September 23, 2025 • 29 mins
Today on “Happy Hour,” we’re sitting down with our newest Golden Bachelor: Mel Owens! With his season officially kicking off tomorrow, there’s so much we want to know about Mel and what we can expect this season. We start by diving into all things Mel; how did he become the Golden Bachelor? What was his experience like in the NFL? From childhood to Golden, we’re getting all the deets! We also dive into his life as a father, how his children reacted to this brand-new chapter, and so much more. Plus, we find out how Mel prepared for this experience and what he was looking for at the end of the Golden road. Tune in now to hear all this and more and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey, everyone, welcome back to Bachler Happy Hour. I'm Joe
and I'm Serena, and we are here today with the
Golden Bachelor himself, Mel Owens. Mel, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Thank you for having me. How you doing, I'm doing great?
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
How do you feel You're you finished filming? Correct?
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Yes, we finished a couple of weeks ago.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
How do you feel?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Feel good? Feel very good?
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Okay, all right, good. I love to hear it. Let's
let's start from the beginning. How did this come about? Like,
how did you even get approached to do it?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Oh? It was sort of fortuitous. One of my friends.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Introduced me to some casting people, and then one thing
led to another and I was interviewed and then casted thereafter.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Okay, nice and going into it. Had you ever watched
the show? How familiar were you with the Bachelor franchise?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
I had.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
I think it started in two thousand and two or thereabouts,
so I had watched it from that point going forward
for about maybe two three years. Then I had my
boys and then I didn't have as much time to watch,
but I was in and out of the Bachelor broadcast
(01:30):
from time to time, so I knew about you know
how it worked and some of the people. But I
didn't really follow it that closely because I had my
kids and I was, you know, they're playing and doing
other things. So I mean, I know about it, of course,
and I was a fan. I've always been a fan,
but not like a ardent fan like I was at
(01:53):
the beginning and then at the end. I again, it's
like it's like football, if it's on, you're gonna watch it,
you know, if I you know, But I wasn't someone
who watched it all the time because I just was
doing other things.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
But I liked it and I understood the sort of
the format.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
But I had not seen The Golden Bachelor other than
the first opening scene and then that's you know, when
they come out of limousines, And that's the only part
I saw about The Golden Bachelor.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
I didn't know how it ended. I didn't know anything
about it.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I didn't know the people, but obviously I'm familiar with
The Bachelor.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Going back to that time when you first watched the show,
do you remember how you felt watching it. Did you
think it was fake?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Did you think it did you.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Watch it thinking like, no way someone could actually fall
in love on this show.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
No, I thought it was a very fascinating idea.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Okay, I was probably forty years old, you know, right
around forty. I thought it was fascinating.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
It was great.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
I was in to it, yeah, you know, I was.
I was a lawyer and Stout Law Firm. People were
always you know, talking about it, and this was the
first few years and it was intriguing. They had, you know, great,
great people on it.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
You know, it was fascinating.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
How long did you play in the NFL?
Speaker 3 (03:19):
I topped to bottom eleven years. I was credited for ten,
but in the eleventh year I left.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
And you're a lawyer as well, how do you have
How did you have time for that?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
I did afterwards?
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Okay, wow.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
So after after I played, I worked in the financial
industry for a while and then after that I went.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
To law school.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
How did you make that decision?
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Well, I got very smart friends, and I called up
my agent, who's my who was my lawyer at the time,
and I was going over some of the things I
wanted to do afterwards, and he.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Suggested I go to law school.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
And I took his advice because he had represented me
the entire time, and he still represents me today and
a smart guy and he's hit.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
On all cylinders all the time. So I just followed
his advice. It's real simple.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
And why right, you're done. Now you're going to law school.
And you're like, okay, sounds good.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Yeah, I mean yeah, And it was a great decision,
you know.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
And again I had great advice, So I just followed
the advice and it was it was, it was a
good decision.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Do you think there's more opportunities now for players leaving
the NFL than there was during your time?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Yeah, well, because the media is different. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Now, when I came in in nineteen eighty one, you know,
there was no free agency, so with whatever team you
were on, you were on and you were there basically forever. Now,
thank god I was with the Los Angeles Rams because
that was my favorite team as a kid. Okay, so
you know, and I'm from Detroit at the time, and
(05:01):
for a long time, the Lions were no good.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
So I'm not really alive.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Wait so wait, you grew up in Detroit, but you
were a Lions fan, I mean, not Rams fan.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Yes. Wow.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
My favorite player was Deacon Jones. You know, he's a
great Ram player, and but you know. What I liked
was the Rams always came in on it in the afternoon,
right because they had the first game was like, you know,
during the East Coast. Second game was West Coast, so
we'd watched the West Coast game. It'd be green and
palm trees. And then the Rams had all the players.
(05:34):
There was a glamour team, and I just fell in
love with the Rams. They're my favorite team. And I
played Pop Warner for the West Side Cubs, and I
just loved the Rams. I loved Deacon Jones, so then
I got drafted by him, you know, many years later,
and and there was you know, dream come true. So
I was playing with the Rams and nineteen eighty one
(05:55):
and there was no free agency, so there, you know,
there's our trinities, don't get me wrong, but not like
there is today with all the social media and the
streaming and the Internet and all the other outlets you
can go. And then eighty seven, eighty two there was
a strike. Eighty seven, there's a strike. Ninety two I
believe was the time where they resolved a lawsuit. And
(06:17):
then that was the first time a billion dollar TV
contract was in place with free agency, and then everything
blew up from that point.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Got it interesting? And then you do you currently live
in Los Angeles.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Now I live in Orange County, Okay, Okay.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
And what do your how many kids do you have?
Speaker 2 (06:37):
I have two boys?
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Two boys. How old are they?
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Eighteen and twenty?
Speaker 1 (06:42):
What do they think about their father being the Golden Bachelor?
