Lance Bass, famous for his time in the hit sensation *NSYNC, has really come into his own in recent years. He publicly came out 15 years ago and has since dabbled in many projects spanning film, music, and television.
Most recently, Bass guest-hosted the new summer guilty please, Bachelor in Paradise, and he told Variety that he loved it. In an interview with the publication, he stated, “If you want the most dramatic season ever, do an LGBT version. I think maybe it’s the time for ‘The Bachelor’ to do a gay Bachelor. I think that would be so much fun…And I definitely know a host if you need it.”
This could actually be a great idea. Many might not be aware, but reality TV has opened many doors for the LGBTQ community in gaining acceptance and recognition from the wider public. The Real World: San Francisco featured Pedro Zamora in 1994. It was one of the first times an openly gay, HIV-positive male was portrayed on national television. He humanized the AIDS crisis and provided many Americans their first interaction with an openly gay person. Then, in 2003, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy was the first reality show to feature a cast of LGBTQ protagonists, once again breaking down barriers and humanizing queer people as fun, lovable, and intelligent. And currently, RuPaul’s Drag Race is dominating pop culture as one of the most popular TV shows out there.
It makes sense for The Bachelor to do an LGBTQ version. Because, not only is it way overdue to have a queer season, but because historically LGBTQ reality programs do incredibly well in the ratings.
Bass also admitted that he’s a Bachelor superfan and would be thrilled to have the chance to host a season. Currently, ABC is casting for a seniors season of The Bachelor, an idea that Bass loves, and believes could be a stepping stone for the series to branch out further. Bass stated, “They’re doing the seniors next, which I think is such a great idea. I like that they’re trying different things and I think the next step, the obvious step, would to be an LGBT version. I would love to see a show where you had lesbian, gay, trans, bi. To me, bisexual is just such an interesting thing to watch because everyone is an option.”
It will be interesting to see if ABC takes him up on his offer.
