A new tell-all about the reality show The Bachelor has revealed that numerous potential contestants get turned away because they have sexually transmitted infections. But that's not even close to the whole story.
The journey toward the sanctity of television matrimony may seem like fun, but getting picked to be on the show requires an incredibly in-depth background check, a new book reveals.
'The Bachelor' Eliminates Most Potential Contestants For Having STDs
Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America's Guilty Pleasure chronicles the aggressive––and thorough—testing potential contestants must undergo to make it onto the show.
Many contestants, according to the book, are turned away for the same reason: herpes and other sexually transmitted infections.
Applicants are subject to "a 150-question personality test," reports the New York Post. The questionnaire "is filled with multiple-choice and true-or-false questions: Do you have out-of-body experiences? Do you think you can control things with your mind? Have you ever wanted to kill someone? Some of these questions would be asked several times, with different wording."
If you think that's horrible, keep reading.
Aspiring contestants are also subject to psychological questions, such as: "Had they ever cheated on anyone? Did they have a history of mental illness or depression? Did they ever drink too much? Did they ever get into fights when they were drunk?"
Then, according to the Post, the potential contestants faced questions pertaining to their criminal histories (or lack thereof).
"Had they ever been arrested? Had they ever sent nude photos to anyone? Had they ever made a sex tape? Had they gotten a DUI?"
The most invasive and decisive part of the interview process, however, is the medical examination.
Medical histories, including any physical conditions, prescriptions, chronic conditions, you name it, are documented and taken into consideration when deciding who eventually gets cast on the show. But most contestants who were turned away had one thing in common: herpes.
"As soon as the medical tests came back, you'd see that herpes was the biggest thing," said Ben Hatta, creator and executive producer. "And sometimes you'd be the first person to tell a contestant that they had herpes. You'd be like, 'Uh, you should call your doctor.' Why? 'We're not going to be able to have you on our show, but you should call your doctor.'"
"Then they'd realize they'd been denied from 'The Bachelor' and now a bunch of people knew they had herpes," Hatta said.
That's a helluva way to find out you have a virus that up to 80 percent of all adults carry, and to which 90 percent of people are exposed at some point.
So if you're thinking about auditioning for The Bachelor, please, consider what's in store for you. Or, for more Bachelor coverage and spoilers, click here.
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