The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Beach Love Songs with Jessenia

Episode Date: September 15, 2021

Jessenia is back from Paradise and spilling all of the tea! She’s sitting down with Ben for a one on one recap of her time on the beach. We get all the juicy details on her romantic connection wit...h Connor B. Jessenia shares everything she knew about Pieper and Brendan BEFORE Paradise even started filming! You won’t believe what went down. And find out where things stand between Jessenia and Chris after everything that happened.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 This is an I-Heart podcast. Hi, my name is Enya Eumanzor. 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.
Starting point is 00:00:26 Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your... free iHeart radio app search emergency internet com and listen now I just normally do straight stand-up but this is a bit different what do you get when a true crime producer
Starting point is 00:00:39 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
Starting point is 00:00:54 this is Wisecrack available now listen to Wisecrack on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Why are TSA rules so confusing? You got a hood of you. I'll take it all! I'm Mani. I'm Noah. This is Devin. And we're best friends and journalists with a new podcast called No Such Thing,
Starting point is 00:01:16 where we get to the bottom of questions like that. Why are you screaming at me? I can't expect what to do. Now, if the rule was the same, go off on me. I deserve it. You know, lock him up. Listen to No Such Thing on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
Starting point is 00:01:31 No such thing. I'm Dr. Joy Hardin-Bradford, host of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast. I know how overwhelming it can feel if flying makes you anxious. In session 418 of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast, Dr. Angela Neal-Barnett and I discuss flight anxiety. What is not a norm is to allow it to prevent you from doing the things that you want to do, the things that you were meant to do. Listen to Therapy for Black Girls on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Do we really need another podcast with a condescending finance brof trying to tell us how to spend our own money?
Starting point is 00:02:10 No thank you. Instead, check out Brown Ambition. Each week, I, your host, Mandy Money, gives you real talk, real advice with a heavy dose of I feel uses. Like on Fridays when I take your questions for the BAQA. Whether you're trying to invest for your future, navigate a toxic workplace, I got. you. Listen to Brown Ambition on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is the Ben and Ashley I, almost famous podcast with IHartRadio. Jacinia, thanks for joining us today. Thank you for having me. I was looking forward to this.
Starting point is 00:02:47 Are you? I would imagine at this point, you have probably been bombarded with questions. You're probably doing the rounds. Is this been like, at all, all fun for you or are you over it? I think in the beginning, it was definitely fun. I think when you go through a really unique experience, you kind of look forward to everyone else experiencing that as well, you know, in terms of the viewers. And of course, when you're away filming for so long,
Starting point is 00:03:16 you are ready to kind of see the final package, you know? But I think obviously after the last episode, there was a lot going on. And I think it was really difficult to kind of relive it. and to now have to talk about it again. And do a little recap, I think that's definitely the most difficult part. Was this, I mean, we're going to dive into the details a little bit. I know you've been asked a plethora of questions.
Starting point is 00:03:44 I really just want to know more of how, like, where you are at and all this. This at all, after watching it back, has it at all gone how you hoped it would? Was this at all what you were expecting at a paradise? In some ways, yes, but in most ways, no, I knew going into paradise, I would have fun. You know, I knew that I would probably see friends there. I would obviously have the opportunity to find love, that kind of thing. Those are all things that I was definitely looking forward to. And I think that in a lot of ways, I got to experience.
Starting point is 00:04:16 But then, of course, like how it all pans out, it's not something that you expect. Like, you do have high hopes for this experience. So for it to not work out the way I would have hoped it would, at least up to where we're at right now, obviously is disappointing. Yeah, I bet. Well, if I'm, if I have read up right with you, you were a bachelor fan going into your time on the show. You know, is that true? No. So I had only watched Peter season as soon as we like the pandemic started.
Starting point is 00:04:50 That was kind of like what a show was on. And I remember just like, okay, my friends for years have been obsessed with this show. We're on lockdown. I need something to watch. So I watched Peter Sees it. And that was my first introduction into The Bachelor. Okay. Well, then did your friends sign you up then for this?
