The Bachelor Finale: Joey and Kelsey on the ‘Bachelorette’ Shocker and the Truth Behind That Car Ride

The Bachelor finale with Joey Graziadei will go down as one of the best finales ever in large part to Daisy Kent and Kelsey Anderson’s unified front.

But less than 24 hours after fans learned that Graziadei and Anderson got engaged during the show’s finale, the two are only focused on what’s in front of them.

No, not wedding plans (at least not yet), but press obligations and sleep. “I have not gotten enough. I like my beauty sleep,” Joey tells Glamour from the car between TV appearances. “Kelsey can run off of four or five hours, [but not me].”

In this case, sleep can wait, especially now that the tennis pro (him) and the junior project manager (her) are finally able to be out in public and celebrate their engagement. Still, there are a lot of questions they know the public wants answers to first.

Namely, why Joey didn’t let Daisy go the night before the final rose ceremony—or even the morning of—if she wasn’t the One? Or whose choice—Daisy’s or Kelsey’s—was it to ride in the car together on the big day? And what about that final curveball when Daisy turned down the role of The Bachelorette, and Jenn Tran was instead chosen to be the next leading lady? Did Joey and Kelsey know ahead of time?

Here, even on limited sleep, the two gamely answered all that and more, including who they’d like to see as the first Golden Bachelorette, and if Kelsey’s dad, Mark, will be a contestant on the season.

Show us the bling!

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Glamour: Let’s start with Daisy. Were you both surprised that she turned down being the lead on The Bachelorette?

Kelsey Anderson: Honestly, I was a little surprised. I was really hoping that she would, but I understand that it just wasn’t right for her in this moment.

Joey Graziadei: Yeah, I think that she spoke on it perfectly last night about how she’s focusing on different parts of her life right now, and I think that’s totally okay. I think there shouldn’t be any pressure to be in that role, because I know from experience you definitely have to be ready for it.

Did you know about Jenn Tran being the new Bachelorette before Charity made the announcement on stage?

Joey: We were lucky that we got a little insight before, but they keep that stuff very close to their sleeves.

What was your initial reaction when you found out?

Joey: All the women from this season were so amazing, so whoever it was going to be, we knew we were going to be happy for them. So Jenn is just going to do as well and as great of a job as anyone else, so we’re excited for her.

Jenn Tran, your new Bachelorette!

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Joey, when did you know for sure it was Kelsey and that you were going to propose?

Joey: There’s so many moments throughout that built to the end and where we got, but I would have to say it was after she met my family. This whole process is crazy. You kind of have to take it step by step, but that was kind of the last big thing that we had, was for her to make sure that everything went well. And it was a securing moment for me that she was the one.

Kelsey, did you feel confident after the family visit? I know Leslie put some doubt in your head, even though I totally understand where she was coming from. But at what point did you feel more assurance?

Kelsey: I was pretty confident with Joey and I’s connection through the whole journey, but I think that there is this little part in your brain where you don’t know. I don’t think that Leslie talking to me really changed much of that; I think that she just brought it more to light. Regardless, going into that last week you’re really nervous, especially if you want it to be you.

Joey, since you knew after the family visit with Kelsey, was there any thought that you might tell Daisy on your last night together, thereby sparing her having to go through the motions of the next morning?

Joey: I would say that last week in general, everything goes so fast that you want to take time. So my thought process was always that I wanted to take time to think through everything, make sure I wasn’t rushing because I wanted all my words to have a lot of purpose. I was just trying to take as much time as I could to think through it all and be in a good spot.

Kelsey, whose decision was it that you and Daisy would take the same car to the rose ceremony?

Kelsey: We both decided together, but I might’ve been the one that initially said, “Do you want to ride together?” But honestly, that whole day was such a blur, it’s hard to remember. But it was so beautiful and I’m glad that we got to have that moment together and just support each other going to this big moment for both of us.

Did you guys talk much in the car?

Kelsey: Yeah. There was obviously a couple [camera] shots where we weren’t talking and had to look out the window, but I think we were just really trying to just hype each other up for this moment.

Did you know that she was going to tell Joey that it wasn’t going to be her?

Kelsey: I kind of figured she would, and I was hoping she would, because I knew that also would make it a little easier on Joey. He has a big heart and that was going to be really difficult for him, so I’m glad that she was able to do it in her own way and also show Joey that she knew.

Perhaps the best goodbye ever?

Disney/John Fleenor

Did she want to get out of the car first, or was that something the producers decided?

Kelsey: Oh yeah, the producers tell us which order.

So what was going through your mind during that time alone in the car?

