The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Almost Famous OGs: Wine Not with Ben Flajnik

Episode Date: April 13, 2023

Our Bachelor OGs Bob Guiney and Trista Sutter reconnect with season 7 Bachelor Ben Flajnik! Find out what’s new in the world of the “wine guy”. Ben F. is VERY private about his new relationship, but we get him to spill a few details! Plus, find out why Ben F. does NOT watch The Bachelor anymore!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. Hi, it's Honey German and I'm back with season two of my podcast. Graziez, come again. We got you when it comes to the latest in music and entertainment

with interviews with some of your favorite Latin artists and celebrities. You didn't have to audition? No, I didn't audition. I haven't auditioned in like over 25 years. Oh, wow. That's a real G-talk right there. Oh, yeah. We'll talk about all that's viral and trending.

with a little bit of cheesement and a whole lot of laughs. And, of course, the great bevdas you've come to expect. Listen to the new season of Dresses Come Again on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Every case that is a cold case that has DNA. Right now in a backlog will be identified in our lifetime. On the new podcast, America's Crime Lab, every case has a story to tell. And the DNA holds the truth.

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Neyren. I'm like, what even was that before I heard? before you started saying it. I don't even know. I saw it in a magazine once and I was like, my name. Hey, where are you? That's a cool backdrop. I actually moved down to my office.

I feel like the lighting is better. And lighting is a girl's best friend. Oh, indeed it is. It helps a guys out too. Yeah, helps those guys out too. No question about it. I'm, uh, so I am relegated to my normal guest stream spot here, but you'll notice there's some other stuff in here.

because our dishwasher and our base so we finished our basement right before COVID and it was like the main place in the house my office is down there we have a movie room a gym a full kitchen can you know he says it's like her it's kind of like her daycare for the kids when they come over because it's like a huge room and the dishwasher down there basically exploded in water two inches deep all over and uh no yeah so now we are in the process of a uh restoration company coming in and doing all the damage uh restoration ripping out the floors we had to get everything off the floor oh it's just brutal i am so sorry that is that happened to one of our close friends

recently too and yeah i know it was brutal for them i'm so sorry that is but you know what though enough about me trista enough about me oh enough of you, Bob. We've got a guest in the waiting room. We do. I guess that I'm pretty sure everyone will know because he was a lead 11 years ago. And do you think it's Ben Flonick? That's how you pronounce it? I would always say it was Flannick. Flannick. Okay. We're going to ask. We're going to ask. We've got Ben in the waiting room. So we're excited to talk to him if you guys want to send him in. I think he went by Ben F at one point. On F. season. Yeah, that's true. He did. He went by Ben F. Because they didn't want to murder that last

name. Yeah. They do it for everybody now. Oh yeah. Everybody's got on. You get off the show and you're like, hmm, what's my last? Even if you're the only Bob in there, you're Bob G. You know, but there aren't Bob's anymore. Bob's too basic of a name. There's only like, Bob's anymore. No, there's, there's, there's, there's, there's, there's, not, I mean, Allen's Alexander. I mean, there's, that's not even, that's too basic. Bob and Ben, he was, he was, so it was Bachelor Bob, then it was Bachelor Ben, because the onomatopoeia and the alliteration of it works so nicely. The onomatopoeia, Ben, do you understand that? Can you translate for me? Welcome. Ladies gentlemen, welcome Ben F to the AFOG show. And the only reason I'm saying

Ben F is because Trista and I have been debating how to say your name properly, Ben. I say Flannick. She says Flonick. Flonick. I mean, you're close. You're both close. We're both wrong. Yeah, it's a tough one. It's Flannick. It's Silent J. You know, ask my ancestors. See? I actually rewind because I think I said Flannick. No, you said Flonik. And I said Flonik. And I made it a little more Spanish.

I thought Ben maybe had a little Scandinavian Spaniard in him. Spanish. I said, I said, a flannic. A flannic. But it's actually Flannick. Ben Flannick. Not a Mexican dessert. Although I do love the flan. I love Fon too, man. Yes. No flan. Yeah, delicious flan. How are you, Ben? Welcome to the show, man. I'm good, guys. Thanks for having me. Thanks for coming on. Finally get some sun and Sonoma. So. Beautiful Sonoma. Beautiful Sonoma. So, it's been a rainy winter. Nice to have some sunshine. That's going to be good for your grapes, though, right? I mean, that's got to be great for the grapes, I would think.

Yeah, it should be a nice little bumper crop here. Those vines had the most time to sleep. They've had in a long, long time. So expect some good things from up north. So, Ben, this is our first time meeting, isn't it? I mean, I don't feel like we've ever formally met. So nice to officially meet you. And had you met Trista, of course, the fairy godmother of the Bachelor franchise?

I don't think so. Same, same. How do they keep that away from us? We were like two heavy influencers when Ben came along. Bob, they keep everybody away from me. They did. They do. I am such a dinosaur that I recently, I just texted Rob Mills and Brooke Carson.

