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Tag: the bachelorette

  • Bachelorette Jenn Tran Is ‘Excited to Flirt’ Her ‘Little Booty Off’

    Bachelorette Jenn Tran Is ‘Excited to Flirt’ Her ‘Little Booty Off’


    Jenn Tran.
    Disney/John Fleenor

    Jenn Tran is embracing her new role as The Bachelorette, and she can’t wait to meet her potential suitors.

    “I’ve literally just been waiting for this moment since I found out,” Jenn, 26, told Entertainment Tonight on Thursday, March 28. “I’m so excited to see what they’re gonna look like, what they’re gonna be like, how funny they are. I’m just really excited to flirt my little booty off. I will flirt. It’s natural. I can flirt with my mother. I flirt with everybody.”

    As for how she’s going to tackle dating a handful of men at once, Jenn said she didn’t “really have a game plan” but is prepared to “smile through the chaos.”

    “I’m really just gonna be my freaking self and that means all the good, the bad, and the chaotic, and the psychotic. That’s really what you’re gonna have to look forward to,” she said. “You’re not going to get polished Jenn, sad and perfect Jenn. You’re going to get crazy Jenn.”

    Feature Bachelor Nation Couples Who Are Still Going Strong

    Related: Bachelor Nation Couples Who Are Still Going Strong

    Some Bachelor Nation couples hit different. The Bachelor franchise has been matchmaking since 2002. Back in 2003, Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter became the first Bachelor Nation couple to walk down the aisle. The twosome, who met while filming the first season of The Bachelorette, celebrated 19 years of marriage in December 2022. Thank You! […]

    When it came to her potential contestants, Jenn said she hoped they showed up “100 percent authentic and themselves.”

    “I hope they don’t have too much chaos. I think there’s only room for one person to be chaotic in a relationship, and that’s me. I claim that,” she joked. “I want someone to ground me. I’m a Sagittarius, I’m a fire sign, so I’m a little crazy… I bring that fiery energy. I want someone to have a little bit of fiery energy, but also to like ground me a little bit, put me in a place.”

    Jenn Tran Is Excited to Flirt Her Little Booty Off on The Bachelorette 696
    Disney/John Fleenor

    In order to be The One for Jenn, she shared that her partner must have “cheeky banter” and not chew with their mouth open. She added, “If your sense of humor is my sense of humor, that is all that I really want, because, at the end of the day, lust is gonna fade and all this other newness is gonna fade, and if you have the same sense of humor and you still have that friendship in the end, that’s what’s gonna make a lasting relationship.”

    Bachelor Nation first met Jenn when she vied for the affections of Joey Graziadei on season 28 of The Bachelor. While she didn’t get the tennis pro’s final rose, it was announced during The Bachelor: After the Final Rose that Jenn would be the next lead of The Bachelorette.

    bachelor-where-are-they-now

    Related: Former ‘Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorette’ Leads: Where Are They Now?

    While some roses stand the test of time, others wilt before the Neil Lane engagement ring can be resized. The Bachelor premiered on ABC in March 2002 with Alex Michel dubbed the world’s most eligible Bachelor. More than 20 women competed for his heart and one of the most successful reality TV franchises was born. […]

    “This experience is absolutely crazy and all I can hope is for them to really open up their heart to this because that’s what I did and I got so much out of it,” Jenn told the audience on Monday, March 25. “You know, it didn’t end the way that I wanted to, but I grew and I learned so much from it … I really hope that they are ready to have some frickin’ fun.”

    Jenn made history as the first Asian American lead of the franchise. “I feel so so grateful and so honored to be the first Asian bachelorette in this franchise,” she said on Monday. “And now to be here today saying in this position being like I am going to lead my own love story, I am going to be the main character in my story — like I just can’t help but think of how many people I’m inspiring.”

    The Bachelorette season 21 premieres on ABC in July.

    Ryan Hudgins

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  • ‘The Bachelorette’: Jenn Tran Becomes First Asian American Woman To Lead ABC Series For Season 21

    ‘The Bachelorette’: Jenn Tran Becomes First Asian American Woman To Lead ABC Series For Season 21

    The Bachelorette has found its next leading lady.

    Jenn Tran will be embarking on her own journey for love on Season 21 of the ABC dating series, the network announced during Monday night’s finale of The Bachelor. She is the first Asian American woman to lead the franchise.

    Tran dated Joey Graziadei during Season 28 of The Bachelor and made it to the final five before she was sent home.

    Tran is a 25-year-old from Florida who “loves reading books like The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, paddleboarding, and traveling whenever she has the chance,” her ABC bio reads.

    The Bachelor is produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon. Claire Freeland, Jason Ehrlich, Bennett Graebner, Peter Gust, Tim Warner, Jodi Baskerville and Jeff Thomas serve as executive producers.

    Katie Campione

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  • Susie Evans Details How Bachelor Nation Impacted Her Finances

    Susie Evans Details How Bachelor Nation Impacted Her Finances

    Bachelor Nation’s newest couple Susie Evans and Justin Glaze are sharing an inside look at the monetary aspect of appearing on The Bachelor franchise’s reality shows.

    “Thankfully, I didn’t have to go into debt to go on The Bachelor,” Susie, 30, revealed during the Thursday, January 25, episode of Jason Tartick’s “Trading Secrets” podcast, explaining that she had a lot of the outfits from her pageant days. “I think I probably spent, like, $1,500 on clothing. … I like a deal, I like a budget.”

    Before making her debut on Clayton Echard’s The Bachelor season in 2022, Susie had three jobs to “make ends meet.” She worked as a photographer, videographer and had two restaurant jobs, but had “been in contact” with The Bachelor producers for “four years in a row” before taking the leap to join.

    “I did have to refund a wedding [before the show], which was the last of my money,” Susie recalled. “At the time, I was doing them pretty cheap, but that’s, like, $2,500. For me, I was like, ‘That’s everything I have.’”

    Related: Bachelor Nation Couples Who Got Together Outside the Show

    What happens on The Bachelor, doesn’t always stay on The Bachelor! While many couples have found — or lost — love on the reality TV dating franchise over the years, others have met their match within Bachelor Nation after their season ended. Katie Thurston joined the club of offcamera Bachelor Nation couples in November 2021 […]

    Even though she left the show in a relationship with the lead, Susie still went back to waitressing after her Bachelor season. She also waited months before taking brand deals and making money via social media.

    Susie Evans Pageant Looks Kept Her Out of Debt for Bachelor Wardrobe
    ABC/John Fleenor

    Justin, on the other hand, had a more stable job before joining Katie Thurston’s season of The Bachelorette in 2021.

    Justin, 29, finished the season as Katie’s runner-up and was immediately asked to go on Bachelor in Paradise. At that point, the reality star had no intention of leaving his job at a financial services organization.

    bachelor-where-are-they-now

    Related: Former ‘Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorette’ Leads: Where Are They Now?

