The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Call Me!

Episode Date: January 4, 2025

Kelly gives us all the details of her first flirty phone call with Mr. Tennis and explains why she's sharing this possible love connection experience with the listeners in real-time. Email us at: [e-mail] or call us at 844-4-I Do Pod (844-443-6763)Follow I Do, Part 2 on Instagram and TikTokSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Let's start with a quick puzzle. The answer is Ken Jennings' appearance on The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs. The question is, what is the most entertaining listening experience in podcast land? Jeopardy-truthers believe in... I guess they would be conspiracy theorists. That's right. They gave you the answers, and you still blew it.

The Puzzler. Listen on the I-Heart. 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. 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. now. Listen to Wisecrack on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. with Amy Sugarman and Heather Mundy sent me up with this really great guy. And I can't wait to

tell you everything. Hi, Kelly. Heather. Um, so first of all, we have to dive in because I believe you had a phone date with Mr. Tennis. Um, and if you don't know who Mr. Tennis is or what we're talking about, you definitely need to go back and listen to the last episode where we gave all the intel on that. But, okay, so first of all, you had your phone date with Mr. Tennis. Tell me everything. Okay, so Mr. Tennis, we were supposed to talk last night. I was working until like 8.30 and we were supposed to talk last night. He's in L.A. and I'm in New York. And he was like, no problem. So hoop number one, I was like, you have a certain amount of time to talk to me. No problem. He called. I had my phone on silent because I was doing a podcast. So I had my phone on silent so I didn't

see his call. And I was like watching like some TV show and I looked at my phone. I was like, I'm just going to text him. And it was literally like 1245 in the morning here. And I'm just like, hi, sorry, Mr. phone call. I, you know, my phone. I was like, I just wanted to let him, I just wanted to let him know that I was responding because he had made the effort. And I wanted him to know, like, you know, I'm a, I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a jerk. And so like, I'm going to just respond and be like, hey, sorry, my phone was literally on silent. But I'm up. So if you want to talk. And then I was like, talk question mark. And then I'm like, I was going to call him. So I called him and I left to him a message. So then he didn't answer. He didn't answer. But this is something

I never ever ever do. First of all, I'm not a phone person. I'm a texting person. So, you know, this is like so out of my wheelhouse. But I was just like it's fine. And then I was like, let's talk tomorrow morning. Wait, wait, wait, wait, go back. Did you leave him a message when you called him on the phone? Yes. And I said, let's speak tomorrow morning because I have to leave for to go skiing at 11, you know, New York time.

And so he was like, okay, I'll call you at 7.30 L.A. time. I was like, wow, okay. Like it's the holiday week. It's a big week for people. most people are off and I just thought it was really great that he was just like hoop one number one hoop number two like didn't care like it's just like yeah no problem I also really like the pace of communication right he's not leaving you on red he's not not returning you know all those kind of tropes that people think that you have to do in the dating scene you have to wait three days to call somebody back or wait two hours before you respond to a text he's not doing any of that you know what i mean which i love i love this so way to go mr tennis okay so tell me then what happens so we start to talk and he's a very you can tell immediately he's a very educated human just by the way he talks um how he talks the subject matter what did you think of his voice

when you heard his voice on the other end of that call was it like deep and sexy was it like I don't know. What did he sound like? You can tell that he talks a lot on the phone. He's got a great, like, game on the phone. Okay. Very charismatic, very easy on the phone. Again, like, I'm a texter.

So, like, I can text you until you're blue in the face. But to talk to me on the phone, I'm like, oh, my God, okay. I like it. For some reason, you know, because he was vetted by you, And Amy, I just feel like I just want to be open with him too. And so this is something I would never do. But I was just like, I need you to know who I am from my mouth so that we can just like have fun.

And he was like, okay, it was like, shoot, tell me whatever. And so I told him about, you know, not getting married and why and, you know, not that I'm like, you know, money hungry. I just was protecting my kids. And so we had a really, really nice conversation about all of that. And we talked about his kids, and we talked about his ex-wife, and we talked about where he grew up. And, you know, his parents have been together forever.

