Dramatic with Jana Kramer

to buy for. I know this. We're talking gifts. It's not that I have everything. I'm just a tough person to buy for. And so what Lauren has adapted to and I love this is she gives us experiences and trips and things like that, and then they're not always extravagant, they're not always crazy. And one place that was on our bucket list that we had never been was Charleston, South Carolina. Well, it's hard. It's also hard to find

a place you've never been. True traveled so many places for the show, but neither of us had been there. And so this was my Christmas gift to Chris Harrison to go to Charleston, South Carolina, all planned out. This is the best part is it was all planned out. You planned out where we were staying, where we were going to eat. We have a good friend who lives because another place I wanted to go to was Kiowa Island. It's a golf destination and I've always wanted to go there.

It's like forty minutes away from Charleston, and so you reached out to my friend. You included that in it as well. It was just that stuff means so much to me, and I guess the takeaway is find that something that your significant other really loves. Food, wine, travel, you know, those are great gifts. It meant it meant more to me than any sweater you would have given me. Well, you are hard, so I think we're both hard to buy for it though I can't. I can't be one

sided on that. Like I'm a pretty picky person to buy four. Hence why even when Chris proposed he picked out the stone of our of the engagement ring and gave it to me on just a plain band and said, you know, he didn't want to risk getting a ring I wouldn't like, So I was able to then go design the band myself, which was great because then I got the surprise of a ring and I got to go have fun designing it. Yeah, I don't think I've

ever really told that story. We bought We bought the ring from a very dear friend of mine and now ours. Everybody was upset you didn't use Neil Lane, you know, but it was never any shade intended towards Neil Lane. But he was a part of the show. And while Neil and I got along grade, it's not like we were dear friends. This person, Nip mccleve, who owns a jewelry store and run He's family owned locally out of

la for years. So I've been good friends with him, and so it just made sense to do something very sincere. And I actually got the advice from him. I said, look, this is so hard for me because whatever I feel like I'm going to get, I don't know if Lauren's going to love it. And he says, you know what a lot of people are doing now is pick the stone. That's the important thing. Then we will give it just a very simple band. Give it to her, propose that's

you know. When she says yes. Hopefully, then we'll come back and design the ring of her dreams. Did any part of you think I was going to say no? No? I thought you would say yes. But that took so much pressure off me, because one of the craziest things for me, honestly, in the proposal. Proposing was easy. I thought you would say yes. I knew I wanted to

get down on one knee. That part was easy. I was scared of giving you a ring that you just immediate because in that moment, you don't want your head to go anywhere other than oh, my god, I'm so happy. I love this man. I can't wait to marry you. I don't want it to be Oh, that's that was an interesting choice. Well, what's tough about that moment is if someone has picked a ring you don't like, you suddenly feel like, am I saying yes to this person

who doesn't even know me? Like that's how you take it? As a woman, You're like, does he even know me? Why I would he pick this? I mean for me, that's yeah, it would kind of take I under I see what you're saying, and I appreciate your thought in that because it would take some joy out of it, but he put it into a very simple just wing and then he thought, you know, maybe she'll just love this. That could be it too, and then we can go

back if we want to. So that was but it made it fun because then I got to design the band and that we got to do it together. Yeah, it did, and I highly recommend for those that are getting engaged it's not a bad way to go because it did. It added another layer that we got to

do together after the proposal, which was kind of cool. Well, and this goes to yeah, so we're both tough to buy for you, but I love we have kind of started this tradition because for my birthday, you gave me a trip to Europe where you had planned everything, which was amazing, and it was thirty five, so I think I kind of felt like it was a bigger birthday

or something. But this was Chris's Christmas gift. But what I was thinking about how we had people send in questions and one of the questions that we didn't get to, a relationship question that a listener submitted was how do you get out of a relationship rut? And I've realized something that really keeps us out of a rut because no matter what, right in your daily life, you have your restaurants, you go to, your friends, you hang out with, and those are all great, but it all is the

same every day. Um. What helps us stay fresh is taking trips or even doing little weekends to new places, because when you're experiencing something new with your partner, well then that automatically like you have the same person, but you're in a new situation. And for us to be able to go to Charleston and like, you know, take a historical tour and learn about all the history, good and bad in that city, meet the incredible people of that city, try the new foods, and see the new places.

It it's like automatically invigorating. And we share that adventure adventurous attitude and that zest for travel, and so we love explaining. You know what's great about gifts we give each other is they're also gifts we give ourselves. They're very self serving. I love this trip I got you and I had never been to Charleston, and let me just give a shout out. And by the way, no endorsements, we didn't there were no trade outs, no nothing like

Elzi just paid for this. So this is Uh, we're not We're not trying to gain any favor because we're long gone. Charleston was amazing, What an amazing city, obviously full of history. Uh so much of our country's history came through those ports. And um, the you know Fort Sumter is there, there is I'm a history buff. I love history. Lauren is finding this out more and should have got him a tour of the boat. You guys,

I didn't even know about this boat. Checked intip we checked into this very quaint hotel and it has a view of Fort Sumter, very famous you know Ford from the Civil War. And um, then there is this massive aircraft carrier. I might be I might be a complete idiot, but I didn't know what aircraft carrier had been, you know, stationed in mothballed there in Charleston. It's been there since the seventies, by the way, and it was the USS Yorktown easily one of the most famous aircraft carriers in

the history of the United States of America. It was in three battles and World War Two, and I think it served in Vietnam as well. Not everybody's a history buff, So anyway, I was peaking out that this was right outside the window. I just thought it was amazing. So but we did a walking tour of Charleston, yes, which was amazing. I very much recommend something I love to do and you can book them through I use via tour is a walking food tour because you walk, your

guide tells you the history of the city. As you walk, you stop in places, and then you stop and eat at like three or four different restaurants, just little bites at each place. And food is so tied to our culture, right, So I mean a you're eating, you're eating great food, and you're hearing more about the city through the food. And so it was so much fun. Can I tell something embarrassing about the tour? So Elze and I go on this tour and I don't know if you were

embarrassed at all. I felt a little out of play. So Lauren warned me. She knows I don't love crowds, and so she said, look, we're with a group. It was a small group though, it was like ten people or twelve people, and so that was perfect. And so we meet, you know, in the historic part of Charleston, and you gather as a group and we introduce ourselves then you start the walking tour, and Lauren said, we got the food thing, and then I added on there was an option you can add on a curated drink

experience at each stop as well. Guys, I'm going to say yes to the cocktail add on in the PA. By the way, I would have as well, So we added on the cocktail part of this. Well, Laura and I were the only ones that pushed yes on the cocktail. So everywhere we went and it was kind of a big deal where she's like, yeah, we have two over here that are drinking, and so every time we sat down, you and I got and it wasn't like a sampler.

