When Spencer Pratt advanced through the primary, plenty of political insiders and even the mainstream media rolled their eyes. They shouldn&#8217;t have. Reality television may be one of the most underrated training grounds for modern political leadership.
Long before social media turned every American into a content creator, reality television was teaching people how to communicate directly with audiences, withstand relentless criticism, manage public perception, and remain accountable under constant public scrutiny. Every word, every decision, and every unscripted moment is dissected in real time. Few traditional career paths prepare someone for the realities of modern politics more effectively.
As a former contestant on ABC&#8217;s The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise, I&#8217;ve experienced that pressure firsthand. I know what it&#8217;s like to have strangers form opinions about your character based on a few edited moments on television. I&#8217;ve lived through the criticism, the public scrutiny, and the challenge of navigating both a national and international audience in real time. That&#8217;s why I view reality television differently from many political insiders, not as a punchline but as a crash course in resilience, communication, and public accountability.
President Donald Trump shattered the old political paradigm. He proved that voters were hungry for nontraditional leaders from outside the Beltway — anti-establishment candidates forged in business, media, and entertainment rather than lifelong political insiders. Americans value authenticity and the ability to communicate directly over polished résumés and institutional approval.
That shift has only accelerated. Spencer Pratt&#8217;s advancement through the primary is the latest example. While political insiders dismissed him, he understood something many career politicians still don&#8217;t: direct, authentic communication with voters often matters more than endorsements, consultants, or party machinery. Through social media, podcasts, viral moments, and emerging tools like AI-generated media, candidates can bypass traditional gatekeepers and speak directly to the people they hope to serve. Reality television personalities understand these dynamics instinctively because audience connection has always been at the core of their profession.
Critics love to sneer at reality stars as unserious fame-chasers, but Spencer Pratt&#8217;s advancement through the primary demonstrates how often the political class misreads what voters want. The deeper truth is that many have already built successful lives and careers. They&#8217;re willingly stepping away from comfort, privacy, financial security, and family peace to enter the arena, knowing that in politics, the microscope falls not just on them, but on their spouse, children, parents, and friends.
The skills developed on reality television translate powerfully to public service. It demands clear communication under pressure, quick thinking amid chaos, the ability to build relationships with people from every background, and the composure to stay steady while the world watches and judges. In today&#8217;s environment, communication is leadership. The ability to explain ideas plainly, inspire trust, and cut through noise is central to effective governance.
Far from easy or mindless, reality television is an intense, accelerated course in public accountability. You can&#8217;t hide behind consultant-scripted statements or staff-written talking points. Millions watch, react, praise, and criticize in real time. It forces thicker skin, sharper self-awareness, greater adaptability, and the discipline to stay focused in the middle of mayhem. Watching The Apprentice, I saw more than entertainment; I saw real lessons in team dynamics, problem-solving, conflict resolution, and leadership under pressure.
That&#8217;s why it makes perfect sense that Sean Duffy went from The Real World to Congress and now serves as Secretary of Transportation, or that Spencer Pratt went from The Hills to advancing through a competitive primary. These platforms reveal who can handle pressure and authentically connect with everyday people.
My time on reality television doesn&#8217;t define me — my faith, family, and values do. But it undeniably shaped me. It taught me how to handle criticism with grace, communicate clearly even when emotions run high, and keep my eyes on what matters most amid the noise. Those lessons have served me well in media and communications, and they shape how I evaluate leaders today: not by pedigree or polish, but by character, resilience, vision, and the courage to step into the arena knowing the personal cost.
The political world has changed. Voters are looking for men and women who can connect directly with the people they hope to serve, rather than those who only know how to play the insider game. Reality television does not disqualify someone from public service. In many ways, it has become one of the most effective training grounds for leadership in the digital age. The same skills that help someone survive years under public scrutiny — authentic communication, resilience, adaptability, and the ability to connect with ordinary people — are increasingly the ones that help candidates advance and win in modern politics. Spencer Pratt&#8217;s advancement through the primary didn&#8217;t happen despite his reality television background. There&#8217;s a strong argument that it happened, in part, because of it.
We should judge candidates by their actions, their ideas, their grit, and their character, not by the medium that first put them in the public eye. Because in America, even the teenage villain of a California reality show can grow into a serious political contender and challenge the political establishment. Ultimately, voters, not political insiders, decide who belongs in the arena.
***
Jillian Anderson King is a former Washington Redskins Cheerleader Ambassador and ABC’s The Bachelor and The Bachelor in Paradise contestant. She’s a Mombassador for Moms for America, an ambassador for Turning Point and Turning Point Faith, and a proud Christian Conservative mother and wife. Jillian is also the founder of The Kings Firm, a strategic communications firm.

