September 9, 2025 • 24 mins
Were Sean and Allyshia playing Paradise right, or did they come in too bold? Ben conducts a deep dive into why the Parliament of Paradise seemed to fizzle out quickly.
Where are the receipts? And why did this duo feel inclined to take Kat down?
We also try to get some answers on why their relationship didn't continue after they left the beach...and if anyone is holding out for a second chance.
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):
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(00:23):
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Marina where coastal charm meets endless discovery. Now let's get
back to our interview.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast
with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Everybody it's been here with the Almost Famous podcast. We
are here live in studio. We just got off of
the Reunion Special, incredible special. I thought it was a
lot better than I expected to be. Nobody was talking
over each other, and I think there was many opportunities
to do that. Uh. First, my first question is it's
Alicia righty yiled it well, says it right, Others don't.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Sewan says it the best.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
I will say, Sean gives them Alicia Alicia.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Okay, Alicia. It's a beautiful name. Thank you, Sean. Alicia
Alicia are here with us today. Goodness gracious, guys, you
left Paradise in a big way. Your experience in Paradise
was so beautiful and so good until it just got wild.
(01:38):
I want to start this with saying, Sean, I don't
think you were completely in the wrong. So and I
just have to say this as a fan. I'm watching
it back and up until the point that you start strategizing,
nobody else is doing it, and you said, hey, it's
time to strategize, like it's we're getting down here, it's
time to start think about it. Everybody was like, why
is he doing strategy? We're gonna get into the Samanta
(02:00):
and how it was communicated in those things in a
little bit. I don't think that was done perfectly. But
as soon as you guys left, everybody else starts strategizing.
So I think you were maybe ahead of the curve.
But my question for you is where did you guys
go wrong?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
I don't think we were ahead of the curve.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
I think it was shown that we were, or maybe
Sean more than me, but was starting to think of strategy.
But we were certainly not the only people having those
conversations at that point.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
Well, there's a great quote by the Joker in the
Dark Knight movie that I'm not crazy, I'm just ahead
of the curve. That's how I felt like we were
in a way. But I think that when you look
when you watch it back, we have the luxury of
having a week break between all these episodes. When everyone
got mad at me for starting to talk strategy, two
days literally a day two days later they started doing it.
And what I did and no one else was thinking
(02:51):
this way was like I looked back on how many
days we had left until we were done filming. We
had like five days left when we got eliminated. So
I was doing the row ceremony math. I'm like, in
two days, we're gone. Like, unless we do something, we're gone.
They're going to vote south. So I was singing a
couple steps ahead. Everyone else is like almost living in
the moment, trying to figure out like rose by Rose Ceremony,
and I just I mean, I had a different opinion
(03:12):
about the show because it changed when it turned into
a competition for half a million dollars.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Do you agree?
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Yeah, I do agree with most of that. I guess
the where it went wrong, I think it was probably
a culmination of a lot of different things. Probably on
our end, we have some blame to take and responsibility there.
But I think also like crowd mentality, it's very easy
to jump on the ship that's sinking, and I think
there was a lot of that happening, especially considering everybody
(03:43):
who is on the same terms of not sending home
romantic relationships at that point in the game. So I
think it was a little bit of both, and I
think we can take responsibility for our end. We might
have been able to go about that a little bit
with a little bit more grace for Kat. So I
think lessons were learned and that's the best part of Paradise.
Who were coming away with better relationships all around. And yeah,
(04:06):
hindsight's twenty twenty, but.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Now we we did just have the reunion. You gave
an update on your relationship today, which is.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Really really good.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Friends, Sean, do you agree with that. I would agree
with that.
Speaker 5 (04:22):
Yeah, I think we like there's a lot of layers
that you can unpack in that.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
I mean, I was really excited.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
I think we both were to like leave Paradise together
and like in a relationship, and ultimately, like when we
got back to Tampa, some things came up where we
no longer lived in Tampa together from some career opportunities,
and it was just, you know, distance is tough in
any relationship, especially for the way that I think that
what we want to have a relationship. So but yeah, no,
we're still really good friends. We talk all the time.
Definitely have it back no matter what. But yeah, it's
(04:49):
kind of where we're at before.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
We dive back into obviously the exit and the Parliament
of Paradise and all those things that happened. I do
want to talk about the two of you, because you
did have a really solid relationship for a long time
in Paradise, not only I think because of your proximity
and Tampa to each other, but also just how you
two met. Can you talk to me and to listeners
(05:12):
about your relationship and what it meant to you guys,
because your exit kind of felt like Hey, we're gonna
try to keep going in this and then you're gone.
But we didn't get the sense of where you guys
actually stood as a couple.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Yeah, I mean when Alicia came in, we had our
first date, Like I felt so locked in after that,
like we what you only say a little bit of
it on the show obviously, and they can't show everything,
but like we talked so much about what we're looking
for in life, like our family backgrounds, like her going
to boarding school in London, like my brothers, Like we
kind of I felt like we covered so much ground
that first date, where like I really felt like I
(05:46):
knew her immediately, and that just continued going on throughout Paradise.
You never really saw our relationship as a couple, which
was like a little bit frustrating watching it back. Like
we were spending every night together, like those conversations that
we're having, like wake up in the morning and bring
it to breakfast, like that was a legitimate relationship. And
that's why you know, I felt so strongly about us
and about our relationship. And then you know, we left
(06:09):
and we tried to continue it outside of it, but
just life happens, and I think you live in a
little bit of a bubble on Paradise, and I don't
think one thing or the other led to our demise.
Is really just like almost timing in a way.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Yeah, so how does that work? How do you spend
the night together? You have to share, like with the roommate,
sleep in them bit next to you.
Speaker 5 (06:26):
Some people were doing that we fortunately, which to my demise.
I think in the game show Strategy elm out of it,
I didn't have a roommate, so then like I just
she just came over and it was great. The other
people had roommates, so they were doing like four person sleepovers,
which I thought was a little bit, you know, not
my cup of tea. But yeah, there's some great clips.
They just haven't been released. They should release them because
(06:47):
they're they're juicy content of all the couples in the rooms.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
But yeah, that's uh, you know, for you, Alicia, Like
this relationship meant what.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
For me? I think this relationshiphip was truly one of
the biggest winds. Like walking away from Paradise, I walked
in feeling like I had really secure friendships and those
were tested and felt like they were really on the
rocks for a while. And in the interim, Sean really
came to my defense, and I felt like I had
somebody who I could confide in, somebody who had my back,
(07:21):
and somebody who also had a really similar perspective on life.
And that just meant the world to have somebody in
your corner, especially when you feel like you don't have
any friends or people are going against you. It made
all the difference. And I think that's where we were
at the point of leaving. We had found so much
solace in one another. We didn't want to wake up
(07:44):
and see any of these people and breakfast with them.
We much rather just wake up in Tampa together. Is
kind of where our heads were at, And the fact
that geographically we were close in proximity was kind of
like a happy accident, serennipitous. But yeah, it was obviously
something that we didn't have to compromise leaving Paradise and
not being able to go back to the same place.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Yeah, did you two ever know each other before the show?
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Sean asked me out once before the show.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
She said no, no, So when you saw him again,
you were like, ah.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
I was out of town. I actually didn't say no.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
He had invited you to a Tampa Bay Lightning game,
and I love lightning, but I was sadly out of town.
And I knew when I said that I was going
to sound like the girl who's like blowing him off.
But really, I just seldom spend time in Tampa. And
now I think you can.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Attest to a yeah, she definitely doesn't, so I.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Think, you know, I wasn't just avoiding you, but I
would love to go to the Tampa Gate Lightning game.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Now we can go out in public.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
Yeah no, but I like we didn't really know each other,
Like we knew of each other, and like that was
back in like January, like we hadn't talked since then,
like after she completely turned me down, I was like,
all right, well, you know whatever on the bigger and
better things. And then you know, she shows up on
the beach. So like we knew of each other, but
I didn't really know the first thing about her background
or if we're even going to be compatible. And I
think that was like so shocking to me. Was like
(09:00):
as soon as like we connected, probably not the first
night because I was really drunk, but like the next night, yeah,
that was really great. And then I was like, oh,
this is someone I could see myself like leaving here with,
and then the feelings just grew throughout the time we
were there.
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(09:39):
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dot com. You talked about obviously you're in this like
limbo stage, You're really close friends, You're no longer like
(10:01):
dating or whatever you call it because of career opportunities.
Can you speak to any of those? Do you want
to share about what those are?
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Yeah, I don't know if I can or can't share,
But regarding interior design, which is my background and what
I went to school for, so for me, that's super
exciting and I think I'm going to have a better shot,
hopefully than.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Doing a competition about love.
Speaker 4 (10:24):
So yeah, fingers are crossed and I'm just you know,
going with the flow and seeing where life takes me.
I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.
And if you had asked me even two years ago
if I would be on the Bachelor or Bachelor in Paradise,
I would have laughed.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
But here we are so stranger.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
Things can happen, and I'm just kind of welcoming opportunities
as they come. I'm trying not to pass them by
or turn them down while I can't take advantage of that.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Yeah, smart, I mean the one thing kind of flashing
back to this season, the one thing that we did
see during the reunion reunion was you get a little emotional.
I felt like I was just watching. Tell me if
you didn't. When it was brought up with the moment
that you walked into the room and you heard the
other girls kind of talking about you, people that you
thought were friends. YEA, yeah, I want to take your
(11:10):
feelings there in that moment and kind of walk through,
you know, how you two process this and how maybe
close it brought you as a couple.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Definitely, that was certainly like the turning point for us
really feeling like we just needed to leave and be
pursuing our journey together individually at that point in Tampa,
I walked into the room and yeah, Like I was
very emotional bringing up to the union, and I was
emotional that night and even now talking about it, like,
I really really care about Alex and Bailey and all
(11:43):
my friends and people who I consider friends on the outside,
and it's easy to think this is a TV show
and just entertainment, and while it is, it's real people's lives,
and these are real friendships that you cultivate. So for me,
the friends that I keep, I've never been in a
room where, like I've had people talking about me who
I consider to be like sisters.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
So that was really hard.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
And it was also at a point where you know,
I didn't know who I could come to because I
didn't feel that I didn't really feel that welcome, and
I think we.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Were just kind of on a sinking ship. And it, yeah,
and it sucked.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
It just really hurt my feelings to hear two people
who I wouldn't imagine ever saying things about me having
those private conversations. And then more than that, it was wow,
if I hadn't walked in, then what I have ever
known this was happening?
