Hi Steve,
Love your podcasts! While I enjoy all your guests, I’m curious what have been your top most downloaded podcasts to date?
Comment: It’s an interesting question and here’s why. Right around this time last year, the podcast industry changed completely with what they considered a download. Before that, it was every time anyone anywhere hit play on a podcast, it counted as “1.” So if it took you 5 different starts and stops to listen to a full podcast, that counted as “5” downloads. That’s all changed now. So to answer your question, before the change, the first time I had Sharleen on my podcast was the most downloaded one I had. I think Michelle interviewing me was #2. Since the change, I believe either Courtney the second time I had her on right after Arie’s season is #1 and the one with Brittany and Sydney (Arie and Peter’s exes) is #2. However, Lauren Bushnell’s has only been out two weeks and looks to be on pace to pass both of those.
________________________________
Hi Steve,
I decided to re-watch Courtney/Ben’s Bachelor season over the last week. I’ve read her book a couple times and think she’s great. Re-watching that season, I couldn’t believe how mean the girls were to each other (not just Courtney). In fact some of them were worse than Courtney. From Episode 2, I couldn’t believe what I was watching and how many mean things were directed at people like Blakely and Shantel Newton. It was so toxic just to even watch on TV. Also, Ben is an awful Bachelor. Just doesn’t come across as an honorable person at all. I mean, it’s been a while since I watched that season so I don’t really remember all the mud slinging like you say. I just remember Courtney being the lightning rod for the whole season. Others were sniping at different people?
After that I decided to watch Jason’s season of the Bachelor. I didn’t start watching until Jillian’s so I never saw what happened before her season. I was so surprised by how pure the show seemed to be at this time. The girls had some drama but it wasn’t anything big (like how it is now) and they generally seemed to get along. There were also really mature women on the show like Stephanie (where is she now, btw?) and Molly. Jason wasn’t a stand out meaning, wasn’t a super hot jacked guy, he was just a totally average joe but I believe he had a lot of integrity in how he handled himself on the show, and acted like a grown up man the whole time. I think he appeared to be completely honest in the hardest moments (breaking up with Melissa). I thought he just took on all the blame, appeared genuine, and tried his best to be empathetic; completely unlike Arie in this most recent season. Arie comes across as having no integrity.
I was wondering, how do you think it is that the show has changed so much to be what it is now – a production, where love is just an afterthought. Is it the introduction of social media? Or is it the type of women and men they are casting? I think social media has really changed people these days in general. I even see it with my own friends/acquaintances. I think social media has really had a negative affect on a lot of things – life is already so hard! What do you think?
Anyways, just wanted to write you because I was just so surprised by how much things have changed from Jason’s season to present day.
Thank you.
Comment: The easiest, shorter answer is social media. It just is. Back then, there was just no instant feedback of the show. You had to wait until the next day to find out people’s opinions, and not to mention, there were WAY less opinions on the show. Now, you get an opinion on things right after they happen with live tweeting. And it’s coming from all different directions. The show trends on Twitter every Monday night during airing.
Then you have the fact that there’s Paradise now (and possibly Winter Games), which gives these contestants going on the “Bachelorette” and “Bachelorette” another show to possibly go on. And lets face it, most people going on the show now are well aware of this, thus not caring if they “win” the particular season they’re on, because their TV career can continue on a future season of Paradise to stay relevant in Bachelor Nation. None of this was possible back during Jason’s season.
________________________________
Hi Reality Steve, you mentioned you were low on Reader Emails so I thought I’d throw in my two cents about Jared and Ashley that might provide a different perspective on them than I’ve seen in recent emails on your site. Of course I completely understand why you’d be over them after years of drama, and I get why many are skeptical. I’ve never followed them individually or together, but I did stumble onto the “Story of Us” video they did and watched it out of curiosity. It was shocking to see Jared so in love and emotional, and it was eye opening to hear how he fell in love with her in the fall of 2015 but seemed to be in a “stuck” and honestly dark place emotionally for quite awhile- hearing him talk about it, it almost sounds like depression, which I’m familiar with myself (and know how it can keep you stuck and not moving forward) and I’m also a licensed marriage and family therapist so I have some professional insight as well. Basically, it was through his friendship with Ashley that led him to be in a better place and go after what he wants instead of being held back by fear- and they both seem to have helped each other grow into better versions of themselves. So, I do believe they are sincere and I hope all the best for them. A lot of people have viewed their video (over 1.5 million views) and I think 500,000 of those were within a day or two of it being posted. Again, I understand people being tired of them and oversaturation in the media, but just wanted to mention what I’ve observed. I’m curious for your thoughts… Thanks so much for all you do and I always look forward to coming to your site!
