The beloved ABC Bachelor franchise is led by a few guiding principles: an open bar makes everything better, personalities are overrated, and reality TV show love is between a man and a woman. Luckily, the off-brand, gay Bachelor gods read your Bachelorette bromance fan fiction, and have accordingly answered your prayers. Enter Finding Prince Charming, Logo’s newly announced “Bachelor-style” reality dating show for gay men, in which 13 “charming and gorgeous men” will compete for the affections of “the nation’s most eligible gay heartthrobs.” Lance Bass will guide the group of personal trainers and aspiring hedge fund managers through the trials and tribulations of love, heartbreak, and script memorization.
But don’t be fooled by reports that Finding Prince Charming is the first of its kind. Back in 2003, Bravo aired six episodes of Boy Meets Boy, a gay dating show…with a twist! The reality TV misstep featured a pool of gay and hetero dudes; the gay leading man had to suss out the sexuality of his suitors, and could only take home the cash prize if his chose a queer boy toy. One can only assume that wacky hijinks ensued. On top of being borderline offensive, Boy Meets Boy overcomplicated an already incredible concept. It’s honestly shocking that it took 13 years for TV execs to give the gay dating show another shot.
Finding Prince Charming is set to premiere this fall, with Logo reporting that production is already underway in an L.A. mansion. While the network has yet to release any casting info, TMZ reports that the gay bachelor is Robert Sepúlveda Jr., an Atlanta-based interior designer. Just like a Bachelor contestant who has very little proof but already swears she’s in love, we’re overly confident that Robert Sepúlveda Jr. is the one. Originally hailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico, Robert—can I call you Robert? Rob?—self-describes as an interior designer, creative director, entrepreneur, activist, and loyal friend. He’s also the founder of Atlanta Rainbow Crosswalks, an Atlanta Pride project that successfully installed four rainbow crosswalks in Midtown Atlanta. In addition to holding the sort of vague, incredibly hot job that’s a prerequisite for being a dating show contestant, Sepúlveda’s social media accounts are all kinds of eligible, and paint a vivid portrait of the gay bachelor we want/need/deserve.
If Robert Sepúlveda Jr. was your gay bachelor, he would look at you like this:
If Robert Sepúlveda Jr. was your gay bachelor, you would look at him like this:
If Robert Sepúlveda Jr. was your gay bachelor, you would not be “here to make friends”:
If Robert Sepúlveda Jr. was your gay bachelor, 90 percent of production would take place poolside, and nobody would be mad about it:
If Robert Sepúlveda Jr. was your gay bachelor, he would totally put out before The Fantasy Suite…his heart/contract might say no, but his body says yes:
If Robert Sepúlveda Jr. was your gay bachelor, you would pretend to be really interested while he told you a bunch of facts about the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and you would take this picture over and over again without complaining until you got the perfect shot:
If Robert Sepúlveda Jr. was your gay bachelor, you would spend an unforgettable date watching him meticulously flip through color palettes and make light pencil markings on a floor plan, and you would experience a happiness and intimacy that you have never known:
If Robert Sepúlveda Jr. was your gay bachelor, you would totally forget about your “trust issues” and blurt out that you’re in love with him on the third date. He would say “thank you”:
If Robert Sepúlveda Jr. was your gay bachelor, you would do crazy, unforgivable things to your fellow contestants for a one on one:
If Robert Sepúlveda Jr. was your gay bachelor, Lance Bass would quietly start working out more:
