Bachelor Happy Hour - EXCLUSIVE: Madina Alam & Aaron Bryant Found Love! | Happy Hour

Episode Date: December 19, 2025

Today on “Happy Hour,” Joe and Serena are joined by a brand-new Bachelor Nation couple: Madina Alam and Aaron Bryant! The two are together on the pod for the first time, breaking down how their relationship began, who made the first move, and when things turned from casual to something more. They open up about going public, navigating long distance, and what fans don’t see on social media. Plus, Madina and Aaron reflect on their individual Bachelor Nation experiences and how those shaped how they show up in relationships now. Tune in for all the details — and be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast, Guaranteed Human. Hey, everyone, it's me, Katie Couric. Did you know that I recently joined Substack? Very exciting. It's where I'll be sharing my unfiltered conversations with the people everyone's talking about. I'll also tell you what I'm reading, what I'm watching, what's making me crazy,

and what's giving me hope. If you like deep dives, hot takes, and real talk, you're in the right place. Search Katie Couric on Substack and hit subscribe. I'll be there, reporting live, most likely, in my pajamas. See you there. She said, Johnny.

The kids didn't come home last night. Along the central Texas planes, teens are dying. Suicides that don't make sense. Strange accidents and brutal murders. In what seems to be, a plot ripped straight out of Breaking Bad. Drugs, alcohol, trafficking of people. There are people out there that absolutely know what happened. Listen to Paper Ghosts, The Texas Teen Murders, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Michael Lewis here. My bestselling book, The Big Short, tells the story of the buildup and burst of the U.S. housing market back in 2008. A decade ago, the Big Short was made into an Academy Award-winning movie, and now I'm bringing it to you for the first time as an audiobook narrated by Yours Truly. The big short story, what it means to bet against the market, and who really pays for an unchecked financial system, is as relevant today as it's ever been. Get the big short now at Pushkin.fm. slash audiobooks, or wherever audiobooks are sold. Welcome to Decoding Women's Health. I'm Dr. Elizabeth Pointer, chair of Women's Health and Gynecology at the Atria Health Institute in New York City. I'll be talking to top researchers and clinicians and bringing vital information. about midlife women's health directly to you.

A hundred percent of women go through menopause. Even if it's natural, why should we suffer through it? Listen to Decoding Women's Health with Dr. Elizabeth Pointer on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You know the shade is always Shadiest right here. Season 6 of the podcast Reasonably Shady with Giselle Bryan and Robin Dixon is here dropping every Monday. As two of the founding members of the Real House, West White's Potomac, we're giving you all the laughs, drama, and reality news you can handle.

And you know we don't hold back. So come be reasonable or shady with us each and every Monday. Listen to reasonably shady from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, everyone, welcome back to Bachelor Happy Hour. I'm Joe. And I'm Serena. And we are here today with a newly bachelor couple, Medina and

Aaron, welcome to Badger Happy Hour. Medina, you have been on this podcast for a little bit. Like, you came on for like a, I think like a short segment, correct? You did a tell all segment, I believe. Yeah, yeah. And Aaron, have you ever been on this podcast? Yeah, we did a full episode with Aaron. Oh. Cut that.

Yeah, way back on day. You know what honestly? They're all blurring together. I've interviewed so many Bachelor people. Yeah. Well, I mean, I remember you from Charity Season, Aaron. because you were a big personality and you were off the show on the show. You came back on charity season, right?

Yeah, it's about flight to Fiji. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember that. So we won't, we won't talk about that, actually. Why not? We could. We could. Okay.

We were honestly surprised to find out you guys were dating because I just didn't see that one coming at all. I mean, you guys had no crossover on the show. usually I feel like you see like a TikTok here or like a group photo of like a bunch of bachelor people like this one came out of left field for me. So let's take it back to how you guys first met, whichever one of you wants to start off. I think we've practiced this, Medina, a few times. We've had good practice. You know, go ahead and start us off. Well, I actually shamelessly DMed him when he was on TV season, like when he got announced. And I was like, hope you don't make it far, which is so cringing and cliche. And then we were just kind of like DMing very

casually back and forth, um, like over the years technically. And then that would have been before you were even on the show. Yeah. Okay. So when I enter, when I did the interview for Joey's season, um, I mean, I don't know if like we don't really know necessarily who it is sometimes. Um, and I actually specific, like I did mention Aaron. Um, but I was open obviously to Joey and so that was kind of serendipitous, if you will, um, looking at us now, but so, wait, Aaron, did you respond to the initial DM? Because at the time, you know, you were, you know, popping off on the show. It was just funny because like, there's like a ton of DMs, obviously from, you know,

week by week and then she pops up and I'm like, oh, wow, like, who's this? But, you know, obviously I was just like, all right, you know, take it easy, blah, blah. I obviously went to Paradise. And then she got announced. And I was like, wait, who is this person? I got to pay close attention. So I tuned into her season and watched her. Okay.

