The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Let’s “Lady and the Tramp” It with Susie Evans and Justin Glaze

Episode Date: February 2, 2024

The secret’s out! Ben is hanging out with Justin & Susie LIVE from Pebble Beach on one of their first weekends away as a public couple! They take us through the specific moment when they became “more than friends” and we find out how their relationship has changed since going public!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. The U.S. Open is here and on my podcast, Good Game with Sarah Spain. I'm breaking down the players, the predictions, the pressure, and of course the honey deuses, the signature cocktail of the U.S. Open. The U.S. Open has gotten to be a very wonderfully experiential sporting event. To hear this and more, listen to Good Game with Sarah Spain,

an I-Hart Women's Sports Production and Partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Brought to you by Novartis, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports Network. 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. Why are TSA rules so confusing? You got a hood of you. I'm take it all. I'm Manny. I'm Noah. This is Devin.

And we're best friends and journalists with a new podcast called No Such Thing, where we get to the bottom of questions like that. Why are you screaming? I can't expect what to do. Now, if the rule was that, the same go off on me i deserve it you know lock him up listen to no such thing on the i heart radio app apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcast no such thing this is the ben and ashley i almost famous podcast with i heart radio you know we've been really looking forward to this

interview for a long time uh my co-host ashley is is uh sad she can't be here um but she did just announce her pregnancy so she is you know chilling out nesting as they call it but we've talked about the two of you outside of our show very often there is very few people in this world that I think and there's a lot of people that wanted you guys to date uh there's very few people that wanted you to date more than Ashley yeah I believe it yeah she really saw it at the mansion uh Justin and Susie thanks for joining the almost soon as podcast thanks for having us thank you thanks coming out here I mean, this is a big deal for you guys to come out to Carmel to hang out.

We were just talking about the fact that you haven't been here before. I have been coming with I-Heart only for the last like five years, but I come once a year, maybe twice a year. This is one of the most magical places, I think, in the U.S. Yeah. Yeah, it's been pretty cool. I mean, we've only been here a day, but even just talking about walking down to the beach, the vibe, seeing the golf course. Sounds pretty dreamy. I'm excited.

I mean, I'm happy to be here on the podcast. I'm also excited to get the day started. Yeah, you guys are going to get it out of here. But we do have a lot of questions for you. You know, I think when we were last with you was at the Bachelor Mansion. Yes. Ashley was able to sit down with the two of you. She called me right afterwards and said that you two were not dating.

And I said there's zero chance you're not dating. Hannah was actually on the call for this conversation. She was going to test me. And I was like, I wasn't in an interview, but there's zero chance to very attractive people are this good of friends, and they haven't at any point looked at each other and been like, no, let's just make this work. Well, you know, that was the case. For a long, long time.

For a year. Yeah. So basically, to set the record straight, we kind of put ourselves back in time when we did that interview. I mean, we exaggerated it. I mean, like, leaned into the funny aspects of, like, the dynamic. But for about a year, we were just friends. But it's not like I didn't think about it during the.

that time. Like there weren't, it wasn't like there was never physical attraction before, but we never really addressed it. If they're like, I don't know if Justin was or not, but, or if you just fell in love with my personality, you know, I'm a personality gal. So, yeah, I'm joking. I'm joking. But yeah, I think that we kind of, we just agreed. We were like, we were still feeling things out. Things were great, but we were just like, I just don't know that this is the time to like launch our relationship and let everybody into our personal world. We hadn't really talked about navigating it publicly,

so we kind of just went back in time. Everything we said was true. Timeline was a little foggy. I, uh, okay, I'm more curious. Like, I'm going to do this interview out of curiosity. Yeah. My first question for you, the two of you,

so you obviously were friends for a year, you said. There were moments that it was just the two of you together. Like this wasn't like your friends in group. But we talk about this all the time. Like when she comes over now and we're like cuddled up watching a movie, I think like last week I was like, isn't it weird that not too long ago, we would go over to each other's houses, watch the Bachelor or a movie, whatever, and just be on opposite ends of the sofa. We would do the same things we're doing now. We would go get frozen yogurt, go back, watch a show and. And then I'd go home or you'd go home.