My parents were together. So we had a lot of, like, common upbringing, which I think means a lot to people. You know, he's like, I like to play tennis. I'm an athlete. I'm like, I have athletic tendencies, but I wouldn't say I'm like an athlete. I just am like, you know, I like to go for a run. That doesn't mean I'm like, you know, an all-star athlete. But he's just got a lot of the similar, we have like a similar upbringing, which really makes things, like it was just very easy to communicate with him. I thought it was talking to someone I had known for a long time. Okay. Was there flirting happening on the phone?

it was like I wouldn't say I was like alerting but I was like doing things I wouldn't normally do like I made a coffee and I was just talking to him like I was I wasn't sitting down and then I got my pick my dogs up but I took them to the walk them to the dog park we're outside and I was just like it was like a real life conversation which normally again like if I'm if anyone is taking me out of date or trying to talk to me I'm usually really

really, really buttoned up because I'm like, they have all these preconceived notions, they think I'm crazy, they think I'm this, they're like, you know, why isn't she been married after all this time? What's wrong with her? So like, I just like self-sabotaged myself like crazy and so I just don't say anything, which makes a lot of guys think that I'm like, you know, they're like they're getting mixed messages because I'm friendly, but then I'm super reserved. So they're like, you are like, you have so many, you know, barriers and boundaries. Was he flirting with you? I think he was just trying to, like, get a sense of, like, who I am, what I, what my, what my possibilities are. Like, I mean, obviously he lives in California.

Obviously, I live in New York. So, like, what does that look like? I think he was just like, okay, he was like, you're a real, you're a cool chick. He's like, and I don't mean that. Like, He's like, you're just like really cool, easy and fun and like, I'm like, I'm just, I'm just ready for my next chapter, like really ready. And I know people are like, my second chapter is going to be like this. I don't have any preconceived notions of like what that looks like. I just know that I don't, I want to be in an environment where I can trust someone and I can just like feel good about feeling good. Like that's my whole 2025 forward thinking. 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, psychobble. Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your free iHeartRadio app, search emergency intercom, and listen now. 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. He 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 Othrum, the Houston Lab that takes on the most hopeless cases, to finally solve the unsolvable. Listen to America's Crime Lab on the the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. My name is Ed. Everyone say, hello, Ed. 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. 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, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. So tell me, like, did you guys make plans for your first date in real life? Yes. Well, he says to me very sweet. He was like, you know, he was like, I know you're talking about me. And I'm like, yes, I'm talking about you because I want the world to know, first of all,

One reason that I'm talking about this in real time is because I want the world to know that there's nothing wrong with being vulnerable and there's nothing wrong with taking a risk. And there's nothing wrong with doing something you might necessarily think that's not the right thing for you because it doesn't check all those boxes that everyone's checking. And so I don't need to check a box. I just want to enjoy my life. I've raised my kids on my own. I've like gotten more degrees and licenses than,

I know what to do with. I have this like laundry list of like all of these accolades, but I don't have trust. So what am I going to do? Like, am I going to lay in my casket with like my real estate licenses? Or am I going to be smiling and happy? I vote for smiling and happy. Me too. Thank you.

And also in 2025, right, it's about like you said, doing things that, you know, maybe you normally he wouldn't do. Maybe you normally wouldn't date a guy that's on the other side of the country. But maybe we just need to switch it up a bit, you know, and try something new. And it's not like he never comes to New York. He has not only a reason now, but he also works there. So it kind of makes sense in, you know, an interesting way. I think that there's a lot here. So wait, so go back. Tell me about what's the plan for the first date. So he's, He's like, we're definitely doing something in the new year. And he was like, you know, your offices are at Iheart and my offices are right around the corner. And he also works with someone in it. He works in the entertainment space. And so, and one of my really close friends who I went to college with does something similar. So he understands like my life. And he understands too, you know, when you're like, when I tell people that I started modeling when I was 15, they're like, wow. I'm like, no. no no no wow like no like teaching yourself latin at 15 because you're like traveling to