Wait, this is such an interesting timeline. So you see him on charity season. You DM him. Aaron responds. There's like a little back and forth. He goes on Paradise. Obviously. But he's like, leave me alone.

I'm going on Paradise. Pretty much. I need another shot at this. Yeah, but you know, fair. He's like, all right, I'm going back looking for. love like this probably isn't going to go anywhere you met someone on that season of paradise so i'm assuming the dms were sealed shut for quite a while and then you end up being single and all of a sudden medina's on your screen were you like this is the girl that was in my dms what the heck's

going on here and like you're single are you waiting to see if she's single what are you feeling yeah that's that's good too because i kind of wanted to see her character and you know who this person was i was obviously impressed but i didn't think like anything was going to come from me like I knew she lived in Charlotte, I'm in San Diego. So it was kind of like a far-fetched thing. And I think the most we did was we changed our DM background to like this boba tea. By accident. By accident, by accident.

But that's the only like real interaction we had was our background changing on the DMs. Okay. I feel like this is nice too because in a way, Medina, you kind of learned a lot about Aaron when you're watching him on charity season and on Paradise. Did you feel like this kind of balanced it out now that he had the chance to learn a little bit about you while you were on the show? Well, let me correct myself. I didn't actually really watch any of his seasons. I don't really watch The Bachelor.

I saw his picture announced. And I was like, oh. Gotcha. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Wait, so you don't watch the show, but then you're paying attention to the guys that get announced? That's kind of fair.

It's like, I mean, I believe you. Okay. So let's jump forward. Now you're both off the show. how do you reconnect? Yeah, so, I mean, we were just kind of going back and forth on DMs, doing fire emojis on our stories and things like that. It wasn't really anything provocative or flirty. We were just like kind of supporting each other from a distance.

Like I said, I thought she was pretty level-headed and mature on her season. So I was like, okay, like this is a good person, like, you know, to talk to everyone once in a while. Still didn't expect anything, but it was up until New York Fashion Week. Medina. This New York Fashion Week? Like 2025? Yeah. Well, I was supposed to go to, because he was in San Diego Swim Week.

I was supposed to go to San Diego Swim Week. And I wound up not going last minute. And I remember I was like, we were texting a little because I was like, I didn't know anyone in San Diego. And I was like flirting with him a little bit. I feel like, I was like, oh, like, let's do something. And he was like so dry with me. I was like, all right, whatever.

So. Really, really, really. Aaron, were you not receptive? to the flirtiness yeah i mean i was kind of stone face i was like this nothing's gonna come from it you know when you meet different people from bachelor nation it's just like a hangout type thing like i was just like all right it's gonna be like that okay okay and i i honestly at this point too i wasn't really thinking too much about it either um but then at new york fashion week we like met up for lunch with like it was like a group of us and i really wasn't thinking anything

too too much but then like you know when you like meet someone and this is gonna sound so corny but it's just the truth and you just like instantly like have like chemistry or connection with them yeah and like he gave such a good hug when I walked in um and I hate talking like this because I feel like I'm a bad bitch and then when I'm with him I'm like a little girl kind of but we like hugged and I remember like sitting at the table yeah real bad all you got to do is hug you in the fucking chrono no it's good I love the concept of like falling into your feminine when you're with someone that you feel safe with and you like falling into your feminine i've never heard that yeah yeah it's a thing like you know girls sink more into like their feminine energy when they feel like they're

safe and comfortable with the guy i like i like that line i never heard it okay yeah it's your repertoire yeah yeah it's a flex i feel like right um i think so yeah i'm like again i'm like flirting with him he's like sitting next to me i like i was like oh like your shoes i really like your shoes and he like looks at me, he goes, yeah, give me a minute. I'll think of something to compliment you on. I'm like, oh, that sounds terrible. I mean, I think I was, I think I was pretty nervous. Like, I was actually, I was actually speechless. How about that? I was speechless. But, yeah, I think I thought. How did this lunch come to be? And who else is there? So, yeah, I met this, met this guy. He was a fan of Bachelor Nation. He was up in New York.

and invited me to lunch. I met him in San Diego previously. So he found this place called Dagtai. And I was like, OK, cool, let's do that. We had the whole itinerary for the weekend. And I was like, OK, let's see if Medina wants to join. She had a friend. So they both came.

