Accusations, Controversy Continue for the Bachelor's Shocking Season Finale

The accusations and controversy surrounding the shocking season finale of The Bachelor continue to swirl. As a viewer and fan, I personally thought all my questions were answered after The Bachelor's After the Rose, Part 2 special aired Tuesday night on ABC. However, rumors and denials continue to burn up the airwaves and Internet.

Here's the latest scoop, as reported by Reality TV World.

Point: On the subject of the public break-up with Melissa Rycroft, Jason Resnick told People magazine that he was contractually obligated to break-up on camera. He stated, "That was part of the deal. I signed up for it in my contract."

Counterpoint: The Bachelor creator, Mike Fleiss says this is not true, and went on to explain, "I think he felt an obligation to the show, but there's no contractual obligation there. None." Fleiss also said that he was never aware of Jason asking for permission to end the relationship off-camera instead.

Point: Melissa Rycroft was blindsided by the public break-up.

Counterpoint: The Bachelor creator explained that it was clear to all that Jason and Melissa were not getting along, especially as an engaged couple should. He explained, "They'd been talking and they'd been seeing each other, and I think it was clear to both of them that there were problems with the relationship at that point. As I understand it, they were all but broken up prior to the show."

Point: The show's producers should never have aired the After The Rose special.

Counterpoint: Show creator Fleiss said, "First of all, it's a TV show, and that was really the defining moment of the series. To not put that on TV seemed strange really when you consider we're making a TV show, and these people signed up to do a TV show."

Point: Jason Mesnick is not liked by many viewers right now.

Counterpoint: Fleiss told reporters he felt the sudden backlash against Mesnick was likely resulting from the fact that The Bachelor star was immensely popular with viewers, and therefore had the "furthest to fall."

Point: It's rumored that the show played a role in Jason's flip-flop decision.

Counterpoint: Fleiss stated that the show's producers had zero influence on who was crowned the show's winner. He went onto explain, "The thing about unscripted television is that it's unpredictable, and that's what this was."

Point: Many of the show's viewers have threatened to stop watching the show because of the finale.

Counterpoint: Again, Fleiss states that it is just a TV show. It was big this time, and the reaction is big. "If you really don't want to watch, don't watch."

Point: No one has heard much from jilted bachelorette, Melissa Rycroft.

Counterpoint: Melissa is a scheduled guest on today's broadcast of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and did an interview that will appear in this week's People magazine. Fleiss said that she was not contractually obligated to do any media appearances.

Point: Melissa is so broken up that she can't even talk to the media.

Counterpoint: In her parting statement Melissa said, "I want to thank everyone who has been so supportive throughout this process. Strange as it may sound, I am doing really well. I'm back in Dallas, pursuing the teaching thing, and attempting to get my life back to normal."

Point: Jason Mesnick's flip-flop was allegedly "planned" as a plot to generate ratings for the series.

Counterpoint: The Bachelor host Chris Harrison vehemently denied this accusation. Harrison told American Idol Ryan Seacrest during a Tuesday appearance on his KIIS-FM radio show, "That report is unbelievably irresponsible. It is unbelievably made up and just all-out lies." Harrison went on to explain that orchestrating such a widespread manipulation of the show while keeping it all under wraps was not plausible.

Point: Jillian Harris was the show's first choice to be the next Bachelorette star.

Counterpoint: Melissa was the producers' first choice, but she declined the offer. At some point, Molly was their second choice. Since she was no longer an option, the producers made the offer to Jillian, the outgoing, "girl next door" runner-up from Canada.

The Bachelorette will premiere with a special 2-hour broadcast on Monday, May 18 at 9:00 PM, immediately after ABC's Dancing with the Stars season finale.

Source: www.realitytvworld.com

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