The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - WTF Bachelorette?! with Rachel Recchia and Trista Sutter

Episode Date: February 11, 2025

Ashley and Trista are joined by Rachel Recchia and they are all sharing the various rumors they’ve heard about WTF happened with this season of “The Bachelorette” and why it’s really taking a pause. From who it was rumored to be to hearing this decision was made two weeks ago, they’re breaking down what they really know. 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. 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 believe in... I guess they would be Kenspiracy theorists. That's right.

To give you the answers and you still blitzers. The Puzzler. Listen on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Every case that is a cold case that has DNA. Right now in a backlog will be identified in our lifetime. On the new podcast, America's Crime Lab, every case has a story to tell. And the DNA holds the truth. He never thought he was going to get caught. And I just looked at my computer screen. I was just like, ah, gotcha. This technology's already. solving so many cases. Listen to America's Crime Lab on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. I just normally do straight stand-up, but this is a bit different. What do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? Answer, a new podcast called Wisecrack, where a comedian finds himself at the center of a chilling true crime story. Does anyone know what show they've come to see? It's a story. It's about the scariest night of my life.

This is Wisecrack, available now. Listen to Wisecrack on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is the Ben and Ashley I, Almost Famous Podcasts with IHartRadio. Hey, guys, welcome to the Almost Famous Podcast Breaking News episode. We can finally say it's safe to say that The Bachelorette will not be happening this year. They are going to skip a season for now. That's what it seems like. I had to have two bacheloretts on me on with me to talk about this news.

We have Trista Sutter and Rachel Rechia. Hey, guys, what was your initial take to this? Well, first of all, I was shocked because I heard they picked the lead. What? I heard the lead was like decided and it made sense to me who they picked. Again, rumors. And then all of a sudden, I saw this on Instagram. Like normally I feel like we hear stuff on the inside.

I didn't hear anything. So Ben told us, I want to say two weeks ago, we were about to record an episode. I think he was with Wells or around that time. And he goes, so guys, guess what? Like I heard that the Bachelorette's not happening because, sorry, Ben, if you didn't want me to tell you this part. But he said, because those, that housewives show, the Mormon housewives, which is different than like the umbrella, you know, the Bravo housewives, because that's doing so well, they're going to use the bachelorette time slot because it's the same demographic yeah so the same people are

watching that it's getting it's doing so well on hulu that they did so well on hulu the first season that they brought it to air after the bachelorette current the bachelor currently on monday nights at 10 p.m and now they're going to use the normal bachelorette time slot for Mormon wives. Trista? Wow. You know, honestly, I'm not that shocked because I feel like we kind of mentioned it before we got on the, before we started recording. And it's basically they find another show to replace it. And they've got so many shows in the bucket currently that I feel like, you know, with Bachelor in Paradise coming back, I assume that's correct. And then with the golden stuff, I feel like I wasn't shocked when I heard that Bachelor in Paradise, well, I was a little bit shocked when I heard The Bachelor in Paradise wasn't coming back because I felt like it did so well.

Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Last year. So I wasn't shocked then. And I'm kind of in the same, I'm in the same boat right now with Bachelorette. Like if there's, you know, they've got Golden Bachelor, Bachelorette, and they've got Bachelor in Paradise coming back. supposedly. So maybe they're just going to, you know, take a short little break for summer with Bachelorette. And I'm not taking it as it's going away forever. Like I feel like some people

probably are taking it as it's going away forever or might not ever come back. But I guess I just since I was the first to, you know, be on it and it's stuck around for over 20 years that I'm like, It's not going away. You know, it would have gone away earlier if it was going away. But didn't it go away? I thought that there was a pause in it in the mid-2000s. You're right. Like, I mean, I'm talking about big picture.

It hasn't gone away. Like, if it's taken a break, it's come back. And so I guess I just don't. I've been with the show for so long that I just feel like it's not going to go away forever. Maybe it will someday, but I don't know if this is the time. basically they have too much on their docket right now once they've added the golden bachelor to the franchise like four shows a year is too much so last year they took out paradise and this year they're going to take out bachelorette and i guess it'll just kind of be a wait and see to which one which way works out best for them ratings wise is golden yeah i didn't i don't think that golden bachelorette did spectacular so i think they're just probably going to try this cycle and then weed one out, it would be really weird long-term if the Bachelorette is what they weed out.

I agree. And they need it for Paradise. Like, you have to have the continuous cycle for Paradise to work, which I feel like Paradise is their best show. Not last season. Not the last one they did. Traditionally, it does the best. Well, not ratings-wise, but it seems like in the fandom's opinion, it's what they prefer to

watch. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. That's so true. They need it for paradise. Yeah. They have to have.

