ABC Contestants on season 25 of The Bachelor.
Matt James finally addressed the rampant bullying that has cast a dark cloud over season 25 of The Bachelor, sending home both Anna Redman and Victoria Larson in episode five. Another contestant, Kit Keenan, made it through the night and even got a one-on-one date, despite being portrayed in a few episodes as part of the problem.
In an episode of Bachelor Happy Hour, Keenan expressed regret for some of her actions on the show, but also defended herself. According to Keenan, gender bias is to blame for some of the backlash that she’s received.
“I think that a lot of the criticism that I have gotten is very gendered and I don’t like that,” Keenan said. “I think if a man had said some of the more aggressive things that I said on screen, he would be applauded for standing up for himself. And because it’s a woman and women are supposed to turn the other cheek and be compassionate and vulnerable, I think it’s harder for people to see that.
“It’s something I’m working on: Being more compassionate right off the bat. But I grew up with a role model who never took no for an answer and built her empire off of that. And so when I feel as though I am not being respected, I’m going to say something. I could have said it in a less aggressive way.”
In episode three of The Bachelor, Keenan was one of several women who took issue with Sarah Trott interrupting a group date to speak with James just days after having a one-on-one date. During a group conversation, Keenan told Trott, “I hope that your connection with Matt is very strong right now, because the rest of your living situation here is going to be horrible.”
Shortly after the episode aired, Keenan apologized for her words in that moment, calling them “unacceptable.” In episode five, Keenan apologized to the women who were added to the show in episode four for not being more open and welcoming.
Keenan Was Relieved to See Victoria Larson & Anna Redman Go
ABCKit Keenan receives a rose from Matt James during an episode of The Bachelor.
Keenan seemed to be one of the contestants who was closest to Larson, the source of the most drama on the show. But she didn’t say she was sad to see the “queen” get eliminated.
“Finally we can actually just focus on our love stories,” Keenan said on Bachelor Happy Hour. “Because prior to Anna leaving and the whole Victoria drama every week, every rose ceremony, it was just like, ‘Why am I even here?’ I am just constantly talking about girls in the house. In interview, it was just questions about that, questions about the drama, and all of that, and I’m just like, ‘Can I just have a few minutes with Matt?’ Because I need to figure out ‘Do I like him?’ Because I have had like five minutes with him here and there, and the rest of the time has been consumed by drama in the house.
“That was so unfortunate to me, so seeing him handle that situation, I was just like, ‘You look really good right now.’ You’re looking amazing, because thank gosh that was handled. It was just so much drama for no reason.”
Keenan later called the name-calling Larson did on the show “unforgivable,” although she did say there were positive aspects of Larson’s personality that weren’t shown on the show and that she’s a comedic talent.
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