SPOILER ALERT: This article contains mild spoilers for the Season 2 premiere of ABC’s “The Golden Bachelor.”
“Golden Bachelor” star Mel Owens came face-to-face with the women vying for his heart during Wednesday night’s Season 2 premiere. While many of the contestants used their brief one-on-one time to share personal stories, several also took the opportunity to confront the former NFL player-turned-lawyer about controversial age comments he made during a podcast appearance.
Back in June, Owens said on the “In the Trenches” podcast that he would “cut” any contestant over the age of 60 in the latest season of “The Golden Bachelor.”
“It’s blind up until they get out of the limo. But they asked me, ‘What’s your preferences?’ So, I just said 45 to 60, just being honest,” Owens said. “And then the process went, and I was selected, right? And then we had lunch with the executive producer. I said, ‘You know, if they’re 60 or over, I’m cutting them.’ ‘Oh Mel, you can’t, you know, this is not the ‘Silver Bachelor.’ It’s the ‘Golden Bachelor.’ He goes, ‘but they’re going to be hot, don’t worry about it. Don’t worry about it.’”
Owens also expressed that he expects all the contestants to be in good shape, saying on the podcast: “I had no resume, but they asked me, what is my, like, my profile? Well, they got to be fit because I stay in shape, should work out and stuff. And I told them, you know, try to stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs, you know, that kind of stuff.”
The “Golden Bachelor” Season 2 premiere opened with Owens addressing the controversy surrounding the remarks he made on the “In the Trenches” podcast.
“I’m excited to meet the women, but I’m nervous the women are gonna have misconceptions about me,” Owens said before talking about the podcast itself. “They ask me, like, ‘What’s your preferences?’ So I just said, ’45 to 60.’ I told ’em, you know, try to stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs.”
He added, “I messed up. I was wrong. I replay it in my head a lot. I have regrets, and I’m sorry for all the things I’ve said on the podcast. I know what a lot of people are thinking about me, but that’s not who I am.”
Later, during the one-on-one introductions, Diane, a 71-year-old librarian who plays women’s hockey, said to Owens, “And you know what, Mel? I gotta ask you. What the puck was that interview about on that podcast?”
Owens apologized to Diane, saying, “It was unfair, unkind. Will you give me a second chance and let me earn it back?”
“Stick with me,” Diane replied with a smile, “I’ll keep you out of the penalty box.”
Another contestant, 71-year-old cosmetic dentist Terri, introduced Owens to her “favorite dental assistant”: a hand puppet named Carly.
“Hi, Mel. I bet you weren’t expecting all these women over 60 to look so hot, right?” said Carly, the puppet. Terri then playfully slapped Owens in the face with the puppet’s hand.
“I don’t think I’ve ever been hit by a puppet before,” Owens shared in a confessional. “So that was fun.”
Two other contestants — 62-year-old former model Carla and 67-year-old luxury yacht salesperson Alexandra — also directly challenged Owens’ previous comments about women over the age of 60.
“I’m here to break all of your stereotypes about women over 60,” Carla told the Golden Bachelor.
After meeting all the contestants, Owens spoke in front of the group of women and reiterated his regrets about the age comments.
“It’s truly a privilege for me to be the Golden Bachelor,” Owens said. “And I hope you can forgive me and let me earn it back.”
He continued, “Age is just really a number. And spirit has no age.”
New episodes of “The Golden Bachelor” Season 2 will air on Mondays on ABC at 8 p.m. ET, and stream on Hulu the following day.
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