The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Checking In and Crashing Out with Grant Ellis

Episode Date: November 3, 2025

Ben is hanging out with season 29 Bachelor Grant Ellis and there are a LOT of things to clear up!  Grant spills everything about the alleged coin flip, the truth behind his celibacy, and more details on why the engagement was called off with Juliana. Plus, we find out what he really meant when he said he was “not heartbroken” after the break-up.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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That was dumb. Do not follow my example. Listen to Crimless, Hillbilly Heist, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I live below a cult leader, and I fear I've angered her. Wait a minute, Sophia. How do you know she's a cult leader? Well, Dakota, luckily it's I'm not afraid of a scary story week on the OK Storytime podcast.

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Two rich young Americans move to the Costa Rican jungle to start over, but one of them will end up dead and the other tried for murder three times. It starts with a dream, a nature reserve, and a spectacular new home. But little by little, they lose it. They actually lose it. They sort of went nuts. Until one night, everything spins out of control. Listen to hell in heaven on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Chicago.

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Hey, I'm Cal Penn, and on my new podcast, here we go again, we'll take today's trends and headlines and ask, why does history keep repeating itself? Each week, I'm calling up my friends like Bill Nye, Lily Singh, and Pete Buttigieg to talk about everything from the space race to movie remakes to psychedelics. Put another way, are you high? Look, the world can seem pretty scary right now. But my goal here is for you to listen and feel a little better about the future. Listen and subscribe to here we go again with Cal Penn on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the Ben and Ashley I almost famous podcast with IHeart Radio.

It's the Almost Famous Podcast. I'm here today. I'm excited to be here. It's going to be a big interview. I'm going to be having a conversation that I can promise you will be very interesting. My guest is someone who made waves and Bachelor Nation and then continued to keep us on edge and at times perplexed us after his time on the show. We're going to talk about his breakup, his celibacy, and more Bachelor to Bachelor content.

Please welcome Grant Ellis to the Almost Famous podcast. Grant, we have a lot to talk about today. I don't know if you saw. You're obviously in Los Angeles right now. We're going to talk about some of the stuff you're up to in L.A. But we just had my co-host, Ashley, had an interview with Latia just a few days ago. She told us some of the behind the scenes to your season. It's only fair that we also get your perspective on some of the things that we're

we talked about with her but before we get started grant welcome to the almost famous podcast and you guys for having me have uh yeah i saw the uh the podcast of letia and i would love to give you my perspective because obviously it's uh it's one side to the uh to the equation but i would love to yeah i would love to dive in thanks for having me guys uh before we kind of get into the meat of this there's so many things i want to talk to you about uh i want to talk to you about this this deal that we've seen you promoting called the reality games

can you tell us what this is? Yeah it's just one of my really good friends has a pretty big agency out here and he's hosting the reality games some influencers some of the top influences

in the space from some guys from Love Island some people I would be the representation from Bachelor Nation and we're team captains and we're hosting like a combine is going to be dodgeball

basketball, football for a prize and it's all going to be streamed on Twitch so it's a good way to reach a new audience, to reach the younger audience and just send a positive message. Now, I also saw it's going to be held in the professional soccer stadium there.

Yeah. How many people will be there live? I'm not sure many people are going to be there, but it is, we're inviting 100 kids. It's the largest toy drive in America. So there's going to be a lot of kids there. There's going to be a lot of kids there. There's going to be a lot of family, a lot of friends,

and it's going to be stream live on the internet. So it's going to be, it's a pretty cool event. When's it taking place? December 13th is the date. Okay, so there's a, you have a little bit of time. Who else in Bachelor Nation is going to be a part of it? I know my friend Brandon Jones actually drafted him from, I think he was from Michelle season,

but that's going to be really it from Bachelor Nation. We're kind of like, you know, we got a couple people in Bachelor Nation, a couple people from Love Island, and a couple people from different other reality shows. Okay, cool. So if somebody wants to watch this, Twitch would be the best place,

best platform to tune in. December 13th, you said it will be live watching some of your favorite people from Love Island, Bachelor Nation, some of the other shows compete for the reality Olympics. Is that a fair way to say it? Yeah, yeah, it's the first one. So we're hoping to get it off with a good start

and also helping me promote and get my message out there, my Twitch. So, yeah, December 13th, it'll be live, and it'll be a good show. Awesome. All right, let's dive into some of the things that we want to hear from you about. Grant, as I mentioned,

we had a litia on the podcast. The episode has been listened by many at this point. One of the things she said that I think stood out to the listeners was that she said that you told her and assured her that she was, was the one, which is why the breakup felt so shocking to her. It's why it felt watching it back that she was so surprised. But you recently said on a podcast that you didn't say that. You said you were trying to talk through the process with multiple women that you never assured

Latia that she was the one. So who is telling the truth? Yeah, listen, since the airing of the show, I think obviously I understand Latia's perspective. I understand. that she was hurt, but she said a lot of things that I didn't say. I mean, she also said that I told people that I slept with Juliana. She went on the podcast. So she said a lot of things that I didn't say. And, you know, they're all behind camera. And that's fine.

