The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Beyond The Bachelor: Clay Walker

Episode Date: May 24, 2024

Susie Evans is taking you Beyond the Bachelor and going back to Ben Flajnik’s season with the person behind one of the most memorable moments! Country singer Clay Walker is here and ready to share his memories of serenading Ben and Jennifer on their one-on-one date! Clay shares some behind the scenes secrets from his time on the show, and we get into all the drama that stirred up after he hit the stage! Plus, find out how his appearance on The Bachelor helped score major points with the woman who got Clay’s final rose.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.

Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your... free I Heart Radio app, search emergency intercom, and listen now. Hi, it's Honey German, and I'm back with season two of my podcast. Grazias, come again.

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

with a little bit of cheesement and a whole lot of laughs. And of course, the great Vibras you've come to expect. Listen to the new season of Dresses Come Again on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Every case that is a cold case that has DNA. Right now in a backlog will be identified in our lifetime. On the new podcast, America's Crime Lab, every case has a story to tell. And the DNA holds the truth. He never thought he was going to get caught.

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Each week we talk to fellow survivors, former believers, and experts to understand why people get pulled in and how they get out. Trust me, new episodes every Wednesday on exactly right. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. This is Almost Famous Beyond the Bachelor with Susie Evans. Hey guys and welcome back to Beyond the Bachelor. This is your host, Susie Evans. Today I'm joined by Clay Walker, who was on Ben Flanick's season of The Bachelor. I personally did not watch this episode, so I'm really excited because rumor has it, but on the episode,

Clay serenades one couple, and Emily's competitive strategy causes a firestorm. So we're going to get the scoop today on this episode. I'm going into it a little blind because I have not seen that episode, but I'm really excited to learn all the behind-the-scenes details and everything that he can share with us. Hey, Susie, how you doing this morning?

Hi, I'm good. How are you? Great. Thank you for having me on. Absolutely. Rumor has it. When you performed on the show, it kind of stirred up a bit of drama or possibly there was some dramatics happening in the house around that time. Do you have any memories of this or behind the scenes info that you want to start the show off with and tell us? Me in my own house or their house? No, no. In the bachelor house. well i you know i i i just remember the show being really really well done and that uh you know the girl who was on the show was a was a fan of mine and so the batch wasn't to surprise her and it did in a great way and i don't know how they kept it a surprise you know that long but it's hard to keep surprises but i i can remember the uh it was in colorado It's been a minute, but I think the whole group was very excited, you know, for the performance. And the song was big at the time, and so she won't be longly long.

But I want to say that her favorite song was maybe hypnotized the moon that may have been it. But like I said, it's been a while, so I may get that wrong. But both of them were over the top and super hot. hospitable and super excited, and I thought that the crew and the production team were quite amazing, you know, and a lot of times, you know, those things can be so cheesy or just, you know, just feel weird, you know, but that felt, felt right. Oh, that's so cool. It's got to be so unique to be able to showcase your music on a reality show. I'm sure it's very different from what you normally experience, whether you're touring or

recording music, how did this opportunity come about? And what was your initial reaction when you either received the call or got the information that you were going to be doing a performance on the show? Well, two things happened kind of simultaneously. There was another request for me to play the Hearst wedding, which was quite exciting at itself. And so there was this, I guess, you go through these cycles, you know, where either you're kind of kind of popular or there's a buzz or something you know is going on for you and and so there are media requests or requests like that and and uh you know everyone knows about the bachelor you know i mean that that that show has been around and it's been very popular for good reason

because everyone's curious you know about you know what are the inside you know actions and thoughts and private actions of, of individuals, rather than male or female. And so there were a lot of intriguing moments, you know, that were coming out in these, in these series of shows like that. And, and of course, I was intrigued. And then when they made their request, I was like, this is really cool because it actually signals, you know, that there's a popularity, like, you know, your project with a popular group. And so it was flattering.

