Bachelor Happy Hour | Golden Hour

Episode: Foolish Mistakes | September 2, 2025
Hosts: Susan & Kathy

Overview

This “Golden Hour” episode of Bachelor Happy Hour is all about navigating awkward, emotional, and sometimes downright foolish mistakes—especially in friendships, relationships, and the transition to retirement. Hosts Susan and Kathy respond to fan questions with candor and humor, drawing on their own “golden years” wisdom and lived experiences. Topics range from jealousy-induced blunders at a work party, to poking fun at friends’ dating woes, to the realities of finding new rhythms in retirement and dating later in life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Friendship & Relationship Mistakes

(04:49–09:11)

• Discussion on Ruined Friendships:
  The episode opens with Kathy and Susan riffing on the theme: Have you ever witnessed someone ruin a friendship with their words or actions? Both agree careless words can do real damage, but experience teaches you to think before you speak.

  “Sometimes people have to remember that what you say, what comes out of your mouth, is what people hear.” — Kathy (07:16)

  • Susan shares having to intervene when witnessing friends mistreat each other, illustrating how uncomfortable and tricky those moments can be.
  • They reflect on the importance of delivery, not just content, when communicating difficult truths.

2. Game-Playing & Availability in Dating

(08:24–09:37)

• Are you too available?
  The conversation shifts to Susan’s personal revelation, drawn from watching Bachelor in Paradise:
  • Men often enjoy "the chase," and being too available can be off-putting.
  • Susan confesses, “I’m not good at playing hard to get...” (09:20)
  • Kathy and Susan joke about never really being the ‘type’ who played those sorts of games, emphasizing the value of authenticity.

3. Fan Question: Jealousy at the Company Party

(10:25–17:19)

• Scenario:
  A listener details how seeing her boyfriend flirt with a co-worker at his company party triggered jealousy, leading her to flirt, in turn, with his boss—a move that backfired when word got around.

• Hosts’ Advice:

  “You were really wrong. You don't ever flirt with the boss. I don't care if it's your boss, your boyfriend's boss, your sister's boss, your grandmother's boss. You do not.” — Kathy (12:00)

  • Both hosts declare flirting with the boss "never" okay, regardless of circumstance.
  • Susan empathizes with feeling left out but encourages honesty:

    “The only way out of it…is tell the truth. Just say I was a little jealous. I saw you…looked like you were flirting...so I decided to do the same thing.” (13:55)

  • Kathy points out that underlying trust issues are the real problem:

    “You need to get at the heart of why you don't trust your boyfriend. That's what I would say.” (13:36)

  • Susan and Kathy agree: find your own conversation, mingle—just don’t retaliate with pettiness.

• Notable Moment:
  Kathy's delivery is deliberately harsh, driving home the point:

  “It is an axiom of life. Never flirt with the boss.” — Kathy (15:51)
  This prompts laughter and agreement from Susan.

4. Fan Question: Group Chat Gone Wrong

(23:29–30:11)

• Scenario:
  A listener wonders if she’s in the wrong for joking in a group chat that maybe “it’s you” when a friend repeatedly complains about bad first dates. The joke prompts the friend to leave the group chat and go radio silent.

• Hosts’ Debate:

  • Susan sees the joke as harmless, especially given the context.
  • Kathy, empathetic to varying sensitivities (especially with dating/failure insecurities), advocates for a personal apology:

    “If it were me, I would be thinking, what's wrong with me? So for someone to voice that, I could see where she would feel bad.” (29:24)

  • Both ultimately agree:
    • Reach out again, make amends, and express the value of the friendship.

    “Make sure she understands how she's valued...try to make amends.” — Kathy (29:35)

    • If she remains withdrawn, it’s her prerogative.

5. Golden Spotlight: Dating, Retirement, and Adjusting to a New Pace of Life

(30:11–46:48)

• Dating & Retired Life:

  • Kathy prefers dating men who are retired, so travel and schedules align:

    “I am retired. I don't want to date a guy who's not retired because then he can't travel.” (31:03)

  • Susan currently dates someone who isn’t retired, but thinks logistics would be tough if their schedules didn’t match.

• Retirement Realities:

  • Transitioning from career routines to open schedules is a big adjustment.
  • Issues surfaced include:
    • How to split household duties when only one partner retires first.
    • Navigating different visions for an active retirement.

  “You have to think about it as it comes... prepare for that.” — Susan (32:19)

• Finances & Retirement Planning:

  • Kathy criticizes people who spend freely in early retirement without considering longevity:

    “I've met a lot of Goldens who don't give any thought... they're like, yeah, I'll worry about that later.” (39:40)

  • Susan laments not saving earlier and urges young people to start now.
  • Both discuss how retirement goals, budgeting, family priorities, and health all impact quality of life in later years.

  “I think Golden should spend more time concerned about their health so that they can live active years.” — Kathy (42:16)

• Notable Quotes & Closing Advice:

  • “My kids just worry about me spending their inheritance.” — Susan (44:04)
  • “Retirement looks very different in 2025 than it did for our parents…” — Kathy (43:29)
  • “Those of you that haven't looked into retirement savings, get busy!” — Susan (46:36)

Notable Moments & Quotes

• “Sometimes I will say something, and it's like, well, I didn't mean it that way.” — Kathy (07:33)
• “If your boyfriend is talking with someone else, be it male or female…strike up a conversation with the guy or gal next to you.” — Kathy (15:08)
• “But not everybody has a gab like you though.” — Susan (15:37)
• “Go to one of the boutiques and go buy yourself something.” — Kathy (23:22, advice for handling awkward social moments)
• “If you think you did [something wrong], you probably did.” — Kathy (23:29)
• “Sometimes people make jokes when they're really hurting inside.” — Kathy (29:24)
• “Do you think we should be saving to give money to our kids or should we be spending every time in our retirement?” — Kathy (44:10)
• “I'm not going to go without because I want to leave more. I worked all my life, you know.” — Susan (44:22)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [04:49] — Question of the Day: Ruining Friendships
• [08:24] — The Chase in Relationships: Are You Too Available?
• [10:25] — Fan Question #1: Jealousy & Flirting with the Boss
• [23:29] — Fan Question #2: Group Chat Insensitivity
• [30:11] — Golden Spotlight: Retirement & Dating at Different Life Stages
• [38:01] — Retirement Finances & Living Well Later in Life
• [42:16] — Health, Longevity & Enjoying an Active Retirement
• [44:10] — Family, Inheritance & Blending Retirement with Parenting/Grandparenting

Final Thoughts & Tone

Throughout, Susan and Kathy maintain a playful, direct, and occasionally sassy tone, blending light-hearted storytelling with honest, practical guidance. Listeners are encouraged to be honest with themselves and others, value friendships, and plan ahead for fulfilling golden years. The episode ends by teasing the next show’s theme—possibly “dating 20-year-olds”—and a call for listener questions.

To connect or submit your own dilemmas:

• Submit at BachelorNation.com
• DM on Instagram @BachelorHappyHour

“Be sure to follow us… new episodes every week!” — Kathy (46:51)

Perfect for fans seeking warmth, wisdom, and a bit of real talk about love, friendship, and aging—Bachelor Nation style!