Production Silencing The Bachelor

 The Bachelor reality program has been a popular ABC production for nearly 20 years and this might be one of the biggest news headlines besides all the drama and relationships. One contestant Rachael Kirkconnell on the show this year is caught up with many racially insensitive allegations brought to light, bringing up past actions and comments growing up in the south. Chris Harrison, one of Bachelor productions talks to previous bachelorette Rachel Lindsey in the interview below. Chris seemingly tries to filibuster the interview taking the view away from Bachelor Production and looking toward individual contestants and talking about traditional southern culture involving 'woke' rhetoric. 


The topic about Rachael K showed on Tik Tok about how allegedly including friends bullying people for liking black guys and even bringing up family racial social media posts and likes. Also pictures involving old south parties involving Kappa Alpha has been problematic and controversial. 

For a long time, it has not been a secret that the foundation behind the show is more tradition and caters toward a specific demographic with the premiss of the show. With 30+ girls or guys spending weeks with a person in hopes of an engagement in the end, the new audiences and even social progression throughout the years, is less traditional and more contemporary and modern.  There is no way to erase southern history and forget about things like Antebellum balls, Plantation events, and covert racial undertones in the south, but this shines a light on how different communities and traditions view these events and brings a conversation. 

In the past, backlash includes contestants like Lee Garrett who was on Rachel Lindsey's season as the first black bachelorette, had insensitive racial history brought to light and even previous bachelorette Becca Kufrin ended her engagement after her fiancé Garrett Powell's history came out as well. Social media boomed after Chris Harrison's interview came out and all of bachelor nation came together on the topic of race and accountability of peoples actions. 

With the different backgrounds of all the contestants from the show, everyone's scattered from deep south to beachy California to a more corporate New York to mid western values and upbringings, there are many points of view being shown on television for millions to see every monday night at 8pm. The Bachelor not only is about engagements but includes controversial comments and actions of Rachael K and shines a light on television productions control. Supposedly, Rachael had to wait a while until production approved her statement and speak out.


People have come out against Rachel Lindsey for creating all this drama and even blaming her for Becca Kufrin's engagement. Others denounced this heavy topic and want people to react with grace and compassion. Bachelor production seems to be now on the side of protecting their contestants from controversy for this incident where in the past there hasn't been as much. Dylan Barbour even came out about the control bachelor producers have and can create their own narrative. 
 
People are ready to have an honest conversation about the show and the contestants now. Long is the time where the engagement has been the forefront of this show with the past eight contestants ending engagements for a little as two months to two years, not exactly a great track record. Looking closer into contracts and testimonies shows the affects of production during the showing and after the fact, creating false reputations and representations of people  throughout the show. Previous contestants and color call out their inequity on the program as well. Reality television has always toed the line with being unscripted and a fully produced and manufactured show. Bachelor host Chris Harrison has announced he has temporarily stepped down from his position and we will see where the production goes from here. 
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Reason 134 Why Dating 30 People Isn't the Best

First and foremost, I understand this show has a little to very poor track record in terms of relationships and I don't know why reality shows are just so addicting but some are.  The show The Bachelor has been around for nearly 20 years, accumulating other shows The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, and Olympic themed The Bachelor: Winter Games. 

The whole corona and quarantine thing this past 2020  has caused truly put the show to the test, creating inventive ways to comply with production regulations as well as create a successful show series. 

But corona really wasn't as an issue for the most part this year. 2020 started off with the short lived Bachelorette Clare Crawley with Dale Moss leaving together after a few weeks ultimately ending a five month engagement.  

The filming for The Bachelorette this past summer with Tayshia Adams was less adventurous than normal with their location being at La Quinta in Palms Springs in the dead of summer. Little to no drama happened this year but thats what The Bachelor is for. Stick 30 women in a room fighting for the love of one handsome man theres bound to be confrontation. 

The bachelor Matt James actually was not apart of the coveted Bachelor Nation, never having been on a show before like previous leads so I'm assuming this year was fun for production. I don't fail to realize production plays a huge role in perception vs reality and there are a million of examples of people being characterized a villain vs hero vs other roles played in the show so Lets break down the roles of this year. 

The villain

The minions

The hero

The damsel in distress

The underdog



So The villain in the beginning seemed to be Victoria with her loud opinions trying to be the voice of the group. But now that position has moved from Victoria to Anna who spread an unconfirmed rumor to the whole house and now it seems like the Villain edit is going to MJ who seemingly spearheaded the whole, new girls vs old girls rivalry. 

The minions are basically villains in training. So putting all the villains in one room, also adding Kit and Serena C seemingly for enjoying and participating in the drama. The bachelor also forms two huge groups and end up pitting them against each other. Some handle the stress well and others not so much. 

The hero is obvious, definitely Katie being the eyes and ears for matt in the girls house. She comes to Sarah's side after hearing about her father and she comes to Brittany's aid with the rumor as well. Plus just a simple comic relief with her dildo and being light-hearted about the whole show.

The damsel in distress for sure is Sarah's edit. Her helping her father with ALS in her opening intro package and leading to seeing how the house collectively reacted to her talking about her insecurities about the show after her one on one. Things really have changed perspective though with information on social media with her apparently doing this for fame, such as being linked with rapper G Eazy, Sharing tips about how to be an influencer on Tik Tok and seemingly being back with her boyfriend she was with before she went on tv. 

It seems like there are four underdogs, people who Matt has shown really good chemistry with and above and beyond others. At the first few episodes Bri was a fan favorite with her and matts cute date but since Rachel's shopping date has really taken things up a notch. Pieper Michelle and Serena P have all quietly built up a relationship with Matt.  





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