Speaker 1: This is the most traumatic podcast ever and iHeartRadio podcast.
Speaker 1: Chris Harrison coming to you from the home office in Austin, Texas.
Speaker 1: And this time I'm not alone. Well, I know sometimes
Speaker 1: Lauren Zima is here with me, but I'm not alone
Speaker 1: today because joining me again for his second episode is
Speaker 1: former Bachelor times too. Brad Womack. How you doing, Bud?
Speaker 2: Doing great? And thank you for having me. Man. We
Speaker 2: always good to see you.
Speaker 1: I welcomed you into my home because a You're a
Speaker 1: good friend, You're a good man. We have kept in
Speaker 1: touch over the years, which I am so grateful for,
Speaker 1: and you live here in Austin. Kind of I think,
Speaker 1: honestly that's a weird one is that I don't know
Speaker 1: the answer to that I got and maybe you don't
Speaker 1: know the answer to that either. We're going to get
Speaker 1: to that in a little bit. But you're nice enough
Speaker 1: to drive across town and join me here at the
Speaker 1: house today. You were the Bachelor twice, the only person
Speaker 1: in the history of the show two decades that was
Speaker 1: the Bachelor two times, and so we had to do
Speaker 1: a double episode with you.
Speaker 2: I appreciate that very much. I'm just glad to be
Speaker 2: here with you man. I like hanging out with you.
Speaker 1: And if you missed episode one with Brad, go back
Speaker 1: and listen to it. Holy cal there were some fireworks,
Speaker 1: breaking news stories. Yeah. So it was two thousand and
Speaker 1: seven when you were the Bachelor for the first time,
Speaker 1: and obviously famously you had walked away. You didn't choose anybody,
Speaker 1: but while you kind of got hammered a little bit
Speaker 1: for it, at some point, like a year or so
Speaker 1: down the road, there was an emotional shift in the
Speaker 1: country towards Brad Womack. I felt it. Did you feel
Speaker 1: it all of a sudden people forgave and loved you again?
Speaker 2: Yeah? But you know, I can very happily say that
Speaker 2: I did feel that for whatever reason, and I'm grateful
Speaker 2: for it. To anyone listening that is on the positive trajectory,
Speaker 2: so to speak, thank you. I needed that. But yeah,
Speaker 2: I did feel that, and it felt damn good.
Speaker 1: I think, if I were to guess, being the psychiatrist
Speaker 1: I am for the country, you stayed true to yourself.
Speaker 1: You never wavered, You never gave in to say things
Speaker 1: that would have made you popular or taken the heat
Speaker 1: off at the time. You took it all. And I
Speaker 1: think owning up to it was big, but also be
Speaker 1: I think people realized after a few more seasons of
Speaker 1: kind of fake proposals and breakups, they saw you and said,
Speaker 1: maybe he was the most real we ever had. Oh well,
Speaker 1: and I think there was a respect factor of I
Speaker 1: do like this guy, and that was the most emotionally
Speaker 1: intelligent thing to do.
Speaker 2: Thank you, man.
Speaker 1: There was this ground swell of support that brought you
Speaker 1: back into the good graces of everybody.
Speaker 2: I appreciate that. I did feel it was and it
Speaker 2: was so welcome, man. I mean we discussed it first
Speaker 2: episode that that was a really rough time after the
Speaker 2: first season and so, and we discussed I care what
Speaker 2: people think about me, and so, Yeah, it feels really
Speaker 2: good to feel that. I guess the tides turned, so
Speaker 2: to speak.
Speaker 1: But there had to be a bit of a sour
Speaker 1: taste with how you had left, not just not the show,
Speaker 1: but production because that final day, if you if you
Speaker 1: heard in the first episode it was contentious. Sure, it
Speaker 1: was brutal. They really went after you and in a
Speaker 1: not so nice way. Sure what made you want to
Speaker 1: want to not just do the show but get back
Speaker 1: in bed with them again?
Speaker 2: Sure, you know, I think I don't judge anybody on
Speaker 2: this earth for one or two interactions, right, I mean,
Speaker 2: I just don't. And you know, you have to realize,
Speaker 2: or I have to realize. You know, that show is
Speaker 2: a machine. There's a lot of production value behind it.
Speaker 2: There's a lot of money behind it, you know, and
Speaker 2: I'm sure ratings for one season depend on budget for
Speaker 2: this next. All of the interesting. So if I in
Speaker 2: any way disrupted that, I can understand the anger.
Speaker 1: But you didn't. I mean, your show is highly rated,
Speaker 1: thank you, sir, But the only reason you were invited
Speaker 1: back to the party is the first party has to
Speaker 1: be a success. Trust me.
Speaker 2: I love the honesty.
Speaker 1: They don't do things out of the kindness of their heart.
Speaker 2: No, they don't. I've learned that. But okay, so well
Speaker 2: that's well said. But maybe it was the unknown. I
Speaker 2: don't know. But bottom line is, I really don't. I mean,
Speaker 2: I like to give people room to be who they are,
Speaker 2: meaning we all react. I mean, you've seen me react
Speaker 2: very angrily at times, and hopefully that's not, you know,
Speaker 2: a soul telling sign of my character, you know. And
Speaker 2: so anyway, but the reason I wanted to jump back in,
Speaker 2: I'll say it till I'm blue in the face. I
Speaker 2: believe in the show. I do call me a hopeless romantic,
Speaker 2: but I genuinely believe in that show, or I at
Speaker 2: least believe that you can meet somebody no matter where
Speaker 2: you're at, and she might be the one or he
Speaker 2: might be the one.
Speaker 1: And so it's twenty ten or three years later, yes, sir,
Speaker 1: and we come back full circle and bring back Brad Walmack.
Speaker 1: And this is a very popular choice by now. Off screen,
Speaker 1: you and I are very good friends. We've hung out
Speaker 1: several times. I think. I think it was after when
Speaker 1: I was actually dating somebody from Austin, Texas.
