Clayton Echard's selection as The Bachelor rubs some fans the wrong way - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 12-22-2021, 03:01 AM

https://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...clayton-echard

"At issue is the selection of former football player Clayton Echard as the star of the landmark 20th anniversary season of The Bachelor, which premieres Jan. 3," says the Los Angeles Times' Greg Braxton. "Fans claim that the all-Black field of finalists from Young’s season were passed over by producers in favor of the Missouri-based Echard, a medical sales rep who was eliminated by (The Bachelorette Michelle) Young in Episode 6, before seven other suitors. Warner Bros., which produces the series, pointed out that several leads — including James; Young’s predecessor, Katie Thurston; and Juan Pablo Galavis, the first Latino Bachelor — have come from outside the pool of finalists. But multiple fans told The Times they interpreted Echard’s selection as a pointed departure from the prevailing tradition." As Bachelor fan Myah Genung put it: "There were these fantastic Black men at the end for Michelle, but it’s as clear as day that producers don’t want this to be known as ‘the Black show.'" As Braxton notes, the premiere of Young’s season drew 3 million viewers — the show’s least watched premiere ever, according to the Hollywood Reporter. And though there are several potential reasons for the decline, including ABC’s decision to air back-to-back seasons of The Bachelorette, fans have speculated that the franchise’s increased emphasis on diversity, with three Black leads out of the last four, may have alienated a certain subset of viewers." But Justine Kay, co-host of The Bachelor-themed podcast 2 Black Girls, 1 Rose, thinks it's a good idea that The Bachelor doesn't have a Black male lead. “They tried it with Matt James, and it was a disaster,” she says. “They had a real difficult time handling a Black man’s story. If they are going to do what they did to Matt, it’s better not to do it. It was bad for everyone involved.”

Michelle Young completes her historic Bachelorette season

For the first time in The Bachelor and The Bachelorette history, a Black lead selected a Black winner. Young, the third person of color to lead The Bachelorette, also had a historic all-Black final four. ALSO: Guest co-host Tayshia Adams was absent from Tuesday's live finale due to COVID exposure.

TMC · 01-05-2022, 01:05 AM

The Bachelor premiere tried but failed to convincingly turn Clayton Echard into an "underdog"

"Only a reality franchise as far removed from real life as The Bachelor would brand Clayton Echard its unsung hero," says Savannah Walsh. "After two years and four seasons spent filming in various hotels under COVID protocol, The Bachelor has returned to its famed mansion and the formula it’s used for 26 seasons. Echard, a former athlete and contestant on Michelle Young’s recently-wrapped Bachelorette season, is joined by new host Jesse Palmer, a former Bachelor and athlete himself. If you squint, you’d swear they were ousted emcee Chris Harrison and former football player lead Colton Underwood. Or Sean Lowe. As Monday night’s premiere unfolded, the show seemed designed to feel that way." Walsh adds that The Bachelor really attempted to give Echard the "underdog edit" after touting him as an "underdog" in its marketing. "Really, Echard doesn’t subvert any expectations as the Bachelor," says Walsh. "But that doesn’t mean the show won’t spend two hours trying to convince us otherwise. Echard is shown emphasizing how 'humbled' and 'in over my head' he is as he meets a parade of conventionally-attractive women between the ages of 24 and 33...The Bachelor has retreated back to its villa-esque mansion, and reverted back to a lead that matches its overly familiar exterior. But one gets the feeling the show will spend the entire season pretending that it hasn’t." ALSO: Echard believes he was picked because he's a "genuine guy who wanted to find his forever person more than anything else.”

TMC · 01-05-2022, 01:06 AM

The Bachelor premiere tried but failed to convincingly turn Clayton Echard into an "underdog"

"Only a reality franchise as far removed from real life as The Bachelor would brand Clayton Echard its unsung hero," says Savannah Walsh. "After two years and four seasons spent filming in various hotels under COVID protocol, The Bachelor has returned to its famed mansion and the formula it’s used for 26 seasons. Echard, a former athlete and contestant on Michelle Young’s recently-wrapped Bachelorette season, is joined by new host Jesse Palmer, a former Bachelor and athlete himself. If you squint, you’d swear they were ousted emcee Chris Harrison and former football player lead Colton Underwood. Or Sean Lowe. As Monday night’s premiere unfolded, the show seemed designed to feel that way." Walsh adds that The Bachelor really attempted to give Echard the "underdog edit" after touting him as an "underdog" in its marketing. "Really, Echard doesn’t subvert any expectations as the Bachelor," says Walsh. "But that doesn’t mean the show won’t spend two hours trying to convince us otherwise. Echard is shown emphasizing how 'humbled' and 'in over my head' he is as he meets a parade of conventionally-attractive women between the ages of 24 and 33...The Bachelor has retreated back to its villa-esque mansion, and reverted back to a lead that matches its overly familiar exterior. But one gets the feeling the show will spend the entire season pretending that it hasn’t." ALSO: Echard believes he was picked because he's a "genuine guy who wanted to find his forever person more than anything else.”

