Outrage as star of the Bachelor says gay people should NOT be allowed on hit television show and calls homosexuals perverted



Comments were made during a 'network' party in Pasadena Friday



Juan Pablo Galavis, 32, who is The Bachelor's first Latino bachelor said he didn't think gays or bisexuals would be good examples for kids

His remarks come as ABC is poised to add another two hours of The Bachelor each week starting Sunday

Galavis has now apologized claiming his remarks were taken out of context

He has attempted to excuse himself stating English is his second language



The star of ABC's The Bachelor has sparked widespread outrage by calling gay people perverted and saying they should not be allowed on the hit reality show.

Juan Pablo Galavis, 32, was asked about his views on having a bisexual or gay version of the popular program when he candidly declared that a homosexual version of The Bachelor would not be a good idea.

TV bosses have been quick to respond calling his comments 'careless, thoughtless and insensitive'.



Scroll down to listen to the interview...



On the record: Juan Pablo Galavis, the 32-year-old star of The Bachelor who also appeared on the most recent season of The Bachelorette, made the remarks in an interview



Strange views: ABC's latest Bachelor says he doesn't think that there should be a gay or bisexual on the broadcast reality television show and described gays as 'more pervert in a sense'

At a 'network party' on Friday night in Pasadena, California, Mr Galavis was asked for his thoughts on allowing gay people onto the show.

Mr Galavis, reportedly told The TV Page's Sean Daly in a radio interview: 'No... I respect [gay people] but, honestly, I don't think it's a good example for kids...'

'Obviously people have their husband and wife and kids and that is how we are brought up. Now there is fathers having kids and all that, and it is hard for me to understand that too in the sense of a household having peoples… Two parents sleeping in the same bed and the kid going into bed… It is confusing in a sense.'

The off-color remarks made by Mr Galavis, who is the show's first Latino bachelor, didn't end there as he continued airing his conservative views.

'There's this thing about gay people... it seems to me, and I don't know if I'm mistaken or not... but they're more 'pervert' in a sense. And to me the show would be too strong... too hard to watch.'

Outnumbered: Juan Pablo Galavis is the first Hispanic to lead the love charge on The Bachelor, but he doesn't feel the show has room for gays

The single dad, who has been known to duck out of dates to spend time with his four-year-old daughter Camila, attempted to justify his comments by stating that he has many gay friends and co-workers.



In the run-up to this season's The Bachelor, fans of Juan Pablo Galavis were calling him 'Juan-in-a-million' and 'Juan-derful. They may now be questioning their judgement.

Galavis' legions of fans pushed back against the avalanche of criticism, accusing his detractors of misinterpreting the reality star's comments and censuring him for merely expressing his personal views.



Damian Holbrook, senior writer for TV Guide Magazine who happens to be gay, came to Galavis' defense Saturday afternoon, posting a photo of himself in the company of the hunky 32-year-old.

'@JuanPaGalavis groped me last night. He does NOT have a problem with gays, Holbrook wrote in the message, which Galavis himself later retweeted to his 219,300 followers.



ABC, Warner Horizon and The Bachelor executive producers issued a statement on Saturday afternoon slamming Mr Galavis’ statements.

'Juan Pablo’s comments were careless, thoughtless and insensitive, and in no way reflect the views of the network, the show’s producers or studio,' the statement read.



Apology: Pablo Galavis has said sorry to anyone that he has offended. 'If you listen to the entire interview, there's nothing but respect for Gay people and their families' he says

Some of my best friends are gay: Galavis was asked whether ABC should have a gay or bisexual bachelor on the show. 'No,' Pablo Galavis responded. 'I don't think it's a good example for kids to watch that on TV. It's hard, it's hard, it's a very thin line.'

Response: ABC, Warner Horizon and The Bachelor executive producers just issued a statement slamming Bachelor star Juan Pablo Galavis¿ statements. They say his comments were 'careless, thoughtless and insensitive'

They're always "sorry" after the fact. Yawn. RT @NewsBreaker: HE'S SORRY: ABC's 'Bachelor' Juan Pablo Galavis apologizes for anti-gay remark — Brianne (@briannechantal) January 18, 2014

'Bachelor's Juan Pablo Galavis: Gays Should Not Be On The Bachelor- Did this idiot not hear about Duck Dynasty?! http://t.co/vWrFNiyLNX — Dean Obeidallah (@Deanofcomedy) January 18, 2014

WELCOME TO THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY JUAN PABLO GALAVIS AND SHERRI SHEPHERD ABC's 'Bachelor' Juan Pablo Galavis... http://t.co/faE5tr5yFd — Del Shores (@DelShores) January 18, 2014

Not a fan of the new Bachelor Juan Pablo Galavis anymore after his recent homophobic remarks. Not cool. http://t.co/Y42kPTJVgB — Jake Updegraff (@OnAirJake) January 18, 2014





The insensitive comments come just as ABC appears to be throwing it weight behind Mr Galavis and the long-running television show.

