November 28, 2025 • 36 mins
We're looking forward to The Bachelorette season that could change everything, when Taylor Frankie Paul starts her search for love!
But before the first limos arrive, Ben and Ashley are getting the inside scoop from DeAnna about why we recently saw a TON of former Bachelorette’s together on our social media!
Is Taylor in the official Bachelorette group chat?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast
with on our radio.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
It's the Almost Famous podcast. Ashley and I are here
on this Friday, and we're gonna start to do something
not different but exciting.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
This time of year.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
We're gonna be your one stop shot for all things
Bachelor Nation, but as we prepare for one of the
most anticipated seasons in recent memory, we're gonna be your
one stop shot for everything Taylor Frankie Paul because she's
got a season coming up as our next bachelorette. We're
gonna bring you around on all the latest news. And
(00:40):
today we've got somebody very special, the star famously Available,
also former bachelorette, and someone's celebrating something that all of
us get to celebrate at least once a year. It's
her birthday. Deanna, Welcome back.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
I swear I should just come on at least once
a day, if not twice a day, because you guys
just make me feel good and there's no reason to
make me feel this good or to make one that's
not true.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
That's not true. Don't ever say that about you. Always
deserve to feel good.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Thanks.
Speaker 5 (01:20):
Thanks, that's always so complimentary. I'm like, you're making me
feel awkward? Here are you just saying it to say it?
Speaker 4 (01:27):
He means it?
Speaker 6 (01:28):
Look, I know he does. He's a very sincere man.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
He's got a baby, so he has nothing.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah, I gave up all once you have a baby,
just become like a more like mushy, like sentimental man.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Man. See what he said, They're actually a man. He's
talking about women with two children.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
All right.
Speaker 5 (01:50):
So, Dianna, you are a fan of the Mormon Wives.
So were you excited about the announcement of Taylor Frankie, Paul,
do you think this is a good decision? I will
open up this conversation since its entire podcast is going
to be surrounded by Frankie by what do I always
want to call her Frankie though.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
But I think Frankie is okay. So when we got
to meet Frankie, we all know that, right, I was like,
what do we call her? Is she one of those
all three names kind of people? Like, how do I
how do I address the metal in the room? I
don't know, but that it was totally okay to call
her Frankie. So yeah, I watched the Mormon Wives, So
(02:31):
I don't know. You guys have been on The Bachelor
and The Bachelorette. I had two thoughts, right, Okay, this
is the last ditch.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
Effort to save this which I'm down for save it.
And I thought this was a good choice for saving it.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Okay, I thought an interesting choice. So I'm rooting for
her because listen, we've all got a wrap sheet, some
a little thicker than others, but who's counting. And I
also just like, love, love, like why not give her
a shot? So she's not everyone's cup of tea. And
she's had a very interesting go at reality television. And
(03:08):
what I can respect about this woman is that she
doesn't hide it the good, the bad, the ugly, like
she is who she is through and through. And I
can appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
We're going to call this segment leading up to her
season Frankie Fridays. We're really excited for it because there's
a lot to break down during Frankie Fridays. And I
think two things can be true. I mean, I would
be shocked. I would put all my money on it
that at some point in some production room they said
(03:41):
we got to save this franchise, like we got we
don't have a lot of like runway here it's kind
of make or break time. So I think it's one
hundred percent true that this was a last ditch effort.
I also, and I'm curious to hear you like the
two of you kind of because it hasn't been discussed
yet if if it is a last stitch effort, if
(04:02):
this is their home run to try to bring an
audience back in. I understand the success of the Mormon
Wive show. I understand that it's a part of the family,
But why Taylor Frankie Paul. I'm not saying it's a
bad choice. I'm just saying, with all the people that
are available in the ABC family and the Disney family,
(04:23):
why was she the one that they said this is
our home run hit.
Speaker 6 (04:28):
Well, she's like the lead of the show.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
I would say, if it weren't for her and her
expose on these Mormon wives swinging in Utah, then they
would have never even had a show. And then she's
one of the only single girls on the show. Is
there only like one other single girl on the show.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
Yeah, and she really is not. I mean, this is
the kindest way possible, She's not it. Out of the
two it would be Taylor Frankie Paul, Like, she is
obviously the most entertaining, so why would they choose someone
who is not as entertaining? Or if you're looking at
it from an EP perspective, you have to pick someone
who can carry a show, who is nice enough, who's
(05:06):
attractive enough, who has enough of a personality to carry
a show.
Speaker 5 (05:12):
Definitely, she was the obvious choice from that show. Now,
is there any other.
Speaker 6 (05:16):
In the hula?
Speaker 5 (05:17):
ABC Family? Can't think of anyone that's on with Kardashian
right now.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
I think they had a list of people. I heard
some rumors about who they were looking at to make
the next bachelorette.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Brooks Nader, Yeah, Brooks.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Nader was on the list, Taylor Frinkie, Paul, there was
another one I can't remember, you know what, And I bet,
like what it came down to at the end of
the day when ABC was looking at or Warner Brothers,
whoever makes the decision, it probably came down to numbers,
how much money they were going to come out of pocket,
who they were going to pay, and then it just
came down to a popularity contest who they thought was
(05:53):
going to be the best of the show. And just
from knowing, you know talking to a few producers on set.
I believe the show will go on. I don't think
it's like a matter of it getting canceled, right, because
I love it too, Ashley. I want it to keep going.
But I think it is a matter of a last
ditch effort and figuring out what works. So they've done
(06:15):
several bouts of cleaning house over there, and I think
they're just trying to figure out what works this day
and age, you know what I mean. They've seen a
real decline in ratings over the last couple of years,
and I don't know if it was just people aren't
watching the show anymore. I don't know if it's because
with social media and the way the show has changed,
no one really believes it anymore, or are they just
(06:37):
not picking the right leads.
Speaker 6 (06:39):
Probably a combination of it all.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Well, and I think the leads have definitely been in question, right,
I mean, I think we've talked about it here, Ashley
and myself have really discussed, well, if this is such
a a tipping point for the show, the leads that
they're choosing have been confusing, and I think Taylor, Frankie
Paul it makes more sense than most of these they've
(07:02):
chosen recently. However, I do wonder how will she relate
with that forty to sixty demo in the Midwest, And
I think you would be one to bring a great
perspective to us. I haven't met her, I don't know her.
I haven't seen the secret lives of Mormon Wives. Does
(07:22):
she have that ability to relate to them to where
they're like, I want to watch her fine love every week.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Here's the thing. I believe that there are people who
have watched the show from season one. They don't care
what happens. They can't stop watching it. It's their thing.
They watch it with a group of people, or they
watch it with their daughters, or you know, for whatever reason,
they're watching the show and they're never going to stop.
So it doesn't matter how much people have complained about
her becoming the next bachelorette. They're going to watch. I
(07:49):
haven't watched in years. I'm absolutely going to watch. This
is either going to be really amazing or it's going
to be a train wreck that none of us can
look away, you know what I mean. I think the
really cool piece is that even when we see Mormon Wives,
Taylor Frankie Paul shows up as herself every single time.
(08:09):
I don't know her personally. Is that who she really
is when she's off in Utah drinking flavored Coca cola
and with her kids. I don't know, but either way
it works. She's entertaining and makes the show entertaining. When
I met her, she was the nicest person, you know
what I mean. I don't imagine she's going to come
on to set and show the worst version of herself
by any means. But she walked into a room of
(08:31):
a bunch of leads from the television show, and like
side note, they had this part you guys and Ashley,
I know you've been on several seasons, and then I
know you've been a lead. But there was this moment
we're all kind of standing there. It was a little
Handmaid's Tale, but you know, standing there and they've got
us all lined up, you know what I mean, and
(08:52):
we're waiting to welcome Taylor into the room. And I
just had this moment where I kind of looked around
and I thought, how freaking cool is this? Only there's
less than thirty of us? What is there? Twenty seven
bachelorettes something like that almost everyone was there, and I
had this moment where I looked around the room and
I thought, we're all different in our own individual way,
but how freaking awesome that we're all standing in the
(09:13):
same room. For the most part, I think everybody really
likes each other. I don't do a whole lot of drama,
so I don't know, but I just saw how freaking
beautiful like we all show up, We show up for
each other. We're all there. We're happy, you know, to
celebrate her and film again and be in the same room.