Starting point is 00:05:07 Or did you? No. Okay. It's funny because I remember it was like I got lucky during the pandemic. I did lose my job, which obviously was a huge hit to just who I am as a person. I put place a lot of value into what I'm doing with my life, especially with work. So I was having a hard time. But I got lucky and got a job like two weeks later.
Starting point is 00:05:26 And I remember leading up to my start date, I was just like so in my head about what I've got going on in my life. And I figured, you know what, why do I just sign up for The Bachelor? Let's see if it goes anywhere. So I personally wasn't expecting it to go anywhere because I knew they choose from literally hundreds of thousands of women. So I wasn't expecting much. But that was really kind of what started it. Well, I can speak for all of us to say we're glad that you got chosen. We're happy that you're there.
Starting point is 00:05:54 So you ended up on the show. I think that's a great reason to go on, just to shake life up a bit. You know, that's why I did it. Just to see if it can add a cool new story, if it can happen to work. If it doesn't work, maybe it just gets you the little push for that you need. And so then after your time on The Bachelor, were you expecting to get the call from Paradise? Or was that surprising? I want to say it was a little surprising only because they had a year.
Starting point is 00:06:23 year off from Paradise. So that meant that they had quite a lot of people to choose from, from not only Peter's season, but also Matt's, and of course, Katie's was just coming up. So there was a lot going on. And then, of course,
Starting point is 00:06:37 Tasia and Claire of it all, like there was a lot. So I was like, well, if it's going to happen, it'll happen. If it doesn't, it's fine.
Starting point is 00:06:45 Like, I still had this unique experience with The Bachelor, you know, so I wasn't, I didn't have my heart quite set on it, but I knew that if I were to go, So it would have been a fun experience. And regardless of it, I was looking forward to it or I would have been excited for my friends.
Starting point is 00:06:58 I always had this with me personally. I was at this weird, like desire to be in paradise. I didn't know if I would do it well. But I just, when I watch it, I'm like, this looks like a ton of fun, especially if my buddies are there. Yeah. Oh, definitely. I would have to say that's kind of what was my thought process leading up to it. Because once the phone calls started happening, that's when I really had to get into this mindset of,
Starting point is 00:07:22 Okay, hypothetically, if I go, you know, what could happen? What would the experience be like? And I was always told it's far more relaxed in The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, not as uptight, I guess. I always consider like Bachelor and Bachelorette is a little more black tie versus, you know, Paradise, you're out on vacation with your friends, you know? So I liked that angle to it, and I did want to be in a more relaxed setting because the Bachelor was just nerves on high at all time. So I was looking forward to that potentially.
Starting point is 00:07:50 Okay. So you end up getting the call for Paradise. You show up to Paradise. Is there anybody? I'm assuming then you don't really know who is going to be coming down the stairs. You have ideas maybe, but you don't know exactly who's going to be coming down, right? Right. So we have ideas. I think the thing with this industry is that a lot of things happen last minute. Like nothing's locked in until you have literally a flight, for example, to go. So we could have our ideas if you could be going, that kind of thing. Even theories were. floating around of who could be going that kind of situation but you really never know who's there until their feet hit the beach and I think we all know we go through a quarantine process that kind of thing and some people didn't even show up to the beach because things just didn't pan out that way so you really never know who's actually showing up so then how do uh I'm so far removed now I don't know people don't add the engaged dude uh onto these text threads much anymore but like how are these information like how is this information being passed along are you guys texting like oh i think they're coming oh i've kind of got called because like you said i even knew when i was the bachelor
Starting point is 00:08:58 that some like women are going to be there that never showed up because they were like reserves they showed up to the like to the hotel but they never came to the mansion so even if somebody's like i got my flight to mexico they could go to mexico quarantine and then never show up to the beach so how is this information being passed along well i mean you also know that when we're when we arrive our phones are taken. So there's no form of communication for any of us as soon as we arrive there. So whether some of us said, yeah, we're going or we're not, that doesn't mean we're going to see them, you know? Yeah. Yeah. It's just interesting because, I mean, I think that brings like a perspective when you watch the show back and people are, you know, I mean,
