Mention It All - Crazy Kristen Isn't Welcome on 'The Valley' Ft. Kristen Doute & Nia Booko

Episode Date: April 29, 2025

On today's episode, Dylan is joined by the iconic Kristen Doute and Nia Sanchez Booko from 'The Valley' to unpack the first two episodes, as well as discuss the challenges and triumphs of both being in their third trimester of pregnancy. They get into it all: Kristen’s fallout with Janet for her “cheap” podcast comment, why “Crazy Kristen” is retired, and how talking calmly to Jax is low-key strategic. Nia is prepping for four kids under four (new tagline alert!), lessons learned from pageant life to life in the Valley, and the importance of the block button. Plus, preparing for the reunion we’re finally getting! Go to the Always On YouTube page to watch full length episodes: Youtube.com/@AlwaysOnBetches Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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See Home Depot.com slash price match for details. Betches Media presents. Ha ha, laugh, funny. Mention It All, a Bravo by Betches podcast. We don't say that, but now we said it. With me, Dylan Hafer. We're going to check me, both. Hey, everyone.

Welcome back to the Mention at All podcast. I am so excited to be joined today by two stars of one of the best shows on Bravo right now. I think we can say, Kristen Doty and Nia Sanchez-Booko. Hi. Two lovely ladies in their third trimester on the couch. How are we doing? Welcome. Thank you.

Thanks for having us. Feeling very large. Very pregnant. Very pregnant. Third trimester. I mean, we were kind of talking earlier. Is this your first time with two pregnant people on the couch? I get confident that it is.

Okay. All four of us. And you guys are due like a week apart this summer. Yeah. How are we feeling? You know, season two obviously is off to the races. But in life, you guys have a lot going on right now. How's life?

I feel like the camera's really with our friend group never should have been put down because we have so much going on with you with like your IUI and then us getting just everything. There's so much in our friend group. But I love being pregnant with Kristen. It's so fun. Like we get to bond over things that we have in common with our pregnancies and different and plan for like our little ones being best friends. Yeah, that's really fun. I'm very grateful to have Nia and Danny for Luke. I mean, it's really been helpful for both of us being the star. first pregnancy, our first child. There's a lot of unknown. There's a lot that Google doesn't even tell you. You have to know exactly what to ask for. But it's good. I mean, I'm ready to not be pregnant. I'm ready for the baby, I think, but I'm just ready to not be pregnant. Yeah, as we all know for the show, Danny, three under three, about to be four under four. New tagline, four under four, baby. You'll be hearing it. Kristen, I was laughing on Instagram. You posted that you flew to New York and forgot your rings and are having them FedExed here. Yeah.

So my ring just got to that. Well, I think it got there this morning, but my girlfriend's staying with me and she was like, I have the package. So Luke overnighted my ring to me. That's honestly a good call, though, because you know if you go and watch what happens live without the ring, suddenly it's a Reddit thread. Yeah. And it's an investigation.

Yeah, not only am I having a child out of wedlock. We're not even engaged anymore. And like, now we're breaking up and I'm just lying. And I'm like, no, it's called pregnancy brain. I woke at 4 o'clock in the morning to get on an airplane And I thought phone charger What was the other thing? I told you.

Yeah, you told me. She had two things on our list. I'm like, ring wasn't one. That was it. It was just like, don't forget. Oh, my toothbrush. It was like, don't forget those two things. Otherwise, I'm packed.

I mean, good things to remember. All things considered. Engagement ring during press. Those 6 a.m. flights are brutal. You really got to do your best. It's the early flights I was telling Kristen earlier that I've literally left my rings in hotels in Vegas, Bangkok and

another, oh, Hawaii. And I've left them at the hotel and had to go around or had someone from the hotel bring it to me. It was just through customs, that was difficult. It sounds like it could be a TV show of like where Nia has worked. Exactly. Multiple places, but we always got it back.

Bangkok. These sound like like pageant locations. Yes, actually they are. I am so excited to have you guys here. The Valley, I feel like season one, it was such a question mark for the viewers. what is the show going to be? Obviously, Kristen, we've seen you and Jackson, Brittany, for years.

