Juan Pablo Galavis Says a Gay Bachelor Would Not Be a "Good Example for Kids"

Reality star made the comments to The TV Page on Friday, Jan. 17

By Jordana Ossad Jan 18, 2014 7:30 PMTags
THE BACHELOR, Juan Pablo GalavisABC/Craig Sjodin

The Bachelor's Juan Pablo Galavis offered a very candid answer when he was asked his thoughts about the possibility of a gay bachelor starring on the ABC hit reality series.

"I respect [gay people], but I honestly don't think it is a good example for kids to watch that on TV," the former Venezuelan soccer star told The TV Page on Friday, Jan. 17 at a network party in Pasadena, Calif.

"Obviously people have their husband and wife and kids and that is how we are brought up," Galavis says in an audio recording. "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 single dad to daughter Camilla added that he "respects" gay couples and their desires "to have kids," as well as they are "more pervert in a sense."

"They want to be parents," the first Latino bachelor added. "So it is a scale. Where do you put it on the scale? Where is the thin line to cross or not? You have to respect everybody's desires and way of living. But it would be too hard for TV."

In a joint statement, ABC and the show's producers said: "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."

—Additional reporting by Kristin Dos Santos