They have to have Bachelor and they have to have Bachelorette unless they're going to do a golden paradise, which I don't see. Oh, my God. Can you imagine? We're going to have to like dive back into that time during the mid-2000s where they continue the Bachelor but didn't do the Bachelorette for a while and figure out how long it was without. Does anybody have any, I'm talking producers right now, but do we have any,

insight on this season's ratings, does that, did they make this decision final because of the premiere? I think it was before the premiere that this was something talked about amongst the higher ups because Ben seemed to know before the season premiered that this was something that they were considering. We do have a little info from our executive podcast producer right here. She said that the whole team found out Friday. There's lots of uncertainty, a lot of crew out of work because an entirely new team is doing Paradise and the future of the Golden show is to be determined they are still running those ads for casting but nothing is set in stone. So does anybody think that this is the beginning of the end?

Like no it can't be. I know. It's like crazy to believe but I did hear it like because obviously I hear the Paradise rumor mill like people are going to starting to get that call and yeah i know it's like none of our producers are are going to be there wow i i can't even imagine filming and like just having a whole new team like it's going to be a completely different show you wouldn't have their relationship with those producers going to paradise which makes um i mean that makes the interviews knowing those people being so comfortable yeah i can't imagine going to paradise i don't think i would go If it was all, I will tell you that, like, the main reason that I went the first time was because I was like, oh, my gosh, I get to hang out with my friends again.

And a majority of those friends, I would say, was producer side. Like, I just wanted that family back. Yeah. Yeah. That makes total sense. New location, new team. I mean, I think the cast is going to be really good, obviously, because we have, like, a couple seasons built up. Yeah.

I feel like either it's going to do like really, really, really well, and then we'll go from there or maybe it is. I hope it's not the beginning of the end, but it is scary. 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 okay story time 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. And 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 boyfriend? 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. 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. What would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose between a maximum security prison or the most brutal boot camp designed to be hell on earth?

Unfortunately for Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced. He said, you are a number, a New York state number, and we own you. Shock incarceration, also known as boot camps, are short. short-term, highly regimented correctional programs that mimic military basic training. These programs aim to provide a shock of prison life, emphasizing strict discipline, physical training, hard labor, and rehabilitation programs. Mark had one chance to complete this program and had no idea of the hell awaiting him the next six months. The first night was so overwhelming and you don't know who's next to you.

And we didn't know what to expect in the morning. Nobody tells you anything. Listen to shock incarceration on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Dr. Joy Hardin Bradford. And in session 421 of therapy for black girls, I sit down with Dr. Othia and Billy Shaka to explore how our hair connects to our identity, mental health, and the ways we heal. Because I think hair is a complex language system, right, in terms of it can tell how old you are, your marital status, where you're from, or a spiritual belief. But I think with social media,

there's like a hyper fixation and observation of our hair, right? That this is sometimes the first thing someone sees when we make a post or a reel is how our hair is styled. You talk about the important role hairstylists play in our community,

the pressure to always look put together and how breaking up with perfection can actually free us. Plus, if you're someone who gets anxious about flying, don't miss session 418 with Dr. Angela Neil Barnett. where we dive into managing flight anxiety. Listen to therapy for black girls on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Any final thoughts, y'all? Are you guys watching The Mormon Show? No. I actually really like it. You do. I do watch last season. It's interesting. Do I think he could go on for more than like three seasons?

I don't know. they're really really messy like they continue to have drama like even off season they post about it on tic-tok so i think the fact that they have the off season where there's still like a lot of interest i don't know rachel i just feel like it was really juicy when you said that they had already picked the bachelorette so this seems like a ratings thing i know again like we all hear so much but i heard this it was like two months ago. Oh.

That they picked her, like right off the finale. They knew who it was going to be. After they filmed, Grants. Yeah. After they finished filming, you mean? They knew exactly who they were going to. I heard that I heard a name. Okay.

And I heard from someone who usually like knows, like normally it's a good source, but I don't know. So maybe it is a ratings thing and maybe we'll just see her come back next year. And hopefully that's what it is. we have heard room ben has heard okay wait hold on ben has heard rumors of the ending of this i don't even think he knows who like the two women are at the end of this and we we know that there will be two because we know that grant has to like has that dramatic decision the last day where he like doesn't even know the day of so that's not a spoiler but if ben's what ben has heard about the finale is true you would think there would be a shoe in

for Bachelorette. Like that the audience might get really annoyed. Yeah, that it's not number two. Got it. I personally really enjoy it when it's the runner-up. Like Joey's season. Like I love that because I know so much about them. I'm so invested in them.