But it's a very small percentage of people that can
say that they do that, that they know what we've
(09:36):
all been through and that we can share this experience
while also each of having our own different individual experience.
I don't know, maybe I'm just old and sappy, but
I was like, oh, we're so blessed.
Speaker 5 (09:48):
Well, this is just mind boggled at the amount of
people that showed up and how they convinced everybody to
show up. Because there are some people on this list,
I guess I should go through the list and tell
me if we us out on anyone on the date
that you guys are a part of I'm assuming it's
a date. Let's ask some preliminary questions. Was it a date?
Was it a guidance thing? You had a scene on
(10:11):
the upcoming season.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
We had a scene. I'm going to say because I
don't know exactly how much I can share. At first
they were keeping us really mum, and then all of
a sudden, next thing, I know everything was on social media. Yeah,
Nation website, so I know it's out there. So we
filmed a scene that is going to air. It's a special.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
I'm assuming you also won't be able to say, like
where in this season it'll fall, so I'll skip that.
These are who This is the list of who's there. Trista, Ali, Caitlin, Hannah,
Katie Thurston, Desiree, Charity, You, Rachel Lindsay, get back to that, Rachel, Rekia,
(10:55):
back at Kufrian, Tasha, Joan, Andy Orphan, jojo Emily Maynard,
and Ashley Ubert. Now hold on a second, and.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
The only I just want to mention the people were
missing is Meredith Phillips from season two.
Speaker 6 (11:13):
Oh, Meredith was there? Gabby Winley, No, I.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Have Jen Scheffed from season three? Was she there?
Speaker 5 (11:21):
Jen?
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Did not make it?
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Jillian Harris from season five.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
No, Unfortunately, her husband just had surgery. She had FOMO
and was texting all of us all day long.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Sure, I can't imagine her wanting to miss that. Claire
Crawley from season sixteen Claire didn't make it, Michelle Young
from season eighteen, Gabby Wendy from season nineteen, and Jen
Tran from season twenty one. Those are the ones who
were not able to come right.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
You're exactly right then.
Speaker 7 (11:46):
Okay, okay, Let's go back to the fact that Begaku
and Rachel Lindsay, who have distanced themselves with the franchise,
we're both there, which makes me think, like, why what
(12:08):
was about this?
Speaker 4 (12:12):
You know, I don't know, because I was super happy
that everybody came. I know that certain women have drama
with one another, but I will say that there was
no drama that day. Everyone did a really great job
of just being together and enjoying what it was, and
it was all of us coming together to film a special.
(12:34):
Becca comes to things. I know she has distanced herself
from the show, but she still comes to things, and
she actually brought her husband and her baby and they
hung out with us all day. And Becca's delightful, so
I know she's distanced herself, but she still comes to things. Rachel.
I was really thrown off by because we have a
group chat that we're all on and we just check
in periodically or if somebody's got something or going through something,
(12:56):
or it's a birthday or whatever, we all kind of
chime in periodically, and Rachel pretty much silences that and
then pops in, you know, whatever she wants, right, And
so when she showed up, I just like wrapped her
in my arms and just like whispered in her ear.
I was like, I'm so glad that you came, because
I know it's not her thing anymore. I know she's
worked really hard to distance herself from the show for
a number of reasons, but I just was really glad
(13:18):
she came because again, it's about a scenario. And listen,
we all laughed all day. I'm joking about the Handmaid's Tale.
But like the girls, when they listen to this, they're
gonna die, because all day we were like under his eye.
That's what it felt like, all of us in red outline,
handing around, lining up, smile, ladies, look pretty, do this,
and we're all like, there's so much more to us
than this, you know what I mean, but we get it,
(13:40):
like they know what they're doing. It works. And here
we all all are lined up in our red and
you know, but I'm.
Speaker 6 (13:45):
Just lined up in red. You're all wearing red.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
We're all wearing red.
Speaker 6 (13:49):
Oh so that that really makes a handmaid's tally.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Literally, they're trying to get us to hold straight faces
and smile. And I look at Katie and I'm like
under his eye and she's like, we're just like died
laughing because that's what it looked like. And it also
was that kind of scenario where they've got all of us,
you know, lined up and we're all just smiling and
looking pretty, you know what I mean. And we're there
to play a role and fill apart, and you know,
for the most part, we all know that, but you know,
(14:14):
and then it's this twisted part where you're like, well,
you know, the show couldn't have gone on without you,
So we are a key part of the show, but
also we play a part too, Like that's just how
it is. So anyway, Rachel came, I gave her a
big hug, and I told her I was so glad
that she came. That she came and that she was
really a part of the show all day long. She
didn't just sit behind the scenes and not interact with
(14:37):
anybody and not be a part of the show. Like,
she really showed up and she was herself and she
was a part of the episode. So I was thrilled
that she came.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
We've been trying to get Emily Maynard on our podcast
for years. She was one of my favorite leads. She
apparently also doesn't respond in the group chat, but she
was there.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
Emily, God bless her. She will look you dead in
the face, Ashley and be like, I don't even know
where my phone is half the time. She's got so
many children, she's got so much going on. She still
has like a Yahoo an AOL email address. Like we
all laugh at Emily because she is so removed, But
when she is there, she shows up, and she actually
brought her daughter, Ricky, and she's so funny. But you
(15:17):
know what, You're right, she has no time for any
of this stuff. You know, she talks about her experience
about being the Bachelorette and her time on the show
and all of that stuff, but she's just in a
different place than of her life. She has so many kids,
Like she's busy at all times, Like she never responds
to messages, hardly, ever, hardly ever.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Am I crazy to think that she's about to become
a grandmother as well?
Speaker 4 (15:39):
She is, She's.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
About to become a grandmother, a thirty nine year old grandmother.
How was Ricky? I heard that she is not enjoying pregnancy,
so relate.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Yeah, she is a beautiful, beautiful grandmother. Yes, and Ricky
looks stunning. She was cute. She came and joined us
for dinner.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
I mean, I'm with you though, and ash I mean, goodness,
I forget Ashley was not elite. She like has that
like you know, it's it's hard to even process that
she wasn't the lead of the show. And so actually,
I'm not meaning to leave you out of this. It's
confusing to me.
Speaker 6 (16:13):
Yeah, leave me out. That's the very sweet compliment.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
It's it's not a secret if you listen to the show.
It's been years since I've had any touch with this franchise.
And there's reasons for that, you know, change of staff,
but also the fact that I've started a family and
you know, my life does not revolve around this show.
But I've never once asked or tried to distance myself
from the franchise because I'm very thankful for it in
(16:36):
every way, and I would do anything I could that
might help them or fill a five minute time block
on a show that they need. But I get what
you're saying. There's been moments like that for me. Weddings
really have been that, I guess the only time I've
met other bachelors, or maybe on a golf trip that
(16:57):
I plan, But there's moments where you look around the
room and you say, this is like, how incredible that
this is where my life went, not only because of
the fact that there's cameras there and that they've like
pampered us or whatever. It made us feel like stars.
When you know, I come home and I wear sweats
all day and set it at a computer. That I think
(17:17):
is like mostly ninety five percent of what leads now
do with their lives when they're off the show. But
I think it's incredible when they get back together again,
because there is something special about each and every person
they've chosen as a lead that makes them different, that
makes them feel the season that they needed to fill.
And so what I'm really interested in because I believe
(17:39):
you could talk about this, and I know there's a
lot of things you can't talk about, but you got
a room full of these people again for X amount
of hours. One I think I would have like I
would be too excited and I'd probably like word vomit
for an hour of my life just to get everything
out or ask every question I want to ask. But
(18:00):
if there's like a few moments that stand out to
you from this experience, maybe there aren't on camera that
are just in the in the corners, in the silence,
What moments stand out to you with this group being
together again.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
I'm with you, Ben, It's not like I've purposely distanced
myself from the show. It's just like I know my role.
