TV & Movies
Marlena From The Bachelor Really Wants To Be On BiP — But Not To Date
She has a different role in mind.
Though she’s technically still competing on Clayton Echard’s season of The Bachelor, Marlena Wesh already has her sights set on Bachelor in Paradise — just not for the reason you think. “I just wanna be a host and roast everyone out the limos and walking towards the beach lol #manifest,” Marlena tweeted on Feb. 9. When a follower replied that she “better be on” BiP, Marlena again clarified she meant “as the host,” joking that “everyone would be too drunk to mingle coherently” if she took the bartender role from Wells Adams.
Marlena certainly has the roasting skills to helm BiP, as she proved during the group date roast that aired during The Bachelor’s Feb. 7 episode. However, her encore performance on TikTok wasn’t as well-received. In a since-deleted post, Marlena took aim at her fellow Season 26 contestants, poking fun at Rachel Recchia’s “fake” appearance, calling Serene an “off-brand Michelle [Young],” and ripping on Teddi for doing nothing but “mop[ing] and cry[ing].” However, many felt Marlena crossed the line by making racial remarks about Sarah Hamrick, who is part Vietnamese.
“Sarah, my little Asian persuasion, OK?” Marlena said in her since-deleted TikTok. “One thing’s for certain and two things for damn sure, if Clayton ends up with Sarah, at least we know he’s gonna get a happy ending.”
Following widespread backlash online, Marlena apologized to Sarah privately. She also addressed the video in an Instagram post. “I needed a moment to gather myself to truly understand how the context of my joke could harm the Asian community,” Marlena captioned a Feb. 10 Instagram photo. “As a woman of color myself that has dealt with microaggressions pertaining to my culture, my intention was never to hurt anyone and I see that my comment did just that. I perpetuated a dangerous stereotype and because of that I want to truly apologize to all that were offended and hurt by such an ignorant and cruel comment.”
There doesn’t seem to be any bad blood between Marlena and Sarah, who commented on the post: “My girl! You have the best heart and are one of the most caring women I’ve ever met, who especially stands up for what is right. I love you!”
While she awaits any potential BiP casting, Marlena has been focusing on her career as a real estate agent in Miami, where she relocated in November. Prior to the move, she’d been working in a corporate human resources job five hours away in Gainesville, Florida. She also previously competed as a sprinter in the 2012 Summer Olympics for Haiti. (Marlena was born and raised in Virginia but was eligible to compete for Haiti because both of her parents are from the country and she’s a citizen there).
She’s also been keeping up with The Bachelor, and like Clayton, she’s been surprised by what she’s seen — particular in regard to her co-star Shanae Ankney, who has stirred the pot repeatedly and made fun of contestant Elizabeth Corrigan for having ADHD. “Disappointed in Shanae,” Marlena tweeted on Jan. 25. “ I befriended her and what I’m watching now vs who she put on to be is two completely diff people.”
Whether or not Marlena will make it to BiP this summer remains to be seen, but some have also thrown her hat in the ring to become the next Bachelorette. Stay tuned.
