March 13, 2025 • 21 mins
Fresh off her girl's trip to Montana with several other ladies from Zach Shallcross' season, Mercedes Northup is here to spill all the fun (and of course, the dramatic moments!) from the trip. Plus, she spills on if she'd ever return to Paradise and who she would be interested in meeting as Ash & Ben try to call him while she's in the hot seat!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast
with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
It's almost Famas podcast. Today we have one of my
favorites that have ever been on the Beach. I was
a big fan, and I was a big fan of
the storyline because it got a little messy a little bit,
which was fun. Mercedes, Welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Hi, thank you for having me.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
Thank you for being here. Mercedes Northrope. You guys know
her from Zach's season and two seasons ago A Bachelor
in Paradise. Well, I guess there wasn't a season last year,
so it was the last season about well, Mercedes, we
know that there is some sort of casting going on
for Bachelor and Paradise. Have they called you?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
No, they haven't.
Speaker 5 (00:48):
I talked to someone a while ago, but there hasn't
been anything else. But I know that there's like so
many girls, but because there's two seasons because they didn't
do last season, yeah, so there's a lot of girls
that they have to choose from, and.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
So not having done the call, but I was kind
of bummed.
Speaker 5 (01:05):
So I was kind of excited to like maybe do
it again, but who knows, there's still time.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
You never know, So.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
You'd say yes. If they called you tomorrow and said, hey,
we want you to come back, you would say yes.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
I would definitely be open for it because I'm like,
I'm twenty seven, I'm ready to like find someone, and
the dating scene in Nashville is not it, So I
would give the beach another try for sure.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
How long have you been in Nashville for.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Almost six years? Which is crazy?
Speaker 4 (01:32):
So I heard somebody say recently, like is it really
the city or is it just dating in general? What
do you what's your take?
Speaker 5 (01:40):
I honestly think it's dating in general. I feel like
it's so hard, especially like at my age and this, Like,
I don't know, I feel like it's definitely just dating
in general because every person I have friends in like
so many cities and everyone says the same thing. They're like,
dating here is so awful because I'm like, should I move?
Like my husband's literally not here, should I move?
Speaker 3 (01:58):
And They're like, no, it's awful here too. So I
don't know. I guess we're all screwed if we don't
have someone.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
The Bats are honestly makes dating easy.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Literally, I know it really does.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
They used to call Denver Menver now here. It's hard
to date in Denver, so it might be everywhere. It's
just a hard time to date, Mercedes, which brings us
to the next question, which might be a little obvious
based on our conversation so far. But you said you'd
be interested in Paradise because you want to settle down.
You're ready, You're in national ding's not going well, so
you're single. I mean you've been single. Have you like
(02:33):
dated at all? Kind of give us an update on
your romantic relationships.
Speaker 5 (02:37):
I've actually been so single since The Bachelor, Like I
have well in Paradise.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Like I mean, I like talk to people here and there.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
But I'm very much, like I said, I'm ready to
settle down, so like one red flag and I'm like, yeah, no,
like you're not, you know, I'm saying, like I'm not
just like dating today, like I'm actually looking for someone.
So I feel like that definitely makes it harder to
But yeah, very much single, very much single.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
What was your last great date?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
My last great date.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
The beaches of Paradise.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
I know that might have been the last one. I
mean I feel like, I don't know. It's hard because
I feel like the dates that I've.
Speaker 5 (03:16):
Gone on is just like dinner and like drinks, which
is like no one does anything cool anymore or that
I'm talking to anyways, Like no romantic gestures or anything.
It's always just dinner and drinks.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Even in Nashville when there's so much live music.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (03:32):
Literally, that's like another thing about Nashville too, is it's
so like party scene, so like you'll go to dinner
and then you'll just go get drinks and it's like
you just you know, party and drink, which is fun.
But I also like want a man that's like, hey,
I'm a husband. A husband's material like let's go do
something different, but all.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Right, we're gonna take a second here with you. Then okay,
and there might this might not go anywhere, but it
could be the best thing to ever happened to you.
Are you ready?
Speaker 3 (03:59):
I'm ready?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
So you said, like one red flag, you're out. You
said dating's hard. Obviously paradise inn't work.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Now, granted, so many people from this franchise especially kind
of go through that same list. What is it, Mercedes,
if you had to look introspectively into yourself that you're
looking for, that you're not finding, or that you are
desiring that maybe you just aren't seeing that's right in
front of you, Like where and dating? Are you falling short?
(04:32):
I guess is the best way to ask that question.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Yeah, I feel like I don't know.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
I definitely have really high expectations.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
But I think that's.
Speaker 5 (04:43):
It's like a good thing and a bad thing because
I don't give, Like I said, like one red flag
and you're done. Like, I feel like everyone deserves second
chances and stuff. But I feel like I hold people
that I love to a very high standard, or someone
that I potentially see myself loving to a very high standard.