And it was like never weird. Like that's not weird. Like it was never like we're sitting on opposite ends of the couch. we're like just good friends I don't know not between us I don't have another like friend that I've done that with that's a guy where yeah I've never

had that before really I mean I've had great guy friends but yeah I mean we were really close I think also we both had moved to L.A so we didn't we do have friends we both have great friends in L.A. It's wild how amazing our friend groups are how and how quickly

we've like made that happen but yeah we weirdly I think we just like really relied on each other and leaned on each other having just moved to L.A. So I don't know. It wasn't, it was never weird. I, like, okay, my second follow-up question because Ashley and I had this argument

for 45 minutes. I love that. I wish she was here. I know. I really wish she was here. Yeah, but the interview would go in a totally different direction. Like, we would be, yeah.

I, and I want you to tell me if I'm wrong. Okay. when after the time at the mansion we're talking about this I said there's just no way they're not like into each other because I don't know anybody at my age I'm 34 I don't know how old you guys are say 20 my my wife's inner 20 so like anywhere from like 25 to whatever that are just like into each other as friends and not at all think about like it romantically like I don't know anybody else other than the two of you at this point at you know when that timeline was foggy but you were telling you us you were just friends. I've never known anybody just be friends who are single, attractive, looking to date, obviously wanting to find somebody. Do you believe that people can just really be friends? Or do you believe it will always end up being like at some point like, should we just give this a shot? So I think there's two parts of that question. So the first and my dynamic with some of my friends is different than Susie's because we've actually had like Natalie. We've had this

discussion as well. I actually have a few female friends that I've never done anything physically with. One of my good friends, Natalie, I went to preschool with Anderson's preschool. Still good friends this day. Never a single thing. My parents love it. So they've always been like, oh, if why not Natalie, you know, like if you're still single and she's single? Well, they love Susie now, but it was always like, why not Natalie? I'm like, it's just my friend. And I've got work, you know, know, friends, you know, that are girls that, you know, from my old job that I keep in touch with. But I don't think, we've talked about it, I don't think Susie has, like, that many close, like, guy friends, you know, like, I still get lunch and, you know, hang out with, you

know, some of my girlfriends that I don't do anything with. But, so I don't know, I think it's, it's different, but, um, I think for the amount of time that you and I had spent together, it probably would be farfetched to not have some sort of attraction. Because those are friends that just like, we keep in touch, you know, we, we don't see each all the time like she lives in Germany now you know and so it's like we'll face time or call every now and then but susan i were spending more days than not together um so i think it was kind of just natural and you know inevitably we were either going to form that connection or one of us were going to be in a relationship and that our dynamic was going to have to change yeah yeah i think

it would be very weird if either one of us were spending that much time together and either one of us ended up in a relationship like i wouldn't be comfortable if yeah my boyfriend was spending that much time with a woman personally. And I also think that there's like a, like at this point in my life, I'm seeking, I'm actually not even seeking friendships. I feel like I have so many amazing friends from childhood, from college,

from my different workplaces. And now moving to L.A., I feel like I have a really great group of girls that I've been able to make friends with. I'm not like seeking male friendships at this point in my life. And it actually is so weird that we happen. to become friends, the guys were kind of like my bachelor connection in L.A. Like I knew Justin from the East Coast. I'd worked on a video project with him.

And we both happened to move to L.A. at the same time. I knew Rodney and Nate from Clayton when I was dating him. So they were all good friends. And Rodney invited me to Easter at his mom's house in California because I was out there alone, didn't have anywhere to go. And so, I mean, I just kind of ended up like in the dynamic with them. somehow, you know, we made content together, we had fun together. They all were like very kind to me. Like I remember thinking, I was like, wow, I feel like really grateful that I have people in L.A. who are making an effort to like help me feel welcomed and at home. And they were like truly just being kind to me. And I knew them through different ways, but they were kind of like my bachelor

people out in L.A. And so I wasn't like seeking those friendships, but I happened, they happened to welcome me in. And nobody ever tried dating me from that whole group. Like nobody ever you know I think we just all had a good thing going basically and it was like you know I have friends with their girlfriends and you know I dated a guy and they all met him over the summer and stuff like that so the day yeah I don't know it's it would be we weren't as close when I was dating that guy obviously but and it did get interesting um and this is before we even I don't know at what point you thought about maybe something there but when we were the in Vegas. I was like loosely talking to somebody kind of ish. And this particular person like was not

too keen on the amount of time I spent with Susie. And like, because we were making like funny videos and stuff like that. And it was like, okay, let me take a step back. Like I, it's Susie. You know what I mean? Like we hang out. This is my friend. We hang out all the time. And then we had a discussion. We're like, okay, this probably would need the dynamic would need to change if one of us were to date. And I feel like I, like, at that point, I hadn't met her, I never, didn't even really know about it. You just were, like, casually dating somebody.