They put these massive cocktails in front of us at age and everyone I thought at the table just kind of looked at us like wow, okay, like they have a problem. Yeah. We Actually there was another couple and we started saying, do you want to take like we have these two huge tumblers of like a Southern tea time or whatever it was, do you want to take one of these? We'll just share the drink package with you. Because it was a little embarrassing, but hey, we were

there for a good time, not a long time. Okay, we're only there for four days. I wanted to try the local drinks, the different I forget some. There was a punch you know, places of local cocktails, Babe, I'm about history too. I just felt like all our cocktails on this first stop at this barbecue place que Barbecue or Quology, and everyone was just like, Wow, you guys are gonna just jump in with those hurricanes. And it was so it was one o'clock. Okay, two quick shout

outs to places we went. Yes, restaurants. Oh, I love restaurants and I love giving a shout out to a place we loved. And again we paid full fare. These are not trade outs. They have no idea we were even there. Place called Magnolia was amazing, Yes, incredible service, grateful ten out of ten. And Husk was phenomenal, which

is local. And if I haven't gone back to look, but someone told me Anthony Bourdaine, who I'm a huge fan of and always watched his stuff and just loved him dearly um was a friend of the owner of Husk, and so he visited Charleston and eighth there as well. So I need to go back and watch that. But the Magnolia was one hundred ten out of ten, and then Husk was right up there as well. You know, I have the I will say, I think I did well with the trip. Should have booked the boat tour

the aircraft carrier to it. You were like an excited little kid looking out the window. Look look at the boat. Well it's funny, is I asked? We were at this on this rooftop. And by the way, if you ever go there, the Duberry had this amazing rooftop bar and you can see it's one hundred and eighty de Grieview, So you're looking into old town Charleston and all the churches. Then you can see Fort Sumter and then you can

see the aircraft carrier. And so I asked the waitress, like, I feel like an idiot, but what aircraft carrier is that? And she says, I don't know, so we're not idiot. So I googled yes, and there's like it's the Yorktown. And I really was like a child at Christmas because I'm a I'm a fan. Well, one thing I would have done, actually, which would have satisfied both our interests. We found out there's a ghost tour you can do a ghost tour of the ship late at night. I

love a ghostie, so that would have been cool. Um, we'll have to go back to Charleston. But Charleston also a ten out of ten just for it's a walking city. It's easy and look, I will say, people are great. We did not meet a stranger. No. Everyone was so kind, including our waiter who we ended up going out with after our dinner at Magnolia and had a cocktail, which was weird. He was a sweet kid, he's he recommended a bar. We went to the bar and then he came to the We ended up having a drink and

I think we bought him a drink. We did, We bought our way to a drink after dinner. But it was Yeah, it was so fun. And I will say when we do these trips, like I think, what's important and what makes it a gift as much as we both might enjoy it, is you have to do like you did two days of golf on Kiowa and I hung out with you know, our friend or our friend our friend's wife. We did some nice beach walks together.

But I wasn't going to Kiua except for you. I knew you wanted to golf there and thank you for checking that off my list. Yes, so next time we'll add. But I lore stuff. I love that you do that for me and with me is travel and adventure, and that was something we talked about early on in our relationship that we both loved that we both love to be on the go and do things together. Speaking of being on the go and trips, this Gwyneth Paltrow story, Oh,

you're transitioning to ski trip. This is a headline and it's a weird headline that I'm still trying to figure out. You and I have really kind of dove deep into this rabbit hole. So Gwyneth, isn't everyone I think this is a celebrity trial that I mean, I would definitely put it in the most dramatic headlines of the week. Everybody seems to be following it. I don't think it's on the Johnny Depp amber heard level, but to me, it's on the level of what the hell, what is happening?

This is the weirdest story. Gwyneth Paltrow was on a ski trip and dear Valley six seven years ago and it's outside of Salt Lake. If you know, up in Park City and Deer Valley's this kind of exclusive place and it's quite beautiful. I've been there. And she either ran into somebody or this somebody ran into her. There was a collision on the ski slopes. She alleges this guy, this doctor, ran into her, and the doctor's alleging that

she ran into him. Either way, they had a collision in Deer Valley, and six seven years later, they're now having a trial because this man alleges that she ran into him and now he has suffered all kind of physical and mental ailments. Yes, and it's it is a little confusing because at first he was suing her for like three million dollars and I believe that. Then a judge capped it at three hundred thousand dollars. So now at the end of the day, he's suing her for

three hundred thousand dollars. She is countersuing for one dollar plus attorney's fees. And it's coming down to this, he said, she said, of just who hit who? And I'm seeing article headlines like what is ski etiquette? The trial is going to come down to ski conduct of who has the right of way on a mountain? And then It's also going to come down to like who you believe, right, because I think it's just his word against hers on

who skied into whom. As far as the skiing situation, this happens on the daily at every ski slope in the world where that's something we've never done together and never been skiing. I'm a horrible ski People just run into each other. Are you a good skier? I do. I'm a pretty good skier and I love Honestly, guys, Chris Harrison is athletically good at everything. It's shocking. You