Starting point is 00:09:35 this season's been full of the, oh, they were waiting for this person or they were waiting for this person. The truth is you don't fully know they're going to be there. Like, you just can't guarantee it. So you can wait. You can play along, but you don't know. So, okay. Who were you hoping, though, to see walk down those stairs at the beach? I had an idea of some people that I wanted to meet based off of impressions, whether it was from what I had seen on the show or some, for example, Chris, who had seen in person at one point during like a group setting. So I remember thinking, okay, well, hypothetically, if some of these people were to go,
Starting point is 00:10:11 of course I would be open to getting to know them. Now, the way it planned out for me was Ivan being someone who I was interested, interested in seeing was there from day one along as as I was. So it was very easy for us to kind of like link together and get to know each other and spend time together and kind of be I guess like a couple at the beginning of paradise. But as we know, every week more people join every other week it's women, every other week it's men. So it's really at that point, that's when it's wildcards essentially. So you don't know who's really showing up or who you would even be open to meeting. For me personally, I always say this, whether it was
Starting point is 00:10:47 Chris or not, if someone expressed interest in me, and based off of the conversation I had with them, I would be interested in getting to know them more. If they asked me on the date, I would have gone on the date, you know? So I don't think, I think a lot of people had this misconception that, that, oh, like, she was waiting for Ivan. And it's like, well, I, first of all, I don't wait for anybody. Second of all, it's like, how was I ever going to know who was going to show up on the beach if I didn't know if they were there 100% or not or if they were even going to show up even if they were there. So the way I approached it was any guy who's open to getting to know me and their first impression was a good one for me, then of course I'd be open to getting
Starting point is 00:11:26 to know them. And I was just an open book about that the whole time. It didn't really matter who it was. So I mean, so you're just excited to meet anybody. Like it was like, hey, I'm just, if somebody walks down the stairs and they're into it, like I'm at least going to explore it. does that get awkward to like okay you know for your situation like you're talking to Ivan and like it's very very casual you're just going to know him right you guys are just hanging out and but like there's interest like you're you're flirting and then somebody comes down there like hey i want to take you on a date and Ivan's like probably sitting beside you at this point like is it weird like how do you in your mind what do you like how do you even get like in
Starting point is 00:12:04 your mind what's going like what's going through your head as that happens um i think the biggest thing that goes through my head is not wanting to hurt the other person's feelings because I think if there's one thing that's so important about paradise or just in life in general, let's be real, is to have open communication with those that you're closest to. So Ivan and I had already talked about the possibility of me or him being asked out on a date while we were in paradise and we had already kind of like established a what if situation. So of course like me being asked on a date by Chris, like he kind of already knew that, yeah, she's going to go on that date. But so there wasn't really like any type of like hard feelings.
Starting point is 00:12:45 There was always a clear line that we had between us. And so, but that doesn't take away that I felt bad about it. You know, I really like dive in. And it is hurtful when there's people who are like, oh, well, you know, you dumped him so quickly and this and that. And it's like I had to sit down hard to heart with him prior to going on a date as well as after. because obviously the point of going on these dates, it's figuring out, you know, where the connections might be stronger. And when I arrived, I sat down with Ivan and I had that conversation with him.
Starting point is 00:13:18 So, yeah, it's a very difficult thing to navigate. And I think even if you tread as lightly as possible, someone's feelings are still going to get hurt. 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
Starting point is 00:13:46 think that they could land the plane with the help of air traffic control. And they're saying like, okay, pull this, pull that, turn this. It's just... I can do my eyes close. I'm Manny. I'm Noah. This is Devin. And on our new show, no such thing. We get to the bottom of questions like these.
Starting point is 00:14:03 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.