    While some roses stand the test of time, others wilt before the Neil Lane engagement ring can be resized. The Bachelor premiered on ABC in March 2002 with Alex Michel dubbed the world’s most eligible Bachelor. More than 20 women competed for his heart and one of the most successful reality TV franchises was born. […]

    “There was really no amount of money — well, I mean, there’s definitely an amount of money — but for what they offered … with the range they were going to give me … I’m good,” Justin said of BiP.

    After The Bachelorette, Justin was also faced with new work policies, like getting any outside deals “approved” by the company because of his work in the finance industry.

    “It got complicated pretty quickly,” Justin admitted, noting that his departure from his company ended up being a “sticky situation” overall. That being said, Justin was in a position financially where he could leave. After departing the company in 2022, Justin hit the beach in Mexico that summer for season 8 of BiP.

    While none of their Bachelor, Bachelorette or Bachelor in Paradise love stories worked out, Justin and Susie eventually found each other. The duo went public with their relationship on Tuesday, January 24.

    “Justin is my boyfriend,” Susie said during an interview with E! News. “We’re dating.”

    Shelby Stivale

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  • Clare Crawley and Ryan Dawkins Welcome 1st Baby Via Surrogate

    Clare Crawley and Ryan Dawkins Welcome 1st Baby Via Surrogate


    Clare Crawley, Ryan Dawkins.
    Courtesy of Clare Crawley/Instagram

    Clare Crawley and her husband, Ryan Dawkins, welcomed their first child via surrogate on Monday, January 15.

    “She’s here!” Crawley, 42, announced via her Instagram Story, sharing a photo hugging Dawkins in a hospital room. “Healthy + Beyond Loved. Dream come true.”

    The former Bachelorette and Dawkins announced in July 2023 that their family was expanding.

    Clare Crawley Welcomes Baby No. 1
    Courtesy of Clare Crawley/Instagram

    “Our laundry is about to get a whole lot cuter in 2024,” Crawley wrote via Instagram. “This TRULY is what my dreams are made of! I can’t tell you how hard it has been to hold this secret in!”

    She added: “This is one journey that Ryan and I have been keeping close to our hearts as we navigated the uncertain world of IVF and all that comes with it up until this point. I can’t wait to share it all with you soon what it’s been like for us, and until then, we are so incredibly grateful to [Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh] for making miracles happen!

    Crawley met Dawkins — who shares two daughters, 12 and 10 respectively, from a previous relationship —  in late 2021.

    Celebrity Weddings of 2023: Stars Who Got Married This Year grey boots

    Related: Clare Crawley and Husband Ryan Dawkins’ Relationship Timeline

    Clare Crawley first connected with now-husband Ryan Dawkins the same month her engagement to Dale Moss officially ended. “This picture was taken exactly one year ago,” the former Bachelorette wrote on September 25, 2022, via Instagram. “He asked me to dinner. I didn’t have an appetite. (Stressed & depressed) But I said yes to tea […]

    “I wasn’t ready to date again,” Crawley exclusively told Us Weekly in October 2022 of meeting her now-spouse shortly after ending her engagement with Dale Moss. “The second that I was single he was like, ‘Let me take you out.’ And he knew that I was in such a low point and I told him I wasn’t even ready to go out to dinner. I needed to take the space to have time to myself to heal. I didn’t want him to be a rebound.”

    After nearly one year together, Dawkins proposed in October 2022 at the RISE Festival in Las Vegas.

    “Everything in my world has changed since I met her, she’s the love of my life and I wish the world knew the Clare that I know,” he told Us at the time. “She is one of the strongest women I know and is truly a light. I love our life and [am] beyond excited about our future.”

    Lucy Liu Recalls Decision to Use Surrogate to Welcome Son Rockwell

    Related: Celebrities Who Used Surrogates to Expand Their Families

    Pursuing surrogacy! Lance Bass and more celebrities have brought babies into the world with the help of gestational carriers. The singer and Michael Turchin became parents to twins in October 2021 — but the couple spent three years trying to start their family. The former ‘NSync member first told Us Weekly exclusively in March 2018 that […]

    The twosome wed in February 2023 in front of Dawkins’ eldest daughters. “Ryan, by nature, is an event planner, so he planned the whole wedding,” Crawley recalled during an appearance on the “Most Dramatic Podcast Ever” in May 2023. “But he took the reins, he planned everything. We had a little ceremony. We had the best vows to each other, super personal. It was in the spot [where] we had our first kiss. It was just the greatest little spot.”

    Crawley — who rose to fame as a finalist on Juan Pablo Galavis’ season 18 of The Bachelor in 2014 — was previously engaged to Benoit Beauséjour-Savard after meeting during Bachelor Winter Games in 2018. After calling off their whirlwind engagement, she led season 16 of The Bachelorette and met Moss. Crawley and the former football player got engaged after just 12 days and left the show early. The now-exes were together on and off before they split for good in September 2021.

    Miranda Siwak

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  • Trista Sutter Shares What Husband Ryan Whispered at ‘Golden Wedding’

    Trista Sutter Shares What Husband Ryan Whispered at ‘Golden Wedding’

    Presley Ann/Getty Images for WE tv

    Trista Sutter is setting the record straight on what her husband, Ryan Sutter, whispered to her at the Golden Wedding

    As Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist exchanged vows live on ABC Thursday, January 4, Bachelor Nation fans watched while the first Golden Bachelor promised to make his soon-to-be wife the “happiest woman on earth.” After his heartfelt pledge, the camera then panned to Ryan, 49, who could be seen softly saying something into Trista’s ear as the couple sat alongside the other wedding guests. 

    Viewers quickly took to social media in an attempt to read Ryan’s lips, with some claiming that the reality star said Gerry, 71, making Theresa, 70, happy was “never going to happen.” Trista, however, clarified the “lip reading mistakes” that wrongly decoded her husband’s words the following day — and slammed trolls looking to cause friction. 

    “Since I was the one to whom Ryan was speaking, I can clarify,” Trista, 51, wrote via X on Friday, January 5, before sharing Ryan’s actual (very romantic) words. “He said ‘the second luckiest’  [person in the world]. Please don’t search for drama when there is only love.” 

    First Bachelorette Trista Sutter Celebrated Her 50th Birthday With Her Husband Ryan, And Some Close The Bachelorette’s Trista Sutter and Ryan Sutter’s Relationship Timeline 520 Friends Including Show Alumni Kaitlyn Bristowe And Jason Tartick At The All-New Sandals Royal Curaçao Resort.

    Related: Bachelorette’s Trista Sutter and Ryan Sutter’s Relationship Timeline

    Although many Bachelor Nation couples struggled after the show and have ultimately broken up, the original Bachelorette and her husband are still going strong. Trista Sutter (née Rehn) and Ryan Sutter met on night one of season 1 of The Bachelorette — and hit it off immediately. “I decided going in that I needed to […]

    Trista’s clarification comes less than one month after Ryan made headlines for revealing that the couple, who tied the knot in 2003, had faced a bumpy year together. 