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Probably not. And then the other thing was.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
I had a lot of empathy for Bailey because no
one told her about the Susie thing, and had I known,
I would have told her. And I really stressed that
to her and emphasize that so she felt like she
had someone she could trust. So then to feel like
that happened just truly a day later, a day or
two later hurt even more because it felt like Bailey
(13:04):
should know how that would feel, and it just sucked
to have something done to you that you wouldn't do
to someone else.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Have you been able to rebuild those friendships and talk
through this.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Yeah, yeah, we have, We definitely have. At the end
of the day, I don't think a TV show is
going to get in the way of people who are
good friends. And I believe in second chances and we
all grow and nobody's perfect.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
We're all human.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
And I love this saying everyone's a saint when they're
talking about someone else's sins. I'm not perfect either, and
I think it's just an opportunity for us to learn
and grow and strengthen those relationships and hopefully stop a
reoccurring pattern from happening in the future.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Sure, now we do have to talk about obviously, the
Parliament of Paradise. Yeah, I'm most interested. I think in
the return I was talking to Ashley, we're breaking down
the finance. I just want to know what the two
of you were talking about, like on the plane flight,
Like it felt like you came in there a thousand
miles an hour to me and we're like, I have
(14:07):
to get this information out there to you all. What
was the build up like for the two of you.
Can you give us a sneak peek of one, how
you came across the information, how you thought about how
you were going to deliver it, why you delivered the
way you did, just like bring us in on the mix.
Speaker 5 (14:25):
Yeah, I think that was a little bit like people misunderstood,
like they I only they heard the message and more
so just the delivery of it, which like looking back,
like I don't like I was pretty proud that I
didn't like started through it all like it was pretty
good speech. But I think what was so jarring to
people is that no one was doing that in front
of everybody, like they're gonna have these conversations like the
hotel room on the side. So to go back, we
(14:46):
didn't leave Paradise. We didn't leave Costa Rica. We stayed,
had a nice like four days. It was like the
best part of paradise.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
We were in poor Keith. I wanted to go home
so bad.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
Yeah, and they just made a mistake. So we had
like four days together we spent which was amazing. But
when I had got to eliminated, I some information was
brought to me about the whole iPad situation. The cat
boyfriend who I ex boyfriend, but who I knew, but
it wasn't who I knew, but it wasn't like it
(15:14):
I get brought up in Paradise before, like wells had
heard about it early on, like this is like first
couple of days, first couple of weeks, Like other people
that had already got eliminated knew about it, and I
was asked, like what do I know. I was like, well,
I have no idea, but let me find out. So
when I made a phone call to him, he kind
of told me all the information. I was like, oh
my god, these people are coming after me for thinking
we're not like into each other and questioning our relationship
(15:36):
yet like this is going on in the background. So
I kind of looked around. I was like, all right,
well it's probably going to because we didn't know who
the final three couples were going to be. I'm like,
it's probably going to be either Bailey and Jeremy Caden Dale,
Andrew and Alex, or Justin Spencer, So whatever it's going
to be, And I really felt strongly that Justin Spencer
were the strongest couple and most deserving because we're giving
away technically we're at that time giving away half a
(15:57):
million dollars. I didn't want to see someone who was
doing some things in the whether before Paradise as we
got there or whatever, win half a million dollars. I've
been sick because like I wanted to win it. But
so when we came in, I was like, do I
want to have like these small conversations with people like
to the side, because I don't really want to do that,
Like I'd rather just get the information out there. You
guys can decide whether or not you believe it or
(16:18):
not and vote on that. And then like I wanted
to leave, like we were so done with Paradise at
that point to begin with. But it's more so it's
like I'm not afraid of if I'm like pretty direct,
So if I have something to say, like, I'm perfectly
okay standing up there and saying in front of everybody,
I don't need to go.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
In a private room.
Speaker 5 (16:33):
And I think people were like, why didn't you pull
like cad and Dale's side and have that conversation. And
the facts of the matter was at that moment, like
there's half a million dollars on the line. If I
tell them, hey, like you have to bring this up,
who knows how they're gonna spin it or downplay it
and then doesn't get the message across everybody else. So
people had a problem with like how I did it.
I also like, at the end of the day, like
(16:54):
if I'm going to say something, I'm perfectly okay saying
in front of everyone, I don't and also want a
TV show if I side conversations, guess what a million
people are gonna watch that on TV. It's gonna become
public information. Anyway, I'd rather just say to the sixteen
people there, and you know, that's kind of how it
went down.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Looking back, do you do you wish you would have
done it differently or.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (17:14):
It's tough because like you have like the reaction, and
I still don't think people are hearing like the message
of what I was saying because I didn't lie about that.
It's true. Also, Hannah Brown like broke off her engagement
for way less. I think more people were drawing about
the reaction, and I think that was a theme throughout
a lot of Paradise. Is like if you look at
the Bailey and Jeremy and Brian situation, like people are
(17:35):
reacting to the reaction, not the message itself. Like people
came after Brian for telling Bailey about the SUSI phone
call instead of looking at what Brian.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Was actually telling Bailey. Why is that you think it's tough?
Speaker 5 (17:46):
I think that it's such a like pressure cooker in
this environment where like you, I don't think people loved
Brian to begin with, so like when he stepped a line,
people liked Jeremy and they just like attacked, And a
lot of the times there was all the big mob
mentality across the entire this time across the entire cast,
like once some person had an opinion, everyone else powed on.