Mauritius with you know by yourself like that's not a wow that's a okay like that was your path that's like when you have like someone that was like on television when they were younger it's like that's part of their narrative it's not a wow it's like a oh well you had that opportunity and some people do things with it and some people don't And he really kind of understood that it's been really challenging for me to continue to pivot to provide for my kids. And he was very, like, very, very, very, very sweet and very understanding. What would you say was, like, your favorite part of the conversation? Like, what are you taking away from, like, that was there a moment?

Was there, did he make you laugh? Was there a story he told you about himself that you were like, I think. think this is why I want to talk or get to know Mr. Tennis a little bit more. I want to get to know Mr. Tennis a little bit more because he spoke about when his kids were young and he got divorced. And instead of moving into like, you know, an equally big house, he moved into a smaller apartment and he was with his kids in this environment that was a far away from, you know, where his ex-wife was because he wanted his children to have their home. And to this day, he's like, his two kids are like, oh, my God, remember when we live

there and how much fun that was? And I really appreciate the fact that he got divorced and made a concerted effort to ensure, like, the genuine wellness of his children by, like, having a small environment so that everyone was together and it was like a big hug. And I know what that feels like because I'm in that hug space right now with my little apartment. I love being here. I mean, I just love it. And so it was just really, um, it just felt good. It just felt good to hear that from a man. And it wasn't like, I'm a single parent and I do everything and blah blah my ex-five. It was not that. It was all about how he could make his children feel safe. Mm-hmm. And what do you think about dating a guy long distance that also has kids that are maybe not

as old as your kids? Like, what do you think about that? So I always wanted, like, a farm of children. I love, love kids. And I, that's one of my biggest regrets is that I didn't have more kids. And I know my two girls would be like, Mom, but I really, I love children. I just really appreciate them and their minds and just like, I just love children so much. And so I wish that I had had more. I just wasn't with the right people that I was in an environment where I could, you know, be what, you know, make, have more children. So I really regret that. So that's one thing.

And to hear him talk about his kids just really made me, like, very happy. And I love that. I love that. I'm a mama bear. That's like who I am. Like, that's my first, you know, people are like, I'm a multi-hyphenate. I'm like, I guess I am, but I'm not really. I'm a mama bear.

I think that's great. And I love that you guys are connecting on something that is so foundational to both of you, right? Which is being a parent, being an active parent in your kids' lives, I think that's really amazing. Tell me, so we're going to have our first IRL date in the new year. I love that. But between now and then, what's the plan? Are you, do you guys have another phone date set up? I know you're about to leave on a ski trip.

Like, what are you thinking about doing or what's the next step? Well, he was just very sweet too. And he was like, listen, he is like, I want to talk to you. He's like, you know, I know you're going to be in Vermont with your kids. But like, I'm here and I'd love to talk to you and call you and send me pictures. And, you know, it's everything safe with me. You can do, you know, whatever you want to do. You can't, I mean, obviously just like not being weird.

But he was just like, he loved the fact that I sent him a little video with Tarzan and I. I love it. Can I make a suggestion for that one? Okay, let's think about this. Maybe it's, when you're in Vermont, maybe it's a little like, Opry-Ski little wine FaceTime or something together. You know, maybe the kids are off doing something

and Kelly's back at the lodge by herself, or maybe it's like a little, I don't know, a fondue date, FaceTime or a little, or a little cooking, like maybe you're cooking dinner and you have him on FaceTime and like he's chatting with you about like your day on the slopes or something. Like I think it's, I don't think it's inappropriate now that there's been an initial great phone call to then follow that up with like a cute little FaceTime mini date prior to the IRL date. I love that. 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. The Super Secret Bestie Club podcast season four is here. And we're locked in. That means more juicy cheesement. 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. Get in here. Today we have a very special guest with us. Our new Super Secret Bestie is the divo of the people.