It's not the center of my life. It has changed
the trajectory of my life and where I have gone since,
and I'm really really grateful for it. But I don't
live and die on The Bachelorette and The Bachelorette. I
don't need that connection to like keep up with the
(18:34):
show or to say I'm I'm attached to the show
for any reason. I genuinely go to these things. I like,
genuinely love most of the women I love all of
the women, but I would just naturally gravitate towards certain
ones who I would say, outside of this show, outside
of social media, are actually my friends, right that I
(18:55):
keep in touch with, that I speak to, that know
who my children are, you know what I mean, That
are a part of my life. And so for me,
any excuse to visit these people and spend time with them,
I'll do it. So if ABC is going to buy
a special and bring us all in in film, you
have to pay me, I'll be there. I love these women,
I just want to hang out with them for the day,
you know what I mean, Like that's it. Yeah, So
(19:18):
I would say filming is just how you normally know
it is. They bring us all in, and I think
looking across the room, I get the feeling that none
of us view each other differently. You put us all
in a room, no one sits around and is like, oh,
I got more ratings than your season did, or oh
I've had this lucrative TV career. Since that's not the way,
(19:38):
at least me anyway, I'm only speaking for myself. Like
when we're all sitting in the room and the cameras
aren't rolling and we're all hanging out and talking about
our kids and showing pictures and talking about our experience
of what life is like. And you know, several of
the girls are pregnant. It's just a bunch of girls
being friends in the room and we're seriously just like
pumping each other up. We're laughing that we're all in
(19:59):
red sweatsuits looked like the Handmaid's S Tale. But we're
also like, fuck, you look so beautiful today. Your makeup
looks great, your hair looks great. Like we just genuinely
love each other. So for me, that's really the best
part of having an experience like that. And I think
because you know, if you're looking at a production standpoint,
because production has changed, they are also really driving that.
(20:21):
You know, I realized producers have a job to do
and I'm sure if they needed to get somebody to cry,
they would go to great lengths to do it. But
I would say for the most part, in the last
several years that I have gone on to set and
have had to film anything, the vibe on set is
just different. The production is different, the producers are different.
It doesn't feel like and again, I was on the
show so long ago when I walked on set. They
(20:42):
were willing to like cut throat, to do whatever it took,
and it just doesn't feel like that anymore. So I'm
really thankful for that. They did a really good job
of kind of breaking us up into smaller groups to
film with Taylor. So for the most part, you know,
they take some of the newer girls and put them
(21:03):
with Taylor, then they take some of the other girls
who have had a lucrative career afterwards they put them
with Taylor, and then there's kind of the rest of
us who are just like, I don't know, you know,
talking about random things. But the most fun to me
was like after filming was done, they arranged for us
to have this really awesome dinner and it was just us.
They put us in a private room where we were
(21:25):
all just ourselves, and it was just a whole night
of like just like girls hanging out and laughing and
being together. Oh the TikTok frenzy.
Speaker 6 (21:36):
I listen, Yeah, I had fomo.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
Actually you would have fit in so well.
Speaker 6 (21:42):
I'm glad, I but like, no, I'm not asking to
have been there. It was for you guys.
Speaker 5 (21:46):
Only to say that, like it was like, oh, my
friends making funny things after alley.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
This would have been night up your alley. So we
were like every five minutes if there was a break
in any kind of filming. We were filming tiktoks, and
everybody at our group text was like throwing ideas fun
things that we should do. So I don't know how
many we filmed, just an exhausting amount of tiktoks, and
poor Meredith, like she doesn't do any social media. She
(22:12):
was like, I don't know, just put me wherever you
need me and tell me what to do. I'm ready
to be done with this, you know. But it was
a lot of fun, and I would say that given
the filming, we were able to each go into our
room and like turn it on and put on our
game faces and be like, just tell us what you need.
We would rather just be hanging out with each other,
and then when the cameras were done, we were able
to just laugh and film a bunch of tiktoks and
have a great time. And then by the end of
(22:34):
the night most of the girls went to bed and
it was me and Trista and Caitlin Bristow and one
of the producers at a bar until midnight. And just
laughing our faces off.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
The shock that Kaitlyn closed down a bar.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Uh shocked, and we got to laughing because people were
like it just became this ongoing thing. People were asking
us why we were dressed like that because we didn't change.
We just kept our reddit. So we just looked like
a cult moving around the bar in Woodland Hills, you
know what I mean. And so finally it just became
every time somebody came up, like what are you guys doing,
(23:07):
and we just became this ongoing Oh we played dodgeball
and they were like really, and I was like, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
There's nobody that recognized, like this isn't the paparazzi never
showed up I have. I mean, I would shock that
the paparazzi didn't show up.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
Not a single person was like, oh you are Trista,
you are Caitlin Bristol. No one recognized us. We had
these people believing that we were on a dodgeball league,
that I was the captain, that we each had our role,
and that we played there in Woodland Hills. We had
a whole story going.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
You guys are the prettiest dodgeball team ever. All right,
well it must be asked, is Taylor now part of
the group chat?
Speaker 6 (23:59):
And we'll she really able to hang with this group
down the road.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
I'm a little worried for her. She walked into the
room of all of us, and I tend to think
that we are the most friendly, most welcoming group of women.
I don't know, maybe I'm biased, but she almost looked
like a deer in headlights, like like only smokes, Like
you could just tell that she was really overwhelmed, really overwhelmed.
(24:27):
I believe that production on the Bachelorette is really different
from production on The Mormon Wives. From what I gather
is like on Mormon Wives, there's a lot more producing
around drama because it feeds viewers and it's so what
I gather is that she came on to set like
(24:49):
already with six walls built because she was like, Okay,
how bad is this going to be? How bad is
And I don't think it's been that way for her,
but I think she also she goes from one reality
show to this, and I don't know if she's found
her path quite yet, you know what I mean, Like
this is a dating show. You are meant to find love,
and there's probably you know, also the other piece of
(25:09):
look at the toxic relationships that she has had on
television that have aired for everyone to see, and now
she gets to walk into the situation where hopefully she
finds love, if nothing else, hopefully she just realized that
there's normal, nice guys out there, you know, I hope,
but she genuinely looked terrified.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
I also hope, and I think this is something that
I bring up that was life changing for me really
in that season. I hope she also realizes there's really
great like normal women that are a part of this
as well, like that, hey, this is weird, this is crazy.
This is a new show, and all these women have
done it also, and I like them, Like they're fun,
(25:52):
they want to have a good time, they're laughing with
each other. When I was filming The Bachelor and the
couple of the older showed up, that was huge for
me to be like, wait, I would kick it with
these dudes, like I'd kick it with Souls and Mesnik
and you know, Sean Loh, Like they're nice guys and
so that's big.
Speaker 4 (26:12):
I hope she felt like that, Ben like when she
walked in and even when the cameras were rolling she
was like, thank you all for being here, like, thanks
for coming in, you know what I mean. She It
wasn't like she walked into the room and then ran
out when the cameras weren't rolling. She stood in the
room with us and introduced herself to each of us
you know what I mean, and said and thank us
for coming, and asked for advice. She shared a little bit,
(26:33):
you know, of what's what's going on in filming for
her and where she's at. So my hope is that
she'll join the group chain Ashley when it's all said
and done, and then we just let her know. She
can also silence it.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Yeah, who is the biggest texture in it? Trista for sure,
she's like, but she needs to she's the cultivator of
the world.
Speaker 4 (27:00):
Yeah, it does always respond, She's very good at responding.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
Yeah, yeah, I'm setting up a dinner day with Tristera
right now actually as we talk on my phone, because
she's we need to get together again. This sounds so special. Leaving,
did you feel like fulfilled or did you feel like
there was something missing?
