E1027 - Love Is Blind Reunion He-Said She-Said w Ali & Anton and Shannon Beador Breaks Down The RHOC Finale

Summary

The Viall Files: E1027 - Love Is Blind Reunion He-Said She-Said w/ Ali & Anton and Shannon Beador Breaks Down The RHOC Finale

Release Date: November 4, 2025
Host: Nick Viall
Guests: Natalie Joy, Household panel, Shannon Storms Beador, Ali & Anton (Love is Blind S9)

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Episode Overview

This jam-packed Reality Recap dives into two major pop culture events:

• The drama-laden reunion of Love is Blind Season 9, featuring a candid he-said, she-said segment with Ali and Anton.
• A full breakdown of the Real Housewives of Orange County (RHOC) Season 19 finale with star Shannon Storms Beador, including inside scoop ahead of the three-part reunion. Along the way, Nick and his crew react to audience hot takes and debate the state of reality TV, relationship etiquette, and the ethics of Bravo’s production choices. The episode is rich in tea, critical analysis, humor, and vulnerability.

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Table of Contents

1. Reality TV & Pop Culture Banter
2. Listener Hot Takes: The Bachelorette, Love is Blind, and More
3. RHOC Finale Recap & Shannon Beador Interview
   • Rapid Recap & Panel Discussion
   • Deep Dive with Shannon Beador
4. Love Is Blind S9: Reunion Highlights & He-Said She-Said
   • Panel Recap & Analysis
   • Interview with Ali
   • Interview with Anton
5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

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1. Reality TV & Pop Culture Banter [01:55–13:51]

Main Points:

• The Household jokes about AI (ChatGPT) roasting Nick and his wife, leading to humorous, self-deprecating banter.
• Lighthearted Halloween stories, modern slang chat (“six, seven;” old-school “dope” and “phat”), and pop culture nostalgia.
• Panel discusses the new Vanderpump Rules cast, expressing skepticism about rebooting reality shows when contestants are now so "self-aware."
• “There’s no recreating early VPR. You can’t get that accidental magic when cast members have all seen the playbook.” – Diana (13:54)

Tone: Playful, sharply observational.

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2. Listener Hot Takes: Bachelorette, Love is Blind, and More [14:28–23:21]

Highlights:

• Taylor Frankie Paul as The Bachelorette: Divided opinions from listeners. Panel agrees she’s different and “unproducible,” with hope for a franchise refresh, but skepticism about the Bachelor machine’s current state (“the franchise leadership is a hot pile of dog shit right now” – Nick, 16:02).
• Love is Blind - Alcoholism Double Standard: Callers point out Annie’s drinking versus Anton’s “alcoholic edit.” Panel acknowledges show’s selective focus and gender biases in scandal narratives.
• Who Should Be the Next Bachelor?: Suggestion that Jordan (Love is Blind) should be the Bachelor. Panel explains network/streaming “universe” boundaries limit crossover, but likes the idea.

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3. RHOC Finale Recap & Shannon Beador Interview

A. Rapid Recap & Panel Discussion [24:32–34:46]

[25:44] - Rapid Recap:

• Gretchen’s language mixups, Amsterdam adventure highlights, mushroom use, and friendship contract jokes.
• Central Theme: The group confronts Gretchen over allegedly anti-LGBTQ+ Instagram activity—potential career destruction.
• Tamara’s alleged role in leaking press stories and manipulating narratives for drama.
• Panel debates: When does stirring the pot cross into dangerous territory? Should Bravo have a moral responsibility for what storylines are aired or shut down?

Notable Segment:
“It's either homophobia or weaponizing homophobia to ruin someone's life. Both are terrible and I don't like either of them.” – Diana [26:13]

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B. Deep Dive with Shannon Storms Beador [37:09–74:59]

Personal Life & Dating

• Shannon’s heart is “good” and open (even after an on-air breakup), recounting four dates in New York with a “very kind man.”
• On the contrast to past public relationships:
  “Complete opposite from John Jansen—housewife fucker—to now someone who’s like, I don’t even know what that is.” – Nellie [41:42]

Season Fallout & Housewife Dynamics

• Shannon feels grateful to be on good terms with most cast members, minus Tamara.
• On ex-castmate Katie’s “banishment”: Denies a group conspiracy; emphasizes need for accountability (“Tell the truth, take accountability”—Shannon [46:18]).
• Panel and Shannon decry the “loyalty to whoever didn’t do anything to me” approach as “horseshit.” – Nick [47:42]
• Shannon defends her own real-life loyalty: “When someone does something unkind to someone I care about, I'm diving in.” [47:32]

The Gretchen Controversy

• The cast was “blindsided and in shock” by allegedly anti-LGBTQ+ social posts attributed to Gretchen ([57:16]).
• Shannon urges viewers not to jump to conclusions before the reunion:
  “Everyone before you react like we should have done, take a breath and just step back and say: does all this make sense?” [73:27]
• Notes efforts by Gretchen to clear her name with cyber-analysts; acknowledges the possibility of faked digital evidence and the dangerous precedent if weaponized by a cast member.

Final Thoughts & Show Ethics

• “If you’re falsely accusing someone, that could ruin their life. And this season has been tough—a lot of very opinionated viewers sending threatening DMs.” – Shannon [61:26]
• On cast futures: Shannon never wants to interfere with anyone’s livelihood—“It’s just not good energy.” [65:14]

Notable Fun Moments

• Panel asks about Vicki Gunvalson (“Always bring back Vicki.” – Shannon [65:30]), Wife Swap ideas, and Slade’s redemption as a supportive partner.

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4. Love Is Blind S9: Reunion Highlights & He-Said She-Said

A. Panel Recap & Analysis [79:40–88:14]

• Reunion described as “over-produced” (musical guests, basketball, wind in everyone’s hair) and “weirdly slow.”
• Criticism of repeated focus on Casey & Patrick’s ring drama and “manufactured moments.”
• Panel agrees that Anton’s and Ali’s breakup felt inevitable: “They are good people but not for each other.”

B. Interview with Ali [88:21–109:51]

Ali’s Perspective

• Editing Woes: “None of our serious conversations aired. It came off like I fell in love in two minutes!” [89:45]
• On Anton: They deeply discussed values, finances, lifestyle—agreed on him being a provider—but his drinking/vaping and what she saw as defensiveness became issues.
• The “flip flop” breakup reasoning was a joke; real concerns were lifestyle differences, social drinking habits (“It wasn’t one or two beers, it was more than that and more nights than that.” [102:15]), and Anton’s lack of engagement.
• “Love is blind,” she insists, “but the cracks showed quickly after the reveal.” [105:35]
• On the reunion: Felt cut off; wanted to share her truth about both deep issues and misrepresentations.
• Hints at private relationships/new adventures but keeps details under wraps for now (“Trying to guard my privacy as much as I can.” [108:37])

C. Interview with Anton [112:27–129:25]

Anton’s Side

• Now happily dating; says his girlfriend “is everything I was looking for.” [114:13]
• Addresses the strip club montage: “When you’re in a relationship, you have to be cognizant of your partner. I’ve only been once in a year—for a friend’s bachelor party.” [116:24]
• Admits to drinking more than usual on the show as a coping mechanism, but says editing exaggerated it (“I wasn’t drunk, I was drinking more than normal due to anxiety, but it got played heavily.” [117:26])
• On home life: “When I came home after 12-hour shifts, I just wanted to eat and go to bed. We overlapped weirdly with our schedules.” [119:52]
• Felt Ali’s “lighthearted” jokes about finances had some truth and tension behind them.
• Reveals before the wedding, Ali told him: “I don’t see any way for me to get to a yes. She wanted to go to the altar to honor the experiment." [122:04]
• About his edit: Accepts his role but wishes more nuance and context had made it in; reveals he almost got engaged to another pod mate (Kaylin).
• “Put down the vape. I don't vape anymore at all.” (126:15)
• Responds graciously to the “cold-hearted bitch” comment from his friend’s fiancée.

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5. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On AI Roasts

“Nick was crying so ChatGPT could say the things I would get fired for.” — Diana [02:42]

On Reality TV Editing/Slang

“You truly can never recreate early VPR because they had no concept of what they were doing…and you don't get reality TV like that anymore.” — Diana [13:54]

On The Bachelor Franchise

“The Bachelor franchise leadership is a hot pile of dog shit right now.” — Nick [16:02]

On RHOC Finale Ethics

“It's either homophobia or using homophobia to try to ruin someone's life and weaponizing that against someone—which, they're both terrible and I don't like either of them.” — Diana [26:23]

On Housewife Loyalty

“When I see someone do something unkind to someone I care about, I’m diving in.” — Shannon Beador [47:32]

On Cancel Culture & Insta Evidence

“If you’re falsely accusing someone, that could ruin their life.” — Shannon Beador [61:26]

On Love Is Blind Experiment

“My reveal was the moment I was truly like—holy shit, this could be my husband. And I was so excited. And then it was just, very quickly, one thing after another.” — Ali [105:35]

On Relationship Red Flags

“I think drinking is great in social situations…but when it’s every night, and you minimize it, that’s a concern.” — Ali [103:19]

On Flip Flops, Glasses, and Edits

“Questionable. I think shorts are okay. Flip flops and visors, I would agree.” — Ali [106:31]

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Summary Usage

This summary serves as a comprehensive guide to the episode, capturing its humor, insight, and coverage of hot-button topics in RHOC, Love is Blind, and the shifting reality TV landscape. Key guest contributions, sharp debate, and contextual analysis are all included—making it an ideal catch-up for fans and newcomers alike.

Transcript

[Nick]

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[Brent]

Jeff Bridges, why are you still living above our garage?

[Nick]

Well, I dig the mattress and I want to be in a T mobile commercial like you. Teach me, Saldana.

[Nellie]

Oh no, I'm not really prepared.

[Diana]

I couldn't possibly.

[Ally]

@ t mobile. We'll get the new iPhone 17 Pro on.

[Brent]

It's designed to be the most powerful iPhone yet and has the ultimate pro camera system.

[Nick]

Wow, impressive. Let me try. T Mobile is the best place to get iPhone 17 Pro because they've got the best network.

[Ally]

Nice. Jeffrey, you heard them.

[Nick]

T Mobile is the best place to get the new iPhone 17 Pro on us with eligible trade in in any condition. So what are we having for launch?

[Brent]

Dude, my work here is done.

[Nick]

The 24 month bill credits on experience beyond for well qualified customers. Plus tax and $35 device connection charge credits and balance due if you pay off earlier. Cancel Finance agreement. IPhone 17 Pro 2 and 156 gigs. $1,099.99 a new line. Minimum $100 plus a month plan with auto pay plus taxes and fees required. Best mobile Network in the US based on analysis by Oaklove Speed Test Intelligence data 18 2025. Visit t mobile.com.

[Ally]

You'Re crazy.

[Nick]

What's going on everybody? Welcome back to another jam packed episode of the VI Files Reality recap edition. I am your host, Nick by my articulate. Oh, actually no, this is crazy. This is crazy.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Actually, no, she's not a flawless apparently. Flawless.

[Nick]

So we were on the plane, we were flying this weekend and I, I, I downloaded chat GPT for the first time.

[Diana]

Okay.

[Nick]

I was just kind of playing around with it, asking random questions.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Cool.

[Nick]

And I was listening to a podcast talking about how like you could roast yourself using AI. So I asked AI to, I asked chat to roast me.

[Diana]

Awesome.

[Nick]

Had some pretty funny jokes. Pretty good for sure.

[Anton]

Yeah.

[Nick]

Huh.

[Nellie]

Brutally honest, for sure. Didn't hold back. I was like, oh, did not hold back.

[Nick]

That's fair.

[Diana]

Nick was crying so ChatGPT could say the things I would get fired for.

[Nick]

Then I asked it to roast my wife.

[Nellie]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Took it upon himself. Wait, I would like to hear these roasts. Was an interesting turn of events, for sure.

[Brent]

You're like, wait, did I ask?

[Nellie]

Literally, I was like, no, actually, I'm mentally healthy right now. Didn't want to know.

[Nick]

Let's see here. Could be standing in a Costco TV aisle with a T shirt that says, I have a podcast and still somehow feel undercredited. I don't think that's true. It's funny, though. So then I asked it to roast my wife. Number one, Natalie Joy has the confidence of someone who knows she could post one bikini carousel and reset the Internet with an Etch A Sketch. Like, that's not mean.

[Diana]

No.

[Nick]

Number two, Natalie's Instagram stories are proof that if you are hot enough, people will watch you unbox supplements like they are a succession plot point. It's just things like, Natalie Joy has perfected the exact tone of voice that says, I'm humble. But the sentence she's saying is, so many brands want to work with me.

[Nellie]

Nick literally was, like, pissed that AI.

[Nick]

Was like, my building you up so good on camera. It's honestly suspicious. Like, she does couples content like someone who has never once had a bad angle in her whole life.

[Nellie]

The couple's content doesn't involve me.

[Nick]

I know. This is ridiculous. Anyways, this was.

[Nellie]

His first question was, roast my wife.

[Nick]

So, no, my first question was, roast.

[Brent]

Me and then make me feel better by roasting my wife.

[Nellie]

Let me know I'm not alone.

[Nick]

Gave me some honest feedback, some of which I felt, you know, not just the roast. I was.

[Diana]

You're like, do I talk about having a podcast too much in Costco?

[Nellie]

Anyways, we have a great episode lined up for y' all today. Shannon Storms Beador returns to the Battlefiles to Talk OC finale. And she doesn't hold back.

[Nick]

She does not hold back. Also, we have the Love is Blind reunion to cover. We have a little he said, she said with Ally and Anton, who will both be joining us this episode as well. So a lot to get into. Also, we have a great going deeper. It's. It's certainly he said, she said. But at the same time, Jordan and Sparkle Megan will be on the couch on Wednesday together. Catching up together. Both with child.

[Brent]

Yes.

[Nick]

Yeah. So, yeah, that'll be Interesting to have them together. I'm not sure what to expect, but it will be a banger of an episode, I can promise you that. Also, we have Timothy Simons from the hit show Nobody Wants this. Now season two is on Netflix. Everyone's watching. Everyone's loving it. He returns to the Vile Files. He was a guest back in like two. Like a long time ago.

[Nellie]

Really?

[Heather]

Yeah.

[Nellie]

What's he talking about back then?

[Nick]

We were just talking. Just talking.

[Heather]

Okay.

[Nick]

Yeah. It was before. Long before any of you probably showed up. Question for the ladies. In relationships, marriage, serious. Like, you're married, you're engaged, we're married. If you die. If you die, how long is it acceptable before I get remarried?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Oh, whoa.

[Nick]

Never.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Whoa.

[Nick]

What if I got remarried in a year?

[Ally]

Oh, my God.

[Brent]

Who is she?

[Nellie]

No, that's crazy.

[Brent]

I would come back and haunt you. First of all, like, that's too soon.

[Nick]

In a year I'm not going to get into. Who just got remarried? His wife passed away in June of 24. Also, he's had a glow up. Oh, he's got a beard now. He's like, hot. Now he's smiling in pictures. His new wife.

[Nellie]

I don't know what.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

He's young.

[Nick]

I do not know what his old wife looks like. They had. They had four kids together. I don't know how his wife passed.

[Nellie]

Wow.

[Brent]

Did he smile before?

[Anton]

Yeah.

[Nick]

I don't. I don't. I don't. I only saw one photo and the. The before photo was like. Like a portrait.

[Brent]

Okay.

[Nick]

Photo.

[Brent]

Okay.

[Nick]

Of him smiling.

[Heather]

Yeah.

[Brent]

No, you're.

[Nick]

You're in six, but it was less than six. Like a little over a year.

[Nellie]

Yeah.

[Nick]

Hmm.

[Brent]

Too soon for me.

[Nellie]

I mean, married. I don't think you ever need to get married again. I. You could have like, a girlfriend, I guess, but also, like, you are older than me.

[Nick]

Doesn't it take like a year to mourn someone's death or something?

[Diana]

As they say, isn't the rule. It' like, it's however you. Like half. However long you were together to, like, get over it or something?

[Nick]

Sound like that.

[Diana]

Yeah.

[Nick]

So, like, I mean, for 20 years.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah.

[Nellie]

It better take 10 years at least to get over me. At the very least.

[Nick]

Anyways, I was.

[Diana]

This is dark, but isn't there a thing where, like, widowers are hot to people or.

[Nick]

No. Are there?

[Nellie]

I mean, I'm sure there's a fetish for everything.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah.

[Nellie]

I did hear that when you're on your period, you're hotter.

[Brent]

Excuse me?