    “They never said it would be easy but this year was easily one of the craziest, most challenging, most unpredictable years of the 20 we’ve now spent together,” Ryan wrote in an Instagram tribute celebrating the twosome’s 20th anniversary in December 2023. “Big change and heartbreaking loss tested our resolve. “We left a community and friends and a lifestyle – a safe harbor – for a new adventure and to make a new home. We struggled and we cried. We laughed and we loved. We did it all and we did it together, like we always have.”

    He continued: “You and me, hand in hand, heart to heart. It started in front of millions but today it’s just us. No wedding special, no fanfare, no red carpet. Just Love. That’s all we’ve ever needed. I love you @tristasutter Now and forever. Happy Anniversary!!! HIF ❤️.”

    Trista, for her part, also honored their relationship milestone with a heartfelt message. “From this words of affirmation girl, thank you babe for your words and most importantly, for your love. ❤️,” she wrote in the comments section of her husband’s post. “You are my safe harbor, my happy place, and my absolute favorite love story. Here’s to living life and taking chances. 🥂 HIF.”

    bachelor-where-are-they-now

    Related: Former ‘Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorette’ Leads: Where Are They Now?

    While some roses stand the test of time, others wilt before the Neil Lane engagement ring can be resized. The Bachelor premiered on ABC in March 2002 with Alex Michel dubbed the world’s most eligible Bachelor. More than 20 women competed for his heart and one of the most successful reality TV franchises was born. […]

    Trista and Ryan met on season 1 of The Bachelorette, tying the knot in December 2003 during their own ABC special, Trista & Ryan’s Wedding. They welcomed son Max in July 2007, and daughter Blakesley arrived in April 2009. 

    Throughout their two decades together, the pair have certainly faced their fair share of ups and downs. In February 2020, Ryan began battling mysterious health issues but was initially unable to find a reason for his symptoms. The following year, he revealed he had been diagnosed with Lyme disease. 

    “I tested positive for Lyme disease,” Ryan shared during a May 2021 episode of Trista’s “Better Etc.” podcast. “It seems like something that I will always have. Now I know, and I can build back my immune system to fight it off.”

    Trista later gave Us Weekly an exclusive update on her husband’s health in February 2023, noting that Ryan “has been feeling great” since starting bee venom therapy. She also shared the secret to maintaining such a longstanding and healthy marriage.

    Feature Bachelor Nation Couples Who Are Still Going Strong

    Related: Status Check! Bachelor Nation Couples Who Are Still Going Strong

    Some Bachelor Nation couples hit different. The Bachelor franchise has been matchmaking since 2002. Back in 2003, Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter became the first Bachelor Nation couple to walk down the aisle. The twosome, who met while filming the first season of The Bachelorette, celebrated 19 years of marriage in December 2022. Thank You! […]

    “I feel like when we first got married, the advice that I was giving — at least [to] the people who were coming off of the show — was really focus on your relationship,” she explained. “Enjoy all the things that are coming your way, all the fun invites that you’re getting, [but remember] it’s about your relationship. So, put that first, and we did that in moving to Vail, [Colorado], and really prioritizing him and me.

    Trista added that even after 20 years, her romance with Ryan can still feel brand new. “I feel like I met him yesterday, but at the same time I look at my kids who are taller than me now and think, ‘Yeah, that didn’t happen yesterday,” she told Us.

    Kat Pettibone

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  • Former Bachelorette Michelle Young Introduces Boyfriend Jack Leius

    Former Bachelorette Michelle Young Introduces Boyfriend Jack Leius

    Momodu Mansaray/Getty Images

    Michelle Young couldn’t resist a good pun when it came time to hard launch her new relationship with Jack Leius.

    “Hit the Jackpot with you,” the former Bachelorette, 30, wrote via Instagram on Friday, October 27, sharing gorgeous photos of the pair all dressed up.

    In the pics, Young stunned in a black floral dress with matching pumps, which complemented her chain-link earrings and high pony. Leius, for his part, opted for a black button-down and cream-colored trousers.

    Young has not shared further details about the pair’s romance. According to Leius’ LinkedIn profile, he is based in Young’s native Minnesota and works as a sales consultant for a local insurance brokerage. (Leius previously studied business and marketing at the University of Minnesota before completing a master’s degree in sports management from Minnesota State University.)

    bachelor-where-are-they-now

    Related: Former ‘Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorette’ Leads: Where Are They Now?

    While some roses stand the test of time, others wilt before the Neil Lane engagement ring can be resized. The Bachelor premiered on ABC in March 2002 with Alex Michel dubbed the world’s most eligible Bachelor. More than 20 women competed for his heart and one of the most successful reality TV franchises was born. […]

    Young first teased their relationship earlier this month, sharing an Instagram Story pic of the twosome kissing outside a Minnesota Vikings football game. While Leius smooched her cheek, his face was obscured by a Vikings baseball cap.

    Young’s relationship with Leius marks her first foray back into the dating scene since she and ex-fiancé Nayte Olukoya called off their engagement last year.

    Young — who was the third Black Bachelorette — found an instant connection with Olukoya, 29, during season 18 of The Bachelorette, which premiered in October 2021. Olukoya proposed during the December 2021 season finale, but after one year together, the couple confirmed their split.

    Michelle Young Gets Kissed By a Mystery Man After Nayte Olukoya Split
    Courtesy of Michelle Young/Instagram

    “To those who have supported Nayte and I, including Bachelor Nation, I know I speak for the both of us when saying having a relationship in the public eye has not been easy,” Young captioned a social media statement in June 2022. “I’m struggling to say that Nayte and I will be going our separate ways but I stand with him in knowing the heaviness that is present in both our hearts as this relationship has been very real for us.”

    She added at the time: “To you, Nayte, you quickly became my best friend and the love I have for you is incredibly strong. I will never stop wanting to see you succeed. I will always acknowledge and appreciate the adventures, support and growth both Nayte and this experience have brought me.”

    Feature Michelle Young and Nayte Olukoya Split Everything They’ve Said

    Related: Everything Michelle Young and Nayte Olukoya Have Said About Their Split

    Bachelor Nation is slowly getting more insight into Michelle Young and Nayte Olukoya’s decision to call off their engagement. After she looked for love on Matt James’ season of The Bachelor, ABC picked the teacher to lead season 18 of The Bachelorette. During the December 2021 finale, fans watched Young accept a proposal from her […]

    Young has since claimed that Olukoya dumped her over the phone and that the experience “tainted” future engagements for her.

    “It was my dream ring. I wanted the relationship to work. I was willing to put in work for the relationship. And I had the person take off,” she claimed during a February interview on the “Almost Famous” podcast. “That’s not something that I bluntly said [before] because Instagram and there’s all these other things on you, but, like, I know what it looks like to work through a relationship, and I know how hard relationships can get. But both people have to be capable of doing that.”

    Olukoya, for his part, has not addressed any of Young’s accusations about the abrupt demise of their romance. In July 2022, he denied rumors that he cheated on Young and asserted that they both “tried” to make their relationship work to no avail.

