March 18, 2026
We Are Shaking Our Heads After First Live Interview with Taylor Frankie Paul
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RSS Feed 31-year-old Taylor Frankie Paul was visibly nervous and uncomfortable during her first live interview on Good Morning America to promote “The Bachelorette.” Paul wasn’t asked a direct question about the domestic violence investigation, rather she was given an “opportunity to respond” to the headlines… and what we heard from Paul was more “poor me” talk. After another question about the reported pause in “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” production, and an “I don’t make the decisions” answer, GMA moved on to promote the new season of “The Bachelorette.”
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00:00:02
Speaker 1: Heather, Folks, it is Wednesday, March eighteenth, that we got an update already to the story that's making headlines all over the place. Taylor Frankie Paul, the new Bachelorette, has done her first sit down interview, first live interview since all these headlines about a domestic violence investigation came out with that welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ robes this. I think the interview is making headlines for what was not asked and what was not said.
00:00:35
Speaker 2: Yes, both of those things are true. Instead of being asked a direct question, she was given the opportunity to respond to the headline surrounding her domestic violence investigation, where police have confirmed that yes, both she and her ex are being criminally investigated, and she basically just talked about how hard it is on her.
00:01:00
Speaker 1: Okay, you've seen a lot of the headlines and it looks like, let's all right, this is where we are. The Bachelorette starts on Sunday. The show has been in the ratings dump for a while. Declines have been happening. Even questions about whether or not this show, the Bachelorette franchise would continue, come in swoop in big announcement Taylor Frankie Paul, a controversial fire brand but also someone popular on another Disney show on Hulu, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Okay, so that's the setup. This is all important now, Robes. Heading into Sunday, this was her first opportunity to address these questions. Do you want to start with this interview? The questions are the answers.
00:01:44
Speaker 3: Let's start with the question, because that's how it began.
00:01:47
Speaker 1: Let's do that, Robes. All these headlines have been going on. What is question number one? What should question number one? For you? At least I should say have been.
00:01:58
Speaker 2: My first question would be do you think it's appropriate that you are the bachelorette and that people should tune in and watch you look for love while there are now allegations that you are being investigated for domestic violence?
00:02:17
Speaker 1: That's the question. Okay, that's better than one I had. That's the question, ro because you're putting you in a position to now justin why does this make sense? Why should we root for you? That's a good question mine just simply what have been is their truth? Can you absolutely tell us that this did not happen and that moving forward, everybody can feel good rooting about someone that they know there's not going to be a video later coming out of you hitting on someone.
00:02:45
Speaker 2: Absolutely, and the point being is, look, you and I both know and as journalists for the last three decades, I believe you can ask anybody anything if you ask them a question with respective and I also think you have to follow up when people don't give you an answer.
00:03:03
Speaker 3: You can't make somebody answer a question. She didn't have to.
00:03:06
Speaker 2: She can say whatever she wants, but as a journalist, you need to ask the direct question, and when she doesn't give you a response, you have to at least follow up. And I think you can ask her, did you are you being investigated? Why are you being investigated? Did you do anything that could be considered criminal? And she can say I can't say, I can't talk about it, I don't want That's fine, but I still think you need to ask those direct questions.
00:03:33
Speaker 1: That was not the question that was asked. We will let you know. This was done on Good Morning America. This was a five minute segment live in studio. Now, the person handling the interview was not one of your Big two or Big three journalists. I should say your three hosts but it was the she still considered the entertainment anchor.
00:03:51
Speaker 3: I think Lara Lara Spencer.
00:03:53
Speaker 2: We know her well and worked with her for many, many, many years. But yes, I think she is.
00:03:57
Speaker 3: I don't know.
00:03:58
Speaker 2: She's had different titles, official titles, including concer of Good Morning America, but she has been the one who typically handles celebrity entertainment headlines.
00:04:08
Speaker 1: Okay, so this is everyone right, Everyone who has been following this story probably had the same question for her. But this is how Lara chose to ask it. Quote, what do you want to say about the alleged domestic violence incident with your ex boyfriend? What do you want to share with us about this? Okay, that's fine. Robes you and I long time will you and I take the same issue with this. It's open ended. You are getting the option to say whatever you want right now instead of answering a question I have for you.
00:04:44
Speaker 2: Correct And so that is a choice, and that is the decision to not make her feel defensive. So I'm I'm still kind of okay with that, even maybe being the opening.
00:04:56
Speaker 3: But then you have to.
00:04:57
Speaker 2: Have, I believe, as a journalist, follow what questions ready that are direct and targeted when she doesn't give you an answer, C and.
00:05:04
Speaker 1: I and I think with only five minutes and that clock ticking, we don't have time to dance around this. We got to get right to the first question. Hi, thank you for being here. Let's get this out of the way.
00:05:15
Speaker 3: Boom, did you do this?