I really feel like it kind of came out of nowhere and was like this wonderful surprise of mess and relationships and friendships and drama and everything. What was it like last season kind of experiencing people getting on board with this show? I imagine kind of week by week feeling that. I think people were deterred it like in the very beginning because there was this tagline about like from bottle service to baby bottles. And like not everyone is a parent. Not everyone wants to be a parent. So it was like, I feel like that made it a little bit of a tough sell. Also, the audience looking at us and being like, so we're supposed to believe that they're super mature now because like they move to

the valley. No, you're not supposed to believe that because it's not totally true, especially as a whole group. So I'm glad people did give it the chance. And those who didn't, I think, found out from their friends that they should give it a chance. Yeah. And you had to get to know a lot. As like a viewer, you had to get to know a lot of new people, which is a pretty big undertaking for like a loyal viewer, especially of like the Bravo community. New people, you're like, hmm.

You know, it's only like in the Housewives franchise that you get like all the fresh ones. Right. So I'm just really happy that viewers decided to like give everyone that opportunity. And I think that's why season two is so great because now you're more invested. Right. You're really going in like, you know. Yeah.

Going for all of our stories. Who do you hate? Who do you love? You have more of an opinion now. Season one, you can't have an opinion when you don't know anyone. Oh, we don't hate anybody, Kristen. Not at all. Dislake strongly is what I meant. Mia, what was it like for you? Obviously, a former Miss USA, a very different kind of spotlight, I imagine. Yes. What was it like for you getting used to being on a show like this where it's all about your family, your relationships, your friendships?

It was just really a whole new experience that I was definitely not prepared for in the sense of like never having experienced it, but I did have Kristen and Brittany both to like lean on for advice and both of them just truly were like be yourself and that's all you can do and like keep it 100 because if you don't, the cameras will see it and the audience will see it. They can see if you're trying to be a certain type of way. So I had great advice from my friends and I do think that the audience with every in season one like everybody's different stories of just where their life is really connected. Like you and Luke were like newer-ish together. And then, you know, Brittany and Jackson are going through their thing and Jesse and Michelle were not in a stable place, but they were trying

to make it work or whatever that was. So everybody had different seasons of their life and their relationship that I feel like people related to me having newborn twins and dealing with postpartum depression, which I had never experienced. Like I didn't experience that with my first one. And I was dealing with it in real time on camera. And so I think now in season two, everybody's in completely different places and you're going to see that. And I feel like it's just really relatable because you may be in like a happy marriage, but like be dealing with tons of kids like us or you might be going through a divorce or a separation like, you know, other couples. So there's just so much that I feel like people will connect with. Great point. Yeah, I think even these first couple episodes,

like just taking Brittany, for example, like obviously she's going through some really difficult stuff with Jacks, but then also I see kind of like a lightness in her. There is a weight off her shoulders, even though it's not, you know, 100% dealt with. It's, it is kind of, it's really interesting to watch people kind of navigate these different. Yeah. And Brittany's light will get brighter and brighter. And she gets stronger and stronger. And I cannot wait to film the reunion because she is sparkling.

So we're getting a reunion this season. We are getting a reunion. Okay. That's good. People were pissed off last year. Yeah. That it was like, wait, we have left so many threads hanging. So many.

Which brought us into film, even the beginning of filming the summer was like, we have to revisit and resolve. Right. Yes, absolutely. And it's kind of like the Janet and I have it all like an episode one. Right. And even like you and Jesse in that conversation. Like there were so many things that, you know. Yeah.

I feel like you maybe had the most loose ends. Me. Some maintenance to do at the beginning of the season. I did not know that we were going to get that energy between you and Jesse because it was It's a complete 180. No one knew. No, same. I didn't know.

I didn't know what to expect going over his house that day. It was, I was hopeful that that's where it was going to lead. But it's not as if Jesse and I had some sort of mending prior to that, like between summers that would lead me to believe that. I just didn't know why else he was asking just me to come over. No Luke. Yeah. And Luke was concerned.

Tost in the pool. Yeah. Like, what is happening? So it was either going to be an apology or. or perhaps expecting an apology for me, like I really didn't know. So I got to say watching you receive that apology, like a kid in a candy store. I can tell that felt good. Yeah, I mean, episode one was like, I'm waiting for two apologies.

I got one really good one and one half ass one. Yeah. So good. So good. Everything you want for summer is at Nordstrom Rack stores now and up to 60% off. Stock up and save on the brands you love like Vince, Sam Edelman, Frame, and Free People. Join the Nordy Club to unlock exclusive discounts, shop new arrivals first, and more. Plus, buy online and pick up at your favorite rack store for free.