    Miranda Siwak

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  • ‘The Golden Bachelor’: Everything We Know About ABC’s “Strike-Proof” Spin-Off

    ‘The Golden Bachelor’: Everything We Know About ABC’s “Strike-Proof” Spin-Off

    In addition to solving its scheduling woes, The Golden Bachelor may be just the refresh the creatively flailing franchise needs. The new series follows the departure of longtime creator Mike Fleiss and is already showing promise, according to Disney’s top unscripted-TV executive, Rob Mills. “It’s such a different way of doing The Bachelor because these people are just at a totally different place in their lives,” he previously told Variety. “There is an interesting thing about people who have hit the other end of the spectrum, who’ve lived their lives, they’ve raised their kids; some have been widowed or divorced, and maybe some have never been in love. We thought that would be an interesting dynamic through the Bachelor prism.”

    Who are the contestants on The Golden Bachelor?

    At the end of August ABC unveiled the cast photos and bios for all 22 contestants on The Golden Bachelor. They range from age 60 to 75 and share a diverse range of pasts, perspectives, and, apparently, pickleball habits, as showcased in a trailer set to Cher’s “Believe.” And these women boast traits that have never been seen on a Bachelor bio. Take Christina, whose first concert was the Beatles in 1964; Marina, who has three master’s degrees; or Kathy, whose grandchildren call her “Kiki.” There’s even a familiar face in the bunch—Patty, the mother of Matt James, Bachelor Nation’s first Black lead who is still dating his final pick, Rachael Kirkconnell.

    The full list of contestants is below:
    Anna, 61, a retired nutritionist from Summit, N.J.
    April, 65, a therapist from Port St. Lucie, Fla.
    Christina, 73, a retired purchasing manager from Sierra Madre, Calif.
    Edith, 60, a retired realtor from Downey, Calif.
    Ellen, 71, a retired teacher from Delray Beach Fla.
    Faith, 60, a high school teacher from Benton City, Wash.
    Jeanie, 65, a retired project manager from Estill Springs, Tenn.
    Joan, 60, a private school administrator from Rockland, Md.
    Kathy, 70, a retired educational consultant from Austin, Texas
    Leslie, 64, a fitness instructor from Minneapolis, Minn.
    Maria, 60, a health and wellness director from Teaneck, N.J.
    Marina, 60, an educator from Los Angeles, Calif.
    Nancy, 60, a retired interior designer from Alexandria, Va.
    Natascha, 60, a pro-aging coach and midlife speaker from New York City, N.Y.
    Pamela, 75, a retired salon owner from Aurora, Ill.
    Patty, 70, a retired real estate professional from Durham, N.C.
    Peggy, 69, a dental hygienist from East Haven, Conn.
    Renee, 67, a former Chicago Honey Bear Cheerleader from Middleton, Wis.
    Sandra, 75, a retired executive assistant from Doraville, Ga.
    Susan, 66, a wedding officiant from Aston, Penn.
    Sylvia, 64, a public affairs consultant from Los Angeles, Calif.
    Theresa, 69, a financial services professional from Shrewsbury, N.J.

    Savannah Walsh

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  • ‘Bachelorette’ Alum Josh Seiter Addresses Instagram Hack Rumours: ‘I Didn’t Fake My Death’

    ‘Bachelorette’ Alum Josh Seiter Addresses Instagram Hack Rumours: ‘I Didn’t Fake My Death’

    By Corey Atad.

    Josh Seiter isn’t in the game of pulling hoaxes.

    The former “Bachelorette” contestant is shutting down rumours that he was behind the recent post on his Instagram account announcing his death, having said he was hacked.


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    Lil Tay Death Hoax: Meta Confirms Instagram Account Was Hacked

    “I didn’t fake my death and I never would,” Seiter told Page Six, adding that his is “a victim of a hack.”

    The drama began on Monday, when a statement was posted to the 36-year-old’s Instagram account announcing that he had died.

    “It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the tragic news of Joshua’s unexpected passing,” the statement said. “As all who knew him can attest, Joshua was an incredibly bright light in an increasingly dim world. His fearless voice and indomitable spirit helped thousands of people in their darkest moments feel just a little less alone.”

    Seiter has been open about his mental health struggles, including self-harm, leading many followers to assume he had taken his own life.

    But the next day, people were surprised to see the post deleted, with a new video from Seiter explaining that he is “alive and well” and that his account had been hacked by someone “playing a cruel joke and mocking” his struggles.


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    An Alan Jackson Death Hoax Is Running Wild

    Some questioned Seiter’s story, though, including “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum Monica Beverly Hillz, who accused the reality star of being behind his own death hoax.

    “I’m baffled. I’m angry. I’m happy he’s alive, I’m happy he’s here, but this is so infuriating to me,” she told Entertainment Weekly.

    She also claimed that they had recently rekindled their relationship.

    But speaking to Page Six, Seiter called Hillz’s comments ““offensive and disgusting,” adding, “Me and Monica hung out a grand total of three times over a week-and-a-half. I barely know her.”

    Seiter starred as a contestant on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season of “The Bachelorette” in 2015.

    Corey Atad

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  • We Love Charity and Dotun’s “Bachelorette” Fairy Tale — and Got the Scoop on Their Nigerian Wedding

    We Love Charity and Dotun’s “Bachelorette” Fairy Tale — and Got the Scoop on Their Nigerian Wedding

    It’s been a long, long time coming. But when Dotun Olubeko dropped on a knee to propose to Charity Lawson (adorably at her height level), I smiled. Then I cried. Then I texted my mom and friends I knew who were watching “The Bachelorette” (and those who stopped watching the franchise because they gave up on seeing a Black love story seasons ago). And then I rejoiced with Black Twitter, finding our way together to celebrate this historic moment in Bachelor history.

    I’ve been a Bachelor franchise viewer for about a decade, and although I have seen mixed-race women who look like me on the journey to find their partners, inclusive representation was lacking. The time for a beautiful, melanated Black couple — a gorgeous lead in Lawson and every bit the prince charming in Olubeko — has been way overdue. My joy stemmed from young people with skin as richly dark and lovely as my mother’s — and all the oft-ignored-by-the-mainstream incredible women who raised me — taking center stage. It’s needed, it’s welcome, and we must not wait another 25 years to see it again.

    Lawson and Olubeko spoke with POPSUGAR fresh off their engagement reveal, broadcasted to millions Monday night on ABC — and the love they’re feeling from fans is immense. “It’s been amazing to watch,” Olubeko shares. “We went into this leading with our hearts, just to find our person. And for this to end up being what it is, it’s an honor. And we respect the position so much, and we want to further that conversation and make sure that people understand what Black love can look like.”

    “We want to further that conversation.”

    For this Black love story, Black Twitter is already dialed in for the main event: a bustling, vibrant Nigerian wedding. “Whether I like it, there’s no avoiding it. My mom wants that to happen, like, yesterday,” Olubeko says, laughing; he comes from a vibrant, welcoming Nigerian American family. Although the couple have plans to simply do life together, they assure two weddings will take place when the timing is right. “We’re just going to take the next year or two to continue to enjoy each other’s company and live life, because it’s been so crazy for the past year. But we’re excited for the opportunity to have this Nigerian wedding, and likely that’s going to happen along with probably a more intimate one because we are meaningful people. So we want to have one that’s meaningful. But also a fun one, a fun one that’s vibrant and classic Nigerian fashion.”