Lucky’s Montecito 25th Anniversary

Reality TV Didn’t Hurt Spencer Pratt. It Helped Him Win

California Elections

DW Opinion

Reality TV

Spencer Pratt

It feels like every day there’s a new <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/spencer-pratt-shares-raw-mothers-day-tribute-to-wife-that-hits-all-moms-right-in-the-heart">viral campaign video</a> from Los Angeles mayoral hopeful Spencer Pratt. And every day it’s hard to reconcile that this is the same slime-ball we used to despise on “The Hills.”
For just over four years — from 2006-2010 — we watched Pratt live out his mid-20s in front of an MTV camera, and the angle was typically less than flattering. Engaged at the time to his now wife Heidi Montag, Pratt appeared to manipulate and charm his way through most situations — often coming off like a used-car salesman.
In more recent interviews, Pratt has said that the &#8220;villain&#8221; persona was just that: a persona, put on almost in its entirety to drive ratings. During a Sirius XM interview with host Julia Cunningham in 2025, Pratt explained that he&#8217;d received a simple piece of advice from record producer David Foster on the set of &#8220;The Princes of Malibu.&#8221;
&#8220;He was like, ‘You need to be the Simon Cowell of reality TV,&#8217; and I didn’t even watch ‘American Idol.’ I didn’t even know who Simon Cowell was. I was like, ‘What does that mean?’ … He’s like, ‘Be the bad guy. Be the villain,'&#8221; Pratt explained.
“What [David] didn’t explain to me, though, why Simon Cowell was able to get away with what he did, is [that] it was grounded in, ‘I’m trying to tell you you’re not talented because it’s just the truth,’” Pratt continued. “The problem with me just being blunt and doing whatever producers wanted and making the game is [that] the audience doesn’t see any — there’s no, ‘He’s just telling it how it is.’ It was just like, ‘Oh, he’s a monster.&#8217;”
Still, he leaned into the persona and even marketed it, emblazoning his personal website with the tagline, &#8220;Feel free to hate on me &#8230; daily!&#8221;
And we did.
But these days, Pratt says the only people who really hate him are the socialists and the communists — most of whom are currently rallying to keep him from becoming the next mayor of Los Angeles. And the more he talks, the harder it is for even those of us who grew up seeing him as the &#8220;villain&#8221; to keep seeing him that way.
But in a way, it makes sense — we&#8217;re far from the same person we were 20 years ago, too. Fans of the show remember Spencer as being incredibly full of himself. That’s still true, but when it comes to running for office, his overinflated ego really comes in handy. Plus, he’s now a husband and a father watching his beloved town suffer the worst aspects of leftist policies. It’s far easier to be sympathetic now than when &#8220;The Hills&#8221; was first broadcast.
But then came the real wrinkle: Pratt lost his home in the deadly Palisades fire in early 2025. His mother lost the house he&#8217;d grown up in. Neighbors and friends burned to death in their beds.
Prior to the fires, Pratt hadn’t publicly expressed interest in politics — despite having earned his political science degree from USC in 2013 — and had the disaster never happened, he probably would have been content to sell crystals online forever. But the fire forced Pratt to step out of his blissful post-reality star haze, look around, and finally say what city dwellers have been thinking for years: “What the hell are we doing here?”
The Trump/Pratt comparisons are reasonable. While the former MTV drama series player doesn’t quite have the same charisma as Trump, he does have that everyman quality, a penchant for showmanship, and a willingness to say what everyone is thinking without sugarcoating it in politically correct euphemisms. 
Pratt’s ads, even the AI-generated ones that he has shared, work because they reflect the real conversations people are having about the state of the country. They tap into people’s worst fears about the future, giving a voice to what feels like common sense. It’s easy to nod along, a sense of righteous anger growing, wondering why homeless addicts are permitted to run the cities while law-abiding citizens cower in their homes. 
Instead of using polished talking points, Pratt speaks off the cuff and just says the thing out loud that no one expects him to say. You know, like Trump does.
When leftist City Council member Nithya Raman trotted out tired lines about solving homelessness, Pratt went in for the kill. 
“I will go below the Harbor Freeway tomorrow with her, and we can find some of these people she’s going to offer treatment for. She’s going to get stabbed in the neck,” he said during the debate that <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/07/us-news/spencer-pratts-resounding-win-at-la-mayoral-debate-revealed-in-dramatic-new-poll/">89% of viewers</a> said he won in a landslide. “These people do not want a bed. They want fentanyl or super meth.”
These ads paint Pratt as a literal superhero and far-Left politicians like Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass as the supervillains. Everyone’s favorite failed presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, even pops up because she helped make California awful, too. Pratt isn’t pretending to be some political genius, but is rather a stand-in for what would happen if you, or I, or some other regular person were suddenly dropped into office and given the chance to fix things. 
Among a crowded field of hardcore leftists, Pratt isn’t leaning into politics to make his case. Instead, he’s counting on people ignoring party lines in favor of common sense. This is the double-edged sword of living in a city that’s so far gone — he sounds a bit radical when he makes statements that, in any other city, would sound sane. 
What’s even funnier is how ads made to oppose Pratt wind up <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/see-it-leftist-ad-tries-to-make-spencer-pratt-look-bad-fails-miserably">making him look better</a>. One ad sponsored by L.A. Unions Opposed to Spencer Pratt for Mayor accused him of “[opposing] using taxpayer money to build brand new houses for our unhoused neighbors, saying it’s time for the homeless to get help or get out. Pratt thinks L.A. needs thousands more police officers rather than more social workers.”
Well, yes. And that’s why his campaign is working. Pratt responded to the ad by saying, “Wait. Unions are mad that I want firefighters and city workers to get better pay and safer working conditions? What are they actually … for?”
It’s a question being asked by Angelenos and beyond, and while the polls show that Pratt is still a long shot rather than a foregone conclusion, it’s tempting to believe that the polls are wrong.

How Spencer Pratt Went From Villain To Hero

Karen Bass

Los Angeles

Media

Politics

Leftist special interest groups ran an ad that was supposed to make former MTV reality TV star-turned-Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt look bad, and they appear to have stepped in it.
The ad, sponsored by L.A. Unions Opposed to Spencer Pratt for Mayor 2026 and the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, lays out a number of things that Pratt has either supported or opposed — and accidentally paints him as an entirely reasonable person with an agenda that veers dangerously close to the dictionary definition of &#8220;common sense.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The LA County Federation of Labor has a new committee lined up to go after Spencer Pratt, and they are dropping an initial $221k on this video &amp; an additional digital ad. <a href="https://t.co/vJnHCDunPb">pic.twitter.com/vJnHCDunPb</a>
— Unrig LA (@UnrigLA) <a href="https://twitter.com/UnrigLA/status/2053217879722713478?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Republican Spencer Pratt is the last thing Los Angeles needs for mayor,&#8221; the voiceover began. &#8220;Pratt opposes using taxpayer money to build brand new houses for our unhoused neighbors, saying it&#8217;s time for the homeless to get help or get out. Pratt thinks L.A. needs thousands more police officers rather than more social workers.&#8221;
&#8220;And Republican Spencer Pratt thinks public employee unions should have less power, not more,&#8221; the ad continued. &#8220;L.A. is on the right track and needs to stay the course. Vote no on Republican Spencer Pratt.&#8221;
Pratt <a href="https://x.com/spencerpratt/status/2053535640277709257">responded</a> to the ad, saying, &#8220;Wait. Unions are mad that I want firefighters and city workers to get better pay and safer working conditions? What are they actually … for?&#8221;
The majority of those responding commented on the fact that the unions, in attempting to paint Pratt as an extreme Republican, had only helped him to outline his positions in ways that would sound entirely reasonable — even good — to the average person.
RedState&#8217;s Jennifer Van Laar had a <a href="https://x.com/jenvanlaar/status/2053492048922296546">similar reaction</a>, saying of the ad, &#8220;Do these people know nothing of branding and sales? I get that the point of it is to make sure everyone knows that Spencer is Republican (since it&#8217;s a nonpartisan race that isn&#8217;t on the ballot) but damn. Saying his name so many times can really backfire. And they&#8217;re associating him with getting rid of homeless encampments and adding cops. Oh, the horror!&#8221;

