The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Frankie Friday: I Choose Me

Episode Date: March 13, 2026

We’re getting you ready for Taylor Frankie Paul’s season of The Bachelorette and Ashley has a shocking prediction for who will get Taylor’s final rose!Taylor is on the cover of Us Weekly, and Ben and Ashley use the interview to get some insight on her time as The Bachelorette, and you won’t believe what’s revealed!Plus, Taylor’s ex, Dakota, lets out what happened between them the NIGHT BEFORE she started filming The Bachelorette!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human. Getting ready for a game means being ready for anything. Like packing a spare stick. I like to be prepared. That's why I remember 988, Canada's suicide crisis helpline. It's good to know just in case. Anyone can call or text for free confidential support from a train responder anytime.

988 suicide crisis helpline is funded by the government in Canada. Next Monday, our 2026 IHeart podcast awards are happening. Live at South by Southwest. This is the biggest night in podcasting. We'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative talent and creators in the industry. And the winner is... Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display.

Thank you so much. Iheart Radio. Thank you to all the other nominees. You guys are awesome. Watch live next Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Pacific free at veeps. Or the Veeps app. Hey, I'm Jay Chetty, host of the On Purpose podcast. My latest episode is with Hillary Duff, singer, actress, and multi-platinum artist.

You desire in family like this picture, and that's not reality. My sister and I don't speak. It's definitely a very painful part of my life. And I hope it's not forever, but it's for right now. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Chetty on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You know Roald Doll. He thought up Willie Wonka and the BFG.

But did you know he was a spy? In the new podcast, The Secret World of Roll Doll, I'll tell you that story, and much, much more. What? You probably won't believe it either. Was this before he wrote his stories? It must have been. Okay, I don't think that's true. I'm telling you.

I was a spy. Listen to The Secret World of Roll Doll on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your I'm Amanda Knox, and in the new podcast, Doubt, the case of Lucy Letby, we unpack the story of an unimaginable tragedy that gripped the UK in 2023. But what if we didn't get the whole story? The moment you look at the whole picture, the case collapsed. What if the truth was disguised by a story we chose to believe? Oh my God, I think she might be innocent.

Listen to Doubt, the case of Lucy Letby on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast with IHartRadio. It's the Almost Famous Podcast. We're back with another Frankie Friday. Yesterday, season four of the secret lives of Mormon wives dropped on Hulu.

Ashley, will you be watching it this weekend? I still have to watch the rest of season two and three and then four guys. That's a lot of Mormon wives. You're watching before Bachelorette. And I must, you know why? because this season pertains so very much to The Bachelorette, so many storylines about Taylor's life going into the season and where she was with Dakota.

We have a spoiler in this rundown that I'm going to have to say like, spoiler alert guys, this is a spoiler as far as like if you haven't watched season four yet, which you probably haven't being that again, it dropped today. But there's something that happens when the episodes. And it's like, oh, wow, that is a perfect cliffhanger. to go into the Bachelorette. All right, Ben. So our first headline is Taylor being on the cover of us weekly.

Yeah, you know what I'm taking from this, Ashley? What? I mean, Taylor is beautiful in this. It's a great picture. You always can tell what the, like, show storyline they're pushing us towards based on what PR is kind of allowing to be said. They're really going to fall into this. unpredictable storyline for Taylor Frankie Paul, which means I think she's going to be

unpredictable, which I want and like going into this season, is something unexpected, twists and turns, her not just follow along. She's actually going to be a lead. And I think leads make things unpredictable when they actually lead a show. Well, Ben, I read this Q&A that they have in the Us Weekly. There are a few things that I want to point out, a few bullet. point, but I have to say my overall take is that I do not think she picks anyone just based on this interview. And I think that it's going to be her picking herself in the end. I literally think

that she's going to say, I give the final rose to myself in a declaration of self-love. Hey, go for it. I'm all for it. Do you want to hear this? This is why. This is what solidified that. How would you describe the ending of The Bachelorette? I felt lots of different emotions for lots of different reasons. It ended in a tailor way. Some people may know what that means and some may not. What do you think from that? It's going to be unpredictable.

So maybe I'm trying to predict something that is unpredictable. No, I think if I was to guess, I would fall, I understand what you're saying. Like if I was to assume it would be what you're saying. Okay. Well, I also had read all the article before and that's the last question. And there are reasons that that like also led me to that conclusion because, listen, this is a quote. I didn't have to do this. There was no other reason for me having to do this other than wanting to get outside of Utah and the toxicity that I'm in and venture off and do something for myself.