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Well, you know they you know, at the time, they're teenagers. Yeah,
and teenagers are teenagers. And they were just you know, like,
you know, do it, don't do it?
Speaker 2 (07:00):
What is it?
Speaker 3 (07:01):
You know, they were they knew about the Bachelor, but
they weren't really invested.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
As a matter of fact, my my.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Younger son, we were actually watching the Grant season just
by it happen chance, right, This was before I was
even casted. I wasn't even contacted. We're just watching it.
I came on and I sort of got it, like
maybe in the second week of the programming, and so
he was watching it with me, and so this was
(07:29):
first time he watched it.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
And you know, obviously I knew about it.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
So when I'm telling him how it works and he's
watching it, then the advertisement came on for the Golden Bachelor, and.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
So, oh, dad, you should do that?
Speaker 3 (07:42):
You know, and I just well, I didn't give any
any thought, right, we're just watching it, and then I didn't.
I got hooked on their grant season, so I recorded it,
you know, going forward, so like week two to week
whenever I recorded the series. Then it came on again
and my son was there. He goes, oh, Dad, you look,
you're lucky man. He goes, it's not again, you're watching it.
He didn't know if recording it right, so he got hooked.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
On it too.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
So then he's watching the women and then he started,
you know, you know, picking like, oh did you keep.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Keep hit her? And you know, let her go? And
how come he's doing this?
Speaker 3 (08:14):
So he got into it right, And then we followed
it to the end, and you know, we saw the
final episodes, so then we then the Golden Bacheler opportunity came,
so he was more into it.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
The older one hadn't.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Been exposed to it, so but you know, they got
they got more and more into it as you know,
I started talking to him about it, so they finally
they finally came around.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
Well, and if there's ever a time to get into it,
it's when your dad's the bachelor. This is the perfect.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
Yeah, yeah, you know, they you know, they were once
they realized that, you know, I had a chance, then
they were in on it, right. But they're a little
they're a little hesitant about getting filmed and all of that.
So yeah, they came around, you know, after I explained
to them, and then you know, they're sort of slowly
(09:07):
you know, shown how the show works. And then they
came around.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
And you you're divorced, correct, Yes, do you still talk
to your ex wife?
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Not really? Okay?
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Do you have any idea how she feels about you
being the Golden Bachelor?
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Not really? Okay.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
You're an ex football player, so you obviously had all
of your techniques for preparing for a game. How did
you prepare to go film your season of The Bachelor?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Well, no matter what you do in any business, you
have to have focus, right, and you gotta. You should
you should study and know what it's about, especially if
something like the the the the Bachelors.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
It's a long running show, so you should. You should
be able to, you.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
Know, look back on some of the episodes and find out,
you know, what happened, because I hadn't seen it for
a long time. Other than the Grant season. And I
hadn't seen really the Golden Bachelor, But you know, it's
you don't really know about this that they can tell
you about it until you're in it, and then when
you're in it, it's just completely different than what you
(10:22):
thought it was. But you know, you have to have stamina, energy, focus,
and those are all the things you have to.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Do when you're in business, no matter what business you're in.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
So it wasn't I did I did anything new, but
I just focused more and I just you know, and
I knew I was going to go away for like,
you know, two months and got my mindset ready from
that standpoint.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
Did you get any advice from anyone from the Bachelor
franchise that had done it before? Before, during or after five?
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Jesse Palmer.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Jesse gave me advice because he had you know, obviously
he's the host, so he sees everything. And then when
he was you know, younger, he was the bass or
so you know, he was you know, and he played football.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Too, played in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Yeah, yeah, so and you know obviously played college and
he played pro. So we have a lot of things
in common. He actually is married to a Brazilian gal too.
My wife Brazil was Brazilian, so there's a lot of similarities.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
That I was all, ears, Yeah, he's kind of the
best person to give you advice.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
What did he Yeah, what was this advice?
Speaker 3 (11:32):
You know, just you know, just like I told you,
you know, stay focused and you know, and you know,
know what's going on around you, and you know, and
he's in production too, right, so he's he knows all
about the way it's produced.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
And he also does football.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
He broadcasts football games in the Food Network, so he
has a lot of experience.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
In front of it and behind it.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
So just just to be aware of things and you know,
and just you advice along the way. And plus he
was on set a lot, so I got to talk
to him and you know, my dinner and breakfast with
him a lot.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Nice.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
Nice What were you most excited for and what were
you most nervous for going into the season, I, you know.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Just anticipation because I didn't know what to expect other
than I know that it was going to be a
first rate, great run production, which they all are, and
I knew they're going to have the you know, you know,
beautiful women and and you know, sophisticated women and you know,
their their profile, they try to match up with your profile.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
So I knew all of that going in. It was
going to be great.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
I didn't I didn't think anything other than it was
just going to be a great experience.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
What was dating like before this for you?
Speaker 3 (12:55):
I really didn't date before because I had my boys
growing up, right, and my boys were with me the
majority of the time, So I had them, and you know,
all my energy was with them. So maybe a handful
of dates here and there, but nothing serious, nothing long term.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Nothing.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
Yeah, let's talk women, mel. What is your type?
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Well, I said it before.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
You know, you know someone who has energy, you know,
great personality, active, adventurous, lifetime learner. But you know, energy
is a big deal.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
Like blondes burnette.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
That doesn't matter. That doesn't matter, No, there's that doesn't matter.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
What do you do do you? Are you active? Do
you go to the gym a lot? Any sports?
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Now?
Speaker 3 (13:49):
I other than just dominating my kids like in ping
pong and in basketball, But I don't I don't play sports.
I work out obviously to stay in shape, but I
don't play you know, just like basketball, a little bit
ping pong bowl, you know, but no golf, nothing like that.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Do you miss football?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
What's that?
