7 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Golden Bachelor Mel Owens, UCSF grad and ex-NFL star, says he will cut women over 60
Mel Owens, a 66-year-old former NFL linebacker and UCSF graduate, was recently named the next star of ABC's ' The Golden Bachelor.' But even before filming begins on the show's second season, Owens is already drawing criticism for declaring he won't date women his own age.
In an appearance on the 'In the Trenches' podcast this week, Owens revealed that he told producers he's only interested in dating women between the ages of 45 and 60.
'Just being honest,' Owens said. 'If they are 60 or over, I'm cutting them.'
He recounted a lunch with an executive producer who pushed back.
'They said, 'Mel, this isn't the 'Silver Bachelor.' It's the 'Golden Bachelor.' They're going to be hot, don't worry about it,''' the producer reportedly replied.
Owens also expressed concern about the physical fitness of the contestants.
'They've got to be fit because I stay in shape,' he said. 'I told them, try to stay away from the artificial hips and wigs and that kind of stuff.'
Owens emphasized he had limited influence over the casting process beyond his preferences.
Still, he insists he's looking for more than appearances. His ideal partner, he said, is 'someone who's a lifetime learner, who enjoys to love life, work out and stay fit, eat and have fun. Be energetic and live life.'
A Detroit native and standout linebacker at the University of Michigan, Owens was drafted ninth overall by the Los Angeles Rams in 1981. After a nine-year NFL career, he earned a law degree from UCSF Hastings and now practices in workers' compensation and sports law.
