How many years has this insufferable display been on television? I can’t bring myself for 30 seconds to research this shitshow, so I don’t know for certain, but it’s been about 25 years too long.

I will admit that I watched a few episodes during what was probably the first or second season. It was one of those train wreck- curiosities that I had to see for myself. And over the years I’ve seen snippets on other news and comedy shows and laughed along with the Saturday Night Live parodies that proved it was still the same garbage all these years later: glossy and glammed up, hot-mess women, douchey guys, cat fights, tears, shocking rose ceremonies, and even more shocking! broken engagements. Give me a fucking break.

I get the whole escapist entertainment thing. After a long day of work, parenting, cooking, politics, famine, guns, war, global warming, etc., ad nauseum, most of us just want to end the day on our couch, with an adult beverage in hand, and something mindless to zone out to.

But sweet, baby Jesus – why The Bachelor?

Don’t we have enough drama with back-stabbing women in the real world? Don’t we have enough females with low self-worth and/or desperation who want or need to attach themselves to a man for his money, or power or position in life? And enough women who have been led to believe that the prettier or sluttier or more conniving ones will always have a better shot at the “prized” man?

As the mother of a young woman, this is why I have always loathed this show. Even if I had been willing to sit with my daughter and discuss the myriad ways it is unrealistic, wrong, and disgusting, I couldn’t stomach watching any competition for a man who is quickly test-driving multiple, willing women at once.

Does anyone want to raise their daughter to think that this is even remotely OK? Or that we should support a show like this simply for its crass entertainment value?

 There were just far too many moments in this slimy show where I would have to pause the screen, turn to my daughter and explain why a particular scene was so wrong. Frankly, it would be too much effort.

And the fact that they came out with The Bachelorette after a few years doesn’t make any of it better, in my opinion. Empowerment of women? Hell no. Just more women willing to do whatever it takes to get their 15 minutes of fame, that has nothing at all to do with their intelligence, bravery, kindness or sisterhood.

So, when this latest season of The Bachelor began being discussed so fervently on social media, I wondered: Was there any, living human on the planet who was truly surprised or upset about the guy dumping one chick at the last second, to then propose to the other chick? Wasn’t this Fake News at its finest? Isn’t it all just network-inspired drama for ratings and clicks?

Pretty pleeeease tell me that in 2018 no one actually cares about these people or any of this manufactured bullshit. Please tell me if you are allowing girls to watch this ridiculous “reality” show, you are using it as a “Don’t Be Like This Fool” tool.

There is so much entertainment programming out there that is funny, smart, and inspiring. I say enough of the public fawning and fighting over some guy who’s been anointed a “prize” by other guys who think it’s amusing to watch women do anything to win a man.
Can’t we all agree that #timesup for The Bachelor?

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