And I was excited to go do it. Yeah, that's really cool. Did anything unexpected come from the opportunity? Like, did other collaborations happen or just anything that sparked a new path in your career based on being on the show? You know, one thing generally does build off of another. For example, we just were at the Academy of Country Music Awards with Randy Travis. and it was, you know, the AP picked it up and, you know, there was a lot of subsequent media excitement around us and it's still going.

But in that particular case, I can't remember because, like I said, it's been some years since we've done that. I don't really remember how exact, do you know what year it was that we actually did that? 2012. There you go. So I can't remember, you know, exactly what followed that. I just, I remember that a lot of people saw it, you know, and typically, you know, I mean, I've had the same phone number for, gosh, 20-something years. And so, you know, that my phone was blowing up like crazy.

And then, you know, when I sang at the World Series, you know, for baseball, you know, I got, I got texts blowing up. The other night when I was on the A-Sam Awards, there were people, you know, blowing my phone up. So it had that same effect. You know, I'm not sure what it all happened because of it. But it's always good to get good media, you know, especially when you're. don't watch it. That's too funny.

I think I'm curious if being on the show, even for the segment, just the segment that you were on, did it influence your love life at all? Were you married at the time when you were on the show? Did it re-spark the romance in your life? What did that look like? So my wife is 13 years younger than I am, and she, She was a huge fan of The Bachelor. So when I told her about, you know, getting the invitation, of course, she was over the top, you know, all of her friends, everyone talking about it.

And, and, you know, guys, I think, you know, like me, it's like those kind of shows, you know, we'd never admit to liking any piece of it at all. You know, it's like, and honestly, I don't watch TV, you know, other than sports. I was like called for ESPN. And so, so, but I knew that it was a big deal to my wife. And so I, I absolutely was excited about the opportunity. But yes, among her friend group, you know, they all lived in New York for, I think, three or four years. And they watched sex in the city every week, you know, and all the, all the stuff that guys

would call trash. And, but it, but it's. it's a fun indulgence, you know, and so she was super excited at anything that gets her excited to come and gets me excited too. And I, and, you know, we've always, we've always had a great love life, you know, so, so it's, uh, did it enhance it any? Uh, probably added some excitement to our life, yes, but, but, but she's, she's, yeah, I think I'll leave that answer alone. That's awesome. I can't, I can't imagine, um, yeah, your signature. other gets a call to perform on one of your favorite TV shows. That's pretty cool.

I remember one of her most exciting moments is she had the worst crush on Luke Perry. And we were on an airplane one time and he was sitting close by us and we walked through. And he recognized me and shook my hand as he walked on a plane. I thought my wife was going to fall down, you know. And there was another time that we were at the Kentucky Derby and Tom Brady was at our table. the derby, you know, at the actual race. So we were hanging out for, you know, four or five hours. And I think she was just like, you know, it is kind of overwhelming, you know, whenever you are, you get around some folks like that. And it's not all the time. You know,

we have friends that are, that are celebrities. And that's cool. But when you get around somebody that you grew up loving, you know, or idolized in any kind of way, it is a, it is shock, you know, and especially when they're, when they're nice, it really just goes over and just magnifies the way you always felt at the bottom, you know. That's so nice. I've found since moving to L.A. that there's people that I have either followed or seen or consumed their content on social media and I'll see them places, and I have this weird feeling of feeling like I know that person and almost wanting to go up to them as a friend.

But the reality is that person actually doesn't know me. Like, it's only a one-way street. And I kind of feel like that juxtaposition with being in L.A. and stuff like that. It's a really cool thing, but you're like, oh, this is so weird. I know so much about you, but you don't know anything about me. But it's kind of fun when you get to have those experiences. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious. Well, wait a minute, Sam.

Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend has been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now, he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone. Now, hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That sounds totally inappropriate.

