Mark Bares His Heart

Published Oct 11, 2024, 4:30 PM

Today on “Happy Hour,” we sit down with Mark Anderson! We kick off today’s episode taking it all the way back to Joey and Kelsey’s Hometown from the last season of “The Bachelor.” Then we get into how Mark’s life changed and ultimately how he got to “The Golden Bachelorette.” And, of course, we hear all about his connection with Joan and what his journey in finding love again has meant to him and his family. Plus, we discuss what this week’s date felt like and the special place it has in his heart. Tune in now to hear all this and more, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Hey, everyone, welcome back to Betchler Happy Hour. I'm Joe and I'm Serena, and we are here with none other than Mark Anderson. You're the only one I say I've said their last name just because it's just it just goes just flowing to Mark Anderson.

Yeah, it's a good name.

You know, a lot of celebrities have to change their name when they become celebrities because they just need a better name.

You definitely wouldn't. Mark Anderson is a strong one.

Yeah, that works, Thanks, mom and dad. Right, So what's going on, Mark? How are you?

I'm doing great. Thank you for letting me join in with.

You, of course, of course. So let's uh, let's kick this thing off with your daughter. So your daughter goes on the Bachelor. How do you feel about that at the time?

Yeah, well, I mean I hadn't really watched I hadn't really watched Bachelor, Bachelorrette the series. I think, you know, it'd been on TV and I walked through. I just don't really watch a lot of TV. But Kelsey had called and said that she applied for a show, and it was it was in the summertime, like we were going to Hilton Head, for a vacation. He said she couldn't go because you know, she had interviews and stuff she had to do for that. And uh. And then my youngest son, Matthew, and I were down in New Orleans and Kelsey said that she got selected and she was going to be on the Bachelor, and and we were all excited, you know, we kind of had a good time, and then you know, we get out, we leave, and Matthew and I were driving back home and I'm like on the on the phone looking up Bachelor to get an idea what she's getting into, you know, and you see these little short video snippets of a girl in a hallway having this emotional, distressful moment and cry and and you know, so my heart sinks, thinking, oh, what is she getting into? You know, But it was you know, it was great. She got to come home right before she left, and we just kind of hung out, went to a movie and stuff, and I had to had to film some video stuff with her, and but it was really neat, you know. And I told her how proud of her I was, you know, that she was going off to do some some great things, and told her how she was much stronger than I. You know that that she was going out and you know, going to give her.

Did you give her any advice or.

Just yeah, yeah, I said, you know, just be yourself. You know, let your heart guide you. You know, the biggest thing is just be yourself. And if you yourself, there's no surprises, there's no you know, everything just works.

Yeah, that's always the advice I would give anyone to that goes on the show. It's just like as simple as it sounds, it's like, just be yourself, like and that's it. And if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. But then you don't have to like look back on it and regret anything because you were where you were right. So Kelsey makes it the hometowns. Did you have any idea what that was? Did she did she prep you before she left? Like if I go, if I make it pretty far, like you may have to you may have to come, you may have to be on TV. No.

I got I got like a phone call for a producer. You know what I'm saying, Hey, you're setting up hometown visits and uh and it was you know, at first, I get a phone call and they're saying because I hadn't heard from Kelsey, you know, and in today's age, that's a tough thing. You know, Like she would be driving around, she'd be driving around her car or up running and she'd call me up and say, hey, I just got this weird feeling and you know, yeah. So it was always kind of like, I don't know, communication, yeah, yeah, always, and it was weird not being able to talk to her and not be able to you know, hear from her or know where she was at. So it was you know, to hear from somebody saying, hey, Kelsey's doing fine. So it was nice to hear that she was fine. Yeah.

So you see her for the first time and with how communication for however long it is, and you meet the man that she potentially is going to get engaged to. Are you okay with it? Are you happy? Like? What are you? How are you feeling over it?

That was you know, I was worried about the hometown visit because The Golden Bachelor was airing while she was off filming, right, So I was I was kind of gauging stuff off The Golden Bachelorette and I'm watching it and like I was getting all this, you know, my own internal I don't know, corrections to myself. I guess like I was getting some inspiration from watching The Golden Bachelorette, Like it was it was fantastic to see people in my situation out looking for love, you know, And so I was watching that, and then we went down for Kelsey's hometown and when she walked in, it was just like, oh, finally, you know, because it'd been a while I hadn't seen her and didn't know what she was up to. Joey walked in and it was like a it was like a perfect first impression, you know, like you could tell the way they walked in. You know, he was just graceful with her and you know and patient let her, you know, get her hugs in and say hello to the family that she hadn't seen for a while, and then he just kind of fit right in in conversation and it just it was a it was a really great it was a really great experience for a first impression, Like it.

