The Squeeze — Rachel Recchia: Finding Closure and Moving Forward

Host: Taylor Lautner (Tay)
Guest: Rachel Recchia
Date: September 3, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of "The Squeeze" centers on Rachel Recchia, well-known from "The Bachelor," "The Bachelorette," and recent reality TV crossovers. Rachel joins hosts Taylor Lautner (Tay) and Brittany Carter for a candid, often vulnerable conversation about closure, personal growth, and navigating mental health challenges in the public eye. The discussion explores Rachel’s journey through reality television, the impact of fame on her self-esteem, her career in aviation, experiences with online criticism, her perspective on cosmetic surgery, and what she learned about herself moving forward. The tone stays light, empathetic, and refreshingly honest.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Banter and Icebreaker

Timestamps: 00:01–03:35

• The episode opens playfully, discussing "sweet and sour" traits in men and Rachel’s own “Pisces” emotional tendencies.
• The signature "Citrus Got Real" jar prompts Rachel: "If you could only use one emoji for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?"
  • Rachel chooses the crying/welling-up emoji:

    “I cry all the time, but it also is like, happiness. It's just. It fits everything… it’s literally my brand at this point.” —Rachel Recchia (03:04)

  • Rachel reflects on embracing her brand as "the crier" and the importance of owning her feelings.

2. Rachel’s Reality TV Arc: Perfect Match, Bachelor/Bachelorette

Timestamps: 04:27–14:20

• On "Perfect Match" and Reuniting With Exes (Clayton):

  • Rachel discusses being cast for Netflix’s "Perfect Match," her excitement to appear as herself outside the Bachelor franchise, and how she was shocked to find ex Clayton also cast.
  • She describes the awkwardness and necessity of closure after a “horrific breakup”:

    "We talk about it. Like, it was kind of—I feel like, always gonna happen because we had such a horrific breakup that one network or someone was gonna want to see us reunite. I never would have thought it would have been on Netflix.” —Rachel (06:35)

  • Rachel shares that re-watching the season brought anger and required a two-hour phone call with Clayton to clear the air:

    “We talked on the phone for two hours, and we finally were like, we're not ever meant to be, but like, we want the best for each other.” —Rachel (07:27)

• Comparing Netflix and Bachelor (Tone and Culture):

  • Rachel and Brittany observe the contrast between Netflix’s raunchier, “meta” reality style and the "wholesomeness" of the Bachelor franchise.
  • Rachel on the difference:

    “I only dated the Love Island guys…their mindset and my mindset is just different.” —Rachel (08:19)

• Thoughts on Current Bachelor Franchise & Paradise:

  • Rachel criticizes the current season and empathizes with friends who had a rough experience:

    “I hate it. Put it on a record. I hate it. And I feel bad for everyone that did it. Like, they didn't sign up for that." —Rachel (10:00)

  • Both she and Brittany discuss nostalgia for lighter, "iconic" elements of the show and critique the recent overhauls.

3. Entering the Bachelorverse: Motivation & Aftermath

Timestamps: 17:19–24:35

• Why Rachel Joined "The Bachelor":

  • Rachel reveals she applied after a bad breakup:

    “I just was like, you know what? I'm gonna sign up for the Bachelor…someone basically telling me I would never find anyone. And so I was, like, trying to prove him wrong. And then it ended up changing my life, which is crazy.” —Rachel (17:49)

• Repercussions of Notoriety:

  • The hosts and Rachel reflect on the emotional challenges during and after filming, expressing empathy for both contestants and leads who endure public criticism and manipulation from production:

    “That season was, like, a lot of suffering…people watch, they don't like to watch people suffer.” —Rachel (18:31)

  • Rachel describes the rapid, unprocessed transition between the shows, with two weeks between the Bachelor finale and interviews for The Bachelorette:

    "They called me two weeks after...I was still working at my flight school." —Rachel (20:07)

• Double Bachelorette Format:

  • Rachel is grateful for sharing the Bachelorette role with Gabby, given its isolating nature for previous leads, but is honest about the pain of being the “less desirable one”:

    “There’s gonna be one that you like more. So obviously I was one that they didn’t like more. So that was hard.” —Rachel (22:40)

4. Healing, Growth, and Mental Health

Timestamps: 24:35–28:09

• Processing and Closure:

  • Watching herself on TV was difficult but crucial for Rachel's growth:

    “There was a side of me that was so insecure…No one wants to watch that back, and I had to. And it was hard…but it really helped me.” —Rachel (24:49)

  • Paradise provided closure:

    "I felt like leaving Paradise on my own terms...that was my closure." —Rachel (26:53)

• Tackling Online Backlash and Comparing Experiences:

  • Rachel recounts receiving disproportionate heat compared to other cast members, particularly during her season as Bachelorette:

    "Especially Bachelorette. Especially because there was someone there who was more likable. I just got all the heat, and after that, I'm like, I can do anything if I can handle that." —Rachel (27:49)

  • Rachel and Brittany discuss the lasting impact on self-acceptance and their efforts to “prove” themselves when perpetually cast as the second choice.

