December 5, 2023 • 26 mins
It's time for part two of Joe of Serena's conversation with Leslie! As the conversation continues, Leslie opens up about what she and Gerry spoke about in the Fantasy Suite, how she knew the breakup was coming once she heard his knock on the door and how this experience has changed her outlook on dating.
She also shares never-before-heard details about her relationship with Prince, explains why her past divorces do not define her and reveals what's next.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey, everyone, welcome back to Bench a Happy Hour in
Joe and I'm Serena and we are back with Leslie
for her Too Too.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
So last episode, we ended just about to talk about
the breakup, the final moments between Gary and Leslie. Leslie,
when Gary came back to your room that night, what
did it feel like when he walked back in and
did you know what was potentially going to happen?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
So when I heard the knock on the door, I knew.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Yeah, that woman's intuition kicked.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Oh yeah, I knew that this was it. It's happened
before on the show, and I just I just knew
that it was that. It wasn't like I was going
to open the door and it's like I love you
so much. I just knew. Yeah, yeah, so that's why
would Yeah. Yeah, I was crying when he left because
(00:53):
what he did when he left, he put his head
on my shoulder and started sobbing. I know, yeah, And
I just knew. So when I opened the door, I
was Do you.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Think you knew in that moment that it was yeah, yeah,
because he was really emotional.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
Yeah, there was definitely it was aitiness.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yeah, because as far as I knew a few days
before that. I was his choice. I was the one,
So for him to be that emotional, you know, it couldn't.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Be a good sign.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
No.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah, yeah, looking back, do you wish you had said
or asked anything differently in the breakup? I feel like
there's so many people that leave like a breakup and
say like I wish I'd said this, or I wish
I'd asked him that. I mean, you obviously got a
second chance to talk to him, But was there anything
that was running through your head after he left?
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Or To be honest, no, I felt like he left
it all on the table. I think I said what
I needed to say to him. I didn't. You know,
I'm not going to grovel obviously, I was just blindsided.
I you know, I said what I want to say.
I just really wanted to get out of there at
that point and be done.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yeah, so, I I know I don't looking back, I
don't have any regrets of how that went. I mean,
I ugly cried, but you know, oh no, but you know,
when you're crying and your heart's breaking, you don't care
what you look like. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
No, I think pretty crying was the least of your prayers.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
We touched a little on your your children and what
they thought. But you know, we all know that your
brother is was basically like your father. So how did
he feel about all of it?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Well, it was very hard and very emotional for him
to see because on a good day he gets mad
at guys and you know, growing up and stuff, and
this was and he's been through all my heartbreak with
me and always been there for me and good times
(03:00):
the bad times. He's just everything and he's my everything,
and yeah, it was really hard for him. He just
like last night, he hugged and kissed me and had
tears in his eyes.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Yeah. Yeah, that's tough to you. Do you want to
touch on at all how your father passed away?
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Yeah? I mean, And the reason why my brother is
so important to me is because my dad dropped me
off at school one day because I took a driving
test and failed, and he said, I'll pick you up
and we'll practice and you take it tomorrow. And it
was February and the roads were icy and I just
(03:41):
didn't pass. So that's why. Okay, that makes me feel better.
But anyway, so you know, back then, there's no cell
phones and I waited. I was waiting on my high
school steps for him. And I waited and waited and
waited and waited, and I was just about to go
in and call my mom and and then my brother
drove up. He was in the passenger seat and my
(04:03):
cousin was driving, and he said, get in the car.
And I said, Stu, I'm waiting for dad. What are
you doing here? You know, I'm sixteen and he's like
twenty one or twenty two. And at that point in
my life. He says, my pesky brother, you know. Yeah,
And he goes, get in the car, Get in the
car now. And I get in the car and I said,
what are you doing here? Where's Dad? And he turned
(04:26):
around he said I'm your dad.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Now.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I said, what are you talking about? And then my
dad went home and died by suicide. And I was
the last person to see him. And it was really difficult.
I mean, I was sixteen, my brother was, My brother
Robbie was twenty one, my brother Stewart was twenty two,
my sister was twenty seven, and yeah, we were all just.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Yeah, it's tough. Yeah, sorry to hear that. Yeah, I didn't.
I didn't realize I shouldn't have my research. You have
two other siblings.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
I have three siblings. Yeah, besides my brother Stuart, I
have my brother Robbie and then my sister Randy.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
And what did they think about your whole journey and
the show?
Speaker 3 (05:10):
At first, my sister didn't want me to do it,
but then she definitely came around, and now of course
she's my biggest fan. That's I know. They always come around.
I know they always do. She's just very protective too,
because she's eleven years older and she's watched the show
since conception, and she just didn't she didn't want me
to put myself out there maybe like that. But she's
(05:31):
very proud of me and all that. And my brother
Robbie too. My siblings are I mean, I have an
amazing family and all my cousins and I just I'm very,
very lucky. I have an amazing family.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
So any word from the exes, any exes come out
of the woodward?
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Yeah, there's been exes coming out, but too late, too late.
I mean, to be honest with you, I'm not I
don't really break up and we're like be mean about it,
like you know, I mean, even my ex husbands, I
Zach's dad. We were high school sweethearts and we are close.
