Two African American men expect to file a lawsuit against ABC television and the producer of reality dating shows “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” claiming racial discrimination, attorneys said on Tuesday.
The class action suit to be filed in federal court today, April 18, is being brought by football players Nathaniel Claybrooks and Christopher Johnson, who say that in the 23 seasons that the shows have had, neither has ever featured a person of color in the central role, according to a statement from the attorneys.
A news conference has been planned as well to discuss the action that will be taken “on behalf of all other persons of color who have applied for the role of the Bachelor or the Bachelorette but been denied the equal opportunity for selection on the basis of race.”
The lawsuit will be filed against ABC television, Warner Horizon Television, Next Entertainment, NZK Productions and Michael Fleiss, the executive producer of the “Bachelor” and “Bachelorette” franchises.
Fleiss was quoted as saying, “we always want to cast for ethnic diversity, it’s just that for whatever reason, they (African Americans) don’t come forward. I wish they would,” he continued saying that by choosing to cast an African American just for the sake of race makes him feel guilty of tokenism.