And I was talking to Medina all the way up and to the point where she walked into the restaurant. And I just remember being nervous, just like, what's going to happen with this today? Like, I kind of want to see what's going on about the same time, not really. So, yeah, it was up into that point where I was like, I don't know what's going to happen with this.

Well, that's fair. I mean, you guys don't know each other yet. You've been kind of like flirting a little on DMs, but you might meet each other and be like, oh, like, there's nothing here. I mean, we have a bovati background on Instagram. Like, there's something there. It's got to be something there. Even though it was an accident.

Hey, everyone. It's me, Katie Couric. Did you know that I recently joined Substack? It's where I'll be sharing me. my unfiltered conversations with the people everyone's talking about. Journalists breaking news, politicians making it, actors we can't stop watching, experts, and a few unexpected voices who just might change the way you see the world. I'll also share what I'm reading, what I'm watching, what's making me roll my eyes, and what's giving me hope.

It's a little news, a little opinion, and yes, the occasional curse word, because let's face it, have you seen the headlines lately? So if you like smart takes, deep dives, and are also thinking, WTF is happening, search Katie Kurek on Substack and hit subscribe. All of my interviews and articles are free to help everyone stay informed. But if you want to join the group chat and hear my hottest takes, well, that's for premium users only. It's going to be so much fun. I can't wait to see you there.

Again, search Katie Kurek on Substack and hit subscribe. May 24th, 1990, a pipe bomb explodes in the front seat of environmental activist Judy Barry's car. I knew it was a bomb the second that it exploded. I felt it ripped through me with just a force more powerful and terrible than anything that I could describe. In season two of Rip Current, we ask, who tried to kill Judy Barry? And why? She received death threats before the bombing. She received more threats after the bombing. The man and woman who were heard had planned to lead a summer of militant protest against logging practices in Northern California. They were climbing trees and they were sabotaging logging equipment in the woods. The timber industry, I mean, it was the number one industry in the area, but more than it was the culture. It was the way of life.

I think that this is a deliberate attempt to sabotage our movement. Episodes of Rip Current Season 2 are available now. Listen on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Michael Lewis here. My book The Big Short tells the story of the build-up and burst of the U.S. housing market back in 2008. It follows a few unlikely but lucky people who saw the real estate market for the black hole it would become and eventually made billions of dollars from that perception. It was like feeding the monster, said Isman.

We fed the monster until it blew up. The monster was exploding. Yet on the streets of Manhattan, there was no sign anything important had just happened. Now, 15 years after the Big Short's original release, and a decade after it became an Academy Award-winning movie, I've recorded an audiobook edition for the very first time. The Big Short Story, what it means when people start betting against the market, and who really pays for an unchecked financial system, is as relevant today as it's ever been, offering invaluable insight into the current economy

and also today's politics. Get the big short now at Pushkin.fm.fm. slash audiobooks or wherever audiobooks are sold. You know the shade is always Shadiest right here. Season 6 of

the podcast Reasonably Shady with Giselle Bryan and Robin Dixon is here dropping every Monday. As two of the founding members of the Real Housewives Potomac were giving you all the laughs, drama, and reality news you can handle. And you know we don't hold back.

So come be reasonable or shady with us each and every Monday. I was going through a walk in my neighborhood. Out of the blue, I see this huge sign next to somebody's house. Okay. The sign says, my

neighbor is a Karen. Oh, what? No way. I died laughing. I'm like, I have to know You are lying. You, my guess, y'all.

They had some time on their hands. Listen to reasonably shady from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Robert Smith. This is Jacob Goldstein. And we used to host a show called Planet Money. And now we're back making this new podcast called Business History about the best ideas and people and businesses in history.

and some of the worst people, horrible ideas, and destructive companies in the history of business. Having a genius idea without a need for it is nothing. It's like not having it at all. It's a very simple, elegant lesson. Make something people want. First episode, how Southwest Airlines use cheap seats and free whiskey to fight its way into the airline business. The most Texas story ever. There's a lot of mavericks in that story.

