Henry Winkler Says He Blocked His Daughter From Starring On ‘The Bachelorette’ With Kim Kardashian ‘For Her Protection’

On a recent episode of the podcast What In The Winkler, Henry Winkler shared how he saved his daughter from going on the famously soul-sucking reality show, The Bachelorette.

The Bachelorette, which has been running since 2003, has long been an example of the damaging effects of reality TV as it exploits and humiliates its contestants while propagating unrealistic body images and relationship expectations.

In their conversation, Winkler’s 44-year-old daughter, Zoe, asked her father, “Do you remember when I was in the running to be The Bachelorette?” 

Winkler quickly replied, “Oh, my goodness. And we put a stop to that and only for your protection.” He then jokingly asked Zoe to thank him for his forethought.

Zoe explained how she had been asked to be a part of a show entitled Quarter Life Crisis alongside Kim Kardashian and Sarah Howard. She remembered, “I’ll never forget Matt Hanna [an executive producer]. He worked at VH1 at the time, he flew out to L.A. and did a sizzle reel of us. And I don’t even think like I mentioned it to you. I was living at home at the time because I was just done with college. He came to the house, and you met him outside.”

“I did,” Winkler affirmed. “I said, it is so lovely that you’re here. I can suggest some really good restaurants, [but] my daughter is not doing your show.”

Winkler’s rejection of Zoe’s dream allowed her to follow her true passion.

Zoe shared, “I became a teacher, which was the best job and what I always truly wanted to do.”

Winkler praised his daughter as “born to teach” and proclaimed, “If I were a young parent, at the time that I saw the way you parent and the way you taught, I would have stolen your technique and used it as my go-to.”

Zoe worked as a teacher for several years before she co-founded the nonprofit This Is About Humanity in 2018. The organization strives to raise awareness and offer assistance and resources to families who were separated at the United States-Mexico border.

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