On the Lot: Why ABC broke up with its 'Bachelorette'

Summary: ABC abruptly canceled its upcoming season of "The Bachelorette" just three days before it was supposed to air. The reason? A leaked video showed the star, Taylor Frankie Paul, attacking her ex-boyfriend in front of her daughter.

Surprisingly, her violent past wasn't a secret. Paul had already pleaded guilty to aggravated assault in 2023, and her arrest was even a storyline on her other Hulu show, "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives." This raises a huge question: why did the network hire her in the first place? Clinical psychologist Isabelle Morley explains that reality TV casting relies on finding people who are "Bachelor crazy." This means they pass psychiatric evaluations by being just emotionally unstable enough to make dramatic television, but supposedly not dangerous. However, Morley points out that casting someone with actual criminal charges proves the network cares more about ratings than real mental health and safety.

While Disney deals with this massive reality TV mess, their new CEO Josh D'Amaro was welcomed with a cheerful Tinkerbell billboard, and other stars like Zendaya and Robert Pattinson were busy attending a fake wedding to promote a new movie.

For more details, see NBC News at nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/on-the-lot-abc-bachelorette-taylor-frankie-paul-disney-transition-rcna264476 (opens in new tab)