Decked out in a tuxedo that hugged his tall, athletic frame, Matt James looked like a movie star as he embarked on his historic journey on ABC's "The Bachelor." He took a deep, anxious breath as a parade of beautiful women, all vying to be his future bride, arrived.
One by one, the contestants approached the commercial real estate agent as he stood in front of the lavish resort that would be the season's headquarters. Most devoured him with their eyes. Some made a brash first impression: barely there lingerie, a football jersey with "Mrs. James" on the back, a vibrator. One presented him with a massive homemade meatball, asking: "Can I put my balls in your mouth?"
James was starring in what had been billed as a landmark season for "The Bachelor." When nationwide protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd erupted, the hugely popular reality franchise, which had been repeatedly criticized for racism and cultural insensitivity throughout its 20-year history, moved quickly to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Disney-owned ABC plucked James from a pool of contestants on the upcoming season of "The Bachelorette" and announced he would be "The Bachelor's" first Black lead.