12-22-2021, 03:01 AM	#1
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,181	Clayton Echard's selection as The Bachelor rubs some fans the wrong way https://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...clayton-echard "At issue is the selection of former football player Clayton Echard as the star of the landmark 20th anniversary season of The Bachelor, which premieres Jan. 3," says the Los Angeles Times' Greg Braxton. "Fans claim that the all-Black field of finalists from Young’s season were passed over by producers in favor of the Missouri-based Echard, a medical sales rep who was eliminated by (The Bachelorette Michelle) Young in Episode 6, before seven other suitors. Warner Bros., which produces the series, pointed out that several leads — including James; Young’s predecessor, Katie Thurston; and Juan Pablo Galavis, the first Latino Bachelor — have come from outside the pool of finalists. But multiple fans told The Times they interpreted Echard’s selection as a pointed departure from the prevailing tradition." As Bachelor fan Myah Genung put it: "There were these fantastic Black men at the end for Michelle, but it’s as clear as day that producers don’t want this to be known as ‘the Black show.'" As Braxton notes, the premiere of Young’s season drew 3 million viewers — the show’s least watched premiere ever, according to the Hollywood Reporter. And though there are several potential reasons for the decline, including ABC’s decision to air back-to-back seasons of The Bachelorette, fans have speculated that the franchise’s increased emphasis on diversity, with three Black leads out of the last four, may have alienated a certain subset of viewers." But Justine Kay, co-host of The Bachelor-themed podcast 2 Black Girls, 1 Rose, thinks it's a good idea that The Bachelor doesn't have a Black male lead. “They tried it with Matt James, and it was a disaster,” she says. “They had a real difficult time handling a Black man’s story. If they are going to do what they did to Matt, it’s better not to do it. It was bad for everyone involved.” Michelle Young completes her historic Bachelorette season For the first time in The Bachelor and The Bachelorette history, a Black lead selected a Black winner. Young, the third person of color to lead The Bachelorette, also had a historic all-Black final four. ALSO: Guest co-host Tayshia Adams was absent from Tuesday's live finale due to COVID exposure.

01-05-2022, 01:05 AM	#2
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,181	The Bachelor premiere tried but failed to convincingly turn Clayton Echard into an "underdog" "Only a reality franchise as far removed from real life as The Bachelor would brand Clayton Echard its unsung hero," says Savannah Walsh. "After two years and four seasons spent filming in various hotels under COVID protocol, The Bachelor has returned to its famed mansion and the formula it’s used for 26 seasons. Echard, a former athlete and contestant on Michelle Young’s recently-wrapped Bachelorette season, is joined by new host Jesse Palmer, a former Bachelor and athlete himself. If you squint, you’d swear they were ousted emcee Chris Harrison and former football player lead Colton Underwood. Or Sean Lowe. As Monday night’s premiere unfolded, the show seemed designed to feel that way." Walsh adds that The Bachelor really attempted to give Echard the "underdog edit" after touting him as an "underdog" in its marketing. "Really, Echard doesn’t subvert any expectations as the Bachelor," says Walsh. "But that doesn’t mean the show won’t spend two hours trying to convince us otherwise. Echard is shown emphasizing how 'humbled' and 'in over my head' he is as he meets a parade of conventionally-attractive women between the ages of 24 and 33...The Bachelor has retreated back to its villa-esque mansion, and reverted back to a lead that matches its overly familiar exterior. But one gets the feeling the show will spend the entire season pretending that it hasn’t." ALSO: Echard believes he was picked because he's a "genuine guy who wanted to find his forever person more than anything else.”

01-05-2022, 01:06 AM	#3
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,181	The Bachelor premiere tried but failed to convincingly turn Clayton Echard into an "underdog" "Only a reality franchise as far removed from real life as The Bachelor would brand Clayton Echard its unsung hero," says Savannah Walsh. "After two years and four seasons spent filming in various hotels under COVID protocol, The Bachelor has returned to its famed mansion and the formula it’s used for 26 seasons. Echard, a former athlete and contestant on Michelle Young’s recently-wrapped Bachelorette season, is joined by new host Jesse Palmer, a former Bachelor and athlete himself. If you squint, you’d swear they were ousted emcee Chris Harrison and former football player lead Colton Underwood. Or Sean Lowe. As Monday night’s premiere unfolded, the show seemed designed to feel that way." Walsh adds that The Bachelor really attempted to give Echard the "underdog edit" after touting him as an "underdog" in its marketing. "Really, Echard doesn’t subvert any expectations as the Bachelor," says Walsh. "But that doesn’t mean the show won’t spend two hours trying to convince us otherwise. Echard is shown emphasizing how 'humbled' and 'in over my head' he is as he meets a parade of conventionally-attractive women between the ages of 24 and 33...The Bachelor has retreated back to its villa-esque mansion, and reverted back to a lead that matches its overly familiar exterior. But one gets the feeling the show will spend the entire season pretending that it hasn’t." ALSO: Echard believes he was picked because he's a "genuine guy who wanted to find his forever person more than anything else.”