Starting point is 00:14:19 I'm looking at this thing. Listen to no such thing on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, my name is Enya Humanzor. 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...
Starting point is 00:14:45 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.
Starting point is 00:15:05 You discover the depths of your mother's illness, the way it has echoed and reverberated throughout your life, impacting your very legacy. Hi, I'm Danny Shapiro. And these are just a few of the profound and powerful stories I'll be mining on our 12th season of Family Secrets. With over 37 million downloads, we continue to be moved and inspired by our guests and their courageously told stories. I can't wait to share 10 powerful new episodes with you, stories of tangled up identities, concealed truths, and the way in which family secrets almost always need to be told. I hope you'll join me and my extraordinary guests
Starting point is 00:15:48 for this new season of Family Secrets. Listen to Family Secrets Season 12 on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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
Starting point is 00:16:23 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.
Starting point is 00:16:51 Listen to shock incarceration on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Super Secret Bestie Club Podcast Season 4 is here. And we're locked in. That means more juicy chisement. Terrible love advice. Evil spells to cast on your ex. No, no, no, no.
Starting point is 00:17:10 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. Get in here. Today, we have a very special guest with us. Our new super secret bestie is the diva of the people.
Starting point is 00:17:26 The diva of the people. I'm just like text your ex. Okay. My theory is that if you need to figure out, that the stove is hot. Go and touch it. Go and figure it out for yourself. Okay.
Starting point is 00:17:35 That's us. That's us. My name is Curley. And I'm Maya. In each episode, we'll talk about love, friendship, heart breaks, men, and, of course, our favorite secrets. Listen to the Super Secret Bestie Club as a part of the Michael Tura podcast network available on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.
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Starting point is 00:18:27 Let's get lucky. You know, you were out of... of the, I'm just interested, you're out of the franchise for a bit. And now you're back in it. And no matter what, you're going to get your people who have very strong opinions about things that you've done. How is, how is that affecting you now that you've kind of been seasoned? You've had it, you've gone on the show. You've had like a year to kind of like mentally rebuild and kind of get some like grit and some calluses to some of the things. People say, now you're back on paradise. people have opinions about you how are you doing with that i think the first round i will say i
Starting point is 00:19:09 definitely struggled with it because obviously who i am as a person is very private so this was totally out of my comfort zone but it was something that i was willing to explore just to one find love and two to put myself out there kind of like get myself outside of my comfort zone as many of us have you know the same goal for ourselves um and i knew going into paradise, it would be the same scenario all over again. So it did take me a while to decide for sure if I was going. I had gotten the phone call, but it was still something that I felt that, you know, I need a few more days to let it marinate before I decide.
Starting point is 00:19:46 Because I, you know, on TV, your feelings, your emotions are like on full display. And that's what's so difficult about navigating this franchise or just TV in general, I guess, when there's an audience. Their opinions are always going to trump whatever actually has. happened, I feel. People are going to perceive things differently. Things are going to be misconstrued or there's going to be miscommunication, that kind of thing. So that was something that I was the most concerned about because you only get to see very small fractions of what's going on and it's all pieced together. There are a lot of other things that people don't get
Starting point is 00:20:19 to see. So for example, in my case, people swore up and down that I didn't talk to Ivan before I went on the date. We did talk. And then obviously when things are pieced together to push a story forward, people are only going to make up little theories to fill in those empty spots. And I think that's essentially what's bugged me the most now is people's theories that are just so far off base. Yeah. It's interesting. Over the years, you know, it's been five years from me. But over the years, I've, yeah, those things affect you though, because you feel like people are creating a narrative that's just not true. Well, obviously, I want to ask one more question about your experience.
Starting point is 00:21:02 And then you're off the hot seat. And I want to ask you some things going on in Paradise that you can help break down with me. But we had a Connor B on just a few weeks ago. And he mentioned that he wrote a song for you. Yeah. That's true. You've heard. What was this song about?