(06:14):
I mean we've we've always been.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
How old were you when you first got married?
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Twenty one? Okay, so I was really young. Yeah, but
you know, Brad is great, you know, David. We've gone
through obviously some hard things. You know, I've gone through
some hard things, especially being married with him. But I
can say now we're okay. We see each other, and
(06:39):
we share children, and these children are half of both
of us, and I don't want to ever say anything
disparently disparently about them because they are my children's father.
You know.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Yeah, what do you want people to know about you
and your story with your ex husbands?
Speaker 4 (07:00):
We saw a little bit of it.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
We know you're married twice, you were divorced twice, you
have these beautiful children. What is something that you want
people to know about, you know, you as a woman
who's been divorced twice.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Yeah. Well, first of all, being divorced is not you know,
it's not like the plague. I mean, people happened. It happens.
And with Brad and I we were just really young
and we kind of just grew. But then I don't
like to say grew apart. We just we just were different,
came became different. And but if I if I needed
(07:38):
something in the middle of the night, if I called him,
he'd help me. Like he's just you know. And I'm
very good friends with his siblings and his cousins. And
Minneapolis is a small, big town, so everybody knows each other.
But with David, I mean, there was infidelities in that
in that marriage, and I tried to keep my family
(08:01):
together as long as I possibly could, knowing what was
going on, and I just couldn't do it. I mean,
I wanted to stay married, you know. That was all
I wanted, was to be a wife, a mother, have
a home and you know, have it all. But I
it didn't work out. And you know, no fault of
(08:22):
my own, but I couldn't stay married to someone and
be in a marriage with three people. Yeah, it's just
a different kind of marriage. Yeah, And I just yeah,
and my children, you know, they understand, they love their dad,
they love me, you know, they I don't talk bad
about him because I have nothing bad to say.
Speaker 4 (08:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
I think it shows a lot of self confidence and
self esteem that you didn't want to stay in marriage,
that you were happy in and you wanted to find
a bigger, better love for yourself, and I think everyone
is rooting for you on that journey. You like a
celebrity crush, like someone that you want to slid into
your dance.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
My celebrity crush. I know I've said this for a
long time and it just stays the same. David DUCOVNYD,
I actually.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Don't know who that is.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Sorry, you don't know that anation. Okay.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
When I first went on the show, when I did
Dancing with the Stars, I had to do g M.
A and the girl were working at GMA. She's like, oh,
David du coufany is coming out next. He watched your season.
He watched and that I I walked up. I shook
his head like big fan.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
You know that's amazing and I touched you the moment.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Okay, let's have since we're we're t about famous men,
maybe one of the famous guys of all time. I'm
a big Prince guy. Uh yeah, did you date Prince?
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Tell the story tells me.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Story started beginning like how did you meet?
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Like I remember when you first got introduced on the show,
and then that was kind of like just like sprinkled
in there. I'm like, wait, what, I know.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
It's crazy, I know, so so casually, well it is.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
You know, I was eighteen and my cousin, his name
is Bobby z. He was Prince's drummer, but before even
the Revolution came a band, he was Prince's friend and
they just were very good friends. Like Bobby took him
to get his driver's license and all that, and not
only that, but my brother was his personal ballet for
(10:46):
twelve years, and my sister did his makeup, and so
it's a very you know, Minneapolis, everybody has his Prince story,
but you know, I have a good one. So Bobby
introduced us, and I mean we kind of it was
we were we were the same age, and we were eighteen,
and he was amazing and he wasn't at Prince then,
(11:09):
he was Prince Light. And I'd go to his house
and he played guitar and sing for me, and you know,
he was just he was an amazing person. And people
think he's so quiet, but he's hysterical. He was just
really funny. Again, the humor I loved. But anyways, so
I was dancing in a fashion show and Bobby brought
(11:33):
him to the fashion show. And you know, he's kind
of like hiding behind a pole, and I was coming
down the stairs dancing, and after he goes, you were
a sexy dancer, I'm gonna write a song about you.
I'm like, okay, So anyways, but that song came out
after a little bit after but we hung out and
we just had such a great time. And then I
(11:56):
graduated high school and I went and I was a
professional figure skater in the ice Polley and then Prince
started to become Prince and every time, you know, he'd
be in a city, like especially like in La at
the Forum, he drove the limo up that ramp and
all the girls saw me get into the limo, and
then he'd be writing me these amazing letters throughout my
(12:17):
time and the ice Bollies and the girls would get
their wine and back then we smoked. Okay, I only
smoked for a couple of years, but you know, we
sit around and it was the seventies.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
And I drink wine, smoke cigarettes from Prince cool letters.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
I have to say, we're a little explicit. And the
girls that I'm still friends with from the Ice Bollies,
they still say, I remember, we used to sit around
and used to read. It was like and they sit
around just going oh like that, and yeah, so it
was just And then I came home for Christmas break
and we were again no cell phones, and we had
(12:58):
a plan to meet at a certain location at midnight.
And then I was at my cousin's house at a
party that was very close to the certain location, and
I kept looking at my watch and then I had
an hour. It's eleven o'clock. I got an hour. It
takes me five minutes to get there. And then I
see Brad, who was my first husband, across the room.
