The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Holding Back for Dramatic Effect

Episode Date: June 12, 2025

Ben and Ashley are your source for the latest in Bachelor Nation headlines! We hear Ashley’s expert opinion on what the Bachelor in Paradise cast announcement REALLY means, and they share a shocking prediction for what’s to come. Another Bachelor success story has walked down the aisle, and a controversial relationship between two reality stars has now officially ended… after keeping fans guessing for months!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. December 29th, 1975, LaGuardia Airport. The holiday rush, parents hauling luggage, kids gripping their new Christmas toys. Then, everything changed. There's been a bombing at the TWA terminal. Just a chaotic, chaotic scene. In its wake, a new kind of enemy emerged, terrorism. Listen to the new season of Law and Order Criminal Justice System

On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 or gone.

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

We joke and say this is our second marriage, but it takes a lot of communication. Plus, it's carrot top, baby. And finally, Ashley Simpson-Ross joins us to talk about her upcoming sold-out Vegas residency. Listen to PodMeets World on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jay Shetty, and I'm the host of the on-purpose podcast, and today I'm joined by one of the greatest athletes of all-time Novak Djokovic. He's one 14 grand slams in a glittering career. Novak, Djokovic!

When you reach your 30, you start counting your days to your retirement. I'm 38 this year. How long can I push my own limits? Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. It was an unimaginable crime. It's four consecutive live terms for Brian Koeberger who killed the four University of Idaho students.

Nearly 30 months of silence until Bombshell development Brian Coburger has agreed to plead guilty. No trial, no testimony. The defense are on a sinking ship. This isn't the justice you wanted, but this is justice. Listen to season three of the Idaho Massacre on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the Ben and Ashley I almost.

The Almost Famous Podcasts with IHartRadio. Welcome to Almost Famous. We're here today breaking down every headline that we know of in Bachelor Nation. We've done some deep diving this week to find out what is exactly happening. Ashley's with us today. Obviously, the big news right now, Ashley, as we're starting to see teasers, we got some cast members announced for this upcoming season of Paradise. It's going to be the 10th season. Ashley, your thoughts after seeing the cast?

It's kind of the thoughts that I have every year. The guys will have, yes, every year. Oh, you always have this. Yes, you do. Yeah, it's the guys are going to have a great selection of ladies to pick from, and the girls have guys that are on par with what you would see if you open the door of any bar. Sure.

I don't think anybody has ever. disagreed with you on that. Okay. I really don't. Why do you think that is? I mean, let's talk about that for a second. I mean, coming off of each show, we felt that way about Jen's season. So I'm, and I think most fans did.

So I am shocked to see so many contestants from Jen's season show up to Paradise. I felt like they would be kind of, for lack of their term. Yeah, exiled. Like, hey, you're not going, we're not going to be highlighting you any longer. you're obviously not bringing in the viewership the person that won from your season obviously like you know didn't stand out

but yet we see so many of her contestants yeah it was weird so all we have is the first first sand so these are the people that are going to be like in the beginning of episode one it may not even be like all of episode one so we have well we did a whole episode but we didn't but trista filled in for us very sweet thank you

trista go back and listen to that episode she went through them all but quickly Alex who we all liked from grand season Bailey also memorable from grand season Brian from jen season don't remember him I'm just going to do like off the top of my head like do I remember them do I not remember them do I have to think hard dale of course Dale is going to be the most memorable of everyone because he was the one who left with Claire. He's only 36 now. He was very young during Claire's season.

Hekeem, hilarious, great facial expressions from Jen's season. Jeremy from Jen season, remember him too. He was fourth. He was, um, he made it to hometowns. Just from Joey season, I do remember her. She has brown hair right now. So you may not, um, remember her at first glance. Jonathan also quite memorable from Jen season.

Justin Glaze, all of Justin Glace from Katie's season also had such a public relationship with Susie. We know, we can say we know that Susie is coming, but she's definitely going to be one of those people that come on to the sand a little bit later for drama effect, of course, because they hold back a lot of people for drama effect. You don't get all the A-listers in the first sand group. Then we have Kat who got engaged to John Henry last season of Paradise. we do love Cat for a dramatic moment Kyle from Katie's season don't remember him at all Lexi gorgeous girl from Joey's season

she was the one who talked about her struggle to maybe not be able to have kids was it PCOS I forget what she has but she has bad end Demetrios as bad end Jimitia I remember that Ricky from Jen season I do remember his face but I don't remember any storyline with him Sam I remember he was kind of

