March 20, 2025 • 24 mins
Parisa Shifteh was sent home on Grant’s season, but she’s ready to spill all with Ben and Ashley!
Find out what she really thinks Grant is looking for in a partner, and why she isn’t surprised by who he picked for the Top 2.
Plus, Parisa opens up about going to Paradise and why looking for lizards was her favorite thing to do in the Bachelor Mansion!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast
with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Hello, everyone, welcome to the Almost Famous Podcast. Today we
are joined by Parisa Shifta. You may remember her as
the cat Lady of this season. She also she talked
about going home to her cat. She said it, I didn't.
She also made a PowerPoint presentation showing Grant the life
that they would live together if they were to get engaged.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Hello, and welcome to the pod. Parisa.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
Hello, thank you for having me. And don't forget about
my rock collection too.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Oh the rock collection.
Speaker 5 (00:36):
That's right, all right, all right, this is great. I'm
glad you said that. Let's start that out with this.
You knew you were going to bring some shock waves
with talking about a cat and your rock collection, right,
like this was going to be like something that people
spoke about afterwards.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
I didn't think so much about my cat, Sonny, because
I feel like every year there's always someone who talks
about their pet can.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Yeah exactly, which is why I said, you're this year's catie.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
Yeah, this year's But I don't recall there ever being
someone even like a guy. I don't recall anyone ever
having a rock collection or talking about the fact they
have a rock collection.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
No, so why did you decide.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
To I don't know.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
I spoke a lot about because you know, not everything
gets shown, But I spoke a lot about just my
interest in general and rocks. That just happened to be
something that came up a lot because we were talking
about traveling, and like that is something that's huge with me.
When I travel, I love to like look up and
(01:42):
see what types of rocks and minerals crystals are like
really abundant in that country and or even like a state,
and then I that's like my souvenir that I go
and look for and I'll bring back from that country.
So yeah, and I just I think they're just fun
and it's that's different. And yeah, so I just talked about.
Speaker 6 (02:03):
That a lot.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
What else did you talk about that didn't make air
any any conversation that stood out to you like five
months removed?
Speaker 4 (02:11):
Yeah, I guess a lot also about nature, animals and
sex lizards. I told Grant, like during our time, our
downtime at the mansion, there was just so many lizards,
so it would be so fun just like kind of
like walking around the perimeter and just like looking for
just trying to, like, I don't know, catch some lizards.
And there were a couple of girls that were down
(02:34):
to catch lizards with me. It's Chloe and Natalie, So
I knew I could always count on them.
Speaker 6 (02:38):
To like go in a nice little walk.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
But yeah, we talked about that and he said he
was like, oh, that's cool, Like I used to catch
lizards when I was younger, and so we talked about that.
Speaker 5 (02:49):
Okay, so so far we've established that you were open
with Grant about your interests. Yeah, we love your cat, Sonny.
We're big fans of rock collections. I have one. I
actually have a rock tumbler.
Speaker 6 (03:02):
Oh does it work?
Speaker 5 (03:04):
It still works? Oh yeah, big tumble.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
No way, you have a tumbler dedicated to rocks.
Speaker 5 (03:10):
Yeah. It makes them real shiny and smooth and you
can see what's on the inside.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
It's nice a tumbler.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Oh, it's a water bottles like.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
You can put in like the polish and then all
the raw rocks and it just like tumbles them and
it polishes them so it's smooth them out.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Oh okay, So I just want to let you know
what I thought when you said that. I thought that
you had like a tumbler, like a website where you
put all the pictures.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
Oh yeah, like after ten years or nine years of
doing this whatever you say, we've done it for you
just are now finding out that I blog about rocks exactly.
That's cool. And then you're into lizards. Okay, this isn't
exactly and I think it's very I think it's awesome.
What I love about the show is all the unique
stories that come out of this. But it's not exactly
(03:59):
how you lead off. Most people would lead off on dating, like,
it's not exactly what you reveal on the first couple
of dates. So what kind of guy are you looking
for now?
Speaker 6 (04:11):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (04:11):
Like, would he have to have these similar interests? Do
you want to teach him about these things? Are you
hoping to teach Grant about these things and hoping he
would at least find an interest enough to chase lizards
around the yard with you?
Speaker 4 (04:23):
Yeah, you know, it's more like the guy that I'm
looking for, he obviously doesn't need a rock collection or
you know, any of that. It's more of just someone
who's down for new experiences and down for adventure, because
that's how I am too, you know, anytime again, like
planning trips. I just love to be spontaneous and I
(04:45):
love new experiences. It's sometimes it's fun to not plan,
you know, your full day when you're on vacation because
you just kind of see what you want to see
where you know, life takes you, you know, in a
new environment. So just someone who's just down for new
experiences and who can easily adapt.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, did you truly think that he was it like
he could have done that with you?
Speaker 4 (05:09):
He Actually, he seems pretty adventurous and he's he's just very.
Speaker 6 (05:14):
Open to new things.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
Then he like when we would have conversations about traveling,
like we talked about going on a safari that's high
on his list right now with travel and I was like, oh, wow,
like that's incredible because I mean that's like not the
most fabulous vacation going, you know, to a safari with
all these bugs and dangerous animals that you know could
(05:38):
attack you at any second.