So I feel like I can I definitely like ease
up on that. I feel like that's something that I
could work on.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
But yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Let's go back then to some of the dates that
you've been on since the show. What are some examples
of things that stand out to you that have really
like given you was Ashley would say the ick. I
don't even know if that's still a thing.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
I was thinking about ick too. I like to always
say he grossed me out. I said that before the
ick was even a thing. Yes, sometimes you don't really
know what those things are until you're experiencing them in
person so real.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
Yeah, And it's also like it's so crazy because it'll
just be like in a split second, like it'll be
out of nowhere and I'll be like, oh yeah, I
don't like that.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
I'm not interested anymore. It's kind of crazy. I Like
my mom was.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
Like, maybe, like you shouldn't be so you know, picky,
and I'm like, no, but be Picky's good.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
They just have to be like you know whatever, I'll
tell you this.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
So with Jared or I always said before meeting Jared,
I was like, I know I'll find my person when
like he doesn't gross me out, like no matter how
deep we get into it, like he won't gross me out.
And yeah, yeah, I've really never been picked out by Jared.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (06:08):
Well I also feel like, yeah, once you find someone
that you like, actually love, like you're not like things
don't matter right, like you just sacrifice.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Yeah, like you like you don't even notice it because
you love him so.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Much, Like I do notice him chewing like cereal and stuff,
but like it's all good.
Speaker 5 (06:26):
Yeah, no, literally, because I remember with my ex. I
dated my ex for like two years before the show,
and at the time I didn't realize. But then like
once we broke up, I'm like, actually, yeah, I didn't
like that. But you're so like when I was dating him,
I was so in love where I'm like, no, I
love you, like everything about he's perfect that I look
back and I'm like, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
We've had a group of contestants come through. Obviously you
were on the last season of Bachelor in Paradise, which
I'm assuming for you feels like forever ago, forever.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
If they were to call you and producers from the
show listen to this, they do. I know it because
sometimes I get in trouble, so I know they listen
and they call you and they say, we want you
on the beach because you sound like somebody ready for love.
Who and you can't dodge this question. It's it's unfortunate,
but we are a show about content, and this is
a moment of content. Give us, like, if you can
(07:31):
give us five, great, if you give us three awesome,
if you give us two still good people that you
would love to see there, Okay, I.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Feel like me and Andrew Spencer would like vibe really well.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I see it, I see it.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Yeah, I love him?
Speaker 2 (07:47):
You ever met.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
No, we haven't met, but like we like follow each
other and like we've like facetimed a couple of times
and we just like he's so funny and I feel
but I've never met him in person, and I'm like,
I want to meet him in person just to like
see what is like. So I definitely like wanna see him.
And who else I'm trying to think of, like the
(08:09):
guys on Gen season.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
That are newer.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Yeah, you're gonna go You're gonna just like twist your
brain and be like, yeah, there wasn't one of them.
What about like a justin Glade? Is he single? I
guess I should ask.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
We don't know.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
We don't know what's.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Going on with him and Susie.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
He's a nice guy. I like him. I like Andrew
a lot. Gregg's great, like that group that was.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
A good Katie season.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Yeah, it was a good Katie season. So and that
wasn't that long ago Charity season had who like what
guys are coming off of that?
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Like John?
Speaker 5 (08:41):
So I was with a lot of guys on from
Charity season on my so like John, Henry Sean a
bunch of a bunch of them.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Yeah, Okay, because that's uh, that's Joey was the bachelor
following that, So those are the guy Sean, So we
can't really look into that, we'd have to pull back
from the past. I see an Andrew Spencer relationship popping.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
It's cute. So we really don't have to cross this
off the list. This is a real potential moment.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Throw it out there now, good.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Yeah, let's bringt katies guys for this season of Paradise. Okay,
you have so many girlfriends from the show that you
travel with often. You have these big girl get togethers.
We heard that Latilla was the odd one out or
maybe the new member of the crew at your most
recent trip. How we we kind of know how she
(09:43):
got there. She's friends with somebody, one of your one
of your girls. How did she melt in with the crew?
Speaker 5 (09:52):
She honestly was like it was like she's been like
she was on our season. Like we like literally all
got so cold on that trip when we were in Montana.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
It was cold. It was so freaking cold. We literally
just sat in the house the whole time. Basically we
went on.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
Lobby said it made you guys bitchy to each other?
Speaker 3 (10:10):
No, it actually did. We literally I think.
Speaker 5 (10:12):
Jess was like, yeah, I think we need to stick
with like warmer climates, like this is not for us.
And I'm like that's so true because we were just
like on edge. But no, she literally is amazing.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
I love her. I haven't really been.