(18:08):
Like I didn't feel like a lot of people had
their own like conviction in what was going on in Paradise.
They like to like almost like follow the leader in
a way, but no one was. Else was like trying
to step up and say what they actually thought. And
the same thing happened with like when I went back
and made that announcement, like you look at all the people,
like why would you say that. It's like, well, like
you're gonna do you want the information because like I think,
like I'm not the moral police. I'm not like they're
(18:29):
here for the right reasons. Guy like he come on
the show for whatever. I do think you have to
cut it off at a certain point, And I just
thought that was like a little bit out of line
in the context of a dating show. So I don't
really regret it. I think like at the end of
the day, like I got my message across. If you
don't like it, that's fine.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
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I mean, we're here with them right now. They are
(19:38):
just sitting in the seats that you're sitting in, like
I'm not the man you are, like, meaning like I
would trivele and be like, I don't want to go.
I'm so nervous. I don't want to see them. This
is going to be really awkward. I don't even be
around it. So what has it been like for you
too today to sit in the same space as them,
confront these conversations, but then also be hanging out and
(20:03):
you know, the lunch room with them.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
I think I'll say two points on that. The first
is coming into today. I know my truth, I know
what I lived. And I think when you know the
truth and you're okay with it, what do I have
to worry?
Speaker 3 (20:22):
I didn't have any reason to worry.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
But also, I think it's a huge test to our characters,
all of us, staling Kat included.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
I think that it takes big people to be able
to sit here.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
And have these conversations and it's not easy, and yeah,
I think that the easy way out would be avoiding
them and not even approaching the subject or sitting at
the same lunch table. But I'm really proud of the
way we've all handled it and moved forward.
Speaker 5 (20:50):
Yeah, I feel like it's helpful to like sit there
and like have these conversations hash it out. I feel
like we did that here and like now I feel
a lot better about the situation. And then I did
pride to coming in here because I will say I
did still hold some resentment towards a lot of the
people here, just because truthfully, not the only person that
reached out to me from the show where has been
like Brian and Jeremy. Like that's it. Like I haven't
(21:12):
talked to anybody really soides obviously Alicia. So like coming
in here, like I almost felt like, oh are they
Like like I almost felt like I was walking into
an ambush because I hadn't talk to these people for
so long. But it really wasn't that bad. I thought
it was good to have those conversations. And now, like
I wish like Dale and Cat the best, Like I
truly like I want them to work out. I want
them to to Oh, man, I'm excited to see the
(21:33):
next couple months with them. I think, like it's just
now getting started when you can be public and like
when you start spending more time with one another and
I push them the best.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
I hope they work out.
Speaker 5 (21:44):
That's what I'll say.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
You think they will?
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Do you think you two ever have a chance of
working out? I've been trying.
Speaker 5 (21:52):
She's just kidding, I will say, like it's it would
be really tough, I think for us, and like what
we foreign relationship to do long distance? So whether or
not our paths cross again, if we're in the same
city or back in Tampa in LA, like I think
we would, I would be open to exploring things again.
But I think like right now, like me being in
Tampa or in La, like we tried it, Like our
(22:13):
communication styles don't mix well with long distance at all.
Like I'm stubborn and she's stubborn and be like, oh,
she didn't text me back when she said to us,
so I'm not going to text her back like stuff
like that, which you know doesn't work long distance.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
We wouldn't.
Speaker 5 (22:24):
We don't have that in Tampa, like when we spent
the time together. It's always like, yeah, everything, it felt
like we were still in paradise. So yeah, I think
that's like, you know, we're focusing on our friendship right now,
but if something happens in the future, like we're gonna
we're gonn cross that bridge when we get to it.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
Yeah, I think that's all said. I never say never.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
I never said never, Never say never. That's how we're
gonna title this podcast. Yeah, guys, thanks for sitting down again.
Kudos to you for coming here today and confronting it
and sitting in it. And I do hope there's healing
from it and revelation from it, and that there is
a better understanding from it, and that all parties involved
can move forward in the healthiest and happiest ways for
all of you. I did think today was in a
(23:02):
lot of ways therapeutic. It wasn't always pretty, yeah, but
it got the point across for for so many. I
wish you the best, Alicia in your endeavors coming up,
whatever mystery those maybe I think an idea and Sean,
I hope to go off with you soon. You're looking
good in the green jacket.
Speaker 5 (23:21):
It looks like thank you too, by the way, because
you've always I've always I've listened to you guys, and
you guys, you've always like shot U straight where you
kind of understand things and can can You always had
my back in a way, so I appreciate that one.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Ashley. It didn't always have my back, so I you
know what, sometimes it doesn't come off like that. But
my hope is to never This is my hope as
a bachelor. Nobody would ever come into that house and
be upset that they did it. Nothing more. Same thing here.