And I was like, did I do something wrong? Because everyone who is in a relationship is going back on the show and like giving advice and whatever. And I was like, should I be taking this personally? Because I'm never asked to go back on the show. So I'm sorry we never met Ben. but I'm pretty sure they've been keeping me away from all the contestants since forever ago. I disappeared pretty quick after my season, too, so that that might be the reason. And, you know, I don't get asked to do any of those things either.

I love Rob Mills, though. We had some really fun times. That guy's the best. He's awesome. Oddly enough, I've never been invited either. I wonder why. Well, we're the old guard, guys. That's right.

Yeah, that's right. Oh, old guard. That actually works for OGs, too. I always say old gals and old guys, but. Old guard. Old guard is nice. And in today's PC woke environment, we're not offending anyone by saying old guard. No, we're not.

I hope not. I mean, you don't know. You do not know. I just heard from my friend who's a doctor who said that you cannot use the word, the phrase, provider anymore. Provider. Oh, really? Okay, anyway, I digress. So how are you, Ben?

Tell us. Enough about us, Ben. Tell us all about you. Like, Ben, or Bob obviously, alluded to the girl. rapes. So are you still in the wine business? I mean, not as much as I used to be. You know, during the height of my show, I was very much winemaker Ben. Now I make a few barrels for shi giggles, friends and family. Got it. Got it. Got it. Got it. Got it out of that business. I've actually most recently, I've, I'm kind of dipping my toe into television production

and being on the other side of the camera. Yeah. So I've been developing some some TV shows and I'm not sure if I'm at liberty to tell you Oh, you're at Liberty. No, I'm just kidding. I mean, I have a paper development deal with a very large streaming service

right now. So I might need to keep it a little tight lip. But that's what I'm working on is more of kind of like the production, TV, film kind of things on this side. That's awesome. Congratulations. Is this, did this start like with The Bachelor or Bachelorette?

I guess, because that was your first show. Did that start back then, or is this something brand new? It's kind of something brand new. I think that, you know, as you go through the show, I always remember being fascinated with with the producers and their jobs and, you know, their ability to work with people and pull certain things out of, you know, at certain people at certain times. I always found myself to be fairly good at people also. So that was kind of like the more, the most interesting part of like television development

and production is that you get to scratch a lot of different. parts of your brain, the creative side, the analytical side, the, you know, the task side, things like that. And so for me, it's, I was shooting a little sizzle pilot out in a couple different locations late last year. And I remember thinking of myself at one point, I'm like, I'm really happy doing this. This is like, this is checking all the boxes for me. So, you know, who knows? Maybe this is like my next career path, but it's been really, really fun to like tell stories and work with people and things like that. So good for you, man. I think that's awesome.

I love it. I actually right after, well, it wasn't right after, I guess, but probably 2007, eight, nine, and my season was 2000. When was ours? We were 2003 and so I was late 2003 with the Bachelor stuff. But I remember a buddy of my approached me and we actually had a couple really good actually shows that we pitched. One was like a restoration show for Airstreams, which was a really cool idea and we'd had

That is so up my alley. We filmed it in Montana, which I thought was really cool because I'd never been there before and it was really beautiful. And we did a bunch of shows and it was really awesome because much like what Ben said it, it kind of helped scratch that creative itch. And also I was kind of like trying to get away from being in front of the camera because at that time it was like, you know, celebrity bull riding. You're like, what?

No, thanks. We're fighting. Or get in the boxing ring. Tristan and I had talked about this, they approached me like, we want you on Celebrity Fear Factor. I'm like, absolutely not. I'm not going to be the bachelor eating cow crap. You know, it's not happening.

Well, Ryan did. So Ryan did it for us. Thank God. And he did a much better job than I ever would have. Anyway, but it was like, I was like, how do I still get my creative juices flowing without having to embarrass myself, you know? It's a lot of work. And you know what's interesting.

And I'm sure you guys, you're nice people. You seem like nice people, right? You probably kept up relationships with people from. the bachelor franchise and you know i'm 10 plus years removed now so those those line producers those supervising producers are now like heads of yeah right entities and so they're you know those calls if assuming you had a good relationship and were very respectful like they still pick up the phone believe it or not it's nice and so and so that was really nice for me to hear that the certain individual that i called i was like hey man i had this idea and like i can i pitch you and like i've

already gone out and started shooting and like, I'm paying for this thing. And he goes, for you anytime, man. Yeah, of course. And so now we're like way further along. So that's, that's been like. It's like a family. It really is like a family. Yeah. Yeah. Pick up where you left off. You know, it's very dysfunctional. I found the family on the production side to be a little bit more welcoming. Yeah. Right. Yeah. More interesting, I should say, outside of a couple buddies from, from my Bachelorette season, which I'm still very close with. But yeah. Are you? Who do you stay in touch with? Lucas Daniels.

He was on Ashley's season with me. He's become one of my best friends on planet Earth. And I was in his wedding, you know, a decade ago and I've watched his kids grow up. And I'm out in Odessa, Texas, like twice a year. He's just, he's my favorite. That's awesome. I love it. I love hearing that because I, we, you know, Trista and I, obviously, I started off on Trista's season.