(13:19):
I had known him before, but I see him and
he is so handsome and he's got these sleepy eyes.
And we started talking and I'm looking at my watch.
It's eleven fifteen, eleven thirty, eleven forty eleven forty five.
I'm like, I had to make a game time decision.
Do I stay this could be my husband really and
(13:41):
or do I go to prince who probably not going
to be my husband someday. I mean, I had to
make that decision.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
Lilie, this is a movie. Yeah, this is literally the
plot of a movie. This is crazy.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
So they're going to be a Hallmark movie about your
life for sure.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
Oh my god, there's so much more. But anyways, so
eleven fifty whatever, and I just made that decision to
stay with Brad because we were I looked at him
and I'm like, you won't.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Be the one.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Yeah I did. I mean, I adored Prince. But at
the end of the day, you know, I knew that.
I mean, I'm only eighteen and that's you know, and
I have my I have the show to go back to,
and then I did another show after that in Europe.
So but I knew that Brad would be like he
(14:35):
felt he was in love with me three years prior
to that. So you know, I made a decision and
we have this amazing son, Zach, and like I said,
we're friends.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
But yeah, so not only did Prince write a song
about you, you stiffed them. You love that. Okay, so
let let's talk about So let's talk about now, you
just came off this fresh breakup, let's call it. Where
are you at as far as just dating getting back
(15:07):
out there?
Speaker 3 (15:08):
If you've thought about it, No, I've not thought about it.
It's just not it hasn't worked out in the past,
and so I'm I don't know if it's my town
I live in. I don't know if it's what it is.
I really focus on my work and my kids and
my grandkids. So sometimes if I go on a date,
(15:31):
I'm sitting there going I'd rather be with my kids.
I rather be with my grandkids. And you know, I
have to maybe get out of that mode. That's why
the show was good because I got to focus on Gary.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Well, you have to be vulnerable too. You think you can,
you think you could open up again?
Speaker 2 (15:47):
You know.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
So that's a really good question because being vulnerable obviously
I got my heart broken and I really don't want
to go through that again right now. So, but I
don't want to put my walls up again either. I
want to be open. I just it might take some time,
that's all.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Yeah, Yeah, it's okay.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Yeah, so you're not ready yet, and that's okay. You're
gonna take some time. But when you are ready one day,
what are you looking for?
Speaker 3 (16:16):
So when I know exactly what I'm looking for, I'm
going to not lower my standards. But I'm not going
to be so picky like I snowboard I do, sir.
If I do all these things, I don't need to
find someone that does all those things with me. I
love Broadway shows. I don't need someone to go to
Broadway shows with me. I have my girlfriends. I just
really want at this stage of my life. I'm going
(16:37):
to be sixty five next in less than a month,
I really just want someone to grow old with and
that keeps active and can do things with me. But
but just really just be still together even or you
know again, I want someone that makes me laugh. I
want someone that loves life and someone that has a family.
(17:00):
We can mash our families together and they really click,
and that loves dogs, and that's really all I want. Yeah,
you want a companion, Yeah, I want a companion. I do. Well.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
We talk about your time on the show. It's hard
because you did go through probably the toughest breakup on
the show, and it's hard to kind of like look
back and romanticize any of it. But it wasn't all bad.
And when we do look back at your season, like,
what are some moments that stand out to you that
you're like, oh, that was so much fun, even with
(17:33):
the other women.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Yeah, well, every day with them was fun, and I
mean I definitely had hard times feeling my feelings and
all that stuff. When you start feeling something and seeing
them go on a date with someone else, it's that
real life comes into play. And that for me was
hard because it brought up emotions of me, like knowing
(17:54):
my husband was someone else, you know, like that whole thing.
But I loved our ATV date. I thought that was
a perfect date for me, and I'm so glad I
got to do that. I loved me coming out of
a limo. I thought that was really fun. And you know,
there are other things that maybe wasn't on film, but
(18:17):
just fun things that we did. And you know, we
had a you know, no camera day, no mic day,
and we went shopping, had sushi, watched a movie, you know,
things like that. We just had fun together and just
getting up in the morning and having coffee and going
and sitting by the pool and talking to the girls.
I love that, you know, And so I wouldn't change anything.
(18:40):
I just wish I could have exercised a little more,
but you know, but I swam and no, I I
had a wonderful time. And you know, my time and
my moments with Gary were special to me. You know,
he looked at me like I was the only girl
in the room, which you know other women felt that
way too, and he does have a gift for that,
(19:02):
that's for sure, many bachelors do.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Who are you closest with out of the women?
