“The Golden Bachelorette”star Joan Vassos addressed a difficult topic during a recent podcast appearance. In the weeks since the premiere of her season, legal issues involving two different contestants from Vassos’ season have emerged.
In addressing the situation, Vassos noted her experiences with all of her men were “pure and lovely.”
Joan Vassos Never Would Have Expected Guy Gansert Had Prior Legal Issues
Vassos joined former “The Bachelor” star Nick Viall for the October 23 episode of “The Viall Files” podcast. Late in the podcast, he brought up the difficult topic of legal issues involving Guy Gansert, one of Vassos’ final three men.
Viall asked Vassos to share her thoughts on the man she got to know during filming. He also pointed out, “For all we know, you’re in a relationship with him,” given that he has not been eliminated by Vassos in the episodes that have aired so far.
She replied, “The ‘Golden’ franchise is a little bit unique because we come here with a lot of past. We’ve lived a lot of life and it doesn’t completely surprise me that there are things that they’re maybe not proud of later on.”
Vassos added that she “Never saw that side of Guy.” She also said that all of her interactions with her group of contestants were “pure and lovely.”
“I would have never had any indication that there was any kind of past that he had,” Vassos shared.
She continued, “I had no idea what the interactions with his ex-wife were at that time. He was so kind to me and he was so open and he was so vulnerable. He cried.”
Vassos recalled, “He talked about, you know, finally feeling happy for the first time in so many years.”
In addition, she noted she “never” in a “million years” would have guessed that there had been conflict and legal issues in Gansert’s past.
She also shared, “I still believe that he’s a kind and good person. You know, maybe he made a mistake. I don’t know. I don’t know anything about [it] other than what you guys know.”
Gansert Addressed the Filing That Involved His Ex-Wife
As People reported on October 10, in 2021, Gansert’s ex-wife Heidi O’Gara pursued a temporary restraining order against Gansert. People reviewed the initial filing made by O’Gara in October 2021.
According to the paperwork People reviewed, O’Gara claimed that Gansert had been sending texts “trying to reconcile then flipping to anger” and that he “physically tried to threaten me.”
Gansert shared a message on his Instagram page addressing the reports that had emerged. “This was an unfortunate situation that occurred during an incredibly stressful time for me and my former spouse.”
He added the situation was “ultimately resolved when she [voluntarily] dismissed her request for a protective order.”
According to People on October 24, a source close to “The Golden Bachelorette” production revealed they “learned from Gansert during our vetting process that an application for a Temporary Protective Order was filed against him from his ex-wife after a disagreement.”
The source added that production “confirmed that it was never granted, as Gansert’s ex-wife voluntarily dismissed the application shortly after the filing. Therefore he was cleared to continue through the casting process.”
Bachelor Nation Shared Their Opinions
“The Golden Bachelorette” fans shared their reactions to what Vassos said in the Bachelor Nation subreddit.
“The way his family was saying he ‘seemed like a whole new person’ immediately set off, 🚩🚩🚩” one Reddit user noted.
“She’s so stunning. This franchise must pay for its crimes always taking the most beautiful refined women and letting the most gnarly men vie for her heart,” another Redditor suggested.
“That’s clown behavior to say they have a lot of ‘past’ yet this happened in 2021. Honk honk,” someone else suggested.
“Oh you never saw that side of him while living in a highly produced fantasyland? I guess he’s great then,” a separate Reddit user quipped.
“So she is basically using the ‘well he was always nice to me line’ to excuse his crappy behaviour. What a winner she is. I have so checked out of this season,” read a different comment.
“If the [final one] is a guy with a restraining order in his past 2 seasons in a row I will be so bummed out. What even,” admitted another Redditor.
Stacy Carey has been a freelance writer focusing on reality television and celebrity news for more than a decade. She is a Heavy contributor for The Bachelor, Hallmark and Dancing With the Stars. More about Stacy Carey
