The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Fresh as a Daisy with Daisy Kent

Episode Date: April 10, 2024

Now that Joey’s season has come and gone, we’re getting to know one of the fan favorite contestants a bit better, and that’s Daisy Kent! Hear about the exact moment she decided she didn’t want to be The Bachelorette, find out what happened with THAT music video, and… she reveals if she’s single or not!  We’re asking all the tough questions and getting the juicy answers from one of the breakout stars of Joey’s season!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Hi, my name is Enya Eumanzor. And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you. But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh my God, perfect. And want to hear people with mental illness, psychobabble.

Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your... free iHeartRadio app search emergency intercom and listen now our iHeart radio music festival presented by capital one is coming back to las vegas september 19th and 20th on your feet streaming live only on hulu ladies and gentlemen brian adams ed sherin fade chlorilla jelly roll john fogartie lil wane l ll cool jay maria carrie maroon 5 sammy hagar tape mccray the offspring tim mcraw tickets are on sale now at AXS.com. Get your tickets today. AXS.com.

Every case that is a cold case that has DNA. Right now in a backlog will be identified in our lifetime. On the new podcast, America's Crime Lab, every case has a story to tell. And the DNA holds the truth. He never thought he was going to get caught. And I just looked at my computer screen. I was just like, ah, gotcha. This technology is already solving so many cases. Listen to America's Crime Lab on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose between a maximum security prison or the most brutal boot camp designed to be hell on earth? Unfortunately from Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced.

He said, you are a number, a New York State number, and we own you. Listen to shock incarceration on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcasts with IHartRadio. This season was unlike any other. It was celebrated, it was watched, it was cried over,

it's been talked about, and we have one of, if not, the most talked about contestant from this season on the show today, A Daisy, welcome. Hi, happy to be here. Hi, Daisy. That just made me think.

First question is, how do you feel about being like the most followed girl from the show in a very long time? The most followed non-lead. And of like years since like Peter's season.

Have we seen this? What do you think it was about you that people were like, I must follow this girl? I mean, it's definitely been really exciting. And I think it's, my story is really unique. and I think a lot of people related to it

that had been through anything, health, like any health issues, life. It was also a really unique time in my life too because it was pretty new for me to have a cochlear implant. And so those like new moments were captured, which I thought was really cool. And I'm really at production did such a good job too with capturing those.

So I don't know. I, like it was really exciting. I don't necessarily know exactly why it was me. but I'm really grateful for it. Well, I mean, I personally think there's a relatability to you. I also think that you were vulnerable with many things. And then I think your style. I think obviously people from the show love to kind of follow what you're wearing

and why you're wearing it. And it is one of the interesting. And I've never thought about it until this season, until you're coming on today. One of the cool parts about The Bachelor is that you're wearing. these clothes. And for the most part, these are clothes that are very accessible to the general public, right? You're not dressing up like a red carpet wearing your $5,000 dress so you can show it off one night. These are clothes that you're either like bringing from your closet or maybe

going on like a little run to a department store to pick up. Have you gotten a lot of like people reaching out wondering, you know, where you got your clothes from? And my follow up to this is did you expect to be known for your style? No, I didn't. And actually, I give credit to my friends because when I was going on the show, and they were helping me pack, I had one night or like a few of my closest girlfriends came over a couple days before I left. And we went through every single outfit that I was going to bring on. And they made me a list because they were like, Daisy, this is going to be a disaster because we know you if you don't have something to be a little bit organized. So they made me a list of like every single outfit. It was like

daytime outfit what like top and pants you wear with what shoes how you should do your hair like they did everything for me but it was cool to see but i also tried to dress in like the way that i normally dress to like express myself so yeah it was fun though and i had a lot of my friends old prom dresses i wore though i was scavenging you have had like are already so many things come out about you over the past couple weeks like rumors right so you have this there's this tic-tok where you and john henry are close on the couch and people are speculating that you're dating and then we you're not okay you're not dating john henry would you is there somebody from the bachelor franchise that you would be interested in i don't know not off the top of my head

i'm kind of just doing my thing right now honestly well you won't you we we know why you don't be the bachelor's because you had you know you just feel like it wasn't the appropriate role for you you don't feel like dating like that you don't feel like hurting people's feelings you don't feel like being like under the emotional and physical stress of it all totally understandable would you do paradise though because it is a lot more relaxed well yeah you've done paradise yeah did you like it well i met my husband on it so yeah i did like it but it was Ashley's the biggest paradise advocate. She thinks it's the best thing in the world.

Yeah. I think you'd like. I think you'd enjoy. Well, you get a lot out of it. Okay, then maybe I'll consider it. But in this moment, I would have to say no. But I would really. Yeah.

I think I'm ready to just not do that for a second. Did you not like being on TV? I actually loved it. And I had a really great time. I just think it wasn't. I mean, it's hard because, like, I don't have anything bad to say about it. I just think I kind of needed a breather from reality TV for a second. Smart.

It's, you know, I think for Jen, and we're going to talk about Jen in just a little bit, the difficulty with being the Bachelorette is that you really don't have a break. Now, with The Bachelor, you get a little break in between. You get some months to kind of breathe, get back to your life, see your friends, kind of adjust, hear all the criticism and also hear all the praise. And you kind of get some like, you just get used to it a little bit more, I think. Yeah. With The Bachelor, you're rolling right into filming.

And it feels like you haven't been off camera then for six months straight, which I will say is fairly unhealthy. It's really hard. So I want to dig in a little bit to your decision to say, hey, the back. Bachelorette is not my role. You said you needed a break from reality television. When you say that, what do you actually mean? I think just the stress of everything, too. I think I didn't.