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Well, I don't know if I can pinpoint like one person,
but I have to say that, you know Susan, Kathy, April, Joan, Sandra, Christina,
who is my roommate. I adore her, Ellen, I just
my heart. My heart is with Ellen. Those were probably
(19:31):
the girls I was closest with, and yeah, I love
them all.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
A lot of people leave the show and say they
like learn a lot about themselves or they take something
away from it that they've learned about, yeah, themselves or
their life or something they want to do. What do
you feel like you took away.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
I feel like I took away that I can actually,
even though I'm really nervous and stuff on camera, I
can actually be articulate and hold my head up high
at the end of the day. And last night I
brought myself to a different level. I mean, I feel like, Wow,
(20:20):
if I did that, I can do anything.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
To be honest, he found it's to me very empowering.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Yeah, it was empowering and just the fact that, you know,
if you think about the the scope of the viewership
and the audience, you know, I just kind of I
just kind of was like, I'm not going to think
about that, and I said what I wanted to say
and all that and other things that I brought away
is that I'm I'm very open hearted and I want
(20:48):
to stay that way. I really don't want to close
off anymore. So I feel like I need to give
myself time and then you know, find that person, but
not just go through multiple people, you know what I mean.
I just want to focus on myself and I and
my jobs and my family. But I came out with
(21:11):
having made so many good friends. And of course I
know you guys understand this. You have friends outside of
the Bachelor, and I love my friends, I cherish them.
But these girls are the only girls that know what
you've been through. Yeah, so you do have that special
bond of thim.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
It's a really special support system, especially right after the show,
because it's like, you guys know what we all went
through together.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Yep, totally.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Did you watch the break up with Faith? I did,
And what were your thoughts on that?
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Well, my heart broke for her, and I remember that
night and we were just sitting separately, not speaking, waiting,
and I wanted to talk to her so bad, but
we couldn't really talk to each other. This was before,
but I really really thought it was going to be
me and Faith at the end, I did so. I
(22:05):
was shocked, and I wish I could have hold her
and cried with her a little bit. It's just so
hard because she's gone, you know, but my heart broke
for her.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
I feel like you and her, more than anyone, probably
have a really special bond.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, I think we're going to. I mean,
you know, I haven't really talked to anyone that much
since I got home, a text here and there, but
I definitely she reached out to me this morning and
gave me such a sweet text. So yeah, it's really nice. Yeah,
I'm happy to hear that.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Yeah, all right, we're going to play a fun little
game with you before we do. Okay, if let our
listeners know, like, if there's anything else you want to
tell us about yourself, we want to leave this podcast on.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
Oh my gosh. Yeah, I'm just like I said last night,
I'm just I was unapologetically myself did this whole process,
and I can be proud of that, and maybe that's
what I take away. Like I was myself. I also
know that if I didn't have feelings for Gary, I
probably would have self eliminated and made space for another girl,
(23:17):
because if I didn't have feelings for him, you know,
I don't. It wasn't about the TV thing for me.
It was about really fine.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
I don't think anyone who watched it can doubt that
you had real feelings Gary, And if they do, they
need to go back and watch the season again.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
Yeah. I might not watch it, but that's okay, you
lived it.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
I think you're good. All right, let's do this rapid
fire questions. You ready first, and then it comes to
your mind.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
Okay, okay, all fun, easy questions.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
What is the first thing you do when you wake
up in the morning?
Speaker 3 (23:48):
Coffee?
Speaker 1 (23:50):
What is your go to ceremony cocktail martini, dirty up,
olive me too.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
My drink at our wedding was an egg dirty martini
vodka regular.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Oh my god, I love you.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
What was the first concert you ever attended?
Speaker 3 (24:07):
Oh my gosh, that was so many years ago.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
You had a private concert with Prince.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
Well, there you go.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Let's let's call it that. Well, yeah, what is your
love language?
Speaker 3 (24:16):
My love language is touch.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
Do you have any dating deal breakers?
Speaker 3 (24:22):
Yep, can't be a smoker and don't get too clinging.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
And your name can't be Garriot. How many hours of
sleep do you need every night?
Speaker 3 (24:36):
I get about six.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
What is your favorite place in the whole world?
Speaker 3 (24:40):
My favorite place in the whole world, I would have
to say Vancouver.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
Re really, yeah, I'm from trying to I.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Went there in the Ice Follies and it was the
most magical place.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
If you could only watch one movie on repeat for
the rest of your life, what would it be, Oh.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
You're gonna die clueless.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
But if I do love cluse, I've never even told
you how I feel about clues.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Well, I know you were like, oh my god, I
thought Sharon Dione were.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
So hot when I was a kid.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
Yeah, oh I did tell you that. Well, we talked
about a lot in Paradise.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
I can imagine.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
What is your go to karaoke song?
Speaker 3 (25:24):
Oh? I will survive.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
If you could go on any other date, reality show, sorry,
reality show, what would it be?
Speaker 3 (25:31):
Amazing? Race?
Speaker 4 (25:33):
That'd be fun.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
If you were to write autobiography on yourself, what would
it be.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Called Ain't my first Rodeo.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
And last one? Not least? Do you believe I love
at first sight? I do, absolutely all right, Well, Leslie,
thank you so much for coming on a Happy Hour.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
Thank you guys so much. I just adore both of
you and this is really special to me.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Thank you man, and thank you to all our listeners
for tuning in. And make sure to keep tuning in
because we have exclusive episodes every week, new episodes every week,
and yeah, subscribe to Happy Hours.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
We have lots more exciting interviews to come, so don't
miss a beat, and thank you so much for listening.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Bye bye
Hey, everyone, welcome back to Bench a Happy Hour in
Joe and I'm Serena and we are back with Leslie
for her Too Too.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
So last episode, we ended just about to talk about
the breakup, the final moments between Gary and Leslie. Leslie,
when Gary came back to your room that night, what
did it feel like when he walked back in and
did you know what was potentially going to happen?