We're going to have mavericks on the show. We're going to have plenty of robber barons. So many robber barons. And you know what? They're not all bad. And we'll talk about some of the classic great moments of famous business geniuses, along with some of the darker moments that often get overlooked. Like Thomas Edison and the electric chair.

Listen to business history on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Okay, so Medina, how did you feel like the lunch went after you left? What do you say in your girlfriend? oh i mean like we well because we went after lunch we went to get drinks somewhere and like we went to the bathroom so like before i even laughed just like oh my god like i like i like i like him and like just like more even more background which what like makes it like weird is like um i just well actually never mind i'm not going to say that but no no no no no what what you got to say it now

well i like you don't have to you don't have to if you're uncomfortable yeah um well it's not anything crazy. I mean, we were like flirting back and forth, but I think also too, like there were moments where him and I were maybe like in relationships or like dating other people and stuff. So I had just kind of gotten out of a relationship. So I was like very much like not even like looking for that. So I think like that just like shows like how much like I feel like our energy was like so like aligned. And I don't think he was necessarily looking for it. Like obviously we were flirting a little bit. But I wasn't necessarily going in with a mindset of like, oh, like I'm going to date this person. But more. just like yeah let's meet up with someone else from bachelor nation so yeah totally that makes sense i feel like that's so common like oh i'm in the city and i know this person that was on the show and we follow each other like shared experience let's grab lunch you know let's connect so when did it so when did it turn into like um you guys were both casual casual and now it's like we're we're boyfriend girlfriend well i'll say probably almost an hour after that lunch. I mean, I know we weren't officially at me, but an hour after that lunch,

we were going to go to Sephora because she lost her lip gloss. And she can't go anywhere without it. So we find a Sephora kind of by lunch. But on our way to Sephora, we're making a TikTok together. So it's like the one when you pick someone up with one arm and then you flip them around. Some people have done that. Yes, I've seen it. Yeah. So our friends are filming behind us. I think we've probably done it 12 times. So just picking her up and tossing her around with her hand in the air. I was like, what's going on here? I just met this person.

But I already had the feeling of, you know, I want to see more of her. Obviously, she's like, I need a little bit more. I need to see a little bit more before I just start diving into this. But I knew at that point that I was going to be pursuing her. Were there any other Bachelor alums a part of this lunch? No. No, no. Yeah, I saw Grant earlier like that weekend, but there was no one like there. Okay. Nice. So you have lunch, drinks, Sephora. The day goes on.

Erin's falling for you. Aaron is all in. Medina. Are you like, oh, wow, I feel a spark with this guy too or where are you at? Yeah, no, I definitely was like, I think maybe I didn't have finished my story. I have a knack for doing that, not finishing my thought. But I was nice telling my friend in the bathroom, I was like, I actually like feel something or whatever. I don't know how I worded it. And she had to go because her husband was picking her up.

So I went back to, we went back to the hotel. And I also at this point, I couldn't vibe him. I didn't know if he was like interested in me or not. And I'm like, I want to hang out with him more, but I'm also like, I don't want to like act like desperate or anything. So I go back to my hotel room. and I remember texting him. I can't remember something like a sad face or something

because I wanted to see him again. And then, yeah, we just wind up going because I had an event that night. And I asked him if you wanted to come with me. And so we went to the event that night. And yeah. Rest is history. And then it was just like chat, chat, chat.

Did we make out? What happened? Well, I mean, the funny thing is like, yeah, We went to the event and stuff. And then after that, we went directly to Omikaze in New York. And my friend that was there for lunch, he set this up for dinner. So I invited her, obviously. And yeah, I mean, honestly, kind of got awkward.

And I'll tell the real story, babe. But the friend was, like, looking at us like, oh, my gosh, you guys have so much chemistry. And then, you know, the more he drank and the more the drinks started flowing, he just started going, make out, make out. We all want this. I was like, whoa, like, this is, this is kidding. I was like, I trust me, me too. This friend, this friend thought he was a producer on The Bachelor. Yeah, I was like, you can't feed those drinks and, you know, ask it how we're doing, but like,

you're like, I'm down, but we're in the middle of omacaze. Like, I need a second. We're having, like, I don't need you watch. You have four more plates to go. I'm trying to see what the last plate's going to be. Like, I'm not trying to kiss anyone yet. We got three more plates to go. I'm dead.