Speaker 5 (10:26):
Watching her season, but just meeting her, like she's absolutely Like,
first off, she's stunning, Like she's the most beautiful person
I've ever seen, and she's just so sweet and kind
and she yeah, she got along really well with her group.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
It just shows though am I wrong in saying this? Mercedes? Okay,
So we just talked to Gabby. I watched the Girl's
trip from social media and I was like, that looks
like the best trip of all time, Like that that
looks like it's nothing but highlights. Everybody is just soaking
in the beauty in the mountains. And then we talked
to me, She's like, it was good. It was great.
(11:01):
We had a blast together. We love each other. But
it was like definitely more like contentious than other trips,
and like we got stuck in the snow a little
bit and people were freezing. I was like, it really
is what it sounds like to me is you had
moments of beauty surrounded by moments of this isn't the
best trip we've ever taken together. So social media really
(11:22):
like lifted this thing up right, like we were watching
the highlights of yeah and not the whole thing. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:28):
I definitely think like there was times where we like
but I also like I was telling them this, I
was like, we've been friends for like three years now,
and you guys can probably attest to this like when
you're on the show, Like the friends you meet on
the show, it's a different kind of relationship because you grow,
like you get so class so close so fast because
of just the environment. And I was like, we've been
(11:49):
friends for three years, like this is like normal to happen,
Like it's not you know what I'm saying. So there
was definitely some TIFFs, but it was all love and
we're we were good. But yeah, you definitely saw the
highlights on it and it was still a fun trip.
It wasn't bad because of it, but definitely some tists.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Who do you want from that group to be with
you in Paradise?
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Oh honestly, Jess.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
Yeah, I feel like all the guys want dress too.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
They love Jess. Literally, Jess is like a magnet, like
men just love her. But it's because she's like she's
so nice and so kind and so beautiful. Like I
get it. But I'm like, yeah, you need to come.
You'll be my wingwoman on Paradise.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Mercedes, I feel like you and I are the same.
Like Jess is like the girl that just every guy
around us wants to be with, because like she's just
like self spoken and like so sweet. And then you
and I are just like what you are that big personality.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Yes no, literally me and just leaping each other out.
Speaker 5 (12:43):
But honestly, I will say Jess is like feisty, like
I call her my little chihuah wah. She's like a
little feisty chiua wah, Like she is so sweet that
she gets so feisty too.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Is she Puerto Rican? Yes, yea that like, yeah, it
makes sense. Yes, it's in there. Yeah, obviously you're like
super I mean just kind of how with how the
show's gone, Like your time the show, as we mentioned,
wasn't that long ago, and we sit in this really
weird place. You were on Paradise when the show was
(13:16):
popping off. Really, I mean, you know you're coming into
the like the Golden like era, and then you know,
we have Joey's season, We have all these like really
exciting things and and we've been through this many times before,
but it feels like we're in a lull right now
when it comes to the franchise. So my first question
two parter to you is are you watching, like watching
Grant season.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
I watched the first episode and then I you were just.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
Like it didn't get you right because I was like,
this first episode is a drug and.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
We wanted to come back here Mercedes. And so my
second part of this is like, what does the show
need to do in your opinion to really like spark
things up again?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Yeah, I feel like.
Speaker 5 (13:56):
For Paradise there because have you guys, you guys want
on Paradise c Toy did you guys go?
Speaker 4 (14:01):
Was?
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (14:02):
Okay, I feel like it was just very like you
kind of lay around and like don't do much, you.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Know what I'm saying. Like I feel like if there
was like games or kind of like love islandy not like.
Speaker 5 (14:15):
Obviously it's like on ABC, so it's gonna be family friendly,
but like I feel like just like games or doing
something other than just like laying around and just.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
Talking all the time every day is a little bit monotonous.
I do understand there's a lot of time for talking,
So if you are hitting it up with somebody, it
could be great, but it's also like a little worri zone.
You're like, what are you gonna do together than just
talk all day? That's why everybody gets so excited for
dates in Paris. Yes, but yeah, you're right, if we
(14:44):
had like some more group activities that, yeah, that'd be good. Yeah,
that'd be good TV too.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
When I was there, we played what did we play?
Truth or Dare?
Speaker 5 (14:52):
One night we were just bored and we were like,
we're playing Truth or Dare? And we did it and
it was so much fun. I don't even think it aired,
to be honest, I don't think it did. But it
was so fun and it like made everyone. It just
like lifted the move, you know what I'm saying. And
so I feel like them doing that would like really one,
it would stir the pot, two, which is good for
(15:13):
viewers if they're like trying to get more viewers, and
then two like it's just I don't know, I just
think it's more fun.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
But what about the main show?
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Oh, for a Bachelor A Bachelorette.
Speaker 5 (15:25):
Yeah, I mean I feel like, I don't know. I
honestly am so bad. I mean I watched Joey season
a little bit, but I mean Joe's season did so
good though, Like, I don't know, I feel like his
season was really good.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
It's kind of a mix between casting. I mean, I
think the lead and how popular the lead is coming
off of the previous season I think is a huge
factor for sure. And I do think the format gets,
you know, monotonous when we have all these other shows
competing with it now, and instead of watching The Batcher,
you could watch you know, Love is Blind and see
(16:10):
them try to make life together and figure out what
it looks like in the end. I get it. Yeah,
but you're really talking about paradise. And I do think
it was the right move. I was supportive of this move.
I think it was done at a time that it
was needed to. However, I do think the lack of
drinking has also taken away from the activities of the day.
(16:33):
I think that for the show filled so much space,
it brought so much drama that now that it doesn't exist,
they have to find a way to keep everybody engaged.
And interested when there is that drink limit.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
Yes, no, I agree. I will say though on Paradise,
I was like I had a good buzz most of
the time, especially at night, and I was like we'd
be and Kylie and Jess.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
We would drink white wine because you can have like
two or whatever, so.
Speaker 5 (17:00):
You would drink white wine and then like on the hour,
we would take a shot at tequila and then drink
and then we had we had like a system going,
and so like, I definitely had some nights of Paris.
There was a night where I literally kissed well I think,
uh it was like a I think it was a cockroach.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Honestly, it was like I literally was holding it.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
I was literally not actually didn't actually kiss it, but
I was like I had it like right here, and
I was like law and I'm like I watched that
it was on a blooper and Wells, like I think
Wells was talking about it somewhere and I'm like, oh
my gosh, like I literally.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Did that, Mercedes. This would be my first dating tip
to you. Don't do this in front of the boys.
That's like number one. If you take nothing away from this,
don't kiss cockroaches in front of the boys.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
Oh, I literally because Rachel was holding it. Rachel was
like letting it crawl all over and we were just
like honestly drinking and we were just messing around and
I don't even think there was guys around, so but
it definitely aired so.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
They so I feel like I couldn't never get a
buzz in Paradise because I was sweating the alcohol out
this second it would like go into my system.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Yes. No, honestly though, like it was not that hot
for us in Paradise, like it was hot, Like there
was like probably three times where I was like, holy shit,
like I need to get in ac But other than that,
like it really it wasn't that bad.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
But it was I don't know, it was just a time.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
I don't know that was that was a unique summer. Then.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Yeah, I know, Mercedes that the listeners out there obviously
saw you on Paradise go through. If I remember right,
and tell me if I'm wrong, it was like will
falling in love with you, right, yeah, and then you
weren't feeling it and you went to Tyler and then
(18:45):
somehow in there there was somebody else that I don't remember, Jordan.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Maybe Jordan yeah, he was at the end.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
YEP, so you you kind of had this like love
triangle that it wasn't a triangle because they just kind
of came and went. Can you walk us back through?
Now as you think about it, did you do anything
you wish you could take back during that season where
you're like, I wish I would have stayed with this person,
or I wish I would have never entered into it.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
Yeah, I yeah, I wish I would not have like
been with Tyler that long, to be honest, like me
and him, like he's cool, Like.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
He seemed checked out from the very beginning to be
very much so.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
And I feel like I was like, so, you know,
like before Paradise, like you get so hyped up and
like Kylie was with Avon and me and Kylie are
best friends, and even and Tyler are best friend. So
I'm like, oh my gosh, this is perfect. So I
had like this like all in my head, and I
feel like I stayed with him because it was like
easy and we were just like you know, coasting. I
(19:44):
wish I would have not done that, and like actually
like dated around and like trying to get other connections
because I do think that like there could have been
something somewhere else.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
I don't know with who, but like I don't know.
Speaker 5 (19:56):
That's like my biggest regret honestly that I wish I
could like redo, it's just not being with Tyler so long.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
Yeah, a final question for you. We just went through
the paradise scenario. We talked about you not dating. What
is life like for you now, Like, what does it
look like day to day? I also think this could
be for the producers who are listening to say, you
either have no time on your hands or you have
a little time on your hands.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
Honestly, I like so I'm modeled during the week and
then I actually work at Barstool on the weekends, which
is a bar in Nashville. And then I do like
a lot of volunteering, so and I travel a lot.
I'm really kind of all over the place. But I
love my life right now. Honestly, it's like so easy.
I'm just go with the flow. But yeah, basically just
(20:48):
chilling honestly.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Well, it's out in the world now, Mercedes, thanks for
jumping on. Of course, we appreciate it. We're gonna watch
you closely to see if Paradise gets announced. We're gonna
put short hard. We want you on that beach. We
want to watch you again again. I wasn't lying when
I said that. Just your energy and the excitement you
brought to the last season A Paradise was something that
(21:11):
I enjoyed here because we talked about it a lot,
and so we want to see you back. We want
to see you there on the beach. Wherever in the
world they're going to be filming, rumors.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Swirling, hopefully, fingers crossed, We'll see.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
Yeh right, hopefully.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
This has been the Almost Famous podcast until next time.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
I'ven't been, I've Been Ashley see Yah.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcasts on
iHeartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast
with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
It's almost Famas podcast. Today we have one of my
favorites that have ever been on the Beach. I was
a big fan, and I was a big fan of
the storyline because it got a little messy a little bit,
which was fun. Mercedes, Welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Hi, thank you for having me.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
Thank you for being here. Mercedes Northrope. You guys know
her from Zach's season and two seasons ago A Bachelor
in Paradise. Well, I guess there wasn't a season last year,
so it was the last season about well, Mercedes, we
know that there is some sort of casting going on
for Bachelor and Paradise. Have they called you?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
No, they haven't.
