What the hell is going on at The Bachelor?
The drama of Matt James’s season—currently airing, he’s the show’s first Black Bachelor despite the fact that the franchise has been on the air for over two decades—has been eclipsed by online controversy. Here’s the abridged: Rachel KirkConnell, a top-three contestant on James’ season, posted pictures at an antebellum-themed sorority party three years ago, inciting justifiable allegations of racism from Bachelor Nation. Rachel Lindsay, the first Black Bachelorette, asked host Chris Harrison about the incident, and he put his foot straight in his mouth, essentially alluding to the fact that the picture was probably fine because it was taken in 2018 and not 2021. “I am not the woke police,” he offered. KirkConnell apologized. Harrison did, too, and announced he and ABC decided to remove him from the “After the Final Rose” episode this season, since it hadn’t been filmed yet. The following week, James released his own statement, writing, “Watching Chris’s failure to receive and understand the emotional labor that my friend Rachel Lindsay was taking on by graciously and patiently explaining the racist history of the Antebellum South, a painful history that every American should understand intimately, was troubling and painful to watch.”
Former contestants on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette showed their support for James. TMZ reported that ABC might hire someone who doesn’t even exist in The Bachelor world to host the “After the Final Rose” episode for Harrison, because Rachel Lindsay reportedly said no.
On Monday, Lindsay did, however, address KirkConnell’s on her “Bachelor Happy Hour” podcast with, “You almost feel like you know everything you need to know about her in that picture. The fact that that’s what she decided to do… Her apology was well-written, it was pretty and it was sincere. I’m not going to knock anyone’s apology. But then the next step is to take action.” She also said she wants former football star, author, and host of the web show Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man Emmanuel Acho to fill in for Harrison, but at that point, shouldn’t he just take over the series? Someone else should, at least, because the franchise has fallen. Bye, bye, Bachelors. [TMZ]
In completely unsurprising news—The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the committee responsible for nominating/voting for The Golden Globe Awards—admitted that it doesn’t have a single Black member. But, according to The Los Angeles Times, they’re “committed to addressing” the diversity issue. Great.
Remember #OscarsSoWhite? Seems like it is time for #GoldenGlobesSoWhite. Now the I May Destroy You snub makes sense—as does the fact that the year’s Black-led Oscar contenders like Da 5 Bloods, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Judas and the Black Messiah, didn’t receive Best Picture nominations.
Watch the horror show unfold Sunday, Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. PST on NBC, hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. [New York Post]
- BIG BANG’s G-Dragon and BLACKPINK’s Jennie are maybe dating? And have been for a year? LOVE IS ALIVE??! [Koreaboo]
- Travis Barker’s ex-wife Shanna Moakler (of Meet The Barkers fame, a deliciously ‘00s celebreality series) is fighting with his new girlfriend, Kourtney Kardashian. Moakler “liked” a shady comment about the eldest Kardashian on Instagram, Kourtney “took a swipe” at her on her unfortunately named website Poosh, “writing” (or, more realistically, instructing someone else to write), “It’s no wonder we’ve made a daily—or several times daily, or every hour—habit of checking in our exes, and our exes’ exes, their new lovers, friends, acquaintances, and so forth. It’s not healthy, it’s not helping us move on, and unfortunately, it’s all too easy. Stop complaining about your life. There are people out there dating your ex.” Moakler retaliated by quoting the blog on her Instagram story with the ever-damning emoji combo of a crying-laughing face and a wink. Kourt, it’s your move. [Page Six]
- Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian is also listening to Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” while preparing her divorce from Kanye West. [E!]
- BTS baby Jungkook has blue hair now and he looks perfect. [Hollywood Life]
- Xzibit’s wife Krista Joiner has filed for divorce. They were married for six years. [Bossip]