Speaker 6 (05:41):
So yeah, I mean he really does seem like that type.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
Well I appreciate about you is your interest in things
that not everybody else is interested in. I think that
is I could ask you a thousand questions about how
you got into it and why you do it. But
I think it's very very cool, and I think it's
something that somebody someday is going to say, Hey, let
me join in on this. It's a great quality, is
(06:08):
my point here. Speaking of great qualities, though, we do
have to dig into Grant a little bit, and so
here it's almost famous podcast. We love the franchise. We
feel like we haven't gotten to know Grant at all
watching this season. We feel like there's something missing, that
(06:28):
his whole story isn't either being told or he's not
communicating it effectively. So we're hoping you can fill some
gaps for us from your experience with Grant and the
time that you were there and the conversations that you had.
What do you know about Grant that maybe the audience
isn't seeing good and bad? Just help us make sense
(06:50):
of him as a human.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
Yes, good question, And you think, because I want to
give you a really good.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
Answer comes to mind, Like your first thoughts when you
think of Grant ellis you're with him, You're on a season.
And here's here's my first response to your hesitation. It's concerned.
It's well, you should know this, like you just got
off of a show with him where he was the
lead of your season, you should be able to be like, hey,
(07:19):
this is what I know about Grant. Instead, you had
a little hesitancy. So I want to know if that's
coming from your like you having a hard time answering
it where you're like, I don't really know how to
answer that, or are you just wanting to phrase it perfectly?
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Yeah, I want to phrase it perfectly. It seems like
he genuinely was looking for you know. Yes, he kept
saying a wife, but that was more defined as like
a best friend, you know, you know, and he would
ask all the girls about all about themselves, like what
do you like to do? You know, where do you
(07:53):
want to travel? Just to find those common similarities as
well as, you know, learning more about them and their
background and where they come from. But I feel like
he wanted to find someone that he really connected with,
had both that emotional connection, physical connection, just his best
friend that he can you know, do life with and such.
(08:16):
I feel like a lot of the conversations were always
around that of like where can we be in the
future together?
Speaker 6 (08:23):
Like how do how do you see the future with me?
How do I see the future with you? So kind
of I feel like that's what he was looking for.
Speaker 5 (08:34):
Okay, that's great, that's on this show. But do you
feel like you got to know him through this problems?
Speaker 6 (08:41):
Oh no, and he didn't really get to know me.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Okay, Yeah, we're down to Latia and Juliana. Now, did
there those girls stand out to you as being the
front runner that he was? He always looking at them
(09:07):
when you guys were in a group setting.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Yeah, I'm not surprised that it's both of them, you know.
Speaker 6 (09:14):
I it's obvious.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
We see like every episode Lati is always called first,
you know, in the rose ceremonies, and.
Speaker 6 (09:21):
With Juliana as well. You know, it's funny.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
I would always tell the girls anytime, like I would
kind of sneak up around the corners sometimes and like
just like kind of watch if like a girl whoever
is with Grant, because I just love to just watch.
I love to watch how the girl's looking at him
and how Grant's looking at the girl, and I just
I don't know then I like kind of you know,
like you just piece things together.
Speaker 6 (09:45):
So that was something I would do. And I remember.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
In Madrid, I like sneaked up on Juliana and Grant
and then I told Juliana. I was like, oh, like
that looked really good. And I just I don't know.
I see things and you can just I don't know.
I'm not I guess I can just say I'm not
surprised with the final two.
Speaker 5 (10:08):
It's always fun to have an upfront seat at during
the show. Jared Ashley's husband and myself used to watch
often and be like, this is crazy. Nobody's gonna believe
this is happening, and we're sitting here watching it. Yeah,
it is fun. So now that you watch during the
season and now you're watching it back, what has kind
(10:29):
of been your response as you see it on TV,
especially the weeks you aren't there, Is there anything shocking
to you?
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Yeah, because even during my time there and then watching
those episodes, we never none of us knew what was
going on behind closed doors when you were having the
private one on one conversation with Grant, So that was
always always interesting to watch. It'd be like, oh, like,
that's what they were talking about, or that's what that was.
And yeah, now too with not being on any Yeah,
(11:04):
I I a lot of it.
Speaker 6 (11:06):
It's I guess it's it's.
Speaker 4 (11:08):
Interesting to see now, like their relationships, how far they
have come since my time there.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Now, you guys don't have a bachelorette? Do you were
when you found out that news that there was no bachelorette?
Was there like an explosion in the group chat where
you guys were like, uh so sucks for us.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Yeah, we were shocked, and I guess everyone was more
like concerned, like why why isn't there going to be
a bachelorette? But yeah, that that was news.
Speaker 5 (11:46):
It's interesting you're bummed, Like everybody's pretty upset.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
I wouldn't say upset, maybe a little bummed.
Speaker 5 (11:55):
Yeah, it's kind of it's I mean, I had a
different scenario, I guess, but I think I would have
enjoyed seeing somebody from my season like become the Bachelor
if it wasn't me, Like it's fun to watch that
play out, like, oh, I know that person and I'm
rooting for that person, and yeah, it's kind of that
(12:16):
way with me in Paradise. I've always enjoyed watching people
I know go on Paradise and seeing their stories play out,
which brings us to Paradise because Paradise is still existing
as far as we know at this point, would you
go on Paradise. Does that feel like someplace that you
could find somebody? Have they called you?