Comment: Interesting take. I don’t agree with it, but I respect your dissection of that video. Plus, I gotta give all the credit in the world to you for having the sanity to watch a 45 minute video about people announcing they’ve been dating for 2 months and to re-live their 3 year journey together, something we all already watched on TV. I certainly couldn’t do it.
________________________________
Hi Reality Steve,
I have been following you for a few seasons now… a little late to the party, but I am really getting a kick out of your posts. You make me laugh. Thank you for that. I actually like to read your recap first before I watch the episodes… Now I am totally cracking up watching Wayne Newton and his frozen face. He looks like a replica from a wax museum. Thank goodness for your play-by-play spoilers, else we would be totally snowed over by Colton right now who’s “confidently falling in love with Becca”, yet he’s on a beach in “paradise” with Tia, please. I really liked Garrett, but it’s getting harder to buy into her choice after watching that wedding video. It seems odd that he was with his ex-wife for a couple of years before they got married, yet ended it after 2 months. Something doesn’t add up after watching their wedding video. Perhaps, young, and immature, who know’s. I was actually teary eyed by the end. It’s beginning to look like she missed the boat by not choosing Blake. Seems like a great guy, with no baggage so far, but then again the producers are showing us what they want us to see.
Thanks for all the updates and entertainment,
Comment: Thanks. Glad you liked it. But words of advice. Whatever you do, don’t let Leo see that you think acknowledging Wayne Newton has a plastic face is funny. He might come after you and think you’re a horrible person that is the reason for the downfall of society:
This kinda hate is what we need less of in the world. https://t.co/9Uz2s1ms4z
— Leandro Dottavio (@leodottavio) June 26, 2018
I mean, that’s so silly, it doesn’t even deserve a response.
As for the Garrett wedding video, yeah, it’s definitely not adding up. There’s obviously stuff none of us know about as to why two people who put in 2 ½ years together before their wedding day couldn’t last 2 months as a married couple. Maybe she got tired of “Naked and Afraid?”
________________________________
Hey Steve! Hope your week is going well. I have a few questions for ya
1) Besides the obvious Arie, Ben F, and Juan Pablo, do you think that any other leads were bad casting choices? Uhhhh, Nick? Arie?
Okay the rest are about Bachelor in Paradise
1) I’m guessing with your intel you know who the final couples are. Before you release them, are they what you expected or are they total shockers? Ummmm, you’ll have to wait on that for the sole reason I don’t have all of them yet.
2) Are there any people that you can tell us we’re supposed to/wanted to be on this season of Paradise but didn’t actually make it on? Bekah is the only one who comes to mind. She never went on.
3) Do you have any idea on why Becca is crying on a bed in the promos? No.
4) Did Bekah go to Paradise? Kinda shocked she’s not in the original cast. No.
5) Finally, do you think that anyone will be getting a redemption arc on this season of Paradise? Maybe Krystal?
Comment: I would say the two that probably did it for the redemption story would be Krystal and Jordan. Whether they get it or not is a whole other story.
________________________________
Hi Steve,
As speculation has turned to who will be the next Bachelor, I think I may have heard a clue (not that it was very subtle). It comes at the very end of Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti’s Almost Famous podcast that aired June 25th.
A large portion of the podcast is dedicated to all things Ashley and Jared’s engagement, obviously. At the end, Ben thanks Ashley for flying back from her engagement moon to be in studio for taping. Ben laments that Ashley will leave him to do a podcast with Jared. Ashley replies that she will never leave him and the podcast, but she thinks he will leave to be the Bachelor. Ben’s response is “Hmmm.” Then she follows up with the fact that he was gone the week before. He quickly changes the subject and signs off the episode.
Ashley has speculated many times throughout their podcasts about Ben becoming the Bachelor again, which Ben always responds with adamant denials. He talks about how he can’t imagine doing it again and how production and Bachelor Nation wouldn’t want a tired retread like him. But he has NEVER hemmed, hawed or deflected when the subject was brought up. It’s almost like they were trying to clue in the listeners. I’d imagine if he leads another season, he will have to take a break from the podcast, and perhaps this was preparing the audience for his absence.
Have you heard anything about the possibility of Ben being the next Bachelor?
Comment: Ben is always going to be a possibility, but I don’t know if his chances are any greater than anyone else’s.
