Bachelor: Matt James Says Conversation With Father Was ‘Hard To Watch’
It would seem Matt James’ experience on The Bachelor has not been a positive one. As the first Black Bachelor, he faced unique difficulties from night one. Later, his season was embroiled in controversy due to the racist actions of contestant Rachael Kirkconnell and host Chris Harrison. A recent episode showed Matt having a conversation with his estranged father. From the sound of it, the talk was just as difficult for Matt to have as it was for viewers to watch. Matt has been critical of the franchise lately, and he recently made his feelings known about how he felt watching that moment with his father play out onscreen.
Throughout his season, viewers learned more about Matt and his upbringing. He was primarily raised by his white mother and didn’t have a solid relationship with his father. In the recent episode, Matt wanted to have a conversation with his dad to get clarity and gain a better understanding of why he keeps walls up emotionally. Matt has been honest about his difficulties while growing up as a biracial child, and it wasn’t made easier by the fact that his father wasn’t around much. The entire scene was incredibly personal and many fans felt it was inappropriate for ABC to air it.
Like many fans, former Bachelorette Rachel Lindsay said she was “disturbed” by what she saw as the network perpetuating negative Black stereotypes, and Matt is in agreement. “Tonight’s convo with my dad was hard to experience, and it’s just as hard to watch all this time later,” he tweeted about the episode. He pointed out that the scene was an example of a harmful negative Black stereotype presented without context. He hopes that fans viewed the scene with “nuance, care, and also an understanding that there are real systemic issues at play.”
While fans thought the conversation between Matt and his father was an important one for him to have, many think it was something that should not have been filmed. They feel the talk should have stayed between Matt and his father because, without context, it perpetuates the idea of the absentee Black father, when the situation is more nuanced than that. It felt exploitative to have a personal conversation of that nature on the air, and many viewers think ABC made the wrong call when it decided to both film and show the scene.
As his season of The Bachelor is airing, Matt hasn’t held back from discussing the racial issues that have plagued the franchise for decades. His comments on racism in the show have clued fans in to who received his final rose, and whether he is still together with his winner. It would appear Matt didn’t get the happy ending he was hoping for, and some blame the show for torpedoing his chance at finding love. His conversation with his father was just one of many moments that had fans calling on ABC to do better.
The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 PM ET on ABC.
Source: Matt James/Twitter
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