[Nellie]

Oh, that's what I heard. I've never heard that more attractive to men when you're on your period, apparently. Pheromones.

[Brent]

Yeah.

[Ally]

Yes, of course.

[Nellie]

Some people are werewolves.

[Nick]

I mean, I don't know. I've never been like, she must be on her period.

[Brent]

I'm ready for. No, I'm beating you away with a stick. We're kind of giving.

[Diana]

That's why. So do you think this guy, this new woman that he was with was just on her period and that's why they got married?

[Nellie]

No.

[Nick]

No.

[Diana]

Could be.

[Nick]

Anyway, there was a glow up for me that I found a bit jarring. I'm like, damn, he looks good.

[Brent]

I'd be rolling over in my gr.

[Nellie]

Oh, yeah. I definitely feel like I would haunt you. For sure. Like, your new girlfriend, Your new wife would be like. So, like, things keep falling off the wall.

[Heather]

What if you just, like, possess the new wife and then you took over her body? Because then you're back.

[Diana]

That's like, why would I show Nick.

[Nellie]

It was me, though?

[Heather]

You just, like, know that one secret.

[Diana]

It's like that one scene in Ghost.

[Brent]

Or is it what lies beneath?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I don't know.

[Brent]

Is that the whole story with Harrison Ford?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah.

[Brent]

With Michelle Pfeiffer.

[Nellie]

You should come up with a secret only you guys will know so that when Natalie comes back to haunt you, she can.

[Diana]

That's a really good idea.

[Nellie]

Well, we did have Halloween weekend this past weekend. It was, I do have to say, more fun now that River's, like, able to walk and kind of understands the concept a little bit. Last year, she was her little. A little strawberry. And we just, like, walked around and no one ever really wanted to give her candy. Cause they knew, like, we were just gonna eat it, you know, so they were like, next house. But she had so much fun. We were with so many kids, and I taught her to say trick or treat and she said choo chee. And it was really cute. And she was a little cat.

[Nick]

It was a lot of fun. And then one of the. Dad, I. You know, I think river is really fast.

[Nellie]

Okay.

[Nick]

She's not even two. She's got some wheels. But again, I have nothing to compare it to.

[Nellie]

Okay.

[Nick]

And then we were trick or treating. And then with one of the families, they have a son River's age. River was racing, beating him. And now I want. I want. Is it. Would it be weird to like, under 3 year olds get a bunch of races going?

[Nellie]

Yeah, it feels a little bit. Kind of like they have crawl races.

[Heather]

That's what hacky sack races are. I want to get Princess Diana participated in her kids and won.

[Nick]

I would like to get a group of dads with age ranges and. And have our kids race. Race for money.

[Nellie]

For money.

[Diana]

That's really. That's like that one Seinfeld episode where he races that guy.

[Heather]

Yeah.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah.

[Diana]

You should do it.

[Heather]

I think he should.

[Nick]

I think she's really fast. He was like, damn, she's fast.

[Heather]

What was he dressed. What was he dressed up as?

[Nellie]

The other little kid she was racing.

[Heather]

Yeah.

[Nellie]

A football player.

[Heather]

Oh, so the cat's faster than the football player?

[Nellie]

Probably a defensive player.

[Diana]

Yeah.

[Nellie]

What was Louie dressed as? He was baby shark. Oh, cute. Y' all listen to that song a lot. Baby shark. Doo doo doo doo doo doo. Yeah, yeah, we listen to it a lot.

[Brent]

We listen to it a lot.

[Nick]

Also, there were some girls dressed as six and seven.

[Ally]

What is that?

[Nellie]

What is it?

[Nick]

Apparently Dictionary.com has named six seven as the 2025 word of the year. It's not even a word.

[Brent]

Two words.

[Nellie]

Can someone explain it to me? Because I also saw someone dressed as six and seven. I don't know what this is.

[Nick]

Something kids are saying.

[Heather]

I did just call it 67 a couple minutes ago, and Sierra corrected me, so apparently I'm unk and she's not.

[Diana]

It's just like. It's just like a nonsensical saying.

[Heather]

It's the way you say it. And Natalie, please do.

[Nellie]

What does it mean with the kids?

[Nick]

What does it mean?

[Diana]

It's just supposed to be absurdist.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I think so.

[Nick]

It's supposed to be a meaning.

[Diana]

Yeah. It intentionally has no meaning to piss people off.

[Heather]

It's the way you say it. Like, that's why people just six, seven.

[Nick]

So, like, you know, you could be like, why'd you do this that way? And be like, six, seven.

[Nellie]

Oh, my God.

[Brent]

I get.

[Diana]

I don't know.

[Nellie]

That was it.

[Brent]

It's like if you get frustrated, then it's like, mission accomplished.

[Nellie]

Yeah.

[Diana]

I think it's just. Yeah.

[Nellie]

Remember the game?

[Nick]

The movie?

[Diana]

No.

[Nellie]

I know when you're like, I just lost the game. It was a thing where it was just like. You just say, I lost the game. Because it's like whenever you remember the game, you lose the game, and then you say it, and then everybody gets pissed because then they all lose the game.

[Diana]

Lose the game. It's kind of like cheese touch for Diary of a wimpy kid fans out there.

[Nellie]

That's what this reminds me. I feel like you bring up diary of a wimpy kid more often than not.

[Diana]

It's just like, it was a really, really impactful book series and film series on me as a child.

[Heather]

Well, so Dictionary.com says the origin of this most modern use of 6, 7 is thought to be a song called Doot Doo by Scrilla.

[Nellie]

A nonsensical expression connected to a song and a basketball player is what Merriam Webster is telling me.

[Nick]

Okay, well, seven, I feel like, you.

[Nellie]

Know, I think it is. Did I do it right? I feel like we had things that, like, our parents didn't know what they meant. Right. I mean.

[Nick]

Well, we were. We were watching the. There's a new show on Peacock about John Wayne Gacy, the serial killer. They're pretty decent. And they say, six, seven in it. No, they say, far out. Your hair's. They're like, hey, your hair's far out. Which is like. Yeah, something like back in the day.

[Heather]

They said, yeah, like, you have a big forehead.

[Nick]

No, it wasn't a compliment. Like, oh, far out. It's out of this world. It's so cool. Like, six, seven got it.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Far out.

[Diana]

When I was in high school, one of my friends dads was like, you know what we used to say all the time? Gertie to the max. And I was like, that's an amazing expression. So, Gertie to the max.

[Nellie]

Early 2000s, slang included bling, Fashion, jewelry, Dope. Yeah, dope fly.

[Nick]

I still use dope.

[Heather]

Fly is a little bit older than 2000.

[Nick]

What about.

[Nellie]

I'm so down. Oh, fat. P H A T. Oh, fat.

[Diana]

I know.

[Nellie]

Pretty hot and tempting.

[Nick]

That was tricky. That was really tricky.

[Nellie]

Greetings and farewells. We had faux shizzle.

[Heather]

Yeah, we did have that faux shizzle.

[Nellie]

Mistakes and understandings. No duh. Which means, obviously.

[Heather]

Yeah, no duh.

[Nellie]

No duh.

[Diana]

Do you remember Kronk?

[Nellie]

Cronk is on here, too. Yeah, Crunk is on here. Wiggin Out.

[Heather]

Oh, yeah.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Wig.

[Nellie]

A burn is an insult.

[Nick]

Uber.

[Nellie]

Psych.

[Brent]

Psych. I said that a couple days ago.

[Nellie]

Vanderpump Rules has released their trailer for the new season.

[Brent]

All new cast.

[Nick]

Is the pump guy. Was he on Love Island?

[Heather]

No, he was definitely on Perfect Match. No.

[Nick]

Is that Perfect Match?

[Nellie]

Is he this one?

[Ally]

We all recognize this one.

[Heather]

Yeah, yeah, he was on Perfect Match.

[Nick]

Yeah. Yeah, it was Perfect Match.

[Nellie]

It was Perfect Match. Chris. Isn't that his name? Yeah, Chris Hahn. It feels weird. I hate that they used the likeness of all the past cast to open it up. Like, that's weird. If you're gonna start fresh and reboot, then start fresh and reboot.

[Heather]

Like, I got chills. From that intro.

[Nellie]

No, the intro was great, but it's because it's our iconic characters and they're no longer there. So don't put them in your trailer. And like the new cast, it feels performative. It feels like they know what they need to do and like before they know the script.

[Nick]

Well, maybe I don't know. Reality tv.

[Ally]

Yeah.

[Diana]

That's the thing I don't like. You truly can never recreate early VPR because they had no concept of what they were doing and that's what made it so good. And you just don't get reality TV like that anymore in general because it's such an industry now.

[Heather]

I want to watch it.

[Diana]

I'm gonna. Oh, I'm seated for the record.

[Nellie]

But you do. You do get that in first season.

[Brent]

Shows like the lack of self awareness.

[Nellie]

Like our show Age of Attraction. So good.

[Nick]

So good.

[Nellie]

This. They've all seen it before. They know what they need to do, so that's why. I don't know. We'll see. We'll definitely take a peek before we.

[Nick]

Get to Shannon Storm Beador and talk about the OC finale. It is time for the Mint Mobile hot take hotline.

[Nellie]

We want to hear your scorching hot takes, too. That's why we've partnered with Mint Mobile to open a hot takes hotline where you can leave us a voicemail message and give us your reality TV and pop, pop culture takes and we'll listen and react to them on the show.

[Nick]

All right, let's play the first scorching hot take.

[Caller]

I guess my hot take is I do not like that they have Taylor from the Mormon Wives on as the Bachelorette. I just personally think they could have done so much better than her. And especially now with everything coming out, all this drama online and posts and I'm just not a fan of. I think someone like Victoria Fuller would have been so much better. And I just kind of want to hear with you guys how everything else coming out about Taylor now. Do you guys still think it's going to be a good season? Because I just. I think they can do better. I know they're drowning, but, like, I.

[Nellie]

Don'T think that's much of a hot take. I think a lot of people actually agree with you. I do think Victoria Fuller would crush as Bachelorette.

[Nick]

Yeah, we did not submit this.

[Nellie]

Yeah, that was not me on the phone, I promise you. I do think she would crush. Although I think. I think regardless, it's going to be a good season because I don't think Taylor can be produced. I think who she is is who you get. And we love that person on Mormon Wives, and I think she'll be a great Bachelorette. I think it'll be a different season than what everyone's used to, and maybe that's what a lot of people are just scared or nervous about.

[Nick]

But I'm excited for Taylor. I mean, I think Victoria would have been great. The stuff that's quote unquote coming out has been out before. I just think a lot of new people who are like, OG Bachelor fans and maybe didn't jump on the. The Mormon Wives, you know, bandwagon early are just. It's thinking a lot of stuff's kind of being regurgitated, you know, to Nellie's point, like, the Bachelor franchise leadership is a hot pile of dog shit right now. I mean, it is like, just the. They had the scandal like, a year ago when it came to the executive producers and a lot of internal drama. They have been, like, trying. And new showrunners, there's still more drama coming out on the streets, so to speak. The Golden Bachelor, I think, was just a hot, stinking pile of trash.

[Brent]

Don't forget Bachelor in Paradise.

[Heather]

Golden Bachelor was good.

[Nick]

Yeah. Joan was good. But then, you know, like, they. They should have fired Mel after he put out those statements. The showrunner. I, you know, I can. I know a lot of people. Maybe they're biased. Maybe they have an ax to grind. I don't know. But I've heard some reasonable criticisms that seem to have come to fruition, so we'll see. Like, I'm rooting for Taylor Frankie Paul, and I'm rooting for the Bachelor franchise. But, I mean, while Natalie says, like, she can't be produced, they still need to produce the show. And I think a good producer would know how to work with someone like Taylor Frankie Paul. The question is, are they going to lean too much on, like, the Bachelor playbook and, like, not be creative? How are they going to use the star that is Taylor, Frankie Paul and marry it with a legacy show and their ability or inability to do that will define its success.

[Brent]

But I say let her be messy, and then we can always rein it back. But I'm like, try something different. Let her go the distance, and then let's see how, like, people react to it.

[Heather]

Yeah.

[Brent]

Versus, like, already being afraid because she's different from any, like, cookie cutter idea of a Bachelorette.

[Nellie]

Because, like, we can always dip back into the arsenal. Right? We can always. Victoria Fuller, unless she is married or in a relationship, but we can always find Susie Evans or whoever else from Bachelor Nation. But yeah, let's just see what happens here and maybe it reborns, you know, our.

[Nick]

Our caller didn't offer any new ideas. I mean, Victoria Fuller, I guess, was.

[Nellie]

Her one idea, which is a great idea. I stand by it.

[Diana]

I feel like as someone who's not like, locked in. In Bachelor niche, I'm so much. I'm actually, like, really excited to watch Taylor Frickie Paul as the Bachelor where I'm intrigued. Yeah, I'm like, I normally, I watch it because, you know, we talk about it here. But even if this. If I didn't work here, I would be watching this season. You know what I mean? So I'm excited.

[Nick]

Well, this is the second call.

[Caller]

Hey, household. This is Shannon calling from northeast Michigan. I love listening to the show. I also love watching you guys redo the lake house for Nick's family, and I think that's just really awesome. So enjoy up north. But my hot take is about Love is Blind. I thought it was strange that Anton got kind of the alcoholic take when Annie was blackout drunk every episode. Yeah, I felt bad for. Was it Nick she was partnered with? I feel like he wanted to say something about it but wasn't afraid to embarrass her. So, yeah, I think Annie should be taking some heat for that. I think she also had a DUI conviction. So that's my hot take. Thanks.

[Nick]

There are rumors and speculation floating on the.

[Heather]

I saw those.

[Anton]

Yeah.

[Nick]

About Annie.

[Diana]

I agree with this caller.

[Nick]

Yeah, no, she's. She's not wrong.

[Nellie]

Yeah, well, I don't think they ever showed Annie, like, I feel like we saw more examples of Anton drinking or, you know, like, her. Him getting home from work at 6 in the morning and, like, going to the fridge to open up a beer and like, Ally voicing like, hey, that doesn't feel normal. Or like, hey, we're like, we had the conversations and yeah, maybe Nick was like a little bit too nervous to have those conversations with Annie. I think the only time we had her talk about, like, being super drunk was after the, like, rodeo night where they're eating. He's like, I just want to eat my chalupa or whatever, the eating chocolate. But Ali made it a thing.

[Brent]

Yeah, well, that's the thing I was to say Anton. Ali asked him, I guess, beforehand what his lifestyle was like, and Anton led her to believe that he didn't really drink.

[Nellie]

Like, he lived like a clean lifestyle.

[Brent]

Yeah. So that's where I'm like, that's why I Think it became highlighted. Whereas, like, Annie, obviously, they didn't have a conversation about her drinking or, like, beforehand because it was just her normal behavior, I guess.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Right.

[Nellie]

You know, thank you, Shannon, and thank you so much for following the lake house. It's been actually so fun.

[Nick]

All right, we got one more hot take before we get to Shannon Storm Beador.

[Caller]

Hi, Team Vile Files. This is Kat. So I have two really quick hot takes. First hot take is that Jordan from Love is Blind needs to be the new Bachelor. Because if they're doing this with Frankie Paul, then why can't they pull someone from Love is Blind? And he's, like, so sweet, so innocent. I think the story about his kids is just. Yeah, the whole thing. And he's so attractive. Number two, Joe is my favorite person from the season of Love is Blind. I love him. I thought he carried the whole show. I thought he was the funniest person. He is, like, a mess, don't get me wrong. But he did carry the show. The rest of the cast sucks. Everyone else is lovely. Jordan, stop giving me his new name. Yeah, those are my hot takes. Thanks for sharing.

[Ally]

Bye.

[Nick]

Interesting take. Here's the thing. I can tell you why Taylor Frankie Paul was picked as the best shred. And while Jordan will not be. But there is hope for Jordan. Taylor is part of the Hulu Disney franchise universe synergy. And these platforms are becoming more and more like isolated. We, Nelly and I are part of the Netflix universe now. We've been.

[Nellie]

People don't want the competition.

[Nick]

So Jordan will not be considered if for no other reason other than that, even if he. Even if he was perfect. But that Netflix is coming out with the. You know, I think it's Harry Jowsey has his show.

[Nellie]

Let's marry Harry.

[Nick]

Let's marry Harry. But what we've come to learn, I think is that, like, you know, whether he does or doesn't get married or engaged, like, is there, you know, all. You don't make a show unless there's a possibility for a season two or three. But, like, while the. This is very much like the Netflix is their bachelor. So they could find a Jordan.