FOX’s “Celebrity Weakest Link” – Season One

SEE IT: Leftist Ad Tries To Make Spencer Pratt Look Bad, Fails Miserably

Democrats

Unions

Spencer Pratt is going all in on his effort to unseat Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, delivering a series of viral campaign ads that have been lighting up social media.
His most recent efforts include a response video to Bass’s accusations that Pratt, a former reality star, is “exploiting the grief” of people affected by the Palisades fires for his own purposes. The “Hills” star clapped back with a video campaign of the clip juxtaposed with footage of him comforting his mother, Janet Pratt, when she gets emotional during a visit to the spot where Pratt’s home once stood. 
The loss of his own home in the deadly blaze is what inspired Pratt to get into politics in the first place.
“Change the channel,” Pratt wrote in the video caption shared on X, which included footage of Bass insinuating he was just in it to get famous.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Change the channel <a href="https://t.co/mqBBaMK7JO">pic.twitter.com/mqBBaMK7JO</a>
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) <a href="https://twitter.com/spencerpratt/status/2051676514236903642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The comments were flooded with support for Pratt’s campaign. “You’re gaining a lot fans man by going after this evil force that’s taken over the west. Keep it up! You have a ton of folks rooting for you,” one person wrote, echoing what many others were saying. 
He followed that up by reposting a new AI-generated superhero-themed ad, made by filmmaker Charles Curran, which features California governor Gavin Newsom and failed presidential candidate Kamala Harris as aristocratic villains alongside Bass as the Joker. Pratt is shown as a Batman-like figure who arrives to save the city of Los Angeles. 
He and other citizens threw tomatoes at the lawmakers who were laughing at them for asking for permission to rebuild their homes and rid the streets of “homeless drug addicts in front of the schools.”
“LA is worth saving,” the video says.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
LA is worth saving. Vote Spencer Pratt. <a href="https://t.co/GpQpnfsuJe">pic.twitter.com/GpQpnfsuJe</a>
— Charles Curran (@charliebcurran) <a href="https://twitter.com/charliebcurran/status/2051647381981290697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
This follows Pratt’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/reality-star-rips-karen-bass-in-fiery-campaign-video">viral ad</a> from a week earlier, which included the former MTV reality star filming outside mansions belonging to Bass and Councilmember Nithya Raman, who is currently the frontrunner in the mayoral race. The scene then cuts to a homeless encampment as Pratt narrates, “They don’t have to live in the mess they created. Where YOU live.” 
Pratt recently appeared on an episode of &#8220;The Joe Rogan Experience&#8221; podcast and secured Rogan’s endorsement. Still, it’s an uphill battle in the crowded mayoral race. The competition is heating up with less than a month to go until election day on June 2, with many voters still being reported as undecided. 
Bass, Pratt, and Raman all <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-05-05/bass-pratt-raman-make-cut-for-tv-debate-as-la-mayors-race-kicks-into-high-gear">qualified to participate</a> in a televised debate Wednesday night.

Pratt ad

Spencer Pratt Hits Back After Leftist Mayor Claims He’s ‘Exploiting’ Palisades Fire Victims

