It’s been well over a year since The Golden Bachelor’s inaugural couple Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist held hands on Good Morning America to announce that they were ending their marriage after just three months, and yet the drama continues. Following Turner’s tell-all memoir, Nist has thrown out some accusations of her own, but for me, the most unexpected turn in all of this has been the reaction of Nist’s Season 1 castmate Leslie Fhima.
What Did Leslie Fhima Say About Gerry Turner’s Memoir?
Leslie Fhima was the other finalist on Gerry Turner’s season of The Golden Bachelor, and while things didn’t work out with the Indiana widower (for her or Theresa NIst), Fhima was among those who reached out to Theresa Nist after the breakup, and the friendship they formed has stood the test of time. That’s why I was so surprised at Fhima’s comments about Golden Years: What I’ve Learned from Love, Loss and Reality TV.
While visiting the 2 Black Girls, 1 Rose podcast, Fhima declared herself “Switzerland” and did not defend Nist against any of the revelations made in Turner’s book. She said:
I told Theresa this, I will support my friend. I adore her. I love her, but it’s not my fight. I don’t know if that sounds like, I don’t want to be cold about it — I’m not saying they’re in a fight — but it’s not my thing. But I will support her and listen to her and I will give her advice. But I kind of want to be a little Switzerland, because it’s just not my fight.
I completely understand the urge to avoid conflict, but knowing how much pain Gerry Turner has caused her friend, I guess I expected her to speak out on Theresa Nist’s behalf in some way.
Leslie Fhima did admit that she had only read excerpts from the memoir — the chapter about her, specifically — and wasn’t sure she wanted to read the rest, so I suppose it’s possible that she’s unaware of any specific accusations Gerry Turner made against his ex. I’m not sure though, because she acknowledged how tough it’s all been on Theresa, saying:
I was honest with her, I said, ‘I love you, I’m here for you. If you want to cry on my shoulder, I’ll listen.’ Which she really hasn’t, but she has been upset many times. And I have talked to her, and she’s taken my advice, and really that’s all I can do.
For me, the lasting friendships formed on The Golden Bachelor made up for the fact that the marriage didn’t last — it’s one thing that I think is missing from Mel Owens’ season — and I hope Theresa Nist doesn’t feel slighted by Leslie Fhima’s comments. I really want to keep seeing cute videos like the one below:
What Did Gerry Turner Say About Theresa Nist?
Theresa Nist was refuting things that Gerry Turner said about their short-lived marriage even before his memoir was released, including his assertion that his cancer diagnosis played into their decision to divorce. In Golden Years, he said (per E! News) that he found it hard to connect with Nist on their long-distance phone calls, writing:
I didn’t want to admit it, but I found conversations with her difficult. Her tone and delivery were the same whether she was talking about a problem at work or about picking up her morning smoothie.
Those supposedly $12 smoothies also didn’t go over well with Gerry Turner, who was not satisfied by her sugar-free diet of mostly fish and salad. He even accused her of not being fully transparent about her finances when they talked about that in Fantasy Suites, writing:
I was a little resentful because her economic situation wasn’t at all what she had described on the show, leaving me to wonder what else I had misunderstood, or she had misrepresented.
There were several other incompatibilities listed — possibly including that supposed argument over cornfields — many of which Theresa Nist argued on the Dear Shandy podcast.
It can’t be easy for Theresa Nist to be rehashing all of this two years later for the purposes of Gerry Turner’s book, and regardless of whose version of the story is true, and I hope she’s getting through it with the support of her family and friends. I also really hope Leslie Fhima will continue to be amongst those friends despite her neutral stance on The Golden Bachelor memoir.