Speaker 2: When I didn't want to bring that up.
Speaker 1: You bring it up.
Speaker 2: We don't.
Speaker 1: We don't have to say who it was. I came
Speaker 1: to town and I called you, and I just was
Speaker 1: going to go to dinner or whatever and see you
Speaker 1: as I always did when I came into Austin and
Speaker 1: you said, no, no, man, come and stay at my place.
Speaker 1: Of course, man, you let us move into your place.
Speaker 1: Sure for a whole year. And here's the best part.
Speaker 1: You had this spectacular two or three bedroom condo and
Speaker 1: you know it's amazing. So we get there and I
Speaker 1: assume we're going to be staying with you. You left,
Speaker 1: of course, you packed up, and You're like, I'm gonna
Speaker 1: go stay with my brother Chad. And I'm like, dude,
Speaker 1: you don't. I'm not kicking you out of your house.
Speaker 1: But this is the kind of guy Brad is. He
Speaker 1: leaves and gives me the keys to his condo for
Speaker 1: the weekend. What you're just You're such a good guy.
Speaker 1: It was unreal. And the other thing that really blew
Speaker 1: me away, and I didn't finish the story in episode one. Yes,
Speaker 1: you gave me a shirt and he gave me a
Speaker 1: parting gift after the show. But there was another time
Speaker 1: that I saw this guy and said, could this be real?
Speaker 1: Is he really the nicest guy I've ever known? My
Speaker 1: fortieth birthday remember that? Oh?
Speaker 2: Yeah, of course of course.
Speaker 1: So my fortieth birthday, I came here with all my
Speaker 1: family and friends to celebrate over on Lake Travis and
Speaker 1: I rented a house and we know, we had the boats,
Speaker 1: the jet skis were having a great time. We pull
Speaker 1: up to the house and there's it's like, you know
Speaker 1: this is it's actually kind of pre Airbnb. It's just
Speaker 1: a rental shirt. So We're renting this house, and there's
Speaker 1: somebody scurrying out of the house, and I'm like, son
Speaker 1: of a bitch, like this thing's supposed to be empty,
Speaker 1: and I'm trying to impress my friends and family. I
Speaker 1: want this to be awesome. And somebody is here and
Speaker 1: I'm like, what is going on? And I see this
Speaker 1: person back, you know, coming out of the house. And
Speaker 1: now look and we get closer, that's Brad. What that
Speaker 1: Brad Womack could take it upon himself because he's a
Speaker 1: bar owner. You had fully stocked the house. You brought
Speaker 1: a whole bar and dropped it off at our house,
Speaker 1: just set it up for my birthday, and was leaving
Speaker 1: like a thief in the night because and luckily I
Speaker 1: got to see you and give you a hug and sure,
Speaker 1: thank you, And You're like, I don't want to stay.
Speaker 1: I don't want to thank you. I just wanted you
Speaker 1: to have a good time, Bud, and you took off. Sure,
Speaker 1: we ended up seeing you for dinner later we came
Speaker 1: into town. But to those stories were you know. That's
Speaker 1: why you will always be one of my favorite human
Speaker 1: beings to ever have been on the show.
Speaker 2: Thank you, man, You always.
Speaker 1: Went above and beyond. It was never about you.
Speaker 2: Well, thank you. Well, first of all, you're my friend
Speaker 2: right period, and so friends made a lot to me,
Speaker 2: but also you did a lot for me. And I
Speaker 2: don't want to get too cheesy and stuff, but I'm
Speaker 2: very grateful for the experiences that I've had. I'm grateful
Speaker 2: for the friendships that I've made. And so, yeah, that
Speaker 2: was a blip. I really appreciate you mentioning that. But
Speaker 2: when I say that was a blip to me, it
Speaker 2: was a gesture to say thank you.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: So yeah, that's all I.
Speaker 1: Got why everybody loves Brad you do well because I
Speaker 1: know there's a one offs, but you do that stuff
Speaker 1: all the time and I know for a fact you
Speaker 1: do and that's that's why we all love you. So
Speaker 1: you go into twenty ten, say, and you are the
Speaker 1: Bachelor again, And you said in episode one it wasn't
Speaker 1: about redemption. You didn't need to clear your name because
Speaker 1: you are beloved. Everybody loved you, even though we all
Speaker 1: gave you a hard time. And I think some one
Speaker 1: woman even slapped you on night one.
Speaker 2: Yes she did kind of liked it, you know, it
Speaker 2: showed fire. I mean, let's face it, it showed fire,
Speaker 2: you know.
Speaker 1: So one of the producers obviously came up with the
Speaker 1: idea that a woman would get out of the car
Speaker 1: and slap Brad and said, you know, I think she
Speaker 1: said this is for the whole country or.
Speaker 2: So all the women across America. I think that's a
Speaker 2: direct quote. And can I say something That woman did
Speaker 2: not hold back.
Speaker 1: Now, Oh, she gave you a legit, Slau.
Speaker 2: She rang my bell, Chris.
Speaker 1: That's how the season started. Sure, and that was obviously
Speaker 1: the famous season with Emily Maynard. Yeah, you were partially
Speaker 1: and unfortunately maybe responsible for creating maybe our biggest Starmily Emily.
Speaker 2: Sure you have one. No, that's self creation was.
Speaker 1: An absolute rock star. That is the season that where
Speaker 1: we put her on the map. Was this sweet mom
Speaker 1: and back then I think her daughter was only like
Speaker 1: two or three years old at the time, I was
Speaker 1: very young and she came on your show. And by
Speaker 1: then we were traveling, Yes, we were, yeah, yeah, yeah,
Speaker 1: And I forget where all we went, but I know
Speaker 1: we ended up in South Africa.
Speaker 2: We did Anguilla, Cape Town.
