Oh Chris Harrison…I have no doubt that you are the most moral, most ethical, most handsome host of any reality debacle, and, as such, any lawsuit against anything with which you may be remotely involved, needs to be escorted to a limo and ugly cry all the way back to the airport.
As you all have heard, there is a suit pending against the most dramatic show ever for never hiring minority applicants. Looking back over past seasons, they may actually be on to something! However, Bachelor producers are no longer staying mum about the accusations according to wetpaint.com.
Warner Horizon, the parent company of the modern day fame whore love connection, released a statement citing, “This complaint is baseless and without merit. We have had various participants of color throughout the series’ history, and the producers have been consistently — and publicly — vocal about seeking diverse candidates for both programs.” The statement goes on to say that producers will “continue to seek out participants of color” for the franchise.
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It seems the most homogeneous dating pool in America will soon get a wake-up call! Shortly after Lamar Hurdstarted a campaign to become the first black Bachelor in the franchise history, two other African-American men have decided to file a class action lawsuit against the show for discrimination!
According to TMZ, the two plaintiffs attended a casting call in a Nashville Hotel to audition to be the next Bachelor. Christopher Johnson, one of those men—who also happens to be an aspiring NFL player—claims when he arrived the producers asked him why he was there.
Apparently, that’s when the discrimination began. Christopher and another African-American applicant, Nathaniel Claybrooks, claim they were then taken to the side of the room and excluded from the normal audition process. Neither man received a call back and both believe it is because of their race!
In response, they have filed a class action lawsuit today in federal court against ABC, Warner Horizon Television, Next Entertainment, NZK Productions and creator Mike Fleiss. More details will be coming this afternoon and Reality Tea will keep you posted on the developments.
In other news, Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson continue their campaign to convince people they are in love. Hey, getting married following The Bachelor comes with a hefty reward – lifetime infamy! And likely some monetary pay-offs as well.
According to HollywoodLife, the couple is madly in love and will be walking down the aisle sooner than we think! “Courtney and Ben are getting married! They have totally rekindled their feelings for each other on an even deeper level,” Courtney’s friend reveals. “The drama that happened after the show actually brought them closer together and they both realized that they didn’t want to lose each other. Courtney has even been looking at wedding dresses.”
Indeed, the two were spotted at Mark Zunino’s recent wedding dress fashion show – which of course totally proves this wedding is happening, like tomorrow, and not that the couple is pretending to be in love for fame and publicity as some reports have claimed.
“They sat in the front row and were holding hands the entire time,” Courtney a friend reveals to HollywoodLife. “They looked really happy and very much in love. During the show, Ben played with Courtney’s hair and she was giggling and pointing to the different wedding dresses.” Apparently, when and if she weds, Courtney will be sporting a Mark Zunino gown. Ok, then.
And finally, with Emily Maynard‘s season of The Bachelorette premiering next month, ABC has released the first glimpse of her portrait. PEOPLE got the exclusive. Emily looks stunning, of course, and is obviously holding a bunch of roses! The portrait is below!
The Bachelorette premieres May 14th at 8:30/9:30 EST on ABC.
IS THE LAWSUIT AGAINST ABC AND THE BACHELOR VALID? DOES THE SHOW DISCRIMINATE? WILL COURTNEY & BEN GET MARRIED – OR ARE THEY IN LOVE WITH PUBLICITY?
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With a new TV show called 1st Look to promote Ali Fedotowsky is making the talk show rounds to discuss the thing that made her famous – getting engaged to Roberto Martinez (dreamy, Roberto *sigh*) and subsequently breaking up with him to pursue a life in the spotlight. Hey, she has to do something after she blew getting that million dollar Facebook stock deal!
First up, Ali paid a visit to the TODAY show where she told Kathy Lee and Hoda that despite falling in love on The Bachelorette and being one of the only participants in the history of the show to do so, things just didn’t work out. Chris Harrison has a worse track record than Patti Stanger!
“Sometimes [relationships] just don’t work out,” Ali shared. “We’re both healing right now.” Ali didn’t go into too much detail, citing a wish to respect Roberto’s privacy. One thing she was willing to admit is that she isn’t ready to date anytime soon. She’s too busy famewhoring!