Starting point is 00:21:22 Can you explain it to me? And then also like, how did it make you feel? So he and I bonded over murder podcasts. Oh, great. That's why the song is called like Perfect Murder. And honestly, I have to just commend him just as who he is as a person, as someone who's very creative. He expresses himself in a really unique way.
Starting point is 00:21:42 And he's incredibly talented. And it showed through his various songs. But that one in particular, one, I've never had someone write me a song before. And two, for it to hit so so beautifully. I mean, I really, I teared up even when he sang it to me. So it's like, okay, wow, this guy is something special. Um, but that in itself was like such a unique experience because I never anticipated that happening, obviously going into paradise, but I very much appreciate it.
Starting point is 00:22:10 Was it romantic at all? Like, was there any romantic connection there? There was, um, some romantic connection there. Um, he had expressed a few times, you know, that he felt some type of way about me. And I mean, I liked him too. I thought he was great as well. But I had obviously so much going on like with Ivan and even, you know, if anything, I was actually trying so hard to avoid.
Starting point is 00:22:31 I'd love triangles, but I failed it. Yeah. I mean, that's true. But, okay, I did, I lied to you. I said, you're off the hot seat. I mean, I'm going to ask you one more question. If you could, without the whole, like, I don't have regrets in life thing because I think that's fine.
Starting point is 00:22:45 That's great. But if you could, like, redo paradise and, like, re-go about this thing, would there be any new, like, would you have said yes to any dates or no to any dates? Like, if it would Connor have been more in the, like, your consideration? like what would you have done differently to make this work so that you could have avoided that love triangle that you couldn't have avoided it just seems to happen without you do anything about right right so um I think there are two things I probably would have done differently I think that I probably would have with Ivan and I I think it was still early on for me to feel like
Starting point is 00:23:22 okay I'm totally locked in you know but I sometimes do wonder what if I gave us like another week What if I gave it a few more days for us to really figure it out? Spend more time with him, that kind of thing. So that's one scenario. Second scenario would be Connor is the kind of person, is the kind of guy that I've never dated before. So I feel like if I had given him more of an opportunity, then perhaps I would have seen other sides to him kind of unfold,
Starting point is 00:23:52 that kind of thing. But at the same time, I don't think there was that much time for us to figure it out because he sang the song to me at the night of a rose ceremony. So it was hard to navigate that for sure. Yeah, that's interesting. Well, I really appreciate your honesty here. And it has been enjoyable watching your journey and watching Paradise this season. We've really liked it.
Starting point is 00:24:16 And as I'm laid up here in the chair, it's about all I have to look forward to these days. Yeah. But all right. So a couple questions, not about you as much, but you were there. So we want your expert opinion. You and Natasha, as you just mentioned, were both in, like, love triangles. I don't think either of you necessarily wanted to be in a love triangle. It wasn't something that you found enjoyable, but you both found yourself there.
Starting point is 00:24:41 The Brendan and Piper one is all the talk right now. Everybody has really strong opinions about it. How did you, as you were in Paradise, how did you think they handled that situation? How Brendan and Piper handles it? Yeah, Brennan and Piper. So here's the thing is. we obviously there was talks of them even prior to paradise and I always knew this is going to definitely play out in paradise like there's just no avoiding it you know and I remember at that
Starting point is 00:25:12 time there was talks that Piper said she what like Natasha mentioned recently that Piper said she wasn't going because she apparently couldn't get off work yet she's walking down the steps to the beach so it's interesting but I think that you know if obviously based off of what we've seen played out, those intimate conversations that Brendan and Piper had were not conversations that anyone on that beach was aware of. Brandon was telling Natasha one thing. We were observing another thing.
Starting point is 00:25:41 Like we kind of could see, okay, like, oh, wow, like they finally had their first kiss after being there for as long as they were. So we're thinking, oh, maybe they are progressing just a lot slower than others. And that's okay. People go at their own pace. But then to see the conversations that Brendan and Piper were having,
Starting point is 00:25:58 like, I was so taken aback by the things that they were saying. It's almost like, you know it's taboo to talk about followers. Why do you think it makes sense to have that conversation on Mike? And you know that even if cameras aren't pointed at you, there are cameras installed. So I was very surprised that that wasn't even a thought going across their minds in that moment, which is why to me it appears as though is they are so. and I don't want to say this in a way to shade them in any way, but it's like that lack of self-awareness in that moment was very apparent.