Everybody's allowed to have their opinion or perspective. But I don't think with me being a lead and me being miced up. And, you know, when you sign a contract to be the lead, they can very easy, depending on what can get more views or what's good. they could very editing can very easily make you the villain or of your own season or or it could be a great love story so when I was doing the show I was very careful about what I said and obviously words of missing is true but I don't think it would be very smart of me to sit there and be miced up and be telling somebody that they're my person

when I'm dating you know 26 25 with women now what I did tell her I did tell her I loved her 100% because I did and I was in a my heart was in a tough place you know um I I put my all into it. And yeah, that's that. You know, I don't really have much to speak on it. She's allowed to feel how she feels. But I will say that's not true. And there's a reason why everything is up for interpretation is off camera.

I never told her. I said things like I'm falling for you. I fell in love with her. But ultimately, you know, I realized that she wasn't my person and there was a lot of external factors. You know, I don't think that she was the most honest with me either, you know. so that's that and it's okay you know what I'm saying that's it's in the past and it's okay you know I don't really appreciate some of things but I understand her hurt and I understand where she's coming from and she's a great human and I'm sure she doesn't mean any any malintent

so that's all I have to say on that does there anything if I mean she was obviously just on the show she listens to the podcast I'm assuming she's going to listen to this what would you want to say to her? I mean, obviously, I can relate with you with the difficulty of processing the last few weeks of the experience, trying to navigate and say the appropriate things and the right things.

I've never shied away from the things I said. I'm not, like, proud of them. I don't think it was helpful, but I, you know, it happened, good, bad, and different. So if she's listening to this and you get a chance to speak to her through a show, what would you want to tell there?

I would just, first of all, I would just apologize. I know how hard of a situation it is to be broken up with. And I, like, I've been through that. I didn't mean for things that go that way. It was a difficult choice, but I had to go with my heart, and I tried to be the whole season, I tried to be as upstanding and as I could. Now, whether however people want to view me

or however words got mistrewed, you know, I don't think, you know, me and Latia had a very strong connection, you know what I'm saying? We even, like, we had nicknames for each other. Even as corny, we, we, we, I genuinely, I genuinely love Latia. But to say that when I'm dating and other people, when my connections were just as strong, um, to say that I was promising somebody the whole time, that makes me look like a really, you know, if that's true, then I'm a piece, I'm a really bad person.

and I don't think I went in there with those intentions at all. I think I went in there trying to find my partner. I had feelings. I told her how I felt, but I didn't make any promises to anybody. And I think that's something that, yeah, that's all I really have to say. And if she's listening, I would just say, I'm sorry for how you feel, and I hope that you're doing okay. The whole experience is wild.

And obviously, the end of the last few weeks get more difficult than really you can prepare yourself for or imagine. what were some of the factors that came down to that final decision for you? You know, I think the audience, and this is one of the difficulties with The Bachelor in general, as they follow along for this season, it all leads up to the very end, and then we don't get a lot of like post-story telling, right? Your breakup happened pretty quickly. So what were some of the factors that made, you so confident that Latia wasn't the one you wanted to choose at the end and you ended up going

and asking Juliana? Well, honestly, you know, my confidence, as you see, I really struggled with there at the end in my decision, but I ultimately went with who I felt I could relate to more in terms of and I'm still learning as a human. You know, I've been in two serious relationships. I went with who I felt most comfortable with in my story and, you know, the family dynamic and, you know, me being on the East Coast and Juliana being from the East Coast and how comfortable I felt with her family and how

much I related to her story and I went with somebody I feel like you know if we lay down and talked about our struggles or our life I felt like I went with somebody that was able to understand me more at least that's how it felt

on the show after the show obviously things were not you know it's partly me partly her things were not we're not the most compatible and that's okay but that led to my season and also too

I didn't really know you know by the time I had already told Latia that I that I there was an instance where we were sitting on the couch and you know

we were talking and we were talking and you know we already expressed certain feelings to each other and how we felt and you know I wasn't aware

of the situation of I don't know a lot about the Mormon religion so that was another wrench that kind of threw me off a little bit. And, you know, if I was told that from day one or night one, I would know everything. Like, I was told that, you know, right before hometown.

So, and I had already been in deep. So it wasn't for me to be like, oh, well, this person, you know, they told me this. And now, no, I still went my feelings. I still went head on. And ultimately, I just decided what was the most, what was the best decision for me? And that's all I can do. So would you say, I mean, I think you said it on a show previously that, you know, that, Latia telling you about her Mormon religion play a factor in your decision.

