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Ronna Fisher, Editor-in-Chief
I hope that you’ve had a nice break from all of The Bachelor swoons and rants—just long enough of a break for another one!
“I am never watching The Bachelor or The Bachelorette again!” I exclaimed multiple times last summer at the end of Desiree’s Bachelorette season. I had begun watching it with a couple of friends as a joke. We would make fun of the extravagant dates, awkward and forced conversations and, basically, the whole premise of the show. Nevertheless, talk to anyone who’s watched the show and you’ll hear something similar: I was hooked.
I found myself a very intense Bachelorette viewer. By the end of the season, watching the show was an extremely emotive experience. I was frequently upset with the people on the show, the producer’s and with myself for continuing to be entrapped by the show. By researching spoilers and behind the scenes information, I more clearly realized how what we saw on screen was manipulated by the producers on set—they frequently nudged or suggested participants in certain directions, be it awkward, sensual, controversial or romantic.
This was sort of a face palm moment for me. I knew that the show was set up as dramatically as possible, but, for some reason (can I blame my blonde hair or optimism?) I didn’t realize how directly that influence went. I understood that the show was not set up realistically—on so many levels, a whole other article’s worth of unrealistic levels—but, to me at least, the people were still real, the emotions were still real. The way the show and its producer’s messed with people infuriated me. Moreover, here I was supporting it by watching every single episode. So, I resolved to never watch the show again.
Yet, at the beginning of this semester my extremely persuasive, borderline manipulative, and wonderful friend and suitemate batted her sweet big brown eyes at me, and I found myself, yet again, watching The Bachelor. Maïa may argue that what actually happened is that I walked into the living room while The Bachelor was on and didn’t leave. Tomato. Potato.
Again, I found myself sucked into the world of Bachelor-ness. This time though, I found myself criticizing not just the show but the people on the show as well. Clothes, cleavage, accents, expressions of speech, facial expressions and poorly dyed hair roots were all open to criticism. At the end of the season, I found myself viciously attacking Juan Pablo, the bachelor searching for his “true love” and possible future wife among 26ish scantily clad and highly makeup-ed women.
Maybe the remarks I made or shouted may or may not be true or deserved, but who am I to attack someone who can’t defend himself? Like online bullying, a screen makes it really easy to condemn others. Just because I have never interacted with someone in person doesn’t mean the verse I once memorized, Ephesians 4:31-32 does not apply.
Perhaps you understand where I’m coming from, or perhaps you are completely baffled by all of my Bachelor references and don’t really get what the big deal is. Either way, this is my public declaration to completely stop supporting the soul sucking, emotionally manipulative and judgment inducing Bachelor.
Well . . . maybe after Andi’s season. I gotchyo’ back girl! I mean really, eet’s all okay, right?