should see us playing pickle ball. I stand in the front and he runs around like a madman behind me, getting every ball and people are like, oh, like if we win, it's like, well, I mean, Chris Harrison one, I'm literally actually When we were on Spring Breaking, Cobbo, you and Let's reveal to the world what you and Ivana Firestone did to Andrew and I, which is we

we swung. We couple swapped, couple swapped on the pond the pickle because Ivanna knows herself well enough to know that her and Andrew are not good partners in competitive situations, so she switched and she and I who were defending champs, ran it back, and then you were you were partners with Andrew Firestone, our kids were together, and so we had a good little tournament. And yes, Ivanna Firestone and I are international Pickaball champions. But we digress back to

the ski incident. Yes, this happens every day on the daily, at every slope, not a huge deal. People run into each other. Everyone had helmets on and goggles and all this other stuff. In skiing, it's kind of like a traffic accident. Whoever hits whom from behind, that's usually the person who fault. If you get rear ended, the person who rearended you is it faults yet nine percent of

the time. So she is alleging and this is the this is where things get weird that all of a sudden she was skiing and skis slipped in between her legs. So she skiing, two skis slide between her, her legs start to separate, and then they fall. And but before that she heard this, she felt a body pressed against her and this man was grunting and groaning in what

she kind of described in a sexual manner. This guy, I find out later was probably sixty eight sixty nine years old at the time, so it's just a bizarre scenario and a bizarre story. I mean, the details of what I don't know. Look, I think part of the thing if you're being if you're in some kind of collision, I would imagine it's all pretty chaotic. I have to say. Watching Gwyneth, I mean, and I don't think the guys testified yet I find I found her story to be

very believable. I mean, I thought she was a very matter of fact. If we're just talking about the then Look, I know in trials it's you know, you have to look at the facts and believability whatever. But I found her to be believable. I was watching her and I felt like she was telling the truth. This was simple. I also feel like now that it's down to three hundred thousand dollars, like, here's why I believe her that to her, it's a rounding air is not that big

of a number. So I think she like, at this point she could have just settled out of court with this guy. I think she's on principle now and she's like, I didn't do this, and so it's going to court. So that makes me believe her. Two things that came out that really I kind of set the tone for me, and I agree, I am fully behind Gwyneth Paltrow in this. The guy texted his daughter rather clearly he didn't know is Gwyneth Paltrow. You couldn't tell it was her. I

think he just genuinely ran into another human being. It turns out he found out it was Gwyneth Paltrow, and he texted his daughter later that, hey, I'm famous now I ran into Gwyneth Paltrow. And then subsequently all these ailments happened and all that. So they talked in the moment. There wasn't anything devastating, There were no big injuries for

either one of them. They went their separate ways. And now later things come up that he has these Well, look, maybe he has has like the collision, maybe he has had serious issues from the collision. But that doesn't mean that she caused the collision, you know. Oh and the GoPro apparently there was GoPro video because the dad was the doctor was had GoPro video. That video has mysteriously disappeared. Well that also, I found those two things I thought

were a huge indictment on his story. I think her ski instructors to that sentence. I think her ski instructor is testifying this week, and I'm interested in what the ski instructor has to say, because he was there and stayed with the doctor even after Gwyneth went on. There's witnesses, I know when you're when you're skiing in Deer Valley. It's one of the most famous ski slopes in America. It's not like they were alone. There had to be dozens of people that saw this, witnessed it. So I

think this thing falls apart very quickly. It just struck me as weird that this sixty nine year old man skied up between Gwyneth Paltrow's legs. It's just odd. The whole thing was just so weird. Well, my favorite headline out of it is from People magazine. People People really doing the hard journalist. Well, I love this headline. I do,

because that's the thing. At the end of the day, you gotta remember this is Gwyneth Paltrow and People Magazine's headline about the trial is Gwyneth Paltrow's courtroom looks are peak Gwyneths elevated neutrals. They are elevated neutrals, it means, but it's just such a weird like People magazine. People magazine is like, look, we have nothing, we have nothing to talk about. This story is so weird. Let's talk about her FA I disagree. I don't think that we

have nothing to talk about. I think it's let's talk about everything in this trial. Oh, by the way, speaking of this trial, you showed this to me. If you guys have nothing to do in your board at work today or your board at school, google the opening statements and part of this trial. You have to watch. First of all, this doctor's lawyer. I think she wants to be bff's with Gwyneth at the end of this her line of questioning, her demeanor is so off putting, it's

so uncomfortable, it is cringe. It's like, Gwyneth, we are we're going to be best friends after this, right, We're going to keep in touch. This is going to connect us forever. And her lawyers not much better. He gave the most awkward opening statement I've ever seen. So go and watch the lawyers. If nothing else, especially if you're a law student, how not to practice in the courtroom, because it is unbelievably awkward. It's that's the thing. It's awkward.

I felt like with Johnny Depp and Amberherd's trial, we were watching like his lawyers were killing it and that was interesting. Her lawyers weren't killing it, but it wasn't. This is cringeworthy. I don't know why it's all so awkward. Maybe because it's just such a bizarre My favorite. At one point, she's like, she asked how big she was,

how tall are you? And then she's like, then she was talking about like she's trying to kind of set the stage of what she was wearing on the ski slopes and how basically her size and if you ran into her, what kind of collision that would be? And she goes, well, you're a small girl. Well, I guess you're not a small person. No, she said, was you're you're small but mighty yes, And Glenn said she has well you're not that small, Joe. I don't think they're

gonna be best friends now. Anyway, guys, go watch it. It is. It is very cringe. Um, what's not cringe is my guest Today. We have an amazing guest coming up, Janna Kramer, author, country music star, podcaster. We have a lot to talk about with her, with her relationships and a relationship she's in right now, So Janna Kramer on

the other side of this break. Welcome back to the most dramatic podcast ever Chris Harrison, along with a very special guest today, an old friend, Janna Kramer, podcaster, author, actor, country music star. What am I missing? Janna? Mom, incredible mother of two as well? You have side hustles for your side hustles. We have so much to talk about, but I want to dive into because you've been very public about your dating life and you talk about this

on your podcast. You're dating, I am. You have a boyfriend, I do. His name is Alan Russell, European soccer player now soccer coach, kind of working his way up the ranks. I'm a huge soccer fan, played my whole life, so I see him raising, rising up the ranks to become a manager at some point. So how long have you guys been dating? Um? Like five months? But yeah, I knew nothing. I obviously know a lot about football, but