He is one the networks' most popular stars in some time having reinvigorated the Bachelor franchise, now in its 18th season.

Supporter: Damian Holbrook, senior writer for TV Guide Magazine who happens to be gay, came to Galavis' defense, posting this photo of himself in the company of the hunky 32-year-old

ABC has even been airing Bachelor specials in addition to the regular episodes with the channel added two more hours of The Bachelor a week to take advantage of promising viewing figures that have been generated so far this season.

Pablo Galavis has released a statement on his Facebook page saying the interview takes his remarks out of context.

'I want to apologize to all the people I may have offended because of my comments on having a Gay or Bisexual Bachelor.



The comment was taken out of context. If you listen to the entire interview, there's nothing but respect for Gay people and their families. I have many gay friends and one of my closest friends who's like a brother has been a constant in my life especially during the past 5 months.

The word pervert was not what I meant to say and I am very sorry about it. Everyone knows English is my second language and my vocabulary is not as broad as it is in Spanish and, because of this, sometimes I use the wrong words to express myself.



What I meant to say was that gay people are more affectionate and intense and for a segment of the TV audience this would be too racy to accept.



The show is very racy as it is and I don't let my five-year-old daughter watch it. Once again, I'm sorry for how my words were taken. I would never disrespect anyone.'

Outspoken: The Venezuelan former footballer said he felt that gay people were more 'pevert'



Impressionable: It makes one wonder whether the 32-year-old reality star is teaching this 'culture' to his four-year-old daughter Camila with ex-girlfriend, Carla Rodriguez

On Facebook, Galavis’ mea culpa has received a mixed response, with some of his supporters blaming the media for stirring up controversy.

Most commenters, however, blasted Galavis for his perceived bigotry and homophobia.



'What a jerk you are,' one Michael Shockley wrote on Galavis' Facebook page. 'The bachelor makes a joke out of love and marriage in the first place. I think it is confusing for a kid to see the bachelor.'



User Sean Riley called out the single father as a hypocrite who espouses traditional family values while dating 20 women at once on TV ‘for money.’



In a brutal takedown of Galavis, The Salt Lake Tribune TV critic Scott D. Pierce went even farther, calling the Bachelor 'a big, stinkin' homophobe' and a 'narrow-minded bigot.'



Pierce also took issue with Galavis' apology, in which he insisted that he does not hold homophobic views because he has many gay friends. '



'Which is sort of like a racial bigot insisting that he has black friends,' Pierce wrote.



Mixed messages: Facebook user Sean Riley posted this graphic calling out the single father as a hypocrite who espouses traditional family values while dating 20 women at once on TV 'for money'

Pierce reported that in an amusing twist, on the day of the fateful party in Pasadena, TV critics staying at the Langham Hotel had roses delivered to their rooms with an attached card that read: 'Will you accept this rose? - Juan Pablo.'



'It was delivered to both the female and male critics,' Pierce wrote. 'Galavis must be horrified.'

As a single father, Juan Pablo is looking for not just someone to be his wife, but also someone to be a mother to his daughter Camila.



He explained: ‘I'm going to find hopefully the person who is going to join me and my daughter. That's what I'm looking for.’

Juan Pablo quickly became a fan favorite thanks during last years The Bachelorette to his clear devotion to his four-year-old



'It's a great responsibility because I am going to find hopefully the person who is going to be with me and my daughter,' he said.

Critics wasted no time drawing comparisons between Galavis, the suave serial dater, to Phil Robertson, the rugged star of the popular A&E show Duck Dynasty.



The bearded patriarch of the Robertson clan from Louisiana caused a monumental uproar when he equated homosexuals with terrorists, prostitutes and people who engage in bestiality in an interview with GQ magazine for the January issue.



Following a brief suspension, Phil was reinstated on the show just in time for the premiere of season 5 this week.



However, Mr Robertson’s anti-gay remarks may have done their damage, as the hit show, once considered the single most popular reality program on TV, had a 28 per cent drop in ratings compared to the debut of season 4 last year.

