Ashley Iaconetti Criticizes Kelly Ripa’s Interaction With Bachelorette Jenn Tran: ‘Disappointing’

Ashley Iaconetti slammed Kelly Ripa‘s tense exchange with Bachelorette Jenn Tran during her appearance on Live With Kelly and Mark, saying the TV host has it out for the various Bachelor shows and their leads.

“It disappoints me when I see that Kelly Ripa has such an ax to grind with The Bachelor franchise,” Ashley, 36, said on the Thursday, July 11, episode of her “Almost Famous” podcast with cohost and former Bachelor Ben Higgins.

“Every time we have a lead go on the show to promote it, she always seems to be so skeptical of — a little bit of the lead, and their decision to be the lead — and also just the process,” The Bachelor season 19 contestant continued.

While Ashley admitted she’s a fan of Live With Kelly and Mark, she noted how the former Hope and Faith star “just seems to really shame the show,” referring to the Bachelor franchises.

The Great Falls, Virginia, native noted how there are “so many reality shows out there that are so much more trashy,” and how when it comes to Kelly, “She loves to pick at The Bachelor and The Bachelorette.”

Jenn, 26, was a guest on Live on Monday, July 8, the same day her season of The Bachelorette premiered on ABC.

“You’re drop dead gorgeous. You could meet anybody, anywhere, at any time. Why, why, why?” Kelly, 53, asked the aspiring physician’s assistant of going to TV to find love.

Jenn, who was a contestant on Joey Graziadei‘s season of The Bachelor, fired back, “I mean, is Hinge any better?” referring to the dating app.

Kelly pressed on, responding, “No, not Hinge! The office! Medical school! I don’t know!”

Jenn then tried to correlate how she was looking for love on TV and that Kelly fell for Mark when they starred on All My Children together.

“I have a question. Where’d you meet your husband?” the Miami resident asked. Kelly shot back, “At work!” while the reality star quizzed, “On TV, no?”

The former soap stars disagreed. “Those are not the same! We were both professionals,” Kelly said of her and Mark, asking, “Are you acting on your show?”

“I didn’t marry Mateo Santos. I married Mark Consuelos,” the Philadelphia native continued, referring to Mark’s character on All My Children.

Kelly then went back to her original point of questioning why Jenn would look for her future husband on a reality TV competition, telling her, “What I’m saying to you is you could meet a nice physician’s assistant.”

Jenn has put off her studies towards becoming a physician’s assistant twice. The first time was to compete on season 28 of The Bachelor, then again when she was named the season 21 Bachelorette, becoming the first Asian-American woman starring as the lead.

Spoilers have already surfaced that the Hillsdale, New Jersey, resident found true love on the show, accepting a wedding proposal that took place during the finale that was filmed on May 16.

Jenn said during a Monday, July 8, appearance on Kaitlyn Bristowe‘s “Off the Vine” podcast that she plans to pursue new career opportunities that might come her way after her season is done airing. However, she ultimately plans to go back to college to get her degree then go to work in a hospital.

“I’m absolutely scared for what that’s going to bring,” Jenn told Kaitlyn, 39, about life as a medical professional after being a reality star. “I think it’s going to be different. I don’t know what it’s gonna look like when I’m in the hospital when I’m working. I think it’s going to be a little crazy for a while.”