Psychologist Carole Lieberman, M.D., M.P.H. On ‘The Golden Bachelor’ Star Gerry Turner

Gerry Turner captured hearts across America as the very first “Golden Bachelor,” a new offshoot of the Bachelor Nation franchise focused on seniors looking for love. The midwesterner was praised for his sympathy towards the female contestants on the show who also suffered the loss of their spouses, and for his wholesome sense of humor. Shortly before the finale of the season, in which Turner chose to propose to Theresa Nist, The Hollywood Reporter published an exposé that left some fans shocked, and others not surprised, but disappointed.

The allegations raised in the Reporter had many women coming to the consensus that men can be toxic and manipulative at any age transcending generational lines. Countless women took to TikTok to analyze Turner’s choice to propose to Nist, after he told Faith Martin and Leslie Fhima that he loved them in front of their families.

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Now, psychologist Carole Lieberman is weighing on why she feels that Nist deserves a better partner than Turner. As of now, the couple’s wedding is set to be televised on Jan. 4 on ABC. “Gerry couldn’t make up his mind who he should pick, so telling at least three of them that he loved them was a kind of ‘insurance’. He wanted to keep them all hanging in there in case he decided to pick them. It was more of a ‘business deal’ for him than real passion,” said Lieberman.

Additionally, Lieberman felt that Turner utilized his charms to manipulate a number of women on the show into feeling that their respective relationships were more stable than they actually were. She said, “Gerry is absolutely a manipulator. He has narcissistic and sociopathic traits – a charmer who is just out for himself.”

The psychologist feels that Turner needs to look inward before actually fostering a truly healthy connection with anyone, let alone Nist. “He needs to do a lot of work on himself before he can have a deep, loving relationship, but he doesn’t have the insight to know this,” said Lieberman. She suspects that Turner used the show as an opportunity to win over the public and gain popularity and money. Lieberman also believes that Turner chose Nist due to her wealth. “Part of his motivation undoubtedly includes her financial situation, which he probably estimated to better than the other ladies,” said Lieberman.

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“When she gets him home, she will realize that he’s not all that he pretended to be and not willing to compromise. After the show, they were interviewed and asked questions to see how much they really know about each other. One difference that came up was how Gerry is used to cooking simple things for himself. Teresa said that he doesn’t go to restaurants much, but that she’ll change him.”

Gerrygate Revisited

The program raked in a whopping 13.9 million viewers upon its debut, a new record previously held by the 2021 season of “The Bachelor.” At the beginning of the season, Turner reflected upon the tragic passing of Toni Turner, his wife of 43 years. She passed away from a surprising bacterial infection just months after the couple had moved into their dream home on Big Long Lake in Hudson, Indiana. Amid The Hollywood Reporter’s findings, however, Turner and Bachelor Nation producers appear to have left out some key details in his background.

An anonymous source under the name of Carolyn came forth to the Reporter alleging that Turner began a relationship with her only one month after his wife passed away. She additionally alleged that he upped her rent charges suddenly for her share of the lake house, and insulted her weight when she had gained ten pounds ahead of his high school reunion, resulting in him uninviting her from the event. Text messages between the two of them were also provided to the publication, in which Turner appears to use similar lines to what he has told a number of contestants on “The Golden Bachelor.” Turner also allegedly promised Carolyn’s mother that he intended to marry her, only to break his promise, similar to a recent scenario on the show.

One such message allegedly read “Damn, I go to bed at night thinking of you and wake up in the morning thinking of you.” Carolyn and her friends and relatives confirmed to the publication that Turner allegedly told her to vacate their lake house shortly after the breakup caused by his comments on her weight. Amid rushing to pack her things, she fell down the stairs and was hospitalized, with Turner then allegedly forcing her to stay at a hotel while accusing her of having intent to sue him.

The reason why this news is controversial is due to Turner’s claim on the show that he “hasn’t dated in 45 years,” when allegedly, he has.

This aside, Turner has dubbed himself a “retired restauranteur,” despite his LinkedIn depicting that he has not owned a restaurant since 1985, when he sold his Mr. Quick hamburger drive-in franchise in Iowa, where he’d worked his way up from high school. Post this sale, Turner allegedly retired from the business at 55, and went on to install hot tubs at Gannon Pools near Davenport, Iowa. He then worked as a maintenance man at the Vera French Mental Health Center, where he met Carolyn and later connected with her after the death of his wife.

Neither Turner nor Nist have directly addressed his controversies at this time.