by Michael Sanibel

Created on: June 02, 2008

Why I Thought "The Bachelorette" Wouldn't Work.

One thing I can say for certain about myself is that I have an opinion about most everything. I even have opinions on things that I care almost nothing about. A case in point is this television show, that I thought was doomed to failure. I guess I got this one wrong.

When I first heard about it, the whole idea of a reverse version of "The Bachelor" made me cringe. The concept of the original show is downright ridiculous and one with 25 men and 1 woman is even more so. That said, I also must grudgingly confess that I watched the first season of "The Bachelor" and awaited each episode with anticipation. The reasons for that are best left for another article since that's not the subject of this one. I could summarize by saying that I watched the show for the same reason most people rush to the scene of a train wreck. We hate to admit it, but we want to see what happened and are glad it didn't happen to us. That's kind of how I felt about those poor ladies on "The Bachelor."

I thought "The Bachelor" was an insult to all women everywhere, but since I'm a man, I probably have no business making that judgment. I just reject the notion that this was all about Alex Michel, his needs, his wants, and the women are left to accept Alex as he is or walk off the show. This whole concept is something out of the stone age when a woman was a man's property to treat as he pleased. In many ways, this show was more demeaning than beauty pageants. At least in those, you're not subservient to a man and there are actually female judges who can relate to what you are going through.

The reason why I thought "The Bachelorette" wouldn't work is very simple, but some will say it's also very sexist. The answer is that few people would actually watch. Speaking as a single man, I know I wouldn't. Television is all about ratings and making money. Without them, a commercial program dies a quick, unceremonious death.

"The Bachelor" preyed on male and female psychological predispositions to their own sex and to the opposite sex. Men watched because they envied Alex and got to see gorgeous babes chasing him like their wildest fantasy. Women watched because they enjoyed seeing the bachelorettes strategize and cut each other up trying to win the "catch." For them, it's not about Alex at all, because they dislike the whole concept of him getting to "choose" the one he wants, without focusing on what the women's needs are. Those needs were irrelevant in this

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