Black Would-Be Contestants Sue Bachelor

They say show, along with 'Bachelorette,' favors white people
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Apr 18, 2012 6:31 PM CDT
Would-Be Black Contestants Sue Bachelor
Christopher Johnson, left, and Nathaniel Claybrooks answer questions at a news conference.   (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Two black men are taking The Bachelor and The Bachelorette to court with a lawsuit that claims the reality shows are blocking contestants of color from starring roles. Nathaniel Claybrooks and Christopher Johnson filed a federal lawsuit in Nashville today against the popular TV shows claiming they are engaged in a pattern of racial discrimination that intentionally excludes people of color. The Nashville men said at a casting call in August that they were given scant consideration compared to white men seeking a leading role for The Bachelor.

Their attorneys said it is the first racial discrimination lawsuit filed against a reality show. It does not ask for a specific dollar amount of damages, but it does propose to make changes in the selection process. The two men say that after 10 years and a combined total of 23 seasons of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, neither show has featured a single person of color in a central role. (More The Bachelor stories.)

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