Would you say that's true? Yeah, it was true. It definitely caused me hesitancy. When you're getting engaged and you want to get to know a person, that is something that really could, you know, is that a lifestyle that I want to, you know, raise my kids? Or is that a lifestyle that I want to, you know, be involved in? And it did play a factor, but it wasn't my ultimate, ultimate deciding factor because when she told me that, I still, I already had feelings.

still wanted to make things work. Ultimately, I decided a couple other factors that happened later on in the show that, and as my relationship with Giuliano progressed, I decided that was, you know, my person now, like I said, I was already in pretty deep at that moment. So it wasn't a situation where I knew who my final pick was going into, you know, I was still very much conflicted. So I guess that made me seem unsure, but it's like not every day that you get to date 26 people and you have to get engaged in

and in the shorter season that I had. So it was just a little a little, you know, just a little difficult. That's all. It's very difficult, I would say. And I think you're fair to say that yes, dating in this environment and trying to figure out how to do it well

is not only untraditional, it's uncommon. And there's not a lot of people that can relate to it. You know, going into this, there's a ton of rumor. coming kind of coming out of your season about how you ended up making that final decision. One of them that got a lot of head away

was a coin flip. It came from an internal source on the show that said you made a coin flip to make your final decision. But we didn't see the coin flip. The coin flip actually exist. I've never heard of a coin flip. I wasn't going to decide on who I was going to engage

based on a coin flip. I sat down. took my time and I made ultimately decision. Actually, the deciding factor that helped me was if you guys see, my dad came back and we had a talk prior to him leave, prior to him

leaving Dominican Republic. So that was one of the deciding factors that ultimately I went based off of what I told him, what he told me, and then obviously I struggled at the end, but ultimately that was my push over the edge where I remember what he told me. Here we go.

Hey, I'm Cal Penn, and on my new podcast, Here We Go Again, we'll take today's trends and headlines and ask, why does history keep repeating itself? You may know me as the second hottest actor from the Harold and Kumar movies, but I'm also an author, a White House staffer, and as of like 15 seconds ago, a podcast host. Along the way, I've made some friends who are experts in science, politics, and pop culture. And each week, one of them will be joining me to,

answer my burning questions. Like, are we heading towards another financial crash like in 08? Is non-monogamy back in style? And how come there's never a gate ready for your flight when it lands like two minutes early? We've got guests like Pete Buttigieg, Stacey Abrams, Lili Singh, and Bill Nye. When you start weaponizing outer space, things can potentially go really wrong. Look, the world can seem pretty scary right now, because it is. But my goal here is for you to listen and feel a little better about the future. Listen and subscribe to Here We Go Again with Cal Penn on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I live below a cult leader, and I fear I've angered her. Well, wait a minute, Sophia. Adia knows she's a cult leader. Well, Dakota, luckily it's I'm not afraid of a scary story week on the OK Storytime podcast, so you'll find out soon. This person writes, My neighbor's been blasting music every day and doing dirt rituals, and now my ceiling is collapsing.

I try to report them, but things keep getting weirder. I think they may be part of a cult. Hold up, Sophia, a real-life cult? And what is a dirt ritual? No clue. But according to this person, contractors are tearing down the patio to find out what's going on with her ceiling

and her neighbors are not happy. Well, she needs to report them ASAP. She did! And now they've been confronting her in really creepy ways all the time. So, do we find out if this person survived? their neighborhood cult 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 podcasts. The Crying Wolf Podcast is the story of two men bound by injustice, of a city haunted by its secrets, and the quest for redemption,

no matter the price. White victim, female, pretty, wealthy, black defendant. Chicago, a white woman's murder, A black man behind bars for a crime he didn't commit. I got 90 years for killing somebody I have never seen. He says the police are his friends and then that's it. They turn on it.

A corrupt detective. How he was interrogated the techniques. That's crazy. A snitch and a life stolen. They got the wrong guy. But on the inside, Lee Harris finds an ally in his celly, Robert, who swears to tell the truth about what happened to Lee and free his friend. And if you're with me, your goal to, I'll take care of you.

I'm going to be with you. You stuck with me for life. Listen to the Crying Wolf podcast, starting on October 22nd, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The forces shaping the world's economies and financial markets can be hard to spot. Even though they are such a powerful player in finance, you wouldn't really know that you are interacting with them. And even harder to understand. Donald Trump's trade war, 2.0, is only accelerating the process of de-dollarization,

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Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In the new podcast, podcast, Hell in Heaven. Two young Americans moved to the Costa Rican jungle to start over. But one will end up dead. The other tried for murder. Not once. People went wild.

Not twice. Stunned. But three times. John and Ann Bender are rich and attractive, and they're devoted to each other. They create a nature reserve and build a spectacular circular home, high on the top of a hill but little by little their dream starts to crumble

and our couple retreat from reality they lose it, they actually lose it they sort of went nuts until one night everything spins out of control listen to hell in heaven on the iHeart radio app

Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts Did you feel well prepared to be the bachelor? You know, obviously this is a small group of people. It's a fraternity of a few that have been through it before. Going into the season, did you know what to expect? Did you do your due diligence to make sure that you're ready for the roller coaster ride that is this show? No, I didn't do any to do.

