The Golden Bachelorette’s Mark Anderson could be cast asThe Golden Bachelor, but that could prove he was a “producer plant” who wasn’t there to date Joan Vassos. 58-year-old Mark and 61-year-old Joan were both familiar faces who had appeared on previousBachelorfranchise shows. Joan was a contestant onThe Golden Bachelorseason 1, along with 21 other women who had traveled to theBachelormansion to date 72-year-old Gerry Turner. The season broke ground because theBachelorspin-off was the first unscripted dating show to focus on the love lives of senior citizens.
Due to a family emergency, Joan leftThe Golden Bachelorearly, but her journey continued when she was cast as the spin-off’s first female lead.The Golden Bacheloretteseason 1 kicked off with Joan greeting a fleet of limousines carryingthe 24 singleGoldenmenwho were eager to meet her, which included Mark.Mark made his television debut duringThe Bachelor28, when his daughter, Kelsey Anderson, took Joey Graziadei to Louisiana for her hometown date. Mark didn’t win Joan’s final rose, but he could be cast asThe Golden Bachelor, which could prove a popular theory about him.
What Happened Between Mark & Joan?
“Something Missing”
Everything seemed so promising for Mark and Joan. Or so it seemed. While the other men were strangers to Joan, Mark was already well known among the denizens ofBachelorNation. On night one ofThe Golden Bacheloretteseason 1, Mark’s famous daughter, Kelsey, joined him on the iconic ride to theBachelormansion. Kelsey, fresh from winning Joey’s final rose onThe Bachelorseason 28, stepped out of the limousine ahead of her father and introduced him to Joan. It was a compelling spectacle, andJoan said she was excited about dating Mark. Sadly, her excitement fizzled quickly.
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There was no single decisive incident that killed Mark’s chances with Joan duringThe Golden Bacheloretteseason 1. Though she seemed to like him well enough,there was never much of a spark between them. Early in the season, Mark pulled Joan aside for an impromptu language lesson. He taught her how to ask for a kiss in German, and then he kissed her. Though it was a clever bit by Mark, it felt forced and didn’t lead to a deeper connection between the two.
Later in the season, Joan gave Mark a highly coveted one on one date aboard a luxury yacht, but it was far from smooth sailing.
During the painfully awkward date, Mark and Joan’s lack of chemistry was on full display as they sat in long periods of silence. The next day, Joan showed up at theBachelormansion unannounced, and pulled Mark aside. In a scene posted to YouTube byBachelor Nation,Joan told Mark that there was"something missing", andshe sent him home before that night’s rose ceremony. If Mark is cast asThe Golden Bachelor,it’ll seem like he was only cast in Joan’s season to groom him to lead his own.
Mark’s Ready To Try Again
He’s No Stranger To True Love
Mark found true love once before, long before his fated appearance onThe Bachelorseason 28.Mark was married to Denise Anderson, with whom he had five children, for 18 happy years before she passed away in 2018. Denise was also in the Army, and the two met while serving overseas. During Mark’s failed one-on-one date with Joan, heconfessed that he hadn’t really dated much since his late wife’s death. She was the love of his life, and Mark always expected to spend the rest of his life with her, but he was finally ready to try again.
Like Mark, Joan was also a widower.
Long before appearing on Gerry’s season ofThe Golden Bachelor,Joan was married to Joan Vassos, with whom she had four children. Joan loved John deeply, andthey were married for 32 years before he passed away in 2021. Joan was devastated by the loss, and was open about the fact that she would never completely move on from losing John. If Mark was only cast inThe Golden Bacheloretteto groom him for his own season, it’s unfair to Joan, because he took a spot from someone who could’ve been a better match for her.
Mark Was Inspired By Kelsey Anderson
It Worked For Her
Mark wanted to beThe Golden Bachelor,and he was probably inspired in large part by his daughter’s experience. Kelsey met the love of her life, Joey, onThe Bachelor28, and the two are now happily engaged. In addition to finding true love on the show, Kelsey’s newfound fame helped her grow an impressive social media following.Being on aBachelorNation show changed his daughter’s life, so it’s understandable that Mark can see the same process working for him.
Will Mark Be The Golden Bachelor?
The Announcement May Come Any Minute
Since Joan eliminated Mark fromThe Golden Bacheloretteseason 1, the online rumor mill has been churning at full speed about the retired Army veteran’s future with the franchise. During recent episodes,ABC has been running ads inviting singleGoldenwomen to applyto be onThe Golden Bachelorseason 2. WithThe Golden Bachelorette’s season finale on the horizon, the announcement could come at any moment now.
If Mark is chosen to be theBachelorspin-off’s next lead, it will prove true the theories that he was always a “producer plant” being groomed to be a franchise lead.
Casting Mark would lend credence to the popular fan theory that he wasn’t onThe Golden Bacheloretteseason 1 to date Joan, but to up his celebrity status in preparation for his own season. This would also mean that he took a spot away from someone who could have been Joan’s ideal man. It would be a reminder that the job of show’s producers is not to be good matchmakers, but to produce entertaining television.
58 years old
Children
5
The Golden Bacheloretteseason 1 airs on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. on ABC.
The Golden Bachelorette
Cast
The Golden Bachelorette: This reality series offers one woman in her later years the opportunity to find love, as a group of seasoned men compete for her affection. Participants bring diverse romantic histories, seeking a meaningful connection and a chance to build a promising future together.
