The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Almost Famous In Depth: Serene Russell

Episode Date: March 30, 2023

Just because you watched Serene Russell look for love on Clayton’s season, doesn’t mean you know her whole story. Ashley is going IN DEPTH to learn about her relationships after Paradise, and what she honestly thought about her experience on the show. Plus, Serene opens up about how it feels to be compared to other contestants on The Bachelor, and you won’t believe who she calls out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious. Wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, luckily, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend's been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone.

Hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That seems inappropriate. Maybe find out how it ends by listening to the OK Storytime podcast and the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, my name is Enya Umanzor. And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you. But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh my God, perfect.

And want to hear people with mental illness, psychobabble. Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your free IHeartRadio app. Search Emergency Intercom and listen now. What would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose between a maximum security prison or the most brutal boot camp designed to be hell on earth?

Unfortunately for Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced. He said, you are a number, a New York State number, and we own you. Listen to shock incarceration on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Jennifer Lopez, and in the new season of the Over Comfort Podcast, I'm even more honest, more vulnerable, and more real than ever. Am I ready to enter this new part of my life? Like, am I ready to be in a relationship?

Am I ready to have kids and to really just devote myself and my time? Join me for conversations about healing and growth, all from one of my favorite spaces, The Kitchen. Listen to the new season of the Overcomber podcast on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is Ben and Ashley I, almost famous, in depth. Almost famous listeners. Thank you for being here. It's Ashley, and I have a really fun person I'm interviewing today.

Her name is Serene Russell. She's here. She is also known as Star of Bachelor in Paradise season, OMG. Was it season eight? Or season nine? Season eight. Okay, thank God. Season nine is next year.

And it's like, how are we here already? I know. It was literally yesterday already. I know. Okay. So you were a favorite on Clayton season. And you end up with Brandon, just the sweetest little soul who got absolutely plum, like, pummeled. pummeled. That's the word, right?

His heart got pummeled by Michelle on her season, and you guys end up together in Bachelor and Paradise. And you were together from like day one strong. You were the idol couple that everybody was hoping to find, hoping to be. Did you guys, were you guys looking for each other when you got there? Were you both number one on each other's lists? And if not, you must spill the beans on who you are looking forward to seeing um i think i was the most excited about brandon because wall clayton season was airing he was very like vocal about me he was very vocal about you being in paradise like not about me being in paradise but like just him watching like he like live reacted i guess on like instagram and twitter and so like anytime i was like on screen he would

like record something and people would send it to me and we weren't even like following each other and so I was getting like every time the show would air I was like having people send me his story because he would just like be like zooming in on me and stuff on the screen. Okay so he definitely wanted you in Paradise. You were definitely his number one pick. Did you want him equally? No, not at all. I'm kidding. Yeah, I was the most excited about him and I I think coming off... But who else was on your list? Coming off of Clayton's season, I was interested in Brandon, Andrew, and Rodney.

Okay. So... Brandy and Andrew and Rodney. All right. And you got all of them there. So at what point were you like, I'm not into the other two. Forget them. I'm all in on Brendan.

Yeah. I mean, I think the first day I actually talked to Andrew. true first. So Andrew and Brandon were the only guys that talked to me, like, the first day at all. So I got there first, and I was literally there for hours before a guy came up to me to talk to me. Really? Why do you think that was? I don't know. But, like, as other girls were arriving, other girls were, like, getting pulled to chat, and I'm sitting there, like, okay, like, I'm getting bored. And then I knew, like, Brandon was excited to meet. So I was like, where's he at?

And he ended up not showing up until like almost the end. Like he was like one of the last people to get there and I was the first. And so like I had like one short conversation with Andrew and then sat around for a couple more hours before anybody else. And then kind of just started talking to the girls. I started getting like really discouraged. Hold on. I have a theory here. Those guys are really tight-knit crew.

My thought is that they all knew that Brandon wanted to pursue. you and they were really trying to respect him and let him have first dibs i i mean i don't know but i was like is there something wrong with me like everybody's like talking to everybody and i remember saying like i needed someone intentional i was like you know what like i was just in the last four girls there and i felt like you know it was a guessing game as to where he was at And like the next time I meet someone and I care about someone, it's going to be someone that just shows me how they're feeling. Like I don't want to have to ask any questions. I want to be pursued. And so saying that and then going from not being pursued, I mean, we had a lot of Gabby

and Rachel's men on the beach and they weren't being pursued a lot on their own season by those same guys. And so the moment Brandon gets there and is like, hey, like you, like let's go talk. That was when It just felt like, okay, now it's getting fun. Aw, that's adorable. How did you feel about all the comparisons that people were making about you and Michelle? People were like, oh, they're both teachers. They sort of have a similar look and demeanor. How did you feel about that?

