Chris Harrison is reportedly "ready to tell the truth about how things really work" behind the scenes in The Bachelor franchise after hiring a high-powered attorney.
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"Chris has had a spotless record for 20 years... He has always been the good company man, but, after the way he's been treated by producers and executives over the past couple of weeks, he's run out of cheeks to turn," a Chris friend told Page Six.
Although it remains to be seen what legal action Chris may be exploring, the friend explained, "Now he's ready to tell the truth about how things really work over there -- and he has plenty of evidence to back him up."
Bryan also represented America's Got Talent judge Gabrielle Union, who accused the NBC talent show of a "toxic" and racist environment but settled her dispute in September 2020.
Chris announced last month he'd be "stepping aside" from his hosting duties with The Bachelor franchise to educate himself on racism in society in a "profound" and "productive" manner after he made offensive remarks in an early-February Extra interview with The Bachelorette's first Black leading lady, Rachel Lindsay.
Chris came under fire when he defended Matt James' eventual winner Rachael Kirkconnell's racially-ignorant and racially-insensitive actions and dismissed the heavy backlash that had been aimed at her ever since The Bachelor's 25th season premiered in early January.
Chris called for "grace" and "compassion" for Rachael and also criticized the "woke police" and the "unbelievably alarming" response of anger and frustration to the young woman's actions, which included posing in photos at an antebellum-plantation themed "Old South" fraternity party at Georgia College & State University in 2018.
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Despite multiple public apologies from Chris in February, ABC hired sports analyst, author and former NFL player Emmanuel Acho to take over Chris' job on Matt's The Bachelor: After the Final Rose special, which aired on ABC last week.
In addition, The Bachelorette announced earlier this month that Chris will not be hosting the upcoming seventeenth season of the series. Instead, former The Bachelorette stars Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams will guide the star, Katie Thurston, through her journey to find love.
It's unclear whether Chris will be asked to rejoin the show when The Bachelorette films its eighteenth season starring Michelle Young later this year.
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Emmanuel recently told Extra that he's been having "very good and helpful" conversations with Chris recently amid the scandal.
"We've just had positive dialogue," shared Emmanuel, who hosts the web series Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man.
When asked how Chris can show he's learned from his mistakes, Emmanuel replied, "The first thing is people need to give him the opportunity, the grace, and the time to do the work. And then they need to receive the work that he does."
Emmanuel said his goal for hosting After the Final Rose was to ask people to seek understanding before seeking tension.
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Emmanuel also recently appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and said he "[doesn't] believe in cancel culture," according to The Hollywood Reporter, although he expects people to take accountability and right their wrongs.
A source previously told OK! Weekly that The Bachelor producers have been "getting clobbered with calls for Chris' removal as host and they are weighing that option."
Many The Bachelor fans, however, are still standing behind Chris and rallying for him to stay on the show, and Chris announced in early March on Good Morning America that he wants to continue being the face of the franchise.
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Chris also insisted during that GMA interview he had made "a mistake" in trying to defend Rachael this season, which was supposed to be a turning point for the franchise considering Matt starred as the first Black Bachelor after two decades of being on the air.
"I am an imperfect man, I made a mistake, and I own that," Chris said.
"I believe that mistake doesn't reflect who I am or what I stand for. I am committed to the progress, not just for myself but also for the franchise... Racism, oppression, these are big, dynamic problems and they take serious work, and I am committed to that work."
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Chris also denounced bullying and harassment directed towards Rachel in the aftermath of their Extra interview given the Season 13 The Bachelorette star felt the need to delete her Instagram account.
In addition, Chris revealed he's been working closely with "a race educator and strategist" along with faith leaders and scholars like Dr. Michael Eric Dyson.
"Dr. Dyson often talks to me about counsel, not cancel. And that is full accountability: understanding what you didn't understand, owning that, learning from that, seeking council from the community that you hurt, learning from them and listening, gaining experience and knowledge and moving forward," Chris shared.
After the segment aired, Michael vented on GMA of Chris, "His apology is his apology, but it felt like I got nothing more than a surface response on any of this. I mean obviously, he's a man who wants to clearly stay on this show."
Michael added, "But only time will tell if there is any meaning behind his words."
Rachael, whom Matt broke up with after The Bachelor wrapped filming, has also apologized for her mistakes and said her "ignorance was racist" and she's been trying to use her social-media platform to help educate others on how to be anti-racist.
Matt had called Chris and Rachael's racism controversy "devastating and heartbreaking," but he made comments on Friday's episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast that suggest he doesn't believe Chris should be permanently fired from his job as The Bachelor host.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