Speaker 1: That's right. Oh my god, I swear to you. So
Speaker 1: Lauren and I just did a auction for Experience Camps,
Speaker 1: this amazing camp for people who have lost a significant
Speaker 1: like a caretaker, a mom and dad, or a sibling.
Speaker 1: And we auctioned off a trip to Anguilla. Did you,
Speaker 1: and I said, Brad Womack season we were at the
Speaker 1: Queens Art Resort.
Speaker 2: To this day, the prettiest place I've ever seen was Yeah.
Speaker 2: But back to Emily as far as her stardom so
Speaker 2: to speak, yeah, I had absolutely nothing to do with
Speaker 2: her light, that's her.
Speaker 1: Just that was the season we introduced I Got You, Okay.
Speaker 2: Got you, got you? Yes, She's just natural. Man, my gosh,
Speaker 2: just a beautiful person inside and out.
Speaker 1: Just jumped off the screen. Yeah, man, there are some
Speaker 1: people that just captivate you.
Speaker 2: Yeah, of course.
Speaker 1: Jojo was another one.
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, I've always wanted to meet her and and.
Speaker 1: You guys are so similar because again Texas people, Her
Speaker 1: and Jordan are amazing.
Speaker 2: I've heard this both of them. I want to meet
Speaker 2: both of them. Let me clarify.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I know, I know what you meant. Jojo
Speaker 1: and Jordan, Raven and Adam are another couple you got
Speaker 1: to meet here that are just incredible. But Jojo was
Speaker 1: another one where you just saw you like, she just
Speaker 1: jumps off the screen. Yes, she does this thing about her.
Speaker 1: But Emily Maynard was your final choice. You actually did
Speaker 1: choose somebody in that season?
Speaker 2: Yes, I did.
Speaker 1: Did you feel the extra pressure coming towards the end
Speaker 1: there to actually make that choice, because I know we
Speaker 1: worried more about landing that plane as we called it
Speaker 1: on the show, because you know, it's like the movie
Speaker 1: Runaway Bride. It's like we've seen this before. Sure, is
Speaker 1: he really going to pull the trigger?
Speaker 2: I hear that.
Speaker 1: And I wanted this for you. I actually you know
Speaker 1: by now we're friends, right and I really want you
Speaker 1: to find love, and I thought it was happening.
Speaker 2: Right well, I wanted it for me too, And you
Speaker 2: know I can't lie and say I didn't feel any
Speaker 2: pressure at all. Of Course I did. Yeah, of course
Speaker 2: I did. But I'll tell you, man to man, I
Speaker 2: wouldn't have chosen anybody if I didn't feel what I
Speaker 2: felt for Emily. And what I felt for Emily at
Speaker 2: that time for me was love. And and you know, people,
Speaker 2: I'm sure there are scoffs going across the nation right
Speaker 2: now right what I felt in that I felt like
Speaker 2: I was in love with this woman, period, and so you.
Speaker 1: Make decisions with the knowledge you have and the feelings
Speaker 1: you have at the time. Of course, it's easy to
Speaker 1: look back and be like, oh, that was crazy. You
Speaker 1: know that first marriage was terrible. It's like at the time,
Speaker 1: that's what we knew talking.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I didn't care about her because she dumps me.
Speaker 2: Sorry for the laugh, but I'm getting it's uh No,
Speaker 2: I genuinely had very strong feelings for her. I take
Speaker 2: marriage and engagements very seriously, of course, and I felt
Speaker 2: lucky as hell man that she was there and accepted.
Speaker 1: Who was I was trying to think, who is number
Speaker 1: two in that season? Was Chantal Yeah, which I was
Speaker 1: trying to think of the others. The other stars on
Speaker 1: that season was Michelle.
Speaker 2: Money, Michelle Man my favorite human beings me too.
Speaker 1: Yah, that's right. I remember what were we in Costa Rica?
Speaker 2: We went to Costa Rica.
Speaker 1: I think you said goodbye to Michelle was in Coasta
Speaker 1: Rica exactly. We were in the r and All region
Speaker 1: of Costa Rica, down where the volcano was blowing up.
Speaker 2: Is she happy, Michelle?
Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, so so she? Uh was going to
Speaker 1: just kind of be a life partner with Mike we
Speaker 1: or the golfer, but they ended up getting married. Good
Speaker 1: for her, and so they are married, and her daughter
Speaker 1: is healthy and fully recovered when she had her trauma.
Speaker 1: And I talked to Michelle from time to time, and
Speaker 1: obviously I'm a huge golf fan, so I keep in touch.
Speaker 1: And she is as explosive and phenomenal and charismatic as
Speaker 1: she was when she was on the show.
Speaker 2: It's funny. And I hope she listens to this because
Speaker 2: I get asked about her more than anybody. Yeah, and
Speaker 2: is she really like that? And I can't sing her
Speaker 2: praises enough because one I love when people are just authentic.
Speaker 1: You know, she is very real, you know, like when
Speaker 1: you what you get with what you see with money
Speaker 1: is what you get with money.
Speaker 2: Yes you do. And and beautiful, I mean strikingly gorgeous woman.
Speaker 2: And I think she owns that a little bit. I
Speaker 2: kind of like it.
Speaker 1: Yeah, she walks the walk, so yes she does.
Speaker 2: So anyway, I'm glad she's happy.
Speaker 1: Yeah, her and Mike are doing great. And I saw
Speaker 1: her out there my son was playing on the cross
Speaker 1: room as pre college, and we swung by and actually
Speaker 1: went to their house because we were going to the
Speaker 1: airport and we're all sweaty and nasty. We actually went
Speaker 1: to her Mike's house to shower up, I have lunch,
Speaker 1: and then we went to the airport. But I keep
Speaker 1: in touch with her and she's doing really well. Try
Speaker 1: to think who other because there was that was a
Speaker 1: star studded show.
Speaker 2: Ashley both Ashley's were is it a bear? And yes,
Speaker 2: Ashley Abart Spivey's Spivey. Yes, I've heard Ashley Spivey doesn't
Speaker 2: like me. I mean, I don't even pay attention to.