Okay. So, you guys. how long hit okay so new york fashion week was what september yeah so we're looking at almost three four months together now i'm assuming like and correct me if it sounds like since then you guys have basically been locked in dating each other was it pretty smooth like it just kind of you organically fell into a relationship there was no talking stage we'll say that it was which we love like that's something i really admire about him like i feel like we're in this I think we're getting better with it, but just like this idea of like a nonchalant man is like so unappealing.

And I remember like, because he came to visit in Charlotte maybe a month later, a little less than a month later. And we went out to sushi and I wasn't expecting him to like ask me to be his girlfriend, like have like a big sushi roll in my mouth. I was like, do not like cute. I'm chewing. He's going on this like long monologue about like how much like he appreciates me and all these sweet things. and I'm like, oh my God, chew faster. So, yeah, it was just, like, really natural and it was, like, nice for, you know,

someone to be, like, so sure of you. Yeah. So how are you guys doing? You guys are doing long distance. Medina, you're in Charlotte and you're in San Diego. How's that working out? Long distance, long distance is tough. It is.

How's it going to? How far is the flight just for my Canadian geographical brain? It's probably like three and a half, right? Yeah, close to the four for me with the wind from the west. Yeah, we can call it four and a half. Yeah, no, that always gets me. Whenever we go to L.A. from New York, it's like six hours there, four and a half back. Yeah.

Yeah, it's a long flight. I mean, yeah, I mean, long distance isn't ideal, but I mean, we get to, ironically see each other like way like pretty frequently considering how far away we are from each other um but i'm not gonna lie i hate it uh so how many times so like so how many times a month are you able to see each other like two to three at least at this point i mean yeah we just have that's bad yeah that's not bad yeah we're really making it work okay so what's the game plan then is there a game plan well the game plan is we're waiting on insurance to approve like this hip conjoined surgery so she can never leave my side so our hips will be

our hips will be joined right on the approval but uh but no no we're um we won't be long distance for too too long um you want to tell them ladyina uh no i mean i we definitely have talked about me moving to san diego um soon what do you what do you do for work um i own a therapy practice but most of it's virtual, so I can work from anywhere, yeah. Okay, nice. Do you like San Diego? Have you been? Did you ever see yourself living there before you started dating Aaron?

Yeah, so the irony of all of this is I knew I was going to move after this year from Charlotte, it was just kind of like exhausted on me. So I had no like issue with like talking about this with him. And San Diego actually was one of the places on my list. And I also have just a knack for like getting. up and moving to random places where I know no one. So it's, I mean, obviously I'd be moving, you know, a big chunk to be with him. But, you know, I have the utmost faith that heaven forbid it doesn't work out. Like I would, it would be fine, you know. Yeah. So I, because I try to,

I want to be mindful that, you know, part of it is for me and also for us. Yeah. But that's kind of a nice place to be in when you're like, well, I was already kind of thinking of moving this kind of aligns with the plan I already had. You like the idea of San Diego. Like, it definitely makes this long distance period probably feel a lot easier. You're not having to try to decide if you want to leave where you already live. I mean, it's also the best weather in the country. People that live in San Diego freaking love it. Like, I've never met.

There's a lot of bachelor people out there, obviously, and we have some good friends that live out there from the show. And they are all, like, it's the best place to live ever. Yeah, it's cute. Like, when I would go to, when I go to visit, I feel like he's, like, trying to show me around and do, like, remind me all. of all these, like, cool things about San Diego, and I'm like, babe, it's San Diego. Like, you don't have to sell me on it.

Like, it's not like... It sells itself. Yeah. All we got to do is so do you the weather forecast. Hey, everyone. It's me, Katie Couric. Did you know that I recently joined Substack? It's where I'll be sharing my unfiltered conversations with the people everyone's talking about.

Journalists breaking news, politicians making it, actors we can't stop watching, experts, and a few unexpected voice. who just might change the way you see the world. I'll also share what I'm reading, what I'm watching, what's making me roll my eyes, and what's giving me hope. It's a little news, a little opinion, and yes, the occasional curse word, because let's face it, have you seen the headlines lately? So if you like smart takes, deep dives, and are also thinking, WTF is happening, search Katie Couric on Substack and hit subscribe. All of my interviews and articles are free to help everyone. everyone stay informed. But if you want to join the group chat and hear my hottest takes,

well, that's for premium users only. It's going to be so much fun. I can't wait to see you there. Again, search Katie Couric on Substack and hit subscribe. You know the shade is always Shadiest right here. Season 6 of the podcast Reasonably Shady with Jazele Bryan and Robin Dixon is here dropping every Monday. As two of the founding members of the Real Housewives Potomac we're giving you all the laughs, drama and reality news

you can handle. And you know we don't hold back so come be reasonable or shady with us each and every Monday. I was going through a walk in my neighborhood. Out of the blue,

I see this huge sign next to somebody's house. The sign says my neighbor is a Karen. Oh, what? No way. I died laughing.

