Last week, Bachelor viewers got a temporary reprieve from Victoria’s onscreen bullshit when they realized that her past life was less queenly and more plebeian: She was arrested in 2012 for attempting to shoplift food and cosmetics from a Florida supermarket, which resulted in several months of probation and a new dye job. Fresh off her most petulant episode yet, Victoria appeared Tuesday morning on Good Morning America to confirm that, yes, a Publix took her down and, also yes, that’s indeed her mugshot, but she’s glad we all know about it now. “When the story initially broke, I called my dad of course,†she explained. “He was like, How do you feel? And I was like, I feel liberated. Everything is exposed. I can tell my future husband to Google me. I have no secrets to hide.†(Well, with that verbiage, safe to say it’s not Matt James.)
Interestingly, Victoria repeatedly insisted during the interview that she’s not as mean as The Bachelor is making her out to be, and she even expected to become a fan-favorite contestant with her behavior. “It was all in good fun. If my words or actions hurt anyone, I sincerely apologize, and I’ll do better and hold myself accountable. I’m not a bully. I’m really not,†she said. “I anticipated being well-received, so to get the bullying messages, hate mail, and death threats, I wasn’t prepared for that at all. It was really shocking.†As shocking as, say, her exposed bra straps and hollowed-out eyes?