The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Mercedes Hit A Wall

Episode Date: November 9, 2025

There's been new developments in Mercedes' love life with Boston Man...so Ben is sitting down for an emergency episode to get all the details! Has Mercedes found "the one", or is she still famously available??See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. On the podcast health stuff, we are tackling all the health questions that keep you up at night. I'm Dr. Priyanko Wally, a double board certified physician. And I'm Hurricane de Bolu, a comedian and someone who once Googled, Do I Have Scurvy at 3 a.m? And on our show, we're talking about health in a different way, like our episode where we look at diabetes. In the United States, I mean, 50% of Americans are pre-diabetic. How preventable is type two?

Extremely. Listen to Health Stuff on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And she said, Johnny, the kids didn't come home last night. Along the central Texas planes, teens are dying. Suicides that don't make sense. Strange accidents and brutal murders. In what seems to be, a plot ripped straight out of Breaking Bad. Drugs, alcohol, trafficking of people. There are people out there that absolutely know what happened. Listen to Paper Ghosts, the Texas Teen Murders, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What do you get when you mix 1950s Hollywood, a Cuban musician with a dream,

and one of the most iconic that comes of all time? You get Desi Arnest. On the podcast star in Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama, I'll take you in a journey to Desi's life, how he redefined American television, and what that's, man for all of us watching from the sidelines, waiting for a face like hours on screen. Listen to starring Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Two rich young Americans moved to the Costa Rican jungle to start over, but one of them will end up dead and the other tried for murder three times. It starts with a dream, a nature reserve, and a spectacular new home. But little by little, they lose it. They actually lose it. They sort of went nuts. Until one night, everything spins out of control. Listen to Hell in Heaven on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey, I'm Cal Penn, and on my new podcast, here we go again. We'll take today's trends and headlines and ask, why does history keep repeating itself? Each week, I'm calling up my friends, like Bill Nye. Lily Singh and Pete Buttigieg to talk about everything from the space race to movie remakes to psychedelics. Put another way, are you high? Look, the world can seem pretty scary right now.

But my goal here is for you to listen and feel a little better about the future. Listen and subscribe to here we go again with Cal Penn on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. IHeart Podcasts bring you the ultimate Summer of Love Tree. This is famously available. Welcome back to famously available.

It's your host, Ben, as we follow our famously available women, all on their own journeys. We are bound to hit some twists and turns. Last time we talked to Mercedes, our beloved Mercedes, things were going well. But I'm back for another check-in, and honestly, I am unaware of the status. However, I was told that I needed to get on a call with Mercedes to have an honest and open conversation. And that's why I'm here today. Mercedes, why are you here? I am here to let you know that me and Boston man are no more.

I just like, I don't really, I'm just going to speak to you like I would any of my other girlfriends who are going through this. I'm bummed. I'm bummed because it felt like things were just happy and healthy and like going on their own individual timeline in like the best of ways. When we talked to you last, you didn't have a plan necessarily to see him next if I remember right, but you were going to like get that scheduled. You're going to figure that one out.

What happened? Yeah, honestly, I don't really know. I feel like it kind of like just switched one day on his end. I think he got a job opportunity on top of his full-time job. So he's going to be working a lot. He has to move to a new city. And I think he was just very stressed. And I think having someone to, like, care for.

And, like, being in a relationship with someone was just too much for him. So he just was like, yeah, I can't do that. And I was like, okay, I'm not going to, like, beg someone to take. me along with them through their life and journey so that was that and yeah the um i mean it it always is sad and hurt and you know if you're me when things end uh i kind of go very internal i ask myself a lot of questions if that makes sense what are some of the questions you're asking yourself right now. Yeah, that's honestly, like, the biggest thing that I've been struggling with is I've, like you, turned internal and like, what did I, did I do something? Is there

something wrong with me? And it was something that I struggled with for a couple days. And it was just like, you know, did I open enough, like open up enough? Did I make him feel like the way he was making me feel or do I need to like be better at communicating my feelings like there was a lot of again internal questioning but then I just came to the conclusion that you know I know who I am I know the love I give and I'm worthy of a love that reciprocates that and it just wasn't him the there are some things about him though that you really appreciated and that obviously drew you to him when we started this he was a practice date turned into multiple dates.