00:05:17
Speaker 1: It's kind of curiod and not being mean or attacking the woman, but there's a way. This was almost a question, ropes, is there anyone at this point in this country almost more desired to be interviewed that anybody wants to interview than her? And a lot of headlines, this was the opportunity. You and I see this question a little differently, or at least the motivations. I thought this has the writing all over it of pr of being someone getting in Gma and Lara's ear saying we cannot go hard on her.
00:05:48
Speaker 3: Look she teed her up.
00:05:49
Speaker 2: Lara teed up Taylor Frankie Paul to give her prepared statement, that is what happened. That was not a journalism moment, that was a prepared say this, and then Taylor can say.
00:06:03
Speaker 1: That it was a company moment.
00:06:04
Speaker 2: That is what happened, and that is unfortunate because I actually think, and maybe call me crazy, because I agree that this I'm sure was heavily lawyered. I bet you the questions that Lara had, they said, stick exactly to this, and it wasn't even really a question. She didn't what do you want to share with us about this? That Again, she looked.
00:06:24
Speaker 1: Down, Rose, We've been in a plenty. That blue card in her hand that was handed to her by a producer has the person's name, your interviewe's name, their title, and they're one, two, three, four questions written out that you're supposed to ask. Obviously, we never use these. You could take your own liberties. She was looking down, head up and down and read every single word of that first question.
00:06:46
Speaker 3: She absolutely did, you are correct.
00:06:48
Speaker 2: And the problem I look, call me I don't know a purest, but I really actually think that did no one any good. It didn't clear anything up. It made Taylor Frankie Paul look evasive, it made GMA look complicit, and it didn't make anyone look good. I think the best thing to have done, and the right thing to have done, would to have been to ask the tough questions, let Taylor Frankie Paul answer them. However she wants, she can be evasive. But as a news organization, and certainly because your parent company is the one who is putting this show out, don't you even have more of a responsibility to at least try to look like your being transparent.
00:07:32
Speaker 1: That's where I'll take issue. Maybe there's so much money on the line with this franchise and with this particular season they have promoted, they have pushed, they have put her everywhere they can. They are trying to salvage the Bachelorette Season twenty two? Is it that swritheart? This is what that question to me. I was a little shocked that, Wow, they are doubling and tripling down. This is how it felt or sounded like to me that Disney and ABC are trying to salvage this thing, and we are going to stand behind, even quietly if we have to a woman who is right now being investigated for domestic.
00:08:13
Speaker 2: Violence and has already admitted guilt to doing it three years prior.
00:08:17
Speaker 1: Even money.
00:08:18
Speaker 3: Baby, that's shockming, It is shocking.
00:08:20
Speaker 2: And look, I when we when as journalists, when you I have been and I know you have to in booking meetings with folks who are dealing with controversy, and what you what I have said to those folks, and what producers and other folks have said, let us ask you the tough questions. It'll be better for you in the end to know and at least have the viewing audience understand that you sat there and answered tough, real questions that everybody has that didn't occur here. And I just think the viewing public is smarter than a lot of executives. Get them credit for people see through that pr attempt at salvaging I like the word you used, salvaging Taylor, Frankie Paul and more importantly, salvaging the bachelorette for Sunday.
00:09:12
Speaker 1: She's innocent until proven guilty. Is that what we're doing? Course, Okay, she's proven guilty. I don't know Robes this, I said, we're talking about this earth. This steels so weird to me, and this confirmed it all from me.
00:09:24
Speaker 3: She didn't deny.
00:09:25
Speaker 1: It, Robes. She had every opportunity. You know what, share what you want. You also could say this is insane, this crazy story. I don't know where this stuff is coming from. This is wild. My heart isn't a difference. She had an opportunity robes. See, folks, you see what we're talking about. We haven't even gotten into her answer because the answer didn't actually provide answers to the questions that have been in those headlines.
00:09:51
Speaker 2: You know, people go through media training, and clearly she has because she's been using the same word in all of her responses about it being heavy. This is a heavy time. The headlines are heavy. Look, I wish that someone could could give her the guidance to say something more specific. This is deeply personal, This is deeply embarrassing, and I want to work this out in where it belongs, in court or at least through proper proceedings. But this is not something I'm proud of being a part of. Like, just at least give some acknowledgement that she just completely evaded and skipped over everything, including her even acting as if she didn't realize or had just found out she was an executive producer on.
00:10:40
Speaker 3: The show What That?
00:10:42
Speaker 2: And she said that right after she said I'm known for telling my truth, and she kept saying I'm not gonna lie, I'm not gonna lie. Honestly, she it was interesting all the time she used these phrases that to me pointed to the fact that she wasn't being fully honest.
00:10:58
Speaker 1: However, this is working, apparently because overwhelmingly all the headlines today, right yesterday, the day before was about domestic violence investigation. It was all about the X. Today it's heavy. She's hurting Taylor. Frankie Paul says, she's in pain and.
00:11:16
Speaker 3: She feels like it's the end of the world.