The divo of the people. The deep 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.

My name is Curley. 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 Michael Tura podcast network available on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts. or wherever you get your podcast. Hola, it's Honey German, and my podcast, Grasas Come Again, is back.

This season, we're going even deeper into the world of music and entertainment with raw and honest conversations with some of your favorite Latin artists and celebrities. You didn't have to audition? No, I didn't audition. I haven't audition in, like, over 25 years. Oh, wow.

That's a real G-talk right there. Oh, yeah. We've got some of the biggest actors, musicians, content creators, and culture shifters, sharing their real stories of Failure and success. You were destined to be a start.

We talk all about what's viral and trending with a little bit of chisement, a lot of laughs, and those amazing vibras you've come to expect. And, of course, we'll explore deeper topics dealing with identity, struggles, and all the issues affecting our Latin community. You feel like you get a little whitewash because you have to do the code switching? I won't say whitewash because at the end of the day, you know, I'm me. Yeah? But the whole pretending and code, you know, it takes a little.

It's whole long. Listen to the new season of Grasasas Come Again as part of My Cultura Podcast Network on the IHartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. You know what's interesting too is that he was like, I know that you're probably dating and talking to a lot of people, which I was like, okay. And he was just like, I just like hope that you like wait for me and like so I can meet you. Kelly, I am dead. That is so, excuse me, Mr. Tennis, Mr. Tennis, that is such a gentleman line. That is, Kelly, I just asked you if there was flirting. That is flirting.

Oh, well, that's like not like, yes. That is like laying it down. That is literally like, I understand that you are a high value woman, because that is what is saying by saying that there are other men in your aura. He is, I acknowledge you are a high value woman and I want you to know that I am interested in you so I hope you don't forget about me. Like, girl, this is clear communication. There is no gray area with this man.

Mr. Tennis is interested. Wow. I love this. Kelly, you sent. the universe you're like this is what we've talked about right like using this podcast to put out to the world what you want right so the first thing you did was you wrote a letter to your dear future husband right now we're watching the ripple effects of that huge moment where you put it all out there is now coming back to you this is so exciting when we started i was very

guarded. I was super insecure. I was so embarrassed. I was I was embarrassed. I was humiliated. I felt like I had like, you know, hurt someone else. I felt like I had harmed my, hurt my children. Like, there was just so much, it's not like negativity. It's just like there was so much, there were so many feelings that were so raw and real. And I don't feel like that. anymore. I don't feel like there's hurt. I feel like my kids are happy and healthy and excited about things. You know, it just feels good to be an environment that's like happy and, you know, who knows, who knows if it's going to be Mr. Tennis. But I do know that I'm on the right path to meeting that special human. You definitely are. And what I love about this is that Mr. Tennis is

being extremely clear, right? Like, a lot of the time I think we hear in dating stories, especially early on, it's about like playing games or it's about like, am I, we talked about this in the last episode about like, am I texting too much? Am I not texting enough and all of that? And he is just being clear and concise with all of his communication. He is saying, I understand you're busy. I still want to see you.

I understand that you have a lot going on. I'd still like to talk to you. I understand that you have maybe other suitors or men pursuing you. I'm interested in you. Like, he is laying it all out there, which I think is really wonderful. And I think, like, this is a really great start to something special. So I think all of, I speak for all of us listeners as well that we can't wait to hear about what the next Mr. tennis update is but definitely keep us you know informed as to what happens and you know we would we can't

wait to have you go on your first iRL date like that's going to be really exciting but don't you think it's strange you know he said to me he sorry i didn't mean to interrupt you but he said to me too he was like normally i wouldn't do this i wouldn't try to make a plan with you my you know like to see you fly across the country and see you for a certain for you know for an hour or you know I wouldn't do those things if I didn't if it weren't if I weren't vetted by a friend and I was like when he said that I was like that's so true because he was like if I had met you on Rye or something like that I wouldn't do that and I know a lot of people that do like get on planes and do all that stuff and like that's amazing and I love that sense of adventure but like I'm not that kind of person