Kelsey: I was a little nervous still. I did have a lot more clarity, I think, going into it, but I still had a little bit of nerves. I was honestly trying to fix my hair, make sure that it was looking okay because this hair can get a little crazy.

I have to ask then, do you have a secret hero product you use on your hair? Because it’s amazing.

Kelsey: Oh my gosh, it’s so hard [to manage]. Honestly, my hair gets pretty frizzy, but it also just holds curls really easily. I use a new serum, but I can’t think of the name right now.

Joey, what was it like to watch Daisy and Kelsey together during those final moments and to see how the audience reacted to their time together on “After the Final Rose”?

Joey: It was really special. It was a moment for both of them to kind of remind people that this isn’t—at the end of the day—a competition. It’s about someone trying to find their forever person, two people choosing each other. Just because one person chooses someone doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the other one or that something needs to be any bigger than that. So they had a special moment, and I think everyone felt that. It was really a beautiful end to a beautiful season.

Daisy and Kelsey, together till the end

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Once you finish all your press obligations this week, what does your first weekend together, in public, look like? Are you both getting on a flight to New Orleans?

Kelsey: Yeah, so we’re running around doing press right now and then we’re going to stop in Philly, grab some of Joey’s things, and then head to New Orleans. This weekend I’m doing a 10K for a charity run in New Orleans. Then the next couple weekends we are going to be so busy with weddings and events to go to, so I’m excited to introduce him to all my friends and meet all his as well.

Speaking of weddings, everyone wants to know what your wedding timeline might look like, but you’re just getting used to being in public together. Is that frustrating to keep answering that question?

Joey: No, I think we’re both really excited about the idea of it. We wouldn’t have gotten to this point of an engagement if we’re not looking forward to and thinking about our wedding. We both have talked through our timelines and are very much aware that we’re not going to rush this. We want a long engagement, we want to enjoy this process, and I think one of the best parts of a long engagement is you also get a lot of time to plan a wedding. So we’re going to start having those conversations, we”re going to enjoy this whole process, and we’ll get to that point when it’s time.

Would you consider a televised wedding like Gerry and Theresa?

Joey: If you asked me that a year ago I’d be like, “What do you mean a televised wedding?” So I don’t think anyone thinks about that moment. That’s something that we can talk about later on, and if people want to see it, we’ll talk through it. But yeah, no one really thinks about having a televised wedding until apparently you go on a TV show.

You both have gotten to know the Golden Bachelor ladies very well, and I know you are fond of all of them. But is there one lady that you personally would love to see in that lead role on The Golden Bachelorette?

Kelsey: I really love Leslie, and I got to know her really well [when she came to talk to me before the overnight dates], so I think that she would do great in that role.

Joey: I’m going to plead the fifth. I can’t do that.

What if you give me your top three?

Joey: Okay, I can do that. I agree with Kelsey that Leslie is amazing. I think everyone has fully fallen in love with Susan too. Her personality is just everything. I love her so much. And let’s also say…I’ll throw a wild card in there like Joan, because I think that she has a really beautiful story too.

From row, from left: Sandra, Faith, Joan, Ellen. Back row: April, Susan, Kathy, Nancy

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This means you both will have to be on The Golden Bachelorette this fall. Joey, you stopped by their first season, then they came on your season, so now you’ve both got to go on The Golden Bachelorette.

Kelsey: It’s so funny to think about, but I’m so excited. I just want to support the upcoming episodes or seasons.

Joey: I was already on The Golden Bachelor, so we got to do it again. We got to keep the streak alive.

And Kelsey, your dad, Mark, is now on everyone’s wish list to be a contestant on The Golden Bachelorette. Have you even talked to him about this and would he do it?

Kelsey: Yeah, I’ve been trying to talk him into it. I think that he’s open to the concept of it, especially seeing how happy Joey and I are together and how we would’ve never met otherwise. Honestly, it would be a really great push for my dad to get him back into that space.

Definitely. Also, did you and Daisy plan your outfits last night? You both looked absolutely exceptional, but I got such a kick out of the halter crisscross look.

Kelsey: No, we did not. We had a little chat about like, “Oh, do you know what you’re wearing or have you gotten styled yet?” because we both hadn’t at that point. But I actually did a dress change last second to something that I just thought was a little bit more me. And no, I thought it was really hilarious. I was like, “Great minds think alike, honestly.” And they just let us wear what we felt most comfortable in and confident in.

N’sync, n’deed.

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Finally, what is something you and Joey have learned about each other over the last few months that you love to tease each other about?

Joey: We both have realized that we are definitely stubborn. We both like to get our way, and it’s been fun.

Kelsey: Yeah. It’s honestly hilarious.

Jessica Radloff is the Glamour senior West Coast editor and author of the NYT best-selling book The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series.