Was well, I mean, look it looked like watching it, you know, I remember watching him being like, yeah, this works, and and and watching that whole season to Serena and I mainly me, but it was pretty evident that Joey was going to choose Kelsey. Yeah you think, yeah, how is it? How is it now? After you know, all said and done, they're engaged. Just Joey fitting into the family as everything.

Yeah, you know, this summer, we were out in the Hilton Head for a week, you know, and so he's meeting my brother and his wife and family and and we're just hanging out, going to the beach, playing golf, you know, and it was it was fantastic fit right in.

Going in golf. Who's better, Well, not me because Joey's pretty good, right, huh. Joey's a pretty good golfer, right.

Oh yeah, ye. So it was my brother and Matthew, Joey and then my my brother's brother in law Alan. It was the was that that went out golfing. So it was like Alan and Joey were playing that. My brother was kind of the one given Matthew and I lessons as we were playing. So we just played eighteen and crack and it was it was a lot of fun.

Nice.

So so then so the show airs, Hometown airs, and now there's going to be this spin off from The Golden Bachelor to the Golden Bachelor att and a lot of people are throwing your name out there. That was like one of the biggest things in Joey's season was Kelsey's dad needs to be either the Golden Bachelor or on the season of the Golden Bachelor. Att So what was it like hearing that and were you Were you ready for it?

Yeah? I wasn't. I don't know how you can be ready for that. I mean, it was a it was a huge surprise for me. Like I was more worried going into that hometown, you know, the filming of that, Like, I was worried that, you know, I didn't want to be the reason that Joey wouldn't pick Kelsey. You know, if Kelsey picks him, Like she stayed there, so it's a parent that she liked him, right, she thought there was something there. So you know, I'm there to support Kelsey one hundred percent, you know, and I didn't want to be the reason why he would say no. Like so there's a little stress of you know, a little anxiety, but it all went great, you know, I mean, it went great. So my experience with that and then all of a sudden, all this internet starts up and like I'm not a big social media person. You know, like I had Facebook because my kids had Facebook when they were little, and they were playing like farm Ville and stuff, right, so I had to like send them animals and cows and farm stuff. I don't know, it was it was crazy, but we had social media to follow our kids, to keep, you know, checking on them what they're doing. And it was we were watching the Hometown episode. We were down with Kelsey at her place and uh and Kelsey's on her phone and as where as it's airing, she's like, oh my god, you know, she's like Dad, She's like telling me, I don't even know it's you know, it was just it was crazy.

So as a result of Hometown's airing and you're getting all this love on social media and Kelsey's you know telling you like, hey, like you're you're going viral. Well, what what's the craziest story you have for us from there?

Well, it was, you know, as we're watching it, it was Kelsey's like, Dad, there's thirst straps about you. Like it was a it was a commercial like right after like the first part aired, and she's like, to ad, there's thirst straps. I was like oh, and then she's like no, really, and so she starts playing it and she's like recording it. You know, I was like, oh my gosh, like I don't know, it was it was really crazy. But like after it aired, we got home, like I started getting mail, like letters to my house. I got really my phone calls, registered mail that I had to go sign for at the post office, Like.

They said, what were these letters? Where were people writing to you?

H It was a little variety of stuff, you know, like like like an introduction, you know, like saying, oh, you know I lost my spouse or you know, my husband passed away or which, you know. I was getting a lot of a lot of stuff on Instagram and and like my my stuff was always private, you know, like I just never really shared anything. I didn't think anybody'd be interested. And like I put something on there like once a month if that, you know, yeah, cook a brisket and take a picture of it, you know, like share it with the kids. So it really but then of a sudden, I'm getting all these messages right and there was it was it was just I mean it was supportive, you know, like a lot of people were bringing up about you know, being on the Golden Bachelor, and yeah, and then they announced the Golden Bachelorette, you know, and so it was really, you know, it was neat, like I mean, it was just a lot of attention that I just like, I personally am not used to that, Like I don't like, I don't thrive on that like it.

