Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos on 1st Impression Rose & Gerry’s Return (Exclusive)

“Extra” was exclusively with Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos right after her big season premiere, as she made her Broadway debut with a cameo in Disney’s “Aladdin”! 

Joan spoke about the guys’ entrances on the first night, saying, “I love all the original entrances,” she said, adding, “I thought the funniest one was the guy who came up on the horse. I thought it was really funny how the horse ran down the driveway right as he got off… is that a problem?”

As for why she gave her first impression rose to Keith, she shared, “I loved the big old station wagon that Keith came in on, because when I was growing up I think we had that big old ugly station wagon.” 

Seeing the car made Joan feel “nostalgic” and brought up memories of road trips as a kid.

“We sat on the hood of the car and talked for a little while… the conversation flowed really easily,” she recalled, adding, “He goes, ‘Let’s just get out of here and go to the beach and grab a bottle of wine and sit and talk. And I was like, ‘Oh god, that is exactly what I’d like to do.’”

She revealed, “He made me feel comfortable and safe,” saying she gave him the rose “because of the way he made me feel.” Vassos referred to him as “a special guy” and hinted he’ll be around for a while.

She also talked about having Kelsey Anderson’s dad Mark on her season, revealing she put in the initial request to producers! 

Joan explained that when she saw Kelsey take Bachelor Joey Graziadei home to meet her dad, “I loved his personality and what a great father he was and how soft spoken he was.”

She went on, “I texted one of the producers that night… and I said if I’m the Golden Bachelorette I’m going to need Mark on my season.”

Plus, she teased Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner’s appearance and having him back to help talk through things. 

“I loved having him back to talk through things, he’s a good friend and is a smart guy and he knows how to do this,” she said. When asked if he could be back in the running this season, Vassos insisted, “I cannot spill those beans.”

She teased what’s ahead, saying, “Not a drama filled season… it is filled with such genuine emotion.” 

Vassos and her suitors “helped each other through” as she explained, “It’s hard dating at this age but it’s so worth it, if you really want to find love. It’s worth the struggles that you go through.”

She praised her group of guys, “Their backstories are really interesting, how they were single dads and how they raised — so many of them had three daughters… All those conversations are really important, as well as they’re pretty good looking and in good shape!”

She continued, “They’re really to live this next part of their life, which is really important. We’ve all worked really hard and built lives and stuff, and I think a lot of us felt like now we’re ready to do the enjoying part of life… That’s what I lost when my husband passed away. I felt like all those plans we had for the future were gone, and so now I’m ready to find somebody else to, like, fill in that big dark black hole that’s out there right now.”

While she couldn’t dish on how her season of the “Golden Bachelorette” ends, she giggled and pointed out her “big smile.”

“The Golden Bachelorette” airs Wednesdays on ABC.