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

Imagine that you're on an airplane, and all of a sudden you hear this. Attention passengers. The pilot is having an emergency, and we need someone, anyone, to land this plane. Think you could do it? It turns out that nearly 50% of men think that they could leave. land the plane with the help of air traffic control. And they're saying like, okay, pull this, until this, pull that, turn this. It's just, I can do it my eyes close.

I'm Mani. I'm Noah. This is Devin. And on our new show, no such thing, we get to the bottom of questions like these. Join us as we talk to the leading expert on overconfidence. Those who lack expertise lack the expertise they need to recognize that they lack expertise. And then, as we try the whole thing out for real.

Wait, what? Oh, that's the run right. I'm looking at this thing. Listen to No Such Thing on the 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... 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. Hola, it's HoneyGerman.

And my podcast, Grasias Come Again, is back. This season, we're going even deeper into the world of music and entertainment with raw and honest conversations with some of your favorite Latin artists and celebrities. You didn't have to audition? No, I didn't audition. I haven't auditioned in like over 25 years. Oh, wow. That's a real G-talk right there.

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

And of course, we'll explore deeper topics dealing with identity, struggles, and all the issues affecting our Latin community. You feel like you get a little whitewash because you have to do the code switching? I won't say whitewash because at the end of the day, you know, I'm me. But the whole pretending and coat, you know, it takes a toll on you. Listen to the new season of Grasas Has Come Again as part of My Cultura Podcast Network on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

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

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

Yep. From Virginia, I moved to L.A. about a year ago. From one coast to the other. The opposite side. Yeah. I've dabbled in reality television myself, but I'm curious. I think that the entertainment industry often blurs lines between reality and perception. How do you maintain that authenticity being an artist, especially after going on a reality show,

even for a short stint, but also just living a more public lifestyle? I'm sure you've experienced either headlines or articles and things like that. How do you stay true to yourself and live an authentic life? I think I recognized a long time ago that I have a core group of fans that, and fans really pick up on the little nuances of an artist when they're real fans. They watch just about everything. They consume just about everything. When you ask you about authenticity, I think I've always been that way, and that is what has endeared to fans to me.

But my folks, my family, you know, and they didn't tolerate rude behavior when I was growing up. You know, you had to do your part. And so I think that shows in who I am and who I've always been. Yeah, that's awesome. I can say from personal experience and having friends that have more public lives, I feel like it can be so emotionally damaging when you experience a hardship with all the public watching. It's so much more complicated than I feel like anybody ever assumes or knows. And a lot of times you want to defend yourself or you want to say,

hey there's more to this than what you guys are discussing online or what you guys may have seen or heard but sometimes the best thing to do is just to you know stay in your lane and stay authentic to yourself and know that if you've you know carried yourself and conducted yourself in a way that you're you know proud of then that's really all you can do and it's it sounds like your fan base has seen that over the years and really respected that I think you're spot on with that. And I think it's, it's harder and harder, you know, for people to have any kind of privacy. And, and, and, but that's, that's part of the game. I mean, that's, that's where we are. And that's okay. I mean, if you, if you want to be in public life, then you've got to be ready

for the scrutiny. You've got to be ready for people calling you out for your mistakes. And I think that's, I think that's good. You know, I don't, I don't, I don't see the, bad in that um uh i i do love the internet from the standpoint that we are we are able to see you know raw talent out there way more readily and it's probably always been there you know we just we just haven't had the the platforms and you know i love all the social media platforms and i love what they can do for people you know exposing greatness and uh you know that that's that's that's good for consumers, you know, to not just have one place they can go find something that they relate to, you know, or identify with. And I, for one, you know, have seen a lot of talent on

the internet and just go, wow, man, this is, it's just stacked up, you know, and then it's fun, too, and it's immediate. Of course, like anything else, like conversations in a crowd, you know, things can get bad, you know, there can be bad content, but you got to know how to get through that. But for the most part, you know, we're all given a certain amount of time to live and, and a certain era to live in. And it's, you know, I think the question is, what are you going to do with it? What do you do with the era that you're, that you're living in? That's your era, you know, and what are you going to do with that a little bit of time you have? And that's up to you as well. Yeah, absolutely.