Speaker 4 (14:11):
Do you miss football?
Speaker 1 (14:13):
No, that's so funny.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
I feel like all professional athletes say that, like they don't.
They don't. Usually they're usually no, I'm good, like I
had my time.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
And yeah, I'm good.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Those were my words. Good, I had my time. I
played twenty six straight years of football. I love football.
I love sports. My boys play baseball, They're going to
play baseball in college. I'm all about college sports, high
school sports, because I was coaching at the high school
for a number of years football, so I like to
be around the sport.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
I like, you know, coaching, you know, young young people.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
And sharing knowledge, but you know, playing wise, No, you know, no,
I had my time.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Okay, let's go take us to night one. You're standing
there waiting for the women to step out of the limo.
What's going going through your hat at that point?
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Just I'm just nervous, man, Just nervous, just you know, anticipation, nerves, excitement.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Yeah, you know, just But it was a wonderful feeling though.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
It really was, because you know, there's a lot of
bleeding up to it, a lot of people telling you,
you know, not so much what to expect, but like production.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
You know, you're standing here, they're gonna come here. This
is what's gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
And basically it's flawless, as you guys know, except for
there are a few glitches here and there, but they
just smooth right over them. But mainly it was just nervousness,
and you know, it was good nerves because you know,
I played football. You know, I'm an attorney before cases
before games.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
If you're not nervous, then you're not excited.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Yeah, yeah, you're not. You know, you're not excited. You're
not nervous, so it can't be manufactured. So you know,
the nerves are real, but they're good nerves, and I
just enjoyed it.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Night one is Joe and I is one of our
favorite episodes because, yeah, there's so much emotion, it's so intense,
but having been there, it is such a well oiled machine,
like they have Night One down to a science, so
you really just kind of get to like you're just
flowing through the motions of where they're telling you to go.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
To greats experiences I've ever had in my life that
those three four hours, because it takes a little while,
you know, to get them all through the you know,
the introductions, just it's just something that to experience is
just it is unreal, It really is it.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
It was a It was a really good experience.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
For for these women. What what could they if, let's
say someone you end up with someone, what could she
expect with a life with you after the show?
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I'm a I'm a nice sky. You know, You're gonna
have a lot of fun with me.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
I'm interested in them and but what they do, because
it's got to be a two way street. I'm choosing them,
but they're also choosing me, and there's gonna be a
lot of similarities. But also I want to learn from
them as well, because that's why you know, we're together,
and it just can't be one sided either way. So
(17:26):
I think for me, they're gonna they're gonna get someone
who's excited, you know, to live, to live life in
and to keep learning and have personal growth.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Are you still working? Are you retired?
Speaker 2 (17:36):
I'm still working.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Is traveling back and forth or potentially moving cities something
that you would consider.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Yeah, well, anything's possible. It just depends on the circumstance.
And you know, where I live and then where she lives.
But you never know, and you know, I talked to
Chalk I think his name is Chalk from the first
(18:06):
of the first Bacheorette, Golden Bachshorette. And they live apart, right,
I mean I think they're engaged, but they live apart
and they travel.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
So you know, if you want to happen, it can happen. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
On the first night of the Bachelor, there is the
first impression. Rose, What were you keeping an eye out
for when you're looking for someone that makes a good
first impression?
Speaker 3 (18:34):
Well, just that the impression, right, what really hits you,
you know hard, and that you can say, wow, that
was something that was something different, that was that was
really a different experience, and that one made an impression
on me obviously. So I really wasn't looking for the
first impression other than feeling it.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
And then when you feel it, you go, oh, that's
the person.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
And look, they all were impressive, right, and they all
had great stories and very sophisticated and accomplished. So it's
hard to say that's the one, except for on that
night that was the one.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
And so.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
It's a special you know, feeling, and that's why the
person gets the first impression.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Rows.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
Of course it's going to be twenty something amazing women,
but you're not. You're hopefully not going to fall in
love with all of them.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Yeah, you know, you probably probably could, but to what
extent because you know they're all amazing, but you know,
there's different personalities, and they come from different parts of
the country, and they have different backgrounds, and you know,
you're looking for someone that matches with you, and you know,
sometimes it does, and you know, sometimes maybe eight out
(19:50):
of ten do and you know, things match, and then
only two out of three over here. But you know,
and maybe the thing that you like the most, maybe
maybe their sense of humor that you're attracted to most.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
What ended up being an unexpected challenge for you as
the lead, well.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
You know, the the not not the timing, but the scheduling, right,
and and I'm fine with all of it. But and
I was ready for whatever happened because I'm I'm coachable.
You know, I've been you know, through a lot of
you know a lot of things that are on time,
(20:28):
you know, scheduling, but you know you have to be
amenable to changes and be able to pivot, you know
when you have to. It wasn't that big of a
challenge but it was something that you know, you know,
I had to get used to because things change, weather changes,
you know, people change, you know, schedules change equipment.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
So you know, it was.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Something that that was a little bit out of the
ordinary for my day to day as I was doing it,
you know, prior to this.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
Something that we see a lot of the leads that
come on this podcast expressed that they have difficulty with
is the eliminations sending people home that they obviously have
grown to care about and kind of breaking their heart
a little bit. How was that for you?
Speaker 2 (21:25):
Same way?
Speaker 3 (21:26):
I mean, you just don't want to do it right
because you know how much time and energy they've invested
into you know, the process, into the journey, and obviously
as it gets you know, deeper into the season, into
the show, it becomes more difficult. Do you spend more
time with them and you get to know them and
there's no rhyme or reason really that you're you know,
(21:50):
letting people go other than that's just the way the
show is set up, you know.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
I you know, I said, if I had.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
Met you know, the women individually, it would be yes
to all of them individually.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
But that's not how it works.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
It's you know, there's like twenty three or twenty five,
you know on a show, and you're getting down to one.