[Nellie]

Oh, let's marry.

[Nick]

Let's marry Jordan. Right. So any man in their. Or woman in their universe that, like, really pops on these shows or someone they found. Let's marry Jess Vestal. You know, they could have their very bachelor type of. Of show.

[Heather]

Good idea.

[Nick]

I think that. I think that is the Netflix.

[Nellie]

Or you, Kat, could slide into Jordan's DMs or Joe.

[Nick]

Joe, let's Marry Joe. Let's marry Joe.

[Diana]

I did. You know, I agree with. I did love Jordan and Joe a lot. I mean, Joe low key. Seems evil in a relationship. Not gonna, not gonna deny that.

[Nick]

Kind of just seems like a putz. Yeah, evil, strong.

[Brent]

I was gonna say Joe doesn't have a problem dating though.

[Diana]

If there was anyone that like, I think at a party I would end up just like hanging out with and having a really fun conversation with Joe. It would be Joe. Like Joe and I would vibe he's pretty funny.

[Heather]

I don't think he carried the season though.

[Nick]

Carries a little strong, I think.

[Diana]

I think Sparkle Megan Loki carried the season.

[Nick]

I don't think anyone cared. I think it was evenly distributed.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah, sure.

[Nellie]

Well, if you want the chance to have a hot take included on an upcoming reality recap, all you have to do is call 1-855-MINT TLK or if you prefer the numbers that's 855-64-6-8855 and leave us a voicemail. Again, just call 1-855-MINTTLK or 855-646-8855 and leave us a message. With big wireless providers, what you see is never what you get. Somewhere between the store and your first month's bill, the price you thought you were paying magically skyrockets. With Mint Mobile, you'll never have to worry about gotchas ever again. When mint mobile says $15 a month when you purchase a three month plan, they mean it ditched overpriced wireless with Mint Mobile's deal and get three months of premium wireless service for 15 bucks a month. To get this new customer offer and your new 3 month premium wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month, go to mint mobile.comv I A L L that's mintmobile.comv I A L L cut your wireless bill to 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.comv I A l l $45 upfront payment required. Equivalent to $15 a month. New customers on first 3 month plan only speed slower above 40 gigabytes on unlimited plan. Additional taxes, fees and restrictions apply. CMIT Mobile for details.

[Nick]

All right, well, it's time to get into oc. I think we have a rapid recap before we get to Shannon.

[Nellie]

Of course we have a rapid recap because. Oh my God.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Thank you.

[Nellie]

Well, if you missed the most recent episode of the Real Housewives of Orange county, here is your rapid recap. Gretchen thinks lethargic and cathartic are the same word. Shannon only does mushrooms in Amsterdam. Tamara is willing to be a swinger, but again, only in Amsterdam. Then the women enter a house of horrors, AKA a room with photos of themselves. Tamara asked Chat GPT, just like Nick, to make a friendship contract for her and Gretchen. You will never be Cynthia Bailey and Nene links. Heather spreads her dad's ashes into the Amsterdam river. Shannon has her price tag sticking out of her ass. 10 out of 10 iconic no notes. The girls channel their inner Lance Armstrong doing drugs and then riding bikes. Then we finally get to Chekhov's alleged problematic Instagram post. Gina brings it up. Tamara makes it clear that Jesus loves gay people too. Heather Debo is seeing red. Shannon cries. Gretchen denies it and says she loves the community, but is also super chill about the whole thing. The girls are like, okay, prove it, bitch, and make her take another car. But they're also like, gretchen has only been nice to gay people, so this is all really confusing. The girls finally realize Tamara planted this and Gina was the patsy. Tamara just thinks karma's a bitch. Then it's revealed that Tamara has been leaking info and about the season to bloggers and the press. Overall, what is going on in Orange County? Honestly, that was a crazy ending.

[Nick]

We have a new intern, everybody.

[Nellie]

I feel like, here's Brent.

[Nick]

I think we should give him a nickname.

[Heather]

Oh, my God, we'll find it.

[Nick]

We have an intern at the Wildfowls. We made him get us coffee. Wild episode Crazy.

[Heather]

We got my sound bites that have been waiting all season for.

[Brent]

I was like, do we want to start light or do we want to start heavy?

[Heather]

I think we go all the way to the end.

[Nick]

I think there's only.

[Nellie]

There's really only one discussion.

[Nick]

Yeah, it's only dark.

[Diana]

Like, it's like, it's fun. Silly fluff. And then you get homophobia.

[Ally]

Allegedly.

[Brent]

I was going to say, I couldn't hang a day with these housewives in.

[Nick]

Well, it's either homophobia or using homophobia as a way to try to ruin someone's life and weaponizing that against someone.

[Diana]

Which they're both terrible. And I don't like either of them.

[Nellie]

And, like, I felt like Tamara was really the only, like, vocal one, to the point where it was like, you're really doing a lot. You know, it felt very like Lisa esque at the. On the yacht being like, you know, it was like, you're really, like, pushing. Pushing hard against Gretchen here. Like, really put. Trying to push a narrative.

[Nick]

I don't get the whole, like, you're too calm. You're too, like. You know, with Lisa, we Criticize Lisa because she was too. In Salt Lake City because she was too aggressive, too big, too loud.

[Diana]

Gretchen obviously seemed very caught off guard is what I'll say.

[Nick]

Wouldn't strike me if Gretchen isn't that tech savvy. So, like, when you're like, hey, you liked a bunch of things? You're like, oh, you know what I'm saying?

[Nellie]

It wasn't even a bunch. It was one.

[Nick]

Whatever.

[Diana]

There were multiple that were. That were shown.

[Nick]

I'm just saying if someone like, you're just. You're like. Gretchen's first thought wasn't like, well, that's not possible. I'm. She probably doesn't know it can be faked.

[Nellie]

You know, she was like, I don't know. I scroll fast and like things. And I have to say, I don't scroll fast or like things. But if river gets a hold of my phone, there is absolutely no telling.

[Nick]

Yeah.

[Nellie]

What I have gotten into.

[Heather]

I. I do understand that she's reacting too calm, though. Like, I think the conversation should ended with what Heather was saying. Like, not what Tamara was saying when Heather was like, you. You do need to defend yourself in this moment.

[Nick]

And that's like. But. But.

[Heather]

She could have offered anything but silence.

[Nick]

But she just got. She was obviously crying at the end, shitted after.

[Heather]

But, like, at the table.

[Nellie]

I think her.

[Nick]

I think it's a real dangerous thing to assume played Judge Jury in Executioner based off of someone's emotional reaction to being. To an accusation.

[Nellie]

I think her raw reaction was when she called Slade. And that's exactly what I would have done in that situation. Like, I'm calling Nick. I'm like, these women, at the end of the day, they're not my best friends, you know, Like, I haven't seen or hung out with them that often over the past few years. And you. She knows Tamara's history. So I feel like, yeah, I'm stepping away, I'm calling my husband. And she, like, is crying on the phone with her husband being like, I don't understand what's going on. Like, they're saying this. I. It's. I don't know what to do. He's obviously reacting in like a. Whoa. What the. Like, that's not you. And then we have preview for reunion, which was what Gretchen told me when I saw her at that movie premiere of, like, she has spent thousands of dollars with the cyber analysis team to, like, uncover where the post came from.

[Nick]

And now, in theory, you could argue that she spent thousands of dollars to scrub it. To scrub it. Or To. Or just to say she spent thousands of dollars. That doesn't necessarily prove.

[Brent]

I will say I've seen articles talking about this from two years ago before she was on the show.

[Diana]

Yeah, I think my biggest issue with this is that, like, I don't know if I think Gretchen liked these posts or not. I think there's a very. The most likely chance is that, like, it could have been Gretchen was following these accounts. You know what I mean? And that also is a bit troubling. But then also, like, neither here nor there. Exactly. I followed a Larry David account that, like, turned into, like, an OnlyFans account out of nowhere. So, like, I get it. I think the biggest thing is just like, Tamara, you sat on this for a year. Like, I don't know why that wasn't immediately, like, all of these wi. If we knew about it, all of these women knew about it.

[Brent]

Well, that was my problem with Tamara throughout the years, is that it's like, again, she constantly is the one that is always bringing up other people's stuff, and we never know anything going on with her. So that's why I can't talk about the Shannon interview, can I?

[Nick]

But Shannon has a lot to say.

[Diana]

Shannon does have a lot to say.

[Brent]

But it's like, even in the beginning of this season with Katie, it's like, who brought all of this stuff about Katie recording Shannon, Tamara, who's bringing up the. Who got roofied and talking to Kiki, mo', Nique, Tamra? It's like, none of the other women are bringing this stuff to the forefront. So it's like, why does Tamara constantly feel the need to bring other people's shit to the forefront?

[Diana]

It's just like, I want to see these women fighting over caviar or, like, I'm just like, I'm so.

[Heather]

Haven't we learned the Roni and other shows that, like, you don't need to go to level five.

[Nellie]

You don't have to go far. And then also to see at the end of the episode that, like, I mean, they're speaking to Darth Vader on the phone, but, like, being like, she giving them every single beat of this season. Like, and it was portrayed in a way where it, like, definitely came from Tamara's voice of, like, Tamra and Katie get together and find common ground. You know, it's like, like, where's that coming from?

[Brent]

She took the high road walking out of the party.

[Nellie]

She took the high road walking out.

[Heather]

And Tamara's defense, like, the Bravo sleuths will know, like, every plot of a season before it's even aired. Like, you'll find a picture. You'll find someone who's the waitress the whole time. Who knows? But, like, every franchise that happens. So she gets, like, 2% of the benefit of the doubt that. Like this. And then once the blog gets a chance, of course they're going to be like, it was Sierra.

[Brent]

My thing is the spinning of the narrative of, like, I'm the victim. Gretchen always does this to me. For the big reveal to be. You're the one that's calling bloggers.

[Heather]

You've got.

[Brent]

Got Katie kicked off the show essentially because everybody hates her, because she's talking to bloggers.

[Heather]

Like. Yeah.

[Brent]

And you're the season that.

[Diana]

Yeah. For the record, I did not enjoy Gretchen this season. I do want to make that clear.

[Heather]

I did. And that's why, to me, I'm like, we. I think I stand by. I think we have.

[Nick]

It sounds like you don't believe Gretchen.

[Heather]

No, I stand by the fact that I think Heather should have had the last say in it. And she kind of said it in the sprinter van where she's like, she has a personal stake in this conversation. And the whole time at the dinner, Heather was just like. Like, you do have to prove something. So prove it. And then Tamara was the one that was, like, screaming and making a drama. So I feel like it should have stopped at Heather. And I think we have to wait to see, like, what actually happens.

[Nick]

Final question before we get to Shannon. Like, how much do you guys feel like Bravo has a. A responsibility here? I mean, like, they chose to go along with this. They chose to, like, let this play out. Like. Like the fact that, like, some of these housewives feel the need to do stuff like this, that it's gotten this dark and that they. They go along with it. You could have produce, like, guys, what are we. This is not the show. What are we. What are we doing here?

[Heather]

That's a good question. Because even when, like, Anne Marie was on Beverly Hills, we all hear about scenes that were cut of Anne Marie. So it's like, there's. Yeah, I think it's an interesting question of, like, when do you just remove it?

[Nellie]

Well, because, I mean, Anne Marie. It was the whole thing. It was like, the case, the allegations against her husband, which, like, we're serious. It's. Yeah. It seems like if that. How is that not fair game? But, like, this is it feel, you know?

[Nick]

Well, you could argue that, like, husband versus actual household wife.

[Nellie]

Are you kidding? These women go after each other's Families non stop. I mean, Meredith marks you. The, the. You want to talk about husbands?

[Diana]

I mean, like, it's an interesting question for sure.

[Heather]

I don't think there's like a yes or no or like a do this or do that.

[Diana]

Yeah, I think what's interesting to me about this is like, if these posts are in fact real, right? Which I don't, I don't know if they are. Like, I really have no idea.

[Nick]

Is it okay to say that? Like, I don't know, like, how old they are or what? I don't. I have never. I haven't seen these posts, so I don't know what they'.

[Diana]

Like, if you look at what allegedly she liked, it's pretty disgusting.

[Nick]

Do we care more about, like, the person and how they actually speak and interact with, with the queer community? And, and what if, what if five years ago Gretchen did say something or do something incredibly bigoted or insensitive, but since then has educated herself and immersed herself in a community with queer? I mean, what do we care?

[Diana]

I mean, yeah, I mean, I, like, I don't, I don't disagree with you at all. I think what I'm trying to like, figure out is just like, if these star real Bravo would have. Again, people knew about it. Like, as soon as Gretchen got announced, like, Sia and I were talking about it, like, we saw that these posts were like, whatever, and I didn't know if they were real or not. And that's why I've kind of been like a dick to Gretchen this whole season a bit. But my question is, is like, if they are real, Bravo absolutely knew about it. So if they are real, why are you putting this woman on the show knowing that, like, Heather has, like, gay and trans children? Like, that's just my question. It just doesn't make sense.

[Nick]

Also, you do have Bravo out there letting Gretchen speak about her innocence. And they're promoting going into the reunion, Gretchen, like, that might be innocent. And I don't think that's a coincidence.

[Heather]

I think, yeah, I think we should wait and see what she actually has to say. That's why I think that Heather was like, speak, like, give us a chance to, like, believe that this is fake.

[Diana]

Well, in general, I think it's a weird storyline and I don't like it very much.

[Nick]

The big question is, is does Gretchen and Tamara both survive this?

[Heather]

Yes.

[Nick]

You think they both can survive?

[Heather]

I want to bring back Gretchen. I want to bring back camera.

[Nick]

All right, well, either way, we have Shannon Storm's bedor up next to give us her thoughts on all things. The finale. She has a lot to say and then we'll have the reunion coming up. Three part reunion to unpack it all. If you're sleeping hot and sweaty, it's impossible to get a good night's rest. And if your solutions are blasting AC high all night and doing constant pillow flips, well then you have to check out Coop Sleep Goods. I just got my new Coop Sleep pillow and I'm absolutely obsessed with it. It's a perfect pillow. I, I mean it really incredible. You can adjust the firmness to your preferences, which I love. It's always cool. You know they always say the cooler cooler than the other side of the pillow. Well now finally both sides of your pillow are constantly cool. It's got the perfect amount of memory foam. It's just like I'm very particular about my pillows. I don't like them when they're really too flat or too stiff. The Coop Pillow is perfect just for you. Coop's Cooling collection has been a game changer for hot sleepers or for staying cool during the warm months. It features breathable temperature regulating materials designed to wick away heat and moisture so you can stay comfy and cool all night long. Perfect for those who wake up sweaty or toss and turn to try to find the cool side of the pillow, but definitely prefer being cold. And having the Coop Sleep Pillow has been a game changer. Get a free pillow consultation with their sleep expert to optimize your sleep. You also get a hundred night free trial so you can try it for 100 nights and if you're not totally obsessed with it, send it back. No problem. But you know you're gonna love it. I know you're gonna love it and you will not regret it. So if you are looking to upgrade your pillow today, look no further than Coop Sleep goods with over 100,000 five star reviews and over a million happy sleepers. Add or remove fill from the pillow to create the loft that supports your body's unique natural neck and spinal alignment. Every pillow comes with an extra half pound bag of 100% freshly manufactured cross cut memory foam in microfiber fill. So you can take some out, you can add some in, customize it just for your preferences. Natalie and I are both obsessed with it. We absolutely love our Coop Sleep Good pillow. Everyone in their life knows someone who's not getting the best possible sleep. Well give them a Coop Sleep pillow and they will love you for it. It's a unique, thoughtful gift your family and friends will appreciate. Upgrade your sleep. Visit coopsleepgoods.com v I a l l to get 20% off your first order. That's c o o p sleepgoods.com v I a L l Shannon, welcome back.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Hola.

[Nick]

So good to be with you. You brighten my day when I see you.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Okay. All right.

[Nick]

Thank you. You do. You have a very kind. You have a. You have a spirit about you that I enjoy. You're funny.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

And, you know, I think I was here right before Halloween last year.

[Ally]

You were.

[Nick]

Because we did that.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

We did the Witches Club Halloween.

[Nick]

It is our.

[Nellie]

Yeah, it's.

[Nick]

Happy anniversary.

[Diana]

Yeah.

[Nick]

Yeah. Congratulations to banger season.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, thank you. It wasn't a lot about me, which I was quite grateful for.

[Nick]

Yeah. I guess in the best possible way.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yes.

[Nick]

We obviously have a three part reunion.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yes.

[Nick]

Which I'm very excited about. But we have a lot to unpack about the season itself.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Okay.

