The comedian admitted that the gig was a 'nerve-racking' one.
David Spade isn't sure if he'd extend his time in Paradise. The 57-year-old comedian is one of several guest hosts stepping in to lead the seventh season of Bachelor in Paradise, which kicked off earlier this week, and he reveals to ET's Rachel Smith if it's something he'd want to do on a more long-term basis.
Spade, who hosted the season premiere and one other episode, was tapped for the gig after longtime host Chris Harrison's franchise exit. Lance Bass, Lil Jon and Tituss Burgess will also guest host throughout the season.
"Bachelor Nation is so opinionated, so for them to accept that I was there was a big relief, because I didn't really think, 'Oh, what if they hate me?'" he admits. "They've had Chris for so long and I'm just going in like, 'beep bop boop,' just being stupid."
"It's my kind of style because a lot of people watch it like the way I was acting, just kind of goofing around with it," Spade continues. "I liked it. I only did two. It was still hard. Things that are hard are hard, you know? You can quote me. The other ones are longer. Two is pretty fun. I liked it."
Spade landed the job thanks to his friendship with franchise creator Mike Fleiss, who saw him do a Funny or Die sketch that poked fun at The Bachelor in a "ridiculous" and "little bit R-rated" way.
"He thought it was funny, so he brought me in and we talked. We just stayed friends," Spade explains of Fleiss. "I always sort of make fun of it on my Instagram, it's just something to do. Some of my friends watch it, so it's a good talking point."
When Fleiss floated the idea of Spade getting involved with the franchise amid the hosting shakeup, the comedian thought "it might be kind of fun."
"We decided Paradise is probably the loosest for who I am. The Bachelor and The Bachelorette are a little more of a serious tone," Spade says. "It's like, 'You've got your rose. You're about to start a family.' And I'm watching it and laughing at it. I think they knew it's probably better to let me get my feet wet over here."
When he arrived on the beach, though, the nerves set in. "I don't know these people... and we give the worst hugs," he jokes. "It's like the most corona, A-frame, buddy jail hugs."
The contestants were likewise feeling some butterflies, according to Spade.
"People are nervous and they get down there and they don't know what they're saying," he says. "They're making words up. It is nerve-racking, just meeting the people and saying hi."
One such instance came when contestant Tammy Ly mistook Spade for Dave Chappelle upon her arrival.
"She said it to me and then she said it again to them and everybody was like, 'Erm... I don't think that was Dave Chappelle,'" he recalls. "And by the way, we don't get confused a lot. Not a bad guy. I love Dave Chappelle, but it was just kind of funny. I'm sure she's saying it going, 'What am I saying? Am I saying Dave Chappelle?' And then I picture her going, 'That wasn't him.'"
The nerves quickly dissipated, and Spade even got so comfortable in his role that, at one point, he left his post greeting contestants to go have a chat with Wells Adams, the season's Master of Cocktails & Ceremonies.
"I was down talking to Wells and I'm like, 'Why are they letting people in? I think I'm the guy that talks to them,'" he says with a laugh. "And then I go, 'I guess I'm not going to get in trouble. They think they know where I'm at.' They're always like, 'Where is he? Where's Spade?'"
"Sometimes I think there's so many cast [members] coming in that they just want to get them out there," Spade adds, noting that producers are strategic about the order in which they send contestants down to the beach.
"They're like, 'This guy's hitting on this girl. Go send in a problem.' And then here comes Demi," Spade says of contestant Demi Burnett, who's rumored to bring the drama this season.
The contestants got comfortable pretty quickly, too, and began making out with each other almost immediately.
"They go at it right away. I mean, it's just like, 'Go!' They were saying, 'People are already making out.' I'm like, 'I haven't even gone to lunch yet,'" quips Spade, who found out about the makeout-heavy night one the next morning.
"[Wells was] like, 'They're all making out.' I'm like, 'What?!' [I was] clutching my pearls because I couldn't believe it," Spade admits. "I go, 'They just met!'"
"It's kind of fun because you gotta get in there because someone's going home," he adds. "Someone's gonna be on my Southwest flight the next day, so they go, 'Let's do it.'"
Tune in to Thursday's episode of Entertainment Tonight for more of ET's interview with Spade.
Bachelor in Paradise will air two episodes next week, on Monday, Aug. 23 and Tuesday, Aug. 24, on ABC. Check out all of ET's coverage for the latest drama on the beach.
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