I'm a person that's very prepared in my work and things that I do, but when it comes to reality TV, I didn't know there was really any preparation. I just went in there. I was like, I'm going to be myself. I'm going to give it my all and approach the situation like I approached life. And that's what I did. And reality TV is a, it's a little bit weird, you know,

because everybody has their opinions, just like in life. and I did the best that I could, and that's just, that's what it was. But to say prepared, I didn't know there was any way that you could prepare to be the bachelor. I didn't study. I watched Joey's season, but, you know, me and Joey are two different people. So that's just like, he was the season before mine. So, no, I didn't. I just went in there and I was going to be myself.

Yeah. It's, you know, there's this world in which it happens more and more where people kind of call each other. I remember back in my time, it was Sean Lowe and Chris Souls. and Meznik, Jason Meznik. I called and I was just like, hey, you guys are now out of this deal. You've been through this thing. What can I expect out of this? Like, what are some of the things that maybe I wouldn't foresee coming that I can expect?

And that helped me a lot because it helps you know that other people have been there. And they gave me a lot of insight into this roller coaster ride. But, you know, I think I got lucky because they also brought those guys on the show when I was there. And so they were able to, you know, pour into. me a little bit. Latia obviously was a huge conversation piece when it comes to this season. She really kind of came off of this show as one of those. I think the word people are using kind of OG kind of contestants where people,

she'll be memorable. She'll do great things with it. But she wasn't your final choice. Juliana was. You know, when it comes to the Giuliana relationship, it was exciting, I think, for the audience to see the two of you together. I remember there being a lot of support for the two of you together, but it did end

quickly. Who ended the relationship? So we had, you know, there was a lot of things that were going on. I think Julian is somebody who's really rude in her family and like, I was willing to move to Boston. You know, we didn't spend a lot of quality to, it was just, it was

a situation where I think coming off to show a lot of the outside noise that happened, um, all the all the criticism we were getting all the feedback we were getting left and right. I think it kind of bled into our relationship. And we, you know, when things happen like that,

we didn't really rely on each other as much to get through it. You know, she had her family. I had, you know, I was kind of relying on it, you know, to myself. And I think that, that bled into our relationship. I don't think it was a lack of anybody being ready. I think Julian is very ready for a relationship. I think everybody that ends of that show went in there with the right intentions. Now, there's so many outside factors,

and we just couldn't we couldn't get through it uh i remember on our trip before aruba we talked and we sat down we're like listen like things are not working they're not working i was at her i was at her apartment and we just sat down and they just we could tell we weren't on the same page but we went to aruba and her obviously her family came with her and i was hoping that we would get a little more alone time but we weren't able to and even there i was like you know i'm willing to try to make things work but i praised her because you know her intuition she saw that things weren't going the way she wanted and she wanted to move forward.

So ultimately we decided, but it was her final decision because I was still willing to try to make things work. You know, if it comes up like that, I think one of the moments that fans, and I'm sure you've heard it and felt it, you went, kind of your response was you came on Instagram and you said you were not heartbroken

by this breakup. Is the exact quote I have here. I think it came off a little cold to the audience, especially, as I said, the post storytelling is not something that we get from the show. And so the only thing we know about your relationship is you're together and then you break up and you're not heartbroken. Can you elaborate on that statement a little bit? It did come off cold or that something happened more than just two of you disagreeing to not, you know, or agreeing to not make things work. Yeah, I think that's kind of like

a defense mechanism that I have. Sometimes, you know, the way that I grew up, and, you know, kind of where I'm from, I don't think a lot of people can relate to that in Bastronation audience where it's like if something, that's something that hurts you, you kind of just shrug at all and you move forward. And that's something that I kind of do, which I'm working on that, to express how I feel in the moment.

And like, when it comes to things that hurt me, when it comes to things that make me feel good or happiness or love, I express that. I wear my heart on my sleeve, but when it comes to things that cause me pain or hurt, I kind of shrug it off and act like it doesn't bother me as much as it does. And then when you're the lead, it's like everything you're said. Obviously, people took that the wrong way, but it really wasn't.

Obviously, I was hurt. I was engaged. We had broken up. I was trying to make a work, and it's a very public breakup. So me saying that it doesn't bother me, obviously, probably wasn't the right move, but it's something that I'm working on. But, yeah, it's like a defense mechanism for me kind of, just saying, like, I'm not hurtbroken.

but really you're hurt, you know what I'm saying? That's just, that's what it was for me. Well, the cool part about this world is you sometimes do get do-overs because news cycles move quickly and then you get to come back on shows like this that have, you know, a large portion of the fan base that listens. If you were to have a do-over and jump on social media again right after the breakup, what would you have said?