I don't know, I guess it's kind of shocking.

It is. It's overwhelming. It's shocking. I'm not a you know, I'm not an about me kind of person. So it was very overwhelming, you.

Know, like didn't make you nervous at all that people had your home address, like strangers had your home address.

Yeah, a little bit, but the Internet, like everything is there, Like yeah, I mean I got was a there was a real estate I said, wow, I'm kind of surprised you found my address, and she goes, oh, I'm in real estate. You know. She was like, honey, I'm in real estate. I have more information on you than.

Oh my god.

I mean it's true. I mean honestly, like that's why all like people are always like worried about like their information being stolen, but like it's all out there.

Yeah, yeah, you know, like having to shred all your mail, nobody wastes her time with that anymore. You know, it's too easy to get it on the internet.

Yeah, if somebody really wants to hack you, they'll they'll figure it out.

So hometowns ends You're viral on the internet. Kelsey's doing great. You're doing great. Lots of love in the Anderson household. They get engaged. We see that you go out for the live finale of Joey's season the after the Final Rows special. What was that experience like being there in the audience with a live audience, everyone knows who you are.

What was the response like.

And there's also and there's also Golden Bachelor women there.

Oh yeah, some of some of the Golden Bachelor women are there as well, which I'm sure you got to meet them.

Yeah, yeah, it was Uh so we were sitting, we weren't out in the audience for the majority of the of the episode, and then right before the rose ceremony, we got to walk out, and as we walked out, there's just like clapping and cheering, and I start looking around like like, who's you know? Who just got here? And uh, it was you? Yeah, And so we go in, we sit down. You know, my other kids are there with me and and and so we all get our seats and uh, and we sit down and you can, you know, I'm looking around and I can see back over this way is a group of the women from Golden Bachelor. Of course, Joey's family was like right across the little aisle from us, and uh, and then we got to watch the proposal, which was like that's the first week saw yeah, which was really nice. Yeah, it was. It was great, you know, and to see that, you know, as a parent, like I didn't. I didn't watch my kids on a date, not like you know, not on a TV episode for sure, right, But and I was I wasn't sure if it was something I wanted to watch because I've never seen my other kids go on dates. I didn't, you know, I don't. I mean, I'm worried about them, right, I stay up, I do you know, I check on them.

But yeah, but the idea of watching it just doesn't even seem real.

It's like, right, like, yeah, you would never get that kind of access to your children's dating life.

Yeah, like at all, Like who wants really, you know, but truly, who wants that? You know? Like they don't want to see mine.

Well, you guys.

Yeah, and but it was it was it was such a fantastic thing, you know, to watch that blossom and it just reinforced that that feeling that I got when we're at Hometown's, you know when it started airing, to see that progression of a relationship, you know, and it was it was just it was very reassuring, It was very it was just it was great.

You seem to have a very positive perception of the journey and Kelsey's experience, which totally makes sense because she's happily engaged to Joey, who's wonderful. Did you have any hesitations though for her going on the show or when she came off engaged?

Was there any parental nerves there?

Yeah, I mean there is. I mean, you know, it's a one it's a TV show, right, it's a reality show. It you hope that the connections that are made are strong, but it's a it's like a bubble, you know, and what real life starts starts happening once reality really hits that reality show. It sometimes it doesn't work, you know, there's too many stressors or outside influences. You know. Luckily for them, they started that couple counseling immediately and it helped him tremendously. The communication piece was great. You know that Joey's a fantastic speaker, like he he's a wonderful communicator, right, he listens and he speaks, you know, and and pays attention like. So like the match of them, I think is is is just right. Like and had Kelsey not gone on the show, she would have never met Joey. Yeah, you know, it's just the odds of odds of those of those two meeting in any other situation that it wouldn't have happened. So, you know, having talked with Kelsey and Joey a little bit about that, you know, like that was an opportunity. You know, they took that opportunity and it and for them it was you know, it was right, it was it was they got that magic right. So and that's some you know, that's it's uh enlightening thinking about it. I mean, all the stuff on the internet was saying, you know, a mark for Golden Bachelor and all this, and and I was under you know, I thought I'm not old enough. They were all like sick up, you know, and here.

I was going to ask, have you have you have you thought about yourself as golden? What does that mean?