Obviously, I'd watch The Bachelor all growing up, but I don't think I understood because when I was watching it, I mean, I would always watch it. And I would go and like follow girls or guys, something like my favorites that were on the show. But I think it's a completely, different experience when it's you going through it and you're also seeing everything that everyone's staying online which I do a good job of like dismissing it but I think part of the reaction

I like wasn't expected to have for me when people were like saying negative things about how I talk and my cochlear implant and stuff like that and I guess it just made me realize like how mean people can be online which like I have taken off skin to deal with it but I think in a way being The Bachelorette too, it was something that I took into consideration because I feel like people are so much or can be so much more judgmental towards women and especially the lead in that case. And I just didn't want to get in a bad head space and I'm in such a good space right now and I didn't want anything to mess with that because I am happy and I haven't always been happy. And so I didn't want anything to negatively affect that. So I think that was kind of a

reason too, if I'm being honest. But I think, and also, like, you don't get to talk to your family or your friends in this whole little world. And I just felt like right now is a time for me to kind of focus on the things I want to do and spend time with my family and friends and everyone. But it is hard, too, because it's like, now I'm rambling. I'm like, I know it's a huge opportunity too, but I just felt like it wasn't the right place in time for me. So you said this week that production was very nice and accepting of your decision, but do you think that you were like the first person who just really rejected them when they fully planned on you being the bachelorette?

I mean, I was I was very open and honest with them through the whole process. and I think they were kind of hoping I was going to do it. Turn around, yeah. Yeah, because part of me did want to do it. But no, I feel like there's been other people. I mean, I don't think we always know, but I think there's probably definitely been other people. But I also think it's hard when you're in that situation,

because if you would have asked me, like, ever in my life, oh, you're going to potentially be the Bachelorette, what would you say? No, I'd be like, no, like, I'd say yes. Yeah. So I don't know. I think it's just weird when you're in that position. It is a unique situation.

Did you have a debate not doing it? Not really. I think I teased with them. Like, I think during my filming, I said, hey, I don't know if I'd want it. And I really didn't think I didn't think I'd. knew until afterwards because you don't really understand what the show is and what it does to you personally until it starts airing on television. Yeah. And once it started airing on

television, then there was a whole new kind of weight of anxiety that I felt. But I also, for me, felt like quite honestly, my life was just not in a place. anything else cool is happening. And so I was like, I need to do this. Like, I don't have a lot else to fall back on. And I think that's where I was trying to like, just take the risk and take the step. I do understand, though, if you're looking at your life and you're like, there's some other things I'm very excited about. I feel very at peace with where I am personally. Then I think it would be an easier decision, be like, not for me. I also think it's worth noting that it was a different time in the show when I was on it, right? Seven years ago, the show, um,

was still kind of at its peak, I would say. And your season, well, Joey's season with you on, it really brought it back, I think, to that kind of level. But it's a tough road ahead because people are still in this kind of mindset of they're judging before loving when they watch it. Back then, it was more loving before judging. I'm so true. Yeah, definitely.

Well, and I think it's really interesting in your, because you would have been a very popular choice. I think people would have been ecstatic to watch more of you. I also think, though, there is this level of people get viewer exhaustion. So Jen kind of has the benefit of we don't really know her. And so it's going to take a long time for people to get sick of her. They will. It happens every season.

It just does at some point. People, you know, will bring on criticism. Except for Joey. Except for, well, but we didn't know Joey going in. it took us a while to get to know him and then once we got to know him um it took you know nobody really ever got sick of him i do think there's a benefit in not being like main character coming on to the show uh yeah as definitely as the bachelorette but i think people will be very intrigued to learn more about her i think they're going to be fascinated by her because i i mean

and we're going to get into that later i want to hear kind of what you know about her and what we can expect to see but like as you mentioned you've been a fan of the show. You've watched the show. Now I've got to go back and see if you follow me because you said you follow your favorites from the past. And so I do follow you. Okay, good. That's important because it was going to get very awkward here for a second. But now being on the show and being a fan, being a support of the show, has it ruined the show at all for you, changed your perspective on the show? Kind of what has it done now that you've seen how the meat is made? I think if I'm looking at my experience, I would say it made it even better for me because I did have such a great

experience. And I know not everyone can always say that, but I had like the best experience. And if I went back to that time, like I would do it again hands down. But I, yeah, I had the time of my life, honestly. But yeah, I think it's just something when you're like going in to do it. I would say be, like, you need to be very sure of who you are when you're going into it. And if you're not, then I think it can be a little bit messy for you. But I think for me, I was so sure of who I am. And I think if I would have done it even like a year ago, it probably wouldn't have been a good situation for me. But I think just the time I'm at in my life, I think it was a really good thing for me.

and yeah, I don't, I don't, I had, yeah, I had a great time. So, Daisy, let's go back to the show for a second, especially towards the end, because you've been honest this week about the fact that you felt like something was missing with Joey. Like, you always liked him. You felt like you had a great vibe, but there was just like something missing. And you really discovered this when it was you, Kelsey and him together at that rose ceremony. And you could see the difference.

but did you feel like it was like did you feel sad when you saw the difference or were you just like oh there is so there is something missing and you were kind of like accepting of that i think i was accepting but i think in that moment it is difficult because like up and up until that moment i think it's really going from jasper to hometowns i thought it was me and then i think in that moment too. So it is a little bit shocking also. But I think I was accepting of it because there was part of me that was always like, I don't know if this is it. But every time we were together, it was so much fun and we had such a great time. So I think I had a hard time admitting that part to myself. But I think part of me always knew a little bit. So then what would have happened if you

thought in that last week that he was going to pick you? Like, would you have been the one who dumped him and made all of his greatest fears come true? I have no idea. It's hard for me to put myself in that position because, like, I don't know what didn't happen. But I think I'm like, I'm the type of person that, like, I'll always try to make it work. But, yeah, it's definitely, like, it was meant to be him and Kelsey for sure. My name is Ed. Everyone say, hello, Ed.

I'm from a very rural background myself. My dad is a farmer, and my mom is a cousin. So, like, it's not like... What do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? I know it sounds like the start of a bad joke, but that really was my reality nine years ago. I just normally do straight stand-up, but this is a bit different.