And like, the fact that people were like, oh, you know, he didn't end up with Michelle. So now he's going to go find, like, her doppledanger of sorts on the beach. yeah i mean it's not it's not an offensive thing like you know i got that comparison as soon as i was on clayton's season and honestly when people i didn't feel that way at all or see it at all or make that comparison myself and then people started to make it and i remember being on clayton's season and being like i don't know what happened between the two of them but like did they bring me here to like mess with him i ended up like asking that they were like no you guys are completely different people and so you know we have like mutual friends and stuff and I think you know it's like a brown

people look the same thing I think you guys are definitely very different now that I know you both a little bit I wouldn't compare I think we we have like different vibes and you know I've only met her one time but the comparison like never bothered me it's like it's to be expected when people like don't see like everything you know what I mean? Yeah. She and Nate broke up during the filming of Paradise. Did they come in and tell Brendan this just to like kind of throw him off? So he ended up finding out, but it was the week that we, that the girls were at Vodonta that that came out. Because it was one of the first things I heard coming back in. But yeah, I mean, I didn't think like anything of it. Like I didn't think like

anything was going to happen. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious. Wait a minute, Sam, maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend has been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now, he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone. Now hold up, isn't that against school policy?

That sounds totally inappropriate. Well, according to this person, this is her boyfriend's former professor, and they're the same age. And it's even more likely that they're cheating. He insists there's nothing between them. I mean, do you believe him? Well, he's certainly trying to get this person to believe him because he now wants them both to meet. So, do we find out if this person's boyfriend really cheated with his professor or not? To hear the explosive finale, listen to the OK Storytime podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Hi, my name is Enya Umanzor. And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you. But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh my God, perfect. And want to hear people with mental illness, psycho babble. Yes, yes.

Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your free IHeart Radio app. Search Emergency Intercom and listen now. Hello, it's Honey German And my podcast Grasasas Come Again is back This season we're going even deeper Into the world of music and entertainment

With raw and honest conversations With some of your favorite Latin artists and celebrities You didn't have to audition? No, I didn't audition. I haven't audition in like over 25 years. Oh, wow. That's a real G-talk right there. Oh, yeah.

We've got some of the biggest actors, musicians, content creators, and culture shifters sharing their real stories of failure and success. You were destined to be a start. We talk all about what's viral and trending with a little bit of chisement, a lot of laughs, and those amazing Vibras you've come to expect. And, of course, we'll explore deeper topics

dealing with identity, struggles, and all the issues affecting our Latin community. You feel like you get a little whitewash because you have to do the code switching? I won't say whitewash, because at the end of the day, you know, I'm me. Yeah? But the whole pretending and coat, you know,

it takes a toll on you. Listen to the new season of Grasasas Come Again as part of My Cultura Podcast Network on the IHartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose between a maximum security prison or the most brutal boot camp

designed to be hell on earth? Unfortunately for Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced. He said, you are a number, a New York state number, and we own you. Shock incarceration, also known as boot camps, are short-term, highly regimented correctional programs that mimic military basic training.

These programs aim to provide a shock of prison life, emphasizing strict discipline, physical training, hard labor, and rehabilitation programs. Mark had one chance to complete this program and had no idea of the hell awaiting him the next six months. The first night was so overwhelming, and you don't know who's next to you. And we didn't know what to expect in the morning.

Nobody tells you anything. Listen to shock incarceration on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. When was the moment you knew that you guys were probably going to get engaged? Because I'm thinking about you coming back from Vendanta and you running down the stairs and across the beach and jumping into his arms. And I think that's kind of like the moment we were all like, okay, yep. This is a cutie couple. I think, I don't think there was like one big moment. I think it was a bunch of small moments.

Like, so there was no like big aha moment. It was like having the time that we did together, which you think it's not that much time, but it's like 20 hours a day. And then getting it's a lot of time. And then getting separated and like having no idea when you're coming back or how many days you've been gone. You're like, what day of the week is it? Like, when did we leave?