I don't know if I would have said anything. I don't know if every, I think regardless people, one thing this, this experience has taught me is, you know, you can't go wrong with being yourself because people are going to love you or hate you based off of biases they have against you. So with me, I don't think maybe I wouldn't have, you know, crashed out. I was going through a lot, you know, a very public breakup. And I kind of spire a little bit. Plus, I was getting so much backlash on my season, kind of a lot of hate. And just for me, being myself, and I was like, okay. And even on the season, I think I wasn't, I could have been even more, I went in there very reserved.

And I think that came across on screen because I'm going to be real. Like, I'm a kid, like, I'm a grown man. Obviously, I lived, I lived in, you know, Newark, New Jersey, which is one of the worst neighborhoods in New Jersey. My father was, you know, my father was addicted to drugs. And I feel like I went in there very reserved because I was afraid that. People would judge me, and I went in there just very reserved. I think that came across on camera instead of me just letting loose and be myself. But at the same time, when you're elite of color, you can't, I know it's not really talked about as much, but you can be yourself, but you're going to get backlash either way.

So I guess what I'm trying to say without making too much sense is like I could have been more myself, but I'm happy that I was a gentleman during the show, regardless of what people said, I tried to handle situations like a gentleman. and I did the best I did the best that I could. So I don't have any regrets, but looking back at the show, maybe I wouldn't have crashed out so hard, post-show. Yeah, and I think that's one thing we just didn't see you crashing out. I don't know if, you know, I don't know how you can't really share, sometimes, you know, if you're crashing out, you don't want to share that stuff. It's personal and it's kind of how you need to, you know, navigate it.

But I do think because of your lack of vulnerability in that moment and kind of saying things like, I'm not heartbroken. People thought, oh, he's, he's doing okay. And it's just cold instead of showing, you know, what you're really feeling who you truly are. And as you said, you got backlash from this. And I think every league gets backlash. It's nobody's immune to it. Nobody has been immune to it. Some get more than others and some get, you know, sometimes the backlash is more loud than others. How did you process through the criticisms and the backlash and the backlash and I remember you commented and it's kind of even hard to bring up because I know this does feel like a loud criticism, but you commented on it where people were blaming you for the ending

of the show. And we don't know if the show is going to come back or not. We don't know if the show will have another bachelor season. I expect it too. But those are big things placed on your shoulders in that moment. Those are heavy words. So how did you deal with it? How are you dealing with it. Listen, I've been through a lot worse things in my life. Honestly, if you want me to be real, and this is what I told myself, like, I'm going to be real.

Because that's the only way things come across good. Like, I don't, I really don't give what people say about me. At this point in my life, I know that's very, very shrewd. But, you know, people want to blame me for the ending of the show or they say this or that. I know myself. I know the way I was raised. I know what I've been through. I know my morals and value.

So people don't understand. that or they don't understand me or they you know however things went down it's just like yo okay like I'm glad to take your opinion and you know what I'm going to move forward my life you move forward your life so I'm not going to

I'm not going to try to you know appease people or make them see my my viewpoint and excuse me I just I really don't I don't care I'm not going to I'm not going to let my mind be consumed by that just move forward and move on you know how has your relationship with social

media been transformed then as of recently. I mean, we've, we've seen you talk about your faith openly. We've seen you recently talk about your pursuit of celibacy. Right. Those are, I mean, I just got back midnight last night from a pastor's conference in Atlanta gathering, the guy that runs it would be mad if I called it a conference. It's a gathering. As somebody of faith myself, self. It is, it was more of a, it was a rock to fall back on a solid foundation for me through the process of all the Tristan turns. People are going to throw roses at your feet. People are going to throw stones at your feet. Grant, you got to pick neither up. And so this process afterwards of fame and social media is a wild ride. And so I would love to get a perspective

and how you are handling it and why you are saying the things you're saying publicly talking about your faith is awesome claiming celibacy now for however long that's a big comment

that could definitely come back to bite you at some point if that, you know, changes. Yeah, and honestly, man, like I said, I really don't, I really don't, like if people, listen, I'm going to live my life.

And the reason why I stated that is because I was Seleman before the show, which, you know. By choice? By choice. You know, I had been in a seven-year relationship, and that ended, and I was very hurt, and I decided I wasn't going to, you know, because when you get physically involved with somebody, it speeds up the things, and you know what I'm saying, you could definitely make some wrong move.

