After self-eliminating himself from The Golden Bachelorette, Pascal Ibgui transformed himself into the season’s ultimate villain, and may have tainted his reputation forever. Bachelor Nation fans first loved the stylish Frenchman. At 69, Pascal was one of the oldest men of the season and the oldest of Joan’s final three, but he looked much younger. From the moment he stepped out of the limousine that first night, Joan was charmed by his French accent and elegant looks. The energetic salon owner was cheerful, charming and witty, as well as being stylish and in excellent shape.
Pascal seemed to have it all, including Joan. He received the second solo date of the season and was whisked off to Las Vegas for a dream night. Things seemed to be going well between Joan and Pascal and many thought he would leave season 1 of The Golden Bachelorette with Joan’s final rose and her heart. After an exciting season of dating and drama, Pascal made Joan’s final three men. They were both looking forward to their date, but the evening ended in tears and Pascal returned home with his reputation in tatters.
Pascal told Joan that he only saw her as a friend
He was scared
Joan and Pascals’ relationship was going well, so it was no surprise that Pascal made it to the final three, alongside 60-year-old Chock Chapple and 66-year-old Guy Gansert. During the hometown episode of Season 1 of The Golden Bachelorette, Joan visited Pascal’s hometown of Chicago, Illinois, where she met his family and spent a day in his luxurious living room. Everything seemed good between the couple. They headed into date nights with enthusiasm, but hopes were dashed, and now Pascal’s reputation could be irrevocably damaged.
Related 20 Best Reality Dating Shows
Reality TV dating has become a complex and nuanced part of the genre, accommodating all different types of dating shows. Here are the 20 best!
The evening meeting started quite well. Joan and Pascal hadn’t seen each other for days, so they were eager to get to know each other. Everything started going wrong during a bonding ceremony. The ceremony was symbolic, but it still freaked Pascal out, because it made him question his true feelings for Joan. The bonding exercise made him realize that he did not have romantic feelings for Joan and only saw her as a friend. This was a surprise because Pascal didn’t act like Joan’s platonic friend when he kissed her or introduced her to his children.
The moment Pascal sat Joan down and told her the truth was devastating and difficult to watch.
In a scene posted to YouTube by Bachelor Nation, Joan and Pascal were in tears. At the end of the conversation, Pascal angrily tries to shoo the cameras away, not wanting them to capture this painful moment on film. Then Pascal sat down for an interview and cried about how he never wanted to hurt anyone, especially Joan. While it’s clear that this wasn’t how Pascal wanted the story to end, it’s unclear exactly what he thought would happen after telling Joan that he considered her a friend.
Pascal waited all night to break up with her
Bad timing
One of the reasons fans are angry with Pascal is because he waited until the overnight date to break up with Joan. It’s disappointing that Pascal didn’t realize he didn’t care about Joan until she met his family. If he had left sooner, someone who cared more about Joan could have moved on. Bachelor Nation fans are furious with Pascal for misleading Joan and wasting her time, but people need to understand that Pascal probably had the best intentions. Relationships are difficult and feelings are complicated. It is unfair to accuse him of being dishonest.
Pascal clearly loved Joan, until he realized he didn’t love her enough to maintain a lasting relationship.
Joan has had the bed removed from the night suite, out of respect for the man she ends up with. While there is speculation that Pascal left because he couldn’t meet Joan, this is highly unlikely. There is no indication that Pascal was there for the sex, and that is a completely unfair accusation. Pascal clearly loved Joan and was sincerely trying to make the relationship work. It’s not his fault he didn’t have strong enough feelings for Joan. Intentions matter, and fans would do well to remember that.
Whatever the truth, there’s no doubt that Pascal’s reputation has taken a hit since the season 1 finale of The Golden Bachelorette.
The way Pascal’s reputation is dragged through the mud is reminiscent of Gerry Turner from season 1 of The Golden Bachelor. The 72-year-old retired widower ended the season by giving his final rose to 70-year-old Theresa Nist. The septuagenarian couple got engaged and married a few weeks later. When they announced their divorce after just three months of marriage, fans unfairly blamed Gerry for the split. Since then, he has been unfairly defamed and his reputation damaged, and Pascal could soon find himself in the same situation.
Was Pascal present in the show For Fame?
Maybe he wanted to boost his business
After self-eliminating from season 1 of The Golden Bachelorette, Pascal was accused of using the show for influence. Many contestants on the Bachelor franchise are able to leverage their participation into sometimes lucrative careers as social media influencers. A good recent example is Joey Graziadei and Kelsey Anderson from season 28 of The Bachelor, who got engaged on the show and are now prominent lifestyle influencers on social media. That being said, being a single villain may not be as lucrative, as the aforementioned Gerry proves.
Unlike Joey and Kelsey, Gerry hasn’t become an influencer and, in fact, posts on Instagram less often than before.
Many former Bachelor Nation stars end up appearing on other Bachelor franchise shows, and that could happen for Pascal. Since he was portrayed as the villain of season 1 of The Golden Bachelorette, he will never be the next The Golden Bachelor, but if the producers ever decide to make Golden Bachelor In Paradise, the charming Frenchman would make a great resident of the station.
Joan’s Remaining Men
Age
Profession
Christmas villas
Cale
60
Insurance executive
Wichita, KA
Guys
66
Emergency doctor
Reno, Nevada
Season 1 of Golden Bachelorette airs Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.
The Bachelor – Season 28
