The Waves: On The Golden Bachelor, Reality Dating Matures…But Does It Really?
Slate Daily Feed
Slate
3.9 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 19 October 2023
⏱️ 36 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On this week’s episode of The Waves, Laura Stassi is back in the host seat. Laura, host of the podcast Dating While Gray, still can’t get over what the heck is going on in 72-year-old Gerry Turner’s love life.
Gerry is the first lead for The Bachelor spinoff The Golden Bachelor. While Gerry and the group of women vying for his heart are seniors over 65 years old, many of the age-old Bachelor franchise tropes are still being put to use. What is it about reality TV dating that forces the stakes to be so high? To figure this out, Vulture TV critic Kathryn VanArendonk joins us.
In Slate Plus: Kathryn VanArendonk on a reality show focused on business connections – Project Greenlight: A New Generation
If you liked this episode, check out:
Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Daisy Rosario and Alicia Montgomery.
Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com.
Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now at slate.com/thewavesplus.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Waves, Slates podcast about gender, feminism, and older women sleeping |
| 0:13.4 | in bunk beds, performing in talent shows, and putting on silly costumes for cheesy photo |
| 0:18.9 | shoots. |
| 0:19.9 | All in the hopes of finding their final true love on TV. |
| 0:24.1 | Yes, we're talking the Golden Bachelor, and whether this more mature version of the |
| 0:29.4 | long-running franchise is a boon or a bust for representing daters in the second half |
| 0:34.7 | of life. |
| 0:36.2 | Every episode you get a new pair of feminists to talk about the thing we can't get off |
| 0:40.2 | our minds. |
| 0:41.2 | And today you've got me, Laura Stassi. |
| 0:44.2 | I'm the host of the podcast Dating Wall Gray. |
| 0:46.8 | I'm also co-host of Slates Golden Bachelor Recap podcast. |
| 0:50.6 | I'll be joined soon by Vulture staff writer Catherine Van Airendoc. |
| 0:56.0 | I remember when I first heard the Bachelor was planning a grown-up spin-off. |
| 1:00.0 | It was in February of 2020. |
| 1:02.2 | The producers put out a casting call, looking for, quote, active and outgoing single men |
| 1:07.6 | and women age 65 and up for a new exciting dating show. |
| 1:12.8 | I was only 59 then, too young to apply, but I was intrigued and also skeptical. |
| 1:20.1 | When that casting notice came out, I was launching the first season of Dating Wall Gray. |
| 1:24.9 | At that point, I'd spent two years talking to people 50 and older about how they were |
| 1:29.2 | finding a new romantic partner for the later years of life. |
| 1:33.3 | I'm Laura Stassi. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Slate, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Slate and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.