After Peter's season turned out to be a fustercluck, many fans are wishing that Mike Johnson had been The Bachelor.
Now, it looks like he's filling Peter's shoes ... by openly flirting with producer Julie LaPlaca.
Julie LaPlaca took to social media to share a gorgeous shot of her reclining ona fur carpet.
"Me, all day [every day] right now," she captioned the Instagram photo.
Many of the comments were flattering -- though a few were wildly and shockingly inappropriate.
But some of the commenters were very familiar.
"Damn! Are you a producer or the future bachelorette," Mike Johnson commented below the photo.
To spice up his comment, he included a rose emoji.
"@mikejohnson1_ & I hear you're the bachelor now?" Julie bantered back.
Mike replied: "@julielaplaca lmfao yesterday only."
Notably, Victoria Fuller also commented, praising Julie's looks.
Julie showered her with compliments right back.
This comment is significant because their tones are significantly less flirty than Julie's emoji-laden exchange with Mike.
Is Mike moving in on Peter's rumored ex?
"Yes that was @pilot_pete in the tan jacket, no we didn't kiss at midnight," Julie told her followers after spending New Year's Eve with Peter.
"But whoever ends up as his copilot for life is one lucky lady," she announced.
Julie explained that Pete's eventual partner would be fortunate "because this guy has a heart of gold."
A heart of gold ... and a meandering dong.
The rumors about Peter and Julie were so intense that even Chris Harrison had to weigh in -- multiple times -- with a decesive answer.
"We can categorically say that's a big no," he affirmed.
Chris clarified: "Julie is the producer. Nothing there."
He did acknowledge that the relationship between producer and star is "intimate," but made it clear that Julie was very professional.
Aside from a few playful photos of Peter and Julie, why were fans so convinced?
First of all, because Peter is ... well, kind of a floozy. At least, fans perceive that he's a deeply horny young man.
Mostly, it is because Julie's job involves having a working rapport with the stars so that the feel comfortable opening up to them on camera.
She's clearly good at her job, but the resulting chemistry was a little puzzling to some fans.
As for Mike Johnson, reports say that one of the things that cost him his chance at being the Leading Man was going on a few dates with Demi Lovato.
Clearly, they just met to hang out after Demi had been openly thirsty towards him on social media.
In reality, it seems more likely that he was passed over for the role because of concerns that racist viewers would skip the season.
The Bachelor exists to drive ratings ... and it is tragically no coincidence that we've had two dozen seasons and not one black male lead.
Mike Johnson may have felt inspired after so many fans, including Demi, were thirsting after him.
He also shot his shot -- that is, was openly flirtatious -- with former Nickelodeon star Keke Palmer.
Openly during an interview, he asked her out.
It was probably a little much, but it was a display of the kind of confidence that has so many fans clamoring for him to be the next leading man.