And so many, I mean, four or five of the guys from that, season and I are still really close. And I always appreciated that from the perspective. And I like that you say that, Ben, because, you know, I think the show has obviously gone in a little bit different direction now. It seems like it's really a lot more drama driven, a little more catty. You know, the guys, none of the guys even seemingly get along. I mean, I'm sure they do. But but your season, I remember thinking, I remember when they cast you as a bachelor. I was, I was really happy about it because I watched Ashley's season. And I really thought you seemed like such a nice grounded guy, like just a normal nice guy.

And I was like, Bashar Ben, man, I like this guy. And so I love hearing that I had you pegged properly, that you are, you know, that you ended up having buddies from that show, because that's one of the biggest things, Trista, I hear about our season together was just how great everyone got along with one another. And it's just a really cool, you know, there wasn't a lot of backbiting and things of that nature,

which I think the show has definitely changed in that regard. Do you still watch it, Ben? I don't Bob, but it's actually, it's called trauma bonding is what it's called. It's probably very true. I'm pretty sure that's like a clinical term. Trauma bond. Oh my gosh.

For sure. And we laugh at it, but it's true. It's serious. Yeah, I get that. Yeah. So what was that what? I'm sorry to like, you know, have like a therapy session. But what was the most like the most traumatizing is it like the producers and like how

they're trying to push your buttons or what ended up with Courtney? me or like tell me why you don't personally watch the show? Well, I think A, I'm just, I'm just a bit too busy. Yeah, I get that. You know, and there's so many other. I've just, I've watched enough of it, I think, in my life. And it's been, and I think that, you know, it is kind of the same thing over and over season and season out.

Yep. So I get it. Like, if I do watch. watch it. It's the first night and then, you know, just to see who's on it. But, you know, to your, to your earlier point, like, it's not the same show, right? It feels to me, it feels a little icky, like everyone's just kind of like there to boost their social numbers and, you know, start a career and God know what that that career is. Influencing. Yeah. Not for me. And so I, I don't know, I just, I find that like the people that I know from, and I still communicate with from, from those

seasons, you know, I hold near and dear, and I can kind of like let it lay, yeah, but no real like, well, go ahead. There really trauma, trauma from, you know, Courtney or the producers or anything like that. It's just like you're thrown into this experience, it just feels so unnatural in the time. And so like you're all, like you guys know, you're all trying, you're just trying to figure it out as fast as humanly possible. And you're so tired. Yeah.

And I think that's where like, that trauma bonding starts is just like you're all exhausted you're like leaning on each other for for help and comfort along the way you know hang in there man it's true that kind of thing so it is true well i mean i obviously my story is is a bit different than both of yours in terms of like actually finding my person and having um a successful relationship so for me it's not necessarily traumatic but I will say for Ryan it is I mean he doesn't want to watch the show um so we all have our reasons you know why we we would watch or you know the memories that we hold and the people that are important to us from the show I think that that makes a difference um

do you talk to Courtney or have you talked to her in since the show we yeah yeah yeah we're we're we're very cordial nowadays you know I think that there was a there was a period of time there that we were not not speaking to each other um and you know i think that a number of years went by and i was just like i don't really like let bygones be bygones we both went through this this crazy thing and like you know best of luck to you in life and congratulations on you know your kids and my sister and her stock still talk and so you know there's really yeah yeah yeah there's no there's no there's no ill will or resentment or anything anymore and like yeah they're still they're still friendly and so yeah it's all good that's awesome that's cool my boyfriend's professor is way

too friendly and now i'm seriously suspicious oh wait a minute sam maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit well dakota it's back to school week on the okay story time 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, psychobabble. Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you.

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Listen wherever you get your podcasts. I think some people carry that ill will for a long time and, you know, I mean, people sometimes look at me like I'm crazy when I'm like, oh yeah, I still talk to Kelly Joe and Estella. Right. You're like, we've had them both as guests on the show because it was just, you know, it was fun to have them on and catch up with them and it was all stuff I actually already knew. But sometimes people would be like, how does your wife feel about that? I'm like, my wife doesn't care, you know what I mean?

It's like, and my wife, my wife won the proverbial, you know, what's the opposite of like being a lot of winner when you, you know, my wife basically married to me. So I feel so terrible for her. She's like, oh, they're the lucky ones that got away. Yeah, I'll talk to them. I'll, I hold them in high regard. Oh, Bob. Oh, you're so crazy. But yeah, I think that's pretty cool.

And I remember, I remember, you know, your season had some drama, which I'm sure, you know, became one of those things that you carried with you for. a little while because you have to hear you know people who don't know you coming up to you on the street i'm sure and giving you their take on you know what you just did and you're like yeah first of all that was like seven months ago a yeah two uh not exactly how it played out but uh three thank you for your kind words you know i'm sure did you have a lot of that after your season yeah i did yeah and there and there was drama you know the whole throughout throughout the season and then even for for Courtney and I, you know, in particular where we had like broken up in between, like, while the show was airing and then like got back together.