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And you've had enough of shopping from your couch. Done hoping it looks anything like the picture when you tear up on that envelope. It's time for a little in-person spring treat. It's time for a trip to Ross. Work your magic. I want to talk about your situation with Janet. Obviously complicated. There's layers to it.

I know the podcast comment really flared up kind of an episode one. And I imagine, you know, we're sitting here now. and you're about to have a baby. Like I imagine that your feelings about that have, you know, gone through a lot of. Yeah, I just thought it was like a really cheap comment to make. Like really thoughtless being that I was like coming from someone like Janet who was so publicly, I won't even say sensitive, like beyond sensitive about her pregnancy and like any tiny amount of stress was just going to basically kill her as like kind of the way she acted.

Like life was going to be over. So then to feel that way. and to express all of that stuff, to then be, in my humble opinion, so insensitive about just such a thoughtless comment that she would make knowing what Luke and I had just gone through. At that time, we had just gone through that. So it was just like, girl, like, that was cheap. You weren't thinking. You were doing this for attention. I think Janet's whole MO, and I've said this a lot, was like, if I call her crazy Kristen, the fans are going to be on my seat. side because that's the narrative and like the reputation that she has. But what she doesn't

understand about the Bravo community of viewers is they can call me that, but she can't. True. You know, it's like it's like they can call Zach a Lego head with his, with his wig hair, but like she does not get to say that. Like that's their prerogative. Right. It's, I mean, like, you could argue whether it's better or not, but like it is different when it's like, I've never met these people. I just have some opinions on. Twitter versus like we're friends and now I'm using something against you. 100%. I can't blame the viewers for having opinions when they don't know the 3D human being.

They just know what they're given. So they form opinions based on that. But Janet, I'm like, what girl? I'm curious like, I mean, you've been on TV for a long time now. This crazy Kristen thing. I guess maybe Janet's the one keeping it in the convoy now. but like what is your kind of relationship to that sort of identity. Crazy Kristen does not sit with us anymore.

I love it when you say that. She's not invited. She's not invited. It's funny because it's about Crazy Kristen. We've got Tequila Katie. There's a lot of, there's a lot of monikers out there. There are. I think Crazy Kristen died with gaslighting ex-boyfriends.

So now I have a good one. I mean, the only crazy that Luke has ever seen in almost three years was first trimester Crazy Kristen. And that's a whole different girl. Different speed. Exactly. That's so true. Yeah, I think it's interesting, like being on a fan favorite show, I guess you could say, like,

it's great how much people care, but then also, like, people are going to have so many opinions and so many thoughts. And, like, you sort of need that for these shows to really, like, thrive and continue. But I'm wondering, like, sort of how you get used to seeing things and reading things and hearing things and sort of like either letting it wash over you or picking and choosing what to read. Like what's the... Like, I've had over a decade. Right.

You've been dealing with it for so long. Exactly. I do think that for me sometimes when I read something on social media or wherever it does get to me, but I definitely don't go looking for it. I don't go down the rabbit holes of Reddit or like any of the, you know, blogs or fan pages. So I try my best not to like go searching for the opinions, but sometimes they come to my page. I'm really quick with the block button.

I'm like, I don't got time for that. Love y'all, but like if you're going to bring like negativity into my space, like, no, thank you. Do it somewhere else. That's fine. Like, you have your own opinion. That's the NIA that lives on season two at the valley as well. Yes, it is. So yeah, it's, yeah, there's definitely the ups and downs with it.

But I've had a little bit of that back when I was Miss USA and people had their opinions and they're like the drama. And it's just like you got to write it out and know that like as long as you know who you are and your people in your immediate circle know who you are, then that's all that matters. Every once in a while, I've ended up on like a pageant corner of TikTok before where people are like breaking down. They're like, the Miss USA top 25 just and they're like breaking down each. Oh, yeah. Oh my goodness.

I do. I check out my YouTube. I have some of those videos up there too. I'm like, okay, this is how I feel about the top 20 and the top five. How'd she answer her question? It's like a whole world. What do you think that like experience doing the pageants and stuff? Like how did it kind of like shape you as an adult, as a mom, as a wife, whatever?

Like what do you kind of bring with that? I feel like I've had so many different stages and like seasons of life that have prepared me for the next one. Like I used to work with kids and like volunteer at my church. And then that prepared me in a way to work at Disney as a friends with a princess. I have to technically say friends with a princess. And I love that. Yeah. Thank you, Kristen.

