The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Let’s Make it Official with Susan Noles and Joan Vassos

Episode Date: January 11, 2024

Ben Higgins and Trista Sutter are hanging out the morning after The Golden Wedding and officiant Susan Noles stops by with fellow Golden Bachelor contestant Joan Vassos!   Hear about what happened when Susan met with Gerry and Theresa before the wedding, AND why there was a ring snafu at the most crucial moment!   Plus, we get a look into what’s going on in Susan and Joan’s DMs!!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. Hi, it's Honey German and I'm back with season two of my podcast. Graziez, come again. We got you when it comes to the latest in music and entertainment

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with a little bit of Cheezement and a whole lot of laughs. And of course, the great Vibras you've come to expect. Listen to the new season of Dacus Come Again on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. The Super Secret Festi Club podcast season four is here. And we're locked in. That means more juicy chisement. Terrible love advice. Evil spells to cast on your ex.

No, no, no, no. We're not doing that this season. Oh. Well, this season, we're leveling up. Each episode will feature a special bestie, and you're not going to want to miss it. My name is Curley. And I'm Maya. Get in here.

Listen to the Super Secret Bestie Club 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. Hi, ladies. Good morning. Good morning. We're another almost famous podcast, and we're so excited to have Joan and Susan here. freaking crushed it last night. I loved it. I loved every minute of it. I mean, you could tell that you have done weddings before, girl. Yes, yes. But this one was special. Well, of course. So a lot of the

wording that I used in different weddings wasn't the same. Okay. I maybe had a few words out of some of the weddings. Okay. But as I wrote it, I kept looking back and going, this isn't it. Yeah. But the best part about it was I was a part of their journey. Yes. So it got to be. Oh, it was so special. And you made us all laugh last night, which I loved. Everybody please rise. No, not yet. No. Just kidding.

Well, that's live TV for you. And I said to her this morning, I came to your room. I said, do you have perfect timing? Perfect timing. She pauses perfectly the right amount of time. I was like, you are made for this day. Totally. So did you play a part?

Like, did you come up with the ceremony alone together with them? I wrote the ceremony and they tweaked some things. Okay. So I had the birthday shoot part in there. You know, screaming that I'm going to marry you. Yes. Yes. I love that part.

That is so funny. That was so good. It was so good. Yeah. That was so good. Yeah. And that's where that pause was perfect. Yeah.

Like, it was so good. Yes. It was so good. Because you want to sink it? Yeah. And then another question for our wedding, the person who did our officiating also did like a little, I don't know, pre-wedding, like, me. where we go interview like is that what you usually do a new title i mean i'm not licensed but i do

i counsel every counseling marital count premarital counseling yes did you want to find out the fun yes i kind of knew but yeah they're inside what makes them tick yep what what would the audience know if i said something about them what they like to do together some people say we're netflix people together okay yeah right crazy things i've heard but we won't share all Can't say you in a church. We've got Joan and Susan here. It's really hard. And Joe, we're going to get to you in a second.

We have a lot to talk to you about. I'm not feeling like that. I just want to celebrate you for a second for what you did last night and officiating this wedding. Like, it's really hard to do this. And then to have the response unanimously positive. Like across the board last night, reading the reviews, you crushed it. And you made it personal. And you made it very like intimate.

and it's not easy to do and so yes you've done weddings before but I just I want to say it was it was a joy to be at the wedding not only celebrate the two of them but to see how much you cared for the two of them in these moments it was beautiful

thank you now the one part of the wedding I don't understand what happened with the rings what was going on? So wait they come to my room maybe an hour before and they show me the little stone thing

he was carrying and they said all you have to do is pull this ribbon. They will slide right off. Wow. They never mentioned they were pinned into the ribbon.

So I'm tugging and I'm tugging and I'm looking up at Gary he starts manhandling. Yeah. I didn't think we were to have rings. He was like ripping at it. But once he took the pin out,

then the ribbon did. Got it. They didn't want little Henry to drop it or lose them on the way. What did Teresa say to you when the bows were dropped because I didn't hear that little part? Like you were

like throwing the bows like and she said something do you know what i'm talking about i saw that too yeah yeah no and it was i think she was saying it to gary because he was like kind of just throwing him on the ground like trash or something it's like you're like living or something like something like you're roughing about that right now i wonder if he roughs it up i don't know susan you had to go there i mean that's where my thought was i uh it was i mean i don't even know if it was shown i'm sure it's live television i think he was yeah well none of us have seen it i haven't seen it i We were just sitting here with Kathy and Charity and we were like, we think you did great on the red car, on the gold card. I know. I talked to my kids this morning. I'm like, how are we? They're like, fine. Fine. That's our kids. We haven't seen it yet.