So I just decided that until I am, at Selby was abstinent, until I know somebody's my person or I am in a very committed relationship that's headed towards marriage. I'm not going to be out there looking for a relationship that way, you know? So that's something I still stand by. And, you know, the way that I've came across on social media or however, you know, I wasn't on social media prior to this. And I'm getting in new lanes where I could truly be myself and be authentic. And, you know, I think that's the beauty of going on.

a bachelor, even though, you know, my relationship didn't work out. I've met so many great people. It's helped me going to a new avenue in my life, and I'm grateful for that. And if I could use kind of my whatever gifts I have to spread a certain message or be myself and be a positive impact, that's kind of like what I want to do. On my new podcast, Here We Go Again, we'll take today's trends and headlines and ask, why does history keep repeating itself? You may know me as the second hottest actor from the Harold and Kumar movies,

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I try to report them, but things keep getting. weirder. I think they may be part of a cult? Hold up, Sophia. A real-life cult? And what is a dirt ritual? No clue. But according to this person, contractors are tearing down the patio to find out what's going on with her ceiling and her neighbors are not happy. Well, she needs to report them ASAP. She did! And now they've been confronting her in really creepy ways all the time. So do we find out if this person survives their neighborhood cult 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 podcasts.

The Crying Wolf Podcast is the story of two men bound by injustice, of a city haunted by its secrets, and the quest for redemption, no matter the price. White victim, female, pretty, wealthy, black defendant. Chicago, a white woman's murder, a black man behind bars. a crime he didn't commit. I had 90 years for killing somebody I have never seen. He says the police are his friends and then that's it. They turn on it.

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You brought up a point here. I'm curious about if you and I were sitting down at dinner and we didn't have a couple hundred people, a thousand people listening, I'd ask you the same question. You know, I think for me, one of the things I'm trying to figure out, because you know, I want to usually connect with the bachelors of the past. It's a wild ride. It's hard. It's confusing. I think for me, one of the things that you, that makes you unique compared to other bachelors is you promoted yourself, marketed yourself, branded yourself as this very successful day trader. And I've worked in finance for five years in my life. I was like, I've never known anybody that day trades for a career. I know people that manage wealth. I don't know anybody

that day trades for a career. That's a hobby. But you did do this. And it seemed, you know, you had the videos in the cars and the big houses. And, you know, it was really kind of part of your brand, I think, if you knew it or not, that you were a successful day trader. Right. And now that is such a small piece of what we're seeing from you. And so, you know, you just said you're opening up new lanes and everything. But I was like, man, this guy loves finance. He loves investing.

He loves the research. You know, you started a school for a period of time to teach people how to do that. And that's no longer there. So it feels like I'm having a hard time tracking who you are and actually what you are, like enjoy doing because you just said you're opening up new lanes but I was like what about the lanes that existed before no so the school is definitely still there just we when you're

trading in the markets and you're managing equity to have you know 15 30 people 30 50 people kind of watching you was cool but then they kind of it got to a point people were a little bit reliant on me for you know

signals are their financial situation and that's something that I can't condone just to clarify there you can't legally give investment advice is what you're saying yeah i can't leave so that's why when i trade in front of group people i'll paper trade but people on their own uh merit will either go into their accounts or do this or do that and for me when people are calling my phone like oh like oh we want to sit people don't a lot of people that join those groups they don't know the work that it takes to be able and i've been trading

this is my six year trading and my first three four years you know i was just continuously losing so and when people go into these groups they expect instant results when that's not you know i'm an educator i will give you i will give you the the um i'll give you the rod but you have to fish for yourself you know what i'm saying so i still teach i do it on an individual basis now and that's but that's my life that's what i've been doing for the last six years is where i put continuous hours of work into but also there's also other things i do i like music i like to create. I'm a creative. And I think that big part of what I really, what I really did not like about what really turned me off to some of the things in Bachelor Nation was there's this

connotation that you have to just be in love. You can't do this. You can't do that. And if you do anything else, you're doing it for the wrong reason. And for me, I've always went against the grain. I don't really care what people think about me because I know myself. I know I know the type of person I am So when I go in there And I put out a song or I put out this or that Regardless of whatever It's like if you don't

I'm not going to pander to how somebody wants me to act You know what I'm saying Just because I'm like I said I'm a day trader Like I've always went against the green So I you know what I'm saying In the corporate in the corporate world You kind of have to be that way But I've never been corporate

So I think that was another reason why people Don't really understand me And it's okay being misunderstood sometimes Because I know I know myself, you know what I'm saying? Yeah, definitely. I mean, I do know what you're saying because I think I've been in that world. But I think the narrative was this was your job.

You loved it. You know, you're driving the fancy cars. You got the big house. You're crushing it. You know, I think part of the intrigue was you were the bachelor. You were going to end up with somebody from the show and they were going to enter into this really, like, stable, I think would be the word I'd use life of financial freedom. and comfort and all those things. And then, you know, that has been a piece that's been missing.

But I think the part that confused me was you don't have your Series 7. So you cannot be trading. Wait, I mean, let's, let me just. So a Series 7 is for financial advice. I don't give financial advice. That's what I'm saying. You couldn't give that to people. So I think that was a confusing part.

