[Maru]

I just heard of this so sharing it here:

Bachelorette’s New Season Cancelled Days Before Premiere: Is It Time to End the Problematic Franchise?
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/...223139798.html

Like clockwork, The Bachelorette has been rocked by scandal. Just three days before the new season’s March 22 premiere, ABC has opted not to air Taylor Frankie Paul’s turn as the Bachelorette following news of a domestic assault investigation involving the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star and her ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen, and the surfacing of a disturbing video between the pair.

“In light of the newly released video just surfaced today, we have made the decision to not move forward with the new season of The Bachelorette at this time, and our focus is on supporting the family,” a Disney Entertainment Television spokesperson said in a statement. It’s not clear if ABC might air the season at a later time, or if it has been completely scrapped.

In the aforementioned video from 2023, which was released by TMZ on Thursday, Paul is seen putting Mortensen in a headlock and kicking him as he tries to record the altercation on his phone. Paul then throws multiple chairs at Mortensen, one of which he claims struck Paul’s young daughter, who was in the room at the time of the incident and is heard crying. According to People, Paul was arrested in February 2023 and faced misdemeanor charges of assault, criminal mischief and commission of domestic violence in the presence of a child.

In a statement to People, a spokesperson for Paul said, “Taylor is very grateful for ABC’s support as she prioritizes her family’s safety and security. After years of silently suffering extensive mental and physical abuse as well as threats of retaliation, Taylor is finally gaining the strength to face her accuser and taking steps to ensure that she and her children are protected from any further harm.”

“There are too many women who are suffering in silence as they survive aggressive, jealous ex-partners who refuse to let them move on with their lives,” the statement continued. “Taylor has remained silent out of fear of further abuse, retaliation and public shaming. She is currently exploring all of her options, seeking support, and preparing to own and share her story.”.

...

Less related, but excellent example of the trouble we're in if we can't tell the difference between real/fake now...

Also yikes,

‘The Bachelorette’ Contestants Witnessed Taylor Frankie Paul’s ‘Temper’ ‘Firsthand’ While Filming
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/...141441055.html

My grandmother and I used to love watching these together. Even though we were very well aware of how fake they likely were. However, I read enough behind the scenes blogging about them on my own to not even find the "reality TV" portion worth following, so I started skipping them entirely... ABC has had a lot of scandals with the show ever since, but can't deny some iconic people have come from some of the older seasons.. I can see it all needing to be retired at some point and kinda surprised it hasn't.

ABC pulled Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette just days before its premiere — and now a new report claims her castmates had already warned the network about her volatile behavior.

“This wasn’t something they discovered later,” a source told Rob Shuter’s Naughty But Nice Substack on Friday, March 20. “It was happening while they were filming.”

Shuter also reported that multiple sources claimed that Paul’s temper became an issue while filming.

“There were complaints during filming,” one insider explained. “People spoke up — but nothing changed. They didn’t stop production. They moved forward.”

To make matters worse, some of the men from Paul’s season “knew she had a temper while they were there” because “they saw it firsthand.”

According to E! News, a contestant told the outlet on Thursday, March 19, that the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star, 31, “exploded on a couple of” the men, noting: “I just thought she was leaning into the drama.”

Bachelorette producers allegedly tried to “frame it as ‘spicy’ and ‘fun,’” but that wasn’t the case. Per Shuter’s report, Paul was even warned about her conduct.

“She pulled it together when she had to,” a source said. “At least while cameras were on. Everyone knew there was a risk. They just kept going anyway.”

With ABC waiting to pull the plug on Paul’s season until the last minute, it potentially puts the network in a bad light.

“This didn’t come out of nowhere after filming,” an insider told Naughty But Nice. “It was happening during filming — and they ignored it.”

Earlier this week, news broke that Paul and her ex-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen, were being investigated for “domestic assault,” according to a report from People. At that point, ABC had made no moves to cancel The Bachelorette.

However, on Thursday, March 19, TMZ shared footage of a brutal altercation between Paul and Mortensen that occurred in 2023. While that particular incident was heavily documented during season 1 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, the public had only seen the footage of Paul’s arrest.

...