Matt James’s season of The Bachelor is nearing the end—thank god—and this time, the women are dumping him. What a glorious twist!
Last week, Kit Keenan broke up with James; this week, during “hometowns” (continued quarantine at the Nemacolin Resort in Farmington, Pennsylvania, now with parents) Canadian Serena Pitt gave James the boot, telling him, “I don’t think that you’re my person.” I say: good! More women should break up with The Bachelor, especially during a milquetoast season like this one.
I don’t feel particularly strongly about any of these women—villains have dominated the season, so it’s hard to gauge who has a real connection, or even elementary chemistry, with James. Like, the only thing Bachelor Nation has learned about these women has happened off-screen: particularly that Rachel KirkConnell, once my pick for show winner, posted pictures at an antebellum-themed sorority party, inciting justifiable allegations of racism. Rachel Lindsay, the first Black Bachelorette, asked host Chris Harrison about the incident in an interview, and he responded by saying the photo was taken in 2018—supposedly because he thinks there was no racism three years ago—and viewers should keep that in mind. “I am not the woke police,” he offered. “There’s plenty of people who will do that for us in this world right now.” What nuanced insight from a man who is supposed to host the first-ever season of The Bachelor with a Black male lead! No wonder he’s been made to step down from the After the Final Rose special. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: he should retire forever.There’s been no news of what will happen with KirkConnell—the season is ongoing, after all—but James did finally respond to the “incredibly devastating” photos of KirkConnell with a statement on Monday, writing, “Watching Chris’s failure to receive and understand the emotional labor that my friend Rachel Lindsay was taking on by graciously and patiently explaining the racist history of the Antebellum South, a painful history that every American should understand intimately, was troubling and painful to watch.”
It is unfortunate that the drama off-show is overwhelming the “love story” supposedly unraveling on screen, but that’s the name of the game in this social media era. I only hope KirkConnell gets cut in the finale, though she still seems like a top contender. Who knows what will happen? I was confident James wanted to keep Pitt around, and she clearly didn’t feel the same way.
At any rate, next week is the Women Tell All episode, so prepare for more Harrison (boo!) and former contestants complaining about their time on the show (yay!). Maybe one of the three remaining women—KirkConnell, Michelle Young, and Bri Springs—will break up with James in the end. Wouldn’t that be great? I’m addicted to the drama.