The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Clayton Vs Gabby with Clayton Echard

Episode Date: April 17, 2025

Ben and Ashley catch up with Clayton Echard, who’s ready to set the record straight about his beef with Gabby Windey. Clayton opens up about his self-confidence, and we find out the real reason why Gabby has Clayton blocked!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. 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, luckily, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend's 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.

Hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That seems inappropriate. Maybe find out how it ends by listening to the OK Storytime podcast and the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, it's Daniel Fischel. Writer Strong. And Will Ferdell from PodMeets World. We are back in Las Vegas and giving the people what they want, a full week of Y2K content. Tell me why. Well, for the Backstreet Boys residency at Sphere, of course.

We joke and say this is our second marriage, but it takes a lot of communication. Plus, it's carrot top, baby. And finally, Ashley Simpson-Ross joins us to talk about her upcoming sold-out Vegas residency. Listen to PodMeets World on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, my name is Enya Umanzor. And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you.

But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh, my God, perfect. And want to hear people with mental illness, psychobabble. Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your free IHeartRadio app. Search Emergency Intercom and listen now. The Super Secret Festi Club podcast season four is here.

And we're locked in. That means more juicy cheesme. 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. My name is Curley. And I'm Maya. Get in here. Listen to the Super Secret Bestie Club on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, I'm Jenna Lopez, and in the new season of the Overcomfit Podcast, I'm even more honest, more vulnerable, and more real than ever. Am I ready to enter this new part of my life? Like, am I ready to be in a relationship?

Am I ready to have kids and to really just devote myself and my... time join me for conversations about healing and growth all from one of my favorite spaces the kitchen listen to the new season of the overcombered podcast on the iHeart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast this is the ben and ashley i almost famous podcast with i heart radio hey everyone welcome to almost famous today we have clay and eckard with us and we are so excited about that because this man has been in the headlines like crazy lately having a little back and forth with his, I don't know if you want to call her X, but X Gabby. So, hey, Clayton, welcome to the podcast.

Thanks for having me, guys. It was not too long that we were talking. And I am sooner than I thought back. I know. What did? All right. So let's get started with the drama you've had with Gabby lately. So you heard her on a podcast, making fun of your dancing,

which you've been very vocal about brings you joy. and then she also referred to you as a toe. Which I didn't know what that meant. I thought that meant like I had to ask Ashley if that was like a new thing that people were calling people. So I had gotten that comment made about me all the way back when I was The Bachelor. And it was it was kind of a common like dig at me. And they were referencing I think it was like the spy kid. You remember the Spy Kids maybe with the Red like little, uh,

villains and they had thumbs for heads. Oh, yeah. Oh. I remember Spy Kids. I don't remember that. I did not like the franchise. I didn't understand its popularity. But I remember people used to call blonde people toe heads, right? See, I've never heard that. And you're blondeish. And I don't have blonde hair, yeah. So I don't know.

You're a little blondie. Not at all. Look. You're light. See, I think of you as light. But I guess when you really analyze. Yeah. The slide of you. here's just making everything appear brighter. No, I think that's where it came from. And it was like somebody, I went to buy my website name, Clayton Eckert, and somebody had that name bought and they were trying to basically make me buy it off them.

And they had like the thumb images all over the website. So it was something that like people brought up. And I just was like, okay, I don't, I don't really understand. I think they were kind of like bulkier villains. And so maybe. with a complete aspect too, but whatever. Did that hurt you? No, I mean, gosh, that was, listen, like, the only things that hurt me were the things that I actually somewhat believed.