And that was the first time I had, like, heard about it. And I was like, I remember thinking, I was like, no, I'd be pissed. So, like, if I would not be okay. I'm not pissed, but I'm like, I wouldn't be comfortable, like, dating a guy that had a friendship like this. Yeah. Especially because in the back of the head, I'm like, because you're hot. And I want to make out with you.

My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious. Well, 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. 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. A foot washed up a shoe with some bones in it. They had no idea who it was. Most everything was burned up pretty good for. the fire that not a whole lot was salvageable.

These are the coldest of cold cases, but everything is about to change. Every case that is a cold case that has DNA right now in a backlog will be identified in our lifetime. A small lab in Texas is cracking the code on DNA. Using new scientific tools, they're finding clues in evidence so tiny you might just miss it. He never thought he was going to get caught. And I just looked at my computer screen. You know, so it's like, ah, gotcha. On America's Crime Lab, we'll learn about victims and survivors, and you'll meet the team behind the scenes at Othrum,

the Houston Lab that takes on the most hopeless cases, to finally solve the unsolvable. Listen to America's Crime Lab on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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.

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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose, choose between a maximum security prison or the most brutal boot camp designed to be hell on earth. Unfortunately for Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced. He said, you are a number,

a New York State number, and we own you. Shock incarceration, also known as boot camps, are short-term, highly regimented correctional programs that mimic military basic training. These programs aim to provide a shock of prison life, emphasizing strict discipline. physical training, hard labor, and rehabilitation programs. Mark had one chance to complete this program and had no idea of the hell awaiting him the next six months. The first night was so overwhelming and you don't know who's next to you. And we didn't know what to expect in the morning. Nobody tells you anything.

Listen to shock incarceration on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. obviously i've been married for two years i have girls in my life who i've been friends with since childhood you know they're most of them are now married or in a relationship like it would not like my wife it and them it would not be weird for me to text them like hey how's life like how's the kids yeah like how's what's going on like we haven't talked in six months i think the difference would be the amount of time like if we were then like hey jess i'm going over to their house tonight to watch a movie. That just feels weird.

Like I don't know anybody in my life that's doing that without like it. Yeah. Getting weird at some point. Yeah. There is that like lack of like it's just, you know, that's not the person that like is. It's not appropriate. It's not appropriate. Yeah.

It would push boundaries. It'd be weird. So that's where when I was with Ashley was like, if they're spending this much time together and they're like making these videos and they're sitting and like having popcorn on the couch, I guess some point you have to look at them and be like, okay, what are we doing here? Like I'm going to be friends forever or is this friend? at some point going to have to end because we're going to move forward without each other into

other relationships. I want to start then when the moment became that you started to talk about maybe trying this out romantically. I believe I've read or heard that you knew that, hey, I'm starting to develop feelings, right, Susie? Like first. Yeah. I think that there, I think I started to feel it like probably a couple weeks before you had, we had the conversation. we had like flirted around with the idea like I think we were becoming more flirty and I was like I remember I don't really know exactly what happened

but we said something over text we had been drinking and then we never talked about it for like two weeks I went back to the East Coast and it was like then we were back in California for a week and I remember being like well if he really felt that way then like or whatever I remember just thinking like

that was like really flirty and then it was like okay well I'm like nothing happened. So it'd been like a couple weeks since the kind of like flirtiness had happened or whatever. And I was like, well, you know what? Like we have such a good dynamic. We essentially are kind of like co-workers at this point. Like we make, we do so much of our content and work together. I was like, I don't want to mess anything up. And I genuinely appreciate his friendship. Yes, it would have to change if I like dated somebody else. But I genuinely appreciated him as a human. And so yeah, I think I kind of was feeling that. And then the, the night that it all happened. I guess you'd been feeling it too, but we just hadn't had an opportunity to talk about it until that night. Yeah. The texting thing, I feel like I was kind of in a similar boat where I was like,