Speaker 1: Who also went on to be our bachelorette.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean amazing.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that was a I was trying. There's certain seasons
Speaker 1: that produced stars, sure, just all stars for one reason
Speaker 1: or another. And for that season to to have produced
Speaker 1: two bachelorettes and stars that went on to Paradise and
Speaker 1: Summer Games and all these things. We did all the
Speaker 1: incarnations of the show. So you know, you may not
Speaker 1: have found love, but you gave us a lot of stars.
Speaker 2: I found love. It just didn't work out, you know.
Speaker 1: And so you left the show engaged.
Speaker 2: Yes, I did. And I'm proud to say that, you know.
Speaker 2: And and Emily was a great addition to my life.
Speaker 2: And and you know, great, I guess I hate to
Speaker 2: say experience. I don't know that it is a chapter.
Speaker 1: It was a chapter of your life, perfect way to
Speaker 1: put it.
Speaker 2: And you know, I have literally no regrets on that,
Speaker 2: and you know, it is what it is. We're definitely
Speaker 2: two different people and and so you learn that, you know,
Speaker 2: when you.
Speaker 1: Go and like Michelle Money, I mean, Emily is I
Speaker 1: mean married and children do it. She's just crushing it
Speaker 1: and happy. She just be adore her too.
Speaker 2: Yeah, me too.
Speaker 1: I'm glad she's doing well.
Speaker 2: Me too.
Speaker 1: Man and Ashley a bear as well. It's it's funny,
Speaker 1: you know, I keep in touch, especially back then the
Speaker 1: you know, the people that came off the show. It's
Speaker 1: like we just all got closer at the time. We
Speaker 1: spent a lot of intimate time together. Of course, you know,
Speaker 1: the show got more professional as we went on, but
Speaker 1: that also kind of detached us in a way from
Speaker 1: some emotions and connections of relationships that we built on
Speaker 1: the show. But famously, obviously you and Emily didn't work
Speaker 1: out what has life been like kind of post show?
Speaker 1: You you obviously had the bars here in Austin. That
Speaker 1: was amazingly successful. You opened some in Houston, you opened
Speaker 1: bar in Nashville. You and your brother, your partner's created
Speaker 1: an amazing business. But what about love. I've known, and
Speaker 1: I hopefully I'm okay to out you. I know you've
Speaker 1: dated a couple of times. Of course, you've had some
Speaker 1: serious relationships, of course, but as far as I know,
Speaker 1: nothing stuck.
Speaker 2: No, no, nothing. So well, you know, so I dated
Speaker 2: a girl for about seven years, you know, after Emily,
Speaker 2: and it's one of those things that things just kind
Speaker 2: of fizzled unfort It's just one of those things. I mean,
Speaker 2: madly in love with a woman at the time, and
Speaker 2: you know, you just move on. Right now, I'm kind
Speaker 2: of laying low. You know. It's and I'll tell you
Speaker 2: why it's. You mentioned the bars, and I know I
Speaker 2: mentioned this when I got here. But you know, we
Speaker 2: just recently sold our company. And while that's really exciting,
Speaker 2: I'm in the biggest transition of my life. Man.
Speaker 1: It's weird.
Speaker 2: I'd moved to Nashville to kind of we're going to
Speaker 2: expand out there, and then decided maybe this isn't the
Speaker 2: road we want to go down. And so and when
Speaker 2: I say we my business partner's fat. But anyway, and
Speaker 2: so there's nothing for me in Nashville, So now I'm
Speaker 2: moving back. So bottom line is it's really really hard, yea,
Speaker 2: to even ask a girl on a date when I
Speaker 2: don't have a home to go to, you know, I mean,
Speaker 2: I'm staying with my brother right now. I'm looking for
Speaker 2: a home in Austin.
Speaker 1: Nothing's changed.
Speaker 2: Trying to figure out, you know, what's next in life?
Speaker 1: Well, this is a it's you. You're an interesting point
Speaker 1: in your life. I mean, you're you know, you and
Speaker 1: I are both just on the other side of fifty, yes, sir,
Speaker 1: And which is an interesting time anyway, is when you
Speaker 1: really take stock in your life and you get kind
Speaker 1: of reflective and you think, Okay, what do I want
Speaker 1: for the back nine of life?
Speaker 2: That's the thing.
Speaker 1: And you have just especially when you have a major
Speaker 1: cash event, you've cashed out whatever that means. It could
Speaker 1: be good, bad, whatever. You've hit two pivotal moments in
Speaker 1: your life, sure, turning fifty and then getting out of
Speaker 1: your business. Now you have to decide what is that?
Speaker 1: What does it look like now? What is what is
Speaker 1: the why? What's the how?
Speaker 2: The purpose? You know, and we you and I discussed
Speaker 2: purpose a long time ago, right and and frankly, and
Speaker 2: you know, my biggest purpose is work. I don't know why.
Speaker 2: I've always been that way, and so now I'm kind
Speaker 2: of lost a little bit. I've recently joined a new
Speaker 2: company and I'm really excited about that. It's so you're
Speaker 2: working again, I am. I just started last week. And man,
Speaker 2: it's I know, I can't help it. Man, it's but
Speaker 2: I believe in this company. It's you know, and and
Speaker 2: I don't know if I have the capacity or whatever
Speaker 2: to describe it. I don't want to bore your listeners
Speaker 2: or anything, but.
Speaker 1: In general, what do you do?
Speaker 2: I'll tell you. It's it's called the Collective. It's here
Speaker 2: in Austin, but we're expanding nationwide. It's a social performance club.
Speaker 2: And what that is. It's state of the art training facility.
Speaker 2: We have an athletic recovery lounge, we have a co
Speaker 2: working space, we have a.
Speaker 1: Wait, is this the one that's in downtown Austin.
