So, word on the street — I mean, the internet — is that when the upcoming season of “The Bachelorette” starts, it will do some filming in Chattanooga.
(SPOILER): We might not have a “Bachelorette” chosen yet, but I can confirm one US city they are headed to when next season begins filming: Chattanooga, TN! The “Bachelorette” will be all up inside you towards the end of March. There will def be a public date to attend as well.
— RealitySteve (@RealitySteve) February 27, 2020
Chloé here, and I have to come clean — I’ve never watched “The Bachelor’’ or “The Bachelorette.” But last year 8 million people watched the last episode of “The Bachelor” and 7.4 million people watched “The Bachelorette,” finale, according to Variety.
So, clearly, this is big news, and I have my fair share of reality-show guilty pleasures, so I can understand the thrill.
We haven’t been able to independently confirm any additional details about “The Bachelorette,” and we’ll work on it, but this got me thinking about some of the times Chattanooga has been featured on reality shows.
In fact, ICYMI, Chattanooga restaurant Blue Orleans was on the Food Network last week.
So it seemed like the perfect time to highlight our city’s top moments on the small screen.
📺 “Restaurant Impossible”
Last Thursday, Blue Orleans owners Mike Adams and Cherita Bloodwirth — a married couple going through a divorce and struggling to keep the Market Street restaurant afloat — appeared on the Food Network’s “Restaurant Impossible.” In the show, celebrity chef Robert Irvine comes in and helps turn floundering eateries around.
Blue Orleans got a makeover, recipe tips, service advice and a bit of family counseling. Irvine said this experience gives him hope. The Times Free Press has a recap of what happened or you can still watch online. And let’s go out and support them, y’all. See you there.
📺 “Teen Mom/Teen Mom OG”
So this is more my jam. Chattanooga’s Maci Bookout was one of the original cast members of MTV’s “16 and Pregnant,” and she’s continued with the Teen Mom spin-offs. It’s always cool to see local spots, like the Riverfront and downtown restaurants, on MTV. And Maci has overcome a lot while in the public eye. Now, she’s a published author, and she and husband Taylor have their own clothing line, which they launched with the help of local business resources. Chattanooga does support its entrepreneurs.
📺 Paycheck to Paycheck
This is a documentary that’s now available on Hulu and it’s a must-see.
In 2014, Maria Shriver — an Emmy-winning journalist, six-time New York Times bestselling author and niece of President John F. Kennedy-produced the HBO documentary “Paycheck to Paycheck: The Life and Times of Katrina Gilbert,” which features the local single mother.
The doc sheds light on the struggles of single mothers who are raising families on poverty wages. After the documentary, Gilbert went on to get her college degree. If you want to be inspired, give this a watch.
📺 “Cops”
Chattanooga has been on “Cops” several times and as recently as last year. You can watch it here and read more here.
