Former Bachelor Nation contestants dish on the shows and Nick Foles

As the rest of Bachelor Nation eagerly awaits Colton’s “fence jumping” episode on this season of "The Bachelor," an uber popular Bachelor Nation couple is coming to the Philly area. 

Raven Gates and Adam Gottschalk will be performing a live podcast show with The Rose Buds Podcast at Punch Line Philly on February 23. The live show will feature a behind-the-scenes look into “The Bachelor” including details that do not air on TV, insights into their relationship, dating advice via “Ask Adam” and more surprises. A meet and greet will follow after the show (so yes, you can get your Instagram picture with them). 

For a refresher, Raven competed for Nick Viall’s season of “The Bachelor” and Adam was on Rachel Lindsay’s season of “The Bachelorette.” Both then appeared on Bachelor Nation spin-off “Bachelor in Paradise,” where they struck up their love connection.

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I caught up with the two love birds as they dished on a possible engagement, their candid thoughts on Colton’s season (Why does he jump the fence? To leave the show?), why “Bachelor in Paradise” relationships last longer than “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” relationships, and much more. 

Also, Adam was teammates with Philadelphia God Nick Foles when they played football at the University of Arizona and Adam, who played safety, confirms one very, “big” rumor about Nick.

PhillyVoice: What are you most looking forward to about visiting Philadelphia?

AG: “Definitely the culture and the history of Philly. I’m looking forward to honestly more of like the bars and pubs you have there.”

RG: “I’m more excited to try out the food, and the pubs and the bars. That’s what I envision when I think of Philly.”

PhillyVoice: What can people expect from the live podcast show at Punch Line Philly?

AG: “75 minutes of pure entertainment. We will tell you exactly what goes on behind the scenes. If people want to know what we did without phones or who brought burner phones, etc., ask away.”

RG: “No holding back. We are ready to spill the tea. Anything the audience wants to know, we are not going to hold back, we’re not going to be reserved about it. And a lot of inside scoop.”

PhillyVoice: How did being on reality TV impact both of your careers? (Adam is in real estate; Raven has her own fashion line on the web: Grey Suede.) 

AG: “For me it doesn’t really impact my career. If anything it’s taught me to be a little bit better when it comes to public speaking or meeting in a group of people where I have to talk about something. When you have cameras in your face 24/7, the nerves that you have about not wanting to say something in front of people or being timid doesn’t really affect me.”

RG: “I started off having a brick and mortar store, and within the past two years I surpassed brick and mortar sales to online sales being my bread and butter, which is something I never really expected. I didn’t go on the show thinking that would happen so a lot of my sales are driven online from people that are fans of the show, and fans of us and my season, so it has definitely impacted the way I make a living for sure.”

PhillyVoice: Why do “Bachelor in Paradise” relationships tend to last longer than “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” relationships?

RG: “I think that for Paradise, you can date around with multiple people. It’s not just one person you’re vying for so if you’re not feeling someone or you want to date around and try to see who is a better fit for you instead of just trying to win that one person over, that’s what works well. You know it’s one thing to be on the show and leave as a couple, but it’s a totally different thing when you’re outside the show, being a real couple. So I think with Paradise outside of the show, it lasts better than “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” because you’re back in real life and there’s not one person that’s on the pedestal. You both leave being on the same level, just trying to make a dollar. I think you come back more to reality from Paradise, as opposed to when you are the bachelor or bachelorette trying to get someone.”

PhillyVoice: What would you like to see from “The Bachelor” franchise moving forward?

AG: “I understand it’s TV, but I also think they should do a better job at finding contestants. I mean who in their right mind is 23 or 24 years-old and ready to be engaged or married? It’s just tough.”

RG: “I would like for them to pick a bachelor or bachelorette that was not a former contestant. I would like for them to find a really great man outside of the reality TV realm. Like off the street, successful, has everything going for them kind of guy. Not someone who was a contestant. Because now I think it’s so muddled with people that just want to be the next bachelor or bachelorette. You’re not getting that good, organic bachelor anymore.”

PhillyVoice: What are your thoughts on Colton’s season?

AG: “I think Colton plays a great part in being the bachelor, so far. I don’t feel like the drama and the pettiness was as eclectic as Raven’s season, and they are just trying to find things to pick at. Whether that’s the two pageant girls going at each other, or ‘so and so said this about you’ it’s just stupid. I think the season is very slow and immature.”

RG: “I think the girls are immature because they’re so young.”

PhillyVoice: Why do you think Colton jumps the fence?

AG: “I think he did it for TV. I think he also regrets letting people go too early. I think there were people that left early and he was like ‘damn, I wish I had them back here’ and I think with the cards that he’s dealt with right now, he’s trying to put it all together.

RG: “I think he felt super confined and he just needed to get out of there. I think he felt like a bird in the cage and just needed to get out of there. He had been playing the part and playing the part and he just snapped, which was bound to happen. I think he was in a headspace where he just couldn’t take it and needed to break out of the character of playing the bachelor, and he had to get out of there. He’s about to pull a Demi and go nuts”

PhillyVoice: Raven- what’s new with Shop Grey Suede?

RG: “We are extending our curvy selection. That’s sizes 1X – 3X, of course we have a lot already for sizes small through large, but we are really focusing on our curvy selection and we are really chipping away at not only having dresses, rompers, tops, but we introduced swim for the spring and summer. And hopefully next month we’re getting our baby site back up and running and it’s all going to be integrated into one website so it’s just one-stop-shop for moms, college students and for babies. For our visit to Philly, our new friends can use special code ‘ROSEBUDS’ for 30% off their order until midnight Feb. 25.”

PhillyVoice: Adam- you were teammates with Philadelphia Eagles back-up quarterback Nick Foles at Arizona- what was he like in college?

AG: “Nick was very humble, and a great leader at U of A. His wife Tori was on the volleyball team, and then those two like just kind of lived a more grown up life compared to everyone. He really never went out or anything but you knew he was always kind of the underdog. When he got called up and he performed his first game and threw his first touchdown, you knew at that moment that this guy was going to take this team and go places in life.”

PhillyVoice: Any funny stories about Nick Foles?

AG: “Oh man. The only thing that is really funny, that has been brought up before, is basically how Nick ‘hangs’ in the locker room, if you know what I mean. He packs a third leg. It’s so true.”

PhillyVoice: Engagement for you two in the near future?

AG: “Yes, before year’s end.”