On stage stood a comedian with a story that no one expected to hear. The 22nd of July 2015, a 23-year-old man had killed his family. And then he came to my house. So what do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? A new podcast called Wisecrack,

where stand-up comedy and murder takes center stage. Available now. Listen to Wisecrack, on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Dr. Joy Harden-Bradford, and in session 421 of therapy for black girls, I sit down with Dr. Ophia and Billy Shaka to explore how our hair connects to our identity, mental health, and the ways we heal. Because I think hair is a complex language system, right, in terms of it can tell how old you are,

your marital status, where you're from, you're a spiritual belief. But I think with social media, there's like a hyperfixing. and observation of our hair, right, that this is sometimes the first thing someone sees when we make a post or a reel is how our hair is styled. You talk about the important role hairstylists play in our community, the pressure to always look put together, and how breaking up with perfection can actually free us. Plus, if you're someone who gets anxious about flying, don't miss session 418 with Dr. Angela Neil Barnett, where we dive into managing flight anxiety.

Listen to Therapy for Black Girls on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Get fired up, y'all. Season 2 of Good Game with Sarah Spain is underway. We just welcomed one of my favorite people and an incomparable soccer icon, Megan Rapino, to the show, and we had a blast. We talked about her recent 40th birthday celebrations, co-hosting a podcast with her fiancé Sue Bird, watching former teammates retire and more. Never a dull moment with Pino. listen. What do you miss the most about being a pro athlete? The final, the final, and the locker room. I really, really, like, you just, you can't replicate, you can't get back, showing up to

the locker room every morning just to shit talk. We've got more incredible guests like the legendary Candace Parker and college superstar AZ Fudd. I mean, seriously, y'all, the guest list is absolutely stacked for season two. And, you know, we're always going to keep you up to speed on all the news and happenings around the women's sports world as well. So make sure you listen to Good Good Game with Sarah Spain on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Have you ever wished for a change but weren't sure how to make it? Maybe you felt stuck in a job, a place, or even a relationship. I'm Emily Tish Sussman, and on she pivots, I dive into the inspiring pivots of women

who have taken big leaps in their lives and careers. I'm Gretchen Whitmer, Jody Sweeten. Penn. Elaine Welteroff. I'm Jessica Voss. And that's when I was like, I got to go. I don't know how, but that kicked off the pivot of how to make the transition. Learn how to get comfortable pivoting because your life is going to be full of them. Every episode gets real about the why behind these changes and gives you the inspiration and maybe the push to make your next pivot. Listen to these women and more on She Pivots now on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The interesting thing here for me in trying to dive into your thought process, and tell me if I'm wrong, it sounds like the major disconnect was when you saw the two of them together.

Before that, were you doubting anything or were you full steam ahead? Before that, the only time I would doubt things is I remember all of those. girls like we'd all be sitting together and I felt like everyone was like I think I was really cautious with the whole thing too and everyone I felt like was falling in love way faster than I was and I was like am I supposed to be there yet but it's just it's a weird situation and you're not used to be put like in that type of situation so I think I was very cautious but I think also part of it was when I was with him I was having like such a great time but then also when we were around all the other girls I never felt I would never get very jealous and I don't know

if that should have been like a red flag to me because I mean I know jealousy is like a bad thing but I feel like in this type of situation I probably should have felt a little bit more jealous I don't know but I was super interesting yeah but I remember feeling that way and I was always like maybe it's I think it's just because like I am so confident where me and him are at which I was too um because I would always get like validation from him but yeah but then part of me like I do wonder a little bit if that was because maybe it was kind of like something that I should have paid more attention to. Does that make sense?

I don't know if that. It does make sense. But speaking of jealousy, something that I think was a miracle of this season watching it and you're a part of it was that it was very clear from like, week one, who the front runners were. Those front runners never changed. It was you and Kelsey the whole time, clearly to everybody watching. Typically, well, being in the house myself and coming to a few seasons, when there's two front

runners or even one front runner, the house kind of collapses in on itself. The other contestants can feel it, they can sense it, they can see it, and there is a lot of jealousy, drama comes about, and then people typically just go home at some point because they're like, this is stupid. Like, what am I doing here any longer? Yeah. How did, like, how did the house function? And I guess the question has to also assume that they understood and saw that the two

of you were frontrunners, or did that never become apparent to anybody else the whole time? I think it was because girls would talk to me and tell me that they thought I was one or that I was going to be, like, very, very far. and people would say that about Kelsey too to me and so I think people did know and like see it but also it's like you never know because I think sometimes it's like there's a frontrunner and then they get a certain like spot like half or through the season and then they just kind of like fall off so I don't know and I think just me and Kelsey kind of being how we are we are both like

always very nice to everyone and got along with pretty much ever i would say honestly everyone in the house and so i i don't know but i know what you're saying but i don't think so with me and her i think it was yeah for some reason there wasn't but maybe it's too there was a lot of other drama going on too that yeah i just think it is a miracle of this season i've never seen a season where there's been two clear front runners that have walked through it without anyone ever kind of putting a target on their back and starting to, you know, disrupt. Yeah, that is true. I can put it that way.

It's very interesting. And it might be. I mean, I think it gives a lot of credit to you and Kelsey and how you handled it and probably what you said and didn't say. And also, I think the key point here for anybody listening who watches the show is your confidence. I think also played a role in that because you could be confident internally. You didn't have to be confident externally to also say things and throw off anybody else

and kind of push them out of the way on your path towards the end or to at least making the decision to stay or to go. And so I think the two of your confidence really played a role in that also. Yeah, definitely. Thank you. What's your relationship with like, with Kelsey like now? because, like, did things get awkward after you, you know, had the joint car ride and there was just, like, not a stereotypical ending? Yeah.

I would say afterwards, I think it's just kind of crazy coming off the show because you're in this bubble. And so we came off and I really kind of kept to myself. I didn't talk to really any of the girls besides. Autumn, Krista, and Kelsey T. Right at the beginning. And then me and Rachel, Rachel reached out to me and we kind of started talking. And then me and Kelsey talked a few times.