NEW AD: Spencer Pratt Vows To Save L.A. From Villainous Leftists

California

Mayor

Reality stars

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
I knew marrying into a reality TV family would come with a learning curve. Cameras, schedules, and public attention: None of that surprised me. What I didn’t expect was how quickly I would realize there are roles in families like this and, more importantly, that some roles you don’t get to choose.
I went into it hopeful. I didn’t grow up with a sister close to my age, so the idea of gaining one felt like something I didn’t even know I had been missing. I had spent years in newsrooms and around high-profile celebrities, and that world never intimidated me. I wasn’t starstruck. I was just someone building a life with the person I loved.
But families, especially ones that exist both on-screen and off, have their own dynamics. And those dynamics don’t always match what you see from the outside.
The first time I met everyone was a big, celebratory event, full of energy and expectations. I was trying to take it all in while also figuring out where I stood. Most people were kind and welcoming, and I held onto that. But there were also small signals, subtle things I almost questioned in the moment, that made me feel like I was observing more than belonging.
It wasn’t anything obvious. It was more about tone, timing, and presence. Who gets included in certain moments, and who doesn’t. Who gets acknowledged when the room is full, and what happens when it isn’t. Some of that may have just been the nature of the setting, but it still left an impression.
Over time, there were moments that felt like turning points. Times when I thought, “Okay, this is where things change. This is where I really become part of this family.” Big life events such as marriages, moves, or children have a way of doing that. They create opportunities for connection.
When we had our daughter, it felt like one of those moments. It developed a closeness that comes from shared experiences and overlapping stages of life. It felt natural. Easy, even. For a while, I believed that maybe I had just needed time to find my place. And in some ways, I had. But not in the way I expected.
One thing I have come to understand is that in families shaped by public perception, intention can get lost. A thoughtful gesture can be interpreted differently. A quiet act of gratitude can be seen through a completely different lens — not because anyone is necessarily trying to misunderstand, but because everything is filtered through a heightened awareness of how things look.
When my sister-in-law sent us hand-me-down clothes to borrow for my daughter — truly, a mother’s dream come true — it wasn’t lost on me what that really meant. They were beautiful pieces, many of them things we never would have bought ourselves, and they saved us more than I think she’ll ever realize. But beyond that, it was the idea of them being passed down, of our daughter wearing pieces that once belonged to her cousin, that made it feel special in a way that went deeper than anything material.
I’ve always been someone who expresses gratitude through handwritten cards and photo albums. So after a trip, I put together an &#8220;outfit of the day&#8221;-style album using those outfits, photographing my then one-year-old in each one as a way to say thank you and preserve those memories. To me, it felt thoughtful and deeply personal. But I later learned it may have been received differently, possibly seen as something tied to social media, which was never my intention. Looking back, I can understand how, in a world where so much is curated and shared, even something sincere can be interpreted through that lens.
I can also acknowledge that living in that kind of spotlight likely comes with pressures and expectations I may not fully understand, which can shape how people respond and interact in ways that are not always easy to see from the outside. That can be hard to navigate when you are someone who is not thinking about optics in the same way. It is in those moments I started to realize that what felt sincere to me did not always translate the same way to my sister-in-law, especially when her world operates differently than mine.
We still kept receiving clothes that no longer fit my niece, and I kept thinking, &#8220;Okay, if the album wasn’t it, how do I show gratitude for something that meant so much to me?&#8221; My niece loves Disney princesses, so we ordered a handful of real Disney dresses. It felt thoughtful and special.
When the dresses arrived, we were told we shouldn’t have sent them. They weren’t welcome; the concern was that our niece would want to wear them out in public, and my sister-in-law didn’t want that, given the possibility of photos being taken. She offered to send them back or have them kept for private use at grandma&#8217;s house. It stung, but I tried to respect it.
Then just days later, at a New York City event, a hotel gifted our niece an Elsa dress. It was immediately all over social media, along with the promise that she’d be wearing it out in the city. And she did. There were photos of that, too.
That’s when it clicked. It wasn’t really about the dress. It was about when and where it made sense. One was private; the other was public — and good for business. That’s what hurt, the feeling that strangers could step into moments that family couldn’t, as long as it fit the brand.
Eventually, the rhythm of the relationship changed. Communication became less frequent. Gestures became more cautious. The closeness I thought we were building started to feel more conditional, more tied to circumstance than connection. And then, quietly, certain things just stopped.
One of the biggest things I learned early on is that there is a difference between how things feel when the cameras are up and when they are down. When everything is being captured, there is an energy that pulls people together. When it is just real life again, that energy can shift quickly.
Sometimes that means the smallest interruption is unwelcome. “You do not have access to my kids whenever the f*ck you want,&#8221; my sister-in-law, Stassi Schroeder Clark, said on a recent podcast <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/family-boundaries-country-club-holidays-and-breaking/id977824904?i=1000760201426">episode</a>. &#8220;Like, that’s, just because you are family does not mean that you get to just FaceTime them whenever.”
How else do you stay connected? Our families live on opposite sides of the country. I FaceTime my mom several times a day. We even have a device set up just for our daughter so she can FaceTime her grandma and nana every day. It’s the only “screen” she has because that connection matters to us. That’s normal. That’s how families stay close.
So when something like that is framed as an interruption — and not just privately, but publicly, to an audience of millions — it hurts. I wondered how this scenario was being received by everyone listening. Were they connecting the dots? Did they realize those “interruptions” are just family members trying to stay close?
Maybe an unannounced FaceTime call is too candid. Is it about not having control of your presence on screen, even in everyday life? About not having control over how you look, how you sound, how you show up — even in something as simple and innocent as a video call with a four-year-old? And if that’s the case, is that really something worth protecting at the expense of connection?
Comments like that aren&#8217;t innocent; they change how we engage. I&#8217;ve started second-guessing myself. Am I allowed to FaceTime right now? Is this a bad time? Do they not want to hear from us at all?
Things that once felt natural suddenly felt like things I had to think twice about. Over time, those small hesitations added up. We reached out less. Silences stretched longer. The space between interactions grew, not because anyone said it should, but because it started to feel like it was supposed to.
And still, I kept showing up with the best intentions. That is what you do when you are building a life. You try, you adjust, you give people the benefit of the doubt.
At some point, I realized this is not really about reality TV at all. It is just real life. Everyone I know has stories about navigating in-laws, misreading intentions, and trying to find their place. The details might look different, but the experience is not. At its core, this is really a story about expectations, the ones you bring in and the ones you have to let go.
I expected that love and effort would naturally translate into belonging. That if you showed up with good intentions, you would find your place. And sometimes that is true. But sometimes, families already have a structure that does not shift as easily as you think it will.
I do not regret trying. I do not regret believing in the family dynamic I hoped for. If anything, it taught me something valuable, about boundaries, about perspective, and about the difference between being welcomed and truly being known.
And maybe that is the real learning curve. Not the cameras or the attention. Just learning how to hold your own version of family life, even when it doesn’t look the way you thought it would, and knowing not everyone sees the full picture.

Gemini_Generated_Image_s50n1gs50n1gs50n

What It’s Like To Marry Into A Reality TV Family

Upstream

“The Apprentice” could be making a return to television with a different Trump sitting in the boss’s chair, according to a <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/media/amazon-discusses-apprentice-rebootwith-don-jr-as-a-potential-host-fe09e885">report</a> from The Wall Street Journal, 
The outlet spoke with an industry insider who said not only was there talk of a reboot, but also that the president’s son, Donald Trump Jr., was being floated as a potential host. 
Amazon responded by saying that nothing is currently in development. “Since our acquisition of MGM, we have had preliminary internal discussions about what’s next for &#8216;The Apprentice&#8217; as a property. The show is not in active development, and any reporting on details of the show or names of potential hosts would be purely speculative,” the company said in a statement, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/amazon-potential-apprentice-reboot-trump-1236580630/">per</a> The Hollywood Reporter.
Trump famously hosted the popular reality show for 14 seasons on NBC, from 2004 to 2015. “The Apprentice” documented contestants competing for a job to become his apprentice. 
Amazon co-owns rights to the series along with Trump Productions. The media giant has been streaming reruns, which remain popular. The show is also in syndication.
“The Apprentice,” starring Trump, who also served as executive producer, was a major hit. It inspired spinoffs like &#8220;Celebrity Apprentice&#8221; starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Martha Stewart, but none of those were nearly as popular. 
Trump recently posted on Truth Social about the rating for the show’s first season. “Last Season of my Apprentice Juggernaut!” Trump wrote alongside the April 2004 article titled “&#8217;The Apprentice’ Scores Ratings Top for the Season.”
Amazon partnered with the Trump family on entertainment projects before. Earlier this year, Amazon released the documentary “Melania,” which offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the life of the first lady. Critics predicted that it would be a major flop, but it performed shockingly well at the box office considering its genre. The film brought in $7 million on its opening weekend, a huge increase from the projected $2-5 million that was expected.
“Melania” currently has one of the largest disparities between critics’ and audience scores on the site, with reviewers giving the film a 10% rating and moviegoers giving it a 99% rating. About 75% of the audience was women aged 55 and older.

