UPDATE, 1:10 p.m.: ABC, the executive producers of “The Bachelor” and Warner Horizon Television just issued a statement condemning Galavis’ comments.
PREVIOUSLY:
ABC’s newest “Bachelor” Juan Pablo Galavis is no duck hunter, but when it comes to making comments about gays, he’s definitely been hanging out in a blind.
Attending an ABC party Friday night, the 32-year-old American-born Venezuelan, retired soccer pro and father to a 4-year-old daughter was asked by a reporter from TV Page whether he thought a gay “Bachelor” would be a good idea.
The full transcript of his response, which was also captured on audio:
No.
I respect them, but honestly I don’t think it’s a good example for kids to watch that on TV. It’s hard. It’s a very thin line.
I respect people from – oh, Peter, right there. He’s my boy. He’s been every day with me, and he has his partner, and I respect that 100 percent.
But obviously people have their husband and wife having kids, and that’s how we’ve grown up. And now there’s fathers having kids and all that. It’s hard for me to understand that too in the sense of a household – having peoples … two parents sleeping in the same bed and the kids going into bed you know, it’s confusing in a sense but I respect them because they want to have kids. They want to be parents.
So it’s a scale; where do you put it on a scale? Where’s the thin line to cross or not? You know, you have to respect everybody’s desires, opinions and way of living. But it’ll be too hard for TV. Too much. Too much.
And there’s this thing about gay people that uh, it seems to me, you know – and I don’t know if I’m more mistaken or not – I mean, great … I have a lot of friends … but they’re more “pervert” in a sense, and to me the show will be too strong – too hard, to watch on TV.
(It wasn’t immediately clear who “Peter” was, but we’re going with Galavis’ “gay friend” — at least, they were likely friends at the time.)
Also read:‘Duck Dynasty’: A&E Reverses Suspension; Phil Robertson Won’t Miss Any Episodes
For Galavis and ABC, here’s the rub: Unlike A&E’s “Duck Dynasty,” which was not in production during the Phil Robertson dustup, “The Bachelor” is two episodes deep into its 17th season. Seeing as they’re mid-production, the network – and Galavis himself – will almost certainly have to address the comments, either on the show or off. Possibly both. And with real consequences this time.
ABC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.