The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Happily Ever After with Zach Shallcross and Kaity Biggar

Episode Date: May 19, 2023

Now thag the final rose has been passed out and the season is wrapped up, it's time to check in with the latest Bachelor success story. Ben sits down with Zach Shallcross and Kaity Biggar for an honest look at their lives together and what's in store for their future as a couple.  Find out why they don't currently live together, and we get the real story about their their wedding plans!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. 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. Do we really need another podcast with a condescending finance bro 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 I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, 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

in 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 Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is the Ben and Ashley I, almost famous podcast with Iheart Radio. Oh my goodness. This is a big episode of the Almost Famous Podcast. This is always one of my favorite times for the Almost Famous Podcast because we get to interview people in love. And today we have Zach and Katie. Welcome. to Almost Famous.

Thank you so much. Thank you so much. We just confirmed that this is your first time on Almost Famous since you two have been together. Yeah. Well, yeah, it's my first time. It's super exciting. And you came on and interviewed with Ashley

before I believe the season even started or somewhere in the middle of it. It was actually right before the season started. Yeah. And it was a pretty good interview, but a little harsh, little rough in the beginning. Ashley was? Oh, yeah.

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. He's nodding her head. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Sounds about right. You know, we have a thing. theory here on Almost Famous.

Let's hear it. Because I've sat in your seat before. Yeah. Ashley has at some level as well is we want to clear the air. So we want to ask the questions that might seem harsh for you to respond to, not to trick you, but to allow you to respond. And hopefully when vulnerability is offered, people fall in love with that. Right.

People respond really well to honesty. It's really hard to dislike somebody when you get to know somebody. Exactly. So that's what we're going to do today. I'm very excited to have the two of you. Catch us up on your relationship since the show. Yeah. So right after the show, we flew right to New York and we did like the three-day crazy press

circuit of just going everywhere and anywhere. And I think one day we had, you know, 19 different interviews and podcasts in one day. And up for like 26 hours. We did. No sleep. 26 hours, no sleep. Almost missed GMA. Almost missed GMA.

Why? Tell us why. well our flight like the traffic to get to lax the flight was delayed multiple times we're just enjoying our time together on a plane finally just being in public and then we land and there's crazy traffic there's car troubles and Katie's putting on makeup in the car yeah like 15 minutes before they're like yeah you need to have your hair and makeup done I'm like I've been on a flight yeah for like six seven hours are you kidding me like so yeah GMA I did my my makeup in the car and hair I'm walking out of the car to go into GMA with my pants half down pulling it up.

Yeah, my belt on. I mean, it was wild. But it kind of like woke you up and it was like, all right, here you go. Because it was the morning after the live finale. So we were kind of just in the surreal state. But then after that, pretty quick after Katie moved immediately back to Austin to start work, I took about a week to kind of gather my things from California. And then I caravan out to California.

and now we're both living in Austin. Caravan to Texas. You left California to go to Texas, right? Yeah, because I was previously living in Texas, but I had moved back. Okay, because did you move out to California for a while? For the show, for filming. It just didn't make sense.

But I had lived in Austin for four years before Bachelor, Bachelorette, and then when those opportunities came, I was like, I can't have a spot at both places right now. And then meet Katie, and then it's like, all right, I'm going back to Austin. Well, the Bachelor world is weird because you go from zero to 100 very quickly. But, and Zach, this is mostly for you. You know, you're on The Bachelorette.

You get announced as The Bachelor, but there's really never a moment of like where you feel it because it feels, yes, it's weird to be in a mansion. Yes, it's weird to be on TV. Yes, it's weird to be dating a bunch of people. But there's nothing else outside of that. You're in your own little bubble. So the attention isn't really there. There's never once in my life I've felt like more.

of a celebrity, then that flight or the drive away from the final rows to the airport, did they escort you guys through the airport quickly to get to your flight? Like, did they push you through? Not really. No. Okay. Well, then you just mentioned this. Then you get in a car and you drive up to GMA, your biggest television appearance yet. And you walk out and like, you're on the stage at GMA like 12 hours after the final rose. Yeah. It's a very weird time. Like that is the weirdest time in the whole process for me is that like 12 hours in between L.A., New York television interviews.