I'm curious, when you see those people online that are super talented and you're just blown away and you're like, dang, this is some person who just had a camera or somebody who was recording them, what advice would you give to somebody like that if they're wanting to have a career in the music industry? I feel like being from a small town, a small area, this whole world is wild to me. And I didn't even know what was out there until I was out here is how I feel sometimes. and I'm curious, what would you say to somebody who's trying to break into the music industry who has that raw talent, but they just don't know what to do or where to be? Well, I would say that any industry does a better, especially if it's in entertainment, and that includes TV, movies, record labels, or, you know, music. Most people had this idea that once they get discovered, you know, by one of these, somebody in that industry that things are going to be better, you know, that that's the instant thought.

But what they need to be aware of is, first of all, if someone spots you and thinks you have talent, then that's a good thing. it's the start of a conversation. But it's just like this filter or funnel. Don't be ready to just sign up with that person, the first person that saw you. It's like high school, you know, like you're in ninth grade, you're a freshman, you're walking down the hallway,

and the guy notices you. And all of a sudden, you're going to be with that guy four years, and then, you know, your senior year, you're going, oh, my gosh, you know, Michael was the guy. guy. That's the guy. I mean, I've always been in love with him, but I went with David. You know what I'm And the world is just like that. It's just like high school, you know, and there's bad principles and

good principals. You know, there's bad teachers and good teachers. And you really have to take your time with it, even though you're so excited that someone noticed you. If you don't wait, you're most likely going to miss the bigger or the biggest opportunity that could happen for you. And waiting is the hardest thing in everything. Waiting, waiting to, you know, to give yourself away, waiting for a boyfriend, the right one, waiting. It is seriously the hardest thing on earth to do. And so I would say, if you're good enough to be spotted by one person in an industry,

You're good enough to be spotted by the rest of them because they're looking to. And you should not just jump on the first opportunity that hits you. That's good advice. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly and now I'm seriously suspicious. Wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast. So we'll find out soon.

This person writes, my boyfriend has been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone. Now hold up, isn't that against school policy? That sounds totally inappropriate. Well, according to this person, this is her boyfriend's former professor and they're the same age. And it's even more likely that they're cheating. He insists there's nothing between them.

I mean, do you believe him? Well, he's certainly trying to get this person to believe him because he now wants them both to meet. So, do we find out if this person's boyfriend really cheated with his professor or not? To hear the explosive finale, listen to the OK. K Storytime Podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, my name is Enya Yumanzoor. And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom.

If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you. But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh my God, perfect. And want to hear people with mental illness, psycho babble. Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your... free iHeartRadio app search emergency

internetcom and listen now imagine that you're on an airplane and all of a sudden you hear this attention passengers the pilot is having an emergency and we need someone anyone to land this plane think you could do it it turns out that nearly

50% of men think that they could land the plane with the help of air traffic control and they're saying like okay pull this do this pull that turn this it's just I can do my eyes close I'm Mani. I'm Noah. This is Devon.

And on our new show, No Such Thing, we get to the bottom of questions like these. Join us as we talk to the leading expert on overconfidence. Those who lack expertise lack the expertise they need to recognize that they lack expertise. And then, as we try the whole thing out for real. Wait, what? Oh, that's the run right.

I'm looking at this thing. See? Listen to No Such Thing on the IHeart Radio 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. unexpected 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 Eye Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your entire identity has been fabricated. Your beloved brother goes missing without a trace. You discover the depths of your mother's illness, the way it has echoed and reverberated

throughout your life, impacting your very legacy. Hi, I'm Danny Shapiro. And these are just a few of the profound and powerful stories I'll be mining on our 12th season of Family Secrets. With over 37 million downloads, we continue to be moved and inspired by our guests and their courageously told stories. I can't wait to share 10 powerful new episodes with you, stories of tangled up identities, concealed truths, and the way in which family secrets almost always need to be told.