I'm like, I can't say it. And then and then that kind of prepared me for. for the Miss USA world, but it's just like another level of intensity. So I feel like that one year where I had the publicity and the media and all of that kind of prepared me a little bit for this. So I feel like the seasons of life of like the crazy things that I've done and lived all over the world, like it's all prepared me for like the next thing. So I feel like I'm semi prepared for this.

But it is way more intense than anything that I've experienced because in like for me, mostly a positive way, just the Bravo fans are everywhere and they're passionate for sure. Passionate. That's a good word. You've lived all over the world, but Santa Clarita might be a bridge too far. Oh, Santa Clarita. Still roll my eyes. Well, you're getting baby number four.

Is Danny getting his big old mansion? That's the question. Compromise was made. Yes. Keep an eye on the Instagram. You'll be seeing very, very soon all this. Listen, Luke and I are very jealous of the house. Yes.

And for someone who, quote unquote, hates L.A., as much as my fiancé does, he's like, we could move to Santa Clarita. Yeah. Yeah, we'll take it. Come join us. It'll be the valley, Santa Corita, like spin-off. Yeah, the other valley. Luke's relationship to Los Angeles seems very fraught.

And I was, I kind of had to laugh because there was a, like, you know, you guys made some comments recently about, oh, like, it might not be our, like, permanent home, whatever. And then the next thing I see is an article that it's like, Kristen Doty might be leaving the valley. I saw that too. I was like, wait. Not now. I was like, when? Where are we going? Yeah.

Like pregnant? I don't understand. understand. It's like you're packing a bag, you're ready to go. That's it guys. Our rental gone. He, yeah, he still feels the way that he feels about L.A. He's definitely more comfortable now because I want everyone to kind of, and even to I have to remind myself this, like season one, he and I had been dating for like a year and a half and he knew nothing about L.A. Like he had never spent time in L.A. And we live in the Valley, but we lived at the time. in an apartment, like a dark apartment on a really busy corner. He's a country boy. Like, he's from

Indiana. He has a 70 acre ranch in Colorado. He hunts. He fishes. Like, he's that kid. So to move into, like, a tiny, shitty apartment, it was nice. But, you know, at the time, we had four dogs. Now we have two. But, like, it was just, like, what a culture shock. So I get it. But now I think we've also found the compromise. Like, we're about to have baby girl. I'm not, I said we're not going to raise her in L.A., but that still gives us years. Yeah, it's like raising is a long window. Right. Like school age isn't for another, you know, five plus years.

Yeah. I think it's tough too because then it's like he was coming to L.A., which is like, you know, not his natural habitat. And then he was coming on TV, which is like more your thing too. Like I think that season one, like people were almost like looking for like, oh, he said he doesn't, that's a red flag. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

Not committal, not blah, blah, blah. Like, yeah. Yeah, it's tough when you're, you're, like, figuring out your situation. He did it all for me and for us, which was, you know, so, like, if he hadn't, I don't know if we would be together. Like, we did long distance for a little while and it just really wasn't working. So the compromise, which was really more in my favor, like, I think says a lot about who he is. Yeah, that is, like, the big commitment is to, like, do the thing that the person asked you to. Yeah.

So then my turn will be next after baby. You're not on the road. Right now. No. Absolutely not. And who's to say we won't always have a place in L.A.? Right. I've been there almost 20 years, so, you know.

I know. It's hard to imagine you, like, not being... 100%. I don't know. You may have a house in Santa Carita next to me and Daniel, and then that can be like your place when you come back to L.A. And then you'll have some space. We'll have a place in Nashville.

Exactly. What do we think about Jesse maybe moving to Orange County? Oh my gosh. That whole conversation just, like, made me so mad. I'm like, stop. it. Stop. Just because you're dating someone, you're going to like uproot your child and like, no. So when I watched that scene, I was like, I literally said out loud to Luke. He does not meet a single word of this. He is doing this to piss Michelle off. He's pushing her buttons. He knows how to push her buttons.

Yeah. He knows how to push her buttons. I do feel like watching Jesse and Michelle, it's like, obviously I don't want to see anyone in a in a situation that is, you know, like you're stuck with an ex and co-parenting and all of that. It's hard. But like, you can tell they also. are kind of having fun with it in a way. He is. He is. Yeah. Not so much for Michelle.