________________________________
Hi Steve,
So late last night Michael Friday posted a 4 minute 51 second rant on Facebook and YouTube. It was basically him screaming every expletive; calling himself the victim; that his life was ruined; his future relationships were ruined, etc. He called Erica a piece of S. It was truly insane. I watched it twice. It only had about 24 views. When I woke it said “user deleted video” or something to that effect on YouTube and on FaceBook it was nowhere to be found. It still showed the post about him considering a libel case or something like that but the video was long gone. I should have recorded it. But then again; maybe not. Geez, this guy is absolutely going about this the wrong way. Anyone have this video? Nothing says “I’m innocent” than an expletive filled tirade on YouTube calling your accuser a piece of sh**. Hey, maybe he is innocent. We’ve heard her side and we’ve heard his. She said this is what he did, he said he didn’t. None of us know for sure because we weren’t there. But the evidence against him seems much stronger than him saying it didn’t happen. Hopefully this will play out in a court of law.
Dean brought up an interesting point about a week ago. When they have those dates that end with the musical acts what if a rose is not given on that date. Does the Bachelor/Bachelorette just go dance solo. I vaguely remember Andi maybe being in this situation but I might be wrong. Maybe they tend to give those dates to someone with an exceptionally high probability of staying so that there will be less chance of disappointment for the 400 or so that have patiently waited. The only one I remember was on Sean’s season, he had a 1-on-1 with Leslie Hughes, didn’t give her the rose, and there was a concert set up and Sean just stood there while it played. That’s the only that comes to mind.
I liked The Proposal because it was so ridiculous but now that is tainted and it will not be so much fun to watch.
I hope to see Casper and Louise on a future MTV Challenge. Cupcakes and donuts were such a bad idea; who knew ? I never got into “Champs vs Stars” this season, although I recorded the last few episodes, so maybe I’ll watch the end.
Also Jonathan Penner’s wife has ALS; so so heartbreaking. Did not know that. Horrible.
Be grateful for every day and embrace life.
Many blessings for you !
________________________________
Hi Steve!
Do you know how to pronounce Garrett’s last name? I can’t get my heard around it. Is that Y silent for does it sound like an E?!
Comment: It’s pronounced Yer-GOY-yen.
Hi Steve!
In the past, leads have reacted differently to dirt spilled “in confidence” on competitors. Some were grateful for the inside info they were unable to observe themselves. Others, notably Sean, whipped their panties into a bunch at the very idea! That’s fine, but what bugs me is how the lead goes running to the target and tells what was said. Seems like someone should ask permission first…”I’d like to get his/her side of this, too, may I share what you told me?” Just wondered if that’s standard production rules – “You gotta go stir the pot further once some poison bee gives you the goods!” And do you personally agree with me or do you think it’s fair game to go blab what you’ve just heard?
thanks – love ya – great spoilers bla bla bla
Comment: I think it’s a case-by-case basis honestly. There isn’t a correct universal way to handle it. Some I think should say something, and sometimes I think it’s better not to.
________________________________
Hey Steve,
A couple questions for you.. it’s pretty clear watching the show that her two strongest connections are with Garrett and Blake. I’m wondering if those two knew early on that they were each other’s biggest competition? I noticed they don’t follow each other on social media, which in itself is pretty much a giveaway that they were the final two guys. I’m sure the guys have an idea who she’s into the most. That’s certainly not hidden.
My second question is do you know how often Garrett and Becca see each other after filming wraps up? Obviously they won’t spoil it on social media when they are together, but seems like every weekend they both post Instagram stories when they are hanging out with their friends and doing their own thing. I know they travel separately to their secret weekend getaways but I would think fans would see them on flights/at the airport and photos would get out there.
Comment: Interesting observation, but I’m also going to come back at you with this. Every season there’s a final couple. And every season that final couple sees each other, usually about every other weekend for 3-4 days. It varies depending on schedules. And for the most part, every one of those couples is flown to a secret location separately for that weekend. Do you know how many times pictures have gotten out of them on a plane or at the airport? Zero. In all the final couples, in all the flights to meet up, not one time has a picture ever been sent to me, or has a tabloid ever posted a picture of the “winner” on a plane or in the airport headed to see the lead. So while it may seem like an obvious thing to you that if you saw them you’d take a picture, I think you’re forgetting the big “picture” in that most people at an airport don’t know, don’t care, and aren’t looking for it.
________________________________
Send all links and emails to: steve@realitysteve.com. To follow me on Twitter, it’s: www.twitter.com/RealitySteve. Instagram name is “RealitySteve,” join my Reality Steve Facebook Fan Page, or listen to all my podcasts at Apple Podcasts. Talk to you tomorrow.