I hope you'll join me and my extraordinary guests for this new season of Family Secrets. Listen to Family Secrets Season 12 on the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So what do you see for yourself professionally and personally over the next few years? What is like the five-year vision and plan? Well, you know, all those things I just said, I made every mistake that I just told you. Every single one of them I made it even in high school. So, you know, it's one thing to be able to have the wisdom to look back and say it, but I have it from the experience.

You know, if one person hears me about it, great, you know, what am I doing from here forward is now that I've been in this industry for, you know, a couple decades, I've got a team of people. And this is the most important thing I could say to anybody wanting to get in the entertainment business. you cannot, will not, never succeed on your own. It is the team that surrounds you, and I've got that team now. I've got an unbelievable manager. And when I say unbelievable, I'm not just talking about as a person. It's somebody who understands the inner workings of the industry and knows how to help guide your career.

through those gates and they're it's gated you know this is a gated community and in every possible way and when you you see lany wilson when an entertainer of the year man she is a phenomenal talent i mean i i was blown away by her does she deserve it 100 would she have gotten it if she didn't have great management or great label not a chance not one chance um it's who's in their writing for you. You know, I've got a great publicist in Zach Farnham. And, you know, that's why I'm on this interview with you today. And so it is, it's a team. It's not just anybody. It's, you've got to wait, seek out and know who can get stuff done. And they have a track record, you know. As the Bible says, you'll know them by their fruits. The people in the business, you'll know them by what

they've done. And so that's, that's, that's, that's, that's my advice to people and I'm taking it myself now, you know, so I think there's a lot of career left for me. I don't know exactly what it entails, but, but I, I think there's some things that I have never done that are, that are coming up. I can't say exactly what they are because it's kind of a secret, but there's some big things coming that, that people will see and go, good gracious, I didn't expect that, you know, And that's always good to surprise people if it's a positive. Yeah, that's so awesome. When you were saying that, it really reminded me when I was pursuing something several years ago, I kind of adopted this phrase.

And it was, if you want to go fast, you go alone, but if you want to go far, you go together. And I always held on to that because it did feel like being patient and waiting and having a great team was it was a hard thing to do because you're collecting different people. with different skill sets and all these different things. But if you just want to do it yourself, yeah, it might happen quicker, but you might not have as much longevity. And it was, it rang so true and it stayed true. But just hearing you say that, I was like, oh, I need to think back on that phrase more often because it got me through some stuff a few years ago when I was pursuing some passions.

Well, I can tell that your sincerity is real. And, you know, stay true. You know, remember, you know, how you grew. remember your household, no matter if there were rough times or not. And hopefully there were some rough times because those are the things that help you through life. And, you know, it's not the great times that you learn from. It's the hard times. And, you know, I would say that L.A. is probably the hardest place in the world to really be. I've been there a few times. And there are very few sincere people there. You know, New York is so much different. I mean,

You know, to me, New York was, I was so, people go, hey, you like New York City. I go, I love New York City. I'll tell you to kiss off than to help you there. And, you know, they don't hold up a door for anybody to walk through. I mean, they're just real. Yeah, that's true. They're mean. Yeah.

And nobody is trying to tell you how great you are and how much they want to help you and just be lying to you, you know. So anyway, that was my perspective of the difference. just between the Big Apple and the L.A. You're out there in a den of lions. It's a big herbal. Well, before we wrap, I wanted to ask you a few more Bachelor-related questions, since I'm sure that people are curious.

After filming the show, did you have anybody come up to you and recognize you specifically from the show and have, did you have like a fun fan encounter that you maybe wouldn't have had if you hadn't performed on the show? I did. And that is something that is surprising to me. And that's how you know that you should have done it. I didn't even, I ran into probably for at least three or four weeks.