I'm like, I have to know. You are lying. Humongous, y'all. They had some time on their hands. Listen to reasonably shady from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. May 24th, 1990, a pipe bomb explodes in the front seat of environmental activist Judy Berry's car. I knew it was a bomb the second that it exploded. I felt it ripped through me with just a force more powerful and terrible than anything that I could describe.

In season two of Rip Current, we ask, who tried to kill Judy Berry and why? She received death threats before the bombing. She received more threats after the bombing. The man and woman who were heard had planned to lead a summer of militant protest against logging practices in Northern California. They were climbing trees and they were sabotaging all. equipment in the woods. The timber industry, I mean, it was the number one industry in the area, but more than it was the culture.

It was the way of life. I think that this is a deliberate attempt to sabotage our movement. Episodes of Rip Current Season 2 are available now. Listen on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Robert Smith, and this is Jacob Goldstein, and we used to host a show called Planet Money. And now we're back making this new podcast called business history about the best ideas and people and businesses in history. And some of the worst people, horrible ideas and destructive companies in the history of business. Having a genius idea

without a need for it is nothing. It's like not having it at all. It's a very simple, elegant lesson. Make something people want. First episode, how Southwest Airlines use cheap seats and free whiskey to fight its way into the airline business. The most Texas story of There's a lot of mavericks in that story. We're going to have mavericks on the show. We're going to have plenty of robber barons. So many robber barons. And you know what?

They're not all bad. And we'll talk about some of the classic great moments of famous business geniuses, along with some of the darker moments that often get overlooked. Like Thomas Edison and the electric chair. Listen to business history on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Welcome to Decoding Women's Health. I'm Dr. Elizabeth Pointer. Chair of Women's Health and Gynecology at the Adriah Health Institute in New York City.

On this show, I'll be talking to top researchers and top clinicians, asking them your burning questions and bringing that information about women's health and midlife directly to you. A hundred percent of women go through menopause. It can be such a struggle for our quality of life, but even if it's natural, why should we suffer through it? The types of symptoms that people talk about is forgetting everything. I never used to forget things. concerned that, one, they have dementia, and the other one is, do I have ADHD?

There is unprecedented promise with regard to cannabis and cannabinoids, to sleep better, to have less pain, to have better mood, and also to have better day-to-day life. Listen to Decoding Women's Health with Dr. Elizabeth Pointer on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you're listening now. are you from san diego no no i was a military brat growing up so i'm from everywhere but i grew up in houston and i went to school in new orleans you went to lane you went to lane right roll wave roll wave yeah i remember that yeah but i didn't remember you were on the podcast but i remember where you went to school that's crazy i remember our podcast with erin so well for

i do now i do not i do not yeah i do not too doing you in the cabana in the middle of summer um but okay so that's exciting we're really happy for you guys um um um This is your first holiday season together. What are the plans for that? Yeah, I know. That's next week. I mean, we've been seeing each other the past month. So, like, through Thanksgiving, we spent time.

So we did, like, our own thing for once, instead of, like, spinning it with our family. So we had a nice dinner on Thanksgiving. That was nice. But for Christmas, I'll be going to Houston next week, but I'm going right to Albany. Albany, is my saying it right? Upstate New York to see Medina and meet her mom. and her dog Tonka, so I'll see love in person for the first time. That'll be your first time meeting her family.

Yeah, in person. We FaceTime briefly a couple times, so it's nice. We heard our nails done, and she was like, oh, I get to see you guys. That was pretty much it. So still got to get the impression off. Have you met any of Aaron's family yet? Just via FaceTime. Okay, gotcha.

