Bachelor Happy Hour - Sam McKinney & Alli Jo Go the Distance | Happy Hour

Episode Date: December 22, 2025

Today on “Happy Hour,” Joe and Serena are catching up with Bachelor Nation couple Sam McKinney and Alli Jo! The two open up about how their relationship has evolved since “Paradise,” the biggest adjustments they’ve faced off-camera, and what surprised them most once the show ended. They also talk navigating privacy in the “Bachelor” universe, spending the holidays together, and how they’re approaching conversations about the future. Plus, Sam teases his new HGTV show! Tune in 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. 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. First episode, how Southwest Airlines use cheap seats and free whiskey to fight its way into the airline is. The most Texas story ever. Listen to Business History 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 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 ever. 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. From NBA champion Stefan Curry comes shot ready, a powerful never-before-seen look at the mindset that changed the game. I fell in love with the grind. You have to find joy in the work you do when no one else is around. Success is not an accident. I'm passing the ball to you. Let's go. Steph Curry redefined basketball. Now he's rewriting what it means to succeed. Order your copy of the New York Times bestseller shot ready today at stephencurrie book.com. 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 Help with Dr. Elizabeth Pointer on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to Bet Your Happy Hour. I'm Joe. And I'm Serena. And we are here today with Sam and Elie. Joe. Welcome to the podcast as a couple for the first time on this podcast. Welcome. Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate it. Serena's kind of been jumping in, taking, uh, taking over.

Yeah. My coffee kicked in before Joe's did. It's not even coffee. I think I'm just, I think I'm just stupid. I've already had to, so. Um, so last time Sam, we had you on the podcast was Paradise. Um, we were, yeah, right before. Yeah, right before we were rooting for you.

We were excited. We were sad to see you go. We were sad to see you go. We really were. Um, and I would say, you know, know, we'd love to see you on next season, but I actually hope you're not on next season because you're here with your girlfriend, Ali Joe, and we're so excited to chat with you guys both, kind of how this came to be. You guys were ships passing in the night on Bachelor in Paradise.

What a miss. What a miss, actually, because I really, I'm not just saying this because you two are both here, but it would, you both together, getting together on Paradise would have been a great addition to this season because you're both fun to watch. Some would say that. Some would say that. Hey, listen, if they're talking, at least you're doing something. So it's reality TV, you know.

Don't get us started on that experience. Well, let's take it back before, you know, we get into the Bachelor in Paradise and all of this fun relationship stuff. You guys had spoken a little before Paradise, right? You both knew you were going to be there. Kind of walk us through where your relationship was before you went. to paradise and you know how you connected and what was going on take it away babe well we didn't definitely know we were both going to be there i was really hopeful like i had a feeling because i just had a good feeling um but i had messaged him first so ladies don't be afraid to message

somebody first um because we like knew of a mutual person i don't know long story short somebody like compared me to him and i just thought that was like comical and we just started talking and sam had given me, like, really, really good advice, just moving forward. So it was just like a little bit of chit-chat. It wasn't anything crazy. And then, yeah, we would just kind of like swipe up on each other's stories. And that was really it. And then we just kind of started talking about Paradise, asking if each other were going.

We both really didn't know. And that was an honest answer. And yeah, that was it. Okay. So going into Paradise, I think it's safe to say you were both on each other's radar. Like, you never know until you get there, but it still. Well, I mean, I don't know. I mean, that's, I don't know if that's safe to say, were you?

Well, they were, I mean, they did, but it wasn't, it was more friendly from what I'm picking up. Okay, yeah, so tell us, were you like, maybe there's something there romantically or were you friend zoned? No, I think there was definitely something there romantically. I think it's kind of easy to figure out in the way that two people communicate. You can figure out if somebody's trying to be friends or if they want something more than that. I think for us, we were trying not to spoil what could possibly be. You know, we're still communicating through a phone and through social media and stuff like that. So just kind of saving the, you know, the chit chat for in person, getting to know each other and whatnot.