    Although there will be no wedding bells in the near future, Lawson is already excited to immerse herself in the richness of Nigerian culture. “I’m teaching her Yoruba,” Olubeko shares. And of course, Lawson is here for all of the culture’s delicious food. Rice and jollof for the win, y’all.

    That authenticity from both Olubeko and Lawson made it such a fun ride watching the two find love in a hopeless place: reality TV. For Lawson, authenticity was essential, and she remained true to herself throughout the entire televised, highly scrutinized journey. “I knew for myself, if I was to be easily molded or swayed, I was going to leave or walk away from here probably not having the outcome that I truly wanted, and so it was an active thing for me,” Lawson says. “But also not something that I had to think about. I didn’t want to think about being a certain way. I just was.”

    To stay anchored in simply being Charity, faith and culture led the way. “I did bring my journals and devotions and my Bible,” Lawson shares. “Just being a woman of faith, that was helpful for me to be anchored in.”

    Her music, meanwhile, gave her the space to cut up. “The running joke for the season, the theme of the season, was ‘Wipe Me Down,’” she says, laughing, referencing the Boosie Badazz classic. “I always listened to that before a rose ceremony. Or just Beyoncé, things like that that really just allowed me to feel empowered in the moment or have a moment where I could just feel more at peace or at home and connected.”

    “After encountering something so powerful, now the approach and how we view things is totally different.”

    As Lawson starts this exciting chapter of her life — a new man and an upcoming run on “Dancing With the Stars she’s leaning on the works of one of our greatest late elders. “After filming, I started reading a book by bell hooks, which is ‘All About Love,’” Lawson says. “And that just allowed me to really have this overwhelming transformative outlook on what love is and how we come to know what love is. And so we often talk about it, too. After encountering something so powerful, now the approach and how we view things is totally different.”

    It’s a tale as old as the Bachelor franchise: Lawson and Olubeko can finally share their love off camera. I’m excited to see the fun shenanigans of “Bachelor in Paradise” ensue and for “The Golden Bachelor” Gerry Turner to find his golden match. (My boomer mom is especially interested in that one!) And I’m here for Lawson’s runner-up, Joey Graziadei, to search for his OTP on the next season of “The Bachelor.” It’ll be business as usual for my regular rotation of Bachelor Nation offerings. But the Charity and Dotun era will have my heart for years to come.

    Jada Gomez

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  • ‘The Bachelorette’ Is Close To The End — And Her Decision Could Be A Toss-Up

    ‘The Bachelorette’ Is Close To The End — And Her Decision Could Be A Toss-Up

    In Week 7, Charity Lawson and her suitors head to Fiji with hopes of getting closer to a proposal.

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  • Former ‘Bachelorette’ Gabby Windey reveals she has a girlfriend – National | Globalnews.ca

    Former ‘Bachelorette’ Gabby Windey reveals she has a girlfriend – National | Globalnews.ca

    Former The Bachelorette star Gabby Windey has found love — but it isn’t with any of the men who fought for her affections on the reality dating show.

    In an update to social media on Wednesday, Windey — who last year co-starred in Season 19 of the show — revealed she is in a relationship with female comedian and writer Robby Hoffman.

    Windey and Hoffman have been dating for three months. Hoffman was already out publicly when Windey made her announcement.

    The 32-year-old reality star shared a series of photos of she and her new boo to Instagram with the caption, “Told you I’m a girls girl!!”

    In the multiple photos, Windey and Hoffman are seen embracing and enjoying a sunny vacation. In the final photo, Windey is holding a drink and a red rose in front of a rainbow coloured U.S. flag, complete with stars formed in a heart shape.

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    On her Instagram story, Windey said dating Hoffman has been “truly, really the best experience over these last three months.”

    Also on Wednesday, Windey appeared on The View to discuss her relationship.

    She said she has been trying to “live my truth” away from The Bachelor franchise.

    “I’ve been seeing someone for a couple months and I’ve been keeping it a little more private because it is a bigger story and a bigger conversation,” Windey prefaced. “I’m dating a girl.”

    As The View audience cheered, Windey joined in to clap as well.

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    She joked that she didn’t think anyone saw this news coming, not even herself.

    Windey described her attraction to women as a “whisper in me that just got louder and louder.”

    “When this happens, there’s some shame obviously surrounding it, so I think I had to a little bit navigate through the shame,” she said. “I always just want to do me, do what I want, figure it out later.”

    Windey said she chose to visit The View so that she could come out on her own terms.

    “My story’s been told for me so many times, being on TV with editing and production,” she said. “They’re going to say what they want to say, but I want them to hear it come from my mouth.”

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    Hoffman shared her own series of photos after Windey’s announcement. She included pictures of she and Windey on the beach, a photo of Windey wearing an at-home LED face mask and a video of Windey running off the set of The View.

    GLAAD, a non-profit LGBTQ2 advocacy organization, issued a statement from vice president of communications and talent Anthony Allen Ramos celebrating Windey’s coming out.

    “As one of today’s most visible reality stars from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, Gabby Windey’s decision to continue to share her private life with the public as a queer woman is a key reminder to people, including the many millions who watch the franchise, that there are no rules for coming out and that everyone’s journey is different,” said Ramos. “This should also be an important reminder to the industry that LGBTQ people have a place in mainstream dating and relationship shows and that we must be included.”

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    Windey was previously engaged to Erich Schwer, who she chose as the winner at the end of her season of The Bachelorette. The couple called it quits in November.

    &copy 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

    Sarah Do Couto

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  • ‘The Bachelorette”s Charity Lawson Offers Advice To ‘Precious’ Gerry Turner, The First ‘Golden Bachelor’ 

    ‘The Bachelorette”s Charity Lawson Offers Advice To ‘Precious’ Gerry Turner, The First ‘Golden Bachelor’ 

    By Melissa Romualdi.

    Charity Lawson is offering advice to the “Bachelor” franchise’s first-ever golden bachelor, Gerry Turner, as he’s about to begin his journey.

    The current “Bachelorette”, who’s final four were just revealed during the latest episode, appeared on the iHeart podcast “Bachelor Happy Hour” where she told hosts, Bachelor Nation stars Joe Amabile and Serena Pitt, what she’d tell Turner heading into filming the first season of “The Golden Bachelor”.


    READ MORE:
    ‘The Bachelorette’ Star Charity Lawson Shares Her Thoughts On ‘Charming’ Brayden And Other Guys That Stood Out On Night One

    “I’m sure he doesn’t need any. I mean, he’s lived a lot,” Lawson said of the 71-year-old. “He probably has so much experience but, for me, what helped me the most was just being present and try to be present in every day and not looking too far ahead.

    “I think that can sometimes consume you, get you caught up in it, [and] make you anxious,” she explained. “So just take it day by day and really just go with what you feel is best. No one else knows, only you do.”


