Chris Harrison, the longtime host of the “Bachelor” franchise, is facing increasing backlash online after he allegedly defended a contestant accused of racist acts. Rachel Lindsay, the franchise’s first black female lead and one of the strongest proponents of racial justice, said Friday she would not renew her contract with the franchise because of Harrison’s comments.
The controversy began after photos appeared of Rachael Kirkconnell, a contestant this season of ‘The Bachelor’, who attended an antebellum-themed party in 2018.
Here’s an outline of how it unfolded:
Harrison’s interview with Rachel Lindsay
Lindsay questioned Harrison Tuesday during an interview about the Kirkconnell photos. In Kirkconnell’s season, Matt James is considered the Bachelor, which is the first time the franchise has chosen a black man for the role.
“We all need to have a little bit of grace, a little bit of understanding, a little bit of compassion,” Harrison told Lindsay. “Because I’ve seen a few things online – this judge, the jury, the executioner’s thing – where people just tear the girl’s life apart and dive into, like her parents, her parents’ voice record. It’s incredibly worrying to “I haven’t heard Rachael talk about this yet. And until I really hear that this woman has a chance to talk, who am I to say anything about this?”
“Well, the photo was from 2018 during an Old South antebellum party,” Lindsay replied. “It’s not pretty.”
“Is it a good look in 2018 or is it not a good look in 2021?” Ask Harrison.
“It never looks nice,” Lindsay said, adding, “If I were to go to that party, what would I represent at that party?”
“You looked 100% in 2021. That was not the case in 2018,” Harrison said, estimating that ’50 million people did it in 2018. ‘
“It was a kind of party,” he said, adding that he did not defend it. ‘
Harrison and Kirkconnell apologize
Harrison posted an apology on social media on Wednesday after coming up with his comments.
“To my Bachelor Nation family – I will always make a mistake when I make one, which is why I am here to sincerely apologize,” he said. “I have this amazing platform to talk about love, and yesterday I took a stand on topics I should have been better informed about.”
“Although I did not speak to Rachael Kirkconnell, my intention was merely to ask for mercy to give her the opportunity to speak on her behalf,” he continued. “What I now realize I did is do harm by speaking wrong in a way that perpetuates racism, and I’m so deeply sorry about that. I’m also apologizing to my friend Rachel Lindsay for not being better at it. “listened to her on a topic she did not have. first-hand understanding of, and humbly thanked the members of the Bachelor Nation for calling me to account. I promise to do better.”
Kirkconnell also apologized on Thursday and wrote on Instagram: ‘I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist. I am sorry for the communities and individuals that my actions have harmed and insulted me. I’m ashamed of my lack of education, but it’s nobody. responsibility to educate me. ‘
“I deserve to be held accountable for my actions,” she added. “I will never grow unless I realize what is wrong. I do not think one excuse means that I deserve your forgiveness, but hope that I can earn your forgiveness through my future actions.”
Franchise stars speak out
Lindsay, who hosts a Bachelor Nation podcast and has regularly made comos in the program, said she will not renew her contract with the franchise when it expires.
“I’m exhausted. I’ve really had enough,” Lindsay said on Friday’s episode of her podcast “Higher Learning.”
“My whole reason for doing ‘The Bachelorette’ – and I was lucky that it worked out in the most beautiful way for me to find Bryan – is that as a black woman I wanted to be representative of this audience. And I wanted to pave the way. on which more people get this opportunity, ‘Lindsay said on the podcast.
“But how much more do I want to join this? How much more can I take from such things? I said I would leave if they did not have color guides. Okay, they did, and they made some other changes. “They hired a diversity consultant – who did not attend the class? Didn’t Chris Harrison go through it? I’m confused about how to get all your consultants to work for you, but what happened happened.”
“I can no longer,” Lindsay said. “I’m contractually bound in some ways. But when it’s done, so am I. I can no longer do that.”
James also spoke out in support of Lindsay.
Matt James / Instagram
“I’m very grateful that Rachel was a mentor during this season,” James wrote in his Instagram story Friday. “Your advocacy for BIPOC people in the franchise is invaluable. I stand with you and the rest of the women who are campaigning for change and accountability.”
Tayshia Adams, the most recent Bachelorette, said on her Instagram story on Friday that she was ‘really hurt and disappointed’ about the ‘ignorance’ she saw this week around conversations about race.
Adams, who is Black, added that she was ‘really hurt’ by the reaction to Kirkconnell’s actions, which she blatantly called racist.
A whole bunch of contestants from Adams’ season shared a joint message to Instagram on Friday to expose racist behavior and any defense of it. ‘They added that they’ stand together ‘with Lindsay.
Participants in the season 25 also posted a joint statement on Instagram on Thursday in which they denounced a ‘defense of racism’.
“Any defense of racist behavior denies the lived and ongoing experiences of BIPOC individuals,” the statement said. “These experiences should not be exploited or recorded.”
“Rachel Lindsay continues ‘advocacy’ for individuals who identify themselves as BIPOC in this franchise,” it concludes. “Just because she speaks loudest does not mean she’s alone. We stand with her “We hear her and plead for change next to her.”