Bachelor creator Mike Fleiss is looking to rent out his sprawling Malibu home for a whopping $65,000 a month.
Over the years, the 60-year-old TV executive, who departed The Bachelor franchise after 21 years at its helm in 2023, has previously attempted to sell the property and had it on the rental market for $75,000 a month.
Back in 2018, he listed the Mediterranean California ranch-style home, which he bought for $13.8 million in 2013, for $18.75 million, according to Architectural Digest.
The four-bedroom residence spans ‘4,054 square feet’ and sits on ‘over one acre of land—that includes more than 100 feet of south-facing bluff overlooking secluded Dume Cove.’
Per AD, the home includes a media lounge, fire pit, a massive swimming pool with a waterfall and an ocean-view bedroom.
Bachelor creator Mike Fleiss is looking to rent out his sprawling Malibu home for a whopping $65,000 a month
Fleiss’ home, which has views of the ocean and Santa Monica mountains, is set on top of a bluff and located behind a gate.
Some of the property’s amenities include lofty ceilings, a fireplace in the living room, walk-in closets and a private sauna.
Other features include a media room/library and a mud room.
Additionally, the renter or future owner will have the ability to park up to six cars and beach access.
Fleiss is best known for creating the long-running reality series The Bachelor, which debuted back in 2002.
Last year, he departed from the iconic franchise as a result of an investigation over claims of racial discrimination.
Although the producer spun his departure as his own choice and seemed upbeat about the move, sources told Variety, at the time, that an investigation into his conduct had been launched after several employees who worked on shows in the franchise complained about his behavior.
Sources said that producers accused him of carrying on ‘bullying’ behavior behind the scenes of the show, and they said he had shot down their suggestions for more racial diversity to the usually lily-white cast.
Over the years, the 60-year-old TV executive, who previously put the $75,000 a month on the rental market, has also attempted to sell the property
Back in 2018, he listed the Mediterranean California ranch-style home, which he bought for $13.8 million in 2013, for $18.75 million, according to Architectural Digest
The four-bedroom residence spans ‘4,054 square feet’ and sits on ‘over one acre of land—that includes more than 100 feet of south-facing bluff overlooking secluded Dume Cove’
Per AD, the home includes a media lounge, fire pit, a massive swimming pool and an ocean-view bedroom
In an email statement to the publication, Fleiss admitted that he ‘could have done more’ without admitting to the more serious contentions, and he said he hopes the series will ‘continue to move in the right direction.’
Sources familiar with the investigation into Fleiss’ conduct said that it was conducted by Warner Bros. TV, and it was launched after multiple employees complained about him to the human resources department.
The investigation was handled by an outside party over the past few months, and once it began, producers currently working on the show and former production staff members were interviewed.
Notably, the people interviewed weren’t just less-senior individuals, but also high-profile producers who had worked on The Bachelor, as well as its sibling reality shows The Bachelorette and Bachelor In Paradise.
The investigation was apparently unfavorable to Fleiss, and he reportedly left as a result of it.
Producers described a tense atmosphere when the creator was around, and they accused him of ‘bullying’ his co-workers while putting his foot down when it came to attempts to add more people of color to various Bachelor franchise casts.
According to the sources, Fleiss would shut down suggestions from other staff and then ‘lash out’ against them.
‘People said he would retaliate against people for having minorities and Black people on the show. He favored certain people over other people,’ one person familiar with the investigation said.
‘He would say, “Minorities don’t get ratings.”‘
Fleiss contract with Warner Bros. was up for renewal in late 2022, around when the investigation reportedly began. Although there was apparently talk of trying to make a new deal with him, the material that came up in the investigation put an end to those talks.
Fleiss is best known for creating the long-running reality series The Bachelor, which debuted back in 2002 (pictured in 2014)
Employees were reportedly not notified about Fleiss’ impending departure, and the announcement took some of them by surprise.
Adding to the confusion was the fact that many people working on Bachelor shows were not even aware that the investigation was ongoing
Some people involved with the show had better relationships with Fleiss, and they claimed to be unaware of the complaints about him, with two production staff members saying they were ‘shocked’ to learn of the allegations.
They described Fleiss as being a racially inclusive leader, and they denied ever seeing discrimination in the workplace.
‘I’ve been there almost since the beginning. It’s been fantastic,’ said one person described as a ‘high-level crew member. ‘I found him really supportive and really creative and collaborative. Nothing negative at all. He’s all the things you’d want in a showrunner and boss. I don’t have a bad thing to say about him, and it’s upsetting to hear that others do.’
An EP on The Bachelor, someone who would have been closer to Fleiss rank behind the scenes, claimed he had been ‘nothing but respectful.’
‘He asks everybody’s opinion. I’ve never seen any racist behavior from him. He’s never discriminatory to anyone on the staff. I’m just perplexed where these allegations are coming from,’ they said.
‘Mike does get heated in creative discussions,’ they conceded. ‘But it’s because he’s passionate about the show and constantly wanting what’s best for our audience. I’ve been with him for 22 years. If anyone is saying he’s a bully, it’s just because he’s passionate about the show. I’ve never witnessed him bully another person.’
Last year, he departed from the iconic franchise as a result of an investigation over claims of racial discrimination
The same producer credited Fleiss for promoting Jodi Baskerville, a Black longtime producer on The Bachelor, to an executive producer role.
‘Mike was instrumental in promoting an African American woman into the executive producer position. To me, there is proof that he was trying to diversity our show,’ they said.
However, Fleiss’ move came just months after The Bachelor was engulfed in a controversy over racist actions of contestant Rachael Kirkconnell, who had already been selected by star Matt James — who is Black.
The controversy eventually led to host Chris Harrison being booted from the series for defending her comments. Kirkconnell, who apologized for tasteless social media posts and for attending a Greek party at a plantation, initially split from James, though the two later reconciled and revived their relationship.
The Bachelor first aired in 2002, and female-led Bachelorette followed in 2003, but it was until until 2017 that a person of color led one of the shows.
Rachel Lindsay was cast as the lead in The Bachelorette that year, but it would still be four more years before the first person of color — Matt James — was named as the star of the flagship series.
The Bachelor first aired in 2002, and female-led Bachelorette followed in 2003, but it was until until 2017 that a person of color led one of the shows (Joey Graziadei seen on season 28 of The Bachelor)
The Bachelor series later spawned multiple spinoffs, including the female-fronted Bachelorette and Bachelor In Paradise (seen above)
Two more women of color have since led The Bachelorette, and Charity Lawson, who is Black, will become the fourth person of color on the show when her season airs in the summer.
So far, James remains the only person of color to lead The Bachelor.
Many staffers on The Bachelor franchise were reportedly shocked that Fleiss wasn’t fired from the show after he was investigated in 2009 for assaulting his then-wife Laura Kaeppeler at their Hawaii home while she was pregnant.
He had reportedly grown furious with her after learning that she had gotten pregnant, as he did not want her to have another child.
Although security cameras at the home appeared to capture the fight, he denied it and said that she had been the aggressor.
Kaeppeler later retracted her claims after the couple arrived at a divorce settlement.
