Note: The following story contains spoilers from “The Golden Bachelor” Season 2, Episode 1.
While “The Golden Bachelor” Mel Owens apologized for his disparaging remarks about women over 60, the women he’ll be courting on the ABC reality dating show took him to task for it in the first episode of his season.
The premiere of “The Golden Bachelor” Season 2 addressed Owens’ past comments that he would be cutting any women over 60 from his season in the first minutes of the episode, with the former football star admitting he was wrong and thoroughly apologizing for the harm he caused.
With the apology to “Bachelor” nation out of the way, the premiere still saw Owens thrown a number of references to his comments as the women of “The Golden Bachelor” arrived to the “Bachelor” mansion. The comments were kicked off by the second woman to arrive, 71-year-old Diane, who used her background in hockey to make a jab at Owens’ remarks.
“I got to ask you, what the puck was that interview about on that podcast?” Diane asked, to which Owens responded, “I sincerely apologize — it was unfair, unkind,” before asking for a second chance, to which Diane agreed.
Diane wasn’t the only woman to bring up Owens’ remarks, with another 71-year-old, Terri, using her dental assistant puppet to joke that the leading man wasn’t expecting all these women over 60 who “look so hot,” before the puppet hit Owens. “That was for all women over 60 because he’s never been exposed to women like us,” Terri said.
Owens’ “over 60” remark was used by a handful of other women arriving to the mansion as a form of empowerment on this stage of their lives. “We show the world that people over 6o can continue being fun and funny and have fire inside,” Alexandra said.
Once inside with all the women, Owens made a formal apology and called his comments “insensitive” and “unfair.” “I hope you forgive me and let me earn it back,” he said, which the women appreciated it. “Age is just a number and spirit has no age.”
Owens went on with his evening with chats with the women, and ultimately decided to give his first impression rose to Gerri, a 64-year-old from Rockville, Maryland, who owns and runs a home care agency that she started with her late husband. During their chat, Gerri showed Owens her journal and the pair bonded over their love for their children.
“Gerri made a huge impression on me with her story and sincerity and her love of life, and what she done and her kids,” Owens told TheWrap. “It made a big impression on me … I still remember [it] today, so there’s a lasting impression as well.”
“The Golden Bachelor” airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.