The Apprentice

‘The Apprentice’ Might Be Coming Back. Guess Who Could Be in the Boss’s Seat?

Donald Trump

Donald Trump Jr.

Entertainment

Television

Police are investigating claims that cyberbullying may have contributed to the death by suicide of reality star Darrell Sheets, who was best known for starring in the popular A&amp;E series “Storage Wars.”
Law enforcement <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/04/22/celebrity-news/police-investigating-claim-storage-wars-star-darrell-sheets-was-cyberbullied-before-death/?utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">told</a> Page Six that they are “aware of these cyberbullying accusations and that is a part of the active investigation.”
Fans began circulating screenshots from a community Facebook group that Sheets was a member of, which detailed the alleged bullying. &#8220;My apologies to all people in Lake Havasu, my identity has been stolen and it is not me,&#8221; a post Sheets shared in January says. The reality star named two people who he claimed were “attacking me with hundreds of negative posts on people and their businesses.”
Sheets described the two individuals as “very sick people.”
&#8220;I banned him from being in my shop because of what him and [the other person] do to people,” he wrote, adding that he contacted the FBI about filing stalking, harassment, and stolen identity charges.
Another Facebook <a href="https://x.com/0hour1/status/2047065931822633184">post</a> shared in March made similar accusations about these same individuals.
&#8220;I’m extremely sorry and sick over this, these people have ruined me,” Sheets wrote. &#8220;People are showing up to my work and wanting to harm me, the police are aware of this.&#8221; He next said, “if something happens to me it was, it was [them].” 
Fans were heartbroken by the announcement that the 67-year-old star had died in an apparent suicide. 
According to a press release from the Lake Havasu City Police Department, Sheets was found around 2 a.m. local time on Wednesday, April 22, after officers responded to “a reported deceased individual.”
“Upon arrival, officers located a male subject who suffered from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head,” the release said. “The male was pronounced deceased on scene, and the Lake Havasu City Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit was notified and responded to the scene to assume the investigation.”
“Storage Wars” premiered on A&amp;E in 2010 and just debuted its 17th season in February. The reality show depicts real-life buyers who bid on the contents of abandoned storage units. 
During his time on the show, Sheets earned the nickname “The Gambler” for frequently bidding high on units that could be worth nothing. Sheets retired from “Storage Wars” in 2023 and opened an antique shop in Arizona called Havasu Show Me Your Junk.
A spokesperson for A&amp;E says in a statement, &#8220;We are saddened by the passing of a beloved member of our Storage Wars family, Darrell ‘The Gambler’ Sheets. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.&#8221;
His longtime co-star Brandi Passante shared in an Instagram post full of photo memories that she’s “at a loss for words” following Sheets’ untimely death.
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“I would like to say to everyone, if you are struggling, if you feel hopeless or like no one cares.  I assure you they do!! You are not alone.  Please reach out for help,” Passante added after offering condolences to his family. “The grief from suicide is endless.  There is always help,” the caption added.
Sheets is survived by his ex-wife Kimber Wuerfel, his two children, Brandon and Tiffany, and a granddaughter, Zoie. Brandon frequently appeared with his dad on “Storage Wars” and had the nickname “The Sidebet.”
If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or go to <a href="http://speakingofsuicide.com/resources" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources</a> for a list of additional resources.

Darrell Sheets

Police Investigate Shocking New Details In Death Of Beloved Reality Star

Death

Suicide

“Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star Taylor Frankie Paul has been granted visitation rights for the 2-year-old son she shares with ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen, but only under supervision.
The exes had their first hearing on Tuesday, during which Utah Third District Court Commissioner Russell Minas expressed concerns about the behavior of both parents. He described Paul’s conduct as egregious.
“I’m concerned about her volatility,” the judge said, according to <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/04/07/celebrity-news/taylor-frankie-paul-faces-custody-blow-in-court-as-judge-is-concerned-over-her-volatile-behavior/">Page Six</a>. “When she snaps, there is significance to it.”
&#8220;Even if [Mortensen] was trying to provoke a response, the actions that occurred are very troubling,&#8221; Minas added, responding to Paul&#8217;s attorney&#8217;s argument that she had been goaded.
“Dakota pushes buttons, he’s excellent at that,” her attorney said. “As long as they stay apart, then there is no risk to the child … the child is safe with Taylor, the child thrives with Taylor.”
Minas referenced the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taylor-frankie-paul-caught-on-camera-attacking-boyfriend-what-it-says-about-who-we-believe">video footage</a> from a 2023 incident that went viral and ultimately led to Paul’s season of “The Bachelorette” being yanked from the air days before it was scheduled to premiere. The judge said Paul’s apparent failure to recognize that the child was in danger contributed to his decision to allow only supervised visits.
“She did not realize that the child was being exposed,” he said. “That’s one of the concerns I have.”
Paul was granted up to six hours of supervised visits per week with her son, Ever, which can be broken up into two or three-hour increments. The ruling will stand until the next hearing later this month.
The 31-year-old reality star filed a temporary restraining order request against Mortensen ahead of the April 7 hearing, alleging a &#8220;pattern of abusive conduct and coercive control&#8221; during their relationship between 2022 and 2025, according to <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/03/19/celebrity-news/taylor-frankie-paul-allegedly-choked-ex-dakota-mortensen-he-claims-in-restraining-order-filing/">People</a>.
Paul shares Ever, 2, with Mortensen. She is also the mother of Indy, 8, and Ocean, 5, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Tate Paul. Indy was allegedly injured in the previously reported barstool-throwing incident. 
Mortensen gained temporary custody of Ever on March 20 after he filed a restraining order against Paul. The former couple is scheduled to battle it out in court on April 30, when Minas is expected to evaluate both petitions for protective orders. 
&#8220;We&#8217;ll have a showdown on the 30th,&#8221; Paul&#8217;s lawyer Eric Swinyard said.
&#8220;Hopefully it won&#8217;t be a showdown,&#8221; Minas <a href="https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/salt-lake-county/taylor-frankie-paul-faces-protective-order-hearing-in-utah-after-bachelorette-cancellation">said</a>. &#8220;I&#8217;m hoping you can come to some resolution.&#8221;

