Batavia 'Bachelorette' contestant says he's in love with a fellow contestant

A Batavia native competing on this season of ABC's “The Bachelorette” is now being billed as the “Brokeback Bachelor” in promos that quote him saying he has fallen in love with another male contestant.

The big question is: Is there any validity to the ads or is it a misleading ratings ploy?

Clint Arlis, a 27-year-old Chicago architect, talks about being in love with a fellow contestant, JJ Lane, in a promo clip for next week's episode airing Monday, June 1. He's one of 18 men left competing for “Bachelorette” Kaitlyn Bristowe.

“Falling in love with a man never crossed my mind,” Arlis says in the edited clip.

Contacted by phone, Arlis said, “I can't do interviews at this time unfortunately.”

ABC public relations representatives also declined to comment, as did Arlis' younger sister, Taylor, who did not return a message left on her voice mail. In a previous Daily Herald article, Taylor said her brother's girlfriends “have been some of my closest friends. He doesn't go after bimbos. He doesn't like the dumb ones.”

“Brokeback Bachelor” is a reference to the 2005 movie “Brokeback Mountain,” about the love between two ranch hands.

Arlis has been joking about the rumors on Twitter: “Before I field any ?'s about #BrokebackBachelor rumors I would like 2 just say that I am a proud, 30 yr old woman and its 2015. You monsters.”