Like, I'm not like, I would never do that. I would never get on a plane to meet someone. You're both doing something out of your comfort zone, but I think it goes back to what we were talking about in the last episode, right? Which is like, we all need to get out of our comfort zone and do things that are a little bit different if we want to see different results. And on top of it, we're also turning to the core people in our lives, right, for those kinds of great people. So I think a lot of us are getting stuck in this white mentality and then

being frustrated by, you know, those not turning out well. But when we go to our actual people in our lives who know us and also know other great people, that's where really fantastic love connections can happen. Or if it's not a love connection, maybe you're just starting 2025 off really nice and having your faith and men reinstilled because Mr. Tennis is being like a real gentleman and you thus far haven't had a lot of really great gentlemen in your life in recent years. You know what I mean in the dating scene? So it's nice that he's, if anything, he's reinforcing that faith that there are good guys out

there. Yeah. And, you know, I just want to be open and follow lead with my heart. Like I don't want to be like, and I told him this. And I said, you know, I've been hiding behind all this work. And even Cheryl and I talk about like, we're so busy. We're so busy. I'm working.

I'm providing. Like the reason that we, the reason that I say that is because it protects me. Because why would I want to be open and trust my heart with someone when I've had so many times before where my heart has been broken? So when you were talking to Mr. Tennis, did your connection to Cheryl ever come up in the conversation? Yes. I was like, oh, my gosh, I spoke to Cheryl yesterday and she told me that you guys went on a date. And what do you say?

He was like, yeah, he's like, she's celibate. And I was like, okay. I'm like, but that was, you know, that was a while ago. She's, you know, she's amazing. She's so great. And he was like, yeah, she is so great. And he said so many really, really complimentary things about her. But he's like, I like you.

I love that. That's amazing. I was like, thank you. She's beautiful and amazing. And I love Cheryl. But he just said that I said, well, don't worry about it. I said, you know, she did comment that you were having a hard time picking a meal. I said, don't worry about that.

I hope you pick the meal. This is amazing. I'm so excited for you, Kelly. You have to definitely keep. me and all the listeners updated on your journey with your tennis. This is amazing. Have so much fun. I can't wait to hear more.

I'm excited to just, again, like, it just feels good to feel good. And I want everyone just to feel good. I just do. I mean, if I could give the world a huge hug, I would. So, you know, for 2025, I think we, in the spirit of love, we need to set each other up with people, friends and family, co-workers, Facebook friends, whatever it is, like, hey, you know, I know someone, he just got divorced or someone, you know, might be really good for you. You know, let people be the matchmaker

and, you know, match with people that you know, because this world of just being out there, yeah, it's interesting because you're going to meet someone that you wouldn't know. But I think that we're missing out on these real strong connections because people are afraid to matchmake. And you're not going to lose a friend. Your friend's going to like, maybe. she needs to work on herself, you know, or he needs to work on his self. It has nothing to do with you. You're just like matching and removing. And whatever happens happens. I love it. I have so much fun, Kelly. This is great. Thanks, Heather. I can't wait to clue you guys into everything that happens on my journey with Mr. Tennis. And I will definitely keep you updated in real time. So if you

listeners want any kind of dating advice, call us, email us. All the information is in the show notes, and I'm just really excited to share all of the new information that I've learned. So where I do part two, an I Heart Radio podcast where falling in love is the main objective. Let's start with a quick puzzle. The answer is Ken Jennings' appearance on The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs. The question is, what is the most entertaining listening experience in podcast land? Jeopardy-truthers believe in... I guess they would be conspiracy theorists.

That's right. They give you the answers and you still blew it. The Puzzler. Listen 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 Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your free IHeart Radio 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 Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.