For the first time since 1983, Joan Vassos met the family of a man she’s dating — or should we say, she met the four families of the four men she’s dating. No big deal!
That’s right, Bachelor Nation! It’s already Hometown Week on The Golden Bachelorette, and Episode 6 showed our Golden Gal traveling to Nevada, Kansas, and Chicago (twice) for serious dates with her Final Four men.
“Last time I did this was in 1983 with John’s family. It’s a big deal,” Joan told the camera. “Hometowns look different for our age. You’re meeting children and grandchildren, which is wonderful.”
Before the week kicked off, Joan admitted she was at different stages in her relationships with Guy Gansert, Pascal Ibgui, Jordan Heller, and Chock Chapple. She was incredibly hopeful about each connection going into the dates, but by the end of the week, she felt more unsure than ever before. Joan couldn’t shake the feeling that two of her top Golden Guys weren’t ready to fully commit, which left her wanting to put walls up ahead of the most crucial weeks in her journey.
Wondering who got a rose on The Golden Bachelorette tonight? Who went home after Hometown Dates? And who’s moving on to Fantasy Suite Week? Decider’s Golden Bachelorette Episode 6 Recap has all the answers.
Guy Gansert‘s Hometown Date Recap: A Perfect Day
Location: Reno, Nevada
Guy’s Key Hometown Date Guests: Guy invited his siblings, his kids, and other loved ones to the big event, but the key players were his sisters Greer and Gayle, his sons Glenn and Hank, his daughter MacKenzie, and his grandson Idan.
To kick off their one-on-one time, Joan met Guy in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, where he and his family once stayed for a month and spent hours together on the beach. The 66-year-old ER doctor wanted to show Joan more about himself and the place where he made so many special memories, and Joan was absolutely giddy, since Guy checked “so many” of her boxes. Meanwhile, Guy said Joan made him feel “accepted, validated, and desired,” but he was afraid to tell her how she felt for fear that their relationship could “be over in a flash.”
The two hopped on a boat and threw pebbles in the water in hopes that Lake Tahoe would grant them wishes. Guy wished “to make incredible memories in an incredible place with an incredible special woman,” while Joan hoped “to find someone to spend her golden years with.” As we saw in past episodes, Joan struggled with her memories of John and the guilt of allowing someone else to have her heart on the journey. But after Guy assured her he wasn’t there to replace her late husband, she was able to live in the moment meet the fam.
The Golden couple received a warm welcome and even a whistle of approval from Guy’s loved ones in Reno. After recapping their Golden Bachelorette journey (including a Charles L. shoutout), Joan sat down with Guy’s sisters, one of whom also lost her husband. As the women bonded over their losses and shared appreciation of Guy, he reconnected with his daughter and admitted he was worried about the three remaining contestants. Joan was a huge hit with Guy’s kids, who thought she “fit right in” with the family, but they were also worried about their dad’s potential heartbreak. Ultimately, Guy told his family he’d fallen hard for Joan, was positive he’d propose to her, and was shocked that he was able to love and be loved again. After an emotional conversation with his sister, Guy sat down with Joan and assured her he was all in and could envision a future together. Joan left feeling like she had a whole new understanding of Guy and described the date as “a perfect day.” Sadly, her Golden Bachelorette high didn’t last.
Pascal Ibgui‘s Hometown Date Recap: Pascal In Charge
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Pascal’s Key Hometown Date Guests: Joan met so many people in Pascal’s entourage during their hometown date, but the more intimate portion of the day featured his daughters Natalie and Sara; his son Maxim; his grandson Pryce; and his friends Steven, Jinjer, and John.
Charles might not have been in charge, but Pascal finally was during Hometown Week, and that’s the way he likes it! The 69-year-old salon owner planned quite the Windy City date for his Golden Gal, and Joan was excited to spend the day with a man who reminded her of John and had a contagious “zest for life.”
First stop? Pascal’s salon, where he introduced Joan to “MY PEOPLE!” and gave her the VIP experience. “I’m in the feel good business,” Pascal said. “I make people feel good. When they leave, they feel happy.” After showing off her own hair-washing skills, Joan sat down for a hand massage and a glass of champagne. She chatted with a few of Pascal’s employees, then got some much-needed alone time with him to get deeper. Pascal revealed he’s been heartbroken many times in the past and was still recovering from a breakup last year when his daughter signed him up for The Golden Bachelorette. While he didn’t feel ready to move on at the time, he admitted going through the process helped tremendously and he feels he and Joan could make more progress. Joan brought up concerns that he “wasn’t that into her” when he’d stand back on group dates, but Pascal promised he was happy with their relationship and felt confident about the future.