And that would have been, like, I did think I was boring, you know, as a person in general, I played it very safe and always, you know, was trying to fit in and not stand out. I was fearful of judgment from others. So, like, when people said I was boring, all that, you know, and called me, you know, like, bland white bread anything that referenced like me just being a boring blank like a blank slate uh i didn't like you know that that stuff bothered me but like that he's an idiot he's you know ugly um you know i have enough self confidence that i was like i don't believe any of that stuff so it doesn't bother me but yeah the boring stuff hit hit me the the the thumb comment no it's just stupid am i wrong though i mean there was a period of time post show i think you might even

still been with Susie, where you came out publicly, and this is all going to get back to the Gabby situation, but you publicly said that your confidence was completely shot, that you were struggling with your mental health. Yeah. I believe you went out and spoke on it. So you're saying it didn't bother you because your confidence, you had enough self-confidence, but then at the same time, it did bother you at some point because it started, you know, it started to affect you. Yeah, I would say my self-confidence of self-love has tremendously increased in the last six to eight months. But yes, I was really beaten down in general at the end of the show. And so, like, comments about my looks didn't really bother me, but it was more just the negativity

behind it. So it was just people sending messages to attack me. And it was this pile-on effect that really bothered me. And so I started just more so feeling like a failure. because I had so much hatred. It wasn't necessarily that like, oh, he's ugly. It was more like the amount of comments that were negative, you know, said towards me started to feel overwhelming.

And that made me feel like I wasn't good enough as a person. So, but it was like the boring ones that really stuck me in the side, you know. So that, yeah, I would say like, yes, it absolutely hurt me just by the sheer number of comments being made. And now, though, I would say it's not the case, which is good. That is good. I want to say that is good. And I'm going to, like, I don't want to open up any wounds here. I'm really happy that you're in a good place.

Can't open up any wounds I haven't already opened up myself. Yeah. This is a very interesting situation. You have made the headlines recently for some drama that you didn't start, but you chose, and I'm going to, we're going to get into that. You chose to enter into it. Recently, Nick Vile on his show shared in support of you, really, saying that, hey, we can't let Clayton Eckerd be a punching bag forever, was his quote.

Do you feel like a punching bag right now? Coming after these Gabby comments that happened on this podcast, it seems like what Nick was referencing and what you are feeling in a really good season of life, which is great, because you would hate for this to happen if you were like still, you know, struggling. Yeah. Is that it feels like, you know, people seem to think you're getting a lot of hate from all different Do you feel that way? Oh, yeah.

Yeah. 1000%. And I started to wonder why, you know, I keep getting hit with these things. And some people are all common denominator. Obviously, it's him. And I'm like, yeah, but no. You know, I didn't, I'm not out here instigating this or or looking from trouble. I mean, the cheating scandal I had, that was some random girl in, you know, New York,

I never met. So I didn't instigate that one. That one came on to me. You know, you could say like the paternity scandal, I mean, okay, I hooked up. with a girl, but nobody expects it to go to that extent, you know? So it was, that was something as well that I'm like, that's ridiculous that this, this came on to me. And then the comments with Gabby, you know, it was just like, really? I mean, here I am doing my, my thing. You can hate it or love it. You don't have to. I understand I'm not the greatest dancer. I'm very aware of like how good

of a dancer I actually am in comparison to legit dancers, which is also something I want to highlight is people like, he's not a good dancer. I'm like compared to who, you know, because I've, I have absolutely improved from the first day that I started dancing, but like compared to who. So, you know, but it's like, I think the reason I at least what I came to realize was the reason why I'm a punching bag is because I wasn't punching back. You know, I think all this time I just basically took it and, and then sat here and, and didn't do anything about it. And so I recently came to a place where I said, I'm not going to just take this bullshit anymore.

You know, I'm going to stand up for myself. even if it's something trivial. I mean, I think, you know, again, what Gabby said, I've said, had so many terrible things said to me. Now, like, it didn't, that didn't hurt me, like her saying, I wish you didn't, I didn't have eyes if you watched his dance video or that I look like a thumb, you know, I was like, okay, I've heard way worse, but it's the principle. I was like, I am no longer going to allow people to bash me.

You know, I'm going to stand up for myself and there's going to be some repercussion for, you know, for you come attacking me, for, you know, the cheating or for the paternity scandal, this girl's facing criminal prosecution right now. So, you know, that's her accountability. And then for Gabby, I mean, I think people saw that she's, you know, that wasn't fair and right for her to say. And so, you know, and she chose not to apologize. And so she's facing a little bit of backlash from some people online. I knew I was never going to win that battle from a, you know, public standpoint as far as court of public opinion. She's got three times the followers and the audience. and she's the hot thing right now.

