Hello, and welcome to Outspoken. You're joined by journalists Amy, Sophie and Kate Torbert, and today we're talking all things Bachelor now. New Bachelor Matt Agnew has had the difficult task of coming into the Bachelor franchise after what was probably the worst series, which involved the Honey Badger last year, and his shock decision to pick nobody. Kate and Sophie, what were your thoughts on the first and second episode. I've actually been really enjoying it. I mean, we're two
episodes in so far. I love the fact that Channel ten have selected an unknown bachelor. It's the first time since twenty fifteen, since Sam Woods was the Bachelor, that we're meeting someone for the first time. It's not just some rehashed ex contestant or supposed celebrity like the Honey Badger. I have to agree, I do love the selection of Matt Agnew is refreshing. I mean, I love Tim Robards in the first series of The Bachelor, But I have to say I've been quite disappointed. I was pretty bored
watching it. I've got to agree with Amy. I actually found it really boring. I was excited to see how Matt would go, and I think he's a breath of fresh air. But the female contestants again are just old hat like. They're exactly what they're always like. They're bitchy and a little bit crazy, and it's just I just
find it boring. It's very one dimensional. It is interesting the women that they've chosen this year, because Matt, of course, is a lovely guy, and it seems that maybe they've had to choose these outrageous figures because they fear Matt might get a bit boring by the end of it.
I disagree.
I think that he's clearly the star of the show this time. Whoever's picked as a bachelor, who is going to determine whether ratings are good or not. I think, even though it's transparent what they're trying to do this year, I think they're right on the money with it. They're choosing someone who women actually like. It's a very smart guy who's actually looking for love this time around. He's a bit of a dog, he's just so lovable. I
think it's a really clever move by Channel ten. Yeah, but so no one's saying that they don't think he's good. We're saying that the concept is old, So let's get some hot guy and then have all these crazy women fight over him. It's like, can't we portray the women a bit better? I mean, he's an astrophysicist. Yeah, they've got some smart women on there, but we're just degrading them to the point where they're just having scrag fights the whole time. Like I actually want to hear about
what they do. And I think that's a good thing about the American series. You actually have the full video where you see who these girls are, where they're from, and that they actually genuinely seem to be in it for love. I don't think I get that vibe with them. I just think they're all crazy stalkers that we all think are pathetic and we're all laughing about it. I'm
not saying that the format's not got. I'm just saying that Amy suggested that the reason that they're choosing at these outrageous characters and Bachelor rec contestants is because Matt is bland. Let's be honest, though, if you look at the Americans series of The Bachelor, with Colton Coleton's you know, really cute looking. Everyone loves him, but he is also a bit like Matt. He's a bit one dimensional. He's hot, but if you had to sit down and watch him
for two hours, he's a little bit boring. That's why you've got to add spice with the women. I'm not saying Matt is a really boring guy, but I'm sure the astrophysicist thing is going to run a little bit dry. And it looks like the Bachelors are trying to create sorry, the Bachelor producers trying to create all this drama to keep us entertained. Well, I mean it was clear that the astrophysicists thing was running dry in the first episode when they had to use every pun about space. I
don't know if it pissed anyone else off. Yeah, so I think we all agree that they got the casting of the Bachelor right, but they've just, you know, then surrounded him by bitchy women that you know that format's worked before, but it's just not It's.
Just not exciting.
And it's funny because I suppose the new thing that they've done this season is introducing these intruders on episode two, but I just didn't get it. It was almost like, oh, we've got all these sad no Hoper stalkers in one area, and then they add these very overtly sexual women in stir the pot, and it's just like, I just don't
like any of them. I want a Georgia love I know she was the Bachelorette, but I want someone that I'm rooting for to win, Like I don't want to be just hating on everyone and thinking, oh, I totally agree.
We want a love story.
And that's what's fantastic about the US Bachelor because by the end of it, I have to admit I'm nearly crying at some of the proposals, and you just don't feel that with the Australian one.
It seems fake.
And as you're saying, the formula for it is let's keep the audience entertained, because the Bachelor producers perceive us as wanting these bitchy women to go on and then the last week they're in love. But we've not seen any of that love story. What is promising this year is we are going to see a love story. The Bachelor producers have been very clever in the fact of trying to remind us of all the beautiful love stories
that we have seen in the series. When I saw Anna and Tim meeting for the first in the little promo video. To be honest, I got a bit nostalgic looking at it because it was such a great series and it's one that I suppose I'm hoping we experience again this year. And that's what's so disappointing about the first two episodes, is it we might get the love story near the end, but we want it from the start.
Do you know what?
Was one thing that I didn't miss? That they didn't do those Tachy and w photo shoots where they all dress up as characters in the go. That was so glad that was missing. But I mean I did fall asleep in it, so I'm assuming that didn't happen. I'm just trying to think what they would have dressed an astrophysicist up at something overtly sexual. I can't really think, what do you pawn star or something. It was interesting though,
because it did have great ratings. That had eight hundred and twenty eight thousand viewers, which made it the most viewed show in that time slot that night compared to The Honey Badger and He kicked off the series with nine hundred and forty thousand viewers. It was actually the highest launch episode that the franchise has ever experienced, but then again, it was the most dissa pointing finale. And isn't that interesting to see that it's dropped off by
nearly one hundred thousand people? And is that the honey Badger effect? Have people switched off because they no longer.