So there was like period in between where we were both technically single and it was just there was, yeah. And then the the paparazzi thing, I'll like, I'll never forget that being followed around in San Francisco by paparazzi's and feeling like this is the iciest I've ever felt in my life. Yeah. Oh, yeah, you felt like so paranoid. I remember feeling the same. I mean, it's just, it's a weird feeling, you know?

It's the worst. Yeah. And in that moment, I was like, I don't want to be famous anymore. I don't like, and nor did I ever want to be famous to begin with. I thought this is going to be like a really fun story. And I was a pretty naive, I think, to think that like, oh, just forget about me the next year, you know? And that didn't really happen. So that was, it was hard on me.

It was hard on me. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and too, it was you were, I think, right around the time that social media really started happening, you know, for the show. Like, Tristan and I were before, I think at best there was maybe a MySpace kicking around back then. But, you know, we used to always talk about reading the chat rooms and, you know, going down that rabbit hole and feeling depressed for months on end. But then you came along, you were, you were a good eight or nine years after us. So you would have been, what, 2012 or 2011?

Yeah. So like Twitter was a thing. Instagram had just started. Just started. Yeah. So you were definitely dealing with a lot of that. I mean, were you, were you, a fool like us? Did you occasionally actually read what people would post and then end up in manic depression for like a month?

Well, not so much of the depression. I found a lot of it to be quite, quite hilarious. You know, there aren't a lot of memes. Oh, good. Yeah. That's your trick. That's healthy. I mean, you have, you sign up where you have to be able to laugh it off, right?

Yeah. You have to do. Otherwise, you know, it probably doesn't end well for people who are, you know, thrown to the wolves like that. But there was like one meme in particular that I still think is hilarious. And I actually showed my girlfriend a couple weeks ago. It just came up. It was there's like a, you know, the cartoon Arthur? There's that cartoon character, Francine with like the hair.

And I had, my hair was styled so poorly on that show. And it was like when like Ben looks like Francine or whatever it was. And it's just uncannning and hilarious. And I just had a good laugh. Oh my gosh. I want to look it up. I was going to say, you know, so one of the things that was said to me, one's on a talk show. I remember, I can't remember it was during your season, was they were

like, they popped up a picture of my hair from when I was The Bachelor, which somehow, I mean, I swear as God is my witness, I've never had a perm, but man, it sure looked like on this tiny Tim. And then they put me up next to you and they're like, these have got to be the two guys, two very sweet and nice guys with the two worst haircuts of any Bachelor in the history of Bachelors. Oh no. And I was just getting roasted right next to you. And I'm like, I got to be honest, Ben's looks pretty good compared to mine. Oh, man. I remember it well.

There we go. Oh, my God. Oh, my gosh. Easton coming through with the meme. That is amazing. That's awesome. You just need the little barrettes like right here. Oh, my God, what I wouldn't do to put some barrettes on you.

To style that for him. Yeah. Where was Fetman with the hair styling back then? Right. Was Fettman with you? No, Gina, Gina did the hair and makeup. Fetman, Fetman's always on point with the style.

I love Carrie Fetman. I'll still text him every once in a while if I'm in L.A. and be like, hey, Carrie, how are you, pal? Yeah, good, dude. I catch up from that I can as well. Yeah, sweet guy. That's good.

I'm glad that you had all that hook up to, I mean, because, but we'll have to get Gina on the show and ask her, you know, why she forgot to style my hair and yours, because that's just not fair. Needs to be on the show. And Carrie. Well, we had Carrie. Did we call in?

We tried to have him on. But we called, remember we called? Do you remember this? I do remember. I remember we did something, but yeah. Anyway. I have a question, I have a question for you guys, because Carrie Fetman, this is, so if Carrie Fetman liked you enough, and I don't know if he did this at the time,

but if he liked you as a human being, he would send you home with the Bachelor, Bachelor at wardrobe. And if he didn't, he would keep it for the next season or whatever it was. I remember I showed up back in my house in San Francisco, and there were like six suitcases is on my front doorstep one day. Oh, my gosh, that's amazing. Same for me. I had like three tuxedos.

I'm like, what? It was amazing. That's insanity. I still fit in all my suits too. I still have all of the seats. You do? I can not say that. I can't say that.

I can promise you. A couple of the sweaters I'm good with, but yeah. It's funny. No, actually, Carrie was not my stylist. That's right. His first season was mine. So I, I think I might have. I've told this story before.

I had a connection to Sacks. I ended up making a deal with Sacks Fifth Avenue and went shopping. This is my own thing. Like it had nothing to do with producers. So I get all this stuff and I'm all prepared. And halfway through, I'm going in my closet. And I'm like, wait, where are my clothes?

And they're like, oh, we've been selling them. What? Selling them. So they sold them. There's like these soap opera things where they sell clothes in LA. They sold my clothes. So I was the one who organized all of this stuff. And I ended up keeping, like, you know, a few of the form of dresses and whatever.

