Well+Good - Reality TV Shows Need to Reconsider Eating-Related Competitions
On Monday night's episode of The Bachelorette, a handful of male contestants on a group date were put through a "Truth or Dare"-style obstacle course meant to challenge them "physically, mentally, and emotionally." The entire segment was cringeworthy (they were tasked with waxing each other's hairiest body parts and whispering sweet nothings into a giant animatronic ear), but one challenge in particular was potentially harmful for people who struggle with disordered eating.
The course's "carb station" tasked the men with consuming exorbitant amounts of fettuccini Alfredo, chocolate cake, mashed potatoes and gravy, and the like while Bachelorette Katie Thurston and co-hosts Tayshia Adams and Kaitlyn Bristowe watched and laughed. "I haven't eaten a carb in seven years," griped Mike P., a gym owner who ate a behemoth platter of Twinkies. "If I get fat, she better still love me when I'm older."