So I knew I wasn't, but it wasn't about that. It was more just like, keep my name out of your mouth. Stop talking about me. I'm just not going to let this fly anymore. Was it frustrating to see her try to make it like a woman versus man thing and how she was saying that like men shouldn't have a say on like what you talked about on The Bachelor? That really did bother me.

Because it was just like, what do you, what does this have to do with the matter at hand? This is not a matter of male versus female. This is strictly about you dragging me for no reason. And she tried to play into this whole narrative that I absolutely despise. I mean, it infuriates me, but I chose not to, I didn't want to take away from like that her response and go down this path of like men versus women because I'm not trying to go down that path. I just want the equality aspect.

But it was really cheap of her to like bring up my, you know, white man. I'm like, oh, look, so my ethnicity and my, you know, sexuality or my, you know, gender. I'm like, why does this, what, like, you're just stop. You're just trying to basically get people to latch on to that and be like, yeah, like, he's, he should. Yeah, it wasn't relevant at all. It wasn't relevant. And I don't like it because it's like, what is a white man not supposed to be able to express

himself? And then all the comments, all her little fans saying, like, men used to go to war and like, look how soft men have gotten. I'm like, you are the problem. You're the reason why men won't speak up. because you bash them for the second that they talk about their mental health. And that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, you know, that infuriates me as well, like that response. And I'm like, see, this is what happens when you start trying to draw this narrative like

she did where she's like, man versus woman. I'm like, stop. That wasn't even a point of conversation. Like, you're just, it just, yeah, that I didn't like that at all. I thought that was very cheap and just was unnecessary to bring up. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious. Oh, 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. Hello, it's Daniel Fischel. Writer Strong and Wilfredel from PodMeets World. And we're bringing you Viva Las Content.

That's right. we are back in Las Vegas, the City of Sin, and giving the people what they want. A full week of Y2K content. Wait, we're back in Vegas? Tell me why. Well, for the Backstreet Boys residency at Sphere, of course. We sat down with Kevin Richardson and A.J. McLean just minutes before they took the stage,

and our very own Wilfredel basically became the newest member of the band. Boy band, please. Plus, the man who has the longest running comedy show on the strip joins us, gets his props. It's Carrot Top, baby. And finally, we all L-O-V-E-Hur, Ashley Simpson-Ross, joins us to talk about her upcoming sold-out Vegas residency. It's a full week of nostalgic interviews you don't want to miss. Listen to PodMeets World on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. December 29th, 1975, LaGuardia Airport.

holiday rush, parents hauling luggage, kids gripping their new Christmas toys. Then, at 6.33 p.m., everything changed. There's been a bombing at the TWA terminal. Apparently, the explosion actually impelled metal glass. The injured were being loaded into ambulances, just a chaotic, chaotic scene. In its wake, a new kind of enemy emerged, and it was here to stay. Law and Order Criminal Justice System is back. In season two, we're turning our focus to a threat that hides in plain sight. That's harder to predict and even harder to stop. Listen to the new season of Law and Order Criminal Justice System on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I don't write songs. I don't write songs. I take dictation. I didn't even know you've been a pastor for over 10 years. I think culture is any space that you live in that develops you. On a recent episode of Culture Raises Us podcast, I sat down with Warren Campbell, Grammy-winning producer, pastor, and music executive

to talk about the beats, the business, and the legacy behind some of the biggest names in gospel, R&B, and hip-hop. This is like watching Michael Jackson talk about thoroughly before it happened. Was there a particular moment where you realize just how instrumental music culture was to shaping all of our global ecosystem. I was eight years old, and the Motown 25 special came on. And all the great Motown artists, Marvin, Stevie Wonder, Temptations, Diana Ross. From Mary Mary to Jennifer Hudson, we get into the soul of the music and the purpose that drives it.

Listen to Culture raises us on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine that you're on an airplane, and all of a sudden you hear this. Attention passengers. The pilot is... 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, until this.