No, but that's, I never, in the beginning of my, of my course, of my class, I had a disclaimer like this is not financial advice what you do in a situation like that where you're covered legally is you paper trade is you trade on a paper account you might have your own live funds

on the side but you trade on paper account and you teach while people are also following what you're doing so there's no series that needed for that because you're covered by

your paper trading now if I were to be trading actual live funds or giving stock advice like I remember I was on Good Morning America and I gave a stock clear point neuro which was trading at like $13 is now it's almost at like $60

now but I had to take it back because I'm not I don't have my Series 7 so I you know what I'm saying that's when I just was like oh well just invest in SMP you know what I'm saying because that's pretty pretty nuanced advice it's pretty something that everybody does so with that yeah with in terms of the day trading thing and in terms of how they portrayed me on the show I never once

I never once marketed to myself like that you know what I'm saying I just that was how they chose to market me i didn't tell them to do that obviously you know i love what i love what i do for work and i'm always willing to grow and learn and experiences so yeah with the whole with the whole um in terms of how they marketed me or with with my series seven i just i i i choose not not to get that because i don't that's not my job to to give people advice and what stocks my job is to get on here every day show people how to maneuver through the market and and how to be steady in that that space and that's what i that's what i still do yeah i i mean i'm not my claim was not that you

necessarily i mean i think there was moments like on social media that maybe pointed to that but i think the show really kind of marketed that and i think it is why the aftermath of the show has been confusing because it feels like that huge storyline uh that hasn't disappeared i know it's still a thing that you do but it's not a piece of what we're seeing from you anymore uh is the you know know is the finance guy i don't really want that to be like with with with with like i just finished up teaching before a class uh before this podcast i had a class and what i do i like to do and i don't want that to be my my persona like that i never i never you know it's something that i love doing but i would you i used my day trading and the profits that i would draw from the market

to fuel other projects to fuel other things that i like to do you know day trading is just a means to for me to be supportive financially and you know it gives me a time and freedom to do things that I like whether that's making music or doing a play or doing some things like that so yeah I don't want to really be known as a finance bro I think that's like you know

I do do that but there's so many other aspects to me that you know obviously on the show you know they show we did a concert with Mario and certain things like that I'm playing the piano so there were other sides of me just wasn't traditional so I guess it wasn't as well received as like finance or something like day trading yeah I mean I can see that path so let's get into that stuff then

I mean obviously we knew you from day trading as we said from being the bachelor but you are excited about other things happening in your life we started out this whole show talking about the reality games you also are in the process I think via your social media you've kind of started to be you're inspired by Hitch and you're trying to start this, like, dating show called Spin the Block. Right. You also are enjoying music.

I think during your season, I see here in my notes. You came out with a couple songs. So what, I mean, if day trading is, if we're making sense of all this, day trading is your stable day to day. What opportunities do you want to pursue next? Like, with the dreams that you had as a kid, Grant, with the opportunities that you've now been given, where do you want to see all this go? Yeah, I think for me, I'm just in a position or a point where I want to be a positive, positive influence, right? And obviously things did not work out that way on The Bachelor end, but like I said, I have a very specific skill set, which allows me to allocate funds to certain projects. So the next thing that I'm willing to do is that I want to do is we have the reality games coming up, which is going to be some of some pretty big influences there is going to be a really good, so really good opportunity.

opportunity for exposure and you know I'm working on my pilot episode to pitch to a couple of companies on this idea of spin the block and it's not me giving dating advice like people jump to conclusions it's just me teaching men how to how to court a woman or how to talk to a woman but do it intentionally right because a lot of men struggle in that area and you know I was the bachelor for a reason so I think that that's a good way it's not me giving relationship advice because clearly I'm not in a relationship it's me take me a man who's considered average and leveling out teaching him how to dress, how to talk, how to have that swag, and to get the woman that he wants. And then what he does from there,

that's, that's, that's up to him. So it is very hitchlike. It's very hitchlike. It's very hitchlike. And I'm utilizing, you know, the reality games exposure and some of the connections I have to that with some pretty big agencies to try to really get this thing off the ground. And my plan is for it to be out in the new year. The reality games is a huge then, if I'm understanding this correctly it's a huge moment for you you're really you're really like sold out on the hope of the success of this thing of the people that you're going to meet through it uh so if you were here today saying hey and if i ask you the question what's the most important project in your life right now reality games feels like that the reality so the reality games isn't like like if it does well

or now i'm still going to progress forward but the obviously like that i said the most important thing my number one thing that I do behind the scenes is trading like if you look here I was actually like while we're doing is I still I'm looking at the market as well or like that's that's number one that is like my life's work but I don't

want to be known as just the finance guy I think my creative side I like being a creative so yeah I think that this hitch project or spend the block is a way for me it's probably my most important project because it's a way for people to see me

outside if anybody even pays attention or hopefully i get a new audience base but it's a way for people to see me outside of the bachelor when you're the bachelor they they definitely uh you know they dress you up they plan you help you plan your dates and you know some of the things like i i didn't resonate with that as well as i as i should have so spin a block is a way for people to see me and my view of dating and how i would approach it if it was like me you know what i'm saying well it leads me right into like one of my final questions for you here if you're going to be assisting others and leveling up in the dating world are you currently dating have you dated since juliana are you on the market listen with me and i'm going to be very transparent here like