    READ MORE:
    ‘The Golden Bachelor’: Gerry Turner Says His Love Story Is ‘Worth The Wait’ In New Teaser

    Lawson, 27, went on to commend the franchise’s upcoming project.

    “I just love the whole idea of this spinoff like obviously we don’t really see this on reality TV, like this population of people getting a shot at love again and so I’m really excited for it,” she said. “I’m excited for Gerry. I hope he finds his person.”

    While Lawson has yet to meet Turner, she “hopes” to soon.


    READ MORE:
    Ask Charity Lawson If She’s In Love, ‘The Bachelorette’ Star Says…

    “[He] is truly the most precious thing I’ve ever seen… his backstory is incredible.”

    For more on Lawson’s unfiltered conversation, where she chats all about her season and reveals what she’s most looking forward to addressing at the upcoming “Men Tell All”, listen to the full episode here.

    Melissa Romualdi

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  • What Is Brayden’s Deal On ‘The Bachelorette’?

    What Is Brayden’s Deal On ‘The Bachelorette’?

    I guess knowing someone’s favorite color doesn’t prove a strong connection after all! I don’t even have a comment on Brayden’s exit because his logic is so nonsensical to me, but I am puzzled that Charity said she saw a forever future with him. Like, blink twice if someone is making you say this, girl, because I just refuse to believe it. Also, Michael made a crazy move on Charity in their 1:1 time when they were being silly and mimicking mating calls, if anyone caught that. Not him going “Can I try a mating call?” and then pulling her in for a kiss. I can’t tell if it’s smooth or corny or what, but I gasped. —Alexandra

    OK, LOL, is that what they were doing? I must have zoned out for a moment because I wrote in my notes, “why are they hootie-hooing?????” Brayden’s exit should have happened last week, so this all felt so annoying to watch. Like, girl, you know you can’t see a future with his immature ass. And Brayden, you know you are not going to propose, so stop wasting everybody’s time. I thought Charity “randomly” walking in and noticing their tense moment was funny because like, OK, which producer set this whole ordeal up? I don’t love that Charity seemed to be explaining herself to douchey-Brayden, but I’m glad she finally got the nerve to kick him off. —Erin

    Charity asked Brayden what was going on, and his best response was, “I have not been excited since I got here.” Wahhh. Like, OK, you played your villain part and clearly overstayed your welcome. I’m sure the “Bachelorette” producers were already booking his ticket for “Paradise” on his way out.

    Also, do we think Sean (who I like!) had packed his Pacific Northwest-vibe scarf or did he just drape a table runner from the lodge around him during this date? —Jill

    YES, JILL! It’s so evident. “There’s no optimism in your voice.” LMAO! PLEASE! The way they edited this scene of Brayden being berated by the other suitors! The flashbacks to his previous statements? Exquisite. The smirk on Charity’s face was the icing on the cake because I think she knew, internally, that the sun was setting on this narrative.

    Also, y’all, Tanner is kinda….kinda attractive… He was talking during this scene, and I had to do a double take. —Ruth

    I’m telling you, people are sleeping on him!! —Alexandra

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  • ‘The Bachelorette’ Brings The Romance And The Drama In Week 2

    ‘The Bachelorette’ Brings The Romance And The Drama In Week 2

    Charity Lawson takes one lucky suitor on an incredible date — and then hears that one contestant might not be there for the right reasons.

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  • 26 Can’t-Miss Summer TV Shows Coming in 2023

    26 Can’t-Miss Summer TV Shows Coming in 2023

    God love ‘em, the Gemstones’ prayers have finally been answered. Season three of The Righteous Gemstones returns to HBO on June 18, and, in a page straight out of Succession, Jesse (Danny McBride), Judy (Edi Patterson), and Kelvin (Adam DeVine) Gemstone finally have control of the family’s televangelist church made world-famous by their father, Dr. Eli Gemstone (John Goodman). But, running a megachurch is not as easy as it seems, and, from the looks of it, the Gemstone children may not be cut out for the gig. Pray for them.  —Chris Murphy

    The Walking Dead: Dead City

    June 18 (AMC)

    The universe of The Walking Dead expands once again with this sequel series, which picks up two years after the end of The Walking Dead and finds former enemies Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan) traveling in a postapocalyptic Manhattan. It’s the fourth spin-off from the smash-hit AMC series, which wrapped its 11th and final season in November 2022. None of the follow-up series have become as huge as the original, but AMC clearly remains very much in the zombie business. —K.R.

    Secret Invasion

    June 21 (Disney+)

    “We don’t know who’s a friend, who’s the enemy,” Samuel L. Jackson told Anthony Breznican for Vanity Fair’s first look at his upcoming Marvel series, which follows Jackson’s former S.H.I.E.L.D. director, Nick Fury, as he uncovers a conspiracy to quietly install double agents into positions of power around the world. He’s joined by Emilia Clarke as an alien radical named G’iah, Olivia Colman as a British intelligence agent who has a past with Fury, and a few familiar faces from the MCU, namely Martin Freeman (as CIA agent Everett K. Ross) and Cobie Smulders (as Fury’s steadfast ally, Maria Hill). Maybe it’s not a new Avengers movie, but Secret Invasion seems just as starry. —H.B.

    The Bear

    June 22 (FX)

    Order up. The Bear—the high-octane kitchen series that premiered on FX last summer and quickly became the network’s most-watched half-hour show of all time—serves up a new 10-episode season two on June 22. After shutting down his restaurant, The Beef, Jeremy Allen White’s chef Carmy and his kitchen crew consisting of his “cousin” Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), sous-chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), pastry chef Marcus (Lionel Boyce), and veteran line cook Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) are preparing to open Carmy’s new restaurant, The Bear. Along with the new restaurant, there are a few new faces, with Better Call Saul’s Bob Odenkirk and Booksmart’s Molly Gordon both joining The Bear for season two. “It’s not a reopening, it’s a rebirth,” reads the caption on a teaser trailer for The Bear’s second season. Yes, chef. —C.M.

    The Bachelorette

    June 26 (ABC)

    While many of us are still feeling the hangover of a particularly brutal season of The Bachelor, a new season for love is here with Charity Lawson, a 27-year-old Georgia native who was sent packing after hometowns by Zach Shallcross, calling the shots. She becomes only the fifth Black lead in franchise history, following in the footsteps of Matt James, Rachel Lindsay, Tayshia Adams, and Michelle Young—a welcome addition after yet another season where a contestant’s racist past was exposed. Here’s hoping that the exit of controversial longtime creator Mike Fleiss, and Lawson’s career as a child and family therapist bring fresh life to a wilting rose. —S.W.

    The Witcher season three

    June 29 (Netflix)

    Geralt (Henry Cavill) and Ciri (Freya Allan) are going into hiding as the new season of Netflix’s fantasy epic begins, a journey that promises equal parts discovery and treachery—and lands them in a position of putting everything on the line. Robbie Amell and Meng’er Zhang join the cast as an elven fighter and a human huntress, respectively. —D.C.

