David Ravitz had a rough season on The Bachelorette: He was the only contestant to show up in a costume, he fell out of a bunk bed and ended up with a concussion, broken nose, and black eye, and was sent home on the dreaded 2-on-1 date. Yet, he wouldn’t change a thing. He went in with an open mind, had a great time, and even made some new friends in the process (sorry — journey) of finding love on reality television.
David, a venture capitalist from Denver, Colorado, was the only Jewish contestant this season vying for Becca Kufrin’s heart. We had the chance to chat with David about his chicken suit, bunk bed fall, Jewish matchmakers, and everything in between.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
How did you end up on The Bachelorette?
Not in a million years would I ever thought I would find myself on a reality TV show looking for love! But a couple of my buddies actually nominated me, and I said, look, why not? Why not try a different form of dating? Why not give something else a go?
I followed through with the interview process and sure enough, found myself on The Bachelorette trying to find love. I’m sort of deep into the financial industry, and so instead of sitting behind a computer all day, I went in front of a camera and I tried to give it a shot. And it was a lot of fun, I had a great experience.
If you could talk to David months ago, going into the taping, what would you tell him? What would you tell other contestants going onto the show?
I went into it with a really open mind, and I think that’s really what it takes. One of the questions I always get is, “Did you actually think you would find love?” Look, obviously the odds and the percentages are against you, but you have to go into it with such an open mind.
When I found out [the Bachelorette] was Becca, I was really excited. I was excited to meet her and was open to the potential and possibility of it all. Just go into it with an open mind; enjoy the experience, embrace the experience.
So on the first night, you were the only one dressed in a costume. What inspired the chicken suit?
I binge-watched Rachel’s season going into it. I knew that the first night looks stressful [for the guys], it looks stressful for her, and you can tell, it’s a stressful night for everyone involved. Especially with Becca, having gone through what she went through with Arie, having to meet 28 guys stepping out of a limo — my goal was to just make her laugh and show her my goofy and fun side.
There was literally nothing behind [the chicken suit] besides a play on words with her name Becca and me saying, “Be-kaw!” It was great — no regrets about wearing it. If anything, I think it improved my chances — when I stepped out of that limo, I immediately saw a smile on her face, and that was absolutely the point. Just to make her laugh, let her take a deep breath, take a step back, and have fun with it.
We just had a fun time just not taking it all too seriously from the first night. And really getting to know each other. I’m glad she had a good time with it, and I certainly had a good time with it.
On other seasons, lots more people dressed up on the first night. You were the only one to commit to a gimmick.
[Laughs] I definitely committed to the gimmick. I was in the chicken suit all night. And I’m happy I was in the chicken suit all night because it was actually really cold out, and I was the only one that was warm. It was great!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BlBNcJGl8_M/?taken-by=david_ravitz
Is there anything you wish aired that didn’t air?
I wish people got to see more of the chicken! You know, look, obviously, we only get to see snippets of certain things. I do wish they had shown a little bit more of my relationship with Becca. But, the audience understands you only get to see slivers of things compressed into a two-hour episode. I am pretty happy with what aired and excited for what’s ahead.
You’re on Bachelor in Paradise this summer, right? I know you can’t talk about it…
[Laughs] I’m on Paradise this summer. I can’t say too much about it, other than I had a great time in Mexico. Definitely tune in to see if I find love.
I have to ask about your big moment of the season: the bunk bed fall.
Ha ha.
What happened?
I can walk you through the entire thing. That night, we hadn’t really been drinking, we were just hanging out, and then I go to bed. The next thing I know, I’m in the hospital. I don’t really have a ton of recollection. I just rolled off the bed, and Blake [Horstmann, another constant] was below me.
I get to the hospital and they tell me that my brain was bleeding, and [I have a] broken nose. But all the facial stuff was not really concerning. It’s more [worrying about] the internal bleeding that’s going on in my brain. I was in the ICU for about 36 hours, with them monitoring my brain activity.
You know, ABC and all the producers were really concerned and they definitely took great care of me. Got me to the hospital immediately. And they knew it was serious. Even the cast — even my buddies from the show — they knew it was serious. I was pretty banged up. It was definitely a life-threatening situation. And then when you see it on TV, I actually think they downplayed it.
That’s one of the things you don’t really see when you see the show. You see that I have a really banged up face when I make that triumphant return in the house and Becca gives me a rose, and then you fast-forward to Park City, and my face is healing a little bit better, then you fast-forward to Vegas, and it’s pretty much healed. But when you look into my brain, it wasn’t all healed, so they treated it very seriously. I’m really appreciative for how they treated it.
Since you’re cut off from your friends and family when you’re on the show, how did they find out?
ABC actually did allow me to speak with my family [at the hospital] and throughout the rest of my time there, just to make sure that I was feeling okay. When you have a concussion — a brain injury — that’s not going to go away over night. Throughout the rest of my time [on the show], there were constant check-ups; every day, twice a day, I was meeting with doctors, making sure that everything’s okay.
What did your family think of you going on the show?
My family was so on board with it. They viewed it as a really cool opportunity for me to potentially find love. They trust in me in anything I do, all walks of life, and they’re supportive of everything I do. I said, “Hey guys, I’m doing this, but I won’t do it without hearing what you guys think.” And they said, “Oh my god, you have to do it. You have to do it!”
They had fun with it. They’re still having fun with it. It’s social currency! Which is a cool way of looking at it: They always have something to talk about. It gives me such joy to know that I provided them with a little entertainment and a little fun.
What’s your ideal date?
My ideal date would something low-key, where I really get the opportunity to get to know someone. Drinks and dinner, or a fun concert… something where I really get to know that person on a deeper level.
I really like casual conversation, just getting to know someone on a first date. And then from there, I like having fun: adventure stuff, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, I like having a good time. I look for a partner that’s able to have a positive outlook on life and willing to step outside their comfort zone and do some adventurous things.
Would you ever use a good old-fashioned Jewish matchmaker?
[Laughs] Well, my mom’s a Jewish matchmaker in a sense. Constantly talking with her friends, trying to set me up.
I grew up Jewish and in a Conservative Jewish household. I had a bar mitzvah. I was in AEPi at the University of Georgia. For me, it’s more of a cultural thing. You just know that you’ve been raised a certain way. So, you know, it’s something that I’ll never forget and I’m really appreciative of the past that I grew up with. Yeah, it’s definitely always in the back of my mind, for sure.
What’s one thing you wish people knew about you?
One thing I don’t necessarily think people got to see was my loving and caring side. I’m a very, very generous person, very caring, very loveable, and have a big heart to give. And would love to give it to someone. I don’t really think people got to see that generous side to me.
In all walks of life, I like to put other people before myself, and would rather people in the room smile other than me. I see someone smiling, I see someone happy, that makes me happy. When I’m hosting people and having fun, I’d rather them have a good time — cook for them, do whatever that makes them happy. That’s kind of how I treat life, and that’s one thing you don’t really see on the show.
What’s your ideal bagel?
My ideal bagel! Everything bagel with whitefish salad. You cannot beat a great whitefish platter, or even lox! Oh, absolutely. Love the typical lox sandwich with tomatoes, capers, love it. 100%.
Header Image via Bachelorette ABC on Instagram.