The reason it turned into multiple dates is because you were intrigued by him and you liked him as, you know, for the time that you're together. What are some of those qualities now that you've pulled from that that you look for in the future? Yeah, definitely someone who is like very open with the way they feel. I feel like he was a type of guy that just kind of laid it out on the table, which I had never really experienced before. and it turns out that I really like that

and I like hearing compliments. It's so funny, Ben, like I used to be like, oh, I don't really like when men compliment me. Like, it makes me feel like, oh, like, I don't know how to take it. But then with him, I, like, loved it. I'm like, ooh, keep him coming. So I think that, you know, I'm a firm believer that every single person or thing that happens to you

is either a lesson or, you know, you learn something from everyone. And I think that he really, like, sparked something in me and made me excited about dating again because before him I was like I'm not going on a date with anyone like all these men are like not it and now I'm like excited and I'm excited to meet more people and he showed me that like I can get excited about someone so I think that was kind of his role in my love life and obviously like I think he's a great person and I think he truly like I know he's not a bad person I think he's just really busy with life yeah I mean I

hear you there and it does the hope is this did open up kind of the floodgates to you getting back out there in the dating world is this chapter closed for you i mean if he takes a few weeks sits on this and is like goodness gracious i had somebody incredible uh in my life and calls you back up would you reconsider dating again or trying it again probably but i would have i would be very reserved. I wouldn't be able to just like jump back into it and be like where we were, you know? I think the way that he, I don't know, I don't want to get into too much just out of respect for him, but I think the way that he handled it was a little unconsiderate where like we didn't like, basically I was like, do you need some space for a couple of days to like think?

And he was like yes. And I like, which I get and I gave him a couple of days. but I just like I don't know I was like you literally left me here not knowing like what you were thinking for you know what I'm saying so it was just a little unconsiderate so I think the door's not closed but I would definitely have my reservations yeah and I think that's very fair when we started this whole thing out you had a lot of hesitancy towards today's dating culture you weren't going on dates you weren't you wanted to go on dates you didn't really though it felt like you want to wanted to go on dates, but you didn't at the same time that you didn't really know how to put yourself out there into the world. You obviously did with this practice date that turned into multiple dates. Dating is very complex. We talked about what you liked about him, but after just a few dates with him, what have you learned about dating? And do you think there's an added complexity since you have been on TV? Yeah, I feel like what I've learned about dating is that my the way that I was like viewing dates and how I thought that all men were is not true

you know he was very respectful of my boundaries um he respected me he was open and honest so I think he he definitely taught me that I need to be more open and not just have my one opinion closed-minded opinion about men I think that's honestly the most important thing he taught me um through, you know, however much time we spent together. On the podcast Health Stuff, we are tackling all the health questions that keep you up at night. Yes, I'm Dr. Priyanka Wally, a double board certified physician. And I'm Hurricane Dibolu, a comedian and someone who once Googled, Do I have scurvy at 3 a.m?

On Health Stuff, we're talking about health in a different way. It's not only about what we can do to improve our health. but also what our health says about us and the way we're living. Like our episode where we look at diabetes. In the United States, I mean, 50% of Americans are pre-diabetic. How preventable is type 2? Extremely. Or our in-depth analysis of how incredible mangoes are.

Oh, it's hard to explain to the rest of the world. Like, your mangoes are fine because mangoes are incredible, but like, you don't even know. You don't know. You don't know. It's going to be a fun ride, so tune in. Listen to Health Stuff on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And she said, Johnny, the kids didn't come home last night. Along the Central Texas Plains, teens are dying, suicides that don't make sense, strange accidents, and brutal murders.

In what seems to be, a plot ripped straight out of Breaking Bad. drugs, alcohol, trafficking of people. There are people out there that absolutely know what happened. Listen to paper ghosts, the Texas teen murders, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What do you get when you mix 1950s Hollywood, a Cuban musician with a dream, and one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time? You get Desi Arnest, a trailblazer, a businessman, a husband,

and maybe most importantly, the first Latino to people, break primetime wide open. I'm Wilmer Valderrama, and yes, I grew up watching him, probably just like you and millions of others. But for me, I saw myself in his story. From plening canary cages to this night here in New York, it's a long ways.

On the podcast starring Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderama, I'll take you in a journey to Desi's life. The moments it has overlapped with mine, how he redefined American television, and what that meant for all of us watching from the sidelines, waiting for a face like hours on screen. This is the

story of how one man's spotlight lit the path for so many others and how we carry his legacy today listen to starring desi arnaz and wilmer valderrama as part of the mycultura podcast network available on the iHeart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast in the new podcast hell in heaven two young americans move to the costa rican jungle to start over but one will end up dead the other tried for murder Not once. People went wild. Not twice.

Stunned. But three times. John and Ann Bender are rich and attractive, and they're devoted to each other. They create a nature reserve and build a spectacular circular home high on the top of a hill. But little by little,

their dream starts to crumble, and our couple retreat from reality. They lose it. They actually lose it. They sort of went nuts. Until one night, everything spins out of control. Listen to Hell in Heaven on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Here we go.