I know nothing about football. So yeah, I'm like, I remember going to a game because he was he was an interim interim head coach when Dean had left to the Norwich Club and so I had no idea what was going on. And truthfully, whenever I had watched m TV, I thought it was kind of boring because I'm like nobody ever score. I get it. But now that now that I kind of know the the intensity in the setup and like yeah, now and like that you know how you have to like set up each play and

just like the set pieces of all of it. Now it's like exciting to like see it come together. You're in You're in deep here. How did you guys meet? How did you meet? A soccer player from Europe? I know? Weird? Um? He actually slid into my DMS really m yeah, so the old ms strike again, the old the old dms. Yeah.

So I and I remember seeing it and kind of going like, okay, this is just silly, Like he lives in England, Like why would I even you know, I'm a mama too in Nashville, Tennessee, Like how is this

going to work? So I kind of let it go for a minute, and then I don't know, something just kind of kept like intriguing me to Like his profile was private at the time, his Instagram, so I was just kind of like I didn't really know much and so I don't know something about that, like it intrigued me, and so then I was just I DMed back and then we started what's happening? And then the rest is sistery. When how long was it before you actually saw each other?

We talked for a month before we saw each other, and this progressed to like facetiming, So you saw each other and yeah, okay, yeah, yeah, we like talked for a few weeks and then we started facetiming. Because I think, like my rule and dating has always been like I got a FaceTime before I go for a date. Okay, oh interesting. You gotta get the vibe because it's like if it's not there over FaceTime, it's not going to

be there. I don't think in person great call. I've heard some people say they do the coffee first, so it's you have that quick thirty minute to an hour, you have a good out, you never have to see him again. But yours is even tighter than that. We're going to FaceTime and you don't make it past the FaceTime. It's actually a good rule. I don't have time, like again, like my time is so limited that It's like, I

don't I don't want to even waste it. You know, however, long going to the coffee shop and coming back, you know, just the whole thing. I'm like, let's just get on a FaceTime. Let's see if this is like anything any sparker, you know, connection, attraction, and then we'll know from there. That's kind of what I was go with. I usually don't date these episodes, but it's Monday, and I say that because today Monday is a big day for this relationship,

isn't it. Why what's Monday tonight? Oh for you guys going to the iHeart Music Awards. Yeah, but tell us why this is so big? Well? And honestly, I've really been fighting with it because I've I've stayed SETI private, more private than I've ever been, Yeah, which is shocking for me. But I you know, I just, um, I just want to be careful, and especially I think more

so because like people can just be so harsh. Of course, I get it, like my past doesn't look lovely on paper, so you know, just trying to be smart with it. And um, but yeah, no, he's gonna he's gonna walk the carpet with me. So that's gonna be. I haven't walked with anyone since my husband. You guys are going red carpet official tonight at the Heart Music Awards. So he's flown in. Obviously he's here. You guys are gonna go red carpet official. Yeah, he's Well, he's been in

Nashville because he's on a break right now. He's trying to find a new team. Um so yeah, so he's been we've been in hanging out in Nashville, and but yeah, so he yeah, he came with me to California, and I'm like, I kind of like tiptoed around it. I'm like, well, I don't know, maybe because again, people are just so of course aggressive, and but I don't There's something about it that just feels right. So I'm just gonna go

with my gut. And again, like no one else, I haven't had anyone else do this with me since my last relationship with my X. I'm like, all right, I think I think I'm ready. I like that though, and that I love what you just said right there. It feels right. I'm going to go with my gut. And when Lauren and I we had been dating secretly for like six months, kind of like you, before I took this public. I want to know because the world can

be cruel and it's tough enough to date as it is. Before, I just let everybody have their own opinions and tell us what they think. So we waited. It was six months down the road, and all of a sudden, it just felt right, and it felt like I started lying to people I cared about that I'm not dating or I don't have a girlfriend, because I clearly did and

I was in love. And I vividly remember the night there was we got invited to I think it was an Emmy party at the Chateau Marmont in la and I told Lauren, I said, I want to go to this with you tonight. I want to hold your hand, I want to walk the red carpet. And we did. It is and it. I know that might sound silly to everybody, but when I heard you were doing this, um, that's why I wanted one of the things I wanted to talk to you about, because I know it may

seem small and insignificant, but it's not. This is a kind of a cool step for you guys, and I love it well. I appreciate that. I'm so glad you did that too. But it feels I don't know if for you too, Like it feels like you just have to be really smart about it too, because you know the problem with I remember my publicist always saying, like, you can't be with guy to guy to guy, a guy photographa as people shod you just have to be

like smart. And it's like I'm always like I love and like this is like my person and like you know, and I but I'm so glad that I've always kind of had that in the back of my mind because it would look so bad. But you have to be you have to be smart about it. But yeah, with this one, it's, um, you know, I we're hopefully planning for you know, we're we're on a path that I'm I'm excited for. So so Laura and I talked about this before we went. Have you guys talked about Okay,

this is what we're gonna wear. We we didn't stop for trying to think if we stop for interviews or not. Have you talked about all of this how you're going to handle everything? Um? No, we haven't yet, but it's funny. But he goes he's so. And that's another thing too that I'm really careful of, is he's really private. He likes to be more private. Um, you know, he's not like when I Instagram story, He's not really and I

