As we’ve all witnessed over the past months there has been an explosion of revelations concerning sexual abuse, harassment, and/or inappropriate behavior that has toppled a number of powerful men. So I thought it a bit odd timing that on the very first day of 2018 ABC rolled out a new season of The Bachelor. No doubt it had been scheduled for months to drop on Jan. 1 but it just looked a bit tone deaf in the middle of the #MeToo storm. If you’re not familiar The Bachelor features a guy who claims he’s looking for a wife and he is offered several dozen women to pick from. Over the course of several weeks The Bach whittles down the group to that one special possible bride. Okay it’s the way he does the eliminating that seems to collide with what has come to light recently. His evaluation of the women contestants involves little more than him sticking his tongue down their throats. In order to cut themselves out of the pack the women suggest that if alone time is granted his tongue will be allowed to travel among other things. The Bach also has no problem soul kissing one woman and 2 minutes later sit down with another and claim she is not tongue worthy. Roses are handed out to the “lucky ones” or in one case dangled one foot from her nose and told she didn’t make the grade. This is after he flew the poor girl to Napa, wine and dined her all day giving her the impression she might be top ten material. Oops there goes another suitcase and its owner home. Isn’t the blueprint of The Bachelor the thrust of the #MeToo movement? A guy wielding power over a woman and the only way she can advance up the ladder is to present some kind of physical favors. All the women that advance on the show have had to engage in some kind of touching or tonguing, deeper qualifications are brought up but it’s what The Bach puts on their lips rather than the words that come over them that counts. I know I know all these women have agreed to be there, but still. Oh and remember last year when The Bachelor’s even dirtier little brother show Bachelor in Paradise had to be shut down for awhile so alleged real inappropriate behavior could be investigated? Well the all-clear was sounded and B in P resumed. Now here’s Chris Harrison to tell you to take your lackluster tongue and luggage and go home.

Gunga Gulunga,
Garry