Bachelor Happy Hour: “Kathy, Susan, and BIG Changes in 2026 | Golden Hour”

Podcast: Bachelor Happy Hour
Hosts: Kathy and Susan
Date: January 9, 2026

Episode Overview

This reflective and lighthearted episode kicks off 2026 with co-hosts Kathy and Susan discussing new beginnings, lessons from the past year, and their hopes for the future. The episode is structured around personal resolutions, travel dreams, stepping out of comfort zones, and a playful Bachelor Nation “Rose Awards” segment recapping notable franchise moments from 2025. Throughout, the two friends chat candidly about relationships, personal growth, memorable show highlights, and the fun of shuffling their music libraries for 2026 "vibes."

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Welcoming 2026 and Reflections on 2025

• Positive Vibes to Start the Year: Kathy and Susan agree that each new year is an opportunity, yet they don’t feel the urge to “bury the past.” Instead, both focus on gratitude and learning from each year’s experiences.
  • Kathy: “I never feel that way because I learned things. I’ve had a good year. Sure, we all have ups and downs, but it’s been a great year.” (02:03)
• Personal Loss and Meaning: Reflection includes recent family and pet losses and the bittersweetness of saying goodbye to 2025.
  • Susan: “Sad to see 25 go…deaths usually the first thing that come to mind. But other than that, I couldn’t think of anything negative at all.” (02:37)

New Year’s Resolutions: Relationships and Self-Growth

• Dating & Relationship Goals:
  • Kathy resolves to be more strategic in her dating life, aiming to put herself in more co-ed social situations.
    • “My resolution is, in dating, to sort of be more strategic...maybe join a co-ed golf league.” (05:38)
  • Susan spotlights the idea of “dating yourself:” focusing on self-care and embracing happiness from within.
    • “Dating yourself means enjoying who you are, spending time with yourself, and doing things that make you happy.” (06:19)
• Advice to Each Other:
  • Susan dares Kathy to go on at least “one new date per month.”
    • “I think they should put us on air and follow us around and each of us have a date per month.” (07:05)
  • Kathy encourages Susan to give up some control in her relationships to find new happiness.
    • “Stop doing so much for your relationships. Sit back and let…your person do for you.” (07:58)

Choosing a Word for 2026

• Kathy’s Word:
  • “Believe” — for faith in good things coming, opportunities ahead, and optimism.
    • “Believe that good things can happen. Believe that your person's out there...” (09:14)
• Susan on “Believe” and Her Own Mantra:
  • Shares she once considered “Believe” as a tattoo.
    • “If I ever were to get one, it would have been ‘Believe’ on the inside of my foot…” (09:54)
  • Focuses on being true to herself as a guiding principle.

Growth and Letting Go

• Both co-hosts express a desire to keep learning, meeting people, and embracing more of life’s richness in the coming year.

  • Susan: “I just never stop learning. I never stop meeting people. I never...I just. More of the same.” (11:01)
  • Kathy: “I want to continue to have good health. I want to continue to travel, I want to continue having time with friends and family.” (11:11)

• What to Leave Behind: They joke about wanting to leave behind a few pounds…and bad hair color, but ultimately focus on dropping negativity and drama.

  • Kathy: “If I’d like to leave behind negativity...negative thoughts or negative behaviors because I think that’s self-defeating.” (14:40)
  • Susan: “The only thing I'm excited to leave behind in 2025 would be drama.” (16:24)

Stepping Out of Comfort Zones

• Kathy wants to appear more “available” and open to opportunities, even adjusting her demeanor as suggested by friends.
  • “I’ve had a few male friends of mine tell me that I don’t come across as somebody open and available...” (17:28)
• Susan relates her comfort zone breakthroughs to both small daily choices and significant solo travels.
• Both encourage listeners to do the same and rethink rigid resolutions.
  • Kathy: “Changing your mindset, saying, I’m going to try to think in different ways, as opposed to [unrealistic resolutions]…” (19:43)
  • Susan: “It’s hard to. That's difficult. It's not that easy to do it.” (20:00)

2026 Travel Plans

• Kathy’s upcoming travels: La Quinta (Palm Desert), back to the desert in March with Susan, birthday trips to England and Portugal.
• Susan plans for St. Martin, California, Paris (with her granddaughter), and the Outer Banks.
  • “I feed off of new food, new culture, new language, meeting new people. I just love it.” (22:34)

Personal Goals for 2026

• Susan: “Stay focused and stay happy.” (23:02)
  • Kathy counters with “find more happiness in your life” as a more reasonable resolution.
• Both agree on seeking happiness—through both intention and humor.

