Katie Thurston is making headlines again, but this time, it’s all about her classy yet cheeky response to an old contestant from her 2021 season of The Bachelorette, Cody Menk. Cody, who was eliminated early in the season amid some drama, recently popped up on Katie’s social media to throw some shade by commenting on her wedding photos—and Katie wasn’t having it.Here’s the latest scoop: On August 6, Katie shared a screenshot on her Instagram Story of a comment made by Cody Menk on one of her wedding posts. The comment read, “Good! Both 5,” followed by a laughing emoji—essentially implying that Katie and her husband, comedian Jeff Arcuri, were mediocre or average in appearance. Cody’s remark was clearly a jab, and even though he was just a fleeting face on Katie’s season, he decided to lurk and leave this shade well after the show ended.What did Katie do? She clapped right back—but with humor and grace. Instead of engaging in a full-on feud, she posted the screenshot but obscured Cody’s name, saying, “This guy, my season? Me neither. But he’s here lurking my page. Thanks for the fan,” followed by a playful kiss emoji. It was a perfect mix of brushing off the negativity with a light touch and showing she’s above that kind of petty behavior.Cody Menk’s brief stint on The Bachelorette wasn’t exactly memorable for the best reasons. He was eliminated just two weeks into the season after a conflict with another contestant, Aaron Clancy. The incident made Katie question if Cody was genuinely there to find love. Since then, he hadn’t been much in the spotlight—until this recent comment on Katie’s wedding post stirred things up again.The wedding in question was a beautiful, intimate affair that Katie and Jeff Arcuri had back in March in their backyard. Jeff had accidentally revealed the surprise nuptials in a casual interview with Us Weekly, and fans have been celebrating the couple ever since. Katie has been very open about her health struggles, including her stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis this year. She even expedited her wedding plans after receiving her diagnosis. Despite all the challenges, her wedding was a joyful milestone she proudly shared with her fans.Katie’s handling of Cody’s dig speaks volumes about her current mindset. Instead of retorting with anger or escalating drama, she took a lighthearted approach, showing she’s focused on positivity and moving forward. This kind of response also highlights the differences between someone like Cody, who seems stuck in bitterness, and Katie, who’s clearly thriving despite setbacks.Fans and media outlets quickly picked up on the exchange, praising Katie for her witty and kind comeback. Us Magazine noted her clever disposal of the comment with humor, and Parade recapped the incident while sharing glowingly about Katie’s wedding and her ongoing health treatments. People seem to appreciate how she balances vulnerability and strength in her public persona.Interestingly, Katie has been candid about her plans post-treatment, including the possibility of undergoing breast augmentation after her double mastectomy, once her hormone-blocking therapy shows continued success. She’s used her platform to shed light on her cancer journey, inspiring many who follow her. So the fact that she’s handling haters with humor, not hurt, resonates strongly with fans.For Cody, this little moment of trolling has only reminded Bachelor Nation why he made a brief appearance. Reddit threads discussing him point out that he was probably just bitter about being eliminated early. His attempt to throw shade on Katie now seems like a last grasp at attention—and one that Katie declined to dignify with serious backlash.There’s also been discussion about the dynamics that went down on Katie’s season, involving Cody’s clash with other contestants and his early elimination, which Katie justified on the show based on his sincerity and attitude. So this latest interaction feels like a leftover episode of old drama trying to resurface, but Katie’s mature and cheeky reply clearly puts that to rest.Images related to this story show Katie beautifully radiant on her wedding day with Jeff Arcuri, displaying a joyful embrace, and screenshots of the Instagram exchange with Cody Menk. These visuals capture both the warmth of Katie’s special day and a clear view of the comment that sparked the clapback.Katie Thurston’s ability to confront negativity with humor and grace shows her growth since her time on The Bachelorette. She’s moved on to better things—a loving marriage, fighting cancer courageously, and maintaining a positive outlook despite the noise. In the wild world of reality TV fame, moments like this—where an ex-contestant tries to bring a former lead down—and the lead simply turns it into a moment of lighthearted fun remind us why Katie Thurston remains a fan favorite.
Her message is clear: you can’t let anyone else’s shallow remarks dim the brighter chapters in your life. And that’s a lesson worth noting beyond the Bachelor franchise.