Speaker 5 (00:48):
I talked to someone a while ago, but there hasn't
been anything else. But I know that there's like so
many girls, but because there's two seasons because they didn't
do last season, yeah, so there's a lot of girls
that they have to choose from, and.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
So not having done the call, but I was kind
of bummed.
Speaker 5 (01:05):
So I was kind of excited to like maybe do
it again, but who knows, there's still time.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
You never know, So.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
You'd say yes. If they called you tomorrow and said, hey,
we want you to come back, you would say yes.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
I would definitely be open for it because I'm like,
I'm twenty seven, I'm ready to like find someone, and
the dating scene in Nashville is not it, So I
would give the beach another try for sure.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
How long have you been in Nashville for.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Almost six years? Which is crazy?
Speaker 4 (01:32):
So I heard somebody say recently, like is it really
the city or is it just dating in general? What
do you what's your take?
Speaker 5 (01:40):
I honestly think it's dating in general. I feel like
it's so hard, especially like at my age and this, Like,
I don't know, I feel like it's definitely just dating
in general because every person I have friends in like
so many cities and everyone says the same thing. They're like,
dating here is so awful because I'm like, should I move?
Like my husband's literally not here, should I move?
Speaker 3 (01:58):
And They're like, no, it's awful here too. So I
don't know. I guess we're all screwed if we don't
have someone.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
The Bats are honestly makes dating easy.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Literally, I know it really does.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
They used to call Denver Menver now here. It's hard
to date in Denver, so it might be everywhere. It's
just a hard time to date, Mercedes, which brings us
to the next question, which might be a little obvious
based on our conversation so far. But you said you'd
be interested in Paradise because you want to settle down.
You're ready, You're in national ding's not going well, so
you're single. I mean you've been single. Have you like
(02:33):
dated at all? Kind of give us an update on
your romantic relationships.
Speaker 5 (02:37):
I've actually been so single since The Bachelor, Like I
have well in Paradise.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Like I mean, I like talk to people here and there.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
But I'm very much, like I said, I'm ready to
settle down, so like one red flag and I'm like, yeah, no,
like you're not, you know, I'm saying, like I'm not
just like dating today, like I'm actually looking for someone.
So I feel like that definitely makes it harder to
But yeah, very much single, very much single.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
What was your last great date?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
My last great date.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
The beaches of Paradise.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
I know that might have been the last one. I
mean I feel like, I don't know. It's hard because
I feel like the dates that I've.
Speaker 5 (03:16):
Gone on is just like dinner and like drinks, which
is like no one does anything cool anymore or that
I'm talking to anyways, Like no romantic gestures or anything.
It's always just dinner and drinks.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Even in Nashville when there's so much live music.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (03:32):
Literally, that's like another thing about Nashville too, is it's
so like party scene, so like you'll go to dinner
and then you'll just go get drinks and it's like
you just you know, party and drink, which is fun.
But I also like want a man that's like, hey,
I'm a husband. A husband's material like let's go do
something different, but all.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Right, we're gonna take a second here with you. Then okay,
and there might this might not go anywhere, but it
could be the best thing to ever happened to you.
Are you ready?
Speaker 3 (03:59):
I'm ready?
Speaker 2 (04:01):
So you said, like one red flag, you're out. You
said dating's hard. Obviously paradise inn't work.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Now, granted, so many people from this franchise especially kind
of go through that same list. What is it, Mercedes,
if you had to look introspectively into yourself that you're
looking for, that you're not finding, or that you are
desiring that maybe you just aren't seeing that's right in
front of you, Like where and dating? Are you falling short?
(04:32):
I guess is the best way to ask that question.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Yeah, I feel like I don't know.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
I definitely have really high expectations.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
But I think that's.
Speaker 5 (04:43):
It's like a good thing and a bad thing because
I don't give, Like I said, like one red flag
and you're done. Like, I feel like everyone deserves second
chances and stuff. But I feel like I hold people
that I love to a very high standard, or someone
that I potentially see myself loving to a very high standard.
So I feel like I can I definitely like ease
up on that. I feel like that's something that I
could work on.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
But yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
Let's go back then to some of the dates that
you've been on since the show. What are some examples
of things that stand out to you that have really
like given you was Ashley would say the ick. I
don't even know if that's still a thing.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
I was thinking about ick too. I like to always
say he grossed me out. I said that before the
ick was even a thing. Yes, sometimes you don't really
know what those things are until you're experiencing them in
person so real.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
Yeah, And it's also like it's so crazy because it'll
just be like in a split second, like it'll be
out of nowhere and I'll be like, oh yeah, I
don't like that.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
I'm not interested anymore. It's kind of crazy. I Like
my mom was.
