50 secrets only true Bachelor fanatics know
By Sundi Rose
14. The Bachelor Campaigned For An Emmy When It First Started
This seems particularly implausible knowing what we know now about the show. But once upon a time, The Bachelor was the first of it’s kind. Long before it became our favorite guilty pleasure, it was an actual contender during the Emmy Awards season.
In the early days, producers thought they might actually get recognized and created a campaign to earn the statue. Sources report, “Feeling the show was quality television despite its ‘guilty pleasure’ status, The Bachelor’s creators cobbled together quotes and social media tweets attributed to Hollywood stars professing their fandom.”
Hoping to convince Emmy voters producers hoped to use these quotes to, “speak to why the franchise endures: thanks to its tongue-and-cheek ability to laugh at its own ridiculousness and occasionally cartoonish contestants—while still often enough introducing couples who truly fall for each other and stay together.”
After 20 seasons, it doesn’t really matter that it’s never received a nod. Audiences love it anyway, and have developed an unfaltering loyalty to the show. After all these years, it’s part of our popular culture, and we don’t need the validation of some dumb ol’ awards show.
Creators are keeping a stiff upper lip, however. Executive producer, Mike Darnell, says: “You don’t last this long without being a well-produced show.” We couldn’t agree more.