Speaker 4 (12:35):
If the opportunity comes up, Yes, it would be really nice.
I feel like there is a higher success rate with
couples coming from Paradise. And I mean, as you guys,
but now, and I mean that's very that's inspiring, and
(12:55):
I definitely am I am looking. I mean, I was
trying to find the best way to word it. I'm
not getting any younger, and I have been looking for
a while for like my best friend and you know,
someone that I can stay young with. And so if
that opportunity comes up, I feel like that would be
(13:18):
like I think it would. I would be very appreciative
of it, and it would be a blessing because like
looking at the setup of Paradise, I like the fact
that you are taken away from like your everyday life,
no distractions, and you're just thrown on this island, you know,
(13:40):
girls and guys, and then it's just like okay, let's
just see what happens. And it's nice not having like
social media as a distraction work just like the every day,
every day the troubles, there's nothing coming in and distracting
it's just you and that other person and the time
to develop a connection, And I mean, you don't really
(14:01):
get that here.
Speaker 6 (14:03):
I mean that's not really interesting.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Have you been a fan of the show. Do you
have any guys that you would like to put on
your list for the producers to bring on down to
Paradise for you?
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Yeah, I was thinking about it, but then I feel like, too,
I have a thing like, I don't know, I feel
like just looking back with dating, I can I can
tell you like five different times I've gone to my
girlfriend's and I was like, Oh, I think.
Speaker 6 (14:26):
This guy's cute, or oh I kind of want to
pursue this guy, and.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
Once I speak it out into the universe, I just
jinx myself or something happens and it's just like, oh, okay.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
So you don't want to say names? Yeah, no, come on,
give us a name.
Speaker 5 (14:41):
Just one name. This is a good place to do it,
because we just had Mercedes came on and just threw
it out there and he hit her up afterwards.
Speaker 6 (14:51):
Like that's so scary to think about.
Speaker 5 (14:54):
No, you're going on a dating show. This is the
easiest part. They're not even here. So one name of
somebody from the franchise that sit out to. He doesn't
mean you gotta it's got to be the guy, but
it does mean that you'd say you're looking pretty good
on the beach.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
Yeah, okay, that I will say a name. But I
also want to throw out there that I really don't
know much about this guy, his personality, you know, his
dating history. So all I know is what I've just
seen on Instagram.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Yeah, let me guess it's Greg Oh no, oh yeah,
who Blake Blake minds okay.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
Yeah, just very adventurous and you know, love to travel.
Speaker 6 (15:43):
I feel like we would get along very well. But again,
I don't know, you know, his personality.
Speaker 5 (15:48):
And it would be wild if he came back. Now
I'm not saying it won't happen. It very easily could happen.
He would be competing with Chrisky Bukowski as the most
appearances on any season ever.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
He would he would?
Speaker 5 (16:02):
I mean he has a longevience.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
No, no, you would have three, so he'd be tied
with Nick and me.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
He's only done Paradise once.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
Actually yeah, oh, he was only a Paradise ones.
Speaker 5 (16:15):
Okay, okay, So as we kind of wrap up, you're
interested in Paradise. Let's make sure everybody hears that. Who's listening.
The producers of the show are going to be listening.
(16:36):
You're interested in Paradise, you'd be open to relationship in Paradise,
and you're willing to throw names out there of people
you would want to see in Paradise. That's a great start.
You're doing great. That's awesome. As we close up, I
want to go back then to Grant season. Okay, viewers
I think have had a mixed relationship with this season.
(16:58):
I think it's gone where viewers have really wanted to
root for the season and then kind of they've they've
been lost, and now they're kind of going to come back,
I believe for the final episode. It's always a big episode.
If you were to give a sales pitch on why
viewers should tune in, knowing Grant and knowing the two
women left, what would be your sales pitch to them, like,
(17:19):
how do we get viewers to tune into this episode?
Why should they and why should they be rooting for
Grant and whoever he picks at the end.
Speaker 6 (17:27):
Not a great question, or.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
Your answer could be I don't think they should and
that's fine too.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
Oh no, no, I like this stuff. But see I
don't have a background in sale, so like that thought
processing skill is very slow.
Speaker 6 (17:41):
Okay when you think about.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
It, well, I will have another question that could be
perhaps you don't need the sales degree for I'm thinking
that I would love to know your opinion on if
Grant should have picked someone. If in the end and
he was as torn as he is to the point
in which there are rumors that he might flip a
(18:05):
coin to decide.
Speaker 6 (18:06):
I know, so I guess with that.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
I like to be very specific with words and like
emotions and everything, so like feeling torn, I feel like
that word it can mean so many different things, Like
I feel like immediately when someone hears the word torn
in the situation, they're like, he just doesn't know who
he wants to pick.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
It's like fifty to fifty.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
But I feel like it could mean so many other things,
Like it could mean I don't know. It can mean
that he's he's scared, or it's.
Speaker 6 (18:37):
Not I don't know. I don't know what I'm trying
to say.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
But I feel like we mean it in the sense
of conflicted. I cannot decide between the two people in
love with both emotionally just torn, Yeah, because how do
you say goodbye to somebody that you love to say
hello to somebody else?
