Justin Glaze first caught viewers’ attention on The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise, and is now one of the most popular content creators within Bachelor Nation. From cocktail content to his “side quest” series, where he’s been challenging himself to try new activities, Glaze has built a following by sharing his creative interests online.
Ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, Glaze is partnering with Baileys Original Irish Cream, a collaboration he says felt like a natural fit.
“Been a longstanding fan of the brand and the company as a whole,” he told us in a recent interview. “So, personally, I think it just resonates with me and my appreciation for fine cocktails and a lot of the work that I do in that space with content creation. And then this specific partnership came about through my side quest series that I do, where I challenged myself to do a lot of random first-time activities and classes. And so, it was the perfect time of year, obviously with Baileys being an Irish cocktail and the Irish holiday that we have coming up with St. Patrick’s Day, it was the perfect marriage for me to participate in.”
Turning Reality TV into creative opportunities
Glaze said appearing on reality television ultimately opened doors he hadn’t initially planned for.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s been a huge blessing for sure in a world that I didn’t really envision myself necessarily going full-fledged into as much as I have,” he explained. But there’s definitely pros and cons of going on reality TV and putting yourself out there. Personally, I always tell people that the pros have outweighed the cons for me, and I wouldn’t change anything. I’m very fortunate for a lot of the opportunities that have come about. But I think, specifically for me, more than anything, it has allowed me. Previously, I was working in finance, but my passion [was] always in the more creative space. And so I think, it’s allowed me to express that in a multitude of ways.”
He said partnerships tied to his content — including cocktail videos and social media series — reflect that shift.
“So, this partnership is a perfect example. I’ve always been out there and down to do odd things that many people may not. And if it’s your cup of tea, great. And if it’s not, that’s fine. If it is, great. And so, to be able to partner with a company like Baileys that I’ve always enjoyed and for them to, I guess, recognize some of the things that I’m passionate about and enjoy doing in my spare time, that my audience seems to enjoy, I’m so grateful and it’s a win-win situation to be able to have these partnerships and be able to express myself creatively on my social platforms.”
Becoming more comfortable with public attention
Glaze also said being on national television forced him to become more comfortable with public attention and criticism.
“To get a little personal, it was probably a good thing for me, because prior to going on the show, coincidentally, oddly enough, I didn’t post that much on social media, maybe a handful of times a year. And there was a component of me that probably thought a little bit too much about what people thought of me. And once you thrust yourself onto national television, you got to build thick skin pretty quick. And there’s, fortunately for me, I think most people out there like me, but you’re not going to please everyone, right? There’s going to be naysayers, there’s going to be people that have negative opinions about you and may not like you. And that’s fine. Right? But over time, you kind of build that callus and you become more comfortable understanding that you can’t control people’s opinions of you.”
He said that shift has also allowed him to take more creative risks online.
“And you’re either going to be somebody’s cup of tea, or you’re not. And so, to bring it full circle with this particular campaign, I mean, if you’d asked me a couple years ago before I was on the show, if I’d be doing the Irish jig in a kilt, I’d tell you no shot. But I guess that’s what reality TV does for you. It’s like, you put yourself out there and here I am partnering with Baileys and learning how to Irish dance in a kilt and having fun with it. So, things happen.”
If he’d return to reality television and his love for ‘The Traitors’
Although Glaze said he’s moved on from dating shows, he hasn’t ruled out returning to reality television entirely.
“Yeah, I mean, I would never say no. What I will, and I got caught in 4K saying no, when I thought I was done with the dating shows, which, let the record show, I am now. I promise you, I am. You won’t catch me on another dating show. But reality TV-wise, I would definitely be open to it, if it was the right fit and the right show.”
He said the key would be finding a format that allows viewers to see more of his personality.
“I think, at this phase of life, I’d be more interested in going on some type of show where I think I can be a bit more comfortable and showcase more of my personality. A lot of these dating shows, I’m just kind of on edge, heads on a swivel. And I don’t think, at least for me personally, I don’t feel like I was ever able to really fully be myself. So, I’d be open to opportunities, if it was the right show and if I felt like I could showcase more of who Justin is and not as on edge.”
If the opportunity did come along, Glaze already has a few shows in mind.
“I don’t know if you saw the footwork, but, Dancing With The Stars, my line is open. So, that would be one. [That and] The Traitors, those are for sure my top two, I think. Traitors and Dancing With The Stars, would be crazy. But I’d say, Traitors is probably my number one.”
He added that he’s a big fan of the competition series and believes he could hold his own in the game.
If he had the chance to compete, Glaze said he already has a strategy in mind.
“If I could have it my way, I would start as a Faithful and then play the game well enough to be recruited as a Traitor. I think that would be my ideal route. Being a Traitor is definitely way more fun playing that game. I think Rob [Rausch] played an amazing game this year, but if I had to choose just Traitor or Faithful, I would choose Traitor, but my ideal route would be, start as a Faithful and then get recruited to be a Traitor and finish it up.”