The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - The Kiss of a Rose (The Golden Bachelor Season 2 Episode 2 Recap)

Episode Date: October 2, 2025

It’s the second week of Mel Owens’ search for love on The Golden Bachelor, but has he found his footing?? Ben and Ashley reveal who they think the frontrunners are, and we hear why there may be some drama that could totally change the course of the season. Would you prefer a “cute/old” Bachelor over a “hot” Golden Bachelor?? Ben and Ashley have some thoughts. Plus, a preview for what Ben thinks is the “cringiest” thing he’s ever seen in Bachelor Nation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. I'm Bridget Armstrong, host of the new podcast, The Curse of America's Next Top Model. I've been investigating the real story behind that iconic show. I ended up having anorexia issues, bulimia issues,

by talking to the models, the producers, and the people who profited from it all. We basically sold our souls, and they got rich. If you were so rooting for her and saw her drowning, what did you help her? Listen to the curse of America's Next Top Model On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Do we really need another podcast with a condescending finance brof trying to tell us how to spend our own money? No thank you. Instead, check out Brown Ambition. Each week, I, your host, Mandy Money, gives you real talk, real advice with a heavy dose of I feel uses. Like on Fridays when I take your questions for the BAQA. Whether you're trying to invest for your future, navigate a touch. toxic workplace. I got you. Listen to Brown Ambition on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. In early 1988, federal agents raced to track down the gang

they suspect of importing millions of dollars worth of heroin into New York from Asia. Had 30 agents ready to go with shotguns and rifles and you name it. Five, six white people pushed me in the car. I'm going, what the hell? Basically, your stay-at-home moms were picking up these large amounts of heroin. All you got to do is receive the package. Don't have to open it. Just accept it. She was very upset, crying. Once I saw the gun, I tried to take his hand, and I saw the flash of light.

Listen to the Chinatown Stang on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere you get your podcasts. I'm Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, host of the Psychology Podcast. Here's a clip from an upcoming conversation about how to be a better you. When you think about emotion regulation, You're not going to choose an adaptive strategy, which is more effortful to use, unless you think there's a good outcome. Avoidance is easier, ignoring is easier, denials easier, complex problem solving, takes effort. Listen to the psychology podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It may look different, but native culture is alive.

My name is Nicole Garcia, and on Burn Sage, Burn Bridges, we aim to explore that culture. Somewhere along the way, it turned into this full-fledged award-winning comic shop. That's Dr. Lee Francis IV, who opened the first native comic bookshop. Explore his story along with many other native stories on the show, Burn Sage Burn Bridges. Listen to Burn Sage Burn Bridges on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the Ben and Ashley I, Almost Famous Podcasts with IHeart Radio. Welcome back to the Almost Famous Podcast. It's been an Ashley here.

We're back breaking down season two, episode two of the golden bachelor. Ashley, ratings for episode one came out, drastically lower than last year, which is unfortunate because I really want this show to work. Last year as in Jones season or Gary's season? Gary. Okay, yeah, drastically different than Gary. Gary's numbers were so big. What were they like four or five million?

Yes, and then the finale had seven point, like seven. million and then this is pulling this season so far after the first week was like third in the time slot so damn it's not good it's not good we got to get it back we've got to figure out you know Mel's not the answer though and like Mel's going to kill me whenever he comes on this podcast but it's just like he's a very handsome guy he's kind of like the he's not there are pluses from Mel and there are pluses from Gary and like the combination of the two of them is kind of what would make the perfect Golden Bachelor.

I know people say that Gary was perfect Golden Bachelor, but then like stuff happens, you know, like divorce really quickly. But like Gary, I mean like Mel I get is like hot. He's kind of like a hot guy, right? But like he doesn't reek of like emotion. there's not a lot of um different levels to him so far i would yes i would say it this way too gary was the type of guy that my wife could watch and like be like he is so cute like i want him

to find love and i like he was cute yeah and i'd be like i'm i'm cheering for him too jess like we're cheering for him together right if she was like that mel guy he's cute like i would be like whoa like take a step back Totally because there's a difference between cute and cute and one is one and one is the other

and here has been my argument the whole time Bachelor people producers I know you listen to this because we get in trouble for things so I know you hear these things

it's not hard all guys it's not hard this isn't rocket science like you were handed the easiest show to cast in the world go with like

cute old person go with that Don't try to make your golden bachelor become hot. That's a weird thing to do. Keep going with cute. Keep going with like rootability. Keep going with relatability for all of us out there who have lost grandparents and loved our grandparents and want to watch our grandparents once again in a dating world. Don't go with people that are young enough or attractive enough to make us feel weird about watching them.