Taylor Frankie Paul

Taylor Frankie Paul Allowed To See Her Son Again But Must Follow New Rule

Abuse

Hearings

taylor frankie paul

“Summer House” stars Amanda Batula and West Wilson just confirmed that the rumors about their secret relationship are true.
The couple shared a joint statement to Instagram on Tuesday, noting that they never expected something like this to happen.
“We’ve seen the growing online speculation, so while this is still very new, we wanted to provide some clarity,” the reality stars posted to Stories.
“It was never our intention to purposely hide anything. Given the complicated relationship dynamics involved and the scrutiny that comes with being on a reality show, we needed a little space to process things privately before speaking on it,” the statement continued.
“We’ve shown up for each other as friends over the years, through all the highs and lows, and what’s developed recently was the last thing either of us expected.”
Batula and Wilson said their friendship developed into something more, and they opted to take the public reveal slowly.
“As our feelings evolved, we wanted to take time to understand exactly what we were feeling. We also recognize that this has had an impact beyond just us and never wanted our actions to cause any hurt or be perceived as careless,” the social media update went on.
Making matters especially complicated is the fact that Batula separated from her husband, fellow “Summer House” star Kyle Cooke, in January after four years of marriage, as Page Six <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/03/31/celebrity-news/summer-house-stars-amanda-batula-and-west-wilson-confirm-secret-romance-in-shocking-statement/">noted</a>. Wilson used to date Batula’s best friend Ciara Miller, who also appears on the popular Bravo series.
Several “Summer House” co-stars have shown their support for Miller in the wake of the scandal. Miller hasn’t released a public statement, but she did unfollow both Batula and Wilson on Instagram, the outlet noted.
The news comes as Season 10 of “Summer House” airs on Bravo, marking the tenth season for Batula and the third for Wilson.
“Summer House” follows a group of friends who share a house together on weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The reunion special, moderated by Andy Cohen, is coming up in a few weeks and promises to be especially dramatic in light of these new revelations.

Amanda Batula West Wilson

‘Summer House’ Stars Amanda Batula, West Wilson Finally Address Relationship Rumors

More details have emerged about the aftermath of reality star Taylor Frankie Paul throwing metal barstools as she raged against her boyfriend and accidentally hit her young daughter with one of the stools in 2023.
Video footage of the incident went viral earlier this month, and fans were so outraged that it led to Paul&#8217;s season of “The Bachelorette” getting yanked from ABC just days before it was scheduled to air. 
Paul’s ex-husband Tate Paul, the father of the child allegedly struck by a flying stool, called the police several times after the domestic violence incident. Those recordings were released by <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/03/27/taylor-frankie-paul-ex-tate-phone-calls-with-police/">TMZ</a> on Friday.
One recording includes audio of Tate expressing concern for his daughter. He also told law enforcement that Taylor’s mother, Liann, had been coaching her daughter on what to say. 
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🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Tate Paul &#8212; Taylor Frankie Paul&#8217;s ex-husband and father of 2 of her kids &#8212; talked to cops over the phone following Taylor&#8217;s infamous on-camera fight with her other ex Dakota Mortensen in 2023.
🔊 Herriman City Police Department <a href="https://t.co/guSInTj7oB">pic.twitter.com/guSInTj7oB</a>
— TMZ (@TMZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/2037697876898513404?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2026</a></blockquote>
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By the time stools started flying, Tate and Taylor were divorced and Taylor was in a relationship with Dakota Mortensen, who is seen on video bearing the brunt of the reality star’s rage. Tate was involved because his daughter was present during all the drama, and he filed for full custody shortly after it all went down.
During one of the call recordings, Tate confirmed that his daughter had a “small” goose egg on her head, which allegedly was the result of being struck by the chair. 
Taylor, meanwhile, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taylor-frankie-paul-assault-video-fallout-just-took-a-worse-turn-with-custody-drama">claimed</a> during an episode of “The Viall Files” podcast last year that her daughter didn’t have any injuries. She admitted that she was out of control on the evening in question.
“I was feeling so low I went and drank that night,” the reality star said on the podcast. “…and Dakota picks me up and he’s angry that I drank.”
Taylor said she was “so sad” at the time. “I remember, like, throwing things, and I don’t know my daughter is on the couch,” she went on. “We had babysitters there, so I think they’re upstairs sleeping.”
“I’m, like, so gone I don’t care, and I throw another chair,” she said, also telling the podcast host, “We didn’t know if it hit her or not, it might have not hit her at all…” Taylor also claimed the child had no “noticeable injuries” and insisted “everything was good.” 
Tate and Taylor were married from 2016 until 2022. TMZ previously reported that Taylor earned back shared custody about six months after the incident. The “Secret Live of Mormon Wives” star pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in that case and later had two more cases brought against her following additional domestic assault accusations.