So my experience on The Bachelorette was completely different than what hers was on The Bachelor. So whenever she got compared to me, I was figuring things out week by week because I didn't necessarily know what was going to be shown, what wasn't going to be shown. So all I wanted to do was kind of give her the heads up of, what could happen. Hopefully it doesn't happen. Thank gosh. It didn't happen with her. But for me, whenever I went out to Paradise, she was the only name that I dropped. I think I was, first and foremost, because I talked to, I knew that was somebody that I was going to be interested in. There was nobody else from really any other season that I was like, that I spoke to that I was really interested in. So I really just locked in on her. But ultimately, she was really the only

person that they caught my eye and now long story short i i do understand why so uh so yeah that was that's that's my take for uh for getting to paradise at least okay so you get down there alley jo isn't there we see you kind of start talking with jess walk us through that relationship a little bit yeah um i was extremely disheartened that uh the alley joe wasn't there i think i was the last person that came down for episode one. So everybody was already there on the beach outside of Cat and Dale. I think they were on a date whenever I went down there. So I was, you know, expecting to see Allie Joe there.

And, you know, and then she wasn't there. And we kind of took a little bit of a break. And I'm like, hey, what, you know, what's going on here? Like I really did. I put all my eggs into one basket and it wasn't there. So I had to completely diminish what I had thought I was going to walk into and just start from scratch. So ultimately, I was extremely nervous walking down there.

I was definitely uneasy just from the way that my, you know, the last time I was on TV, the way that it all went. So I went in there just with kind of just an open mind and wanted to see the way that some people treated me maybe was going to be different than what other people did. And Jess was somebody that was just super warm. She also, I know, caught a little bit of hate on her season on the bachelor as well. So it was something that she was like, hey, you know,

don't sweat any of this stuff right here. everybody that's here right now does understand this process a little bit so you know they're looking at you as sam they want to get to know you for uh you know what you claim to be not what they you know the america thinks you are so she was somebody that really just i think took some nerves away from me and uh and that was something that was really important to me the timing from me getting to the beach to picking somebody to go on that date was uh very limited so i got to talk to three people and um That was it ultimately just went with the person that made me feel the most comfortable in that moment right there. And that was just.

Nice. I would say for our listeners, whoever ends up getting cast at Bachelor in Paradise, if you're listening to this podcast, that is important. You should go into Paradise and whoever you expect to see there, tell yourself that they're not going to be there. And if they are, if they are, it's a pleasant surprise. But I think that happens so much on this show where people are like, okay, like, this is how I think it's going to go. Me and this person, like, hit it off on DMs, but I really, I think we're going to be something.

And then, it's a matter, man. It's a matter of, like, human nature is to try and figure things out. You want to put yourself on a path of success. And the problem is that you can never figure out what the Bachelor production is going to do because they're already five steps ahead of you. So you think that you're on the right path and you have this game plan. And then you go down there. and Allie Joe isn't there in my game plan.

It is shot to hell after that. Yeah, it's this constant fight for trying to, like, control your experience and your journey while simultaneously having no control at all. Exactly. 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 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 Couric 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 Couric on Substack and hit subscribe. 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 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 IHeartRadio 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 Adria 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. everything. I never used to forget things. They're 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 Iheart

radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you're listening now. Hi, I'm Danny Shapiro, host of the hit podcast Family Secrets. We were in the car, like a rolling stone came on, and he said, there's a line in there about your mother. And I said, what? What I would do if I didn't feel like I was being accepted is choose an identity that other people can't have. I knew something had happened to me in the middle of the night, but I couldn't hold on to what had happened. These are just a few of the moving and important stories I'll be holding space for on my upcoming 13th season of Family Secrets. Whether you've been on this journey with me from season one or just joining the Family Secrets family, we're so happy to have you with us.

I'll dive deep into the incredible power of secrets, the ones that shape our identities, test our relationships, and ultimately reveal who we truly are. Listen to Family Secrets 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 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, no way! I died laughing. I'm like, I have to know. You are lying. Humongous, y'all. They had some time on their hand. Listen to reasonably shady from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeart

Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. So, Allie Joe, let's jump to you. Obviously, Sam didn't work out with Jess. You got sent home. Allie Joe, you hit the beach. You have a sick entrance on that Jedski. You look great. Are you looking for Sam when you hit the beach?

