Bachelor Nation
Remember Sam McKinney? A Refresher on ‘Bachelorette’ Villain Who’s on ‘Bachelor in Paradise’
Sam McKinney is still keeping “the main thing the main thing.” The South Carolinian was one of the handsome suitors hoping to catch Jenn Tran’s eye on The Bachelorette, and he famously received the coveted First Impression rose. After that, things quickly spiraled, with Sam getting eliminated in Episode 6 of the season. Bachelor Nation was shocked when Sam admitted, “I thought the Bachelorette was going to be Daisy or Maria.”
Sam claimed he got a “bad edit” while he was on the show, but he’s not giving up on the chance to find love within Bachelor Nation. Sam is one of the alumni heading to the beach in Bachelor in Paradise Season 10. From his background to what happened with Jenn, scroll down to get all the latest updates on Sam McKinney.
Where is Sam McKinney from?
Sam is from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He is a Myrtle Beach local and attended Socastee High School in the area, according to WPDE. Prior to high school, he was homeschooled.
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What does Sam do for a living?
Sam works as a contractor for McKinney Custom Builders. According to his LinkedIn, he works in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.
Why did Sam join Bachelor in Paradise Season 10?
Given the drama of his run on The Bachelorette, fans were surprised to see Sam on the cast list for Bachelor in Paradise. He admitted on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast that he was “super skeptical” about joining the show and didn’t sign on until three days before the deadline.
“I expected some people would embrace me and some people would hold me at an arm’s length because they didn’t know what to expect,” Sam said. “And I expected the other group of people to be like, ‘F**k this guy right here. This guy sucks.’ And I understand it. I really do.” However, Sam admitted that the cast members were “super warm and welcoming” to him.
Sam also revealed that he had his eye on Alli Jo Hinkes from Grant Ellis‘ season of The Bachelor before heading to Bachelor in Paradise. “[Alli Jo] was somebody who… we spoke a little bit before Paradise and she was just super sweet and stuff,” he dished. “I thought, ‘That would be a great girl to go meet out there.'”
The 28-year-old is still searching for his forever partner, but he knows what he wants in a potential wife. “Honestly, I want somebody who can — usually I stay in my place about 90 percent of the time — but if I ever decide to wander off the beaten path, I need somebody who will smack me with a stick and say, ‘Hey! Straighten up a little bit!'”
He added, “I want my partner to have her voice and understand that what she says is important, whether that’s telling me to straighten up or hold her hand or whatever it is.”
What happened to Sam on The Bachelorette?
After meeting all 25 suitors, Jenn had to decide who she wanted to give her First Impression rose to at the end of the Season 21 premiere. Something in her gut told her to pick Sam. “I can’t stop thinking about you,” Jenn told Sam.
“Throughout that night, I really just kept thinking back to, Who do I feel most comfortable with right now? And who do I see potential in?” Jenn told TV Insider. “For that night, I felt like Sam M. was just someone who I felt comfortable with and wanted to get to know more.”
After Sam accepted the First Impression rose, Jenn began to make out with her standout suitor. Jenn acknowledged the “steamy makeout” session. “There was just so much tension building up all night, so there definitely was chemistry,” she revealed.
During his time on the show, Sam opened up about his near-fatal accident. “I was in a motorcycle accident, one that should have killed me, and I walked away without a scratch,” Sam said. “So any opportunity that I get I’m taking it head on.”
However, Sam quickly became the “villain” of the season, and Jenn ultimately sent him home in Episode 6. They had a face-to-face at the Men Tell All special months later. He addressed his “Daisy or Maria” comment and stressed that he meant “no disrespect” toward Jenn. “If it came across like that, then once again, I continue to apologize for my delivery because I know it needs work,” he said.
Jenn called him out for his “blatant disrespect” toward the guys. Sam and Season 21 winner Devin Strader did not get along, with Sam claiming that Devin was a different person when he wasn’t in front of the cameras. Devin infamously broke up with Jenn in a 15-minute phone call after they got engaged in the Season 21 finale. When Devin tried to respond in a 13-minute Instagram video (which he later deleted and then uploaded a new one), Sam responded with a middle finger emoji in the comments.
Bachelor in Paradise, Season 10, Mondays, 8/7c, ABC