So the two of you are two names getting thrown around maybe to be the next golden bachelor. And we don't even really know if they're going to have one, right? Like it hasn't been confirmed. I think they are. Applications out for the men. I think that's where they're going to struggle. Yeah, but they always do that. They always are looking. Yeah. Women are so much easier to find them. So when I say the words, let's just play a game and imagine that the show is happening and each of you have been asked to be the Golden Bachelorette. What does that feel like? Is that exciting?

Are you nervous? Would you be nervous? Would you do it? Are we going together? Oh my God. And I would actually love that. So I kind of liked the bachelor shows that had the two women.

I thought that they kind of worked And I thought that, at least in our case, I think that they're going to have a hard time finding men that are going to want to sit around and talk about love on that big old sofa. And I think they're going to be like either silent or like it'll merge it. They might fix an oven. Maybe they'll hang some pictures or something.

But they're not going to talk about love. They're going to talk about sports and then they're going to clam up. So I think that you might need more than one Bachelorette. If you're going to have the men as not the Mains, then I think you might need one or two or three or maybe in four. I think four would be a perfect number. by the way, I think it would be. That's happening.

Super fun. So you know what I think? Let's just bring you all back. I would. All of us, because we know what we're doing now. That's fun big party. And like 40 men. I would like to be there just if I wasn't the bachelor's to counsel the men on how to be.

Yeah. Listen, this is TV. This is what you want to do. You want to win a prize here or love the woman. My fear is I wouldn't like any of them. I mean, that is a fear like me because you are. Because, you know, Gary and Teresa had this. incredibly epic ending to their season and like that's a really hard act to follow so even if you

have a connection with somebody and maybe like it's you like see a future you know you're probably not going to have this ending so no matter what it's going to be a little less there have been a lot of us that actually happen for us so our season was only one month huh our season was only one month mine was only six weeks yeah you're right the beginning ones the other ones are like 10 yeah joys look at joey's coming up how exciting is That's wrong. Yeah. How long was this?

It's longer and longer. Yeah. It takes a long time. It was a couple months, I believe. It was about almost three months of this thing by start to finish. Yeah. How long was your season? A long time.

About three months. Yeah. I feel like it was. Yeah. Six weeks. Ours was, yeah, for sure. If I may. How many men, you're not getting 70-year-olds.

If it's 60, some of them are still in business and can't take off six weeks. Yeah, but hopefully. some of them are CEOs. Well, that is the plan. It's my business. We want to check the background. We don't get any information about them. So you're really going and kind of blind.

That's just what the show is. What it is? You have to trust. And how exciting. And the main thing for us, for me, the producers, the people that run this thing, they're amazing. Well, that's what I said when I said yes to being the bachelorette. I said, you guys are going to.

You're a television network. You're going to have way better time finding a guy for me than I would on my own. I feel the same way. Isn't that great? I know. I know that they do all the vetting for you. And I do feel like a little lost in that world right now. And we had this conversation when I did your podcast before.

Yeah. That I like I get all these people sliding into my DMs and all these messages. And I get none. But there is no. Oh, really? That's not true. I know. One terrible picture.

I told you about that. I told you that happens. Yeah. Those picks that you don't. You shouldn't be on your phone. WTF and then I blocked. Good for you. I blocked.

I sent the pictures to my daughters and then I blocked. You shared them. I was like, you got to see this. You didn't send them to me. I'll do better next time. I'm sorry. You got to think of your friends. It's been so long.

The DMs, I mean, it is a very fun conversation to have with you all. Because when I was single, Trista, I was telling Joan this. My buddies had started to get to a place where, like, you got to start messaging girls. Because you're not going out. Like, you don't enjoy going out. You don't date.

Like, you're not just going to meet people. You're not hanging in a bar. You're hanging at a bar. You know, it's not happening. So you should start messaging people. And I did. I messaged Jess. And that's how we obviously got married.

And most people that listen to this know that story. But I was talking to them. I was like, people are going to start messaging you. And if they don't, maybe then. Should I message somebody? You should. Why not? Who do you think is hot?

Yeah. Well, nobody? Kevin Costner. I mean, do that. He's single now. Go for it. Okay, Kevin. It's season.