Starting point is 00:26:37 But what I did not particularly like was that it was at Natasha's expense, who as I got to know, I had met her for the first time in Paradise. I really was liking her. I liked having conversations with her. I loved how she was in a group setting. She's really funny, great energy. I didn't appreciate that because they were talking down about someone who I personally you know, would speak highly of as I am now.
Starting point is 00:27:02 So it wasn't fun to see that play out. And it definitely made it very clear that they were playing with her feelings. And that's obviously something that should never be okay in any situation. And which is why I think the separation between what happened with me, Chris and Alana and her, Brendan, and Piper is at least Chris and Atlanta weren't talking crap about me behind my back. You know what I mean? Like that's the biggest difference is at least they didn't, they at least held me up to that much of a amount of respect, where they didn't have anything bad to say about me.
Starting point is 00:27:31 Versus Brennan and Piper shouldn't have had anything bad to say about Natasha. The only reason why she was annoying to them was because she was trying to get down to the truth of what was going on, and she had a right to. 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 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.
Starting point is 00:28:06 And they're saying like, okay, pull this, until this. Do this, pull that, turn this. It's just, I can do it my eyes close. I'm Manny. I'm Noah. This is Devin. And on our new show, no such thing. We get to the bottom of questions like these.
Starting point is 00:28:19 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. See?
Starting point is 00:28:37 Listen to no such thing 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 And want to hear people with mental illness Psychobabble
Starting point is 00:29:06 Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you Open your free Iheart radio app Search Emergency Intercom And listen now My name is Ed Everyone say hello Ed From a very rural background myself My dad is a farmer
Starting point is 00:29:20 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.
Starting point is 00:29:50 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. 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.
Starting point is 00:30:33 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 away 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.
Starting point is 00:31:05 Nobody tells you anything. Listen to shock incarceration on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The Super Secret Festi Club podcast season four is here. And we're locked in. That means more juicy chees-me. Terrible love advice. Evil spells to cast on your ex. No, no, no, no.
Starting point is 00:31:26 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. Get in here. Today, we have a very special guest with us. Our new super secret bestie is the diva of the people.
Starting point is 00:31:41 The diva of the people. I'm just like text your ex. My theory is that if you need to figure out that the stove is hot, go and touch it. Go and figure it out for yourself. Okay. That's us. That's us.
Starting point is 00:31:55 My name is Kerr. And I'm Maya. In each episode, we'll talk about love, friendship, heartbrates, men, and, of course, our favorite secrets. Listen to the Super Secret Bestie Club as a part of the My Cultura podcast network available on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Bethany Joy Lens. I'm Hillary Burton Morgan. And I'm Sophia Bush. And we are doing a virtual event in September in honor of One Tree Hill Day, September 23rd.
Starting point is 00:32:26 O-T-H Day for the O-T-H fam, and this podcast family is going to be benefiting kind campaign with this event. They work to end bullying in schools, and we just love them. That's right. The drama queens are so excited to hang out with you guys on our very special day. So all the information is going to go up on looped live.com. There is more information coming soon. That's L-O-O-O-P-E-D-Live.com. The drama queens are coming to you live from the iconic Beverly Hilton Hotel.
Starting point is 00:32:56 That's loopedlive.com for tickets. I mean, I'm assuming a lot of this is like new to you. When you're on the beach, you don't know, I mean, like you said, these are private conversations. Like, you didn't know all this was happening. So as you watch this back, you are, I mean, everybody already had very strong opinions, probably at the beach about Brennan and Piper. We saw the confrontation and we kind of saw those like things happening. But now that you watch it back, do you feel like even more validated in those? Is it shocking to you?