I hope you don't come on the Almost Famous podcast
and go, gosh, dang it. I wish I would have
never agreed to it. It's it's not the place for that.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
So we love talking to you.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Yeah, thank you until next time. I've been been. Talk
to you soon. Guys.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcasts on
iHeartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
Before I get two carried away, I do want to
give a shout out to the hotel. We're staying at
the Porto Fino Hotel Marina. Escape the coast at the
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(00:23):
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and back to the hotel. Unwine in the living room
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in a breathtaking coastal sunset. The por Fino Hotel and
Marina where coastal charm meets endless discovery. Now let's get
back to our interview.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast
with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Everybody it's been here with the Almost Famous podcast. We
are here live in studio. We just got off of
the Reunion Special, incredible special. I thought it was a
lot better than I expected to be. Nobody was talking
over each other, and I think there was many opportunities
to do that. Uh. First, my first question is it's
Alicia righty yiled it well, says it right, Others don't.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Sewan says it the best.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
I will say, Sean gives them Alicia Alicia.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Okay, Alicia. It's a beautiful name. Thank you, Sean. Alicia
Alicia are here with us today. Goodness gracious, guys, you
left Paradise in a big way. Your experience in Paradise
was so beautiful and so good until it just got wild.
(01:38):
I want to start this with saying, Sean, I don't
think you were completely in the wrong. So and I
just have to say this as a fan. I'm watching
it back and up until the point that you start strategizing,
nobody else is doing it, and you said, hey, it's
time to strategize, like it's we're getting down here, it's
time to start think about it. Everybody was like, why
is he doing strategy? We're gonna get into the Samanta
(02:00):
and how it was communicated in those things in a
little bit. I don't think that was done perfectly. But
as soon as you guys left, everybody else starts strategizing.
So I think you were maybe ahead of the curve.
But my question for you is where did you guys
go wrong?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
I don't think we were ahead of the curve.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
I think it was shown that we were, or maybe
Sean more than me, but was starting to think of strategy.
But we were certainly not the only people having those
conversations at that point.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
Well, there's a great quote by the Joker in the
Dark Knight movie that I'm not crazy, I'm just ahead
of the curve. That's how I felt like we were
in a way. But I think that when you look
when you watch it back, we have the luxury of
having a week break between all these episodes. When everyone
got mad at me for starting to talk strategy, two
days literally a day two days later they started doing it.
And what I did and no one else was thinking
(02:51):
this way was like I looked back on how many
days we had left until we were done filming. We
had like five days left when we got eliminated. So
I was doing the row ceremony math. I'm like, in
two days, we're gone. Like, unless we do something, we're gone.
They're going to vote south. So I was singing a
couple steps ahead. Everyone else is like almost living in
the moment, trying to figure out like rose by Rose Ceremony,
and I just I mean, I had a different opinion
(03:12):
about the show because it changed when it turned into
a competition for half a million dollars.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Do you agree?
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Yeah, I do agree with most of that. I guess
the where it went wrong, I think it was probably
a culmination of a lot of different things. Probably on
our end, we have some blame to take and responsibility there.
But I think also like crowd mentality, it's very easy
to jump on the ship that's sinking, and I think
there was a lot of that happening, especially considering everybody
(03:43):
who is on the same terms of not sending home
romantic relationships at that point in the game. So I
think it was a little bit of both, and I
think we can take responsibility for our end. We might
have been able to go about that a little bit
with a little bit more grace for Kat. So I
think lessons were learned and that's the best part of Paradise.
Who were coming away with better relationships all around. And yeah,
(04:06):
hindsight's twenty twenty, but.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Now we we did just have the reunion. You gave
an update on your relationship today, which is.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Really really good.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Friends, Sean, do you agree with that. I would agree
with that.
Speaker 5 (04:22):
Yeah, I think we like there's a lot of layers
that you can unpack in that.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
I mean, I was really excited.
Speaker 5 (04:27):
I think we both were to like leave Paradise together
and like in a relationship, and ultimately, like when we
got back to Tampa, some things came up where we
no longer lived in Tampa together from some career opportunities,
and it was just, you know, distance is tough in
any relationship, especially for the way that I think that
what we want to have a relationship. So but yeah, no,
we're still really good friends. We talk all the time.
Definitely have it back no matter what. But yeah, it's
(04:49):
kind of where we're at before.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
We dive back into obviously the exit and the Parliament
of Paradise and all those things that happened. I do
want to talk about the two of you, because you
did have a really solid relationship for a long time
in Paradise, not only I think because of your proximity
and Tampa to each other, but also just how you
two met. Can you talk to me and to listeners
(05:12):
about your relationship and what it meant to you guys,
because your exit kind of felt like Hey, we're gonna
try to keep going in this and then you're gone.
But we didn't get the sense of where you guys
actually stood as a couple.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Yeah, I mean when Alicia came in, we had our
first date, Like I felt so locked in after that,
like we what you only say a little bit of
it on the show obviously, and they can't show everything,
but like we talked so much about what we're looking
for in life, like our family backgrounds, like her going
to boarding school in London, like my brothers, Like we
kind of I felt like we covered so much ground
that first date, where like I really felt like I
(05:46):
knew her immediately, and that just continued going on throughout Paradise.
You never really saw our relationship as a couple, which
was like a little bit frustrating watching it back. Like
we were spending every night together, like those conversations that
we're having, like wake up in the morning and bring
it to breakfast, like that was a legitimate relationship. And
that's why you know, I felt so strongly about us
and about our relationship. And then you know, we left
(06:09):
and we tried to continue it outside of it, but
just life happens, and I think you live in a
little bit of a bubble on Paradise, and I don't
think one thing or the other led to our demise.
