This post is technically a spoiler for The Bachelor, currently airing now with Nick Viall, since lawyer Rachel Lindsay is still a contestant on that show. This story is on the front page of People and at the top of Google entertainment news, so we chose to run it as is. We’re sorry if this is the first you’re hearing of it and wanted to avoid spoilers for the Bachelor.
Last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Rachel Lindsay was announced as the next Bachelorette. She’s a 31 year-old attorney from Texas and she’ll be the first African-American person to be the lead on The Bachelor or Bachelorette. ABC’s dating shows have been extremely white over the nearly 15 years they’ve been on the air. They’ve gradually been incorporating diversity into their casting, but it’s been within the template of the vapid, formulaic, appearance-focused format of the show. (Kareem Abdul Jabaar recently said it better than I ever could.) So when Lindsay promises that the show won’t change much now that she’s the lead, I believe her. Here’s what Lindsay told People Magazine:
“I’m happy to represent myself as a black woman in front of America and I’m happy for America to rally behind me and see what it’s like for me to be on this journey to find love,” Lindsay, 31, exclusively tells PEOPLE. “Honestly, it’s not going to be that different from any other season of The Bachelorette.”
Adding, “I’m obviously nervous and excited to take on this opportunity but I don’t feel added pressure being the first black Bachelorette, because to me I’m just a black woman trying to find love. Yes, I’m doing on this huge stage, but again my journey of love isn’t any different just because my skin color is.”
The history-making pick was announced on Monday night’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, just months after the Texas native immediately won the hearts of fans — and instantly connected with The Bachelor‘s Nick Viall, who gave her season 21’s First Impression Rose.
Despite her obvious connection with Viall, Lindsay’s journey to win Nick’s heart will soon be coming to an end. And with that, her own journey to find love is just about to begin!
I have only watched this show a handful of times. The dialog often seems so stupid to me, most of the people seem dumb as a box of rocks, and I don’t understand how anyone can actually fall in love under those circumstances, but I get the escapism aspect of it. Plus it’s popular. I used hear people talking about it at the gym and on the playground (the moms of course) all the time, but that was more the case a few years ago. The show needs a shake up. Why not have more diversity AND change it up a little? Like send the contestants to do charity work or visit museums on dates. Those are pretty much ideal dates to me, with woke guys who care, give back and are super smart. Those type of guys are not the contestants on this show though, nor are they the target audience. (No offense if you watch it!)
Lol good job, it only took them 21 seasons.
*eye roll*
This show is ridiculous and should have died with Flavor of Love
LOL Flavor of Love was hilarious
hahaha Flavor of Love was such an underrated gem.
I loved Flavor of Love, Rock of Love and I Love New York! Trashy tv at its finest!
I have do admit, I loved New York lol
I am so ashamed to admit it but I loved them too.
Yo I LOVE Tiffany Pollard for EVER ! ( Still Sad about Real’s Death!)
I hope Rachel has fun and brings a MILLION fine black dudes and two Token dudes which will be promptly politely dismissed and then it becomes an Iconic season in this sh*tty creepy franchise
And yet we’re still being subject to THIS instead of the deep, romantic journey of Flava Flave
I missed all but one season of Rock of Love. I can’t believe I missed them …
I don’t watch the Bachelor/Bachelorette but she’s pretty.
I’ve admitted multiple times to my secret bachelor love shame but…
I LOVE RACHEL AND IM SO HAPPY
Shes beautiful and funny and smart (shes an attorney)
I hate that they revealed it so early though
Totally agree. On twitter all of the bachelor fans seemed much more upset by the spoiler. I am curious to know why they did it this way. I didn’t mind the reveal because she’s too good for Nick anywho so I feel relieved….
I read that the spoilers got out and so the bachelor wanted to get ahead of it. My opinion is a bit of ABC being like “look look we are diverse” and jumping the gun and then the blogger spoiling it.
I am just relieved that i looked at twitter and people were upset that it was revealed early and not upset about her race.
I also hope this means they mix up the variety of guys she gets too
I think they wanted more time for men to apply so they could cast her show so they jumped the gun.
Reality Steve had already announced the 4 finalists and suggested she was going to be the next Bachelorette.
I really dislike Nick Viall…
@Celebitchy: When Ben brought Lauren to the place he used to volunteer in his hometown, I knew he was taking it seriously.
