‘Something Was Off’: Kelsey Anderson Cries After Fan Criticism About Joey Graziadei Romance

The Bachelor star Kelsey Anderson has been facing relationship backlash for months after publicly announcing her engagement to Joey Graziadei, and she's now in tears after a fan claimed to know about an issue in their relationship. Kelsey, who met her now-fiancé during The Bachelor season 28, has been open about the way that fan criticism of her relationship has made her feel in the past. Though she met Joey on The Bachelor and expected the burden of a public relationship when she accepted his proposal, the constant scrutiny has taken a toll on her mental health recently.

In a new TikTok, Kelsey shared her emotions after a fan called her out for being a bit less openly excited about Joey’s most recent Dancing With The Stars performance, which was dedicated to her. While Kelsey is usually exuberant and expressive during the live shows, she was noticeably a bit more subdued this time, and one fan shared that they figured something must have gone wrong between Kelsey and Joey before the show to put her in a poor mood. In her defense, Kelsey explained that she'd feel better if she put the rumors about her relationship to rest.

Explaining that many of the Dancing With The Stars dedication night performances had been dedicated to loved ones the stars had lost, Kelsey shared that though she was incredibly grateful for Joey’s dedication, she was feeling a lot of grief. “It was a hard night for me seeing as how I lost my mom six years ago to breast cancer…it struck a nerve for me, so I was a little emotional,” Kelsey explained through tears. “I was missing my mom a little extra,” she clarified, before explaining that though she understood, she hopes fans can “focus on positives” moving forward.

What Kelsey Defending Her Behavior Means For Relationship With Joey

Kelsey Is Feeling The Weight Of The Criticism

Although Kelsey knew she was well within her right to ignore the criticism and move forward without acknowledging it, she shared that she wanted to respond to the accusation so it wouldn’t continue to propel forward. Kelsey, who didn’t have any reality TV experience before her time on The Bachelor, has been learning how to live her life in the public eye day by day, and her choice to defend herself was a noble one, albeit potentially a lost cause. Kelsey has always been open and vulnerable with Bachelor Nation, so her choice to continue to do so wasn’t surprising.

Kelsey deciding to open up about what she was feeling throughout the taping of the most recent Dancing With The Stars season 33 episode was a clear sign that she’s unhappy with the criticism. While the pair have repeatedly shared that they’re happy together and enjoying their relationship, Joey and Kelsey have both been under near-constant scrutiny for months, which has certainly taken a toll on their relationship. Kelsey choosing to respond to the backlash proves she’s not interested in simply ignoring the narrative but, rather, ensuring she’s protecting her relationship with Joey by explaining the truth.\

Our Take On Kelsey Anderson Reacting To Relationship Backlash

Kelsey Doesn’t Want To Deal With The Negativity

Although Kelsey didn’t owe anyone in or outside of Bachelor Nation an explanation, hearing about her mental state during the DWTS taping and understanding that she’s dealing with more than most realized was tough. Kelsey choosing to respond to the rumors and negativity was brave, and made it clear that she’s not taking the attack on her relationship lying down. She consistently opens up for Bachelor Nation, and by continuing to be authentic even in the face of rumors, Kelsey’s proving that she’s uninterested in letting others control her relationship’s narrative. The Bachelor star is finally choosing to fight back.