Speaker 2: Yes, And I'm trying to get you and Lauren in there.
Speaker 1: Dude, I have heard about this.
Speaker 2: It's a good deal.
Speaker 1: But every professional athlete, yes, within a thousand miles of
Speaker 1: here goes there.
Speaker 2: So I'm glad you're I'm glad you're bringing that up
Speaker 2: because I'm trying to be humble.
Speaker 1: Dude, I've so this is crazy. I had no idea
Speaker 1: you were involved in this. I've had several people, professional athletes,
Speaker 1: tell me you have to go it's I think it's
Speaker 1: it's downtown Austin, right.
Speaker 2: So there's two locations. The one my office out of
Speaker 2: is on South Congress, right behind St. Celia, and then
Speaker 2: we have a location up north. But yeah, so, but
Speaker 2: I mean, you would love it. Our our membership base,
Speaker 2: and it doesn't it's not all professional athletes. It's every guy,
Speaker 2: every day guys like me. But I want to bring
Speaker 2: up something important. We also have a full blown medical
Speaker 2: practice within the facility, okay, And what that means is,
Speaker 2: you know, peptides are all the reasons now and all
Speaker 2: of that, and so we do all of that. You
Speaker 2: can get your blood work done, and so I really
Speaker 2: believe in the expansion of the business.
Speaker 1: That's amazing. So yeah, man, Well Jesus you're a walking billboard.
Speaker 2: Well I appreciate you if.
Speaker 1: You've always been built like a brick out house, but
Speaker 1: I appreciate it we're on the other side of fifty
Speaker 1: now and it's not that easy to look like that.
Speaker 2: Now. Well, I'm trying. We just discussed I'm single, but
Speaker 2: somewhat perpetually. I need to keep up, you know, with
Speaker 2: all the cool kids.
Speaker 1: Well, congratulations on that. And by the way, the collective,
Speaker 1: I love that you guys are expanding, and I will
Speaker 1: come see it because I've heard amazing things. So you're
Speaker 1: diving into that, sure, which I get. And by the way,
Speaker 1: you can't stop what you love to do. And if
Speaker 1: work is something that's passionate to you, it is you
Speaker 1: should continue that passion.
Speaker 2: Thank you man.
Speaker 1: You can only go play so much pickleball or off
Speaker 1: or whatever it's. You've got to keep your mind active,
Speaker 1: and you're good at it, clearly.
Speaker 2: Thank you man. Well, that's the thing about it. It's
Speaker 2: you know, I'll be really honest. I think, like anybody,
Speaker 2: when we were going through our exit for the business,
Speaker 2: I'm gonna admit this to you. I mean I was
Speaker 2: looking at retiring, I mean homes in the mountains and
Speaker 2: here's my chance. I'm out, buddy, I'm out.
Speaker 1: Well this is you know, go all.
Speaker 2: I was gonna say, careful what you wish for because
Speaker 2: I sat on my butt for about a month and
Speaker 2: I went out of my mind. Yeah, and I could
Speaker 2: not be happier with the leaders, the CEO and founders
Speaker 2: of Collective. I know those guys are really good dudes,
Speaker 2: and just said, hey, that's awesome. I think you can
Speaker 2: add value to us. Yeah, And so I jumped right
Speaker 2: in and we'll see what happened.
Speaker 1: So I'll crack the door on you know, my own situation. Yeah, please, Well,
Speaker 1: because I went through something very similar. I was, you
Speaker 1: know when I left the show a few years ago,
Speaker 1: even though it was tumultuous and it made your first
Speaker 1: season look really tame.
Speaker 2: Sure, surely imagine.
Speaker 1: But with that said, you know, I had gotten to
Speaker 1: the point in my life where I was fine, And
Speaker 1: of course I thought there was a moment, a brief
Speaker 1: moment where I thought, Okay, you can be done. Do
Speaker 1: you want to be done? You know? Do you want
Speaker 1: to just question with social media? With everything going on?
Speaker 1: Do you know family is the most important thing to me?
Speaker 1: And I was already falling in love with and in
Speaker 1: love with Lauren, saw a life there and was working
Speaker 1: really hard on that. My kids are older and I'm
Speaker 1: coming close to being an empty nester. Do you just
Speaker 1: hang it up? And you know, like you said, go
Speaker 1: find that place in the mountains or go down to
Speaker 1: Cabo And And I spent a little time post divorce
Speaker 1: from the show and allowed myself to heal, allowed myself
Speaker 1: to feel that, and I quickly realized I can't do
Speaker 1: that either.
Speaker 2: Oh I know you can't.
Speaker 1: I can't. I just couldn't walk away and do nothing.
Speaker 2: Sure, yeah, that's not who you are. And I want
Speaker 2: to jump in on something, turn it on you. Yes,
Speaker 2: So I'm not taking over your podcast. I'd be a disaster.
Speaker 1: There's no rules here.
Speaker 2: Two things, well, actually three. The first thing, I think
Speaker 2: that's the best thing that ever happened to you. Man. One.
Speaker 2: I think you are that franchise period. You are the show.
Speaker 2: Everyone knows it. And I'm not going to get into
Speaker 2: my feelings of of right or wrong, but that was
Speaker 2: the best thing that happened to you. You and l
Speaker 2: Z I'm talking after everything. Yeah, I've never seen two
Speaker 2: people that are so meant to be with each other.
Speaker 2: When I had dinner with you guys, yeah, I was
Speaker 2: in awe. I mean, you're finishing each other's sentences kind
Speaker 2: of nauseating. You're yeah, I mean you you both are
Speaker 2: just so full of love and respect for each other.
Speaker 2: So that's one another great thing that happened. And also
Speaker 2: heard through the grapevine that you're getting back into production
Speaker 2: a reality dating show. I mean, you can't stay away,
Speaker 2: this is what I've heard. But yeah, I mean look
Speaker 2: at you, man. You you are a producer, right, I
Speaker 2: mean you produce and you work, and so I could
Speaker 2: have told you weren't going to hang it up. I mean,
Speaker 2: that's just not you. There was saying I'm happy for you.
