Where Billy Eichner and Colton Underwood Really Stand After That Bachelor Joke

Billy Eichner just revisited that old 'first gay Bachelor' line and, more importantly, where things stand with Colton Underwood now. Short version: no feud, no drama — they are fine.

So, what did Billy actually say?

On the Monday, May 4 episode of 'Watch What Happens Live,' Eichner, 47, looked back at his 2019 guest spot on Colton Underwood's season of 'The Bachelor,' when he cracked a joke on a group date about the show's lead possibly being gay. He made it clear it was a bit based on the season's defining storyline — Colton's much-discussed virginity — and not some kind of gotcha. When Colton came out a few years later, that clip blew up online.

'You might be the first gay Bachelor and we don't even know it.'

Eichner said he felt bad about how that moment aged, so he privately reached out. He DMed Colton to apologize for putting him on the spot on national TV and told him he genuinely had no idea. According to Eichner, Colton was cool about it, and there were no hard feelings.

Since then, Eichner says they have talked a bunch and still bump into each other here and there. He described Colton as lovely and someone he is happy to run into.

Context from back then

Right after Colton publicly came out in 2021, Eichner told Us Weekly he did not see it coming — he does not really watch 'The Bachelor,' he did not know Colton well, and he never suspected anything. He tweeted support the day Colton came out and said everyone gets to navigate that kind of personal milestone in their own way. He has kept that same tone since, saying he is rooting for Colton to keep growing into a happy gay life.

The timeline, clean and simple

• 2019: Eichner guest-hosts a group date on 'The Bachelor' season 23 and drops the 'first gay Bachelor' joke.
• 2021: Underwood comes out publicly; that old clip resurfaces and goes viral. Eichner backs him on social and says he truly had no idea at the time.
• May 4 (WWHL): Eichner explains he DMed an apology back then, Colton took it well, and they are on good terms. He adds they still cross paths and it is always nice.
• February 2022: Colton, now 34, announces his engagement to Jordan C. Brown.
• 2023: They get married.
• 2024: They welcome their first child, a son named Bishop, via surrogate, and share a joint post saying their world just got a whole lot brighter.

Where it lands

This is one of those pop-culture moments that looked cheeky in 2019 and awkward in hindsight — but both guys handled it like adults. Eichner owned the joke and apologized privately; Colton accepted it and moved on. Everyone seems good, and Colton is busy being a newlywed and a dad. That is the headline.