Listen to Taylor Frankie Paul Ex’s Desperate Calls With Cops After Domestic Violence Arrest

Celebrities

Domestic Violence

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
“The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” opens with a girl gang of mostly-blond women, slo-mo walking hand-in-hand like badass angels, backed by the towering <a href="https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/provo-utah-temple">Provo Utah Temple</a>, all set to Sam Smith’s “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq9gPaIzbe8&amp;list=RDUq9gPaIzbe8&amp;start_radio=1">Unholy.</a>” Get it? They look like buttoned-up church ladies, but they’re really dangerous and sexy. Does “<a href="https://genius.com/Sam-smith-and-kim-petras-unholy-lyrics">something unholy</a>” mean they’re drinking <a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/article/why-dont-latter-day-saints-drink-coffee">coffee</a> when they’re not supposed to or really into orgies? You never really know what members of <a href="https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/style-guide">the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints</a> get into once <a href="https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/what-to-expect-at-church-services#:~:text=Along%20with%20activities%20and%20programs%20during%20the,adults%20as%20part%20of%20the%20two%2Dhour%20span.">Sunday</a> service wraps, amiright? 
The show’s fourth installment dropped this month, just as series regular, Taylor Frankie Paul, made even buzzier headlines when filming for season five of the show suddenly stopped due to an alleged <a href="https://people.com/mormon-wives-stops-filming-for-season-5-as-taylor-franke-paul-is-involved-in-domestic-violence-incident-exclusive-sources-11926978">domestic violence incident</a> involving Paul and her ex, Dakota Mortensen. Paul was previously <a href="https://people.com/history-of-taylor-frankie-paul-legal-trouble-11929321">arrested in 2023</a> after Mortensen filmed her <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/03/19/video-of-taylor-frankie-paul-beating-dakota-mortensen/">throwing a metal bar stool</a> at him, which allegedly struck their 5-year-old daughter. Paul was tapped for season 22 of &#8220;The Bachelorette,&#8221; which was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-video-shows-taylor-frankie-paul-brutally-attacking-baby-daddy-bachelorette-axed?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=WATCH%3A+Video+Shows+Taylor+Frankie+Paul+Brutally+Attacking+Baby+Daddy+%E2%80%94+%E2%80%98Bachelorette%E2%80%99+Axed">canceled</a> once the shocking footage leaked this month.
As “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” series regular Whitney Leavitt said, “<a href="https://youtu.be/anV2R05FJYU?t=101">It’s going to be complete chaos</a>.”
Fans eat up the sinful drama as fast as it’s served, regularly sending the series into the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/news/ni65615556/">Nielsen Top 10</a>. But do the nearly <a href="https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/lds-population-by-country">7 million</a> Latter-day Saints living in the U.S. feel represented by the made-for-reality-TV portrayal of Mormon wife life? From “<a href="https://thetab.com/realityshrine/2025/11/28/ranked-secret-lives-of-mormon-wives-most-explosive-scandals-from-cheating-to-swinging/">soft-swinging</a>” to cheating allegations, and a bedroom maneuver nicknamed “<a href="https://decider.com/2025/11/25/what-was-fruity-pebbles-incident-mormon-wives/">Fruity Pebbles</a>,” let’s just say caffeinated <a href="https://people.com/all-the-religious-rules-the-secret-lives-of-mormon-wives-were-raised-to-obey-8710403">soda</a> isn’t the only thirst trap on the show. Unsurprisingly, most believers aren’t exactly seeing their deepest spiritual lives mirrored by the ladies of &#8220;Secret Lives.&#8221;
“Absolutely no desire to watch my religion be slandered by a bunch of women using the name of my faith for monetary gain,” one woman <a href="https://x.com/ThisMomSaid/status/2034411055414395287?s=20">tweeted</a>.
Relating the series to “The Godfather,” LDS dad of four Josh <a href="https://x.com/joshnaa2gez/status/2034689107293565288?s=20">commented</a>, “It’s like if you filmed a reality show with the Corleone family and said, ‘This is how faithful Catholics really live.’” We all know you “<a href="https://youtu.be/jYnRBX2Trtk?t=125">don’t ever take sides with anyone against the family.</a>”
“I’ve only ever watched like a half of an episode, but it was so trashy and so unrealistic of what real Mormon housewives are, that it made me laugh,” says mother of four <a href="https://www.instagram.com/suzyspraytan/?hl=en">Suzy Muir Jeffords</a>, who, with her husband, is raising a family that&#8217;s strong in the faith. “[They’re] probably girls that grew up Mormon and fell away from the church but then jumped on the reality TV bandwagon and thought this will be a great idea.”
Other church members called it “<a href="https://x.com/aaronhinton92/status/2034425033658175593?s=20">bigoted</a>,” “<a href="https://x.com/i_Ryyzan2112/status/2034391998967521535?s=20">an insult</a>,” and a “<a href="https://x.com/ldsfilmguy/status/2034397153674874951?s=20">filth broadcast</a>.” X user <a href="https://x.com/SerendipLC/status/2034608593471938831?s=20">Lindsey</a> warned, “Don’t watch it, one glance at the promo tells me these women aren’t even close to my community’s traditions. The LDS women I know are focused on service, learning, and caretaking. We like crafting, babies, baking, our families of origin, Instagram, running, and our neighborhood.” Real world mom hustle doesn’t boast quite the same brand partnership draw that Taylor Frankie Paul’s viral “<a href="https://people.com/the-secret-lives-of-mormon-wives-sex-swinging-scandal-8701211">MomTok</a>” community did to rake in roughly <a href="https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/a70723730/secret-lives-of-mormon-wives-cast-salaries/">$75,000</a> per deal.
One family man <a href="https://x.com/mosmoot/status/2034649883236253916?s=20">noted</a>, “My wife is nothing like these ladies. I haven&#8217;t personally seen the show but my daughters have, and have asked why they have to misconstrue the reality and why they try and put all &#8216;Mormon wives&#8217; in a box.” 
Mother of two and former active member of the church Nomi Wells doesn’t judge the stars of the show, but she admits, “If I was actively going to the temple, I wouldn’t feel comfortable being on a show like this because I would feel like I’m not representing the church properly.”
Noting the contrast between “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” and real life, she told The Daily Wire, “Clean language is expected, it’s frowned upon to cuss, and you’re not supposed to drink coffee. Excessive adornments are to be avoided — you are not to have multiple piercings or tattoos. You’re not supposed to sleep with anyone outside the confines of marriage, or even fool around.” More serious vows require members to wear special garments under their clothes. Much like the robe of a priest, a Jewish yarmulke, or a wedding ring, these garments serve as a symbolic reminder of sacred commitments.
Wells describes what’s known as a “Jack Mormon” (a little insider lingo), or someone who becomes a member of the church but strays from the virtuous life. That dalliance can be as mild as drinking coffee or getting a tiny hidden tattoo, or as serious as regularly drinking wine or promiscuity. “There’s a sliding scale of your Jack Mormon-ness. It can be very slight, or more major, like socially drinking, taking sexual partners, and basically living life like a ‘normal person,’” she says with a laugh. Not that we would recognize anyone like that from the Hulu series. 
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing for people within the LDS religion to live in alignment and not always be perfect,” Wells adds, remembering her own journey in choosing the church and ultimately deciding to pursue a different path. But she laments the misuse of a massive platform to objectify the religion it claims to define. “They are not a representation of the gospel in its truest form,” Wells says of the show. “I think it gives the wrong idea about the sacredness of the religion as it’s meant to be.”
Some hang on to a silver lining amid the dark cloud of reality TV. “‘Secret Lives’ has perhaps single-handedly done more than any other media to bring the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints into mainstream cultural consciousness,” says <a href="https://x.com/JasminRappleye/status/2034484669866225966">Jasmin Rappleye</a>, who is dedicated to educating followers on the gospel. But she suggests that instead of bad behavior stemming from the strict values of the church, the dysfunction depicted on the show comes from ignoring them. 
“Faith ultimately plays a minor role in the plot, as it does in many of these women&#8217;s lives,” Rappleye says. “The final product ends up looking more like a cross between some ex-Mormon values and Utah-adjacent culture than anything resembling faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
“I feel like the show is inappropriately named and should’ve been called something like ‘Secret Lives of Influencer Wives’ or something,” says <a href="https://x.com/kariwarburton/status/2034409501852606658?s=20">Kari Ann</a>. Still, the show might be having a net-positive effect for church growth. She adds, “I know people who have actually joined the church because of the show.”
Maybe it’s not designed to be anything more than reality TV junk food. But if “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” inspires even one viewer to consider something larger than themselves, the <a href="https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/celebs/a69546531/what-was-fruity-pebbles-mormon-wives-explained/?utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=mgu_ga_cos_md_pmx_prog_org_us_18419138764&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=18415929960&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAC5jt3MJtRRxxBnU-ZktpkEfKk8JC&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwve7NBhC-ARIsALZy9HWpQOCGp9RP2YTqqC74UtUX5l4qvVhzHKotauLOpGiBBcya9-x0-noaApiEEALw_wcB">Fruity Pebbles</a> just might be worth it.

