The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - The Mel and Peg Debrief

Episode Date: January 28, 2026

Ben and Ashley have made it through no limits interviews with Peg Munson and Mel Owens, but now that they’ve wrapped… how do we feel??We go through a full recap of the honest and at times tense conversations, and we try to figure out what else we can learn about our second Golden Bachelor based on how he answered the tough questions. Plus, did Mel study up on Ben’s season before the interview??See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. This is the Ben and Ashley I, almost-famous podcast with IHartRadio. Welcome to the Almost Famous Podcast. Recently, we've gotten to interview Peg and Mel from this latest season of The Golden Bachelor. They are a happy couple operating in this world, traveling and having fun. You can watch them on their social medias as they promote and share what they've been. up to. These have been big interviews because they haven't done a ton of interviews.

And so we got to get that we had the opportunity to interview both of them separately. There's a lot to break down, a lot to discuss because this season was one that was maybe not controversial, but polarizing in the fact that it was unlike anything we've seen. They had asked us, Ashley, to come on. They reached out. And as Mel, she said, shared. Hey, it feels like it's not a bachelor's season unless you do the almost famous podcast. And for that, Mel, I fully agree. So let's talk about it. Ashley, let's start with the Peg interview. So much came out of that. So many things that I've been tossing over since we talked with her. Obviously, her relationship with Mel is it fits, especially interviewing the both of them.

I think I'm going to start with saying it makes sense on how they are together. Oh, absolutely. Now that we've interviewed Pegg specifically, I understand why the two of them are together. They definitely are like no sugar-coding people. They are very blunt. They're super straightforward. To the point. I think I would describe them both as being very much to the point. Yes.

And they definitely had the same relationship goals. And I think that was a good match. I think their personalities match. Neither of them are warm and fuzzies. and I mean it makes sense and I'm glad that they found each other I don't if you want to talk directly about

what came out of the Peg interview the moment that was I don't want to say controversial but I think there still was like a little bit of a misunderstanding is that you were saying I was saying you know you guys went on a show

where it's usually very ultra romantic with the ending supposedly ending with the happily ever after. More of a fairy tale situation and less of a, okay, we're going to date and we're going to see how this works out. And we are totally fine. You and I, like actually,

I personally have thought, especially with the Golden franchise, I think with Jones season and I think with Gary season, I was like, especially Gary and Teresa running into the marriage. I was like, I don't understand why these people are running into marriage. This doesn't make any sense. They don't want to have kids. They're not trying to.

create a life together. They're just trying to like enjoy their twilight, whatever years, golden years. Golden years. Golden years with somebody as a companion. And it was just, it was interesting how I felt like defensive peg got, because you were not at all belittling the relationship that they have. Like their relationship seems great and very compatible and you're so happy that they found a compatible relationship through the process. But I think what you were trying to say was that like neither of them went in with like romantic aspirations to have this fair retail happily ever after. They're both being very pragmatic and logical about it.

And we totally respect that. But we just thought it was an interesting choice that both of them would go that path to find it. Well, 100%. Goodness. I don't. I think all season. I think I mean, we couldn't be. watching the show unless we wanted it to work out at some level. However, it works out. And I think

we've said for years that sometimes the show just needs to end and two people going, hey, let's date, let's figure this out. I'm so glad I met you here. But this isn't a catalyst for me to get married. And I understand that. I've been a part of it. It doesn't work out all the time. And so there was no belittling of their relationship. I think their relationship makes sense. It fits. I think, Ashley, and if we ever bring Peg back on, I would say this to her after thinking through that interview, I got tired of. I'm not going to say offended by because I'm not easily offended by any means. People can say what they want.

I just got tired of the idea. It felt like I was being told I don't have the wisdom. Yeah. And we saw that in Instagram comments from her as well, that you and I both don't have wisdom to really. determine the life that we're living currently is a good relationship. And that's where I get, I will get protective because I married Jessica. I love Jessica. I have a baby. And that is a forever commitment. Now, factors come in. Like she said, the loss of a spouse. I would still define that as a forever relationship. You were till death do us part. And divorce, I don't even want to