So the way the show works and the way the
journey is that people are going to be let go.
But it's painful, nonetheless, because you get to know these
people and they don't deserve to let go other than
(22:23):
that's the way the show works.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
But it does hurt your heart letting them go.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
Yeah, yeah, it's not easy breaking hearts. Do you remember
when was the last time that you could remember that
you started falling for a woman?
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Well, my wife, Okay, you know, I was, you know,
twenty five years ago whenever it was, And that was
twenty five years ago, So that was the time.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
And did you ever expect to feel those feelings again?
Speaker 3 (22:57):
No, because I thought I was going married forever. Know,
you know, twenty five years is a long time. Yeah,
and I'm not expecting anything different. So I'm not thinking like, oh,
I'm falling in love and then I'm you know, in
my head, I'm thinking about falling in love again.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
No, because I'm married.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
Is that your goal going on as the Golden Bachelor?
You want to find someone to spread the rest of
your life.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
With Well, yeah, I was open to find someone who
I could share my life with.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
And you don't know until you're on.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
The show and you're meeting and speaking with and spending
time with the women. But that's the ultimate goal, and
and you have to tune in to find out.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
Did did your boys give you any advice when you
went on the show?
Speaker 2 (23:47):
I don't remember exactly, you know, any.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
Strict advice they gave me other than just have fun,
right and be yourself because I'm gonna be myself no
matter what. You know, I'm not gonna be someone that
I'm not because I can't be. But they weren't giving
me any advice other than just be myself. And you know,
they know me, they know that i'd be myself.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
Was there anything they're like, just please, you know, don't
do this like anything like that.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
No, because you know, the thing is they hadn't watched
the show, so they weren't real familiar with all the
ins and outs and ups and downs of the show
and what really happens. Because the older one, I don't
think I ever watched it, but that I know if
you might have watched it on his phone, and the
younger one just watched it, you know, maybe five weeks
(24:37):
with me or four weeks with me, and he was
sort of like in and out to watch it for
a little bit, and then he'd leave and then oh,
that girl's still there or why should you get rid of?
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Why to get rid of her? Right?
Speaker 3 (24:46):
So he like, you know, they're not invested in the franchise,
so they didn't know how it works, so they didn't
you know, they didn't have any any advice like, hey,
don't do this and don't do that because of something
they saw before.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
So not really did you at all during during your
time as the lead ever think what it would be
like to be on the opposite end of that, because
like usually you know, with Golden it's it's been a
little different where the leads, most of them besides Joan, well,
the two Bachelor leads never experienced being on the show.
(25:19):
Did you did you think about that at all? Is
that something across I.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Tried to put myself in there in their place when
when I was you know, talking to them and how
how it must have been for them, and you know,
to put themselves out there and also remember you're competing
more or less with you know, other women and you're
also the living you're living with them also, so you
(25:43):
have all those other sort of personality things going on
inside the mansion. So I tried to put myself in
their shoes, you know, when I was talking to them
and they were relating to me, how you know how
difficult it was because they also were never in that
situation either. But you know, I was on the other side,
(26:04):
and I go, I know how much how difficult it
must be to be in their chair going through these experiences,
you know, with other women as well. So to answer
your question, yes, to an extent.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Nice Bachelor is known for their iconic dates. They do,
you know, helicopters and the yachts and all the exciting travel.
Was there anywhere that you were hoping to get to
travel to, or any type of date that you were
hoping to get to go on.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Well, they had called me and asked me what things I,
you know, liked to do and and things like that sort,
and I just told them, but they do such a
great job. I didn't want to mess it up, all right,
Just you guys, just do your professional job.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
And I was going to be great.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
And they're all great, They're all amazing experiences.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Right, just just wonderful.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
So I'm glad I didn't offer up anything that would
screw it up and they did a great job.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Yeah I would. Yeah, that's what they're they're good at,
you know, like.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
That's that's amazing, that's their area.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
They don't they don't need a lead to come in
and be like because that's what I would do if
I was like, we're gonna change his whole fucking shroll
around now, and then they'd be like, it's canceled.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (27:21):
The thing is, you know, I'm I'm just smart enough
to know don't mess the program up.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Yeah, right, because you know when when when I went
to the.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
University of Michigan, you know, I was seventeen years old
and I got there, and then you have all these
ideas and you go, no, it's been around for a
long time.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
I go, I'm gonna follow the program.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
If I if I just follow the program, it's gonna
be great.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
So I'm gonna follow the program. And it was great.
I like that.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Last, but not least, what advice would you give to
any future Golden Bachelor's you.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Know, just the advice that everybody gave me, because you know,
you know, even the people who are in production, the
producers and the people that were there and you know,
you know, Jesse, they can give you all the advice
you know and tell you how it's going to be,
but you just don't know until you're in it. And
when you're in it, I mean it's it's fast and
furious and it's condensed like you're like from really for
(28:20):
like two months, you're just like putting it together. Patience
is what you need, right and just patience. It's going
to be good. Let it happen, you know, open mind,
open heart.
Speaker 4 (28:35):
Are you doing anything fun for the premiere? It's right
around the corner. Give any plans.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
Actually be in New York because they've got the things
planned for me. And again, I'm just following along the program, right,
I'm not gonna try to do anything different. I'm just
gonna go with it. So yeah, I'm not I'm not planning.
I'm not planning anything. They're they're planning nice.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Well, mel I am really looking forward to watching your season.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
And it was it's gonna be good man.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
Great meeting you for the time. Four we tune in,
we will and to all our listeners, thank you guys
so much for tuning in the batch of Happy Hour.
Make sure you download and subscribe to the podcast.