you know, I'm trying to keep that separate. Um, even though you know, we posted a photo last night from us going out to dinner. But um, so I'm trying to respect that too, Like I understand my life is more public, and I also understand his life is more private. So just trying to find that balance. Uh so with this, you know, he's he's fine to just He's like, I don't need to walk. I was like, no, I want you to, like this is important to me too, to like have to me. I just I really that would

feel nice. And um, you know, but so we were out of fitting yesterday for my dress and he's im, my dress is a little He's like, that's what you're wearing is a little risk a you know. I was like, yeah, but now it's too late, Like I can we're pod committed. We're like it was my you know, my style of his favorite dress. So um yeah, and you know, I was like anything just was We're all black or something. You'll look fine next doesn't like, no one's going to

be staring at him. Yeah, well, but I love that. I love that. This is interesting. One of the reasons why I felt like this relationship was different is because of all the things you have not said. You haven't been vocal about this, you haven't been talking about it, posting about it a lot, and so clearly this is somebody who means a lot to you, and you've been protecting that, and it says a lot about you and

how you've grown. Yeah, I appreciate that, and I think also too for me, I've always wanted other like outsiders and approval. So when I would start dating someone, I'd be like, all right, girls, what do you think? What do you think? And it's like I I didn't even they didn't even know for a while, because I'm like, I want to for the first time, have my own opinion, not what Catherine thinks or christ And thinks, or what Pamelin thinks, or what this person thinks, or like what

you know. It's like, I just I really wanted to make my own educated. I wanted to heart, go with my gut, go with a you know, all of it. And just really make it just be our kind of bubble for a minute. I'm a big believer. When it feels right, do it. And yeah, there is no magic potion to like doing it the right way or whatever. It's like, when it feels right to you. There's always going to be naysayers. Is always going to be the bullsh that's out public. You can't deal you know, you know,

you know as well as anybody. How long have you been dating? We're engaged now, Lord and I are engaged. We've been five years now, so about six months in is when we went you know, red carpet official, we went public, and but now now we're engaged, we're planning the wedding. And look how far both of us have come. I mean, we've we've both come a long way, but like you said, we've learned a lot along the way.

And and for me, I think too, it's the lessons in all of the bumps, right, So I'm like, okay, and you know, this time it's so different. And I think for us, their relationship is just leaps and bounds different than anything I've ever been. And I think that's just because I've done a lot of work, but also just there's just so much respect and I've never had that relationship before. We're respecting each other. It's hard to

say put a finger on it. But when it's different, you just you know, there's that it factor that's hard. That's that intangible thing that you can't can't quite describe, but you just know it. But how does this work? How is this going to work? He is overseas, He's not like in Georgia. He's in England. You were in Nashville with two kids and obviously very busy. So I mean, long term, how does this work? And it's not a fantasy. I think it's one of those things where you make

work what you want to, right, So there's that piece. Also, you know, we had a conversation kind of early on and I said, look, I can't I can't move to England. I've got two kids. I wouldn't be fair to my ex and or the kids. And so this is where I'm at in my next whenever they go off and they're eighteen, like, this is I'm staying in, Like this is my plan? Like what what does your plan look like?

And you know, I'm like and ken those come together, and so I think him being open to being in the States was kind of enough for me to go, Okay,

let's give this a shot. So, um, you know, he's looking for a you know, a head coaching job in the States, and it's kind of one of those things where again, I think I've always been the one to force things and push things and try to make it happen, where I'm just kind of like stepping back and going whatever is meant to be is going to puzzle piece together, and I'm just I'm enjoying it. And that's kind of

where I'm at with it. You make your work and if you're in it together, it will and that's that's wonderful. I love I love the way you're handling it. You seem so at ease and so calm about all of this. It looks good on you, which is very different from how I've ever been. So it's nice to not be so like anxiously attached to like like, oh my GODNA have to have this. And I think it was last year I did spend just a lot of time truly alone and not dating and just like and I enjoyed it.

So it's like, I know, I'll be okay no matter what, Like I know I'm not going to die alone, and like I'm gonna have whether it be a relationship or my friends, like, I'm not gonna I'm good. I met you at such a tumultuous time in your life. You were you were actually separated from Mike at the time. Actually, do you remember when we met? Well, I'm remember the one time we met, when we did the podcast? Was he with me or not? That was? And then we

were at a concert. Oh, yes, country music. I can't I haven't been able to figure out who it was. But this is maybe it was several years ago. I mean, this may have been six or seven years ago. And yeah, what I didn't realize and you don't know, is that we were being set up that night, were we? Yes, we have a mutual friend. Her name rhymes with Amy Sugarman. And I had no idea about that. Oh my god, wait, I think I do like Baku. Yes, Jenny. I found out about this yesterday. So I was talking to Amy

preparing for this interview. It say, you know, I tried to hook you guys up, And I was like, what are you what are you talking about? Say you remember that concert? I said, yeah, I remember meeting her at that concert, and she was kind of pushing us together and we were talking. We had a great time. I think we had a cocktail. I didn't think much of it. She says, Yeah, I was hoping I didn't tell Janna

and I didn't tell you. I was hoping you guys would connect that night, because you were separated and you seem like you were in a kind of a messy, tough spot in your life at that point. But yeah, how funny was that. I had no idea, and I know you didn't either, that we were on a tried to be hooked up that night. Wow. I mean, yeah, I was not even thinking that at all, because I think, yeah, I was that's really hot mess. You were going through such a public divorce. Yeah, and you talked a lot

about it. You talked about the cheating, you talked about you You really were public about that. What made you decide to speak the way you did and not keep it private? I didn't have a choice to be well her, I shouldn't say that. I hate when people say because you have choices. Right. It was when I was on Dancing with the Stars and the story got leaked that my AX was at rehab for sex Addiction and I'll

