1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:03,800 Speaker 1: This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: with iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 2: We've had the unique opportunity here in the Almost Famous 4 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:12,879 Speaker 2: podcast to have some voices, some wise voices, some voices 5 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 2: who have been through the Bachelor franchise for a bit 6 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:21,720 Speaker 2: share their thoughts on the recent announcement of the Golden Bachelor, 7 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 2: Gary and his wife Teresa's divorce. So I was going 8 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 2: to jump in for a second and kind of share 9 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 2: my thoughts. It's this was this was a difficult announcement. 10 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 2: I think for so many of us to kind of understand. 11 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 2: That's why it's everywhere if you google this divorce. All 12 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:50,279 Speaker 2: the major media companies and journalists are covering this. I 13 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 2: think we're shocked, because we're saddened. I'm shocked. I guess 14 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 2: I can speak for myself personally, because I really believe 15 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 2: the two of them we're gonna make it. For multiple reasons. 16 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,480 Speaker 2: Let me touch on those. One. I thought their age 17 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 2: was going to allow them kind of this next chapter 18 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,400 Speaker 2: in life, and they were really going to invest during 19 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:15,119 Speaker 2: this next chapter into this new love and this new 20 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:19,680 Speaker 2: relationship they found. Quite honestly, this could come off wrong. 21 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:23,199 Speaker 2: I didn't think there was enough time to necessarily have 22 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 2: major disagreements, major disagreements, especially ending in a separation. I 23 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 2: also thought they were gonna have a lot of fun together. 24 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 2: Obviously both of them have done very well in their life. 25 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 2: From all we know, they're both financially sustainable, and so 26 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 2: they had a ton of opportunity to go off and 27 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:48,040 Speaker 2: to travel, or to spend time on the lakes, or 28 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 2: to go out to dinners and to just enjoy kind 29 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:55,559 Speaker 2: of this next chapter. And so for me, I took 30 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 2: all those into consideration without knowing the two of them 31 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:01,279 Speaker 2: very personally, been able to meet him a few times, 32 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 2: and thought this could be something special. Obviously, now shockingly 33 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 2: they are announcing that they're going to divorce. I also 34 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 2: think the fans here are a little bit confused because 35 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 2: we don't have a lot of information. As so many 36 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 2: who have came on here now the podcast today and 37 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 2: been interviewed, they've shared that we just don't know enough. Yeah. 38 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 2: I believe it was Trista who said that, you know, 39 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 2: if love truly exists, then you can figure the rest out. 40 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 2: So many of us who listen to this, who have 41 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 2: been in a committed relationship or in some type of 42 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:48,800 Speaker 2: relationship that we've had to make tough decisions for understand 43 00:02:48,840 --> 00:02:52,800 Speaker 2: that the decisions are tough still, yes, but they're going 44 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 2: to get made because there's love behind them. So if 45 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 2: it's just a matter of where you move and what 46 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 2: family you're closer to, then I would say this is confusing, 47 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 2: especially because Gary, yes, has family fairly close, but he's 48 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 2: they still have to drive. I mean, I believe he 49 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:19,320 Speaker 2: has some children that are you know, five plus hours away. 50 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:27,680 Speaker 2: That's you know, a flight from the East Coast to Indiana. 51 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:30,919 Speaker 2: I and you're retired. I guess I should say that 52 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 2: he's retired, and so there's time to fly, there's time 53 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 2: to travel. I've lived in Colorado, my family's lived in 54 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 2: Indiana for the past eleven years, and I don't see them, 55 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 2: maybe as regularly as I would if I lived in 56 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 2: the same hometown or within an hour's drive, But I 57 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 2: see them often. My dad just retired last year, and 58 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:00,080 Speaker 2: before that, you know, there was weeks every year that 59 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 2: I would go home, or there was weeks that they 60 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 2: would come here. There was flexibility in that, and so 61 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 2: I never have felt like I cannot see my family 62 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 2: when I desire to see them or when they desire 63 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 2: to see me. And spend time with Jessica and I 64 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 2: and so I want to believe their excuse. I do. 65 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:21,040 Speaker 2: I mean, I think their reasoning that it was hard 66 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 2: to kind of figure out where they're going to be 67 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:26,280 Speaker 2: for their family is fair, but I don't believe it's everything. 68 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 2: And honestly, I don't know if they owe us everything 69 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:32,800 Speaker 2: in the explanation of why they're getting divorce. I don't 70 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:35,600 Speaker 2: know if that's really my business or any of our businesses. 