Speaker 4 (19:00):
And I think looking back to it other seasons, I
mean it's with whoever is the bachelor, you do spend
so much time, like you know, with like the final two,
where of course it's I think it's easy to develop
such strong feelings for both of them, and now it's
(19:20):
getting hard. You know, you're coming down to the decision
of okay, like yes, I you know, could potentially see
myself with both of them, but now I need to
think like long term, you know, taking this relationship that
was that developed in a fixed environment. It's you get
torn to think, Okay, now I'm going to take it
out into the real world, like will this love in
(19:44):
the real world?
Speaker 6 (19:45):
Will it make it? Like we'll make it, you know,
with our busy lifestyles.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
And so I feel like it's just the back and
forth of like thinking, going through those thoughts. And it's
scary too, because what if sometimes I don't know, but
like has a bachelor have they ever thought like, Okay,
this is the girl that I want, But what if
she says no?
Speaker 6 (20:05):
It's like it's that fear too. I feel like, yeah, it.
Speaker 5 (20:09):
Goes through all all all of the leads thoughts at
some point. I don't think there's one lead that's like, yeah,
she's gonna say this, look at me. Well, I actually
I can't say that. There's probably been something that's like,
I I've got this thing shirt up.
Speaker 6 (20:22):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
At the end of the day, it is, it's just
so tricky and like it's so hard to get into
someone's mind and really know everything and how they're feeling,
and all that you can do is just you know,
hope for the best for them, and hope that they
are you know, really happy, and you know.
Speaker 6 (20:39):
And just you know, wish them the best.
Speaker 5 (20:43):
Okay, Well, I got one final question for you. Okay,
you mentioned past seasons. So my assumption is that you've
been a fan of the show or you've watched past
seasons at some level. You've now a part of the
Bachelor alum. It's on your resume. It is a degree
you have. So are you happy you did it? Did
(21:06):
it live up to all of your expectations and thoughts
outside of finding love? Was it everything you hoped it
would be?
Speaker 6 (21:15):
Yeah, it actually was.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
It was a really great experience for me. It helped
me just become more comfortable with who I am. I
remember coming back home after filming and you know, like
you're back on your phone, back on social media, and
I remember going on my Instagram and I was like, wow,
(21:37):
this feels different my page because all the pictures posted
on my page there are pictures that I want to
post to show everyone of like who I am, and
like it was never the real me because I always
felt like before The Bachelor, I never actually told anyone
about my rock collection that I have an interest in nature, animals,
(21:58):
and sex all that. Like, no one, only my best
friends and my family knew that about me. And so
when I came back, I'm like, oh, I don't really
like that, Like I don't like how I you know,
wasn't showing who I was previously. Because my whole time
on the show and you know, with the girls, I
was so accepted and everyone was so nice and asking
(22:19):
me questions about my travels or just my experiences, asking
me about my rock collection all that stuff, and like
even you know, when I'm walking around like the MANSI
if I pick up a spider, any bugs, anything, I
would tell them like oh, here's.
Speaker 6 (22:33):
The fun fact.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
And there was even a snake that like came out
by the pool and I was inside and everyone's screaming
for me to come out. I'm like, oh my god,
I'm like, don't touch it, I'm coming, and I ran
out and I wanted to pick it up, but then
I wasn't allowed to.
Speaker 6 (22:47):
But it was just like things like that.
Speaker 4 (22:48):
I'm like, it's just so nice, like feeling accepted, and
then it made me just so coomfortable. I'm like, you
know what, there's no point for me to like hide
these things and you know, not speak up about like
who I am in my intro. So I I think
like this experience really brought all that out of me.
And now I'm like more confident to be like, yeah,
I have rock collection, so what you.
Speaker 5 (23:09):
Know, lean into it. I'm telling you, it's one of
the greatest things that happens from being on this show
is the revelation of what you've been hiding for so long,
and what you've been maybe ashamed of or not talking about,
or maybe not even knowing how to put words to it.
Lean in to this new level of confidence. I wasn't
(23:31):
kidding when I said I think it's very interesting. I
think it makes you you.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
It is.
Speaker 5 (23:36):
It is unique. It's unique, which is exactly what people
are attracted to, is uniqueness. And so lean into it
and have fun with this kind of new season of life.
I hope it brings you a ton of joy. I
hope we see you on the beach.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
You're perfect for it.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
I can see picking up all the reptiles and all
the crabs.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
Everything Ashley complained about. You're gonna be like it.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
It's gonna be like crabs in my bed. Heck, yeah,
I will.
Speaker 4 (24:08):
I will help anyone who's scared. I will pick them up,
you know, gracefully and let them back, let.
Speaker 6 (24:12):
Them go outside.
Speaker 5 (24:14):
Yeah, it's gonna be great. Hey, thanks for coming on
the podcast. We appreciate having you here. Again. For anybody listening,
tune in pay attention to who's the cast is gonna
be for Paradise. You've gotten to hear from a few
people that were rooting for in the last few weeks.
Uh is one of those that were thrown in that bucket.
(24:35):
So until next time, I've been Ben.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
I've been Ashley.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
See Hey, guys, follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost
Famous podcast on iHeartRadio, or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast
with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Hello, everyone, welcome to the Almost Famous Podcast. Today we
are joined by Parisa Shifta. You may remember her as
the cat Lady of this season. She also she talked
about going home to her cat. She said it, I didn't.