00:11:19
Speaker 1: Yes, they are very sympathetic headlines. I am still floored. I would love to hear the answer from someone. It hasn't made sense to me yet the type of crime we're talking about, baby that I don't know why this is a being it's nothing. I guess it's because it's a woman and we should not take it as seriously. If a woman is accused of hitting a man, I guess because Robes, this is nothing to talk about. If this was a man allegedly hit a woman. Few days before the release of.
00:11:56
Speaker 2: The Bachelor, where she's looking to be in a room relationship, that Disney, ABC and Hulu are providing a pool of men for her to date, and they're still okay with putting the show on the air.
00:12:12
Speaker 3: Given the allegations and her past history.
00:12:15
Speaker 1: You've got to help me then, babe, as an exect, what am I missing about this story that they would be comfortable and it's okay, An, it's just an accusation. Can you say that? Do you buy that? Well? The public buy that, say Look, it's just an accusation. So why shouldn't she go forward with the show? Why shouldn't they support her her? It's just an allegation. Seriously, what else can you If it's not about money, then, babe, what you gotta.
00:12:45
Speaker 3: Money is about me? It's about money.
00:12:49
Speaker 1: Enough so that a domestic violence allegation is not enough for us to step away.
00:12:55
Speaker 3: Apparently it isn't I am at this point, let's okay.
00:12:58
Speaker 1: Give the verbatim. The question here was from Lara Sentel saying, what do you want to share with us? And this was a word for word the answer that Frankie take.
00:13:08
Speaker 2: Time, Taylor, Frankie Paul, Taylor, Frankie Paul said this, Honestly, it's been a heavy time. I see the headlines, especially during this time of The Bachelorette being released, and it's supposed to be a really exciting time. I'm a person that will always speak my truth. It's what I'm known for. And so when the time is right, I will be. But right now just trying to be in the present moment and focus on things. But the thing is, my kids do come first. My kids come first. And so it's been like just a back and forth process, trying to be in the present moment, worrying about headlines. It's been stressful, to be honest, and look, she went straight for this is so hard for me and then went straight to my kids come first. And I just for me, that just does not ring true because she's not acknowledging the allegations. And if for kids really did come first, how does she explain what this is all about.
00:14:03
Speaker 1: I don't want to take that away from her. I'm sure she feels that her kids come first. I don't want to get in her head like that and do that kind of thing.
00:14:08
Speaker 3: I think she's using it as a shield though.
00:14:10
Speaker 1: Right now, and again, I am trying to We've seen this million times. It's hard to suggest or see anything other than what you're saying. Because this is a p I am blown. I I guess I'm supposed to understand. I shouldn't be surprised. I am in rome. Maybe I need to back it off. And we need to back it off. And maybe it's a little too personal for us, but this place wouldn't have a conversation with us based on something that wasn't true that the public was saying about us. It wasn't true, and enough people were saying it and laughing about her, and it was talked about on Twitter that they would not stand by morally.
00:14:48
Speaker 3: Us and it wasn't even criminal.
00:14:51
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, don't even get forget that.
00:14:55
Speaker 3: Yes, yes, maybe it is personal for us. Why wouldn't it be.
00:14:59
Speaker 2: Why shouldn't it be, But why shouldn't we be able to say, oh, in this case, it's okay, but in that case, like.
00:15:05
Speaker 1: It's I am trying. But that's the thing, bait. I don't want to do that thing. So I'm trying to check myself in this moment and not just say well this does so, why you do this? That's not it. I am honestly trying to understand why somebody who has a domestic violence conviction and is accused of another domestic violence incident is.
00:15:26
Speaker 2: Being embraced, supported, put allowed to explain.
00:15:33
Speaker 1: Pedestal complicit was the right word. They are helping her along, only I guess to get the Sunday Robes, And to think that Disney is sitting down with someone who's dealing with this accusation saying, let's move forward, let's go rogues. I don't understand that if somebody looks at me say TJ, it's just about money, then okay, I would actually we'll say okay, fine.
00:16:01
Speaker 3: But they're never gonna admit that.
00:16:02
Speaker 1: But otherwise, babe, how do you make sense of that?
00:16:05
Speaker 3: You can't.
00:16:05
Speaker 1: A Disney exact needs to say, yes, we're aware of these allegations right now, we're gonna let that play out, but we're.
00:16:12
Speaker 3: Moving Say something to me, say something, all right.
00:16:15
Speaker 1: But that wasn't the only answer she gave. Stay here, we'll tell you what her answer was. To the other headline about the Mormon Wives shutting down production right now. Her answer was, continuing now here on this that's kind of an unexpected robes. This is this is two Frankie Taylor, Paul. Frankie Paul Taylor, Franky Paul.
00:16:45
Speaker 2: It's like I can't say the secret lives of Mormon wives, and you can't say Taylor Frankie Paul. Between the two of us, we get it all mixed up.
00:16:52
Speaker 1: Frankie Grande is He's always my go to Frankie. Frankie Grande.