Yeah. So just like to rewind a little bit, my experience. experience on The Bachelor just like mentally I had like a lot of anxiety behind the scenes and that environment was just like not the best for me so preparing for a Bachelor in Paradise I went in with it like such like a great head on my shoulders I was like really confident in myself like before the Bachelor I had like three weeks to prepare like I got asked extremely last minute oh wow this at least I had months to prepare mentally I kind of knew what I was getting into so when I was told I was going in with a date cart on a jet ski I was like finally this is my

moment like I feel so good like I really feel like Sam's going to be there they're doing this on purpose they know like I want to meet him hopefully he like said he wants to meet me which is how I felt in the moment so doing this like sick entrance with Prisa who's my friend I just felt so good and I was so hopeful so when I got on the beach and I saw that he wasn't there and I had found out that he had just got sent home I was really disappointed but like Sam just said I also did have an open mind because you guys know too you like you know you give up a lot of stuff to prepare for for this show. Like I almost lost my job two times. So I was like, you know what, I'm here. I'm in the moment. I'm going to make the best of this situation. Everything happens for a reason. I would

have loved to have met him. But, you know, I'm here and I'm going to make the most of my opportunity. I'm open. Like, that's what dating is about. And I have to, you have to be, when you go on these shows, like, there's a part of you that has to be selfish. Like, you have to be like, hey, like, I'm actually like, this could go bad. Um, I'm giving up. I'm giving up a lot. Like, I got to make sure like I get what I want or try at least to get what. I want. Absolutely. And like that's, I feel like exactly what I did. But I just felt like I just was so disappointed. And I also was only there for like 36 hours. So I really feel like I didn't get, you know, the experience. Like, yes, do I have Sam? Absolutely. But besides him and like separating

the two, I just felt like so disappointed and frustrated. But, you know, the 36 hours I was there was cool. They had really good shrimp tacos. I forgot. You guys were having rose ceremonies like non-stop. on this season and also it rained every single day while we were well i was only there for like two days like that holding yeah but i heard it rained a lot costa rica was a gorgeous setting to film but that rain never want to go back i'm never going back sam you should go back though honestly we went to i love costa we were in costa rica last um last like new year's eve yes for like 12 days and it was but it did rain like the first three days and i was like oh no it did I love that place.

Yeah. Okay, so you both go on Paradise. It doesn't work out the way you want. You have average experiences at best, but you did it. And then how does this come to be? So I had messaged him again, but I have a cease to know about, like, you know, I had my phone. I was like, I got a message this guy. And I was like, hey, heard you were here a couple hours ago.

And this is like on my way to the airport. And he was like, hey, here's my number. text me we started texting i got back to florida he got back to south carolina from florida went to jersey because like when i tell you guys i was so upset and i like was so distraught over this experience i like literally had to come to florida drop myself off pack a new bag and go to jersey and be with my family because i was just i was so upset um so sam was really upset so sam was there and it's hard to talk to other people about this which i'm sure you guys get because they're not in the same position they don't understand so sam did and that's kind of when we really just started

walking every day. I remember it was like Mother's Day weekend and I was with my mom and Sam and I were texting. Okay, so let's talk about the first time you guys met actually in person. So you guys, so you both get back from Paradise and when do you actually meet up and where? I gave him a shot of whiskey. How long was that? Was that like a month? Yeah, about a month went by where we were kind of just like talking back and forth and then he finally. booked a trip to Florida and the rest of his history versus his first trip was early June

mid-June. Are you guys FaceTiming or was this mostly like DMs? No, we would FaceTime. Yeah, we would FaceTime. I'd like talk with her and her mom and stuff like that. Obviously if I'm going to fly to Florida then I need to make sure that I'm walking into a

situation where I'm not going to make, I'm not going to feel uncomfortable, she's not going to feel uncomfortable and ultimately just seeing if we were compatible you know through the through face time and just talking and seeing how all that went seeing it we could keep that connection for a month without ever seeing each other or meeting each other if that was possible and if it proved that it was then you know she was definitely worth a trip down there um i was i wasn't really nervous leading up until the trip until my dad goes

uh he said where are you staying down there and i was like oh shit i'm like i just assumed that i was going to stay with her and i'm like oh man so i'm like sweating bullets so she picks me up from the airport and we go back to her house and like in the it's in the back of my brain like if she asked me where i'm staying i am so fucked i'm so fucked and uh i think i moved a little timidly around her for like the entire day i think uh also too she only knows me from bachelor you know what bachelor has shown not really me as a person outside of the month that we had spoke so i don't want to give off any impression that she might have or anything like that so i moved definitely uh cautiously around her