She also made a PowerPoint presentation showing Grant the life
that they would live together if they were to get engaged.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Hello, and welcome to the pod. Parisa.
Speaker 4 (00:31):
Hello, thank you for having me. And don't forget about
my rock collection too.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Oh the rock collection.
Speaker 5 (00:36):
That's right, all right, all right, this is great. I'm
glad you said that. Let's start that out with this.
You knew you were going to bring some shock waves
with talking about a cat and your rock collection, right,
like this was going to be like something that people
spoke about afterwards.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
I didn't think so much about my cat, Sonny, because
I feel like every year there's always someone who talks
about their pet can.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Yeah exactly, which is why I said, you're this year's catie.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
Yeah, this year's But I don't recall there ever being
someone even like a guy. I don't recall anyone ever
having a rock collection or talking about the fact they
have a rock collection.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
No, so why did you decide.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
To I don't know.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
I spoke a lot about because you know, not everything
gets shown, But I spoke a lot about just my
interest in general and rocks. That just happened to be
something that came up a lot because we were talking
about traveling, and like that is something that's huge with me.
When I travel, I love to like look up and
(01:42):
see what types of rocks and minerals crystals are like
really abundant in that country and or even like a state,
and then I that's like my souvenir that I go
and look for and I'll bring back from that country.
So yeah, and I just I think they're just fun
and it's that's different. And yeah, so I just talked about.
Speaker 6 (02:03):
That a lot.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
What else did you talk about that didn't make air
any any conversation that stood out to you like five
months removed?
Speaker 4 (02:11):
Yeah, I guess a lot also about nature, animals and
sex lizards. I told Grant, like during our time, our
downtime at the mansion, there was just so many lizards,
so it would be so fun just like kind of
like walking around the perimeter and just like looking for
just trying to, like, I don't know, catch some lizards.
And there were a couple of girls that were down
(02:34):
to catch lizards with me. It's Chloe and Natalie, So
I knew I could always count on them.
Speaker 6 (02:38):
To like go in a nice little walk.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
But yeah, we talked about that and he said he
was like, oh, that's cool, Like I used to catch
lizards when I was younger, and so we talked about that.
Speaker 5 (02:49):
Okay, so so far we've established that you were open
with Grant about your interests. Yeah, we love your cat, Sonny.
We're big fans of rock collections. I have one. I
actually have a rock tumbler.
Speaker 6 (03:02):
Oh does it work?
Speaker 5 (03:04):
It still works? Oh yeah, big tumble.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
No way, you have a tumbler dedicated to rocks.
Speaker 5 (03:10):
Yeah. It makes them real shiny and smooth and you
can see what's on the inside.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
It's nice a tumbler.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Oh, it's a water bottles like.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
You can put in like the polish and then all
the raw rocks and it just like tumbles them and
it polishes them so it's smooth them out.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Oh okay, So I just want to let you know
what I thought when you said that. I thought that
you had like a tumbler, like a website where you
put all the pictures.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
Oh yeah, like after ten years or nine years of
doing this whatever you say, we've done it for you
just are now finding out that I blog about rocks exactly.
That's cool. And then you're into lizards. Okay, this isn't
exactly and I think it's very I think it's awesome.
What I love about the show is all the unique
stories that come out of this. But it's not exactly
(03:59):
how you lead off. Most people would lead off on dating, like,
it's not exactly what you reveal on the first couple
of dates. So what kind of guy are you looking
for now?
Speaker 6 (04:11):
Uh?
Speaker 5 (04:11):
Like, would he have to have these similar interests? Do
you want to teach him about these things? Are you
hoping to teach Grant about these things and hoping he
would at least find an interest enough to chase lizards
around the yard with you?
Speaker 4 (04:23):
Yeah, you know, it's more like the guy that I'm
looking for, he obviously doesn't need a rock collection or
you know, any of that. It's more of just someone
who's down for new experiences and down for adventure, because
that's how I am too, you know, anytime again, like
planning trips. I just love to be spontaneous and I
(04:45):
love new experiences. It's sometimes it's fun to not plan,
you know, your full day when you're on vacation because
you just kind of see what you want to see
where you know, life takes you, you know, in a
new environment. So just someone who's just down for new
experiences and who can easily adapt.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Yeah, did you truly think that he was it like
he could have done that with you?
Speaker 4 (05:09):
He Actually, he seems pretty adventurous and he's he's just very.
Speaker 6 (05:14):
Open to new things.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
Then he like when we would have conversations about traveling,
like we talked about going on a safari that's high
on his list right now with travel and I was like, oh, wow,
like that's incredible because I mean that's like not the
most fabulous vacation going, you know, to a safari with
all these bugs and dangerous animals that you know could
(05:38):
attack you at any second.
Speaker 6 (05:41):
So yeah, I mean he really does seem like that type.