00:16:56
Speaker 3: I don't know why any Taylor, Frankie Paul.
00:16:58
Speaker 1: Miss Paul. Of course, I did an interview this morning. We've just been talking about the other question she was asked for robes. The other major thing was about season five. Season four just dropped of Mormon Wive. Season five is being shot. Production has been shut down. This seems ropes to have been confirmed, but once she was asked about it, she seemed not to know what's going on.
00:17:19
Speaker 2: Well, okay, yes, can I also just say that I took I took issue because for Lara to ask if she could confirm whether or not Secret Lives had actually been shut down or temporarily halted.
00:17:36
Speaker 3: How would ABC not already have that information.
00:17:40
Speaker 2: Disney is the parent company of WHO, so obviously you could have just asked a question based on that known situation that yes, production has been halted, filming has been stopped. So she asks if it's true if the production has been shut down, and this was Taylor's answer, Honestly, I don't call the shots with productions. So as of now, I have gotten word that it also has been paused.
00:18:07
Speaker 3: But I do not call those shots.
00:18:08
Speaker 2: And as far as I know, it was, but I don't know for how long and why. And to Lara's credit, she did say aren't you an executive producer on the show? And then she acted like she didn't know. She just found that out. She didn't even know what that meant. It means more money, and it means you do have some creative control.
00:18:27
Speaker 1: Yes, And who do we talk to recently on the from the show. They were all fighting to get executive producer credits.
00:18:33
Speaker 3: It's a thing, and she obviously had to have known about it. That felt very disingenuous.
00:18:38
Speaker 1: It's me of this matter. If we get to Sunday and the ratings are through the roof or just fine or just a little better than the last premiere, this aems this matter. All this is going to go away. Nobody cares.
00:18:49
Speaker 2: I don't think it's going to go away if the police go forward in their investigation. From what I understand, from what I've read, the police have now given this to the District Attorney's office, to the prosecutor. So if they are looking at the evidence and they are going to decide whether or not to go forward with charges. If police choose not to move forward with charges.
00:19:09
Speaker 3: Who knows what's.
00:19:10
Speaker 2: Going on behind the scene, Then you're right.
00:19:14
Speaker 3: They might be able to get away with this and no one will say another word.
00:19:18
Speaker 1: But if she's not charged, she's in the clear. All good? Is that correct?
00:19:24
Speaker 3: I would say, so you.
00:19:26
Speaker 1: Have how you feeling about watching the show now?
00:19:28
Speaker 2: I feel a little icky about it now. And we talked about this in the previous podcast. I say, if there are no criminal charges, she should be in the clear and they should all hope, they can all hope that this just goes away. But if it's true that her ex has videos or audio and that gets out, it's a whole other ballgame. Everything changes if that comes out.
00:19:51
Speaker 1: They've asked her that question, right, They've asked her. Disney's asked her is there any possible video out there? And if there is, what is it of?
00:20:00
Speaker 3: Can say? Is I don't know, I didn't take a video.
00:20:03
Speaker 1: If she says to them that well she has, what is the question? The question had to have been asked Robes. They are all the stuff is out there and they are full steam ahead. She did a promotional appearance today on Good Morning Freaking.
00:20:16
Speaker 3: America, and she was very nervous and very uncomfortable.
00:20:20
Speaker 1: And she was introduced, here is our new bachelorette, full steam ahead, like none of this even happens.
00:20:28
Speaker 3: So will you watch on Sunday?
00:20:30
Speaker 1: Absolutely not. I'm not a big bat, you know, not a big bachelor, a Bachelor fan. I watched Rachel Lindsay's entire episode, entire season. There was another one that I got drawn into because the GMA once, but it's just not my lane, it's not my thing. It's fine, next set up. This feels it just feels that way, and that's me. That's personal. That's my call. Everybody else still fans of hers and love her. I'm still a fan of hers. We did spend some time with her, we don't know her that well, but we wal away from her not thinking she was a bad person.
00:21:04
Speaker 2: Look, good people have bad moments, so it's not as if this is this. You know, you're not your worst moment or your worst moments. Yes, but I still think, given the role she's taking in the network on this show, I think that the viewing public who wants to be invested in her relationship journey needs to actually understand what happened or didn't happen.
00:21:29
Speaker 3: With her ex you.
00:21:30
Speaker 1: Know what you put it. That was a cool way to put it. You want us to be invested in her. We need to know what we're investing in, and we don't know that yet. And the problem is Robed. It seems like they don't want to tell us, or they don't want us to know, or they're hoping we'll forget about it, or they're saying is not that important.
00:21:49
Speaker 3: Anyway, one of the above.
00:21:51
Speaker 1: Yes, all right, folks, we'll see on Sunday, Hobesiam.
00:21:58
Speaker 3: I'll be watching. Okay, I'll let you know what happens.
00:22:01
Speaker 1: It's Sunday.
00:22:02
Speaker 3: It's Sunday.
00:22:02
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, stip basketball marsh madness.