Pull that, turn this. It's just, I can do my ice 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. Listen to no such thing on the Iheart radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Two side notes. One completely side note here. Like, such a wild turn. And then I'm going to get back to some questions. Do you just get your ears pierced? No, I've had them pierced for, oh. Yeah, I've had them pierced for like a year now.

He looks good. Yeah, I was like, that's cool. I just one day, as I started, you know, finding myself and what I wanted to do, I was just like, you know, I've always thought earrings like cool on guys. And, you know, there was always this stigma of like your sexuality would be questioned if you had earrings, at least where I grew up. So that was the stigma behind it. And I was like, I don't really care what people think about me. And I just think it looks good. You're going through a time.

You're discovering a lot right now. I'm just doing what I want to do. You know, I'm just saying, great. I do want to get back here. Okay. So in closing on this topic, because we don't need to draw it out. We don't need to go into a thousand details. We never really said it was said.

What was said on this podcast that Gabby was on is she pretty much spent, you know, 10 minutes, really like going at you, calling you or comparing you to a toe, which I think there's different. ways for people to interpret what exactly that meant. Either you look like a toe or it's a comment. Like, I don't exactly even really know. But that's what she compared you to. She said, I dated a guy that was a toe.

And then she criticized your dancing that you post on social media. If people aren't familiar or don't follow you, you do share dancing videos on social media. We have, during this interview, admitted that you don't think you're professional dancer, but this is something that brings you joy and that's why you do it. so we have this you did come back out and speak publicly kind of defending yourself as you said you're not going to be the punching bag anymore you are going to stand up for yourself you did do that publicly she did respond with the comments that we were just talking about saying that you really don't have a place to defend yourself here because of some things that you did on this live show so this is where we sit today at least as far as i know you sit in this place where she just responded you haven't said anything back as we close here Clayton, where do you hope this goes? Like, where do you hope this plays out? What do you think that what do you hope the outcome is? Because obviously you said that her fans are still, you know, upset with you. I'm sure your fans and many are upset with her. This could be a back and forth

that could last a long time and keep you both in the public life for a long time and become a big benefit to you because you are back in the headlines or you just squash it and you say we're done with it. So where do you hope this goes? What is your next move? Yeah, well, I mean, she put out our video response and then I put out a video response and response to that. That's on my Instagram and that was, you know, that I felt again like, oh, no, you're not just going to be able to get the last word and say what you want and then bully me into not responding. You know, I'm going to take one last stand and respond to that. I don't know if she's responded since. She's blocked me on all of her social media. So I don't know if she sent out a response. I haven't been tagged

anything. Wait, time out. Time out pause there. Is this block new? Does this happen like post this situation? Or is this been? Black me based off this whole thing. Okay. Oh my God. Okay. Okay. So then you, you responded twice now. You're saying that you said something. Yeah, I put up a response video. She said something. You said something. And then you said, oh, okay, you're not going to respond to my response. Well, she just, I, my, she originally said something on a podcast. I then put out my first video saying, you know, like, I'm not cool with it. She then responded and said, oh, that's rich, you know, with talking about being a white male. I then responded to that video on my Instagram. So I have that video. Now, if she's put out anything since, I haven't seen it because she's,

no. But as far as like, look, I mean, even having this conversation here, like, I don't want to, I don't want to drag it out. I, because it doesn't, it was just strictly like don't talk about me and that's it that's that like moving forward you know again because she could have someone if someone I saw this whole excuse of like well people are asking her about it I was like yeah right but people ask me about the bachelor and you don't in my experience you don't see me talking about individuals well you know we have three years ago this like blah blah it's like no you can you're clearly choosing to target me and make comments and it's been you know multiple times and that's what originally got me to speak up it's like I got sent

a few podcasts and I was like all right one too many podcasts you You're going on this tangent recently and calling me out. So I don't have any intention if she were to respond back and put up another video. It's like there's, it's really kind of beating a dead horse at this point. She understands I'm not cool with it. So just it's like, don't keep talking about me. And if she does, I don't know. I mean, as right now, she's not saying anything about it.

