The Golden Bachelorette's Mark Anderson is a fan favorite, despite unfair speculation that he's a producer plant who shouldn't be The Golden Bachelor. Mark, a 58-year-old retired Army general, became a fan sensation during The Bachelor season 28. Mark made his television debut when his daughter, 26-year-old Kelsey Anderson, brought her boyfriend, Joey Graziadei, home to meet her father. Fans fell in love with Mark's warmth and quiet strength. Sadly, the widowed father of five buried his beloved wife, Denise Anderson, in 2018, after 18 years of marriage. The single father doesn't seem to have dated much since his wife's passing, but he was given another chance to find love when he was cast in The Golden Bachelorette season 1.
The Golden Bachelorette season 1 is nearing its highly anticipated climax, but night one began with 61-year-old Joan Vassos greeting a fleet of limousines delivering the 24 men competing for her heart. Joan made her television debut during The Golden Bachelor season 1. She had to leave Gerry Turner's season early, due to a family emergency, but she left enough of an impression that she was ultimately cast as the Bachelor spin-off's first female lead. During the first night of her season, Joan seemed genuinely excited about getting the chance to date Mark, but he wasn't able to win her heart, and was sent home. Despite some people speculating that Mark was a producer plant being groomed to be The Golden Bachelor, here are eight signs that Mark was there to date Joan.
8Mark Tried So Hard
He Was Willing To Work For Joan's Love
While Joan was initially excited to learn that Mark would be a contestant on The Golden Bachelorette season 1, the two didn't really hit it off. Though Joan seems to like Mark, she's more interested in some of the other men, like 60-year-old Chock Chapple. This is despite the fact that Mark tried hard to get Joan's attention throughout his time on the show.
During one episode of The Golden Bachelorette season 1, when Joan hadn't given Mark a one-on-one date, Mark took the initiative to pull Joan aside at the Bachelor mansion. He explained that he had learned German while serving in the military, and he gave her an impromptu German language lesson that cleverly ended with her asking for a kiss. The kiss didn't win Joan over, but the fact that Mark was trying so hard to win her over proves that he was there for the right reasons.
7Mark Proved His Loyalty
His Love Is Forever
Long before appearing on The Bachelor season 28, Mark was a widowed father of five living a life of relative obscurity in Leesville, Louisiana. Mark is no stranger to true love, having been married to his late wife, Denise, for 18 years. According to Kelsey, her mother passed away just two months after receiving her diagnosis, and left behind a devastated family.
Mark talked about his late wife often.
During his solo date with Joan on The Golden Bachelorette season 1, Gerry told Joan about his wife having long hair down to mid-calf when he met her. Gerry fell in love with Denise right away, and his love continued long after she had passed away. It's clear that Mark is a loyal man who believes in loving someone forever. He's simply not the kind of man who pretends to like someone so he can be on television.
6Mark Wanted To Take Joan Home
He Wanted Her To Meet His Family
Nothing says a man is serious about a woman like wanting to introduce her to his family, and that's where Mark was with The Golden Bachelorette's Joan Vassos. In fact, that's what Mark was talking about right before Joan walked in and ripped his heart out of his chest. He was telling the other men about how he just couldn't wait until hometown dates, and he already had an itinerary of places he'd like to take Joan after introducing her to his family. That was the moment that Joan walked into the Bachelor mansion unexpectedly, and pulled Mark aside to talk. In a clip posted to YouTube by Bachelor Nation, she told Mark that though she loved him, there was something missing between them. She eliminated him before that night's rose ceremony.
5Mark Was Finally Ready To Move On
Being On The Show Opened His Heart
When Mark agreed to join the cast of The Golden Bachelorette season 1, he may not have been ready to move on from his late wife, Denise. During the most recent episode, Mark finally received one of Joan's highly coveted solo dates, and the pair went on a romantic adventure. Joan picked Mark up in a sports car, and they drove to the coast, where they boarded a luxury yacht for a romantic voyage on the open sea.
Sadly, Joan and Mark's solo date was more awkward than romantic.
Mark and Joan spent large portions of the date sitting in awkward silence, staring out at the sea. The only time they weren't sitting in total silence, was when they were lamenting their late spouses. It became clear that Mark was working on moving past his long mourning period, but his time on the show made him realize that it was never too late to find love again.
4Mark's Authentic
Unlike Gerry Turner
The speculation was that Mark was a producer plant being groomed to replace Gerry Turner on The Golden Bachelor season 2. A lot can be said about Gerry, but no one can accuse him of being boring. The Golden Bachelor season 1 was a massive hit for multiple reasons, but one of the reasons behind its success was the fact that Gerry is an endlessly entertaining person. Because he doesn't always make the best choices, drama ends up following Gerry everywhere he goes.
Though it may not be conducive to finding true love, it makes for great television.
Unlike Gerry, Mark doesn't get involved in any drama. He appears to have better judgment, so there's not a lot of trouble he can find himself getting into. The widowed father of five appears to get along with everyone. He didn't bring any drama to The Golden Bachelorette season 1, and it's hard to imagine he'd bring more drama to The Golden Bachelor season 2. It further proves that Mark wasn't interested in being a television star, and he was only on the show for a chance at true love with Joan.
3Mark Got His Daughter Involved
A Family Affair
On the first night of The Golden Bachelorette season 1, Joan looked shocked when the limousine door opened, and The Bachelor 28's Kelsey stepped out, followed by Mark. Kelsey had come along to introduce Joan to her father. Joan was thrilled about meeting Mark, and there seemed to be such a sense of promise between the two, but their relationship never really took off.
Despite the fact that Mark tried his best, it simply wasn't meant to be, and it's nobody's fault.
Though it was an entertaining television moment, the fact that Mark brought his daughter with him may not have been the best choice. He probably should have stood on his own two feet, rather than relying on his famous daughter. That being said, the fact that he brought his daughter with him proves that he had only the best of intentions when it came to Joan. He wanted her to meet his daughter because he was taking the relationship seriously.
2Mark Opened Up
He Let Himself Be Vulnerable
During the latest episode of The Golden Bachelorette season 1, Mark really let himself be vulnerable by opening up to Joan during their solo date. He talked about how happy he and his late wife, Denise, were together before she got sick. He told Joan that he and Denise had tried to experience as much of the world as possible together before they simply ran out of time.
Mark spoke about his late wife so poignantly that he literally moved Joan to tears.
Sadly, their date turned into more of a bereavement support group than a romantic date, but seeing Mark be so vulnerable was illustrative. Opening his heart so deeply was proof that Mark clearly cared about Joan a great deal, so he wanted to share himself with her on a deeper level. Though Joan appreciated Mark's vulnerability, she continued to feel that there was something missing between them.
1Mark Expressed Gratitude
He's Not Bitter
Though Mark was devastated by Joan eliminating him home early from The Golden Bachelorette season 1, he wasn't bitter. When Joan pulled Mark aside, she told him that she hadn't slept all night because she was up thinking about their relationship. She expressed her love for Mark, but explained that there was just something missing between them. She was probably sensing the fact that they didn't share much of a romantic connection, despite the fact that they cared for each other. They can't build a lifelong love based on their shared loss. Two people can love each other without being in love with each other, and that's what Mark and Joan have learned from their own relationship. Now that Mark has realized that it's never too late for love, hopefully he will continue his search for true love.
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Contestant |
Mark Anderson |
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Age |
58 years old |
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Occupation |
Retired Army Veteran |
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Location |
Leesville, Louisiana |
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Status |
Widowed |
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Children |
5 |
The Golden Bachelorette season 1 airs on Wednesday nights at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC.