71 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:37,919 Speaker 2: But we are invested in their love stories, so we 72 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:41,480 Speaker 2: do want to know what happened here. And I think 73 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:43,719 Speaker 2: the question of what happened here for me is also 74 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 2: confusing because their love story brought so many people hope. 75 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:49,599 Speaker 2: I got to do a segment with Gary that was 76 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 2: never shown on television, but we kind of did the 77 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 2: watch party segment where we went on a bus and 78 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 2: stopped in at people's homes and talk to people about 79 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 2: what they're experiencing watching The Golden and there were tears, 80 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 2: there was hope, there was joy, There was Hey, if 81 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 2: you can do it, Gary, I want to do it too. 82 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 2: There was this belief that no matter what age you were, 83 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 2: that love could still exist and could still be found 84 00:05:14,200 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 2: and I'm worried, or I guess I'm concerned, or I 85 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 2: guess I know that their divorce so quickly after getting 86 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:26,599 Speaker 2: married will probably make people take a step back. But 87 00:05:26,680 --> 00:05:29,000 Speaker 2: here's the truth to it. I still believe what they 88 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 2: showed on television, and what so many of them showed 89 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 2: on television, so many of the contestants, is that love 90 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 2: can still be found no matter what age you are at. 91 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 2: I don't want that to be forgotten here. I think 92 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:44,560 Speaker 2: that's where this whole thing gets so hard for me, 93 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 2: because I know that so many people really truly were 94 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 2: invested into their love story and invested into this story 95 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:54,520 Speaker 2: in general, and I don't want people to forget that, Yes, 96 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 2: loves can still be found. If you talk to any 97 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:01,480 Speaker 2: of the women who came off the show, they believe 98 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 2: in love more than ever. In fact, I'll mention Susan 99 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 2: and Kathy here. I've gotten to speak with them multiple times, 100 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 2: and as recently as two weeks ago. Kind of heard 101 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 2: some rumblings at that time that things were not good 102 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 2: for Gary and Teresa, and so we got to have 103 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:22,720 Speaker 2: a conversation about what did the show teach you? And 104 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 2: both of them said that it taught them that love 105 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 2: can still be found, that this next chapter of life 106 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 2: can be the most exciting chapter yet for them. And 107 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 2: so if you're invested into their love stories, if you're 108 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 2: invested into this separation and this divorce that they're entering into, 109 00:06:37,760 --> 00:06:41,719 Speaker 2: please do not forget that love can still be found 110 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 2: no matter what age you are in, that the next 111 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 2: chapter can be the best chapter in your story, in 112 00:06:48,440 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 2: your life. I also think we should look here now. 113 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 2: Maybe you know the main characters of the Golden Bachelor 114 00:06:57,360 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 2: was Gary and Teresa because they were obviously the ones 115 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 2: who got married national television. Gary was the lead, Teresa 116 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 2: was obviously the one that he chose and that she 117 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 2: chose him at the end. But I think now the 118 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 2: way I'm seeing it is it kind of levels the 119 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 2: playing field a little bit to where the main characters 120 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 2: are everybody that was on the show, These women who 121 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 2: have came off of The Golden Bachelor and are now 122 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 2: representing all new things. They're representing wisdom, they're representing the 123 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 2: kind of this newfound fame and how to handle it 124 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 2: when you have so much experience in life so that 125 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 2: you don't get sucked up. And maybe the relevancy of 126 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 2: it all but you just enjoy the ride. I'm learning 127 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 2: from them, and I think we now we all can. 128 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 2: I think the cool part would be as we watch 129 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 2: the contestants now hopefully go out and date and go 130 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 2: out and explore new relationships, and then we move on 131 00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 2: to now the Golden Bachelorette, we can start to we 132 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 2: can continue to learn from them and continue to invest 133 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 2: into their stories and continue to believe that something good 134 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 2: is in the future for all of them. Now, I 135 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 2: kind of want to close here by by also saying 136 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 2: what is by talking about what like what I believe 137 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 2: the future of the Golden Show is. I don't think 138 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:34,199 Speaker 2: this derails it. I do think the divorce makes us 139 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 2: take a step back and maybe have a little bit 140 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:43,079 Speaker 2: of hesitancy when we watch the Golden Show and we're 141 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 2: kind of waiting to see if there's actually love that 142 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 2: is going to be found, and what the wedding looks like, 143 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 2: what the commitment looks like, what these new relationships will 144 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 2: look like, because I think you build off of what 145 00:08:55,160 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 2: your first example is. For example, Tristan Ryan from The Bachelorette, 146 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:02,319 Speaker 2: we got to see their love story unfold, and now 147 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 2: twenty plus years later, they're still together and they have kids, 148 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 2: and we now believed in The Bachelor and The Bachelor 149 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 2: I think in large part because we saw their commitment 150 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 2: to each other and we saw what came from that, 151 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 2: and so I do think now there'll be more hesitancy. 