Henry Winkler 'Put a Stop' to Daughter's 'Bachelorette' Plan, Kim Kardashian Show

Henry Winkler put the kibosh on his daughter's reality TV dream ... confessing as much during a new podcast episode.

The "Happy Days" alum shared his decision to block daughter Zoe Winkler from doing one famed dating competition on the "What in the Winkler!?" podcast ... noting he had to "put a stop to that."

As Zoe put it ... she was almost "The Bachelorette" during the ABC reality show's early days. However, Henry said he intervened in the possible casting ... "but only for your protection."

This wasn't Zoe's only chance at reality TV either. According to the teacher, she almost starred in a different docuseries with a now-reality TV legend ... Kim Kardashian.

This was well before Kim's "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" success, with Zoe sharing she, the SKIMS founder and another friend, named Sarah Howard, were all asked to be on a show called "Quarter Life Crisis."

Zoe noted the reality TV game was still very new at the time, explaining "The Real World" was the only successful series of note.

ZW got as far as meeting someone from VH1, who had flown to Los Angeles to do some test filming for "Quarter Life Crisis" ... but Henry got involved before anything could take off.

Per Henry, he told the producer ... "It is so lovely that you're here. I can suggest some really good restaurants. My daughter is not doing your show."

Ultimately, Zoe went on to pursue teaching, which she called "the best job and what I always wanted to do."

While Zoe had no hard feelings over her dad's decision, she did mention to him that reality TV did end up working out for her BFF ... calling Kim K. "the most famous person in the world."

Henry added ... "[Reality TV] was so not the right thing for you to do in your life. It would have just perverted your trajectory. I really believe that."