't move forward as planned, we were given the benefit of time to get to know Matt and all agreed he would make a perfect Bachelor,' ABC Entertainment's president Karey Burke told GMA.
Producers insist that Matt was being considered as a potential Bachelor star long before the public outcry over the lack of black franchise leads in the past. Rachel Lindsay, the first ever black Bachelorette, even threatened to end her association with the show if things didn't change.
'Matt was somebody who was on our radar and we were thinking about him,' Rob Mills, who oversees The Bachelor franchise at ABC, told Variety.
'We were thinking do we announce him early, or do we put him on Clare's season and then announce him later, if it doesn't work out with Clare? We didn't make a final decision until recently, but this has been talked about for quite some time.'
When asked whether the decision to announce Matt as the new Bachelor came as a result of Rachel's criticism of the show, Rob insisted that wasn't the case.
'Perfect': ABC described Matt as the 'perfect Bachelor' in a statement on Friday
Buddies: The North Carolina native is best friends with Tyler (seen together at a Black Lives Matter protest) and the pair live together in New York City
'It wasn't a response to that,' he said. 'We could have made this announcement earlier or later. Certainly no one is blind to what is happening in the world, so hopefully this announcement serves as a bit of optimism during a time that we can really use this.'
He added that ABC does not view Matt's casting as a 'cure all,' explaining that the network knows 'this is a few grains of sand in a very big hourglass' and that it will continue to work towards more diversity and equality in its shows.
Provided filming of The Bachelor is able to go ahead as planned, Matt's season will premiere in the spring of 2021.
On Friday, former Bachelorette Rachel spoke out in response to Matt's casting, urging ABC to do more than simply cast a black man in a lead role — like hire producers of color — and not just view this latest move as a 'band-aid' for the situation.
'I was hoping when I came on to be a trailblazer for that and to increase diversity in the audience that watches it. But in the last three years, there really haven't been changes made,' she told GMA.
'I want producers of color. I'd like for them to cast leads that are interested in dating outside of their race that aren't just getting their first-time experience — for the first time — on national TV.
That's one way to celebrate! Tyler revealed that Matt took him on a run after his interview, joking that he would have preferred to have a beer
Out of breath: The two are currently quarantining together, although it is unclear exactly where they are staying
'Not putting a band-aid over the situation and just saying, "Here, we're going to put this here. Are you happy now?"'
In his own interview, Matt said that his casting is 'a step in the right direction' while praising Rachel for speaking out and advocating for change, noting: 'When Rachel speaks we listen.'
He added: 'She has a very important voice in all of this being the first black woman, person of color to have a lead. So I think we're all following suit in that conversation, and this is hopefully the first of many black men to be in the position that I'm at now.'
When asked whether his casting as the first black Bachelor has come 'too little too late', Matt insisted that 'it is never the wrong time to do the right thing.'
'We can't have change until you put that first foot forward and that first foot forward for The Bachelor franchise is having a black lead, so I'm excited to take on that role.'
'I think a lot of people are in that situation where they're uncomfortable dating outside of their race or they're uncomfortable being in that position,' he added. 'It's a conversation starter for a lot of people, and, hopefully, it paves the way for a lot of diverse love stories because those are beautiful stories.'
Pro: The Wake Forest graduate actually played football professionally for a few months, both for the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints (pictured)
Moving on: Matt studied economics at Wake Forest and boasts an impressive background in finance, however he now works in commercial real estate in New York City
Matt also confessed that he had kept his exciting news under wraps from almost everyone in his life— including his own mother, who found out that her son had been cast as the next Bachelor only when it was announced to the world.
'She's going to be excited,' he said, before adding: 'Sorry mom but it's hard for her to keep a secret, so I had to keep it super tight. So she's just now finding out.
As for his own reaction to the news, Matt says he was initially worried that accepting the role as a Bachelor would mean he would be unable to take part in the new season of The Bachelorette, which he says he was excited to be involved in.
'My first reaction was, "Does this mean I don't get to meet Clare?" because I was looking forward to meeting her,' he revealed.
'I had set aside all this time and we'd gone out to California and been called back for quarantine. I'm super excited for her and her season but I'm looking forward to meeting her eventually.'
When it comes to what Matt is looking for in his ideal partner, he said that race has no bearing on the qualities that he is seeking.