I think when it started airing, I felt like it got a little bit weird maybe. But then, like me and her, we were very, like we understood like the relationship we had on the show and the friendship we created. So we just kept kind of talking through it. And then, yeah, so, but I would say maybe a little bit, but now everything's kind of back to normal. But I think it is too.

You're on the show and that happens. And then it's kind of this whole different thing when it's airing back and everyone else is putting in their opinions. And so I think it does get a little heavy on people sometimes. But overall, I would say our relationship's really good. I would say because it would be easier for me personally to have the ending that you guys, did have if I was the quote winner yeah but I would also say that in your situation it seemed like you and Kelsey were like tied if not you being like the more frontrunner and you know of course that obviously can get to you to be like why does everybody think it stays easy the entire time

yeah and I think she knew and I knew at the ending especially that like last conversation that me and her had like definitely wasn't me and definitely was yeah and so I think like she knew that and had that but yeah it was it was like weird for me too especially when the like main spoiler came out and it says that I wasn't one them I think that was kind of I know it was difficult for me to navigate because it was pretty I'm pretty sure it was pretty soon after like a couple weeks after it was done that came out. And I was still processing everything. So it was shocking to me. But I also know, like, when it's playing back, like, we remember what happened between us and how the ending all happened. And so I just always kind of, like, brought it back to that

versus what people were saying online, which I think sometimes is hard to do, but that's what I tried to do. We also, I mean, I think there's, it's important here. And Daisy, I'd love to hear your kind of response to this, but if Kelsey was to go through a season a few weeks of intense confusion and jealousy, I personally feel like that would be very fair because here's what we're sitting at now. She's had to the end of the show five months of being with her fiancé, falling deeper, hopefully in love with her fiancé, viewing her fiance as somebody who is a part of her, a partner to her. The show is still a piece of their story, but they've moved on from that personally. And then the show starts airing. And all of a sudden,

your fiance is to the public sharing you with somebody else. And no matter what, you're going to get protective. My sweet wife, who has not a mean bone in her body, if there was ever anything said about me, she would lose it like there would be a whole different side of her to come out right and so i understand how there is a period there where probably for kelsey or for the the winner quote unquote would have all sorts of emotions and probably for a bit be resentful towards you even if she still likes you and cares about you what would you say to that like walk me through what you think it would feel like to be the winner in this situation Yeah, I mean, I think it would definitely be hard at times, for sure.

And I think it helped that we both did have such respect for each other, even though at moments it was probably really hard for both of us. But, like, at the end of the day, like, yes, it was me and her at the end, but it also, like, none of us did anything hurtful to each other. It wasn't. It was just it was the show, and it was how it came. out and how it was ending but yeah I could definitely see like being the final person in that scenario how it would definitely be weird and I feel like for everyone who's been in that position

it probably is um it's probably something that no one else will ever understand because like you said you do the show then you're with them for a few months and then you have to like go back and live it but also live it through everyone else watching it and I think it's more difficult that part's way more difficult even for me than I thought it was going to be like when I was in it. When I was in it, I had such a great time. The only time I struggled is when parts of the season, like when it was airing. Yeah. Yeah. What was this is random? We're going on a different topic right now. What was your take on the whole Maria mania? I just think it was a lot of like big personalities. And I think and when you're in a group of girls with. a lot of big personalities sometimes um it doesn't go well but i'm friends with a lot of the girls on the show and everyone's like friends and made up for the most part um but yeah it was crazy i remember sitting and watching some of it was like what is going it's always the best part as a contestant it's always the best part that you have a front row seat at the craziness that's now

going to air on national television and you have like the the ticket that nobody can buy and you can just watch it go down it's oftentimes really weird to see people like arguing in front of you and not to like step in and try to like be the peacemaker yeah but you're just like I just got to let this go and let this play out and I just got to sit here and watch it's wild yeah but what was your take on everyone's obsession with her and her also being somebody that bachelor nation was rooting on to be the bachelorette yeah I think it was really interesting because me and Maria are very, very different, even like our personality is like everything about us. I would say we're very different. And I think it was super interesting to see how people were

really supporting me and like also really supporting her. But I also think that might have been part of the reason why, because we were so different from each other. So yeah, did I answer that? I don't even know. Yeah. Yeah, totally. I've never seen. a contestant come off the show and have so much support I would say but it doesn't feel like the right word like backing like pandemonium pandemonium but also just in her corner

like she you know like really like I'm fighting for her and with her you know because at the end of the day no matter what like she was polarizing and at times controversial but yet that polarization and that

controversy led to people just being like, no, I love her. And it would be, there's a couple classes out there at universities that study each season of the show as like a social experiment. And I can't, I would love to hear kind of what they're finding out about the support for both you and Maria because you are different, but yet you both got so much support. Yeah, definitely. I think it would be interesting to like see how are like followers, like, overlap. Yeah. Like how many do overlap? Yeah. Where's the Venn diagram? Or if they're like

different or if like that's from bum. Totally. That's so funny. Okay. So let's talk about your health journey. How how willing are you to like go back in time and to start telling us about when you felt like something was off? Yeah. I can go way back in time. Okay. Let's do it. What was the one was the moment? So I think like when I was little, we kind of always knew because I would have seizures and bring us out and we couldn't really figure out why and then I would say when I was like 1517 that's when I first started realizing that my hearing was going away so went and started seeing a bunch of doctors did all these tests no one could really figure out what was wrong with me and I was still like having they called him like stroke like seizures because half my body would go numb

but that kept happening and then I had first been only losing hearing my left year but then it started impacting my right year and they didn't think that was ever going to happen so then and then i remember i went abroad it was my junior year of college and i went abroad and that was right after i found out that i was losing my hearing and i was probably going to lose all of it um so that was pretty tough and then that summer when i got back from abroad i remember talking to my mom and I just said something doesn't feel right in like my brain. I'm like, I just don't feel right. I don't feel like me.

Like something just feels wrong. And so then like we started doing a bunch of different things. And then they figured out that I had Lyme disease. And then it got to the point where I'd be having conversations with people. And I would just forget what I was saying. Like it would just completely stop. My name is Ed. Everyone say, hello, Ed.