i am very cautious with with what i do in the dating space i've never had an issue with that department you know it's it's very easy in a world to to get women or or but that's not what i'm looking for i want something very stable i want something very uh i want something that i'm committed i don't want just anybody so for me i take my time that's why i'm absent right now i'm i know the importance of that and taking your time but like i said there's other younger men out there that may not be able to even get a date or really don't you know they maybe they don't have the means or the finances to be able to date or they don't have the right clothes or they don't have to talk or they don't or they're lacking confidence and regardless of what anybody

thinks you know i think spending the day with somebody who was who was the pre a previous bachelor and showing them a lifestyle or showing them kind of how to court somebody and kind of keep still have that swag but be traditional i think that's there's a blend of both so yeah that's kind of like in a nutshell what i'm working on in my next project and i plan on utilizing my trading to fund to fund project. But are you dating? No, I'm pretty much not dating right now. I'm not seeing anybody right now. I'm hanging out. Hanging out. I'm hanging out. I'm working right now. Grant, uh, if for anybody out there listening as we kind of close this up, uh, taking in, you know, trying to go walk through this show, um, clearing out some misconceptions, uh, confronting

some things said, obviously from, uh, Latia and then also other. and working into where your life sits now, for listeners out there that are like, hey, I want to kind of get closure to all of this or to understand where Grant is going. What would you say to the listeners to the fans of the show who have walked through this hour-long episode with us? Yeah, I would just, first of all, I would say,

thank you guys. I appreciate the support. And yeah, I think just finishing it off, you know, I said I did my best at my tenure as a bachelor. Tried to be a good example. And I think for those of you that support me, thank you. And for those of you that don't really like me or misunderstood, I understand. And, you know, it's okay. You're not going to be received well by everybody.

But I appreciate you for tuning into the journey. Grant Ellis, thanks for jumping on the Almost Famous podcast. Again, the reality games is going to happen on Twitch, December 13th. Real quick. Is it a Netflix deal or what is just a... No, it's on Twitch and different streaming platforms. So it's mainly through Twitch. So there's a company called Memehouse, which does really big events out here in L.A. And they're hosting it.

It's at BMO Stadium on Twitch. Yeah, that's a big deal. Okay. And then also look for Grant to possibly launch, Spend the Block in the upcoming year. Grant Ellis, thanks for jumping on. Thank you. Thank you guys for having me. Follow the Ben and Ashley I, almost famous podcasts on IHeartRadio

or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Hello, America's sweetheart Johnny Knoxville here. I want to tell you about my new true crime podcast, Crimeless, Hillbilly Heist, from smartless media, campside media, and big money players. It's a wild tale about a gang of high-functioning nitwits who somehow pulled off America's third largest cash heist. Kind of like Robin Hood, except for the part where he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. I'm not that generous.

It's a damn near inspiring true story for anyone out there who's ever shot for the moon, then just totally muffed up the landing. They stole $17 million and had not bought a ticket to help him escape. So we're saying like, oh God, what do we do? What do we do? That was dumb. People do not follow my example. Listen to Crimless, Hillbilly Heist on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I live below a cult leader, and I fear I've angered her.

Wait a minute, Sophia. How do you know she's a cult leader? Well, Dakota, luckily it's I'm not afraid of a scary story week on the OK Storytime podcast. So we'll find out soon. This person writes, my neighbor has been blasting music every day and doing dirt rituals. And now my ceiling is collapsing. I try to report them, but things keep getting weirder. I think they might be part of a cult.

Hold up. A real life cult? And what is a dirt ritual? No clue, Dakota. To find out how it ends. Listen to the OK Storytime podcast on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Two rich young Americans move to the Costa Rican jungle to start over, but one of them will end up dead and the other tried for murder three times. It starts with a dream, a nature reserve, and a spectacular new. new home. But little by little, they lose it. They actually lose it. They sort of went nuts.

Until one night, everything spins out of control. Listen to Hell in Heaven on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Cal Penn. And on my new podcast, here we go again. We'll take today's trends and headlines and ask, why does history keep repeating itself? Each week, I'm calling up my friends like Bill Nye, Lily Singh, and Pete Buttigieg to talk about everything from the space race to movie remakes to psychedelics. Put another way, are you high? Look, the world can seem pretty scary right now. But my goal here is for you to listen and feel a little better about the future. Listen and subscribe to here we go again with Cal Penn on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever

you get your podcasts. Chicago, a white woman's murder, a black man behind bars, for a crime he didn't commit. 90 years of killing somebody I have never seen. The Crying Wolf podcast is the story of a corrupt detective, two men bound by injustice, and the quest for redemption, no matter the price. Listen to the Crying Wolf podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.