Oh boy, she’s really cute!! Seems to be smart too so hopefully there will be some guy worthy of her that comes along. If I were her I wouldn’t be in a rush.
My husband used to make fun of me for my love of BBC dramas until one day we were FaceTiming with his parents and a his phone alarm went off. We all asked what it was for and he shamefully admitted that he didn’t want to miss the Bachelor. I never hear a peep anymore over my guilty tv pleasures and we watch Bachelor together like a couple of basics.
You’re not supposed to fall in love under those circumstances. You’re supposed to get famous enoguh to be able to live off of selling diet pills on Instagram. That’s the whole point of the show. If you somehow manage to fall in love, that’s only a bonus, but it’s not why these people are there.
I started watching this season (a friend hosts Bachelor viewing parties where we all just yell at the TV screen). I had heard a rumor that Rachel would be the next Bachelorette, but I’m surprised they announced it so early. Clearly she doesn’t make it to the top two, then, which is surprising to me. She seems like the most “together” of all of them, Nick included.
This show makes me feel torn – as much as I want my favorites to “win,” what are they winning? A 36 year old man who keeps doing these shows so he doesn’t have to keep a real job?
She could do better than any of the losers who actually sign up for this show. As an attorney, she should know this will not help her brand or her career.
They spoiled it early because of Reality Steve’s blog and his spoilers. If you watch The Bachelor in any capacity, chances are you are aware of Steve and his spoilers since he has consistently given spoilers each season for the Bachelor/ette for the past 8 years and has rarely been wrong. It would be impossible to not know who Steve is, he’s been online for awhile. The show has tried to confuse him a few times but he was always able to correct himself before the episode aired. They wanted to beat the spoilers (aka Steve though they’ll never admit it’s specifically Steve who has been a thorn in their side all these years with his spoilers) by putting out the info early.
However Steve had actually theorized about Rachel being the next Bachelorette even before it was officially announced. He knew she made it to the final four so based on his own spoilers he deduced it would be a logical choice given that the show has never had a black lead. So he kind of spoiled them even before there was anything to spoil. It is shameful it took them until 2017 to make this happen. Anyways Steve managed to spoil the info even before the official announcement on Jimmy Kimmel so them spoiling the info early was kind of pointless. They can’t beat him and it’s funny to watch ABC try.
The Bachelor/Bachelorette are such gross shows. I can’t believe they are still on the air. They are filled with thirsty/desperate men and women trying so hard to get “famous”. It’s disgusting the lengths people will go to.
I hate watch and mock all the contestants. Anyone on the show is not looking for love but fame so I treat all thirsyy fame whores[male and female] accordingly.
Flavor of love was infinitely more enjoyable and the people on there didn’t pretend they were looking for their soulmate…
Good for diversity but come on now? This show needs to DIE already
I don’t watch any of these shows, but based on a few Instagram pics and the Kimmel video, she looks far more interesting than any previous bachelorette. Adorable and bubbly, and she smiles so genuinely with her whole face.
I wanted this vapid series to die already, but now that she’s the face, I hope the next season is wildly successful and the producers see how asinine and close-minded it was to pretend that bland white women are the only love interests capable of getting ratings.
She’s really cute and smart!
Never watched the show because it just didn’t appeal to me and it was so white. I’ve noticed lately that if I don’t identify with a movie or show (minorities or women) I won’t give it a chance. I’m just happy she has a chance to showcase how brilliant she is and to pioneer this role. I know its a reality fake show but representation matters in any form! Good luck to her!
Bachelor viewer here (in fairness, I have a viewing party for the lolz complete with a bingo game), and while I’d heard the rumor that Rachel was the next Bachelorette. it was weird to have them announce it during last night’s broadcast when she wasn’t eliminated. Maybe it was going to be leaked by someone else and ABC were forced to reveal before they wanted to?
Yayyyy I’m so excited. I really geek out over this show (I know it is all fake blah blah), but I really like her! She seemed to good for him.
It’s about damn time! Good luck to her.
I don’t watch these shows, but one of my friends is so into it, and believes it’s all real. LOL.
Rachel is beautiful, smart, articulate and classy. It’s about time that the franchise selected a woman of color to be the lead. This show is my guilty pleasure, and I am not ashamed to admit that my friends and I enjoy the train wreck!