Just as inevitable as The Bachelor spoilers revealing the winner before the finale is its star joining another hit ABC show right afterward.
But is there a Dancing With the Stars double-standard when it comes to Bachelor Nation members? Kaitlyn Bristowe alleges just that.
Amid news that Nick Viall joined the Dancing With the Stars Season 24 cast, Kaitlyn went off on The Bachelor for stonewalling her.
Specifically, she says the franchise’s creator and head honcho, Mike Fleiss, single-handedly prevented her from competing in 2015.
A source said then, “The timing isn’t right, but she loves the show and hopes to keep the door open for another season down the road.”
Kait begs to differ with that now, however.
She says she was “offered” a spot, but ultimately wasn’t allowed to sign the contract. Bristowe made the following comment on Twitter:
“Actually I was offered it, had the contract & Mike Fliess told me I wasn’t allowed. He said he didnt want people wanting fame after his show.”
She wrote that in response to a question from none other than Whitney Bischoff (Kaitlyn’s rival on Chris Soules’ season of The Bachelor).
Bischoff wondered why a Bachelorette star never seems to compete on DWTS; Soules, of course, went on to compete on the program.
The Iowa farmer isn’t alone in that regard. Jake Pavelka, Sean Lowe and now Nick have all traded in roses for dancing shoes as well.
Would Fleiss really stifle Kaitlyn – a dancer by trade, no less? After her tweet calling him out, the boss took to Twitter in response.
“@kaitlynbristowe has my total support if she wants to appear on DWTS!!!” Fless said, though Bristowe was far from impressed.
“Thanks I’ll get right on that opportunity 2 yrs ago. I wonder what changed your mind?” Kait, who is still engaged to Shawn Booth, wrote.
In another tweet, Fleiss seemingly defended himself against her allegations implying sexism when it comes to the DWTS-Bachelor funnel.
“Melissa R has a mirror ball. So quickly they forget! #thebachelor,” he wrote, referencing Melissa Rycroft, the short-lived Bachelor winner.
Rycroft was Jason Mesnick’s final rose pick before he changed his mind on the After the Final Rose and asked out now-wife Molly Malaney.
She didn’t go on to be The Bachelorette, but the former Cowboys cheerleader competed in Seasons 8 and 15 of DWTS, winning the former.
Moreover, Trista Sutter, the first-ever Bachelorette, also competed on the first season of Dancing, and she made sure to remind him online:
“I guess you have to have a mirror ball to matter?! I know it was b4 most people on Twitter were born, but I was on #DWTS. Shocking, I know.”
In Mike’s defense, we are on SEASON 24; Trista amusingly acknowledges how long both shows have been around with that Twitter joke.
We obviously have no idea what was said between Fleiss and Bristowe, but we doubt there is some major sexist conspiracy at work.
If a Bachelorette star or female Bachelor star wanted to have a go, and DWTS wanted them, we’d assume it would happen 95% of the time.
That doesn’t mean Mike didn’t nix Kaitlyn for unknown reasons – again, we have no idea what did or did not happen between the two.
We’re just saying that ratings are ratings, and a marriage like that clearly makes sense for both franchises, hence why it so often occurs.
Speaking of Bachelor marriages, Trista went on to say she doesn’t think joining DWTS soon after the final rose is the best idea, regardless.
“For the record, I think that if you are lucky enough to find love on #TheBachelor or “ette”, the odds of creating a future with that love……”
“…. are significantly higher without the time commitment/stresses of being a part of #dwts. I’m a huge fan of both shows, just not……”
“one right after the other. @kaitlynbristowe & Shawn are solid tho. Not that any1 will listen but she gets my vote to slay the dance floor!”
She gets ours too, although – and she seems to know this is the case, for what it’s worth – that ship likely sailed two years ago now.
Perhaps she can look at it as a silver lining that she and Shawn Booth are on such solid ground? They didn’t have to deal with the distraction.
See who else from The Bachelor and “ette” are still together below!
