A former Bachelorette producer is breaking his silence on the Taylor Frankie Paul domestic violence scandal. According to Michael Carroll, the idea that ABC was “blindsided” by Taylor’s messy domestic situation is total BS.
Though he no longer works for ABC, Michael says that in his day, casting was “unbelievably strict,” he told TMZ. “Like, you had a background check, you had a medical check … a mental capacity check, you had all the things. They wouldn’t even let anyone who had any kind of charges against them [be] on the show.”
There’s just no way something like a domestic abuse charge and investigation would “slip through the cracks,” he added. Casting is “in total cahoots with executive producers up until the moment of filming, and they are – day one, at least – in the control room.”
Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex Dakota Mortensen are under investigation
Arguably, Taylor has had a questionable past for a Bachelorette contestant. Not only is she divorced, but her divorce was the result of the “soft swinging” scandal that ended her marriage. Now she’s facing her second domestic abuse incident. And viewers watched it all play out on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
When TMZ wondered if Taylor’s casting was a “willful decision,” Michael confirmed, “100%. The casting department … was completely aware of who this person was … It seems to me like a publicity grab … you know what I mean?”
“So, they’re like quickly going to do … the quickest vetting they can do,” he added. “But they’re going to know everything.”
After two decades, the Bachelorette is showing its age. It’s been losing steam against a plethora of hot, new dating shows. Michael’s not the only one who feels the show is “a little stale.”
As for Taylor, Michael believes producers will try to spin the situation. “‘Everyone has a past. Everyone’s done something they’re not proud of,” he continued. He predicts producers will spin Taylor’s “journey” as a case of, “this is what she needs to turn her life around as the Bachelorette.”
She may have lost a collaboration opportunity, but she’s still going to be ABC’s Bachelorette (or is she).
The Bachelorette Season 22 premieres on March 22 at 8/7c on ABC. It streams on Disney+ the following day. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 4 is now streaming on Hulu.
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