    And Just Like That… Season Two

    June (Max)

    Now that the death of Big and a realignment of friend groups has been taken care of, maybe the second season of Max’s Sex and the City continuation can relax and have fun. Maybe we might even get a more episodic format, with each installment centered on a particular theme—you know, like SATC used to be. Though creator Michael Patrick King and producer/star Sarah Jessica Parker have been careful to note that AJLT is not trying to directly mimic the style of their previous hit, this is a different set of shoes altogether. So, perhaps that will be the real narrative of this sophomore run of episodes: audiences learning to embrace what’s different about the series, while its creative team finds a way to make it all fit. —R.L.

    The Horror of Dolores Roach

    July 7 (Prime Video)

    From play to podcast to TV series: That’s the unlikely journey of The Horror of Dolores Roach, which began its life as a one-woman show starring Daphne Rubin-Vega, who reprised the role for the Gimlet Media podcast version. The play and podcast’s creator Aaron Mark will serve as co-showrunner for the series, which stars One Day at a Time alum Justina Machado as a woman returning to her Washington Heights neighborhood after being released from prison. As the description for the podcast went, it’s “a macabre urban legend of love, betrayal, weed, gentrification, cannibalism, and survival of the fittest.” —K.R.

    The Real Housewives of New York City

    July 16 (Bravo)

    RHONY has gotten a rebrand. After 13 seasons, Bravo has done away with original Real Housewives of New York cast members like Luann de Lesepps, Sonja Morgan, and Ramona Singer in favor of a fresh crop of ladies ready to take on the Big Apple. Bravo’s updated RHONY cast includes Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Jessel Taank, Brynn Whitfield, Erin Dana Lichy, and former J.Crew president and creative director Jenna Lyons. Season 14 of Real Housewives of New York will premiere on Bravo on July 16 because, after all, there’s nothing like summer in the city. Until then, we’ll have to wait and see whether the new cast will fill the RHONY OGs’ big and fabulous shoes. —C.M.

    The Afterparty

    July 14 (Apple TV+)

    The only thing juicier than an afterparty is what mischief happens next. Even more murder is afoot in season two of this comedic whodunnit, which deliciously recounts the same crime from a different character’s perspective in each episode. The sophomore installment reunites returning cast members Tiffany Haddish, Sam Richardson, and Zoë Chao with a—ahem—murderers’ row of new performers including John Cho, Paul Walter Hauser, Anna Konkle, Ken Jeong, Poppy Liu, Zach Woods, Vivian Wu, and Elizabeth Perkins as an unlucky set of soon-to-be interrogated wedding guests. Let the theorizing begin! —S.W.

    Praise Petey

    July 21 (Freeform)

    Annie Murphy as an It girl whose glamorous life comes crashing down? Sounds a lot like Schitt’s Creek, only, this time, Murphy is voicing the animated Petey, who decides to lean into modernizing her dad’s small-town cult. From former Saturday Night Live head writer Anna Drezen, Praise Petey promises comedy for the Gen Z set. John Cho, Kiersey Clemons, and Christine Baranski also star. —N.J.

    They Cloned Tyrone

    July 21 (Netflix)

    Is it a comedy, a conspiracy thriller, a stylish sci-fi-action-mystery-Blaxploitation-throwback? Juel Taylor’s directorial debut looks like all of the above. “Blaxploitation films always represented movies that let us express ourselves, and we could just look snazzy and do cool shit,” star John Boyega recently told EW of the high-concept project. ”It didn’t matter if we knew kung fu. It just all made sense with the music, with the vibes. I’m just proud to, at least, be a part of something that pays homage to that.” Trust his costars Teyonah Parris and Jamie Foxx to nail the vibe too. —H.B.

    Minx season two

    July 21 (Starz)

    Axed from HBO Max in dramatic fashion last year, the 1970s workplace comedy has found a new life on Starz, with Ophelia Lovibond and Jake Johnson returning as Joyce and Doug, the pair of unlikely collaborators behind a feminist porn magazine. In season two, the magazine Minx has become a hit, which, for our heroes, “brings more money, fame, and temptation than either of them know how to handle,” per Starz. With the recent Party Down revival, Starz is hopefully well-positioned to promote another smart comedy and treat Minx better than its first home did. —K.R.

    Twisted Metal

    July 27 (Peacock)

    Did you spend the winter of 1995 watching your brother shoot napalm-laced ice cream cones at a souped-up Corvette driven by a ghost? If so, you too may find yourself intrigued by Peacock’s adaptation of the classic Playstation game, which casts Anthony Mackie as an everyman (he’s literally named John Doe) on a quest that, if the original is any blueprint, will mostly serve as an excuse for stylized vehicular mayhem. Yes, the clown who drives a killer ice cream truck is there too—and, this time, he’s voiced by Will Arnett.H.B.

    Breeders season four

    July (FX)

    The fourth season of FX’s dark comedy series follows a tense finale in which Ava (Eve Prenelle) finally stood up to her father, while our weary married antiheroes Paul (Martin Freeman) and Ally (Daisy Haggard) don’t split up, exactly, but plan to move forward with a dynamic that may not be fixable, and a lot of pain in the rearview. How will they all pick up the pieces? Hopefully, the premiere lays out the road map. —D.C.

    Heartstopper season two

    August 3 (Netflix)

    Get ready for a summer of love. Netflix’s hit queer coming-of-age romance Heartstopper returns to the streaming platform on August 3. Based on the New York Times best-selling graphic novel series by Alice Oseman, Heartstopper follows Charlie (Joe Locke) a recently out teen at a British all-boys school, Nick (Kit Connor) a closeted rugby player coming to terms with his sexuality, and their budding romance. With a 100% average Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, there’s clearly many Heartstopper fans interested in seeing what the next step is in Charlie and Nick’s romantic journey. —C.M.

    Red, White & Royal Blue

    August 11 (Prime Video)

    Speaking of Heartstopper, The Royal We meets Netflix’s hit queer romance in Matthew Lopez’s adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s Young Adult bestseller, a sweetly silly rom-com that pairs America’s First Son with the heir to the British crown. Sure, the premise is implausible, but McQuiston’s charming banter was enough to sell it in novel form. Presumably, young cuties Taylor Zakhar Pérez and Nicholas Galitzine will be able to do the same on the small screen. Plus: Uma Thurman as the first female POTUS! —H.B.

    Reservation Dogs season two

    Summer Date TBD (FX)

    At the end of season two, the titular Dogs—Indigenous teens Elora Danan (Devery Jacobs), Bear (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis), and Cheese (Lane Factor)—have made their long-awaited sojourn to California, a dream they often discussed while living on the Muscogee Nation Reservation in Oklahoma. But, while the last season ended with a sense of resolution, showrunner Sterlin Harjo has teased “some darkness coming” in season three for the group, whose bond was cemented after the tragic loss of their fifth friend just before the show’s start. —S.W.

    What We Do in the Shadows season five

    Summer Date TBD (FX)

    Renewed last year for a fifth and sixth season, the vampire comedy returns with a major vote of confidence from its network, and a major cliff-hanger to wrap up: At the end of the last season, human familiar Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) had asked to be turned into a vampire. The season ended with several other resets, like Baby Colin’s (Mark Proksch) reversion back to regular adult Colin and the end of Nadja’s (Natasia Demetriou) nightclub dream. But, for vampire characters who have been alive for hundreds of years, there’s clearly time for many more adventures. —K.R.