But they sold my clothes. Not their clothes. Well, Trista, to be fair, they had to pay for your and Ryan's wedding somehow. I mean, the show couldn't have been making money. It only had 30 million viewers a week. They weren't making any money. Actually, Ryan and I, Ryan just said. said what we should have done, because he just heard about someone who did some kind of crazy

deal, we should have said, we'll take $500,000, because Ben, I don't know if you know this, but we got paid a million dollars for the wedding. So they, we did. We did. Yes. Thank you. But we were like, we should have gotten $500,000 and then said, give us like $50,000 or $100,000 every year that the show stays on, right? And then we just consistent. be bankrolled by the show. Like, I don't know why we didn't think about that, but. God, that would have been a great move. Hindsight's 2020.

Yeah, it sure is. Yeah. I'm sure Mike Fleiss wouldn't have allowed that first. Yeah, he didn't. He wasn't generous back then, I don't think. Oh, no, we got in a fight about this whole negotiation for the wedding. But, you know, they ended up, they ended up paying. They wanted it, you know, they wanted it and they realized that it would be, you know, pretty much, you know, a home run for them.

It was, it was a beautiful. Beautiful, beautiful event. And I was proud and excited to be there. You're very well. Thank you. I know. It was fun. Okay.

So, Ben, you mentioned a girlfriend. I would love to know the story behind your present love life if you're willing to share. I think out of respect for her, I'm just going to decline. She's really, really lovely. She's really, really lovely. And, yeah, we've talked about this. You know, we've, it's quite serious. yeah if i'm going to be like doing these kind of public engagements that like she doesn't really

want to be a part of it and i don't really want her totally respect that yeah 100% yeah i will tell you yeah i have to ask but you got to ask the hard-hidden questions we're journalists now but i will tell you we're podalists we're podalists i will tell you that my wife's the same way my wife uh has zero interest like to get her to even do a red carpet with me is a very big challenge and yeah so i mean we've done you know i've done the kentucky derby 18 years in a row now how long drista no no she comes i mean it has been since the beginning since we're on the show that will be my date that will send the the pap's wagon um but yeah she she i remember you you came one year didn't you then you come yeah i was at the derby one year yeah yeah i thought

were you at the same event i was at that we meet at that event i don't think so i was there I don't feel like we did. I don't feel like we did. Okay. Oh, fun. Yeah. Yeah. So, but yeah, so we, I've been going for 18, this would be my 18th year.

And she comes every year, but she, like, I can get her on the red carpet on Derby Day. But like at the gala, no interest, right? At the Oaks, she's like taking pictures with her phone. Or people will walk up be like, oh, can we get a picture with you? She's like, I'll take it for you. I'm like, babe, you look amazing. Like, she's always like, you're good. Yo, you guys, you know, let me get you.

And it's interesting. But my, yeah, I think that's interesting. Because I happen to know that our dear friend Ryan, Ryan Sutter, is he's not camera shy, but he certainly isn't the guy that's run into a red carpet either. And, you know, I mean, I remember Trista and I actually doing a couple of red carpets together. And Ryan's like out in the crowd going, hey, you love you. But it was like Ryan just doesn't, he just doesn't care, you know. And my wife's like that.

And it sounds like your girlfriend's like that too. Maybe that's the mix that's needed, you know, for a successful relationship. the sweet spot yeah i mean he just doesn't like it and you have to respect that you know got to respect it yeah whatever floats your boat i think um and and that's great of you to to respect her privacy did you can i ask if you guys met um how you met was it like through friends or a dating app or we met locally here in uh in napa sonoma so we're just uh yeah we met locally we're still we're still sniffing around this thing so to speak to that Ben I mean I'm always been fascinated with this because you're much younger than me did you have you ever after the bachelor

experience did you ever go on a dating app were you ever a dating app guy and if so was it like ridiculous like I always thought you know oh my god if you go on there after like something like the bachelor I'm sure it's almost like you get you'd have to have like a filter on there because it would just be like a bunch of people who wanted to meet you for like almost like you know they want to look at the freak in the zoo type of thing um i wasn't sure you know no dating as you guys probably know like dating was really really hard after the show uh because you never knew you didn't know what people's interests were right where did they just like you said did they just want to go out on the date with the bachelor do they actually like want to get to

know me as a as a human being um i think i had a variety yes i was on the dating apps um you know on and off for you know a decade right um and then some some people i think some people thought it was like a fake profile they're like what's this guy actually what's it doing here um really and others yeah others yeah i had some fairly successful relationships you know not long long term but you know yeah it's it's the it's the way to meet people these days so yeah um i was i you know overall good experience on on the dating apps just because you can kind of like turn them off, turn them on. And I think the big thing that I realized was you can't like everyone, right?

You just got to keep it to like a small three to five people that you're chatting with because then you get like the fatigue of all these conversations and then you just shut it off. You're like, oh, I'm done. Plus you've already gone through the gamut of dating 30 people at once. You know, we saw an echo, right. Oh, no. I'm just messing with you, but I know that's true, right? Yeah, it's true.