Buy this love story?
From a ratings perspective, I think we've got to look at the American series. I know we are og Bachelor fans. Sophie and I actually discovered the show. I remember what We were twelve, and we were cleaning out our bedroom and it was school holidays, and I think it was probably about nine thirty at night and we were flicking stations and we came across this show where there was this guy sitting in a spa with ten girls, and we were immediately hooked to the show. I just remember
it was just the biggest treat to watch it. So that's old now, eighteen years ago, and that's crazy. I remember in the episode that there was a vegetarian woman and just to get the Bachelor's attention, she ate meat from his hand, and.
God, oh yeah, I was gonna say, what was we worrying where that was going.
The thing I loved about The Bachelor was, you know, back in the day when we watched it as youngsters, was that Mum would sit down and watch it with us. You think that coming down and seeing her daughters watching a man in the spa with eight women would probably horrify her, but she's say, oh my god, girls, what are you watching? Back to that, it's just it's never gotten old, Like we still watch it with mum and we still get excited about it, whereas I don't feel
like that. I've never felt like that with the Australian one. It's always not quite right. And I think a big part of that is I think we touched on it, but it seems fake the Australian one, and I think that's also a big part of it. And I'm interested to hear your thoughts. Is they don't do the fantasy suites.
That's kind of the best part. And for those who haven't seen The American Bachelor, the fantasy suite is when you get down to the final four no sorry, but the final three, and they usually take them away to this beautiful exotic location and they have a full day date and then at dinner, they get the choice whether to for go their individual rooms or go.
To the fantasy suite.
Well, according to New Idea, we might be getting that. A New Idea article has come out today saying that a Bachelor insider claims that Matt had sex with a contestant that he doesn't give the final rose to. Did they say that was in a fantasy suite. They haven't clarified whether it was a fantasy sweet situation, but they did say that it happened on the set. Well, that's odd because there's always been reports that it's so that they don't even get alone time really with the Bachelor.
And it's quite interesting because I was listening to the New Bachelor US podcast, which features Ali and Rachel, who were the American bachelorettes, and I would highly recommend it. It's amazing, And they were talking about their time as bachelorettes and the fantasy suite dates specifically, and they were saying that in Ali's series, the producers actually left them alone, but in Rachel's, which was only a few years ago, they were there the whole time. They stayed in another room.
Spri me was they act like they're so in love when they're in their fantasy sweet date. But she was actually saying she was quite grossed out by this guy and that she actually wanted to leave.
Yeah, that actually surprised me a lot.
And it does, you know, with just saying how the American one is so much more real. But I was just thinking about the timing of this news coming out about Matt having sex with on the contestants. Does it not scream of being fake and for publicity and trying to spice it up a bit. I personally feel like it seems something that's been leaked from the production team to try and make him, you know, the good boy,
be a bit more of a bad boy. Maybe it's like when suddenly a new idea gets a leak of a pregnancy test at the Batchi mansion.
It's so fake.
Something that's been a bit of a hot topic is Channel ten's portrayal of diversity. What do you guys think about it this year? I think it's great that they've tried to get a more diverse cast, but again, I feel like they've missed the mark. It's almost like they haven't really thought it through properly. They just think by chucking in a couple of of different nationalities that they've done their job, but the actual fact is it's kind of come across.
As a little bit racist.
I definitely think the portrayal of Kristen, who is known as the China Girl, is very problematic. She every time she's on screen we have Chinese music playing. I mean, did anyone else think it was odd that she one gave him a fortune cookie and then continue to go on about her box the whole time? Can we just add that, for those who haven't actually seen it, this girl is not actually Chinese. She's a white, blonde Australian
girl who speaks Mandarin fluently. And yeah, I was a bit appalled by her suggestions about her box, like it was just cringe.
And what's more.
Troubling about her portrayal on the show is they've only ever had two Asian contestants. Now that was Judy, who I don't even remember from Tim Robard's series, and Vanessa's sun Robart.
Isn't that his robarts.
Rot? I's gonna say, and this, yeh, Vanessa Sunshine. What I find a bit troubling also about it is if so they think it's acceptable to make fun of this girl because she likes China. But I'm like thinking, would they put that music on for a Vanessa Sunshine, you know what I mean? So the China Girl wasn't the only one that had music attributed to her. We also had the two Persian princesses that had Middle Eastern music playing. And what was even weirder was that they were pitted
against each other. That was almost like the producers are saying, we can only have one Persian princess.
So it was just bizarre.
An absolute favorite contestant her I think that everyone has been celebrating is the kup. Now if you don't know who I'm talking about, she has been compared to Tyra Banks and she is the contestant that rolled the red carpet out And when she left Matt she said to him, once you go black, you never go back.
I must admit.
When I first saw her and she rolled out the red carpet, I just thought it was a bit wanky. But she does seem like a nice, strong, strong woman.
