Rachel Lindsay, the first black star of “The Bachelorette”, is calling the ABC franchise for remaining silent while the racial controversy involving presenter Chris Harrison and “The Bachelor” contestant Rachael Kirkconnell continues to spiral.
On Lindsay’s podcast “Higher Learning”, which she presents with Van Lathan, she said the program should not start filming “The Bachelorette” until the franchise has figured out how to deal with its growing problems.
“They are about to go into production for ‘The Bachelorette’,” said Lindsay, who starred as “The Bachelorette” in 2017, on the podcast, which was released Tuesday morning. “I think they should just stop until … they put the train back on track. You go to another season, but you still have all these problems. How did you correct them when entering a new season? You don’t really have. I think they need to figure it out, figure things out, regroup and then bring the product back to us in a way that we can all enjoy it as we used to. “
Earlier this year, when the current season of “The Bachelor” started airing, Kirkconnell – who remains a favorite competitor in Matt James’ season, which ends in two weeks – was criticized when older photos of her resurfaced on the networks social. In the photos, she is seen at a fraternity party with the theme of the Old South farm. She also liked photos that contain images of the Confederate flag.
After the controversy on social media, Lindsay, who is a correspondent for “Extra”, interviewed Harrison on the entertainment news program and asked him what he thinks of Kirkconnell. Harrison went to great lengths to defend Kirkconnell, calling the “police awake” and suggesting that racist behavior was not as bad in 2018 as it would be today in 2021. Lindsay was opposed to that argument.
Since the widely criticized interview aired, the scandal has escalated, with Harrison moving away from the series (he will not be presenting the episode “After the Final Rose” this month), and several “Bachelor” alumni clamoring for the franchise to be treated poorly of race and diversity.
Harrison’s controversy comes when “The Bachelor” is showing its first season with a leading role in Black, since the show premiered in 2002. The current season also features the most diverse group of contestants in the franchise’s history.
Harrison and Kirkconnell made their own apologies on their personal social media accounts – and on Tuesday, it was reported that Harrison will be interviewed by Michael Strahan on ABC’s “Good Morning America” program this week. But ABC and Warner Bros., which produces “The Bachelor”, made no official comment on the controversy, although the franchise’s executive producers tweeted a statement yesterday in support of Lindsay, who has been the target of hateful harassment, since his interview with Harrison.
Lindsay is now calling the franchise for its silence.
“They need to come and say something,” said Lindsay on the podcast.
“Right now, you’re letting your fans speak for you,” said Lindsay. “This is an audience that you healed for 15 years, until you had the first color clue, me. You built this. These people feel like they have their world, and now people of color are trying to mess it up. You did it! So you need to talk and say something – you need to undo. And at the moment, they are silent. “
ABC and Warner Bros. declined to comment.
The podcast was recorded on Monday, before the producers of the franchise “The Bachelor” released the statement in support of Lindsay, condemning all racist online bullying. (Lindsay had deleted her Instagram account last week after the harassment.)
Despite the testimony of the producers, which was posted on their Twitter account, there has been no official statement released by the network or studio so far. And it is unclear whether Harrison will continue as a host after he leaves “After the Final Rose”, which is being filmed this week.
Typically, the new season of “The Bachelorette” films immediately after “The Bachelor” airs, so if Harrison returns to host this season, a decision should be made quickly.
Lindsay’s co-host, Lathan, said it is difficult to watch the show now because what is happening off-screen is a distraction. “Now it looks like no one is having fun,” he said. “Nobody is having fun. The whole globule looks toxic. “He suggested that Harrison come on his podcast, saying,” At this point, ABC, Chris, you, everyone who will not be able to escape the fact that they are involved in it, at some point people are going to have to come together and find out how move on, go back to watching random people fucking each other on the television show. “
“Nobody expects it to be ‘Bachelor: Wakanda’ next season,” Lathan joked, as he discussed a path to follow for the franchise.
In addition to her “Higher Learning” podcast, Lindsay also co-hosts “Bachelor Happy Hour”, the official Bachelor Nation podcast, with former “Bachelorette” colleague Becca Kufrin.
This week, Lindsay – who is under contract with Warner Bros. to present “Bachelor Happy Hour” – did not attend the episode, which also started on Tuesday morning. Kufrin addressed the absence, explaining that, in light of Lindsay’s exclusion from her Instagram, “She has taken on a lot in the world of the Single Nation. And I want to extend my support and friendship and just give her a little rest. She needs this, she needs some time away. “
After her interview with Harrison last month, Lindsay said she does not want to renew her contract with Warner Bros. (“I am very tired. I am exhausted. I am really tired,” she said on February 12).
A source familiar with the matter said that Lindsay is still working on the Bachelor Nation podcast.
Variety contacted Warner Bros. and a Lindsay representative, regarding his contract with the studio.