[Nick]

But, like, how are you feeling? Like, what's. I mean, let's just catch up with Shannon first. Like, outside of O.C. how are you? How's your heart? How are you?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

It's good. It's good. You know, I say this often, but I've always kind of defined my heart life in the relationship that I'm in. And I did try a little bit of a relationship on the Love Hotel, which was a disaster. So. And, you know, have you for.

[Nick]

Are we okay? I just want to check because.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Oh, yeah. Yes, of course.

[Nick]

Okay.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Of course. But I'm just direct. But I did text you right away, but it was. It wasn't mean. It was just honest.

[Nick]

It seems like you guys have agreed to just be coexist. So it's done.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

It's done.

[Nick]

So specifically, Love Hotel, there was a. Something was. There was a there there for a moment.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, I didn't. It was a dating show, but I wasn't really a part of a dating show because I was with one person the whole time. And, you know, I know that when I watch certain dating shows, I want people to work out. So I really tried after, you know, after the show was done to maintain my relationship, and it just didn't work. So I basically been single since then. Because, I'll be honest with you, watching it back, I made myself vulnerable and I was mad at myself that I. So, I don't know.

[Nick]

You were mad that you made yourself vulnerable?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, it's just because I got hurt, you know, because as I was watching the show six months later, I remember that I really did care about this person at the beginning. And so it just. I don't want to get hurt, but I'm good being single. I did just come back from New York where I did go on four dates with somebody.

[Ally]

Oh, my God.

[Brent]

Four with one person.

[Nick]

She's like, flex.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Oh, my God.

[Nick]

Did you get some.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

No, that's. I need a connection in order to take that next step. A very old school.

[Nellie]

You didn't find a connection after four dates?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

No, there's definitely a connection. There's definitely a connection. But, you know, he lives in New York and he's a.

[Ally]

You know.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I don't know.

[Brent]

You're in the process of connecting.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

He's a. Yeah. I'm not gonna any. He's very private.

[Nick]

Did we make out at least?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, there might have been.

[Anton]

Aww.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Just a little.

[Nick]

Let's go.

[Nellie]

Let's go. Did you get another dog, by the way?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

And I did get another dog.

[Diana]

How's Archie handling?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

He loves it and. But it's a lot. It's a lot of work. And the rescue said he was between two and three. He's really one. So there's a lot of training still necessary, but they're both happy, so it's all good.

[Nick]

Four dates is kind of exciting.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, I was there for nine days, so that was like half the time.

[Nick]

Every other day. That sounds. I don't know.

[Nellie]

That's consistent.

[Nick]

Yeah.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah. It was just. He's a very kind man and, like, with a big heart. And that's. For me, that's probably the most important thing that I'm looking for, so.

[Nick]

And we're still talking.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I texted yesterday that I'm home.

[Nick]

Yeah, Okay. I got home. Did he get a I got home safe text?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, he said, let me know that you're home. And he said, I'm home.

[Heather]

Okay.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

And he said, glad to know you're home safe.

[Heather]

That's nice.

[Brent]

Sounds like a gentleman.

[Heather]

There's a.

[Nick]

There there.

[Nellie]

Yeah, you should send him a nude today.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Ok.

[Ally]

Yes.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Oh, you're funny.

[Nick]

Just, you know.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, see, I'm having fun right now, and whether I find someone in my life or not, I'll be good either way. But I want the partner. We don't really talk about what I do or, you know, my work. He doesn't know any. We walked out onto the sidewalk one day and someone said, is that Shannon Beador? And he was just. He was just overwhelmed by it. He's like, wow, they were really nice to you and who are you? Kind of thing.

[Nick]

That's what happened with us. I told her I podcasted. I was Believing in my show before everyone else was, you know what a.

[Nellie]

Complete opposite from John Jansen, housewife fucker to a now someone who's like, I don't even know what that is.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah, well, you know, this person is a private person, but he really is a private person, unlike others that put that right, right, right label on the side.

[Nick]

May I ask. I mean, you can tell me to shut the fuck up at any point when it comes to. To this part of your life, but what does he do?

[Nellie]

You can say, shut the fuck up.

[Nick]

You can say, shut the fuck up. He doesn't do anything.

[Heather]

Okay.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I don't think.

[Nick]

Independently successful.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yes.

[Nick]

He doesn't do much because he doesn't have to.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Right. I think that's what I think. But, yeah, we didn't even really get into that too, because I just want to get to know the person.

[Nick]

How'd you guys meet?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Through mutual friend.

[Nellie]

Best way.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

So, I mean, it's just four dates and. Okay.

[Anton]

No, no, no.

[Nellie]

But it's fun.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah, it's fun.

[Nick]

Four dates and nine days and like, in Gen Z terms is basically, okay, we're getting married.

[Diana]

That is a pretty heavy commitment.

[Nick]

That's.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah, yeah.

[Nick]

So how is it. I mean, you weren't obviously a focal point. Obviously. Last season was very. Well, I don't know. Last season is looking back. I mean, you did have a lot of support.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Oh, I did. And I'm beyond grateful for it. I mean, I think I said to you last year, I didn't even want to come back on the show. I was so nervous because I thought that I wasn't going to be able to crawl out of the hole I dug for myself. And I take full responsibility for putting myself in all of the situation that I was in last year. But it was tough.

[Nick]

Okay.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

And it was especially tough to watch back because I remembered how I was emotionally. I just kept focusing on getting through it. Getting through it. So who.

[Nick]

Now that the season has wrapped, you guys are obviously done filming the reunion. Obviously, we'll have have to shoot it. But who. Where do you feel like your closest relationships lie with your cast at this moment?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, I'm going to say that I'm close to pretty much most of the cast, minus one.

[Nick]

Tamra, Tamara.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yes. Okay. So. And that's a really nice place for me to be. I mean, I can remember so many seasons. I start out with zero friends, so it's quite nice. And I pretty much kept in touch with.

[Nick]

We were Katie fans, and we couldn't help but notice that Katie hasn't really been on the show. And obviously, we get. I would be upset if someone filmed me, to be clear. But you were done with Katie. Where do you stand with Katie today?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

You know, I'm gonna. As a housewife, I'm gonna say, never say never.

[Nick]

Okay.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

We did have some looks with each other at the reunion, because it's a deuce. But, you know, I haven't. I haven't spoke to her. And I think that what I didn't make clear, number one, I immediately apologized for me overreacting. What happened was very. I felt very, very violated. And because of. The explanation of what happened is not accurate. It's not true at all. Nobody knew that I was upset that day. I did my job. Nothing was delayed, like. But the false story out there is frustrating for me. But I was very close to Katie when it happened. We had just come back from London four days earlier, and I had left that trip early. I was spent and very down at that time. And so to know that that happened four days after, you know, she was giving me basically an enema in London. So pretty close to Diana.

[Nick]

It's personal. Yeah, it's personal.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

She's standing outside the door.

[Nick]

That's trust.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

It is. So that's why I felt so hurt. So we'll see what happens. You know, there was just a lot of inconsistencies. And by the way, not one of us, to my knowledge, said, I'm not filming with her. It was like, the next time we filmed, where's Katie? She's not here. It was not.

[Nick]

Oh, interesting.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

This was no concerted group, you know, let's ban her at all.

[Diana]

There was no turret discussion of banning Katie.

[Nick]

So as far as you can tell, you didn't talk to any producers or collaborate with your cast members?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Absolutely. And you can see at the beach party, I say, is Katie coming? And someone says, no, she's not coming.

[Nick]

And I said, oh, so why do you think she was put on pause, quite literally?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, I think that's because if you really look at the stories that were told, none of them add up. And they just kept growing and growing and growing.

[Nick]

What's your opinion on what you think Katie needs to do, if anything, to get back into three part question your good graces, the rest of the women, and be welcome back next season?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, I think, number one, and I know it might sound corny, but is to tell the truth, she did take accountability, which is part two, take accountability for me, she took accountability, saying, yes, I did record you, but her whole explanation of what happened, none of it is truth based.

[Nick]

Remind me in the audience, like, what. What is the truth that you think is the truth and what you need to hear from Katie.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I just think that she needs to say, I was, I. I dug a hole for myself and I didn't know how to get out of it. So then I just created more untruths.

[Nick]

Do you have. Can you remind us of the specific. I mean, truly, I kind of forgot what it was. Cause it like blog. I know she's talking to bloggers, inviting them to a wedding and there's those relationships. But what specifically is the thing that bothers you the most of what you want her to come clean about?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, I just think that for all of my castmates and I myself had dinners with her where she would say, I know this information about this person. And I would say, I don't want to get into that. I don't want to. And she did it for each person and that's hurtful. And I just, I don't. Like, I'm the kind of friend and you. And I texted about this that when someone says, well, she hasn't done anything to me, so I don't have a problem with her. When I see someone do something unkind to someone I care about, I'm diving in.

[Nick]

Yeah, I couldn't agree more. Nothing I find more irritating than when people say, when they get offended by you questioning their loyalty to you or how close you are as friends and then simultaneously get mad at you for having an expectation of them because they don't want to distance themselves from someone who they say didn't do anything to them is the most horseshit thing someone.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Can say, welcome to reality tv.

[Nick]

And I. And to. My reply is like, like, hey, now I know where we stand. We're friendly, we're civil. But, like, you're not my, like, friend, you know, like my. I can't count on you. Like, we're not Ride or dies. You're not my. You know, like, I'm not going to be if I called you my best friend. I'm not calling you that anymore.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Right. Yeah, I just, I spent some time with Katie, you know, off camera. We started out the season with her reaching out to Jen and I saying, let's do something for the fires in Los Angeles. And so I really helped. I got the restaurant, they donated the food. We did this very small neighborhood type fundraiser. But I was very instrumental in, you know, helping throw it together. And we did spend time together and I really enjoyed her company. Like, we Always had a good time. That's why I just was so shocked about certain things. And then the stories change. Just as an example, Gretchen told me that she was drugged and went to the hospital. Then it turned into Gretchen got a toxicology report at the hospital, which by the way, had that happened, Gretchen would have run to anyone in the press to show them that years ago. And then it turned into Sheeana Shay was the one that brought all this up. And it just. It turns into ridiculousness.

[Nellie]

So do you know the truth at all?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Do I. I mean, I do believe that all of us when we have a microphone strapped to our back, we misspeak all the time. I was there when Gretchen heard that Katie had said this story that she claimed she'd been roofied. And I was in shock and Gretchen was blindsided by. And she was just very confused. And I get processing that. Look, I said to Bronwyn Burke once when I was mad at her, don't accuse me of things that I do. Well, I meant to say don't do. I forgot the word. So I could see that Gretchen said I should have gone. She meant to say I should have gone to the hospital because she felt so sick. I believe Gretchen in that because I also. I was just in New York last week and I had a long chat with Kiki Moore, Monique, and she was sitting right there. So she's. I don't think Andy Cohen is going to employ someone who doesn't tell the truth on his radio station. Kiki Monique is a. It does a reality checked with Dorinda medley. So there you go.

[Diana]

That's true.

[Nellie]

And do you believe that Katie never showed Alexis the recording?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I. Well, the reason why I don't is because Heather debrow said that she called Alexis and Alexis said, yes, I heard it. So I don't know. So I would believe Alexis over Katie. I mean, that's. I don't know. Yeah, that's just what I was told. It doesn't matter either way. I mean, the fact is that she did it and I felt violated. Cause I was really down at that point.

[Nellie]

Yeah, that's fair.

[Brent]

I'm assuming that she does apologize to you at some point.

[Ally]

Do you?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, she tried to, but, you know, I sat down with her after we went to the golden and I tried to help and I said, if you're going to truly apologize. No apology. But. Don't say but. So she did apologize to me for recording me. But. There were buts. There were buts. It was my first season. Okay. None of Us recorded each other in our first season.

[Brent]

And, well, it also kind of seems like you're similarly having not an issue, but like with Jen, for example. Cause she's been pretty close friends with you from the start of the season, from last season. And then we have you throwing her this beautiful bridal shower. And then the conversation between her and Emily where she was acting as if it was ridiculous. Like, how did you feel about that?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

It did. It did hurt my feelings because. Just be honest with me. But at the same time, I think it was a little bit taken over the top by some of our cast members saying, why are we even going to this thing? We're on a reality show. Why did we go to a cake decorating party when Tamara had just done to our table? You know, like. But we did. We showed up. So, you know, I wanted to do a garden lunch in a beautiful spot in Corona del Mar. And I thought, well, let's do a little party for my friend.

[Diana]

Did you think that Gina was like a little bit out of line asking that or she was just like, stoned or on track or whatever?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Travis and I moved back in together. That's something that we should celebrate. Congrats, season 20 mother Zay.

[Brent]

Are you planning a party for her next season?

[Nick]

Yeah, it was a little out of pocket for Gina to say that, but I definitely feel like Jen was way more in the wrong.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Right, But Gina said, Jen, you said this was ridiculous. Jen did not use the word ridiculous. She just said that she feels uncomfortable.

[Nick]

With that kind of stuff, watching that back. Because, like, you know, it's what's so fascinating about your, you know, the show is like, most of the time, you know, we all like when we leave a room, there's always like, listen, the mental, healthy thing to do is to not give a fuck what anyone's saying about you when you're not there, there. The self indulgent, psychotic thing that many of us do is being like, I wonder, you know, what are they saying about me when I leave a room? And you ladies, unfortunately, and fortunately for us, have the benefit of finding out sometimes what people are saying about you guys or, you know, when you leave the room. And why did Jen feel the need to say anything other than thank you?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I. I don't know. Well, she said that before the shower, so that's number one. But no, that's the worst part of the show for me. I know what I filmed. I do not know what everyone else is filming. And that's why it's hard to watch the show. Cause my feelings still get hurt. You know, I don't let, like, Gina's really good with, like, oh, we're on a show. Just let it roll off. Not so much with me, but it did hurt my feelings. And we talked through it, you know, and I think that's the sign of a good friendship as well.

[Brent]

So what's your opinion on the amount of time Tamara and Katie are spending together right now?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I just feel that with Tamara, there's just a lot of pre calculated type of things.

[Nick]

I mean, it's a good move.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

This isn't me getting a little bit nasty. But let's look at three of the kind of dark, dramatic moments of the season. Shannon was videotaped without her knowledge. Gretchen is telling people that she was roofied. And three, Gretchen is, you know, liking this sort of texturing. Who is the one that brought each one of those topics to the show? And let's not forget that she knew about all of them for quite some time. She held them in her back pocket and she was the one that got to decide the timing. Like, let's make at peace with Gretchen. Let's make up on a swing high up in the air, because in two nights, we're going to expose a text string that may or may not be authentic.

[Nick]

Interesting. Well, let's dive into that because obviously season 19 ended with a lot of. Well, it was a very cliffhanger ending. I imagine we're going to get to the bottom of it during the reunion.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yes, yes, yes. No, it is a. It's a very. It's a very unique reunion.

[Nick]

Yeah, well, we talked about it last week's episode of Reality Rec and that, yeah, we live in a time on the Internet, especially with AI, that you have to be very discerning about what you see and certainly liking someone or comments or things like that. It can be very damaging depending on what those comments and likes look like. But again, we have to. I think you have to be careful jumping to conclusions. I think most people nowadays, like, you know, on the finale, was it the finale where Tamara's like, well, there's comments too. You know, I think it was Gina who was like, well, maybe, you know, likes can be manufactured. And it's just like, oh, comments was Tamara's response. And I think the average person is kind of like, yeah, how do you fake that?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

That is when she had a private conversation with Gina that never came up with us that there were comments? No. So, you know, a lot of times maybe when you tell the truth, it's just really Easy to keep track of it all.

[Nick]

It's consistent.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Cause it's the truth. You don't have to think of, Whoa, could I have said that before? But the bottom line is when we all saw just the first post of this horrible post that.

[Nick]

And you're aware of what these posts are?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yes. I mean, we were just all shown one in a string. It was shocking. And we all did react because, you know, I'm not thinking, oh, AI, I'm flipping 61. I don't think about tech stuff. I'm just thinking, this is absolutely horrible.

[Nick]

Trust your eyes.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yes. And you can see as a cast, we were all really upset about it and to the point where, you know, ride home alone. But what doesn't make sense is that Gretchen is a kind person and while she does have her issues with Tamara, she was nothing but kind and didn't have any issues with any of the other cast. So we all did go back to our room, try and find the tags.

[Nick]

On a scale of one to like, really problematic and just agre, like, because, like, I think Aaron said something I haven't seen or I try, I try not to go on the blogs or, you know, be careful about rumors. But I think it was Gina who said something about like, she just can't see Gretchen. Like, like hate campaign. Like, how hateful were. Were these. These alleged.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

They were horrible and they didn't show it. But I remember just being blindsided and in shock myself. And I kept leaning over to Jen who was sitting next to me, saying her life is over. I mean, there's arguing on a reality show and then there's going for life damaging topics. And if this comes out and is actually true, I mean, this is. She's canceled or, you know, however you want to term it, like, she's done. And I think we all were. It just didn't make sense. And in the finale, Heather, Jen say, this doesn't add up. Something doesn't add up. This isn't Gretchen.

[Nick]

So you're telling us that we should be cautious before we're jumping to conclusions to believe what is being alleged.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, you know, a lot of this will come out at the reunion. And Gretchen does not deny following some of these accounts. She followed quite a few accounts. And you know, I think that it's opened up all of our eyes. We all went back into our Instagram to say, okay, who are we following and who really are these people? Because you'll see like a topic, she's very faith based and this is what she's told us that, like, you know, I could see, like, a nice religious post, and so I'll follow, but maybe not knowing who they are.

[Nick]

There's some validity to that. I mean, hell, I mean, I used to post shirtless Bob Ross paintings and roller skating videos, and now it's all podcasting and dad content. Like, people change their. You know, like, yeah, the pages can evolve. You can follow something, not pay attention to it. People and pages do get radicalized. So, I mean, it's.

[Diana]

I followed a Larry David Curb youb Enthusiasm page that ended up posting, like, OnlyFans content out of nowhere. So, like, things happen.

[Nick]

Yeah.

[Nellie]

Yeah.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I mean, that's. That's what. That's what she told all of us.

[Nick]

Okay.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

You know, but as. As far as, you know. But. But then, you know, she's very calm, too. A lot of people were saying, you know, she should have been more upset about all of us.

[Ally]

This.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I think everyone processes being blindsided a different way. You know, I don't know. I don't know how I would have reacted. I probably would have been a little bit more angry, but, you know, she was just. You could. You can kind of tell by her facial expressions, she's just trying to figure it all out.

[Nick]

Wow. So I. I didn't know what these messages or these. These things were, but I. I wasn't. I honestly didn't know. I wasn't expecting you to tell us to be careful what to believe.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

No, it's horrible, disturbing hate. Right. Against the LGBTQ community.

[Nick]

So if we're not supposed to believe them, I guess the. Is this being manufactured?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Is it like, you know, we all said to. To Gretchen, like, at the very end, this is your responsibility. You know, she says to Heather, Heather says, proof. Prove it to me that you didn't do this. I think I say it to her as well. Emily says it to her. You figure it out. I said to her, figured out.

[Nick]

Think. Does.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

So you'll. You might see some things at the reunion.

[Nick]

Okay.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Come out. All right.

[Nellie]

Do you think someone else will be held accountable within your group?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

You know, you always walk away from a reunion and you. It's just a blur, so I don't. I can't answer that question. I really can't.

[Nick]

Just thinking out loud if they're not real. If Gretchen is able to successfully prove that these were manufactured by. By someone.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah, someone. And it doesn't necessarily have to be a cast member. It's just by someone.

[Nick]

You know, if it is a cast.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Member, I mean, that's. That's a big. That's a big thing.

[Nick]

That would.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah, that would be pretty. That's pretty. Not good.

[Nick]

It would probably. It would be as a bad. As bad as if reality Von that'd be worse than that.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah.

[Nick]

I mean if you're falsely accusing someone that could ruin.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Ruin their life.

[Nick]

Ruin their lives.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah, ruin their life. And by the way, this season has been tough, but on a few cast members like it's got. There are a lot of very, very opinionated viewers. So they will reach out and send very nasty, threatening, very threatening DMs to a lot of our castmates, putting very horrible labels on them and threatening. So it's been a very different. So look, we all went back to our rooms and said this is not the Gretchen that we know. This doesn't make sense. And topics will be discussed at the reunion related to this string of posts. I guess you would say.

[Nick]

Did Alexis and John get married?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah, they did.

[Nick]

Did Jen go?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

No, she did not. But she did text Jen did text Alexis saying good luck today. And then Alexis called her and invited her to come on the day of. But Jen was busy. Yeah, Jen was busy going back to.

[Nick]

The Gretchen of it all. Sorry if it does. For whatever reason, we come to find that they are authentic and that Gretchen, these likes are real and these potential comments are real. Where do you go from here with Gretchen?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I mean, that's it. I think that you can see how all of us would feel because you see it happen in real time. You know, it's just there's no. None of us have any space.

[Nick]

It would be hard going forward.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Absolutely. I think I say in the finale most of my friends are from the LGBT community so I can't be close to someone that would do that. But again, you'll have to watch at the reunion and see is Gretchen capable of doing this.

[Nick]

Do you want Katie back next year?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, I just like it. I don't know. It's not my decision.

[Nick]

Well, I'm glad you said that because first I wanted to ask that question but then I have a follow up question and let's just play a game. Do you like games? I like games. Let's say it was and let's say you have as and I not just Shannon the person but you're the producer and so I want you to and a fan because I watch this as a fan too. Like I'm not just I understand as a human being you have to preserve like your mental health and you're like, I don't want to fuck with this person. It's Like. But, like, if you had to wear all the hats of. From the fan's point of view, from a producer standpoint, obviously you, as a cast member, you do. You should consider yourself. It's only fair. Do you cast. Is she good overall for the show, regardless of how you might feel about her personally?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

So I remember in my very first season, I wasn't getting along with Tamara and Heather, and the showrunner called me and said, we're going on an all castle, so you're gonna film with Tamara and Heather, and you gotta get yourself on that trip because it wouldn't be believable that I would go. And so we did come to amends, and they were actually genuine. But I would have a very similar conversation with Katie saying, how do you see yourself being able to integrate back into the group, and what are your intentions to try and get there?

[Nick]

What'd you cast her?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, it would depend on the answer. If she were to say, I'm steadfast and I'm sticking to every single thing that I've said, I would say, well, that's not gonna work.

[Nick]

That's a good answer. Yeah. I feel like there needs to be. If Katie just is. I have nothing else to say than anything I've ever said, and this is all I'm gonna say, then I guess there's maybe no point. There needs to be some arc.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I mean, what is your plan if you come back? What is your plan?

[Brent]

Katie, Same question, but about Taylor.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Mm.

[Diana]

If you were a producer, would you cast Hammer?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

You know what? I've said this many, many times. I can be angry at someone, but I would never want to interfere with anyone's livelihood. So I never say, oh, this person should be fired, or I want them fired. It's just not good energy.

[Brent]

Would you wanna bring Vicki Gunvalson back?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Always.

[Nellie]

Always?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yes, always.

[Nick]

And why hasn't that happened?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I don't know. But, Nick, I mean, come on. She was on your show, and she. She's, like, in Puerto Vallarta, and she's, like, complaining about it, like she's doing her a favor. And, like, that's just Vicky. It's classic.

[Nick]

It's amazing. I mean, I don't. I know a lot of people think I do, but I don't take myself that seriously. It was one of my favorite interviews.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I can't imagine she's off her rocker.

[Nick]

You know, like, yes. Yeah.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Love her. She's just silly and fun and, you know, I have some silly moments that you see, but there were a lot more that you did. And that's what I enjoy. Like, being goofy and silly and I mean, not purposefully, by the way, but just keeping it light and fun.

[Nick]

Would you ever do Wife Swap Housewife.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Edition with a single person?

[Nick]

Yeah. There's not single other parents. We only have to give love to the.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Oh, sure, of course I would.

[Brent]

You know, bring the daughters in town.

[Nick]

It could be with the kids.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah, no, of course I would.

[Diana]

Yeah.

[Nellie]

What is your opinion on Slade?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Okay, you know what? I have to tell you, for all the people that have mocked him and criticized him over the years, which we have. Okay. He and Gretchen have been together for 16 years. They have a beautiful daughter, and they are really, really happy. And there have been a few things. Like, I've been getting some prank calls recently, and I texted Jen and Gretchen because Jen got them too. So I'm concerned by where I live, and I'll keep it at that point. And like Slade said, let me come over there. I'm 10 minutes away. We can go to the police station and file a report. I'll take you. That's very kind. You know, he's been nothing but kind.

[Nick]

That's a good point. I mean, listen, like, we only know. I only know him through this show, so I'm at the mercy of what I'm being shown.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

But through the show, years ago. Okay, you see him a little bit.

[Nick]

This year, the flashbacks and. Yeah, but, you know, the. You know, my lasting memory of Slade is him doing standup comedy and body shaming the cast. So I'm not like, okay, you know, so it's mostly predicated on that. But you make an interesting point. And maybe I'm biased, but I. Listen, I do think when you look at a couple like Gretchen and Slade and you see what they've built together, that says something about people, you know, your ability to. I would say the same thing about Tamara, too. You know, again, like, I respect people who can seemingly have a long relationship, make it work and have a family. And, like, you know, whether it's with kids, but, like, how people are with their community does say something about. About who they are, you know?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Right, right. And I mean, 16 years, that's. I mean, I was married for 17. Like, they're right out there.

[Nick]

And yeah, that's not to say if you get divorced, you should be questioned, but it says more to.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

But they are happy. And like, Gretchen says that they're even in a better space than they were at the beginning, so I'm happy for them.

[Nick]

That takes a certain level of. Yeah. Of character and understanding and humility.

[Nellie]

Did you feel like that was his place to share the voice memoir or talking about the Tamra in the studio with the recording?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I mean, yeah, I wasn't there, so that was a lot. But again, I remember Tamara telling me that story when I started the show. I mean, it was in the press, the, quote, allegations. Yeah. There were some stories in the press about it. So it's not like Slade was bringing it up for the first time. And let's just like, look, if the tables were turned, would Tamara have brought it up? She said that Jen had an affair with another person before Ryan, which is very damaging. And when she was confronted with that, Tamara said, oh, I was mad at you.

[Diana]

She did say that.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

That is true. Yeah.

[Ally]

Yeah, man.

[Diana]

You guys do a lot. I'm just like, oh, yeah, that all happened.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah.

[Nick]

I get mad when I hear some of these mean things that Tamara does because I want a lilac. I really enjoy this aspect of the job and get to meet you. And I always get mad or sad when I have people on that.

[Heather]

I know.

[Nick]

It's like, I'm gonna piss off Shannon.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Oh, no, it's. Oh, I know.

[Nick]

It's different. I know.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

No, I'm good. I'm good with it. It's part of the deal. But I think when you go for that jugular, you can criticize people, make light fun, but when it gets to character, damaging issues, that's when it's tough. Maybe too much.

[Anton]

Yeah.

[Nick]

Do we have any more questions for Shannon before we send her on her way?

[Brent]

Earlier, you were kind of saying that Tamra holds onto pieces of information to then, like, release it when it's an opportune moment.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Correct.

[Brent]

It kind of felt like in the beginning of this season that she told about Katie recording and Katie's drama, that she kind of started the drama between all of you and Katie. So then with it coming back towards the end with her now being friends with Katy, is this because do we think we were trying to put the heat on Katie to take it off of Tamara, or, like, once the women started coming against Tamara, she kind of flip flopped.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I mean, I think that a lot of the times with Tamara, there's deflection. For instance, at the lie detector test, let's just not forget that none of us had seen Tamara since she quit the first time out of the three. And she walked right back in. She walked into the lie detector thing. And when Katie failed all her quests, you didn't see this scene. Tamara was right there going, you're a liar. And I remember looking over at her thinking, wow, this is a gift for you. You don't really have to address the fact that you quit, because everyone's talking about that Katie just failed the lie detector test. And in fact, Tamara said to Katie, you are dead to me. And it's interesting that they're close today.

[Brent]

Then Katie was also the one that put out the information about Gretchen or the possible Rufie. So I'm just kind of wondering if Katie might be taking a lot of hits here where I'm like, we're trusting what Tamra says, but not what Katie says.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I mean, it's a very good theory, isn't it?

[Nellie]

Katie kind of came out and said that the man who was running the lie detector test is kind of known for doing things a little bit. And he kind of is like, oh, yeah, you pay me extra and I'll give you the results that you. Do you believe that Emily and Gretchen would do that kind of thing to Katie?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Oh, no, no. I don't think that Gretchen had any idea that there was gonna be a lie detector test at all. But Emily did. But, you know, again, there aren't that many lie detector people that are gonna go on camera. So I think that was just. Although I have no idea. Not in production, but they set it up. I have to tell you, I was scared shitless. Oh, that's what Tamara said when she was there.

[Nick]

Oh, Shannon.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

No, it's just even, you know, I'm wacky a little. I have dreams sometimes. Nightmares like, you're a liar. I'm not a liar, and they say, lock her up. You know, it's just. It's been a nightmare in my life. So I was very worried. I didn't know what they were going to ask. But then he was funny with me.

[Nick]

Okay, before we let you go, going into the reunion, which is this coming Thursday, Part one, what do you want fans to just. You know, sometimes when we watch things on reality tv, you don't control the edit. Some things we're not fully paying attention. Is there anything that you would say, hey, when you watch this, I want you to consider X, Y, or Z. Don't forget blank or blank.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Me or with the whole show, just.

[Nick]

Anything you think that we should be discerning about. And just make sure we don't forget something so that if something is shown in a certain way.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, there's a. Okay, first of all, when it comes to me, Shannon Storms of Adore, I would say, if you're watching an interview Confessional, and you're hearing Katie or Tamara describe what happened or what's going on in my head. Tamara hasn't known what's going on here for a few years, so not. Not a reliable source as far as the show goes. I. We've talked about the finale. You know, it is. It's just a really dark, dark topic. So, you know, just everyone before you react like we should have done, take a breath and just step back and say, does this all make sense?

[Nick]

Okay.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

And you know, the other thing is somebody quit three times. Are we gonna talk about it?

[Nellie]

Do you wanna talk about it?

[Nick]

Do you want to talk about it?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, no, I mean, I just, you know, each time it was like, you'll never see me again. Well, I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow. And you know, and there you see her the next event. But we never got like, the explanation. I don't know.

[Nellie]

Did you know that Tamara was. Had taken a Xanax at that dinner in Louisiana?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

No, I. No, I. I didn't. She clearly had more than two drinks because most those were with me. But the two. Two drinks, half a Xanax thing. Yeah.

[Nellie]

Did you recognize that when she came into your room?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yes. And I said. Because I said, wait, what is in your glass? And she said, water, but it was yellow with.

[Caller]

Yes.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I mean, I. I didn't. I didn't think that she had taken a pill, but the girls thought she had. I. I just thought she was very, very drunk.

[Nick]

Okay.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

I mean, now am I going to get in trouble?

[Nellie]

Why?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

It's my opinion.

[Ally]

Oh. How are you?

[Diana]

How are you feeling, Post? I mean, obviously this was a really long time ago shooting wise, but Post your space cake.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Well, in the finale, I don't know if you remember, but might have dabbled in something called a medicinal mushroom, so. Yeah, I know. Maybe when in Amsterdam. I'll take another space muffin bite.

[Nick]

Shannon, it's always a pleasure.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Thank you.

[Nick]

Thank you for coming.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Thank you for having me.

[Nick]

Maybe we'll. Well, let's just make this a regular annual time.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yes, the Halloween ish time.

[Nick]

Okay. Anything you want to plug?

[Shannon Storms Beador]

No.

[Nick]

Okay, well, if you haven't heard, we're pet parents for our dogs, Jeff and Steve. And we know all pet parents out there love their dogs like we love ours. And you always want to make sure they're taken care of. And thanks to the help with the aspca, our pets are in good health. And that's why we have a quick message from today's sponsor, the ASPCA Pet health insurance program. You know your pet is part of the family and you'd pretty much do anything for them, right? But those vet bills? Yeah, they can really add up quicker than you would think. And that's why it's worth checking out the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance Program. Pet health insurance can help manage the vet bills so you can focus on what really matters, making sure your pets get the care they need when they need it. Oh, and here's a little bonus. There's a perk for enrolling.

[Nellie]

When you enroll in an ASPCA pet health insurance plan, you could get a $25Amazon gift card. It's a little treat for you while you're doing something great for your pet. The program offers customizable accident and illness plans, making it easier to get your pet the care they may need. It's been around for almost 20 years and has covered in nearly 1 million PET in that time. You can tailor your plan to fit your budget, your lifestyle and your pet's particular quirks. Because big vet bills never show up when it's convenient, do they?

[Nick]

To explore coverage, Visit ASPCA pet insurance.com Vll that is ASPCA pet insurance.com V A L L eligibility restrictions apply, visit ASPCA pet insurance.com Amazon terms for more info. This is the paid advertisement. Insurance is unwritten by either Independence American Insurance Company or United States Fire Insurance Company and produced by PTZ Insurance Agency Ltd. The ASPCA is not an insurer and is not engaged in the business of insurance. This time of year. It's sensory overload everywhere. But one feeling we're still chasing is cozy. And BOMBAS has the socks, slippers and tees and basically everything to get you there. Honestly, there is something weirdly therapeutic about fresh socks. The comfort on your feet. It feels so good. And the sock scientists at BOMBAS have found a way to channel that energy into everything from slippers with sink in cushioning to satisfyingly weighty tees. And that feeling, it doesn't stop after one wear, it keeps on going. Everything that Bombas makes is with the highest quality especially. I mean they're certainly known for their socks, but their slippers and tees are also fantastic. And if you're looking to get cozy this holiday season, treat yourself to something that Bombas makes also makes a great gift. It's an amazing stocking stuffer. Everyone in your family just get them bombas. It's one of those gifts that everyone needs but no one asks for because you know they're just not Thinking about it. But really, they will absolutely love anything you get them at Bombas this holiday season. Whether it's slippers, whether it's socks. They have it all. Their socks are cozy and comfortable for that staying in. But they also have dress socks. Really all kind of socks made with the highest equality. That will all feel great on your feet. Protect your feet, people, and do it with Bombas. Head over to bombas.com v I a l l and use code v I a l l for 20 off your first purchase. That's b o m B-A-S.com v I a l l code v I a l l at checkout. All right, well, that's Shannon's bedorf for you.

[Diana]

I love her.

[Nick]

She's so funny.

[Nellie]

She's so funny. So iconic.

[Diana]

You guys should go to Shannon's Instagram and look at that promo we did with her. It's really fun.

[Nellie]

The promo is so good. Nobody was hurt in the making of that promo.

[Heather]

Nobody but my chin. Yeah, she did.

[Diana]

She did bop Justin concussion.

[Nellie]

But I think she's okay.

[Nick]

I think it's safe to say clearly Team Gretchen.

[Nellie]

Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Heather]

Oh, Shannon.

[Nick]

Yeah, yeah.

[Nellie]

Was very vocal about like reunion gives a lot of clarity, which Interesting.

[Nick]

And I think it's a very touchy subject for all these women because of obviously the context and, and I, I, I. This is not anything I'm hearing from Shannon. This was just my interpretation. But I think obviously very. Shannon wants to be very sensitive to the conversation in the queer community. And I think she was nervous about how does she before the reunion say anything that sounds like she is defending Gretchen.

[Nellie]

Yeah.

[Nick]

Out of fear that people would find those that to be insensitive or. But I think the big thing is let's just wait and see because a lot is supposed to be revealed at the reunion. All right, it's time to get to some Love is Blind. We have Ally and Anton up next. But before we do, I think we have a Love is Blind rapid recap.

[Nellie]

If you missed the the reunion of the of the Real Housewives of Love Is Blind, here's your rapid recap. I don't know. Miles Smith sings as the cast from season nine walks down the steps. Jordan is in a tux and Anton looks like he accidentally wandered in on his way to the dentist. It's official. We were wrong and the US son was right. Megan is a mom to a two and a half month old baby boy named Brooks. The other girls say that's why she was looking thick, which is one Way to congratulate someone on new motherhood, I guess. Apparently Megan and Mike went on a few dates after the pods, but it didn't work out. And Jordan finally clarifies the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Thank God. Casey swears that all she wanted to do was protect Patrick, but she also won't give him the ring back. Patrick gives Casey the floor to apologize, and after some buffering, she finally does and gives Patrick the ring back. But not for long because they play a game of basketball where she wins it back. Casey may not have found love in the pods, but she is now qualified as a walk on for the wnba. There it is, Mayor. And maybe Casey is keeping the ring for Joe because turns out they dated after the show. Or if you asked Madison during the show, question mark. Eskimo sisters. Kate very briefly dated Brendan after the pods, but then Casey and Brendan were all over each other at a party. Casey, girl. We finally get to the bottom of why Ally and Anton flopped. Pun intended. And KB and Edmund clear the air. It's Jordan's birthday and he and his present is Blake and protein ice cream. And that's a wrap on season nine. Good job, Leia.

[Nick]

I found myself, I feel like Joe was kind of a vil throughout the season, as was Casey. And I found myself, I. I felt like Madison and Patrick really didn't land their plane, so to speak. I felt like they both came out ready to dominate and really wanted to get the sympathy of the audience. And it really felt flat for me on, on both fronts.

[Nellie]

That's really weird.

[Diana]

Yeah, I think it's like with Joe, like, I don't even like, Joe definitely came off as the villain just because it was like, you shouldn't have been engaged to her. You obviously weren't that into her. And I feel he panicked. And I feel really bad for Madison in that, like, Madison got fucked over. But I don't think Joe is like an evil, despicable human being. And then with like, Casey and Patrick, I'm just like, there's too much going on. Again, you guys should have just never.

[Nick]

Really clearly wanted to. The truth is Joe got asked a question about their physical appearance and he gave an answer whether he should have or not. He did. And I don't think it's a crime to have a preference. It's insensitive. And it was. But, like, I just think it's a little heavy for Madison to really just like, blame him for all her, like, mental health problems because of that comment.

[Nellie]

I think it was absolutely insane. That we spent so much time on Casey and Patrick and they weren't even a couple on the show. Like, that was way too much time over two people. I, @ the end of the day, don't really care about. And about a ring that I also don't care about that truly does belong to production at this point. The fact that that, like, Vanessa made them stand up and give that ring back to each other was the. The craziest waste of five minutes of my time. Chris Paul, does he not have anything else to do? Why is he there? He didn't have a game or practice or anything.

[Nick]

He's not going to illegal poker games.

[Diana]

That's true.

[Nick]

Like, he's good. Staying out of trouble.

[Nellie]

Yeah.

[Diana]

I don't understand why the Love Is Blind reunion, like, is going to have a musical guest and a basketball performer. It just. Basketball performer.

[Nellie]

Why was it outside? Everyone's hair was glowing.

[Heather]

People like that, though, I saw when they released the trailer, everybody was like, oh, finally we have, like a. Like an actual reunion.

[Nick]

But then it was like, what did it make it actual.

[Brent]

Yeah, a studio.

[Heather]

That's what I thought. Because then I was like, so they're in, like, the Enchanted Forest. I was like, that's cute.

[Nick]

Like, I mean, it mixed it up. I didn't really have a problem with it.

[Heather]

They are getting blasted by wind, though. I did notice that.

[Nellie]

I mean, like, Megan's trying to talk about having her baby and she can't get the hair out of her face. Like, we could have.

[Diana]

She looks like Meredith Marks on that beach.

[Nellie]

And all of those lanterns were swaying. I. It kept me. I was.

[Brent]

I was going to say the creative directors of the Love Is Blind reunion, We're also on the Amsterdam trip, taking the shrooms, and we're like, you know what? Let's.

[Ally]

Also.

[Nellie]

Speaking of musical guests, if we're going to have a musical guest and you're going to pan to the audience during musical guests, teach everyone the words. Words. I mean, it's like, give them a script, give them the lyrics. Let people learn the song before he comes out. But you're panning to people who are, like, saying the wrong words and it just doesn't. It's not.

[Heather]

Or fake it. Like America's Got Talent, where you, like, patch in someone else that's like swaying or like, fake it so it looks like a reaction. Yeah.

[Diana]

They would not. They would not. They would sashay away if they were lip syncing for their life is what would happen. Also, Miles Smith, weirdly, was at the he. If you guys Watched the Steelers game in Ireland. He was the musical performer there.

[Nick]

Okay.

[Brent]

I mean, he's phenomenal, but it was just kind of like, what a waste of his talent.

[Nick]

I know Dr. Patrick in the ring when he's like, it's not about the money.

[Brent]

Like, what money?

[Diana]

You didn't.

[Nick]

But, like, what's it about? Then a year and a half later.

[Brent]

He kept saying, principal.

[Nick]

Principal, though he lost me on that.

[Brent]

Principal.

[Nick]

He should have just been like, no, honestly, I don't need it. Yeah, I just, like.

[Nellie]

And he should have been like, him being like, I'm doing this for you. I'm giving you a moment to apologize for your so that people can stop hating on you. I guarantee.

[Nick]

That was a crazy. He really lost me.

[Brent]

He's putting the words in her mouth. I just need you to say, I'm sorry, Patrick, that I. And she was like, don't tell me how to apologize. And it's true. Like, it was just like, this is really. You go giving her your moment.

[Heather]

Huh? There was a TikTok. It was Anton and Joe joking about drinking. Did you guys see this? And then it was Patrick also in the TikTok. And I was like, why? Okay. I was like, you're kind of losing the narrative for me here.

[Diana]

Yeah.

[Nellie]

Also, I mean, it felt like all of the women were going after Casey. You know, I think Madison and Kate, also. Kate. Why was she. She was a mainstay the whole time.

[Heather]

Kate's with all the friends, every photo op, every event. I think she's just part of the group.

[Nellie]

Yeah, she's part of the group.

[Diana]

I'm not a huge Casey fan, but I do, like, she was messy as fuck in those pods, which is. And afterwards, obviously. But, yeah, I'm just like Madison, and I really like Madison, but I'm just like, girl, you and Joe obviously were not going to work out. Like, he. You chose a guy that was obviously a little bit of a slut. And, like, it didn't work out. And it's.

[Nellie]

It seemed that Madison was still hurt over the breakup, and that came across, like, very obvious to me. It wasn't like, oh, I've grown. I'm a bigger person. I don't give a fuck. You weren't. For me, like, that was not the energy she was giving. The energy was very much like, I'm still grieving this marriage.

[Nick]

Which is crazy.

[Nellie]

Which is crazy.

[Nick]

I didn't think she still was. I felt like she was performing her grief.

[Heather]

Well, don't you have to lean in? Anyways?

[Nick]

Like, this is.

[Diana]

They were Trying to make a reunion.

[Heather]

Like, she just.

[Brent]

Oscar, perfect match.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yeah.

[Nellie]

I felt like Anton was giving a little underdressed. Definitely underdressed.

[Ally]

The way he was.

[Diana]

He was also just like.

[Nellie]

Yeah. He felt so chill. It felt like he. And I mean, I guess, yeah, his girlfriend was there, so maybe he, like, wasn't, you know, trying to like, total.

[Nick]

Year and a half later, it's like, why do I even care? Like, he moved on with his life. Life, you know, Which I think is.

[Brent]

The right take to have after a year.

[Nellie]

Yeah.

[Diana]

Like, yeah, but if everyone is chill and moved on with their lives, I'm like, what are they gonna talk about?

[Nellie]

I'll just never be on. I will never be like, oh, makes sense for someone to be like, yeah, I work a night shift. I come home, I eat breakfast, I watch a little tv, and I maybe open a beer. I Those. The strain of events, I will never be on board with. It's like, I worked. I worked the night shift before you go to bed. Yeah, you just go straight to bed. And then you wake up at 3pm and then you go about your day.

[Ally]

You.

[Nellie]

You don't watch TV after and drink a beer after your night shift.

[Nick]

That's not the TV part. It's the beer part.

[Brent]

It was the.

[Nellie]

It was all the chain of events. I get home, I make breakfast, I watch tv, and I open a beer.

[Heather]

Yeah, it's a whole event.

[Nellie]

It's a whole. That's your whole day. Go to sleep. You've been working all night.

[Diana]

Isn't he Russian, though?

[Nellie]

Yes.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Yes.

[Diana]

So they drink. They drink. They be drinking.

[Nellie]

It was weird that she never brought up the conversation with the girlfriend in the bathroom. Ally.

[Brent]

I just think she knew she was done. And even for him, for her to say that the biggest ick for her we can ask was hip up.

[Nellie]

That's true. We can definitely ask her. Oh, she's here. Well, great. Let's actually, you know what? Let's just ask Ally why she never had that conversation. Conversation. And also, like, I understand the flip flop thing.

[Brent]

The biggest ick being flip flops.

[Nellie]

I feel it too. I don't understand what was wrong with his wall. Do you have a weird wall?

[Heather]

Anton.

[Brent]

When he came out, you said flip flops in Baja.

[Nellie]

But no, she was. She was. Nick was like, maybe someone else will appreciate his walk. It was weird. I was like, how is he? Does he walk. Does he walk with a lemon or something else happening?

[Brent]

Jab.

[Nick]

He doesn't glide.

[Nellie]

I, like, was not. I don't remember being, like, phased by his walk at all.

[Nick]

Well, we do. It sounds like we have a lot of questions for Ellie, and I think she is ready. She's here. She's ready to join, and let's bring her on.

[Ally]

Hello.

[Nick]

Hello.

[Ally]

Hi. How are you guys? So good.

[Nick]

So good. How are you?

[Ally]

Good. I was in the wrong link, apparently, so sorry about that.

[Nick]

Your fault. You're here now. That's what's important.

[Ally]

Yeah. Excited.

[Nick]

Well, let's get right into it. We just watched the reunion. How did you feel about the reunion? What did you.

[Nellie]

And leaving.

[Nick]

Yeah.

[Ally]

Yeah. Oh, my gosh. Going into it, I was honestly so excited because I didn't really feel like the cut throughout the show was very reflective of, like, me as a person. And so going into the reunion, I was like, yes, this is my chance. I get to really put everything out there. And then, unfortunately, we were the last ones to actually talk during the filming. And so timing was very limited. A lot of it was, like, cut short. And then for the final cut, even things that I said didn't even make it. And so I was like, what the heck? Like, when do I get to share my side of things?

[Anton]

Right now.

[Nellie]

Right now. We don't edit here, so you got as long as you want.

[Nick]

Well. Well, with that said, like, what. What are some things that you said at the reunion or wanted to say that didn't make air that you're. You're hoping that people get a chance to hear from you?

[Ally]

Oh, my gosh. There's so much. Let me pull out my list.

[Nick]

Yes.

[Nellie]

Oh, hell yeah.

[Ally]

No, it's tough to know where to start, because, honestly, like, there. There was just so much. Right. Like, starting with the pods, none of our story was really aired. You didn't get to hear any of, like, our serious conversations or talk about, like, what we wanted our family unit to look like, what our roles would be, children, finances, like, everything. Everything was discussed in the pods. And you got, like, oh, Ali fell in love in two minutes. And so that just wasn't really, like, a good representation. And then obviously, going into Baja, there was so many scenes in there where, like, I thought they were so cute. We had such a romantic dinner, like, be. None of that got aired. We, like, we're feeding each other strawberries, so just, like, lots of cute little moments between us that, like, didn't make it and didn't really show, like, our story as a couple. And then obviously, a lot more going into, like, reality, too.

[Nellie]

Do you feel like, had they had shown maybe more of your conversations about lifestyle and family values and like what you want your future to look like. It would have made a little bit more sense after as to like why we saw some of the disagreements and conversations that we did see later on.

[Ally]

Yeah, I mean, absolutely. Anton and I very much agreed on him being the provider. I think something that adds a lot of context honestly is just the fact that, you know, we did have those conversations. And then also my work week was a 3 day, 12 hour days kind of situation as a nurse at that point. And so, you know, the whole not cooking, not cleaning, that whole situation was like, yeah, during my three days where I'm exhausted and trying to just like make it through my shifts doesn't mean I don't pick up after myself in general or like don't clean ever. Like I, or cook. I cook very healthy meals and like, I like to keep things simple. But you know, I do cook at home and so that would have added a whole lot of confidence context.

[Nellie]

But yeah, I guess getting into. Because I think one of the like only conversations we saw between you and Anton at reunion was the like, why didn't you discuss the conversation you had with his friend's girlfriend in the bathroom? Like, why did you never have that conversation with Anton? I think your answer at reunion was that you just like had kind of a lot going on. You don't really remember exactly why you didn't bring it up. And to Anton's response, he was like, we sat at the bar and like had a drink and you kind of like refused to talk about, about it. Do you remember that specifically at all?

[Ally]

I do remember us sitting at the bar. I, it was a situation where it was, I don't want to talk about it at all. It was definitely like, we're out with your friends, let's just enjoy their company. Let's get to know each other better and get to know your friends and you know, just have fun is what the theme of that day after filming ended was. And then I do think because of, you know, so many things going on on, it just, I, I just didn't bring it up. And like now looking back I'm like, how did I not talk about it? But I do know that like myself, I am avoidant. And so being avoidant doesn't really help the situation where a lot of times it takes me more time to process things to be able to be ready to talk about it. And so that was really the situation at dinner and then I'm sure something like that after as well.

[Nick]

Can we talk about, about it now?

[Ally]

Yeah, we can Talk about it, of course.

[Nick]

What did you guys talk about in the bathroom?

[Ally]

I think you pretty much heard the whole bathroom conversation. You know, in the pods, Anton and I talked about how both of us grew up pretty religious. We kind of stepped away from religion for a little while, and then in, you know, the last. Like, the recent year had come back to it. So that was actually something that we really connected on, was growing our religion together and wanting to do that. That. And so obviously, somebody's past. Like, we all have a past, right? My concern was with it being, like, a recent thing and us having shared our religion, how that wasn't really something that, like, you know, he talked about. And I had to hear that from somebody else. And then, you know, the drinking conversation came up later, too. And that was the general theme of our conversations was, like, not really talking about it fully, but more so. So, like, defensiveness when anything did get brought up. So it was hard.

[Nick]

Was that friend conversation that the. The first moment where you thought Anton might not be as upfront about how much he drinks, or there's a disconnect with what my perception of his drinking is versus the reality of it, or was there. Was there a different time where you kind of had a. Oh, no moment?

[Ally]

I think the first time that I started realizing that. That maybe, I don't know, the extent of Anton was actually in Baja. And I did talk about this at the reunion. Not the specific thing on its own, but he had a vape the whole time in the pods. And I was like, how did you get a vape? Like, we weren't meant to have anything on us. And I don't remember if we discussed, like, vaping or smoking specifically because we had, you know, so many hours of conversation. But at this romantic dinner that I mentioned, we were, you know, in front of, like, these beautiful rocks, and, like, the sun was setting. It was such a great dinner. And here he is just, like, ripping his vape the whole time. And production was like, anton, put your vape away. Like, are we gonna take it? And so I kind of started to get a little bit of, like, distaste in that sense, where it was like, what else is there that I may not know? That is, like, a danger daily habit for you.

[Nick]

Was it a tiny little vape, or is it one of those big, smoky things?

[Ally]

No, it was like, the full machine.

[Nellie]

That's crazy. 2024 had the full machine.

[Ally]

Is he going, like, to a hookah bars? I think he did share that with me, which, like, I enjoy hookah bar every Once in a while, I don't think there's anything wrong with them, but I did not realize the extent of the vape use until, like, that dinner. I. I was like, oh, my gosh.

[Nick]

A lot of people watching the show picked up on when. I mean, when you guys had the reveal and you meet each other for the first time in person. I'm sure that's just a whirlwind and you kind of probably black out, but maybe you did notice, but we all noticed that instead of looking back at you, he poured himself another glass of champagne. Is when did you first realize that? Was that washing it back or in real life?

[Ally]

I didn't really think of it much in real time, but I. You do see a hint of, like. I'm like, hello. Like, I was literally standing there waiting for him to turn around, and he didn't. And I knew he liked his champagne, and, like, that's fine. To me, in that moment, it wasn't an issue, like, because, like you said, it is a whirlwind. Like, there's so much going on. As much as, like, we have been around cameras prior, that reveal is really, like, a intense camera situation. There's cameras freaking flying. There's. There's a whole lot more stuff or, like, production in the background than we ever had before. So it is like, oh, my gosh. But one of the other things, too, is, like, he did propose. People think he didn't propose, but he did get down and, like, give me the ring.

[Nellie]

Okay. And that was the ring that he bought or Netflix gave to him, because I know y' all had a little conversation about that once you got to Baja as well, and he made it seem like it. He bought it.

[Ally]

Yeah, that. That Baja conversation, or I guess to address the ring first, that was a Netflix ring. He did not add any of his own money. I don't believe any of the men added their own money to the ring.

[Nick]

Because they have the option, right?

[Ally]

They do have the option. I don't know that anybody goes in, like, expecting, you know, to add more. I definitely wouldn't have expected him to add more to the ring at that point and context. Like, on that ring. Conversation room, like, five. Like, it should have been at least 10. Obviously, this was a free ring, right? So, like, we did have a conversation prior to that, like, little Baja convo. It was like, let's update your ring in the future. Let's get you something nicer. I want you to love your ring. And I'm like, absolutely. I want to love my ring. Too. And so as far as, like, the ring conversation goes, the private chef conversation goes, the Botox conversation, like, all of those were so light hearted. And I think that's really something that people are missing, is that, like, none of these were really serious things. It was just. Just honestly on my end trying to make him comfortable and trying to keep things fun and light because he had a hard time just being himself around me. And that's where a lot of these silly, goofy little convos, including, like, the makeup when we were sitting in those chairs asking to put makeup on him, that was just me, like, hey, like, we're here. Like, we're together. Just talk to me. Like we're just having fun. It's not that serious because a lot of times I felt like it was almost impossible to really, like, get a conversation out of him in person.

[Nellie]

I was just gonna ask, like, when did you realize. Was it in real time as we were watching, you realize he was drinking a lot of the alcohol that you had at home? Or did you come across that, like, earlier?

[Ally]

There was just, like, little blips of conversations about it prior, but in that moment where we are filming and I'm like, where did it actually go? Is where I was like, this needs to be discussed a lot. Lot of our conversations that were more, I guess, emotional were off camera, and we chose to keep it a little bit more private. And that is a regret that I have because it would have added so much more context to our story if those would have been on on camera.

[Nellie]

What were some of those conversations?

[Ally]

Just normal things like finances and moving to Florida together and kids and everything. As far as, like, expectations or how we act together as a couple in a group setting, Everything along those lines as well.

[Nick]

Some of his family members had some very harsh things to say about you following the wedding that didn't happen.

[Ally]

Yeah.

[Nick]

Have you guys. Has he addressed that at all, apologized or offered any context as to why that was said?

[Ally]

No. So this is, I guess this is another thing that is really highly upsetting. The comment from whoever that female was, I have no idea. I never met her as somebody that was, like, part of his life. So I don't know know her to that extent. So that itself doesn't really have a lot of weight to me. What I was hurt by, as far as, like, the altar is we didn't have a conversation after. And so after I said no and, like, explain myself, Anton said, that's fair. And that didn't make the cut. And I feel like that would have added a Lot of like understanding because he did, did agree with me when I expressed like, expressed my side of things to him. So saying like, that's fair would have been made like the world of a difference to the context of like our relationship and his understanding in his role.

[Nick]

I know that obviously as they're filming this show, there's definitely like a mantra of like just kind of stay open, be open, you know, get to the end, so to speak. That being said, you know, as from the human side of the reality side, you start getting a feeling of which direction you're going to go one way or the other. Do you remember, remember the specific moment? And I'm sure you stayed open to maybe things changing, but when was that moment where you were like, I. I don't think I can, I'm. I'm probably don't think I'm gonna be able to marry this guy.

[Ally]

Yeah. Not, not the actual flip flop moment in Baja. Not that that was something that was cut out of the reunion where I was like, light heartedly, the flip flops and like, we're on such good terms. It was such a lighthearted joke. Um, and then I went into like the real reasons that I ended up deciding to say no. We did have a conversation, I would say probably like three, four days prior to the wedding where it was like, hey, just so you're aware, like, I don't know if I see myself being able to get there with you. And that's when I really just laid things out so openly to him. And I was like, you haven't been yourself. I feel like I can't talk to you. You don't greet me when you come home, you know, like just so many things and I discuss like how he eats junk food all the time, or at least the time did wasn't super like healthy and active and drinking beers after coming home from work and like ruining your sleep like every night. Essentially it was very much minimized the amount of drinking. It wasn't one or two beers and it wasn't one or two nights a week. It was more than that. And that, that's why it was a concern.

[Nick]

Yeah. And it's interesting because like, obviously people have different perspective of how much a lot or a little is. But to your point, he was clearly defensive. Like if it's, if it's not an issue, if it's normal to him, then be like, yeah, I drank half the tequila, you know, like, yeah, well, I was sad. Yeah, yeah, no, I drank all 12 beers and the tequila and I had my Friend, what's the biggest deal?

[Ally]

Right? Yeah, we got that tequila like at the airport on the way back from Baja. And that gathering wasn't that far into like our reality. So that tequila bottle was meant for us. And I'm like, I didn't get any tequila. Like, I want some tequila. And like, like I said to my mom, even like on the day of the wedding, I was like, I drink. I think drinking is fine. I think drinking is great in social situations. It makes me more comfortable. Like, I love to have a drink or like a glass of wine to go to sleep like every once in a while. It's not like a daily thing. And I think it should be mostly limited to like social settings. But that's, that's really where the concern came from.

[Nellie]

At the reunion, when the strip club conversation was brought up, Anton's response was, have I been to a strip club before? Yes, I think most men have and there's nothing wrong with that.

[Nick]

Yeah, I guess.

[Heather]

Yeah.

[Nellie]

Felt a little, I was like, speak for yourself.

[Nick]

First of all, like, I definitely got dragged there for a bachelor party once and felt weird.

[Ally]

Yeah, I also, I got dragged there on the illusion that Jack Harlow was there one night during Denver. Jack Harlow was not there perfectly, but I just had such like a weird, like heavy feeling around me when I was there. I hated the experience. We'll literally never step foot in one ever again. And yeah, like, speak for yourself. I don't think most men have. I know especially like most religious men did, like, don't go or have never been. And that's something that like I very, I made very clear, like, that's an expectation from a partner. Like, and if that's not you, great, it's not you. But that's my thoughts on it.

[Nick]

I think there's a huge difference from I've been to a strip club as a guy or I go to a strip club every once in a while.

[Nellie]

And like, I think there's nothing wrong with that.

[Nick]

To defend the semi regular appearances is like, I mean, I guess again, to each their own. I do not want to, you know, yuck, someone's yum.

[Nellie]

Switching gears off of you for a little bit. Did it feel as much of a pile on on Casey as it was watching it?

[Ally]

Yes, the booing was intense for Casey and that's why, I mean, I'm not close to Casey by any means. We've hung out a few times here and there, but I felt that I needed to step in and defend her a little bit because of how uncomfortable it Was I truly did feel for her. I think there were some inaccuracies that were shared by some of the other cast members, but that's not mine to talk about.

[Nick]

So what did you learn about yourself through this process?

[Ally]

What have I learned? Oh, my gosh. I think, honestly, just learning that, like, what I want as for a partner isn't what everybody else is going to agree with, and that's okay. But just being comfortable in, like, what my standards are and, like, sticking by them.

[Heather]

Honestly.

[Nick]

Honestly, love is definitely not blind for me. Have you realized that it's not blind for you?

[Ally]

No, I. I do think love is blind. Like, I. Not even BSing at all. Like, my reveal, that was the moment that I was truly, like, holy. Like, this actually could be my husband. And I was so excited. We get, like, a day in between the reveal and then going to Baja, and I was like, let me go buy all this stuff to, like, look good for him. Let me, like, go, Reese, like, re restock, I guess, like, all my beauty products. And so I was so excited. And then it was just very quickly, like, one thing after another kind of added to me, like, becoming less and less in love with him.

[Nick]

It is totally okay, I think, to immediately break up with any guy wearing flip flops. Just so you know. I think it's a fire.

[Ally]

So much heat for that. Especially because they're like, Brazilian. Men wear flip flops all the time.

[Nick]

I don't care.

[Ally]

That's great. I'm not looking at Brazilian.

[Nick]

I guess visors, vests and flip flops in short shorts. I wouldn't.

[Ally]

Questionable. Yeah, I think shorts are okay. Flip flops and visors, I would agree.

[Nick]

On for sure staying in the kind of nitpicky, being a little silly, petty department was. Were you a little alarmed or frustrated that he was wearing his glasses on top of his head during the reveal in squeak? Because I felt like the glasses really made him, like, really framed out his face and was, like, a really great look at him. And I don't know why. He was like, glasses on top of a man's head is just such a weird.

[Nellie]

They don't belong there. It's like an egg.

[Nick]

It's an egg.

[Ally]

Yeah. Honestly, I didn't even notice them. I can't say that I thought about it. Like, I saw his hair was huge. His hair was like, two meters above his head. But I was like, hey, he has a great head of hair. I love that.

[Nick]

He does have a great head of hair.

[Ally]

Yeah.

[Nellie]

Have you started filming Perfect match yet.

[Brent]

Or too Hot to handle or too.

[Nellie]

Hot to handle or let's marry Harry. I feel like you are his type to a T. Oh, my gosh.

[Ally]

No comment on any of that. But I'm sure there are some exciting things coming.

[Nellie]

Love.

[Nick]

Oh, love. We're sure there's exciting things.

[Nellie]

We are sure that there are exciting things. We do have a fan edit that Justin, part of our team. Sweet boy, Justin. He made for you because he felt.

[Heather]

Like I felt moved by you at the altar at 1am in the morning.

[Nellie]

So we want to show it to you.

[Ally]

Okay. I love that. Thank you.

[Heather]

That's it.

[Ally]

That's such a cute song. Like, such a sad edit.

[Nick]

You have a fan in Justin.

[Heather]

I am your fan. I love you.

[Ally]

Thanks, Justin. I'm your fan too.

[Nick]

Any more questions for Ally before we let her go? Oh, I do. I'm sorry, I have one. Speaking of like exciting things happening for you, you were. I don't know, this is part of why, but you were kind of like oddly cryptic about your relationship status on the reunion and was wondering if there's a reason why. Is it because you may or may not be ending up on TV again or are you protect, you know, because it makes it sound like you are in a relationship and like he doesn't.

[Nellie]

Want to be public.

[Ally]

Yeah, yeah. Let me be careful how I talk around this, but people gave me a lot of backlash because they were like, you went on a freaking dating show and now you want your dating life to be private. And yes, like I do. I chose to share that part of my life openly on tv. And that was a year and a half ago. So obviously a lot of time for things to develop since then. But yeah, I think it's really just kind of trying to guard my privacy as much as I can for the time being. And then, you know, if there is something to announce, I in the future, I'll announce it when me and a potential partner are ready.

[Nick]

Okay.

[Nellie]

Okay.

[Nick]

Mary has one more question for you.

[Diana]

I do. I'm just like really enamored by the way you pretty cry. And I was just wondering if you had any advice to the girlies on how to pretty cry like that?

[Ally]

Botox.

[Diana]

Thank you very much, diva.

[Heather]

Ally.

[Nick]

I appreciate your time. If you're ever in la, stop the studio so you can take one of our Polaroids that we have all our guests do and make some content. But other than that, good luck. Maybe we'll see you back on the Netflix screen sooner than later. Otherwise, enjoy the rest of your time. Stay offline. Don't read the comments and thank you guys so much. Thanks for joining.

[Nellie]

Thank you, Ali.

[Ally]

Bye.

[Nick]

Bye. Bye.

[Nellie]

I'm a fan. I think she's sweet.

[Diana]

She seems really sweet.

[Brent]

I want to see her on my TV again.

[Nick]

She definitely, you know, listen, she, she got the vapid, superficial edit, you know.

[Nellie]

Yeah. She got the pretty girl. She got the, like, we don't have enough time portray this entire story. So like here's snippets and that would.

[Nick]

And when you're willing to tell like snarky jokes about Botox and kind of being superficial, they're always going to use that against you.

[Nellie]

Yeah.

[Diana]

Justice for my girl.

[Brent]

Truly.

[Diana]

Yeah.

[Nick]

All right, well, we have Anton up next. I am curious about his. What is the appropriate amount of strip club attendance?

[Nellie]

And why were his glasses on his head? Did he not want to see her until he.

[Nick]

Because those glasses look great on.

[Nellie]

Is he nearsighted or farsighted?

[Ally]

Do you think a flip flop is.

[Brent]

A shoe or a beach only accessory?

[Nellie]

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[Nick]

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[Nellie]

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[Nick]

Anton, welcome to the show.

[Anton]

Hey, thanks for having me.

[Nick]

First question, did you get contacts?

[Anton]

I did.

[Nick]

You did? Okay.

[Anton]

All right.

[Nick]

Was that what prompted you to do that after all these years?

[Anton]

Well, I had contacts before.

[Nick]

Right.

[Anton]

And I would kind of go back and forth between the glasses and the contacts, but I think after the show, I really. I really just leaned into the contacts full time. So.

[Nick]

For what it counts, if it matters. I thought that you looked great in the glasses, you know.

[Anton]

Oh, thanks. Whenever I did have him on, I mean, it's like I had them on my head most of the time. I feel.

[Nick]

Well, yeah, we did notice that, and we thought it was a little weird. Were you, like, insecure about the glasses or, like, why. Why do that?

