Even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Agrees That Arie Luyendyk Jr. Is the Worst Bachelor
There are many things wrong with The Bachelor this season. For one, Peter Kraus—the gap-toothed, wine-loving fan favorite from Rachel Lindsay’s cycle—isn’t the suitor. That fact in itself is upsetting, but to add insult to injury, ABC selected a man whose sole personality trait seems to be his interest in race cars. I’m talking, of course, about Arie Luyendyk Jr. from Emily Maynard’s season. The general response to the bland Luyendyk this season has been tepid, to say the least. He’s boring, monotonous, and, Beyoncé help him, just so awkward.
That can be forgiven, though. What can’t be, however, is how out-of-date this season feels—especially in the context of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements and the fact that ABC had its first black Bachelorette last summer. The franchise seemed to be heading in the right direction after Lindsay’s season, but with Luyendyk we’re back a few steps. His hyper-masculinity is cringey, as is the fact he seemingly would rather make out with the female contestants than talk to them. This whole season has felt like a strange frat party so far, and based on last night’s episode, it doesn’t look like it’s getting any better.
We’re not the only ones who think this, either. Even Kareem Abdul-Jabbar—yes, the legendary NBA star—wrote a column for The Hollywood Reporter that perfectly sums up the problems with Luyendyk’s season of The Bachelor. If this seems random to you, remember that Abdul-Jabbar actually made a cameo on Lindsay’s season of The Bachelorette—so he knows when the franchise is working…and when it’s not. Here, the highlights from his column:
On what makes The Bachelor so entertaining: “Dozens of women compete for the attention of one man, which is to real romance what being trapped in a crowded elevator for two days using an empty Starbucks cup as the only toilet is to an elegant cocktail party. It’s Crock-Pot romance, with the women constantly stewing on high heat.”
On The Bachelor in the context of Time’s Up: “…with today’s heightened awareness through the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, the entertainment media has a clear responsibility not to perpetuate stereotypes or behavior that negatively influences how we see people and therefore how we treat them. The higher the ratings, the greater the responsibility.”
On Luyendyk: “The featured bachelor needs to reflect a man who embodies this cultural awareness through his words and actions the way that Rachel did. If he doesn’t, the show threatens to characterize the women pursuing him as equally vapid. (Quick disclaimer: I don’t know Arie, so all I can judge is the character that the show’s editors create.) The Arie they present, especially following Rachel, comes across as shallow, bland, stiff and inarticulate. Every woman is ‘amazing,’ especially when he dumps them.”
On Luyendyk’s interest in 22-year-old Bekah: “Arie’s mind is blown by the most clichéd observation to come out of every freshman dorm or stale fortune cookie. The fact that she’s 14 years younger and yet much more lucid and has a greater sense of humor than him only highlights his inability to engage.”
On why his eagerness to kiss is troubling: “It’s tone deaf to the times. Even though the women are all willing participants and know what they’re getting into, viewers see women clamoring over someone who seems more interested in jamming his tongue in their mouths than listening to the words coming out. Lauren S., whom he took out on a one-on-one date, apparently talked too much and instantly got the boot.”
On the wrestling bit from last week: “What were they thinking when they decided it would be a good idea to have the women wrestle each other? Even though it was framed as stagecraft wrestling, and dressed up as kitsch with a couple GLOW veterans, it still had the uncomfortable tinge of soft porn to it. The wonderful Netflix series GLOW is about women acknowledging the sexual fantasy elements but using it as a vehicle to self-empowerment. Here it seemed demeaning…. The men did a wrestling bit on last season’s The Bachelorette, but the difference is that men do not face the same exploitative stereotypes and treatment in society, so what might be fun for men might be embarrassing and demeaning for women.”
You can read Abdul-Jabbar’s full essay here. Who knew a basketball player would be the person to set the world straight about The Bachelor?
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