FaceTime's so awkward, isn't it? Like meeting a family for the first time on FaceTime, you're just like, this is tough but i guess it's easy it's easier because you could because then like the phone call ends right you know because you can't hang up on people in real life well in real life you're you're you're actually in the moment and if things start going array like you're just like there's something nice about a five to ten minute face time hi nice to meet you yeah like the face time can't it can only get so bad it's low stakes it's low stakes yeah you don't have to sit around the house and wait for you know someone to be like all right well we're going to go

down yeah yeah well my dad we were your face timing he was so close to the camera i was more concerned about his eyesight i was like just you'll see her person soon but just back away from the camera yeah my dad does this my dad facetimes it's literally it's like right here it's like he's just screaming into the phone um okay what uh any are you guys like who's your bachelor crew anyone you hang out with or is it kind of just like yeah who did you like call from bachelor nation to tell them that you guys were dating what was the response also you want to go erin yeah no i mean people know that you know i hang with erin clancy he's one of my best friends uh we're all in a group chat with like james bondzel and people like that so they all knew

when i went to charlotte i could post on my close friends i was like kissing medina's hand and they were all like oh this is like legit and i was like yeah like i'm back and Charlotte obviously so things are going well but you know just I would say those are the only two from Bachelor Nation initially well obviously everyone started to learn pretty quickly of course Medina what about you I mean I don't I'm gonna be honest I don't like I'm not in touch with a lot of people from Bachelor Nation I mean obviously like Jess and Sandra actually she was I don't know if any yeah she's Sandra I like pretty close with her um but other than that like not too much and then any for next year any

trips anything playing together or is it just kind of like we're going to do our best to get you to san diego type of thing a little bit of both um we're going to columbia next month for that's fun yeah one of my friend's wedding so we'll be out there for for a good bit and uh what part of Columbia. Where's the wedding? Cartagena. Okay. Yeah. A friend of mine was just out there.

I was going to say, have you, are you familiar with that area? Are you familiar with Columbia? Have you been? I never been, but I know, I've heard of Cartagena and then there's Cali and, um, I know a bunch about Colombia. Oh, okay. There's Medellin, yeah. Yeah.

Cocaine capital. Exactly. Exactly. People are, no, people don't sleep there. But I'm just glad that she's coming now because, you know, they have the jokes like, oh, a single guy going to Columbia. He comes back with some kind of relationship, things like that. So this makes a little bit easier for trust. And obviously, I want her there with me, too. So we're going to enjoy that. How has that been with the long distance?

The trust? Yeah. It's interesting because I was, we talk about this kind of regularly. Like, I think it's crazy that I trust him more than, and you know, the last person I dated, like, lived like, five minutes away. And I think he's just like so good at communicating and like even just like the thing he said right now. Like that wasn't anything that I like came up with. He's just like thinking proactively and being really mindful about all those things. And he's like really in tune. Like he's so cute. He'll track like with my cycle to like recognize like when I might be a little more sensitive or like if I need more compliments. And so yeah, it's just interesting because he's so far away.

but I, like, trust him so much. So it's like, I'm glad we're not working through any of that. It's, like, the biggest issue we have is distance, and, you know, that'll eventually be done with. That's good. I think, like, communication is, like, 90% of it. Like, that's, like, the biggest thing. Well, and if you can tackle that while doing long distance,

it's going to be that much easier, hopefully when you're in person together. And it doesn't matter where someone lives, because if they want to cheat, they're going to cheat, you know? That is true, actually. Oh, shoot, I had a question. Oh, my question was going to be when you eventually moved to San Diego, Medina, are you guys going to find a new place together? Are you going to move into Aaron's Place? Yeah, I think we talked about finding a new place together.

So that'll be fun, like, looking at apartments. He was like, oh, FaceTime you and stuff. Like, so I think that'll be fun. And he said that he'll let me decorate. So let's have this on recording. I mean, your background is super cute. If you did that, I don't know why he wouldn't let you decorate. Yeah.

I mean, what's your place look like, Erin? Is it just like, I'm a single guy and this is, this is, which no judgment. Like, that's how my place was. I still, I was still taking things out of like brown boxes. And I moved in. Yeah, Joe had one bedside table, what like, not one pillow, but like four plates. Yeah. No, I mean, it's definitely evolved throughout the years.

It's not, you know, where it would be a planterior decorated here. But it's more of like a, just like a third. 30-year-old, like, tech kind of apartment. Nothing too special. I got a big cat hanging up on my wall, too. That's why I commented on. I love big cats. But this is like my downstairs workspace, so I'm down here taking a call.

Nice. Nice. Yeah. All right. Well, this was a lot of fun. We're really happy for you guys. Thank you for coming on to Bachelor Happy Hour. Thank you.

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