Chris Harrison appeared on "Good Morning America" on Thursday after his recent "Bachelor" scandal.- "I am an imperfect man," he told Michael Strahan of his defending racism. "I made a mistake."
- Harrison stepped down as the host after defending a controversial contestant, Rachael Kirkconnell.
Chris Harrison is back on our TV screens and ready to open up about the interview that sent the "Bachelor" franchise into a tailspin of controversy.
The longtime "Bachelor" host, who stepped down last month following an Extra interview with the "Bachelorette" star
Harrison directly addressed his controversial interview, in which he defended the "Bachelor" frontrunner Rachael Kirkconnell after photos emerged of her at a plantation-themed fraternity party in 2018.
"I am an imperfect man, I made a mistake, and I own that," Harrison said on "Good Morning America." "I believe that mistake doesn't reflect who I am or what I stand for. I am committed to progress, not just for myself, also for the franchise. And this is a franchise that has been a part of my life for the better part of 20 years, and I love it."
—Good Morning America (@GMA) March 4, 2021
Harrison added that he wanted to return to the "Bachelor" franchise, where he's also an executive producer. After Harrison stepped aside, it was announced that Emmanuel Acho, the bestselling author of "Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man," would replace him for the "After the Final Rose" episode.
"I plan to be back and I want to be back. And I think this franchise can be an important beacon of change," Harrison said. "I know that change is felt not just by me but by many others. And we are excited and willing to do the work to show that progress."
Harrison initially claimed that the 'woke police' were out to get Kirkconnell
During a 13-minute interview on February 9 with Lindsay, who is a correspondent for Extra and was the franchise's first Black Bachelorette, Harrison asked that people show Kirkconnell "a little grace."
"I've seen some stuff online ... where people are just tearing this girl's life apart and diving into, like, her parents and her parents' voting record," Harrison said. "It's unbelievably alarming to watch this."
He added, "I saw a picture of her at a sorority party five years ago, and that's it."
"Well, the picture was from 2018 at an Old South antebellum party, so I think, you know, when you - that's not a good look," Lindsay replied, adding: "She's celebrating the Old South. If I went to that party, what would I represent at that party?"
Harrison said that Lindsay was "100% right in 2021" but claimed that that wouldn't have been the case three years ago.
"Again, I'm not defending Rachael. I just know that, I don't know, 50 million people did that in 2018. That was a type of party that a lot of people went to," he said, adding, "We are not looking under the same lens."
Harrison went on to say that "the woke police is out there" and that Kirkconnell had been "thrown to the lions."
The backlash against Harrison was swift
A Change.org petition calling for Harrison's removal from the franchise has received more than 42,000 signatures.
Harrison apologized on Instagram, writing that he realized he had caused "harm by wrongly speaking in a manner that perpetuates racism."
But the damage was done.
Contestants from the most recent seasons of "
Kirkconnell apologized in a statement on Instagram on February 11, writing, "I was wrong." Later, she defended Lindsay after commenters harassed her online and caused her to leave social media. Kirkconnell told people who had been defending her to "please stop."
Lindsay said during her "Higher Learning" podcast on February 12 that Harrison had "no problems" with their interview until the backlash began.
"He was fine. He texted me after. He appreciated the conversation. He was like, 'Yeah, I'll probably get a little flack,' but thought it was great that we could disagree but do it in a civil way," she said. "It wasn't until the backlash came the next day ... that he then apologized to me and then apologized publicly."
Lindsay went on to say she was "f---ing tired" of the franchise's ongoing issues with diversity and that she was done with Bachelor Nation.
"I'm contractually bound in some ways," she said. "But when it's up, I can't. I can't do it anymore."
Harrison announced he was stepping aside from the 'Bachelor' franchise
After apologizing, Harrison stepped aside temporarily.
"I have spent the last few days listening to the pain my words have caused, and I am deeply remorseful," he wrote in a statement on Instagram on February 13, adding that "by excusing historical racism, I defended it."
Harrison said he would not join the "After the Final Rose" special at the end of James' season.
Acho, who's also a former NFL player, has since been announced as Harrison's replacement.
"It's been a pivotal season, and this episode will hopefully be one of the most storied shows in TV history," Acho wrote on Instagram. "Empathy is needed and change is coming."
Acho, who will speak to James and his three finalists - including Kirkconnell - during the special, added that he loved "being a bridge for reconciliation."
"Our world is disconnected & divided," he wrote. "My goal is to unify."