This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast with iHeartRadio.
Hey guys, welcome to the Almost Nice Podcast. Today we are going to do a little Q and a sash looking at this first bullet point we've got here, Ben, how do you feel about making the top four bachelor Hottest Bachelor's in Histories list on Reddit?
I will say this to be honest, like this, this feels good, Like I didn't realize I needed this today, but I didn't need this. I'm so glad.
I mean, I'm looking at this bracket here, so you know, it's March madness, you know, continuing into April. So the Reddit boards did a bracket with all the bachelors and you Grant Ellis of course, Jesse Palmer and Joey.
Yeah, are the top four.
You guys are going into the you know what is the top four called the final the Final four. You're the final four. I went, you know, I went to Syracuse. Back then we used to be part of this all the time, but now not so much. And it has you have been eliminated. When it comes to the top the final, the head to head is actually against Jesse Palmer and Joey and Joey has won the Hottest Bachelor bracket overall.
Feelings Again, I didn't know I needed this today I did. It feels good to me. I don't win many things in my life. I'm never like a top dog, but it's good to be considered at least not like the last place person. That would really hurt if I saw this, If you guys posted this and I had gotten knocked out in the first round by Colton Underwood, I would be so sad. First off, I'll say that's a tough
matchup for me, right off the back. Colton Underwood, you know, handsome guy, good looking, works out all the time, so a tough matchup. Then I went on to a prince, and I beat a prince. I would say this road to the final four was not easy for me. Joey is a very attractive man. I'll spend a second here talking about why he beat me. One. He's got the smile, he's got the eyes, he's got the hair. Yeah, he's got the hair. I saw him on Dance with the Stars.
There's a reason why he danced with his shirt off the whole time, even though he has insanely sweaty armpits. They still said, let that sweat show because he's a hot man. He's a hot man, and he beat me. I also say this, Actually, I said the same thing to my dad. My dad's a big Purdue basketball fan. They get beat by Houston last week, and I told him this, Dad, you know how good it feels now you got beat? That stinks. Nobody likes losing. I don't
like losing. I don't like looking at this losing. But you got beat by the potential national champions in the Houston Cougars. You could honestly be the second best team in the country. And I'll say that about this bracket. Joey wins the whole thing against Jesse Palmer. I lost to the champion, and I had a tough road to get there. I feel good about my effort. I'm very thankful for the work that's put into this. I'd like to think my parents and my wife for her skincare routines.
I'd like to think the show for picking me when I was twenty five years old and kind of at my prime, Like that's not I wasn't a thirty year old bachelor. I didn't started aging yet. I was just reaching my peak when I became the bachelor, but this is a wild bracket. It could have hurt me so bad. But instead I'm going to tell my wife I made the final four of Hottest Bachelors ever.
That is amazing. I'm so happy for you, Ben, and I agree with this. You are definitely in my top three. I just I just said you made my top three.
Bachelors a little bit. Actually, goodness, you were like in my top sixty.
You're out there.
I know what my top four hottest bachelors are, but like, I'm too friendly with all of you, so I'm just gonna like, let you be in the top I'm going to tell you that you're in the top three without ranking them one to three. That makes sense.
Yeah, that's that's I'll take it, Ashley. And I appreciate you not crushing me. I thought for a second you're going to turn it and be like, yeah, this was a shock that you made the top four, and then I was gonna.
Be like, no, no, it's you know, and if we didn't work together, I would probably say that you were Well, I'm not gonna I'm not going to go further, not gonna go further. You just look at you so brotherly. Now. Yeah, but if I were to like, not look at you brotherly, I wonder where you you know, I'm just gonna shut the hell up.
Here's what's impressive. And I think like we can live on each other a little bit in this moment, and it's really good. Typically, when you meet somebody, you either like them less or like them more over time. Right you're there, either become more or less attractive to you over time after you get to know somebody well. And I would say, after nine years of doing this, I
told it just the other day. We were talking about you and your time on the show because she was curious she didn't see it, and I said, I'll tell you this. I think I love, appreciate, and then more attracted to Ashley every year that we host the show. I don't know if I said those exact words, but it was the sentiment that was given to her. And I'd say, that's a pretty big deal. For nine years doing.