Speaker 4 (29:21):
We have new exclusive interviews every single week. Thanks for listening.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Bye, thanks guys, thank thanks MoU
Hey, everyone, welcome back to Bachler Happy Hour. I'm Joe
and I'm Serena, and we are here today with the
Golden Bachelor himself, Mel Owens. Mel, welcome to the podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Thank you for having me. How you doing, I'm doing great?
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
How do you feel You're you finished filming? Correct?
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Yes, we finished a couple of weeks ago.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
How do you feel?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Feel good? Feel very good?
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Okay, all right, good. I love to hear it. Let's
let's start from the beginning. How did this come about? Like,
how did you even get approached to do it?
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Oh? It was sort of fortuitous. One of my friends.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Introduced me to some casting people, and then one thing
led to another and I was interviewed and then casted thereafter.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Okay, nice and going into it. Had you ever watched
the show? How familiar were you with the Bachelor franchise?
Speaker 2 (01:02):
I had.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
I think it started in two thousand and two or thereabouts,
so I had watched it from that point going forward
for about maybe two three years. Then I had my
boys and then I didn't have as much time to watch,
but I was in and out of the Bachelor broadcast
(01:30):
from time to time, so I knew about you know
how it worked and some of the people. But I
didn't really follow it that closely because I had my
kids and I was, you know, they're playing and doing
other things. So I mean, I know about it, of course,
and I was a fan. I've always been a fan,
but not like a ardent fan like I was at
(01:53):
the beginning and then at the end. I again, it's
like it's like football, if it's on, you're gonna watch it,
you know, if I you know, But I wasn't someone
who watched it all the time because I just was
doing other things.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
But I liked it and I understood the sort of
the format.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
But I had not seen The Golden Bachelor other than
the first opening scene and then that's you know, when
they come out of limousines, And that's the only part
I saw about The Golden Bachelor.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
I didn't know how it ended. I didn't know anything
about it.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I didn't know the people, but obviously I'm familiar with
The Bachelor.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Going back to that time when you first watched the show,
do you remember how you felt watching it. Did you
think it was fake?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Did you think it did you.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Watch it thinking like, no way someone could actually fall
in love on this show.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
No, I thought it was a very fascinating idea.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Okay, I was probably forty years old, you know, right
around forty. I thought it was fascinating.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
It was great.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
I was in to it, yeah, you know, I was.
I was a lawyer and Stout Law Firm. People were
always you know, talking about it, and this was the
first few years and it was intriguing. They had, you know, great,
great people on it.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
You know, it was fascinating.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
How long did you play in the NFL?
Speaker 3 (03:19):
I topped to bottom eleven years. I was credited for ten,
but in the eleventh year I left.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
And you're a lawyer as well, how do you have
How did you have time for that?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
I did afterwards?
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Okay, wow.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
So after after I played, I worked in the financial
industry for a while and then after that I went.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
To law school.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
How did you make that decision?
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Well, I got very smart friends, and I called up
my agent, who's my who was my lawyer at the time,
and I was going over some of the things I
wanted to do afterwards, and he.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Suggested I go to law school.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
And I took his advice because he had represented me
the entire time, and he still represents me today and
a smart guy and he's hit.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
On all cylinders all the time. So I just followed
his advice. It's real simple.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
And why right, you're done. Now you're going to law school.
And you're like, okay, sounds good.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Yeah, I mean yeah, And it was a great decision,
you know.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
And again I had great advice, So I just followed
the advice and it was it was, it was a
good decision.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Do you think there's more opportunities now for players leaving
the NFL than there was during your time?
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Yeah, well, because the media is different. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Now, when I came in in nineteen eighty one, you know,
there was no free agency, so with whatever team you
were on, you were on and you were there basically forever. Now,
thank god I was with the Los Angeles Rams because
that was my favorite team as a kid. Okay, so
you know, and I'm from Detroit at the time, and
(05:01):
for a long time, the Lions were no good.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
So I'm not really alive.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Wait so wait, you grew up in Detroit, but you
were a Lions fan, I mean, not Rams fan.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Yes. Wow.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
My favorite player was Deacon Jones. You know, he's a
great Ram player, and but you know. What I liked
was the Rams always came in on it in the afternoon,
right because they had the first game was like, you know,
during the East Coast. Second game was West Coast, so
we'd watched the West Coast game. It'd be green and
palm trees. And then the Rams had all the players.
(05:34):
There was a glamour team, and I just fell in
love with the Rams. They're my favorite team. And I
played Pop Warner for the West Side Cubs, and I
just loved the Rams. I loved Deacon Jones, so then
I got drafted by him, you know, many years later,
and and there was you know, dream come true. So
I was playing with the Rams and nineteen eighty one
(05:55):
and there was no free agency, so there, you know,
there's our trinities, don't get me wrong, but not like
there is today with all the social media and the
streaming and the Internet and all the other outlets you
can go. And then eighty seven, eighty two there was
a strike. Eighty seven, there's a strike. Ninety two I
believe was the time where they resolved a lawsuit. And
(06:17):
then that was the first time a billion dollar TV
contract was in place with free agency, and then everything
blew up from that point.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Got it interesting? And then you do you currently live
in Los Angeles.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Now I live in Orange County, Okay, Okay.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
And what do your how many kids do you have?
Speaker 2 (06:37):
I have two boys?
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Two boys. How old are they?
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Eighteen and twenty?
Speaker 1 (06:42):
What do they think about their father being the Golden Bachelor?
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Well, you know they you know, at the time, they're teenagers. Yeah,
and teenagers are teenagers. And they were just you know, like,
you know, do it, don't do it?
Speaker 2 (07:00):
What is it?
Speaker 3 (07:01):
You know, they were they knew about the Bachelor, but
they weren't really invested.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
As a matter of fact, my my.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
Younger son, we were actually watching the Grant season just
by it happen chance, right, This was before I was
even casted. I wasn't even contacted. We're just watching it.
