‘Bachelor In Paradise’ Contract: What Do Contestants Give Up In Exchange For Fame?

Bachelor in Paradise contestants aren’t paid an enormous amount of money to appear on the ABC reality show, but many cast members cash in on their new-found fame by way of paid appearances and product endorsements.

However, the fame and fortune may not be worth the risk based on the contract that all contestants must sign before joining the cast. CNN recently released the details of ABC’s contract, and it’s clear that contestants could run the risk of ruining their reputation with no way to fight back.

Is short-lived fame and some fast cash from endorsements worth having producer manipulate a contestants words and actions on the show. Considering dozens of guys and girls sign up to be on Bachelor in Paradise each season, the details of the contract seem to be an afterthought.

CNN states that contestants sign away numerous right to the show’s producers that may, once the show airs, make their conversations and actions appear to be vastly different from what they recall, thanks to some crafty editing.

“Contestants sign away to producers the right to change, add to, take from, edit, translate, reformat or reprocess… in any manner Producer may determine in its sole discretion,” the contract reads, per CNN. “Contestants understand that their actions and the actions of others displayed in the Series may be disparaging, defamatory, embarrassing or of an otherwise unfavorable nature and may expose me to public ridicule, humiliation, or condemnation.”

Bottom line — many of the scenes and situations that fans see on TV may not have happened that way. Producers can edit conversations to make them more shocking and, because they signed the contract that allows conversations and scenes to be manipulated, contestants can’t do much about it, even if their reputation is at stake.

And as far as this relates to the DeMario – Corinne sexual misconduct allegations that were recently cleared by the show’s production company (Warner Bros.), the contract also has some wording that makes it difficult (but not impossible) for contestants to sue ABC.

The contract, as provided by CNN, states that contestants should “refrain from unlawful behavior or harassment.” It goes on to say that while producers don’t encourage “sexual contact with other contestants,” producers are “free from any responsibility” if a contestant gets injured, “even from unwanted sexual contact.”

According to the Business Insider, contestants are paid between $7,000 – $15,000 to appear on Bachelor in Paradise. ABC has not confirmed those numbers, but, contestants reportedly get paid based on either their popularity or the length of time they remain on the show. They also get a free trip to Mexico that includes food and drinks.

So, essentially it’s a paid vacation with the risk of getting their words and actions twisted, thanks to producers who know how to stir up drama and edit scenes that get fans talking.

The contract certainly makes becoming a contestant sounds like risky business. However, New York–based entertainment attorney Nicole Page tells CNN that the Bachelor in Paradise contract isn’t out of the norm, stating that contracts like the one Paradise contestants sign have “been around since reality TV began.”

[Featured Image by ABC Television Network]