00:22:04
Speaker 3: Cool, we got more than one tea.
00:22:06
Speaker 1: Oh this works out perfectly actually, all right, folks, we always appreciate you spending some time with us on TJ. Holmes on behalf of my dear Emmy Robock over here. We will talk to y'all soon
Speaker 1: Heather, Folks, it is Wednesday, March eighteenth, that we got an update already to the story that's making headlines all over the place. Taylor Frankie Paul, the new Bachelorette, has done her first sit down interview, first live interview since all these headlines about a domestic violence investigation came out with that welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ robes this. I think the interview is making headlines for what was not asked and what was not said.
00:00:35
Speaker 2: Yes, both of those things are true. Instead of being asked a direct question, she was given the opportunity to respond to the headline surrounding her domestic violence investigation, where police have confirmed that yes, both she and her ex are being criminally investigated, and she basically just talked about how hard it is on her.
00:01:00
Speaker 1: Okay, you've seen a lot of the headlines and it looks like, let's all right, this is where we are. The Bachelorette starts on Sunday. The show has been in the ratings dump for a while. Declines have been happening. Even questions about whether or not this show, the Bachelorette franchise would continue, come in swoop in big announcement Taylor Frankie Paul, a controversial fire brand but also someone popular on another Disney show on Hulu, Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Okay, so that's the setup. This is all important now, Robes. Heading into Sunday, this was her first opportunity to address these questions. Do you want to start with this interview? The questions are the answers.
00:01:44
Speaker 3: Let's start with the question, because that's how it began.
00:01:47
Speaker 1: Let's do that, Robes. All these headlines have been going on. What is question number one? What should question number one? For you? At least I should say have been.
00:01:58
Speaker 2: My first question would be do you think it's appropriate that you are the bachelorette and that people should tune in and watch you look for love while there are now allegations that you are being investigated for domestic violence?
00:02:17
Speaker 1: That's the question. Okay, that's better than one I had. That's the question, ro because you're putting you in a position to now justin why does this make sense? Why should we root for you? That's a good question mine just simply what have been is their truth? Can you absolutely tell us that this did not happen and that moving forward, everybody can feel good rooting about someone that they know there's not going to be a video later coming out of you hitting on someone.
00:02:45
Speaker 2: Absolutely, and the point being is, look, you and I both know and as journalists for the last three decades, I believe you can ask anybody anything if you ask them a question with respective and I also think you have to follow up when people don't give you an answer.
00:03:03
Speaker 3: You can't make somebody answer a question. She didn't have to.
00:03:06
Speaker 2: She can say whatever she wants, but as a journalist, you need to ask the direct question, and when she doesn't give you a response, you have to at least follow up. And I think you can ask her, did you are you being investigated? Why are you being investigated? Did you do anything that could be considered criminal? And she can say I can't say, I can't talk about it, I don't want That's fine, but I still think you need to ask those direct questions.
00:03:33
Speaker 1: That was not the question that was asked. We will let you know. This was done on Good Morning America. This was a five minute segment live in studio. Now, the person handling the interview was not one of your Big two or Big three journalists. I should say your three hosts but it was the she still considered the entertainment anchor.
00:03:51
Speaker 3: I think Lara Lara Spencer.
00:03:53
Speaker 2: We know her well and worked with her for many, many, many years. But yes, I think she is.
00:03:57
Speaker 3: I don't know.
00:03:58
Speaker 2: She's had different titles, official titles, including concer of Good Morning America, but she has been the one who typically handles celebrity entertainment headlines.
00:04:08
Speaker 1: Okay, so this is everyone right, Everyone who has been following this story probably had the same question for her. But this is how Lara chose to ask it. Quote, what do you want to say about the alleged domestic violence incident with your ex boyfriend? What do you want to share with us about this? Okay, that's fine. Robes you and I long time will you and I take the same issue with this. It's open ended. You are getting the option to say whatever you want right now instead of answering a question I have for you.
00:04:44
Speaker 2: Correct And so that is a choice, and that is the decision to not make her feel defensive. So I'm I'm still kind of okay with that, even maybe being the opening.
00:04:56
Speaker 3: But then you have to.
00:04:57
Speaker 2: Have, I believe, as a journalist, follow what questions ready that are direct and targeted when she doesn't give you an answer, C and.
00:05:04
Speaker 1: I and I think with only five minutes and that clock ticking, we don't have time to dance around this. We got to get right to the first question. Hi, thank you for being here. Let's get this out of the way.
00:05:15
Speaker 3: Boom, did you do this?
00:05:17
Speaker 1: It's kind of curiod and not being mean or attacking the woman, but there's a way. This was almost a question, ropes, is there anyone at this point in this country almost more desired to be interviewed that anybody wants to interview than her? And a lot of headlines, this was the opportunity. You and I see this question a little differently, or at least the motivations. I thought this has the writing all over it of pr of being someone getting in Gma and Lara's ear saying we cannot go hard on her.