It was super fun though. Very exhilarating experience. Yeah, like seeing like actual New York paparazzi for example. Like that was a crazy weird thing. Yeah, that was like the first time I think it felt like, oh, this is a huge like people are taking pictures of me. Yeah. They're going to sell these.

Like my picture is worth money. Yeah. It's very odd. What the hell? Yeah. And then 24 hours later, it all ends. They're like, who? Zach and Katie, who?

Yeah, no, it ends. It ends like this. And it's on to the next. Yeah, I remember the final interview on that day. Like, there was a producer with us from The Bachelor that traveled out with us. They kind of, like, coordinated everything. And then at the end of the day, they left. And it's pretty much over at that point.

Like, there's really no contact you ever really have again unless there's like a special appearance that you have years later but it just cuts off was that a weird time for the two of you i don't think so i think we actually quite enjoyed it in a sense it was refreshing yeah um because like you know this the process from when you're done filming the show to when the show is airing and then throughout the end like you're constantly doing stuff like you're doing interviews you're doing um podcast to promote the show you're doing events so like i was constantly with producers well after the filming so um i became very close with them and you know i regard a lot as great friends but um we just kind of looked at it as now we get to focus on ourselves and know more of like

kind of being i don't want to say babysat but you kind of are in a sense yeah when you're in that it is it is refreshing um i personally had a a lot of uh i didn't have like um mental trauma i just it took me a while to get back into the world. Did you two feel that? Like, it felt weird. Like, life didn't feel right for me for a while. It is such a weird feeling. I had to go back home to Canada because I was like, I need to be around family and friends because it was such a weird world being on The Bachelor. It is unlike anything else. Nobody knows what it's like unless you've lived it. It is unlike anything else. And I feel like, I was home for like a short period of time, like during the holidays, like after the filming, just kind of recuperating, I guess, or recouping after the craziness of it.

Like I lived through it with The Bachelorette and needed that time. But I'd even say now, like, as normal as it does feel, like, it's still a weird adjustment that we're getting used to. Like, she's already back at work. I'm going back to work. But that's like, it's been so long of not doing my, my normal job and wanting to get back into that. But like also, it's been a year of being in front of a camera. So, strange stuff.

It takes a while. I was talking to a few friends earlier and I went back to my job. I took a month off after the film. I went back for two years and then kind of moved on from that. But even that adjustment is a weird life adjustment that the listeners here don't always understand is you're not used to this. This is not something you've been prepped for. You don't really have a skill set to be on TV or to date publicly.

And so you get thrown into it. Life switches up very fast. And it takes a while to adapt back to just functioning. And that's where I want to go into now. You guys are still together happily. You're sitting by each other. We certainly are. You're certainly together.

How has your relationship changed now since that last interview in New York City to today? just walk us through what does life look like? Yeah. Go where, babe? You know, it was like such a, like, you know, high intensity time for us in New York and the show.

And then we got to focus on ourselves with going back to Austin. And sure, we had to, you know, do some long distance in between when the show was filming. But, like, truly I think, and I think you'd agree that our relationship got stronger and stronger where, you know, it could be really easy for it to, like, cause a lot of issues and we've seen it in the past. But, you know, we've got great communication and there's this, like, trust and- Let me pause you there, though, because that's a lot of couples at this point in time

are, like, they sit down with us a few months later and they're, like, breaking and you can see it in them. You're stronger than ever, you're saying your communication was solid. How did you make it, like, give us some details on how you helped each other through that time? Yeah. I mean, like, as Katie knows, like, as Katie knows, I'm someone, I mean, I just kind of tell it how it is and I wear my heart on my sleeve all the time for better for worse. But I think in general, like there is really no hiding or guessing what I'm feeling or what's going on. And Katie does a really good job at that. So that's hard to do, you know, via text and FaceTime.

And that obviously presents challenges for like the period of after, you know, engagement. And we're with each other like a lot too. And now we're with each other a lot. Like 24-7. Yeah. Yeah. So we're like basically like a fully married couple. We just haven't officially moved in yet. Yeah. You haven't officially moved in. You're not living together. We're not living together yet. I'm waiting for my lease to come up and same with Zach. And then we're going to move in together in July. Yeah. So that's going to be different for us. But we basically, you know, like I've spent maybe since he's been back in Austin, maybe three nights in my house. Like. Yeah. Yeah. So you're. pretty much yeah there's like she's got her sink basically her side of the bed yeah it's all

figured out like her snacks yeah but yeah we've just being like so strong and just getting to know each other more we learn each other's quirks and everything yeah and it's like and i'm like more in love with him like every single day like truly and i know it sounds corny to say that but like i learned something new about him every day and he's an amazing man 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, 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. Hi, my name is Enya Yumanzoor. And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you.

