Katie Thurston Slams Bachelorette Costar Cody Menk for Comment Calling Her and Husband ‘Solid 5s’ in Wedding Photos

Katie Thurston has called out a former costar for his comment about her and her husband.

Cody Menk, a contestant on season 17 of The Bachelorette in 2021, took an apparent jab at Thurston, 34, and her husband, Jeff Arcuri, in a comment on a post about their wedding, according to Parade. 

The couple tied the knot in March after moving up their ceremony so they could marry before Thurston began treatment for stage 3 breast cancer, the pair told Us Weekly. Their nuptials were featured in a spread in the magazine titled, “Our Wedding Couldn’t Wait,” which The Bachelorette alum shared on Instagram in April. “In sickness and in health 🤍,” she wrote in the caption.

Months later, Menk, who was eliminated in week 2 of Thurston’s season, seemingly took aim at the couple in a comment on the post, writing, “Good couple! Both solid 5s,” according to Parade. He also added a laughing emoji.

On Wednesday, Aug. 6, the former Bachelorette fired back by sharing a screenshot of Menk’s comment, with his name censored, along with a jab of her own.

“Remember this guy from my season? Me either. But he’s still here lurking on my page. Thanks for being a fan,” Thurston wrote alongside the comment, according to Parade.

Menk later claimed he was “trolling” by leaving the comment in a video on Instagram Stories, posted on Friday, Aug. 8.

“Alright guys, Instagram is the best. You can comment one little thing and ‘Oh, no, the whole world is a mess,’ ” he said, using a sarcastic tone. “But the traction on your page, I will tell you, goes insane.”

“I strongly suggest trolling. I strongly suggest commenting.” he continued. “It’s the internet — if someone takes that personal, that’s on them. Oh my god.”

Menk then seemingly took another dig at Thurston. While directing people to follow his Instagram account dedicated to sobriety, he said, “I help people get sober. I don’t play victim like,” and mouthed what appeared to be the Bachelorette alum’s name. “And ask for sympathy and stuff like that.”

In text at the bottom of the video, he added, “I’m rent free in your head.”

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Thurston and Arcuri, a stand-up comedian, first went Instagram official in June, and later announced their engagement in September 2024. Several months later, they tied the knot in an intimate backyard ceremony at their home on March 22, according to Us Weekly.

While sharing their decision to move up the wedding date following her breast cancer diagnosis, Thurston told the outlet, “You would think it would cause more tribulation or problems between you, but it’s bonded us more than anything else, which is why we’re moving up the wedding a little bit.”

“Obviously, we were wanting to plan a wedding,” she continued at the time, “and there’s a lot of emotions that come in with chemo and the impact and the health, and we don’t know what the next year looks like.”