00:05:48
Speaker 3: Look she teed her up.
00:05:49
Speaker 2: Lara teed up Taylor Frankie Paul to give her prepared statement, that is what happened. That was not a journalism moment, that was a prepared say this, and then Taylor can say.
00:06:03
Speaker 1: That it was a company moment.
00:06:04
Speaker 2: That is what happened, and that is unfortunate because I actually think, and maybe call me crazy, because I agree that this I'm sure was heavily lawyered. I bet you the questions that Lara had, they said, stick exactly to this, and it wasn't even really a question. She didn't what do you want to share with us about this? That Again, she looked.
00:06:24
Speaker 1: Down, Rose, We've been in a plenty. That blue card in her hand that was handed to her by a producer has the person's name, your interviewe's name, their title, and they're one, two, three, four questions written out that you're supposed to ask. Obviously, we never use these. You could take your own liberties. She was looking down, head up and down and read every single word of that first question.
00:06:46
Speaker 3: She absolutely did, you are correct.
00:06:48
Speaker 2: And the problem I look, call me I don't know a purest, but I really actually think that did no one any good. It didn't clear anything up. It made Taylor Frankie Paul look evasive, it made GMA look complicit, and it didn't make anyone look good. I think the best thing to have done, and the right thing to have done, would to have been to ask the tough questions, let Taylor Frankie Paul answer them. However she wants, she can be evasive. But as a news organization, and certainly because your parent company is the one who is putting this show out, don't you even have more of a responsibility to at least try to look like your being transparent.
00:07:32
Speaker 1: That's where I'll take issue. Maybe there's so much money on the line with this franchise and with this particular season they have promoted, they have pushed, they have put her everywhere they can. They are trying to salvage the Bachelorette Season twenty two? Is it that swritheart? This is what that question to me. I was a little shocked that, Wow, they are doubling and tripling down. This is how it felt or sounded like to me that Disney and ABC are trying to salvage this thing, and we are going to stand behind, even quietly if we have to a woman who is right now being investigated for domestic.
00:08:13
Speaker 2: Violence and has already admitted guilt to doing it three years prior.
00:08:17
Speaker 1: Even money.
00:08:18
Speaker 3: Baby, that's shockming, It is shocking.
00:08:20
Speaker 2: And look, I when we when as journalists, when you I have been and I know you have to in booking meetings with folks who are dealing with controversy, and what you what I have said to those folks, and what producers and other folks have said, let us ask you the tough questions. It'll be better for you in the end to know and at least have the viewing audience understand that you sat there and answered tough, real questions that everybody has that didn't occur here. And I just think the viewing public is smarter than a lot of executives. Get them credit for people see through that pr attempt at salvaging I like the word you used, salvaging Taylor, Frankie Paul and more importantly, salvaging the bachelorette for Sunday.
00:09:12
Speaker 1: She's innocent until proven guilty. Is that what we're doing? Course, Okay, she's proven guilty. I don't know Robes this, I said, we're talking about this earth. This steels so weird to me, and this confirmed it all from me.
00:09:24
Speaker 3: She didn't deny.
00:09:25
Speaker 1: It, Robes. She had every opportunity. You know what, share what you want. You also could say this is insane, this crazy story. I don't know where this stuff is coming from. This is wild. My heart isn't a difference. She had an opportunity robes. See, folks, you see what we're talking about. We haven't even gotten into her answer because the answer didn't actually provide answers to the questions that have been in those headlines.
00:09:51
Speaker 2: You know, people go through media training, and clearly she has because she's been using the same word in all of her responses about it being heavy. This is a heavy time. The headlines are heavy. Look, I wish that someone could could give her the guidance to say something more specific. This is deeply personal, This is deeply embarrassing, and I want to work this out in where it belongs, in court or at least through proper proceedings. But this is not something I'm proud of being a part of. Like, just at least give some acknowledgement that she just completely evaded and skipped over everything, including her even acting as if she didn't realize or had just found out she was an executive producer on.
00:10:40
Speaker 3: The show What That?
00:10:42
Speaker 2: And she said that right after she said I'm known for telling my truth, and she kept saying I'm not gonna lie, I'm not gonna lie. Honestly, she it was interesting all the time she used these phrases that to me pointed to the fact that she wasn't being fully honest.
00:10:58
Speaker 1: However, this is working, apparently because overwhelmingly all the headlines today, right yesterday, the day before was about domestic violence investigation. It was all about the X. Today it's heavy. She's hurting Taylor. Frankie Paul says, she's in pain and.
00:11:16
Speaker 3: She feels like it's the end of the world.
00:11:19
Speaker 1: Yes, they are very sympathetic headlines. I am still floored. I would love to hear the answer from someone. It hasn't made sense to me yet the type of crime we're talking about, baby that I don't know why this is a being it's nothing. I guess it's because it's a woman and we should not take it as seriously. If a woman is accused of hitting a man, I guess because Robes, this is nothing to talk about. If this was a man allegedly hit a woman. Few days before the release of.