But I don't know. There was just something about bit cringe, like, oh, I'm a model. I'm a model, Amma model. But I might be wrong. She might grow on me. I loved her.
Though She's been pretty popular on social media and across Facebook and people are making meme saying.
That she's a mood.
I just think she's fantastic.
I don't remember because I actually felt aslave well.
She She wasn't in the rose ceremony, which raised a few eyebrows because she was unwell, so maybe you didn't see her look, probably because the Rose ceremony stretches over two days. I'm gonna put it out there if it does not get better this week, I'm gonna be searching for Hannah Bee's series on.
The internet because I heard that went off.
I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but it sounded even it was apparently more epic than Colton series.
That must be said. I'll leave it at that she's not a virgin.
But well before Kate jumps ship and goes and watched The US Bachelor, I thought we'd run through some of the most entertaining headlines this week about Matt Agnew and may I add. I don't know if anyone else is feeling this, but Matt, do you know who he reminds me of? Oh Gimber dr Alex from Love Island last year.
Oh, I can see.
The similarities there, except he's actually got women interested in him this time around. I loved Alex a little less burnt than Alex, but anyway, that's because no one was on Alex's intellectual level.
No are You're exactly right? He was definitely my favorite.
So the first headline is the Bachelor's Matt Adnew reveals how many women he slept with. That was of course on Kyle and Jackie.
O ho any was it? I haven't heard well.
Kyle was shocked when Matt revealed he'd slept with seven women. That makes me like him even more. He actually revealed that was a question on the Bachelor application form, which is pretty interesting. I wonder how many of the honey Badgers said, I'm just gonna make two points, Versie, how old is he?
He's thirty one? Okay, cool and second night? I like that.
I think that's great. Can we talk about double standard? Would they have done this for the women? Oh? Yeah, you can never imagine. Ali Otagin reveals how many men she slept with. That would never be a headline if he slept with seven girls? Were meant to believe this new headline that's come out this week from the obviously from the Bachelor producers that they've leaked saying that he slept with someone on the show.
I mean ridiculous.
I heard as well that he had to ring his mum up to apologize for the teaser of him making out with girls on the beach, So it is quite a jump for him to then be sleeping with contestant.
That was pretty over the top. I saw a photo of it before and I was like, Oh.
Did anyone see the teaser of him sitting in a little bath tub covered in chocolate and the panned placement of the I don't know which contestant it was, but it was like they'd gone They know, they've gone back to basics. They can't afford a massive bath tub that they had Ritchie and Alex in, but they can afford a little chocolate bucket. So the next earth shattering headline was how tall is the Bachelor's Matt Angnew His exact height revealed and then the leaders, yes, this is important. Well,
I don't know how they rate that. How tall was he? It says and his response was I'm six ' three but six six on tinder. That actually shocks me that he's six foot three. He doesn't look that tall. I thought he looked quite tall anyway. I thought he'd be sure.
It's quite funny.
It seems like everyone is now obsessed with his appearance, which is I suppose it's kind of refreshing because women get it all the time, but this time they There were a lot of articles that I saw popping up on my newsfeed on social media about the before and after of his social media pictures verse now what he's looking like, and everyone's saying he looks a lot hotter. Now, I mean that's just a difference. Taking some glasses off in a haircut makes not like he's had plastic surgery
or anything. Yeah, the next headline is actually before and after fans reckoned bachelor Matt Agnew has had quite the transformation. So I find that a bit ridiculous because I'm looking at his picture and it's basically he's taking his glasses
off and had a haircut. I don't know if people are gonna hate me for saying this, but if anyone's seen the sein Felt episode where there's the two face, remember the woman that Gerry dates and at the coffee shop, she looks good in the particular light, and then she looks a bit different in the other light. And not saying he looks bad, I actually think he looked great. In some lights he looks a bit geeky, and then others he looks like a model.
So essentially, when we look.
At the before and after, it's literally a haircut, taking his glasses off, and he's wearing a suit. It's not like he's had plastic surgery or botox in his head like a lot of the bachelorette contestants.
Is he the only non stripper we've had as a.
Bachelor, so we've had Tim Robard's, Blake Garvey.
Sam Wood? Was he a stripper as well?
Well, I know he's got a hot bod, so I don't sorry, don't you mean topless waiter? So we're going to retract that statement. Sorry Sam, but you do have a hot body, but you were not a stripper. I swear there were more who were strippers hanging, but who.
Was after Sam Wood?
There's other I think they're just other bachelor contestants in Sorry, bachelorete contents might be confusing, As you say, my topless waiters like Anton from Love Island into this mix. Well, let's just put it out there. We've never had an astrophysicist before, so yeah, slightly better than a stripper. Maddy Jay wasn't a stripper.
That's another one. Here's in marketing job.
That's funny you say that because now he is a stupor he was on that stupid course for wanty oh. I actually think we were raising money for a good cause. Actually we're not really complaining about that. Why not we Let's just say he definitely hasn't got a dad bod yet, but we'll keep you posted on how that one goes. Well. Thank you so much for joining us. If you'd like to continue the conversation, please come over and join us
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Thanks so much for joining us, and we'll see you in our next episode.