Starting point is 00:33:25 Is it like, like does it make you angry? How do you feel about it? I mean, it's shocking because I don't think anything like this has happened before, not that I can recall anyway. But it's also shocking because you would think that in a situation, in an environment where people are emotional, people are supposed to be, you know, wearing their hearts on their sleeves,
Starting point is 00:33:48 you would think that people would be more sensitive to that, that people would be gracious towards those who they are, directly affecting. And I don't believe that Brendan Riper were that way towards Natasha. Yeah, it fires you up. Makes my, uh, just there's so much about this show that just brings out aside of me. I don't like, um, but we did see, you know, yeah, it's so wild. I watch them. Just like you can't be doing this. Well, uh, just in your final question for you. So as you both, like you and Natasha both, uh, had a similar like thing happening in paradise. Did you lean on each for support at all or did you have support from people around you?
Starting point is 00:34:26 Did you feel like on the beach? I think obviously what we saw was essentially the whole beach kind of like rallying up behind me, which if I'm honest, I don't know if I anticipated that. I knew that I could rely on them if I wanted to sit and chat or if I wanted to just like vent that kind of thing. But to be quite frank, I think that the whole situation, especially the one with Chris, for example. Everyone kind of thinks that, oh, the only reason why they went after Chris or whatever is because of this one thing that happened at the party, which yes, even Chris has apologized
Starting point is 00:35:02 to me and he admits that it was messed up, that he could have handled it better. That wasn't the only reason. I think I would say there was a bit of a laundry list of other reasons why the guys felt some type of way about Chris. It wasn't something directly affecting, or directly to do with me, it was just kind of like a culmination of random instances that they felt a little put off by. So that altercate, what honestly was supposed to be a conversation turned a little bit into something else, but that was something that we had discussed there as well, but that, you know, wasn't aired.
Starting point is 00:35:38 But I think that for me, the way I see it is the whole Chris in Atlanta situation didn't have to go as far as it did, I feel. I think that there was a lot of miscommunication, but most importantly, there was just a lack of awareness in the sense that had Chris approached me at the party rather than avoided me the whole night, had he said, listen, because I remember in the episode, he literally says the moment he saw Atlanta, he felt some type of way. If that's the case, that's the moment where you pull me aside and you say, hey, I feel like this. This is what I'm thinking, I'm going to talk to her and I'm going to see if that's anything. Fine, that's okay.
Starting point is 00:36:20 Because at least I knew that he was holding my feelings in high regard and felt that he needed to handle things a certain way to make sure that I at least was aware of it versus avoiding me the entire night after he talked to Alana and I was the one who had to go towards him and talk to him. But it was frustrating because it's not like we could be anywhere quiet and private where we could have that intimate conversation and close that chapter. instead it was around other people it was a lot of music playing it was hard to navigate that and I think that's ultimately what kind of hurt me the most yeah I could imagine that was a tough thing to watch
Starting point is 00:36:57 now and I get an idea but what was like so you said there's a few things like a laundry list of things that the guys were upset about do you mind sharing any of those like what kind of behaviors were they were they like frustrated with um I think there was there was a point where um Ivan had mentioned how you, you know, Chris would discuss a lot about social media and such. And listen, I'm going to be completely honest with you. I think that social media is a given. We're on a public platform at this point. Followers is something that's bound to happen.
Starting point is 00:37:30 But it's kind of like a, you know that's not something you talk about. Much less on camera when you're miced. So obviously, those were things, conversations that the guys were having with Chris. So I wouldn't know all of the details for that. can't speak on it too much. But I think it's just like that and a few other things that I think because it wasn't air, it's not something that I can really dive into. Fair enough.
