Crazy “The Bachelor” Rules

By Eliana Finkel ‘24
Everyone has been skeptical of “The Bachelor” because the concept of a man or woman dating 30 people at a time is a little absurd. What do the 30 contestants actually sign on to do when searching for love? Well, they actually have a contract with rules that will leave you astonished.

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The first rule starts from the moment they get out of the limo. The clothes they wear must be approved. If management doesn't like an outfit, they are told to go buy another one. Currently, sloth onesies and being less than fully dressed have been met with approval for a night one debut. 
There are no patterns allowed on clothes, whether it’s on group dates or one-on-one. They have a very strict style guideline that will make every participant look best next to one another on camera. But while these rules aren’t terrible, far stricter and crazier ones do exist. 
When you watch the show, it is obvious how beautiful the tables are set for food and how lovely that food looks. But nobody ever eats the food, because they are prohibited from it. The food is never meant to be eaten or touched, but only sit there for appearance. Before the bachelor and their chosen date head to dinner, they are sent a meal to eat in their designated hotel rooms. 
This is because producers do not want any chewing during filming, as microphones would pick up all the loud noise. They also can’t turn the microphones off, as there is a rule that states there will be no talking when the cameras and microphones are off. Therefore, there is no public eating, and no talking privately with anyone. Everyone signs a contract that every interaction they have is subject to being filmed. As soon as they wake up in the morning, their appointed managers attach microphones to their backs and then take them off right before the contestants go to bed. 
Furthermore, the contestants must undergo psychiatric evaluations before and after they are accepted to go on the show. “The Bachelor” hires private investigators to dig out any skeletons in their closets. The producers also require them to fill out a 150-question personality test. Some examples of questions include “do you think you can control things with your mind?” and “have you ever wanted to kill someone?” All this seems a little excessive, especially for the people who get eliminated on night one. 
So what happens to the winner? Well, for the lucky contestant that gets picked, they begin with the proposal. But the ring they picked out is not actually theirs for the keeping. If they break up with that season’s bachelor within two years, they must give it back and are not allowed to sell it. If they do stay together and get married, they are obligated to give up all rights to their wedding to the ABC network, who will plan the entire event down to the guest list.
And what do the girls do off-camera if there are so many restrictions? Personal electronics are confiscated on night one, and while television is included in that category, they can get permission from the management to watch a movie. Read? No magazines allowed. Any non-religious books? Confiscated.
But the Bible is there for everyone to read and discuss. On some seasons such as Sean Lowe’s, contestants held Bible studies behind the scenes. They discussed their beliefs and concerns, but these deep interactions were never shown because talk about religion is not encouraged on “The Bachelor.” Unless your religion prevents you from partaking in the intimate displays of the fantasy suite, then the producers will not air it.
All these rules create a less than comfortable stay while embarking on a quest for love; on dates and as well as their time with peers. If one were to want to vent to a loved one about these constant upheaval battles, sorry, says ABC, no outside contact permitted!