But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh my God, perfect. And want to hear people with mental illness, psychobabble. Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your free IHeartRadio app. Search Emergency Intercom and listen now. Imagine that you're on an airplane and all of a sudden you hear,

this. Attention passengers. The pilot 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, do this, pull that, turn this. It's just, I can do it in my eyes close. I'm Manny. I'm Noah. This is Devin. And on our new show, no such thing, we get to the bottom of questions like these. Join me. 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. See? Listen to no such thing on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Jennifer Lopez, and in the new season of the Overcomfit podcast, I'm taking you on an exciting journey of self-reflection.

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? I wanted to be successful on my own, not just because of who my mom is. Like, I felt like I needed to be better or work twice as hard as she did. Join me for conversations about healing and growth. Life is freaking hard. And growth doesn't happen in comfort.

It happens in motion, even when you're hurting. All from one of my favorite spaces, The Kitchen. Honestly, these are going to come out so freaking amazing. Be a part of my new chapter and listen to the new season of the Overcomber podcast as part of the MyCultura podcast network on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm going to ask you the worst question ever. I've never asked anybody this question because I've never. ever felt confident enough to do it. Do the two of you see any way that you don't get married?

No. We've talked about like where we want to get married. I've already like started looking at venues. But also like at AFR, we said 2025. And I think that's just realistic. And I think that's smart. I don't think we need to put pedal to the metal. Like we have our whole lives together.

Like why rush into things? but yeah and we just want to make sure it's right like just like venue wise and the timing but like to your question like it's funny we were actually just talking about this we were at the pool earlier and we're just talking about like our relationship and um I told her you know going into that whole process of the bachelor I wanted to make sure that I was 100% certain that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with the certain person a specific person and if I I wasn't sure that I don't think I would propose. Actually, I know I would know. And when I told Katie, there was not a single doubt in my mind. I was like, I'm going to marry that woman. I can't imagine not. And I still feel that way. And even stronger now, because I get to know her more. And we still learn a lot of that each other. And sure, we fight like every other couple or liquor or this and that. But it's like the love is there. Which I just like didn't think was fully possible at like this point or through a TV show, really. But it kind of just feels like a or just really lucky.

Yeah. How does that, I mean, go into that a little bit. You guys been on a television show and not the easiest ways, right? Not the most conventional way. With a lot of weird, tough things happening from the start to the finish that you guys had to navigate. And now you sit here today saying, hey, Katie's saying, I love you more than I ever have. And you're saying, I was confident that I wanted to marry you.

Does that just ever feel weird? like that you met your person oh we were saying this earlier I mean so many times we look at each other and like that was so messed up like so messed up like so strange but like we're so grateful for it it is it is it is so weird I mean we joke that like each other and we both live in Austin like we should just met at a bar to be honest I mean save us a lot of trauma and stuff but like hey I mean we got quite the story and it put us through tests that I think like overall help the strength of it so okay so one day if you guys choose to as a couple have

kids we're definitely having kids we're definitely having kids 100% would you let your kids watch that season back oh that's a good question I think Katie's gonna say the whole thing

let him get to know dad I don't know dad I can't even talk about I think maybe at a certain age, I would, I would let them all of it. Zach's sweating. You guys talk this out for a second. This is good. I don't know.

That's a good. They would have to be a certain age for sure. I mean, they're going to get it like whenever they find out. I think, I think, yes, there's some very hard moments in that. But also like that is our love story. That's how we found each other. It's how, like, literally our first conversation, our first kiss, everything, our first moments were on television.