You know what, Ben, you really just, you hit the point. That was it. And I didn't even realize it. You're right. This show is a lot more, like, hot driven than Gary's season, which was just sweet driven. I don't know who they pulled or what kind of test they did. You know, this is a huge franchise. It's a big network, large production company.

they i know they did some tests behind the scenes on what people were into or not i don't know who they tested and who they pulled but whoever told them to get away from having grandmas and grandpas i really and i said this and i still mean it i think they could have had a better season if this dude was 80 years old with a walker coming into the bachelor mansion then they would like a really attractive middle-aged human. Ben, I have no notes for you. That's really well put. You didn't talk about this last week, right?

You didn't come on here and come on air and do an episode. No, no. Okay, so I did talk to Kathy and Susan about this. And it's really the women that are really rocking it right now. They're a great cast. He's just, I just don't think that we're not going to get much from him. No. I mean, I want to cry.

with Mel, I'm never going to cry with Mel. Like, I don't feel bad for the guy. Like, he's, he's doing great. He's a professional football player. He's into this enough. But he's not, like, invested into it where we're, you know, with Kathy and Susan and that cast, and with Gary, if we can kind of put everything else that happened post show away. What happened with that show is we were rooting for them so hard week by week, even the cast. who would get eliminated and I remember feeling oh I hope you get off of this and find love like

I hope you get off of this and can date again this might be insensitive I'm not worried about any of these people you're so right like they're all very attractive they're all very well accomplished if they want dates I know they have people looking to date them Mel Mel Mel's not hurting for dates this is not his last shot here Mel could probably get most women, like just into a first date situation. I'd say, like, most women from, like, 50 to 70 to go on date with him. I know that he wants a 45. I'm not sure that every 45-year-old is going to say yes to him.

I might be in a different mind space because we're in the process of famously available right now, where Deanna and Mercedes are going on dates and we're tracking along with it and following along with it. Mel is, Mel would almost be, he's kind of on the fringe, but I would lean towards doing it, like setting him up on a date with Deanna. Now, Deanna is younger, spunkier. She's 43. But he is the type of guy that I would say, okay, at least go on a date with him. Like, I don't think this is going to be marriage, but it's a date.

And I think she would say yes, just because she wants to date. Here's the point. I think the show missed the mark. This was a show for people to root for and cheer for it. invest into and to be sensitive with and in a lot of ways this was a show that if they would have done it well for a few seasons i think they get a fan base that's protective of the show again it's like a cult following where they're invested into it and they will protect the show because these cast members are giving up so much and they're laying their lives in the line for the second chance at love

and the leads are risking it all by becoming this overnight celebrity in their 60s 70s 80s and they don't know how to deal with it and they're corkiet dealing with it and they're corkiet dealing with it and their Instagram is cringy and we're like that is my grandparent that is the person i'm rooting for i love that person because their ego has gone out the door way long ago and they've only gone on the show because there's an opportunity to mix life up a bit and i think the show has completely missed a mark for at least for this season and i'm worried it's going to be just dunzo after this yeah yeah all right well another thing that i do not like

not to say that I don't like me out but you know what I mean you see the right fit probably not something I do not like is the decorations or the way the remodel of the house is

I know that they're going to be doing a whole show about remodeling the house but whatever in between we're in right now it is disgusting there it looks so cheap to the point like where I was like are we even

in the bachelor mansion are they just showing us visuals of the outside and like they're having pool parties there and they're living somewhere else because it's unrecognizable there's like light purple paint on just straight up drywall one of the nice things about the bachelor mansion was you never saw just like regular painted drywall there's like stone and brick and well wallpaper and lots of ornate things it looks like they're in a regular ass house that could have been built whenever, with no style. Yeah, it looks like they're in like a fairfield and in suites, which I love to stay at. I love to stay there.

Love a fairfield. Big fan. I don't want to watch a fair field on television. It does not look like a mansion at all. It looks like my house. Anyway, it also has really poor paint colors. Anyway, very strange. So here's the good to this season so far.

Okay, here's the good. The women are really awesome. They are hotter than Ben would probably like. Yes. And you're spot on. You said it perfectly. Yeah. The women are good.

They're outspoken. I think they're going to have more drama than past. Like the years of the past. They're feisty. There is good so far. There is some things that are very enjoyable about this season. And we're going to lean into those. Because I want this, again, I'm coming from this from a place of not being mad at the show.

