The reality dating show franchise has faced ongoing criticisms about its lack of diverse representation and its handling of race.
The producers of the popular reality dating show “The Bachelor” and its spinoffs faced backlash after remaining silent when asked about the franchise’s difficulty handling racial issues.
During a weekend panel discussion at the Television Critics Association winter press tour, Eric Deggans, a television critic from NPR, posed a question to “Bachelor” producers Jason Ehrlich, Claire Freeland and Bennett Graebner about the criticisms of the franchise’s failure to adequately address racial issues.
Freeland, who joined the “Bachelor” franchise in January 2023, responded by saying the producers’ goal is “to represent the country” before segueing into a different topic. Unsatisfied with the lackluster response, Deggans repeated his question. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the three producers were mute for 10 seconds before Deggans said, “Guess we have our answer,” ending the awkward pause.
After the panel, Freeland provided additional commentary on the posed question regarding the show’s racial controversies.
“It is impossible for me to comment on the seasons before I joined them here,” Freeland told The Hollywood Reporter. “I can only speak to the seasons I have made as part of the U.S. franchise as well as our plans as we go forward. And that is to get better at some of the areas that have not necessarily been as strong, perhaps, before in the past on the franchise.”
The “Bachelor” franchise’s lack of diversity in lead roles has been an ongoing challenge since its inception in 2002. Most of the cast and its leading contestants have been white individuals. It was not until 2021 that “The Bachelor” had its first Black lead, Matt James. That season made headlines when pictures surfaced of one of the women in his top choice participating in an antebellum-themed party.
The show’s spinoff, “The Bachelorette,” was created in 2003 and has had four Black women as the lead, though not until 2017, when Rachel Lindsay was the first. She was followed by Tayshia Adams in 2020, Michelle Young in 2021, and most recently, Charity Lawson in 2023.
Coinciding with the year of “America’s racial reckoning” in 2020, Lindsay, who has also called out the franchise throughout the years, made a post urging that the systemic racism in the franchise be addressed.
In a lengthy and emotional blog entry, Lindsay wrote: “Yes, more diverse contestants do appear on the show now, but is the lead truly interested and open to dating outside of their race? I think that is evident by how far their ‘journey’ takes them during each season.”
She continued: “It is a naive expectation to believe that leads will authentically start an interracial relationship for the first time on national television. The sad reality is that people of color become placeholders as the token person of color to add some flavor to the second half of the season.”
In 2023, the franchise added “The Golden Bachelor,” which incorporated contestants in their 60s and 70s to improve its diversity and representation efforts, which Freeland also noted after the panel.
“I think you’re seeing much more representation. And that’s really the goal going forward,” Freeland said. “I can only speak to what I’ve done here over the last year. I hope that shows what our plan is for the franchise and what we’ll do as we go forward.”
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