This, that is so sweet. I know. Yeah, well, you know I love those moments where I'm like, oh, Ben, that is one of my best friends.
It's so sweet.
Yeah, it's so cool. I can't believe it. I still think that sometimes it's cool.
Yeah, I think it's cool too. We got a good thing going here, Ashley. Let's never let it stop. Speaking of hot people, Victoria Fuller recently said she was on the short list to be the next Bachelor at Before the Pause. Do you think she would have brought back viewership, like we've kind of talked about for weeks now and what the show needs to do. Would she have been the right fit to lead the show?
She could have been, because one, she is just so damn sexy. Two, she came from Peter season, which is one of the greatest seasons of ratings over the past decade.
The cast was incredible that season.
It was great, great cast. It was the season that was going into COVID and then it just kind of like lost steam a bit. But that was the way to go out with the bang. And yeah, she stayed relevant over the past five years. She's dated quarterback she did it, you know, the quarterback of the Titans. She's dated Greg Grippo, one of the stars of Bachelin Nation. I think that she brings a lot of interest. She
is somebody that guys would want to date. And uh yeah, I could see her being like sassy as a mother effort.
Yeah, and then I don't think I think that plays. My only critique would be I think they had such a good thing going with with Yeah, that everybody would have been upset if it wasn't her, and so it never would have fit Victoria Fuller. Though just in general, being the Bachelorette would be great television. I think people would view it. I do think it would increase viewership.
But I do also think that the fan base really was begging for Latia to be the next Bachelorette because she, out of anybody in years past, was like the prime candidate. I mean, goodness gracious, they had a gift handed to them and they said, yeah, let's not do it this year.
So you and I love Latia. Do you know what I've gotten from people who've come up to me as Bachelor fans just out and about in public, They were like, I can't believe it, Like this darker side came out of her when she was dumped. People kept telling me, like I have heard from many people that they were come on, now, come on now. People were disappointed to see a different version of her come out, And I was like, oh, really, because I like her more than ever.
Yeah, no, Yeah, I think I think a lot of people respected it and saw themselves in her. I think she had a related ability and it's not like her character changed. She's still the sweet but she protects herself and we should Yeah, we should support that, right, I mean we should support women standing up for themselves. Get behind that. Let's go okay. Next question is this. I have a lot of feelings and thoughts on this topic,
but Dylan Ephron is making headwaves right now. Right every time I open on my Instagram, I feel like there's a new shirtless picture of him. There is a new article about, you know, his love interest, whatever is happening in his life. He's blowing up, is the way to say this. And I don't know if that's what the kids are saying these days, but in my world, he's blowing up. Would he make a good bachelor? Like, do you see those types of people being good bachelor's or not?
I still think that this is the route that they need to take to give the franchise a little boost. The amount of tiktoks that would go crazy, the TikTok would go crazy if Dylan Ephron was the lead. We need that, we need someone like this, Zach could make a little appearance on the show. Oh my god, that'd be amazing. I'm totally down for a I don't want
to call yes, I can call him a Dalist. He was on Traitors because of his brother, So we need like a Dalist celebrity who may be having a moment and not being currently Dealist as the lead.
I say, Dalist, maybe you'd be okay. I do think the show is really made off of who they cast and would they bring into Dylan Effron. I do believe the applicants would be of all varieties and there'd be a plenty of applicants to go through. So I do think it could work if they casted it. Well, we
just talked about Peters season of The Bachelor. There's very few casts outside of the season that I was the Bachelor, because I would fight to say that was the best cast ever, because I just think those girls are great.
I would try to say that Crystals was but all good.
Yeah, Crystal's also be up there. There was a season there. Let's just say this, there was a period of time where the cast was incredible, from like the first to even some people going home on Night one and we need to get back to that, and I think that I think the issue is maybe not with the casting team as much as the applicants aren't as many as previous years, and so as a result, the show suffers.
So yes, I do think if Dylan effern was announced with a Bachelor and they give enough time for people to sign up, we would see a lot of fun be had with who they brought to the show. So I think it's a great choice. I just don't want to get into this. This is the celebrity dating game where selettes are leads.