I'm not mad at the show at all. I think they think they're mad at them. I'm not mad at them. I just want them to be good. And I want this show to work. To thrive. That's all we want. And I want this show to work.

I want the golden to be a show that I can get into because it was fun for my wife and I to watch together. And right now we're not at that place. I don't think we're going to get to that place this season. That doesn't change the fact that I still want it to be good. I'm rooting for you, Bachelor. Like, I'm rooting for you deeply for so many reasons. He's so Tyra Banks in this moment. Like, you know, I was rooting for you.

Like, we were all rooting for you. You don't even know that pop cultures. Do you know that moment? I have no idea. In early 1988, federal agents raced to track down the gang they suspect of importing millions of dollars worth of heroin into New York from Asia. We had 30 agents ready to go with shotguns and rifles and you name it. But what they find,

is not what they expected. Basically, your stay-at-home moms were picking up these large amounts of heroin. They go, is this your daughter? I said yes. They go, oh, you may not see her for like 25 years. Caught between a federal investigation and the violent gang who recruited them,

the women must decide who they're willing to protect and who they dare to betray. Once I saw the gun, I tried to take his hand and I saw the flash of light. Listen to the Chinatown Sting on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere you get your podcasts. It may look different, but Native culture is very alive. My name is Nicole Garcia, and on Burn Sage, Burn Bridges, we aim to explore that culture. It was a huge honor to become a television writer because it does feel oddly, like, very traditional.

It feels like Bob Dylan going electric, that this is something we would. have been doing for 10 years, you carry with you a sense of purpose and confidence. That's Sierra Taylor Ornellis, who with Rutherford Falls became the first native showrunner in television history. On the podcast, Burn Sage Burn Bridges, we explore her story, along with other native stories, such as the creation of the first Native Comic-Con or the importance of reservation basketball. Every day, native people are striving to keep traditions alive while navigating the modern world. Influencing and bringing our culture into the mainstream. Listen to Burn Sage Burn Bridges on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. Hey guys, it's Stephanie Beatriz and Melissa Fumero, and this is More Better. We are jumping right in and ready to hear from you. Your thoughts, your questions, your feelings about socks with sandals. And we're ready to share some possibly questionable advice and hot takes. God, that sucks so hard though. I'm so sorry. Can you out petty them? Can you match their pettiness for funzies? Yeah.

We had so much fun last season, laughing, crying, talking to some new and old friends. Remember when we were in that scene where you guys were just supposed to hug and I was standing. Oh, yeah. And I was like, can I also hug them? I'm like, this f*** has no friends. This time around, we are, say it, Melissa. Should I? Say it.

Say it. Getting a little. more better. Oh, finally. It's all the dressing room talk you've loved in season one. All the things. Because aren't we all trying to get a little more better?

Listen to more better on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. But the humility in knowing that life is this classroom that we should never graduate for is what is going to keep you growing. And that's all that matters. World Mental Health Day is around the corner. And on my podcast, Just Healed with Dr. Jay,

I dive into what it really means to care for your mind, body, and spirit, from breaking generational patterns to building emotional capacity. Healing is a journey and wholeness is the destination. I'm going to walk away feeling very healed and feeling like, yes, I'm going to continue my healing journey and I'm going to get some keys from you. Listen to Jess Hilbert, Dr. Jay, from the Black Effect Podcast Network. on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Do you want to hear the secrets of serial killers, psychopaths, pedophiles, robbers? They are sitting there waiting for the vulnerable thing.

They're waiting for the unprotected. I'm Dr. Leslie, forensic psychologist. I advocate for safety and awareness of predators while wearing pink. When you were described to me as a forensic psychologist, I was like snooze. We ended up talking for hours, and I was like, this girl is my best. Run. This is a podcast where I cut through the noise with sarcasm, satire, and hard truths. I'm not going to fake it and force it for me. But would you force an orgasm? Because that's like a different layer. The car accident you didn't want to see, but couldn't turn away from. In this episode, I discussed personal safety and self-defense, tools, instincts, and strategies to protect yourself and your loved ones in everyday life and high-risk situations.

Listen to intentionally disturbing on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Escape to the coast at the Portofino Hotel in Marina in Redondo Beach. Wake up to sweeping ocean views, then dine by the marina at the Baleen Kitchen, where fresh flavors meet stunning waterfront views. At the dockside adventure center, rent a kayak or a paddleboard, or hop on a complimentary bike for a ride-a-law. the coast. Now through December 31st, IHeart listeners receive complimentary self-parking and a $50 resort credit with promo code IHeart. Visit hotel portafino.com to book or call 800-468-42-92. I wanted to talk about the frontrunners for you, Ben, before we get into the episode, like how you left last week's episode since we didn't chat.