Speaker 1: Yeah, we're involved. Thank you, by the way, thank you
Speaker 1: for all the accolades, and you love You're right, Lauren
Speaker 1: is easily the greatest thing that's ever happened to me.
Speaker 1: She is God. She's such a treasure and on so
Speaker 1: many levels. And we had the dinner with you. We
Speaker 1: went to Uchi, one of our favorite joints here at Austin.
Speaker 1: Tyson Cole gave you a shout out, but not that.
Speaker 2: He needs it.
Speaker 1: You can't get in there, man. Yeah, trients money. But
Speaker 1: and I've gotten to know him, by the way, great Kally,
Speaker 1: really interesting guy, unbelievably fascinating. But that dinner I remember
Speaker 1: that vividly, and we were still fairly new at the time.
Speaker 1: I don't think we're even engaged. And I was so
Speaker 1: excited for you to meet her, because yeah, she's just
Speaker 1: such a jewel in my life. And she was kind
Speaker 1: of of the impetus for hey, you're not even close
Speaker 1: to done. But of course, let's get your ship back together.
Speaker 1: And so we uh, you know, and talk about your
Speaker 1: first point. The greatest thing that ever happened to me.
Speaker 1: You know, blessings and gifts from God and you know,
Speaker 1: answered prayers and all that. They don't always come in
Speaker 1: a box, you know, with a bow under it, under
Speaker 1: the tree. You know, it's never how you ask for it, right,
Speaker 1: but they show up in your life just the same.
Speaker 1: And I did need a a an event in my
Speaker 1: life to get me out of one thing and get
Speaker 1: me to the next, because complacency, whatever you call it.
Speaker 1: I was comfortable. I was working. You know, you're making
Speaker 1: a lot of money. Life is good. Why are you
Speaker 1: going to upset the apple cart? You know?
Speaker 2: Also pick you're loyal man, and well.
Speaker 1: That's a big part of it.
Speaker 2: And and and sometimes to your own fault, I think
Speaker 2: you're loyal. Well, but I know for sure I'm saying it.
Speaker 2: You don't have to thank you, but no I do.
Speaker 2: And I'm glad you see that. But yeah, it's not
Speaker 2: like you to walk away from anything. And yeah, best
Speaker 2: thing that could ever happen to you. Man.
Speaker 1: I I totally agree with you. And it just takes
Speaker 1: you a minute to kind of see that from the
Speaker 1: thirty thousand foot level that everybody else sees it. And
Speaker 1: you were. And by the way, uh, to credit you,
Speaker 1: You've always been a dear friend, one of the first
Speaker 1: people to reach out to me and just say I
Speaker 1: love you, I'm here if you need me, if you
Speaker 1: need to escape, I'm here, you know, come in and
Speaker 1: take over my house again. Sure, but I appreciate the
Speaker 1: fact that you never question, never just were there.
Speaker 2: Oh man, well of course you're you're my friend.
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, And so I always was grateful for that,
Speaker 1: and Lauren quickly realized, oh this is a good man.
Speaker 2: Oh well, well, I appreciate that, man. But back to her,
Speaker 2: and let's sing her praises again.
Speaker 1: You know, we're sitting below all her Emmy awardins. I know, right,
Speaker 1: But the house that Lauren built.
Speaker 2: I don't waste too much time. But It's a real
Speaker 2: good feeling to see two people that are just meant
Speaker 2: and and John.
Speaker 1: We were so bummed you could know. So you weren't
Speaker 1: at our wedding. Yeah, clearly you were invited. You had
Speaker 1: an unfortunate event and you were at a funeral, man, unfortunate,
Speaker 1: but I'm glad you were there. Yeah, but we missed you, man,
Speaker 1: because it just wasn't the same without you here in Austin.
Speaker 2: You know what's so funny is I I listened to
Speaker 2: one of your podcasts that you were going over, just
Speaker 2: kind of recapping, right, and and all that's fun. It's more,
Speaker 2: I'm really sorry I couldn't support my friend. I just
Speaker 2: wanted to see because that's such a big moment with
Speaker 2: l Z in particular. Yeah, you know, you'd gotten to
Speaker 2: know her, of course, but just seeing you guys so happy,
Speaker 2: and then, let's face it, man, I'll admit I would
Speaker 2: have loved to have met some of the people from
Speaker 2: the past.
Speaker 1: Yeah, they would have loved you too.
Speaker 2: Yeah, well that's yet to be determined.
Speaker 1: But you know, we had a little little cocktail party
Speaker 1: here at the house the night before, and like you know,
Speaker 1: it was like thirty or forty of us. It was
Speaker 1: just our kind of tight knit group and obviously you
Speaker 1: would have been there to meet everybody. That was a
Speaker 1: really cool night because it's where kind of old school
Speaker 1: met new school and everybody kind of crossed over and
Speaker 1: it was a really special, like intense, emotional night. But
Speaker 1: you know the fact that Lauren and I have moved on,
Speaker 1: created this new endeavor with Merritt Street Media, which is
Speaker 1: on the air now with doctor Phil.
Speaker 2: I've heard this, you know.
Speaker 1: Having just having doctor Phil come in my life, sure
Speaker 1: and is and you know, I have to give his
Speaker 1: wife credit as well, Robin, who's amazing and they're friends
Speaker 1: of ours now, Like what a treasure like. And that
Speaker 1: wouldn't have happened if I hadn't left there, you go,
Speaker 1: if if that moment didn't happen, that jarring, tumultuous time
Speaker 1: led to this incredible endeavor that we've created now here
Speaker 1: in Texas.
Speaker 2: So what more could you ask for me?
Speaker 1: Nothing like nothing? I have the woman in my dreams.
