Chris Harrison landed himself in some very hot water after an interview with Extra correspondent and former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay. Here's what the longtime host of The Bachelor said that caused such an uproar from Bachelor Nation.
Harrison's controversial comments came during an interview he had with Lindsay, the first Black Bachelorette who is now a correspondent for Extra. Chris came on to shed some light on the issues surrounding current contestant Rachael Kirkconnell. Kirkconnell has been responsible for racist behavior since the season began, but concerns increased last week when photos emerged of Kirkconnell allegedly at an Old South Ball in 2018. The Ball was hosted by Kappa Alpha, a fraternity that has historic ties to the KKK and the Confederacy. Old South Balls were officially banned by the frat in 2016, but the chapter at Georgia College & State University, Kirkconnell's alma mater, ignored the ban and threw its annual antebellum ball on a plantation in Georgia. Fans were outraged at the inherent racism tied to the celebration of the "Old South" and wondered if Kirkconnell would speak out about her involvement at the Ball. Instead, Harrison appeared to speak for her.
Harrison on Extra informed Bachelor Nation that a statement from Kirkconnell was forthcoming. However, Chris wasn't able to succinctly ask fans to wait to hear from her; instead, he ranted angrily at Lindsay about the "woke police" and cancel culture. The first two minutes of the interview with Lindsay is what left most fans angry. He begins by asking fans to have understanding and compassion for Kirkconnell and not take on the role of "judge, jury, executioner." He then seems to attempt to downplay Kirkconnell's past, saying "I saw a picture of her at a sorority 5 years ago," and Lindsay points out that it was from 2018, which is three years ago. Harrison continues to seemingly defend Kirkconnell (while repeating that he is not trying to defend her), asking "is it a good look in 2018 or is it not a good look in 2021? 'Cause there's a big difference." Lindsay retorts that it's not a good look ever, but Harrison continues with his defense, saying that "50 million people did that in 2018, that was a type of party that a lot of people went to."
Harrison continues to make excuses for Kirkconnell throughout the 13-minute interview, claiming she was 18 at the time of the party, which is incorrect; she was 21 and a senior in college. He also tries to explain Kirkconnell's rationale for attending the Ball, saying that to her it was probably just an excuse to get dressed up and go to a party. He again tries to excuse the issue under the guise that we weren't looking at issues through the same "lens" in 2018 as we are now and Kirkconnell likely wasn't thinking about the history behind the Ball. Harrison's patronizing tone as he explained to the first Black Bachelorette why she should not be offended over Kirkconnell's actions isn't the only thing that upset Bachelor fans. Harrison seemed to use this topic as a forum to air out his frustrations with the "woke police" who have thrown "this poor girl Kirkconell" "to the lions." He then complains that fans didn't give Hannah Brown enough time after she said the N-word on her Instagram Live, and now we're not giving Kirkconnell adequate time to "gain some perspective" and speak on this herself.
Many Bachelor fans saw this interview as more than Harrison defending a contestant on the show he hosts. His tone as he called people accusing Republicans of being racist "just as bad" as those accused, his tirade against social media cancel culture not allowing people "grace," and his disregard for the opinion of the woman of color interviewing him all jumped out as worrisome to fans. Ultimately though, it was his defense of Kirkconnell's actions that led to a petition to get Harrison removed from his role as host of The Bachelor. The petition grew to more than 20,000 signatures, and counting. Harrison also had to write an apology statement due to the backlash from the interview. He apologized for "wrongly speaking in a manner that perpetuates racism" and for not listening to his "friend" Lindsay on a topic she has "first-hand knowledge of."
Harrison promised that a statement from Kirkconnell is incoming. He also vowed to ask her the tough questions at the reunion show, which should be filmed soon. It's now clear that fans of The Bachelor are more than just passive viewers - they are active participants in the show and its real-world repercussions.
The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8pm EST on ABC.