Bachelorette producers choose safety over diversity

Caila Quinn was greeted with roses when she returned home after getting rejected by The Bachelor.

THE CHOICE of the next Bachelorette may have been more of a surprise than bachelor Ben Higgins' final choice. Apparently, at the last minute last night (March 14), the producers changed their mind and went with Jojo Fletcher as the next Bachelorette instead of Filipina/American Caila Quinn. If she was picked to be the star of the Bachelorette, she would have been the first non-white to be in the title role in that popular television franchise.

That's too bad. It would have been a more interesting show if the producers had a bit more creativity and chose the road less taken. Caila's selection could have opened the doors to new diversity possibilities in casting. Now we're stuck with another ho-hum show.

Quinn was all set to be The Bachelorette. Filming had already started in her hometown. When articles began to appear that Caila was supposed to be the next Bachelorette, apparently that got runner-up JoJo Fletcher's fans started a Twitter campaign that seems to have affected the producer's choice.

RELATED: Is the next Bachelorette going to be Asian/American?

Reality Steve, the blogger who broke the story that Caila was the next Bachelorette a couple weeks back, said the hometown filming was a "red herring" to mislead fans. It's a strategy the show employed in previous Bachelor/ette picks. His "scoop" was picked up by Us magazine and other tabloids.

“They led her to believe it was her, she was convinced it was her, they shot her intro package that day in Ohio, then they told her at pretty much the last minute, ‘We decided to go with JoJo,'” said the blogger.

Perhaps the producers think they can get away with passing Jojo Fletcher off as a person of color. “My mom is Persian, and my Dad was born and raised in Tennessee. I’m proud of my mother’s background despite what social opinions are. It’s important for me to stand up to people stereotyping Iranians.” I hate to break it to her and to the producers, but Iranians/Persians are biologically and technically Caucasian. Heaven forbid if you commit a major faux pas - as I once did - and refer to an Iranian as Arabian. You would be corrected very quickly.

When it was thought that Caila was to be the next Bachelorette, one of the most interesting articles about her possible selection was by NPR's Akemi Johnson, titled, What It Would Mean to Have 'Hapa' Bachelorette. I encourage readers to read it anyway to get an idea why we're spending this much ink on this show. It’s a deep dive into the representation of people of color in our culture, on television, and The Bachelor/ette specifically.

Johnson's article makes a clear case as to why diversity is more than just casting a person of color. It’s about how that person is portrayed to the audience and what stereotypes the editors and producers choose to reinforce or dismantle.

"If The Bachelor is our modern-day fairy tale, then who becomes its princes and princesses does matter," wrote Salon TV critic Sonia Saraiya in another good article on the topic.

Oh, in case you were wondering, Higgins' final pick was Lauren Bushnell (yawn!).

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For more news about Asian/Americans & Pacific Islanders, read AsAm News.

Is The Bachelorette going to be an Asian/American?

Is Caila Quinn the next Bachelorette?

THE PROSPECT that a Filipina/American could be the next season's Bachelorette fills me with mixed feelings - anticipation and dread.

It has not been officially confirmed yet, but numerous sources and tabloids say that Caila Quinn will get another chance at finding love. She was among the final three women in the latest iteration of The Bachelor but was ultimately rejected by bachelor Ben Higgins in the Feb. 29 episode.

Despite her third place finish, she reportedly won the right for a second chance  by starring in the upcoming season of The Bachelorette. Us Weekly reported that the 24-year-old was being followed by cameras around her hometown of Hudson, Ohio while filming her introductory clip for the next season of The Bachelorette. 

I admit, I'm not a fan of The Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise, but I'm aware of its immense popularity of those seeking their Prince Charming or Cinderella. Different strokes for different folks.

Having a woman of color be the central star in this franchise is a first. After 12 years on the air, many critics have written about the franchise’s dismal casting record of just one non-white person in its combined title roles.

An unnamed source at ABC told various publications: "They feel like she's the whole package and that both men and women really like her and want to see her as the Bachelorette. We only saw a bit of who she really is on The Bachelor. She's quite dynamic and funny, not to mention incredibly smart and beautiful. The network feels like she has a huge future and they want to nurture her career as a TV personality."

Will the batch of bachelors from which Quinn will choose include a few Asian/American males  (which could help counter the asexual Asian male stereotype) or other minority contestants? That would add another interesting factor she would have to consider when choosing her Mr. Right. There are plenty of Asian male hunks who would love to be on the show but they would have to be able to withstand the pressure of "representing. The question Quinn would have to ask herself, like other Asian women, is: Can she overcome that Asian male trope to see the romantic side of the potential bachelor.

Having an Asian/American woman in the titular role, however, opens the door wide for more diverse casting to include other men of color, too. Numerous studies have shown that Asian women are viewed favorably by men of other races. 

Caila Quinn

On the other hand, there is a danger of reinvigorating that old strain of "yellow fever." Among the contestants - most of whom will likely be Euro/Americans based on previous castings - will almost certainly be a few who harbor that fetish for exotic "Oriental" women. It would be terrible for the show to cater to that stereotype attractive to too  many men.

Quinn is from Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts but she recently moved to Akron, Ohio from Boston for her father’s work. According to OKHereIsTheSituation, Caila’s father, Chris, is of German/Irish/Swiss descent. He was born in Brazil and raised in Mexico. Her Filipino half comes from her mother, Rosanna,who immigrated as a young child with her family to the Ohio suburb of Warrensville Heights from the Philippines.

In addition to being a contestant on The Bachelor, Caila is also a model, having previously won an Asian Fashion Supermodel Competition in Boston back in 2011, as well as being actively involved in the Philippine Society at Boston College. Her bio lists software sales rep as an occupation.

Her possible selection is in keeping with the diversity profile that ABC is supposed to be pursuing after the selection of Channing Dungey, the network's first African/American programming chief. The network is also home to two sitcoms featuring Asian/American families, Fresh Off The Boat and Dr. Ken as well as Blackish, Empire with African American principals.

The filming of Caila in her hometown could be a ruse by the producers to get the rumor mills churning; or it could be location shooting for another show. The release signed by her friends didn't specify which TV show they would be on. Since US magazine came out with their scoop, a few other tabloids have tried to douse water on the rumors with articles on other contestatants. We'll find out next Monday, March 14.

The Bachelorette for next season will be announced during the live portion of The Bachelor finale next Monday, March 14, 8 p.m. on ABC.

Caila seems to have recovered from her traumatic rejection. On the reunion show last Monday (March 7), she was asked if she would do The Bachelorette and she said: “Because I fell in love before, I could see myself falling in love again,” she explained. “Yes, I would consider it, but I definitely need to take a breather for myself and just take some me-time.”

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For more news about Asian/Americans and Pacific Islanders, read AsAm News.