all right, we were like kind of drinking. I was like, I don't want to like resurface it if it was like, ugh. Like they were just, yeah, yeah, I was just playing because we were, we did have such a joking, flirty dynamic that was like, all right, at what point are we like joking or not joking? Yeah. So I think there was just like the couple weeks of hesitation on both ends. like kind of dive into it and see like if it was legitimate or not so and then just

bought some twizzlers oh wait no did i buy the twizzlers yeah okay i bought the twizzlers yeah so we had been yeah so we had been in Vegas for something then we were at this restaurant opening and it was a restaurant called has salon and they just like it's like a it's like a wild dynamic that happened there where they're just like throwing meat around and like literally making dishes on the counter. It's like very unsanitary when you think about it. But amazing. I'm like, this foot looks great.

This food looks great. But like I might have food poisoning tomorrow. My stomach might be doing cartwheels a second. It was wild. Like guys are coming down in hacksawls like banging on drums and just like like chopping up chickens and like the middle of the floor. It's weird. So anyway, I like look behind.

I look over and Susie's like in the kitchen with the chefs like making strawberry shortcake. I'm like, what the hell is going on? and so she pulls out the strawberry and she was like should we lady in the trampet and I was like I'm down this is this is the first like are you talking about the first time that like this is like we were still friends yeah but we did I did drink a lot of tequila that night like I was I was on a countertop I was several countertops that night she's in rare form yeah it was fun it was a great time and so I suggested lady and the tramping yeah lady and tramping yeah so then And then we did it.

And then that's the, you know, Susie's first taste of, you know, what this could be like. So she was like, should we do it again? I said, ah. Yeah. Well, we might have something. No, no, no. We missed it on camera. Remember we, we filmed it.

We filmed it. And it was funny. And then I was like, oh, I'm like cut out our faces or whatever. Can you give us the details of how this actually is a strawberry? It's literally a strawberry. And there's a video. There's a strawberry. And I was kind of like, is she going to like try to touch my lips or are we going to like, it was like, it was like a kind of a

test. I think we were both in our heads like, wait a minute. So then, um, so then fast forward to a couple weeks later when we're back in L.A. And we went to 7-Eleven and he got some Twizzlers and we're waiting for an Uber. So I was like, should we be leading the trampet? And I wasn't as tipsy that night. I was like, run it back. And I was like, and that's when I was like, no. I was like, Justin. I was like, we can't do that unless you're serious. And he was. And he was. was like, like he was just being funny, whatever. And so then, it was a different tone. I was like, yeah, I was like, no, we can't just like leading the tramp our food when we're tipsy. You know what I mean? But we, I don't know exactly the dynamic, but it was basically we were,

I was basically like, we can't cross that boundary unless we're like crossing that boundary and like making a decision to you. And then the Uber comes and we've got a 20 minute drive back. And I'm like, and so we're just sitting in the Uber like silent. And Justin's like, we'll talk when we get back to my house. And I was like, okay. and then we got back to Justin's house and we sat on his couch and we like had a really honest conversation and you were just you like told me how you felt about me and that you like think there's potential for more but you didn't want to like intrude or make me uncomfortable or make this a weird dynamic and you respect me and you're like even if you don't feel the

same way like I just want you to know I value you and like want you as a friend in my life no matter what. And I was like, no, let's make out. Was that your response? No. She was like, I'm scared. I was like, I know he was like, at one way we were like, what do we do? Yeah, we talked about it.

And then we were like, we're on the same page. We're like, well, now what? Yeah. I literally was like, I'm so scared. I was like, I'm so nervous. I was like, peeking through one eye. So the, I mean, this is wild. This is, this is so interesting.

And I would love then. Anybody out there listening to this who might be in a similar situation, like I'm imagining that there's a lot of nerves and there's a lot to be lost. Yeah. You were saying, I value you as a friend. But like your friendship would never look the same if you, Susie, were like, you know what, Justin? Like, we are just friends.