Speaker 3 (00:27):
So when I heard the knock on the door, I knew.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
Yeah, that woman's intuition kicked.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Oh yeah, I knew that this was it. It's happened
before on the show, and I just I just knew
that it was that. It wasn't like I was going
to open the door and it's like I love you
so much. I just knew. Yeah, yeah, so that's why
would Yeah. Yeah, I was crying when he left because
(00:53):
what he did when he left, he put his head
on my shoulder and started sobbing. I know, yeah, And
I just knew. So when I opened the door, I
was Do you.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Think you knew in that moment that it was yeah, yeah,
because he was really emotional.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
Yeah, there was definitely it was aitiness.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
Yeah, because as far as I knew a few days
before that. I was his choice. I was the one,
So for him to be that emotional, you know, it couldn't.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Be a good sign.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
No.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah, yeah, looking back, do you wish you had said
or asked anything differently in the breakup? I feel like
there's so many people that leave like a breakup and
say like I wish I'd said this, or I wish
I'd asked him that. I mean, you obviously got a
second chance to talk to him, But was there anything
that was running through your head after he left?
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Or To be honest, no, I felt like he left
it all on the table. I think I said what
I needed to say to him. I didn't. You know,
I'm not going to grovel obviously, I was just blindsided.
I you know, I said what I want to say.
I just really wanted to get out of there at
that point and be done.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Yeah, so, I I know I don't looking back, I
don't have any regrets of how that went. I mean,
I ugly cried, but you know, oh no, but you know,
when you're crying and your heart's breaking, you don't care
what you look like. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
No, I think pretty crying was the least of your prayers.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
We touched a little on your your children and what
they thought. But you know, we all know that your
brother is was basically like your father. So how did
he feel about all of it?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Well, it was very hard and very emotional for him
to see because on a good day he gets mad
at guys and you know, growing up and stuff, and
this was and he's been through all my heartbreak with
me and always been there for me and good times
(03:00):
the bad times. He's just everything and he's my everything,
and yeah, it was really hard for him. He just
like last night, he hugged and kissed me and had
tears in his eyes.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Yeah. Yeah, that's tough to you. Do you want to
touch on at all how your father passed away?
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Yeah? I mean, And the reason why my brother is
so important to me is because my dad dropped me
off at school one day because I took a driving
test and failed, and he said, I'll pick you up
and we'll practice and you take it tomorrow. And it
was February and the roads were icy and I just
(03:41):
didn't pass. So that's why. Okay, that makes me feel better.
But anyway, so you know, back then, there's no cell
phones and I waited. I was waiting on my high
school steps for him. And I waited and waited and
waited and waited, and I was just about to go
in and call my mom and and then my brother
drove up. He was in the passenger seat and my
(04:03):
cousin was driving, and he said, get in the car.
And I said, Stu, I'm waiting for dad. What are
you doing here? You know, I'm sixteen and he's like
twenty one or twenty two. And at that point in
my life. He says, my pesky brother, you know. Yeah,
And he goes, get in the car, Get in the
car now. And I get in the car and I said,
what are you doing here? Where's Dad? And he turned
(04:26):
around he said I'm your dad.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Now.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I said, what are you talking about? And then my
dad went home and died by suicide. And I was
the last person to see him. And it was really difficult.
I mean, I was sixteen, my brother was, My brother
Robbie was twenty one, my brother Stewart was twenty two,
my sister was twenty seven, and yeah, we were all just.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Yeah, it's tough. Yeah, sorry to hear that. Yeah, I didn't.
I didn't realize I shouldn't have my research. You have
two other siblings.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
I have three siblings. Yeah, besides my brother Stuart, I
have my brother Robbie and then my sister Randy.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
And what did they think about your whole journey and
the show?
Speaker 3 (05:10):
At first, my sister didn't want me to do it,
but then she definitely came around, and now of course
she's my biggest fan. That's I know. They always come around.
I know they always do. She's just very protective too,
because she's eleven years older and she's watched the show
since conception, and she just didn't she didn't want me
to put myself out there maybe like that. But she's
(05:31):
very proud of me and all that. And my brother
Robbie too. My siblings are I mean, I have an
amazing family and all my cousins and I just I'm very,
very lucky. I have an amazing family.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
So any word from the exes, any exes come out
of the woodward?
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Yeah, there's been exes coming out, but too late, too late.
I mean, to be honest with you, I'm not I
don't really break up and we're like be mean about it,
like you know, I mean, even my ex husbands, I
Zach's dad. We were high school sweethearts and we are close.
(06:14):
I mean we've we've always been.
Speaker 1 (06:15):
How old were you when you first got married?
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Twenty one? Okay, so I was really young. Yeah, but
you know, Brad is great, you know, David. We've gone
through obviously some hard things. You know, I've gone through
some hard things, especially being married with him. But I
can say now we're okay. We see each other, and
(06:39):
we share children, and these children are half of both
of us, and I don't want to ever say anything
disparently disparently about them because they are my children's father.