Is really just like almost timing in a way.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
Yeah, so how does that work? How do you spend
the night together? You have to share, like with the roommate,
sleep in them bit next to you.
Speaker 5 (06:26):
Some people were doing that we fortunately, which to my demise.
I think in the game show Strategy elm out of it,
I didn't have a roommate, so then like I just
she just came over and it was great. The other
people had roommates, so they were doing like four person sleepovers,
which I thought was a little bit, you know, not
my cup of tea. But yeah, there's some great clips.
They just haven't been released. They should release them because
(06:47):
they're they're juicy content of all the couples in the rooms.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
But yeah, that's uh, you know, for you, Alicia, Like
this relationship meant what.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
For me? I think this relationshiphip was truly one of
the biggest winds. Like walking away from Paradise, I walked
in feeling like I had really secure friendships and those
were tested and felt like they were really on the
rocks for a while. And in the interim, Sean really
came to my defense, and I felt like I had
somebody who I could confide in, somebody who had my back,
(07:21):
and somebody who also had a really similar perspective on life.
And that just meant the world to have somebody in
your corner, especially when you feel like you don't have
any friends or people are going against you. It made
all the difference. And I think that's where we were
at the point of leaving. We had found so much
solace in one another. We didn't want to wake up
(07:44):
and see any of these people and breakfast with them.
We much rather just wake up in Tampa together. Is
kind of where our heads were at, And the fact
that geographically we were close in proximity was kind of
like a happy accident, serennipitous. But yeah, it was obviously
something that we didn't have to compromise leaving Paradise and
not being able to go back to the same place.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Yeah, did you two ever know each other before the show?
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Sean asked me out once before the show.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
She said no, no, So when you saw him again,
you were like, ah.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
I was out of town. I actually didn't say no.
Speaker 4 (08:17):
He had invited you to a Tampa Bay Lightning game,
and I love lightning, but I was sadly out of town.
And I knew when I said that I was going
to sound like the girl who's like blowing him off.
But really, I just seldom spend time in Tampa. And
now I think you can.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Attest to a yeah, she definitely doesn't, so I.
Speaker 4 (08:33):
Think, you know, I wasn't just avoiding you, but I
would love to go to the Tampa Gate Lightning game.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Now we can go out in public.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
Yeah no, but I like we didn't really know each other,
Like we knew of each other, and like that was
back in like January, like we hadn't talked since then,
like after she completely turned me down, I was like,
all right, well, you know whatever on the bigger and
better things. And then you know, she shows up on
the beach. So like we knew of each other, but
I didn't really know the first thing about her background
or if we're even going to be compatible. And I
think that was like so shocking to me. Was like
(09:00):
as soon as like we connected, probably not the first
night because I was really drunk, but like the next night, yeah,
that was really great. And then I was like, oh,
this is someone I could see myself like leaving here with,
and then the feelings just grew throughout the time we
were there.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
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(09:39):
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dot com. You talked about obviously you're in this like
limbo stage, You're really close friends, You're no longer like
(10:01):
dating or whatever you call it because of career opportunities.
Can you speak to any of those? Do you want
to share about what those are?
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Yeah, I don't know if I can or can't share,
But regarding interior design, which is my background and what
I went to school for, so for me, that's super
exciting and I think I'm going to have a better shot,
hopefully than.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Doing a competition about love.
Speaker 4 (10:24):
So yeah, fingers are crossed and I'm just you know,
going with the flow and seeing where life takes me.
I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.
And if you had asked me even two years ago
if I would be on the Bachelor or Bachelor in Paradise,
I would have laughed.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
But here we are so stranger.
Speaker 4 (10:39):
Things can happen, and I'm just kind of welcoming opportunities
as they come. I'm trying not to pass them by
or turn them down while I can't take advantage of that.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Yeah, smart, I mean the one thing kind of flashing
back to this season, the one thing that we did
see during the reunion reunion was you get a little emotional.
I felt like I was just watching. Tell me if
you didn't. When it was brought up with the moment
that you walked into the room and you heard the
other girls kind of talking about you, people that you
thought were friends. YEA, yeah, I want to take your
(11:10):
feelings there in that moment and kind of walk through,
you know, how you two process this and how maybe
close it brought you as a couple.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Definitely, that was certainly like the turning point for us
really feeling like we just needed to leave and be
pursuing our journey together individually at that point in Tampa,
I walked into the room and yeah, Like I was
very emotional bringing up to the union, and I was
emotional that night and even now talking about it, like,
I really really care about Alex and Bailey and all
(11:43):
my friends and people who I consider friends on the outside,
and it's easy to think this is a TV show
and just entertainment, and while it is, it's real people's lives,
and these are real friendships that you cultivate. So for me,
the friends that I keep, I've never been in a
room where, like I've had people talking about me who
I consider to be like sisters.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
So that was really hard.
Speaker 4 (12:05):
And it was also at a point where you know,
I didn't know who I could come to because I
didn't feel that I didn't really feel that welcome, and
I think we.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Were just kind of on a sinking ship. And it, yeah,
and it sucked.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
It just really hurt my feelings to hear two people
who I wouldn't imagine ever saying things about me having
those private conversations. And then more than that, it was wow,
if I hadn't walked in, then what I have ever
known this was happening?
