If you are one of the few people out there who still has any remaining affinity to Arie Luyendyk Jr. (whether as the Bachelor or just generally as a person), I have some upsetting news to report. The meaning behind Arie Luyendyk Jr.’s tattoo has been revealed, and it’s a tribute to a gruelingly long Oscar-winning movie your parents dragged you to see. I’m talking, of course, about Les Misérables. Yes, you read that right. Our middle-aged race car driving bachelor is a theatre geek. Or he’s really into long, boring, pretentious novels. Or he is America’s biggest Anne Hathaway fan. Unclear which version truly speaks to his fragile heart.
For reference, here’s a picture of Arie Luyendyk Jr.’s tattoo:
Refinery 29 conducted a full investigation on the matter, and discovered that the number “24601” tattooed on Arie’s wrist is not, in fact, there to help him remember the last five numbers of his social. It’s actually the prison number Jean Valjean, the main character in Les Mis (and the guy played by Hugh Jackman if you only saw the movie). Arie, you badass you. He told E! in an interview that he really connected with the character after seeing the play (ah, so he is a theatre geek) and decided to get it tattooed on his wrist, which is in no way a terrible idea and reminiscent of something awful that happened in world history.
Now, I’ve never seen Les Mis because I always assumed it was Les Boring, but since I take this job very seriously, I decided to do some real research so I could write about this subject in an informed way. And let me tell you, that Wikipedia page was really extensive. I almost gave up immediately.
My first thought was that if the crowd-sourced internet encyclopedia page of this story is already longer than my will to live, I don’t need to see much else. But, for the sake of journalism, I cracked open a bottle of wine and carried on. Here’s the insanely abridged version. Jean stole a loaf of bread to feed his starving family and was sentenced to five years in prison. He ends up serving 19 years because he didn’t have Law & Order to tell him good behavior and drug trade would get him far on the inside. I have to say, I’m kind of into this aggressive sentencing. Could someone send Brock Turner’s judge a copy of this book? Be advised, postage will be costly.
So once our buddy Jean gets out of prison he decides to be a better person and becomes the rich mayor. He saves some people, gives away some money, then he dies.
As a girl who goes to therapy once a week an expert in human behavior, I’d say this tattoo means that Arie thinks of himself as a bit of a benefactor, always looking for a child to save. That also explains why he kept Bekah around so long. Or it could indicate that he can’t be trusted in the bakery section of Trader Joe’s. Wait. Has Arie been to prison?? That could up his attractiveness factor.
Look, I guess Arie could have picked a worse literary hero, like Hannibal Lecter (that would’ve turned Kendall on, at least), but I have to call bullshit on how real this Valjean admiration is. Arie, you were in Paris! Know what I did in Paris? Ate my weight in fancy grilled cheese Visited Victor Hugo’s house. He wrote your beloved Les Mis! Why didn’t you go there? Is it because your suitors couldn’t dance around in bedazzled thongs at that location? Oh yes, that’s definitely why. Answered my own question.
On the bright side, at least it’s not a Wicked tattoo.
Images: Giphy (2)