I know.
Yeah, I think that's unhealthy and it takes away from the ethos of the show, which has always been right to find true love. We'll see if it ever works well.
I think that people should pull more beckatillies like why haven't we had anybody else be like, hey, I really feel something for this new lead. Can I join this season?
Because I don't think we've had many leads where people have felt that way.
Okay, so you know what, get a Dylan Ephron as the lead and then get a couple girls that were stand outs during their seasons as part of the cast.
Yeah, that's smart. I don't think it's a bad idea. I like it. I like it.
All right.
Question for you, Okay, do you feel like people take online drama too seriously? Like Tyler unfollowing great? Well, actually it was Grant who unfollowed Tyler, and then Grant recently like responded because Tyler was like, oh, very interesting, you unfollowed. Grant unfollowed me after I gave him a little shade about his finale, and then Grant responded being like he posted like a whole video and he was like, no, dude, I I unfollowed you because what was the reason because
you shaded Kendrick Lamar during the Super Bowl. Do you think that people are making too big of a deal of the online drama? I actually I think that people thought that.
I really like how you asked. You're like, I need to ask you a question, and I asked the question to answer. I like, say, I post add something.
Going on that's hilarious. Okay, Well, I actually think that Grants pissed off at Tyler for calling him out about that.
That's what you think's happening. Yeah, So were we talking about that scenario specifically or Okay.
Now, first we're going to talk about this scenario specifically, Yeah, and then we'll do overall.
So what it was your take on that, It's just very different than how I like how I would handle these situations, and not that the way I would handle it be right or wrong. But Caitlin Bristow is a good example, right. Kaylin Bristow a year ago right came out publicly and was really upset about an interview we did on the Almost Famous podcast with Jason Tartick, and
it was Chris, I wasn't there. Yeah, you're free, You're Scotch Free, the best friend in the world that would never do anything like this or ever engage in a show that would cause any controversy Ashley Hike and Eddie. So Chris Harrison, I hosted this with Jason, and I honestly felt like it was a very fair interview with Jason. It didn't bash Kaitlin and didn't bash Jason. It was
just getting you know, the story out there. And obviously we see in headlines right now with Kaitlin kind of talking about that relationship once again with some issues she has with how he named the dog the baby name that she wanted to have. We'll talk about that at a later date. So what I did was immediately not
go on social media. And maybe it's because of my discomfort with social media, or it's that I don't want to open up a can of worms and explode an issue into the universe so that everybody feels like they have the right to share their opinion on it. So what I do I called Caitlin and I said, Hey, Caitlin, I saw you said this, what's going on?
Like?
Can we talk this out? Can we figure this out so that this doesn't have to be a headline any longer because I don't like them being headlined. It does feel like Ashley, and I say that to say, it does feel like this next generation of contestants are more comfortable with the drama being aired out within the public
sphere and headlines being made. And so I would say, with my skepticism and cynicism towards what's happening with the franchise right now and trying to make sense of the generation behind us ten years whatever, growing up and what they're feeling and dealing with emotionally, is that this is
a great grab for attention. Drama seems to be the catalyst to keep people's names in the headlines, because bachelor people don't have a lot of ways to keep our names in the headlines unless we're dating somebody new, we're having babies, or we're causing drama. People aren't posting about us because they see us out having dinner as some fancy restaurant. No, they're posting about it because of the drama that's associated with the people that come from the franchise.
And so I say that, are people making a too big of a deal about her or they playing into it too much? I don't know how to answer that, because it feels like it works. It feels like drama is the thing that keeps people relevant, and I think that's a new thing because I don't personally want drama to be the way that people remember me, know me, or associate me with somebody else.
Yeah, I'm scared of confrontation, so it's not my way either, says the girl who had plenty of confrontation on the show. But still it's scary to me, and I wouldn't handle it like this as well. But you are spot on. It makes headlines, So if you feel like you want a headline, just go for it.
Yes, I mean that make that TikTok. Make that Instagram reil exactly. Yeah, make it because it works. And so I don't know if it's too big of a dealer or not. It's working for what they want it to be.