Hey, Keff. You just start shooting your shot and see where it takes you. See your shot. There's no reason not to. I'm definitely not shy. But if there was somebody I was interested, I would reach out. I think I would too. Like, at this point in my life, like, what do you have to lose?

Who cares? 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'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.

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, until this. It's just, I can do it my eyes close. I'm Manny. I'm Noah. This is Devon.

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. 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 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 divo of the people. The diva 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, heart breaks, 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 IHart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Okay, that brings me to, like, a thought about last night and how Teresa was saying, oh, we're going to be dead in 10 years or something. What was that? You said it 10 or 20 years. I say that statement a lot, and it's 20 years.

And I said, and for you guys, I made it 10. Yeah. And she said, we might only live another couple hours. Right. She said, or just a few more hours or something. A few more hours. I gave you 10 years. I don't get it, right?

They'll just, you know, the whole, there is this, like, I think that not advertising, but the, like, kind of campaign behind it is that, you know, we only live so long. Life is short, period. And you guys, you know, have, I feel like, talked a lot about this is that you really want to have, you know, an incredible rest of your life. It might be shorter than when you were 20, you know. It's definitely short. Pretty positive about that one.

I think we got that one. So I think just enjoying your life and going for it, like shooting your shot while you can. Right, why not? This opportunity that we both had. Yeah. I mean, who'd have thought? That was going to happen.

When I applied, it was almost four years. It'll be in March. Pandemic hit. I never heard from I go. They don't like me. Yeah. There was nobody else. I think they kind of like you.

And then you get that call. You're like, yeah, I'm still interested. Yes, I'm still single. Yeah. I did it in January. And I was kind of hesitant still because I do feel like you're going to shoot your shot. I only have so many years. And I even said that, you know, like my husband's passed away two years ago. It's going to be three years in a

couple weeks. And it is time. And it is time. But I really wasn't in the mood. But I came home and I saw this, you know, I had seen the, I saw the advertisement for this. And I went ahead and did it. And I almost didn't go. I was so worried that they might portray us in like an undignified way. And then I would embarrass my kids or I would just look foolish. And, you know, you're a lot more careful at this age because you have a lot to lose. Like you, you know, You built your life, building your reputation. And so you don't want to, like, blow it all in, like, doing something silly. Yeah.

I'm so glad I did it now. Like, this was dignified, and it was joyful, and we got to represent this whole group of people our age in this weird place in life, and we made these lifelong friends. And we have a tribe now to go through this weird dating thing that we're doing now at this age. However, I pay attention next time on some of the things that I've done on the show. Like, I just heard kiss the girl, not sexual. Yeah. And I have the whole lesbian and they're behind me.

They love you. Hey, you got a new. Everybody was too. We really want you to be the next golden bachelor. It would be the first bisexual. I'm like, oh, God. You even have to be careful of your eye rolls and things like that because they will take eye rolls that you did at something else and apply it to something that you didn't roll your eyes out.

Yeah. So Ben shared with me this morning before we started that there's something going around on Twitter about my husband. He was like, oh, Twitter's all a buzz about Ryan. I go, my husband? Why? He's so under the radar. So, I know. And last night we're sitting there.

Oh, I used me. But Gary said, there was a part in the ceremony that Gary said, you know, he was saying his vows. I want to make you the happiest person, you know, the happiest woman alive or something like that. And what did the meme person say? it looks like Ryan leans over to Trista they like flashed to Ryan in that moment and he goes it's not going to work no but what he actually said and he told me that and I go he goes so they flashed to Ryan and he turns to you and says something and I was like I know the exact moment and I said he said to me after that that I would be she would be the second happiest person

because I'm the happy like he wanted to make me the person that way so he said the second happiest woman. I'm going to DM him. But it looks like it actually, stay away. But if you watch it, so he showed me the video and actually does look like, like after I told you what it says. You can see him saying both.

Yes. Like you can read his lips and be like he said the second happiest or it also could see him be like, it's never going to work. So like it was a terrible situation for him. They're good at what they do. They're good at what they do. They are good. But anyway, yes, you have to be very careful of what you say.

I was actually also thinking about that with my kids. My kids have not been to one of these functions. And I wanted to before be like, make sure you always have a smile on your face. I went to, um, don't roll your eyes. I know, don't please.

