Bachelor Happy Hour | Golden Hour

Episode: Pascal Sets the Record Straight
Date: March 5, 2025
Hosts: Mina & Susan
Guest: Pascal (from Joan’s season, “The Golden Bachelor”)

Overview

In this Golden Hour episode of Bachelor Happy Hour, hosts Mina and Susan sit down with Pascal, a memorable contestant from Joan’s season of The Golden Bachelor. Known for his elegant lifestyle and vivacious personality, Pascal takes the chance to "set the record straight" about rumors, discuss his adventurous life, and reflect on his journey from Casablanca and Paris to successful businessman in Chicago. The conversation covers his travels, approach to dating, personal philosophy, and behind-the-scenes insights from the show.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Pascal’s Life Updates and Philosophy

• Travel & Skiing:

  • Recent travels include skiing in Vail, Colorado. Pascal is a lifelong skier who’s tackled mountains across the U.S., including Deer Valley, Jackson Hole, and Utah.

    "I'm a big skier, so I've skied Deer Valley, ski Utah, Jackson Hole...all over the country." — Pascal (06:32)

  • He enjoys the thrill of high speeds:

    "I just posted sometime in my Instagram, went about 60, 50 miles an hour down the hills...It's a feeling you can’t explain if you're not a skier." — Pascal (06:57)

• Adventures & Bucket List:

  • Pascal has traveled to nearly 80 countries, with Machu Picchu in Peru as a dream destination (08:32).
  • He's skydived and heli-skied, reflecting his adventurous spirit (07:28).

• Business & Social Life:

  • Continues to manage his beauty business with the help of staff, balancing appearances and responsibility, "just to make sure that the operations running properly." (09:17)
  • Stresses efficiency:

    "Time is money, and with money, you could buy the time. So it is better for me to be in my salon, behind my chair, making the kind of money I make and have a wonderful housekeeper...take care of my home." — Pascal (10:18)

• Public Perception:

  • Addresses misconceptions:

    "They think I'm a prima donna...I am not a prima donna." — Pascal (12:04)

• Style & Lifestyle:

  • "I work hard and I play." — Pascal (12:17)
  • Enjoys eating out and being social since he spends his days taking care of others through his work.

Clarifying Rumors About Dating

• Age Preferences:

  • Rumored to prefer much younger women, Pascal corrects:

    "Absolutely wrong. Absolutely wrong. I don't go out with anyone under 50, 55, okay? So I want to set the record straight. I do not go out with young women." — Pascal (19:34)

  • His ideal partner is age-appropriate, cares for herself, and has vibrant energy — prioritizing lifestyle and interests over age (20:22, 21:23).

  • Not interested in 20-year-olds:

    "I just think 55 is...still a younger woman... It's not the age, it's the energy, the vibes, the absolute what she has to offer." — Pascal (21:23)

• Dating Life:

  • “I'm single and I'm not single because nobody wants me, okay? I'm single because the one I want don’t want me.” — Pascal (19:07)
  • Describes an extravagant ideal date: flying a woman to Chicago, helicopter tour, concert, attending VIP exhibitions (22:42).

Building Connections: Family, Friends, and the Bachelor Mansion

• Family:
  • Three children:
    • Natalie (33, who signed him up for Golden Bachelor), son Maxim (raised as a single parent, graduating from Kelley School of Business), and Sarah (made dean’s list at Loyola, wants to be a nurse) (12:30–13:47).
• Friendships from the Show:
  • Bonded most with his roommate Greg (“the highest IQ of all of us”), Mark (described as gentle and kind), and CK (a sharp dresser), forming close friendships within their room (32:07–33:58).
  • Keeps in touch with fellow contestants, hosting them in Chicago and supporting their endeavors.