Starting point is 00:37:57 Fair enough. It's always worth asking. It's always interesting. There's always stuff happening behind the scenes. Social media seems to be a common topic these days when it comes to paradise. Are you and Chris, like have you spoken? Are you guys good? I haven't spoken to Chris
Starting point is 00:38:15 He did reach out to me a little after Paradise Once we're all home And he did apologize He did admit that he could have handled it better Which I appreciated And you know I let him know Like I honest I don't want to hold any resentment towards you Like it's fine I appreciate you reaching out
Starting point is 00:38:31 That kind of thing And Atlanta even had reached out to me Although I personally I mean I appreciated her apologizing to me But I remember after the fact feeling like, I didn't think she actually owed me one, only because towards the end of it, I was starting to question if she really had any idea of what was going on. You know, it felt so like she had literally just arrived and left.
Starting point is 00:38:59 Like, it wasn't like she was there long enough to really know what was happening. So part of me just feel like perhaps she didn't have much to do with anything. But obviously, I mean, I don't know what their conversations are like. I can't just like assume. But I actually did reach out to her recently just to say, you know, obviously when you play when you watch something play out, when conversations are emotionally charged, things are bound to go a little off the walls. And so I remember watching back and seeing how I had completely cut her off and disregarded
Starting point is 00:39:33 her. And I was honestly very embarrassed by that because I was so focused on how I was feeling that in that moment, I just disregarded what she had to say. And it didn't feel like she had anything else to add because what was done was done, you know? But I do feel, I did feel like I think a lot of things could have been avoided had I let her speak to perhaps hear her side and see if maybe there was some kind of missing piece that none of us, you know, could find. So I did reach out to her and apologize to her for that. And so, but yeah, I think all in all, like I, it was a sticky situation. And I think certain things could have played out differently.
Starting point is 00:40:12 I also am aware of certain people, not anything to do with Chris, myself, or Alana, are people that I personally don't think that I really want to be associated with anymore because I think they were part of what kind of fueled the fire a bit. Yeah. Well, I hope personally that you can find a way to enjoy the last few moments
Starting point is 00:40:37 of having these conversations. It was a pleasure to watch you on television. It's a pleasure to have you here with us. Thanks for chatting for a bit, for hanging out. And I'm going to speak for Ashley here, who is on a flight right now, so not. But yeah, big fans of you and watching your experience. So thanks for coming to Almost Famous Podcast.
Starting point is 00:40:59 We all appreciate it. Awesome. Thank you for having me. Follow the Ben and Ashley I, Almost Famous Podcasts on iHeartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to 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.
Starting point is 00:41:23 But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh my God, perfect. And want to hear people with mental illness, psychobabble. Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercoms the podcast. podcast for you. Open your free IHeartRadio app, search emergency intercom, and listen now. I just normally do straight stand-up, but this is a bit different. What do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? Answer, a new podcast called Wisecrack, where a comedian
Starting point is 00:41:51 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. Why are TSA rules so confusing? You got a hood of you. I'll take it off. I'm Mani. I'm Noah. This is Devin.
Starting point is 00:42:17 And we're best friends and journalists with a new podcast called No Such Thing, where we get to the bottom of questions like that. Why are you screaming? I can't expect what to do. Now, if the rule was the same, go off on me. I deserve it. You know, lock him up. Listen to No Such Thing on the I Heart Radio app. Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Starting point is 00:42:37 No such thing. I'm Dr. Joy Hardin-Bradford, host of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast. I know how overwhelming it can feel if flying makes you anxious. In session 418 of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast, Dr. Angela Nealbarnett and I discuss flight anxiety. What is not a norm is to allow it to prevent you from doing the things that you want to do, the things that you were meant to do. Listen to Therapy for Black Girls on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. The Super Secret Bestie Club podcast season four is here.
Starting point is 00:43:14 And we're locked in. That means more juicy chisement. Terrible love advice. Evil spells to cast on your ex. No, no, no, no, we're not doing that this season. Oh. Well, this season, we're leveling up. Each episode will feature a special bestie, and you're not going to want to miss it.
Starting point is 00:43:29 My name is Curley. And I'm Maya. Get in here. Listen to the Super Secret Festi Club on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast.

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