Speaker 5 (05:46):
Well I appreciate about you is your interest in things
that not everybody else is interested in. I think that
is I could ask you a thousand questions about how
you got into it and why you do it. But
I think it's very very cool, and I think it's
something that somebody someday is going to say, Hey, let
me join in on this. It's a great quality, is
(06:08):
my point here. Speaking of great qualities, though, we do
have to dig into Grant a little bit, and so
here it's almost famous podcast. We love the franchise. We
feel like we haven't gotten to know Grant at all
watching this season. We feel like there's something missing, that
(06:28):
his whole story isn't either being told or he's not
communicating it effectively. So we're hoping you can fill some
gaps for us from your experience with Grant and the
time that you were there and the conversations that you had.
What do you know about Grant that maybe the audience
isn't seeing good and bad? Just help us make sense
(06:50):
of him as a human.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
Yes, good question, And you think, because I want to
give you a really good.
Speaker 5 (06:58):
Answer comes to mind, Like your first thoughts when you
think of Grant ellis you're with him, You're on a season.
And here's here's my first response to your hesitation. It's concerned.
It's well, you should know this, like you just got
off of a show with him where he was the
lead of your season, you should be able to be like, hey,
(07:19):
this is what I know about Grant. Instead, you had
a little hesitancy. So I want to know if that's
coming from your like you having a hard time answering
it where you're like, I don't really know how to
answer that, or are you just wanting to phrase it perfectly?
Speaker 4 (07:31):
Yeah, I want to phrase it perfectly. It seems like
he genuinely was looking for you know. Yes, he kept
saying a wife, but that was more defined as like
a best friend, you know, you know, and he would
ask all the girls about all about themselves, like what
do you like to do? You know, where do you
(07:53):
want to travel? Just to find those common similarities as
well as, you know, learning more about them and their
background and where they come from. But I feel like
he wanted to find someone that he really connected with,
had both that emotional connection, physical connection, just his best
friend that he can you know, do life with and such.
(08:16):
I feel like a lot of the conversations were always
around that of like where can we be in the
future together?
Speaker 6 (08:23):
Like how do how do you see the future with me?
How do I see the future with you? So kind
of I feel like that's what he was looking for.
Speaker 5 (08:34):
Okay, that's great, that's on this show. But do you
feel like you got to know him through this problems?
Speaker 6 (08:41):
Oh no, and he didn't really get to know me.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Okay, Yeah, we're down to Latia and Juliana. Now, did
there those girls stand out to you as being the
front runner that he was? He always looking at them
(09:07):
when you guys were in a group setting.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Yeah, I'm not surprised that it's both of them, you know.
Speaker 6 (09:14):
I it's obvious.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
We see like every episode Lati is always called first,
you know, in the rose ceremonies, and.
Speaker 6 (09:21):
With Juliana as well. You know, it's funny.
Speaker 4 (09:24):
I would always tell the girls anytime, like I would
kind of sneak up around the corners sometimes and like
just like kind of watch if like a girl whoever
is with Grant, because I just love to just watch.
I love to watch how the girl's looking at him
and how Grant's looking at the girl, and I just
I don't know then I like kind of you know,
like you just piece things together.
Speaker 6 (09:45):
So that was something I would do. And I remember.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
In Madrid, I like sneaked up on Juliana and Grant
and then I told Juliana. I was like, oh, like
that looked really good. And I just I don't know.
I see things and you can just I don't know.
I'm not I guess I can just say I'm not
surprised with the final two.
Speaker 5 (10:08):
It's always fun to have an upfront seat at during
the show. Jared Ashley's husband and myself used to watch
often and be like, this is crazy. Nobody's gonna believe
this is happening, and we're sitting here watching it. Yeah,
it is fun. So now that you watch during the
season and now you're watching it back, what has kind
(10:29):
of been your response as you see it on TV,
especially the weeks you aren't there, Is there anything shocking
to you?
Speaker 4 (10:38):
Yeah, because even during my time there and then watching
those episodes, we never none of us knew what was
going on behind closed doors when you were having the
private one on one conversation with Grant, So that was
always always interesting to watch. It'd be like, oh, like,
that's what they were talking about, or that's what that was.
And yeah, now too with not being on any Yeah,
(11:04):
I I a lot of it.
Speaker 6 (11:06):
It's I guess it's it's.
Speaker 4 (11:08):
Interesting to see now, like their relationships, how far they
have come since my time there.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Now, you guys don't have a bachelorette? Do you were
when you found out that news that there was no bachelorette?
Was there like an explosion in the group chat where
you guys were like, uh so sucks for us.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Yeah, we were shocked, and I guess everyone was more
like concerned, like why why isn't there going to be
a bachelorette? But yeah, that that was news.
Speaker 5 (11:46):
It's interesting you're bummed, Like everybody's pretty upset.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
I wouldn't say upset, maybe a little bummed.
Speaker 5 (11:55):
Yeah, it's kind of it's I mean, I had a
different scenario, I guess, but I think I would have
enjoyed seeing somebody from my season like become the Bachelor
if it wasn't me, Like it's fun to watch that
play out, like, oh, I know that person and I'm
rooting for that person, and yeah, it's kind of that
(12:16):
way with me in Paradise. I've always enjoyed watching people
I know go on Paradise and seeing their stories play out,
which brings us to Paradise because Paradise is still existing
as far as we know at this point, would you
go on Paradise. Does that feel like someplace that you
could find somebody? Have they called you?
Speaker 4 (12:35):
If the opportunity comes up, Yes, it would be really nice.