Yeah, I just think it's a very unhealthy path to go down, and it feels very heavy and it doesn't feel life giving. So I mean, I think I would finalize it in saying this for any listener out there, at what point in your life has had having a dramatic confrontation with somebody caused you to feel more alive or free or more joy filled? At what point has that ever happened in your life? And so why would you want to perpetuate these situations to be lasting longer
than they need to be in the public sphere. I think over time it will start to wear on humans. I think over time we'll start to see people get really upset in these situations. And then my final point is, at what point is too far too far? Like, at what point does you not healing this issue become too much and it actually ends up hurting somebody personally? And that's something I don't think any human yet wants to do, is actually hurt people personally.
I could make a joke by saying that my bad lance confrontation did did put me on a track that helped my life. But that's a one instance type thing.
Yeah, you got lucky, You got lucky, But what happened to the other person? They disappeared. We've never seen him again, Ashley, you did? Goodness gracious? All right? Back to you here? Do you feel like the Bachelor franchise demands too much
perfectionism from its leads? Now, we've talked about this a lot in the past, and you just brought it up with Letia on you know, she stood up for herself and then people say, well, we saw a new side of her, Ashley, When when the question is asked you do you feel like it asks too much, demands too much perfectionism from its leads, And let's add in its you know, top cast members.
I was gonna say that maybe they're I of course do not have the answers, but I do feel like the cast if you show more like flaws, more vulnerabilities, more relatability, you get really you get a lot of likes, Like a lot of people will gravitate towards you. The lead probably has less room to show flaws, and if they do, they need to like really talk it out. I might be making this up at the top of my head, but like I'm thinking that if you're like I don't know what to do, like I'm very emotional
about this, that goes over well. I think what happened with Grant was that, like he didn't show enough thought process. It's kind of like in school when they're like show your work, you know, your math work, Like give us everything that you're thinking of, and that is going to make you likable. And if you're not giving a lot of your if you're not explaining a lot of yourself or showing enough emotion, then that is not gonna make
you as likable. So like, if you're imperfect, show why you're imperfects that Restante might being crazy.
No, I think what you're you're looking for is one of the characteristics of a lead has to be vulnerability and the ability to communicate your feelings and emotions at all points, even if you're feeling crazy and you're like, I love two people. I don't know what to do
about this. I think explaining that, which the producers typically do a very good job at getting that out of you along the way, because it's not necessarily how we function in our normal lives, but it is the ability to communicate what you're feeling internally, and sometimes it's communicating things that you don't even know you're feeling internally and until you start processing this stuff out. And I think
that is the mark of a good lead. So perfectionism is an interesting word to use, or to be asked here from one of our listeners, because I don't know how often the leads need to be perfect.
Exactly as much as they need to be communicative.
Communicative, and they are held to a different standard in an environment that nobody watching has ever been in, and so sometimes perfect within this environment of dating a bunch of people and processing a bunch of emotions and trying to filter through your way through this process, perfect looks different than what it would in the normal life, and so we don't don't even recognize the perfect choice sometimes until it's too late, or until it's years later when
somebody else does the same thing and we're like, wait, maybe that does make sense. Maybe that is how this is supposed to go. Maybe those are the emotions you're supposed to be processing. And so I don't know if it's held to perfectionism, but I do know that criticism comes in and is unwarranted based on the environment that the leads are trying to go through because nobody can
relate with it. They can't see it and be like, that's what I would do if I was dating ten women at once, That's what I would do if I was dating ten minute ones. They don't get it. We don't get it until you're in it.
Yeah, totally so well put, Ben, when you thought of that when you were like giving yourself a standard in your head, when you were just explaining that, who is your standard, like.
Sus standard to live up to? When I was the leader or.
Yeah, did you have somebody in your head when you were giving that answer. I mean, I think I guess it's different for you since you actually were the lead and lived it. Yeah, I mean for me, I was thinking about you and Joey.
