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Hot Topics Jennifer Lawrence Kim Kardashian Rihanna Robert Pattinson Beyonce Justin Bieber Kristen Stewart

The Bachelor and The Bachelorette Hit With Racial Discrimination Lawsuit

Truth rating: 10

4:34 pm, April 18th, 2012

(ABC)

A new lawsuit alleges that “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” are guilty of racial discrimination.

The documents, filed on Wednesday in federal court in Tennessee, claim the dating series violate civil rights laws by denying people of color the same opportunities afforded to whites.

Plaintiffs Nathaniel Claybrooks and Christopher Johnson seek redress “for the intentional exclusion of people of color from the lead role” of the two ABC shows after the two men (both of whom are black) were allegedly removed unfairly from the audition process.

They point out that none of the 23 combined seasons of “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” “every person featured in the lead role on either show has been white.”

Claybrooks and Johnson say that they and other non-white applicants “have been denied the same opportunity as their white counterparts to compete for the role of the Bachelor and Bachelorette due to they race and/or color.”

The men argue that “the deliberate exclusion of people of color” from the dating series “underscores the significant barriers that people of color continue to face in media and the broader marketplace.”

The lawsuit asks for an injunction prohibiting producers and the network from continuing discriminatory business practices, and the adoption of policies and programs consistent with non-discriminatory legal obligations.

Claybrooks and Johnson also seek punitive damages and attorney’s fees.

In a statement furnished to Gossip Cop, Warner Horizon Television, which produces the show, calls the lawsuit “baseless and without merit”.

The statement continues, “In fact, 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. As always, we continue to seek out participants of color for both ‘The Bachelor’ and ‘The Bachelorette.’

What do you think of the lawsuit?

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  • Anonymous

    my co-worker’s sister-in-law got paid $12019 the prior week. she gets paid on the laptop and bought a $391300 house. All she did was get fortunate and put to work the steps uncovered on this web site>>> Dealincash.blogspot.com/

  • TJ

    Come on…get over the race issue already.

  • Lynne91

    maybe it’s just showing that white ppl are more desperate?? bwahaha nahh jokes.

  • Guest

    Agree.

  • Anonymous

    Maybe because some black people would rather be on shows like Flavor Of Love/I Love New York or Bad Girls Club that highlights our negative stereotypes. Though I don’t watch either of these shows, maybe race isn’t a part of it at all. People need to stop crying racism if there is a lack of a certain race on a show. Not everything is discrimination. But I will say that if the casting department and producers of these shows are being discriminatory with their cast choices then I do say they need to change that around.

  • Regina1180

    They should be thankful that they’re not “allowed” to go on these rediculous shows.

  • Dawn

    agree

  • Dawn

    Hats off to you Mrsbradley alot of colored people would of just remained quiet on this subject. It is very nice to see someone who is colored notices that it is not always about discrimination.

  • Napaneelady

    Hi Regina1180. Don’t you have spelling correction on your computer? TSK, TSK.
    That is not how you spell ridiculous. There is NO “E” in the word.

  • Jennifer

    I’ll say it, since nobody wants to… Demographically, people of color are a very small percentage of the purchase power public. Most ethnicities, white, black, asia, latin, whatever – are not all that comfortable with people dating outside their race. Most people, particularly white people, won’t watch a romance program featuring people they don’t find romantically appealing. These shows air because they make money. They make money because advertisers want to reach a large chunk of purchasing power, which is mostly white people. If the show gets forced into a corner on this, it’s only a matter of time before viewership drops significantly and advertisers pull their money. I’m not saying I like or agree with it. I’m just saying that’s reality.

  • Mimiblair

    Could this be the reason I don’t watch these mind numbing shows? I tried, but these chicks actually drop real tears over some man they don’t know from Adam. Watching I’ve had this awful feeling to hurl, instead I changed the channel, to other mind numbing bu**sh**.

  • Librano

    “colored”? What year is this…Anyway, when will you people realize there is no such thing as “white” people, we are all shades of brown from very dark to very light.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1553276322 Tracy Wesson-Isham

    THANK YOU!!!

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