BFFs: Matt and Tyler spent several weeks quarantining together with friends in Tyler's home in Jupiter, Florida, before returning to their apartment in New York City
Pals: The pair attended Wake Forest University together, where Matt played wide receiver for the school's football team
'I'm looking for qualities that my mom embodies,' he revealed. 'And that's selfless, honest, caring, compassionate. And those are qualities that are found in women all shapes, size, and races, and it's not a black or white thing.
'So I'm hoping when that limo pulls up there's a lot of diversity and I see every type of woman coming out of that limo.'
As well as appearing on The Bachelorette, the real estate broker, who attended Wake Forest University and played wide receiver for the school's football team, has other close connections to the ABC franchise.
Tyler, a fellow Wake Forest alum, was the runner-up on Hannah Brown's season of The Bachelorette. Matt even quarantined with Tyler and Hannah for several weeks in March.
The trio formed a self-described 'Quarantine Crew' with a few other friends who all holed up together in Tyler's home in Jupiter, Florida.
Hannah has been making her own headlines as of late. She recently came under fire for saying the N-word in a social media video while rapping along to DaBaby song Rockstar.
Outcry: ABC's announcement that Matt is the next Bachelor comes amid furious outcry over the 'white-washing' of the franchise — led by Rachel Lindsay, its only ever black star
'Disappointed': Rachel also expressed being upset about fellow Bachelorette alum Hannah Brown's apology after she said the N-word in a video while rapping along to DaBaby
Tyler and Matt first formed a close friendship at their college in Winston-Salem, and they currently share an apartment in New York City. In fact, Tyler has been credited with helping to get Matt involved in the Bachelor franchise in the first place.
Before he was announced as the first black Bachelor, he revealed in March that Tyler's mother, Andrea, had actually nominated him for the show when he was chosen to appear on Clare's season of The Bachelorette. Andrea died earlier this year from a brain aneurysm.
'She would be happy to know that I followed through with it,' he told Entertainment Tonight at the time. 'She had nominated me and I think she saw everything that it did for Tyler and the way that he had changed as a man, and me being his roommate and being one of her sons, I think that she wanted something like that for myself.'
With Tyler, Matt also co-founded ABC Food Tours, an organization that 'finds creative ways to engage kids in underserved communities' in New York City, providing them with unique experiences in the city, while also encouraging them to engage in physical activities and mental wellness.
Before moving to Manhattan, however, Matt spent a few months playing football professionally for the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints.
The Bachelor www.google.com star also boasts an impressive background in finance, having spent more than a year working as an analyst for PNC, after previously landing roles at Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch during his time in college.
Read more:
‘The Bachelor' names Matt James as franchise's 1st black bachelor | GMA
Bachelor: Matt James Chosen as First Black Bachelor - Variety
New 'Bachelor' Matt James on How Tyler Cameron's Late Mother Nominated Him for the Show (Exclusive) | Entertainment Tonight
The former football player looked dapper in a salmon blazer and dark blue button-down shirt when he appeared on Good Morning America, but behind the scenes he kept things a bit more casual from the waist down.
A cheeky clip posted by Matt's close friend Tyler Cameron revealed that the 28-year-old didn't have any pants on during his live interview. He appeared to be wearing just his underwear with his bare legs on display.
Behind the scenes: Matt James, the first-ever black star of The Bachelor, filmed an interview with Good Morning American on Friday in his underwear
Roomies! Matt's close pal and former Bachelorette alum Tyler Cameron shared a behind-the-scenes video of him doing the interview sans pants
The Instagram Stories video begins with Matt sitting in a chair in his boxers as he is being interviewed on GMA.
Tyler, who is his roommate, then pans the camera to the TV in the living room to show that his pal can only be seen from the waist up during the live broadcast.
Matt was the picture of confidence as he discussed ABC's announcement that he would be the first black Bachelor in the show's 18-year history.
'It's an honor,' he told GMA. 'I'm just going to lean into myself and how my mom raised me, and, hopefully, when people invite me into their homes on Monday nights, they're going to see that I'm not much different from them and they see that diverse love stories are beautiful.'
After the interview, Tyler revealed in a follow-up clip that Matt celebrated the exciting news by working up a sweat.
RELATED ARTICLES
Previous
1
Next
The Bachelor's Tim Robards shows off his rippling muscles as... Seinne Fleming speaks out about The Bachelor's struggles...
