I doubt I’ll ever forgive Gerry for how he handled the final decision.
It’s official: Theresa Nist, known for her tiny shorts and big brown eyes, has triumphed and won the heart of Gerry Turner, our inaugural “Golden Bachelor.” This outcome seems fitting. The fan-favorite runner-up, Leslie Fhima, appears too sophisticated for Gerry (and possibly most men?). Yet, the scene where Gerry visibly shattered Leslie’s heart in front of a live audience was nonetheless painful. It was brutal. I might have nightmares tonight, hearing Leslie sob about never being chosen, not just on The Golden Bachelor but ever. However, I genuinely hope that as the heat from the Bachelor drama subsides, Leslie can recognize that she’s won by “losing” this round of the franchise.
Why? I pretty much laid it out this morning in Slate, but in summary: Leslie, in her 64 years, has lived, seen, and felt too much to be with Mr. “Aw Shucks,” 72-year-old Gerry. His behavior in the finale—fumbling Leslie’s grief and anger, shutting down, not just shutting up when he should have—only confirmed this. Despite his seven-plus decades on earth, it’s evident that he lacks the experience to handle the heart of a fragile, hurting woman. Earlier, the overhyped but still amusing details about Gerry’s real-world escapades that leaked this week had already begun to bias me against Gerry for Leslie. I just couldn’t see her thriving with a guy who’s allegedly meticulous about bill-splitting and household accounting. But those details are trivial at this point. Even if I didn’t want Gerry to choose Leslie, I doubt I’ll forgive him for breaking her heart the way he did.
There are reasons to hope. I asked my former colleague, friend, and podcaster Emma Gray, co-host of Love to See it with Emma and Claire (and host of erstwhile Bachelor-franchise podcast Here to Make Friends), if we might see Leslie again in another part of Bachelor Nation. She feels confident there will be a Golden Bachelorette on the horizon, and that Leslie is the perfect choice.
“Leslie checks all the boxes for the first Golden Bachelorette,” Emma texted me this morning. “She’s vibrant. She’s adventurous. She’s beautiful. She can articulate her feelings with intention and accuracy. And she’s captivating to watch. She also has a narrative arc that will propel her—and those of us watching—straight into the next season: Fresh out of the hell of heartbreak, our gal will emerge triumphant; ready for a new journey that’s not at all about Gerry, but about her. She was always meant to be the main character.”
So all of us on Team Leslie should cheer: She didn’t get the man, but that just means she’s got more time to get her man. And if we’re lucky, we’ll all get to watch.
We can anticipate Leslie’s journey beyond The Golden Bachelor to be one of resilience and self-discovery. Although she didn’t end up with Gerry, this experience becomes a stepping stone for her personal growth and pursuit of genuine connection.
As Emma Gray pointed out, Leslie possesses all the qualities needed for the first Golden Bachelorette. Her vibrancy, adventurous spirit, beauty, and articulate communication make her an ideal candidate. Moreover, Leslie’s compelling narrative arc, emerging from heartbreak and moving towards triumph, promises an engaging storyline for the next season. It’s a journey that revolves around her, not Gerry, showcasing her resilience and strength.
The prospect of seeing Leslie as the main character in the upcoming season is exciting. Her narrative, untethered from Gerry’s influence, allows her to explore new connections, experiences, and, most importantly, focus on her own happiness. The audience, already captivated by Leslie’s charm, can look forward to witnessing her journey unfold.
So, while the outcome of The Golden Bachelor might not have been what Leslie hoped for, it appears to be a fortuitous turn of events. The door to new possibilities has swung wide open, and if luck is on our side, we’ll have the privilege of joining Leslie on her quest for love and fulfillment in the next chapter of her romantic journey.