Like when asked about her relationship with Dakota, she said, you know, it was just so back and forth for so long. And if I couldn't snap, and like she basically couldn't snap out of it. She said, if I could snap out of it, trust me, I would. It's just a lot harder said and done. And then she also said something about like misconceptions about herself. I'm a very soft, gentle person. Like if you see me on the show, like secret lives, like you get a like chaotic reaction, like a reaction. like a reactive petty side of me

but I'm actually like a very chill regular person I'm a lover girl through and through and that's why I'm here because as much as I feel pain with that I have felt with love I'm still here wanting to find it I have hope for it and that's what I long for

like I literally think that there's so much of her just wanting to get into the Bachelorette role so that she could leave the situation that she was in. She just needed a break of what this, you know, a break from Dakota,

a break from probably being one of the Mormon wives. And, um, and it's giving us clarity, Ashley, it kind of leads us to the next headline, but it gives us clarity on why she said yes to the role. People have, you know,

not been confused by it. It makes sense, right? It's a good moment for her. It's good professionally for her. And it pushes her into a whole new realm. and fan base, that's all great. But we always wondered, hey, does she actually want to meet somebody? I think it was a question.

And this is pointing to the answer of yes. The next headline says that she joined the Bachelorette to break free of toxic relationships. This was a clean slate for her. This goes outside of her network of friends from the Mormon Wives Show. It goes outside of the network of people she's known growing up. And I think it makes sense on why she said yes for the sake of a relationship. she wants to get away from the toxicity. I think that's wonderful.

No, I love that. I think that she basically was saying, here, there's this other quote that I like because, yes, it's so, so true that she could, like, she is not there for the wrong reasons because she was already the lead of a reality show. And then she was given another awesome opportunity in the same realm. Is it going to amp her up even further?

Yeah. but I also think like she was a definitely huge reality star, you know, social media personality. She didn't need this. And she basically goes and she says that. She didn't need it. She says, I get this opportunity as a single mom to just purely focus on dating and love and myself.

It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. That's why I was there. And anyone that doesn't believe that, that's their own issue. I truly believe this. This is like one of the most there for the right reason sort of situation. Yeah, 100%. It was why it maybe was a little bit confusing because we're like, wait, she doesn't need this.

Why is she doing this? But now it makes sense on why she said yes to it. I think it's a great opportunity for her to have that clean slate. It's in a sense why so many other people say yes to the show, right? There is the new, you know, the excitement of being on TV. There is the excitement of being on television in front of millions of people. That's great. But I think deep down most people's reason for going on is, oh, why not?

Like maybe this could work for me. Maybe I could meet somebody through this. Am I expecting to? No, not really. It feels kind of weird and funky. But maybe I could. And if all else fails, then maybe I'll meet some cool people on the way and have a great experience. I think Taylor is falling right into that category, even though she has the platform that's already been gifted and given to her through the Mormon Wife show.

I think this is a wonderful reason for her to go on is to break free from some of the things that she's been a part of in the past and try love without maybe the influences that have been around her for so long. Getting ready for a game means being ready for anything. Like packing a spare stick. I like to be prepared. That's why I remember 988 Canada's suicide crisis helpline. It's good to know just in case. Anyone can call or text for free confidential support from a train responder anytime. 988 suicide crisis helpline is funded by the government in Canada.

Next Monday, our 2026 IHeart podcast awards are happening live at South by Southwest. This is the biggest night in podcasting. We'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative talent and creators in the industry. And the winner is creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. so much. IHeartRadio. Thank you to all the other nominees. You guys are awesome. Watch live next Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Pacific free at Veeps.com or the Veeps app. I'm Clayton Eckerd, and in 2022, I was the lead of ABC's The Bachelor.

Unfortunately, it didn't go according to plan. He became the first Bachelor to ever have his final rows rejected. The internet turned on him. If I could press a button and rewind it all I would. But what happened to Clayton after the show? made even bigger headlines. It began as a one-night stand and ended in a courtroom with Clayton at the center of a very strange paternity scandal.

The media is here. This case has gone viral. The dating contract. Agree to date me, but I'm also suing you. Please search for it. This is unlike anything I've ever seen before.

I'm Stephanie Young. This is love trapped. This season, an epic battle of He Said She Said, and the search for accountability in a sea of lies. Listen to Love Trapped on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You know Roll Doll, the writer who thought up Willie Wonka, Matilda, and the BFG. But did you know he was also a spy?

Was this before he wrote his stories? It must have been. Our new podcast series, The Secret World of Roll Doll, is a wild journey through the hidden chapters of his extraordinary, controversial life. His job was literally to seduce the wives of powerful Americans. What? And he was really good at it. You probably won't believe it either. Okay, I don't think that's true.