Yeah. Is there a rose ceremony? like what's happening you know and so it just got like it that made it feel so much worse like having no idea when we were coming back and then we got back and it felt like we both just knew that we didn't want to be without each other like having to be without each other that week so that was like a huge shift but i feel like it was like more gradual like every day like it'd be like oh we'd kind of joke about like oh this is a ring i want or you know yeah like it just slowly happened in 20 days, but I'll tell you, 20 days times 20 hours on a lot of those days. So, you know,

there's a reason. I think we may have honestly gone longer than that, too. I think it was longer than that. 20 days? Yeah, I feel like they did have a long season because they had more airing weeks this season, too. We left a lot later than we originally thought. Yeah. So what was the moment that you were like okay he's definitely going to propose for me to me did you know walking down the stairs that he was going to propose that day yeah yeah yeah yeah i did but it was really it was still nerve-wracking so yeah oh especially because you know he almost proposed to michel and so it's like is he freaking out right now like is it part of him that thinks i'm gonna like break his heart because this is like right across from where it was last time like oh that's

right it happened in like the same town in Mexico yeah yeah it was it was in Mexico and so I was like is he is he good right now like does he think I'm going to do the same thing but no no it was great it was great I was I've never been like more calm

in my life it was except for you just said that you never been more nervous that's true that combination I was a little nervous okay I'm not going to like peace nerves you know yeah it's like I knew I knew like there's a piece about like okay this is going to happen but I was still like jittery like walking up and excited how did you feel about getting engaged to somebody that your family hadn't met it you know it was weird and then we tried to FaceTime them and it didn't work so yeah and then I told you it was like later than we thought yeah my family was like okay

where the heck is she at yeah exactly going on yeah that's nerve-wracking for them kind of I would always give my family numbers of the producers be like, okay, you guys know that I will be out of contact but if there's an emergency here is like so, so, so, so and so. Okay, so then you guys enter the real world. Shit gets real. You have to move in, you're moving in together,

you're adjusting to a new city. What has been the hardest thing? Be brutally honest. Like, was there a moment where you're like, I don't know if we're going to make it? Not really, but I will say, like, us moving across the country and doing like a 28-hour road trip so soon into the relationship was not the easiest thing in the world. What did you learn on the road trip? Oh, so many probably annoying things. Kind of like, I mean, things out like, Paradise isn't like The Bachelor. You're not just seeing like this curated version of someone, especially because it's like hot and you're like cranky and tired.

So we've, like, seen each other's, like, not so pretty sides, but I don't know. It was just, like, real sleep deprivation. Like, we're driving up a mountain with this giant U-Haul, like, hooked to his truck. And have two cats in the car. Yeah. And then, like, moving into, like, a one-bedroom apartment. Like, I've always been, like, super independent and, like, I have two big brothers. And so, as the girl, like, I always had, like, my own space.

And it's, like, I live with a man now. Yeah. how did you like figure out the decorating situation jared and i have always had this issue where he wants like some say and where things go but it's just all wrong yes did you have any where had you compromise on making the space yours together uh well we would just we just started fresh for the most part and like we tried to come to consensus on like everything and we're both very vocal about the things that we didn't like. So it became easier to figure out, okay, like, you know, he might like this or Serene might like that or whatever. But I swear if he had it

his way and he lived alone, he would have like a leather platform bed on the floor, like a real bachelor, like super space age looking everything. It's, it's so funny. And I'm like, do not. No, let's not do that. Jared would have a totally navy blue house. Like all he cares about is decorating with navy blue. And I'm like, okay. And he'd like have like nautical ships on the wall and stuff. That's so funny. Yeah, I know, guys. So have you found any, like, what have you found out about each other that makes you feel, that makes you, like, that you never knew back during the Paradise Day's that makes you feel more bonded to him?

And then, like, situations that you wish that you knew wall in Paradise. Oh, gosh. I know. That's kind of a hard question. But, like, basically, what is great about him that you didn't know? And then what do you wish you were warned about before moving in together? I wish I was warned about all the video games. That's been playing video games so much. And sometimes I want to play, too. But he's just, like, a little TV hog. And then... Do you guys have two TVs? You're going to need to. you need one in the bedroom if the case is that he's hogging the family room on oh no no we do have we

do have tvs but sometimes i want to play the playstation too yeah oh brandon let her play with you i know he's like i'm gonna teach you and then he like plays with you on the internet instead yeah okay um no i'm not um i think probably just like the little things like like like He will make like breakfast or lunch or something and he'll bring me something. Like he's just like thoughtful in that way or like if I'm sick or something he'll like run up the street to go get me Gatorade and it's like. Very nice. It's like I wouldn't have done that.