I feel like there is a higher success rate with
couples coming from Paradise. And I mean, as you guys,
but now, and I mean that's very that's inspiring, and
(12:55):
I definitely am I am looking. I mean, I was
trying to find the best way to word it. I'm
not getting any younger, and I have been looking for
a while for like my best friend and you know,
someone that I can stay young with. And so if
that opportunity comes up, I feel like that would be
(13:18):
like I think it would. I would be very appreciative
of it, and it would be a blessing because like
looking at the setup of Paradise, I like the fact
that you are taken away from like your everyday life,
no distractions, and you're just thrown on this island, you know,
(13:40):
girls and guys, and then it's just like okay, let's
just see what happens. And it's nice not having like
social media as a distraction work just like the every day,
every day the troubles, there's nothing coming in and distracting
it's just you and that other person and the time
to develop a connection, And I mean, you don't really
(14:01):
get that here.
Speaker 6 (14:03):
I mean that's not really interesting.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Have you been a fan of the show. Do you
have any guys that you would like to put on
your list for the producers to bring on down to
Paradise for you?
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Yeah, I was thinking about it, but then I feel like, too,
I have a thing like, I don't know, I feel
like just looking back with dating, I can I can
tell you like five different times I've gone to my
girlfriend's and I was like, Oh, I think.
Speaker 6 (14:26):
This guy's cute, or oh I kind of want to
pursue this guy, and.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
Once I speak it out into the universe, I just
jinx myself or something happens and it's just like, oh, okay.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
So you don't want to say names? Yeah, no, come on,
give us a name.
Speaker 5 (14:41):
Just one name. This is a good place to do it,
because we just had Mercedes came on and just threw
it out there and he hit her up afterwards.
Speaker 6 (14:51):
Like that's so scary to think about.
Speaker 5 (14:54):
No, you're going on a dating show. This is the
easiest part. They're not even here. So one name of
somebody from the franchise that sit out to. He doesn't
mean you gotta it's got to be the guy, but
it does mean that you'd say you're looking pretty good
on the beach.
Speaker 4 (15:11):
Yeah, okay, that I will say a name. But I
also want to throw out there that I really don't
know much about this guy, his personality, you know, his
dating history. So all I know is what I've just
seen on Instagram.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Yeah, let me guess it's Greg Oh no, oh yeah,
who Blake Blake minds okay.
Speaker 4 (15:38):
Yeah, just very adventurous and you know, love to travel.
Speaker 6 (15:43):
I feel like we would get along very well. But again,
I don't know, you know, his personality.
Speaker 5 (15:48):
And it would be wild if he came back. Now
I'm not saying it won't happen. It very easily could happen.
He would be competing with Chrisky Bukowski as the most
appearances on any season ever.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
He would he would?
Speaker 5 (16:02):
I mean he has a longevience.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
No, no, you would have three, so he'd be tied
with Nick and me.
Speaker 5 (16:10):
He's only done Paradise once.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
Actually yeah, oh, he was only a Paradise ones.
Speaker 5 (16:15):
Okay, okay, So as we kind of wrap up, you're
interested in Paradise. Let's make sure everybody hears that. Who's listening.
The producers of the show are going to be listening.
(16:36):
You're interested in Paradise, you'd be open to relationship in Paradise,
and you're willing to throw names out there of people
you would want to see in Paradise. That's a great start.
You're doing great. That's awesome. As we close up, I
want to go back then to Grant season. Okay, viewers
I think have had a mixed relationship with this season.
(16:58):
I think it's gone where viewers have really wanted to
root for the season and then kind of they've they've
been lost, and now they're kind of going to come back,
I believe for the final episode. It's always a big episode.
If you were to give a sales pitch on why
viewers should tune in, knowing Grant and knowing the two
women left, what would be your sales pitch to them, like,
(17:19):
how do we get viewers to tune into this episode?
Why should they and why should they be rooting for
Grant and whoever he picks at the end.
Speaker 6 (17:27):
Not a great question, or.
Speaker 5 (17:29):
Your answer could be I don't think they should and
that's fine too.
Speaker 4 (17:33):
Oh no, no, I like this stuff. But see I
don't have a background in sale, so like that thought
processing skill is very slow.
Speaker 6 (17:41):
Okay when you think about.
Speaker 2 (17:43):
It, well, I will have another question that could be
perhaps you don't need the sales degree for I'm thinking
that I would love to know your opinion on if
Grant should have picked someone. If in the end and
he was as torn as he is to the point
in which there are rumors that he might flip a
(18:05):
coin to decide.
Speaker 6 (18:06):
I know, so I guess with that.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
I like to be very specific with words and like
emotions and everything, so like feeling torn, I feel like
that word it can mean so many different things, Like
I feel like immediately when someone hears the word torn
in the situation, they're like, he just doesn't know who
he wants to pick.
Speaker 6 (18:26):
It's like fifty to fifty.
Speaker 4 (18:27):
But I feel like it could mean so many other things,
Like it could mean I don't know. It can mean
that he's he's scared, or it's.
Speaker 6 (18:37):
Not I don't know. I don't know what I'm trying
to say.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
But I feel like we mean it in the sense
of conflicted. I cannot decide between the two people in
love with both emotionally just torn, Yeah, because how do
you say goodbye to somebody that you love to say
hello to somebody else?
