Since ending his ill-advised marriage to Theresa Nist, The Golden Bachelor's Gerry Turner has been trying to salvage his severely damaged reputation. There was a time when Gerry's reputation was reliable, but that was before Gerry was cast as The Golden Bachelor season 1's first lead. Gerry was a retired widower minding his own business when he was given the extraordinary opportunity to find true love on national television. Gerry had been in love before. He was married to his late wife, Toni Turner, for 43 happy years until she died in 2017.
Gerry claimed to have been a lonely widower since his beloved late wife's death, but it was later revealed Gerry started dating almost immediately and even had a live-in girlfriend for a time. Despite all the red flags, in January, Theresa married Gerry anyway, in a lavish star-studded Golden wedding that aired on ABC. Though hopes were high for Gerry and Theresa, the couple called it quits after only three brief months of matrimony. Since their split, Gerry has taken the brunt of the blame, and his reputation has taken a hit.
Gerry Shared A Wholesome Instagram Post From A Bike Trip
He Had To Get Away
The Golden Bachelor season 1 stars announced their split in April, and Gerry's reputation took a hit. Fans were disappointed by the divorce, and they took it out on Gerry, blaming him for the split. Since then, he has tried to stay busy. A prolific philanthropist, Gerry has been busy raising money for causes he cares about, but Gerry has also focused on family and friends. Recently, Gerry posted Instagram photos commemorating a bicycle trip to Michigan with friends. Gerry's caption reads, in part, "It was a trip full of beach time, good food, great friends, and LOTS of laughs."
It must have been a bittersweet moment for the retired restaurateur, as this would have been the kind of trip he and Theresa could have gone on together. When The Golden Bachelor couple announced their breakup, they cited distance as the reason for their divorce. While Gerry lived in Indiana, Theresa resided in New Jersey, and neither was willing to make the big sacrifice. It's frustrating for many fans, who rightly argue that Gerry and Theresa knew about their geographical challenges when they tied the knot.
Gerry Gets A Mix Of Negative & Positive Reception From Fans
He Has Made Mistakes
The Golden Bachelor season 1 was a hit with fans who fell head over heels in love with Gerry. The series broke through barriers, as it was the first time an unscripted dating show centered around the love lives of seniors. When the series was announced and Gerry was named the lead, eligible older bachelorettes from all over the country were eager for a shot at dating the retired restaurateur. Gerry became a household name virtually overnight and enjoyed the lavish celebrity lifestyle.
Not only did Gerry get to go on lavish dates with beautiful women, but he also got to rub elbows with celebrities.
While the season was airing, Gerry was invited to a viewing party at Kris Jenner's house. Apparently, reality star and model Kendall Jenner was a big fan of the show, so her mother pulled some strings to get him to come over. At the time, he was secretly engaged to Theresa, but according to Kendall, that didn't stop him from flirting with Kris. When producers asked Kris about it during an outtake from a June episode of The Kardashians, she didn't confirm or deny the accusation. This incident was another reason for fans to hate Gerry.
Gerry's Instagram Follower Count Continues To Lower
He's Losing Fans Fast
Gerry had an Instagram page before appearing on The Golden Bachelor season 1, but his following exploded after he was named as The Bachelor spin-off's first lead. At the height of his fame, when he was flying high on the wings of his love for Theresa, Gerry had over 152k followers. These days, Gerry's down to below 150k followers, but he doesn't seem to care.
Unlike some past Bachelor leads, he has little interest in staying in the public eye, as he desperately tries to forget everything that happened.
Though Gerry probably wishes he could go back to a time before he agreed to join the cast of The Golden Bachelor season 1, there's no going back. Marrying Theresa before they got to know each other was a big mistake, and the couple should probably have waited before rushing in. Gerry probably feels like a failure because his first marriage to his late wife, Toni Turner, lasted for 43 years, while his second marriage was over after three months. Gerry is currently single, but when he's ready to date again, he'll hopefully remember the lessons he recently learned.
Gerry's Former Fans Can't Seem To Get Over His Heartbreaker Ways
They Won't Forgive Or Forget
Though Theresa has seemed to move on and forgive Gerry, Bachelor Nation fans continue to blame The Golden Bachelor alum for his behavior during and after his time on. It wasn't just that he misrepresented himself and hurt Theresa, it was also because of how he treated Leslie Fhima. Gerry gave his two final roses to Theresa and Leslie, and though he told Leslie that she was "the one", he ended up choosing Theresa instead. Fans of The Golden Bachelor have a long list of grievances against Gerry, and they haven't forgiven Gerry yet.