Hey, I'm Kelpen, and on my new podcast, Here We Go again, we'll take today's trends and headlines and ask, why does history keep repeating itself? You may know me as the second hottest actor from the Harold and Kumar movies, but I'm also an author, a White House staffer, and as of like 15 seconds ago, a podcast host. Along the way, I've made some friends who are experts in science, politics, and pop culture. And each week, one of them will be joining me to answer my burning questions. Like, are we heading towards another financial crash, like in 08? Is non-monogamy back in style? And how come there's never a gate ready for your flight when it lands like two minutes or

early. We've got guests like Pete Buttigieg, Stacey Abrams, Lily Singh, and Bill Nye. When you start weaponizing outer space, things can potentially go really wrong. Look, the world can seem pretty scary right now, because it is. But my goal here is for you to listen and feel a little better about the future. Listen and subscribe to here we go again with Cal Penn on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. The season of life for you is not only going to be full of these roller coaster rides of emotion, but also very exciting at times also because you do get to meet people. But one of the things that was happening in this relationship was it was long distance,

which adds another layer of difficulty to relationships, but can be very healthy. Has it made you at all stay away from long distance relationships? or would you still pursue those if they're available? I would still pursue them. That was like his main thing on why he didn't want to continue was because of the long distance. But I personally, like, I didn't mind it. I mean, obviously it sucks, right?

Like, you, like, when you're excited about someone and you start dating someone, like, you're like, I want to be with you all the time. Like, I want to know everything about you. Like, that's normal. And obviously, when you live in different cities, you can't do that. But honestly, it wasn't bothering me.

Like, I think, you know, if it was for an extended amount of time, obviously, that would be really, really tough. But, you know, we talked on the phone. We, you know, we both gave effort to where it felt like we were still getting to know each other, even if we weren't in person. So, no, I'm not knocking long-distance relationships at all. I think if you both put the effort to that, then it can work. Yeah, I agree. And it does make conversation sometimes more intentional because you have to ask questions. You can't just snuggle on the couch and watch a movie.

You have to actually communicate. And I do think you can get to know each other even better through, you know, just talking to connect instead of anything else, which is beautiful in its own way. Do you, I mean, long distance and kind of how this started, you don't think there was anybody else that he was. was dating right that came into play here no no i mean it was very abrupt so i don't i don't know i don't know i didn't ask i but i don't think so i don't think so i think that he just genuinely was like very stressed with the whole work thing and having to work 60 hours a week and you know moving to a new city all these things but at the end of the day like it goes back to like if he wanted to he would like it's not it wasn't impossible to continue to get to know me and date me but i mean he just

he didn't think he had time so no i don't think that there was someone else but i mean i guess i didn't ask the question so i don't know for sure and we talked about it last time you're on here uh you hadn't really had that conversation yet so if there was it's not like he was doing anything wrong just would be surprising maybe because of how you were feeling at the time about him you have a great group of friends around you some from the show some not from the show what was their response when you told him it was over they were like I mean they were obviously on my side they were like yeah he was love bombing like a bunch of stuff you know just try you know how girls are like dive each other up we're like he's a weirdo loser

Yeah. But no, I think that they thought the same as me. They're like, he's not like a POS, and we all know that. And I know that he's a good guy. He has a good family. Like, he has good values, morals. I just think it was a timing thing. And they were like, if what, I forget what friend said this, but they were like, think

of how great he was. Like, think of how, like, amazing. And, like, when you actually meet, like, the love of your life or, like, your husband, the person you're going to spend forever with, like, that's going to feel like, make this feel like nothing. And I'm like, that's so exciting, you know? Like, I got so excited over him that, like, when I actually meet someone, it's like, for real how exciting it'll be. Oh, and that's completely true. It doesn't disregard past relationships. It doesn't make those less meaningful. I think that would be unfair to that season and time that you spent. But it's, it's only,

natural to at least at the beginning to compare and it's just incredible when you meet the one and when you know you know and you'll never feel anything like it before and you'll be like goodness gracious but then the fear Mercedes is if this ends I am broken like broken but it's the best thing ever and also the scariest thing of your life yeah it but it's worth it so great do you think he's going to listen to this episode I don't I don't know. I hope not. He listened to the first one. And I told him, I said, you're not allowed to listen to it. And he's like, why? And I'm like, because you're getting like the inside of my brain. I'm like, that's not fair. Yeah. I don't know if he'll listen to it or not, to be honest. I hope he doesn't. But if he does, I mean, I'm just being honest and truthful. And he, like, I told him everything on the phone, too. When we did have, like, the conversation, I was just like, I told you where I was at. If you feel this way, like, there's nothing I can do about. it so hope was she the best you know like i i wasn't like the type of girl words like well i'm like you know really hurt by this i didn't do all that i was just like okay if that's that's what you want

to do that's what you want to do have fun see you thank you for chat with me for a month like have a good life i don't know i think it's fair if if he does listen to this is there anything you haven't said so far that you would want him to hear No, not really. Well, I guess the question is out there right now. Are you ready to date more? Yes, I am. Are you sneaking up on us and talking to anybody else right now?

There's a few people in the DMs, but nothing significant. There's like some flirty DMs going back and forth. Yeah, which is so unlike me. Boston Man literally opened up. The whole different side of me. So a few flirted DMs, but nothing serious. Mercedes is having fun. At some point, I want to go through an episode and talk about the flirted DMs and what

you've said back and forth to each other. I want to know how you flirt these days. That's something I'm very curious about is how flirting happens in this dating culture. Well, I don't want to give too many details to you right now, but we do have someone we're going to be setting you up with very soon. I hear, and I'm going to know more here in just a bit, but I hear this man is very attractive, and he is in the right age range.

Okay. So that's going to be happening if you agree to let us do this. Yeah, I'm literally so down. I'm saying yes to every day. Every day is a practice date until we find the one. Be careful, because your DMs might get even busier. we're going to bring you back on here very soon to give the details about this date kind of leading up to it and then we'll talk to you the night of the date

before and after the date happens it's great and if the date goes well amazing if it doesn't go well then we just put Deana and with a therapist to talk to her after her date she needed a therapist no I think it just was like a good added benefit to the show is you get free therapy and you get to talk through all this stuff. You just have to do it in front of a national audience. But that also is an option available to you if this date doesn't go well and you feel like you need some tuning up in life. So just keep in mind, Mercedes, again, I am sorry that this one didn't work out, but I am happy that there's a smile on your face and that it sounds like you took some great

things from this little, you know, talking relationship and also learn some things about yourself and also put your foot back out there to date again. And we can't wait to be a part of it. I'm bummed. I never got to meet him. I was excited to do that. Maybe that's what scared him away. If it is, I will never offer that up again. That is, that was my mistake. I honestly, yeah, we didn't even, well, because the day I was going to tell him was the day that, like, things started being weird. I'm like, okay, today's not a day. I'm going to do it. So he didn't even know. So it wasn't you. Okay, good.

Mercedes, we'll have you back on here very soon to talk about some very exciting things that we have planned for you. It will be fun. It will be awesome. And I cannot wait to hear more about it. Until next time, this has been famously available. We're talking to Mercedes a day about the ending of the relationship with Boston Man. And we will continue to put Mercedes back out there into the world because somebody out there deserves Mercedes. and Mercedes deserves somebody great. So we'll be back soon. Stay tuned.

On the podcast, health stuff, we are tackling all the health questions that keep you up at night. I'm Dr. Priyanko Wally, a double board certified physician. And I'm Hurricane de Bolo, a comedian and someone who once Googled, Do I have scurvy at 3 a.m? And on our show, we're talking about health

in a different way, like our episode where we look at diabetes. In the United States, I mean, 50% of Americans are pre-diabetic. How preventable is type 2? Extremely. Listen to health stuff on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. She said, Johnny, the kids didn't come home last night. Along the central Texas plains, teens are dying.

Suicides that don't make sense. Strange accidents and brutal murders. And what seems to be, a plot ripped straight out of Breaking Bad. Drugs, alcohol, trafficking of people. There are people out there that absolutely know what happened. Listen to paper ghosts, the Texas teen murders. On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What do you get when you mix 1950s Hollywood, a Cuban musician with a dream,

and one of the most iconics it comes of all time? You get Desi Arness. On the podcast starring Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama, I'll take you in a journey to Desi's life, how he redefined American television and what that meant for all of us watching from the sidelines, waiting for a face like hours on screen. Listen to starring Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama

on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Two rich young Americans moved to the Costa Rican jungle to start over, but one of them will end up dead and the other tried for murder. three times. It starts with a dream, a nature reserve and a spectacular new home. But little by little, they lose it. They actually lose it. They sort of like nuts. Until one night, everything spins out of control. Listen to Hell in Heaven on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you

get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Cal Penn. And on my new podcast, here we go again. And we'll take today's trends and headlines and ask, why does history keep repeating itself? Each week, I'm calling up my friends, like Bill Nye, Lily Singh, and Pete Buttigieg, to talk about everything from the space race to movie remakes to psychedelics. Put another way, are you high? Look, the world can seem pretty scary right now.

But my goal here is for you to listen and feel a little better about the future. Listen and subscribe to Here We Go Again with Cal Penn on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.