I came on and I sort of got it, like
maybe in the second week of the programming, and so
he was watching it with me, and so this was
(07:29):
first time he watched it.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
And you know, obviously I knew about it.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
So when I'm telling him how it works and he's
watching it, then the advertisement came on for the Golden Bachelor, and.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
So, oh, dad, you should do that?
Speaker 3 (07:42):
You know, and I just well, I didn't give any
any thought, right, we're just watching it, and then I didn't.
I got hooked on their grant season, so I recorded it,
you know, going forward, so like week two to week
whenever I recorded the series. Then it came on again
and my son was there. He goes, oh, Dad, you look,
you're lucky man. He goes, it's not again, you're watching it.
He didn't know if recording it right, so he got hooked.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
On it too.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
So then he's watching the women and then he started,
you know, you know, picking like, oh did you keep.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Keep hit her? And you know, let her go? And
how come he's doing this?
Speaker 3 (08:14):
So he got into it right, And then we followed
it to the end, and you know, we saw the
final episodes, so then we then the Golden Bacheler opportunity came,
so he was more into it.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
The older one hadn't.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Been exposed to it, so but you know, they got
they got more and more into it as you know,
I started talking to him about it, so they finally
they finally came around.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
Well, and if there's ever a time to get into it,
it's when your dad's the bachelor. This is the perfect.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
Yeah, yeah, you know, they you know, they were once
they realized that, you know, I had a chance, then
they were in on it, right. But they're a little
they're a little hesitant about getting filmed and all of that.
So yeah, they came around, you know, after I explained
to them, and then you know, they're sort of slowly
(09:07):
you know, shown how the show works. And then they
came around.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
And you you're divorced, correct, Yes, do you still talk
to your ex wife?
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Not really? Okay?
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Do you have any idea how she feels about you
being the Golden Bachelor?
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Not really? Okay.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
You're an ex football player, so you obviously had all
of your techniques for preparing for a game. How did
you prepare to go film your season of The Bachelor?
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Well, no matter what you do in any business, you
have to have focus, right, and you gotta. You should
you should study and know what it's about, especially if
something like the the the the Bachelors.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
It's a long running show, so you should. You should
be able to, you.
Speaker 3 (10:00):
Know, look back on some of the episodes and find out,
you know, what happened, because I hadn't seen it for
a long time. Other than the Grant season. And I
hadn't seen really the Golden Bachelor, But you know, it's
you don't really know about this that they can tell
you about it until you're in it, and then when
you're in it, it's just completely different than what you
(10:22):
thought it was. But you know, you have to have stamina, energy, focus,
and those are all the things you have to.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
Do when you're in business, no matter what business you're in.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
So it wasn't I did I did anything new, but
I just focused more and I just you know, and
I knew I was going to go away for like,
you know, two months and got my mindset ready from
that standpoint.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
Did you get any advice from anyone from the Bachelor
franchise that had done it before? Before, during or after five?
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Jesse Palmer.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Jesse gave me advice because he had you know, obviously
he's the host, so he sees everything. And then when
he was you know, younger, he was the bass or
so you know, he was you know, and he played football.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Too, played in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Yeah, yeah, so and you know obviously played college and
he played pro. So we have a lot of things
in common. He actually is married to a Brazilian gal too.
My wife Brazil was Brazilian, so there's a lot of similarities.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
That I was all, ears, Yeah, he's kind of the
best person to give you advice.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
What did he Yeah, what was this advice?
Speaker 3 (11:32):
You know, just you know, just like I told you,
you know, stay focused and you know, and you know,
know what's going on around you, and you know, and
he's in production too, right, so he's he knows all
about the way it's produced.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
And he also does football.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
He broadcasts football games in the Food Network, so he
has a lot of experience.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
In front of it and behind it.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
So just just to be aware of things and you know,
and just you advice along the way. And plus he
was on set a lot, so I got to talk
to him and you know, my dinner and breakfast with
him a lot.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Nice.
Speaker 4 (12:09):
Nice What were you most excited for and what were
you most nervous for going into the season, I, you know.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Just anticipation because I didn't know what to expect other
than I know that it was going to be a
first rate, great run production, which they all are, and
I knew they're going to have the you know, you know,
beautiful women and and you know, sophisticated women and you know,
their their profile, they try to match up with your profile.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
So I knew all of that going in. It was
going to be great.
Speaker 3 (12:45):
I didn't I didn't think anything other than it was
just going to be a great experience.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
What was dating like before this for you?
Speaker 3 (12:55):
I really didn't date before because I had my boys
growing up, right, and my boys were with me the
majority of the time, So I had them, and you know,
all my energy was with them. So maybe a handful
of dates here and there, but nothing serious, nothing long term.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Nothing.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
Yeah, let's talk women, mel. What is your type?
Speaker 2 (13:20):
Well, I said it before.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
You know, you know someone who has energy, you know,
great personality, active, adventurous, lifetime learner. But you know, energy
is a big deal.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
Like blondes burnette.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
That doesn't matter. That doesn't matter, No, there's that doesn't matter.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
What do you do do you? Are you active? Do
you go to the gym a lot? Any sports?
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Now?
Speaker 3 (13:49):
I other than just dominating my kids like in ping
pong and in basketball, But I don't I don't play sports.
I work out obviously to stay in shape, but I
don't play you know, just like basketball, a little bit
ping pong bowl, you know, but no golf, nothing like that.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Do you miss football?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
What's that?
Speaker 4 (14:11):
Do you miss football?
Speaker 1 (14:13):
No, that's so funny.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
I feel like all professional athletes say that, like they don't.
They don't. Usually they're usually no, I'm good, like I
had my time.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
And yeah, I'm good.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Those were my words. Good, I had my time. I
played twenty six straight years of football. I love football.
