The Bachelorette just wrapped its first ever season with an Asian American lead and honored the occasion by delivering its star Jenn Tran a most unhappy ending. On Tuesday night’s finale episode, the 26-year-old was shown bucking tradition by proposing to finalist Devin Strader, rather than waiting for her suitor to get down on one knee. But during the “After the Final Rose” follow-up episode, Tran revealed that her fiancé had dumped her and proceeded to ghost her. Meanwhile, members of Bachelor Nation are calling the producers’ treatment of Tran during the finale “diabolical” and “evil.”
Let’s back up, shall we? The franchise’s own producers have publicly acknowledged the show’s “vicious cycle” of racism across its 23-year run, but that didn’t stop ABC from trotting out Tran to publicize her “historic” role on the show. On Tuesday, however, fans were disgusted at how the season finale seemed to needlessly torment its lead, offering little in the way of support as she relived the show’s traumatic conclusion. In front of a live audience, Tran explained that the moment she and Strader left Hawai’i, “things were just different.” Her fiancé, she told host Jesse Palmer, stopped calling or texting her, leaving her “confused.” Then, out of nowhere: “He called me, and he basically broke off the engagement,” Tran said. “He didn’t love me anymore, feel the same way, and felt like something had been off since the second thing he proposed. He regretted getting engaged.”
Tran said she pleaded with Strader, suggesting they delay their engagement and just focus on spending time together, but Strader was unmoved. “He was checked out. It wasn’t what he wanted anymore. And I’ve been fighting for the relationship, trying to do everything I can to empathize with him and try to make things work,” Tran continued. “He didn’t want to go to couples counseling. He didn’t want to fight for the relationship anymore.” After that call, Tran said Strader stopped responding to her altogether.
“We were full-blown engaged and in love and now you’re ignoring my text like I mean nothing to you,” she said.
As if being ghosted by your TV fiancé weren’t enough, producers then forced Tran to rewatch her proposal while seated next to the man who dumped her. Tran sobbed through the moment while Palmer commended her for her “strength.” Though it’s not much consolation, Tran is already confirmed to appear on the next season of Dancing With the Stars. As fans demand justice for the show’s jilted star, may she find love in the arms of a tanned ballroom dancer and never have to occupy the same couch as Strader (or Palmer, for that matter) again.