00:11:56
Speaker 2: The Bachelor, where she's looking to be in a room relationship, that Disney, ABC and Hulu are providing a pool of men for her to date, and they're still okay with putting the show on the air.
00:12:12
Speaker 3: Given the allegations and her past history.
00:12:15
Speaker 1: You've got to help me then, babe, as an exect, what am I missing about this story that they would be comfortable and it's okay, An, it's just an accusation. Can you say that? Do you buy that? Well? The public buy that, say Look, it's just an accusation. So why shouldn't she go forward with the show? Why shouldn't they support her her? It's just an allegation. Seriously, what else can you If it's not about money, then, babe, what you gotta.
00:12:45
Speaker 3: Money is about me? It's about money.
00:12:49
Speaker 1: Enough so that a domestic violence allegation is not enough for us to step away.
00:12:55
Speaker 3: Apparently it isn't I am at this point, let's okay.
00:12:58
Speaker 1: Give the verbatim. The question here was from Lara Sentel saying, what do you want to share with us? And this was a word for word the answer that Frankie take.
00:13:08
Speaker 2: Time, Taylor, Frankie Paul, Taylor, Frankie Paul said this, Honestly, it's been a heavy time. I see the headlines, especially during this time of The Bachelorette being released, and it's supposed to be a really exciting time. I'm a person that will always speak my truth. It's what I'm known for. And so when the time is right, I will be. But right now just trying to be in the present moment and focus on things. But the thing is, my kids do come first. My kids come first. And so it's been like just a back and forth process, trying to be in the present moment, worrying about headlines. It's been stressful, to be honest, and look, she went straight for this is so hard for me and then went straight to my kids come first. And I just for me, that just does not ring true because she's not acknowledging the allegations. And if for kids really did come first, how does she explain what this is all about.
00:14:03
Speaker 1: I don't want to take that away from her. I'm sure she feels that her kids come first. I don't want to get in her head like that and do that kind of thing.
00:14:08
Speaker 3: I think she's using it as a shield though.
00:14:10
Speaker 1: Right now, and again, I am trying to We've seen this million times. It's hard to suggest or see anything other than what you're saying. Because this is a p I am blown. I I guess I'm supposed to understand. I shouldn't be surprised. I am in rome. Maybe I need to back it off. And we need to back it off. And maybe it's a little too personal for us, but this place wouldn't have a conversation with us based on something that wasn't true that the public was saying about us. It wasn't true, and enough people were saying it and laughing about her, and it was talked about on Twitter that they would not stand by morally.
00:14:48
Speaker 3: Us and it wasn't even criminal.
00:14:51
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, don't even get forget that.
00:14:55
Speaker 3: Yes, yes, maybe it is personal for us. Why wouldn't it be.
00:14:59
Speaker 2: Why shouldn't it be, But why shouldn't we be able to say, oh, in this case, it's okay, but in that case, like.
00:15:05
Speaker 1: It's I am trying. But that's the thing, bait. I don't want to do that thing. So I'm trying to check myself in this moment and not just say well this does so, why you do this? That's not it. I am honestly trying to understand why somebody who has a domestic violence conviction and is accused of another domestic violence incident is.
00:15:26
Speaker 2: Being embraced, supported, put allowed to explain.
00:15:33
Speaker 1: Pedestal complicit was the right word. They are helping her along, only I guess to get the Sunday Robes, And to think that Disney is sitting down with someone who's dealing with this accusation saying, let's move forward, let's go rogues. I don't understand that if somebody looks at me say TJ, it's just about money, then okay, I would actually we'll say okay, fine.
00:16:01
Speaker 3: But they're never gonna admit that.
00:16:02
Speaker 1: But otherwise, babe, how do you make sense of that?
00:16:05
Speaker 3: You can't.
00:16:05
Speaker 1: A Disney exact needs to say, yes, we're aware of these allegations right now, we're gonna let that play out, but we're.
00:16:12
Speaker 3: Moving Say something to me, say something, all right.
00:16:15
Speaker 1: But that wasn't the only answer she gave. Stay here, we'll tell you what her answer was. To the other headline about the Mormon Wives shutting down production right now. Her answer was, continuing now here on this that's kind of an unexpected robes. This is this is two Frankie Taylor, Paul. Frankie Paul Taylor, Franky Paul.
00:16:45
Speaker 2: It's like I can't say the secret lives of Mormon wives, and you can't say Taylor Frankie Paul. Between the two of us, we get it all mixed up.
00:16:52
Speaker 1: Frankie Grande is He's always my go to Frankie. Frankie Grande.
00:16:56
Speaker 3: I don't know why any Taylor, Frankie Paul.
00:16:58
Speaker 1: Miss Paul. Of course, I did an interview this morning. We've just been talking about the other question she was asked for robes. The other major thing was about season five. Season four just dropped of Mormon Wive. Season five is being shot. Production has been shut down. This seems ropes to have been confirmed, but once she was asked about it, she seemed not to know what's going on.