No, he just gets under her skin and like she just wants to be done with the drama with him. And I feel like he has fun with it. From what I watch, I totally. Yeah. You're like, I don't know. I haven't been chatting with Michelle. Not so much. But there, I mean, I do know.

There are a lot of things that happen over the summer over the season that just because I happen to like Jesse more. I'm closer to Jesse now. there are things that he says and does later on that you'll see in the season that I don't support that I probably will have to voice at the reunion like because Michelle and I aren't friends but at the same time like I'm not just a blind like blind loyalty to Jesse right yeah well anything as somebody who has had relationship ups and downs on a public platform you know one one might say like it's you can still see when somebody that you

you generally get along with is doing something that's like uncool. Oh, totally. And I just say whatever, you know, as everyone knows, I say exactly how I feel in the moment. Yeah. That's why I usually don't regret things because if I said it in the moment, I meant it in the moment, just because I don't mean it now. So we saw Schwartz on the first episode of this season. We got Sheena's voice on episode two, I think, confirming something she had heard. What is it like for you having your, you know, your old pals a little bit more in the in the mix this year. I've always welcomed shorts with open arms. I think I think he's like the second van der pump rules wasn't picked back up with that cast. I was just like, oh, please bring him to the valley. He lives in the valley. He is unfortunately for him, the Jacks Whisperer. Like I've been

friends with Tom for 17 years. Like we, I think he's just needed. I think it's pretty publicly well known. I was not quite the same way with Sheena and Lala in the beginning. And, I think earlier today we were talking about it and I was kind of thinking it, like working it out out loud of why that really was. And I think it was as a viewer watching the last season of Vanderpump. And it's not just Sheena and Lala, but a lot of that cast I felt was there was like a celebrity about it, like a kind of a snootiness of like we're celebrities now. And I didn't want that to be brought into this show.

So that was kind of my reluctancy to them. but I'm more open to the idea now. Not like Bravo gives a flying, what I think, or they're like waiting on my approval, but I just, I'm definitely like more open to it. I just want everyone to be very, like, authentic

because I feel like our cast season one, especially with having this many new people who had never done television, to lay their lives out on the line like that, it's not an easy thing to do. Well, I will tell you, something that I really appreciated about season one was that going in,

there was a worry that it could be the Kristen and Jackson Brittany show and that it would be, you know, kind of your story and everybody else is kind of whatever background characters. And I think the show worked so well because it felt like all of you guys were working through your own stuff and that each kind of couple or each person, you know, meeting you and Danny on the show, like that everybody was kind of given equal weight in a way. And I think that that the ensemble nature of it, I think, sort of makes it works so well and that if yeah like if it was just sort of like I'm Kristen and this is this is my show and everybody else is just here to hang out with me I don't even want to watch that it's yeah I think

it's it's a delicate balance and I think that you know I've heard from a lot of people who are sort of like okay like you know it's not that I never want to see certain people again but like this was working really well last season and we don't want it to be tipped upside down right exactly and it's such a big cast on top of that oh yeah and it takes time as anyone who's, you know, passionate about watching reality shows, it takes time to get involved in characters, you know, people's lives and to be invested in like, who are Nia and Danny? Like, you had to get to know them first, so now people are invested. And I think, too, with the Valley, we have like a pretty big portion of that magic sauce that the original Vanderpum

Brul's had because we are, we were and are actually friends. And there's history before the cameras turn on. Yeah. And I think that's what Vanderpump had and why it was so great. Yeah, definitely. When you, speaking of that history, like, when you hear Janet talk about the, the times you had before, do you feel like her assessment of that lines up with your kind of recollection? No, she's, I'm, I was shocked that she actually even brought that up because my issue with Janet

was starting in season one. I feel like when we started filming the Janet that I considered really one of my best friends for a few years was, and I don't use that term as lightly as Sheena does. But Janet and I were very, very close. And when we started filming, I like lost that friend. Like she became, in my opinion, like someone who was performing. It was very performative for the show and like what reality people should look like on camera. And it was very confusing. So for her to bring that up, I was like, yeah, you're right.

And where'd that girl go? And in season one, she was saying negative things about me when they brought my ex-boyfriend on and she was there for me throughout that breakup. So it was all just really confusing. I think like doing a show like this just from an outside perspective and, you know, talking to a lot of people and watching so much, it's like some people when you're on a platform like this can sort of surprise you in a bad way. And some people can really surprise you in a good way and become, you know, more important

and feel like more of that kind of ally that you. you need sometimes. And like, I don't know, like, I love seeing you guys sitting here together. And it's like you can, you know, feed off of each other and help each other out. And I feel like it's, it's really important to have like people that you feel like solid with. Yeah, when you're on this kind of ride. Yeah, absolutely. And he is the angel on my shoulder.