Next, Ali stopped by Access Hollywood Live, and discussed – guess what?! Roberto! Ali claims that while it looked all romantical on the surface, things were very different in the real world. “The way we lived our lives on a daily basis was just really different,” she revealed. “We just found ourselves being unhappy at the end of the day and neither one of us wanted that for the long term.”
“It was 100 percent mutual, both of us,” she continued. “When you try and you and try and it doesn’t work out, then it can be mutual, when you really have worked at it for a long time.” One thing Ali confessed to was that it would be very hard for her to learn Roberto had moved on and was dating someone new.
Moving on, Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson have been pedaling the love story that made them famous everywhere and despite being besieged by rumors of cheating and break-ups they appear to be going strong. Well, according to a new report the The Bachelor couple has some serious ulterior motives and their relationship is being kept alive for the money and fame!
“They’re both addicted to the limelight, and they both want to be famous,” a source tells Reality Weekly (via their print edition). “They are getting many freebies out of this ‘romance’ and that’s a hard thing to walk away from.”
While the couple looks lovey-dovey everywhere a camera be, the reality is they barely interact with each other! “Ben and Courtney showed zero chemistry together,” said an eyewitness who observed them at Night of a Billion Reality Stars. “They showed no affection all night. They never touched or engaged each other unless it was for a picture. They certainly don’t look happy.”
C’mon did anyone really expect these two to make it?
DO YOU THINK ALI AND ROBERTO’S SPLIT WAS MUTUAL? WILL YOU WATCH HER NEW SHOW? IS COURTNEY AND BEN’S RELATIONSHIP LEGIT OR A FAMEWHORE SCHEME?
It’s no secret that ABC wanted Emily Maynard to be The Bachelorette something desperate, but according to a new report, producers were so anxious to get the southern beauty to sign on they were willing to go to extremes. And tolerate some pretty diva behavior!
Many were surprised when Emily seemed to have a abrupt change of heart about finding love on TV after a first failed attempt, but according to In Touch Weekly (via their print edition), producers agreed to accommodate all of her demands in order for her to agree to the show – including moving the Bachelor house to her hometown of Charleston, South Carolina. And the network is reportedly paying Emily a whopping $250,000!
A source close to Emily disputes that she is getting a huge fee to appear on the show, telling RumorFix that Emily is not being paid. “None of the reports are true. None of the contestants go on the show for money – only for love.”
Even more surprising is how far the network is willing to go for Emily’s cooperation. “The producers have completely changed the format this season in order to meet Emily’s demands,” a source tells In Touch. Emily has some pretty strict demands for her potential suitors, too. She allegedly requested that producers “pre-qualify” the men to make sure she isn’t getting any losers – or any broke guys. “She wanted only the best-looking, most mannered guys,” the source reveals.
After viewing former competitor Ashley Hebert‘s season, Emily made it perfectly clear she is not accepting any Bentley Williams-esque villains. Furthermore, Emily knows what she’s looking for and the single mom is quickly sending men home! “She’s whittling it down to a handful of candidates who she will spend a lot more time with,” an insider explains. “If she doesn’t like a guy, he’s gone.” During a recent group date in Bermuda where the men were involved in a boat race, a source claims that Emily “had the producers change the teams so that her top guys were in the same boat.”
Most surprisingly, is that after Emily insisted that her six-year-old daughter Ricki would have no interaction with any of her dates, a source is reporting that Emily is keeping Ricki very involved. “She took one of the guys to watch Ricki play soccer on day one!” Not sure I believe this allegation…
Moving on, the most hated Bachelor couple ever, Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson, are still proclaiming that their love is real and a wedding is in their future! “We’re very much in love,” Courtney recently told US Weekly (via their print edition). “We’re talking about getting married maybe at the place where we had our first date in Sonoma. Ben’s open to it.”
For now the couple hasn’t moved in together, but they are going on dates and learning about each others’ lives. “I’m going to be in San Francisco a lot, and he’s going to be in LA a lot,” Courtney shares. “We’ve got a lot of trips planned.”
“They need time to have that normal relationship before saying ‘I do,’” a source asserts. “He wants to take the time to court Courtney.”
Ben adds that they don’t want to rush into things because they want their relationship to last. “We want to figure out who we are together, so we’ll have a better chance.” And putting those cheating and break-up rumors to rest, Ben assures us that he and Courtney have been spending plenty of time together. “When the show was airing, we spent a lot of time together and got to know each other really well.”