    Hillary Busis, Richard Lawson, Savannah Walsh, Rebecca Ford, David Canfield, Katey Rich, Natalie Jarvey, Chris Murphy

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  • ‘The Bachelor’ and Longtime Creator Mike Fleiss Break Up After Rocky Season

    ‘The Bachelor’ and Longtime Creator Mike Fleiss Break Up After Rocky Season

    A new era of The Bachelor is upon us. After more than two decades at the helm of ABC’s reality-dating-show juggernaut, creator Mike Fleiss and his franchise are breaking up. The news arrives a day after the conclusion of Zach Shallcross’s season of The Bachelor, which had an uneven, albeit happy ending

    “First and foremost, congratulations are in order for Zach and Kaity [Biggar]. I wish them a long and happy life together. I want to thank WBTV and ABC for 21 extraordinary years. They’ve found the perfect creative team for me to entrust The Bachelor franchise and keep this lightning in a bottle bold and moving forward. Let the journey continue,” Fleiss said in a statement to Deadline. (Vanity Fair has reached out to reps for ABC and Fleiss for additional comment.)

    Fleiss is passing the baton to Claire Freeland, showrunner of Canada’s The Bachelor; Jason Ehrlich, showrunner on multiple seasons of the series and its spin-offs; and Bennett Graebner, a veteran executive producer on the franchise. The next season of The Bachelorette, starring Charity Lawson, is currently filming and premieres in June. 

    Before creating The Bachelor, which debuted in 2002, and The Bachelorette, which followed a year later, Fleiss was a creative mind on reality series including Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire? and High School Reunion. “I like to take a topic that someone says, ‘You can’t put that on TV,’ and then I put it on TV,” he told Vanity Fair in 2003. “I want to feel a little bit dangerous, a tiny bit irresponsible probably, and that usually equals controversy, and that’s sort of my stock-in-trade.” 

    If controversy is what Fleiss sought, then his reputation with the Bachelor franchise was successful. The colorful creator, a second cousin of renowned former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss, has weathered his fair share of professional and personal scandal. Over the years, he feuded with the Kardashianshis own talent, and even fellow ABC stalwart Kelly Ripa. After the Live host criticized his series, Fleiss replied with a scorching tweet: “The Bachelor franchise pays your salary.” 

    When asked about the show’s glaring lack of diversity back in 2011, he told Entertainment Weekly, “We always want to cast for ethnic diversity, it’s just that for whatever reason, they don’t come forward. I wish they would.” During the same interview, Fleiss said of The Bachelor that “the romance space is ours”—a statement that holds far less weight in 2023 as evidenced by the show’s waning ratings and cultural relevance. If anything, Fleiss’s legacy may be the scores of hit reality dating series that now compete against The Bachelor, including Love Is BlindMarried at First Sight, Temptation Island, and Love Island, to name just a few.

    Savannah Walsh

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  • Chris Harrison Finally Tells All About His “Confusing, Scary” ‘The Bachelor’ Exit

    Chris Harrison Finally Tells All About His “Confusing, Scary” ‘The Bachelor’ Exit

    Chris Harrison is finally telling all. More than a year since he stepped down as host of The Bachelor following a controversial Extra interview in which he excused racist behavior from one of the show’s contestants, Harrison spoke publicly for the first time on Monday via his new podcastThe Most Dramatic Podcast Ever. 

    “I was heartbroken. I was gutted. I was embarrassed. I was mad at myself. I was disappointed in myself. The last thing in the world I ever wanted to do was be an agent of anything negative, whether it had to do with race or anything,” Harrison said of his “infamous interview” with Rachel Lindsay, the franchise’s first Black lead, that led to his eventual ouster. “The fact that I was involved in this and that I had a big part in this—and I do own that—there were many things out of my control and things definitely spun out of control for a number of reasons. But for my part in this, I was sick, sick to my stomach. I lost 20 pounds. I didn’t sleep. I didn’t eat. I was scared to death.”

    The former emcee, who hosted The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Bachelor in Paradise for 19 years, urged “a little compassion” for contestant Rachael Kirkconnell after photos of her attending an antebellum-themed party resurfaced during first Black bachelor Matt James’s season. After the interview aired, Kirkconnell issued an apology on Instagram, saying she “didn’t recognize how offensive and racist my actions were, but that doesn’t excuse them.” 

    Harrison said that while “everybody did agree…it was a messy, really bad conversation and I wasn’t my normal eloquent self” that he “wasn’t really too worried about my job or the show.” The host said he understood that “if I apologized, we would be able to move forward.” Harrison did just that, offering his mea culpa in a Good Morning America interview with Michael Strahan that the anchor called “a surface response.” The Bachelor host promptly announced that he would be “stepping aside for a period of time” from the series. 

    “Apologies didn’t matter. And I’ve never seen a time like that in my life, I’ve never known that not to work. If you sincerely apologize and open your heart and it was just like yelling in a cave,” Harrison recalled. “It just didn’t matter. It didn’t move anything and it didn’t move us away from what had just happened. So even after that apology, we were still at ground zero. And it was confusing and it was scary.”

    He was “counseled” not to talk further about the scandal in which “my name became synonymous with this political lightning in a bottle moment,” Harrison said, later adding, “Don’t use a crisis manager. I’m not saying they’re full of shit, but they’re not great.” He permanently departed the show in June 2021 and reportedly received a “mid-range eight-figure settlement” from ABC, according to Deadline

    Harrison, who says he no longer watches the series, did admit to keeping an eye on its declining viewership. “I realize the ratings are down 50 to 60 percent and the show has changed dramatically,” he said. “But also that hurts me a little bit because it’s something I took pride in building.” He also called out contestants such as former Bachelor Nick Viall who he said, after smelling “blood in the water,” lobbied for his role. “I know people wanted my job—they’d be crazy not to, it was a great gig, or so it appeared from the outside looking in,” Harrison explained.

    ABC enlisted former Bachelor, NFL quarterback, and sports commentator Jesse Palmer to replace Harrison—a move that surprised him. “I thought, to be completely candid, that Wells,” he said, referring to Wells Adams, a past contestant who has a host-like presence as the bartender on Bachelor in Paradise, “was going to get the job,” he said. “I thought that was kind of the easiest call since Ken Jennings got the Jeopardy job. He’s in the family, everybody loves him. It just seemed like a layup. But that’s not how it went down.” Harrison said he even went so far as to privately tell Adams: “I hope you get the job.”

    While Harrison insisted that he has “no animosity” toward the franchise he was once the face of, he did note at the top of his first podcast episode: “I’m sure there are a lot of people–well, a few people—that are sitting in Hollywood right now nervous as hell that I am doing a podcast. And I  guess I would say to those people: ‘If you’re nervous, maybe you should be, because you probably know that I know.’”

    Savannah Walsh

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