Speaker 4 (27:26):
No, I my heart was like of like joy and
fulfillment was like pouring out of me, you know, if
we filmed the day before my birthday. So it was
also like the girls were happy birthday, you know what
I mean. Everybody likes to get birthday wishes, you know
what I mean, and everybody made a point to say
happy birthday. But it also just like my meter for
(27:49):
just like being full, like my heart was overflowing. I
really loved seeing all of the women, and I genuinely
love everyone and it was great to catch up. I
really spent my day talking to a bunch of different
people and hearing about their lives and how they're doing
and what's new in their life. And then you know,
I just have the ones that just like sit close
to my heart, like Desiree. I mean, she's just like
(28:09):
man like. I just love her. She is very underrated
as a bachelorette. She's just of a human being and
she is kind and we've always had a really special friendship.
So I spent the entire day with her, to be honest,
like just hearing about her children, in her life and
how she's doing in Trista. Of course, so I really
woke up the next morning and you know, I had
(28:31):
the girls all texting me happy birthday, and I was
in my car right on my way home, and I
just was like, I'm just like overflowing. This is the
best birthday ever. I feel so much gratitude and joy
that I got to spend the day with all of
those women. And to be honest, I don't care how
the filming went. I had a great time.
Speaker 6 (28:49):
I'm so happy for you and everyone. This is awesome.
Let's see this with our often Bachelor producers. Get everybody together.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
We could also just do it on our own d Yeah.
Speaker 5 (28:57):
I know. I did it on our own in October
and it was so wonderful, So we all have to
do it on our own work.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
We need to do that. I also was like, hey, man,
when you're done with Taylor Frankie Paul, if you're looking
for a middle aged divorce.
Speaker 5 (29:14):
See the Silver the Silver Bachelorette.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
You locked down and then put me on a date. Man, Yeah, we.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
Should take it into your own hands. Set her up
with your friends. Yeah, we should do that. I'd be
excited to final question. I know our audience is going
we have so many notes here about Taylor Frankie Paul
right now, and we're going to save that to the
next Frankie Friday because I believe this content can wait,
and I really want to just like sit on this
(29:42):
being our launch a Frankie Friday of you meeting Taylor
Frankie Paul and getting to be a part of her season.
And then next week we'll talk about some of the
stuff that we've heard about her season and some.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
Dates, yeah, some elit dates so leaked. Yes, she means
she's all over social media, so let's save that. I
think this was a great episode and just a really
fun conversation with you.
Speaker 4 (30:08):
I'm going to tell you about something because I know
you know Carrie Fetman and.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
For those listening, I love that man.
Speaker 4 (30:14):
Wardrobe from day one on the set, and Carrie loves
nothing more than to treat us all like little dolls
and dress us up the thinnest, most sparkly gowns and
dresses with the highest heels that he possibly can. When
I was filming, I wanted to strangle him because he
put me in no less than seven inch heels because
(30:35):
I'm short. Carrie was on set and I gave him
the biggest hug and he always kisses me right on
the mouth, and I was like, you must be dying,
and he was like, what do you mean, And I
was like, because you can't put her in high heels, y'all.
She came on to set and her socks.
Speaker 5 (30:50):
And her ugs because she's not She's like, won't dress uncomfortable.
Speaker 4 (30:54):
Well, and I've never been so jealous in my entire
life that she gets to film in her crocs and
in her uggs.
Speaker 6 (31:00):
And I love that about her. I love it.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
I do too. She filled the all day and her
ugs and her socks and did not give.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
A you know what, Carrie's freaking out. Carrie wanted to
put me in But are you.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
Just And he said, I've had to let so much
go this season that I can't even sleep at night.
Speaker 3 (31:16):
He's doing okay.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
He's had twenty plus years of his and he does
an incredible job. He's the best out there. Two final
questions for you, how much wine was consumed? And then
did they have enough?
Speaker 5 (31:28):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (31:28):
You know what is so funny? A. I don't drink anymore,
so it was the last thing on my mind. But
B even though there was no men on set, they
still counted the girl's drinks and several of the girls
were really Yes, they still only let the girls have
two drinks per hour. So a couple of the girls
are pregnant. Becca Jojo are pregnant, and so people were
(31:51):
going up to the bar and giving Becca and JoJo's
name because they couldn't get drinks anyway, and they were
trying to get more drinks. But isn't that so funny?
There was not a on set, No one was sexually
involved with anyone, except they were still counting the girls
drinks and only letting them have two drinks per hour.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
That's a good note if they ever invite me back,
because their flask was getting shoved up somewhere and snuck in.
Speaker 6 (32:13):
But I also will say, I don't know if we
really need more than two drinks an hour.
Speaker 4 (32:18):
Well, listen, Andy Gorfman was really really she all day.
She was like, this has got to be a joke.
You bring us all the way out here and you
only give us two little tiny glasses of wine.
Speaker 6 (32:27):
This is a joke per hour.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
You get away from the kids, you get away from
the husband, you have one girl's day and you're like.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
No, no, no, load me up to close here.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
You are the star of famously Available, but rumor has
it that you might not be famously available?
Speaker 3 (32:45):
Is that true or not?
Speaker 4 (32:49):
The famous part is like, no, but I am available.
I am I have started to see someone.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Oh what does that mean for my role in your life?
Speaker 6 (33:00):
Last month?
Speaker 4 (33:00):
And means I can still date Ben? Okay, it means
that I'm just getting to know someone. I'm trying to
decide if I would like to date this person exclusively
or I'm really struggling with because we were friends beforehand,
if I'm able to move from a friendship to a
romantic relationship.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Of course, of course you can't.
Speaker 4 (33:23):
I don't know if I want to see him naked?
Speaker 3 (33:26):
Well, see why not?
Speaker 6 (33:29):
It depends on how many weeks and how many dates
you've been seeing him.
Speaker 5 (33:33):
But I feel like you should know if you are
curious about seeing him naked pretty quickly.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
That's the thing.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
We got to stop here, because here's what we're going
to do.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
We're going to jump on an episode of Famously Available
next week, and we're going to talk about you and
your curiosities are lack of curiosity and what has kind
of happened with you and this new mystery friend that
maybe or maybe not you're romantically interested in. So make
sure you tune into Famously Available. We'll be back next
(34:03):
week talking all about her love life or man, if
she's gonna see him naked until.
Speaker 6 (34:10):
Then, I want to be on this one.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
Yeah, you can come on, Ashley.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
It's a very safe space.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Thanks for breaking it down. This sounds so special and
so fun, and.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
I'm with you. I was not sold on the Taylor
Frankie Paul choice. I don't know her.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
I've never seen the show, so that was like the
most judgmental without any education. It's like it's like judging
us on a podcast that nobody's listened to. They just
seem like a little clip and they're like.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
Yeah, I don't like it. It's like, listen to the whole thing.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
And now I'm getting more and more excited about it
because I want her to find a good person. I
want her to be a part of this family, and
I think there's good things to come from the show
no matter what and when you're on it. So thank
you for giving us the perspective of all these incredible people.
We'll show him back up to support her. It's a
big deal. It's a big deal.
Speaker 4 (35:04):
I put down the production too, though. You guys, I said,
if you bring back her two exes, the one that
is a fame hungry. We'll call it what it is
if they bring him back, like I quit, I quit, like,
don't do this to this poor girl.
Speaker 6 (35:18):
Don't do this, oh villa, or they're gonna do it.
They're gonna do it.
Speaker 5 (35:21):
And Ben, I think you should watch The Secret Lives
of Mormon Wives for just like in the background.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
No, I think we should for Frankie Fridays too, Like
I think you and I need to prep and watch
the show for Frankie Fridays.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
We need to.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
I I guess I need to get educated on who
this person is and what she's about, and so as
a result, need to watch the show.
Speaker 3 (35:43):
And we will.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
I'll start as soon as Thanksgiving is over, like when
I'm bloated and laying on a couch. We're going to
start the show and we're going to get through it
along with all of our audience, because goodness gracious, we
have a long time till the Bachelorette, and we got
to talk about something, got to talk about something, and
we want to talk about something. Anyways, we'll be back
with the almost famous podcast. This has been your first
(36:06):
Franky Friday. It won't go down as the best because
I bet we have some really great things to come,
but it's definitely going to go down in our top
five because Dianna's with us and she's incredible. So until
next time, I've been Ben, I've Been Ashley.