I'm from a very rural background myself. My dad is a farmer, and my mom is a cousin. So, like, it's not, like... What do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? I know it sounds like the start of a bad joke, but that really was my reality nine years ago. I just normally do straight stand-up, but this is a bit different.

On stage stood a comedian with a story that no one expected to hear. Well, 22nd of July 2015, a 23-year-old man had killed his family. And then he came to my house. So what do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? A new podcast called Wisecrack, where stand-up comedy and murder takes center stage. Available now. Listen to Wisecrack on the IHeart Radio app. couple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm Dr. Joy Harden-Brandford. And in session 421 of Therapy for Black Girls, I sit down with Dr. Athea and Billy Shaka to explore how our hair connects to our identity, mental health, and the ways we heal. Because I think hair is a complex language system, right? In terms of it can tell how old you are, your marital status, where you're from, you're a spiritual belief. But I think with social media, there's like a hyperfixation and observation. of our hair, right? That this is sometimes the first thing someone sees when we make a post

or a reel is how our hair is styled. We talk about the important role hairstylists play in our communities, the pressure to always look put together, and how breaking up with perfection can actually free us. Plus, if you're someone who gets anxious about flying, don't miss session 418 with Dr. Angela Neil Barnett, where we dive into managing flight anxiety. Listen to therapy for Black Girls on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Get fired up, y'all. Season 2 of Good Game with Sarah Spain is underway.

We just welcomed one of my favorite people and an incomparable soccer icon, Megan Rapino to the show, and we had a blast. We talked about her recent 40th birthday celebrations, co-hosting a podcast with her fiancé Sue Bird, watching former teammates retire and more. Never a dull moment with Pino. Take a listen.

What do you miss the most about? being a pro athlete. The final. The final. And the locker room. I really, really, like, you just, you can't replicate, you can't get back. Showing up to the locker room every morning just to shit talk. We've got more incredible guests like the legendary Candace Parker and college superstar A. Z. Fudd. I mean, seriously, y'all, the guest list is absolutely stacked for season two. And, you know, we're always going to keep you up to speed on all the news and happenings around the women's sports world as well. So make sure you listen to a good game with Sarah Spain on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Have you ever wished for a change but weren't sure how to make it? Maybe you felt stuck in a job, a place, or even a relationship. I'm Emily Tish Sussman, and on she pivots, I dive into the inspiring pivots of women who have taken big leaps in their lives and careers. I'm Gretchen Whitmer, Jody Sweetie. Monica Patton.

Elaine Welterah. I'm Jessica Voss. And that's when I was like. Like, I got to go. I don't know how, but that kicked off the pivot of how to make the transition. Learn how to get comfortable pivoting because your life is going to be full of them. Every episode gets real about the why behind these changes and gives you the inspiration and maybe the push to make your next pivot. Listen to these women and more on She Pivots, now on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

So when did they think that you ended up getting Lyme disease now in hindsight? Because you had it when you were so little. You had symptoms of something when you were so little. Yeah. So I grew up in Minnesota, like out in the woods. So we were off the side. And I remember we would like, we would come in and our parents would check us for ticks and take them off.

But I remember I think when I was six, I had one in the back of my neck. That was a deer tick. So we went to the doctor and they like cut out a chunk of my skin actually and took it out. But we think that's when I got it. there's certain trackers in your blood and if when I did a bunch of the in-depth testing multiple times, the trackers that showed only show if you've had it for over 10 years. So they think that's when I probably got it. And then it just slowly started affecting me like worse and worse.

I want to dive in a little bit here because for anybody listening, Lyme disease right now is the third most diagnosed disease in the U.S., yet it doesn't have a lot of medical backing. So there's not a lot of money going into it. There's not a lot of research. Daisy, we've talked about on the podcast before we don't have to go into length about this, but my best friend was diagnosed with Lyme disease now four years ago, five years ago, and it developed into ALS. And so it started shutting down his nervous system. And so now he suffers from ALS. He's still alive, but it's ALS sucks. So Lyme disease is a big part of my life,

but it's also a big part of Bachelor Nation's life. Obviously, Trista Seder just came out today, talking about her husband Ryan's struggle with Lyme disease. Kelly Flanagan. Kelly Flanagan. I want to talk a little bit about this disease specifically. So your seizures, because I was unaware even kind of watching the show, I was trying to put all this together,

your seizures are believed to be also from Lyme disease yeah that's like the only thing they can link them to I was misdiagnosed with epilepsy but then I saw a bunch of specialists and they were like no you definitely do not have epilepsy and so one of the things obviously your case of Lyme disease is pretty severe I'm sure you have a thousand different other like diseases below that that come up on blood work but you're healthy now I believe so right yeah I'm very this is probably like the healthiest I've ever been, honestly, since I was little. But the cochlear implants are not a part of like curing Lyme disease. So what do they do to help rid you of this terrible disease? Yeah. So I went to Germany. I did a bunch of

treatments in the States. Nothing was working. And it's at the point where I like literally couldn't get out of bed. And I was just, I was so sick all the time. I remember there was this time period where like I couldn't even walk to the bathroom because my balance was so off. But I went and did this treatment in Germany and it completely changed my life. But my hearing, so they think we don't know for sure, but we're pretty sure the Lyme caused me to have Meneer's disease, which distracts your hearing. And so now I just have, I have Meneers disease, and that's why my hearing got so bad. So does that develop from Lyme disease?

It can. When your disease can happen from like a bunch of different things, but from like infections. It can happen. It can happen from like if you have like impact to your head. Some people it just happen. They don't know exactly why it happens all the time. And there's like no gear to it. They're doing a bunch of research right now. So hopefully something with that will come through. But yeah, they think that's why I have it. And I'm also not to be the age I am. and not respond to any Meneer's treatments, like usually steroids or diuretics, different like that will help if you're on a really strict diet, but none of it has helped me. Surgeon, actually, they call me the unicorn. Well, what kind of magic did they do in Germany? What do they have over there that we do not have? A lot of stuff. Do they recognize it as a disease, right?

