Top 10 Most Awkward Bachelor Kisses

Top 10 Most Awkward Bachelor Kisses

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Most Awkward Bachelor Kisses.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the dating franchise’s oddest, grossest, and cringiest lip-locks that were anything but romantic.

Which kiss gives you severe second-hand embarrassment? Let us know in the comments!

#10: Jake & Michelle
“The Bachelor” (2002-)

Members of Bachelor Nation who have been tuning in since 2010 will remember the token villain of Jake Pavelka’s season, Michelle. In her short stint on the show, she threatened to leave the mansion twice after feeling like she wasn't getting enough time with the leading man. On a group date, the contestant seized her opportunity to spend a moment with Jake, who didn’t seem too interested in the encounter. After expressing her desire to feel something and asking him for a kiss, the bachelor hesitantly obliged. But it left much to be desired. It was evident that no sparks were flying, and both parties were visibly uncomfortable after the forced interaction.

#9: Rachel & Fred
“The Bachelorette” (2003-)

As we’ve learned from Michelle, asking someone to kiss you instead of just letting it happen is likely to result in some awkwardness. Rachel can speak to this, as her season saw one of her men do just that. During a date, Fred pulled the bachelorette aside to share a moment that he obviously overthought. He asked her point-blank if he could kiss her, much to her surprise. Though Rachel was taken aback by the question, she gave Fred what he asked for. Even more awkward than the exchange itself was the two’s confessional reactions afterward, as he excitedly cheered while she expressed feeling like she was kissing a “little boy”.

#8: Juan Pablo & Sharleen
“The Bachelor” (2002-)

Juan Pablo’s season was uncomfortable for many reasons. But one of his kisses with the early frontrunner, Sharleen, stands out as one of the cringiest. While sharing one-on-one time with the woman he appeared to love kissing most, Juan Pablo went in for a smooch that left Bachelor Nation squirming. Though both parties seemed like they wanted it to happen, the lip-lock felt slightly off as the couple’s mouths and tongues didn’t meet in the most natural way. Viewers weren’t the only ones who didn’t love the moment. Sharleen asked for a re-do, and a group of the other women annoyedly watched it unfold from afar.

#7: Josh & Amanda
“Bachelor in Paradise” (2014-)

Making their returns for another chance at love, Josh and Amanda took to the “Bachelor in Paradise” beach. And they were not shy about their blatant attraction for one another. Even though we love episodes packed with kissing, the lip-locks exchanged between this passionate pair weren’t well-received due to the awkward audio that accompanied them. On multiple occasions, Josh demonstrated that he’s an audible kisser, frequently moaning, groaning, and growling as he essentially ate Amanda’s face. While we don’t blame the duo for taking advantage of the beach’s many good spots for a makeout, we absolutely could have done without the cringey noises. It’s times like these when we’re thankful for the “mute” button.

#6: Chris & Ashley
“The Bachelor” (2002-)

On Chris Soules’ season, Ashley I. was best known for her regular crying episodes. However, we haven't forgotten one of her earlier impressionable moments where she created a situation that surprisingly wasn’t tearful, but was certainly awkward. Taking an interesting approach to pique the bachelor’s interest, Ashley granted Chris 3 wishes. But for them to come true, she told him that he would have to rub her belly button ring. Her Aladdin-inspired flirting got her a kiss, but it turned into a rather aggressive makeout that raised eyebrows given her then-virgin status. We respect Ashley’s effort, but there’s no denying that this interaction is hard to watch.

#5: Emily & Doug
“The Bachelorette” (2003-)

Pretty much every break-up scene in the series holds a degree of awkward tension, but Emily and Doug’s split reached a whole new level of cringe. The bachelorette explained to the single dad that he was taking a while to show his feelings. Yet Doug didn’t get the hint that this signaled the end of his time. Thinking that Emily wanted a display of affection, he interrupted her speech and finally planted a kiss on her. But it was too little too late. Emily had already made up her mind to send him home, and ended the moment with a platonic goodbye hug. As embarrassing as this was for Doug, it was just as painful for us.

#4: Jason & Shannon
“The Bachelor” (2002-)

Jason Mesnick shared kisses with many of the women on his season, so it was inevitable that some wouldn’t be as great as others. But Shannon holds the title for the worst of them all. While trying to convince the bachelor of all she had to offer, she couldn’t hold back tears…or snot dripping from her nose. Despite the icky circumstances, Jason kissed Shannon, though it was really more of a quick peck. Handling it as kindly as possible, he even wiped her lips and gave her a consolation smooch on the hand. In Shannon’s defense, the kiss was bound to be odd and gross. Snot running down your face is a surefire mood killer.

#3: Jojo & Wells
“The Bachelorette” (2003-)

It’s understandable that one would get jittery when prepping to kiss someone for the first time on national television. But Wells was arguably the most nervous contestant yet. He openly admitted his fear of it being awkward, which ended up being an unfortunate case of foreshadowing. After scoring a one-on-one date with Jojo, the pair went in for a failed high five that turned into a bizarre sort of half-assed kiss on the cheek. The childlike display immediately indicated that chemistry was seriously lacking between the duo. Luckily, Wells has since redeemed himself, showing his much less awkward side as BIP’s beloved bartender and the partner of Sarah Hyland.

#2: Carly & Evan
“Bachelor in Paradise” (2014-)

This duo seemed doomed from the start, as they began their relationship with an incredibly uncomfortable smooch. It did nothing for Carly, so things only got worse when Evan chose her to join him on a date. When tasked with eating habanero peppers, and then attempting to break a record for the longest kiss, the pair delivered perhaps the grossest lip-lock ever. After locking lips for almost 2 minutes, the two tried to separate, but a nauseating string of saliva remained attached to their mouths. To nobody’s surprise, Carly puked. But what’s truly shocking is the fact that Carly and Evan left the beach engaged, proving the disgusting moment may have actually brought them closer.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Arie & Bekah, “The Bachelor” (2002-)
The Pre-kiss Shimmy That Baffled Bachelor Nation

Matt & Most of the Women, “The Bachelor” (2002-)
The Bachelor Notorious For His Open-Eyed Kissing

Hannah & Jed, “The Bachelorette” (2003-)
Steamy Alone Time Featuring an Unexpected Witness

Peter & Mykenna, “The Bachelor” (2002-)
Tick Tock…Natasha’s Waiting

Jojo & Will, “The Bachelorette” (2003-)
Using a Paper Fortune Teller to Land Your First Kiss Might Not Be the Smoothest Tactic

#1: Ben & Jamie
“The Bachelor” (2002-)

“The Bachelor” franchise has plenty of lip-locks we’d like to forget, but this one is almost unbearably painful to relive. Jamie, a contestant on Ben Flajnik’s season, somehow thought it would be a good idea to give him a detailed step-by-step lesson on kissing, demonstrations included. After giving her unsolicited advice, Jamie proceeded to critique Ben's techniques even while the two were actually locking lips. She clearly believed her tips had the potential to create a more pleasurable exchange, but her effort turned out to be an epic fail. The result was a moment riddled with discomfort. A lot of time has passed since the infamous scene first aired, but the second-hand embarrassment is still so real.