It's like you just walked to 7-Eleven to get me Gatorade. Like how sweet. Oh yeah. He's a helpful boy. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious. Well, wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon.

This person writes, my boyfriend has been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now, he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone. Now, hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That sounds totally inappropriate. Well, according to this person, this is her boyfriend's former professor. and they're the same age.

And it's even more likely that they're cheating. He insists there's nothing between them. I mean, do you believe him? Well, he's certainly trying to get this person to believe him because he now wants them both to meet. So, do we find out if this person's boyfriend really cheated with his professor or not? To hear the explosive finale, listen to the OK Storytime podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Hi, my name is Enya Yumanzor. And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you. But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh my God, perfect. And want to hear people with mental illness, psychobabble. Yes, yes.

Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your free IHeartRadio app. Search Emergency Intercom and listen now. Your entire identity has been fabricated. Your beloved brother goes missing without a trace. You discover the depths of your mother's illness, the way it has echoed and reverberated throughout your life, impacting your very legacy. Hi, I'm Danny Shapiro, and these are just a few of the profound and powerful stories I'll be mining on our 12th season of Family Secrets. With over 37 million downloads, we continue to be moved and inspired by our guests and their courageously told stories.

I can't wait to share 10 powerful new episodes with you, stories of tangled up identities, concealed truths, and the way in which family secrets almost always need to be told. I hope you'll join me and my extraordinary guests for this new season of Family Secrets. Listen to Family Secrets Season 12 on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Janica Lopez,

and in the new season of the Overcover podcast, I'm taking you on an exciting journey of self-reflection. Am I ready to enter this new part of my life? Like, am I ready to be in a relationship? Am I ready to have kids and to really just devote myself and my time? I wanted to be successful on my own, not just because of who my mom is. Like, I felt like I needed to be better or work twice as hard as she did. Join me for conversations about healing and growth.

Life is freaking hard. And growth doesn't happen in comfort. It happens in motion. And even when you're hurting. All from one of my favorite spaces, the kitchen. Honestly, these are going to come out so freaking amazing. Be a part of my new chapter and listen to the new season of the Overcomber podcast as part of the My Cultura podcast network on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

with Susie behind the lens? No, no. Oh, no? Where did I get mixed up with that? I don't know. Oh, Susie just did someone's engagement, like, video. She did Ivins. Oh, okay.

She did Ivins. Yeah, but we did have a shoe. It was a friend of Katie Thurston's. Okay. So she was really cool. It was a beautiful house. And we just wanted to do something like cozy and understated that felt like more homey. And that was kind of the goal.

but it was it was fun it was our first one your first engagement shoot um so does that mean that wedding planning is in the midst or are you guys still kind of relaxing you said that you wanted to get married in 2024 is that still a plan it snuck up on us and we haven't even started wedding planning you know so yeah it's just it's stressful and like we have so many conversations about it but like we we still haven't figured out like what we would want to do like where we would want to do it like how many people but then we started thinking and we're like okay like we moved in together super fast like we have time like we have the rest of our lives to figure out when we want to get married you know 1,000% you don't have to stake to the plan that you started when you first got off the show

yeah well and it sounded at the time like it was two years away but it was not you know yeah you're right it was not it was not yeah It was a year and a half away. Yeah. It could be whatever you make it, you know, depending on the timeline. The time, we were hidden for such a longer time than normal, too, that it was like, we can't even like. You were hidden for a long time. It was like the first week of November.

We got engaged July 1st and we were not out until, like, right before Thanksgiving. Whoa. That is, that's like the longest hiding period that, like, anybody's ever had. It was very long. And I felt like it kept, it did get pushed back, like with the show, like when the schedule came out and we didn't know. And we're like, oh, another week or two. Yeah, it was hard. What was the challenge in that? Did you move in together while still being in hiding? Yeah, because we just couldn't wait anymore. Like, it became like too difficult. And, you know, it did, I don't know. I don't remember how much it got extended, but it got extended after it was already airing. And we were just like, we don't want to wait. no that's too long for you guys to not be able to do regular couple things yeah no that was the toughest part so it's like we lost that time you do feel like that was like a challenging point in your relationship oh absolutely like we were not expecting to have to wait that long and then

there's the pressure of like okay we want to go do normal things like does anybody even really care like are we going to get caught if we do anything but I'm such a rule follower like my anxiety could never. So you never did like the whole dress up thing? Oh, I think I like wore a wig out like one time. Yeah. And when I wore the wig out, he got recognized, but I didn't. I wasn't like next to him. I was like at a distance and I was like, yeah, we're never doing that again. Yeah, that is a little bit nerve wracking. It was someone else from another TV show like what were the odds? What? What are the odds? It was like a guy from like love on the spectrum or something was like, oh, Brandon, like I recognize you, but we were just like having a little like beach moment and he was far, far away from me.