I just wanted to say that you told me about Sandra, her twin sister, right? Who's on the season for one night. I'm sorry that her name is slipping me right now. But oh, it's Andra. Sandra and Andra. That is a very unique choice by the parents. But okay, no way.

How is that even a thing? Sandra and Andra? Okay. So moving beyond that. She was so stunning, and I was, like, not sure about how far she'd get. And then I saw her get out of Lamont, and I was like, she's so saying she has to go so far. And you were, like, a big fan with knowing nothing about her. And were you also so disappointed to see, yeah, like, what was that?

Her and Miley. What was that? Like, I don't know what we're doing. Oh, yeah. And then you're Miley and also, well, look at the girl that I picked. Yeah. Maya, she got eliminated night one. Yeah.

Oopsie Daisy. It was a very odd first, you know, week for me. And then, you know, obviously we have this pool party. That's kind of where we pick up this episode is with flashbacks of the pool party and reminiscing on the makeout that Nicole and Mel do in the pool. Now, again, I would never claim to be a Bachelor expert. I don't have a lot of advice for any new leads coming through the show. I have a few things I would say

Not a lot when it comes to the logistics of it all And how you should navigate it The only thing I ever tell leads Don't kiss in front of the other people It's the only thing It's the only thing Don't kiss in front of the other people If you don't have to

Right? Sometimes cocktail parties and stuff Like it just happens But What he did in that pool Like in the back of his mind One, how do you do that? I've never seen that done, really, on this show before. We're like, actually me neither, not even with one of the young people.

Dude, like, very rarely does that happen. Like, what show do they think they're on? They're usually a little bit more discreet about it, you know, where, like, maybe you catch them making out, but, like, it's a one-on-one moment, and everybody can kind of see from far away. He was just like, let's just straight up make out in bikinis and a bathing suit without, with everybody seeing. It was quite something.

It's quite something. It's very odd to me because I think it sends the wrong message, especially on the first week when you're trying to convince these women that you're actually there to do this thing well. They already know the things you've said. And then you say, you know what the good, wise decision is here? I'm going to make out with this one. Not just like kisser.

I'm going to go all in in front of everybody else floating around me in the pool, making everyone else either upset, jealous, angry, or feeling very uncomfortable. Like, I don't, Ashley, if you and Jared and I and Jess were at dinner. Could you imagine, and we're married and we're still, and there's nobody to date there, that would still be the weirdest thing. You and Jared just start making out at dinner, like going at it. I would feel uncomfortable.

Yeah. This is so strange. Your commentary and passion about Golden is just so good. I like love listening to you talk Golden. Talk more golden to me then As if that couldn't be more awkward I just said that So there is going to be

There's so many things I could say This is the shortest episode of all time by the way 41 minutes I know that like during the two hour episodes Which crunched down to like an hour and a half We're always like oh God it's too long Well this was way too short where I'm like Did I even just watch an episode?

Did anything happen? We have one one on one or kind of two one on ones with Nicole's in there and then a group date and it looks like we know from the beginning of the episode that Debbie will be going on the one-on-one. So that makes sense to me.

Debbie seemed like a front-runner to all of us going into it. Let's talk about the group date though which is so fantastic because it's with our friend Jared Freed. Have you ever met Jared? I've never met Jared. Oh, he's great.

He's so great. He's hilarious. Nobody does Bachelor comedy better than him. so I'm glad that they had him on here. It's a great date. It's fun. And I actually walked out of that, or not walked out of it.

I moved on to the next scene of this episode, thinking I'm impressed with everybody. Everybody I thought did well for the challenge that was given. I thought Mel handled it well. He seemed to be genuinely laughing. Yeah. Like he was actually making fun of himself because a lot of people do not handle Rose well.

No. I thought it was great. great date whatever Nicole wins this date the one-on-one is not unexpected but again I would say you just made out with this girl in a pool in front of everybody should you really be bringing her on the one-on-one date right afterwards after everybody made jokes about you guys making out on the pool probably sending a message of either no this is the only one I'm after everybody else can go home now or he's just not making like strategic decisions on how the feelings of others might be affected by the choices he makes.

And your prediction as to what it is? I think he's so into her. Yeah, I think, oh, I think that she is a front-runner, but I don't think, I don't know that she's going to win. But I do think that he's probably most just on the surface attracted to her. And I get that. Her energy, her look, is very young. So Nicole's date is actually oddly fast-paced to me.

It seems as if they're kind of in an interview. where she's like, yeah, I've been married twice. What about you? I don't know anything about you. And then, okay, and then my answer about like, yeah, you want to get married again? It was like, seemed a little interviewy. It didn't give me romantic vibes. It gave me like these people want to hook up with each other.

But I'm not sure about beyond. Yeah. I mean, I don't know how romance is going to be displayed here. We felt that way with Gary too, at least initially in this season. There was a lot of very, he was, remember he was really good at like patting somebody's leg or something and he just wasn't saying a lot i think there's nerves i think these one-on-ones are going to kind of be weird for a while until they both get in a rhythm of having cameras around and talking about things that matter especially in front of others i i right now

am still if if we're comparing and contrasting based on the cast that's available in what we've seen so far i still think nico is my frontrunner if we had to pick it for this week Now, we do contrast that with Mel and Debbie's date, which happens. And I actually do feel like there was more romance and a more of a connection on that date than what we saw between Mel and Nicole on the winner's date or whatever they call it. Do you agree? I do agree. I think this is where Mel's lack of emotion is going to come in where it's like the dates seem fine.

But I don't know how much we're going to be able to differentiate date to date. because he is kind of a locked box. Yeah, he's not sharing much, huh? No. Debbie, it does feel like a more romantic day. I just feel like it's the slower pace, like cooking together, eating a meal together like that. It just felt like it lent more to an emotional connection. But I'm not sure I'm going to feel a lot of emotional connection.

Well, here's the cool part. What if we do? I'm not giving up on it yet. Okay. What if Mel breaks down in the middle of this season? And he says, you know what? This is so overwhelming. This is so hard.

I got so many great women. I'm a changed man. I am opening my life up to try to make this work because I care about this person. Then goodness, we have one of the best seasons ever. So that's why I'm not giving up on it yet. If it opens and closes kind of with him being in a closed box and these dates just feeling, cookie cutter and conversation never going anywhere. I'm going to be so mad.

And I'll make sure to say... But it's not me, right? Like, you agree that there wasn't, like, neither of these dates like made me feel anything. No, I think... No, you're spot on. And I'm, like, not trying to hate. I'm not.

No, I think you're spot on. I'm just saying that I think the outcome here that could happen is that he has a complete reversal in terms of his protecting of himself, his care for some of these women. And as it gets more emotional, and closer to the end, maybe he cares enough to actually open up. And we have this like rising from the ashes, this Phoenix type moment where Mel all of a sudden captures our hearts

because we see him become human and we see his real self shine. Right now, I'm giving it the benefit of it out. This is new. It's on television. There's cameras. There's people. It's still early. And so they're just not good at it yet.

And that's okay. And he's never gone through a season before. No. Some people good at it. I think Debbie's good at it. I think she's great. She seemed very relaxed. Yeah, definitely. She's the perfect candidate for the show. She's never been married.

Yeah. She's great. And there's some others that I think just have such big personalities that they'll be fine because that's who they are. But there's some, I think there are some that's going to get kind of pushed aside. Kathy and Susan show back up to the mansion while this date is going on. Those two have always been good at television. They were good at television from the moment they started and they're good at television. now and they are a comedy act of just being together like just the two of them in the same room there's going to be something that happens that either makes you laugh cry or shake your head

in like awe of something happening and i'm assuming this is the vibrator part for you yeah yes well peg didn't know what a vibrator was there's zero chance i just don't believe it like you don't have to be a connoisseur of them. You don't have to, like, use them. You know what they are. Yeah. I mean, like, you're, you're, maybe not. Okay, let's say she's telling the truth. I love this, Ashley. Kathy and Susan have this deep desire. We know them personally. We love them personally. I have known Kathy and Susan for years and spent so many great memories with them. And I really have my first personal bonding experience to them this week. And it was, it lived up. It was so good.

It's so good. They have this deep desire to care well and to give advice because they are wise and they give great advice. And they want to be that kind of influence on not only people our age, but also, you know, people their age who are now going on the show. Like this is the perfect role for them. I think the show called them and said, hey, you got to buy your own plane ticket, hotel room. You got to pay us actually to come on the show. But you're going to get to give advice. And they're both like, yes, in 100%.

And you can tell that they're genuine in this advice that they're giving these women. They care about their experiences. They want these women to shine because if you ask the two of them, their biggest hope for the Golden Show is that it just brings this rejuvenated life to the people coming on it. Like, that they see themselves in a light that's like, I can do new things. Yeah. It's great. It was great.

In early 1988, federal agents raced to track down the gang they suspect of importing millions of dollars worth of heroin into New York from Asia. We had 30 agents ready to go with shotguns and rifles and you name it. But what they find is not what they expected. Basically, your stay-at-home moms were picking up these large amounts of heroin. They go, is this your daughter? I said yes. They go, oh, you may not see her for like 25 years. Caught between a federal investigation and the violent gang who recruited them,

the women must decide who they're willing to protect and who they dare to betray. Once I saw the gun, I tried to take his hand and I saw the flash of light. Listen to the Chinatown Stang on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere you get your podcasts. It may look different, but Native culture is very alive. My name is Nicole Garcia, and on Burn Sage, Burn Bridges, we aim to explore that culture.

It was a huge honor to become a television writer, because it does feel oddly, like, very traditional. It feels like Bob Dylan going electric, that this is something we've been doing for a hundred of years. You carry with you a sense of purpose and confidence. That's Sierra Taylor Ornelis, who with Rutherford Falls, became the first, native showrunner in television history. On the podcast, Burn Sage Burn Bridges, we explore her story along with other Native stories, such as the creation of the first Native Comic-Con or the importance of reservation basketball. Every day, Native people are striving to keep traditions alive while navigating the modern world, influencing and bringing our culture into the

mainstream. Listen to Burn Sage, Burn Bridges, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey guys, it's Stephanie Beatriz and Melissa Fumero, and this is more better. We are jumping right in and ready to hear from you. Your thoughts, your questions, your feelings about socks with sandals, and we're ready to share some possibly questionable advice and hot takes. God, that sucks so hard, though. I'm so sorry.

Can you out petty them? Can you match their pettiness for funsies? Yeah. We had so much fun last season, laughing, crying, talking to some new and old friends. Remember when we were in that scene where you guys were just supposed to hug and I was standing. Oh yeah. And I was like, can I also hug them? I'm like, this f*** has no friends. And this time around, we are, say it, Melissa. Should I? Say it. Getting a little more better. Oh, finally. It's all the dressing room talk you've loved in season one. All the things.

Because aren't we all trying to get a little more better? listen to more better on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. But the humility in knowing that life is this classroom that we should never graduate for is what is going to keep you growing. And that's all that matters. World Mental Health Day is around the corner. And on my podcast, Just Healed with Dr. Jay, I dive into what it really means to care for your mind, body, and spirit. from breaking generational patterns to building emotional capacity. Healing is a journey and wholeness is the destination.

I'm going to walk away feeling very healed and feeling like, yes, I'm going to continue my healing journey and I'm going to get some keys from you. Listen to Jess Hilbert, Dr. Jay, from the Black Effect Podcast Network 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 Kenspiracy 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.

I wish we saw them with with Mel too because how funny would it be to have them interrogate him and crack that egg. Yeah. Because they'd be tough on them. Yeah, I know. Kathy would say the most outrageous things. I'd love it. So I don't know.

I wouldn't be 1,000% surprised to see them back. Really, I love Jesse. They could host this show and. Yeah. it could or would it get to like it wouldn't be serious enough it wouldn't be so i mean i think i think they can get serious but i think it would be a lot of like talking over each other the most talking over each other but they are seriously best best friends like when they sat next to each other on the bus and the way of the jonas concert like they just their energy between them is so

comfortable it's as if like it's the same energy that i have with a best friend that i've known for way longer than the two of them have known each other. And for that kind of bond to happen when you are in your 70s for them, that's wild. Especially since, like, I don't know, like you and me think, could I really make a best friend in my 30s?

I don't know if I'm going to make a best friend in my 30s. I can make, like, some friends, but. I absolutely adore those two. And I do think they actually could have huge parts in the show. We're all better off when they're on our televisions. We're better off when we're listening to them. They still have their podcast.

Um, we're better off when they are around. And here's the cool part about them. When they're on television, especially, there's going to be something that happens that's memorable. This memorable moment was the two of them gifting the women vibrators. Ben feels awkward. Yeah, it does feel awkward to talk about it. It does a little bit.