Share this article
Share
Professional up top: Matt wore a salmon blazer and a dark blue button-down during the interview, which was filmed from his waist up
Feeling comfortable: The former football player was the picture of confidence on GMA. Fans would never guess he was actually sitting in his underwear
The Walt Disney Company Privacy Policy
'When something big happens, I'd probably go celebrate and drink a beer or something,' he said. 'This man, Matt, had me running stadium steps. You are out of your mind. Congrats brother.'
The 6-foot-five North Carolina native was named as the new lead for the popular reality franchise on Friday and will star in the 25th season of the hit show.
His casting comes amid global protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and amid a public outcry over the lack of diversity and inclusivity in The Bachelor franchise that has been led by some of its former stars.
Matt, who lives in New York City, was originally cast by ABC to star in the upcoming season of The Bachelorette, in which he would be among the men vying to win the heart of former Bachelor star Clare Crawley.
Although the new star of the Bachelor is normally not chosen until after The Bachelorette has aired — with producers often selecting one of the most popular contestants — Matt's casting appears to have been fast-tracked.
Production of the latest season of The Bachelorette was put on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic, but producers announced on Friday that Matt had already proven himself to be the 'perfect Bachelor.'
On the rise: Earlier in the day, ABC announced that Matt will be the first-ever black star of The Bachelor
Credentials: The 28-year-old was originally cast as one of the suitors on the upcoming season of The Bachelorette, but production was put on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic
'When filming [on Clare's season of The Bachelorette] couldn't move forward as planned, we were given the benefit of time to get to know Matt and all agreed he would make a perfect Bachelor,' ABC Entertainment's president Karey Burke told GMA.
Producers insist that Matt was being considered as a potential Bachelor star long before the public outcry over the lack of black franchise leads in the past. Rachel Lindsay, the first ever black Bachelorette, even threatened to end her association with the show if things didn't change.
'Matt was somebody who was on our radar and we were thinking about him,' Rob Mills, who oversees The Bachelor franchise at ABC, told Variety.
'We were thinking do we announce him early, or do we put him on Clare's season and then announce him later, if it doesn't work out with Clare? We didn't make a final decision until recently, but this has been talked about for quite some time.'
When asked whether the decision to announce Matt as the new Bachelor came as a result of Rachel's criticism of the show, Rob insisted that wasn't the case.
'Perfect': ABC described Matt as the 'perfect Bachelor' in a statement on Friday
Buddies: The North Carolina native is best friends with Tyler (seen together at a Black Lives Matter protest) and the pair live together in New York City
'It wasn't a response to that,' he said. 'We could have made this announcement earlier or later. Certainly no one is blind to what is happening in the world, so hopefully this announcement serves as a bit of optimism during a time that we can really use this.'
He added that ABC does not view Matt's casting as a 'cure all,' explaining that the network knows 'this is a few grains of sand in a very big hourglass' and that it will continue to work towards more diversity and equality in its shows.
Provided filming of The Bachelor is able to go ahead as planned, Matt's season will premiere in the spring of 2021.
On Friday, former Bachelorette Rachel spoke out in response to Matt's casting, urging ABC to do more than simply cast a black man in a lead role — like hire producers of color — and not just view this latest move as a 'band-aid' for the situation.
'I was hoping when I came on to be a trailblazer for that and to increase diversity in the audience that watches it. But in the last three years, there really haven't been changes made,' she told GMA.
'I want producers of color. I'd like for them to cast leads that are interested in dating outside of their race that aren't just getting their first-time experience — for the first time — on national TV.
That's one way to celebrate! Tyler revealed that Matt took him on a run after his interview, joking that he would have preferred to have a beer
Out of breath: The two are currently quarantining together, although it is unclear exactly where they are staying
'Not putting a band-aid over the situation and just saying, "Here, we're going to put this here. Are you happy now?"'
In his own interview, Matt said that his casting is 'a step in the right direction' while praising Rachel for speaking out and advocating for change, noting: 'When Rachel speaks we listen.'
He added: 'She has a very important voice in all of this being the first black woman, person of color to have a lead. So I think we're all following suit in that conversation, and this is hopefully the first of many black men to be in the position that I'm at now.'
When asked whether his casting as the first black Bachelor has come 'too little too late', Matt insisted that 'it is never the wrong time to do the right thing.'