speak into it because it is not a word we use in our house. It is not an idea in my mind. It was not what I was thinking when I got up and committed to my wife. Does divorce happen? A hundred percent it does. In everybody's situations differently. But I think I was tired of the whole conversation being like, you just don't get it yet. And I'm like, well, no, I'm not your age. I've not been through what you've been through. And I would admit to that. But when it comes to the sacredness of my vows, love for my wife, my desire to be a good dad. I'm not saying she was telling me I wasn't going to have any of those things. She didn't say that, but it did feel like it was insinuating. You just don't get it yet. And what I want to say back to her is, maybe I do. And maybe the wisdom doesn't necessarily

come with age. Maybe I do have the wisdom. Maybe I'm a different person than you. We all have our own life experiences. And I think that was where that conversation switched for me, whereas it felt like at a time, I had to protect the household. And when you put me in a place to protect my household, I will get more defensive. I will get more blunt and straightforward. I don't appreciate being told that I don't have the wisdom to know what my relationship will bring. I know the love that my wife and I have with each other. I know the person she is. I know the person I want to be to her. And I know the commitments we've made. And so, as a result, I will live in that. that truth. And I will not. I think it's actually unwise for anybody to tell somebody you just don't

get it yet, especially when they're living in a season like I am. So that's where I got to protective. That's what I'll get defensive. And I'll stand by that. I think it's unfair. I think it's wrong. I don't think it's healthy. And I think at some level, that switch needs to change. I wasn't saying at all that I was belittling their relationship. I wanted to know the, like you said, what was their mindset going into this? Because I do think as fans and viewers, we need, and I brought it up to Peg. I said, hey, maybe we need to change the expectations for the Golden Show specifically, right? I think the Golden Show specifically, yes.

I think getting engaged at the end of the Golden Show, especially since it's being short. And because I think that people are in a different place of life, we don't have to have the same expectation at the end of the show. And that's fine with me. I'm good with that. I just want to be, I want us to know that, right? The Bachelorette and Bachelor have had a commitment with the ringmaker since the beginning. Do I think that's healthy? Not at all. I've never once said everybody needs to get engaged into this. However, I do think people shine up for the show. My hope is that at least they're interested in marriage. Now, maybe that changes with the golden. And if that's the case, great. It's just a different show. Yeah. Also, you and I just come from very different perspectives. And I do think that the audience, even if they're not expecting or needing marriage, I think they are craving romance. And I think that Peg and Mel both, they don't lead with romance. And you and I just wanted, you know, we were just speaking. Yeah, like we're romantic. Like that's, and we also come from different perspectives. Whereas like, both of our parents are so very happily married after 40 plus years. And we believe and have seen that it can be like this. So don't tell us like, oh, just wait and see, wait and see.

Because oftentimes it doesn't go that way. And not every story is the same. Their story, their story, God willing, is going to look differently than mine. That doesn't mean that their story is any less important or any less valuable. They're learning from their own experiences. However, our stories may look different. And I won't have the opportunity at 60 years old to look back and be like, you know, where my wisdom comes from is that in a marriage like I have, here's the fruits of this. They're saying their fruits look differently.

That's great. I felt, though, during that interview, like I was talking to somebody who was trying to teach me something that I don't want to learn. I don't. I don't want to open my mind up to it. That's really well put. I don't want to be told that my story is going to look the same as yours. Now, outside of that piece of the Pegg interview, it does feel like Ashley, Mel and Peg have this wonderful relationship.

They're having fun together. They mentioned multiple times how their life experiences had led them to this point. And so if that, if, and maybe I was wrong. And goodness, I do. I get defensive. I get, you know, on the back of my toes, especially when you start talking about my family and the life that I've chosen

and the life that we're living and the life that we're enjoying. So maybe I was wrong for that. And if so, I'm sorry that I misread that situation. That's just what I was feeling at the time. My feelings are not always correct, but it feels like since then the comments on social media,

especially have pointed to, no, that was exactly what was trying to be communicated to me and to you. And as a result, I will protect that. I will say that's wrong. It's not right. Not wise of you to tell me. But that being aside, if I knew both of them previously before the show.

Oh, you put them together. I would say you guys are the perfect match. Absolutely. Actually, you know what's so funny is you and I come more from like the Cindy romantic, softer perspective. And with Cindy, I would love. I would love to have Cindy back on the show to talk to her about these, maybe about these interviews just to be spicy,

but also as a divorce say herself, how she looks at love. Because I do think that her perspective is a whole totally different one from us and from the two of them. So that would be interesting. It does make sense on why Cindy left, though. I see that now more than ever. She should have left the show.

