As a contestant on The Bachelorette Season 20 and the leading man of The Bachelor Season 28, Joey Graziadei let one crucial question guide his relationships: “Will you accept this rose?” When Decider chatted with the 28-year-old teaching tennis pro on Zoom ahead of his show’s January 22 premiere, however, we filled him in on the relationship question of the moment: “To peel, or not to peel?”
Chronically online humans who doomscroll in our year 2024 are likely familiar with the viral Orange Peel Theory that’s taking over TikTok. (Not to be confused with Orangetheory! Very different.) But if you, like Graziadei, are too busy searching for your soulmate to stay up-to-date with the latest social media trends, allow us to break down all the citrus commotion for you.
For months, TikTok has been abuzz with the Orange Peel Theory, the latest in a long line of viral relationship tests. Essentially, someone asks their partner to peel an orange for them, then gauges how supportive that partner is based on their response. If someone willingly performs the small act of service with minimal pushback, it’s a glowing green flag. If someone protests or questions why a capable partner can’t peel the fruit themselves, that’s deemed unsettling red flag behavior by commenters.
At the time of writing this article, the hashtag #OrangePeelTheory has more than 196 million views on TikTok with viral videos of people refusing to peel oranges, others quickly catering to their partner’s wishes, and some sweet souls even begging to cut the orange rather than peel it. Whether or not you think the spur of the moment vibe check is a ridiculous way to judge someone’s character, there’s no denying the Orange Peel Theory is exploding online. So Decider asked one of America’s most eligible bachelors, the literal star of The Bachelor, what he would do if one of his contestants asked him to peel an orange for her. His response was delightfully telling.
“I would love to think that I would peel an orange,” Graziadei said, starting off strong.
The Season 28 lead admittedly hadn’t heard of the theory before our Zoom call, so one might assume that he listened to my explanation, then picked the option that sounded more chivalrous. If we’ve learned anything from Graziadei’s time on TV, though, it’s that he’s incredibly self-aware and unafraid to be vulnerable. So naturally, he wasn’t done with his response.
“But I’m also the kind of guy that loves to give my partner a little bit of crap from time to time,” he continued with a smirk. “So I probably would look at them and be like, ‘Why are you not doing this yourself?’” Oh, Joey. The Orange Peel Theory truthers of Bachelor Nation may have just turned on you, buddy!
If you suddenly find yourself questioning the character of the big-hearted, generous, emotionally intelligent contestant we came to know and love on The Bachelorette, wait just a second. He’s not done yet! Before we moved on to the next question, Graziadei hit me with his final Orange Peel Theory thought, concluding, “But I would do it for them. There’s no doubt I would do it for them.”
You hear that, folks? This man is so sure that he’d peel your orange he brought Gwen Stefani’s Coachella buzz band into the conversation. He has no doubt!
Depending on how seriously you take the Orange Peel Theory, Graziadei’s “a little bit of crap” comment may come across as a tiny red — maybe orange? — flag, but we give him extra points for an honest, introspective answer. By imagining two different potential responses, the Bachelor lead also emphasized the fact that many factors (such as mood!) play into this theory, so it’s certainly not the most reliable relationship test in the world.
If your partner peels your orange the first time you ask, props to them. But if they give you “a little bit of crap” — like Graziadei might, depending on the day — and that response doesn’t sit well with you, just remember you can always apply to be on The Bachelor and trade those oranges for roses.
New episodes of The Bachelor Season 28 premiere Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC with next-day streaming on Hulu.
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