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Probably not. And then the other thing was.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
I had a lot of empathy for Bailey because no
one told her about the Susie thing, and had I known,
I would have told her. And I really stressed that
to her and emphasize that so she felt like she
had someone she could trust. So then to feel like
that happened just truly a day later, a day or
two later hurt even more because it felt like Bailey
(13:04):
should know how that would feel, and it just sucked
to have something done to you that you wouldn't do
to someone else.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Have you been able to rebuild those friendships and talk
through this.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Yeah, yeah, we have, We definitely have. At the end
of the day, I don't think a TV show is
going to get in the way of people who are
good friends. And I believe in second chances and we
all grow and nobody's perfect.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
We're all human.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
And I love this saying everyone's a saint when they're
talking about someone else's sins. I'm not perfect either, and
I think it's just an opportunity for us to learn
and grow and strengthen those relationships and hopefully stop a
reoccurring pattern from happening in the future.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Sure, now we do have to talk about obviously, the
Parliament of Paradise. Yeah, I'm most interested. I think in
the return I was talking to Ashley, we're breaking down
the finance. I just want to know what the two
of you were talking about, like on the plane flight,
Like it felt like you came in there a thousand
miles an hour to me and we're like, I have
(14:07):
to get this information out there to you all. What
was the build up like for the two of you.
Can you give us a sneak peek of one, how
you came across the information, how you thought about how
you were going to deliver it, why you delivered the
way you did, just like bring us in on the mix.
Speaker 5 (14:25):
Yeah, I think that was a little bit like people misunderstood,
like they I only they heard the message and more
so just the delivery of it, which like looking back,
like I don't like I was pretty proud that I
didn't like started through it all like it was pretty
good speech. But I think what was so jarring to
people is that no one was doing that in front
of everybody, like they're gonna have these conversations like the
hotel room on the side. So to go back, we
(14:46):
didn't leave Paradise. We didn't leave Costa Rica. We stayed,
had a nice like four days. It was like the
best part of paradise.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
We were in poor Keith. I wanted to go home
so bad.
Speaker 5 (14:53):
Yeah, and they just made a mistake. So we had
like four days together we spent which was amazing. But
when I had got to eliminated, I some information was
brought to me about the whole iPad situation. The cat
boyfriend who I ex boyfriend, but who I knew, but
it wasn't who I knew, but it wasn't like it
(15:14):
I get brought up in Paradise before, like wells had
heard about it early on, like this is like first
couple of days, first couple of weeks, Like other people
that had already got eliminated knew about it, and I
was asked, like what do I know. I was like, well,
I have no idea, but let me find out. So
when I made a phone call to him, he kind
of told me all the information. I was like, oh
my god, these people are coming after me for thinking
we're not like into each other and questioning our relationship
(15:36):
yet like this is going on in the background. So
I kind of looked around. I was like, all right,
well it's probably going to because we didn't know who
the final three couples were going to be. I'm like,
it's probably going to be either Bailey and Jeremy Caden Dale,
Andrew and Alex, or Justin Spencer, So whatever it's going
to be, And I really felt strongly that Justin Spencer
were the strongest couple and most deserving because we're giving
away technically we're at that time giving away half a
(15:57):
million dollars. I didn't want to see someone who was
doing some things in the whether before Paradise as we
got there or whatever, win half a million dollars. I've
been sick because like I wanted to win it. But
so when we came in, I was like, do I
want to have like these small conversations with people like
to the side, because I don't really want to do that,
Like I'd rather just get the information out there. You
guys can decide whether or not you believe it or
(16:18):
not and vote on that. And then like I wanted
to leave, like we were so done with Paradise at
that point to begin with. But it's more so it's
like I'm not afraid of if I'm like pretty direct,
So if I have something to say, like, I'm perfectly
okay standing up there and saying in front of everybody,
I don't need to go.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
In a private room.
Speaker 5 (16:33):
And I think people were like, why didn't you pull
like cad and Dale's side and have that conversation. And
the facts of the matter was at that moment, like
there's half a million dollars on the line. If I
tell them, hey, like you have to bring this up,
who knows how they're gonna spin it or downplay it
and then doesn't get the message across everybody else. So
people had a problem with like how I did it.
I also like, at the end of the day, like
(16:54):
if I'm going to say something, I'm perfectly okay saying
in front of everyone, I don't and also want a
TV show if I side conversations, guess what a million
people are gonna watch that on TV. It's gonna become
public information. Anyway, I'd rather just say to the sixteen
people there, and you know, that's kind of how it
went down.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Looking back, do you do you wish you would have
done it differently or.
Speaker 4 (17:14):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (17:14):
It's tough because like you have like the reaction, and
I still don't think people are hearing like the message
of what I was saying because I didn't lie about that.
It's true. Also, Hannah Brown like broke off her engagement
for way less. I think more people were drawing about
the reaction, and I think that was a theme throughout
a lot of Paradise. Is like if you look at
the Bailey and Jeremy and Brian situation, like people are
(17:35):
reacting to the reaction, not the message itself. Like people
came after Brian for telling Bailey about the SUSI phone
call instead of looking at what Brian.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Was actually telling Bailey. Why is that you think it's tough?
Speaker 5 (17:46):
I think that it's such a like pressure cooker in
this environment where like you, I don't think people loved
Brian to begin with, so like when he stepped a line,
people liked Jeremy and they just like attacked, And a
lot of the times there was all the big mob
mentality across the entire this time across the entire cast,
like once some person had an opinion, everyone else powed on.
