Bethenny Frankel has more to say about the ongoing drama surrounding the cancelled season of “The Bachelorette.”
After initially applauding ABC for shutting down the new season just days before it aired, “The Real Housewives of New York City” alum is slamming the network for negligence in their background checks.
Bethenny Frankel and many more have weighed in on the controversy surrounding Taylor Frankie Paul. The latter was set to become the next Bachelorette until a video of a 2023 domestic abuse incident resurfaced.
Bethenny Frankel Slams ABC For Failing To Investigate Taylor Frankie Paul’s Past
Over the weekend, Frankel updated her Instagram page with a video of herself outdoors. She killed two birds with one stone, promoting her dating membership community while slamming ABC for allowing someone as controversial as Paul on their set.
“So word on the street is that five contestants from The Bachelorette want to sue,” Frankel began. She noted that in her dating membership community, The Core, they prioritized vetting people and have kicked people out for aligning with their values.
Frankel explained that people were let go for offenses such as love bombing or ghosting love interests, but never anything as serious as domestic violence. “I mean, like that would be, that’s, that’s insane,” she declared, slamming ABC for casting “someone who has a problematic past.”
The TV Personality Believes The Network Can’t Avoid A Lawsuit From Upset Contestants
Frankel noted that she understood that people were capable of changing, but it was still “insane” to cast someone like Taylor on a popular dating series. On that note, Frankel argued that the contestants considering a lawsuit had every right to sue ABC.
“Those people do have a case because they theoretically went onto this show to find love. I mean, you can’t have it both ways,” Frankel said. She explained that the network could not promote the series for entertainment purposes like “The Hills” and then want people to think its primary purpose was “finding true love.”
“So they are kind of f-cked because there’s no way that the most high-profile matchmakers on the globe would cast someone like that and set those people up to meet that person. That’s f-cked,” Frankel concluded. Her words sparked interesting reactions from fans in the comments.
Fans Have Varying Reactions To The Possible Lawsuit
Fans had different opinions about the possible lawsuit, with reality TV alum Jessica Furtado Nickson against legal action. “Are the guys wanting to sue because the show isn’t airing? Because that’s them just screaming ‘I only did this to be famous,’” she argued.
However, some fans shut down her theory, pointing out that the contestants must have invested a lot into the show only to have it canceled. On the other hand, a few supported Nickson’s stance, believing the men were upset their “5 minutes of fame” got canceled.
The reactions continued, with IG users loving Frankel’s take on the subject and the points she raised in her video. Entrepreneur and coach Heidi Cortez agreed that the men had a case, writing: “Many of those contestants may have lost their jobs, taken time off work, or put themselves in debt to cover finances while they were filming too.”
Taylor Frankie Paul’s ‘The Bachelorette’ Suitors Allegedly Suing For Negligence
As Frankel and some fans pointed out, the male contestants of the now-canceled season of “The Bachelorette” are angry at the showrunners for failing to investigate Paul’s past. The Blast covered the story, reporting that sources claimed these men believe their time and efforts were wasted.
According to sources, some contestants had paused important engagements, quit their jobs, or even rejected financial opportunities in exchange for the visibility the show would provide. Their sacrifices would have been worth it if the showrunners had properly vetted Paul’s background.
The five contestants contemplating a lawsuit against ABC and Warner Bros. Discovery, which produces the show, believe they were placed in a toxic work environment due to Paul’s past arrest on domestic violence allegations in 2023.
Bethenny Frankel Initially Applauded Showrunners For Canceling The New Season
ABC’s decision to cancel Paul’s season of “The Bachelorette” followed the release of a video that captured her attacking her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen. The incident occurred in the presence of Paul’s daughter from her past marriage, leading to harsher charges.
Paul was arrested and charged with one felony count of aggravated assault and two felony counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child. The Blast reported that the network noted they wouldn’t move forward with the new season and focus on supporting Paul’s family.
Frankel’s initial reaction saw her praising ABC for not profiting from Paul’s controversy, which she described as “reality gold.” She noted the right move was to take a financial loss and not give Paul a platform while slamming the latter and Mortensen as “toxic.”
