Is Juan Pablo the Most Misunderstood Bachelor?

For better or for worse, Juan Pablo Galavis is going to go down in Bachelor history as one of the series' most controversial suitors. The professional athlete can't seem to get out of his own way—making anti-gay remarks to the press, acting hypocritically towards the Bachelorettes (seriously, poor Claire) and insisting he wants to protect his daughter from the experience, all the while bringing one contestant to the five-year-old's dance recital (what the what?).

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Still, when OK! chatted with the 32-year-old athlete, he says the experience is a positive one.

"On The Bachelorette I knew Desiree (Hartsock) wanted to have a family, or that’s what I thought, because that’s the point of it," says Juan Pablo. "To me being The Bachelor is that. You have the opportunity to meet 25 people. They knew who I was and what I wanted. In a sense it’s easier because people who go on the show want that. They go in thinking Juan Pablo wants to get married and he wants a family. That’s why I did it. That’s what I was expecting and it was great."

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For her part, the original Bachelorette, and always diplomatic, Trista Sutter is rooting for Juan Pablo to get his happily ever after like she did.

"I think it’s an interesting season," she tells OK!. "It’s always interesting with the different personalities and what’s going on. But I love this season. I think he has palpable chemistry with a couple of different girls and I’m really hopeful he’ll find love, or has found love."

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Juan Pablo is adamant the most difficult aspect of his time as The Bachelor is letting people go.

"That was the toughest part when I decided to do The Bachelor was hurting people and making people feel rejected," he says. "I hate hurting people. Rose ceremonies and me—we don’t get along very well."

Catch Juan Pablo and the ladies as they jet off to the hometown dates on next week's episode of The Bachelor, airing at 8/7c on ABC.

What do you think of The Bachelor this season? Tell us in the comments or tweet @OKMagazine.