never forget it. I was in the air at the airport going to a show while I was still on Dancing with Stars, and I saw my face on US Weekly magazine saying Mary to a sex Addict, and it was just that was my first and only cover. I'm like, congratulations, fabulous. I was just like I was so embarrassed. I mean I wanted to just take all of them and just like or turn them around. And it was it was so embarrassing. And when my ex and I, you know,

decided to work on the marriage. I remember I was writing a book and I had put this piece in there and he's like, I don't want to talk about it, and I'm like, yeah, but we could help people, and like he's like, it's gonna go away. I'm like, what you don't understand is they're going to always write about this. They're always going to write that we've separated, that you went to you know, sex addiction rehab or whatever. Like

they're always going to say it. So I'm like, let's just turn this into something where it could like help people or be positive or like have a different message than like she was cheated on La La and he was really against it, and so I dropped it. And then when I started my podcast, wind Out, it was just me and someone who worked at iHeart, and you know, I told him, I was like, if you ever want to come on, you know, you're more than welcome to be a guest. We don't have to talk about everything.

But he came on and just started opening up and I was like, oh crap, like we're going there, and you know, when we got done with it, he was like, man, he's like that felt really good to just like talk. And because when you get on the podcast, Mike, it's like you can't no one really sees you. So you're just like talking cathartic. Yeah, you have these conversations that can lead kind of get you into trouble sometimes because

you become so open and honest. Yeah, And so he just started talking and then from there he's like, man, maybe we really could help people because he had saw all the comments on my Instagram like that was so helpful. And so that was when we were like, Okay, let's you know, let's let's do this together and let's help people. The problem was he was still not in active recovery.

So even though he was saying he was, so where it became this shit show was things kept happening or relapse has kept happening, and so it just became this I mean, our show as a train wreck, just with one thing after the next of something else happening and me being like, how would you do that again? And

like we're saying all this on the air. So I mean, I think a huge regret of mine is that it was speaking so openly with the wounds and not like a scar, right, So it was just, oh, it's something you probably started with this benevolent idea of this will be healing for everybody, and we are kind of past it, and when you realize this is still an open bullet wound, it was too late and you're like, yeah, we got to keep going with us, and now what do we do exactly? And I think that was you know, it

ended up. As much as we loved the idea of helping people, I mean it both. I think it was a big piece of the continuing like he was always going to be the perpetrator and I was always going to be the I just kept highlighting, and I think that really drove a wedge into our marriage. You know, for him and I both, how are y'all doing? Now? Obviously you co parent, you have two beautiful kids. You know, as someone who's divorced with children and has to co parent,

you figure all that out. Your kids are much younger than mine. How has that been? The first year was really tough obviously because there was a lot of anger and hurt on my side and there was anger and hurt on his side. I mean, he had he wasn't happy with you know how um you know, I think because I kept like talking about it, and so that was really difficult for him. He's like, why can't you

just stop, like we're done, stop talking about it? And for me, I'm like, I'm helping people and this is my like and so trying to find like that balance was was tough and so and yeah, and with my therapist too, she was just I kept wanting to have like this apology or like for him to accept it, and and it just we just I kept wanting to talk about it and be like, don't you see now it's like we're divorced, Like Janna, shut up. Yeah, You're never gonna get that moment, right, You're never gonna get

that those words that just make it all okay. Yeah, And I think it was really hard experiencing first that first year, like you know, not having them for the first Thanksgiving or this, that and the first are hard. Yeah, the first are, Like it was so hard. But I journaled a lot. I wrote a lot during that year, which hopefully I'll be able to help people with that

when I poventually be able to get that out. But so that was tough for us because I had so much anger and like just truly hate those moments, and those moments, those first are not only painful, but they can drive that hurt even more because you're laying there. I remember the first night I didn't have my kids and I had bought a house to kind of quietly

move into. I didn't tell we had to announced it yet, and I remember I didn't even have like window coverings and shades up yet, and so I was like, and I didn't have a bed, I had a mattress on the floor. I'm laying there without my kids, thinking what the hell? And you do? You get anger and it's hard and you're hurt. There's a lot of those emotions, and like you said, the first holidays in school and um, it's difficult, and a lot of people don't talk about that.

Yeah and I yeah, and it was I remember the first time we went to like Julie's and Jolie was going to kindergarten that year, and so you know, you walk in and you just see like the two chairs and I'm like, I just sit next to him, like we just got divorced, and I'm just like and you know, that was just there's so there's so many first that year that yeah, we're just so hard. But I'm really proud of us how we've been able to turn it around the last I would say seven eight months, Like

we've really been able to communicate, well, we're working well together. Um, you know, I think once I put aside our stuff and was just like, okay, let's co parent the best for our kids, and uh, you know I I the first kind of olive branch was I invited him to Jay's birthday party and it was tough, but at the same time, like, my focus is my kids. So if they can see us laughing, having a good time, all of our stuff doesn't matter anymore. Like all of that

is my own work. So it's like I don't have to like I don't need the I don't need an apology from it, and I don't really technically need to forgive him, Like it's just what Right now, they're doing a great job, and I hope it can go on that Well. What you just said is so huge and it's so important for parents out there who are going through this jan and I feel your pain, but it is you have to just remove yourself. Your relationship doesn't matter anymore. It's all about your kids and it's all

about just putting them first. And you know, we did, and it doesn't work for everybody, but we did the rule of you know, any sporting events, any school events, any major like birthdays, that kind of stuff. Everybody's welcome. You know, mom and dad are welcome period. If it was at my house, she's welcome her house, I'm welcome. And we just dealt with it. And there is bitterness and there's little snide comments, and you've got to swallow your pride a lot. And you leave and you're more

upset than when you can. But you you said that you hit the nail on the head. The kids saw you. The kids know you're present, they know you're happy, and they you know that you're working on it, and that's it's hard, but it's huge. You've got to put them first. And I try to just swallow the things that like i'd love to say, or the comments or how I feel like, because I don't want my kids to ever

feel that anxiety too. So I'm just like, yeah, you know, And tomorrow we're coaching Jason's baseball team together, like we're doing like I'm like, hey, do you want to coach with me? Like it's just we'd think it's easier usually. I mean, you know, again, I'm painting with a broad brush because some things are so toxic and so they never recover. And I feel for those parents because having those moments, it gets easier and it gets better and

you start to enjoy it well. And the thing too is it's like I could I see how some divorced parents are and like just how much they hate each other and they don't talk and they're talking through things and I and you know, I could. I could hate my ex for the rest of my life and for everything that he did. But I'm at the end of the day, I'm like, I don't like carrying any of that. So I'm like I have to, like, in a way, let it go for my kids, because I'm like, I

just I can't carry that like hatred for someone. Look where you are, you're in love, things are great and this you know, that got you to hear yeah, and you have two beautiful kids to show for it. But it's interesting because he had said something um to me.

