Bachelorette Charity Recap Premiere, Brayden’s 1st Impression Rose

The Bachelorette is back – and Charity Lawson breaks down the biggest moments from the season 20 premiere Our weekly’s podcast “Here for the right reasons”.

Brayden took center stage during the Monday, June 26 premiere, receiving Charity’s first impression soaring despite a warning from the protagonist’s brother – who was undercover as a bartender – that the contestant bragged about kissing her.

“Me and my brother are obviously super close, and it was so helpful to have him there on the first night. He clearly got to see a lot that I didn’t see,” she says Us with a smile. “He really reminded me at the time — our conversation, of course, [was] not all of them shown – but he just assured me that all the guys, or most of the guys, were really there for me and that they were really excited about me being the bachelorette and this chance for them to really get to know me. So that made me feel good at the time, despite thinking, ‘Oh, Brayden was really loud in the house with the boys about the kiss.’”

Charity says she tried to see both sides of the Brayden situation. “I almost took that as a two-way street — like, ‘Okay, Brayden is very excited and it could cross the line of confident versus cocky,'” she says. “But he also kind of falls back on all the guys who are also really excited to be here. I kind of considered that too, maybe that’s why Brayden was so vocal because he was so excited.

As Charity stands by giving Brayden the rose – “That’s Brayden’s personality, just someone who’s very animated and just fun and lively” – she concludes, “He’s one to watch.”

Keep reading for more from Charity:

On the best limo entrance:
“I think [that] used to be Warwick! I think Warwick’s one-way ticket to his hometown. I was like, ‘This is too good.’ … He was someone who really caught my attention.”

On the best worst entrance:
“My least favorite was Spencer. Spencer is definitely so funny, but he completely caught me off guard when he asked if I would kick him in the balls. And I was like, ‘I don’t know what’s going on.’ I was like, ‘No way. Oh, we’re not doing this!’”

When he gave Brayden the first impression, he rose to Aaron B.:
“Aaron B. was, like, real [his] ego was bruised, but that’s okay! If it wasn’t for Brayden, I’d definitely have my eye on Warwick. … Obviously Aaron B. [and I] also had a very good conversation Xavier. It could have gone to any of them, but in the end I decided to give Brayden the first impression.

On the best night 1 kiss:
“Brayden really got the first impression too because he is a good kisser. I can say that. But I think next in line would probably have been Xavier. The chemistry between me and Xavier was undeniable.

On the threat of taking back a rose in the trailer:
“I think if I have to be cheeky, it’s entertaining to say the least, but it’s not fun. And so for me, I’m kind of afraid of, you know, those moments that happen where I’m like, ‘There’s a rose in your chest, but I can actually take it back.’ There are so many moments that kind of make up that one moment.”

For more about The Bachelorette season 20 premiere, including a tease of JoJo Fletcher And Jordan Rogers about their upcoming cameo, listen to the “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast.