The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Paradise Suspicions

Episode Date: October 6, 2023

It's another week of Bachelor in Paradise and we're already seeing cast members get a little TOO connected.  Was Kylee and Aven’s relationship preplanned?? We get into all the details. And Ben reveals who he thinks is there for the RIGHT reasons, and which couple isn’t going to make it.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. I was diagnosed with cancer on Friday and cancer free the next Friday. No chemo, no radiation, none of that. On a recent episode of Culture Raises Us podcast, I sat down with Warren Campbell, Grammy-winning producer, pastor, and music executive to talk about the beats, the business, and the legacy behind some of the biggest names in gospel, R&B, and hip-hop. Professionally, I started at Deadwell Records. From Mary Mary to Jennifer Hudson, we get into the soul of the music and the purpose that drives it. Listen to Culture raises us on 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, and I Heart 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 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. This is the Ben and Ashley I, Almost Famous Podcast with IHeartRadio.

Hello, everyone. Welcome to the Almost Famous Podcast. Today's edition is the Bachelor in Paradise episode to Breakdown. Ben, what was your initial? What's your initial takeaway? Honestly or just? No, honestly. Because I always ask you this question when I'm disappointed in an episode.

Yeah, I mean, I think it's having a hard time living up to the Golden Bachelor. I do. I think it's a hard competition between the two. And I think Paradise had to step up, is going to have to step up its game. And I felt like this episode. Now, episode one was intrigued me. I liked episode one. I was in.

one. Yeah. I just, uh, I felt like this episode, if you really talk about it, didn't have a lot going on. No. And I think about the things that happened. And I'm like, we dragged that out. We dragged that over two hours. And it felt like it. Like it felt like when I watched it. It felt like it was dragged out for two hours. Now, this isn't me saying I'm giving up on the show. This isn't me saying, oh my gosh, I'll never watch. It's just me saying, I thought this episode with all the storylines that were kind of built in episode one. Yeah. Yeah. Kind of like fizzled those storylines out to be nothings. And that was, that was hard to watch because I just, I don't know what I picked from it. Yeah. What I really was craving was somebody walking down the stairs.

I know Avin did at the beginning of the episode. But it's like, okay, so the Aven thing, good. But now, like, let's just like get to the Rose ceremony and get new people in. Because there's not, there's not a ton of drama that's going to be created with the bunch. right now because there are a lot of people who are coupled up, but they're coupled up in like relationships that, you know, they apparently aren't 100% thrilled by because when Hannah Brown comes down and ask them some questions, which we'll get to in a minute, a lot of them were like, oh, but I'm open, but I'm open, but I'm open. I'm like, okay. So let's get these people open as a viewer. I love it when people walk down the stairs. As a participant, it was the worst thing

ever. Not great. Well, we are going to break it down right here. Let's start with this. You know, Will so far has had a shockingly large part in this show. I'd say Will, Kylie, and Olivia are really the focus so far. And it is an intriguing kind of love square at this point. Why is it a square? Well, because you've got Kylie Aven. You've got Olivia Avin. him, you got Kylie and Will's history, or you got Kylie and Will's history, you got Olivia and Will's history. Like, there's just a lot there. They're very brief history. Very brief history. They're one day history, but that's what happens in Paradise. But you, I mean, I think we said it last week. And I think we could probably predict it. Will was going to get, Will especially was going

to get the short end here. Like, he was definitely going to be the one left out. Now, you know, Olivia has a big personality. She's beautiful. She's funny. She's funny. She's funny. scary. Well, yeah, but she has kind of gotten the wrong of the deal twice now, where she's felt like something good is happening, and then it doesn't. And it just so happens to be that Kylie is the one involved in both those scenarios. We figured, though, Olivia would be around for a bit. I did. I just thought, you know, Will was going to get left out because I think will was excited and short-sighted in his decision to go on a date with Kylie. And I think that gets proven during this episode where he had a good thing going to Olivia.

Olivia was into him. Olivia was saying, hey, this is awesome and this is magical. And, like, we should give this a shot. And then Kylie shows interest in him. And he bounces. And it felt like the beach, most people on the beach, had kind of already known that Kylie was going to be, like, was waiting for Avin. Like, there was nobody that was going to get in between her and Avin. Yeah.

So let's talk about Avin getting down. the stairs. Comes down. That's how he left off last episode. He only from what we see pulls Olivia and Kylie aside to chat with them. Do you believe that it was only those two? I don't know. You would know better than me. I don't know how that works. I would know better. But I and I say yes. I say he probably did. But for TV's sake, best to just see them go head to head. And he asked Kylie to go. When Kylie gets asked to go on the date pretty much with just like Will just sitting there and she's like, yes, like 100%. Like the girl has left Will mentally 100%. They go on the date. It seems cute. I wanted to see more of it because all we see is like him not being able to pop the champagne, which was kind of hilarious. And then they're just like on the boat and they're kind of like giggling a little bit. But there's like not a ton. There wasn't a ton. There wasn't a. ton of contacts with them. We didn't leave that date.

At least I didn't leave that date being like, oh my gosh, their chemistry is so powerful. Exactly. There's a physical attraction. I think that's obvious. It was an easy flirt. Well, and I think they've been flirting for a while, even though they haven't met in person necessarily.

Emoges, through emojis. Through emojis. There was a weird part, Ashley, that stood out to me where, and I could just be reading into stuff. But she says that she would, you know, visited San Diego, kind of like hinting at, hey, like, I'm ready for a move. I'm up for anything. She did. She wanted, she wants to move to him already. Yeah. Like, first date, like, and he goes, when was that? And I'm thinking in the back of my mind, you and I both know

how this world works. He totally knew when it was. He knew what it was. And he's acting like he doesn't. So what else are they acting like they don't know about each other? Do you think they've met in real life before? Right now, I have no basis for this. But like, as a fan, yes, I think they have. I think they have and I think they've kept it semi-secret. And that's why she's gone. Yeah, that's why she's making so many points to be like, oh, we've talked only on Instagram,

but it's like not even messages. It's just like he's liking my pictures and fire signs. I think they both had the same story coming down. I think they both committed to this story. I think they talked about what they would say about it. And I think they have met. But I don't know this. Ben,

I'm saying this is a fan. Yeah, but yeah, you're just coming up with speculative narratives. And is it that big a deal if they have? No. I don't care. I don't care at all.

But it is still, it makes, it does, I will say this. It does, because I do know Olivia has been, I think she has fun

being outspoken. I think she has fun kind of being an instigator when it comes to Kylie. I think she has kind of felt like, oh my gosh, you know,

Kylie just continue to step on the people that I'm into. I will say, if Kylie went on a date with Will, and she knew all along that she was going to be into Avin and that he was coming into this beach because they have talked. Then I am on Olivia's side saying,

why did you go on this date with Wilden? Like, why would you do this? If you knew how this was going to play out. Because all you did is hurt one guy and step in the middle of something that I was excited about. Kylie had a date card. They gave her the date card for a reason because they knew that Avan was going to come down,

but she wasn't going to have the opportunity to use it on a date with him. So she kind of felt like, hey, who's the... They put her in a position. They did put her in a position. Well, she fell into that position too. What is she going to do? She's going to lead every guy on.

She's going to take on the date. Yeah, I guess that is true. But there were some guys that were not maybe in flirtatious relationships at that point after a day. Yeah. But, you know, I get it. I understand it.

I see where this, I see how she probably didn't have a great option. I'm sure that's a really tough scenario to be in and kind of playing the game a little bit, it would have been hard for her to be like, okay, what guy here could I take on a date that I'm probably not going to be interested in?

That's not going to fall in love with me. Yeah. Will seems to fall in love quite easily. Yeah, we're going to talk about Will. I have a lot of thoughts on Will. He's a sweet guy. Yeah, and just a bit. But Avin and Kylie and go on their date, it's, you know, Kylie's talking about wanting babies

and moving to San Diego. I mean, this is moving fast. This is furious. I can't see how this ends any way other than either the two of them being together or the two of them having the saddest breakup on the beach of all time. Because she is in it. And even during, you know, Rachel's season or, yeah, Rachel's season, he's not one that we got a lot of emotion out of.

He didn't share a lot. He's quieter, incredibly good looking. So, like, I'm not shocked that he's not over there being like, yeah, Kelly's the one. I'm going to make babies with her and have her move to San Diego. She's definitely the one to say that. But we flash back to the beach. We get like a little update on everyone, you know. We just get a little update.

And here's the relationship to Ashley. I kind of want to skim through this because I don't feel like any of these relationships are really going to make it. There's nothing of substance much, except for maybe Eliza and Aaron. I would actually say Eliza and Aaron is one. Eliza is just, I mean, for two seasons that. row. She's going to go down as one of the most likable characters in Paradise. She is very sweet.

Well, she wasn't like, she is sweet, but like I don't know about likable because we all got pretty frustrated with her last season. We did, but it's, I mean, did we get frustrated with her because of her or just because of how Paradise worked out for her? I mean, Paradise is a weird. She kept switching back and forth. I know. Well, I mean, that's kind of what Paradise is, right? You, and that's probably why at the end she wasn't committed or secure in the relationship she had because she's like, yeah, I've been switching back and forth. Like, I'm not going to switch back and forth with the person that I believe I'll be with

for the rest of my life. She's super scared about switching back and forth this season to the point where when she finds out that Aaron had made out with Mercedes the night before, she was like, oh, I'm like reevaluating and even like talking to you because that's how much she wants to stay out of drama. I get it, right? I mean, I'm sure she's thought about this for last year. Well, you know, Blake and Jess are together. Here's a relationship that I think is going to be very interesting to watch.

It's so weird. Like, it's weird. Like, like I said last week, I just felt like she was so innocent. And from what we know, he's not. But it seems also like he is... He's bringing out a different side of him. It's a lot like warmer and sweeter this season. Like a different, a different Blake.

I like him so much right now. People are loving on Blake right now. Yeah. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious. Oh, wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend has been hanging out with his young professor a lot.

He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now, he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone. Now, hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That sounds totally inappropriate. Well, according to this person, this is her boyfriend's former professor and they're the same age. It's even more likely that they're cheating. He insists there's nothing between them.

I mean, do you believe him? Well, he's certainly trying to get this person to believe him because he now wants them both to meet. So, do we find out if this person's boyfriend really cheated with his professor or not? To hear the explosive finale, listen to the OK Storytime podcast on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. 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, 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 no one expected to hear. Well, 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. Hello, puzzlers. Let's start with a quick puzzle. The answer is Ken Jennings' appearance on The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs. The question is,

what is the most entertaining listening experience in podcast land? Jeopardy truthers who say that you were given all the answers believe in... I guess they would be conspiracy theorists. That's right. Are there jeopardy truthers? Are there people who say

that it was rigged? Yeah, ever since I was first on, people are like. They gave you the answers, And then there's the other ones which are like, they gave you the answers and you still blew it. Don't miss Jeopardy legend Ken Jennings on our special game show week of the Puzzler podcast. The Puzzler is the best place to get your daily word puzzle fix. Listen on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Have you ever wished for a change but weren't sure how to make it?

Maybe you felt stuck in a job, a place, or even a relationship. I'm Emily Tish Sussman, and on she pivots, I dive into the inspiring pivots of women who have taken big leaps in their lives and careers. I'm Gretchen Whitmer, Jody Sweeten. Monica Patton. Elaine Welter-A. I'm Jessica Voss. And that's when I was like, I got to go. I don't know how, but that kicked off the pivot of how to make the transition.

Learn how to get comfortable pivoting because your life is going to be full of them. Every episode gets real about the why behind these changes. and gives you the inspiration and maybe the push to make your next pivot. Listen to these women and more on she pivots now on the IHeartRadio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Kat and Braden is an interesting relationship to me. I just get the sense right now that that relationship ends really sadly, that there's a lot of tears,

there's a lot of confusion, that it's one of those bachelor in paradise relationships where they've been together for so many weeks and they're kind of happy, go lucky, and everything's fine. And then something happens. I just get this feeling because of the hints that the show's giving us, the one-liners that are shown from each of them, their chemistry together, that something happens in paradise between the two of them and their relationship does not make it. Well, it's also because of social media. She said something on social media and then he like clapped back at her this week. So I do think it's going to end dirty. But right now, they're just really beautiful together. Yeah. I mean, right now it is. They're both very good-looking

people. They seem very into each other. I did. I mean, I'm just, I just want to talk to Brayden. I've been able to talk to Wells about this. Wells really likes Braden. Thanks, he's a great dude. You know, they're making out in the pool and he has this rubber ducky earring that's just kind of flapping around. Hilarious. It's just, it just feels like a lot. I just wanted to, I just would love to have gone earring shopping with him for Paradise. Sure. That would have been hilarious because you know he was like, what kind of irreverent earrings can I get? And he got a rubber ducky for the pool.

It's amazing. It is amazing. Let's see. Anything else to bring up? There isn't relationship-wise that's intriguing. I think it all gets, and at this point in the episode, we're watching these relationships. We're getting an update on these relationships, as you said. and we haven't gotten to the fire pit scene,

which I think is the pivotal moment in this episode is where Hannah comes down, everybody's wondering if she's going to date or not, which is just weird. Can we just talk about this? This is so freaking strange. This was so unnecessary. It's like 15 minutes of unnecessary content.

Okay, I'm exaggerating with the time. It was probably like seven minutes. But they have Hannah come down. They want the audience to think that she's going to come and date people. But I'd say, 75% of the audience knows that she's in a very serious relationship and well at this point she's now engaged but at the time of filming she wasn't but she has been with her boyfriend for like

two years they live together people who are really fans of the franchise like they know it and they're like this is silly but they do seem to maybe get the cast to believe that she is dating but they should have thrown them off when she was taking guys two at a time and it the whole spectacle is just to, like, add a little terror into the minds and hearts of the women. And it, it felt, it felt unbelievable to me. Not in like, oh, this is unbelievable. Like, it was not a believable moment at any level. Now, the other side of this was they, I mean, Hannah Brown is a big deal. She is a big deal. She's a dancing with the stars champion. She obviously was on the show with the Navy SEALs and won that.

She obviously was a bachelor. At one point had a huge storyline there in a very successful season. I have zero doubt that we put Hannah Brown up there with the most five most recognizable bachelorette's of all time. I would say that. I would say Bachelor contest, like franchise contestants. Sure. I could go that far, right?

Yeah. But it gets weird here where they're like, they're worshiping Hannah. Like, there's scene after scene of these girls freaking. out over Hannah Brown. I get it. It's, it's, it's wild and it's probably cool for that Hannah's down the beach. But it feels weird to me for this reason, Ashley. They just like make her too much of a celebrity or like, they're making her too much of a celebrity in, in this world. I think it gets weird when they're, person after person is like freaking out that Hannah Brown is there. Like, I mean, somebody says she's a Taylor Swift, the Bachelor Nation. I kind of feel like she is.

But like, Rachel is sitting right there who has the same. resume in this world as Hannah Brown. She was a bachelorette. It's different. Hannah really is the Taylor Swift of Bachelor Nation. I feel like that. I feel like if I were to have her on the podcast, I would actually be nervous before the interview

because I do think of her as a celebrity. Okay. Well, that's fair. And there's like that kind of that Taylor Swift factor where it's kind of like there's something about Hannah Brown that like I want to have. There's something about her personal. personality and like the way she speaks and like commands herself that I am jealous of but in like a way where it's like an admirable jealousy you know what I mean so you would you when you're watching this you're understanding everybody's kind of like freak outness out at Hannah like that would you would probably be saying similar stuff like wow Hannah Brown's on the beach this is crazy I probably would but I do feel like she's such like somebody that girls want to be with and around she's such like a girl she's I'm not saying that she's

like she's some she know that there's girl hot and there's guy hot like obviously hannah is beautiful but i think she's particularly intimidating to women because she does have this quality that like we're kind of like oh man i just i kind of want to be like her but but as far as like a threat romantically they're probably overdoing it because everybody like the guys are going to be like oh man she's hot and such a catch but also but they're also like but everybody here is hot and a catch. You know what I mean? Yeah.

All right. Well, Hannah comes to the beach. And she does do an incredible job, not shockingly, at commanding herself, especially during this bonfire. Which was an interesting moment on the beach. Ashley alluded to it a little bit ago that Hannah comes in with the hard hitting questions. Obviously, these questions are set up for each person. The producers know each person's storyline. So these questions are going to bring out the truth of,

what they're feeling and what they're thinking in their unique scenarios on the beach. Hannah, I think, does an amazing job at kind of walking everybody through this so that there isn't, it's not chaotic and it's maybe not as confrontational as it could have become because I think Hannah does a great job of kind of hosting this date or this, whatever this is. She kept it lighthearted and laughed and smiled through the whole thing. She could have gotten the dramatic route. She could have, but she didn't. And this is where Ashley, you were talking about earlier, where it feels like, as Hannah asked these questions, I, off the top of my head,

can't think of one couple or one person that responded with complete confidence. I know. That they were in it, like that they said, no, this is my person. This is who I want to pursue things with.

I'm committed to this person right now for the rest of paradise or for the rest of my time here. Okay. Do you think that they did that? You think there's a couple couples that said, like,

they're open just because they don't want to scare the person there. with they don't want to like act too needy or do you think everybody is truly like ready and open i think it could be both i don't know if i can answer that i mean i i've never thought about that until you just asked it where some of these couples could be saying yeah we're only a few days in and i don't want to be like yes i'm in this for for good now but i do think if we think back on relationship of the past in paradise there has been couples within a few days that that would confidently have said, no, if this doesn't work out, then, like, I'm not interested

in being here any longer. Yeah, perspective is here as big, because from what I'm thinking, it is day two. So on day two, it is kind of crazy to say, is it day two? Am I missing a day? Could be day three. I mean, I don't know if we see them all. It is kind of, it does sound a little obsessive to say that you are bonded to one person for the rest of paradise, even though I would have felt that way. I would have felt,

yes, I am fully blown in, but I also wouldn't, I probably wouldn't say it just to play a little cool. And I don't think there's anything bad at that. I'm sure you could pull back quotes that we've had in other seasons of paradise where I have said something or you have said something like, hey, keep your options open, right? Don't commit to one person too early because you don't know who's coming out of the beach and you don't know what scenarios are going to exist long term. I don't think there's anything bad with staying open. I think I was just semi-surprised at how little confidence anybody had in their current relationships.

I don't know if I could pick one relationship where I'm like, yeah, this is going to be the one to the end. Okay. No one I'm feeling this is going to be the one to the end. The one that it was like, the one that I felt that way the most, like the most disappointed to see openness was surprisingly Jess and Blake. Yeah, because it does feel like those two. are the two people that would come to the beats

and be like, you know what, let's just date, let's see how this goes. They both don't, I mean, I think Blake in the past, maybe, but whoever this new 2.0 Blake is, seems like somebody that just wants to come and give it his best shot to find somebody or why would he come back, you know? But, you know, to sum up this bonfire,

there really isn't a ton of chaos or drama that come out of it. more questions, I think, for each couple on what relationships are, you know, going to, you know, where their relationships stand. The most surprising thing for me, Ashley, and I would love for you to talk to this, is that Rachel and Sean still somehow make it out of this bonfire like together or in a relationship or like cuddling. And even though she says like she's interested in and maybe pursuing other people that she's not fully settled down, Sean understands that and he's happy that she says that. I'm thinking in the back

of my head, Sean's laying next to Rachel, be like, I have no clue how I'm here right now with this girl. Like, I don't want her to go anywhere. I am so in on this, but he's playing it cool. I think this is probably the most play that we have going on right now. Like, Rachel is going, is just hoping that she finds somebody she likes more because I don't think that she likes Sean. I don't think she likes him. I think she's fine hanging out. next to him she's a he's a good rose he's a good safe rose right now and he's he's he's pretty nice you know he's he's a nice guy he's handling it well he's like yeah I'm glad to hear you say the things that you're saying and I don't know he's but I'm thinking

that you know Sean is is probably so thrilled that he's gotten two days with Rachel like he's just like this is great I'm living the dream right now and I don't know if this will last but I got two days with this girl uh wait wait before we move on from the campfire I do have to say, I think the, their intention behind it was just to really get some people hostile, like, angry and nervous. But it didn't really work out that way. I will say what it did was probably bring some things to the surface that would have eventually come up, but it's happened a little bit faster. Because we don't see a ton of drama going from the bonfire night to the roast ceremony night.

Like, it didn't really, not much came up. Well, there was one fight. That was the one fight about maturity. We'll get there in a second. But before we leave the conversation about the bonfire, I do want to bring up the Mercedes, Aaron B, and Eliza thing. So, Aaron basically abandons Mercedes at this point. They made out the night before, but he makes pretty clear that he's not interested anymore. He's legit sitting next to her and says that, he's interested in Eliza to the whole

circle. What would that feel like, Ashley? Awful. Awful. He hasn't acknowledged her. And Mercedes even said that earlier in the day

they're sitting around the pool they made out the night before and he hasn't even like said hello. That's so awkward and awful and like he's slow fading her in paradise. Yeah, that's weird

because you're never going to get away from that person. It's like you can't ghost anybody that are 10 feet from 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'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. 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, 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 no one expected to hear. Well, 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. Hello, puzzlers. Let's start with a quick puzzle. The answer is Ken Jennings' appearance on The Puzzler with A.J. Jacobs.

The question is, what is the most entertaining listening experience in podcast land? Jeopardy truthers who say that you were given all the answers believe in... I guess they would be conspiracy theorists. That's right. Are there Jeopardy Truthers?

Are there people who say that it was rigged? Yeah, ever since I was first on, people are like. They gave you the answers, right? And then there's the other ones which are like, they gave you the answers and you still blew it. Don't miss Jeopardy legend Ken Jennings on our special game show week of the Puzzler podcast. The Puzzler is the best place to get your daily word puzzle fix. Listen on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Have you ever wished for a change but weren't sure how to make it? Maybe you felt stuck in a job, a place, or even a relationship. I'm Emily Tish Sussman, and on she pivots, I dive into the inspiring pivots of women who have taken big leaps in their lives and careers. I'm Gretchen Whitmer, Jody Sweeten. Monica Patton. Elaine Welter-A. I'm Jessica Voss. And that's when I was like, I got to go.

I don't know how, but that kicked off the pivot of how to make the transition. Learn how to get comfortable pivoting because your life is going to be full of them. Every episode gets real about the why behind these changes. and gives you the inspiration and maybe the push to make your next pivot. Listen to these women and more on She Pivot's now on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You know, Mercedes brings up a big storyline and this can skip us then to the cocktail party because obviously there's a few storylines at the cocktail party that are worth touching on.

One is that most people have a rose that's secured at this. point. But there are some women who have not met a guy or not friended up with a guy or not in a relationship with somebody. And they're kind of fighting over a last rose, which is really at this point, Peter and Will's up until this point. But then Will, and I said at the beginning that we were going to sit on Will for a second. You know, Will was somebody that we or I personally, I can say, criticized on his time on The Bachelorette. I thought it was a little weird. I thought it was a little wild. Obviously, there was a lot of, like, chaos and drama around Will. And at that time, we didn't get a good picture of Will. I will say this. Will, to me,

I don't know if I understand him yet, but I can say that I'm intrigued by him, that I'm fascinated in him, and that I really want this to work out for him. Because Will is more emotional than I ever would have imagined. You know, he comes, the beach he shared at this point he shed many tears and you know as these roses are kind of getting filtered through and will feels like hey everybody he's been into even if he's made a bad mistake uh i think along the way everybody he's been into has left him mercedes sits down with him and i can see it right away when they're on this bed i don't think this is just a hey i need a rose will you willing to give it to me kind of scenario yeah i don't think so either there is some

chemistry there. There is some like joy and peace there. And then he just breaks down. I mean, that dude breaks down after a few days in paradise. We thought in the teaser that that was going to be relating to Kylie coming back with Avin. But he was crying happy tears and says the most dramatic thing I've ever heard. It's always been Mercedes. I mean, it was not. It was not. never Kylie or Olivia. It's always been Mercedes three days. I want to know where this is coming from. Literally quotes out of my own mouth pretty much, though,

so I cannot make fun of the dramatics. I'm not making fun of him because I'm imagining this is an emotional roller coaster. It is insanely dramatic for a few days in after this is his third girl. I think he's me. Like, it's always been Mercedes. And you know what? For will's sake, I sure hope it. is. I know. Me too. Me too. I hope for Mercedes's sake it is. Mercedes has kind of gotten

gotten the raw into the deal a little bit. Will has got, I mean, he's had a huge three days in paradise. The poor boy has to be so tired. They're really sweet together. I really like them. I'm rooting for them. They look good together. So hopefully, like, let's, let's just let him, like, have a good week, you know? Let them lie. Let's let him break, like, just take a rest and enjoy like a, a nice drink on a bed with this new love of his life. But it's seriously so sweet that he's there for the right reasons. He's definitely there for the right reasons. There's no arguing that.

The only thing I would say that I, and you have to kind of calm me down here, explain it to me because I don't get it. You know, it's kind of funny coming from my mouth, I guess. But he is throwing love around very early on here. He said he was falling for for Kylie after the. date. I'm like, can't do that. Even I didn't say falling in love that easily. I mean, maybe he's just a romantic. I mean, I remember my first date with Jess and thinking, oh, my gosh, this is like a feeling that I, um, I've never really like felt after this quick of a period of time. Uh, and I'm sure she would have been like, hey, I'm not interested in you after our first day. I would have probably been

sad and cried and been like, you know, why me. But Will is, Will is very much looking for love here on the beach. And he's very interested in finding it. And I hope it's with Mercedes because I think it is a cute couple. And I hope for weeks now we're talking about them. The only other big thing here, Ashley, in the cocktail party is the Peter and Aaron S scenario. Which is like so ridiculous. It is ridiculous at all levels. Um, an, uh, an argument on maturity, you know, Peter, I think,'s 34 years old, or Aaron S is 34 years old. Yeah, they're 33 and 34. You know, they're my age. They're your age. You know, they're fighting over maturity. I don't have a lot to say, Ashley, other than they, like, this is unreal. Like,

why? What are you doing? What are you trying to accomplish? Why you say, like, you could come up with a thousand other better reasons to bring somebody down. if that's what you're interested in doing, then arguing about who's more mature or who's not. I know. So they're fighting over Sam who has had like no air time. Basically this entire triangle of people have had very little airtime. And all of a sudden, it's like, well, Peter is interested in Sam or at least wants to

get to talk to her because he hasn't really because she and Aaron have clicked up. Clicked up. That's a new expression. they've clicked up I think it's going to be a new thing with the next generation they're not hooking up they've clicked up

and apparently she comes across very mature and Peter Pilot Pete 2.0 feels like he should be with somebody who is very mature because he considers himself this and this is basically exactly what he says you're very mature

I'm very mature you should be with somebody immature so he indirectly maybe doesn't say that Aaron as is mature. Like, what does this even mean? It's up, and then the two guys go and have like a debate. A body's more mature. Yeah, it's just like,

too stupid. I mean, and I won't go into it because people get really mad when I do. You're not allowed to call yourself mature. Like, that's just not a thing we're allowed to do. Thank you, Ben. You haven't brought it up enough. You're just not.

Like, it's not something that I can't, I can't say, to you, Ashley, you know, in my life, I'm just very mature. You can't say that to yourself. You have to allow other people to say it about you. Or, I don't know, like, at 34 years old, like, nobody's shocked in saying coming up to me, be like, Ben, you're just so mature. Like, I haven't heard that since I was like 21 years old. Like, I used to hear things people would say, like, hey, Ben, you're an old soul. You like to do things that old people do. And I'd be like, yeah, what does that? What does that mean? Like, you know, I haven't made sense.

that. But at 34 years old, it's either a given or it's not and you're not allowed to say about yourself. It doesn't get you one up on anybody else. It's the you can't self-describe and there's some ways that you can't describe more than others and this is one of them. And Ben and I are probably the worst people ever at coming up with a resume because like you and I hate that part at the top where you're supposed to describe yourself and all your positive attributes. Gross. I hate it. My biggest issue is that I have, I'm too caring. I'm just, and I'm too nice. Who said that?

Didn't somebody say that recently that they're too caring? Probably happens every season on The Bachelor. I think somebody says that their biggest issues, they just, they have such a big heart. I don't know. That's ridiculous. I have so many issues that I could very much talk about. You know, so this is a weird scenario between the two of them. It's funny, too, to me, there's some comic comedic relief where they're arguing about

maturity. and Peter is dancing behind them. And yet, uh, Aaron S is like upset with it. Because in my world of what I think of when somebody's mature. Is they don't crawl up behind somebody's conversation. One,

they don't crawl behind somebody's conversation. And they don't dance behind this conversation. The second piece of that is that you don't get upset if somebody does. You're just like, hey, he's making a fool of himself. He's just being wild and weird right now. Like,

let him dance around. I didn't see him dancing. Yeah, he was dancing. He was like, giggling. bit. Yeah. He was dancing there. He was like break dancing. They said. So, you know, if you, if I think of somebody I look up to because of their intellect or their, um, their, I guess, maturity or their

ability to keep calm in chaotic situations, which I think is a sign of maturity and a size of, a sign of what you've been through. One, you're not dancing on the conversation. And two, you're not getting upset if somebody does. And so like, I think that two of them are arguing about maybe their biggest insecurity. It's a total tongue-in-cheek paradise moment. Like, the producers are cracking up. Yeah, they're like, this is the best. This is going to be great television.

Well, it leads us to the Rose ceremony. Eight guys, 11 girls. Three girls are going home. Here's the breakdown. Braden chooses cat, not shocking. Blake chooses Jess. Not shocking. Aaron B. chooses Eliza after their bonfire

and being very clear about what he was into. Will, and his new relationship, relationship with Mercedes. Sean chooses Rachel. Good for him. Good for her. They're on to next week. Avon chooses Kylie. Aaron S. chooses Sam. Peter chooses Olivia. That was kind of the shocking moment of the Rose Samarney. Who was going to get? That was the only one up for real grabs. Yeah. And Brooklyn Greer and Kat go home. Brooklyn and Kat not necessarily surprised by because it sound like the two of them just wanted to be on the beach the whole time. And, you know, for as much as they're, storylines could have been shown when it comes to their, I think it was at Brooklyn's issues

with the other cat. Greer is a surprise going home for me. I'm surprised the show did not find somebody to bring down to the beach to keep her around because I wanted them to because of the way that her relationship ended with Zach over the over like a FaceTime when he had COVID and I just liked her and I wanted to get to know her more and how Paradise would be a great place for that, but no. She's gone. And I thought that Brooklyn,

I thought they were going to utilize more drama between her and Kat. And she's just spicy. You know, like I said last week, she scares me a little bit. And like, that's kind of a good personality to have around for a bit. Yeah,

I'm shocked. But, you know, also not surprising to the three of them are the ones going home. And the sneak peek for next week. Tyler Norris shows back up to the beach. Hot commodity last time in paradise. Kind of a hot commodity in general.

Feels like somebody, he reminds me of a Dylan Barber in a lot of ways. I don't know why, but he does kind of I feel like he's going to come to the beach and actually find somebody, at least I hope he does. No, really? I don't think so. I think he's got an ego on him now. Whoops.

Okay, let's see if that plays out. I think that's a hot take. Let's see if it plays out. Tanner shows up to the beach. Obviously, Tanner has been talked about by Kat. She's interested in Tanner. He's an attractive man who is going to come to the beach and definitely shake things up. And we see a little sneak preview where Brayden feels played, as we said earlier.

For some reason, I just feel like that relationship is not between Braden and Kat. It's not going to end well. And the final one is the second time that we've seen this poop baby being discussed. I don't think we need to talk about it here. I think it's going to become way overplayed. I'm just now worried about her. I'm a little concerned. You know why?

Because Ben, we just we talked about it quite a bit last week and you were saying that you were happy that we were bringing up this conversation because it's it can be a problem especially when visiting tropical locales but guess what i just don't like overplay i'm concerned that we have no drama and that we will be just waiting for the poop baby and that's going to be our biggest drama yeah that's where i'm that's where i'm that's where i'm that you can use it in every single teaser it's not dramatic to me it's not it's more like sad and like i feel bad but if if i'm going to have a an two hour long episode and even 30 minutes of it is spent there like highlighting that she hasn't pooped one I feel bad for her because that's how she's going to be remembered yeah

two I feel bad for her because her time in paradise has not felt well three like just give us the like the short end like hey she did or she didn't and we should all like rally around Sam like Sam I'm sorry this sucks but I just if I'm worried that it's going to become a 30-minute process or the doctor comes in and talks to her, she tells everybody about it, everybody's talking about it. It's like, does it really need to be this? Like, it's not, I think when you get older, these conversations get less embarrassing, or at least maybe, hopefully they should, but it would still be embarrassing for me personally to be on the beach and to have all these love interests, you know, and all these friends,

new friends talking about hey, have I had a bowel movement or not today? Like it's just not, it would not be a fun experience for me. I would feel just like, yeah, this sucks. So I feel bad for Sam. That now two weeks in a row, she's known as the girl that has the poop baby. And what happens if it comes out?

Like, what happens if it works? And then everybody's celebrating the fact that she just took a massive dump. I'm just going to leave it at that. All right. Well, hey, we'll, we have more episodes coming your way on the almost famous podcast. We have some exciting interviews popping up. Katie Thurston is going to be joining us, talking about some of her newest endeavors. We'll be back breaking down the Golden Bachelor with a very, very special guest. Last week, we had an aunt from one of our producers on the show. We're going to have

a grandma this week from one of our producers in the show, breaking down the Golden Bachelor with us. It's going to be a blast. We're having a lot of fun over here. Some good television on. Keep us busy and obviously keeping all of you busy as well. So until next time, I've been Ben. I've been Ashley. See you guys. Follow the Ben and Ashley I, almost famous podcasts on IHeartRadio 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. 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. I was diagnosed with cancer on Friday and cancer-free the next Friday. No chemo, no radiation, none of that. On a recent episode of Culture Raises Us podcast, I sat down with Warren Campbell, Grammy-winning producer, pastor, and music executive to talk about the beats, the business, and the legacy behind some of the biggest names in gospel, R&B, and hip-hop. Professionally, I started at Death World Records. From Mary Mary to Jennifer Hudson, we get into the soul of the music and the purpose that drives it.

Listen to Culture raises us on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Why are TSA rules so confusing? You got a hood of you. I take it all! I'm Mani. I'm Noah. This is Devin. And we're best friends in Jersey. 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 the same, go off on me. I deserve it. You know, lock him up. Listen to No Such Thing on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. No such thing. This is an IHeart podcast.