I love sports. My boys play baseball, They're going to
play baseball in college. I'm all about college sports, high
school sports, because I was coaching at the high school
for a number of years football, so I like to
be around the sport.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
I like, you know, coaching, you know, young young people.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
And sharing knowledge, but you know, playing wise, No, you know, no,
I had my time.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Okay, let's go take us to night one. You're standing
there waiting for the women to step out of the limo.
What's going going through your hat at that point?
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Just I'm just nervous, man, Just nervous, just you know, anticipation, nerves, excitement.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Yeah, you know, just But it was a wonderful feeling though.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
It really was, because you know, there's a lot of
bleeding up to it, a lot of people telling you,
you know, not so much what to expect, but like production.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
You know, you're standing here, they're gonna come here. This
is what's gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
And basically it's flawless, as you guys know, except for
there are a few glitches here and there, but they
just smooth right over them. But mainly it was just nervousness,
and you know, it was good nerves because you know,
I played football. You know, I'm an attorney before cases
before games.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
If you're not nervous, then you're not excited.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Yeah, yeah, you're not. You know, you're not excited. You're
not nervous, so it can't be manufactured. So you know,
the nerves are real, but they're good nerves, and I
just enjoyed it.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
Night one is Joe and I is one of our
favorite episodes because, yeah, there's so much emotion, it's so intense,
but having been there, it is such a well oiled machine,
like they have Night One down to a science, so
you really just kind of get to like you're just
flowing through the motions of where they're telling you to go.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
To greats experiences I've ever had in my life that
those three four hours, because it takes a little while,
you know, to get them all through the you know,
the introductions, just it's just something that to experience is
just it is unreal, It really is it.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
It was a It was a really good experience.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
For for these women. What what could they if, let's
say someone you end up with someone, what could she
expect with a life with you after the show?
Speaker 2 (16:59):
I'm a I'm a nice sky. You know, You're gonna
have a lot of fun with me.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
I'm interested in them and but what they do, because
it's got to be a two way street. I'm choosing them,
but they're also choosing me, and there's gonna be a
lot of similarities. But also I want to learn from
them as well, because that's why you know, we're together,
and it just can't be one sided either way. So
(17:26):
I think for me, they're gonna they're gonna get someone
who's excited, you know, to live, to live life in
and to keep learning and have personal growth.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Are you still working? Are you retired?
Speaker 2 (17:36):
I'm still working.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Is traveling back and forth or potentially moving cities something
that you would consider.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Yeah, well, anything's possible. It just depends on the circumstance.
And you know, where I live and then where she lives.
But you never know, and you know, I talked to
Chalk I think his name is Chalk from the first
(18:06):
of the first Bacheorette, Golden Bachshorette. And they live apart, right,
I mean I think they're engaged, but they live apart
and they travel.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
So you know, if you want to happen, it can happen. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:21):
On the first night of the Bachelor, there is the
first impression. Rose, What were you keeping an eye out
for when you're looking for someone that makes a good
first impression?
Speaker 3 (18:34):
Well, just that the impression, right, what really hits you,
you know hard, and that you can say, wow, that
was something that was something different, that was that was
really a different experience, and that one made an impression
on me obviously. So I really wasn't looking for the
first impression other than feeling it.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
And then when you feel it, you go, oh, that's
the person.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
And look, they all were impressive, right, and they all
had great stories and very sophisticated and accomplished. So it's
hard to say that's the one, except for on that
night that was the one.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
And so.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
It's a special you know, feeling, and that's why the
person gets the first impression.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Rows.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
Of course it's going to be twenty something amazing women,
but you're not. You're hopefully not going to fall in
love with all of them.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
Yeah, you know, you probably probably could, but to what
extent because you know they're all amazing, but you know,
there's different personalities, and they come from different parts of
the country, and they have different backgrounds, and you know,
you're looking for someone that matches with you, and you know,
sometimes it does, and you know, sometimes maybe eight out
(19:50):
of ten do and you know, things match, and then
only two out of three over here. But you know,
and maybe the thing that you like the most, maybe
maybe their sense of humor that you're attracted to most.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
What ended up being an unexpected challenge for you as
the lead, well.
Speaker 3 (20:07):
You know, the the not not the timing, but the scheduling, right,
and and I'm fine with all of it. But and
I was ready for whatever happened because I'm I'm coachable.
You know, I've been you know, through a lot of
you know a lot of things that are on time,
(20:28):
you know, scheduling, but you know you have to be
amenable to changes and be able to pivot, you know
when you have to. It wasn't that big of a
challenge but it was something that you know, you know,
I had to get used to because things change, weather changes,
you know, people change, you know, schedules change equipment.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
So you know, it was.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Something that that was a little bit out of the
ordinary for my day to day as I was doing it,
you know, prior to this.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
Something that we see a lot of the leads that
come on this podcast expressed that they have difficulty with
is the eliminations sending people home that they obviously have
grown to care about and kind of breaking their heart
a little bit. How was that for you?
Speaker 2 (21:25):
Same way?
Speaker 3 (21:26):
I mean, you just don't want to do it right
because you know how much time and energy they've invested
into you know, the process, into the journey, and obviously
as it gets you know, deeper into the season, into
the show, it becomes more difficult. Do you spend more
time with them and you get to know them and
there's no rhyme or reason really that you're you know,
(21:50):
letting people go other than that's just the way the
show is set up, you know.
Speaker 2 (21:54):
I you know, I said, if I had.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
Met you know, the women individually, it would be yes
to all of them individually.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
But that's not how it works.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
It's you know, there's like twenty three or twenty five,
you know on a show, and you're getting down to one.
So the way the show works and the way the
journey is that people are going to be let go.
But it's painful, nonetheless, because you get to know these
people and they don't deserve to let go other than
(22:23):
that's the way the show works.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
But it does hurt your heart letting them go.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
Yeah, yeah, it's not easy breaking hearts. Do you remember
when was the last time that you could remember that
you started falling for a woman?