[Anton]

Yeah, it's. It's. So just watching the show back, I kind of realized that. Yeah. I mean, I was insecure about it a lot of the time, and it's been an insecurity of mine, and I just kind of had them up on my head a lot of the times because I. I wouldn't. I don't need them to see up close, but I need them to see kind of, like further away.

[Nick]

Gotcha. Well, I thought you look. I thought the glasses look great.

[Nellie]

Well, that's so interesting that you need them to see further away. And at your reveal, you didn't have them on, but you were, like, squinting to see. Ally, why didn't you just wear the glasses?

[Anton]

I know, I know. I looked at that and I'm like, fuck, I look like an idiot.

[Nick]

You know, at least you can laugh at yourself.

[Anton]

Didn't do myself any favors with that. Yeah, but you know what? Whatever.

[Nick]

Appreciate you joining us. We know, obviously, this show was filmed a long time ago, so it's. I want to acknowledge that because, you know, you. You're. Are you still in a relationship with your lovely girlfriend that we got to see at the reunion?

[Anton]

Yeah.

[Nick]

Okay.

[Anton]

Yeah, she's. Yeah, she's great. We've been together for a year now.

[Ally]

Congrats.

[Anton]

Yeah. She's everything I was looking for.

[Nick]

Well, I appreciate you still joining us because I know sometimes it can be a little weird being in a relationship and still being asked questions about an old relationship, but either way, here we are. No, she's.

[Anton]

She's been great about it. She's. She's been really supportive and understanding and like, just kind of. Kind of helping me kind of deal with all this too.

[Nick]

So out of curiosity, how do you. How did you broach that subject with her when you first met her? Ending filming, knowing that the show's still going to come out a long time from now? Like, you know, a year? Plus, how did you broach that?

[Nellie]

Also being like, we can't post photos together.

[Anton]

Yeah, I know, I know. Yeah, it's so. I mean, I kind of led with it. I wasn't. I wasn't trying to be secretive or anything about it. I told her, hey, like, this is a thing. It's gonna come out in like, a little over a year. And, you know, I just wanted her to know that that's gonna come out at some point. And I didn't want her to be blindsided by it. So I was like, hey, you know, I understand if you would like your privacy and wouldn't want to have anything to do with me because of that. Totally understandable. But this is something that's gonna come out at some point, so. And she was like, okay, well, I mean, I, you know, she. She was open to it and she was like, okay, like, I don't. I don't know how I'm gonna go about it, but I'll. I like you and I wanna be there with you. And, you know, she was. She was supportive of it.

[Nick]

Okay, first question. How many times do you go to the strip club? And what is normal?

[Anton]

So. So how. So how many times do I go to the strip club now? Or how many times did I go to the strip club when I was single?

[Nick]

Oh, yes.

[Anton]

So when I was single, I would just go with, like, for my friends birthdays or for, like, bachelor parties or whatever, you know, things like that. I would go maybe two or three times a year. Whereas now, I mean, I think when you're in a relationship, I think you have to be. Be just kind of like cognizant of your partner. And if that bothers them, then, you know, you should probably not go. So.

[Nick]

Thanks for clarifying.

[Anton]

I think I've only been once in the last. Since the show came out, I think I've only been once.

[Shannon Storms Beador]

Okay.

[Anton]

And that was for a friend's bachelor party.

[Nick]

Okay. Yeah. Thanks for clarifying. It almost came across if it was like, every other Friday, you know, for.

[Nellie]

The buffet, you're getting the T Bone Steak 95.

[Anton]

I would be broke if that was the case.

[Nellie]

That is true.

[Nick]

A big part of the storyline, or your storyline, like, centered around your drinking and what, you know, the disconnect of you and Ally and what you thought was normal and what she felt was normal. We did have a chance to talk with Ali, and we kind of agreed that, like, regardless of what's normal or not normal, what felt a little funny on your part and you maybe you could add context that we didn't get to see is that you came across as kind of definitely offensive when the topics came out, like, specifically the tequila bottle and things like that. So now that we have you and, you know, we know things are edited or things can be taken out of context, I just want to hear, like, your point of view about that entire, like, storyline. And how did you feel about watching it back?

[Anton]

Yeah, I mean, watching it back, I definitely felt like from the edits, it seemed like. It seems. It seemed as though I was drinking almost in every single scene, which, I mean, I wasn't, because there was a couple of scenes that got cut out that I wasn't drinking in and nobody was really drinking in. And so looking back at it, yeah, I mean, I put out a video on my Instagram about this. I kind of addressed it a little bit, and I was drinking more than I normally do. And I think it was due to just me being, like, really nervous and being anxious and using that as a coping mechanism, which. Which I think. I think a lot of people do on reality tv. Not to say that it's good or it's normal or healthy, it's not. But looking back at it, I think that's what it was. And to put some context on the tequila bottle going missing, looking back at that, I mean, this was almost two years ago, right? So I think in that moment right there, we had just gotten back from filming at the rodeo, and so we were both drinking at the rodeo. We both had some drinks. And I genuinely. I kind of had an idea. I was like, I don't think the bottle is going to be in that fridge. But I was like, let me check. You know? But it just. It seemed as though, like, she wouldn't really be concerned. She wasn't really ever concerned about me drinking unless we were filming. And it was like one of those moments where it's like, ha, I gotcha. You Know that kind of thing. And so in that moment right there, I didn't really think the bottle was going to be in there, but I was like, let me check. I don't really remember if I finished it or not or if we finished it because I mean, you got to think, right, like, she was drinking as well. And it's like in every scene that I'm drinking, she's also drinking too. So it wasn't like she doesn't drink. She does drink too. And so like I said, I wasn't, I never really got, I was never trashed, I was never drunk. I was, I was kind of drinking more than I normally do. But it's, it's, it probably not good, you know, probably not a good thing that, you know, that bottle wasn't in there in that fridge.

[Nellie]

Ali mentioned at reunion and also when we spoke with her that you would kind of come home and like not greet her. You wouldn't say hello. Do you remember that? And like, do you know why? Or is that not how you remember it?

[Anton]

It's not how I remembered at all. Right. So when we were back in Denver filming, it was, we would film, film about three, maybe four days out of the week. And then the other days we weren't filming. So on the days that we were filming, I would come home. So I was working, I was still working full time and I work nights, 12 hour shifts. So I would come home after a 12 hour shift and it was, it was like I would greet her, but I wouldn't have like, usually any kind of like intense conversations or deep, meaningful conversations. It's just kind of like, like, hey, I'm getting home, I want to relax a little bit, eat and go to bed, that kind of thing. And she worked nights too, but it was, I mean, she would have different days off than I would, so it kind of overlapped that way. But a lot of the time when we were filming, it just happened to be on days that I worked a 12, 13 hour shift. And it was a lot, you know, it was a lot to deal with.

[Nellie]

She kind of had a few what she claimed to be like light hearted jokes maybe about the Botox or about the private chef. And then they were kind of edited in a way that made her look a certain way. Do you remember them being lighthearted jokes in the morning and you were surprised by how it was edited and watching it back or the other way around?

[Anton]

I wasn't really surprised by that. I think it was, I think, I think the financial differences definitely played a large A large part in, you know, in her decision, because we had conversations off camera, camera, you know, that were about, okay, well, where are we going to live? How are we going to move in together? How is that going to look? How's, you know. And so for her, I think the financial aspect of it was, was definitely. I mean, I don't know that it was like the deciding factor, but I think it was like part of it was lighthearted. But I think there's some truth to every, you know, to any jokes that she did make about that. I think there was something truth to it.

[Nick]

Going into the, the wedding, did you feel like Ali was on the fence? Like, what prompted you to say yes? And, you know, were you surprised by her ultimate decision to say no?

[Anton]

There was actually a conversation that took place about a week before the weddings. This was in Denver. This was after a day that we were like, after we wrapped up filming, the cameras went away and we were filming, like I said about every other the other day. And there was, there were signs that she was gonna say no. So she actually, on the days that we were not filming, she did not want to stay with me at the apartment. She wanted to go back to her place and kind of stay there and not really spend much time with me, which I thought was strange. Like, if you're really on the fence trying to decide whether you're gonna get married to this person, you should kind of try to spend as much time as you can with them. And she didn't seem to want to do that. And about a week before the weddings, we had a conversation which was kind of just like a off camera, real conversation, like, hey, are we going to get married? Is this going to be a yes or no or what? You know, and it was, it was a really genuine kind of upfront conversation. And so she basically said that at that time she didn't see. See how she could get to a yes. She didn't see any way of her getting to a yes. And I said, well, the fuck are we doing here then? Let's, let's just end this right here, right now. I don't want to waste my time, your time, the producer's time, you know, what's the point, right? What's the point of dragging this out and, you know, getting our families involved and all that? And she said that she basically just wanted to get to the altar. She wanted to kind of see that through and, you know, for, in her words, was to honor the experiment all the way. And she said, maybe there's some way she could get to a yes. She just doesn't know how. But that was kind of how that ended and it kind of left me feeling confused. Right. Like it left me feeling like are her intentions real? Is she. Does she really want to get married to me or does she just want to drag it out to the altar and get as much screen time as possible? That's kind of something I was thinking about. About. And I don't know if that's the case or not. I'm not saying it is. But it definitely made me think that.

[Nellie]

A little bit after she walked away there was a clip of someone in your life calling her a cold hearted bitch. Who was that person to you?

[Anton]

That's my really good friend's fiance who they're actually getting married in January. So happy for them. Shout out Colin and Brittany. But she, she's a great gal. She flew it flew in from Florida. She had no idea what was going on. She was completely clueless to everything. And I think she just, I mean, do I, did I feel that way? No. Do I feel the way that she felt? No. But I think she is, knowing her, she's just a very blunt like to the point kind of person and I guess that's how she was feeling. So I thought that was, that was kind of a crazy thing to, to include in there in the, in the end on the producer's part.

[Nick]

But yeah, pulling away from you for a second. Do you think Joe is getting a bad rap on this show or do you think he is getting a fair at it?

[Anton]

I mean, I wasn't in that relationship. I don't know what like as you guys know, there's so much more that happens off camera. So I don't know. I will say that I'm friends with Madison. I'm really close with my Madison. I'm friends with Joe as well. They just both had very different expectations and very different goals. And I think that a lot of that caught up to them in Mexico and caught up to them back in Denver. But I think Madison's a really great person. I think Joe's a really good guy. I think that they just weren't for each other.

[Nick]

Who do you hang out with the most?

[Anton]

I hang out with Madison. I hang out with Patrick, Mike. Those are kind of my guys. Joe's really cool as well. Hang out with him every once in a while. It's kind of my pod squad right there. Shelby as well, but she wasn't really shown.

[Nellie]

Ali mentioned a date that y' all had where it was Like, a very romantic dinner. And she mentioned how she was kind of caught off guard with how much you were vaping. Do you have, like, any response to that?

[Anton]

Yeah, I was vaping a lot. She vaped, too, but I was definitely vaping a lot more than her. And, hey, you know what? Put down the vape. I don't vape anymore. At all.

[Nellie]

Wow. And it was like a. It was. It wasn't like a jewel. It was like a big guy or.

[Anton]

No, it was a jewel.

[Nellie]

Oh, okay. Got it.

[Anton]

Yeah, yeah.

[Nick]

Did you ever run into Ali or meet up with Ali or hang out with Ally at all following the wedding?

[Anton]

I think we've ran into each other once, coincidentally, and. But we don't have any kind of relationship. We're not. We don't really talk or anything. I know when the show came out, I kind of shot her a text saying, hey, like, hope you're doing good. Hope everything's, you know, gonna work out for you. Just checking in to make sure you're all right. And she just kind of texted me back saying, hey, yeah, I'm good. Thanks for checking in. That was it. But we ran into each other at a pool party, I think, two or three months after. After we wrapped up filming. And that was. That's. That's really. That's really been.

[Nellie]

It was this. The mic pool party where Casey was crying?

[Anton]

Yeah.

[Nellie]

Okay.

[Anton]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. There's. There's a lot going on there, for sure. And like I said, this was. That. That pool party was also. I mean, this is also over a year ago, so craziness.

[Nick]

Any context you want to add that we. That was left out?

[Anton]

No, I think it was genuinely like, everybody was there. It was literally the entire. The entire cast was there at the pool party. And this was pretty fresh, so, like, pretty fresh after filming. So there was a lot of. Of people trying to connect with each other, a lot of, like, exploring potential relationships and exploring connections and flirting and all that going on there, for sure.

[Brent]

So before you met your girlfriend, did you explore with anybody else from the pods?

[Anton]

I'm trying to think. I. So I had a really. I had a really good connection with another gal in the pods. Her name was Kaylin. We actually went all the way up to. To engagement day, and I was. I was either going to propose to Kaylin or Ali. Right. And that's crazy. I never actually. Yeah, I know. That was completely not shown. It was. It was. It was made to look as if. As if, like, I only had Ally and I proposed her on day One which couldn't be further from the truth. But I actually never did explore a relationship with Kalin in any way. I think she. I think she was kind of not interested in that. And understandably so. Right. Like, I mean, I picked another gal over in the pod, so that didn't. Didn't pan out to be anything.

[Nick]

In addition to cutting back on the vaping, have you eliminated flip flops from your wardrobe?

[Anton]

No, no, I still have. I have even more flip flops. Those were flip flops. Those were not flip flops and Baja. Those were slides that I had.

[Nick]

Okay, that is different. There is a difference. There is a difference.

[Anton]

They're for sale, by the way. They're for sale. If anybody wants to pay 500 bucks for them, I'll sell them.

[Ally]

Okay, There you go.

[Nick]

Anton, appreciate. Appreciate you joining us, man. Thanks for, for. Thanks for taking the time. If you're ever in la, come check out our studios, take some Polaroids that we have all our guests who come on the show do that.

[Anton]

No doubt. No doubt. For sure.

[Nick]

All right, buddy.

[Anton]

Thanks for having me, guys. Appreciate it.

[Nick]

Bye. Bye.

[Anton]

All right, bye. Thanks.

[Nellie]

Fan of him too. You know, fine people. This is what this show does, you know, it really just. You realize that they're all just human beings and they all. You just. You see past the character in the edited version and you just, like, love the human being. It's that part, that style.

[Nick]

But it is fascinating that Anton and Ally fell in love in the pods and they definitely are not compatible.

[Diana]

No, they're not. They both seem like normal, good people, but not for each other.

[Nellie]

I love the he said, she said.

[Brent]

I like knowing the what hit the cutting room floor, you know, where it's just like there's other context to the conversation. Conversation. Because sometimes some things get brought up where they're like arguing and you're like, when did this happen? Or what are we arguing about? And he's like, no, we had a 10 hour conversation about it.

[Nick]

That is wild. He had a whole connection. But that's, you know, listen, it's tv, baby. Yeah, it's tv.

[Brent]

You know, it backs up Patrick too. Because Patrick was like, dude, everybody had multiple couples. But like, no, no, they didn't. They did.

[Nick]

It's also okay, like, yeah, it's a TV show, you know, like, we say we want to see it. We don't.

[Nellie]

Yeah, yeah.

[Nick]

No, we don't.

[Diana]

The edit, I gotta be honest, the edit is already really slow when I watch Love is Fun.

[Brent]

Exactly.

[Ally]

Yeah.

[Diana]

I'm just like, let's speed I I do tend to double that speed.

[Nick]

That will wrap it up for us today. Thank you to all our guests, Ally, Anton and of course Shannon Beador. We appreciate them all taking the time. Do not forget to tune in tomorrow for an explosive going deeper with Sparkle, Megan and Jordan on the couch together in studio hashing it out, leaving it all on the table for going deeper you will not want to miss. And then Thursday we got a lot of good stuff for you. We will see you all then. Bye bye. Foreign Zoe Got donuts Jeff Bridges why.

[Brent]

Are you still living above our garage?

[Nick]

Well I dig the mattress and I want to be in a T mobile commercial like you. Teach me.

[Nellie]

Saldana oh no, I'm not really prepared.

[Ally]

I couldn't possibly at T Mobile get.

[Nellie]

The new iPhone 17 Pro on them.

[Brent]

It's designed to be the most powerful iPhone yet and has the ultimate pro camera system.

[Nick]

Wow, impressive. Let me try. T Mobile is the best place to get iPhone 17 Pro because they've got the best network.

[Ally]

Nice. Jeffrey, you heard them.

[Nick]

T Mobile is the best place to get the new iPhone 17 Pro on us with eligible traded in any condition. So what are we having for launch?

[Brent]

Dude, my work here is done 24.

[Nick]

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