See, we can say that to each other. We can say that to each other because we all did that. We can actually mess with each other about that. We can. No one else can mess with us, but we can. Yeah. Oh, people can mess with us. They do all the time.

Why the hell not? I know, I know. Okay, switching gears. So I heard that you wrote a children's book. Can you tell us about that? I did. I actually read a series of children's books. Oh, cool.

It's called Creepigmas flyers. Yeah, yeah. It's about this trio of flies that live at the airport and they travel around the world. They board commercial airliners and travel around the world teaching kids about, you know, acceptance of other cultures and people and food and, you know, fears of flying and stuff like that. That is so cool. Is it, is this recent or a while ago? I wrote the first book in like 2020 and then the second and third and 21, 22. Was this a COVID baby?

This was a COVID baby for my niece. Yeah. Oh my gosh. I love it. What are they called? Frequent flyers. How do we get the frequent flyers? Where do we find these?

They're all on Amazon. Yeah, it's all. Everything is on Amazon. Everything's on Amazon. That's awesome. Is it a picture book or is it a chapter book? It's both, I think. It's a children's book.

I'm sure I know the difference. It has pictures. And work. And there are different chapters. It has pictures and words So I guess it's a picture of words It's a book And it has chapters too

No Like they have With books No The illustrator was actually an animator I found He's Parisian And so we've done some like

animated Did you say Correan? Yeah Paris Parisian Oh Parisian I thought you said Correjan like Korea And I was like wait I've never heard of that Understood

Got it Yeah yeah Perfect Yeah, all the books are dedicated to my five-year-old niece, Josephine. That is very sweet. I love that name. Yeah. That's awesome.

How many nieces and nephews do you have? One niece, Josephine, named after my late father, Joseph. And then we have Grant, who's my nephew, and he's just, he's like 18 months, and he's like the sweetest, biggest, he's such a little tank. He's on the 90, let's see, he had his checkup. My sister was talking my sister last week. last week. He's 99%tile for weight and head size and 94th of height.

He's the sweetest little king. It's going to be like 6, 7, 300 pounds offensive line. Yeah, he's little meatball. I like it. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. 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. 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 Yumanzoor. 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 Imagine that you're on an airplane

And all of a sudden you hear this Attention passengers The pilot is having an emergency And we need someone, anyone to land this plane Think you could do it? It turns out that nearly 50% of men think that they could land the plane

With the help of air traffic control And they're saying like, okay, pull this, and so this, pull that, turn this. It's just, I can do it my eyes close. I'm Mani. I'm Noah. This is Devin. And on our new show, no such thing, we get to the bottom of questions like these. Join us as we talk to the leading expert on overconfidence.

Those who lack expertise lack the expertise they need to recognize that they lack expertise. And then, as we try the whole thing out for real. Wait, what? Oh, that's the run right. I'm looking at this thing. Listen to No Such Thing on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 shorthy. 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 i heart radio app apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts so being close to your niece and nephew does this satisfy like any urges to have children over your own do you want to have kids in the future i i yeah i think um i was the children thing was very much up in the air until this last relationship and now I'm like let's I would love to have children yeah I think that's awesome when you know you know because I I will say I was 48 when I had my first child took me a while yeah yeah but uh both boys yeah I have two boys

now four and one and a half thank you and the one and a half year old much like your nephew is a meatball a tank I mean he's he's a monster he's yeah he's just pushing my older son on gracing around all the time. I'm like, oh, my gosh. But yeah, I think it's like one of those beautiful things in life when you all of a sudden feel like, like, I didn't think I wanted to be, you know, married again because I was divorced. I was like, I don't think I want to be married again. I don't, you know, I think I like being single, this is fine. And then I met someone who was like, I'd like to have a family with her. Yeah. That was a different feeling. It was totally different. Yeah. And all of a sudden, that just

took over, you know, and here we are. So I think, you know, that's pretty, that's a really cool thing to come to in life, especially I think a little more mature, you know, not that you're old because I mean, I'm old, but, you know, I think you're a little older. Yeah, you're in your 40s, whereas that, God, that was unheard of to get married in your 40s back in the day, right? It was in the 20s or you don't do it. So I think it's pretty cool. Congratulations on just the willingness to be open to the idea. Yes. Yeah, right. It is, and congrats to you for finding it, right? It's that, especially after coming out of a serious relationship, in a marriage right like that's that's probably even harder so and good and like your two boys your two boys

are like the light of your life right oh my god i didn't even know i mean it's kind of funny because trista you know trista and ryan did it right you know what i mean like they their kids are we didn't do it right we did it differently you did it differently their kids are you know they're going to be their best friends because they're closer in age and my kids are going to be looking at like grandpa grandpa dad's nice you know but but i will say like i am so in love with them and it has changed my life. And I think that's one of the things like when you are older, you might have a different appreciation than you would as a younger father, not saying that the appreciation isn't there for the other dads too. But it's just different, right? It's different because it's of your

experience level and you're not at that point where you want to go out all the time and you feel like your kids are robbing you have something. Like I'm like, man, my whole life's been a bachelor party. I don't need to go anywhere. I'm good. I do it. I'm the same. I'm the same way. Everyone's like, well, things are going great. Where's the bachelor party? I'm like, honestly, dude, I don't think I'm doing one. I've done like 400. And every weekend feels like a bachelor party. So like, yeah, I'm good. I'm good. Just go golf. That's how I thought too. There you go. Let's just go golfing. I love it. I mean, kids are are the light of my life for sure. Our kids are kind of my whole world. So how old are they now? But they're, oh my God, I keep saying

13. She just turned 14. And so Blakesley is my daughter 14. And then 15 is Max and he'll be 16 and was just driving me home from the dentist deployment. I was like, you want to drive? Hold on tight. It's a buckle up, buddy. Buckle up, mom. Buckle up, mom. Oh, my God. Not buddy.

No, it's a whole new world, you know, the teenage years. But yeah, there is some truth to, I feel like, being younger. But I also feel like it just depends on the relationship. It just depends on the person. You can be your boy's best friend, Bob. I don't think that won't happen. My son tells me every day. that I am. So that makes me feel like a million dollars. Oh my gosh. You have to record that. I know. I mean, literally he's

like, I lay down with him every night and he's like, Daddy, you're my best friend. And I'm like, oh, thanks, buddy. Lakesley has recently said that to me. And I literally wrote it in like the notes on my phone, like what she exactly said. And she was like, of all my friends, you're my best friend. it was like oh my gosh that means a lot like anyway so i think that uh you know it it just depends on the person um and i think that's really cool um i'm really happy for you thank you you get to a certain point in life and it's like i think bob like as a long time you know bachelor it's like what the hell's the point right if you can't just like keep going out every weekend and you know doing the same old

right yeah exactly and you look at you know my sister's children changed changed my life and perception of it all yeah yeah yeah big time and my mom's too right so my dad passed away a number of years ago and my mom has she's been on her own for the most part and you know now josephine's her best friend and like they just go gallivanting and biking through sonoma and you know they just they have the best little relationship it's great it's great to see that awesome very Does your mom pressure you at all? Never. She never did, never had.

She's just like very happy for me now. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's so good. Yes. I love this, man. Ben, this is good. I'm so glad we got to meet you.

And thanks for being willing to come on the show and talk to us about, you know, where you are today and everything else. And I would encourage everyone to get on Amazon and look for frequent flyers because I know I'm going to do it. Yes, I love it. Great. You're welcome. Yeah. Thank you.

so much for for being here good luck with all these big decisions coming up in your near future the production the television stuff the relationship all of it so um we just wish you all the best yeah i appreciate thank you ben flannick aha i got it right yeah he's an almost famous o g now did you make a note did you write it down and then you're like i did i'm like don't say it with the tildy on the end like i did the first time if you guys ever up in sonoma too, you know, please, please look me up. You know, I've still got a small little wine thing going on. And you guys, you know, who doesn't love wine tasting?

So I love it. I'll take care of you guys. Yeah, we'll make sure we get your number and I'll text you my digits so you have them too. And, you know, if you're ever swinging through Detroit, which so many people, it is a destination. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Really on the hot list for people on this travel season. So when you're rolling through the Motor City, you know, holler at me.

And it'll be great. And I would say the same about Vail. but, and I don't know if I've talked about this on the podcast, but we're moving. What? Yeah. Wait, to Denver? Uh-huh. Oh, my God.

That's awesome. That's another episode for the other time. Yeah, totally. My husband's a fireman or something? Firefighters, yeah. Yeah. And he's been working for Denver for the last two, three years, and the commute is just killing him because it's two hours back and forth. So we are going to make them move, crazy crazy.

exciting. I'm excited for you guys. I think that's great. And you can, you know, who knows, maybe you can keep the place in Vail, rent it out, and the off season. Yeah. Well, Ben, thank you, buddy. Take care and best wishes with everything. Thank you, man. I appreciate it. Likewise. Ben Flanick, everybody. I really like that guy. Yeah, that was awesome. And I'm happy for him. I'm so happy that he is finally, and Ann, I do have to say, even though I have to ask the question, because everyone wants to know, like, are you in a relationship? Yeah. We have to ask, but I really love that he respected her privacy and he doesn't want to share the details.

I think that's great. That is great. I mean, you know, it's funny. In my mind, I was going to remind myself, and I just now thought of it after we hang up the phone with him. But I don't know if you remember, but at the time, the tablays got a hold of something about him and Chris Jenner. Do you remember that? What? Yeah.

And it was, they were friends. But they were friends. That was it. And the tablates were trying to put a spin on it. And I remember because I was friends with Chris Jenner too. And I saw her at something. And I said, God, the tablays are having a field day with poor Bachelor Ben.

And she's like, I know. You can't even be friends with anybody these days. And Chris Jenner, you know, people think whatever they want to about her, but she's a lovely person. And I was always like, yeah, I'm like, man, we got to throw them off the scent. You know, I'll jump back in. And we'll go grab breakfast or something somewhere.