Speaker 5 (05:43):
Like, maybe, like you shouldn't be so you know, picky,
and I'm like, no, but be Picky's good.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
They just have to be like you know whatever, I'll
tell you this.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
So with Jared or I always said before meeting Jared,
I was like, I know I'll find my person when
like he doesn't gross me out, like no matter how
deep we get into it, like he won't gross me out.
And yeah, yeah, I've really never been picked out by Jared.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (06:08):
Well I also feel like, yeah, once you find someone
that you like, actually love, like you're not like things
don't matter right, like you just sacrifice.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Yeah, like you like you don't even notice it because
you love him so.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Much, Like I do notice him chewing like cereal and stuff,
but like it's all good.
Speaker 5 (06:26):
Yeah, no, literally, because I remember with my ex. I
dated my ex for like two years before the show,
and at the time I didn't realize. But then like
once we broke up, I'm like, actually, yeah, I didn't
like that. But you're so like when I was dating him,
I was so in love where I'm like, no, I
love you, like everything about he's perfect that I look
back and I'm like, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
We've had a group of contestants come through. Obviously you
were on the last season of Bachelor in Paradise, which
I'm assuming for you feels like forever ago, forever.
Speaker 5 (07:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
If they were to call you and producers from the
show listen to this, they do. I know it because
sometimes I get in trouble, so I know they listen
and they call you and they say, we want you
on the beach because you sound like somebody ready for love.
Who and you can't dodge this question. It's it's unfortunate,
but we are a show about content, and this is
a moment of content. Give us, like, if you can
(07:31):
give us five, great, if you give us three awesome,
if you give us two still good people that you
would love to see there, Okay, I.
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Feel like me and Andrew Spencer would like vibe really well.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I see it, I see it.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Yeah, I love him?
Speaker 2 (07:47):
You ever met.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
No, we haven't met, but like we like follow each
other and like we've like facetimed a couple of times
and we just like he's so funny and I feel
but I've never met him in person, and I'm like,
I want to meet him in person just to like
see what is like. So I definitely like wanna see him.
And who else I'm trying to think of, like the
(08:09):
guys on Gen season.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
That are newer.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Yeah, you're gonna go You're gonna just like twist your
brain and be like, yeah, there wasn't one of them.
What about like a justin Glade? Is he single? I
guess I should ask.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
We don't know.
Speaker 2 (08:24):
We don't know what's.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Going on with him and Susie.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
He's a nice guy. I like him. I like Andrew
a lot. Gregg's great, like that group that was.
Speaker 4 (08:31):
A good Katie season.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Yeah, it was a good Katie season. So and that
wasn't that long ago Charity season had who like what
guys are coming off of that?
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Like John?
Speaker 5 (08:41):
So I was with a lot of guys on from
Charity season on my so like John, Henry Sean a
bunch of a bunch of them.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Yeah, Okay, because that's uh, that's Joey was the bachelor
following that, So those are the guy Sean, So we
can't really look into that, we'd have to pull back
from the past. I see an Andrew Spencer relationship popping.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
It's cute. So we really don't have to cross this
off the list. This is a real potential moment.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Throw it out there now, good.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Yeah, let's bringt katies guys for this season of Paradise. Okay,
you have so many girlfriends from the show that you
travel with often. You have these big girl get togethers.
We heard that Latilla was the odd one out or
maybe the new member of the crew at your most
recent trip. How we we kind of know how she
(09:43):
got there. She's friends with somebody, one of your one
of your girls. How did she melt in with the crew?
Speaker 5 (09:52):
She honestly was like it was like she's been like
she was on our season. Like we like literally all
got so cold on that trip when we were in Montana.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
It was cold. It was so freaking cold. We literally
just sat in the house the whole time. Basically we
went on.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
Lobby said it made you guys bitchy to each other?
Speaker 3 (10:10):
No, it actually did. We literally I think.
Speaker 5 (10:12):
Jess was like, yeah, I think we need to stick
with like warmer climates, like this is not for us.
And I'm like that's so true because we were just
like on edge. But no, she literally is amazing.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
I love her. I haven't really been.
Speaker 5 (10:26):
Watching her season, but just meeting her, like she's absolutely Like,
first off, she's stunning, Like she's the most beautiful person
I've ever seen, and she's just so sweet and kind
and she yeah, she got along really well with her group.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
It just shows though am I wrong in saying this? Mercedes? Okay,
So we just talked to Gabby. I watched the Girl's
trip from social media and I was like, that looks
like the best trip of all time, Like that that
looks like it's nothing but highlights. Everybody is just soaking
in the beauty in the mountains. And then we talked
to me, She's like, it was good. It was great.