Pascal and Joan sped around Chicago in a fancy car, and after an emotional reunion with his kids, everyone caught up on their Golden Bachelorette journey. Joan admitted her first impression of Pascal was “SEXY!” and Pascal told his grandson all about the “grandpas” and snorers he slept with in the mansion. When it time to check in with Pascal’s kids, Joan passed every single test. Pascal’s daughters were on board from the moment they walked in, calling their dad and Joan, “The hottest couple” they’d ever seen. Maxim assured Joan his father was ready to settle down and seemed to love him. And Natalie told Joan she already felt like family. Pascal and his son had an emotional check-in, during which Pascal broke down crying over his love for his family and the life-changing Golden Bachelorette journey.
Overall, the two shared an “incredible day” together and Pascal called Joan “a wonderful human being” who was accepted by his loved ones. Despite the great date, Joan voiced fears that Pascal wouldn’t pick her in the end. Despite reassurance from his kids, she left with stronger feelings for Pascal and a nagging fear that his feelings for her might never be able to get there.
Jordan Heller‘s Hometown Date Recap: Deep Dishing
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Jordan’s Key Hometown Date Guests: Several of Jordan’s loved ones gathered to meet Joan, including his daughters Ali and Jamie, and his brothers Larry, Dan, and Mark.
Next up? Joan stayed in Chicago to grab deep dish pizza and dessert with 61-year-old sales executive Jordan Heller. Joan went into the date knowing her relationship with Jordan had a bit of a slower progression than the others, but she was still open to exploring their connection.
After seeing some Chicago sights, the two recapped their Golden Bachelorette dates (and Jordan’s “cartoon fall” on the ice) for the family, but their body language (zero couch touching) was a bit concerning. Jordan’s brothers assured Joan that he is an amazing father with unconditional love for his kids, and Jordan’s kids sat him down and chatted about his readiness to get engaged. Jordan admitted he wasn’t there yet with Joan, and Joan told his kids she was worried he wouldn’t choose her at the end.
Before the date wrapped, Jordan’s daughter Ali took him aside and encouraged him to break down the walls he built after his divorce 10 years ago. Ali warned him that he was the least open of Joan’s Final Four, so Jordan vowed to be more honest about his feelings for her. When the time came to say goodbye, however, he simply said “I hope we can make more big steps,” which worried Joan to the point of asking him if he thought it was even worth trying. He assured her he wanted to keep progressing, but Joan left confused and knew keeping Jordan around for another week would require taking a big leap of faith.
Chock Chapple‘s Hometown Date Recap: A Celebration Of Life
Location: Wichita, Kansas
Chock’s Key Hometown Date Guests: Chock invited Joan to meet the largest Hometown Date group of the episode, but key players included his father Jay, his late fiancé Kathy’s father Tom, his kids Taylor and Tyler, and his brothers.
Back-to-back Chicago dates with Pascal and Jordan’s uncertain energy left Joan wanting to put her guard up and protect herself, but the moment she reunited with Chock — a 60-year-old insurance executive from Kansas — she felt all warm and fuzzy again. Joan headed to the ranch of Chock’s friend Roger to meet his friends and family, and to hold a celebration of life for his late mother, Dr. Jill Cobb Thomas, who passed away from cancer during The Golden Bachelorette production.
On the meaningful date, Chock’s family gathered outside to share memories of his mother and plant an oak tree to honor her life. Joan felt “honored” to be invited to such an important event, and Chock called her his rock as she comforted him in his time of need. Later on in the day, Joan spent some alone time with his kids Taylor and Tyler, and assured them she was crazy about their dad and absolutely saw a future with him. Meanwhile, Chock’s friend said he’d never seen him so smitten!
During his one-on-one date with Joan earlier in the season, Chock opened up about losing his fiancé Kathy to cancer, so one of the episode’s most meaningful scenes showed Joan bonding with Kathy’s father and receiving his blessing to be with Chock. Once Joan got Tom’s approval and Chock got his own father’s blessing, the two reunited to reflect on one of the best days of their lives. Despite his fear of getting too vulnerable, Chock told Joan, “I’m falling in love with you” on their walk to the car. Joan told cameras he said everything she wanted to hear, so going into the rose ceremony, he had every right to feel the most confident.
The Golden Bachelorette Episode 6 Rose Ceremony Recap: Who Went Home During Hometown Week?
Joan and her Final Four contestants headed back to Malibu, California for a final rose ceremony at the mansion. Before handing out the stems, Joan checked in with Jesse Palmer and admitted she felt less confident after Hometown Week than she did earlier in the journey. Though Joan thought every Hometown Date went great, she didn’t love that Pascal and Jordan had been so “non-committal” during the crucial week. Still, she had three roses to hand out. So here’s who went home.
As suspected, Chock got the first rose, followed by Guy, and finally Pascal. In the end, Joan had the most doubt over Jordan’s feelings for her, so she sent him packing before telling her Top 3 they were flying to Tahiti to embark on the final leg of their journey.
Blue water, white sand, and Fantasy Suite Week awaits, so we’ll see you back here next Wednesday for another eventful Golden Bachelorette recap.
New episodes of The Golden Bachelorette premiere Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. on ABC with next-day streaming on Hulu.
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