She was not the one from Elle. Absolutely not. I'm actually even more curious. for doing the interview with Mel, how she even got to herself to the point emotionally to fall for him because they are so deeply incompatible. Yeah, it seems like it had to be peg

since the beginning and it makes sense that it was. And let's be clear. The two of them together, it's a success story to this point and hopefully forever from the show. They are having a blast and they don't need to prove anything to me or you or any viewer.

They love each other. They like each other. other. They enjoy each other. They're meant for each other. Switching gears a little bit to Mel, that was an interview that was going to be contentious just because we were at a loss most of the season with him on where does he stand? What is his story? What is he looking for? Does he actually want to be here? I think it was a question we asked. I think some of those questions were answered Ashley for me. I do think he wanted to be there. I do think Pegg had his eye since the beginning, which made it very hard for a man who has the morals to commit to a process, the morals, the values,

to say I'm going to stand by what I signed up for. But yet, I don't really want to be around anybody else except this one person, and I have a show to make. I can see where that would be hard for somebody. There's that. And another thing that I interpreted from our podcast with Mel is that I do think that our producer, Heather, who is in casting, is correct. I think that there was an ABC executive who ended up picking him because he is so vague about his casting process.

Yeah, it definitely feels like there was an insight source, which is not uncommon again in this show that somebody would reach out and say, I have somebody for the show. and that's how a person gets placed on it. Now, it doesn't usually happen with the lead. Because the lead is usually picked from the previous season. Yeah, and also makes sense on why when, you know, that podcast got put out where Mel made the comments he made about wanting to date younger, why Mel wasn't removed as a lead.

Yes, that's so true because the executive was like, no, no, trust me, trust me. Or I really want my buddy in here. Yeah, it might also be why I haven't heard from an executive at ABC for a long time because they're probably like, dang, we picked him and Ben and Ashley have just like been super confused all season by the choice,

which I don't know, are we alone in that? Still confused by the choice after talking to him. He just isn't what we normally expect from a lead and you can have a whole bunch of different kinds of leads, but if I were had to compare him to a lead from the main show, I would say he's mostly like, want Pablo. He's just very,

he was just very locked. forward, not very romantic, and took a lot of things at face value that letting. He says open heart, but I just, a lot of the time, there's this a, there's some lacking in sensitivity, especially when he said that when he was receiving boring questions from the women, he'd give them boring one word answers. And I liked what you said there. I didn't want to, like, get in the middle of the conversation. He compared it to me. Well, he did like to compare your seasons.

Yeah, I mean, that's interesting, right? I don't know. It seems like he watched your season in preparation for the interview. Well, that's great. I'm glad he did. I think, one, that I was 10 years ago. I was 26 year old. I do, and I've talked about this, one of the things that maybe I think he and I came out

it differently was, and I think I only did this because of my past experience. on The Bachelorette was one of my main goals was to make sure the women were as comfortable as possible in a weird environment. So knowing that you're walking into having cameras around you, living in a mansion, having hosts on the show that you've watched forever, knowing this is going to be on national television at some point, there was at least a deep desire for me to allow the women to be comfortable, which meant sometimes when they asked questions that were outrageous and odd is to give them the respect to respond in a way that I would want to be responded to if I was nervous and asking weird questions or if I was tongue tied. I think I made it clear.

I disagree with him if at any point I was one word answering people out of disrespect or anger. I don't remember doing that. Maybe I did. but he brought up the Jojo brothers no as he said I was trying to listen to understand they were protecting a loved one of theirs I get why they were doing it was I happy of how it was playing out no the context comparison wasn't accurate though

because like you were talking to her brothers who in that moment were being more dominant than you you were the outsider in that situation I was trying to humble myself to be like hey I get it this is weird I don't not trying to defend myself here I don't think this situation makes a lot of sense for anybody else. I don't really even know how to defend the process we're going through, nor do I know if I want to.

But if you have concerns, I want to try to speak to those, especially when it comes to me. But what we were referencing the way that he would give one word answers to the women because he was said, he told us that it was to the women that he was giving one word answers to. And you're so right. Like going on The Bachelor,

the lead is like a celebrity to you so you're already nervous and then it's a romantic environment and then that makes you even more nervous and then you have so many other women that you're competing with there's so many elements of nerve and you hold so much power and then just like in a regular relationship if I were to go on a date with somebody and that person was giving me one word answers I'd probably like by the time the waiter was trying to take dinner orders be like, all right, I think we should just keep it to this drink. Bye. And I've done that in my marriage.