00:17:19
Speaker 2: Well, okay, yes, can I also just say that I took I took issue because for Lara to ask if she could confirm whether or not Secret Lives had actually been shut down or temporarily halted.
00:17:36
Speaker 3: How would ABC not already have that information.
00:17:40
Speaker 2: Disney is the parent company of WHO, so obviously you could have just asked a question based on that known situation that yes, production has been halted, filming has been stopped. So she asks if it's true if the production has been shut down, and this was Taylor's answer, Honestly, I don't call the shots with productions. So as of now, I have gotten word that it also has been paused.
00:18:07
Speaker 3: But I do not call those shots.
00:18:08
Speaker 2: And as far as I know, it was, but I don't know for how long and why. And to Lara's credit, she did say aren't you an executive producer on the show? And then she acted like she didn't know. She just found that out. She didn't even know what that meant. It means more money, and it means you do have some creative control.
00:18:27
Speaker 1: Yes, And who do we talk to recently on the from the show. They were all fighting to get executive producer credits.
00:18:33
Speaker 3: It's a thing, and she obviously had to have known about it. That felt very disingenuous.
00:18:38
Speaker 1: It's me of this matter. If we get to Sunday and the ratings are through the roof or just fine or just a little better than the last premiere, this aems this matter. All this is going to go away. Nobody cares.
00:18:49
Speaker 2: I don't think it's going to go away if the police go forward in their investigation. From what I understand, from what I've read, the police have now given this to the District Attorney's office, to the prosecutor. So if they are looking at the evidence and they are going to decide whether or not to go forward with charges. If police choose not to move forward with charges.
00:19:09
Speaker 3: Who knows what's.
00:19:10
Speaker 2: Going on behind the scene, Then you're right.
00:19:14
Speaker 3: They might be able to get away with this and no one will say another word.
00:19:18
Speaker 1: But if she's not charged, she's in the clear. All good? Is that correct?
00:19:24
Speaker 3: I would say, so you.
00:19:26
Speaker 1: Have how you feeling about watching the show now?
00:19:28
Speaker 2: I feel a little icky about it now. And we talked about this in the previous podcast. I say, if there are no criminal charges, she should be in the clear and they should all hope, they can all hope that this just goes away. But if it's true that her ex has videos or audio and that gets out, it's a whole other ballgame. Everything changes if that comes out.
00:19:51
Speaker 1: They've asked her that question, right, They've asked her. Disney's asked her is there any possible video out there? And if there is, what is it of?
00:20:00
Speaker 3: Can say? Is I don't know, I didn't take a video.
00:20:03
Speaker 1: If she says to them that well she has, what is the question? The question had to have been asked Robes. They are all the stuff is out there and they are full steam ahead. She did a promotional appearance today on Good Morning Freaking.
00:20:16
Speaker 3: America, and she was very nervous and very uncomfortable.
00:20:20
Speaker 1: And she was introduced, here is our new bachelorette, full steam ahead, like none of this even happens.
00:20:28
Speaker 3: So will you watch on Sunday?
00:20:30
Speaker 1: Absolutely not. I'm not a big bat, you know, not a big bachelor, a Bachelor fan. I watched Rachel Lindsay's entire episode, entire season. There was another one that I got drawn into because the GMA once, but it's just not my lane, it's not my thing. It's fine, next set up. This feels it just feels that way, and that's me. That's personal. That's my call. Everybody else still fans of hers and love her. I'm still a fan of hers. We did spend some time with her, we don't know her that well, but we wal away from her not thinking she was a bad person.
00:21:04
Speaker 2: Look, good people have bad moments, so it's not as if this is this. You know, you're not your worst moment or your worst moments. Yes, but I still think, given the role she's taking in the network on this show, I think that the viewing public who wants to be invested in her relationship journey needs to actually understand what happened or didn't happen.
00:21:29
Speaker 3: With her ex you.
00:21:30
Speaker 1: Know what you put it. That was a cool way to put it. You want us to be invested in her. We need to know what we're investing in, and we don't know that yet. And the problem is Robed. It seems like they don't want to tell us, or they don't want us to know, or they're hoping we'll forget about it, or they're saying is not that important.
00:21:49
Speaker 3: Anyway, one of the above.
00:21:51
Speaker 1: Yes, all right, folks, we'll see on Sunday, Hobesiam.
00:21:58
Speaker 3: I'll be watching. Okay, I'll let you know what happens.
00:22:01
Speaker 1: It's Sunday.
00:22:02
Speaker 3: It's Sunday.
00:22:02
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, stip basketball marsh madness.
00:22:04
Speaker 3: Cool, we got more than one tea.
00:22:06
Speaker 1: Oh this works out perfectly actually, all right, folks, we always appreciate you spending some time with us on TJ. Holmes on behalf of my dear Emmy Robock over here. We will talk to y'all soon