For years ABC has run a pimp service.
It’s more commonly known as “The Bachelor,” the reality show in which a couple dozen really attractive young women are paraded before a handsome young man and battle for his affection in the hope of finding a husband.
One of the recent contestants in this sad dose of “reality” was Rachel Kirkconnell. Critics are now wailing on Kirkconnell over an Instagram post that showed her at an “antebellum-themed” sorority formal in 2018 at a Georgia college.
In short, guests at the formal dressed up like extras from “Gone with the Wind.” In postbellum America, 160 years removed from the Civil War, this is a big no-no.
Kirkconnell apologized. But the longtime host of the show, Chris Harrison, may be on his way out.
Harrison agreed to “step away” from the show for an unspecified amount of time.
Harrison originally defended Kirkconnell’s photo, noting it occurred in 2018, two years before the riots that flared in many cities on behalf of George Floyd.
“Is it a good look in 2018? Or, is it not a good look in 2021? Because there’s a big difference,” he told “Extra” correspondent Rachel Lindsay.
Apparently not.
Last week he first had to apologize for defending Kirkconnell.
“To my Bachelor Nation family — I will always own a mistake when I make one, so I am here to extend a sincere apology. have this incredible platform to speak about love, and yesterday I took a stance on topics about which I should have been better informed,” he declared on Instagram.
“While I do not speak for Rachael Kirkconnell, my intentions were simply to ask for grace in offering her an opportunity to speak on her own behalf. What I now realize I have done is cause harm by wrongly speaking in a manner that perpetuates racism, and for that, I am so deeply sorry.”
“I also apologize to my friend Rachel Lindsay for not listening to her better on a topic she has a first-hand understanding of, and humbly thank the members of Bachelor Nation who have reached out to me to hold me accountable. I promise to do better.”
But by Saturday, he had to apologize again, seemingly for allowing Kirkconnell on the show.
The irony of that is that the Scarlett O’Hara wannabe was on “The Bachelor” in pursuit of the first black “bachelor” in the show’s history.
“I have spent the last few days listening to the pain my words have caused, and I am deeply remorseful. My ignorance did damage to my friends, colleagues, and strangers alike. I have no one to blame but myself for what I said and the way I spoke,” he said on Instagram again.
“By excusing historical racism, I defended it. I invoked the term ‘woke police,’ which is unacceptable. I am ashamed over how uninformed I was. I was so wrong.”
“To the Black community, to the BIPOC community: I am so sorry. My words were harmful. I am listening, and I truly apologize for my ignorance and any pain it caused you,” Harrison added.
“I want to give my heartfelt thanks to the people from these communities who I’ve had enlightening conversations with over the past few days, and I am so grateful to those who have reached out to help me on my path to anti-racism.”
“This historic season of The Bachelor should not be marred or overshadowed by my mistakes or diminished by my actions,” said Harrison. “To that end, I have consulted with Warner Bros. and ABC and will be stepping aside for a period of time and will not join for the After the Final Rose special.”
“From here I can only try to evolve and be a better man, and I humble myself before all of you. I hope I will again live up to the expectations you all rightfully have for me and the expiation I have for myself.”