Speaker 1: We're starting this incredible blank slate of a production right
Speaker 1: that we can do what we want and throw it
Speaker 1: against the wall and have a proponent in our corner
Speaker 1: like doctor Phil. Uh I guess the only question is
Speaker 1: are you ready for a third time?
Speaker 2: Let's go?
Speaker 1: No, who knows, man, we are doing a reality show
Speaker 1: about love.
Speaker 2: I'll tell you this, buddy. I've learned never to say never,
Speaker 2: you know. But I also know my lane and when
Speaker 2: to stay in it, my limits I do, buddy. I
Speaker 2: I maybe the geriatric version of whatever dating show. But no, man,
Speaker 2: I mean never say never. Who knows. But back to you,
Speaker 2: I'm really proud of you.
Speaker 1: I appreciate that one always feel in your love and
Speaker 1: those that were a part of the show that understood,
Speaker 1: and there were there were those inside the show or
Speaker 1: who had been inside the show that I know what
Speaker 1: really happened, and they know what really goes on and
Speaker 1: what really went on behind the scenes that led to it.
Speaker 1: I always appreciated their silent support and love and that
Speaker 1: that meant the most to me. I bet so, and
Speaker 1: you were a part of that. And I'm afre I
Speaker 1: will always be grateful and and and to move on
Speaker 1: is yeah, it's I'm I'm I know the chapter you're
Speaker 1: in right now because we're in the same chapter, and
Speaker 1: I get it. I I've never been more excited. Yeah, man,
Speaker 1: maybe because we don't have to do it.
Speaker 2: That's the thing. That's that's such a good point, you know.
Speaker 2: That's another thing. Chad and I both promised ourselves that
Speaker 2: anything that we do after this, we're going to absolutely
Speaker 2: love it, and I mean love it. And and thank
Speaker 2: god I found that and you know, we'll see and
Speaker 2: obviously you did too. But life's short, man, it is.
Speaker 2: I mean, life's really short.
Speaker 1: It's you know, my mom is a great saying. She
Speaker 1: says life is too short, but it's equally too long
Speaker 1: to be miserable.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and that's there you go.
Speaker 1: You know, and whether that's your marriage or a toxic
Speaker 1: relationship or a bad business or whatever. And honestly, that
Speaker 1: was my whole thing with Lauren and falling in love
Speaker 1: and marrying her. It's not that I had to get
Speaker 1: married the first time, but I was young, and it's
Speaker 1: what you do, right, you're checking off boxes. And I
Speaker 1: did marry a very fine woman who became a good
Speaker 1: and all that. But with Lauren, I didn't have to
Speaker 1: do that. Yeah, she didn't have to do that. Yeah,
Speaker 1: she had been married before, and I had been married before.
Speaker 1: I have kids. I didn't need to. It's that I
Speaker 1: wanted to with my whole heart and being It's like
Speaker 1: I got to that point in life where I'm like,
Speaker 1: I want to do this with you. I want to
Speaker 1: be life with you. And so when you are free
Speaker 1: and uninhibited like that, man, it's powerful. Well now you're
Speaker 1: just bragging, man, but I feel like, let me But
Speaker 1: I feel like that in my business life too and
Speaker 1: doing it. And by the way, I'm doing it well
Speaker 1: with Lauren, and you're going to do it as well
Speaker 1: with the collective or you know, whatever it leads to. Sure,
Speaker 1: you're going to do it because you want to.
Speaker 2: Well that's the thing I love about you, guys, I
Speaker 2: mean an absolute power couple and you can share creativity
Speaker 2: and all that you know. And so keep plugging through
Speaker 2: or pushing forward because you guys are doing some big things.
Speaker 2: So let's hear it.
Speaker 1: I just I'm curious because I have pondered this and
Speaker 1: I've I've talked about this with many people. Oh, and
Speaker 1: I just want to know from you, like, why do
Speaker 1: you think you haven't found true love?
Speaker 2: Oh that's a good question. Man. You know I'm allowed
Speaker 2: to deal with you know I'm not the most nurturing guy.
Speaker 2: But but again, back to work, man, we really did work.
Speaker 1: You are a nurturing guy.
Speaker 2: Well, thank you, I appreciate it's such a nurture Okay,
Speaker 2: I'll take that.
Speaker 1: Do you think it's just timing like and just things
Speaker 1: haven't like it's because it's not like you haven't been
Speaker 1: in serious relationships. It's just you commit seven years and
Speaker 1: then seven years go by, and then you commit five
Speaker 1: years and then five years go by. Is it just
Speaker 1: a timing thing?
Speaker 2: And maybe maybe you know something? I'll admit one thing
Speaker 2: I am really I find immense solace and soliditude, and
Speaker 2: so I find that sometimes if I'm in a very
Speaker 2: serious relationship, I produce, if that makes sense, And you
Speaker 2: know what I mean?
Speaker 1: And so well, because you you you dive in one
Speaker 1: hundred percent to that relationship.
Speaker 2: Okay, I'm so concerned about her well being. Okay, you know,
Speaker 2: And and it's soud should be it sound should right,
Speaker 2: But I tend to I'm really comfortable being alone, I
Speaker 2: mean really comfortable being alone. And so and a lot
Speaker 2: of times, especially a partner that you are in love
Speaker 2: with doesn't see about you in alone time.
Speaker 1: Well, you need someone who is fiercely independent. And because
Speaker 1: I don't think to you, well, I don't think to
Speaker 1: your degree. But I like I like being alone, do
Speaker 1: you Yeah? I like my time alone because I spent
Speaker 1: so much time alone, you know, for twenty years when
Speaker 1: I was traveling with the show. Yeah, I was alone.
Speaker 1: Like when we're in South Africa and you're all looking
Speaker 1: at elephants or whatever. I was at that Sabby Sands
Speaker 1: resort by myself.
Speaker 2: It's a great point for a week, Yeah, great point
Speaker 2: in the.
