Peter Kraus Reacts to People Calling 'Bachelor' Arie Luynedyk Jr. 'Not Peter' (Exclusive)

Peter Kraus is not this season's Bachelor, but that hasn't stopped fans from wishing he were.

ET's Lauren Zima sat down with the Bachelor who almost was in New York City on Tuesday, where he opened up about Arie Luyendyk Jr.'s hilarious but unfortunate nickname: "Not Peter."

"It was funny, but it was also unfair," Kraus said. "This guy has got a world against him from the very start."

"He's got to go against people saying, 'Not Peter,' he's got people saying that the show is maybe pushing the idea of engagement too much, and then he had his own trials of an ex-girlfriend in his life saying something, so he was really trying to get up a mountain to get the show started," Kraus shared. "He really just does seem like a nice guy who is looking for love, and this is his opportunity to do it."

"If you are asked to be the Bachelor and you are single and looking for love, why not?" he added. "So I feel kind of bad for him."

Kraus, who says he still has not spoken to Luyendyk since he was announced as Bachelor No. 22 in September, famously turned down the gig, much to fans' chagrin. In an interview with ET after the announcement, he explained that he just wasn't ready -- and four months later, he couldn't be happier with his decision.