Personal Narrative: Roots and Success

• Early Life:

  • Born in Casablanca, Morocco; family relocated to Paris due to geopolitical changes and Jewish migration in the 1960s (24:18).
  • Grew up in Paris “projects”, one of eight children, family on “food stamps,” started with little (24:18–25:19).
  • Beauty industry as a passion; faced cultural and family challenges for pursuing this field, but persisted due to strong sense of calling.

• Immigrating to America:

  • Arrived in the U.S. with almost no English and little money. Started from the bottom in salons, worked additional jobs as a busboy to get by, and learned English at the YMCA and from TV (27:46–29:03).

    "I didn't speak a word of English. I had a couple dollars in my pocket, but I had a lot of dreams." — Pascal (27:46)

• On Marriage & Partnerships:

  • Two marriages: first was youthful “infatuation,” second was a rebound (29:25–30:02). Remains friends with exes.
  • Doesn’t seek marriage for its own sake, but values the idea of a best friend, a solid and independent partner who can share but also maintain her own life (30:10).

Fun & Lighter Questions

• Musical Influences:

  • Big Elvis Presley and Johnny Holiday fan as a teen in France. Beatles also important (41:49).

• Favorite American food:

  • Strictly avoids fast food (burgers, pizza), prefers high-quality fish and healthy eating (45:51–46:04).

• “Desert Island” Pick from the Show:

  • Would bring Greg (for stimulating conversation and humor), Mark (for his soothing personality), and CK (for style and friendship)—noting that CK would help invent new island fashion (48:15–49:39).

Pascal’s Wisdom & Outlook

• Philosophy:

  • “You’ve got to enjoy your time. Don’t worry about yesterday…don’t worry about tomorrow…enjoy where you are and have a great time with it.” — Pascal (40:54)
  • His advice is grounded in optimism, learning from challenges, and pursuing continued personal growth.

    “Regardless of how old you are, there is different experience in different stage of your life...We still have so much to learn.” — Pascal (45:11, 45:20)

• Book Title Suggestion:

  • Would call his autobiography “There is so much to learn.” (45:02)

• On American Ambitions:

  • Reminisces about his first impressions of Chicago, its daunting scale, and how he’s grown to love the city’s seasons and culture (42:39–44:37).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Setting the Record Straight:

  • "I do not go out with young women. OK, let's set the record straight on that." — Pascal (21:11)

• On Work and Self-care:

  • "When I’m done working, I don’t feel like going groceries and start making my meals...I want to be taken care of because I take care of people all day long." — Pascal (11:36)

• On Personal Energy:

  • "I'm 70 and I’ve got more energy than a 45-year-old woman." — Pascal (21:42)

• On Adventure:

  • "If I was a woman, I would like to date me." — Pascal, jokingly (23:40)

• On Living in the Moment:

  • "Leave the moment...enjoy your time. Don’t worry about yesterday...don’t worry about tomorrow...enjoy where you are." — Pascal (40:54)

Important Timestamps

• Pascal's Travels & Skiing: 05:43–07:24
• Skydiving and Bucket List: 07:26–08:44
• Family and Background: 12:30–13:47, 24:18–26:39
• Clarifying Dating Rumors: 19:07–21:23
• Friendships from The Bachelor: 32:07–33:58, 39:26–40:13
• Migrant Journey & Work Ethic: 27:46–29:03
• Personal Philosophy/Book Title: 45:02–45:11

Tone & Atmosphere

The conversation remains lively, teasing, supportive, and candid throughout. Pascal alternates between self-deprecating humor and heartfelt honesty, while the hosts inject warmth and camaraderie, especially when discussing fashion, dating, and Bachelor Nation friendships.

Summary Takeaway

This episode reveals Pascal as an inspiring, adventurous, and self-aware man who’s lived a colorful life spanning continents, challenges, and industries. He clarifies misconceptions about himself, opens up about his journey from hardship to success, and shares refreshing wisdom on love, friendship, and living fully at any age. Listeners come away with a richer sense of who Pascal is—far beyond the TV screen.