(11:01):
We had a blast together. We love each other. But
it was like definitely more like contentious than other trips,
and like we got stuck in the snow a little
bit and people were freezing. I was like, it really
is what it sounds like to me is you had
moments of beauty surrounded by moments of this isn't the
best trip we've ever taken together. So social media really
(11:22):
like lifted this thing up right, like we were watching
the highlights of yeah and not the whole thing. Yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:28):
I definitely think like there was times where we like
but I also like I was telling them this, I
was like, we've been friends for like three years now,
and you guys can probably attest to this like when
you're on the show, Like the friends you meet on
the show, it's a different kind of relationship because you grow,
like you get so class so close so fast because
of just the environment. And I was like, we've been
(11:49):
friends for three years, like this is like normal to happen,
Like it's not you know what I'm saying. So there
was definitely some TIFFs, but it was all love and
we're we were good. But yeah, you definitely saw the
highlights on it and it was still a fun trip.
It wasn't bad because of it, but definitely some tists.
Speaker 4 (12:04):
Who do you want from that group to be with
you in Paradise?
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Oh honestly, Jess.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
Yeah, I feel like all the guys want dress too.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
They love Jess. Literally, Jess is like a magnet, like
men just love her. But it's because she's like she's
so nice and so kind and so beautiful. Like I
get it. But I'm like, yeah, you need to come.
You'll be my wingwoman on Paradise.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
Mercedes, I feel like you and I are the same.
Like Jess is like the girl that just every guy
around us wants to be with, because like she's just
like self spoken and like so sweet. And then you
and I are just like what you are that big personality.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Yes no, literally me and just leaping each other out.
Speaker 5 (12:43):
But honestly, I will say Jess is like feisty, like
I call her my little chihuah wah. She's like a
little feisty chiua wah, Like she is so sweet that
she gets so feisty too.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Is she Puerto Rican? Yes, yea that like, yeah, it
makes sense. Yes, it's in there. Yeah, obviously you're like
super I mean just kind of how with how the
show's gone, Like your time the show, as we mentioned,
wasn't that long ago, and we sit in this really
weird place. You were on Paradise when the show was
(13:16):
popping off. Really, I mean, you know you're coming into
the like the Golden like era, and then you know,
we have Joey's season, We have all these like really
exciting things and and we've been through this many times before,
but it feels like we're in a lull right now
when it comes to the franchise. So my first question
two parter to you is are you watching, like watching
Grant season.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
I watched the first episode and then I you were just.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
Like it didn't get you right because I was like,
this first episode is a drug and.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
We wanted to come back here Mercedes. And so my
second part of this is like, what does the show
need to do in your opinion to really like spark
things up again?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Yeah, I feel like.
Speaker 5 (13:56):
For Paradise there because have you guys, you guys want
on Paradise c Toy did you guys go?
Speaker 4 (14:01):
Was?
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (14:02):
Okay, I feel like it was just very like you
kind of lay around and like don't do much, you.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Know what I'm saying. Like I feel like if there
was like games or kind of like love islandy not like.
Speaker 5 (14:15):
Obviously it's like on ABC, so it's gonna be family friendly,
but like I feel like just like games or doing
something other than just like laying around and just.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
Talking all the time every day is a little bit monotonous.
I do understand there's a lot of time for talking,
So if you are hitting it up with somebody, it
could be great, but it's also like a little worri zone.
You're like, what are you gonna do together than just
talk all day? That's why everybody gets so excited for
dates in Paris. Yes, but yeah, you're right, if we
(14:44):
had like some more group activities that, yeah, that'd be good. Yeah,
that'd be good TV too.
Speaker 3 (14:49):
When I was there, we played what did we play?
Truth or Dare?
Speaker 5 (14:52):
One night we were just bored and we were like,
we're playing Truth or Dare? And we did it and
it was so much fun. I don't even think it aired,
to be honest, I don't think it did. But it
was so fun and it like made everyone. It just
like lifted the move, you know what I'm saying. And
so I feel like them doing that would like really one,
it would stir the pot, two, which is good for
(15:13):
viewers if they're like trying to get more viewers, and
then two like it's just I don't know, I just
think it's more fun.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
But what about the main show?
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Oh, for a Bachelor A Bachelorette.
Speaker 5 (15:25):
Yeah, I mean I feel like, I don't know. I
honestly am so bad. I mean I watched Joey season
a little bit, but I mean Joe's season did so
good though, Like, I don't know, I feel like his
season was really good.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
It's kind of a mix between casting. I mean, I
think the lead and how popular the lead is coming
off of the previous season I think is a huge
factor for sure. And I do think the format gets,
you know, monotonous when we have all these other shows
competing with it now, and instead of watching The Batcher,
you could watch you know, Love is Blind and see
(16:10):
them try to make life together and figure out what
it looks like in the end. I get it. Yeah,
but you're really talking about paradise. And I do think
it was the right move. I was supportive of this move.