I would run into people at a restaurant or whatever. And they said, you were on The Bachelor and they're not even a country fan. But, you know, I noticed the same thing when I started TikTok. You know, I was one of the first country artists that started TikTok. And there's this, I was in Beaumont, Texas, you know, where I was. where I was raised and I went in this restaurant and, uh, and this, these girls walked up to me and they said, you're, you're Clay Walker. And I go, yeah, and I said, and they go, well, they go, why are you here? And I go, what do you mean? Why am I

here? You know, and they go, where are you from? I go, I'm from here. I mean, they didn't know that I'm from the same hometown that they were not country fans. But so I realized, that, you know, that some of these platforms, especially like The Bachelor. And the Bachelor is what started that for me. You know, they need to ask the first time I noticed anything like that. But that's a great question. And it's something that I had actually forgotten about. But it happened in restaurants, you know, that I would walk into people go, you're on

the Bachelor. I'd be like, yeah. That is so funny. I feel like we've done a few of these interviews now. And it sounds like that's a common thing where people have either a niche of music that they're in and they have a really strong fan base and they're like, I'm still shocked by how far spread the Bachelor Nation fan base goes. And I think it's so cool because it brings people together. I'm curious. So Ben ended up picking Courtney Robertson on the show. And I wasn't,

I'm not sure if you watched the season back or not, but did you have any inklings about him picking her? No. It was, it was kind of a surprise. But, but, uh, but, but, um, but, But I didn't have any eklings about it. You know, those shows, I think, are, first of all, there needs to be some kind of shock factor, you know, in those shows. And that's what keeps them interesting. You know, you can't believe someone cheated, you know, or snuck out when they weren't supposed to and things like that. And that's what keeps us watching because I think everyone has a certain amount of wickedness in them, rather than they admit it or not. And so it's like when it gets exposed, you know, it's like, oh, my gosh, you know, but not that anything was wicked about Bachelor, but I'm just saying that it's, you know, I'm intrigued by, I mean, I'm more intrigued by how curious people are and how many people watch it. It's just, it's insane. I mean, most shows do not, cannot last, you know,

four or five seasons. I think eight seems to be a magic number for the big ones. And the fact that this has been going for 20-something seasons is, I mean, that's, that's miraculous. You know, so they're doing something right there, you know, the format, the ingredients, the, I guess it's a lot of the raw reality is what, it was what attracts people so much. And, you know, kudos to them. They've done great job. That's awesome. So lastly, And we kind of touched on this earlier, but my last question was, what advice would you offer to your younger self as an aspiring musician, finding yourself in situations like navigating fame, relationships, and the entertainment industry? Most of my advice to my younger self would be what I laid out earlier, you know, about waiting and being patient. Because when it says good things come to those who wait, it's really probably the most.

honest, you know, secular proverb I've ever heard in my life, you know, that when you wait, something better is going to come along. I know a lot of times when I've been offered either tours or, you know, or a gig somewhere, and I said no a lot, most of the time, most of the time, something better came along. And same way with relationships, you know, when you just, when you say no, and, And you absolutely wait. I mean, like almost every time, something better is coming. And so I would say again, you know, that patience is the key, like I would have said that to my young self.

I'm saying it to myself now, you know, and like I said, I made all of those faults, all those fallacies that happened. And I got myself in a lot of trouble, you know, with the wrong people. And I'm talking about in business. And now it's really in such a great place that now I'm just telling myself, you know, hold a line and have the fortitude to go with the team you have. They're the right ones. You've got the right people and great things are going to happen. So that's exactly where I am now. But it just takes a while.

That's awesome. Well, thank you so much for joining us today. We appreciate you taking time to chat and give us the inside scoop. and your life and your experience on The Bachelor and all the good stuff we got to chat about. So thank you. Well, Susie, you've been absolutely a joy to do the interview with. And anytime you want a song, we'll be there.

Oh, thank you so much. 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.

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