where we weren't sure if he was was a dick but he sure had his dickish moments during jen season yeah but kind of still a question if he was or not because it was really against devon oh he was against holy crap so we don't really know yeah we don't really know now we'll wait for paradise yeah spencer jen season um yes i think he was like fifth or something remember his face i know that a lot of girls asked for him to be there in paradise. Zoe from grand season, we remember her. She was second runner-up, which sounds like pageant speak, but you know what I mean? And that's it. So I guess there's really a few don't remember them, but there are definitely a few randoms. And there's a few A-lissers. I would say

that Jonathan, Dale, and Justin are probably your A-list, maybe Cat, B. Sorry, qualify people by Listers, but you know what I mean. Yeah, I mean, I do know what you mean. I, I'm surprised to see the casting not bring out people more like Justin Glace. There's a lot of them out there. I felt like they could have. Andrew Spencer. Yeah, loaded the beach up with some guys and girls from the past that people were more connected

to, especially, I mean, I know you said that you don't get a lot of people on first beach. I think it was important, I think it's very important for Paradise to start out really hot right now with that first episode where people are engaged, intrigued, and watching people they know, especially Ashley, and here's my twist as we kind of go on to the second part of this. I'm surprised they didn't bring out people from the past Bachelor and Bachelorette because it seems like Paradise, Jesse Palmer, Wells, Hannah are all really kind of teasing this Golden's being there.

And I know you asked Hannah if there was going to be any flirtation between the Bachelor, Bachelorette's and the Goldens. It felt like that would be more likely if they would have brought out people from the past who were maybe closer to 40 now. Oh, can you think of anywhere from the top of your head?

I have one. Wow, at the time of my head came quick. J.P. Rosenbaum, he would have been big. It would have been an older-ish generation where people would be excited to see him date Ashley post-divorce, first bachelor divorce, and the divorce day ends up on Paradise, and is in between the age of the Goldens and the Youngens. See? And then there's the guy even Desire, who left Desiree, you know, during her season. Brooks, love Brooks.

I think Brooks might be in a relationship in that case. Well, I don't know. I'm not keeping track of all these people. but there's some people you could think of that have maybe been on Paradise in the last few years that they could have brought back. That would have been really fun to watch. But they didn't.

So, Ashley, the next headline is kind of still teasing this idea that the Goldens and the Bachelor and Bacheloretts are going to be mingling. When you ask Hannah, a little teaser into that episode you did with her, about flirting between the two parties, what did she say? She did her big Hannah Brown smile. Where did you pick up on?

To me, my interpretation was that there's flirting, but no relationship. Okay. So do you think the show actually wanted relationship, or is this just for conversation's sake? I definitely think they wanted the conversation out there. I think there was a reason that last week there were headlines about Jesse wanting it to happen. And then there was some reaction from past cast that was like, sir, no. That would not be in good taste. Well, the big news this week, and a massive congratulations to the two of them.

They are sweet, kind. We've been around them multiple times during almost famous events. They're very, very genuine people. Zach, Chalkross, and Katie Bigger are now married. This is a Texas wedding. It was not a super, like, publicized event. There was not a lot of lead up to this. It came as a shock to many.

But Ashley, they are now married and we cannot be happier. So happy. Love this. And to everybody who said that Zach was a lame bachelor choice, well, look, it was meant to be. He found his wife through it. And I think that they're going to, I think we're going to see them together for a very long time. Forever.

Yes, I think so too. I love, yes, forever. We get married for forever. and we're really happy for them. They actually had only nine people present at their wedding. They did allude to us when they talked to us a few months ago that it would be kind of an elopement. They did a cute little like wedding chapel celebration. They did it in front of the nine people at like this gorgeous little chapel.

You can see the whole nine minute video via Bachelor Happy Arts or Bachelor Nation on Instagram. Everything was exclusive to Bachelor. So they kind of, Bachelor definitely was like, okay, we're, going to make this tiny and private but we're we're kind of bring back the we got married on air thing because every you can see like everything as if this was a mini televised event for them is very cute they had this idea that they were going to do a bigger wedding and they came across this venue that they really liked but they didn't end up signing the contract and instead they decided to do a photo shoot at that venue before the in oh after the intimate

little chapel ceremony that you'll see. It is quite perfect. It is perfectly them. It's very tasteful and intimate. And they've never been like big public people. And I think this is just very much their style. It feels like their style. It feels so healthy.

Their relationship has been healthy since the beginning. I mean, we've talked to so many contestants who are still friends with Katie. Obviously, they get together still on these girls trips. And they all talk about, you know, how funny it is to be around Zach. but also how perfect Katie and Zach are together. We would attest to that. This actually feels like it goes. I mean, we obviously talk about them not wanting the spotlight.