and uh i think she was the one that finally was like yeah are we doing this or we not doing this i was like all right here we go here we go you know i can get behind this alley joe were you when he flew to florida were you automatic was it like automatically like he's staying with me like i like didn't know and like i don't have you guys should have you guys shouldn't have that combo but no i get it. You're like, I don't want to, you're probably thinking, like, I don't want to be like, so are you staying with me and, like, give him any assumptions? Or if he's like, no, then you're like putting yourself out there for objections. Sam, you're probably feeling the same way. Like, I didn't even think of it. I'm blaming my dad on this. This is such a unique experience, too. Because, like, I don't like having people here. It's like in my apartment, to be honest. But, like, it was just such a unique experience that it was kind of like okay. But, like, I was like, I can also drop him off at a motel or something down the street. I don't like them. Just drop him off the street. But truly, like, I think if I was in your shoes, I'm picking him up and we hadn't had the conversation, I'd probably be like, well, let's just see how the first few hours go. And if it's weird, I'll be like, so where are you staying?

And if it's good, then, you know, we can see where the night takes us. Could you imagine that, though? Could you imagine being Sam and then she hits you after like two and a half hours of hanging out? Where are you staying? Yeah, but I think she's got to be so deflating. If it's going bad. Right?

I live in a place that people vacation. But my, I wasn't nervous about this because I kind of had a good feeling about like the flow of our conversations before we met in person. But something that like was always on my mind is that I don't want a relationship in our conversations just because we have this in common to be about the bachelor. Like there needs to be something else because in previous like relationships or dating things like dating guys before like the gym for instance. They'll talk to me about the gym and like their diet and I'm like, that's great. Like I don't care. Like there's got to be more. So right off the jump like we have.

had so much to talk about we had so many things that we had in common and so many things that we definitely didn't have in common so it was really nice to know that like our relationship didn't just start because of this you know thing that we got kicked off of a paradise like it was more than that yes totally do you think do you think you guys if you if neither of you were on the show and you met you would have hit it off the same way yeah I think so yeah I would have walked out I would have walked up to you that's for sure so yeah I I think so. I think it was just something, it was such a good, like, icebreaker is really, I think, the best way that I could put it. It's something that, no matter, you know, if you haven't walked through the process of this show, then you will never understand it. I've tried to explain it to my parents. And it's so difficult to see anything past that, hey, this is just a reality dating show. The emotion that we all experience on this show is left only there, not, you know, the eyes of America can't really fathom it.

So for me, it was just a, it was a really easy icebreaker with her. Her experience, obviously coming from Paradise, she definitely had a lot to say. And there was a lot to talk about. So there's always something there to fall back on. But also, too, like, she's just the easiest person really to talk to. She's straightforward, pretty blunt. I would consider myself the same way, just kind of a, you know, fuck it mentality. And that's just how we move.

And if you don't like it, it's totally okay. And if you do, then great. So knowing that she moves, you know, she walks through life in a very similar fashion, just made it very easy to see that, hey, whatever I saw is what I was going to get. And I liked everything that I saw and continue to see. So after that first meeting, I don't know how many days it was, you guys go your separate ways. I would call it a date. Meeting sounds very business formal.

Oh, yeah. It's a longer than a date. I was like, wait, what meeting? It's the longest first thing ever. He ended up extending his flight to. He was supposed to come from like a Friday to Sunday. And on Sunday, he's like, I think I'm going to stay. And I was like, okay.

Okay. Get out of here. Don't, don't freaking nonchalant me saying that right there. That's ridiculous. Now, I've never extended a flight, but we were having so much fun. And also, too, like whenever I was booking my flight, the same thing. I didn't want to be in a place for two. long and her feel uncomfortable or me feel uncomfortable. So I didn't want to push my, you know,

push the limits at all. And then Sunday came around and we were having a blast doing Sunday fun day. And I thought, shit, I don't want to go home right now. Let's see if we can move this flight. And we did. Yeah, it was good. Yeah, it was a lot of fun. 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 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 Couric 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 Couric on Substack and hit subscribe. 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.

The sign says, my neighbor is a Karen. Oh, 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. 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. 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. They're 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.

