SPOILER ALERT: This article contains mild spoilers for the Season 2 premiere of ABC’s “The Golden Bachelor.”
In the highly anticipated Season 2 premiere of ABC’s “Golden Bachelor,” star Mel Owens faced a lineup of remarkable women eager to win his heart. While many contestants seized their brief moments with him to share personal anecdotes, a few took the bold step to confront the former NFL player turned lawyer over some controversial remarks he made during a recent podcast.
Back in June, during an appearance on the “In the Trenches” podcast, Owens controversially stated that he would prefer contestants aged between 45 to 60, explicitly mentioning he would “cut” anyone over the age of 60 from the show.
“It’s blind up until they get out of the limo. But they asked me, ‘What are your preferences?’ So, I just said 45 to 60, just being honest,” Owens explained. He added a rather blunt comment during lunch with the executive producer: “You know, if they’re 60 or over, I’m cutting them. They said, ‘Oh Mel, you can’t, this is not the ‘Silver Bachelor.’ It’s the ‘Golden Bachelor.’”
Additionally, Owens expressed his expectations for the contestants to maintain a certain level of fitness, mentioning his hope to “try to stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs.”
During the premiere, Owens addressed the backlash from his previous comments head-on. “I’m excited to meet the women, but I’m nervous about them having misconceptions about me,” he admitted. He acknowledged his past comments on the podcast: “I messed up. I was wrong. I replay it in my head a lot. I have regrets, and I’m sorry for all the things I’ve said on the podcast.”
The first one-on-one introduction included Diane, a spirited 71-year-old librarian who also plays women’s hockey. She wasted no time in confronting him: “And you know what, Mel? I gotta ask you. What the puck was that about on the podcast?”
To which Owens responded, “It was unfair, unkind. Will you give me a second chance and let me earn it back?” Diane’s reply was light-hearted: “Stick with me; I’ll keep you out of the penalty box.”
Another memorable introduction came from Terri, a 71-year-old cosmetic dentist, who introduced Owens to her adorable puppet named Carly. “Hi, Mel. I bet you weren’t expecting all these women over 60 to look so hot, right?” quipped Carly, catching Owens off guard with a playful slap from the puppet.
Owens, reflecting on the humorous encounter, noted in a confessional, “I don’t think I’ve ever been hit by a puppet before, so that was fun.”
Two more contestants, 62-year-old former model Carla and 67-year-old luxury yacht salesperson Alexandra, also made their voice heard, challenging Owens’ notions about women over 60.
“I’m here to break all of your stereotypes about women over 60,” Carla asserted confidently to the Golden Bachelor.
After meeting all the incredible contestants, Owens reconvened with the women to reiterate his apologies regarding his previous ageist remarks. “It’s truly a privilege for me to be the Golden Bachelor,” he stated. “I hope you can forgive me and let me earn it back.” He added, “Age is just really a number. And spirit has no age.”
Tune in for new episodes of “The Golden Bachelor” Season 2, airing on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, and available for streaming on Hulu the following day.