You know.
Speaker 2 (06:52):
Yeah, what do you want people to know about you
and your story with your ex husbands?
Speaker 4 (07:00):
We saw a little bit of it.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
We know you're married twice, you were divorced twice, you
have these beautiful children. What is something that you want
people to know about, you know, you as a woman
who's been divorced twice.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Yeah. Well, first of all, being divorced is not you know,
it's not like the plague. I mean, people happened. It happens.
And with Brad and I we were just really young
and we kind of just grew. But then I don't
like to say grew apart. We just we just were different,
came became different. And but if I if I needed
(07:38):
something in the middle of the night, if I called him,
he'd help me. Like he's just you know. And I'm
very good friends with his siblings and his cousins. And
Minneapolis is a small, big town, so everybody knows each other.
But with David, I mean, there was infidelities in that
in that marriage, and I tried to keep my family
(08:01):
together as long as I possibly could, knowing what was
going on, and I just couldn't do it. I mean,
I wanted to stay married, you know. That was all
I wanted, was to be a wife, a mother, have
a home and you know, have it all. But I
it didn't work out. And you know, no fault of
(08:22):
my own, but I couldn't stay married to someone and
be in a marriage with three people. Yeah, it's just
a different kind of marriage. Yeah, And I just yeah,
and my children, you know, they understand, they love their dad,
they love me, you know, they I don't talk bad
about him because I have nothing bad to say.
Speaker 4 (08:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
I think it shows a lot of self confidence and
self esteem that you didn't want to stay in marriage,
that you were happy in and you wanted to find
a bigger, better love for yourself, and I think everyone
is rooting for you on that journey. You like a
celebrity crush, like someone that you want to slid into
your dance.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
My celebrity crush. I know I've said this for a
long time and it just stays the same. David DUCOVNYD,
I actually.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
Don't know who that is.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
Sorry, you don't know that anation. Okay.
Speaker 1 (09:24):
When I first went on the show, when I did
Dancing with the Stars, I had to do g M.
A and the girl were working at GMA. She's like, oh,
David du coufany is coming out next. He watched your season.
He watched and that I I walked up. I shook
his head like big fan.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
You know that's amazing and I touched you the moment.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
Okay, let's have since we're we're t about famous men,
maybe one of the famous guys of all time. I'm
a big Prince guy. Uh yeah, did you date Prince?
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Tell the story tells me.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Story started beginning like how did you meet?
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Like I remember when you first got introduced on the show,
and then that was kind of like just like sprinkled
in there. I'm like, wait, what, I know.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
It's crazy, I know, so so casually, well it is.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
You know, I was eighteen and my cousin, his name
is Bobby z. He was Prince's drummer, but before even
the Revolution came a band, he was Prince's friend and
they just were very good friends. Like Bobby took him
to get his driver's license and all that, and not
only that, but my brother was his personal ballet for
(10:46):
twelve years, and my sister did his makeup, and so
it's a very you know, Minneapolis, everybody has his Prince story,
but you know, I have a good one. So Bobby
introduced us, and I mean we kind of it was
we were we were the same age, and we were eighteen,
and he was amazing and he wasn't at Prince then,
(11:09):
he was Prince Light. And I'd go to his house
and he played guitar and sing for me, and you know,
he was just he was an amazing person. And people
think he's so quiet, but he's hysterical. He was just
really funny. Again, the humor I loved. But anyways, so
I was dancing in a fashion show and Bobby brought
(11:33):
him to the fashion show. And you know, he's kind
of like hiding behind a pole, and I was coming
down the stairs dancing, and after he goes, you were
a sexy dancer, I'm gonna write a song about you.
I'm like, okay, So anyways, but that song came out
after a little bit after but we hung out and
we just had such a great time. And then I
(11:56):
graduated high school and I went and I was a
professional figure skater in the ice Polley and then Prince
started to become Prince and every time, you know, he'd
be in a city, like especially like in La at
the Forum, he drove the limo up that ramp and
all the girls saw me get into the limo, and
then he'd be writing me these amazing letters throughout my
(12:17):
time and the ice Bollies and the girls would get
their wine and back then we smoked. Okay, I only
smoked for a couple of years, but you know, we
sit around and it was the seventies.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
And I drink wine, smoke cigarettes from Prince cool letters.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
I have to say, we're a little explicit. And the
girls that I'm still friends with from the Ice Bollies,
they still say, I remember, we used to sit around
and used to read. It was like and they sit
around just going oh like that, and yeah, so it
was just And then I came home for Christmas break
and we were again no cell phones, and we had
(12:58):
a plan to meet at a certain location at midnight.
And then I was at my cousin's house at a
party that was very close to the certain location, and
I kept looking at my watch and then I had
an hour. It's eleven o'clock. I got an hour. It
takes me five minutes to get there. And then I
see Brad, who was my first husband, across the room.
(13:19):
I had known him before, but I see him and
he is so handsome and he's got these sleepy eyes.
And we started talking and I'm looking at my watch.
It's eleven fifteen, eleven thirty, eleven forty eleven forty five.
I'm like, I had to make a game time decision.