And I just like ran into the abyss. And that was the end of that. Do you, you guys, where do you see yourself in five years together as a couple or as a family? We want to own a house. And that's part of like the wedding planning thing is like we're like, what do we do first? Because we already live together and it's like so expensive to pay rent. Like what do you save for? Do you save for a house or do you save for like the wedding?

or you know but i mean we both want kids too okay so do you see kids in the next five years yeah okay how many do you want i would want at least three i think oh at least three you should definitely wait so you have one to say that i know i think i used to be on the i could have three train and now i am fully on the only two train yeah yeah it depends on what you it depends on how easy or difficult your kids are yeah all right well before we wrap up i want to know what is one thing you want to tell the future bachelor in paradise cast that you wish you knew going into the season so think let's let's imagine to put it out there you and i were talking about on the recap show the finale recap show that we want to have gabby there as like princess of paradise

gets her pick of all the guys what are you going to tell gabby and the other people getting hit in that first sand, as your generation likes to call it? Oh. I don't know. Just like two things, one deeper thing and one less deep thing. Okay. The deeper thing, keep an open mind or you will lose your mind. Like, anything can happen there.

Anything can happen. So you have to be, like, prepared for anything. and just kind of like go with the flow but the less serious thing that is honestly more serious bring a fan yep bring a fan they say they're for your bed they're not yes yeah i agree the fan bed is crucial i didn't have to bring one it'll make all the difference in the world it really does it feels nice if like sleeping is really nice so if you have a nice fan there i i would say For me, back in the day, I always used to tell girls to bring a makeup mirror with lights because the lighting is awful. You can never find good lighting.

But now they have the girls' room all set up for you guys. Like, you have vanities with lights and all that. Yeah, you're right, though. That's a good point because Victoria and I both had like the same little mirror and we would just get ready, like, in the living space upstairs. And we didn't have to wait on anyone. Isn't that nice to kind of have like your own little area to have your own little space? it as an escape to have your alone moment when you're doing your makeup. Yes.

And that room gets so hot with all like the hot tools. Oh my gosh. Yes. I didn't use like a hot tool on my hair the entire time I was a participant in Paradise. It was just too much. It was too much. That's where I drew the line. All right.

Well, Serene, thank you so much for joining me for this episode and for the recap of the finale episode. If you guys didn't listen to that, go back, listen to it. Serene and I break it down for an hour on all the juiciness that was Zach's finale. Serene, I hope to see you and Brandon soon and see more cuteness of the two of you on Instagram. I hope that you're doing the best. And let's see you next time. Thank you so much for having me. Thank you.

All right. Until next time, I've been Ashley. I've been Serene. It was better that time. You did it. Bye. And Ashley I, almost famous podcasts on IHeartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly and now I'm seriously suspicious.

Wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, luckily, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend's been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone. Hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That seems inappropriate. Maybe find out how it ends by listening to the OK Storytime Podcasts on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hi, my name is Enya Umanzor. And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you. But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh my God, perfect. And want to hear people with mental illness, psychobabble. Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you.

Open your free IHeartRadio app. Search Emergency Intercom and listen now. I just normally do straight stand-up, but this is a bit different. What do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? Answer, a new podcast called Wisecrack, where a comedian finds himself at the center of a chilling true crime story. Does anyone know what show they've come to see? It's a story. It's about the scariest night of my life.

This is Wisecrack. Available now. Listen to Wisecrack on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Super Secret Bestie Club podcast season four is here. And we're locked in. That means more juicy chisement. Terrible love advice. Evil spells to cast on your ex. No, no, no, no. We're not doing that this season.

Oh. Well, this season, we're leveling up. Each episode will feature a special Bestie, and you're not going to want to miss it. My name is Curley. And I'm Maya. Get in here! Listen to the Super Secret Bestie Club on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast.