The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Back to the Board Room with Rachel Recchia (The Perfect Match Recap)

Episode Date: September 16, 2025

Former Bachelorette Rachel Recchia is back with Ben to finish recapping The Perfect Match on Netflix!Rachel shares some behind the scenes secrets from her time on the show, and we hear Rachel’s honest reaction to the winning couple! Plus, Rachel gives advice to upcoming Bachelorette Taylor Frankie Paul!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. On a cold January day in 1995, 18-year-old Krista Pike killed 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in the woods of Knoxville, Tennessee. Since her conviction, Krista has been sitting on death row. How does someone prove that they deserve to live? We are starting the recording now. Please state your first and last name.

Krista Pike. Listen to Unrestorable Season 2, Proof of Life, on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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. 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. It's important that we just reassure people that they're not alone and there is help out there. The Good Stuff Podcast Season 2 takes a deep look into One Tribe Foundation, a non-profit fighting suicide in the veteran community.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, so join host Jacob and Ashley Schick as they bring you to the front line. of One Tribe's mission. One Tribe saved my life twice. Welcome to Season 2 of the Good Stuff. Listen to the Good Stuff podcast on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, I'm Jenna Lopez, and in the new season of the Overcomfit 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 Overcombered podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is the Ben and Ashley I, Almost Famous Podcast with IHart Radio. Welcome back to the Almost Famous Podcast. I'm here, and I'm here with an incredible co-host. She's a special guest, a friend of the podcast, been on so many times that I can't even count.

And the star of this recent season of the perfect match, Rachel Reckia is with me today. Hello, Rachel. Hi, Ben. I don't know if I would say star. Star. Especially with the entrance I had. You're a star. You're a very big star on the show.

You are a reason that people tuned in and watched. You are a reason, if not the reason, that we're even talking about it here on the almost Sima's podcast. So millions of free press coming to perfect match based on you being a part of this show. I know. Me and Clayton are really just bringing in the masses. Yeah. And everyone who's not a part of vaccination gets to now know about that.

So now more of the world can go look up the roast ceremony from hell on YouTube and be a part of it with us. So that's exciting. We did take a break from breaking down. on perfect match. We had some huge Bachelor news coming in along with, obviously, summer travels. So when I was in Italy, I finished the perfect match and then got back. And we plan on today to kind of recap from episode five to the end of the season with you, Rachel.

But before we get going, there has been some big news in Bachelor Nation. We have a new Bachelorette announced, Taylor, Frankie, Paul. was announced last week as the upcoming season's Bachelorette. We'd love to get your reactions, your thoughts, your opinions. I was shocked, right? It's so crazy. They never, like, have done anything like this before. Obviously, so happy for her.

Like, I think she's going to give us a great season. But it's just funny because I feel like as people who are in the bachelor world and as people who are chosen to be leads, it's like, I feel like we have this. standard to live up to and this like pressure to be perfect and I feel like Taylor is just so herself and she's so like already out there like that she isn't perfect. So it'll be interesting how the world reacts going in already knowing that versus like watching us fall from grace during the season. Um, but yeah, no, it'll be interesting. I think especially like where are they going to be filming it? Like are the kids going to be involved? I'm excited to see all that goes into that. Do you think Bachelor Nation is going to receive her well? I don't know. I hope so, but it just feels like for us, or I don't know how you feel. Everyone I've talked to recently from The Bachelor World, especially, like, coming off

a perfect bachelor, I think contestants on those shows, like, have more freedom to be themselves. Bachelor people feel so, like, under pressure to constantly be perfect. I don't know if you feel that way. And I think she's just coming in, you know, so herself. I mean, my tagline for the season was the perfect Ben. So yes, I think I did feel that pressure. So it'll be interesting because I feel like some of that generation does expect that, right? But maybe this brings in a new audience, new generation.

It's been a very polarizing announcement based on Taylor's past, her decision making, obviously her, you know, record. I am intrigued to watch it from afar to see how Bachelor Nation reacts to it. I do think for her sake, and I want to get your advice if she ever listens, I do think for her sake there is a benefit to going in already having a platform built on not being perfect and having a lot of mistakes along the way

because she won't have to kind of have those, was dark nights sitting in your hotel room once the cameras go down being like, what am I doing? Why did I do that? She can kind of be free, which I think will make it more enjoyable for her. But I'd love to get your advice, Bachelorette to Bachelorette on how she can do this well. And still, I'm going to still say it because I think it's still the reason the show exists could still find love at the end of this.

I mean, I always say this, but I'm not the person for advice. Like, I'm probably the, just do the opposite of what I did. And I think she will because I think I was a bachelor that came from a place of, like, I was so afraid to mess up and make mistakes. And I don't feel like I was really being myself. So I think, if anything, I could take advice from her in that way. But I guess the only thing is, like, I'm interested to see how she responds to the men not knowing what it's like to be in their position. I think as a lead, when they would come up to me and say, no, but you don't understand what I'm going through.

And I'm being, yes, I do. I feel like that was such a moment to connect with them and let them know that I've been there before. So it'll be interesting because in a lot of ways, these guys do have to step up for her. I mean, she is a mother and she, you know, lives in Utah. She has things that she's not going to change. So I think she needs to remember to, like, relate back to them. And I think she will. so I'm excited to see how she handles that.

Yeah. You think she will. I think it's going to be really hard for her too. You think so? I do. She doesn't get it. I mean, I think that is you said,

and this isn't a knock on her or a critique of her. I think other people, and I think we've heard the critiques of her, but a critique of her would not be that, hey, she's not going to get it. It's just a truth. She doesn't understand this world. And you're right.

the thing that helped me the most was to pull back to a place of empathy and relatability because there is this initial, when you're the lead, I think people have watched you on television. So there is a little bit of that initial star power. I don't think it'll last more than a night when people are nervous and they're anxious. And you can kind of be calm because you've been through it and say, no, I get it. I understand this. I understand why you're nervous. I I understand why you're saying weird stuff. I understand why you drink more than you probably should have on night one because you were trying to calm everything going on in your body.

She won't get that. Right. And I think that is a huge benefit to be in the lead, as you can understand that. Right. And, like, I mean, I'm sure in her real life, she has dated, you know, probably more than one person at the same time, like haven't we all. But I think coming into The Bachelor, like really having to figure out a place in your that you can compartmentalize each and every relationship and give it the time it deserves without having known that, like, you could be on the other side of that or what it looks like

to be patient and knowing that it's possible to have multiple connections. It'll be so interesting to watch from that point of view as well. Like, can she do that? Can she, like, take her mind off the guy she really likes or I don't know. We'll see. I'm very excited. It'll be a good season. It will be a good season.

I feel personally like it was the Bachelor trying to hit a home run. And if the home run falls short, I am going to be very intrigued with how they move forward from this season. If it isn't the successful season, they think it's going to be, they're going to put a lot behind it. I think they're laying all their chips on the table. And they pick Taylor Frankie Paul to be the lead of this season. Well, moving on from the Bachelor talk, we do have the perfect match to break down. we're going to start with episode five rachel you lived it you were there i was there and i'm trying to look up like wait what happened that day so it starts with sandy bringing in her ex from the ultimatum

yes jr uh jr kind of then has a consistent popping in and out uh for the rest of this season but this is the first time we get to know jr r rachel i don't want to put you on the spot here at all you're co-hosting this with me. But what was your, from a viewer's perspective for me, I watched JR, and she kept saying he's a real man. He obviously is.

I don't know him well enough to say he's not. You know, he's a grown man, I think was the way she said it. He felt to me like he tried to say all the right things at every moment. And it never really worked out for him for him. why wasn't more people interested in JR? I think, I mean, JR, when he first came in, like, obviously, you're like, oh, my goodness, he's so beautiful and he is so kind and sweet.

But I never had a date with him, but from what I watched back and from what I heard, I feel like he maybe is a little forward, like, jumping so far ahead. But, like, his, like, time with Sandy's time with Justine, like, even in those little moments, it's, just feels like he might be a little too sexual and I think for a woman like you want him to get to know you a little or like have an interest in you and it felt he went straight into kind of maybe

things that were a little bit too much. Yeah. That's the vibe I got from the women who did date him. I do like JR but he definitely is a lot. Yeah. Yeah. He's there's no like he doesn't slow roll this at all. He's zero to

a hundred. Yeah. And I think it probably mean he is a very beautiful man i'm sure it works for him i don't know if it's the way to find love right but i'm sure it works for you know a good night out on the town every once in a while and uh and yeah because jr's been married actually yeah yeah so he you know i think he had that part in his life already where he settled down maybe now this is where he's more carefree and like living that like younger life. I don't know. He's interesting for sure. He's a character. Was there ever a moment that I'm going to try to pull out during this breakdown because we do have so many episodes

to break down. Like the interesting things that I think listeners will be so curious about asking you and talking through with you from being there. But was there ever a moment where you actually were worried that AD would jump ship and move on? So it's really, really hard looking back now because Adi and Ollie are so happy they have a baby on the way and they're still together right? They're still together and they're engaged like their love

story is truly like amazing and I was so happy to get to see it so looking back of course my mind always goes to like no there was no way she was going to jump shit but that morning before me and her went on a day I remember she was like

I would be open and this is so early and I would like to see who else is here So I think in the moment, yeah, she probably was open, but looking back and knowing that they're engaged now, like she probably, you know, wasn't. She probably knew that Ollie was the one. But that morning, yeah, she seemed open before we went on her date. Yeah, I actually felt watching it that she was open at the beginning of the day,

especially after seeing him. But then there was kind of a moment where I felt like she got uncomfortable. I don't know if that's true. I would assume so. Yeah. But I think she was, he was like saying. some stuff and she was like, huh, like that's cute. And I'm glad you're talking

about like liking watching me from behind walking. Like that's a nice compliment. Oh my gosh. Yeah. And when he got back to the house, I can't remember if it was in the episode or not. But he sat down and we were all talking about our dates. And during his recap to the group of what they did,

he was like, oh, you know, AD like ass and tits. And we were like, everyone was so shocked. Like, Ollie was right next to him. Like, he is so forward so I think AD appreciates that a little bit but maybe not like on the first date right yeah sure how did how does how do you handle this bachelor is so different but how do you handle being with somebody say you're in Ali's position uh you're sitting there hearing this and and I think Ali has a little bit in his heart of like this is my girl and you're starting to

build that feeling of like no I'm protecting this girl this girl is with me and he's hearing this guy talk about her like that like how do you hold back he was very well behaved that night especially because i mean the boys were very overprotective and you know they were guarding what was there so i think what a d was looking for going into that day was seeing if all he could behave and be patient with her and not freak out so i think he knew he was being tested and he did pass so okay well this moves us into the work that poll competition oh yeah that was so fun yeah tell us about i mean i felt like it was probably a failed competition honestly it felt so hard that it wasn't doing what the show hoped it did meaning it just

felt like it lasted a long time nobody was really that good at it but walk us through this challenge uh Because if anything, it was creative. It was so much fun. And this was the first time I actually got to do a challenge on a reality show. I was in the kissing challenge the week before, right? But that just felt like Bachelor. I'm like, this is the first time I actually got to do like a survivor challenge. And for me, all I could think about was like, don't fall into the water.

And so I think a lot of the girls were just like holding on for dear life. And the boys were trying to move the platform. and it was so heavy and just the aerodynamics of it just felt off. It felt like a lot of work just to get a couple of the balls out. Maybe the holes were a little too small. But actually, Louis was so good at it. He figured it out in like 10 seconds. And then he just jumped off the platform.

Why was that? I don't know. He just, he goes, I want to go in the water. He jumps off and Sandy was just sitting up there. But then, yeah, Daniel and Lucy ended up figuring it out. But everyone else, it was so difficult. It really was hard. This is a tape-recorded statement.

The person being interviewed is Krista Gail Pike. This is in regards to the death of a Colleen slimmer. She started going off on Eve and I hit her. I just hit her and hit her. On a cold January day in 1995, 18-year-old Krista Pike killed 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in the woods of Knoxville, Tennessee. Since her conviction, Krista has been sitting on death row.

The state has asked for an execution date for Krista. We let people languish in prison for decades, raising questions about who we consider fundamentally unrestorable. How does someone prove that they deserve to live? We are starting the recording now. Please state your first and last name. Krista Pike. Listen to Unrestorable Season 2, Proof of Life.

On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. My name is Ed. Everyone say hello, Ed. I'm from a very rural background myself. My dad is a farmer, and my mom is a cousin. So, like, it's not like... What do you get when a true crime... a producer walks into a comedy club.

I know it sounds like the start of a bad joke, but that really was my reality nine years ago. I just normally do straight stand-up, but this is a bit different. On stage stood a comedian with a story that no one expected to hear. On 22nd of July 2015, a 23-year-old man had killed his family.

And then he came to my house. So what do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? A new podcast called Wisecrack, where stand-up comedy and murder takes center stage. Available now. Listen to Wisecrack on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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.

In early 1988, federal agents raced to track down the gang they suspect of importing millions of dollars worth of heroin into New York from Asia. We had 30 agents ready to go with shotguns and rifles and you name it. But what they find is not what they expected. Basically, your stay-at-home moms were picking up these large amounts of heroin. They go, is this your daughter? I said yes. They go, oh, you may not see her for like 25 years. Caught between a federal investigation and the violent gang who recruited them, the women must decide who they're willing to protect and who they dare to betray.

Once I saw the gun, I tried to take his hand, and I saw the flash of light. Listen to the Chinatown Stang on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere 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 short-term, highly regimented correctional programs that mimic military basic training.

These programs aimed 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. Do you like, we just got done with The Bachelor in Paradise Reunion show last week. We went up to L.A. and talked to all the couples that are together. And then we got to talk to Wells and kind of explained, Wells was talking about the competition side of Paradise this year and how he actually would love to keep that. There's other things, I think, in the season that he would say, hey, we could go without or we could change it up now. But the competition side, it felt like every cast member and including Wells were really in favor of it. Did you like them?

The challenges? Yeah. I think the challenges bring something to that relationship. I think you bond really quick and you get to have something that, like, you do together. Because I just met Scott going into that challenge the night before. And so doing that together, it kind of bonds you. It was a lot of fun. I hope they keep it in Bachelor in Paradise as well.

I think it's a fun element. Like we do challenges on group dates during The Bachelor, so bringing in something else kind of helps. They obviously, you just mentioned Daniel and Lucy won this competition. I'd never seen the perfect match, but things change at this moment for the first time. The boardroom no longer is what we know as before. Nick explains that what they get to do is they get to send people from the two most compatible couples on dates, but only one guy and one girl. And so the other couple will be sent home. The person and the other couple will be sent home.

Big twist. Yes. And a necessary one. I think the producers, because for, I don't know, the producing style, for perfect matches a lot less. It's very hands-off. Like, they kind of let us do whatever we want. And I think when they were in that position,

no one was switching. And no one switched all season, really. And they really kind of needed other people to have the opportunity to come in a house or maybe have other couples get to know people and people were not open or doing it. So I think that was kind of something that they decided to do last minute

because it just needed. something yeah is this common in the perfect match that people don't skip around or they said it was in the beginning they said the season before that people weren't like recoupling but i think our season even less so it'll be interesting how they do season four yeah it's it does seem like and it's the beauty of a show like this it actually was a big turning point for me as a viewer i i started watching episode one and i was like this is hilarious and i think i said it to you the first time you were on i said rachel i've seen the previews for this thing i don't know how you're going to do this well because it i mean if you're a somebody who's single and just

wants to get out there and make out with a bunch of people and be on the beach with a bunch of good looking people and flirt flop around and sleep in the bed and do anything you want to do this is the perfect show for you and it was for like five episodes it was that a little bit even then yeah barely not at least not with different people. The boys, of course, decide to, like, go off the rails at some point. But for the most part, it was very, like, coupled and locked in,

more so than any show I've been on. So it was, yeah, I think, if anything, very, like, tame in a way, like, it could have been a lot worse. Do they want it? Do you feel like they want it to be worse? No, I don't think they want it to be worse, but I think they want,

I mean, there is a team. element of it. And I think as an audience, like as a viewer, I would want to see if, oh, if these people have a better connection, why don't they switch? Or why don't they try to date other people, but they don't. Everyone just kind of matches up. I was the only one who's switching all season. So it's interesting. Yeah, I think they wanted to see maybe some more people go out of their comfort zone. Well, you did mention you were Scott at this point. And you will say that you were switching all season. Is that just because you didn't feel like you were with somebody that you were that

confident in? I just feel like for me, I know it's possible to have multiple connections. So I was lucky in that. But I guess because I came in late, I had a bit of an advantage because Scott ended up going to the pool party and, I mean, we're jumping all over. But like doing something that I didn't really want. When I found out he lied to me the next morning, there was still a moment where we were like, are we going to rematch? But at the end of the day, I was like, I don't need that.

Like, I haven't been locked in with you since day one. So we decided to split up, whereas couples who were there from day one, maybe they felt more bonded that they couldn't do that. So I don't know, maybe because I came in late. What are you doing on this show when you're not on in the villa? Oh, like when you come in late. So you, it's like Paradise. I came in the day before and then you're in the hotel, but I was only there for a day because I went in.

I was fortunate when in the first day I got there, basically. But yeah, everyone hangs out at the hotel. They got to go in the pool. No way. Yeah, with the handler, they got to go in the pool, go out to dinners. They were treated so well. You get an iPad with Netflix.

Goodness, that's smart. Yeah, that was one of my favorite times when I was a contestant on The Bachelor. at Nick and Sean were doing their thing and fighting for like a week and the show pretty much pulled me out and they said how about you just take a little side trip to this town with a handler where nobody's going to know you're here and just go out to dinners and bars and pubs and have fun and I said you got special treatment I did yeah I never did it was awesome you guys are going out to the bar I knew I was going home and I was like this is great this is I'm getting to see Ireland for the for the real deal without paying

for it. This is so nice, right? It's like a mini vacation. It is. Well, we're going to go into episode six now. Obviously, we start with the boardroom. I just explained what the rules were for this boardroom. Nick comes out. You're here at the villa at this point or the home when it's explained kind of what's going to happen. Couples are going to go on dates. The one that doesn't get chosen is actually going to be leaving the house. Madison is sitting on a date. Freddie has to go to the house and then also a d has to leave and ollie is going to go on a date some emotional time you just said it was necessary to switch things up what's the vibe in the house at this point i mean it was so sad of course like i'm just saying necessary from a production point of view being in the

house seeing a d leave was so sad she was distraught freddie like he did not want to leave Madison. It was a rough vibe in the house for sure. I, of course, didn't want this to happen, but, like, I see why they did it. Yeah. Were you, I mean, there's like, at this point, your friends, you're consoling, and it feels very helpless, I'm sure, in a lot of ways, too, where you're like, you love this dude, or you like this dude at this point. And you're just being forced to leave based on somebody else's decision, not any decision that the couple has made. And we didn't know at the time if or when they were coming back. Yeah.

We were like, it could have been a week. We could have recoupled and had challenges with the new people. So we didn't know how long it would be gone. It was tough. But Ollie goes on a date with Justine from Love Island and Olivia from Temptation Island. Madison goes on a date with Jalen from Too Hot to Handle. And this is where we get introduced to Ray from Love Island. I can't tell Rachel watching it if it is just the way the camera and the team works it.

but these dates always seem to go pretty well. We didn't really have a date this season where I'm like, oh, this is an obvious not going to work out kind of scenario. I was on edge every date that they might stay with these people. I know. I think, I mean, it's so much fun

and everyone wanted to give the people coming in a chance a good time. But I think there is an element, of course, of making it look like they're not going to go back to their original partner. But yeah, the dates with, Madison and Ollie for sure looked like they could have been swayed. Do you, when everybody comes back to the house,

give us kind of a sneak peek at what this is like when you have new people in turn, especially in this moment, it does seem to, I don't know if it was directly related, but it does seem to cause chaos during this episode and a lot of emotions from a lot of people because there are new people coming in. We're getting further along in this season. Some of your best friends have just been sent home. I mean, we see tears from Sandy here. We see tears from Lucy here.

Is that just part of the new people coming in? Or is just what's happening? Like when they first left? Yeah. Well, they all come back to the villa. All the new people come back to the villa. Lucy and Daniel's situation is a little different because he says she's. Oh, because I was going to say they got in a fight that night.

That's why she was crying, yes. And then Louie is kind of on edge because of Sandy flirting, I think. And then Sandy gets upset about this. Yeah. So that night with the tears, I think those recoupling nights, everyone was very on edge always. As far as Lucy and Daniel, Daniel would try to fight with Lucy every single day. And I think she cried majority of the time, which is so, so sad. but with Sandy and Louis that night

I think they always had an interesting dynamic where I think they would both flirt with other people to get each other jealous and it was just something that they did and I think that night Sandy was like you know you've been on this date with Alex and you have had your time to explore

so I'm going to talk to Jalen and you know he just got angry I think because she was flirting but never that night was there a second where I thought Sandy would switch over to Jalen. You never thought that. No, I think eventually, like, down the road, she was like, oh, he is attractive, like, you know, things like that.

But in that moment, she was so locked in with Louie, and I don't think there was a chance. Now, help me remember here, it's been a week and a half. Yes. This evening, you still matched with Scott. Ray was obviously there. He goes home with Olivia. Ollie matches with Justine. At this moment, we feel like new couples are forming.

But you stayed with Scott. Why? So at the time, well, I actually didn't speak to Ray that night. I didn't talk to him at all. I did talk to Jalen. It's funny because I did watch it back and it looked like I was like trying to flirt with Jalen. And it's so funny because I sat down with him

and immediately I was like, oh, just so you know, like, I'm going to match with Scott tonight. Like, we're hitting it off. But I think at the time, I really did like Scott, actually, which is funny. He was so different from anyone I've ever dated. And I wanted to give it a chance to see if it worked. I didn't want to just switch the first week. And I didn't go on a date or anything.

I didn't know Jaylen or Ray. So I was liking where things were with Scott, actually. And this is the first episode, the full episode, where Clayton isn't involved. at all. Yes. That obviously becomes, Rachel, I think we talked about this. I think I even made a joke to you. I'm sorry that I did this.

I said, this isn't going to happen, right? And you like, stop. And I was like, gosh, dang it. Okay, but you knew I would do that. Like, let's not be surprised that I made a bad decision. I always make a bad decision. Yeah, I think I was just hopeful. You know me better than that.

Lessons had been learned. But I guess I guess they have now. They have now. I learned him now. Yeah. Just wait till next season when you get called into a new show. And he's back again. He's back.

What is it about Clayton that draws you in? Okay. I know that people think it's like I'm obsessed with him, but I think it really was in this situation. I think the fact that I've always thought that he made a mistake. and I've always felt this like unfinished like not having any closure with him really and then being in this environment it's exactly like how we met there's like a camera in our face it feels so familiar and he was the only person there I knew like I didn't know anyone else there so it just felt like something familiar and it wasn't like I'm like oh my god let's get married right now I was just open to seeing what happened and then I just got pissed at him because I'm like you're the one person I'm can trust and you did this on purpose i thought he was doing it on purpose to hurt me so that's kind of why it happened so was there actually a chance when we did the almost famous event in pebble beach

like a few months after your first time well you guys hadn't really spoken since he you know said goodbye to you the first time was there actually because i always took that i i mean i was there we were like filming a commercial outside you guys were inside i remember being like that's just funny they're just uh flirting and this is not going to be a thing but now i could have been wrong like you were looking at it being like well maybe this could be a thing again i think that time um was mostly that was the first time we've seen each other since afr and since i had been a lead and so i think seeing him that day was really just being like okay i understand kind of where you coming from and being able to actually, like, get to a place to be like, okay, we're good.

And so I feel like that day or that time, it was more of us just being like, okay, like, we're in a really, really good place now. But of course, like, you know, who knows? And now we know. Yeah, now we know. Goodness. This is a tape recorder statement. person being interviewed

is Krista Gail Pike. This is in regards to the death of Colleen Slimmer. She started going off on Eve and I hit her. I just hit her and hit her and hit her and hit her. On a cold January day

in 1995, 18-year-old Krista Pike killed 19-year-old Colleen Slimmer in the woods of Knoxville, Tennessee. Since her conviction, Krista has been sitting on death. throw. The state has asked for an execution date for Krista. We let people languish in prison for decades, raising questions about who we consider fundamentally unrestorable. How does someone prove

that they deserve to live? We are starting the recording now. Please state your first and last name. Krista Pike. Listen to Unrestorable Season 2, Proof of Life, on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. My name is Ed. Everyone say, hello Ed. I'm from a very rural background myself. My dad is a farmer and my mom is a cousin. So, like, it's not like...

What do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? I know it sounds like the start of a bad joke, but that really was my reality nine years ago. I just normally do straight stand-up, but this is a bit different. On stage stood a comedian with a story that no one expected to hear. The 22nd of July 2015, a 23-year-old man had killed his family. And then he came to my house.

So what do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? A new podcast called Wisecrack, where stand-up comedy and murder takes center stage. Available now. Listen to Wisecrack on the I-Heart. 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 Intercoms is the podcast for you. Open your free. Heart Radio app, search emergency intercom, and listen now.

In early 1988, federal agents race to track down the gang they suspect of importing millions of dollars worth of heroin into New York from Asia. We had 30 agents ready to go with shotguns and rifles and you name it. But what they find is not what they expected. Basically, your stay-at-home moms were picking up these large amounts of heroin. They go, is this your daughter? I said yes. They go, oh, you may not see her for like 25 years. Caught between a federal investigation and the violent gang who recruited them, the women must decide who they're willing to protect and who they dare to betray.

Once I saw the gun, I tried to take his hand, and I saw the flash of light. Listen to the Chinatown Stang on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or Instagram. Anywhere 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 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 podcast. Hey, it's Jenna Ashkowitz. And Kevin McHale, hosts up, and That's What You Really Missed podcast. You joined us as we relive the magic of McKinley High by watching all six seasons of Glee, and now we're keeping the music going. But this time, we're stepping outside the choir room and diving into some of the most iconic musicals ever.

Think Rocky Horror Picture Show, Greece, Hairspray, West Side Story, Moulon Roos, Ruge, Wicked, and of course, high school musical. We'll also celebrate unforgettable musical TV projects like Smash, Nashville, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, plus those surprise musical episodes of shows you already love, like Grey's Anatomy, Riverdale, and The Flash. And don't worry, we'll still have plenty of glee surprises along the way. So if you're a fan of musicals on the big screen or on TV or anywhere in between, join us every week as we break down the songs, the stories, and the magic

that made us fall in love with musicals in the first place. Listen to, and that's what you really miss podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right. So he apologizes to you on episode five. I know that you've talked about this a ton. Did that apology feel? Like, you're kind of being on these shows is so weird because you live episode by episode. You're talking and doing interviews episode by episode.

So when you guys split apart or when he says no more to you, you're upset. But then we see in this episode he apologizes and it feels like there's some reconciliation and healing. Was there or are you still fuming? I mean, obviously I was embarrassed. I don't know if I was mad. Yeah. Why were you embarrassed?

Because I think that was this moment or like that moment the night before, that was what everyone wanted me to do the first time, right? Like, no, and walk away. Like, you don't get to do this to me. And I knew that moment was, like, in front of me to have, and I chose to not do it to give it a chance. And then he did the same thing. So it was like, oh, like,

it was just embarrassing that I thought that he wouldn't do that again. And just thinking about what the world would say and what my family and friends would say, what you would say, just like knowing people would be disappointed in me. um that was mainly it and then i had the night to sleep on it i'd gone on my date and realized like okay like it was just embarrassment it's not coming from a place of like hatred or anything like that so we did say i'm sorry to one another and moved on for the time um obviously since that we've

had a bit of a tiff but yeah at the time it felt like we were like okay we're bye we're good I feel like you have every right to be tiffing with him. I think he should be crawling back to you being like, I am so sorry that I did this again. Yeah, but you know Clayton, he's not going to do. Yeah, and well, so yeah, so why in the world did you think it was going to be any different kid? I don't know. Well, I'm glad that you could move on.

We see him leave the house. It feels like a closure moment for you. even though Clayton pops up again this season, he shows up. I was worried. I was watching and I was worried. I weren't worried. I barely talked to him that day when he came back. I know.

I was excited for you. We're growing here. We're learning as we go. But this jumps us into episode seven where we're told that the men are going to go hang out with the single women. The single women are going to come hang out. out, or the single men are going to come hang out with you all. I think this is a great twist for so many reasons on a show like this.

I love every second of this. It's funny to me how once you get used to cameras being around, how comfortable you get, and also that you think that you can do whatever you want to do. And your partner, I'm not going to say spouse, because I think that would be a bigger issue, but your partner won't ever find out. and it seems like the men really jumped into that mindset of I can have fun and do whatever and these women will never find out even though it's being filmed and at some point you're going to have to watch it back.

It's so funny too because we to this day talk about it for the people listening in. AD was at this mixer with the boys. So I would like to know what they would have done if AD wasn't there because they knew AD was going to come back and tell us. And the behavior that I witnessed watching that back was worse than when I was just hearing it firsthand. So, yeah, you're so right. It was actually insane that some of those guys thought that we would never find out. But when I watched that, I like to think, I'm like, oh, we're thinking about it from a point of view, like, oh, when they watch back with their partner.

But I think those guys knew that they weren't going to be with their partners after this. I don't think they have that longevity mindset that we have. Yeah. So they just wanted to have fun, I think. Yeah. And I mean, the girls, you guys did, I mean, it was very tame, right? Oh, I mean, the girls were playing patty cake. We actually, I think we barely were drinking.

I took advantage of it to get to know people just because I was newer. and I didn't know some of the guys but I mean no one kissed anyone it was so tame on our side but that's you know how it is with girls I feel like we're so loyal yeah I mean I was gonna ask like some people watch these shows for the social experiment

I mean there are college courses built around the bachelor and around reality television I feel like we're like coming close into stereotyping men and women but I think if you do bring an experiment out like this one you see the behavior that's probably going to occur which is the men feel like they're on a bachelor party without any guardrails and the women are like i just wish

my my partner was still here with me having so much fun i know and you even look at like that season of paradise where they did a similar switch um separated the guys and girls or love island when they separate. It's always the men that ended up switching, which is so interesting, right? Yeah. But yeah, like you said, you can stereotype it at this point. It happens so much. It happens so much. We're seeing it over and over again. It was, I mean, it looked like the guys were having a lot of fun. Give it that for what they were wanting. They were able to accomplish it. They were, for whatever reason, I feel like licking thighs was a thing. Licking thighs. Was like Like a thing this season.

Yeah. No, it was wild up in the boys' party. I've never, like, heard of, like, thigh-licking as a mixer party trick. But it seems to be what, when we saw episode one, we see it here. Now, remind me, was this when you started talking to Ray again? So this is where I basically met Ray. Okay. I met Ray Carrington and Cody for the first time.

so well yeah basically so yeah that's where you get introduced to him you get introduced to him what is it about ray at that moment above like because you could have switched to carrington obviously this was your moment to kind of jump around a little bit what was it about ray that stood out to you i think in the moment it just felt like ray wasn't trying to get into the house it was very friendly He was so easy to talk to, not saying that Cody and Carrington weren't, but they were definitely a little more, like, flirty and forward. Whereas I feel like with Ray, it was so friendly and it felt like he wanted to just get to know me. And it was just really easy with him. So it just felt like he was there for the right reasons, you know, like he wasn't trying to just get into the house.

Well, we quickly see the transition to this whole, like, reunited. party, the mixer that everybody gets to be a part of. This is where we see kind of the conversations spark up between 80 and Ali about him matching with somebody else. We also start to hear, well, Lucy gets familiar with Daniel's behavior at the mixer. I personally felt like 80 and Ali, this was kind of every couple needs that really tough moment.

And this was their really tough moment. Either they were going to make it through it and be stronger for it or they were going to be done. And I think a show like this, it sets you up for so many opportunities to have these kind of moments, which it kind of, like you said, Sandy and Louie continue to have, it feels like every time a new person comes into the house and they just kind of enjoy that aspect. But 80 and Ali felt so strong that this could have broken them because they're like, no, you're not the type of person I want to be with. but they make it through Lucy and Daniel make it through was there ever a moment that you thought

either of these couples would not stay together? Adi and Ollie I knew would go back to each other it just felt like they were the strongest couple in the house and I feel like there's always that one couple that's like you just know that they're going to make it and so

I think Ollie was I mean I think he was just trying to give the respect that just disdine deserved and wanted to be open to the process of the show. Obviously, it sucks that big kiss and that 80 found out. And that she had to find out through Justine. Like, that's horrible.

But I was so happy that they were able to get over all that and come together. Lucy and Daniel, I feel like that was more, it was sad to watch just because I feel like Lucy didn't have anyone else she was interested in. So if it wasn't Daniel, she would have probably just went home. So it's difficult because, of course, I would have liked her to tell him no and rematch, but like with who? I just can't look back and think that there would have been anyone else. Yeah.

They'd never felt like she, out of anybody, I think that's why she got set up on so few dates or any dates. None. She went on zero. Because it's like, I don't see her with anybody else. And he would just fight her if she laughed too loud. I don't know if you saw that night when Ray came in they got in a fight because

Lucy was laughing and that isn't even exaggeration like it was like that the whole time so it was difficult to watch her go back do you think it was because he was so into her that he was insecure that she would move

on or no I think the boys they were very very close and they were would rally each other up and I think no one wanted to be embarrassed in front of their boys. And so if someone's girl was flirting or doing something, they just didn't want to be embarrassed. I think that's what it was more than them caring about the women. Yeah. I mean, that first kissing challenge we see kind of his reaction to it. On a show like this,

when I get to talk to whoever is going to be the next bachelor, I don't, have a lot of advice to give, but I just try to set up expectations and the mindset and what could be happening. So on a show like this, I'm sure you look back now. And if somebody were to call you and say, hey, I'm going on the perfect match next season, how should I be viewing this? Should it just be more lighthearted and loose and be, and if you're, especially if you're a guy, like, hey, your girl is going to do some wild stuff, but she'll probably come back to you or you hope she does? I don't even think the girls do anything wild. I would just say it's definitely more lighthearted. Even if there are heavy moments, a lot of those were taken out. There were a lot

more moments that they could have aired if they wanted to be dramatic. They don't want that. They want funny and fun. So I would tell anyone to just go in and I would say really just keep your options open. I want to see next season have a bunch of rematches and coming back together. And I want to see people explore more. So that's what I would say. Well, we do see Scott exploring more. He matches with Juliet during this episode. Freddie and Madison get back together.

Not a shock there. Probably the most unexpected couple for me. I know, right? They were a great couple, though. There's been so much talk online. I think just because people have watched Love is Blind before and just had an idea of Madison. But I went in not knowing either of them. And they were such a good couple.

So unexpected to the viewers, but like in person, they were like in a little love bubble. They were solid. Let's actually do this now. If you could give me like one word or just a few words to describe each couple at this point, I think that would give a viewers or the listeners a little understanding. So Scott and Juliet, we'll start with them. Game players. Freddie and Madison.

Married. Lucy and Daniel. Toxic. Rachel and Ray. The best. No, I'd say like friends. We were like friends. Louis and Sandy, sexy.

Adi and Ollie. Soulmates. We do see Adi and Ollie getting a little fight before bed. It doesn't look good, but it does feel like they have the strength to reconcile. And as you said, I think soulmates have that, right? Arguments are a part of relationships, but it's how you come together. together. So we now see you, Rachel, with Ray. This starts episode nine with the final compatibility challenge. Each couple has to complete a group of tasks and each person has to do 50% of the

tasks. A tire change. There's a mystery buffet where you have to dive through a bunch of stuff, a cold plunge and a pyramid puzzle. The winners get to go on a date and a trip to the boardroom, which obviously gives you a lot of influence when it comes down to the final weeks of the show. You ate some crickets during this challenge. I killed it. I've never been more surprised at myself that I was competitive.

I loved this challenge. It felt like Survivor. It was so much fun. Yeah, I mean, eating crickets isn't that weird. I think you just have to get past the mindset of, hey, I personally living in the United States haven't done this often. However, a lot of other points.

places in this world do enjoy a cricket or two. It's funny because I ate crickets on one of my dates with Zach in Mexico. So I'd already done this. And on The Bachelor, we had a group date in Croatia. We were eating like cow brains, cow eyeballs, fish heads. So I've already kind of had experience doing this. So when I saw the crickets, I was like, oh, this is going to be the easiest thing on the table. I thought it was just going to get worse and worse and worse.

So that's why I went for the crickets right away. And looking back, none of the girls did except for 80 because Ollie's actually vegan. So that's why she had to do it. But it was just so funny watching back. I'm like, oh, I just took the hardest one for no reason. I'm impressed with you. I also didn't, I don't remember the eyeballs and stuff. I can do crickets easily.

I think it's the texture stuff that gets me just in general, no matter where I'm at. I understand that people. Yeah, I can do crunchy. Crunchy and salty. They were salted. See, that's nice. It wasn't bad. You give me an eyeball.

It explodes my mouth. I don't think I'm that cool with it. Yeah, it was bad. Yeah, I don't think I'm like, I just, I have a hard time getting my head around that. This is a tape recorder statement. The person being interviewed is Krista Gail Pike. This is in regards to the death of a Colleen slimmer.

She just started throwing off. And I hit her. I just hit her and hit her and hit her. On a cold January day in 1995, 18-year-old Krista Pike killed 19-year-old Colleen Slemer in the woods of Knoxville, Tennessee. Since her conviction, Krista has been sitting on death row.

The state has asked for an execution date for Krista. We let people languish in prison for decades, raising questions about who we consider fundamentally unrestorable. How does someone prove that they deserve to live? We are starting the recording now. Please state your first and last name. Krista Pike. Listen to Unrestorable Season 2, Proof of Life,

on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. My name is Ed. Everyone say hello, Ed. Hello, Ed. I'm from a very rural background myself. My dad is a farmer, and my mom is a cousin. What do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? I know it sounds like the start of a bad joke, but that really was my reality nine years ago. I just normally do straight stand-up, but this is a bit different.

On stage stood a comedian with a story that no one expected to hear. On 22nd of July 2015, a 23-year-old man had killed his family. And then he came to my house. So what do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? A new podcast called Wisecrack, where stand-up comedy and murder takes center stage. Available now. Listen to Wisecrack on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, my name is Enya Jumanzor.

And I'm Drew Phyllis. 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 do? 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.

Franklin, 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 podcast. A foot washed up a shoe with some bones. in it. They had no idea who it was.

Most everything was burned up pretty good from the fire that not a whole lot was salvageable. These are the coldest of cold cases, but everything is about to change. Every case that is a cold case that has DNA. Right now in a backlog will be identified

in our lifetime. A small lab in Texas is cracking the code on DNA. Using new scientific tools, they're finding clues in evidence so tiny you might just miss it. never thought he was going to get caught. And I just looked at my computer screen. I was just like, ah, gotcha. On America's Crime Lab, we'll learn about victims and survivors. And you'll meet

the team behind the scenes at Authrum, the Houston Lab that takes on the most hopeless cases to finally solve the unsolvable. Listen to America's Crime Lab on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You are the last two people to go to the boardroom after winning this date. Congratulations, by the way, on winning the challenge. Thank you. It's a big deal. You pick Sandy to go on a date with JR because of the past.

They had a little trial marriage. I haven't watched the ultimatum, but I'm assuming it makes getting married quickly even worse than what the Bachelor does. We don't get to see during this moment kind of what your last choice is. But you do choose Sandy to go on this date with. JR, is it only because, I'm not even going to lead you into this. Why? So I will say going into the boardroom, we thought it would be mixed. We thought there'd be boys and girls. So we had a plan. And then we get to the boardroom and we saw everyone who's already been on dates, who's already been in here. And we were like, what do we do? They gave us nothing on this board. So it was such a

hard decision because there was no nothing to do i went in with the mindset of like not wanting to mess up couples not wanting to like get people in trouble so i thought from that board it could just be a good closure moment for sandy to have a lone time with jr because i think when you're in the house and louis staring at you in the kitchen maybe you don't have that closure moment so that's why i chose that and then the next decision was actually all Ray. So he made the Juliet and Carrington decision. Why do you think he did that? So from what we heard, Juliet and Carrington really hit it off. And everyone was shocked she picked Clayton. So I thought if they had such a good connection already, like maybe

let's see where it goes now. But I didn't choose that. Ray did choose that. So I mean, it made sense she gave us a great ending better than we could have ever asked for she made such good tv so it ended up being a good decision now julia was obviously upset with um with you when she first was eliminated from the show or asked to go home from the show she called you boring i am boring kind of compared to her yeah she's great to me what do you like did you enjoy her um at the time I just felt like she hated me. So I definitely just, I understood why she was mad at me.

I would have felt the same exact way. And so I think I was just during the show kept my distance from her. And then she stole my man, which just felt like she did it on purpose. And then I look back now knowing her and I'm like, she just doesn't care. Like she just wanted to have fun and it was fine.

But at the time, I was like, oh my gosh, I feel like she hates me. Yeah. I think I would struggle when Jess and I watch this, I watched it with, there is a reason why I didn't do any other reality television shows, because I would be on this and I would be so boring. We are boring. That should people just have a different mindset.

We do. I mean, I think 100%. I would have been on this show and you would have never seen me. You would have never seen me like licking. You would have been like Freddie. You would have been the same exact way. And people love Freddy. So I think you need all types of people.

You do. You do need all types of people. Freddie was so sweet. And he was great. And he found somebody during this and was able to make it through with very little damage. But nobody's talking about Freddie. That's the thing. Everyone talks about Freddie.

They love him. He's a fan favorite. Sure. Yeah. But yeah, like there's no discourse. Like people aren't like talking shit or like making TikToks about him. No. There is no blurups about Freddie.

They're just like, yeah, he seems like a nice guy. Why were you with Freddie? Well, when I first got there, I was like so excited because me and Freddie really hit it off. But he was very like clear with that. He was like going to try to pursue things with Madison. Okay. So I didn't really, I don't know. I look back and I'm like, I don't know if I like could have tried harder.

But at the time, he just said, I'm with Madison and I just said, I don't want to sit on any toes. I don't know anyone. I'm at your Clayton. Here, yeah, let me go back to what's so healthy and best for me. Clayton, goodness gracious. I know. So, episode 10, we kind of see this whole thing come to a conclusion. The final mixer is going on.

I want to know your thoughts before we go to this. The night before with Carrington and Scott, with the big blow-up. With Julie, about Juliet. I mean, my thoughts are this, it was, it just, it's predictable. You thought? I was shocked when it was happening. Why? Because Scott and Juliet just seemed so unsurious that I thought he would have just

not cared that she was flirting with Carrington. I think it's the embarrassment factor. I think you make it make sense when you say these guys were so worried about being embarrassed. They all come into this. I think only Freddie was the only. guy that came into this without his intro package being like I am a ladies man I love to like saying things like I'm a ladies man or I steal girls or girls are so lucky to be with me he was the only one to not have that type of ego and confidence not even confidence I think he has confidence he didn't

have the ego he had humility he had perspective ray yes I would say Ray was very similar in that too but everybody else I think had so much of an ego they thought they were God's gift to this world and they were going to walk into that house and the girls were just going to be like all right please choose me and most of the guys who kind of had that mentality failed miserably like nobody wanted them well I don't know I mean Louis was there from the beginning so I think he got lucky because he didn't come into the house to try to convince anybody. I think anybody knew. Like, yes, yes.

The originals, the OGs had connections. I think if you were new and you came in with that mentality where you thought you were going to be able to convince one of the girls who was already coupled up to move on from whoever they were with, it just never worked. I mean, Carrington, I think, had the most aggressively bad intro. I will defend

him, though. I think he just was messing around a little and it came off not so nice but I will say with me at least he was so sweet then why don't you ever get with him

well I was just saying because like at the time I mean looking back everyone saw his intro but when I was there with him he was nice so but I do agree he and J.R.

definitely had a strong intro package yes yes but I think maybe it is them just like trying to hype themselves up so that's why I don't think it's shocking to me.

Because I saw the intros and I watch it back and I'm thinking, these guys just don't want to be embarrassed. Like they don't want to be made fools of. And I think Juliet was just making fools of them in a little bit of ways because they were unserious with Juliet and they thought, I'm unserious. She's in a sense lucky that she's here with us. And then it blows up. And that's why I think I was expecting it at some level.

Yeah, it's crazy because just from what I saw with Scott and Juliet, they actually seemed like they liked each other. But they were so insurious together also. Like they were so like, we're having fun. And when Scott walked out without having a conversation with her, I remember that night, it was crazy. But yeah, definitely a crazier night than we could have anticipated with such a dismal board selection. Well, this means that Juliet has no one to match with after that evening in the social she has to leave the villa again. Leaving final matches,

Sandy and Louie, Lucy and Daniel, you and Ray, Madison and Freddie and Ali and A.D. This is an incredible group to walk into the finale with. At the end of this, we see the couples

kind of have their romantic moments together. You said that you and Ray were friends. Were you ever romantic? I think maybe there was like a moment where it was like we could have been. Like I definitely didn't look at him and I'm like, oh, we're just going to be friends. Like, he's so good looking.

He's a great guy. But I think the more we were in the house, it just seemed like, I don't know if we had that spark. And then it just never really came. But I loved my, like, time with him there. I wouldn't have, you know, done it with anyone else. It was so special. But, yeah, I think even, like, for our final date, like, we're talking about the future

and things like that. And I think we were, I was surprised at some of the things he was saying. Because I was like, I don't feel like you really like me like that. So, yeah, no, I definitely think we were just more friendly. Do you, before I skip forward into kind of life now and now that it all makes sense, we do have the final compatibility challenge. The last few minutes of here, us breaking down the last few episodes of Perfect Match. The compatibility challenge is this.

You all were given questions. You have to answer these. questions, which I think is so hard, really, during this thing, because you don't know a lot about each other? I was shocked at how much I knew. I was so proud of myself. We were such a new couple. But it's hard because I think the reason they did it, I don't know if you know, Ben,

but the season before, the people who won, they had just gotten there like the week before. Oh. Because a lot of our vote is from outside the house. And so I think people who are outside the house can be a little bit angry sometimes at like the way that the show played out. And I'm angry for them. Honestly, it's hard to get in the house. So I think this was their way this season to not allow that to happen again. I'm assuming like they just didn't want me in Bray to win or like people who are newer.

But it took out couples like Madison and Freddie who I genuinely think should have been in the final two. So that was tough that that happened. Yeah, it did. This compatibility challenge took out Freddie and Madison, you and Ray and Sandy and Louis. Be honest, please. I really like the perfect match. I would tell anybody to still, like, to watch it, to tune in.

But the idea of a seven-day vacation as your reward for winning, was it really a driving force for you? like did you want to win different than a half a million dollars right i think for me if you really if you're not like ad and allie in love with each other yeah that seven-day trip seems like it would be tough like i don't know if i want to really do that with someone i just met i would say the driving factor for a lot of these people is like kind of like just wanting to be there the longest I think the trip is just, that's a reward that they thought of. I don't think anyone was like, oh, I want to win because I really want this trip.

I think people just wanted to be there as long as they could. I think 80 and only were the only people who would have actually taken and truly enjoyed it. So it's hard to say that it was like a good prize because I don't feel like anyone was like, oh, I need to go on this vacation. I've just gotten back from the beach and gotten drinks and, food and hung out like i don't need another vacation i need to get back to life right right to work so it's definitely i mean it's nice that there is a prize i think they could also do it without a prize and people would still go in the show sure just to be titled the perfect match uh well lucy and

daniel uh are there for the couples to vote on and ollie and ad i shouldn't say the couples because there's outside influences voting on this as well lucy and Daniel end up being the winners of this. Shocker to me. Shocking. You've hinted at being a shock as well. You probably voted for Adi and Ali, I'm assuming. Everyone in the house, I think, except for Louis.

Louis did an I mean, me, my name, no. Everyone in the house voted for AD and Ollie. So why do you think that, like, why were people, like, why wouldn't people vote for AD and Ali in this? Everyone outside of the house voted for Lucy and Daniel because I don't, I don't, you know, I don't think the women who were outside the house were happy with the way Ali treated Justine. And I think Justine loves AD and, like, wants the best for her. And I think she just didn't like the way Ali handled things.

So I think they were coming from a place of, like, wanting to support AD. And just thinking that Ollie was, I don't know, maybe they thought he wasn't being truthful. they weren't in the house so they didn't get to see what we saw and of course Lucy is like just such a sweetheart so she's like so easy to love

and vote for I think they were just like mad at Ollie I mean it makes sense I think it's still shocking to me I think you don't punish AD from a seven day vacation because she's with a guy who you don't

I agree and that is why I voted for them and I was in shock when they didn't win I mean Lucy was in shock she did win. Sure. It was crazy. And then obviously they ended up not taking the trip.

So it really all was a waste because now AD is pregnant and about to have a beautiful baby girl. And I would have loved to see her on the trip with Ollie. Maybe the show can just pass it off for a baby moon. We keep saying that. Yeah. This is a tape recorded statement. The person being interviewed is.

Krista Gayle Pike, this is in regards to the death of Colleen Slimmer. She just started going off on me, and I hit her. I just hit her and hit her and hit her and hit her. On a cold January day in 1995, 18-year-old Krista Pike killed 19-year-old Colleen Slimmer in the woods of Knoxville, Tennessee. Since her conviction, Krista has been sitting on death row. The state has asked for an execution date for Krista. We let people languish in prison for decades, raising questions about who we consider fundamentally unrestorable.

How does someone prove that they deserve to live? We are starting the recording now. Please state your first and last name. Krista Pike. Listen to Unrestorable Season 2, Proof of Life, on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. My name is Ed. Everyone say, hello, Ed. Hello, Ed.

I'm from a very rural background myself. My dad is a farmer, and my mom is a cousin. So, like, it's not like... What do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? I know it sounds like the start of a bad joke, but that really was my reality nine years ago. I just normally do straight stand-up, but this is a bit different.

On stage stood a comedian with a story that no one expected to hear. Well, 22nd of July 2015, a 23-year-old man had killed his family. And then he came to my house. So what do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? A new podcast called Wisecrack, where stand-up comedy and murder takes center stage. Available now. Listen to Wisecrack on the IHeart Radio app, couple 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 IHeart Radio 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. 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. In early 1988, federal agents race to track down the gang they suspect of importing millions of dollars worth of heroin into New York from Asia. We had 30 agents ready to go with shotguns and rifles and you name it. But what they find is not what they expected. Basically, your stay-at-home moms were picking up these large amounts of harm. They go, is this your daughter?

I said yes. They go, oh, you may not see her for like 25 years. Caught between a federal investigation and the violent gang who recruited them, the women must decide who they're willing to protect and who they dare to betray. Once I saw the gun, I tried to take his hand, and I saw the flash of light. Listen to the Chinatown Sting on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast. or anywhere you get your podcasts. Now let's talk about the couples now.

Lucy and Daniel no longer together, as you mentioned. How quickly did that end? A couple of people went on a trip right after we finished filming to Cabo. And I think there was a lot that went on there that. the women weren't too happy about I would say Cabo was the driving breakup for a lot of people who were there

I wasn't there but I know that he didn't treat her super well and they also live in different countries sure so when they broke up I wasn't very surprised Daniel also didn't like me very much so I was like but

yeah I was sad but you and Lucy were friends Me and we see our friends. Yeah, we're really close. And so it's just hard. You know, you don't want to see your friends go through that. Freddie and Madison. What's the updates?

So they are not together. I actually really thought they would be together for a while. They seemed so, they seemed like a married couple. Yeah. And, yeah, I just saw them recently in July. And I guess they broke up pretty soon after. Again, they're in different countries. It's probably a big reason.

you and ray we're still friends like actual friends which is crazy and did you guys ever go skydiving okay so we were going to we like had plans to uh the morning after we had this big Netflix party and then everyone was so hungover that I'm like if I jump on a plane right now I'm going to die so hopefully we get to soon now obviously you've had two big time host Jesse Palmer and Nick Lachet I know you love Jesse. Yeah. Who to you is the better host? Well, obviously, I always have to say Jesse because I was his first

bachelor's season and bachelor's season. So I just have a bond with him. But Nick Lachey is amazing. He is so fun. He would take shots with us. Like, he's great. I just don't have any relationship to him. So, of course, I'm going to pick Jesse.

Okay. Final couple questions for you personally. Rachel. We get to see the Clayton stuff go down. We have gotten to know you from the show. I'm assuming somebody from the show has circled back after the show and said, hey, Rachel, maybe we should have given it a shot. Can you tell us who? Yeah. So I reconnected with Carrington before the show. I feel like I've kind of pinched at it and things like that. But yeah, I think he's so sweet and yeah you know who knows what could have happened are you dating anybody right now I'm not dating anyone um I'm definitely single but yeah it was nice to reconnect for sure

with Carrington is he live in L.A he lives in Salt Lake City okay have you been to Salt Lake City I have been there but uh not to see him That his intro scare you a little bit? So it's funny. I didn't know about any of that until I watched it back. And then it was funny. We watched some of it together. But I think with me, he was so sweet.

And actually, it's funny, he DM'd me after, I think I was on The Bachelor, so like years ago. And he told me that on the show. And I was like, oh, my God, I couldn't remember. So, yeah, he's just a sweetheart. So there is a potential for you to find a perfect match. from the show still. There's always potential, right? You know I love to circle back.

I don't know if that's like a behavior that I would say was a good one. I don't know. I think you're better than that, Rachel, but I don't know Carrington. So maybe that is a good one to circle back too. We'll see. We'll see. That's all we're getting. I don't have any, like, solid updates.

Like, we're definitely not dating or, like, anything like that. Okay. He calls you tomorrow and says, I'm going to be in L.A. Rachel, I want to take you on a date. Well, we see each other when he's in L.A. Yeah. But, yeah, I think we live in different states.

It's really far. It's super hard to fly from Salt Lake to L.A. I know. It's like 30 minutes. It's crazy. And I fly for free. So it's just like it's really hard for me to get out there. Such a good excuse you're making to why this could potentially not be a thing.

No, who knows? Like, I genuinely. Like, we'll tell you if I have an update. But, like, as of now, it's been nice to reconnect with him. And, like, you know, we went through the show together, so, like, watching it back and stuff. It was nice to have someone who, like, got it. Rachel, I've told you this many times on the show in person. I think out of so many people, you are one of my favorite people to ever come out of the franchise.

I am confused when people ask me, like, about single. people from the bachelor world. I'm confused on how people haven't reached out to you to try to connect and date more often. But it sounds like to me, for the first time since your time as the lead on the show, you're getting some attention that you deserve from boys. I think boys do reach out to me. I definitely, I mean, it's funny because you know the guy that I dated like the one that I was kind of like more in the public with it was difficult because when things ended it was still online and people still thought we were together and you were with me actually when I was like talking to you about that for the first time so after that it happened I just

tried to be more silent about it because I didn't want that to happen again and I think now I'm kind of at the point where like I think people do deserve to know what I'm doing and if I'm talking to someone so I like to be more open but yeah for years I just was like I'm single I don't know and now I think everyone thinks that you know no one was trying to talk to me they do but it's just hard you know when you're in the public failing in relationships especially when you already have at such a large scale so I would definitely keep things more private but I mean hey now you know some of the tea at least some of the tea I get it no I mean we just and I kept it secret for six months because when something's good, too, you don't want to publicize it.

And then if things don't work out, you're asked about that person. And it will hurt every time you're asked about that person. Because you're like, yeah, that was a good thing. Well, luckily for me, you know, it ended in marriage. So not ended, it started in marriage. And so we can, we'll never be sad to talk about. I can talk about Jess all day. Literally.

So happy for you guys. And your beautiful baby and your amazing church. and hopefully you can give me some of that luck. Yeah, we're going to. I'm passing it off to you. Rachel, you are a dream. The perfect match, final question for you. Are you glad you did it?

What did you learn about yourself through it? I actually am so glad. I keep getting asked this question. Obviously, it's so different from Bachelor. And I just think this was the first time I ever got to be on TV being myself without this reputation of people who had seen me before thought that they knew me. And I just got to have so much fun. Obviously, the Clayton stuff was hard.

Like, wouldn't have wanted that for anyone. But I think I just got to really have a great time. And so that's why I'm so happy I get it. Yeah, it is. I mean, it is. It's just shake up. It's fun. It looked so enjoyable.

I would tell anybody to watch it. It is very entertaining. It's so entertaining. It was a good season. It's so entertaining. I really didn't enjoy it, and it helped my flight home from Italy go so much faster. Rachel, I'm sure you'll be back soon, helping co-host an episode of something here talking about Taylor, Frankie Paul, or the next upcoming season of The Golden Bachelor, which will be airing very soon. But I appreciate you stepping on.

I appreciate your insights into the perfect match. And so until next time, I've been Ben. And I'm Rachel. That's right. Follow the Ben and Ashley I, almost famous podcast on IHartRadio, or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. On a cold January day in 1995, 18-year-old Krista Pike killed 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer in the woods of Knoxville, Tennessee. Since her conviction, Krista has been sitting on death row. How does someone prove that they deserve?

to live. We are starting the recording now. Please state your first and last name. Krista Pike. Listen to Unrestorable Season 2, Proof of Life. On the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 could The 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. 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 crime. rhymes. 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. I'm Danny Shapiro. And these are just a few of the powerful stories I'll be mining on our upcoming 12th season of Family Secrets. We continue to be moved and inspired by our guests and their courageously told stories. Listen to Family Secrets Season 12 on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, host of the Psychology Podcast. Here's a clip from an upcoming conversation about how to be a better you. When you think about emotion regulation. We're not going to choose an adaptive strategy which is more effortful to use unless you

think there's a good outcome. Avoidance is easier. Ignoring is easier. Denials easier. Complex problem solving takes effort. Listen to the psychology podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.