Yeah?

What does golden even mean?

I don't know. I mean, yeah, I guess it's like an older time like gold it is it if you can sign it for a arp at fifty five? Is it fifty five?

And up?

I don't like, you know, like.

I mean, it's more of a season of life, is like a specific age.

Okay, So so moving then towards your journey. So you know, all this goes down and people like Mark for the Golden Bachelor and then Joan becomes the Golden Bachelor. Att how sure were you that you were ready to go on her season?

I don't know if I was. I don't know if I was sure, like right away, I mean it was exciting, you know, and the thought of it was great, like I had to go, Like I had the hardest conversation with my children before I even said yes, uh, And that was to ask them if it was okay for me to date because I'd never done that, right, like yeah, and you know, and and to ask them if it's okay for me to date? And then the second follow up question was is it okay for me to date on TV? You know.

Yeah, that's that's a big second classig one.

Yeah, but you know it was had any one of them said no, like I'm not ready for that, I wouldn't have Yeah, but it was like the hardest thing for me to do was was to ask my children that permission, and you know, not to say that I don't talk to them or I don't you know, encourage them to tell me what they think, or.

But for me to say, you know, I'm looking for someone beside your mother, right, and you know, just to reinforce with them that I can't replace her. I will never replace her. She will never be replaced as their mother. But I had, you know, over the course of six years, thought well, what have I have? I kept them from having that someone that they can relate to, someone that they can talk to to confide in, you know, because I hope that they would feel comfortable enough to talk with me about anything. And I think for the most part, they do. But there are things that a mother would talk to a child about just because it's the mother. I mean, like it's a it's a different thought process, right, Like brains are wired different between men and women, and you know that that mother figure is I think is needed. So you know, I thought maybe I was preventing them from having that outlet, right, that that source of communication and confidence, you know.

And what was their response when you asked them for that permission?

Oh, they're all yes, absolutely, go you know, like.

Yeah, very supportive, very very supportive.

And you know, but it was like I asked my kids, and then I called my mom, I called my brother, I called my sister in law, my mother in law, and my brother in law you know, and asked them, you know, said hey, look is what I'm thinking about doing. What do you think you know, because you know, it was something that they had to know, you know, for my in laws to have encouraged me to date just seemed you know, and that was early on, Like you know, my sister in law she's like she's like a sister, you know, like she's she's great, but she always she always had marketing to get up. And he just wanted you to to date. She wanted you to meet someone, She wanted you to take care of somebody. She wanted you to enjoy life, you know. So so to have somebody pushing me like that, I mean, it was it's just great support.

So then yeah. After hearing all their their love and support and their acceptance of the whole idea of you going on, were you yourself hm ready? After that?

I mean, you know, I learned a lot watching the Golden Bachelor, so and that was really kind of like I had hard time. I had a hard time with with being okay with dating because I was, you know, my Denise was in my heart, you know, she filled it completely, and how do I make room for someone new? So the enlightening part of the Golden Bachelor was to hear, you know, the people on this show talk about how you know, it is okay to love someone, it is okay to move on and have someone else in your life, you know, to enrich your own life with someone else. It's empowering.

It's enlightening, you know, you know, and and just time, you know, six years was yeah time?

Yeah?

If so, So you agree to do it. America wants you more than anyone. You step out of the limo and you and you see Joan.

Oh wait, trek real quick, Kelsey is in the limo with you. Yeah, yes, yes, what is the ride? What's that conversation to the mansion? Like she's done it before? Now she's doing it with you, You're going to be.

Stepping out of the level. What is that car ride?

Like, you know, the car ride and the whole process through it. Like I didn't ask Kelsey about, you know, what should I expect. I didn't talk to Joey about how is this going to be? How, you know, what's it?

Like?

What am I gonna They didn't really offer it, and I I did not ask it because I didn't want to. Like the most important question that I had asked Kelsey is do I need to bring towels with me? You know when I got to back towels in my suitcase too because I'm running out of the room. She was like, no, you don't need towels. So you know, that was like my big, my big question for you know, And then well that's that.

See that like that's insane to me that your daughter just went out of the shelf and your only question was should I bring towels? Wild?

Because you know, I wanted that experience, right, that's fair because I had to develop that experience. I had to you know, go through the go through the whatever journey that was, and I didn't want to, you know, I didn't want to know, I didn't want to. I didn't want to expect something and that and not not not get that but see something else. You know, it was just better for me to experience it first.

Makes sense. I I I get it, I get it. Who do you think was more nervous in that level ride? You or your her?

On me? Yeah? I was like, yeah, I mean we were just how we're laughing and joking, and you know, when we pull up and and they opened the door and Kelsey got out and walked up, and you know, I could see him, I couldn't hear him. And I saw Kelsey talk and I'm like, what she's saying because I had no idea, you know, and then all of a sudden I saw her, you know, waved me up, and uh so then I get out and then it's just a big blur, right like, yeah, it's just a big blur. Had no idea what was going on. I don't know what I said. I know what I wanted to say. I think I mumbled something, but.

That that first, that first night, Yeah, I think that's how majority of people feel like that when they when they get out of the limo and and and see the Bachelorette for the first time, or or the.

Back of the mansion, like you know, you walk up into that setting like they're like romance novels and like centered on that right there, just that one tiny little experience, Like it's incredible. Like if you could pick a place to do a first date like that would be it. Just the life.

Yeah, Like it's like if it's like Disney, It's like it's like a Disney Yeah, Disney.

Yeah.

Did you feel a spark between Joan that first day, first night?

Yeah, I mean yeah, like anytime anytime I talked with Joan, there's a spark. Yeah, you know, because she's just that kind of person. She's a wonderful just a beautiful woman, like inside out, like she's just fantastic. She's so articulate. She like yeah, I mean just fantastic, fantastic. You know. She would talk to you and at first, you know, going in, I didn't know if I was the first person, last person, But when I got up there, it was like it was just her and on and every time speaking with her, it was just her and me, like you never thought about anybody else because she made me the most important person there.

That's a good sign.

Yeah, it was. It was, It was. It was great.

Did you feel any pressure when you walked into the mansion and a lot of the guys knew who you were?

Yeah, well yeah I had. I was, Yeah, I was nervous about that because, you know, I was like, oh, what's everyone? You know?

Yeah, one, you don't know, You're gonna walk into this room with a bunch of guys and they're all like, you know, you don't know if it's testosterones like raging or whatever, you know, because because of course I'm.

You know, doing some searches for you know, bachelorette you know. But it was, it was great. Like once I walked in, I got over the nerves of Kelsey being there and you know, and stumbled through talking with Joan and went inside and just you know, everybody was already in little groups talking and I was like, well, there's a lot of guys here, and started talking to a couple of people and kind of made my way outside because it was a nice, cool weather, you know, and got outside and walked up to the bar and nobody had said anything to me, you know, up to that point of oh, are you that mark? You know, like and then I'm on at the bar and I hear, oh, I knew you were going to be here, and it was Keith. Right. Keith's like he walks up and he's like, yeah, I knew you were going to be here, and I was like, oh, you know, like, don't tell anybody.

I forget. Keith is like a Bachelor fan. Keith like watched.

Yeah, super fad Keith Keith.

Yeah, he's like the super super fans.

No.

Wowbody was asking, hey, Keith, what do we what is that?

Keith?

What is it?

That's so funny.

I love that between Keith and Charles's spreadsheet. That's where everyone's getting all the information. Yeah, so we see. I want to ask you this because it's like, Okay, so you're in your so called golden years, but but you've you've lived a ton of life, right, you have a ton of life experiences. And then you're sitting there talking to Joan. I think you guys were on like the front steps or whatever, and it's when you guys have like your first kiss, Like, are do you feel like you're sixteen again?

Yeah? It was more like like thirteen or fourteen? Yeah, it was. Yeah. I was nervous because you know, you get to the point where you don't really notice the cameras and stuff on. You just kind of like waited out. And it was easy to do that with Joan because she's just right there and she just fills right and you know, it was we're just playing the game. I was trying to keep things light, you know. Some of the guys had talked about how, you know, they wanted to make sure they got this in and it was like some heavy stuff already, and I was like, it's kind of you know, and like when we first met, you know, I said something like you you know of me, I know of you, but we don't really know each other, Like, you know, we don't really know each other. So I tried to keep it light, try to keep things easy, but let her know stuff about me, right Like I spent twenty four years in the army and I got to I got to spend like eleven of those years in Germany, you know, So it was it was an easy thing to say, you know, do some flash guards and see if she can guess what I'm saying. You know, but her family's Dutch, it's pretty close, yeah, And so I asked her if in German, if I could give her a kiss, and she guessed that I said cuddle, and then I told her I said, well no, and I showed it to her as I was reading it. Right, it's actually if I can give you a kiss, yeah, and uh and she said, well yes, and so we kissed and then she said, you could have said that in English. So I said, that's what I said it in English. We kissed again. So it was nice. I mean, it was just it was fun, it was playful. It was just it felt very natural, right, like it was nice, like it just it just like it just progressed into it nicely.

Your your relationship with Joan up until this point seems very seems very natural. It really does just seem like it's it's just you two.

Yeah, well yeah, because you know, I mean to me, it felt like that, yeah, you know because when I when I'm spending time with her, it was just her and I. It was it was just us. Yeah, So you think about that a lot, you know, You're like, oh, well, you know, but then everybody, you know, somebody I like to talk about, you know, and but it's it's okay, you know because when when I'm with her, she's my girlfriend, right, like yeah, like we're dating. So it was just it was it was just interesting, like you never experienced anything like that in life except for there.

Yeah, I was gonna say, how how are you handling how are you handling that thought process of when I'm with her, she's my girlfriend, but also in the back of your mind there's other guys that are experiencing that at the same time. Is that throwing you off at all or or it's kind of like you've accepted that that's part of this process.

No, I mean, honestly, you just have to accept it, you know. If you don't accept that and kind of work work your mind to fit that. Right, if you don't accept it, that's where the aggression comes out, Like the you know, there's just too much stuff that comes out from that. Like if you think about dating someone, if you go out with someone, you don't know if they just had a date with someone else yesterday on a first date, Right, you don't know what their past dating history is. I mean you could, I.

Guess, but when you first shouldn't.

Yeah, right, But like if you don't, you don't know them, you don't know who they just dated. I mean it's kind of yeah, kind of the same thing. Yeah, I mean that's the way I That's the way I worked it, right, And then when I was with her, we were boyfriend girlfriend, you know. And it was kind of funny because as guys would go out on their on their first on the one on one dates and they'd come back, it'd be like, Hey, are you talking about my girlfriend? Because they just finished a one on one, so she was their girlfriend until there was another date, right, so it's like, is that my girlfriend you're talking about? It was just kind of a yeah, lighthearted this, you know, likes break the tension or the stress of it.

Yeah, I kind of kill a little bit of the awkwardness.

Yeah, exactly what did this experience overall so far meant to you. It's your first time really getting back in the dating scene, and you're sharing this experience with Joanes, someone who has also been through the experience of losing a spouse. You seem to really be able to kind of connect and bond over that. Was that a big part of your relationship in this journey for you?

It was I mean, you know, like and we got to talk a little bit after after we did the mentell all but Beryl, after the men Barrel. We got to talk a little bit and sit. You know, I knew that that John had died of cancer, and you know, and I just wanted to convey to her that, you know, having that commonality, you know, we both lost a spouse to a horrible disease and knowing that process firsthand, you know, I just wanted to be there to help her, to support her when whatever she needed, you know, and for her, I wanted her to know that when she has those days where she thinks back on it, I understand that because I have those days as well, you know, like where you think back and you can get you know, you could have some pretty deep thoughts about it, get emotional about it, and that's okay because that's a part of it. And I understand that. You know, it's had I had I gone through a divorce, it would would have been different.

You know.

It could have been a it could have been a not so not so good divorce where there's like animosity and you're just happy to be rid of them and you're like, not, finally I'm free, right, And it's it's like that instantaneous Okay, Now I can go focus on me and you know, meet someone new that's right for me. But when your spouse dies, it's like, that's not your choice. You know, you didn't choose that, it just happened. And and you try to hold on to that because you know you lost something that you that you wanted for the rest of your life, you know, but you've lost it, so you want to you want to kind of hold on to it, not and not lose it because that was what you wanted, you know. But eventually it with time, you know, you start to miss things, and you know, it's just nice to have someone else to be able to talk to and to share things with. You know. Love is love is a fantastic emotion. You know, it's a feeling, it's an emotion. It's it's like a sense, you know, and and it should be there, right, everybody needs love?

