{"product_id":"bachelor-nation-isbn-9781101985915","title":"Bachelor Nation","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e*A \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003eBestseller*\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe first definitive, unauthorized, behind-the-scenes cultural history of the Bachelor franchise, America’s favorite guilty pleasure\u003c\/b\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor sixteen years and thirty-six seasons, the Bachelor franchise has been a mainstay in American TV viewers’ lives. Since it premiered in 2002, the show’s popularity and relevance have only grown—more than eight million viewers tuned in to see the conclusion of the most recent season of\u003ci\u003e The Bachelor\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e journalist Amy Kaufman is a proud member of Bachelor Nation and has a long history with the franchise—ABC even banned her from attending show events after her coverage of the program got a little too real for its liking. She has interviewed dozens of producers, contestants, and celebrity fans to give readers never-before-told details of the show’s inner workings: what it’s like to be trapped in the mansion “bubble”; dark, juicy tales of producer manipulation; and revelations about the alcohol-fueled debauchery that occurs long before the Fantasy Suite. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKaufman also explores what our fascination means, culturally: what the show says about the way we view so-called ideal suitors; our subconscious yearning for fairy-tale romance; and how this enduring television show has shaped society’s feelings about love, marriage, and feminism by appealing to a marriage plot that’s as old as the best of Jane Austen.\u003cb\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eBachelor Nation\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I was enthralled by the excavations of \u003ci\u003eBachelor Nation, \u003c\/i\u003ea zippy and dishy book whose true focus is the gaps between the actual, manufactured, and represented behaviors and feelings on the show.”—\u003ci\u003eThe New York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Amy Kaufman, a journalist with the \u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e, is the perfect writer for \u003ci\u003eBachelor Nation\u003c\/i\u003e. She’s charmingly open about her affection for the show, but also insightful about the harmful side-effects. And she’s diligent about pulling back the curtain to give us peeks at every aspect of the show, from the grueling selection process to what really happens in the Fantasy Suites. I can’t imagine any fan of the franchise not joyously devouring this book.”—Kareem Abdul Jabbar for \u003ci\u003eThe Hollywood Reporter\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“In a shocking twist you won’t want to miss, it’s \u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times \u003c\/i\u003ewriter Amy Kaufman who’s dropping the newest \u003ci\u003emost dramatic ever Bachelor \u003c\/i\u003ebombshells.”—\u003ci\u003eUSA Today\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Amy's writing is gripping and funny and a celebration of the truth about our culture. I savored every word.”—Amy Schumer\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This book is more than a Bible for Bachelor Nation—it's a fascinating read for anyone with an interest in pop culture, television history, and the phenomenon of 'real people' becoming brands.”—Diablo Cody\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Smart analysis of why so many of us…are hooked on [the Bachelor franchise’s] fairytale version of love.”\u003ci\u003e—People\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“A delicious look behind the scenes.”—\u003ci\u003eThe Los Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Even \u003ci\u003eBachelor\u003c\/i\u003e detractors will find this exposé by the \u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times \u003c\/i\u003ejournalist absolutely riveting. The book delves into the psyche of the franchise and its influence on our culture—all the while spilling jaw-drop-worthy secrets.”—TimeOut\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“At a time when \u003ci\u003eThe Bachelor\u003c\/i\u003e seems dangerously close to being irrelevant, \u003ci\u003eBachelor Nation \u003c\/i\u003eis all the more essential: It's a prognosis for the future of a franchise that hinges almost entirely on heteronormativity.”—Refinery29\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Kaufman’s absorbing book takes a deep dive into the franchise.”—\u003ci\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I suspect \u003ci\u003eBachelor Nation\u003c\/i\u003e will more than satisfy any fan of this franchise or even reality TV in general, but also that it will end up on the syllabuses of gender, sexuality and media studies classes to come.”—Jezebel\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“If you’ve ever been confused about why The Bachelor captured the zeitgeist, you need to read this book. Amy Kaufman is funny and kind and the perfect author to demystify the game—without getting played herself.”—Vanessa Grigoriadis, author of \u003ci\u003eBlurred Lines: Rethinking Sex, Power, and Consent on Campus\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The only way you can keep watching \u003ci\u003eThe Bachelor\u003c\/i\u003e without breaking down into guilt is to read this smart, thorough guide to how that sausage is made. Amy Kaufman reports the crap out of the nation's ongoing social experiment known as \u003ci\u003eThe Bachelor\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Bachelorette\u003c\/i\u003e and explains what's going on behind the scenes in detail beyond any of our imaginations. If you're trying to figure out why we—that is to say, \u003ci\u003eyou\u003c\/i\u003e—keep watching this ridiculous television show, you'll find intelligent answers (if not absolution) here.”—Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eSeinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Essential for fans of pop culture, this book could play an important role in courses on feminism and gender studies. It’s also a fascinating and fun read for anyone who wants to think about how and why viewers continue to tune into shows like \u003ci\u003eThe Bachelor\u003c\/i\u003e.”