Secrets from the Bachelor mansion!
Since its US premiere in 2002, the Bachelor franchise has taken the world by storm. Entertainment journalist Amy Kaufman, 32, interviewed dozens of producers, contestants and celebrity viewers to bring fans juicy tales from behind the scenes in her book, Bachelor Nation: Inside The World Of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure!
What inspired you to write the book?
I’ve been a fan of the show for more than a decade and being in LA I’d often cross paths with past contestants. I started inviting them to my Bachelor viewing parties and during the ads my friends and I would pepper them with questions. The stories they told me blew my mind so much I had to write a book about it!
How did producers stir up drama?
An executive producer told me in the early days he’d walk around with a wad of $100 bills and tell the crew, “We need drama tonight!” So every time they caught people hooking up, found a girl throwing up or a guy crying, they’d be given $100!
Which stories shocked you the most?
One contestant was convinced to propose to a girl he didn’t like, let alone love! Another said she became suicidal after going on the show. A lot of them struggle with being cast as a villain, which can have lasting ramifications.
Why do the contestants act out, do you think?
They’re in environments that are so foreign… so they exist in the bubble without TV, music, books or movies. They sit around all day with an open bar at their disposal and producers convince them the suitor is the guy for them. They start to spiral and behave in a way they wouldn’t if they had other things to do.
BACHELOR NATION: INSIDE THE WORLD OF AMERICA’S FAVORITE GUILTY PLEASURE (Penguin, $39.99)