Speaker 1: Middle of effing nowhere.
Speaker 2: You know.
Speaker 1: I would see a couple of people from the crew whatever.
Speaker 1: But it was a I had to really learn to
Speaker 1: be alone, and that's a good skill to have. Yeah,
Speaker 1: but you've got to be careful because, like you said,
Speaker 1: it could take over your life, and it can. You
Speaker 1: can almost want that and need it so much that
Speaker 1: you rail against finding companionship.
Speaker 2: Maybe that's it, man, you are a therapist. I love this.
Speaker 2: I needed this, But no, I think you hit the
Speaker 2: nail on the head. And I'm beginning to learn a
Speaker 2: little bit that you know, I do. I value relationships
Speaker 2: immensely and frankly, I want a relationship badly, you know,
Speaker 2: and one that's permanent, you know.
Speaker 1: And I think you need someone like Lauren, Like Lauren's
Speaker 1: great because for many reasons, but one of the things
Speaker 1: she does. She has a very badass group of girlfriends.
Speaker 1: They have been friends, best friends since college. They take
Speaker 1: these girls trips and they talk, or she'll just up
Speaker 1: and leave and go see her mom in Chicago or
Speaker 1: her sister in Florida or whatever.
Speaker 2: She just goes.
Speaker 1: Yeah, she's like and she's like, I need time away
Speaker 1: from you too. I like that, like that, you know,
Speaker 1: within the house. Sometimes she's like, I need a Bravo night.
Speaker 1: I'm gonna go just watch Bravo and like like, stay away.
Speaker 1: I love it, and I know to go into the
Speaker 1: other side of the house. Sure, you know, I'll watch
Speaker 1: golf channel. Sure, I think that is important.
Speaker 2: Maybe so I think you.
Speaker 1: Need somebody who understands to love fiercely and intensely. But
Speaker 1: it's more about quality than quantity, and that, you know,
Speaker 1: Brad Womack needs some time, go work, go do your thing. Sure,
Speaker 1: when I do get you, I'll take you.
Speaker 2: Oh, man, I give That's one thing I can say.
Speaker 2: I give one hundred percent of myself when we're when
Speaker 2: the time comes. Obviously, you know, I don't know, man,
Speaker 2: I've obviously been asking question a lot. I promise nothing
Speaker 2: is too strange up there, you know.
Speaker 1: But that's the thing is, I know there's not like
Speaker 1: I know, you're a great guy. I mean look at you.
Speaker 1: You're still you know, a handsome devil come and that
Speaker 1: that's all there. And I know that deep down there
Speaker 1: is this I always say with braggo because a lot
Speaker 1: of people have asked me because you're you're one of
Speaker 1: my big conundrum in life where it's like I'm like
Speaker 1: grabbing these two extensions extension cords and they're like so
Speaker 1: close to plugging in. I'm like, I just can't quite
Speaker 1: figure out, like why this amazing, dude. But life's funny
Speaker 1: and love's funny like that.
Speaker 2: It is it is, and maybe maybe you hit the
Speaker 2: nail on the head. I just need to find someone
Speaker 2: that's and when I say fiercely independent, yeah that doesn't
Speaker 2: need or expect a text every hour or something. I
Speaker 2: mean we're all doing our thing and I'm damn sure
Speaker 2: not sleeping around chea. I've never cheated or anything, you know,
Speaker 2: And so you know all of that.
Speaker 1: And someone who can trust and understand go live your life.
Speaker 1: And that's I think that is uh, that is out there,
Speaker 1: and that's an important thing when you go into that
Speaker 1: next relationship to define it as such and not put
Speaker 1: the cart before the horse to where you all dive
Speaker 1: in and you show this one life but need another.
Speaker 1: It's almost like when you get into this life, it's like, hey,
Speaker 1: these I needed to define at fifty two, fifty one
Speaker 1: years old. I need to just define the kind of
Speaker 1: relationship I'm looking for.
Speaker 2: There you go, Yeah, you're going to see an application
Speaker 2: come through for your reality show five minutes after I
Speaker 2: leave here. We got this, why not, let's go, let's go.
Speaker 1: But I'm excited you're moving back to Austin.
Speaker 2: Man, Thank you. Man. If you need.
Speaker 1: A place to stay in the meantime, if Chad kicks
Speaker 1: you out, you know, I got an ext.
Speaker 2: Chair for you. Careful what you wish for? Oh you?
Speaker 1: If you know your brand.
Speaker 2: Not at all? But well I know your son's coming
Speaker 2: back home. Congratulations, Thank you a way. Yeah, and seems
Speaker 2: like your family man, just some really highly motivated people.
Speaker 1: We're in a good season right now.
Speaker 2: That's good.
Speaker 1: I always say life is full of seasons. Yes, sir,
Speaker 1: there are good ones, there are bad ones. We will
Speaker 1: all have bad ones. Lord knows. We're in a good
Speaker 1: season right now.
Speaker 2: I like it for you, man, knock on what Yeah,
Speaker 2: that will too, But.
Speaker 1: That and just when when you're in a good season,
Speaker 1: you just got to enjoy it, you know.
Speaker 2: I agree with you. Well, hopefully, man, when I'm back permanently,
Speaker 2: I'd love to take you and Lauren to dinner or something.
Speaker 1: You know it's going to happen. Thank you, my friend. Yeah,
Speaker 1: of course, thank you for everything.
Speaker 2: You kidding me. I mean, it's just I said this
Speaker 2: to you before we got on here. I'm going to
Speaker 2: say this publicly that if you asked me to do something,
Speaker 2: I'm going to do it because I know it comes
Speaker 2: from a great place and I just want to hang
Speaker 2: out with you. So good to see you, man.
Speaker 1: Thanks for listening. Follow us on Instagram at the most
Speaker 1: Dramatic pod ever, and make sure to write us a
Speaker 1: review and leave us five stars. I'll talk to you
Speaker 1: next time.