Yeah. Did it make it easier to strip out camera knowing that it was for stand up for All?

Yeah? So I had a lot of reservations about that. You know, we walked in, we walked into this theater and some big old t stage. You know, we're like, we got a fashion show, right, but just the way going just yeah, I was definitely hopeful, but we're standing up at the at the far end of this of the this runway, you know, and then all these Chippendale guys come out, you know or like God, and you know, immediately I'm like, I'm not doing this. I just like, I'm not going to do it. Yeah, I'm not doing it. And uh but I'm you know, we're going through the stuff and they teach us. They bring out some some original Chippendale dancers and uh so they're teaching us a routine, you know, and throughout this whole teaching like, we're all doing it and having fun, and and I'm thinking, yeah, i am not you know, this is not me, Like I don't go to that. I don't like I just it's not me, you know, like yeah, and then they said, yeah, so you'll be you'll be doing this dance for Joanes. She'll be out there, you know, and so at this one point you'll walk up and I'm like, there's no way I'm going to disrespect this woman, right like, and so I was just like I'm like, yeah, I'm not doing it. And then you know, all of a suddenly and now it's but it's a benefit and it's a benefit for stand Up to Cancer. It was like mic drop. You know, it's like just the instantaneous added hands drop, let's go there we go. Yeah, it was it was you couldn't like it just turned up. It turned from I'm not doing it till you can't keep me off the stage. You know, it meant a lot. You know, they said they're trying to raise money for awareness and stand up to cancer. Is is all about awareness, right, like get the word up. The more the more people you touch with the word of early detection, just the greater the survival rate is. You know, and it's not a it's not a survival you know, you're not You're not talking about survival for for eternity, right, You're talking about for right now. You know, it's just cancer just destroys and that the treatments that are there, it destroys the body. And you know, it's a it's a tough thing to get through. You know, you can you can put it off, you can delay it, but so many times it comes back and you know you can just fight it again and keep fighting it and keep fighting. But if you're not checking and you're not finding out if there's something there early, it's already so late stage that you know, there's so little that you can honestly do, so, you know, as a as a program, like one hundred percent, I'm one hundred percent there for it, just as Joan said that she was, you know, it meant a lot to her as well. So yeah, it changed that attitude quick.

Oh yeah, it changed the age. I'm sure for a lot of the guys about the day in a good way.

It was oh yeah, a good way.

Yeah.

And I'm telling you there's some I think there were some ringers in that too.

Some fantastic performances.

There were. There were performances I think that had done that before.

I think so.

Possibly professionally possibly, I think so too.

In fact, I think somebody. I think somebody packed some gold under rus.

Really Yeahathan Jonathan, Jonathan Jonathan that the lady did it before, Like John that was in he was in his run right there?

Surprisingly skilled.

Yeah, well, Mark, you want to play a quick game, just a little rapid fire get to know you?

Yeah, absolutely, all right, let's do it rapid.

Fire with Mark. What musician would you love to see perform that? Or alive that or alive?

Oh yeah, Taylor Swift?

Okay, me too. What's your favorite food or cuisine.

Buffet.

What's your go to comfort movie or show comfort?

It's a wonderful life.

My mouse. What's one thing you would tell your younger self's keep at it, keep doing what you're doing. What's your favorite way to unwind motorcycle? What's a deal breaker for you?

Mm hmm someone who's not kind?

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

I don't know. My son asked me that all the time. I'd love to fly.

What is your go to drink at a bar?

Moscow mew.

What's a piece of advice you've received and never gotten and never forgotten? Never gotten?

Makes today a great day?

What is the most adventurous thing you've ever done?

I don't know. I've done a bit done sky been repelling the helicopters.

And you stripped on TV.

The gold Bachelorette the first Yeah, there you go.

What's an accomplishment? You are very proud of my children? What's your love language?

Big touch?

If you could describe Jones season of The Golden Bachelor in one word without spoiling it, what would it be?

Incredible?

I like that.

Charles's spectacular, but a lot of positive adjectives, which is good because usually in the regular seasons it's like drama.

Yeah. Well, Mark, honestly, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy day. We really appreciate it.

Yeah, thank you, Joe, thank you, sir Any, thanks for coming, and for all of our listeners, be sure to continue to tune in to Bachelor Happy Hour. We have more recaps and exclusive interviews coming your way.

Bye bye,

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