Speaker 2 (22:39):
Well, my wife, Okay, you know, I was, you know,
twenty five years ago whenever it was, And that was
twenty five years ago, So that was the time.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
And did you ever expect to feel those feelings again?
Speaker 3 (22:57):
No, because I thought I was going married forever. Know,
you know, twenty five years is a long time. Yeah,
and I'm not expecting anything different. So I'm not thinking like, oh,
I'm falling in love and then I'm you know, in
my head, I'm thinking about falling in love again.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
No, because I'm married.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
Is that your goal going on as the Golden Bachelor?
You want to find someone to spread the rest of
your life.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
With Well, yeah, I was open to find someone who
I could share my life with.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
And you don't know until you're on.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
The show and you're meeting and speaking with and spending
time with the women. But that's the ultimate goal, and
and you have to tune in to find out.
Speaker 4 (23:41):
Did did your boys give you any advice when you
went on the show?
Speaker 2 (23:47):
I don't remember exactly, you know, any.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
Strict advice they gave me other than just have fun,
right and be yourself because I'm gonna be myself no
matter what. You know, I'm not gonna be someone that
I'm not because I can't be. But they weren't giving
me any advice other than just be myself. And you know,
they know me, they know that i'd be myself.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
Was there anything they're like, just please, you know, don't
do this like anything like that.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
No, because you know, the thing is they hadn't watched
the show, so they weren't real familiar with all the
ins and outs and ups and downs of the show
and what really happens. Because the older one, I don't
think I ever watched it, but that I know if
you might have watched it on his phone, and the
younger one just watched it, you know, maybe five weeks
(24:37):
with me or four weeks with me, and he was
sort of like in and out to watch it for
a little bit, and then he'd leave and then oh,
that girl's still there or why should you get rid of?
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Why to get rid of her? Right?
Speaker 3 (24:46):
So he like, you know, they're not invested in the franchise,
so they didn't know how it works, so they didn't
you know, they didn't have any any advice like, hey,
don't do this and don't do that because of something
they saw before.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
So not really did you at all during during your
time as the lead ever think what it would be
like to be on the opposite end of that, because
like usually you know, with Golden it's it's been a
little different where the leads, most of them besides Joan, well,
the two Bachelor leads never experienced being on the show.
(25:19):
Did you did you think about that at all? Is
that something across I.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
Tried to put myself in there in their place when
when I was you know, talking to them and how
how it must have been for them, and you know,
to put themselves out there and also remember you're competing
more or less with you know, other women and you're
also the living you're living with them also, so you
(25:43):
have all those other sort of personality things going on
inside the mansion. So I tried to put myself in
their shoes, you know, when I was talking to them
and they were relating to me, how you know how
difficult it was because they also were never in that
situation either. But you know, I was on the other side,
(26:04):
and I go, I know how much how difficult it
must be to be in their chair going through these experiences,
you know, with other women as well. So to answer
your question, yes, to an extent.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Nice Bachelor is known for their iconic dates. They do,
you know, helicopters and the yachts and all the exciting travel.
Was there anywhere that you were hoping to get to
travel to, or any type of date that you were
hoping to get to go on.
Speaker 3 (26:34):
Well, they had called me and asked me what things I,
you know, liked to do and and things like that sort,
and I just told them, but they do such a
great job. I didn't want to mess it up, all right,
Just you guys, just do your professional job.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
And I was going to be great.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
And they're all great, They're all amazing experiences.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Right, just just wonderful.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
So I'm glad I didn't offer up anything that would
screw it up and they did a great job.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Yeah I would. Yeah, that's what they're they're good at,
you know, like.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
That's that's amazing, that's their area.
Speaker 1 (27:11):
They don't they don't need a lead to come in
and be like because that's what I would do if
I was like, we're gonna change his whole fucking shroll
around now, and then they'd be like, it's canceled.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3 (27:21):
The thing is, you know, I'm I'm just smart enough
to know don't mess the program up.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
Yeah, right, because you know when when when I went
to the.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
University of Michigan, you know, I was seventeen years old
and I got there, and then you have all these
ideas and you go, no, it's been around for a
long time.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
I go, I'm gonna follow the program.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
If I if I just follow the program, it's gonna
be great.
Speaker 2 (27:44):
So I'm gonna follow the program. And it was great.
I like that.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Last, but not least, what advice would you give to
any future Golden Bachelor's you.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Know, just the advice that everybody gave me, because you know,
you know, even the people who are in production, the
producers and the people that were there and you know,
you know, Jesse, they can give you all the advice
you know and tell you how it's going to be,
but you just don't know until you're in it. And
when you're in it, I mean it's it's fast and
furious and it's condensed like you're like from really for
(28:20):
like two months, you're just like putting it together. Patience
is what you need, right and just patience. It's going
to be good. Let it happen, you know, open mind,
open heart.
Speaker 4 (28:35):
Are you doing anything fun for the premiere? It's right
around the corner. Give any plans.
Speaker 3 (28:41):
Actually be in New York because they've got the things
planned for me. And again, I'm just following along the program, right,
I'm not gonna try to do anything different. I'm just
gonna go with it. So yeah, I'm not I'm not planning.
I'm not planning anything. They're they're planning nice.
Speaker 1 (29:03):
Well, mel I am really looking forward to watching your season.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
And it was it's gonna be good man.
Speaker 1 (29:08):
Great meeting you for the time. Four we tune in,
we will and to all our listeners, thank you guys
so much for tuning in the batch of Happy Hour.
Make sure you download and subscribe to the podcast.
Speaker 4 (29:21):
We have new exclusive interviews every single week. Thanks for listening.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Bye, thanks guys, thank thanks MoU
Hosts And Creators
Joe Amabile
Susan Noles
Serena Pitt
Kathy Swarts
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