Don't roll your eyes. Jenny Farley and like J. Wow and Roger, they were from Jersey Shore. And we went to their wedding. And the paparazzi or whatever who was filming it got a picture of me in the background like with like resting bitch face. and Roger was like, you look really happy

to have been at our wedding and I was like, damn it, why didn't I like constantly just know this? Your face heard at that point but you just do it anyway. I know.

As we close up with the two of you, this is this show, this experience, you said last night you're making history here with the golden wedding. This is such a part of your legacy. People have been inspired.

I've been with Gary during a filming segment where people have broken down in tears because this is revitalized a new hope, a new excitement. Yes, that was what I was going to ask you. As we close

out this segment, we're just looking into the future, what things have stood out to you personally from this experience? And then also, what would you tell other people who are out there being like, maybe I won't go on the Golden Bachelor or Bachelor or Bachelorette? Like, that's not my thing. But I'm not

done trying. So for me, I think that I got a ton of messages, hundreds if not thousands, and I think we kind of all did, that we were representing this community of older people going into the dating world. And I think something that resonated with a lot of people is when I said you kind of become invisible as you get older. And I didn't think anybody else was feeling that way, but apparently lots of people feel that way and that we've been like kind of relegated to the backseat because the next generation is now moving in and we raise this generation. We're proud of them and we think we did a good job

when we're ready to hand it over, but it doesn't mean that we have to become invisible. And we don't have to be the caretakers now. Like, we can still have a life. And I think that that is, like, the message that got out there finally, that, like, it's okay to, it's not undignified and it's not selfish to now want a life for ourselves even at this age. So I would say to people, I think that's under the message, but how to go about finding that life is still a little bit of a mystery to me.

So I would say that you have to make an effort. Like hope is. Yeah, DMs. Hope is not a strategy. You have to take action. And, like, that's kind of the journey that I think we're all still on. We talk about it all the time. I even talked to Nancy last night, and I was like, we have to go out.

Nancy lives in my area. And we said, I said, we have to go out because, like, I don't have a lot of single friends. And so I said, let's go, like, do something on our Friday or Saturday night. And because when I go out with my kids, like, we sit at a table and nobody walks over to us. We had to go sit at a bar and have dinner just the two of us. And if somebody walks over and says high grade, if someone doesn't, we had a nice dinner. But it at least puts us out there a little bit. Yeah.

So you have to have a try. And that's what we found on our show. And you have to find your tribe. So you have somebody to do this stuff with. Sometimes I feel like I might be arrested for counseling things and I'm not licensed to do that. But you don't know how many emails I send back or answers to people replies. And then they get my email and they're pouring their heart out. Like you made me like myself again.

And I want to be like you. How do you stay so positive? We're not always positive. We have lows. I've always lived in my own world, like, as my cousin would say, it's Susan's world. And I love people and I love being alive. We all get down, but pick yourself back up. Maybe it's not dating, just like yourself again.

Go buy a new outfit, a pair of sweats, new sneakers. Get your hair cut, walk outside, take a walk. Just start loving yourself again. And with that, when you have more self-confidence and liking who you. You are, you attract more people. And that law of attraction thing, I totally believe in that. Totally. I hate when the demons come in here and think negative.

That's not going to happen. What you portray out there, it does happen. You just have to believe. Yeah, you have to put out positive energy, you're not going to get positive energy back. Right? I agree. It's far the men part go.

Going on the show, I was on every dating site known to me. And I thought, going to the show, I fell in love with me again. I'm good people. You are. That's how I feel. That is so true. And I'm a lover.

I'm not just always on. And we inspire each other. And I cook. She's a damn good. That's right. You should taste your meatballs. You haven't heard about them. This feels like it's turning into like a dating profile right now.

Totally. So I'm a single. I cook. I'm open. I'm willing. I'm a counselor. Just no nasty pictures. Save that for later.

See your pictures. We don't need that much information. Well, the two of you. Thank you for having us. Yeah, you have bigger and bigger platforms. You have people and people watching. You will always be, just like Trista here, was our first bachelor. You will always be the first group of golden ladies.

And I think there's just still a lot of good that you all are going to do, especially the two of you. Again, you crush it last night. It was a beautiful ceremony. Joan, thanks for coming back with us. We'll be talking to the two of you again soon. Thank you. But, hey, let's go enjoy a beautiful day in Palm Springs. That's right.

Yeah, thank you for having us. This is so fun. Thank you. Thank you. Follow the Ben and Ashley I, almost famous podcast 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. Oh, 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 Anya Emanzor. 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. 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. Listen to shock incarceration on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 I-Heart podcast.