Mm-hmm. And like, it'd be weird. It would change. You could still hang out and you might still have fun and you could figure out how to, but it would be different. You're not sitting on opposite ends of the couch. You'd probably be in your head at some point being like, he really wants to kiss me. Yeah.

like it would have changed so that it takes a lot for the both of you to like walk into that conversation and so anybody out there listening who's in a similar situation right now what advice would you have for them or like what words of encouragement could you have for them as they might be getting ready or trying to get ready to start to tell their friend hey i think i'm actually into you well i'd say for starters if you're spending as much time as susy and i spent together there's probably a good chance for success rate there if you take that leap of faith. But I mean, I think, and I'm just going to address this from my approach. You know, the way I looked at it is, you know, how much I value Susie as a person and our friendship and our dynamic. And, you know,

this is all thoughts that are going through my head before I even kind of articulated it to Susie. But I was like, you know, these, this is kind of the foundation of what I would want my relationship to be built on. I want to have somebody that's like a best friend, you know, that we have so much fun with and we can just converse on so many different levels. And the dynamic that we had was great in what I would want in a relationship. So I'm like, okay, on paper, this is great. I don't know if she feels the same way. And so I, I don't know, I was kind of just like feeling it out a little bit. And I think at a certain point, for lack of better words, you have to kind of just shoot that shot and address it in a way where you make that person comfortable. Like, hey, if you don't feel

the same way, it's totally fine, not weird at all. But have you ever thought about? You know, I don't know that I would go in like, hey, like I like you. What do you think? I think it's, you just need to have a mature conversation and say, hey, you know, I would, I would assume that that person knows where the other is in their dating life and, you know, what they may be looking for. I knew what Susie was looking for. I knew what she was all about. You know, she's not just like a, she's a very serious person when it comes to dating, very intentional. And so I went into the conversation knowing that about her and coming from the standpoint of like, hey, I kind of know what you're looking for. Here's where my heads at, what are your thoughts? And I think we both were like, hey, if this doesn't work,

like no hard feel, like it's all good. But I think this is a super long-winded way of saying. I think you just have to know that person, know how to address a conversation, and take the chance. Because what's on the other side of that? You have a friend that could get scooped up by somebody else. Your name is going to change anyway. So why not go for what you want? that's a good point because the dynamic would have had to change eventually so yeah it's like either if you if you feel that way like shoot your shot respectfully yeah and understand that the dynamic will probably change after that whether it's good or bad but it's going to change anyways if you're that close like the way we were and i just don't like to live my life with as cliche as it is with regret you know i'm all up in the same way i'm all about taking calculi related risks. You know, this wasn't like, this wasn't a Steph Curry logo three-pointed. You know what I mean? This was, I was, I was in the you know what I mean I knew that I don't know I knew that you had weighed the risk and said I exactly there's a good chance exactly I had waited out and I was like okay well you know when we

were early on friends I met the you know guy she was dating and it wasn't weird and you know I was like oh cool but I knew at this point I was like okay if I don't go for it and she date somebody else I probably I would feel some type of way especially knowing that our dynamic was going to change so if that person you know is in a similar boat and it's somebody you don't want to lose in your life and you don't want to have that regret you have I think it's pretty clear that you have to take that shot 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 okay story time 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.

My name is Ed. Everyone say, hello, Ed. 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...

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 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 for Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced. He said, you are a number, a New York state number, and we own you. Shock incarceration, also known as boot camps, are short-term, highly regimented correctional programs, that mimic military basic training. These programs aim to provide a shock of prison life, emphasizing strict discipline, physical training, hard labor, and rehabilitation programs. Mark had one chance to complete this program

and had no idea of the hell awaiting him the next six months. The first night was so overwhelming, and you don't know who's next to you. And we didn't know what to expect in the morning. Nobody tells you anything. Listen to shock incarceration on the IHeart Radio, App, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A foot washed up a shoe with some bones in it. They had no idea who it was.

Most everything was burned up pretty good from the fire that not a whole lot was salvageable. These are the coldest of cold cases, but everything is about to change. Every case that is a cold case that has DNA. Right now in a backlog will be identified in our lifetime. A small lab in Texas is cracking the code. on DNA. Using new scientific tools, they're finding clues in evidence so tiny, you might just miss it. He never thought he was going to get caught, and I just looked at my computer screen. I was just like, gotcha.

On America's Crime Lab, we'll learn about victims and survivors, and you'll meet the team behind the scenes at Othrum, the Houston Lab that takes on the most hopeless cases, to finally solve the unsolvable. Listen to America's Crime Lab on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm now intrigued with what's kind of next. So like, what does your relationship look like now? Does it still have the elements of fun that it had as just friends? Yeah.

