'The Bachelorette': Who Is Yosef Aborady?

According to Chris Harrison, he "doesn't shy away from controversy."

Yosef Aborady
(Image credit: The Bachelorette / ABC)

For once, Chris Harrison's biannual pronouncement that an upcoming Bachelor or Bachelorette season is "the most dramatic ever" might actually be true. Clare Crawley's season of The Bachelorette has only just premiered, but it's already mired in some especially juicy controversy (all the spoilers here). With great reality TV drama comes great reality TV villains, and this completely bonkers season of The Bachelorette promises to deliver on both counts. By all accounts, the biggest pot-stirrer of the group (Chris Harrison's words, not mine) is Yosef Aborady, a medical device salesman and model. Here's everything we know so far about his villain edit, from heated altercations with Crawley to his abrupt removal from the show.

Who is Yosef Aborady?

According to his official ABC bio, Aborady is 30 years old, hails from Daphne, Alabama, and is a graduate of the University of South Alabama Mitchell College of Business. He's divorced and has a daughter, 4-year-old Zara, from that marriage. When he's not hanging out with Zara, the "light of his life" (look no further than his Instagram for proof of their sweet relationship), he cooks, spends time with friends, and lets loose on the dance floor, and has dreams of visiting Napa and owning a home in Egypt.

In his own words, "I am successful, intelligent, have my life together, and I am extremely hard working." Sounds like me in the mirror trying to convince myself that 2020 isn't total chaos.

Yosef Aborady on 'The Bachelorette'

(Image credit: Craig Sjodin / Getty Images)

What does Yosef Aborady do to Clare?

In week two, we see a teaser of what's going to play out between Aborady and Crawley. When Crawley and the producers orchestrate a strip dodgeball date, Aborady is not having it—in spite of not being present for the date—and starts remarking to his fellow contestants that it's yet another red flag from Crawley. (Which, what?) In the teaser for the next episode, we can see someone—who, spoiler, turns out to be Aborady—yelling, "I expected more from the oldest Bachelorette!" 

A tearful Crawley retorts, "I am the oldest Bachelorette that's 39, that's standing here, that's single, because I didn't settle for men like that."

Yosef Aborady on 'The Bachelorette'

(Image credit: Craig Sjodin / Getty Images)

According to Reality Steve, Aborady calls Crawley and her decision to ask the guys to play strip dodgeball "classless" and "tacky" before segueing into his nasty "oldest Bachelorette" comment. He also invokes his daughter on multiple occasions and says he wants to set an example for her, which, um, gives me major Juan Pablo vibes.

What does Chris Harrison have to say about this?

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the show's host hinted that Aborady was one to watch. "Yosef is definitely someone who wears his heart on his sleeve. He is not afraid to express how he's feeling—and it could be to anybody, including Clare," he said, adding, "Yosef is definitely someone, as far as drama goes, you want to keep an eye on."

Harrison was a bit more blunt in his own video introducing each of this season's contestants, noting that Aborady "doesn't shy away from controversy this season." He added, "If there is something on Yosef's mind, he's gonna say it. He has zero filter, he doesn't mind who he says it in front of, and he doesn't mind who he stirs the pot with—and I mean anybody. So, watch out for Yosef."

Anything from Yosef himself?

For his part, Aborady's Instagram bio currently reads, "I'm not done yet..." which also happens to be what he says in the promo before Clare seemingly kicks him off the show. Not ominous at all!

Andrea Park

Andrea Park is a Chicago-based writer and reporter with a near-encyclopedic knowledge of the extended Kardashian-Jenner kingdom, early 2000s rom-coms and celebrity book club selections. She graduated from the Columbia School of Journalism in 2017 and has also written for W, Brides, Glamour, Women's Health, People and more.