And I think that's so cool that we have the opportunity to watch that back. And, yeah, I would be okay with it, but they would just have to be a certain age. And maybe we'll get the editors just like a little thing and set us a different version. But yeah, I don't know. What about you, babe? What do you think about that? I think regardless, like whether we want them to. watch it or not they're going to they're going to find out they're going to want to see um so i would

just make sure that it's like it's an open conversation if they want to ask me any questions or ask you any questions if they have that ability they're going to have lots of questions and i hope they're a little bit older and more mature when they ask them because they're going to not they're not going to understand what the hell they just saw but they'll get it yeah well it is uh and katy this is for you it is such a unique uh process and There's really no right way. I've always said there's no right way to do it as the lead of the show for The Bachelor or The Bachelor. There's nobody that comes out of it unscathed without making a decision that they might look back on and be like, I wish I would have done that

differently. But obviously with your season, there are unique storylines that took place that you guys had to like confront stuff on television that maybe you would have rather not confronted. The question I have for you, because I don't think TV does it justice. Why don't you give up on this relationship? Why didn't you walk away? Why did you choose to stay with Sack? Good question. Because the moments that I had with him, the time that I did to get to know him, I genuinely, I knew your heart. I knew that you were such a good man. And I'm a very, I felt like in that moment, I was, and I am a very understanding person. And I couldn't imagine what you went through, but I loved you

and I knew you were a good man and I knew that we could get through it and yeah, I don't, yeah. You knew who he was. Exactly. Just a great man. So then for you, Zach, you're in the conversation with Katie.

Yeah. Were you freaking out? I mean, in that moment when you're, for the first time really all season, the two of you have, an issue where she could have easily and everybody would have said, hey, we get it. Like, she didn't want to be a part of whatever this was going to end up being. You're telling her, knowing that this is also the person that you want to spend your life with. And for a while,

I think, I mean, maybe television just over-dramatized it. But for a while, I think the viewer is watching going, she's gone. Like, she's at, she's going to, she's going to leave. She didn't, obviously. But in that moment for you, what's going through your mind, where you, you holding on for dear life? Were you freaking out internally? Like, walk us through what's going on inside of you. Yeah. I mean, it was like the scariest moment I went through. Actually, it was the scariest moment I went through. And my heart was pounding through my chest. I could hardly speak, but, and we've talked about this, is what was most important, like I guess looking at it and myself at that moment was being as honest as I could be, because I do take engagement seriously. And I,

felt like I couldn't commit to someone holding something back or not telling the whole truth because like yeah that's like the design of the show that the show is what it is but also I don't look at it that way I look at it as like oh no if I can find my my wife through this I am and I'm going to treat this as normal as possible in non-normal or unique circumstances so it was the scariest moment it was pouring on us Yeah, it was, it was thunder and like, I mean, it was like in a gator swamp. Flip flops on. It's raining.

I'm like, this is the worst spot to have this conversation. And it's just like, oh, it was, it was just really bad. I mean, it was like the worst day. It was very awkward. It was hard. It was so awkward. But you made it through. Yeah.

We certainly did. And Zach, there obviously was. repercussions from that conversation right there's other people involved yeah looking back on that moment now clarity yeah understanding let's just assume that the two of you would be sitting on the couch still with or without that conversation would you've done anything differently well i mean it's like there's i can look back and and change a lot of things um i mean it's you're put under this intense lens constantly and you're forced to make these decisions and you know with that whole week of me like creating those boundaries or creating that no sex week type thing like i would take

that back because like what that did was took away everyone else's decision um katy knows where my heart was at making that decision because i was just trying to you know make it as less messy as possible but you made it even messier and i did that up you too Totally. I would have changed that, and that would have avoided a lot of, actually, all of that issue, to be honest. And I'm, I'm looking at myself the way you guys are looking at me, like, duh. Yeah. 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. 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. Imagine that you're on an airplane, and all of a sudden you hear this. Attention passengers. The pilot 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 be. 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 it my eyes close. I'm Mani. I'm Noah. This is Devin. 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. See? Listen to no such thing on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, my name is Enya Humanzor. And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you. But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh my God, perfect.

And want to hear people with... with mental illness, psychobabble. Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your free IHeartRadio app. Search Emergency Intercom and listen now. The Super Secret Bestie Club podcast season four is here. And we're locked in.

That means more juicy cheesement. Terrible love advice. Evil spells to cast on your ex. No, no, no, no. We're not doing that this season. Oh. Well, this season we're leveling up. Each episode will feature a special Bestie

and you're not going to want to miss it. Get in here! Today we have a very special guest with us. Our new Super Secret Bestie is The Deva of the People. The Deva of the People. I'm just like text your ex. My theory is that if you need to figure out that the stove is hot, go and touch it.