I guess that's my first question. Like does your, does your romantic relationship look similar to what your friendship look like? I think so. I think it, uh, I mean, we laugh so freaking much. And we were laughing constantly as friends, but I think, there's this moment when we started dating and I used to do weird stuff. Remember when I was walking across the street and I was like walking the waddling? I was like waddling. And at the time, it was like, I didn't care if Justin thought I was attractive.

It was probably the most unattractive thing I could have done, but in my brain, it was really funny. And Justin was like cry laughing. Like, we would cry laugh. But I'm like, I did not care about like being attracted to him because we weren't dating and we didn't start the relationship in a romantic way. So a lot of the things that I do, I consider to be probably very unattractive often. But I remember saying to you, I was like, I'm kind of like shy almost to like do some of the things that I used to do. And you were like, no, you literally can't take. like that's why I like you so much because like we laugh so much we have so much fun together

and that means that actually meant so much to me it was really early on in dating because like wow he really does like care like really does care and like love me for me kind of a thing like I I really feel like you appreciate me and all that I am and you knew me for all that I was and I didn't put on like a pretty front for the entirety of our first year knowing each other so we definitely still have like a really fun, flirty, ridiculous. I think we have a ridiculous dynamic. Like we do the most insane stuff.

We're probably too comfortable. Yeah. No, that's good. But that's why it was such a seamless transition because we weren't trying to impress each other. When we were friends, it was like, you saw the good, bad and ugly. You already saw all this.

So then when we started dating, I was like, well, you know what I mean? So we're like, we're super comfortable with each other. I mean, that's actually huge, right? Like being married, like you have, you're living with somebody. Like you're sharing a life with somebody being comfortable. There's still those moments, right?

Like, Jess and I were going to date night. We both like take a shower, clean up, put on nicer clothes. Like, you know, there's still some mystery that we try to keep alive in our relationship. Like, you know, just because we're in this thing for the long haul, like, you know, humans are weird. You can throw somebody off pretty quick. Yeah. But the, like, comfort of it is, is huge. Just a few more questions for you.

You start out as friends. You were great friends. was no romantic connection at the beginning. Now that you've been in a romantic relationship, it's been how long, actually, that you've, like, since you've started making out? Since October 6. Yeah, sometime not through. It's like a little foggy.

So, you know, we're four or five months into this. Have you had any relationship now arguments? Like, yeah. Oh, yeah. We, and I don't mean that's, like, we, and that's kind of, I was going to answer your previous question with it. Like, like, there. has been a learning curve as well. Because when we were friends, we never thought about anything. It's like, we have no stake in the game. It's like, we're friends. You know what I mean? We only saw the high points. I'm like, okay, right. But once we started dating, we, we already knew a lot about each other. But we were learning other sides of that person. And I think it's been really important how we communicate and just learning, okay, why do certain things, like how is your past affected

and encourage how you behave and treat different situations and respond to certain things and vice versa and just learning about each other's upbringing and past relationships and just how each other work has been big and yes there has been a learning curve but I think we're unfortunate for the way that Susie communicates and I think the respect and grace that we give each other and just knowing that we're both willing and wanting to

make it work, you know, has been, has been huge. I haven't really had somebody that's been able to communicate as effectively and rationally as Suzy. So it's been, it's been good. Wow, that's like so nice to hear because sometimes I think I'm very irrational and crazy. I think anybody, like, I think I think a lot of people can kind of be stuck in their own ways, but I think the good thing about Susie, like, because I can be stuck in my ways and Susie could also be stuck in her ways when you're so used to, you know, reacting, respond to certain situations. But I think both of us have a willingness and, you know, desire to want to be better for the other person. So we're both super open to like, okay, how would you like me to respond in X, Y, Z situation? Here's what I need

from you, right? And it's not like, I have dated people where it's like, no, my, like, this is just how I am. And I never want to date somebody that's like, well, this is how I am, take it or leave it. It's like, okay, to a degree, like, yes, you should be you. That's what I'm, what love about you, but I'd also would love to work together to continue to try to like the best version of ourselves to work together as a team, right? And so I think we both have that willingness and desire to want to be better

for the other person and improve upon ourselves. Yeah. We both know we have shortcomings. And I feel like I'm so impressed with just the things that I've communicated to you where I've been like, like I think I am very laid back in life. But when it's a relationship,