(18:08):
Like I didn't feel like a lot of people had
their own like conviction in what was going on in Paradise.
They like to like almost like follow the leader in
a way, but no one was. Else was like trying
to step up and say what they actually thought. And
the same thing happened with like when I went back
and made that announcement, like you look at all the people,
like why would you say that. It's like, well, like
you're gonna do you want the information because like I think,
like I'm not the moral police. I'm not like they're
(18:29):
here for the right reasons. Guy like he come on
the show for whatever. I do think you have to
cut it off at a certain point, And I just
thought that was like a little bit out of line
in the context of a dating show. So I don't
really regret it. I think like at the end of
the day, like I got my message across. If you
don't like it, that's fine.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
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I mean, we're here with them right now. They are
(19:38):
just sitting in the seats that you're sitting in, like
I'm not the man you are, like, meaning like I
would trivele and be like, I don't want to go.
I'm so nervous. I don't want to see them. This
is going to be really awkward. I don't even be
around it. So what has it been like for you
too today to sit in the same space as them,
confront these conversations, but then also be hanging out and
(20:03):
you know, the lunch room with them.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
I think I'll say two points on that. The first
is coming into today. I know my truth, I know
what I lived. And I think when you know the
truth and you're okay with it, what do I have
to worry?
Speaker 3 (20:22):
I didn't have any reason to worry.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
But also, I think it's a huge test to our characters,
all of us, staling Kat included.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
I think that it takes big people to be able
to sit here.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
And have these conversations and it's not easy, and yeah,
I think that the easy way out would be avoiding
them and not even approaching the subject or sitting at
the same lunch table. But I'm really proud of the
way we've all handled it and moved forward.
Speaker 5 (20:50):
Yeah, I feel like it's helpful to like sit there
and like have these conversations hash it out. I feel
like we did that here and like now I feel
a lot better about the situation. And then I did
pride to coming in here because I will say I
did still hold some resentment towards a lot of the
people here, just because truthfully, not the only person that
reached out to me from the show where has been
like Brian and Jeremy. Like that's it. Like I haven't
(21:12):
talked to anybody really soides obviously Alicia. So like coming
in here, like I almost felt like, oh are they
Like like I almost felt like I was walking into
an ambush because I hadn't talk to these people for
so long. But it really wasn't that bad. I thought
it was good to have those conversations. And now, like
I wish like Dale and Cat the best, Like I
truly like I want them to work out. I want
them to to Oh, man, I'm excited to see the
(21:33):
next couple months with them. I think, like it's just
now getting started when you can be public and like
when you start spending more time with one another and
I push them the best.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
I hope they work out.
Speaker 5 (21:44):
That's what I'll say.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
You think they will?
Speaker 3 (21:47):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Do you think you two ever have a chance of
working out? I've been trying.
Speaker 5 (21:52):
She's just kidding, I will say, like it's it would
be really tough, I think for us, and like what
we foreign relationship to do long distance? So whether or
not our paths cross again, if we're in the same
city or back in Tampa in LA, like I think
we would, I would be open to exploring things again.
But I think like right now, like me being in
Tampa or in La, like we tried it, Like our
(22:13):
communication styles don't mix well with long distance at all.
Like I'm stubborn and she's stubborn and be like, oh,
she didn't text me back when she said to us,
so I'm not going to text her back like stuff
like that, which you know doesn't work long distance.
Speaker 1 (22:23):
We wouldn't.
Speaker 5 (22:24):
We don't have that in Tampa, like when we spent
the time together. It's always like, yeah, everything, it felt
like we were still in paradise. So yeah, I think
that's like, you know, we're focusing on our friendship right now,
but if something happens in the future, like we're gonna
we're gonn cross that bridge when we get to it.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
Yeah, I think that's all said. I never say never.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
I never said never, Never say never. That's how we're
gonna title this podcast. Yeah, guys, thanks for sitting down again.
Kudos to you for coming here today and confronting it
and sitting in it. And I do hope there's healing
from it and revelation from it, and that there is
a better understanding from it, and that all parties involved
can move forward in the healthiest and happiest ways for
all of you. I did think today was in a
(23:02):
lot of ways therapeutic. It wasn't always pretty, yeah, but
it got the point across for for so many. I
wish you the best, Alicia in your endeavors coming up,
whatever mystery those maybe I think an idea and Sean,
I hope to go off with you soon. You're looking
good in the green jacket.
Speaker 5 (23:21):
It looks like thank you too, by the way, because
you've always I've always I've listened to you guys, and
you guys, you've always like shot U straight where you
kind of understand things and can can You always had
my back in a way, so I appreciate that one.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Ashley. It didn't always have my back, so I you
know what, sometimes it doesn't come off like that. But
my hope is to never This is my hope as
a bachelor. Nobody would ever come into that house and
be upset that they did it. Nothing more. Same thing here.
I hope you don't come on the Almost Famous podcast
and go, gosh, dang it. I wish I would have
never agreed to it. It's it's not the place for that.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
So we love talking to you.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Yeah, thank you until next time. I've been been. Talk
to you soon. Guys.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Follow the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcasts on
iHeartRadio or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.
Hosts And Creators
Lauren Zima
Chris Harrison
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