Because I know that in America, it's a little bit like, yeah. There's not like, isn't it just like not. a, Ben, I think you've said it before. It's not like a registered, like, official diet, can't be like an official diagnosis. No, it's like under the same category as, like, fibromyalgia. So it's like not a registered, like, recognized disease. Yeah. So as a result, like, yeah, there's a thousand boring things.

Yeah. Okay. So do you recommend people going to Germany? Yeah. I always say if I were to get sick again, I would go there right away. It was definitely, it was like different because you are in a different country, but they're just so much more knowledgeable about it. And so the main thing they did was whole body hypothermia. So they put you to sleep.

It's like they, you know, I was there for a month, but they did this twice. They put me to sleep for, I would say, like, five to six hours. And then they raise your whole body temperature up. I got up to like 107.6 degrees and then they inject you with antibiotics because Lyme can't withstand a certain heat and a lot of people doctors will just give you antibiotics which I was on antibiotics for a really long time and for some people it'll work because well if you get it if you take them within like the first two weeks I think it is that you have Lyme and it'll work but otherwise for most people the antibiotics will just like suppress it but it's not good to be

on antibiotics for your life. But, like, Lyme, how to explain it, it has like a hard shell around it. And if you've had it for a certain time, like antibiotics can't crack through that shell. So, but extreme heat can break the shell. So when, like, you're in, when I was getting heated up, the shell, like, broke open. And then the antibiotics are able to go in and treat it. So interesting. Were you super scared going in for that?

I was really scared. but the doctors are very reassuring, but it is scary because you're in a different country. And like, but at that point, I was so sick. I remember leaving my mother brother was like, are you sure you want to do this? And I was just like, it can't get any worse right now. And so it was kind of my last, like, hope. Yeah. Well, you're speaking to many.

There's many listeners who, who've probably been diagnosed with Lyme. Your advocacy for this is going to be greatly important as we move forward because I do believe it is something we need. you to start paying attention to. I kind of want to take this Lyme disease conversation, though, and as we close out here, kind of run it back to the show, because you obviously had just gotten your cochlear implants right before the filming of the show. And you've said a couple things that I've jotted down here that are interesting me. You said, if this would have happened a year previous, you probably wouldn't be sitting

where you are today, and it would have gone a lot differently. What I'm curious, and I'm going to say, and it's going to maybe sound. a little bit harsh, but I don't mean it. I'm like really curious. I'm surprised that you could get cochlear implants, something that is very vulnerable, something that you were, you had admitted to being nervous about when it comes to, you know, how people would view you. Yet, you also had confidence that you've already mentioned during this interview to go on the show with these in a better place than you were a year previous. And so can you make all that makes sense to me? Because really what I'm trying to understand is at the place that you're at the most vulnerable in your life with something

happening in your life that you're also very insecure about. You're also telling us that you were also ready to go on and date on national television. I don't understand. So explain it to me, please. So I think, yeah, it can be confusing. When I got my cochlear implant and started learning with it, it was like, it was kind of like the world reopened up to me because I was so sad for such a long time and I was learning all these new things, but it was also before I went on the show, I was at a place in my life that I hadn't been at in a really long time where I was happy. And so I knew going on the show, like no matter how it went, nothing, like I wasn't going to let anything affect that. And I think that's why I was like garden ways too, but also

it was a really like life changing time for me and I also believed like me going on the show was happening for a reason just how everything had happened the last six months of my life before going on the show and I did go back and forth about doing it but the producers were awesome and even I think it was really special how they showed because like Lyme diseases and always recognized and in my like intro video they had that in there and I think it was like it was a really big moment for people especially who have like autoimmune diseases too to see that and be like it's being recognized and it's not only being recognized but it's on the bachelor on ABC and I think that was a really huge thing but I remember being so nervous before it aired too because I was like I'm like I know

where I'm at and I'm confident at where I'm at but I don't know how other people are going to take this so I don't know does that make sense but I get what you're saying. that can be confusing like oh i felt so confident but i also i think your health and everything too is also a vulnerable thing so it's okay to be confident about it but also be like is this how it's going to go or is it not how it's going to go um so it definitely was a lot of emotions it feels like it and i think that's where i was coming from is like it just feels like a mixed bag of emotions, you entering then into this whole wild new experience and doing it with grace and confidence, risking, you know, the opposite of what happened to you actually happening,

which, you know, I don't know if that was actually a very viable concern. I think, you know, if we would have met before film, I'd have been like, you're going to do great. Like, this is going to be great. You're going to have a blast. But I still know that's a concern and it's still a possibility and so it does make sense it's just always been intriguing to me that you could step out and do this like you did it in the midst of what you also were talking about being some of the most difficult years of your life yeah thank you yeah it's impressive you've said that night one kind of freaked you out because the noise was so intense and you felt very overwhelmed and then you went on your country you know your country concert date was

Was early on scary for you? Or did you feel like I'm not going to make it this far? Because I just socially don't feel like I'm up for it. Or was there was what was the hardest part besides night one? And then when did you start to feel a little bit more at ease? I think, yeah, night one was definitely the hardest part. After I told him about everything, then it was easier because I was like he understands. And if I am struggling in a situation and all the girls knew about it too.

and they were so uplifting about it. But a part that always made me nervous is you don't know what dates you're going into. You're about to do. And so a lot of people don't realize this, I feel like, but especially for me with my hearing loss, like there's certain areas that I hear better. And so my anxiety going into the dates

was probably different than a lot of the other girls because my anxiety was like, are we going to be somewhere where I'm going to be able to hear and be in the conversation with people? And so that was always something I was nervous about. I was always put on dates. And most people were like a music festival, you're bringing the girl with hearing love us to the music festival.