I think it was done at a time that it
was needed to. However, I do think the lack of
drinking has also taken away from the activities of the day.
(16:33):
I think that for the show filled so much space,
it brought so much drama that now that it doesn't exist,
they have to find a way to keep everybody engaged.
And interested when there is that drink limit.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
Yes, no, I agree. I will say though on Paradise,
I was like I had a good buzz most of
the time, especially at night, and I was like we'd
be and Kylie and Jess.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
We would drink white wine because you can have like
two or whatever, so.
Speaker 5 (17:00):
You would drink white wine and then like on the hour,
we would take a shot at tequila and then drink
and then we had we had like a system going,
and so like, I definitely had some nights of Paris.
There was a night where I literally kissed well I think,
uh it was like a I think it was a cockroach.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Honestly, it was like I literally was holding it.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
I was literally not actually didn't actually kiss it, but
I was like I had it like right here, and
I was like law and I'm like I watched that
it was on a blooper and Wells, like I think
Wells was talking about it somewhere and I'm like, oh
my gosh, like I literally.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Did that, Mercedes. This would be my first dating tip
to you. Don't do this in front of the boys.
That's like number one. If you take nothing away from this,
don't kiss cockroaches in front of the boys.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
Oh, I literally because Rachel was holding it. Rachel was
like letting it crawl all over and we were just
like honestly drinking and we were just messing around and
I don't even think there was guys around, so but
it definitely aired so.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
They so I feel like I couldn't never get a
buzz in Paradise because I was sweating the alcohol out
this second it would like go into my system.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Yes. No, honestly though, like it was not that hot
for us in Paradise, like it was hot, Like there
was like probably three times where I was like, holy shit,
like I need to get in ac But other than that,
like it really it wasn't that bad.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
But it was I don't know, it was just a time.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
I don't know that was that was a unique summer. Then.
Speaker 2 (18:25):
Yeah, I know, Mercedes that the listeners out there obviously
saw you on Paradise go through. If I remember right,
and tell me if I'm wrong, it was like will
falling in love with you, right, yeah, and then you
weren't feeling it and you went to Tyler and then
(18:45):
somehow in there there was somebody else that I don't remember, Jordan.
Speaker 3 (18:49):
Maybe Jordan yeah, he was at the end.
Speaker 2 (18:52):
YEP, so you you kind of had this like love
triangle that it wasn't a triangle because they just kind
of came and went. Can you walk us back through?
Now as you think about it, did you do anything
you wish you could take back during that season where
you're like, I wish I would have stayed with this person,
or I wish I would have never entered into it.
Speaker 5 (19:11):
Yeah, I yeah, I wish I would not have like
been with Tyler that long, to be honest, like me
and him, like he's cool, Like.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
He seemed checked out from the very beginning to be
very much so.
Speaker 5 (19:23):
And I feel like I was like, so, you know,
like before Paradise, like you get so hyped up and
like Kylie was with Avon and me and Kylie are
best friends, and even and Tyler are best friend. So
I'm like, oh my gosh, this is perfect. So I
had like this like all in my head, and I
feel like I stayed with him because it was like
easy and we were just like you know, coasting. I
(19:44):
wish I would have not done that, and like actually
like dated around and like trying to get other connections
because I do think that like there could have been
something somewhere else.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
I don't know with who, but like I don't know.
Speaker 5 (19:56):
That's like my biggest regret honestly that I wish I
could like redo, it's just not being with Tyler so long.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
Yeah, a final question for you. We just went through
the paradise scenario. We talked about you not dating. What
is life like for you now, Like, what does it
look like day to day? I also think this could
be for the producers who are listening to say, you
either have no time on your hands or you have
a little time on your hands.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
Honestly, I like so I'm modeled during the week and
then I actually work at Barstool on the weekends, which
is a bar in Nashville. And then I do like
a lot of volunteering, so and I travel a lot.
I'm really kind of all over the place. But I
love my life right now. Honestly, it's like so easy.
I'm just go with the flow. But yeah, basically just
(20:48):
chilling honestly.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Well, it's out in the world now, Mercedes, thanks for
jumping on. Of course, we appreciate it. We're gonna watch
you closely to see if Paradise gets announced. We're gonna
put short hard. We want you on that beach. We
want to watch you again again. I wasn't lying when
I said that. Just your energy and the excitement you
brought to the last season A Paradise was something that
(21:11):
I enjoyed here because we talked about it a lot,
and so we want to see you back. We want
to see you there on the beach. Wherever in the
world they're going to be filming, rumors.
Speaker 3 (21:19):
Swirling, hopefully, fingers crossed, We'll see.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
Yeh right, hopefully.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
This has been the Almost Famous podcast until next time.
Speaker 4 (21:26):
I'ven't been, I've Been Ashley see Yah.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcasts on
iHeartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
Hosts And Creators
Ben Higgins
Ashley Iaconetti
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