\u003ci\u003e—Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e (starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“An undiluted examination of the shows’ problematic appeal... [Kaufman] imbues her book with a playful vibe without shying away from the tough questions.”—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Kaufman’s eye-opening exposé of the reality TV show \u003ci\u003eThe Bachelor...\u003c\/i\u003eunpacks the keys to the show’s success...[and] shares little-known details about the show that will no doubt fascinate \u003ci\u003eBachelor\u003c\/i\u003e fans.”—\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Fans will devour this addictive, indulgent, and crafty appraisal of one of reality TV's biggest successes.”—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eAmy Kaufman\u003c\/b\u003e is a staff writer at the \u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e, where she has covered film, celebrity, and pop culture since 2009. On the beat, she reports from industry events like the Academy Awards, the Sundance Film Festival, and the Grammys. In addition to profiling hundreds of stars—Lady Gaga, Julia Roberts, Stevie Nicks, Jane Goodall—she has broken major investigative stories on sexual harassment in Hollywood. Amy currently lives in Los Angeles with her Australian shepherd, Riggins, and dreams of living in a Laurel Canyon tree house.Chapter 1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A Budding Idea\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e At his family reunions, there was always one person Mike Fleiss      gravitated toward: his second cousin, Heidi. As teenagers, the two      would meet up at the gatherings and hide out behind the garage,      sneaking beers and sharing a joint.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Heidi Fleiss, of course, would go on to become known as the      notorious \"Hollywood Madam,\" running an illegal prostitution ring      that catered to wealthy celebrities like Charlie Sheen-a crime      that eventually landed her in prison in her early thirties.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Mike Fleiss, meanwhile, hasn't ended up behind bars. But as the      creator of The Bachelor, the long-running reality television      series on which more than two dozen singles compete for an      eligible suitor, he's displayed an understanding of the human      desire for love that his cousin was also able to tap into.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Growing up in Fullerton, California, where his mother was a nurse      and his father owned a Baskin-Robbins ice-cream shop in nearby La      Habra, Fleiss never felt like the guy who could get the girl. The      young ladies at Sunny Hills High School were \"unbelievably hot,\"      he once told Vanity Fair, but he had a reputation as \"the      alienated, parking-lot stoner\" who had long hair and rode a moped.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Still, he managed to land the interest of class president      Alexandra Vorbeck, his high school sweetheart who would travel      with him to study at the University of California-Berkeley. They      wed in August 1987 and stayed married for twenty-four years until      divorcing in 2012.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e At Berkeley, he studied journalism and became the executive editor      of the college paper, The Daily Cal. His first job out of school      was at the now-defunct Sacramento Union, where he was paid $323 a      week to write about sports. \"I thought it was the dream job,\" he      said years later in an interview with the Contra Costa Times. \"I      got tears in my eyes the first time I walked into Arco Arena.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He got laid off in 1989, but quickly found work at the nearby      Santa Rosa Press Democrat. The job, however, was temporary: The      reporter who covered the San Francisco 49ers was out on medical      leave, so Fleiss could only have the gig for nine months. It was a      prime beat, and he was tasked with writing features and game      previews about the team that could stand up against the other Bay      Area newspapers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"He was a very, very good writer,\" recalled Glen Crevier, the      Democrat's executive sports editor and Fleiss's boss at the time.      \"He definitely improved the quality of writing in the sports      section. He found good stories and told them in a way that was      entertaining.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e So when the 49ers reporter returned from leave, Crevier tried to      find a way to keep Fleiss on staff. The only job available in the      newsroom, however, was an opening on the copy desk, where the      shift ran from four p.m. to midnight.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"That didn't go well for him,\" Crevier said with a laugh. The job      didn't allow for much creativity and required a lot of structure,      which Fleiss struggled with. Soon, his colleagues noticed him      watching Married . . . with Children on the overhead TV when he      should have been editing NBA roundups, and Crevier was called in      to reprimand him.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"These were professional copyeditors who took pride in what they      were doing, and they saw Mike just sort of blowing off the      assignments,\" said the editor. \"So I had to take him in a room one      day and give him a warning, like, 'Hey, you've got to care more      about this job. You've got to really engage in it.' \"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e But Fleiss only grew more frustrated at the paper. One night after      he got home, he turned on the syndicated Howard Stern Show and      found himself envious of the \"complete creative freedom\" the      program's employees seemed to have. \"I was being restricted by the      facts all the time!\" he said in that 2003 Vanity Fair interview.      \"I felt like I couldn't really do anything creative, because I was      always running down what Jose Canseco said.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As his behavior in the newsroom continued to deteriorate, Crevier      decided he'd have to let Fleiss go. The young sports editor had no      writing positions available, and so-for the first time in his      career-he fired someone. Fleiss was mad, but it also seemed as if      he was resigned to his fate.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"He said, 'You know, that's all right,'\" remembered Crevier. \"'I      had some other things I wanted to do anyway. I want to get      involved in the television industry. I'm going to move to L.A.'\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e True to his word, Fleiss retreated to the Northern California      apartment he shared with his then-pregnant wife, churning out one      spec script after another. But no one was biting. After roughly a      year of being unemployed, he heard about a low-paying gig at      Totally Hidden Video, a Fox hidden-camera series where actors      pulled pranks on unsuspecting victims. In order to get the job,      Fleiss was asked by the show's producers to write five sample      stunts; instead, he came up with forty. He found out he'd landed      the position just as his wife was going into labor with the      couple's first of two children, Aaron, named after TV impresario      Aaron Spelling and baseball legend Hank Aaron.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Fleiss was so thrilled that he agreed to take the job, even though      it paid $400 a week-less than half of what he'd been making at the      Democrat. Soon, the family piled into their Jetta and decamped to      Los Angeles.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A year later, however, Fleiss was out of another job when Totally      Hidden Video was canceled in 1992. Fortunately, he now had become      acquainted with Bruce Nash, a producer best known for making TV      specials filled with outrageous clips. While working for Nash,      Fleiss helped put together World's Deadliest Volcanoes, World's      Scariest Police Shootouts, and Greatest Sports Moments of All      Time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The biggest hit, though, was 1997's Breaking the Magician's Code:      Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Mike Darnell-who served as the president of alternative      entertainment at Fox for nineteen years, overseeing hits like      American Idol and Family Guy-decided to buy the magic special      after meeting Fleiss. They shared the same vision for the show: an      irreverent approach that poked fun at the magicians.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A friendship was born between the two Mikes, and so was a ratings      boom. Despite being sued multiple times over exposing trade      secrets and for copyright infringement, Fox would go on to air      five more of the magic specials.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Darnell proceeded to purchase Fleiss's next big pitch-an idea he      was calling The World's Meanest People Caught on Tape. The show,      Fleiss explained, would feature people doing despicable things-and      he already had secured a clip of a bartender stirring a martini      with his penis.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Mike Darnell made that happen for me,\" he told Vanity Fair about      the special, which was eventually renamed Shocking Behavior Caught      on Tape. \"Even though it was a sleazy, disgusting little show,      with a bartender stirring a drink with his penis, I was proud!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Clearly, Fleiss excelled at pushing the envelope. He and Darnell      almost pulled off crashing a plane in the desert on a special      aptly named Jumbo Jet Crash: The Ultimate Safety Test, but Fox      blinked as production was about to get under way. While many      television producers were fixated on creating prestige programming      bound for awards glory, Fleiss wasn't ashamed of the fact that      many critics considered his shows trashy. On the contrary, he got      off on making headlines-and getting ratings-as a result of tapping      into a viewer's basest nature.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Darnell, meanwhile, was itching for Fox's next big hit, seething      over the success of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? on ABC. While      at a wedding in the summer of 1999, he found himself checking the      Millionaire ratings nonstop. The romantic environment and his      jealousy over the ABC hit led him to his next outlandish TV idea:      why not find a single millionaire, introduce him to fifty women,      and have him propose to one of them at the end of a two-hour      special?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Darnell brought the idea to Dick Clark. But the veteran producer      and game-show host was worried the project might tarnish his      wholesome reputation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Dick said, 'Look, I've been married three times. This is a show      that's condemning the institution of marriage, and I don't want to      be the guy to do that,'\" said John Ferriter, a William Morris      agent who represented Clark and Fleiss.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e But when it was Fleiss's turn to meet with Darnell, he won over      the Fox executive after he said he envisioned the special as a      version of a Miss America pageant. He was given ten weeks to put      the special together before it aired in February 2000.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In December 1999, the announcement went out wide: \"Calling All      Brides . . . a Nationwide Search Begins for Potential Brides      Willing to Marry a Millionaire Live from Las Vegas on Network      Television.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Are you looking for the man of your dreams?\" the press release      asked, \"Is he tall, is he dark, and is he handsome? Most      importantly, is he RICH? . . . During the next month, the search      is on for any and all women (over the age of 18) who would be      willing to marry a rich man on live television and become 'Mrs.      Multi-Millionaire.' A minimum of 50 daring candidates will be      selected and flown to Las Vegas for an all-expenses-paid trip to      compete for the opportunity to marry Mr. Moneybags during the      two-hour television special.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Mr. Moneybags, Fleiss had decided, would be none other than Rick      Rockwell, a forty-three-year-old writer and comedian who'd      invested the money he made performing in real estate.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Well, I'm worth about $1.5 . . . [million],\" Rockwell responded      to a November 1999 email from Fleiss.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"It's quite possible he was the only person on the planet who was      willing to do it,\" Fleiss later admitted to Vanity Fair. \"Our      backup millionaire basically wanted me to buy him a Mercedes 500E      free and clear.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e On television, however, Rockwell delivered. He got down on his      knee and proposed to a stranger with a three-carat, $35,000      wedding ring the network had supplied. His new bride was Darva      Conger, an emergency room nurse who'd served in the air force for      five years. According to their prenuptial agreement, she'd also      walk away with an Isuzu Trooper, a pair of diamond earrings, and a      $2,500 jewelry spending spree.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Viewers were stunned.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Ferriter, who was in Nashville on business when Who Wants to Marry      a Multi-Millionaire? aired, stopped into a steakhouse that night      to get a sense of the local reaction.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I walk in and everyone's packed around the bar,\" he told me when      I went to visit him at his office in LA. \"I couldn't get to the      ma”tre d' to go grab my table because nobody was working. They      were all around the bar. I said, 'What's going on?' And everyone      was like, 'These people are getting married on TV and they've      never met each other!' So I sidle up to the side of the bar and      guys are watching, shaking their heads. Women watching, nodding      their heads. I went, 'Oh my God, this is going to be a hit. This      is going to be a big hit.'\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Indeed, a whopping 23 million people tuned in to watch Conger and      Rockwell get married on TV. To give you a sense of how big of an      audience that is, during the 2016-2017 television season, the      most-watched program was NBC's Sunday Night Football, which      attracted 19.6 million viewers. On network television, hit shows      like NCIS and The Big Bang Theory average around 14 million      viewers these days.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Despite its popularity, however, Multi-Millionaire drew harsh      reviews from critics. The president of Viewers for Quality      Television called the special an \"all-time low\" in the American      public's viewing taste. Salon's Carina Chocano argued it put      \"moral bankruptcy on parade. And if you're going to put it on      parade, put it on parade, enough with the muted grays and      wholesome questions. Include a talent show. Have the girls perform      a song-and-dance number. Hold a pie-baking race. Make them blow a      banana. But try to dress it all up in the cloak of respectability      and the air goes out of the balloon and distracts us from what's      really important-gawking at people who are very, very ill.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Within days, Fox would have much bigger problems on its hands than      some nasty reviews. After their hasty nuptials, Rockwell and      Conger were immediately sent on a honeymoon cruise to Barbados. It      was there, Rockwell would later tell the press, that Conger      revealed she'd only wed him in order to go on the free trip.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Back in the United States, Fleiss was busy putting together a      follow-up special-Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire: A      Television Phenomenon-that Darnell had ordered to capitalize on      the water-cooler chatter. On February 20, the newlyweds flew back      to California and filmed an interview for the special with Fox      weatherman Mark Thompson-annulling their marriage shortly      afterward. Following the interview, Rockwell and Fleiss hopped in      a limo together, and that's where all hell broke loose. During the      ride, Fleiss got a call from Thompson, who was one of his closest      friends. He informed Fleiss that The Smoking Gun had published an      article called \"Millionaire Groom's Dirty Secret,\" revealing that      Rockwell had \"slapped and hit\" an ex-girlfriend, according to a      1991 restraining order. As a result of the incident, the Los      Angeles court had ordered Rockwell to keep at least one hundred      yards from his ex.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Fleiss immediately began to lose it. He'd spent the past couple of      months talking to Rockwell at least once a day, developing a      nine-page questionnaire for Rockwell's potential wives. As Fleiss      would later tell Vanity Fair, he turned to Rockwell and began to      plead: \"That's not true, right? That's not true, right?\" Rockwell      acknowledged the report's validity, but tried to downplay it,      insisting he'd never done anything to his ex other than let the      air out of her car's tires.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I was laying down,\" Fleiss told the magazine. \"I was so upset. I      said, 'Yeah, Rick is saying that it's true.'\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In the following days, it would come to light that there appeared      to be other holes in Rockwell's story too. His 1,200-square-foot      home had an old toilet in the backyard and hardly appeared to be      the lush pad of a wealthy bachelor. It also seemed he'd long      aspired to become a famous performer: In 1982, he'd earned a spot      in The Guinness Book of Records for \"longest continuous comedy      routine\" after telling jokes for thirty hours straight.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"He struck me as totally honest,\" Fleiss insisted to the New York      Times as the fiasco was unfolding. \"I had no questions about his      sincerity. If that was a performance, he should have a couple of      Emmy Awards already.\"","brand":"Dutton","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46301226533093,"sku":"NP9781101985915","price":18.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781101985915.jpg?v=1767722080","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/bachelor-nation-isbn-9781101985915","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}