Anybody watch "The Golden Bachelor" last night?
 

Senior dating at its finest!

I enjoyed the show and am recording it. https://abc.com/shows/the-golden-bachelor

What!!!

All reality TV is scripted, it’s making us simpleminded.

Lordy, who watches this stuff. So fake.

OP, I don’t know about this one’s specifics, but I do know I have strong opinions on what reality shows have helped to do to America — only a part of this hellscape we might not survive, but part of the mix, for sure.

Re. Reality shows in general:

Cringeworthy at best. Horrifying at worst.

But lots of people watch that stuff. That’s a problem.

The writers’ strike (the one before the current one) brought an onslaught of fake, crass, boorish, shallow, just plain stupid “entertainment” — and here we are, dumb and dumber and dumbest. Reality shows? Cause or Symptom? (Well, not the only cause, but a contributing factor for sure, one of them in particular.)

Here we are now, too many of us……..

Brains sucked out. (Check)

Amygdalae hijacked (Check)

Following reality show stars to the point of blind worship. (Check)

Adoration of those who do all the things we taught our children not to do. (Check)

Manipulated and Exploited. (Check)

Susceptible. (Check)

Forgotten dignity. (Check)

Fake is Truth and Truth is Fake. (Check)

And it has been so easy.

Boomer

- - - - - - - - - - -

Addendum : Oh my! I should and must clarify that I wrote the post above when I woke up in
the middle of the night……

Just woke up again and realized it could be interpreted as saying the OP was dumb for watching “”The Golden Bachelor” —- sorry and no that was not it……..

I admit to being a little curious about that one. Might look once. Will see. But know I won’t stick around as a fan.

The thing I wrote, half-asleep, I stand by though — because I am mystified and terrified by the dumbing down of America. I love this country and I want it to be OK, forever.

Boomer, again

Facebook. Reality TV. Social media sites. All responsible for the dumming down of America. When you hear the actual number of people following these sites it is staggering, how does anything get done with so many people on social media. Oh yes, I'm on social media right now!

Look at the top left. Do what it says.

No!

I liked duck dynasty…:bigbow:

FB in it for the money. Who would think selling personal information with free site would make you billionaires? :oops:

The dumbing down these days starts in first grade. Much if not most of the public school system is failing. Here is an example sample.

"None of the students at 40% of Baltimore’s public high schools tested proficient on the state math exam given this past spring — with a staggering three-quarters earning the lowest possible score, an alarming report revealed this week."

From: Students at 40% of Baltimore high schools failed math proficiency exam

and - “Math and reading scores for 13-year-olds have hit their lowest scores in decades.” When the recent NAEP long-term trend results for 13-year-olds were published, the reactions were predictable: short pieces in the national press and apologetics in education blogs. COVID-19, we were told, was continuing to cast its long shadow. Despite nearly $200 billion in emergency federal spending on K-12 schooling, students are doing worse than a decade ago, and lower-performing students are today less capable of doing math than they were 35 years ago. -

From: America’s Education System Is a Mess, and It’s Students Who Are Paying the Price – The 74

While I agree social media has recently played a part SAT scores peaked in the mid 1960s, decades before social media arrived. They have been slipping downhill ever since. Notoriously, the test has been dumbed down.

Since I watch little television I was trying to recall what reality shows I ever watched. "This Old House", "Antiques Roadshow", "American Pickers", "Pawn Stars" and "Botched" came to mind. I tried watching "The Real Housewives of Orange County" maybe twice as I knew people who knew some of them but could not get into it. "Storage Wars" were faked as I know that business.

Here is a list of reality shows past and present: List of reality television programs - Wikipedia

Not only that, but I refuse to watch these shows that are degrading to the institution of marriage. Bachelor, Bachelorette, 90 Day Fiance, and who can forget Who wants to marry a millionaire.
And we wonder why so few take marriage seriously anymore.

Tonight is the night for the second Golden Bachelor episode. Got my DVR warmed up and ready to record!

You have surprised me yet again.

Hey, I became 'single again' at age 54 and had a great run until I pretty much burned out at age 60. I found the first show fun to watch, actually quite moving at times, so I am dating vicariously so to speak as at age 81 I do not want to go through wild and crazy dating again.

So. If you are dating vicariously, you might want to listen to a podcast called “Dating While Gray” by Laura Stassi. It has been around for a while. You can find it on the wunc.org website out of Chapel Hill public radio or wherever you find podcasts.

Boomer

Thank you, Boomer. I am aware of her podcasts and have listened to a few. She has interviewed and written about some interesting people.

I just listened to Laura's latest podcast in which she talks with Veronica who took a pass as a contestant or whatever they are called on the show. I was amazed at the excruciating and lengthy casting process. It was an eye opener. Too, the women contestants have to leave their cell phones, computers, books, pets and so on behind. It is two months without pay. They have to provide their own wardrobes, makeup and hairdos at their own expense. Bummer!

There are two well to do widows on our block and think they are back in the market. Want some phone numbers?

Thank you Stu but I think I will pass for now.

Did I mention they were good cooks? Apparently really fattened up their first hubbies.:boom:

Now that is appealing! One of my long term girlfriends whom I still see now and then had been married to a Frenchman who became a pilot for Air France. She had lived in Paris and studied cooking at Le Cordon Bleu. Her cooking spoiled me. We even made foie gras from duck livers.

