‘The Bachelor’s Greer Blitzer Apologizes For Defending Blackface: “My Ignorance Was Racist. And I’m Just So Ashamed”

On Night 1 of The Bachelor Season 27, Zach Shallcross gave his first impression rose to Greer Blitzer, and for a moment, it seemed like the two could be endgame. After Shallcross tested positive for COVID in Week 5 and Blitzer tested positive for COVID in Week 6, he wasn’t confident they could make up for lost time ahead of Hometown Dates, so he sent her home in Week 7. But as the season played out on-screen, Blitzer went from a fan-favorite to a major disappointment when Bachelor Nation uncovered old social media posts that showed her defending a fellow classmate who posed in Blackface.

In Season 27’s “Women Tell All” special, which aired on Tuesday, March 14, Blitzer finally addressed the controversy on-air with host Jesse Palmer, who landed the job after former longtime host Chris Harrison was ousted for defending historical racism. As Palmer prepared to question Blitzer, a bulk of Bachelor Nation likely thought of all times the franchise has failed the BIPOC community in the past. But in a twist, Palmer began by saying, “The truth is as a franchise we’ve done a very poor job in the past of addressing serious topics head on, and we’re not gonna miss that opportunity here tonight.” Was that so hard to admit?

“I know you have given a subsequent apology on social media and online, but I do want to give you the opportunity here to address this and share your experience with this,” Palmer continued, teeing up Blitze’s reflection. “What I failed to mention in my apology was that what happened was racist. It’s not about the intent. It’s about the impact. And this acquaintance of mine that I knew performing blackface was racist. Me defending it was racist. My ignorance was racist,” she said. “And I’m just so ashamed. I’m just deeply sorry that I hurt the black community. I can’t go back in time. All I can do is try to be better now and try to do better in my future.”

After Palmer noted that he and Blitzer each met with Dr. Kira Banks — a professor and experienced diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant — Blitzer took time to share some takeaways. “[Dr. Banks] brought to my attention that it’s so important to be openminded. It’s so important to question things, and ask, and not just do without thinking. Before you speak, think. Before you say something that could hurt someone else do your research,” she explained. “So I looked up lectures. I really wanted to dive deep into the history of Blackface and understand why it was wrong — why it was offensive…I just realized it was a symbolism for dehumanizing the Black community, and so what I said was wrong. Defending that girl was racist. And I want to take that accountability. I don’t want to excuse it.”

Palmer went one step further, revealing not only that Banks was in the audience, but that she was ready to take the floor. “I want to say thanks for having me, because I think it’s important to name and give voice when these sort of issues come up, when racism comes up to be willing to name it,” she said. “The reality is we can’t nice our way out of racism. So we can say the right thing but what are we really gonna do? What actions are we going to take? And so that’s why it’s really important not to just be performative but to educate ourselves, to be willing to understand the history behind actions, and then be willing to do something different.”

The Bachelor franchise still has serious work to do diversity and inclusion-wise, and lasting change will require constant effort, but the “Women Tell All” segment did show refreshing levels of awareness and accountability that past seasons have lacked, so we’re curious to see what other steps the franchise will take in the future.

New episodes of The Bachelor air Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and are available for next-day streaming on Hulu.