Chris Harrison Apologizes for Defending 'Bachelor' Contestant Rachael Amid Racist Allegations
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After receiving backlash for defending Rachael Kirkconnell for allegedly attending a party with insensitive theme, the 49-year-old TV host has issued an apology on his Instagram account.

AceShowbiz - Chris Harrison shows regret about how he conducted an interview with "The Bachelorette" alum Rachel Lindsay in which he asked her about "The Bachelor" contestant Rachael Kirkconnell. After receiving backlash for defending Rachael for allegedly attending a party with insensitive theme, the TV host issued an apology on Wednesday, February 10.

"To my Bachelor Nation family -- I will always own a mistake when I make one, so I am here to extend a sincere apology,” the 49-year-old wrote in a statement that he posted on Instagram. "I have this incredible platform to speak about love, and yesterday, I took a stance on topics about which I should have been better informed. While I do not speak for Rachael Kirkconnell, my intentions were simply to ask for grace in offering her an opportunity to speak on her own behalf."

He went on saying, "What I now realize I have done is cause harm by wrongly speaking in a manner that perpetuates racism, and for that I am so deeply sorry. I also apologize to my friend Rachel Lindsay for not listening to her better on a topic she has a first-hand understanding of, and humbly thank the members of Bachelor Nation who have reached out to me to hold me accountable. I promise to do better."

Prior to this, Chris and Rachel talked about photos of Rachael attending a 2018 fraternity party which a Reddit user described as an "antebellum plantation themed ball." During the interview, the host said, "We all need to have a little grace, a little understanding, a little compassion."

When Rachel noted that attending the event was "not a good look," Chris responded, "Well, Rachel, is it a good look in 2018, or is it not a good look in 2021? Because there's a big difference." Further defending Rachael, the "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast host added, "That was not the case in 2018. And 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. And again, I'm not defending it; I didn't go to it."

Later, Rachel took issue with how Rachael didn't address the matter with Chris calling the situation a "slipper slope." He added, "The woke police is out there. And this poor girl Rachael, who has just been thrown to the lions, I don't know how you are equipped when you have never done this before, to be woke enough, to be eloquent enough, to be ready to handle this."

"I don't think it is incumbent upon 'The Bachelor' franchise to speak out on everything that everyone wants to hear about on social media," he said. "We're not in the business of dealing with every problem that you have. That's not how this works."

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