Like, there's been moments where, like, maybe I'm not myself or I'm not feeling up to it. And Jess is trying to ask me questions. And I'm giving her one word answers back. And then all of a sudden, well, granted, we're married so she can be like, what are you doing? Like, where is your head at right now? Are you, like, upset with me? Are you mad at me? Are you just, what's going on?

It's disrespectful. I don't get away with that. in my household, nor do I think I could, as we're trying to date somebody, and it's all new to everyone involved, is, I think there's just a level of, hey, open up a little bit. But I do think we're learning about, you know, a lot of the things we kind of assume throughout the season. You know, he isn't defensive. I expected it to be more defensive. I don't think when we talk to Mel, it's like he's defending himself or trying to protect himself. It's more of, no, this is who I am. Exactly. I'm going to do what I think and know is right and I'm not going to do what I know and think is wrong. And as I told him, I respect that he didn't bring in the past. I respect that he did hold some things close to his chest. Do I wish there was a little more vulnerability? Do I wish we had that moment still that I've been speaking of where all of a sudden Mel breaks down? He's like, I am so head over heels for this person and this whole process has opened my eyes to what's in front of me.

I just think that's one part we miss this season. And no matter who, what personality type we have is a lead, I still think that's always this really cool moment because we know that the show has enhanced their life and opened their eyes to something new, which is honestly 99% of the cast members, good or bad experiences on the show. It opened their eyes to something.

And I still don't know if we had that moment. I don't know. If this wasn't a get-you-you-it-you-it-you-old. Gotcha. Interview. I actually don't even think there was a moment. It was really coming into it, I think for both of us, it was the hope of can we uncover another layer?

Can we understand a little better? And I do think we got that, Ashley. I do. I think we got that the two of them are great together. They're happy together. They love each other. And I think we saw these glimmers in these moments where the two of them said, know this is what we wanted out of this experience and we got it and how great is that and honestly

that's enough for me as we close the chapter on the golden season and this is a closing of that chapter i just wanted to know what in the world we watched and i think what we watch is two people coming together in and not the way that we've typically seen that's what it is it's just like they were two personalities that we are not used to seeing on the show but they found each other through the show. They did. For that, we're happy.

We're happy. Any other takeaways from the interview with, you know, with Mel and Peg? They both have three letter names. I guess his hostility towards Cindy is interesting. He really, like the whole quit thing is still interesting to me. He still sees that scene as different than, I guess was aired, how I interpreted it. He really thinks that Cindy was asking, is it going to be me?

Are we going to get married? And I still think she was just simply looking for validation of his feelings. I wasn't there. So it can go either way. We have two sides of the story there. And you'd have to be there to really understand, I suppose. I would say, and I think both sides would make sense there. Because if somebody was giving me one word answers and we were sitting on the beach

towards the end of the experience, I would be looking for validation also. don't think it's wrong to ask for it. Is what, do you even like me? Like, are we even close to maybe making this thing make sense? And if not, like, let me go home now. I think that's a fair answer. And I also think for Mel, it was fair to say, hey, she wasn't it. Now, did she quit or not?

I think that's semantics. I don't necessarily even get, like, I think she went home, which has happened to, I think it happened on my season. I think I set a record for how many women were like, I don't want that guy. Let me bounce. That's fine. Stop.

Yeah. I didn't ask him directly if it was an ego bruise because I don't think that was going to be taken well. And I know he wouldn't have said yes. So it could have been, or he just does have an athlete's mentality that he wants to stick with throughout life. Yeah, that's true.

Yeah. Well, that's the closing of the chapter on the golden bachelor season. Again, make sure you go back and listen to those two interviews. I hope this shed some light, not saying Ashley, myself are right or wrong. There really wasn't many moments, whether it even be a right or wrong. It was just, I think, the thing that stood out to me the most with the Pegg interview was that it felt like I was trying to be told something. And I wasn't down for it. And I'm not down for it still.

But that's it. Everything else, it's great to see those two together. I hope they live happily ever after. Until next time, I've been Ben. I've been Ashley. See ya. Follow the Ben and Ashley I, almost famous podcasts on IHartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed Human.