Speaker 6 (36:22):
See you guys.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast on
iHeartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast
with on our radio.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
It's the Almost Famous podcast. Ashley and I are here
on this Friday, and we're gonna start to do something
not different but exciting.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
This time of year.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
We're gonna be your one stop shot for all things
Bachelor Nation, but as we prepare for one of the
most anticipated seasons in recent memory, we're gonna be your
one stop shot for everything Taylor Frankie Paul because she's
got a season coming up as our next bachelorette. We're
gonna bring you around on all the latest news. And
(00:40):
today we've got somebody very special, the star famously Available,
also former bachelorette, and someone's celebrating something that all of
us get to celebrate at least once a year. It's
her birthday. Deanna, Welcome back.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
I swear I should just come on at least once
a day, if not twice a day, because you guys
just make me feel good and there's no reason to
make me feel this good or to make one that's
not true.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
That's not true. Don't ever say that about you. Always
deserve to feel good.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Thanks.
Speaker 5 (01:20):
Thanks, that's always so complimentary. I'm like, you're making me
feel awkward? Here are you just saying it to say it?
Speaker 4 (01:27):
He means it?
Speaker 6 (01:28):
Look, I know he does. He's a very sincere man.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
He's got a baby, so he has nothing.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah, I gave up all once you have a baby,
just become like a more like mushy, like sentimental man.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
Man. See what he said, They're actually a man. He's
talking about women with two children.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
All right.
Speaker 5 (01:50):
So, Dianna, you are a fan of the Mormon Wives.
So were you excited about the announcement of Taylor Frankie, Paul,
do you think this is a good decision? I will
open up this conversation since its entire podcast is going
to be surrounded by Frankie by what do I always
want to call her Frankie though.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
But I think Frankie is okay. So when we got
to meet Frankie, we all know that, right, I was like,
what do we call her? Is she one of those
all three names kind of people? Like, how do I
how do I address the metal in the room? I
don't know, but that it was totally okay to call
her Frankie. So yeah, I watched the Mormon Wives, So
(02:31):
I don't know. You guys have been on The Bachelor
and The Bachelorette. I had two thoughts, right, Okay, this
is the last ditch.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
Effort to save this which I'm down for save it.
And I thought this was a good choice for saving it.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Okay, I thought an interesting choice. So I'm rooting for
her because listen, we've all got a wrap sheet, some
a little thicker than others, but who's counting. And I
also just like, love, love, like why not give her
a shot? So she's not everyone's cup of tea. And
she's had a very interesting go at reality television. And
(03:08):
what I can respect about this woman is that she
doesn't hide it the good, the bad, the ugly, like
she is who she is through and through. And I
can appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
We're going to call this segment leading up to her
season Frankie Fridays. We're really excited for it because there's
a lot to break down during Frankie Fridays. And I
think two things can be true. I mean, I would
be shocked. I would put all my money on it
that at some point in some production room they said
(03:41):
we got to save this franchise, like we got we
don't have a lot of like runway here it's kind
of make or break time. So I think it's one
hundred percent true that this was a last ditch effort.
I also, and I'm curious to hear you like the
two of you kind of because it hasn't been discussed
yet if if it is a last stitch effort, if
(04:02):
this is their home run to try to bring an
audience back in. I understand the success of the Mormon
Wive show. I understand that it's a part of the family,
But why Taylor Frankie Paul. I'm not saying it's a
bad choice. I'm just saying, with all the people that
are available in the ABC family and the Disney family,
(04:23):
why was she the one that they said this is
our home run hit.
Speaker 6 (04:28):
Well, she's like the lead of the show.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
I would say, if it weren't for her and her
expose on these Mormon wives swinging in Utah, then they
would have never even had a show. And then she's
one of the only single girls on the show. Is
there only like one other single girl on the show.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
Yeah, and she really is not. I mean, this is
the kindest way possible, She's not it. Out of the
two it would be Taylor Frankie Paul, Like, she is
obviously the most entertaining, so why would they choose someone
who is not as entertaining? Or if you're looking at
it from an EP perspective, you have to pick someone
who can carry a show, who is nice enough, who's
(05:06):
attractive enough, who has enough of a personality to carry
a show.
Speaker 5 (05:12):
Definitely, she was the obvious choice from that show. Now,
is there any other.
Speaker 6 (05:16):
In the hula?
Speaker 5 (05:17):
ABC Family? Can't think of anyone that's on with Kardashian
right now.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
I think they had a list of people. I heard
some rumors about who they were looking at to make
the next bachelorette.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Brooks Nader, Yeah, Brooks.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Nader was on the list, Taylor Frinkie, Paul, there was
another one I can't remember, you know what, And I bet,
like what it came down to at the end of
the day when ABC was looking at or Warner Brothers,
whoever makes the decision, it probably came down to numbers,
how much money they were going to come out of pocket,
who they were going to pay, and then it just
came down to a popularity contest who they thought was
(05:53):
going to be the best of the show. And just
from knowing, you know talking to a few producers on set.
I believe the show will go on. I don't think
it's like a matter of it getting canceled, right, because
I love it too, Ashley. I want it to keep going.
But I think it is a matter of a last
ditch effort and figuring out what works. So they've done
(06:15):
several bouts of cleaning house over there, and I think
they're just trying to figure out what works this day
and age, you know what I mean. They've seen a
real decline in ratings over the last couple of years,
and I don't know if it was just people aren't
watching the show anymore. I don't know if it's because
with social media and the way the show has changed,
no one really believes it anymore, or are they just
(06:37):
not picking the right leads.
Speaker 6 (06:39):
Probably a combination of it all.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Well, and I think the leads have definitely been in question, right,
I mean, I think we've talked about it here, Ashley
and myself have really discussed, well, if this is such
a a tipping point for the show, the leads that
they're choosing have been confusing, and I think Taylor, Frankie
Paul it makes more sense than most of these they've
(07:02):
chosen recently. However, I do wonder how will she relate
with that forty to sixty demo in the Midwest, And
I think you would be one to bring a great
perspective to us. I haven't met her, I don't know her.
I haven't seen the secret lives of Mormon Wives. Does
(07:22):
she have that ability to relate to them to where
they're like, I want to watch her fine love every week.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Here's the thing. I believe that there are people who
have watched the show from season one. They don't care
what happens. They can't stop watching it. It's their thing.
They watch it with a group of people, or they
watch it with their daughters, or you know, for whatever reason,
they're watching the show and they're never going to stop.
So it doesn't matter how much people have complained about
her becoming the next bachelorette. They're going to watch. I
(07:49):
haven't watched in years. I'm absolutely going to watch. This
is either going to be really amazing or it's going
to be a train wreck that none of us can
look away, you know what I mean. I think the
really cool piece is that even when we see Mormon Wives,
Taylor Frankie Paul shows up as herself every single time.
(08:09):
I don't know her personally. Is that who she really
is when she's off in Utah drinking flavored Coca cola
and with her kids. I don't know, but either way
it works. She's entertaining and makes the show entertaining. When
I met her, she was the nicest person, you know
what I mean. I don't imagine she's going to come
on to set and show the worst version of herself
by any means. But she walked into a room of
(08:31):
a bunch of leads from the television show, and like
side note, they had this part you guys and Ashley,
I know you've been on several seasons, and then I
know you've been a lead. But there was this moment
we're all kind of standing there. It was a little
Handmaid's Tale, but you know, standing there and they've got
us all lined up, you know what I mean, and
(08:52):
we're waiting to welcome Taylor into the room. And I
just had this moment where I kind of looked around
and I thought, how freaking cool is this? Only there's
less than thirty of us? What is there? Twenty seven
bachelorettes something like that almost everyone was there, and I
had this moment where I looked around the room and
I thought, we're all different in our own individual way,
but how freaking awesome that we're all standing in the
(09:13):
same room. For the most part, I think everybody really
likes each other. I don't do a whole lot of drama,
so I don't know, but I just saw how freaking
beautiful like we all show up, We show up for
each other. We're all there. We're happy, you know, to
celebrate her and film again and be in the same room.
But it's a very small percentage of people that can
say that they do that, that they know what we've
(09:36):
all been through and that we can share this experience
while also each of having our own different individual experience.