5. Anxiety, Social Media, and Boundaries

Timestamps: 31:50–36:09

• Origin of Anxiety:

  • Rachel associates her anxiety with the unnatural scrutiny of reality TV:

    “It's not something I deal with in my everyday life. Like, it really is just in the heat of a show… it's not normal for humans to…have a million people telling you what you're like.” —Rachel (32:02)

• Social Media Strategy:

  • She’s developed thick skin since Bachelorette, saying little can phase her now.
  • She avoids “shopping for pain” in her DMs and comments, echoing advice from Kaitlyn Bristowe:

    “Don't go shopping for pain…if you look for it, it's gonna be there.” —Rachel (34:24)

6. Rachel's Career as a Pilot and Navigating a Male-Dominated Industry

Timestamps: 39:14–43:56

• Choosing Aviation:

  • Rachel has always known she wanted to be a pilot.

    “I feel like I'm very lucky I always knew what I wanted to do…I don't remember a time not knowing.” —Rachel (39:53)

• Facing Sexism and Judgment:

  • She describes how being a woman—especially with reality TV notoriety—means “working 10 times harder to be at an even level.”
  • On enduring mockery from male colleagues:

    “They all sat around and watched it and made fun of me…They are difficult, they're tough. It's been difficult going just not only through flight school as a woman, but now having all this where it's so easily accessible for them to see all these embarrassing things I've done and be like, all right, now take me seriously.” —Rachel (40:36)

• Present Role:

  • Rachel still flies but refrains from teaching when she has a show airing to avoid credibility challenges from students.

7. Body Image, Breast Reduction Surgeries, and Health

Timestamps: 45:37–48:59

• Discussing Breast Reductions:
  • Rachel openly discusses having two breast reduction surgeries (March and August 2024)—the first for health, the second for aesthetic satisfaction.
  • She received positive messages from people her story empowered to pursue care.
  • On stigma:

    “I feel like there is such a situation, stigma behind any sort of plastic surgery…But I get messages even to this day, every day, of people being like, you gave me the courage to go to my doctor.” —Rachel (47:26)

8. Health Scare: Kidney Infection

Timestamps: 49:16–52:05

• Rachel suffered a severe, antibiotic-resistant kidney infection, required a PICC line and two weeks in the hospital, affecting her weight and energy right before "Perfect Match":

  “It just went through every muscle in my back. It was absolutely insane. I don’t know how it happened…it was resistant to like everything.” —Rachel (50:44)

  • She clarifies that her physical changes seen on TV were due to this health crisis, not rumors.

9. Reflections, Advice, and What’s Next

Timestamps: 54:22–57:12

• Advice to Younger Self:

  • Rachel values honoring emotions as a crucial part of healing:

    “For me, I have to…feel it. Lay in bed and cry…and then I come out of it.” —Rachel (54:43)

• What She’s Proud Of:

  • Resilience despite setbacks and public scrutiny:

    “I think I’m really resilient, which I’m proud of…I always keep trying.” —Rachel (55:32)

• Future Plans:

  • She’s open to new opportunities but excited to return to piloting as her main career.

10. Lighthearted Game: “Sweet and Sour”

Timestamps: 57:47–end

• Rachel and the hosts riff on dating “icks” and preferences, including opinions on tank tops, tattoos, influencer-status, men asking for Snapchat, PDA, and more.
  • Notable recurring joke:

    "Love bombing works when you follow through." —Rachel (63:19)

  • On Snapchats:

    “If you asked me for a Snapchat, I would. No. No, not over the age of 25.” —Rachel (62:12)

  • On acts of service:

    “What's your love language? … Acts of service. Mine too. Mine too.” —Rachel & Brittany (64:57)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I have to own it, because if I don't, if I continue to be embarrassed about it… it’ll just take over.” (03:24)
• “Of course I had to reunite with an ex, but like, I was excited to have an opportunity to be on my own.” (05:29)
• “Watching us interact with the Too Hot to Handle people...we’re so like, ‘I’m here for the right reasons.’ I would never take a shot out of someone’s belly button.” (09:16)
• "Once you get through [being Bachelorette], like, truly, I feel like I could do anything." (32:42)
• "They all sat around and watched it and made fun of me…Now take me seriously." (40:36)
• "If I could help a couple people, like, I feel good talking about it." (47:26)
• “For me, I have to…feel it. Lay in bed and cry…and then I come out of it.” (54:43)

Emotional Tone & Takeaways

• Open, self-deprecating humor blended with real vulnerability.
• Rachel is candid about suffering, insecurity, and resilience—giving listeners permission to feel and heal.
• The episode’s through-line is growth: through heartbreak, public scrutiny, physical health scares, and learning to advocate for oneself in male-dominated and judgmental spaces.
• Listeners walk away feeling seen, and with practical wisdom for surviving public and private storms.

For Further Listening

• For more on mental health and reality TV, see previous "The Squeeze" episodes with other Bachelor alums or mental wellness experts.
• Rachel recommends embracing tears, resisting social media negativity, and following what gives genuine fulfillment—career, creativity, or self-acceptance.

Summary prepared for those seeking in-depth insight and inspiration from Rachel Recchia’s post-Bachelor journey, with timestamps for easy navigation.