Bachelor Nation “Rose Awards” Segment (24:00 – 41:48)

A fun, rapid-fire awards section reviewing stand-out Bachelor franchise moments from 2025.

Best Engagement

• Unanimous pick: Spencer and Jess from Paradise.
  • Susan: “That was hands down the best.” (24:43)
  • Kathy: “It was palpable...even I wasn't there. Kath, Just watching it, I feel the same.” (25:00)

Most Shocking Breakup

• Kathy: Latia and Grant, for the surprise and real emotion.
  • “When I watched Latia and Grant, when I saw their breakup...I was sure he was going to ask her to marry him.” (26:45)
• Noted also: Matt James & Rachel; Dale & Cat.

Best One-Liner

• Favorites include “Kathy, zip it!” and Leia’s iconic “You’re welcome, Leia, you’re welcome.”
• Susan: “I still say ‘Kathy zip. It’ was one of the all time record best one-liners.” (27:55)

Hottest Tea of 2025

• Sean and Alicia alleging Cat snuck in an iPad to contact a boyfriend.
  • Kathy: “No one brings in phones. No one brings in iPads. I kind of want to know, like, are they spies?” (32:34)
• Mention of Taylor Frankie being allowed to post on social media while filming—a Bachelor Nation first.

Best Kiss

• Hosts joke that neither got any, and that "the one who got the kiss" wins. Paradise referenced for passionate youth.

Best Night One Limo Entrance

• Multiple favorites including Alex arriving with a llama (Linda), Leslie’s creative entrances, but highlight is Joey’s romantic plumeria flower (with Hawaii cultural flourish) given to Charity.
  • Kathy: “When he got out of the limo and he gave Charity a flower...it was beautiful. It was romantic and reminded me, in looking back, that is what the show is about.” (35:47)

Strongest New Friendship

• Both agree their own friendship deserves the rose, but stress that the Bachelor experience forges many authentic, lasting friendships among contestants.

Best Exit Speech

• The grand exit of Cindy, self-eliminating when in the final two with Mel, is praised for its honesty and aplomb.
  • Kathy: “I didn’t come here to explore options. I came for a life partner and I can’t wait for two years. I need a commitment.” (38:26)
  • Hosts highlight her courage and impact on the season.

Overall Most Memorable Moment

• Final Paradise vote, where couples had to choose love or money, with Alex/Andrew and Jess/Spencer walking out as real, happy couples.
  • Kathy: “What an amazing moment that you choose love over money. And you get both...” (41:48)

Memorable Quotes and Moments (with Timestamps)

• Kathy on positivity:
  • “You and I are positive people. But you know what? Last year was a great year. This year is going to be a great year.” (01:45)
• Susan’s New Year’s on the beach:
  • “Celebrating the New Year. There was fireworks on the beach. It was absolutely beautiful.” (03:51)
• Kathy on stepping out of comfort zones:
  • “I’m going to…change my demeanor a little bit and I guess wear more low cut blouses.” (17:28, joking)
• Susan on happiness:
  • “I just want to stay happy.” (23:31)
• On the value of hard days:
  • Kathy: “The hard days, the hard lessons, the tough things we go through...really make me appreciate and value those good days, those good people, those good times.” (15:53)
• On belief and hope:
  • Kathy: “Believe that good things can happen. Believe that your person’s out there.” (09:14)
  • Susan: “If I ever were to get [a tattoo], it would have been ‘Believe’ on the inside of my foot…” (09:54)

2026 Vibe Shuffle

• Each host shuffles their music library to set the year's vibe:
  • Kathy: “Olivia Dean – Man I Need”
  • Susan: “Surf Mesa – I Love You Baby”
  • Kathy: “If it were that easy, all you have to do was play a song ‘Man I need,’ and he would materialize...” (43:25)

Final Thoughts

• The episode is playful, sincere, and encouraging, drawing on both personal insight and Bachelor franchise lore. Kathy and Susan model optimism, gratitude, and a willingness to grow—all delivered with their trademark humor and affection for each other and the audience.
• Call to Action: Listeners are encouraged to pick a word for 2026, share their own comfort zone leaps, and tune into upcoming Bachelor Happy Hour episodes.

For fans and newcomers alike, this episode is a warm, wisdom-filled start to the new year—equal parts reflection, inspiration, and Bachelor franchise fun.