Lee Garrett describes himself as a “romantic” on “The Bachelorette” web page. (ABC)
ABC’s newest season of “The Bachelorette” features the first Black lead, but one of her potential suitors might be a network plant cast solely to boost ratings.
Lee Garrett, a 30-year-old Nashville resident, describes himself as “pleasantly offensive” on his Twitter biography. But if some of his tweets from the past two years are to be believed, he is more than that — much more.
A screenshot of one of his tweets, posted by a Twitter user named Erika from his now-private account, takes aim at the NAACP.
Hooooooo boy! @BacheloretteABC @TheRachLindsay #TheBachelorette pic.twitter.com/cGMy6hFJh3
— Erika (@emesola) May 31, 2017
And there are others that disparage Black political organizations.
Garrett also purportedly spewed hateful tweets about women, Islam, Muslims and the LGBT community.
The tweets, which ABC has declined to comment on, have led to speculation about why ABC included someone who is supposedly a bigot in a competition featuring a Black potential suitor.
because it will certainly be quite a moment if he's confronted with these tweets
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) May 31, 2017
I’ve never seen the bachelor but I swear this is the first time I’ve seen reports of so many weirdos!! I think ABC is trolling Rachel!
— j’dan (@JessicaSaxena) May 31, 2017
One called for ABC to nix Garett from the competition.
@Leegarrett_ Doesn't belong on @BacheloretteABC if he's an openly racist misogynist. You got your chuckles @ABCNetwork, now get rid of him
— Gee (@WhoMadeMeMommy) May 31, 2017