Go and figure it out for yourself. Okay. That's us. That's us. My name is Curley. And I'm Maya. In each episode, we'll talk about love, friendship, heartbreak, men, And, of course, our favorite secrets.

Listen to the Super Secret Bestie Club as a part of the Michael Tura podcast network available on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And I will say, Zach, Katie, credit to you, because it is a weird thing. Again, there's no right way to always do this. There are things we can look back on, say, I wish I would have done differently. but kudos to you for for being understanding and getting to know him and his intentions and letting him have that space and also um hopefully behind the scenes explaining yourself so that she does understand it it doesn't always happen and i will tell you in the years that i've seen this these are the things that break couples afterwards like if you can make it through this and i think

we said this after the show you can make it through probably anything you know like this is this was a really hard. This was probably, in my mind, one of the most real, difficult conversations and situations, not only for the two of you, but also for Gabby that I've ever seen on the show, but you guys stuck through it together. And I just think that's, there's something unique in that that makes me think this isn't ever, like, I'm not going to see a headline in two months that says that you guys are splitting. Oh, heck no. Absolutely not. A boo thing. Yeah. That's a All right. Well, that was sweet.

Okay, moving on to lighter things then, because I really wanted to understand how you guys got through this. And also I wanted to see now, Zach, for you, with that decision and making the no-sex week to see if you could see how much that also affected the other people involved, the women involved, and how that boundary, probably if you go back, like you said, it wouldn't have been set. It just now with good intentions, it was like,

it really backfired on you in an amazing way. In an amazing way, is that what you just said? Yeah, it was wild television. It was wild television. But now to the good parts, as you guys look back on your journey together through the show and maybe even after the show, what are some moments that stick out to you as monumental, as really exciting as good memories that are taken from this experience?

Like from the actual show? yeah both just in life now as you sit here today and you look at your relationship what stands out to you that's an interesting question um I don't even know if I'm going to answer this properly because I don't think I there's no right answer here I don't know Zach and I just like very adventurous together we have so many great moments together whether it's laying in bed and we're just like laughing and we can't breathe or you know we've gone zip lining we've gone to breweries together we've done so much and I don't I don't everything every moment with you is great we've made so many memories since

filming and even while we've been filming that they didn't show like we always talk about this but you know there was like it was my 28th birthday um the day after or the morning of our fantasy sweet night. I think I said that right. And he brought in like a chocolate cake and then we smeared it all over each other's faces. And like in that moment, it was just so fun, so lighthearted, so goofy. And I always talk about that. But I love goofy, fun moments.

So I think that answers a question for me. It does. Yeah. Yeah. And even like the little things of when we were in our happy couple houses where you really are limited to where it's just like takeout. and like going incognito on walks that's like that was even a blast and like those little things all add up of like and just constantly reaffirm like all right yeah this this is yeah this is yeah this is my person like without a doubt um and then chocolate cake was a lot of fun yeah

so katy uh you're back in austin um the show is has moved on as we talked about the beginning it's a very weird break when all of a sudden they're like all right we're done with you you guys do your thing. Sianara. Yeah, here's the next person and the focus shifts. Have you stayed in close relationship with any of the other women from the show? Oh, yeah, absolutely. I'm really, I would say I'm closest with Mercedes, like literally from night one.

That woman has a heart of gold, and she's so funny, so sweet. She's so sweet. She's awesome. Yeah, she's awesome. And Jess, as well as Gabby and Ariel. We actually just got back from Miami not too long ago. So I would see, and Davy at Davy is amazing as well. Those are like the women that I've probably stayed in contact the most with.

But some of the other women like charity I've talked to a little bit, Brooklyn, they all want to come to like Austin. So yeah. So you have, I mean, has any of it been difficult to keep these relationships? No. No. You've all been supportive of each other. is it very supportive we've i mean it was we all leaned on each other during that experience and we built such great relationships great friendships and i was hopeful that they would

continue after the show like while we were filming and they did and it's great we still we still confide in each other we still support each other and it's truly just i love i love my friendships with each and every one of them Do they ever slip up and talk about Zach in front of you and make it really awkward? Sometimes we'll talk about Zach, but, I mean, it doesn't, like, the girls are really, they're good about it. Like, they don't, they're very cautious of like, oh, hope that didn't hurt your feeling. And even then, like, I'm, again, I'm an understanding person.

