Following Chris Harrison's decision to step aside from The Bachelor, contestants past and present have been sharing their thoughts on whether or not the long-time host of the franchise should be permanently removed from his hosting duties. Now, on the heels of the news that Harrison could be taking legal action, one former contestant of The Bachelorette has recalled why he thinks Harrison is a "total douchebag."
I recently spoke with Josh Seiter, who was a contestant during The Bachelorette Season 11, and I asked what his thoughts were on the current situation with Chris Harrison. The reality star was quick to share why he doesn't think of Harrison as a stand-up guy – which is putting it lightly – and also talked about his past experiences with the host during Seiter's time on the show. In is words:
Chris was, from my limited experience on set, a total douchebag. Would not acknowledge the contestants. They would say ‘Hey Chris’ whenever he entered a room because they were star struck – it’s Chris Harrison! So they’re like ‘Hey Chris,’ and all the guys were very nice, but he literally did not say a word to anybody. There’s guys that had their hands outstretched to shake Chris’ hand as he was walking past the couch we were sitting on, to stand at the front of the living room to give his little speech at the end of the night. He literally brushed past everyone’s outstretched hands, acted like no one existed, and gave his little speech. The second he was done, he literally turned around and marched off, and that’s how it was throughout the night. All his entrances and exits were carefully planned; he had no interaction with anyone aside from the top producer. I say he’s like a male Ellen DeGeneres. He literally doesn’t treat other people like they exist. He makes no eye contact, ignores everyone. I thought he was a douchebag. I’m sure he makes tons of money; he’s working, so to him it’s a job.
Josh Seiter went on to say that even during the relatively short time he was on The Bachelorette, he was still shocked by Chris Harrison's behavior. For those that don't remember, Josh Seiter was eliminated in Week 1 of Season 11 after he stripped his clothes off for Kaitlyn Bristowe and Britt Nilsson. Needless to say, nobody gave a rose to Seiter, but Chris Harrison apparently gave him a hard time about it.
To that end, Josh Seiter isn't too upset that Chris Harrison may never host The Bachelor or any of its spinoffs again. Seiter agreed that Harrison's defending Rachael Kirkconnell was out of line, and added that he already had it out for Harrison after what happened shortly following his Season 11 elimination from The Bachelorette.
I’m glad he’s gone because, even without those comments [because] he went on The View the day after producers forced me and told me to to strip on the show, and I protested and said I didn’t feel comfortable doing it. They had three producers come in my room and tell me ‘Josh you have to strip,’ so I ended up stripping out of the limo, ended up getting eliminated. The next day after that premiere episode aired, Chris went on The View and was telling Whoopi Goldberg and all the ladies of The View ‘Oh my God, and how tacky was that stripper? I mean who strips on the first date? He made the women so uncomfortable.’ And I was just watching from my brother’s house in Chicago, and I was like, ‘Is this guy fucking serious?’ He knows the producers told me I had to strip and then he’s going on TV and literally like saying I’m trashy and tacky and [saying] ‘Who does that?’ and trashing my name. At the time, I was a 25-year-old kid. I had no social media following, no effective voice to say anything back. . . So for that reason, I think Chris is a horrible human being and I think he’s playing Russian roulette with young people’s lives. . . The things he’s saying hurt real people, we’re real people.
For all those reasons, as well as for Chris Harrison's current controversy, Josh Seiter wasn't sad to see the long-time host step away for any amount of time. He's not the only former contestant to express similar opinions either, even though Harrison has found some support out there from former contestants. Meanwhile, ABC has still not officially signaled what Harrison's fate with the franchise could be going forward.
What has been confirmed is that Chris Harrison will not host the upcoming season of The Bachelorette, and hosting duties will actually fall on Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe for the upcoming season. For now, Harrison will be away, but given the network hasn't officially fired him, there's still a chance he may return.