I don't know, maybe I'm just old and sappy, but
I was like, oh, we're so blessed.
Speaker 5 (09:48):
Well, this is just mind boggled at the amount of
people that showed up and how they convinced everybody to
show up. Because there are some people on this list,
I guess I should go through the list and tell
me if we us out on anyone on the date
that you guys are a part of I'm assuming it's
a date. Let's ask some preliminary questions. Was it a date?
Was it a guidance thing? You had a scene on
(10:11):
the upcoming season.
Speaker 4 (10:13):
We had a scene. I'm going to say because I
don't know exactly how much I can share. At first
they were keeping us really mum, and then all of
a sudden, next thing, I know everything was on social media. Yeah,
Nation website, so I know it's out there. So we
filmed a scene that is going to air. It's a special.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
I'm assuming you also won't be able to say, like
where in this season it'll fall, so I'll skip that.
These are who This is the list of who's there. Trista, Ali, Caitlin, Hannah,
Katie Thurston, Desiree, Charity, You, Rachel Lindsay, get back to that, Rachel, Rekia,
(10:55):
back at Kufrian, Tasha, Joan, Andy Orphan, jojo Emily Maynard,
and Ashley Ubert. Now hold on a second, and.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
The only I just want to mention the people were
missing is Meredith Phillips from season two.
Speaker 6 (11:13):
Oh, Meredith was there? Gabby Winley, No, I.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Have Jen Scheffed from season three? Was she there?
Speaker 5 (11:21):
Jen?
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Did not make it?
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Jillian Harris from season five.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
No, Unfortunately, her husband just had surgery. She had FOMO
and was texting all of us all day long.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
Sure, I can't imagine her wanting to miss that. Claire
Crawley from season sixteen Claire didn't make it, Michelle Young
from season eighteen, Gabby Wendy from season nineteen, and Jen
Tran from season twenty one. Those are the ones who
were not able to come right.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
You're exactly right then.
Speaker 7 (11:46):
Okay, okay, Let's go back to the fact that Begaku
and Rachel Lindsay, who have distanced themselves with the franchise,
we're both there, which makes me think, like, why what
(12:08):
was about this?
Speaker 4 (12:12):
You know, I don't know, because I was super happy
that everybody came. I know that certain women have drama
with one another, but I will say that there was
no drama that day. Everyone did a really great job
of just being together and enjoying what it was, and
it was all of us coming together to film a special.
(12:34):
Becca comes to things. I know she has distanced herself
from the show, but she still comes to things, and
she actually brought her husband and her baby and they
hung out with us all day. And Becca's delightful, so
I know she's distanced herself, but she still comes to things. Rachel.
I was really thrown off by because we have a
group chat that we're all on and we just check
in periodically or if somebody's got something or going through something,
(12:56):
or it's a birthday or whatever, we all kind of
chime in periodically, and Rachel pretty much silences that and
then pops in, you know, whatever she wants, right, And
so when she showed up, I just like wrapped her
in my arms and just like whispered in her ear.
I was like, I'm so glad that you came, because
I know it's not her thing anymore. I know she's
worked really hard to distance herself from the show for
a number of reasons, but I just was really glad
(13:18):
she came because again, it's about a scenario. And listen,
we all laughed all day. I'm joking about the Handmaid's Tale.
But like the girls, when they listen to this, they're
gonna die, because all day we were like under his eye.
That's what it felt like, all of us in red outline,
handing around, lining up, smile, ladies, look pretty, do this,
and we're all like, there's so much more to us
than this, you know what I mean, but we get it,
(13:40):
like they know what they're doing. It works. And here
we all all are lined up in our red and
you know, but I'm.
Speaker 6 (13:45):
Just lined up in red. You're all wearing red.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
We're all wearing red.
Speaker 6 (13:49):
Oh so that that really makes a handmaid's tally.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
Literally, they're trying to get us to hold straight faces
and smile. And I look at Katie and I'm like
under his eye and she's like, we're just like died
laughing because that's what it looked like. And it also
was that kind of scenario where they've got all of us,
you know, lined up and we're all just smiling and
looking pretty, you know what I mean. And we're there
to play a role and fill apart, and you know,
for the most part, we all know that, but you know,
(14:14):
and then it's this twisted part where you're like, well,
you know, the show couldn't have gone on without you,
So we are a key part of the show, but
also we play a part too, Like that's just how
it is. So anyway, Rachel came, I gave her a
big hug, and I told her I was so glad
that she came. That she came and that she was
really a part of the show all day long. She
didn't just sit behind the scenes and not interact with
(14:37):
anybody and not be a part of the show. Like,
she really showed up and she was herself and she
was a part of the episode. So I was thrilled
that she came.
Speaker 5 (14:45):
We've been trying to get Emily Maynard on our podcast
for years. She was one of my favorite leads. She
apparently also doesn't respond in the group chat, but she
was there.
Speaker 4 (14:56):
Emily, God bless her. She will look you dead in
the face, Ashley and be like, I don't even know
where my phone is half the time. She's got so
many children, she's got so much going on. She still
has like a Yahoo an AOL email address. Like we
all laugh at Emily because she is so removed, But
when she is there, she shows up, and she actually
brought her daughter, Ricky, and she's so funny. But you
(15:17):
know what, You're right, she has no time for any
of this stuff. You know, she talks about her experience
about being the Bachelorette and her time on the show
and all of that stuff, but she's just in a
different place than of her life. She has so many kids,
Like she's busy at all times, Like she never responds
to messages, hardly, ever, hardly ever.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
Am I crazy to think that she's about to become
a grandmother as well?
Speaker 4 (15:39):
She is, She's.
Speaker 6 (15:40):
About to become a grandmother, a thirty nine year old grandmother.
How was Ricky? I heard that she is not enjoying pregnancy,
so relate.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Yeah, she is a beautiful, beautiful grandmother. Yes, and Ricky
looks stunning. She was cute. She came and joined us
for dinner.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
I mean, I'm with you though, and ash I mean, goodness,
I forget Ashley was not elite. She like has that
like you know, it's it's hard to even process that
she wasn't the lead of the show. And so actually,
I'm not meaning to leave you out of this. It's
confusing to me.
Speaker 6 (16:13):
Yeah, leave me out. That's the very sweet compliment.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
It's it's not a secret if you listen to the show.
It's been years since I've had any touch with this franchise.
And there's reasons for that, you know, change of staff,
but also the fact that I've started a family and
you know, my life does not revolve around this show.
But I've never once asked or tried to distance myself
from the franchise because I'm very thankful for it in
(16:36):
every way, and I would do anything I could that
might help them or fill a five minute time block
on a show that they need. But I get what
you're saying. There's been moments like that for me. Weddings
really have been that, I guess the only time I've
met other bachelors, or maybe on a golf trip that
(16:57):
I plan, But there's moments where you look around the
room and you say, this is like, how incredible that
this is where my life went, not only because of
the fact that there's cameras there and that they've like
pampered us or whatever. It made us feel like stars.
When you know, I come home and I wear sweats
all day and set it at a computer. That I think
(17:17):
is like mostly ninety five percent of what leads now
do with their lives when they're off the show. But
I think it's incredible when they get back together again,
because there is something special about each and every person
they've chosen as a lead that makes them different, that
makes them feel the season that they needed to fill.
And so what I'm really interested in because I believe
(17:39):
you could talk about this, and I know there's a
lot of things you can't talk about, but you got
a room full of these people again for X amount
of hours. One I think I would have like I
would be too excited and I'd probably like word vomit
for an hour of my life just to get everything
out or ask every question I want to ask. But
(18:00):
if there's like a few moments that stand out to
you from this experience, maybe there aren't on camera that
are just in the in the corners, in the silence,
What moments stand out to you with this group being
together again.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
I'm with you, Ben, It's not like I've purposely distanced
myself from the show. It's just like I know my role.