Sometimes it's hard to remember, but... Going through something like that is a traumatic experience, but it's also not the end of their life. That was my dad, reminding me and so many others who need to hear it, that our trauma is not our shame to carry, and that we have big, bold, and beautiful lives to live after what happened to us. I'm your host and co-president of this organization, Dr. Leitra Tate. On my new podcast, The Unwanted Sorority, we weighed through transformation to peel back healing and reveal what it actually looks like, and sounds like, in real time. Each week, I sit down with people who live through harm, carried silence, and are now

reshaping the systems that failed us. We're going to talk about the adultification of black girls, mothering as resistance, and the tools we use for healing. The Unwanted Sorority is a safe space, not a quiet space. So let's walk in. We're moving towards liberation together. Listen to the unwanted sorority, new episodes every Thursday, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Michael Lewis here. My book The Big Short tells the story of the buildup 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 Eisman. 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, it 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. slash audiobooks or wherever audiobooks are sold. So when you leave, are you guys officially boyfriend and girlfriend? No, okay. Oh, yeah, when did that happen? That happened the third time, actually, that we hung out.

But here's the thing, too, like, and I'm sure you guys can relate and other people can relate. Like, being with somebody consecutive days in a row is, like, going on, like, five dates. So, like, by the time we hung out the third time, that could have been, like, the 15th date by then. But, yeah, the second time we hung out, I flew to South Carolina, and I met, like, his entire family. And there was a lot of people in his family, friends, everybody. Like, we weren't even really alone. Like I was in the weeds with his family, but it was great. And I feel like it was, he even said he's like, it's like a test.

And I fully respect to that because if I'm dating somebody, I need my family's approval and he's the same way. So I think once he saw me kind of like fit in or how do I fit in with his family, then it was my turn to see how he could fit in with my family. And then we would go from there. And, you know, you, you, I feel like in these types of relationships, long distance, especially, like you do these things sooner rather than later. and plus I don't even live in the same state as my family so the timing the timing was just crazy how it worked out for us all to basically meet and what's what is the how does this look moving forward now you're you're Ellie Joe you're still in Florida Sam you're in Charleston right or South Carolina so South Carolina yeah okay what is uh is there is there a plan yet we talk about it really often I still have my lease What part of Florida? What part of Florida are you in? I'm in Fort Lauderdale.

Okay. See, this is why I needed the show, Bachelor in Paradise, to win the money, and I could have just broke my lease guy. We want us together. Yeah. But no, I think by, you know, 2026 will have a lot in store for us. Yeah, I think whenever her lease ends, I own my house here in South Carolina. I think the long goal is to live in Florida. I was just there this past weekend, and I'm not going to lie, it was really

tough to be in the, you know, 80-degree weather. And then by the time I landed in South Carolina at 10 o'clock at night, it was 25 degrees. I forgot to drip my faucet and my water froze. So I'm like, shit, dude, I do not want to be here anymore. So long goal is to be in Florida. But I think the short-term goal is to she'll probably make her way to South Carolina for a little bit. We'll live together, save some money, and then go buy a home that we can,

Kind of both see ourselves living in, raising a family, and down in Florida. What, how far of a drive is it? 10 hours. Oh, really? It's that? I, for some reason, I thought it was a lot closer. Yeah, my sister said the same thing the other day. Yeah, I was like South Carolina and Florida like you're right there.

It's only five hours. It's only five hours to Jacksonville. But when you get into like the southern part of Florida, it's down there. Florida is a big thing. That's another thing we also said to like, if he was to live probably an. any other state this wouldn't work like the flights an hour and a half same you know we're on the east coast even if he was it let's say I was in florida he was in jurs like to me that's even too far like we're right I feel like where we need to be at least to make long distance work yeah how

have you guys been doing that what's what are the hacks what are the tips to make this work long distance we see each other basically every other weekend um past time we have it and that felt really long but just like planning things that like we're excited to like do together like we always have something to look forward to it's definitely tough i'm not going to live but you know it's really worth it to us so yeah it's just being intentional it's being intentional with i think all of your conversations and stuff and obviously there's days where uh you know the depth of some the depth of some certain conversations from an outsider's perspective can be shallow or deep but to her and i whenever the you know you can feel the emotion behind the words that you put out whether it's

how was your day or if it's something that's you know a little bit more deep um as long as the intention is there with uh you know just hey this person means everything to me then uh then yeah it's kind of it's kind of easy to maneuver through the not seeing each other is definitely difficult but the communication aspect of it she's a good communicator i'm working on it uh but Yeah, I mean, it's one of those things It's really not as bad Whenever the person means as much To you is what Ali Joad means to me

What are you guys as horoscope signs? I'm a Scorpio Yeah, I'm a Capricorn, I think What month were you born? January, January 14th What's January? January is Capricorn And I think you're bordering on Aquarius

Yeah I don't know what any I don't I don't I'll pay you to that. Okay, before we let you guys go, Sam, it's been announced that you were casted on the Home Improvement Bachelor Home Renno show. Were you surprised by that? How did it go? What can you tell us without spoiling it?

