The Golden Bachelorette stars Joan Vassos and Chock Chapple are hunting for a love shack in New York City, and the way that they're running their long-distance relationship makes me want to see more of the couple. If they get a spin-off, viewers can watch them travel across America, living out a thoroughly modern version of post-show romance. Because Joan and Chock are throwing the old rules out the window, they'd be well worth watching. The "jet-set" duo could hang out in the Big Apple, Kansas and Maryland, working on their romance as they explore.
It's time to inject a little excitement into a franchise with a tarnished legacy. On The Golden Bachelor, the leads seemed like a safe bet, but Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist later divorced. Sometimes, the ultra-romance that unfurls onscreen doesn't reflect the truth - it shows a distorted vision of a relationship, skewed by viewers' expectations, as well as the editing process. The cast members may behave in certain ways to please Bachelor franchise fans. Then, producers take the footage they have, piecing together their preferred narrative. That doesn't mean it's all fake - it's just not one hundred percent real.
Joan & Chock Are Making Interesting Choices
They're Embracing An Exciting Long-Distance Lifestyle
Who says Bachelor Nation members have to marry their partners right away and then settle down, embracing the proverbial "white picket fence" lifestyle? Some people don't think Norman Rockwell's vision of family life in America is any kind of Utopia. Maybe Joan and Chock feel like they've been there and done that. They love America and want to stay there, but they want to divide their time between Kansas, Maryland and the Big Apple.
Sounds fun, right? I wouldn't mind flitting around a bit myself, although I love the comforts of home.
Branching out is fun. I'd personally be thrilled to travel almost anywhere with just a backpack full of essentials. It would take me a while before I started to miss my home. I mean, months. However, I'd miss my loved ones right away, unless they came along for the ride. There are very few places I wouldn't go if given the chance.
I love the feeling of traveling. Travel is a time-out - you can really collect your thoughts. It's like regular life stops for a while. You're in a pleasant limbo unless there's some godforsaken flight delay or other travel nightmare. Yes, due to a flight issue, I spent all night in a frigidly air-conditioned Texas airport, trying to sleep in a chair. I shivered because I was dressed for the Mexican sunshine that I would eventually be able to enjoy.
I hated every single minute of that miserable airport experience.
However, I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat just to get to new places, or revisit my most beloved haunts, including Las Vegas. The worst travel memories sometimes have a comedic element. Suffering adds a little depth to the overall experience, like putting bitters in a cocktail. The brutal moments trigger a lot of gallows humor, and they make me appreciate the good times more.
Sipping a margarita on a "sugar sand" Isla Mujeres, Mexico beach after a remarkably dreadful night in an airport is nothing short of bliss.
Joan and Chock will have all this. They'll do the traveling to be together. They'll enjoy quiet time-outs on planes, trains and automobiles. They'll experience the inevitable travel nightmares together or separately. They'll anticipate being together. They'll have stories to tell and new things to share. Maybe this is ultimately more freeing and fun than being together 24/7.
There may be little gaps in their togetherness that give them space to be themselves. Overall, it could be a healthy and fascinating way to run a relationship, especially since they've both built lives in their respective states. When they get bored with Maryland and Kansas, Joan and Chock can head for NYC, where I doubt I could ever be bored for long. Joan and Chock have got so much to look forward to, and that's why they deserve a spin-off.
The camera crew can move from place to place, instead of being stuck in one home. Fans can see the different facets of America as Joan and Chock explore. I prefer this type of variety. I love a show that's also a travelogue. One of my recent fave shows is Kaulitz & Kaultiz, where two members of the German rock band Tokio Hotel work and play in Germany and Los Angeles - they also visit New York, and their "rich nomad" lifestyle and general hilarity make the series a must-watch.
For those who would go on wild adventures if they had the time and money, Joan and Chock's desire to change it up makes so much sense. They can stay in one place until they get tired of it, and then move on when the urge arises. That sounds like freedom to me, and there's very little that I love more than freedom, except writing and my child (and not in that order).
Joan & Chock Are Good Role Models
They Aren't Perfect But They Don't Have To Be
There are different ways to structure relationships, and some people don't want what's traditional and expected. When Joan and Chock (looking elated in Joan's Instagram post, as seen above) let the world know that they were postponing their wedding for a while, just to get more comfortable as a couple, it was sensible. However, that doesn't mean that they've lost their sense of playfulness. People can be fun but also make mature choices.
I'm impressed that Joan and Chock aren't rushing into marriage, although it doesn't seem super-romantic on the face of things. When I look a little deeper, I see a couple trying to actually get to know each other before what is supposed to be a lifetime commitment. How is that unromantic? It's not. What's so romantic about a big and stressful wedding filled with reality TV stars and hosts? Maybe that's not the ideal anyway.
Joan and Chock are making the kinds of choices that I expect people with wisdom and experience to make. In fact, I think they're a cool couple, even though Pascal Ibgui thinks Chock's controlling. Chock actually seems to be giving his bride-to-be the space she needs to be happy. If the couple marry, maybe they'll do it quietly so it's just the two of them - an elopement could be fun.
With Joan and Chock, there's an unpredictability element that I find intriguing. I would love to see these two in a Bachelor Nation version of 90 Day Fiancé: Happily Ever After?, sharing their ups and downs. I want The Golden Bachelorette stars to be happy together - don't you?