Things are continuing to go well for the couple who just returned from a romantic vacation in Puerto Vallarta. “Courtney and Ben have the same sense of humor, and their friends do too,” a friend of Ben’s tells the mag. “Everyone hangs out like they’ve known each other for years. It’s been a very comfortable combining of worlds.”
IS EMILY BEING A DIVA ON THE SET OF THE SOW? IS SHE MAKING DEMANDS OF THE PRODUCERS? DO YOU THINK BEN AND COURTNEY ARE RIGHT TO TAKE THINGS SLOWLY? WILL THEY GET MARRIED?
In fact, the engaged duo made their first red carpet appearance last night as a couple. And speaking to UsWeekly, the two insist their love is still as strong as ever.
While Ben, 29, has been dogged by cheating reports and photos in the last few weeks, he tells UsWeekly he and Courtney, 28, are finally settling into normal life. “It’s getting close,” said Ben. “Now that the show’s over and the star’s fading . . . [it's] wonderful for us.” Courtney adds, “We’re getting there.”
The big question on everyone’s mind, of course, is if they are still planning to tie the knot. ”No date set,” admitted Courtney. “We’re engaged, dating, taking it slow. We love each other very much. It took the pressure off. “
Ben adds: “We kind of looked back at some of the other Bachelor relationships that didn’t work out and the reason for that is you have so much pressure to move in together and set a date and all this kind of stuff . . . Let’s figure out who we are together before we do any of that and take the pressure off.” Makes sense!
If the couple does ever make it down the aisle, they plan to have their wedding in “Arizona or California somewhere,” according to Ben. By the way – no Bachelor in the history of the ABC series has ever wed the woman they picked.
Moving on to BacheloretteEmily Maynard, 25, who is currently filming her upcoming season in her home state of North Carolina, as well as other exotic locations. ABC has now released Emily’s first official photo as the Bachelorette! That pic is below. Her season is expected to air during late Spring.
[Photo Credit: Daniel Tanner/ WENN.com]
TELL US – THOUGHTS ON BEN & COURTNEY’S INTERVIEW? DO YOU EVER SEE THEM MAKING IT DOWN THE AISLE?
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Just because the show’s over, doesn’t mean we’re off the hook for stories about The Bachelor. The tabloid-ready combination of Ben Flajnik and Courtney Robertson are still deemed interesting enough to produce news. Please don’t blame me if you’re sick of them! Blame their publicists.
First up is the rumor that Courtney might be pregnant. This isn’t new, there were reports floating around that she was pregnant about a month ago. An insider says, “Courtney has been hinting to people that work on the show that she’s pregnant!” They go on with some specific hints, “She’s been emotional and complaining of an upset stomach a lot. Whenever anyone offers her a drink she refuses, which isn’t like her at all!”
No alcohol and feeling sick sounds a bit pregnant to me. The source says Ben is also acting differently, and that his friends say he’s “freaking out about something.” They’re at least self-aware enough to know that they should not have a kid together, especially since they broke up just a few months ago. “Ben and Courtney have already had so many issues, they’re really not sure if they’re even going to stay together. It would really be a terrible time to be having a child.”
Even if a child is not in the cards, Ben and Courtney do seem to be giving their relationship a genuine shot. US Magazine reports Courtney was spotted moving in to Ben’s apartment in San Francisco, which he naturally shares with two roommates. Apparently, they do plan on getting their own place. A friend of the couple says, “They want to get settled in as soon as possible.”
Courtney’s even been walking Ben’s dog around the neighborhood and the couple was seen watching college football together a few weekends ago, looking “like an old married couple.” Courtney has since stated that she has yet to move in with Ben.
The duo also took a vacation to Puerto Vallarta last week to, maybe, do some skinny dipping and reignite their romance. Who is paying for this? ABC? Someone is awfully invested in keeping these two together, no? Anyway, in Puerto Vallarta onlookers reported to Life & Style that “When they kissed, it seemed forced.” and “For an engaged couple, they weren’t so lovey-dovey.” The onlooker added, “Ben seemed a bit distracted on the trip.”
An insider says this may be the last try the couple gets to repair their relationship: “This was a make-or-break vacation for them. They wanted to spend time together and see whether this whole thing can work.”
TELL US: DO YOU THINK THIS RELATIONSHIP CAN WORK?