But I can, I do really well in those situations, especially if it's just one-on-one, because I'm just focusing on one person, basically. And so it's easier for me to do that. But yeah, I think going into different dates and not knowing what they were going to be, I was always a little anxious about. Am I going to be able to hear? I will say I want to give credit to the show here. And I don't know if you had this experience, Daisy. And we are going to close up with you here soon. Just a few more questions and kind of, it's a long interview because we're curious about you.

But I will want to give credit to the show. I had gone on to my season of The Bachelorette with like recently off of a surgery for an ACL tear. And they were very accommodating. Like every date that we were going on, even if I didn't exactly know what it was, they would kind of give me hints like, hey, bang, do you feel like, you can cut, like back and forth? Do you feel like you can sprint? Do you feel comfortable in a tug-of-war type situation?

And they were always extremely accommodating to me and what I needed. Did you feel the same way about kind of your experience? Yeah, definitely I did. And I think there were specific dates that, like, I probably wasn't on where they did one that would be, like, easier for me and more like fitting, which I really appreciate. Yeah. And then also, I think sometimes I would get, and it's like, can you put headphones on? Or I remember them being like, can you go in the water for a little bit and take it off?

And I was like, oh, I'm doing something in water. But, yeah, they always made sure that I would feel comfortable. But I think it, like, there's always going to be, like, even in my, like, day-to-day life, there's always that little bit of anxiety if I'm, like, going out to dinner or something. My name is Ed. Everyone say, hello Ed. Hello, Ed. I'm from a very rural background myself.

My dad is a farmer, and my mom is a cousin. So, like, it's not, like... What do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? I know it sounds like the start of a bad joke, but that really was my reality nine years ago. I just normally do straight stand-up, but this is a bit different. On stage stood a comedian with a story that no one expected to hear.

Well, 22nd of July 2015, a 23-year-old man had killed his family. And then he came to my house. So what do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? A new podcast called Wisecrack, where stand-up comedy and murder takes center stage. Available now. Listen to Wisecrack on the IHeart Radio app, couple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Dr. Joy Hardin-Bradford, and in session 421 of therapy for black girls, I sit down with

Dr. Afea and Billy Shaka to explore how our hair connects to our identity, mental health, and the ways we heal. Because I think hair is a complex language system, right, in terms of it can tell how old you are, your marital status, where you're from, you're a spiritual belief. But I think with social media, there's like a hyperfixation and observation. of our hair, right? That this is sometimes the first thing someone sees when we make a post or a reel is how our hair is styled. You talk about the important role hairstyles play in our community, the pressure to always look put together, and how breaking up with perfection can

actually free us. Plus, if you're someone who gets anxious about flying, don't miss session 418 with Dr. Angela Neil Barnett, where we dive into managing flight anxiety. Listen to therapy for Black Girls on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Get fired up, y'all. Season 2 of Good Game with Sarah Spain is underway. We just welcomed one of my favorite people and an incomparable soccer icon,

Megan Rapino to the show, and we had a blast. We talked about her recent 40th birthday celebrations, co-hosting a podcast with her fiancé Sue Bird, watching former teammates retire and more. Never a dull moment with Pino. Take a listen. What do you miss the most about? being a pro athlete. The final. The final. And the locker room. I really, really, like,

you just, you can't replicate, you can't get back. Showing up to the locker room every morning just to shit talk. We've got more incredible guests like the legendary Candace Parker and college superstar A. Z. Fudd. I mean, seriously, y'all, the guest list is absolutely stacked for season two. And, you know, we're always going to keep you up to speed on all the news and happenings around the women's sports world as well. So make sure you listen to Good Game with Sarah Spain on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports.

Hello, Puzzlers. Let's start with a quick puzzle. The answer is Ken Jennings' appearance on The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs. The question is, what is the most entertaining listening experience in podcast land? Jeopardy Truethers who say that you are. given all the answers, believe in... I guess they would be conspiracy theorists. That's right.

Are there Jeopardy Truthers? Are there people who say that it was rigged? Yeah, ever since I was first on, people are like, they gave you the answers, right? And then there's the other ones which are like, they gave you the answers and you still blew it. Don't miss Jeopardy legend Ken Jennings on our special game show week

of The Puzzler podcast. The Puzzler is the best place to get your daily word puzzle fix listen on the iHeart radio app apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts you know daisy um it happens from this show uh oftentimes you're not the bachelorette so life is your oyster it is wide open in front of you right now there is so many things that can happen there's going to be so many things that do happen, some associated with the show, some not. But what the show always does is it has this little magic to it and it preps you for love in the future, be that on paradise or be that in your normal life. Have you started dating? Are you curious about

dating? Do you feel more prepared to fall in love than ever? Yes, I do. I think I'm at, such a good spot in my life. But I also think I did learn about myself a lot for the show. So no matter what right now, I'm going to put myself first. But yeah, I have gone on dates. Okay, she's like giddy. She's like kind of giggly. You're definitely thinking of one person in your head.

But, yeah, I don't know. I'm interested to see where life goes for me. Okay. Well, you seem like you're in a really good place. Could we say that you've been on multiple dates with the same person? Yeah. Would you say that you could be close to being in a relationship? I don't know.

You never know how time's going to go. But I would say I'm happy right now and it's looking positive. That's such a bachelor answer. I'm happy right now. That's like what Joey would have said on any talk show four months ago. The interesting thing I picked up on Ashley also is that Daisy's response to going on Paradise was, yeah, it sounds fun, but I'm not ready right now or I could it right now or something like that. So there's somebody in her head that she wouldn't go on

for. And I'm wondering if that person was somebody that was in her head when she was making the Bachelorette decision as well. No, so that I can actually say 100% that I made like on my own before I ever wanted to think about. anything with anyone else because I knew I was at this point in my life where I kind of had to be selfish and make a decision for me and what was going to be best for me. So I can say like that decision was I definitely had nothing to do with my dating life right now. In my situation, I had, you know, with Jared a moment where like I went on on the show without him and then I came off of it and he realized that he was, you know, just, you know,

missing out on the greatest thing that he could have ever had. Yes. Did you have anybody come out of the woodwork that possibly like you dated in the past that you would rekindle things with? Well, I had quite a few people. Happens. I think time will tell. But yeah, I could see.