'We can't have change until you put that first foot forward and that first foot forward for The Bachelor franchise is having a black lead, so I'm excited to take on that role.'
'I think a lot of people are in that situation where they're uncomfortable dating outside of their race or they're uncomfortable being in that position,' he added. 'It's a conversation starter for a lot of people, and, hopefully, it paves the way for a lot of diverse love stories because those are beautiful stories.'
Pro: The Wake Forest graduate actually played football professionally for a few months, both for the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints (pictured)
Moving on: Matt studied economics at Wake Forest and boasts an impressive background in finance, however he now works in commercial real estate in New York City
Matt also confessed that he had kept his exciting news under wraps from almost everyone in his life— including his own mother, who found out that her son had been cast as the next Bachelor only when it was announced to the world.
'She's going to be excited,' he said, before adding: 'Sorry mom but it's hard for her to keep a secret, so I had to keep it super tight. So she's just now finding out.
As for his own reaction to the news, Matt says he was initially worried that accepting the role as a Bachelor would mean he would be unable to take part in the new season of The Bachelorette, which he says he was excited to be involved in.
'My first reaction was, "Does this mean I don't get to meet Clare?" because I was looking forward to meeting her,' he revealed.
'I had set aside all this time and we'd gone out to California and been called back for quarantine. I'm super excited for her and her season but I'm looking forward to meeting her eventually.'
When it comes to what Matt is looking for in his ideal partner, he said that race has no bearing on the qualities that he is seeking.
BFFs: Matt and Tyler spent several weeks quarantining together with friends in Tyler's home in Jupiter, Florida, before returning to their apartment in New York City
Pals: The pair attended Wake Forest University together, where Matt played wide receiver for the school's football team
'I'm looking for qualities that my mom embodies,' he revealed. 'And that's selfless, honest, caring, compassionate. And those are qualities that are found in women all shapes, size, and races, and it's not a black or white thing.
'So I'm hoping when that limo pulls up there's a lot of diversity and I see every type of woman coming out of that limo.'
As well as appearing on The Bachelorette, the real estate broker, who attended Wake Forest University and played wide receiver for the school's football team, has other close connections to the ABC franchise.
Tyler, a fellow Wake Forest alum, was the runner-up on Hannah Brown's season of The Bachelorette. Matt even quarantined with Tyler and Hannah for several weeks in March.
The trio formed a self-described 'Quarantine Crew' with a few other friends who all holed up together in Tyler's home in Jupiter, Florida.
Hannah has been making her own headlines as of late. She recently came under fire for saying the N-word in a social media video while rapping along to DaBaby song Rockstar.
Outcry: ABC's announcement that Matt is the next Bachelor comes amid furious outcry over the 'white-washing' of the franchise — led by Rachel Lindsay, its only ever black star
'Disappointed': Rachel also expressed being upset about fellow Bachelorette alum Hannah Brown's apology after she said the N-word in a video while rapping along to DaBaby
Tyler and Matt first formed a close friendship at their college in Winston-Salem, and they currently share an apartment in New York City. In fact, Tyler has been credited with helping to get Matt involved in the Bachelor franchise in the first place.
Before he was announced as the first black Bachelor, he revealed in March that Tyler's mother, Andrea, had actually nominated him for the show when he was chosen to appear on Clare's season of The Bachelorette. Andrea died earlier this year from a brain aneurysm.
'She would be happy to know that I followed through with it,' he told Entertainment Tonight at the time. 'She had nominated me and I think she saw everything that it did for Tyler and the way that he had changed as a man, and me being his roommate and being one of her sons, I think that she wanted something like that for myself.'
With Tyler, Matt also co-founded ABC Food Tours, an organization that 'finds creative ways to engage kids in underserved communities' in New York City, providing them with unique experiences in the city, while also encouraging them to engage in physical activities and mental wellness.
Before moving to Manhattan, however, Matt spent a few months playing football professionally for the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints.
The Bachelor www.google.com star also boasts an impressive background in finance, having spent more than a year working as an analyst for PNC, after previously landing roles at Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch during his time in college.
Read more:
‘The Bachelor' names Matt James as franchise's 1st black bachelor | GMA
Bachelor: Matt James Chosen as First Black Bachelor - Variety
New 'Bachelor' Matt James on How Tyler Cameron's Late Mother Nominated Him for the Show (Exclusive) | Entertainment Tonight