I think in thought it was going to be a bigger like scene. It really was quick. We didn't get a lot of like funny one-off comments or. like anybody being like ooh let me leave like I think that's what the show was wanting nobody really did that for whatever reason so it just kind of came and went and like that was it

but it's absolutely hilarious to me that Kathy and Susan said let's bring them a gift somebody around somebody said it can be a vibrator and they said yes perfect yeah 100% so funny so do we even have

we don't even have like a we have a little bit we had the miniest cocktail party before the rose ceremony and it's all about carol who i do want to see all the carol i love carol there's something about her that i think is she's like she's pretty but she's relatable because she's nervous and she feels awkward around him and we love that she admits this and i didn't know that she was going to get a rose because one i think that was the first kiss her first kiss with him was after that conversation and she was like it wasn't a makeout it was just like a little kiss

I just felt like he wasn't viving her and maybe it's because she doesn't like present herself with like the ultimate confidence and she's not suave like I feel like he's expecting a lot of them to be then there's also um so but yeah but she ends up getting a rose the last rose and I really think that she may not last long, and that's crazy because you and I both took her to the very end,

pretty much practically the very end. Another point that I want to make about the rose ceremony, the kissing of all of them, like when he went down the row and he kissed everybody on the lips, what was that? That was weird. I don't like it. That was so weird.

One of them said, Cindy, it was like, I'm not going to kiss him after everybody else, so I'm just going to go right in for it, like, for a second line. super super weird it's super weird it's super weird what's his name from family feud who oh my gosh the family feud host Steve Harvey no not Steve Harvey like one of the OGs he used to embarrass it like it was his shtick that he would kiss like all the women in the family on the lips before the game started that feels that feels like it wouldn't fly too it definitely not it's just like this whole row of women going yeah it's very weird to me

Richard Dawson. Yeah, it's very like, it's almost like cult-like, honestly. I don't know if I can say that. It's like we're worshipping a little bit too much if he gets a welcome with a line of kisses. Yeah, it feels very, very weird for so many reasons. I don't like it.

I don't like the place this season is going. Again, this should be G-rated elderly television. Elderly TV. returning it into something so different. But you know what? I'm not getting paid to produce this show. So who might have said anything? That's true, man.

All right. My last comment about the rose ceremony was Cindy. Cindy is so in him. Has been throughout the entire episode. Has was last week. She's like freaking out because she feels like she's falling in love with him. I really like Cindy. I want him to give her as much as she's giving him.

Yeah. And I'm not sure. I think this man really like kind of like hard to get, but like not hard to get. Like if you are physically easy to get like Nicole, I think he's down. If you're like emotionally intense, I think you might scare him. I think Cindy might scare him. I hope she doesn't. What if that's a sign of the interest that the lead actually hasn't being there?

Yeah. If the lead really wants to be there, they will do whatever they can to hear everybody's story to the level that somebody's able to share it. if the lead doesn't really want to be there, which we've had leads of The Bachelor, especially do this, they don't really carry a conversation. They're kind of checked out.

They say things that don't really make sense just to fill space, and they kiss all the time because they don't actually want to talk. They don't actually want to invest any heart and soul into this thing. So far, I think that's where we're at. Again, I hope that changes.

I believe it could change. I believe people, Mel, oftentimes can be, can learn a lot. I'm not saying he has a lot to learn a life. I just think this process can teach you a lot and like vulnerabilities come out because real feelings start to be felt and you don't know what to do with it. And so you just start breaking. I think the most defensive guarded people on the show are often the ones that we end up getting the most beautiful story from. So I'm hoping for that for Mel. I don't know, though, but I'm

hoping for it. I'm sure we'll get it in some way or another. Never fails. We got the Rose Ceremony at the pool. New location. Interesting location. Beautiful location. Don't hate it. I like it. The pool feels normal. Natural to me. They haven't

changed it. Let's just do it out there then. All right. So our bracket, how is that doing with the elimination of Monica B, Monica P, Amy and Terry go home. I think I'm still in the last place in the whole 6,000 person bracket. My lineup leaving this rose ceremony was that it was going to be Carol, Cindy, Debbie, Monica, who is eliminated.

Roxanne, who's still there, and Nicole. So actually, I'm not doing as bad as I thought now that we've gotten to this point. Yeah. You're crushing me. Absolutely destroying. I think I nobody. hey big weird moment Nicole does say during this preview that she wants to become an influencer nothing can become more cringy to me than somebody saying they want to become an influencer

even just any anytime like I just don't like it I think you yeah of course like hey I want to become an influencer I think you're I think I hear that and I say you you feel like you are a type of person that should be influencing others then that is so accurate And also, I mean, I can't even describe what I do when people say, like, what do you do? Like, if a stranger were to talk to me, I'm like, I have no idea how to describe this. I would never say, oh, I'm an influencer. It's just so cringe. Okay, but yeah, Nicole says at the kitchen table, I kind of want to be more of an influencer.

And here's the deal. I remember watching it. I think what they could have set done. is made it look like she was the one who said, I want to be more of an influencer, but she was actually quoting somebody else. There's a possibility of that, okay? Like, oh, she told me, I want to be more of an influencer.