At least Zach definitely kind of staying away from it and not really buying into the Bachelor role, which is fine. It says a lot about him as a person that he just didn't like love the attention. And it almost feels like maybe the recipe for making a lot of these relationships work, where you go away from the spotlight. You don't focus on the attention and you focus on your relationship. And then, you know, we've seen that with a few now work out.

Katie and Zach are kind of definition went for the right reasons, people. They truly had no intention on, like, doing anything with fame after the fact. They didn't, and it's great. And we got to celebrate that. It's something very respectful and something very much appreciated.

Because I can't say that I went down that path myself, but I see how their relationship became the priority choice in their life and what that did for them as a couple. And so congratulations to them. kids gripping their new Christmas toys. Then, at 6.33 p.m., everything changed. There's been a bombing at the TWA terminal. Apparently, the explosion actually impelled metal glass. The injured were being loaded into ambulances. Just a chaotic, chaotic scene.

In its wake, a new kind of enemy emerged, and it was here to stay. Terrorism. Law and law. and order criminal justice system is back. In season two, we're turning our focus to a threat that hides in plain sight. That's harder to predict and even harder to stop. Listen to the new season of Law and Order Criminal Justice System on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly and now I'm seriously suspicious. Oh, wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking. for extra credit. Well, Dakota, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend has been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now, he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone. Now, hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That sounds totally inappropriate. Well, according to this person, this is her boyfriend's former

professor and they're the same age. And it's even more likely that they're cheating. He insists there's nothing between them. I mean, do you believe him? Well, he's certainly trying to get this person to believe him because he now wants them both to meet. So, do we find out if this person's boyfriend really cheated with his professor or not? To hear the explosive finale, listen to the OK Storytime podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple

podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hello, it's Daniel official. Rider Strong. And Willfordale from PodMeets World. And we're bringing you Viva Las Content. That's right. We are back in Las Vegas, the city of sin, and giving the people what they

want. A full week. of Y2K content. Wait, we're back in Vegas? Tell me Y.E. Well, for the Backstreet Boys residency at Sphere, of course. We sat down with Kevin Richardson and A.J. McLean just minutes before they took the stage, and our very own Wilfredel basically became the newest member of the band. Boy band, please.

Plus, the man who has the longest running comedy show on the strip joins us and gets his props. It's Carrot Top, baby. And finally, we all L-O-V-E-Hur, at Ashley Simpson Ross joins us to talk about her upcoming sold-out Vegas residency. It's a full week of nostalgic interviews you don't want to miss. Listen to PodMeets World on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jay Shetty, and I'm the host of the on-purpose podcast, and today I'm joined by one of the greatest athletes of all time, Novak Djokovic.

The world's number one, male tennis player. He's won 14 grand slams in a glittering career. Novak Djokovic. You've been through so many injuries, losses. I've always heard himself. What has Novak Djokovic done? What goes through your mind when you lose? I just want to be left alone. What has it taken to become Novak Djokovic?

It's a consistent practice. It's prayer work, mindfulness, meditation, conscious breathing. It requires more responsibility from you on a daily basis to prepare yourself for the biggest battle. When you reach your 30, you start counting. your days to your retirement. I'm 38 this year. How far can I go?

How long can I push my own limits? Listen to On Purpose with Jay Chetty on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. It was an unimaginable crime. It's four consecutive live terms for Brian Kohlberger who killed the four University of Idaho students. The defense are on a sinking ship. It was clear at that point. He was out of options. Nearly 30 months of silence until...

Bombshell development, Brian Kobiger, appearing set to accept a plea deal just five weeks before his quadruple murder trial was set to start. No trial, no testimony. He has pleaded guilty to five criminal counts, one of burglary, and then four counts of murder. In this final season,

we returned to Moscow with interviews from those still searching for answers. Why did the prosecution take this? They were holding all the cars. How on earth could you make a deal? What message does that send? Listen to season three of the Idaho Massacre on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Into non-marriage news, Dancing with the Stars, Sasha Farber and Jen Tran split after,

nearly a year of dating a year is a little exaggerated um we know that she broke up with even what's his name and we know what honestly i don't even care that i just say what's his name because he doesn't know that happened in october so like if she and sasha became a thing in november during dancing with the stars it's been more about half a year but thanks for the drama they are going to remain very good friends. They never actually confirmed, confirm their romance. They just teased a lot of chemistry

and a lot of flirtation on their social media. It's probably the best that they never came out officially. Put a lot less pressure on it. It was more fun and lighthearted and he was coming out of a marriage and she was coming out of a very public breakup. In two news, I was watching the Instagram stories today

of people sharing their support with Vanessa Grimaldi. You'll remember her from Nick's season of The Bachelor. The headline is this, Bachelor alum, Vanessa Grimaldi, shares she experienced a second miscarriage in a year. She's very emotional in her stories, as you would expect, and very thankful for the support she's been given. Yeah, we're just so, so sorry and so sad to Vanessa.