I'm telling you. The guy was a spy. Did you know Dahl got cozy with the Roosevelt's? Played poker with Harry Truman and had a long affair with a congresswoman. And then he took his talents to Hollywood, where he worked alongside Walt Disney and Alfred Hitchcock, before writing a hit James Bond film. How did this secret agent wind up as the most successful children's author ever? and what darkness from his covert past

seeped into the stories we read as kids. The true story is stranger than anything he ever wrote. Listen to the secret world of Roll Dahl on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jay Chetty, host of the On Purpose podcast. My latest episode is with Hilary Duff, singer, actress, and multi-platinum artist. Hillary opens up about complicated family dynamics,

motherhood, and releasing our first record in over 10 years. We talk about what it's taken to grow, up in the entertainment industry and stay grounded through every chapter. It's a raw and honest conversation about identity, evolution, and building a life that truly matters. You desire in family like this picture, and that's not reality a lot of the time it's for people. My sister and I don't speak. It's definitely a very painful part of my life, and I hope it's not forever, but it's for right now. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Chetty on the IHartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

She also in this article answers the question. The question is prior to going on the show, did you think it was possible to be in love with more than one person at the same time? Ashley, very interesting question for Taylor to answer. You cover this one because you've been in that situation and have been the starter of all this. Her answer is yes. I think I can be in love with more than one person. I think you always love someone more, but I think you can be very confused about multiple people.

Thank you, Taylor. Let's see what happens here. Our producer wrote a little note. She goes, what if it ends with her proposing? And I'm like, eh, would that be the first time? Yeah, I guess The Bachelorette would do that. I just don't, I don't know. And also, let's make a note.

Wait, didn't it? Somebody else do that. I felt like another girl, like, was like, Oh, yeah, that was Jen. Like Jen, just on the last season, was basically like, I'm going to, yeah. And then we thought that he was a dick. Remember?

And like all that? And we were so wrong. Yeah, we were just, it was a very, very bad situation. So then I also like want to make note that Taylor has been a mom since she was 24. She was married very young. So she's never really had an alone. moment in her adulthood. So this is another perfect way for her to get that.

By the way, I was just kidding about us being so wrong. We won't even mention his name, but it proved that she... I remember his name now, but yeah. I know. I remember his name, but we won't mention it because it was so wild and wacky at the end of that. Probably the wild and wackiest reaction for any winner ever from the show. Usually, like, the person chosen, you're like, okay, they broke up, but they're okay.

Like, you know, they... I get why they chose them. And this one was confusing then, confusing after, confusing now. Anyways, we're back to Taylor here. Final question I want to cover with you that she answered during this interview was, what was the end goal with The Bachelorette? And she answers, the goal was to find my person. I didn't really have any vision of how it could go in engagement.

We leave together or trying to date. I didn't set any other expectations. Again, I think Ashley, you and I would agree that this is a brink. breath of fresh air for us where she didn't feel that pressure of, hey, if this isn't right for me, I don't know if we're going to leave together. And that's okay with us. We're not, we're not looking for, you know, the, oh my gosh, yes, you're going to get married kind of thing. We're just looking for an engagement or for an opportunity to meet somebody that one day you could potentially become engaged to. And that bullet point made me think about what I thought. And then so did this next one

where she said about mental health struggles that she's been posting about. She says it's more adjusting back to a very high rush situation of filming and then coming back home and adjusting and then having to go to do more filming for Mormon wives. I have a lot on my plate that I agreed to do plus being a mom of three with my mental health. It's sometimes a chemical imbalance. Nothing has to happen to affect my mental health. And that's the struggle of it. And then they go, are you happy in this moment?

And she says, I'm happy in this moment. Yes. So I don't know. I just don't feel like there's another guy like doing life with her right now. That's just my vibe. Anyway, let's go into this next headline, which is our juicy spoiler of the week. Again, this is a spoiler about Mormon wives. So you do not listen if you don't want to be spoiled.

Dakota Mortensen claims he slept with Taylor Frankie Paul the night before she left for Bachelorette. And it's really all there. You can read the whole synopsis, but that is what he's saying. He went over to drop off ever the night before she had to leave, and he apparently slept over, only for there to be some tidbits further into the episode about the fact that Taylor had mentioned that she was ovulating when they slept together. Ben's eyes just widened. I know what that means now. Yeah. And so he was afraid that she went off to film Bachelorette pregnant.

And then Taylor was basically like, look at my stomach. Do I look pregnant? That was like after a little bit. Can I say something? Yeah. Am I wrong? And maybe I'm old school. Some would call me too traditional.

