The Bachelorette season 20 is barely off the ground and already going strong.

With the show’s official debut, audiences were introduced to this season’s 25 contestants, and lines are already being drawn in the sand. While a few favorites are already sticking out among viewers – one or two are likewise turning people away. We still have weeks to get to know Spencer Storbeck, as he works to win over this year’s Bachelorette, Charity Lawson, but he’s got some ground to make up for. Storbeck’s first impression didn’t leave audiences overly impressed, and some viewers are already warning Lawson away from their bottom pick for season 20.

Who is Spencer Storbeck?

Storbeck almost instantly inspired rampant memes and passionate takeaways after his entrance into the Bachelorette lineup left many viewers in their feelings. Most of these feelings led to jokes about Storbeck’s awkward delivery, and warnings for Lawson to “run,” but these knee-jerk reactions may be unfair. At this point, we still know almost nothing about Spencer’s background — apart from what he’s revealed in the series so far — and people poking fun at his awkward delivery might be off-base in their criticism. After all, widespread speculation that Storbeck is neuro-divergent or suffers from an anxiety disorder could be accurate, and going after someone for feeling uncomfortable on-camera isn’t the best look.

That being said, Storbeck didn’t come off great in his big Bachelorette debut. His awkward jokes, uncomfortable intensity, and general vibe set many audience members off, and sparked a wave of memes in response. Most highlight Storbeck’s delivery and Lawson’s graceful handling of some of their more uncomfortable interactions.

There are plenty of people pushing back on the criticism as well, however, and pointing out that Storbeck may simply be neuroatypical. That didn’t stop them from sharing bafflement at Lawson’s decision to grace Storbeck with a rose, particularly in the presence of such fierce competition.

We may find plenty more to enjoy in Storbeck over the remainder of the season — or, at least, the remainder of his time on it — and at least some viewers are willing to give him a shot. More importantly, Lawson is willing to see where their future interactions go, and — despite audience concerns — it seems he’s a pretty normal guy overall.

Storbeck has been employed by the same company, as a regional sales director for Panthera Dental, since 2021. At 32 years old, he’s right in Lawson’s age range, and he already revealed that he has a child from a former relationship. A University of Wyoming graduate and former football player, Storbeck seems like a relatively regular guy — albeit one with a bit of an odd on-screen presence. We’ll see if he loosens up in front of the camera in future episodes of The Bachelorette season 20, or if those early social media reactions were onto something.

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