Mean Season on the Bachelorette

With SVU on hiatus, I’ve been devouring cotton-candy summer TV. In fact, I’m addicted to The Bachelorette. Admitting my problem is the first step, right?

I take some consolation from the fact that half of America shares this fascination. This week, bachelorette Ashley Hebert graces the cover of People magazine and a bunch of tabloids, all of which marvel at her falling hard for the most villainous bachelor of all time. Bad-boy Bentley alternately woos Ashley and trashes her behind her back, saying things like, “I’d rather be swimming in pee than planning a wedding with her.” Three episodes ago, he left the show under a flimsy pretense; since then, she’s pined for him at the expense of the twelve other hotties earnestly vying for her affection.

All the headlines ask: How can she like this guy?

As a prosecutor of domestic violence, the dynamic looks familiar. Ashley has some serious self-esteem issues, and Bentley knows how to push her buttons. He props her up then pushes her back down, enjoying both the seduction and the destruction in equal measure. This isn’t a typical abusive relationship – obviously, there’s no physical abuse – but it has some of the psychological hallmarks: a cruel guy who gets a thrill from hurting the woman who adores him, and an insecure woman who wants to believe the lies her lover tells her, despite all evidence to the contrary.

In short, Ashley got played.

The more puzzling question is why Bentley would play the uber-villain with such reckless abandon. Even jerks can keep their bad behavior in check for the length of one TV show. But in the midst of a season of men behaving badly (see Weiner, Schwarzenegger, and Strauss-Kahn), Bentley is a serious contender for the title of America’s Most Hated Man. Late-night comedians are even beating him in effigy:

I have to wonder if the Bachelorette producers paid Bentley to play the cad, perhaps sealing the deal with a confidentiality agreement. It would make sense. Ratings have gone through the hot tub.

Meanwhile, the producers themselves are getting a bit abusive, right?  Roasting Ashley as part of a group date?  Making the guys kick-box each other until one gets a concussion?  This is the modern version of watching lions devour gladiators. Only with higher heels and more romantic lighting.