‘Bachelor’ star blames media
‘Bachelor in Paradise’ cast member says medication, alcohol and media to blame.
Corinne Olympios says booze, medication also tied to scandal.
Corinne Olympios says that medication and booze were key players in June’s production-stopping “Bachelor in Paradise” scandal and that the media made her a victim in the aftermath.
Calling the situation “just really unfortunate,” she said Tuesday on ABC’s “Good Morning America” that she didn’t remember anything that happened. Seeing video of what had transpired on the first day of production on the network’s looking-for-love reality show was “like watching not-me,” she said. “I’m watching someone else.”
On that day, Olympios and fellow cast member DeMario Jackson allegedly wound up in the pool or hot tub together in a situation that a producer thought went too far. Allegations of misconduct were made, and production shut down the next day for an investigation that ultimately determined that nothing untoward had happened.
The show, sans Corinne and DeMario, premiered its fourth season on Aug. 14, a week later than originally planned.
“I did drink too much, I definitely understand that,” Olympios said. “But I was also on a medication that severely blacks you out and impairs your judgment and messes with your balance, that I didn’t know you were not supposed to not drink on, and so it really just caused a horrible, horrible blackout. It was like I went under like anesthesia and then just like woke up.”
She says she’s now “weaning” off the medication and cutting down on drinking. But in explaining her official statement that she was “a victim” living through her “worst nightmare,” Olympios got specific about how she was victimized. It had nothing to do with consent, which had been a hot topic around the scandal.
“I was really a victim of the media,” Olympios said. “It was just, all of a sudden, people became an expert on the situation and on what happened, and it was like, I’m still trying to figure out exactly what happened. It was just horrible to deal with.
“It got really, really bad . ... The things people say are just insane.”
An interview between Olympios and “Bachelor in Paradise” host Chris Harrison was set to air during the show Tuesday night.
When the remaining “Paradise” cast met on the first episode of the season, their sympathies seemed to lie with Jackson as they worried about the long-term effects the scandal would have on him and any future career opportunities. They also thought race played a part; Jackson is black, and Olympios is white.
“The blame he was getting ... it broke my heart, because I thought no matter if everything’s cleared up, people are still going to associate something bad happening with Corinne and DeMario,” said cast member Raven Gates.