BC has pulled “The Bachelorette” season starring Taylor Frankie Paul, known for “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” off of Hulu and Disney +, just days before its premiere amid reports of a domestic violence investigation involving her and her ex.
With the season premiere set to air in March, the decision was made after the resurfacing of a video taken in 2023 that reveals a violent assault involving her ex, Dakota Mortensen.
The recent news has not been much of a shock to GCSU students who were waiting to see Paul as the newest bachelorette.
“I was pretty upset about the whole thing,” said Haley Broadnax, a senior exercise science major. “It’s very sad for Taylor and the men that were on the season because this video resurfaced from years ago and she already paid her debt for that.”
Back in 2023, Paul was arrested for felony aggravated assault, child abuse and criminal mischief because of the video recording of her throwing metal chairs at Mortensen, which reportedly hit her then 5-year-old daughter.
“For this to come back up and her season to be taken away from her is just sad,” Broadnax said. “She’s getting so much hate when it seems like Dakota’s getting no hate for anything that he’s done.”
Besides, in the reality TV series, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” Paul’s relationship with her ex, Mortensen, has been public for years now.
“Dakota and Taylor’s relationship is so toxic and manipulative,” Broadnax said. “Most people think that Dakota did all of this right before her season on ‘The Bachelorette’ so that it would get canceled and ruin everything for her.”
Since Paul and Mortensen’s relationship is highlighted throughout the series, Broadnax says it is best to watch in order to understand the context of the situation.
“I personally love the show, but it can be a lot of drama at times,” Broadnax said. “If you want to know more about the situation, I would watch the show because there’s a lot more details to it.”
Another student comments on the unfairness regarding how many well-known men are treated differently from women for their crimes.
“I think the decision to cancel the season was correct, but unfortunately, it seems unfair to countless women who see their abusers on TV when the networks don’t care about that,” said Maggie Strickland, a sophomore sociology major.
She continues to note that many abusers still maintain jobs even when they do not take accountability for their actions.
“It is a double standard because many men in the NFL, MLB and other sports organizations have arrest records for things ranging from DUIs to aggravated assaults,” Strickland said. “If we want true accountability for all public figures, we have to punish them the same way.”
Media scandals, such as this one, shape the way people view influencers, relationships and accountability.
“I think this scandal reinforces the idea that influencers are not always what they present themselves to be online,” said Savannah Carley, a senior graphic design major. “It shows how curated social media can be and how much can be hidden behind a certain image.”
Carley comments on the result of having a large platform, like Paul has, when a scandal like this occurs.
“This situation highlights the importance of accountability,” Carley said. “Just because someone has a platform, doesn’t mean they should be exempt from consequences.”
Ultimately, this scandal has started a controversial discussion amongst students that will impact the future of reality TV.
For students interested in seeing Paul’s response to the cancellation, one of her representatives has spoken to The Hollywood Reporter and E! News regarding her gratitude to ABC.
