The Bachelorette host Chris Harrison is looking back on what's unfolded this season, reflecting on Kaitlyn Bristowe's controversial yet arguably groundbreaking role as the show's star.
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Below is a portion of Chris' recent interview with reporters. Check back with Reality TV World soon for more.
So I was wondering why we didn't get to see Tony Harris say very much on The Men Tell All, and Corey Stansell spoke so much when he wasn't even really a memorable character I suppose.
Chris Harrison: Tony didn't say two words the entire day. He didn't. I mean, I know there's a bunch of press there and they can back me up on it. He really didn't say anything. He just kind of sat there and there really wasn't much to talk to him about because he wasn't that kind of really integral part of the show, so I don't know.
And honestly, conversely, I'm not sure why Corey had so much to say, but he did. You know, some people come back on that show and just want to get their 15 minutes or if they have something to say. So it was funny to watch on social media last night, people's response to Corey.
Shawn versus Nick. Do you have a favorite guy that you want Kaitlyn to pick or are you impartial?
Chris Harrison: I mean, honestly, when it gets to this point, it's not that I'm impartial, but I'm definitely just leaning towards, you know, them just making the right decision for their own life. And again, far be it for me to know who that would be for Kaitlyn. And so, really, I don't have -- I've never had, like, a favorite as much as I just want them to be happy and choose best for them.
Do the producers feel any guilt or responsibility for Kaitlyn getting abused and bullied on social media? For instance, editing chose to include in an episode the moaning sounds Kaitlyn had made into a microphone the night she had sex with Nick.
Chris Harrison: Well, here's the thing, because I've pondered this too. You know, I guess the reverse question to that is, should we, as producers, not show what actually happened, not be factual, not be truthful with the audience because we don't think that you can handle it or that you are adult or big enough to handle it?
Because the bottom line is, Kaitlyn made decisions and those were her decisions and those were her actions as a grown woman. And it's not -- I don't think it's up to producers to then go back and edit that to make everybody feel good about themselves and make, you know, this perfect Disney utopia.
That's not the way the world works. That's not the way dating works, that's not the way Kaitlyn works. So Kaitlyn lives her life the way she saw fit, and we showed it.
Now, the great thing about The Bachelor -- about Bachelor Nation -- is you can love it, you can disagree, you can be appalled by it, you can be grossed out and just, you know, angry about it. My point is, be all those things, but stop at hate.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWThere is a fine line that is I think very clear to see where it stops being debate; stops being, you know, productive and just starts being hurtful, hateful and mean and bullying. And so, I'm fine with what we showed on The Bachelorette this season because it happened.
There's nothing that was created that Kaitlyn didn't do, and I'm fine with the reaction. I'm fine with everybody being angry or whatever. What I'm not okay with is the hate.
After having the set up where we had the two women vying to be Bachelorette, which I get the impression a lot of fans didn't like, do you think you're ever going to go back and try that again?
Chris Harrison: Never say never, because after we did it the first time with two Bachelors back with Byron Velvick, I think we literally said, "We will never do this again." And when Mike Fleiss and I were talking and he said, "I think we're going to have two Bachelorettes," I said, "Just so you remember, when we left that show, we said we would never do this again." And so we did it.
So, again, I guess I'll take an old line from my grandmother, "Never say never." But I hope it's a long time until we do it. I hope it's, like, 10 more years then I'd say, "Guys remember when we said we'd never do this again?"
Recently on Watch What Happens Live, you said that you didn't think Andi Dorfman picked the right guy in Josh Murray. Obviously, without spoiling the winner this year, do you think that Kaitlyn made the right choice?
Chris Harrison: I do. Yes. I think she made the right choice. You know, here's the thing, all along, I think she's made the right choice just because it's what she's decided to do.
I mean, some of these things have blown up in her face and it's been controversial, dramatic, whatever. But, you know, I think she stayed true to herself right up until the end. And as long as you do that, I think you can hold your head high and walk away from this.
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Chris Harrison: Well, the problem with that is it's kind of like showing the naked guy running across the football field during a game. That's kind of what they want. And so, while we wanted to make a point, you know, two reasons -- one outing them, you know, only kind of gives them what they want and that's a little fame and to be seen.
But secondly, I think what it would have done is create exactly what we're trying to get everybody away from. I didn't want to stir up hate. I don't want people e-mailing or tweeting or whatever telling them how horrible they are because then it's just more hate out there. So what I wanted to do was just get the point across and I think we did that.
Do you think Kaitlyn's frankness about sex will open the doors for future Bachelorettes to be equally frank or is it your gut feeling that this was just a blip?
Chris Harrison: I think it's a case-by-case basis. You know, I think Kaitlyn was incredibly open and strong and kind of wore her heart on her sleeve, but that's not necessarily, you know, what the next person will do. It really is a case-by-case basis.
That's really one of the things I love about the show, is every season is so different because, you know, Kaitlyn is 100 percent different from whoever the next Bachelor is going to be, different from Andi, different from, you know, prior seasons.
They all bring their own history, their own issues, their own vulnerabilities, insecurities etc. And so, that's kind of what I love about this show, is Kaitlyn's season, again, it'll never be replicated because it just can't.
You know, you'll never have another Kaitlyn. So I don't know. Maybe they'll be more leery because they've seen the flashback. Maybe it's a lesson learned, I don't know. But I appreciate her owning up to everything she did on the show.
Check back with Reality TV World soon for more parts of Chris' lengthy The Bachelorette interview.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