Yeah, and that's interesting. I think. I think the two things Joey and I have talked about this, the things that we came into as leads that were similar, was one that we really believed it could work. So that was one like foundational piece that I don't know if every lead has we really are like, hey, this is a good opportunity for us to find somebody or at least to expand what we thought we wanted in somebody. Okay, So that was the foundation. The second piece was that
both Joey and I number one was crazy. We were talking about this in Orlando. The number one thing we were most concerned about and most focused on, and I would tell every lead to do the same, would be that the people that signed up for it left being
happy that they did. It might not find love, but they were glad that they came, They were glad that they went through it, that they their life wasn't ruined because of this experience that they signed up for, and that the leak kind of was the filter which a lot of our decisions were made. A lot of the conversations were had was I want you to be able to get your story out there because I want people to know you better, and I want to know you better. So let's talk as much as we can in the
environment that we have. Let's talk, Let's share, let me ask the questions that are needed to be asked so that people can understand you better and I can get to know you better, and then as a result, it kind of forces the lead to process those stories externally on a camera, and I think the viewers end up getting know the cast better because the leads know the
cast better and they can explain it better. And I do think that's one thing we had in common that maybe separated us or differentiated us from others, was just that mindset of we want to know the cast really well and is whatever time we have with them. And as a result, the viewers got to know them really well too, because we were getting things out of them that other leads maybe wouldn't.
Yeah, I totally agree with you. There, so well thought out.
Then well, goodness, Well, Ashley, I do have a question for you, and I know we're going to be closing out here. Yeah, one last one here for you, And then if any of these others that the listeners wrote in you're interested in asking me, we can. It's a big question. Once your honest thoughts. OK, So I need to take a deep breath and get into your honest mode without fear of any confrontation. Yeah, confrontation. Do you think Jason and Kelly make a good couple?
Absolutely not?
Why?
I don't know, No, you.
Know, you know why, Like you don't have to, don't dig a hole on somebody's character right now, don't throw them under the bus. But when you think about Jason and Kelly together, we just got to talk to Kelly in one of the most raw, authentic, vulnerable interviews we've ever done, where our hearts were torn, her her story was shared, and we're like, Kelly, we want nothing but
good things to come your way. So if that's the bucket that we're keeping Kelly in and you bring in Jason, why doesn't that relationship work.
I feel like both of them should probably maybe date somebody like a little bit quieter right now, because they both have had very public relationships and like there's not a problem with that at all. But I think maybe Kelly being the place that she is in right now, you know, she's very open about grieving the loss of her father in December, and I think that she just needs somebody like simple, not like simple minded, you know,
but like calm. And I think that Jason is just too out there right now, like he's everywhere.
Yeah, I think it's a great point, and I think you're spot on, and it was a very nice way of saying this, I think both of them are huge personalities, and they're very much in the world right now. On social media, especially, Jason is post often strategically. It's what
he does for work, like he posts strategically often. And it feels like two big personalities would have a hard time dating because what ends up happening is like the Cat in Jason scenario, where their relationship becomes a social media like front, and that their relationship becomes so social media focused that the intimacy that needs to exist within relationships is taken away because no time is private. Rachel Kocconnell says it right. Every time they went to dinner,
what did Matt do? He was filming the dinner. At some point that becomes unhealthy. And so what happens I think in these relationships with huge personalities like the two of them are, is they need the ying to their yang. They need somebody that can support and stand back and they can do their thing while the other person is doing their thing, and that I think those two things mesh better than the two of them trying to be so loud, so proud, and so out there because that's
who they both are. I think that's a mix for a very unhealthy relationship.
Yeah, a little yin yang there. Alrighty well, guys, thank you so much for joining us. We'll be back later this week with headlines and yeah, headlines and anything else we can tease.
Yeah, we're gonna talk about Gabby. We're gonna talk about the Caitlin Bristow scenario in more detail. We're going to be yeah, the Gabby and Clayton thing that just happened on a recent podcast. Will also be sharing some updates and relationships along with any more information we have on this Tyler Cameron grant Ellis drama. So there is some big headline sitting out there that we're going to be talking about, breaking down and possibly bringing on some guests
to speak with us about. Hey, until next time, I've been Ben, I've been Ashley.
See you guys.
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