This season’s producers seemed interested in capturing deep conversations about race, James said. As James put it, “I always had someone to talk to that kind of understood my story.” Vaughn said multiple producers on set were women of color, and Graham commended Rachel Lindsay’s season for having multiple Black producers on set. When asked whether they felt The Bachelor had been a safe and inclusive production environment, contestants Pieper James, Chelsea Vaughn, and Alicia Holloway, all of whom appeared in Matt James’ season, answered in the affirmative-as did Graham, Eric Bigger from Rachel Lindsay’s season, Garin Flowers from Clare Crawley’s season, and LaNease Adams from the very first season of The Bachelor. Naming a Black Bachelor after 25 seasons was never going to fix The Bachelor’s ongoing race problem, but it at least felt like a step in the right direction. We want to show that we can have a season just like anyone else.” In both seasons it gets tainted… some racial issues are thrown into the mix when we want to move past that. “And you have someone like Matt, who is also a great catch. “Finally, we get a situation where we have someone like Rachel, a perfect candidate,” he said. Black people are tired of being placed in certain situations.” If you do speak up, you’re just an angry Black woman or man. “If you don’t comment, you can be accused of not being supportive, not being woke enough. “You are damned if you do, you are damned if you don’t,” he explained. Josiah Graham, who appeared on Season 13 of The Bachelorette with Lindsay, said it’s tiresome to be repeatedly dragged back into racial conversations, season after season. Among the show’s Black former contestants, eight of whom spoke with The Daily Beast for this story, opinions naturally differ regarding how best to move forward. Both Rachael Kirkconnell and Harrison have issued apologies, and while Harrison has also said he will return, former NFL linebacker and Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man host Emmanuel Acho will take his place (for now) by emceeing this season’s finale after-show.īut the journey toward this point has been long and, for some, genuinely draining. After years of racial controversies, however, it appears enough might finally be enough: In the wake of Harrison’s interview, a vocal contingent of the show’s alumni and fans have pushed back, releasing statements denouncing racism and calling for substantive change behind the scenes. (The decision did not necessarily indicate that the complaint’s concerns were unfounded.) The show has also been accused of tokenizing and marginalizing its contestants of color.Įach time a new controversy erupts, former Black contestants are called upon to help defuse the negative press. After several seasons without Black contestants, the show faced a discrimination lawsuit in 2012, which a judge ultimately dismissed. Since The Bachelor’s inception in 2002, executives have been playing whack-a-mole with accusations of racism. The longtime host has temporarily stepped back from the show after a disastrous viral interview with the first Black Bachelorette, Rachel Lindsay-in which he talked over Rachel to defend this season’s frontrunner, Rachael Kirkconnell, from allegations of racism. On Monday night, The Bachelor will air its “After the Final Rose” special as usual-but Chris Harrison will be nowhere in sight.
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