And you're like the strong powerhouse and I love it. And I need that. No, powerhouse. Powerhouse. That's who you are and I love it. And it's, I do feel like kind of what you were saying where there's, there's people that are going to surprise you, especially in season two, is you continue you to watch. And then there's people that are like forming closer and tighter bonds and friendships. And so it's really interesting how relationships change, whether it's couples

or friends that like were unexpected to me. Like there were some really big changes in relationships. Yeah. That will, you guys will see. Ready to soundtrack your summer? With Red Bull Summer All Day Play, you choose a playlist that fits your summer vibe the best. Are you a festival fanatic? A deep end DJ, a road dog, or a trail mixer. Just add a song to your chosen playlist and put your summer on track. Red Bull Summer All Day Play. Red Bull gives you wings. Visit Red Bull.com slash bright summer ahead to learn more.

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Sterling Point and more. Slow burns, second chances, chemistry you can feel through the screen. Your next obsession is waiting. Watch only on Prime. In episode two, you kind of take on this responsibility, I guess, of talking to Jacks and really kind of laying it all out there. And I think in episode one, we saw Schwartz kind of give this tough love.

And I think you sort of carry that baton a little bit. And in episode two, what was it like sort of knowing, that you had to go do that and to really be honest with him in that way. So I've actually heard rumblings again on the internet, like, and people saying, because the preview is out and people were like that I was kind of going easy on him or something because I wasn't yelling at him. But I want everyone to remember, like, who Jack Taylor is. Like, if you poke that bear, you're getting one of two things.

He's either going to shut down completely or he's going to turn it around on you. He's going to, you know, expose skeletal. of yours or if he doesn't have any, like with me, he'll make something up. Like he will just completely, he seeks revenge if you come at him. So for me, if I want to, if I want, like what I want to get out of this, right, is a, it's a productive conversation, like fingers crossed. What is the best thing I can do for Brittany and for Cruz in this moment? And that's talk, speak quietly, you know, lower my tone. Try to get an understanding from him. So really it's a way for me to manipulate Jackson to getting what I want is how I do it.

Yeah. I mean, there's just, there's nothing productive about screaming at each other. And that's where I think he and I would have gone if I had really told him how I felt. You're like, we've done that 10 years ago. We have. And it's like, you know, it doesn't work. Right. So let me try something different. And not to say that anything I said changed the way that he acts, but I think it was more well received than if I had screamed at him.

Yeah. I mean, that's the thing. It's like, it's everybody. has ways that they communicate and ways that they can be sort of reached. And it's like you know him well enough to know that that's not. And yelling usually doesn't work for anybody. That's true. It's usually not the best way.

Even though that's like our normal M.O. So what was it like for you guys? Obviously we see him at the end of this episode. He's going off to this treatment program. He's now, you know, publicly talked about his addiction and everything like that. What is it like for you kind of, you know, on the side watching him go through this? I will say, for one, like, I want everyone to stop asking Britney if she's proud of him. Agreed.

Because it's like, I think it goes without saying nobody wants Jacks to be healed to be better, a better version of himself than Brittany and then Britney's friends and family because it only benefits Brittany and their son if he gets better. Now, am I even proud of him? Not really. I mean, I'm proud of him for coming out and saying that, talk about. his addiction publicly because I think it does hold him accountable. And I truly can't imagine how difficult that was for him to say out loud, let alone say out loud on a public platform.

But I know Neal will agree with this and I'll let you speak on it. But I do think as well, I think the timing was very convenient. And I think it had a lot to do with happening right before we start filming the season. And now him speaking about the addiction and the season airing right before we filmed the reunion and it's a lot of Jack's just trying to be like deflecting and saying, well, here's why my behavior was so bad. Right. Instead of just saying I have really bad behavior for a multitude of reasons. Yeah.