Yeah. Yeah, I was definitely shocked. I think any time I get a phone call from California, I'm like, oh, gosh, what have I done? You keep getting calls. I mean, I mean, listen, I'm like, hey, this is your third time. This is your third time in like a year. Yeah. Seriously. Yeah.

And it's still the same shock. Every time I get all the phone, like these people, they can't stand me. And then they keep calling me. So I was shocked. But I was also relieved to hear that it wasn't a reality dating show. It was just more of a, you know, a renovation show. So it was, it was neat because that's definitely obviously more on my wheelhouse. So it was a lot of fun, honestly.

It was cool to get. there and I'm probably allowed to talk about other people that are on the show. Noah Irv was on the show. So it was cool because I had met Noah previously. Oh, his brother. Well, Aaron was on the show. So Aaron was my roommate. He was my first roommate in Australia. So I got to know him. He's a twin. They live in Oklahoma. My dad is from Oklahoma. So actually the last time I went there right after the show before the Bachelorette had aired, I was in Oklahoma and I stopped and I saw Noah and Abby and whatnot. So, So it was cool to catch up with them and then to walk into the house and see Noah there.

I was like, oh, well, this is awesome right here. You know, I'm already friends with this guy. So it was definitely a sense of relief. And then, yeah, the whole process of it was not what I was expecting. I think in a really good way, I had so much fun. And definitely the most enjoyable time I've had being a part of a show, to say the least. That's awesome. When they called him.

Oh, sorry. Were you worried? Were you worried at all? Because it is still Bachelor, right? And you guys are dating. And now he's going on a Bachelor show that's supposedly about home improvement. You never fucking know. You never know. No, I remember he called me and he was like, I don't know if I should do it. And I was like, you need to do this. This is such a great opportunity. Like this is literally what you do for a living. Like put yourself out there. You first of all, never know what opportunities are going to come from it. Like this is literally what you do. for a living. So I just thought from like a business standpoint, regardless that he should just go. And yeah, it was like early on when we first started dating and we didn't know how long we would be apart from each other. But I was so excited for him. I was like, you got to go, you got to go. I was like, I want to, how come no one's asking me? What am I going to do there? Can you tell us a little bit, Sam, just like your experience, what you do for people that maybe don't know and like how it, you felt like it was going to help you in this competition?

Yeah. So I am a residential contractor back home. So one thing, it's the only job I've ever had my entire life. So being, I think having the knowledge to be able to build a home from the ground up is a big plus. Also, just the vision that you have to have in my field is you have to be able to see the finished product before you ever start. And that can be challenging. So I felt pretty confident going into a show like that where we had to really put our skill set out on the table, not just. not just building things, but being able to actually design things, having to see an image and then bring it to life. So I think me doing that for as long as I have and then going out there, I knew that I would be or I assumed that I would be in pretty good shape. I didn't know who all was going to be out there. And yeah, everybody brought a different skill set to the table. I think I've just been very fortunate to have a pretty good teacher back here that has taught me so many different aspects to this field and then just being able to go onto that show

and implement all of them just, it put my mind to ease a little bit. Well, we're really excited to watch maybe you and Noah will be the next property brothers, who knows? And then if there's a physical bachelor competition, Ali Joe, we've got to get you on it. I'll be the new Jesse Palmer's. There you go.

Thank you both so much for coming on and talking to us and hope you guys both enjoy your holiday. Yeah, I appreciate it. Yeah, I hope you guys have a Merry Christmas and a good new year. Thank you, thank you. And to our listeners, thank you guys so much for tuning in The Bachelor Happy Hour. Make sure you download and subscribe to the podcast. We will have new and exclusive interviews for you every single week.

Thanks for listening. Bye. 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. you what I'm reading, what I'm watching, what's making me crazy, and what's giving me hope.

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