And saying that like, hey, you know what? You guys had a history. You're comfortable with each other, obviously. I understand. Do I think it was wise or smart? No, I'm not saying that. But I understand how a night before a big moment where you could leave potentially engaged, you would be like, hey, can we just give it one more, you know, rowdy time together,

just to say it was possibly our last time. I understand how that happens or where the mind would be there. Again, don't think it's wise. Don't think it's smart. My problem is that he was willing to say it publicly. it feels like kind of disrespectful it feels like if you cared about somebody

you just be like hey yeah we did that and you know what it doesn't need to be anybody else's business yeah obviously I concur but you know he's also on reality TV and he says this when he pulls

two of her mom talk friends over and goes Taylor told me that the last time we did it she was like ovulating and then said, I haven't had my period yet. And I'm like, what? From when? And then she said, whoa, like, hang on, like trying to do the math.

I'm pretty sure that's how I'm interpreting it correctly. Maybe this will be the wildest and most unpredictable bachelor at seasonable. That's what happened. She finds out she's pregnant. No, I saw that girl's stomach in January. And that is not a pregnant belly. Next 10 line is we get a first look at Taylor Frankie Paul's Night 1 as The Bachelorette. You know, and I'm not done talking about that.

How nutty. How nutty to just know that you're ovulating and then to be like, yeah, let's just, what? This girl doesn't care about getting pregnant. No. Maybe they use protection. Maybe. All right. Moving on.

Heather goes, no. No condoms. Okay. All right. Yeah, she just doesn't care. You should talk to my neighbors. They had plenty. How many kids?

Oh, the condoms. Okay. First look at Taylor's Night 1. Ben, we see these photos. You can see them online. Just type it in, guys. It's just some pictures of her meeting the guys on night one with them coming out of limo. And, you know, how usually we're like, oh, my God, guys look so much better.

I'm not saying that these guys are like, not nice looking guys. They're obviously like nice looking humans, but like they're not hotties. I'm the meanest. But I'm just being honest. I hate that for them. Taylor Frankie Paul takes all the roses away

an official bachelorette trailer. Yes, Taylor. Get it. Okay, this is a great teaser. So she tells Jesse that she doesn't want any roses around like during this rose ceremony. Like she doesn't think that like anybody deserves them this night. And then she goes and she grabs,

or at least that's what I'm assuming. Then she goes and she grabs a rose from a guy who already had one, being like your immunity is taken away. Like you're still in contention to be eliminated tonight. Again, assuming, but it seems like she gets really annoyed at something. And then she's like, uh, nobody's getting roses tonight. And then, of course, Taylor's, you know, Taylor Swift's, look what you maybe do is playing throughout the entire thing. And that makes everything a little bit more sassy. and dramatic.

We've gotten a lot of trailers so far. Ashley, all of them get us very excited for the next season of The Bachelorette. This has been another Frankie Friday breaking down everything happening in the life in the world

of Taylor, Frankie Paul, our season's next Bachelorette. So until next time, I've been Ben. I've been Ashley. See you guys. Follow the Ben and Ashley I, almost famous podcasts on IHeartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Next Monday, our 2026 IHeart podcast awards are happening live at South by Southwest. It's the biggest night in podcasting. We'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative talent and creators in the industry. And the winner is... Creativity, knowledge, and passion will all be on full display. Thank you so much.

IHeart Radio. Thank you to all the other nominees. You guys are awesome. Watch live next Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Pacific, free at veeps. Veeps.com or the Veeps app. You know Roald Doll. He thought up Willie Wonka in the BFG. But did you know he was a spy?

In the new podcast, The Secret World of Roll Doll, I'll tell you that story, and much, much more. What? You probably won't believe it either. Was this before he wrote his stories? It must have been. Okay, I don't think that's true. I'm telling you.

I was a spy. Listen to The Secret World of Roll Doll on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jay Chetty, host of the On Purpose podcast. My latest episode is with Hillary Duff, singer, actress, and multi-platinum artist. You desire in family like this picture, and that's not reality. My sister and I don't speak.

It's definitely a very painful part of my life. And I hope it's not forever, but it's for right now. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Chetty on the I Heart Ration. Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Amanda Knox, and in the new podcast, Doubt, the case of Lucy Letby, we unpack the story of an unimaginable tragedy that gripped the UK in 2023. But what if we didn't get the whole story? Evidence has been made to fit.

The moment you look at the whole picture, the case collapsed. What if the truth was disguised by a story we chose to believe? Oh my God, I think she might be innocent. Listen to Doubt, the case of Lucy Letby on the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Clayton Eckerd. In 2022, I was the lead of ABC's The Bachelor. But here's the thing.

Bachelor fans hated him. If I could press a button and rewind it all I would. That's when his life took a disturbing turn. A one-night stand would end in a courtroom. The media is here. This case has gone viral. The dating contract. Agree to date me, but I'm also suing you.

This is unlike anything I've ever seen before. I'm Stephanie Young. Listen to Love Trapped on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.