At 85 I’m still doing the wild and crazy part just much more slower lol FYI for Stu ,those ladies wouldn’t have to cook for me ,I only like eating in restaurants

Apparently they helped their husbands along with her cooking and that is where their money seems to come from.:BigApplause:

A little advice to those single posters here from this long and happily married woman………

If you ever decide to get married at this point in life, I have one word for you — PRE-NUP!

Boomer

Have a casserole.

Not real.
 

Fake reality manipulated by the producers for the best chance of a larger viewing audience.

Golden Dreams
 

I hope Gerry can find his 2nd true love....but I have doubts bliss will last forever.

Yes. I watched last night. Theresa seems to be the practical pick but he appeared to have more physical passion for Leslie (possibly/probably scripted to keep the audience on edge and engaged?). From what I have read as I have never watched one is that the Bachelor/Bachelorette shows have twists, turns and cliff hangers, like old time serials shown in matinees Saturdays at the movies.

Just a question, if you need a prenup why would you marry in the first place? Friendship can go a long way….

A very well off acquaintance turned down a 4 million dollar engagement ring because it wasn’t valuable enough. I am not sure what she actually wants. But if he leaves the common law relationship it starts at 65 million for him. (He can afford it.) I just can’t figure out why anybody would get involved with such a gold digger in the first place? And the guy involved is the son one one of my best friends. This is his third try towards marriage. Personally, I think marriage starts when each if you will give your life for the other person… but maybe that’s just me.

Trust or tryst?
 

I cannot imagine what a 4 million dollar engagement ring looked like. Seems like her arm would have had to be in a sling to help hold it up. Yes. That was a gold digger.

But to answer your question, my pre-nup comment had to do mostly with the lives of everyday people when they marry later in life.

Especially if each one has a couple of bucks and/or owns property on his/her own, it can be best to spell things out from the beginning.

This is often true when there are adult children who might not be accepting of a remarriage of a parent — either for concern about their own inheritance or concern about a potential gold digger.

With long marriages, there can be an accumulation of assets earned together over many years. Trust language could probably solve a lot of this “just in case” stuff while both are still alive. But I am not a lawyer.

Anyway, I am not being cynical with that advice, just practical. Establishing yours, mine, and ours before a marriage at an older age just makes sense to me. But I know others don’t see it like that.

Boomer

Yes, she’s an international gold digger, on a Mrs Simpson level, I don’t think she was planning to WEAR the ring, maybe very special occasions - if she keeps him. I guess we could call my friend’s son, “The Diamond Bachelor” lol.

Still I am wondering why marry if you need; his, mine and theirs? Just don’t get married! Keep your stuff, keep the kids stuff. Put them first. And stay friends. In marriage the two become one (at any age) and assets are the least of them.

If anybody ever suggested marriage to me with a prenup or any kind of condition, there wouldn’t be a chance in hell. But we could stay good friends.

"Who Needs a Prenup?

Contrary to popular opinion, prenups are not just for the rich. While premarital agreements are often used to protect a wealthy spouse's assets, couples of more modest means are increasingly turning to them for their own purposes. There are many reasons some people want a prenup, including:

Pass separate property to children from prior marriages. A couple with children from prior marriages may use a prenup to spell out what will happen to their property when they die, so that they can pass on separate property to their children and still provide for each other, if necessary. Without a prenup, a surviving spouse might have the right to claim a large portion of the other spouse's property, leaving much less for the kids.
Clarify financial rights. Couples with or without children, wealthy or not, may simply want to clarify their financial rights and responsibilities during their marriage. For instance, they may spell out how they'll manage joint bank accounts, credit cards, household bills, and savings. Or they may want to spell out their respective obligations when one spouse plans to put the other through college or a professional degree program.
Avoid arguments in case of divorce. No one wants to think about divorce when they're about to get married, but many couples recognize that it's a possibility. So they might want to avoid potential arguments in a future divorce by specifying in advance how they'll divide their property, and whether or not either spouse will receive alimony. However, it's important to know that a few states won't allow a spouse to give up the right to alimony. And in most other states, judges will look closely at a waiver of alimony and won't enforce it if the spouse who agreed to give up alimony didn't have a lawyer.
Get protection from debts. Couples may want to use a prenup to protect themselves from each other's debts, especially school loans and medical debt."

from: Prenuptial Agreements: Who Needs Them and How to Make One | Nolo

Over the years I have heard from colleagues many sad stories about unintended consequences due to not having a prenup, especially when a second or subsequent spouse dies intestate and there are issue from one or more prior marriages.

///

Golden Bachelor Finale
 

I just read about the real Gerry's dating and employment history after his wife passed away in "The Hollywood Reporter". It ain't pretty! The article goes into his work history, first as a hot tub installer, then as a maintenance man where he met a woman who became his live-in girlfriend (made to share expenses) until she put on a few extra pounds and he kicked her out. Other girlfriends he met at a local bar. Wow, just wow! This is not the narrative the show presents. He also used the same lines he uses on the show with ex-girlfriends.

The story is in the Hollywood Reporter. Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner’s Secret Ex-Girlfriend Speaks Out – The Hollywood Reporter

I think he wanted Leslie but I noticed he lit up like a Christmas Tree when Theresa responded to his inquiry of what she did for a living - "finance".

manaboutown....all is not as it appears on TV...real people are flawed and Gerry definitely had a way to swoon women. I still think if someone is going to marry a background check is mandatory!

These programs actually scare me because there are so many lonely and vulnerable people who believe this stuff is real.

Time to turn in your man card!