152 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 2: But I also believe that the Golden Show can still 153 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 2: be really great, and I think success is still going 154 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 2: to come from so many couples, and I'm still going 155 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:37,840 Speaker 2: to be invested now as much as I was before. 156 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:41,199 Speaker 2: I am confused with all of this. Why they got 157 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 2: married so quickly. I mean, I think there's some financial 158 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 2: benefits from that. I do believe they at the time 159 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 2: believe this was the right thing to do, that this 160 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 2: was going to be a relationship with that lasts. I 161 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:54,440 Speaker 2: don't think either of them were entering into that marriage 162 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 2: being like, hey, we'll get married, but yeah, a couple 163 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 2: months later, like it doesn't really matter, we can separate. 164 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:00,560 Speaker 2: I don't think either of them were things that, but 165 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 2: I do believe coming off the high of the show, 166 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 2: coming off the experience of the show, coming off the 167 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 2: press tours, getting to travel together, having this kind of 168 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:16,200 Speaker 2: upour honeymoon moment right after the show probably made them feel, yeah, 169 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 2: this is amazing, Let's get married. I just never think 170 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 2: that's smart. If you go back into my experience, obviously, 171 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:26,720 Speaker 2: there was some hesitancy coming right out of the show 172 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 2: to get married right away. If you see Joey and 173 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:31,199 Speaker 2: Kelsey season obviously, Joey and Kelsey were talking about, Hey, 174 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:33,200 Speaker 2: we'll have a long engagement. You have to kind of 175 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 2: redate to kind of re establish a foundation outside of 176 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 2: the show, because the show, once it's over, it's over, 177 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 2: and you go back to regular life. The show moves 178 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 2: on to the next lead, to the next season, and 179 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 2: you move on to whatever the next chapter holds, and 180 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:52,439 Speaker 2: so you have to redate, re establish Jojo and Jordan 181 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:54,680 Speaker 2: are a great example of that. Matt and Rachel are 182 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 2: a great example of that. So many of the healthy 183 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 2: couples we see today have re establish a foundation outside 184 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:03,440 Speaker 2: of the show, and I don't think Gary and Teresa 185 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 2: ever gave it time to do that. I think they 186 00:11:06,320 --> 00:11:09,840 Speaker 2: got wrapped up in the whole thing too quickly, which 187 00:11:09,840 --> 00:11:12,680 Speaker 2: honestly is a little surprising because I thought they would 188 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 2: go about this whole thing very differently than any couples 189 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:20,080 Speaker 2: we've seen in the past. All Right, So those are 190 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 2: my thoughts I'm sad. I wish divorce wasn't their best 191 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 2: option or the option they felt like was necessary. Maybe 192 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 2: it's a better way to say that. I wish they 193 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 2: could have worked through some things. I wish they would 194 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 2: have given it some more time to work through some things. 195 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 2: Maybe it was just getting to a place where they 196 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 2: knew this was going nowhere good fast, and so they 197 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:42,440 Speaker 2: had to get out, both of them. I don't know. 198 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 2: We don't know enough. Again, from everything I've read and 199 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 2: in the interview, the only really reasoning for this is 200 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 2: they just couldn't figure out the family dynamics. I don't 201 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 2: think I'm satisfied with that. I know there's more, but 202 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 2: as I said earlier, I don't know if I'm owed anymore. 203 00:12:00,760 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 2: So it comes from a place of assumption. I just 204 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:06,440 Speaker 2: wish divorce was not the option they felt like was 205 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 2: necessary at this time. I wish that two of them 206 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:12,960 Speaker 2: could have found something beautiful together. I was wishing and 207 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 2: hoping that the Golden Bachelor was going to lead to 208 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 2: an amazing love story that we'd be able to celebrate 209 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 2: for years to come. But we're not. And so now 210 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 2: we move on and we hope that the next season 211 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 2: works and we hope that the contestants find love again. 212 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:29,839 Speaker 2: And we hope that Gary and Teresa can find love 213 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 2: again because I know and I do believe both of 214 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:39,440 Speaker 2: them desired it. Love is a beautiful thing when it's 215 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 2: at its best. This show is about love. When it's 216 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 2: at its worst, it's about drama. And so the Golden Bachelor, 217 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 2: as we continue, I hope, continues to be about love 218 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:54,440 Speaker 2: and we don't lose sight of the incredible life change 219 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:58,200 Speaker 2: that so many on the show and viewers of the 220 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:04,480 Speaker 2: show have had because they've witnessed people later in life 221 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 2: make commitments to try to find love again. So we 222 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:14,680 Speaker 2: watch hopeful Now. I watch with a little hesitancy, but 223 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 2: I still have a lot of anticipation, excitement and anticipation 224 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 2: towards the next season of The Golden Bachelorette and hoping 225 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:25,560 Speaker 2: hey that love truly will be found. 226 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 1: Follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcasts on 227 00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:32,600 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.