Fans See Scandal, But Real Latter-Day Saints Say Something Deeper Is Overlooked

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ABC knew exactly what it was getting when it cast Taylor Frankie Paul in its upcoming season of The Bachelorette. As someone who went through ABC’s vetting process twice — on The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise — I can say this with certainty: Nothing about a contestant’s past is ever a surprise to producers.
The viewing public may not realize that contestants don’t just “get cast.” When I interviewed for the show, I underwent hours of psychological evaluations with licensed professionals, completed extensive written assessments covering everything from emotional stability to behavioral patterns, and participated in long, detailed interviews about my family, relationships, and personal history.
We are thoroughly vetted, profiled, and stress-tested. There are background checks. Producers look into everything, including legal, financial, and personal matters. If something exists, they will find it. That includes run-ins with the law, arrests, DUIs, falling behind on child support, and even inappropriate photos.
So, why did ABC abruptly cancel the show after resurfaced footage showed would-be bachelorette Paul involved in a domestic violence incident? The footage wasn’t new or hidden; it had already circulated and was public, and had even been discussed across platforms tied to Disney’s broader media ecosystem, including Hulu.
Producers decide how to use a show&#8217;s video. They can build a storyline around it, downplay it, leak it, or bury it entirely, but they are never unaware of it. So the idea that ABC didn’t know about a widely discussed incident, one already publicly tied to Paul, doesn’t add up.
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The truth is, the Bachelor franchise is still alive, but it’s no longer the cultural force it once was. This cancellation is a symptom of a show making riskier decisions to stay relevant. I hadn’t watched the show in nearly a decade, and I was looking forward to watching this season; that’s how much attention this casting was already generating.
At its peak, The Bachelor was the world&#8217;s biggest reality show. It created cultural moments, dominated conversations across the country, and has, at times, produced real relationships that turned into marriages and families. That era is gone. Ratings have declined, and relevance is no longer guaranteed.
When that happens, casting changes. It stops being about love and becomes about spectacle. Paul brought exactly that, with a built-in audience, an existing social media fanbase, and instant attention. But she also came with a highly visible, controversial past marked by serious and widely discussed incidents. ABC made a calculated decision to bet on the attention, manage the risk, and hope the controversy held long enough to carry the season.
That gamble collapsed. And when a franchise declines, entertainment value starts to outweigh better judgment. This time, the line between compelling television and unacceptable risk became impossible to ignore.
The fallout isn’t just corporate. Contestants rearranged their lives, left their jobs, and upended everything for this opportunity, including Paul. She didn’t misrepresent herself; ABC chose her, fully aware of her history. And like everyone else, she stepped away from her children and her life for a show that ultimately pulled the rug out from under her.
And at the center of it all is something far more serious than television: domestic violence in the presence of a child, which should not be minimized. What the footage revealed is the tension between entertainment and the seriousness of the issue. The incident is serious, and ABC knowingly cast someone with a very public history.
The show has always been entertainment first. Yes, real relationships have come out of it. I know many people, from my season alone, whose marriages and families exist because of this franchise. But even at its best, it was still television.
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Jillian Anderson King is a former contestant on both ABC’s The Bachelor and The Bachelor in Paradise. She’s also a former Washington Redskins Cheerleader Ambassador, a Mombassador for Moms for America, an ambassador for Turning Point and Turning Point Faith, and a proud Christian Conservative mother and wife. She&#8217;s the founder of The King&#8217;s Firm, a strategic communications firm.
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