We'll get him off the set. And we were just laughing about it because it was one of those things that, you know, she even said. She's like, oh, my God. I mean, I would love him to date one of my daughters. That would be, he's such a wonderful guy. Oh, my gosh. Can you imagine? That's amazing.

She was, she's like, I would have loved that, you know. I loved having him. I will say, you know, I was a little critical of the, of the show. The whole, like, I'm not here to make friends thing that, you know, Courtney. went with and there were some very not nice things that came out of her mouth in regard to other people. So I was a little critical. And I think after that, you know, her book came out and she kind of reamed me a little bit. And I reached out to her and just said, I'm sorry if I, you know, hurt your feelings. I was just commenting on the fact that I didn't, you know, I didn't think that what was being said was very kind. And yeah. Um, So I was a little critical of that show, and I feel like that show, Ben's season, was the show that kind of turned things for me where nowadays I feel like I can't 100%. I try to be as honest as I can, but because I don't want, I don't want to like inflict the same kind of hurt feelings that I feel like other people on the show. Like if I'm commenting about someone being rude or mean or whatever, I don't want them to take it personally.

then to have hurt feelings. So I feel like it's kind of this odd space where I want to be honest, but at the same time, I don't want to, you know, I don't want to be honest if it's going to hurt someone's feelings. So, oh, I get it. I mean, you know, I think, I, I, I get it. Because I mean, what you say, I'm sure carries a lot more weight, too, because, you know, you were the, the true OG of the whole thing, you know. And so from that perspective, I think that, you know, if you're critical of someone who is on the show, it might come off differently than if, you know, if I am. You know what I mean? I think, you know, from that perspective, because you're revered, you know, I think I was, I was really well liked from the show, which was great. But obviously, I didn't end up,

you know, with a successful relationship in the desired format from the show. Yeah, yeah, right. You know, from that perspective, probably things I say are a little more, I can be a little more flippant or a little more offhand and it just kind of goes away, whereas you might say something and it sticks. You know what I mean? Yeah. I think that was her point. That was her point. Like, you know, she was like, well, whatever, you know, whatever she said, I just, I, I, I feel like I'm extra cautious now. Yeah. Well, good for you for reaching out too, though, and, and, you know, kind of smoothing it over. I think that takes, that takes a lot of intestinal fortitude and you've always had it. So I love that. Good for you. Thank you. Thank you. Well, awesome. Thanks

everybody for listening and uh i want to say um you know i don't think we say this every time but you know wherever you're listening to your podcast we would love your comments your um ratings the five stars or whatever it is these days yes would be great so thank you know i was going to say just to actually to that point i actually got a message um which i thought was really sweet from one of our listeners um and she i mean i get a lot of them but for some reason this one really resonated with me. And I won't say her name on the air, but she basically said to the fact she's a huge fan of the show. She's always, you know, loving, listening in so many things to learn. Then she mentioned, I also have cereal for dinner sometimes and I don't need to make dinner for

my husband, which was something you said, and her two daughters. And in particular, working with Jason and Molly with them working together, she had some great advice. She was like, you know, wherever they go, since they're in business together, wherever they go together, they're not allowed to talk about their business that was their only rule that's good they could do it at home but when they're not at the office they weren't allowed to talk about it so you know it's funny because canyon and i do that about the boys you know our our mindset is you know if we need some time alone to talk about the boys we'll do it in the house but if it's our yeah you know we don't get a date night every week to be honest we haven't been able to prioritize that yet yeah but when we do have

one we're like let's not talk about the boys at dinner tonight let's talk about us let's talk about fun things that have happened that we haven't gotten to share with each other. And I thought it was really nice. She actually said that they would go into their furnace room at their home and they would talk about work in there. But once they stepped out of it, then they, you know, then they were, they weren't allowed to talk about it anymore. Yeah.

So, you know, I'm going to modify our furnace room and, you know, put some loungers in there. Maybe, you know, you know, a chase lounge. Hey, can I let you know that you have the movie room? I think you could use that. That's a valid point, you know, if I could get in there without watching cars or Moana. You know, honest of God, I swear I could sit there and I sing all those songs more than my kids. Oh, same. Same, same. I'm like, Moana, you know, make waves, make waves.

So anyway, all right, well, great seeing you as always, Trista, Sutter, nay, Ren, and thank you to Ben Flanick and everybody for listening. Thank you. Bye. Follow the Ben and Ashley I, almost famous podcast on IHart Radio 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 podcast on the IHeart Radio. app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, my name is Enya Emanzor. 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 IHeart Radio app. Search Emergency Intercom, and listen now. 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, 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. Hi, it's Honey German, and I'm back with season two of my podcast. Grazias, come again. We got you when it comes to the latest in music and entertainment with interviews 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'll talk about all that's viral and trending, with a little bit of chisement and a whole lot of laughs.

And of course, the great Vibras you've come to expect. Listen to the new season of Dacias Come Again on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast.