'Bachelor in Paradise': From taking a psych exam to strict drinking limits, baffling rules contestants sign up for
SAYULITA, MEXICO: The show 'Bachelor in Paradise' is famous for trapping a group of rebuffed contestants from 'The Bachelor' and 'The Bachelorette' in a resort and essentially just seeing what happens. While the atmosphere on the beaches of Paradise is more relaxed than on Bachelor Mansion, the cast is still subject to a slew of regulations, particularly when it comes to drinking, privacy, and sex in the "boom-boom room."
Unlike its elder siblings, 'The Bachelor' and 'The Bachelorette,' 'Bachelor in Paradise' comes with less scheduling and carefully organized dates. Instead of a mansion, the finalists lounge out on the beach. Nonetheless, they must adhere to a slew of rules for the season to run smoothly. While there is a long list of rules — much of which is listed in the contract — these are some of the more surprising rules participants must follow.
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No loud prints or sunglasses
Every year, the contestants of 'Bachelor in Paradise' wear some glamorous and unforgettable ensembles on our televisions. Every summer, fans are treated to a variety of trends, from vibrant beachwear to sophisticated cocktail party dresses. What viewers may not realize is that the cast members have a dress code of sorts. Former 'Bachelor' star Sean Lowe said in his book, "For the Right Reasons: America's Favorite Bachelor on Faith, Love, Marriage, and Why Nice Guys Finish First," that "stripes, small checkered patterns, big patterns, and solid white" were all off-limits for filming.
Former participant Dean Unglert revealed some of the show's fashion rules to Us Weekly. "They're not, like, super strict with the dress code," he explained, adding that a producer once told him to change since he and girlfriend Caelynn Miller-Keyes were both dressed in white. He also stated that "no sunglasses, no ... logos." During the interview, Miller-Keyes stated that producers "don't like busy prints." This is why contestants frequently wear solid hues. With all the lush foliage and bright Mexican décor, it's obvious that a busy pattern would clash with the set's surroundings. Furthermore, sunglasses would conceal that distinctive gleam in someone's eye when they're asking someone out — or sending them away.
Contestants are subject to psychiatric testing
Whether it's the opinions of strangers at a bar or social media trolls, becoming reality TV famous (or infamous) overnight may have a major influence on a contestant's mental health. As a result, shows in the 'Bachelor' series rely on psychologists for assistance prior to, during, and after production. After former 'The Bachelor' participant Gia Allemand committed suicide in 2013, former host Chris Harrison told People, "We go to great lengths to make sure these people are okay."
In an interview with Flare, Steven Stein, PhD, who counsels participants for a variety of reality series, including the 'Bachelor' franchise, gave some insight into the process. Steven searches for "mental health issues" and "anything serious, problems with addiction or anger" among possible cast members. He also stated that psychologists perform "IQ and emotional intelligence assessments" — up to seven, depending on the show. During filming, psychologists like Steven are also kept on call in case of any problems. Kalon McMahon, who participated in Season 1 of 'Bachelor in Paradise,' told Houston's ABC13, "It's [the psychologists'] job to mentally assess you to see how you're going to react to situations. I have to admit, they're very good at their jobs."
Signing a wild contract
If you want to enjoy the dunes of 'Bachelor in Paradise,' you must first sign on the dotted line, and the terms, contenders agree, are somewhat bizarre. CNN Business acquired a copy of a contract from 'Bachelor in Paradise' in 2017 and revealed the details. What kinds of things must contestants agree to? The contract specifies that "their actions and the actions of others displayed in the Series may be disparaging, defamatory, embarrassing or of an otherwise unfavorable nature and may expose me to public ridicule, humiliation, or condemnation."
As per CNN Business, the producers of 'Bachelor in Paradise' may manipulate situations to make participants seem any way they want because the contract permits them to do so. Members of the cast must agree to allow the program "the right to change, add to, take from, edit, translate, reformat or reprocess [footage] ... in any manner Producer may determine in its sole discretion." This implies that, at the end of the day, producers have the last say over how individuals are depicted to the public. "I can basically take your image and do whatever I want with it and I own it and you have no recourse," Nicole Page, an entertainment attorney, told CNN Business.
There’s a drink limit
On 'Bachelor in Paradise,' the alcohol flowed as freely as the water, but the reality today is much different. Sexual misconduct charges against a participant shook "Paradise" in 2017, shutting down production and permanently changing the rules. A producer filed a complaint at the time about an encounter between contestants DeMario Jackson and Corinne Olympios, wondering if consent was given because of drinking. An internal inquiry revealed no misconduct, although producers were required to implement "better monitoring of issues regarding consent" as well as drinking limits.
'Bachelor in Paradise' executive producer Martin Hilton told Entertainment Weekly that producers met with the cast both on and off camera to discuss how they felt about drinking and filming and what should be done moving forward. Since contestants did not want their booze impounded, producers imposed a two-drink-per-hour limit for each contestant. However, as "Paradise" star Robby Hayes told People, some beachgoers do break the rules from time to time. "If it was two drinks an hour, we'd grab one at 3:50, one at 3:55 ... We'd grab one at 4:00, and one at 4:05, then you have four drinks within 15 minutes."
Giving clear consent
Following a sexual misconduct complaint, decisions were videotaped, according to contestant Vinny Ventiera. “If you wanted to spend the night with someone, you had to give consent on camera.” On 'Bachelor in Paradise,' anything goes when it comes to hooking up, which means they don't have to wait for fancy suites. Sure, the suites provide luxury solitude, but Evan Bass claims there is a sex room on-set.
"There was even a room back at the Paradise ranch we called the 'boom-boom room,'" says the former participant. If a contestant is given a fantasy suite date, they must wait all night for proper one-on-one time. "Couples really only get a few hours of alone time," Evan Bass says, and the fantasy suite segment "doesn’t start until the wee morning hours. Ours was 2:30 am."
Signing your life away to 'Bachelor in Paradise' obviously implies you have to kiss on camera — but don't worry, producers will turn around! Dylan Barbour also commented in a now-deleted tweet, "Looooool, yeah the producers just turn around," in response to a fan's question, "Is it awkward making out with all the cameras/crew staring at you?" An anonymous producer also revealed this juicy tidbit, saying, “there’s a lot of sex on the various shows that happens that never airs.”
Season 8 of 'Bachelor in Paradise' starts Tuesday, September 27 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.