Yeah. I had definitely had like, we've talked about this earlier, but two kind of thoughts on it. First was like, okay, good for him, you know, that he's saying something and like, that's got to be hard. But also, oh, the timing is very convenient. He knows what we all experienced last summer. and he knows that it was brought up and that for the first time ever, Brittany wasn't covering for him and was saying,

this is what you're dealing with and this is what you've put me through, your addiction to this and your behavior. And so it was like, in my mind, great timing to get ahead of the story and kind of put your own spin in your own narrative on it. That doesn't mean that it's also like two things can be true. Yes, it's also good that he, you know, is taking accountability and is hopefully growing and changing. but like also there can be a narrative that he's trying to spin yeah well in Jacks being a

narcissist and slightly sociopathic has nothing to do with his addiction like yeah they they have to remain separate for me like they're both issues but they're not married yeah in the last scene with him and Brittany he said something about like oh you could have left years ago oh it's like well you could have I never wanted to shake anyone so dealt with your side of things years ago too like it's very it does feel it feels a little kelpher I would say. Yeah. And there were moments that were so hard to watch in the end.

Like even when you were talking to him and he was like, what about me? I'm like, really? Oh, yeah. What do you mean? What about me? You're the one that has caused the hurt. I think Jason said it really well too. Jason said in the episode that Jackson needs to stop meshing the fact that Brittany

hurt his feelings with Julian and the fact that he has a problem because he was blaming one on the other. But you've literally been like this basically your whole life. Right. I've been sort of, I don't know, pleasantly surprised sounds bad, but the guys on the show in these first couple episodes, I feel like have done their part to kind of hold him accountable. Right. And not aid in his bullshit. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. See Jesse. Seeing Tom Schwartz. Yeah. It's like, yeah, that's what you need is people to really like hold your feet to the fire a little bit. Like, Jacks were grownups now. Yeah.

And I do think that's a real friend. I think that's a real friend. I think a real friend because they love you and they care about you is going to hold you accountable. like with love but firmness and I and I do and you know I don't I think there was conversations that when Daniel and Jason were both there and not a lot you know Daniel had said a lot of things too and there's only so much time to show so much but Daniel's the same he's like I care about you like this is I want you to be better for you for your family for your wife like this is important so it's like those are true friends and that you don't only need yes men around you they're just like you're cool dude

Like, no, like, we love you, so we want to, like, hold you accountable and help you change. Real friends would tell him to stop wearing his bar clothing for every single thing. A little product placement, you know. Just a little. Yeah, wearing the merch on the show, it's a slippery slope. Every single day. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Wear your merch, dude, but, like, or for any of us, you know, but every, every moment, yeah.

Well, I don't want to end on a sour note. So I just want to hear from you guys. We are early in the season. What is something on this season coming up or in life even that you are like genuinely excited for people to see, excited to share that maybe is not so negative? Okay, my engagement? Obviously. Let's make it about me.

But also Santa Barbara is coming up. We take a trip to Santa Barbara and that trip was a trip. I mean, it is such a mixture of crazy and funny and a little. bit, I don't even want to say heartbreak, because there is like, you still have the Jesse and Michelle of it all, but it's more just like, holy alcohol-fueled, what is going on right now, hilarity. Hallelujah for Kristen making it on some trips this season. Yeah, I did.

You made it on some trips, it was great, yes. I also love that there's, like I've said, like, there's so many people going through different stages of life, and I think it's really, like, brave and beautiful that you shared, like, your fertility journey because that's something that a lot of women will relate to because they say one in I think it's one in six couples now struggle to get pregnant that's so many people so that's something that you were experiencing and you were able to open up about and I think that those are my meltdowns just about that exactly and then like when I think about like me and Daniel it's like you know no one's relationship is perfect and you'll see the the good and the like those moments where we have

the hard conversations and all of that but I think feel like our foundation is really strong. So you see us like, you know, have our moments, but then... I think that's really proven over the season, like what outside people in our friend group, meaning try to put you guys through, like if you didn't have such a strong relationship, that could have broke. Absolutely. Another couple. Yeah.

You know. Yeah. But we know. Yeah. We have our foundation. Hence why we look up to them. Well, I'm so excited to see the rest of the season. I'm expected to see you guys with your little ones this summer.

Two more months. Congratulations. Thanks for being here. Thank you for having us. For schlepping all the way to New York. Yes. Oh, yeah. Anytime. It's gorgeous how today. I'm stoked. Yeah.

It's a good day in the city. Yes. And it's always a good day in the Valley. And thanks everyone for listening. Don't forget to rate review and follow the show wherever you listen. And we are officially on YouTube. So if you want to watch video episodes with our guests, make sure to go to the Always On YouTube page.

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