It's not the center of my life. It has changed
the trajectory of my life and where I have gone since,
and I'm really really grateful for it. But I don't
live and die on The Bachelorette and The Bachelorette. I
don't need that connection to like keep up with the
(18:34):
show or to say I'm I'm attached to the show
for any reason. I genuinely go to these things. I like,
genuinely love most of the women I love all of
the women, but I would just naturally gravitate towards certain
ones who I would say, outside of this show, outside
of social media, are actually my friends, right that I
(18:55):
keep in touch with, that I speak to, that know
who my children are, you know what I mean, That
are a part of my life. And so for me,
any excuse to visit these people and spend time with them,
I'll do it. So if ABC is going to buy
a special and bring us all in in film, you
have to pay me, I'll be there. I love these women,
I just want to hang out with them for the day,
you know what I mean, Like that's it. Yeah, So
(19:18):
I would say filming is just how you normally know
it is. They bring us all in, and I think
looking across the room, I get the feeling that none
of us view each other differently. You put us all
in a room, no one sits around and is like, oh,
I got more ratings than your season did, or oh
I've had this lucrative TV career. Since that's not the way,
(19:38):
at least me anyway, I'm only speaking for myself. Like
when we're all sitting in the room and the cameras
aren't rolling and we're all hanging out and talking about
our kids and showing pictures and talking about our experience
of what life is like. And you know, several of
the girls are pregnant. It's just a bunch of girls
being friends in the room and we're seriously just like
pumping each other up. We're laughing that we're all in
(19:59):
red sweatsuits looked like the Handmaid's S Tale. But we're
also like, fuck, you look so beautiful today. Your makeup
looks great, your hair looks great. Like we just genuinely
love each other. So for me, that's really the best
part of having an experience like that. And I think
because you know, if you're looking at a production standpoint,
because production has changed, they are also really driving that.
(20:21):
You know, I realized producers have a job to do
and I'm sure if they needed to get somebody to cry,
they would go to great lengths to do it. But
I would say for the most part, in the last
several years that I have gone on to set and
have had to film anything, the vibe on set is
just different. The production is different, the producers are different.
It doesn't feel like and again, I was on the
show so long ago when I walked on set. They
(20:42):
were willing to like cut throat, to do whatever it took,
and it just doesn't feel like that anymore. So I'm
really thankful for that. They did a really good job
of kind of breaking us up into smaller groups to
film with Taylor. So for the most part, you know,
they take some of the newer girls and put them
(21:03):
with Taylor, then they take some of the other girls
who have had a lucrative career afterwards they put them
with Taylor, and then there's kind of the rest of
us who are just like, I don't know, you know,
talking about random things. But the most fun to me
was like after filming was done, they arranged for us
to have this really awesome dinner and it was just us.
They put us in a private room where we were
(21:25):
all just ourselves, and it was just a whole night
of like just like girls hanging out and laughing and
being together. Oh the TikTok frenzy.
Speaker 6 (21:36):
I listen, Yeah, I had fomo.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
Actually you would have fit in so well.
Speaker 6 (21:42):
I'm glad, I but like, no, I'm not asking to
have been there. It was for you guys.
Speaker 5 (21:46):
Only to say that, like it was like, oh, my
friends making funny things after alley.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
This would have been night up your alley. So we
were like every five minutes if there was a break
in any kind of filming. We were filming tiktoks, and
everybody at our group text was like throwing ideas fun
things that we should do. So I don't know how
many we filmed, just an exhausting amount of tiktoks, and
poor Meredith, like she doesn't do any social media. She
(22:12):
was like, I don't know, just put me wherever you
need me and tell me what to do. I'm ready
to be done with this, you know. But it was
a lot of fun, and I would say that given
the filming, we were able to each go into our
room and like turn it on and put on our
game faces and be like, just tell us what you need.
We would rather just be hanging out with each other,
and then when the cameras were done, we were able
to just laugh and film a bunch of tiktoks and
have a great time. And then by the end of
(22:34):
the night most of the girls went to bed and
it was me and Trista and Caitlin Bristow and one
of the producers at a bar until midnight. And just
laughing our faces off.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
The shock that Kaitlyn closed down a bar.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Uh shocked, and we got to laughing because people were
like it just became this ongoing thing. People were asking
us why we were dressed like that because we didn't change.
We just kept our reddit. So we just looked like
a cult moving around the bar in Woodland Hills, you
know what I mean. And so finally it just became
every time somebody came up, like what are you guys doing,
(23:07):
and we just became this ongoing Oh we played dodgeball
and they were like really, and I was like, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
There's nobody that recognized, like this isn't the paparazzi never
showed up I have. I mean, I would shock that
the paparazzi didn't show up.
Speaker 4 (23:21):
Not a single person was like, oh you are Trista,
you are Caitlin Bristol. No one recognized us. We had
these people believing that we were on a dodgeball league,
that I was the captain, that we each had our role,
and that we played there in Woodland Hills. We had
a whole story going.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
You guys are the prettiest dodgeball team ever. All right,
well it must be asked, is Taylor now part of
the group chat?
Speaker 6 (23:59):
And we'll she really able to hang with this group
down the road.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
I'm a little worried for her. She walked into the
room of all of us, and I tend to think
that we are the most friendly, most welcoming group of women.
I don't know, maybe I'm biased, but she almost looked
like a deer in headlights, like like only smokes, Like
you could just tell that she was really overwhelmed, really overwhelmed.
(24:27):
I believe that production on the Bachelorette is really different
from production on The Mormon Wives. From what I gather
is like on Mormon Wives, there's a lot more producing
around drama because it feeds viewers and it's so what
I gather is that she came on to set like
(24:49):
already with six walls built because she was like, Okay,
how bad is this going to be? How bad is
And I don't think it's been that way for her,
but I think she also she goes from one reality
show to this, and I don't know if she's found
her path quite yet, you know what I mean, Like
this is a dating show. You are meant to find love,
and there's probably you know, also the other piece of
(25:09):
look at the toxic relationships that she has had on
television that have aired for everyone to see, and now
she gets to walk into the situation where hopefully she
finds love, if nothing else, hopefully she just realized that
there's normal, nice guys out there, you know, I hope,
but she genuinely looked terrified.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
I also hope, and I think this is something that
I bring up that was life changing for me really
in that season. I hope she also realizes there's really
great like normal women that are a part of this
as well, like that, hey, this is weird, this is crazy.
This is a new show, and all these women have
done it also, and I like them, Like they're fun,
(25:52):
they want to have a good time, they're laughing with
each other. When I was filming The Bachelor and the
couple of the older showed up, that was huge for
me to be like, wait, I would kick it with
these dudes, like I'd kick it with Souls and Mesnik
and you know, Sean Loh, Like they're nice guys and
so that's big.
Speaker 4 (26:12):
I hope she felt like that, Ben like when she
walked in and even when the cameras were rolling she
was like, thank you all for being here, like, thanks
for coming in, you know what I mean. She It
wasn't like she walked into the room and then ran
out when the cameras weren't rolling. She stood in the
room with us and introduced herself to each of us
you know what I mean, and said and thank us
for coming, and asked for advice. She shared a little bit,
(26:33):
you know, of what's what's going on in filming for
her and where she's at. So my hope is that
she'll join the group chain Ashley when it's all said
and done, and then we just let her know. She
can also silence it.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Yeah, who is the biggest texture in it? Trista for sure,
she's like, but she needs to she's the cultivator of
the world.
Speaker 4 (27:00):
Yeah, it does always respond, She's very good at responding.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
Yeah, yeah, I'm setting up a dinner day with Tristera
right now actually as we talk on my phone, because
she's we need to get together again. This sounds so special. Leaving,
did you feel like fulfilled or did you feel like
there was something missing?
Speaker 4 (27:26):
No, I my heart was like of like joy and
fulfillment was like pouring out of me, you know, if
we filmed the day before my birthday. So it was
also like the girls were happy birthday, you know what
I mean. Everybody likes to get birthday wishes, you know
what I mean, and everybody made a point to say
happy birthday. But it also just like my meter for
(27:49):
just like being full, like my heart was overflowing. I
really loved seeing all of the women, and I genuinely
love everyone and it was great to catch up. I
really spent my day talking to a bunch of different
people and hearing about their lives and how they're doing
and what's new in their life. And then you know,
I just have the ones that just like sit close
to my heart, like Desiree. I mean, she's just like
(28:09):
man like. I just love her. She is very underrated
as a bachelorette. She's just of a human being and
she is kind and we've always had a really special friendship.