So I'm like, let's just drop it. But if she wants to go on a rant and go off on social media and podcasts and keep attacking me, you know, I'll react accordingly. I'd rather not, though. I'd rather just like let it be. I don't like, I don't seek this kind of stuff. You know, I just, this was a net one too many times. I'm like, you, you have spoken up poorly about me in the last few months too many times.

And that's why I'm going to say something. Before we wrap, I do want to ask about one thing that you said in your response video. You said that you had reached out to her and apologized for what went down during your season of The Bachelor. Did she ever respond to that? Because based on the screenshots, it was iffy. I never responded to my original message. apologizing and then I end up having a conversation with Rachel one day at an event and we had talked about the situation with Gabby and I said I'm not really certain where

the things are at and she's like oh you should reach out to her so I reached out about this opportunity thing that I had in my mind and she was very brief and that was that so it's like she never really yeah I mean she just didn't want anything to do with me so it was loud and clear And so that was that. And I think that was the last time I sent her a message was like 20, 23 and just was like, okay, forget it. Like she doesn't want to make amends. She's, you know, hurt and that's fine.

We don't have to forgive me. But I guess I'll just stop trying to, you know, basically heal this, this connection. That's just not, it's not reciprocal. What a wild world you've been in since your time of being the bachelor, Clayton. My final question, and we'll end it with this. I think we asked you it a few weeks ago when you're on. are you glad that you were The Bachelor or if you would take it all back, do you wish this would have never been the path you would have gone down?

No, I am. I'm very happy because the guy on The Bachelor that everyone watched wasn't the version of me that I wanted to be. It was just the safest version of me that I chose to navigate through life. All this adversity put me in a place now where like I do not care about people's, let me say this, I hardly care about most people's opinions. I'm sure somebody can say something that I can get under my skin, but I've gotten to a place now where... Like Gabby.

Yeah, I mean, some people can get under my skin. I'm not going to say it all and use absolutes, but I hardly ever care about what strangers think about me anymore. And because I don't care about fear of judgment, I'm able to live a fully authentic life or the closest thing to it. So I wouldn't have gotten there had I had, you know, not had all of this conflict, so inversity. So, yeah, I'm actually really grateful in a better thought. Sounds like you've been listening to some Tony Robbins podcast. I've been, I've listened to all the stuff. I've done so many self-help books and so many podcasts.

Like I went deep into the whole healing experience. And I was able to switch my perspective, you know, which it's like it works for me, you know. So I've convinced myself that everything's great. So it is. Hey, thanks for giving us the updates. This makes a lot more sense. There's a lot in this world of back and force publicly. the public drama that I don't understand.

So thanks for coming on, sharing it with us. This has been the Almost Famous Podcast with Clayton Eckerd. Until next time I've been Ben. I've been Ashley. See you guys. See you all. Follow the Ben and Ashley I, Almost Famous Podcasts on IHartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

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, luckily, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast. So we'll find out soon. This person writes, My boyfriend's 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. Hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That seems inappropriate. Maybe find out how it ends

by listening to the OK Storytime podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, it's Danielle Fisher. Writer Strong. And Wilfordale from PodMeets World. We are back in Las Vegas and giving the people.

what they want, a full week of Y2K content. Tell me why. Well, for the Backstreet Boys residency at Sphere, of course. We joke and say this is our second marriage, but it takes a lot of communication. Plus, it's carrot top, baby. And finally, Ashley Simpson-Ross joins us to talk about her upcoming sold-out Vegas residency. Listen to PodMeets World on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, my name is Enya Yumanzor.

And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love 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. Hi, it's Honey German and I'm back with season 3. two of my podcast, Grasias, 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 vivras you've come to expect.

Listen to the new season of Dacias Come Again on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. Everyone thinks they'd never join a cult. But it happens all the time to people just like you. And people just like us. I'm Lola Blanc. And I'm Megan Elizabeth. We're the host of Trust Me,

a podcast about cults, manipulation, and the psychology of belief. 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 an IHeart podcast.