Speaker 4 (19:00):
And I think looking back to it other seasons, I
mean it's with whoever is the bachelor, you do spend
so much time, like you know, with like the final two,
where of course it's I think it's easy to develop
such strong feelings for both of them, and now it's
(19:20):
getting hard. You know, you're coming down to the decision
of okay, like yes, I you know, could potentially see
myself with both of them, but now I need to
think like long term, you know, taking this relationship that
was that developed in a fixed environment. It's you get
torn to think, Okay, now I'm going to take it
out into the real world, like will this love in
(19:44):
the real world?
Speaker 6 (19:45):
Will it make it? Like we'll make it, you know,
with our busy lifestyles.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
And so I feel like it's just the back and
forth of like thinking, going through those thoughts. And it's
scary too, because what if sometimes I don't know, but
like has a bachelor have they ever thought like, Okay,
this is the girl that I want, But what if
she says no?
Speaker 6 (20:05):
It's like it's that fear too. I feel like, yeah, it.
Speaker 5 (20:09):
Goes through all all all of the leads thoughts at
some point. I don't think there's one lead that's like, yeah,
she's gonna say this, look at me. Well, I actually
I can't say that. There's probably been something that's like,
I I've got this thing shirt up.
Speaker 6 (20:22):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
At the end of the day, it is, it's just
so tricky and like it's so hard to get into
someone's mind and really know everything and how they're feeling,
and all that you can do is just you know,
hope for the best for them, and hope that they
are you know, really happy, and you know.
Speaker 6 (20:39):
And just you know, wish them the best.
Speaker 5 (20:43):
Okay, Well, I got one final question for you. Okay,
you mentioned past seasons. So my assumption is that you've
been a fan of the show or you've watched past
seasons at some level. You've now a part of the
Bachelor alum. It's on your resume. It is a degree
you have. So are you happy you did it? Did
(21:06):
it live up to all of your expectations and thoughts
outside of finding love? Was it everything you hoped it
would be?
Speaker 6 (21:15):
Yeah, it actually was.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
It was a really great experience for me. It helped
me just become more comfortable with who I am. I
remember coming back home after filming and you know, like
you're back on your phone, back on social media, and
I remember going on my Instagram and I was like, wow,
(21:37):
this feels different my page because all the pictures posted
on my page there are pictures that I want to
post to show everyone of like who I am, and
like it was never the real me because I always
felt like before The Bachelor, I never actually told anyone
about my rock collection that I have an interest in nature, animals,
(21:58):
and sex all that. Like, no one, only my best
friends and my family knew that about me. And so
when I came back, I'm like, oh, I don't really
like that, Like I don't like how I you know,
wasn't showing who I was previously. Because my whole time
on the show and you know, with the girls, I
was so accepted and everyone was so nice and asking
(22:19):
me questions about my travels or just my experiences, asking
me about my rock collection all that stuff, and like
even you know, when I'm walking around like the MANSI
if I pick up a spider, any bugs, anything, I
would tell them like oh, here's.
Speaker 6 (22:33):
The fun fact.
Speaker 4 (22:34):
And there was even a snake that like came out
by the pool and I was inside and everyone's screaming
for me to come out. I'm like, oh my god,
I'm like, don't touch it, I'm coming, and I ran
out and I wanted to pick it up, but then
I wasn't allowed to.
Speaker 6 (22:47):
But it was just like things like that.
Speaker 4 (22:48):
I'm like, it's just so nice, like feeling accepted, and
then it made me just so coomfortable. I'm like, you
know what, there's no point for me to like hide
these things and you know, not speak up about like
who I am in my intro. So I I think
like this experience really brought all that out of me.
And now I'm like more confident to be like, yeah,
I have rock collection, so what you.
Speaker 5 (23:09):
Know, lean into it. I'm telling you, it's one of
the greatest things that happens from being on this show
is the revelation of what you've been hiding for so long,
and what you've been maybe ashamed of or not talking about,
or maybe not even knowing how to put words to it.
Lean in to this new level of confidence. I wasn't
(23:31):
kidding when I said I think it's very interesting. I
think it makes you you.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
It is.
Speaker 5 (23:36):
It is unique. It's unique, which is exactly what people
are attracted to, is uniqueness. And so lean into it
and have fun with this kind of new season of life.
I hope it brings you a ton of joy. I
hope we see you on the beach.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
You're perfect for it.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
I can see picking up all the reptiles and all
the crabs.
Speaker 5 (24:00):
Everything Ashley complained about. You're gonna be like it.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
It's gonna be like crabs in my bed. Heck, yeah,
I will.
Speaker 4 (24:08):
I will help anyone who's scared. I will pick them up,
you know, gracefully and let them back, let.
Speaker 6 (24:12):
Them go outside.
Speaker 5 (24:14):
Yeah, it's gonna be great. Hey, thanks for coming on
the podcast. We appreciate having you here. Again. For anybody listening,
tune in pay attention to who's the cast is gonna
be for Paradise. You've gotten to hear from a few
people that were rooting for in the last few weeks.
Uh is one of those that were thrown in that bucket.
(24:35):
So until next time, I've been Ben.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
I've been Ashley.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
See Hey, guys, follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost
Famous podcast on iHeartRadio, or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
Hosts And Creators
Ben Higgins
Ashley Iaconetti
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