How do you know, to kind of close up this, dating conversation now and where life takes you. How are you processing that they're in it for the right reasons, right? Like people do come out of the woodwork and you showed well on this show and you had a great experience and, you know, people love you. And so how do you, how are you like mentally processing that this person is actually in it for me and not the image of me or the idea of me. Yeah, I think, I mean, obviously, I feel like everyone on like the outside looking in, people may always, like, think that and say things, but I think, like, when you, like,

get to know somebody in a way, other people don't know them in that way. But, yeah, no, I get what you're saying. Like, and I think dating coming off of a show like this, especially when you get the feedback, I have gotten like I'd be lying in the back of my head if I wasn't like oh this might be a little tricky but so I think that's like a fair question for sure and something that people will always think about but I think for me navigating just like knowing who I am and knowing who they are like if I feel like if you're really like confident about something and confident in yourself um then you won't go down that slope but it doesn't happen every time there's good there's

great examples where it's backfired on somebody yeah and they've dated and it's gone poorly because somebody was just in it for the wrong reasons and then there's amazing examples of people doing it and it working out to everybody's benefit it's just always the question that all your friends will ask you'll probably get asked at every single event you do is how is dating been post show I feel like it's like a learning curve and people are like so looking into your life especially I feel like coming off the show everyone like has input and something to say I know there's there's been like so many TikToks my friends have sent to me it's just like a random guy and he's like finally with my girlfriend and then the next picture is a picture in me I think one

it's a compliment take it as a compliment it is one enjoy it i want to wrap this on a very silly note we didn't talk about your music video yet and we don't have to dive into it but i do want to say that was ridiculous daisy what was this statement i want to yeah i want to know what it actually means because jess and i talked it through and she had her ideas and i had mine they were very different and i was like i actually don't know what it means and i would have been so upset if we did this whole interview and never got clarity So you have to say the lyric out loud. Oh, I have to say the lyric out loud.

Yeah, you can say that. We'll beep this out. Lick this off my name. When you said, when you saw that lyric that was written and sung by your best friend since childhood, who is, you know, the musician that you did the music video with, you were like, you were like what? I remember I was kind of, I was just like, this is interesting. scene. And I remember thinking, you know, maybe. And then I remember telling me or my mom, like, listen to it. And I remember it was my mom and my aunt. And mom was like, I don't really know

about this one, dude. Yeah. This one. Is there more? I mean, I've always, like, made, like, music with him and stuff. But there's not another one like that, no. Okay. Can we get clarity on what it means? Yeah. I honestly don't know exactly what it means, but I can text him and ask him and then I can report back. Yeah, please report back. We'll break it down in the next headlines. Dizzy can't verifies that this means this. Because I really don't. I mean, I have some ideas and my mind goes to like, all I can do is have my mind go to a place. You can't ask me what you think they are and then I'll ask you. I'll ask him and then I can tell you. Yeah, please. Like sex juice, okay? Yeah, but right. My question is why are you looking at like?

What do you mean? I don't see the benefit, I guess. I don't see the health benefit. I don't see the I guess I never thought that deeply into the, but now that I'm thinking into the, yeah. Yeah, I'm going to text you, Daisy, my thoughts. I would love for you to verify when that piece of musical artistry was created, what it actually meant. And then we can actually, I can sleep at night, finally, after weeks of this. Okay. Thank you. I appreciate this.

Final thing, Jen is the next bachelorette. Yeah. What can we expect, do you think? I'm really excited for her. Like you said, I feel like a lot of people don't know a lot about her. And I think it'll be interesting to see that. I also think since people don't know a lot about her, it'll be interesting to see how she navigates all of the relationships

with so many different guys. And they're all probably going to be so different from each other because that's how it was on our season too. But I'm excited to see how it all works out for her. And I hope she gets her happily ever after. I hope so, too. I feel like there's maybe something like very, very dramatic, though. I don't know why I'm thinking of it, but I just think that it is.

I'm going to just rapid fire a few characteristic questions then to get to know or better. And you can just answer yes or no. Is she funny? Yes. I was like she has like that like giggly, like personality. Is she collected? Like, meaning will she be dramatic herself? I think she's collected and composed, but I think if she gets like pushed and

I could see her like not snapping, but I could see her getting sassy. Yeah, I could see it getting dramatic. And is she ready for love? I would say, yeah, she's definitely ready for love. Awesome. Daisy, thanks for coming on. Thanks for chatting with us. Thank you guys.

I appreciate it. You're so sweet. You are sweet. And that's why it's so confusing to watch a music video with those lyrics. Honestly, I think everyone needed to be shocked a little bit. So I think it works out. Well, she's just a Daisy, though. Like, she, like, could you, nobody could be more fitting for the name Daisy than you.

Thank you. It's my mom actually didn't, my, when they got married, they decided my dad would name the girls and my mom would name the boys. So my dad named me Daisy. My mom was like, absolutely not. And then a couple weeks later, she was like, she's definitely a Daisy. She's a Daisy. Daisy, you've got an edge. I've always tried to create.

create one or show one and sometimes it's work sometimes it doesn't you've got an edge but you're also a daisy and uh you are a terrific asset to this franchise and also to the world and we appreciate you and so until next time i've been ben i've been ashley she's been daisy bye follow the ben and ashley i almost famous podcasts on iHeart radio or subscribe wherever you listen to 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. Hi, it's Honey German and I'm back with season 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 Grasias Come Again on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. Do we really need another podcast with a condescending finance brof trying to tell us how to spend our own money?

No thank you. Instead, check out Brown Ambition. Each week, I, your host, Mandy Money, gives you real talk, real advice with a heavy dose of I feel uses. Like on Fridays when I take your questions for the BAQA. Whether you're trying to invest for your future, navigate a toxic workplace, I got you. Listen to Brown Ambition on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. The Super Secret Bestie Club podcast season four is here. And we're locked in.

That means more juicy chisement. 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 Festi Club on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast.