ALMOST four years after Season 25 of The Bachelor premiered, producers are acknowledging their past mistakes — and promising to do better.
Bachelor Nation producers have finally spoken out about the franchise’s diversity and racial issues, including the controversy surrounding the show’s 25th season, which featured Matt James, The Bachelor’s first black lead.
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Two of Bachelor Nation’s executive producers, Claire Freeland and Bennett Graebner, spoke candidly to The Los Angeles Times about the franchise’s history of racial controversies and lack of diversity.
“We haven’t had black leadership in this franchise for 15 years, and that’s inexcusable,” said Bennett Graebner Los Angeles Times.
The end of that season was the darkest day I’ve had in this franchise
Bennet Graebner
“This created a vicious cycle and it took a lot of work to get back to a place where we feel like we are at least working towards the positive.”
One of his biggest regrets is his actions before, during and after the 25th season of The Bachelor, which featured Matt James as the show’s first black lead.
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“I’ll be very frank – we let Matt down,” Graebner said.
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“That season went wrong on several levels. We didn’t protect him like we should have.”
“The end of that season was the darkest day I’ve had in this franchise.”
“Here was this great black man, and we should be celebrating his love story.”
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“Instead, what we saw was a man overwhelmed and oppressed by issues of racism.”
“It was very sad for me personally,” Graebner added.
Graebner was referring to the controversy surrounding contestant Rachael Kirkconnell, who ended and as of June 2024 is still in a relationship with James.
Along with photos of Kirkconnell attending an antebellum plantation-themed fraternity party, several of her former classmates alleged that she had a history of racist and offensive behavior and comments in high school and college.
The incident prompted then-Bachelor host Chris Harrison to defend Kirkconnell during an interview with Rachel Lindsay, the franchise’s first Black lead, and first Black Bachelorette, against the “woke police” of social media.
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Harrison ended up stepping down from his two-decade hosting duties after the interview.
“It’s hard to say out loud that people of color didn’t see themselves represented, that they didn’t see The Bachelor franchise as a safe place,” Graebner said.
Still, there is a clear lack of diversity in the franchise’s main and supporting cast, which both producers acknowledge.
The 28th season of The Bachelor, with contestant Rachel Nance vying for Joey Graziadei’s heart, is a prime example.
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Nance, whose father is black and Arab and whose mother is Filipino, revealed that she received “hundreds” of hateful messages following her Hometown episode on The Bachelor’s Women Tell All.
“I got a lot of hate mail… calling me the N-word or Jungle Asian, all because I got a rose,” Nance revealed.
“It’s sad because my parents really liked the Hometown episode and seeing people attacking our culture and attacking me – I’ve been in that scenario before, but this was like a whole new level.”
“Hundreds of people messaging me. TikToks of people vomiting when [Joey and I] they were kissing,” she added.
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“That was another missed opportunity for us,” Freeland revealed.
“Our intention was to shed light on what Rachel was going through. But we have to do better,” she added.
Graebner and Freeland said casting another Black Bachelor is a “priority.”
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They also revealed that the entire production team now has access to more resources, including two licensed therapists and a diversity and inclusion consultant, Kira Banks.
“We’re not always going to get it right. We’re going to make mistakes as we go along.”
“But let’s not shy away from difficult conversations,” she added.
Season 21 of The Bachelorette, which premieres on July 8, 2024, notably features the franchise’s first Asian lead, Jenn Tran, who is Vietnamese.
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Fans were quick to point out, however, that the group of men vying for Tran’s heart still lacked diversity, noting the lack of Asian representation.
“That’s on us. We didn’t do what we needed to do,” Graebner said.
“Our hope is that they see Jenn and realize this is a safe space.”
“We’re not saying this is going to solve and fix everything. But it’s a step,” she added.
Who is on Season 21 of The Bachelorette?
Bachelor contestant Jenn Tran was recently announced as the next Bachelorette. Below are the men who are competing for her heart.
– Aaron, 29, of TulsaOklahoma
– Austin, 28, from San DiegoCalifornia
– Brendan, 29, from VancouverCanada
– Brett, 28, of MannheimPennsylvania
– Brian, 32, of Boynton BeachFlorida
– Corbin, 25, from Los AngelesCalifornia
– Dakota, 27, of Paradise ValleyArizona
– Devin, 27, of HoustonTexas
– Dylan, 24, of Elk GroveCalifornia
– Grant, 30, of HoustonTexas
– Hakeem, 29, of SchaumburgIllinois
– Hassan, 28, of DenverColorado
– Jahaan, 28, from New Yorknew York
– Jeremy, 29, of FairfieldConnecticut
– John, 25, of Delray BeachFlorida
– Jonathan H, 24, from OxfordMassachusetts
– Jonathan J, 27, from Los AngelesCalifornia
– Kevin, 35, of DenverColorado
– Marcus, 31, of RaleighNorth Caroline
– Marvin, 28, of Santa MonicaCalifornia
– Matt, 27, from AtlantaGeorgia
– Moze, 25, of Albanynew York
– Ricky, 28, from MiamiFlorida
– Sam M, 26, of Myrtle BeachSouth Carolina
– Sam N, 25, of CarlsbadCalifornia
– Spencer, 30, of DallasTexas
– Thomas, 31, of TuckerGeorgia
– Tomas, 26, from TorontoCanada
Graebner also chose some words for the franchise’s existing fanbase, some of whom may not agree with his push for more diverse representation.
“If you don’t want to see a black love story, an Asian-American love story, an interracial love story, then maybe Bachelor Nation isn’t for you,” he said.
Graebner also echoed Freeland’s previous statements about “doing better” in the future.
“We know we’re not there,” Graebner said.
“We have a long way to go. But we are committed to getting there,” she added.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
