ABC has chosen the next Bachelor, and he is unlike any other who came before him. ABC has named Juan Pablo Galavis as the first Latino Bachelor on "The Bachelor," marking the first time the show has featured a non-white handing out the roses.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, host Chris Hanson announced on Monday's "Bachelorette" season finale that Galavis, a suitor on this season's "Bachelorette," will be the next "Bachelor" star. Galavis, 32, is a soccer player who was born in Venezuela and resides in Miami. The hunky athlete was a fan favorite this season as viewers watched him vie, but ultimately fail, to win Desiree Hartsock's heart along with 25 other suitors. The let-down yielded good results for him, (and for his fans,) as he will be the 17th Bachelor in the show's 18 seasons. (Brad Womack starred as "The Bachelor" twice.)
Although the reality series has featured a few minority suitors, such as Will Reese, an African-American, who also appeared on this past season, there has never been a non-Caucasian star. The lack of diversity on ABC's part has brought heat upon ABC and Warner Horizon TV for violating racial discrimination laws.
A handful of Nashville residents, led by Christopher Johnson and Nathaniel Claybrook, filed a class-action lawsuit last year against the network, claiming that the failure to feature minority stars violates civil rights law that "plainly prohibits whites from refusing to contract with African Americans because of their race." ABC's representation used the First Amendment to defend their actions. A federal judge agreed with ABC, prompting the case to be thrown out this past October.
ABC's decision to feature Galavis reflects their capitulation to audience demands, which indicates an even greater cultural shift. As the American population becomes more diverse, particularly in terms of the growing Latino population, Americans demand pop culture icons and television stars that reflect the increasingly heterogeneous U.S. population. The first Latino Bachelor is one example of a palpable shift toward a society that embraces diversity in the media, and not just on paper.
Galavis is also a single dad to a 4-year-old girl named Camila. Reportedly, Galavis had never seen the show before appearing on "The Bachelorette." He told The Hollywood Reporter at the "Men Tell All" taping last month that his friend thought he would be a good fit for the reality show, and filled out the application paperwork on his behalf. According to his friend, he kept saying, "Yeah, yeah, I'll fill that out later. I'm too busy." He was also worried about leaving his daughter for an extended period of time. Yet, once he met with the producers and worked out the details, he decided it was an experience worth trying.
Other names that were rumored as potential bachelors were fellow Desiree suitors Drew Kenney and Zak Waddell, as well as Jef Holm, who was engaged to "Bachelorette" Emily Maynard but split in late 2012.
"The Bachelor" will return next January.
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