He's like, you know, you've really changed since being in the relationship, and I go, I want you to know that it was We had one conversation where it was kind of like it come to Jesus and it's like, we want to be there for the kids together, letting them us, you know, letting them see us happy. And I was like, it was that conversation that I was able to because he kind of acknowledged a few things. So I'm like, okay, I can just step away from

you know, certain things and talking about certain aspects. And has Alan met Mike yet? Has he met your x um? I don't know if I'm ready to talk about that piece yet, but there will be the day for sure. Okay. Yeah, I mean obviously it's going to happen to some point if you guys stay together. That's always an interesting one. Of that dynamic as well. I mean I've been through there. Lauren has met my X and we've we've taken those steps in the in the more you date and the

more serious you are, that's what happens. And the same thing meeting the kids and being together. All those questions are hard for a single parent. It's so tough, and I'm just trying to navigate the best because again, the end of the day, my kids are my world. So I just want them to be happy, and that's it. That's all we can do, is the best we can do at the time. That's it He gave for us. Though, Look how happy like this is good, amazing. I know we have come a long way. We have a question

how old your fiance do you want kids? No? No? Okay, a discussion we've had o heay, And again an important discussion to have as you're getting into a relationship and you're talking about marriage. And I have two kids previously that are now in college, a junior and a freshman, and yeah, I was not looking to start over. And she, through her own life experiences, also doesn't want to have kids. So that part of our relationship was amazing. As we

came together. How about you? Do you want to have more? I think I'm too old, but I'm old. You're not even You're not even forty yet. This year I will do. You're knocking on the door hill, so you think you think that ship is sailed. I again, I never say never, but I think, um, I can say never. No, unless it's a miracle, I can say never. So so the door is not completely closed. Never say never. But that's that's your feeling at the moment. Yeah, I don't think. Um,

what about more country music? Yeah? Excited that song Later this year we're going to put out into an EP, so I'm really pumped about that. So I'm just like, um, one's just a really fun song. Where it? Because I was like, I'm so sick and tired of writing about like oh my God, I got hurt and you broke my heart and the so, um, I have a song coming out this summer that's just like I was like, I want to write just a really fun girl anthem

and it's fun. Oh good. Well, your your freshman album, self titled Jenna Kramer, came out with twenty twelve, and then in twenty fifteen, the sophomore album, which is supposed to be harder and less successful. Absolutely blew up. I think what you had seven singles that that hit the charts, you were nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year. I mean, you were all over I'm a big country music fan. I'm such a geek, and you know, you were all

over the highway and all over satellite radio. I loved it. Every time you came up. I was like, yes, thank you and so. But but I was wondering, Okay, what's next, Like, I know you've been so busy with so many other things, but I hope you get back to country music. Yeah, I mean I definitely am it's it's it's so. I don't want to say it's hard for it is a lot harder for women. But I'm not on a label

anywhere very much. So yeah, so without being on the label, which was so frustrated to be when I got dropped, essentially I had outcharted some of the guys they still have on the record label. So I'm like, how unfair is it that you're dropping me when I've outcharted these people that have never charted. So it's just I never really truly made sense to me. But you know, I think at the time too, I didn't really I just

had my son Jason. I didn't want to be out on the road anymore because tourings are really lonely life. And I think the downfall for me was that I had other options, so like I came into country music from being an actress. So I think because I had a fallback, I guess or something else that I did before it. I didn't fight. I could have kept if I didn't have anything else, I would have kept fighting, right, And so now I'm like, oh, do it for fun and I love just doing music and I'll play shows

every once in a while. But you're going to drop some music this summer. Absolutely, I'm super excited about that. I can't wait. Send those to me. I want a preview. I know, I'm excited. I'm very excited. I can't wait for the for the new music from Janna Kramer. Before you go, can we completely do a one eighty? Yeah?

I want to talk this something Lauren and I do every show, we go over the dramatic headlines of the week, and oh yeah, we covered we covered some, but I want I saved some for you because I knew you would be great to gossip with. Okay, great, let's do it. So we're gonna jump in dramatic headlines of the week with Jana Kramer. Um. We got to talk about Harry Styles Emily Radikowski making out in Tokyo. Okay, So, you know what's so crazy? As I saw her at what show it was? It was in New York. It's a

polo club, Okay, it was right. She had broken up with her with her husband, right, and I'm like, she's just she's beautiful. But you know what my first thought was, I felt bad for what's her face? Who was just with her? With him? Wait? Ted Lasso's ex wife, Oh, Olivia Wilde. Yeah, that was my first That was my

first thought was like I didn't know where that was going. Yes, I know, so, yeah, Harry was Yeah, so Harry had just been with Olivia Wilde Emily Radikowski apparently what divorced six months ago, and they clearly she's touring with him or hanging out with him in Japan and they had a serious makeout. Sash. Here's a thing very public. They knew they were on the streets, they knew they were onlookers. They were like leaning against a car with the umbrella.

