As ‘Bachelor’ race issues linger, Jenn Tran, its 1st Asian American lead, is ready for her moment

Associated Press

Jenn Tran cannot escape thinking about being the first Asian lead in the history of “The Bachelor” franchise — not that she wants to. Despite being the subject of racist online vitriol, the new “Bachelorette” is looking forward to introducing viewers to her Vietnamese American family and heritage. Her debut could bring more audience members of color to a reality TV show that has a history of clumsily dealing with issues involving race and Asian cultures. Her season doesn’t debut on ABC until Monday but it’s already received some criticism for having few suitors of Asian descent. Tran herself embraces her unconventional search for love as an opportunity to share her bicultural upbringing.