Glam, grit, and grandma energy—Susan Noles didn’t win The Golden Bachelor, but she may have won something better.
When The Golden Bachelor premiered, few contestants made an impression quite like Susan Noles. With her platinum-blonde hair, bold lipstick, and razor-sharp wit, she drew comparisons to Kris Jenner and quickly carved out a space for herself among Bachelor Nation’s favorite personalities. But beyond the glam and laughs was a woman with a story—one that’s now inspiring others to live boldly at any age.
More than just comic relief
On the show, Susan often served as the comic relief: cracking jokes, hosting mock weddings, and diffusing tension in the mansion. But fans soon realized there was more depth to her than the show initially revealed.
A wedding officiant from Pennsylvania, Susan had built a full life long before the cameras started rolling. She was widowed young, raised a family, and found a way to support other couples in love by officiating weddings and helping brides on their big day. Her warmth was genuine—and it translated onscreen.
“People think I was playing a part,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “But I was just being myself. I’ve always believed that if you lead with laughter, the rest will fall into place.”
A second act in the spotlight
Following her time on The Golden Bachelor, Susan’s popularity skyrocketed. She was a regular presence on social media, where her mix of humor, beauty tips, and uplifting messages resonated with women of all ages—but especially with older audiences.
What began as a few Instagram Reels turned into guest spots on morning talk shows and a growing following on TikTok. Susan embraced it all with trademark sass.
“I may not be 25,” she quipped in one video, “but honey, I know how to go viral.”
She’s since launched a podcast with fellow Golden Bachelor alum Kathy Swarts called Bachelor Happy Hour: Golden Hour Edition, where the two women discuss everything from dating in your 60s to menopause myths, grandparenting, and surviving reality TV. The podcast, now in its second season, has earned praise for its honesty, humor, and intergenerational appeal.
Empowering women through authenticity
While Susan didn’t find love with Gerry, she’s found something more lasting: community. Her DMs are full of women thanking her for making them feel seen, beautiful, and vibrant.
“I never thought I’d be inspiring anyone,” she told USA Today. “I just wanted to have fun and maybe meet a good man. But now I see how much we need women who are real. Wrinkles, wigs, and all.”
Susan has leaned into that role—partnering with brands that promote age-positive beauty, appearing at women’s wellness events, and even starting her own line of press-on nails inspired by the looks she wore on the show.
She insists, though, that her life hasn’t changed as much as people think.
“I still go to the grocery store in slippers. I still watch Jeopardy every night. But now I also get recognized when I’m picking up dog food,” she laughs.
Love may still be on the table
As for romance, Susan isn’t giving up. In fact, she recently hinted at a budding relationship with a widower she met at a charity gala in Philadelphia.
“He’s got a kind heart and makes a mean chicken parm,” she told People. “We’ll see where it goes.”
While she’s not holding out for a wedding (despite being a professional officiant), Susan is open to companionship—and to the possibility of a Golden Bachelorette, should ABC make the call.
“But only if I can still wear my lashes and lip gloss,” she jokes.
Susan’s legacy: living out loud
Susan Noles is proof that charisma doesn’t dim with age—it just refines. Her success post-The Golden Bachelor is a reminder that the most powerful thing a woman can be is unapologetically herself.
As she said in one of her now-famous TikToks: “Life doesn’t stop when you turn 60. That’s just intermission. Act Two? It’s all yours.”