Do I stay this could be my husband really and
(13:41):
or do I go to prince who probably not going
to be my husband someday. I mean, I had to
make that decision.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
Lilie, this is a movie. Yeah, this is literally the
plot of a movie. This is crazy.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
So they're going to be a Hallmark movie about your
life for sure.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
Oh my god, there's so much more. But anyways, so
eleven fifty whatever, and I just made that decision to
stay with Brad because we were I looked at him
and I'm like, you won't.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Be the one.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Yeah I did. I mean, I adored Prince. But at
the end of the day, you know, I knew that.
I mean, I'm only eighteen and that's you know, and
I have my I have the show to go back to,
and then I did another show after that in Europe.
So but I knew that Brad would be like he
(14:35):
felt he was in love with me three years prior
to that. So you know, I made a decision and
we have this amazing son, Zach, and like I said,
we're friends.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
But yeah, so not only did Prince write a song
about you, you stiffed them. You love that. Okay, so
let let's talk about So let's talk about now, you
just came off this fresh breakup, let's call it. Where
are you at as far as just dating getting back
(15:07):
out there?
Speaker 3 (15:08):
If you've thought about it, No, I've not thought about it.
It's just not it hasn't worked out in the past,
and so I'm I don't know if it's my town
I live in. I don't know if it's what it is.
I really focus on my work and my kids and
my grandkids. So sometimes if I go on a date,
(15:31):
I'm sitting there going I'd rather be with my kids.
I rather be with my grandkids. And you know, I
have to maybe get out of that mode. That's why
the show was good because I got to focus on Gary.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Well, you have to be vulnerable too. You think you can,
you think you could open up again?
Speaker 2 (15:47):
You know.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
So that's a really good question because being vulnerable obviously
I got my heart broken and I really don't want
to go through that again right now. So, but I
don't want to put my walls up again either. I
want to be open. I just it might take some time,
that's all.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Yeah, Yeah, it's okay.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Yeah, so you're not ready yet, and that's okay. You're
gonna take some time. But when you are ready one day,
what are you looking for?
Speaker 3 (16:16):
So when I know exactly what I'm looking for, I'm
going to not lower my standards. But I'm not going
to be so picky like I snowboard I do, sir.
If I do all these things, I don't need to
find someone that does all those things with me. I
love Broadway shows. I don't need someone to go to
Broadway shows with me. I have my girlfriends. I just
really want at this stage of my life. I'm going
(16:37):
to be sixty five next in less than a month,
I really just want someone to grow old with and
that keeps active and can do things with me. But
but just really just be still together even or you
know again, I want someone that makes me laugh. I
want someone that loves life and someone that has a family.
(17:00):
We can mash our families together and they really click,
and that loves dogs, and that's really all I want. Yeah,
you want a companion, Yeah, I want a companion. I do. Well.
Speaker 1 (17:12):
We talk about your time on the show. It's hard
because you did go through probably the toughest breakup on
the show, and it's hard to kind of like look
back and romanticize any of it. But it wasn't all bad.
And when we do look back at your season, like,
what are some moments that stand out to you that
you're like, oh, that was so much fun, even with
(17:33):
the other women.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Yeah, well, every day with them was fun, and I
mean I definitely had hard times feeling my feelings and
all that stuff. When you start feeling something and seeing
them go on a date with someone else, it's that
real life comes into play. And that for me was
hard because it brought up emotions of me, like knowing
(17:54):
my husband was someone else, you know, like that whole thing.
But I loved our ATV date. I thought that was
a perfect date for me, and I'm so glad I
got to do that. I loved me coming out of
a limo. I thought that was really fun. And you know,
there are other things that maybe wasn't on film, but
(18:17):
just fun things that we did. And you know, we
had a you know, no camera day, no mic day,
and we went shopping, had sushi, watched a movie, you know,
things like that. We just had fun together and just
getting up in the morning and having coffee and going
and sitting by the pool and talking to the girls.
I love that, you know, And so I wouldn't change anything.
(18:40):
I just wish I could have exercised a little more,
but you know, but I swam and no, I I
had a wonderful time. And you know, my time and
my moments with Gary were special to me. You know,
he looked at me like I was the only girl
in the room, which you know other women felt that
way too, and he does have a gift for that,
(19:02):
that's for sure, many bachelors do.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
Who are you closest with out of the women?
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Well, I don't know if I can pinpoint like one person,
but I have to say that, you know Susan, Kathy, April, Joan, Sandra, Christina,
who is my roommate. I adore her, Ellen, I just
my heart. My heart is with Ellen. Those were probably
(19:31):
the girls I was closest with, and yeah, I love
them all.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
A lot of people leave the show and say they
like learn a lot about themselves or they take something
away from it that they've learned about, yeah, themselves or
their life or something they want to do. What do
you feel like you took away.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
I feel like I took away that I can actually,
even though I'm really nervous and stuff on camera, I
can actually be articulate and hold my head up high
at the end of the day. And last night I
brought myself to a different level. I mean, I feel like, Wow,
(20:20):
if I did that, I can do anything.