Like, yeah. I just kind of laugh shit off. I think it's not, it's not, like, weird. Like, yeah. Really? Yeah. I mean, I've been like, minus Mercedes Mercedes.

Yeah, a couple face time. But other than that, like I just, but I feel like it's not weird. It's not weird. Would you be anxious, Zach,

if, if all the girls came to Austin and they were staying together and you are out like you're, you're at the house and you just happen to go out and see them. Would you be nervous for that interaction? We literally were talking about this. We were saying like there might be plans that some of the girls were going out. Fourth of July.

and get out nervous. I'm like, how much are they going to roast me? But no, I mean, it would be great to see everyone. But yeah. Yeah.

I would have been nervous. Oh, yeah. That's fair. Yeah, come on. They all tag team up on Zach. Now there's no reason why they just can't go at you. They have nothing to hold back on.

Hey, I'd sit back and watch. I'm like, do you thing, ladies. Dude thing. So you're not living together yet. July seems to be the time they're going to move in together. You mentioned, Katie, you're back to work now. Zach, you're thinking about going back to work. Remind me what is the job that you will be entering back into?

Tech sales. I mean, that's what I was doing for the past four years. I really like it. Right now, I'm kind of in that job hunting phase right now, interviewing, because I don't want to go back to the same old company anymore. But just kind of getting back into that normalcy and roots. seen because it's kind of weird and you don't. Yeah, it is. I was in tech sales, buddy. I went back for two years in Denver, Colorado at a small back office processing financial services

software company. Okay, all right. I'm familiar with back office. Yeah, it was, it was something, two years of it. And then I moved on, but it was good to get back into normalcy. And I hope, but it took me a while. It took me a couple months to feel like, one, I could sit and focus and two, I could do it and do a decent job at my job. But I do do it. And I do believe it is a good step as you figure out whatever is next. And speaking of whatever is next, you guys did mention that you're looking still at 2025 for wedding?

Yep. Yep. Okay. And that's just because it feels right. It's not because you're trying to figure it out and make sure that you're right for each other. It just feels like, oh, we're right for each other.

Okay. Like who knows, it could be 20, end of 2024. It could be 2026. It's like, we kind of picked like an arbitrary date because it's like. I need to also work. Like, I have, I've worked 11 weeks since September. Like, oh, geez. I've got, you've got some time.

I have to hustle like. Planning wedding. I heard it takes a long time. Like, yeah. And your full time job is what, Katie? I'm a nurse. You're a nurse.

Okay. So, yeah, you got to get back into it. You got to build up the hours to take off the hours. Yeah. That makes sense. Exactly. Uh, final question for the two of you. Thanks for being honest.

Thanks for being open during this whole interview. It's been great. And really appreciate you guys sitting down with us and just catching us up on your life. So as we look forward to the future, and each of you, if you can, answer this individually, what are you most looking forward to as a couple and as a person that our listeners and the fans of the two of you can pay attention to? Okay. you want to go first i think and i don't think this is necessarily going to be something that you are thinking of we're saying but i don't know um for me the the thing i'm looking forward to the most

is getting a house and having kids that was my really the starting a family was my oh yeah yeah that's what i'm looking forward to that's incredible yeah well i'm going to be shocked Our listeners are going to be shocked right now if we don't see the two of you walking on the aisle. In 2025. Well, at some point, we wish you the best here. Thanks for coming out. Thanks for joining us. Just tons of success in your relationship and in your personal lives thrown on you from this whole family here at the almost famous podcast.

Zach and Katie, thank you. Thanks, man. Appreciate it. in one of the most exclusive, intimate, honest interviews since their time on the show, Zach and Katie joined us on the Almost Famous podcast and we're very appreciated for it. Hey, send them some love, wish them the best we do here at the Almost Famous Podcast. But until next time, I've been Ben.

Follow the Ben and Ashley I, Almost Famous Podcasts on IHeart Radio, 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 Podcast, or wherever. you get your podcasts.

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

Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your free IHeartRadio app. Search Emergency Intercom and listen. now. 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. 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.