Golden Bachelor’s Mel Owens Clears Up Age Limit Controversy
Zoe Bennett here with a journalistic expert perspective offering well-researched analysis and key insights on the recent controversy surrounding Golden Bachelor star Mel Owens. Objective reporting, insightful analysis—let’s begin.
Golden Bachelor lead Mel Owens has issued a detailed clarification and apology after igniting a social media firestorm when he stated he would not date women over 60 on the ABC reality show’s upcoming second season. In an interview published August 1 by Glamour, the 66-year-old former Los Angeles Rams linebacker explained that his comments were based on personal reference points rather than show rules or an intentional snub toward older contestants.
Owens told Glamour that his “reference of dating was 39, 40 years old” since he had not dated in more than 25 years following his 2020 divorce from ex-wife Fabiana Owens. “I hadn’t dated in 26, 27 years. At that point I still hadn’t dated, so my reference was my age, basically,” he said. He stressed that he had not been aware of ABC’s official casting age bracket of 45 to 60 and mistakenly assumed the “gold” years for him would be women within his previous dating range.
The fallout included public backlash and a private reprimand from a close friend who reminded him that his words carried weight. “She goes, ‘It doesn’t matter. You’ve said some things that are just incredibly wrong,’” Owens recalled. “And I go, ‘I’ve got to apologize.’”
According to Owens, he addressed the issue head-on when filming kicked off. “I apologized to the women on the show,” he told Glamour. “When I first walked in, I said, ‘It was unfair, insensitive. I want to earn it back. Just give me the chance.’” He noted that over the first few weeks he worked to rebuild trust, even enduring a roast date where contestants playfully shredded him for the gaffe.
Owens also advised fans not to boycott the season because of the controversy. “You have to be earnest in your work to get the trust back,” he said. “Everyone there is smart and they can see through you if you’re lying or you don’t mean what you say. That’s why I say tune in. I deserved the anger. That was a mistake by me. I have to earn it back every single moment that I’m on the show.”
The Golden Bachelor season two premieres September 24 on ABC. Fans can expect Owens to face additional challenges as he courts contestants and tries to demonstrate genuine growth.
That wraps up our analysis. Stay informed and keep an eye on how Owens navigates this redemption arc on national television.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! Online, Glamour, ABC
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