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Just because The Bachelor has ended its sixteenth run, doesn’t mean that the tabloid industry isn’t still running all kinds of news on its winner, Courtney Robertson. This past season’s villainess is still being accused of being a sneaky gold digger who is only into Ben Flajnik for all his millions. And his hair. We can’t forget that.
In a recent report from In Touch, someone trying to make money by spilling secrets about Courtney, reveals the oh-so-shocking news that she “has had numerous plastic surgeries, including implants, fillers, laser surgery and Botox.” Her, and every other woman currently on television. You can’t get that creepy emotionless stare without injecting poison into your forehead, ya know.
The source also alleges that Courtney’s life goals are not so wholesome, spilling that “Her life’s goal is not to settle down and have kids, it’s to be aPlayboy model.” Playboy models make good money! I’m not so sure if I buy this, only because there are easier ways to model for Playboy that don’t involve going on a cheesy reality show. And given all his partying, I’m not so sure Ben wants to settle down either.
The source is adamant that Courtney’s main goal is to pose naked for the iconic men’s magazine, claiming all she wants is money. The source says, “I think that will be her next move. She wants the money. All she’s really looking for is to be supported financially.” Now I’m confused, is she a gold-digger for Ben’s wallet or does she just want to be out on her own to pose naked as she wishes? Snitches need to be clearer.
As for Courtney, she recently gave her first solo post-show interview to Wetpaint, and she sounds downright normal in it, and not like some conniving wanna-be nude model. She reveals she and Ben just spent a weekend together (photos are below) in San Francisco and that she hopes to move there soon. For now, the couple has to deal with attention from the tabloids and paparazzi, but it doesn’t bother Courtney:
“We try not to pay attention to it. I guess positive stories don’t sell, so no one wants to run the truth. All they care about is selling magazines so they come up with these crazy, scandalous stories that are just so ridiculous. I mean, I’m carrying the Bachelor baby? At first, it made me really angry, but I’ve made peace with it.”
She insists that she wasn’t bothered by all the reports of Ben cheating and partying with other girls, and buys his “we’re just friends” excuse:
“Of course, initially it was upsetting. But at the end of the day, if I didn’t trust him, I wouldn’t be with him, period.
He has a lot of female friends and he’s a playful, flirty guy who likes to party with everyone. I get that about him and I’m completely fine with it. He’s a really warm and social person.
But he became a target. The tabloids hired people to follow him everywhere, just waiting for the chance to snap a photo of anything they could to make it look like he was doing something shady. I think you can take a photo and make it look like anything if you really want to.
Am I thrilled about the photos? No. But I believe him when he says he didn’t cheat.”
As for her relationship with the other women, most who couldn’t stand her, Courtney says “..it’s definitely not as bad as people might think. Everyone’s moving on.” But she is quick to admit that she “would have handled herself differently” if she had to do it all over again.
When it comes to the public backlash, Courtney claims things are starting to improve: “I just spent the weekend with Ben in San Francisco and people kept coming up to us and offering words of encouragement. So yeah, things seem to be getting better.”
And unlike Ben, who has been quoted saying this was the worst experience of his life, Courtney would “do it again in a heartbeat.” Of course she would! Photos of Ben and Courtney together are below!
TELL US: DO YOU THINK THERE IS A FUTURE FOR BEN AND COURTNEY?
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Just days before the March 19th premiere of the all new season, sources tell PEOPLE that Courtney, 28, is currently in talks with DWTS producers and could make an appearance on Monday night.
Courtney’s addition to the show would be a pretty big surprise as the cast has already been announced and this would mean she only has five days to rehearse while her competitors have had three weeks.
However, adding a last minute Bachelor contestant to the series is not a first for DWTS. If you recall, former Bachelor contestant Melissa Rycroft, was also a last minute add-in back in 2009, as she replaced an injured Nancy O’Dell, after being famously dumped by Jason Mesnick.
The decision to include Courtney, aka controversy on the show, also makes sense as the reaction from this season’s pick of “celebrities” has been very lackluster.
Adding more fire to the speculation, when contacted by PEOPLE, a rep for DWTS would only state: “We do not comment on casting rumors. You’ll have to tune in Monday and see.”
TELL US – ARE YOU SHOCKED THAT COURTNEY MIGHT BE JOINING DWTS? GREAT OR BAD MOVE BY ABC?