So I spent the entire day with her, to be honest,
like just hearing about her children, in her life and
how she's doing in Trista. Of course, so I really
woke up the next morning and you know, I had
(28:31):
the girls all texting me happy birthday, and I was
in my car right on my way home, and I
just was like, I'm just like overflowing. This is the
best birthday ever. I feel so much gratitude and joy
that I got to spend the day with all of
those women. And to be honest, I don't care how
the filming went. I had a great time.
Speaker 6 (28:49):
I'm so happy for you and everyone. This is awesome.
Let's see this with our often Bachelor producers. Get everybody together.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
We could also just do it on our own d Yeah.
Speaker 5 (28:57):
I know. I did it on our own in October
and it was so wonderful, So we all have to
do it on our own work.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
We need to do that. I also was like, hey, man,
when you're done with Taylor Frankie Paul, if you're looking
for a middle aged divorce.
Speaker 5 (29:14):
See the Silver the Silver Bachelorette.
Speaker 3 (29:17):
You locked down and then put me on a date. Man, Yeah, we.
Speaker 5 (29:22):
Should take it into your own hands. Set her up
with your friends. Yeah, we should do that. I'd be
excited to final question. I know our audience is going
we have so many notes here about Taylor Frankie Paul
right now, and we're going to save that to the
next Frankie Friday because I believe this content can wait,
and I really want to just like sit on this
(29:42):
being our launch a Frankie Friday of you meeting Taylor
Frankie Paul and getting to be a part of her season.
And then next week we'll talk about some of the
stuff that we've heard about her season and some.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
Dates, yeah, some elit dates so leaked. Yes, she means
she's all over social media, so let's save that. I
think this was a great episode and just a really
fun conversation with you.
Speaker 4 (30:08):
I'm going to tell you about something because I know
you know Carrie Fetman and.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
For those listening, I love that man.
Speaker 4 (30:14):
Wardrobe from day one on the set, and Carrie loves
nothing more than to treat us all like little dolls
and dress us up the thinnest, most sparkly gowns and
dresses with the highest heels that he possibly can. When
I was filming, I wanted to strangle him because he
put me in no less than seven inch heels because
(30:35):
I'm short. Carrie was on set and I gave him
the biggest hug and he always kisses me right on
the mouth, and I was like, you must be dying,
and he was like, what do you mean, And I
was like, because you can't put her in high heels, y'all.
She came on to set and her socks.
Speaker 5 (30:50):
And her ugs because she's not She's like, won't dress uncomfortable.
Speaker 4 (30:54):
Well, and I've never been so jealous in my entire
life that she gets to film in her crocs and
in her uggs.
Speaker 6 (31:00):
And I love that about her. I love it.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
I do too. She filled the all day and her
ugs and her socks and did not give.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
A you know what, Carrie's freaking out. Carrie wanted to
put me in But are you.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
Just And he said, I've had to let so much
go this season that I can't even sleep at night.
Speaker 3 (31:16):
He's doing okay.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
He's had twenty plus years of his and he does
an incredible job. He's the best out there. Two final
questions for you, how much wine was consumed? And then
did they have enough?
Speaker 5 (31:28):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (31:28):
You know what is so funny? A. I don't drink anymore,
so it was the last thing on my mind. But
B even though there was no men on set, they
still counted the girl's drinks and several of the girls
were really Yes, they still only let the girls have
two drinks per hour. So a couple of the girls
are pregnant. Becca Jojo are pregnant, and so people were
(31:51):
going up to the bar and giving Becca and JoJo's
name because they couldn't get drinks anyway, and they were
trying to get more drinks. But isn't that so funny?
There was not a on set, No one was sexually
involved with anyone, except they were still counting the girls
drinks and only letting them have two drinks per hour.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
That's a good note if they ever invite me back,
because their flask was getting shoved up somewhere and snuck in.
Speaker 6 (32:13):
But I also will say, I don't know if we
really need more than two drinks an hour.
Speaker 4 (32:18):
Well, listen, Andy Gorfman was really really she all day.
She was like, this has got to be a joke.
You bring us all the way out here and you
only give us two little tiny glasses of wine.
Speaker 6 (32:27):
This is a joke per hour.
Speaker 2 (32:30):
You get away from the kids, you get away from
the husband, you have one girl's day and you're like.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
No, no, no, load me up to close here.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
You are the star of famously Available, but rumor has
it that you might not be famously available?
Speaker 3 (32:45):
Is that true or not?
Speaker 4 (32:49):
The famous part is like, no, but I am available.
I am I have started to see someone.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Oh what does that mean for my role in your life?
Speaker 6 (33:00):
Last month?
Speaker 4 (33:00):
And means I can still date Ben? Okay, it means
that I'm just getting to know someone. I'm trying to
decide if I would like to date this person exclusively
or I'm really struggling with because we were friends beforehand,
if I'm able to move from a friendship to a
romantic relationship.
Speaker 3 (33:21):
Of course, of course you can't.
Speaker 4 (33:23):
I don't know if I want to see him naked?
Speaker 3 (33:26):
Well, see why not?
Speaker 6 (33:29):
It depends on how many weeks and how many dates
you've been seeing him.
Speaker 5 (33:33):
But I feel like you should know if you are
curious about seeing him naked pretty quickly.
Speaker 4 (33:37):
That's the thing.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
We got to stop here, because here's what we're going
to do.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
We're going to jump on an episode of Famously Available
next week, and we're going to talk about you and
your curiosities are lack of curiosity and what has kind
of happened with you and this new mystery friend that
maybe or maybe not you're romantically interested in. So make
sure you tune into Famously Available. We'll be back next
(34:03):
week talking all about her love life or man, if
she's gonna see him naked until.
Speaker 6 (34:10):
Then, I want to be on this one.
Speaker 3 (34:12):
Yeah, you can come on, Ashley.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
It's a very safe space.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Thanks for breaking it down. This sounds so special and
so fun, and.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
I'm with you. I was not sold on the Taylor
Frankie Paul choice. I don't know her.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
I've never seen the show, so that was like the
most judgmental without any education. It's like it's like judging
us on a podcast that nobody's listened to. They just
seem like a little clip and they're like.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
Yeah, I don't like it. It's like, listen to the whole thing.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
And now I'm getting more and more excited about it
because I want her to find a good person. I
want her to be a part of this family, and
I think there's good things to come from the show
no matter what and when you're on it. So thank
you for giving us the perspective of all these incredible people.
We'll show him back up to support her. It's a
big deal. It's a big deal.
Speaker 4 (35:04):
I put down the production too, though. You guys, I said,
if you bring back her two exes, the one that
is a fame hungry. We'll call it what it is
if they bring him back, like I quit, I quit, like,
don't do this to this poor girl.
Speaker 6 (35:18):
Don't do this, oh villa, or they're gonna do it.
They're gonna do it.
Speaker 5 (35:21):
And Ben, I think you should watch The Secret Lives
of Mormon Wives for just like in the background.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
No, I think we should for Frankie Fridays too, Like
I think you and I need to prep and watch
the show for Frankie Fridays.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
We need to.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
I I guess I need to get educated on who
this person is and what she's about, and so as
a result, need to watch the show.
Speaker 3 (35:43):
And we will.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
I'll start as soon as Thanksgiving is over, like when
I'm bloated and laying on a couch. We're going to
start the show and we're going to get through it
along with all of our audience, because goodness gracious, we
have a long time till the Bachelorette, and we got
to talk about something, got to talk about something, and
we want to talk about something. Anyways, we'll be back
with the almost famous podcast. This has been your first
(36:06):
Franky Friday. It won't go down as the best because
I bet we have some really great things to come,
but it's definitely going to go down in our top
five because Dianna's with us and she's incredible. So until
next time, I've been Ben, I've Been Ashley.
Speaker 6 (36:22):
See you guys.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast on
iHeartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
Hosts And Creators
Lauren Zima
Chris Harrison
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