It looked very aged. Yeah, I mean that's such a you know, that's such an indictment to say it was staged. But they very much knew these photographs were going to go all over the world very quickly. So that's yeah. And it's interesting too because I'm like, wasn't she front with who's the other guy that dated Pete Davidson? Yeah, she was just with him too, So I mean, listen,

she got she's got a note. Obviously she doesn't want to be private, so and I think she just want to Maybe she's wanting to get back at her acts. I'm not really sure. Okay, That's what I was going to ask you. Is someone who's been through some rough and tumble times relationship wise hooking up with Pete Davidson now Harry Styles, Um, is this a rebound? Is this the I don't know if you can call them both bad boys? But like, what what is this she's going through?

I think? And this is something where I can say, you don't go to certain restaurants if you don't want to get photographed. So I remember after my divorce, I went to a certain thing because I'm like, you know what I want to look like. I'm like, I'm over you, and I don't. You're going to You're going to Katsuya, You're going to Nobu, going to catch Yes, it used to be the Ivy back in the day. Yeah, there's there's certain restaurants you know the paparazzi are just hanging outside.

You know they're gonna Craigs is another good one where there's always paparazzi hanging out. Legs is so good. But yeah, I definitely you know she's I make up that it's maybe, you know, to kind of get back over you. Yeah, Okay, I don't disagree. I just I see this the Pete Davids into Harry styles and and I'm like, okay, she's soiling her oats getting back at the X. This is some sort of revenge or something, right, Because you can be private, you can, That's the thing. There are ways

people do get you. And I do know that from what I went through that they can get you walking out of a dunkin Donuts at times. But there there are times when you know, Kylie, Kylie Jenner can hide her entire pregnancy for nine months, you can be private there you go just um in speaking of divorce news Reese Witherspoon different. That one broke my heart a little bit.

But you know, can I can I be honest? Yeah? Go. I don't follow Reese on social media, but I feel like I see her a lot red carpets and all this. I didn't know she was married. Oh really, when I heard she was divorced, that's the first time I learned that she was married. So yeah, that one surprised me, just because, like you said, like how private they are, but knowing Ryan and kind of how he did her wrong, I was. It just looked like she found her person right.

So that one, that one made me sad, especially how private they've been too. Yeah. His name was, by the way, Jim Toth. I had no idea I was this many days old when I learned that Reese Witherspoon was not only married but now getting divorced. But I guess this is something that's also been rumored around Hollywood for quite some time, that this was probably going to happen. Oh really, See, I'm like so out of the game that, like I have no it was something hanging out in Nashville. Oh no,

you you're hanging out now? Oh? Oh yeah, yeah, speak of going on in Nashville. I was like, oh, when you wanted to get photographed, is that where you went? You went to catch or were you in Nashville? Yeah? I love that you knew that. And you're like, I'm gonna go out, I'm gonna put on Did you put on like a revenge dress, like something hot? And you're like, oh, I didn't, but I should have. I just put on a real happy face, and that's all I thought I

needed at the time. You know, were you ever spotted like making out with anybody doing the Emily Radikowski? No, not not that far. And also, can I admit I did not know who Emily Radikowski was. I had heard I feel like she's one of these people, especially for guys. I've heard the name and I'm like, is she a famous actress? Is she? I didn't know. I had to really google who this person was. I was like, I'm going to be an idiot when I realized that she's

an Oscar winner or something. Turns out like she did some modeling and she kind of did some acting. But I didn't feel so bad, like she's not someone that has been in front of us publicly that much. Yes, so she's I remember from Gone Girl, I thought she did great and that yeah she was Ben Affleck's significant other and Gone Girl, Yeah, I thought she did great. Um. And you know, even when I saw her Pole Lounge, I was like, man, she's she's very striking in person,

and um, you know, she seemed she seemed friendly. I gave her a little smile. I love the Polo Lounge. By the way, the burger is off the chart? Can I can you know? Can can I tell you my cheat? They have a pistrami sandwich. And I know this sounds weird getting at the Polo Lounge, but you get it as an appetizer. Tell him to slice it up into fours and get the pistrami sandwich as an app I'm talking about falling off the wagon on your diet getting

that and then a stake at the Polo Lounge. Heaven, heaven, great. Speaking of I'm a big wine person, yes, and I didn't mention this off the top before I say goodbye. I gotta let find out what are you doing with this wine? Okay, So I'm really excited. We just signed with a very big wine distributor. So um, crossing my fingers. That's going to be in a lot of places very soon. What the same of it's how the one brick, one brick? Where'd that come from? It actually came from my book.

It says anything can happen one brick at a time, so one bottle, one brick at a time. I love that, Janna. It was so good catching up with you. I love that we are here. Yeah, and I you know, I hadn't talked to you in quite some time, and I heard you were dating somebody. But to see how happy you are, to see how this is kind of just showering over you right now makes me happy. I'm really

happy for you. Thank you, I appreciate it. And good luck tonight as you step out and Janna Kramer and her boyfriend Alan Russell going to be red Carpet official tonight. So when you get up tomorrow, if you listen to this podcast today, get up and you got to google the pictures of the red carpet for the iHeart Music Awards. This is the most dramatic podcast ever. I can't wait to see his dress. I know I'm a little worried now. All I know you got hair and makeup. I know

you got to get ready. Alan's not there? Is he is he standing there listening to all this? He is? He does. When he mentioned the dress, he just but tell Alan, I'm I'm a huge soccer fan. And so someday he and I are going to do a different podcast, the kind of podcast nobody will ever care about because it'll be just us geeking out about soccer. Stems up.

He wants to do like a soccer podcast, So that's like, you know, and talk about like because you know, he's big on like the striker and whoever scores and stuff, so like you know, he'll bring you on as a guest. I'm all in you, guys. I wish you the best, good luck tonight, have a blast, all the love and I will talk to you very soon. Okay, love you guys, Thanks for listening. Follow us on Instagram at the most dramatic pod ever and make sure to write us a

review and leave us five stars. I'll talk to you next time.