Yeah. Totally. I would love to know ratings-wise is, so they're talking about, you know, not doing Bachelorette because ratings are bad. Is that what you're saying? Grant season? Yeah, I mean, I can't. I think grant season might be the worst of all seasons.

Really? Yeah, because Joey's spiked again. Joey seemed like he was the savior of the franchise. Right. And they didn't keep it afloat. Or although Golden started with it and then he followed right after Golden. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. That's interesting to me because I feel like people are talking. I mean, I'm drawn in. Like, I feel like they're. are multiple people who have said, I wasn't going to watch the show, but now I am because I actually like it. I don't know. That's interesting to me that the ratings aren't great. But they always change. Like people like, you know, like get invested as they watch. And I feel like it grows more and more as the season goes on. So it's, that's shocking to me that they would

already make a decision based on ratings. But isn't the first like night one? Isn't that always night one and the last one are night one and the last one are usually the highest yeah and if night one already is starting off like I don't know who's watching this season I haven't really heard much I just started

but I mean I like it from what I've seen but it could also be a thing again where I don't feel like I was as invested in Grant's story yeah because we didn't know him beforehand maybe they need to stop picking people that weren't in the top three I agree. That's my opinion. I also agree.

I know it's happened before in a wonderful way, aka Hannah Brown was an exception to the rule, but let's be real. It's an exception to the rule. I feel like every time they've taken like someone who didn't even make it to hometowns, no one really watched. I guess Matt James' season was different too. Yeah, Matt was, Matt season was a little different. I don't know anything about Grant. it's funny that you say that because I've always had the opposite idea is that I've always wanted them to pluck someone out of obscurity and I think that is part of why the Golden was so popular is because we all fell in love with Gary from the start and no one knew him you know and so I feel like that was really popular and maybe it was just because it was new

and exciting and you know they they obviously have this different storyline but it would be interesting to see because I agree with you the top three are the people who you're most invested in but at the same time I'm like well what about the flip side of somebody who nobody knows but we all get to fall in love with them together I don't know okay so so much to talk about ratings I finally found it on the internet it looks as if and I'm not a Nielsen expert but It looks like it was down 20% from Joey's season with 2.7 million viewers watching. And then the following week, they dropped to 2.3 million. So half a million almost dropped off between the premiere and the second week.

That's bad. How does that compare to Zach's season, though? Like, obviously, Joey, we know that spike was like... Yeah. When was last time we had viewers like that? I wonder if it's similar to Zach and it just looks like it's going down. But then again, the second episode, that's bad. Yeah, for sure.

Okay. And then we finally want to talk about just people losing their jobs. That's just really sucky and really sad because we may know some of these people. And what's the reason for hiring a new team to do Paradise? It just seems sloppy and really, really unfortunate. that's very sad i i hate to think about people that we all know losing their jobs you know yeah especially once they it's like a way of life yeah you know they've gotten into this like you know cycle of doing whatever shows on and and and maybe they want to break who knows

yeah if some of them like actually are overworked you know in a way not overworked because i'm sure they wouldn't overwork them, but they're just really tired because they're constantly traveling and, you know, the days are long. And so maybe that's what they're factoring in. I don't know, but I do, I would want them to have the opportunity to have a job instead of just, you know, lose it outright. Yeah. Make it be them, their choice. Right. And a month before they thought they'd be going for a whole other round. All right, ladies. Well, thank you.

much for joining me for this breaking news, this sad breaking news. But also in my head, not super surprising. We will find out more soon. And of course, we'll keep you updated here with the news and our opinions on it. Until next time, I've been Ashley. See ya. Follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcasts on IHartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly and now I'm seriously suspicious. Wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend 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 on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 believe in... I guess they would be Kenspiracy theorists. That's right. To give you the answers and you still blew it. The Puzzler. Listen on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Every case that is a cold case that has DNA right now in a backlog will be identified in our lifetime. On the new podcast, America's Crime Lab, every case has a story to tell. And the DNA holds the truth.

He never thought he was going to get caught. And I just looked at my computer screen. I was just like, ah, gotcha. This technology is already solving so many cases. Listen to America's Crime Lab on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I just normally do straight stand-up, but this is a bit different. What do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? Answer, a new podcast called Wisecrack, where a comedian finds himself at the center of a chilling true crime story. Does anyone know what show they've come to see?

It's a story. It's about the scariest night of my life. This is Wisecrack, available now. Listen to Wisecrack on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.