I have very high expectations, which I feel like every, not every, but a lot of relationship like gurus say that if you lower your expectations in life, in general, you're less, you're like, your happiness levels go up and you're like less inclined to be disappointed in your partners. And it's like, it's not meant to be like, oh, have no expectations for your partners. But I'm like, I've always had really high expectations for the people I date. Like I just have, I, I just believe that I believe I deserve like a really good human being and Justin is that but I I think that I can be really like like assume people

know how to be the person I need them to be and I've had to work on that and I think a really interesting dynamic to this is that I'm such an avoidant and I and maybe you are too I don't know I don't know exactly but previously in relationships and in dating I'm so quick to be like I'm good thank you and like drop somebody that might actually be a good person but I'm like oh you that was a big mistake and I'm like honestly like I don't deserve that and a lot of times that's true and like you have to know you're worth and no one to walk away and I've gotten really good at that because I think I dated some not so nice guys when I was younger but um with Justin like I think that there's things where I'm like dang like I have a year of solid friendship knowing his character like knowing who he

really is that some of the arguments like that I really look back and I'm like I probably if it were anybody else would have been like bye even though it was nothing that you did it's just that that's how I was like I'm just so stubborn I'm so comfortable with myself and everything but I'm like I just we have so much vested as like friends that I really believe I know his character and I've seen how he's like even going from friends to dating how he's like evolved and like kind of like risen to the occasion, I guess you would say. Like, I'm, as somebody with really high expectations, and I know that's not always good in relationships, really high expectations, I'm like constantly impressed with how, even if

I, even if you didn't know before, if I say it, like, he always is evolving and be, and just being who I need him to be, which is kind of intense, probably. Yeah, he's exhausted. He's exhausted. Yeah. Well, I mean, I think one of the key things there is, like you said, in the past, you would have been more willing to walk away, but there's something special here where you're like, no, I know who he is. I don't want to walk away. Like, I don't want to just drop this and move on. I think that's really a beautiful thing. I know I speak on behalf of all Bachelor fans and probably now just people who have started following you guys because you put out hilarious stuff on social media that have never watched the show. We're very excited for you guys. I mean, and that, I don't say that to, like, put word unneeded or unnecessary pressure. I just think it's a cool thing when two, we can see a story of it, if nothing else.

So I said this to my wife. I'll tell you this on our first phone call. We were doing long distance. I'd never met her in person. I'd message her on Instagram. We were FaceTiming. And I made a comment to her that she still sticks with her to this day. I said, we talked for like three hours.

I said, if nothing else, I met a really great friend out of this. She hung up the phone and said, oh my gosh, I just friend zone this dude. And I was like, no, what I meant by was like, I think you're great. Like, no matter what, I think you're great. Yeah. Then obviously we get married, so it's fine. But I say that to say, hey, it's just cool to see a story of two people who are friends try something out.

I think it's a story so many people can relate with. And probably some people are stuck in right now going, I don't know if I can take that jump because I could lose so much. But for you two, you show us that, hey, it's worth it, right? Yeah. And I think that was part of why we kept it kind of a secret it for so long is that we were like if the dynamics don't work

then we can walk away and like we don't have to make this a huge deal we don't have to ruin our friend group or whatever but yeah and that is a good little friend to lovers trope let's go well hey Justin and Susie thanks for coming out here we hope it's a great day in Carmel again it's a beautiful place go to play some dogs yeah go to the beach

your story is incredible We appreciate your vulnerability. You're speaking to many. This has been The Almost Famous Podcast, and I've been Ben. Follow the Ben and Ashley I, Almost Famous Podcasts on IHartRadio, or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious. Wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit.

Well, Dakota, luckily, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend's been hanging out with his young professor, a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone. Hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That seems inappropriate. Maybe find out how it ends by listening to the OK Storytime podcast and the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The U.S. Open is here and on my podcast, good game with Sarah Spain. I'm breaking down the players, the predictions, the pressure.

And of course, the honey deuses, the signature cocktail of the U.S. Open. The U.S. Open has gotten to be a very wonderfully experiential sporting event. To hear this and more, listen to Good Game with Sarah Spain, an IHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Brought to you by Novartis, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports Network. 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're a crime junkie and you're a man. 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.

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