Good point. So it could be her, even though it does seem based on character that she might just be feeling very young. Well, good for her. We should all feel young. You're right. No shade.

No shade. We'll watch for that. We'll watch for some of the other things in the preview, Mel's kissing some people. He's dancing a lot. Obviously, we see some of the women start to get after each other a little bit. We'll see how this plays out. It's going to be very interesting, Ashley.

I guess to end, let's just pick our top person at this point. My top person for me, I like Carol. I enjoy watching Carol. I believe that for him, his top choice is actually going to be Cheryl. Interesting. end of a show. Let's go. I don't hate that. I like Debbie and Nicole right now. I just think I'm biased based on what's happening in the house and what we've seen so far. They both, you know, especially Debbie seems like they could actually make something work. Well, we'll be back. We have a ton of

stuff coming your way. Goodness gracious. Keep updating the almost famous thread because we have some great episodes you're out there. We have some great episodes that are out now. Ben, speaking of that, I can't wait to have everybody out there here how Deanna's date at the Jonas concert, which, yes, location strange, but it's a podcast dating show, okay? So just be down. I can't wait to hear your recap of it because I know how I went in real life. Yeah. And I have a teaser. Oh, it's out. Okay, I have a teaser. Okay, guys, go listen to it. This weekend, it will come out. We have. a lot of good content on that. We just finished that interview, breaking it all down. Also, Ashley,

on this October 5th, Chris Harrison, Wells Adams, and myself are going to be together having a yacht party. And New York City with City Cruises. We can't wait to see all the people out.

It's going to be a lot of fun. Oh my God, City Cruises? Speaking of that, I had a fantastic Jonas experience on a city cruise once. It's probably the same boat. Yeah.

Yeah, where they are. Yeah, wow, a meeting of the worlds. Yes, it was a 300-person, like, fan event. Yeah, that's what this is. Yeah, it's great. It's really fun. And so I think anybody should come out who's in New York or Boston's going to be two nights before.

We're actually going to be recording a show from the boat as well. So people that are listening to Almost Famous who maybe live in a different part of the country could listen to the event. in New York here on the almost famous feeds. But again, the point of this is doing it so people come so we can see you in person and hang out with you. And like Ashley said,

you had a great event with the Jonas's. And why not? Goodness gracious. And look at this. 12 years later, you're still showing up. I am a loyal fan. You are so loyal. All right, bye guys.

I've been Ashley. I'm to leave. See you. Bye. Follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcasts on IHartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. I'm Bridget Armstrong,

host of the new podcast, The Curse of America's Next Top Model. I've been investigating the real story behind that iconic show. I ended up having anorexia issues, bulimia issues, by talking to the models, the producers,

and the people who profited from it all. We basically sold our souls and they got rich. If you were so rich, rooting for her and saw her drowning. What did you help her? Listen to the curse of America's next top model on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman, host of the Psychology Podcast.

Here's a clip from an upcoming conversation about how to be a better you. When you think about emotion regulation, you're not going to choose an adaptive strategy which is more effortful to use unless you think there's a good outcome. Avoidance is easier. Ignoring is easier. Denials easier. Complex problem solving takes effort. Listen to the psychology podcast on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Do we really need another podcast with a condescending finance brof trying to tell us how to spend our own money? No thank you. Instead, check out Brown Ambition. Each week, I, your host, Mandy Money, gives you real talk, real advice with a heavy dose of I feel uses. Like on Fridays, when I take your questions for the BAQA.

Whether you're trying to invest for your future, navigate a toxic workplace, I got you. Listen to Brown Ambition on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. In early 1988, federal agents raced to track down the gang they suspect of importing millions of dollars worth of heroin into New York from Asia. We had 30 agents ready to go with shotguns and rifles and you name it. Five, six white people Pushed me in the car I'm going to what the hell Basically, your stay-at-home moms

were picking up these large amounts of heroin All you got to do is receive the package Don't have to open it, just accept it She was very upset, crying Once I saw the gun, I tried to take his hand And I saw the flash of light Listen to the Chinatown Stang On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts

Or anywhere you get your podcasts It may look different But Native Culture is Alive. is Nicole Garcia, and on Burn Sage, Burn Bridges, we aim to explore that culture. Somewhere along the way, it turned into this full-fledged award-winning comic shop. That's Dr. Lee Francis the 4th, who opened the first native comic bookshop. Explore his story along with many other native stories on the show, Burn Sage, Burn Bridges. Listen to Burn Sage Burn Bridges on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.

Thank you.