The Bachelor alum Arie Luyendyk Jr. is apologizing for an April Fool’s Day joke many deemed insensitive and unkind.
Luyendyk Jr. found himself on the wrong end of Bachelor Nation Sunday when he tweeted out a photo of a pregnant belly, saying it was that of fiancée Lauren Burnham.
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“Secrets finally out, we have a bunny in the oven!” he tweeted alongside the picture. Soon after, he followed up with “APRIL FOOLS!”
But many thought the 36-year-old was being insensitive to women who have struggled to get and stay pregnant.
The day after his joke didn’t go over so well, the reality personality tweeted an apology.
“I do have sympathy for women struggling from infertility,” he wrote. “My April Fools prank was in no way meant to offend women who struggle with that. I apologize if you were effected personally by my post.”
I do have sympathy for women struggling from infertility. My April Fools prank was in no way meant to offend women who struggle with that. I apologize if you were effected personally by my post.
— Arie Luyendyk Jr. (@ariejr) April 2, 2018
Some fans, however, thought the race car driver didn’t need to apologize for the prank.
Don’t apologize. You can’t say a thing without offending someone these days. Stand by your words and actions. Your joke was harmless and cute.
— SaltnSnowgirl (@NickersonCarney) April 2, 2018
Very sad anyone would have reacted that way. I struggled with that, never had a child, but laughed when I saw that. I wish the US wasn’t so knee-jerk reactive. Enjoy your new life together!!💑
— Laurie Wiegler (@WriterWeegs) April 2, 2018
Don’t worry about it. Anything you do is gonna be an issue. Let the haters hate and dont explain yourself. People have been doing that prank for years on end on April Fools. All of a sudden now there is a sensitivity issue.
— Jenn (@DeplorableJenn_) April 2, 2018
Others didn’t think the apology counted for much.
“I’m sorry if”
“I’m sorry you”
And “I’m sorry but”Those are 100% the wrong ways to apologize. They don’t accept accountability & they place the blame on someone else.
Your “joke” is my living nightmare, and it is more painful with each baby I have lost.
— Maria Ross (@MariaIbarra38) April 2, 2018
This isn’t an apology, it’s damage control proven by fact you took ~20 hours before posting it. Intelligence is shown by understanding when a joke is inappropriate – you demonstrated you are not smart enough to understand your lack of intelligence.
— James G. St. John (@JGStJohn) April 2, 2018
One thing is for certain, however. Luyendyk Jr. will most likely think twice before any April Fool’s Day prank in the future.
Photo credit: ABC
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