'Golden Bachelor' Gerry Turner's Friends Complain Fame Has Gone to His Head: Report
Reality star Gerry Turner, 72, has reportedly gone Hollywood, thanks to his starring role on the groundbreaking new dating show, The Golden Bachelor, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Sources claimed Turner's friends are pleading with him to come back down to Earth!
"The more famous Gerry's gotten, the more stuck-up and bigheaded he's become," an insider snitched to the National Enquirer.
The retired so-called restauranteur made headlines as the first silver fox to be featured ABC's The Bachelor spinoff for the Golden Years set — and sources reportedly said his sudden popularity seriously puffed up his ego.
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"Gerry's strutting around like he's a gift to all women and wants to be driven in limos and eat the finest restaurants," a close pal complained. "He wants to shop at designer stores and wear Rolex watches."
While the 72-year-old may have captured the hearts of Bachelor Nation, his old friends are allegedly disappointed by his inflated ego.
"People never realized this guy from Indiana could be such a fame hog!" the comrade continued. "He's not the same humble guy his friends remember — and they think it's a shame."
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It's not just hometown friends allegedly slamming Gerry's rumored snooty behavior. One of his scorned on-screen suitors, April Kirkwood, complained that the silver fox "constantly" ignored her during filming.
He also came under fire from fans when the Golden Bachelor told both Faith Martin and Leslie Fhima he loved them!
"The feeling among a lot of his friends is that he's not the Gerry they knew," a tipster squealed. "He played those women like a fiddle and now he's acting like some movie star."
"Everyone's scoffing at how stuck up he is," the insider continued. "Turns out dating 22 women at once has brought out the worst in him!"
RadarOnline.com has reached out to Gerry's reps for comment.
During Thursday's season finale, Gerry proposed to winner Theresa Nist — and while some fans were ecstatic about the two finding love again, others criticized Gerry for allegedly lying about his past.
The reality star was accused of fabricating a lot of his life story — such as not dating after his late wife passed away and owning restaurants — that initially launched him into stardom as a sweet widower looking for love.
The Hollywood Reporter reported a scathing piece after speaking to a woman who claimed she was in a three-year relationship with Gerry just before he started filming the dating show.
When asked about the allegations that he misrepresented his past, Gerry told People, "My only response is that I have so many positive things in my life right now."
"I have the wonderful love of Theresa, my partner. I don’t have time to reflect on comments like this. I’m happy to look forward," Gerry added.