When Bryce Hirschberg walked into the retreat during episode 3 of Too Hot to Handle, he provided some much-needed energy to the cast. During his introduction, he shared that he lives on a boat in Marina del Rey, California.
He even boasted that his “boat life” attracts the attention of single women. Bryce shared, “I’m actually kind of fun to have around. I play piano. I sing. I can serenade myself into your hearts,” which he did on the show. Well, sort of. He played a low-tempo song on the keyboard while everyone wore sailor hats. Most of the cast didn’t seem enthused, but Chloe Veitch ended up kissing him after the performance. Before he even checked into the Mexican resort, Bryce told the audience, “The last time I had sex was at the hotel last night.” He also claimed, “I probably have sex every day.” Based on those two remarks alone, it was fair to say that Bryce would struggle at the retreat, but he actually gained a lot of growth from the experience.
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The narrator Desiree Burch may have described Bryce as a “clueless Cassanova,” but that’s actually so far from the truth. Bryce opened up to Screen Rant about that overly sexualized introduction and his piano skills during an exclusive interview. In short, Bryce’s quip about a pre-show hotel hookup was actually just a joke. He did not have sex with a random the night before filming a dating show. Bryce explained: “Yes, I said that, but I also said ‘just kidding’ right after, but that didn’t make it in.“
Even so, he’s not pulling that textbook reality star tactic that involves complaining about how he’s portrayed on TV. Instead, he says, “I’m not offended at all by the edit. I completely get it. No one was out to get me or trying to ruin my life. It was all in good fun and I completely get it and am OK with it.” Part of this understanding is rooted in Bryce’s background working as a producer and writer in the film industry. He knows how this game works and he knows what he signed up for. He is very much in on the joke.
Something else that fans didn’t get to see was when the cast actually enjoyed Bryce’s musical stylings. Yes, that actually did happen, but it didn’t make the cut because of logistical reasons. Bryce shares, “Normally, I do a lot of cover songs, but those couldn’t be shown on the show because of music rights.” As a result, “they said I had to do something original and most of my original songs are so depressing. That didn’t really go with the vibe of the party atmosphere,” yet he performed anyway. And, of course, that awkward scene was the one that made it into the episode. Bryce adds, “Something you didn’t get to see was a few minutes after that when I played more upbeat songs and covers. People were enjoying it, dancing around and singing.” Anyone looking for receipts, should check out this video of Bryce playing the keyboard and singing along. It’s not all sad songs, people. He has some upbeat bops in his repertoire.
Just like there was more to the story with Bryce’s keyboard skills and that proclaimed hotel tryst, Bryce amended his remark about “having sex every day.” He confesses, “First and foremost, I embellished. But, it’s definitely not completely false.” Since hooking up was against the rules on Too Hot to Handle, Bryce had to make some adjustments to his lifestyle and his communication style. He admits, “It was a tough transition at first. It kind of made communication a lot harder for me. I had to put myself in check and wondered ‘Do I not know how to talk to a girl without the objective of going all the way?‘” Eventually, he put the sex talk behind him and accepted that the physical aspects of dating were off the table. During the experience, he figured out how to navigate what he describes as “a fine line between a friendship and romantic connection.“
Bryce didn’t actually have a pre-filming sexual encounter and he didn’t completely bore his co-stars with his piano skills, but, at the end of the day, he has no problem with anyone thinking that he did. He understands the importance of making an entertaining reality TV show and how editing is a major component of that. He has no regrets and zero complaints when it comes to his reality TV portrayal and even the filming experience itself. Bryce checked into the resort as a hookup-ready single, but he checked out as someone who matured and found a stronger connection with himself. The one thing that hasn’t changed is his sense of humor. He has no problem making fun at himself and he’s happy that the Too Hot to Handle fandom had some laughs, even if it’s at his expense.
