Reality TV has always been a space that has attracted fame seekers who are interested in selling a good story rather than being their authentic selves, which is the premise of the genre. The Love Island franchise has a history of attracting romantic hucksters, individuals more interested in playing the part of a hopeful romantic to get cast on the series, while in reality only looking to further their careers. Netflix's stable of reality stars have offered up similar cases of bad faith actors when it comes to dating for fame rather than romance. Series like Love Is Blind, Too Hot To Handle, and Perfect Match have seen their fair share of individuals that are clearly more interested in establishing a career as a reality TV star, rather than pursuing the path to a lasting romantic commitment in good faith. Viewers understand that not everything about reality TV is real, but the contestants on reality TV dating series have gotten so brazen in their fraudulent tactics that it is starting to alienate the audience.
Even the longstanding Bachelor franchise is not immune to this unfortunate trend of contestants getting past the screening process to take their shot at reality stardom. The inaugural Golden Bachelor series on ABC launched to great fanfare, with viewers getting emotionally attached to the story of widower Gerry Turner looking for a second chance at love after claiming that he had not dated anyone seriously since his first wife had passed away. Then The Hollywood Reporter released an exposé revealing that Gerry's dating history was actually quite extensive, and not only that, but he had also seemingly lied about his work history as well. It seems that all reality dating series need to be on notice that these fraudsters abound when it comes to the casting process. But it is somewhat surprising that a franchise as long-running as The Bachelor could be so hoodwinked by Turner that they were not able to do a thorough background check on the inaugural Golden Bachelor.
'The Golden Bachelor' Casting Process
The application for The Golden Bachelor begins with the question: Are you ready to get married if you met the next love of your life today? It gets straight to the point that the series is intended to match the applicant with their next spouse. The application goes on to request the normal kind of identity related questions one would expect, asking about physical appearance, history of past marriages, and whether there are children/grandchildren in the picture.
Then there are two particularly pointed questions, asking the applicant if they are "genuinely" looking for love and why they would want to find love on TV. Many of these kinds of subjective questions begin from the assumption that the applicant is applying in good faith and also telling the full truth, and not just pushing a story to make it through the application process. Other questions on The Golden Bachelor application are meant to screen for certain indicators that someone might not be suitable, like if they have already appeared on a reality series before, if they have ever been "arrested or convicted," or if they have ever had a temporary restraining order filed against them.
The "Eligibility Requirements" also warn that applicants give producers the right to compile information from third parties about their "private, personal, and public life," and notes that the casting process may reveal "confidences and secrets" along the way. The requirements warn that the production's use or revelation of this personal information may embarrass the applicant. A background check is also listed as a requirement, and warns that anyone chosen for an in-person interview may be required to undergo "physical, medical, and psychological examinations and testing." It all sounds very thorough, but if these background checks, examinations, and testing all occurred, how was Gerry Turner enabled to pull the wool over the eyes of The Golden Bachelor producers so fully?
Gerry Turner on 'The Golden Bachelor'
Gerry's romantic history made him seem like the perfect candidate to find love on reality TV. The widower won hearts when he openly cried while telling the story of the sudden loss of his first-wife of 43 years. He charmingly described his dating history since losing his wife as minimal, claiming he had not had any serious romantic relationships since she had passed away. This point was further emphasized when the Golden Bachelor wanted to bond with Theresa Nist, the "winner" of The Golden Bachelor Season 1, who had a similar life experience after the loss of her husband. However, The Hollywood Reporter story contained evidence that would show Gerry's claim to be a lie.
The article indicates that just one month after the passing of his first wife, Gerry began dating a woman identified as "Carolyn," whose true name was withheld to protect her privacy. Through interviews with Carolyn and her friends, and text messages between her and Gerry, The Hollywood Reporter revealed they had confirmed that not only did Gerry date Carolyn for three years, but also that the couple had even lived together for more than a year. Carolyn told the journalists she was now mortified to think that she had dated a recently widowed man so quickly, and looking back at their text exchanges she was surprised at how "hot and heavy" his texts became so quickly after the passing of his wife. She was also surprised to hear her ex-boyfriend using the same pick-up lines she had once fallen for on the series.
Their relationship reportedly came to an end when the Golden Bachelor disinvited Carolyn to his high-school reunion, allegedly after she gained some weight, and he stated: "I'm not taking you to the reunion looking like that." This picture is a far cry from the befuddled romantic hopeful portrayed on the dating series, who claimed he had never had so much as a kiss since the passing of his beloved wife, let alone a live-in girlfriend who paid rent for more than a year. The article was released in November 2023, just before the season finale episode where Gerry chose Theresa as his next bride to be, and it was revealed they would vacation together in Italy before returning to the States to get married on a TV special in January 2024.
'The Golden Bachelor' Casting Process Needs a Revamp
Although Theresa and Gerry went through with the wedding, it was only three months later that the newlyweds called it quits, filing for divorce in April 2024. The couple went on Good Morning America, an ABC News program, to announce the dissolution of their marriage, noting that although their living situation caused them to rethink the marriage, they did not want the audience who felt inspired that they too might find a second shot at love to lose hope. They claimed to still be very much in love, but that they just could not make the living situation work. Journalist Juju Chang queried whether the reports of Gerry's false claims about his employment and romantic history on the series played a part in the separation, which Theresa denied, claiming Gerry had already filled her in on the situation while still filming The Golden Bachelor, prior to the report going public.
Chang also asked the couple if, in light of the difference between Gerry's narrative on the series versus that which was being reported, they had decided to fake the relationship for a time before settling for the divorce, seemingly to keep up the appearance that their journey on The Golden Bachelor had been authentic. Theresa convincingly tells the reporter that they didn't want to fake their relationship or lie to anyone. The message was definitely that people should not lose faith in love, or presumably, in the dating process that the Bachelor franchise relies on season after season, spin-off after spin-off.
In light of everything that has come out since the series aired, it appears that at very least, Bachelor Nation needs to update their casting process to be more thorough in confirming the stories they are told by potential applicants. The world of TV production moves quickly, and once producers find a story as good as the one Gerry was selling, the impulse to swiftly get the ball rolling would be strong. However, it seems that more time is required for the casting process to verify that their next Golden Bachelor is not merely gold-plated at best.
Chang also asked the couple if, in light of the difference between Gerry's narrative on the series versus that which was being reported, they had decided to fake the relationship for a time before settling for the divorce, seemingly to keep up the appearance that their journey on The Golden Bachelor had been authentic. Theresa convincingly tells the reporter that they didn't want to fake their relationship or lie to anyone. The message was definitely that people should not lose faith in love, or presumably, in the dating process that the Bachelor franchise relies on season after season, spin-off after spin-off.
In light of everything that has come out since the series aired, it appears that at very least, Bachelor Nation needs to update their casting process to be more thorough in confirming the stories they are told by potential applicants. The world of TV production moves quickly, and once producers find a story as good as the one Gerry was selling, the impulse to swiftly get the ball rolling would be strong. However, it seems that more time is required for the casting process to verify that their next Golden Bachelor is not merely gold-plated at best.
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