Despite (Or Because Of) Sex Assault Drama, ‘Bachelor In Paradise’ Breaks Rating Record
After months of unflattering publicity following allegations of sexual misconduct between two contestants, the slightly delayed premiere of “Bachelor in Paradise” finally arrived Monday.
In case you were worried about whether a sexual assault investigation would have a negative effect on the series, fear not. The episode scored its highest rating for a premiere in the show’s four0season run.
Both Corinne Olympios and DeMario Jackson were featured prominently in the episode, with their ill-fated pool scene prefaced by several apparently consensual make-out sessions. As promised, footage of the alleged assault was not aired, with producers instead showing only the aftermath of the incident.
In classic “Bachelor in Paradise” fashion, the episode ended on a cliffhanger, with Olympios and Jackson being ushered offset while cameramen began shutting off their cameras. The two-part premiere will continue tonight.
There appears to be no bad blood left between Olympios and the franchise. The reality star re-tweeted a picture of herself standing beside fellow contestant Amanda Stanton to hype the premiere.
Wanted to twin for the ? ceremony but the producers wouldn’t let us. Watch #BachelorInParadise tonight to see who got to wear the dress?? pic.twitter.com/dZwXEWwZk7
— Amanda Stanton (@amandastantonnn) August 14, 2017
Jackson also seems to have forgiven “Bachelor in Paradise,” although he doesn’t seem to be entirely devoid of bitterness over the situation.
[email protected] for apologies from you disrespectful fuckers in the media, trolls and racist. ?? https://t.co/mE4YaoFnui
— DeMario Jackson (@demariojackson_) August 14, 2017
I guess all publicity is good publicity…at least when it comes to reality television.
Becky Scott is the editor of The Schmooze. Follow her on Twitter, @arr_scott
The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.
This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Dive In
-
Fast Forward In NYC, Itamar Ben-Gvir says he’s changed — and wants ‘the Trump plan’ in Gaza
-
Fast Forward On his first trip to Auschwitz, New Jersey governor urges vigilance against rising antisemitism
-
Fast Forward Survivors of the Holocaust and Oct. 7 embrace at Auschwitz, marking annual March of the Living
-
Fast Forward Could changes at the FDA call the kosher status of milk into question? Many are asking.
Most Popular
- 1
Opinion The dangerous Nazi legend behind Trump’s ruthless grab for power
- 2
Opinion I first met Netanyahu in 1988. Here’s how he became the most destructive leader in Israel’s history.
- 3
Culture Did this Jewish literary titan have the right idea about Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling after all?
- 4
Opinion A Holocaust perpetrator was just celebrated on US soil. I think I know why no one objected.
In Case You Missed It
-
Opinion Trump’s heedless approach to an Iran deal could be a big problem for Israel
-
Fast Forward In NYC, Itamar Ben-Gvir says he’s changed — and wants ‘the Trump plan’ in Gaza
-
Opinion Itamar Ben-Gvir’s visit to a Jewish society at Yale exposed deep rifts between US Jews
-
Fast Forward On his first trip to Auschwitz, New Jersey governor urges vigilance against rising antisemitism
-
Shop the Forward Store
100% of profits support our journalism
Republish This Story
Please read before republishing
We’re happy to make this story available to republish for free, unless it originated with JTA, Haaretz or another publication (as indicated on the article) and as long as you follow our guidelines.
You must comply with the following:
- Credit the Forward
- Retain our pixel
- Preserve our canonical link in Google search
- Add a noindex tag in Google search
See our full guidelines for more information, and this guide for detail about canonical URLs.
To republish, copy the HTML by clicking on the yellow button to the right; it includes our tracking pixel, all paragraph styles and hyperlinks, the author byline and credit to the Forward. It does not include images; to avoid copyright violations, you must add them manually, following our guidelines. Please email us at [email protected], subject line “republish,” with any questions or to let us know what stories you’re picking up.