Speaker 4 (20:22):
To be honest, he found it's to me very empowering.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Yeah, it was empowering and just the fact that, you know,
if you think about the the scope of the viewership
and the audience, you know, I just kind of I
just kind of was like, I'm not going to think
about that, and I said what I wanted to say
and all that and other things that I brought away
is that I'm I'm very open hearted and I want
(20:48):
to stay that way. I really don't want to close
off anymore. So I feel like I need to give
myself time and then you know, find that person, but
not just go through multiple people, you know what I mean.
I just want to focus on myself and I and
my jobs and my family. But I came out with
(21:11):
having made so many good friends. And of course I
know you guys understand this. You have friends outside of
the Bachelor, and I love my friends, I cherish them.
But these girls are the only girls that know what
you've been through. Yeah, so you do have that special
bond of thim.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
It's a really special support system, especially right after the show,
because it's like, you guys know what we all went
through together.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Yep, totally.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Did you watch the break up with Faith? I did,
And what were your thoughts on that?
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Well, my heart broke for her, and I remember that
night and we were just sitting separately, not speaking, waiting,
and I wanted to talk to her so bad, but
we couldn't really talk to each other. This was before,
but I really really thought it was going to be
me and Faith at the end, I did so. I
(22:05):
was shocked, and I wish I could have hold her
and cried with her a little bit. It's just so
hard because she's gone, you know, but my heart broke
for her.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
I feel like you and her, more than anyone, probably
have a really special bond.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, I think we're going to. I mean,
you know, I haven't really talked to anyone that much
since I got home, a text here and there, but
I definitely she reached out to me this morning and
gave me such a sweet text. So yeah, it's really nice. Yeah,
I'm happy to hear that.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Yeah, all right, we're going to play a fun little
game with you before we do. Okay, if let our
listeners know, like, if there's anything else you want to
tell us about yourself, we want to leave this podcast on.
Speaker 3 (22:56):
Oh my gosh. Yeah, I'm just like I said last night,
I'm just I was unapologetically myself did this whole process,
and I can be proud of that, and maybe that's
what I take away. Like I was myself. I also
know that if I didn't have feelings for Gary, I
probably would have self eliminated and made space for another girl,
(23:17):
because if I didn't have feelings for him, you know,
I don't. It wasn't about the TV thing for me.
It was about really fine.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
I don't think anyone who watched it can doubt that
you had real feelings Gary, And if they do, they
need to go back and watch the season again.
Speaker 3 (23:33):
Yeah. I might not watch it, but that's okay, you
lived it.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
I think you're good. All right, let's do this rapid
fire questions. You ready first, and then it comes to
your mind.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
Okay, okay, all fun, easy questions.
Speaker 1 (23:45):
What is the first thing you do when you wake
up in the morning?
Speaker 3 (23:48):
Coffee?
Speaker 1 (23:50):
What is your go to ceremony cocktail martini, dirty up,
olive me too.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
My drink at our wedding was an egg dirty martini
vodka regular.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Oh my god, I love you.
Speaker 1 (24:04):
What was the first concert you ever attended?
Speaker 3 (24:07):
Oh my gosh, that was so many years ago.
Speaker 4 (24:09):
You had a private concert with Prince.
Speaker 3 (24:11):
Well, there you go.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Let's let's call it that. Well, yeah, what is your
love language?
Speaker 3 (24:16):
My love language is touch.
Speaker 1 (24:20):
Do you have any dating deal breakers?
Speaker 3 (24:22):
Yep, can't be a smoker and don't get too clinging.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
And your name can't be Garriot. How many hours of
sleep do you need every night?
Speaker 3 (24:36):
I get about six.
Speaker 1 (24:37):
What is your favorite place in the whole world?
Speaker 3 (24:40):
My favorite place in the whole world, I would have
to say Vancouver.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
Re really, yeah, I'm from trying to I.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
Went there in the Ice Follies and it was the
most magical place.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
If you could only watch one movie on repeat for
the rest of your life, what would it be, Oh.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
You're gonna die clueless.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
But if I do love cluse, I've never even told
you how I feel about clues.
Speaker 2 (25:09):
Well, I know you were like, oh my god, I
thought Sharon Dione were.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
So hot when I was a kid.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
Yeah, oh I did tell you that. Well, we talked
about a lot in Paradise.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
I can imagine.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
What is your go to karaoke song?
Speaker 3 (25:24):
Oh? I will survive.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
If you could go on any other date, reality show, sorry,
reality show, what would it be?
Speaker 3 (25:31):
Amazing? Race?
Speaker 4 (25:33):
That'd be fun.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
If you were to write autobiography on yourself, what would
it be.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Called Ain't my first Rodeo.
Speaker 1 (25:44):
And last one? Not least? Do you believe I love
at first sight? I do, absolutely all right, Well, Leslie,
thank you so much for coming on a Happy Hour.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
Thank you guys so much. I just adore both of
you and this is really special to me.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Thank you man, and thank you to all our listeners
for tuning in. And make sure to keep tuning in
because we have exclusive episodes every week, new episodes every week,
and yeah, subscribe to Happy Hours.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
We have lots more exciting interviews to come, so don't
miss a beat, and thank you so much for listening.
Speaker 1 (26:16):
Bye bye
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Joe Amabile
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Serena Pitt
Kathy Swarts
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On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!