she has had her as Ben said her second miscarries this year but the other one she was private about for three months and she said that right now being that she's like kind of doing a play by play of her feelings and live time on Instagram she's said that she's had a whole different support system through all her following and so many women who have gone through this situation before. It's one in four pregnancies, not even one for women. One in four pregnancies end in miscarriage. It just feels like a stat we should look into a little bit. Such a crazy stat. I wonder if it's always been like that. I don't think so. Well, now people are so public about it.

It just feels like it's more often, you know, because it used to be such a quiet, silent thing. And you were supposed to expect to just deal with your grief. and I think that a lot of women are so grateful that right now it's being talked about. So she has Winston, her two-year-old, and she's just like, I find so much comfort in him. I'm so grateful for him. Like, it makes me even more grateful for him, basically, when going through this loss. She said that her heart aches for the baby that she'll never get to meet, thinking about him as a newborn, all the first, like, the sleepy snuggles, the little milestones.

and she was imagining going through those moments again. And this is the second time she found out about a miscarriage through an ultrasound. She said that adds an extra layer of grief when that's heavier and more complicated, harder to put into words. Well, we're thinking about Vanessa, and I think you said it best. It is, it feels very healthy that now somebody can speak about this publicly and, feel less alone as they work through it. Next headline is Carly Waddell reveals she's starting a new chapter with her family.

Mm-hmm. So Carly moved into the house that she's currently in or just moving out of when she was going to the divorce with Evan. It's already like four years. And four five, yeah, four and a half years. And now she's moving in with her fiancé. They're so cute together.

his name is Todd you guys got to follow her on Instagram to see this they are moving to Lebanon Tennessee Ben how far out is that from Nashville I have no idea I don't think very far you never heard of Lebanon oh uh you don't know the geography enough yeah I don't know the geography okay so they are all going to live together she says she gets to live their three best friends now instead of two and then there's going to be two dogs and a cat she's saying goodbye to the house that made her a super mom, you know, where she's solo parented, or Charlie learned to walk. And we spent lots of Christmases and Easters and Halloween where we played dress up, fought tornadoes, and loved really hard. We're really happy for Carly. Like, I love seeing her with Todd

on Instagram because, like, you can just, the happiness is just, like, just, it's so bright, so shining. And it's been like that for quite some time now. It's not like when Carly has her, like, month of happiness in Bachelor Paradise. Yeah, it's great. It's really exciting to see. Congratulations to her on this next new chapter. Well, that's been all the headlines we have for you today. We're going to also continue to dive in to any Bachelor in Paradise News coming your way. We will not be spoiling you, but we will be revealing what has been revealed publicly that maybe you just missed in your headlines. But until next time, I've been Ben. I've been Ashley. Bye, guys. Love you. Follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcasts on IHartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

December 29th, 1975, LaGuardia Airport. The holiday rush, parents hauling luggage, kids gripping their new Christmas toys. Then everything changed. There's been a bombing at the TWA terminal. Just a chaotic, chaotic scene. In its wake, a new kind of The Enemy emerged. Terrorism.

Listen to the new season of Law and Order Criminal Justice System on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious. Wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, luckily, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend's been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone.

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

Plus, it's carrot top, baby. And finally, Ashley Simpson-Ross joins us to talk about her upcoming sold-out Vegas residency. Listen to PodMeets World on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jay Shetty, and I'm the host of the unpurposed podcast. And today I'm joined by one of the greatest athletes. of all time Novak Djokovic. He's won 14 grand slams in a glittering career. Novak Djokovic.

When you reach your 30, you start counting your days to your retirement. I'm 38 this year. How long can I push my own limits? Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. It was an unimaginable crime. It's four consecutive live terms for Brian. Coburger, who killed the four University of Idaho students.

Nearly 30 months of silence until... Bombshell development, Brian Coburger, has agreed to plead guilty. No trial, no testimony. The defense are on a sinking ship. This isn't the justice you wanted, but this is justice. Listen to season three of the Idaho Massacre on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.