Let’s face it, there are a variety of terrible reality TV shows out there. Sure, I enjoyed “The Real World” and “American Idol” the first few seasons, but some of these shows are just too ridiculous for my taste. One of these shows is “The Bachelor”, and its ill-fated counterparts, “The Bachelorette” and “The Bachelor Pad”.
I understand how watching a “train wreck” show can be entertaining (I enjoyed too many episodes of “Breaking Amish” and I’m an avid “Real Housewives” fan), but people who actually enjoy The Bachelor for other reasons- please help me understand, because I just can’t.
I’m all for watching love stories unfold on television, but the entire concept of this particular show is just insane. One bachelor- usually a rich “pretty boy” with six-pack abs and a door knob for a brain- goes on the show to meet his future wife. A group of 25 eligible women from across the country are chosen to compete against one another to win his heart. The show is supposed to end in an engagement , a televised future wedding, and the storybook ending of “happily ever after.” Yeah right. Here are just a few reasons why I don’t understand “The Bachelor”.
First of all, how can anyone who applies- let alone gets cast- on this show have the guts to admit it. Maybe it’s just me, but I would think it’s pretty embarrassing to admit that you can’t get a boyfriend so you’re so desperate you’re signing up for a reality show. In fact, I’m embarrassed FOR these women. Second-hand embarrassment, it’s a real thing people! These women are basically admitting that they can’t get a boyfriend on their own, so they need a camera crew, some wine and a thickened plot line to help them along the way. What happened to going to a bar, meeting through mutual friends, or even online dating?
Secondly, how is any woman in her right mind ok with the fact that she is in fact sharing a boyfriend with 20-something other women. I love it when they say, “Oh Sean and I have SUCH a connection. We talked about our goals, our careers.. and the kiss was magical!” Guess what honey- he talked about his goals (marriage) and your career (it IS shown as a subtitle every time each contestant appears) with each woman. Knowing that I’m kissing a dude who just kissed probably 3 other women that same day grosses me out. I feel like I need to brush my teeth just thinking about it. It gets even worse when you think about what else goes on in the house- if you know what I’m saying. The show should really be called “Sloppy Seconds.”
Lastly, isn’t it awkward for these women to be around one another? I know that there are cat-fights and vicious arguments (it’s plastered over my Twitter feed and E! News recaps), but sometimes it looks like the women become friendly with one another. I can barely make friends with female strangers and I’m certainly not trying to steal their boyfriend, so I can’t imagine trying to force smiles and lame conversations with the fellow contestants. I feel like someone would put bleach in my shampoo or cut my hair at night if I were on this show. And you don’t mess with my hair, that’s for sure.
I bet if these women on the show spent half as much time raising their self esteem and working on their own life than they did choosing the right hair extensions and push-up bras, they might just be able to find a man on their own- without the help of creepy Chris Harrison.
