Ashley Iaconetti of Bachelor season 19 with Chris Soules, Bachelor In Paradise season 2 and 3, and most recently The Bachelor Winter Games sat down with LMU’s Mane Entertainment to answer our most burning Bachelor questions and you know we were first in line. Ashley, who has a Master’s in journalism, also hosts two successful podcasts; I Don’t Get It, and The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast with fellow Bachelor star Ben Higgins. If you have never tuned in to either of these, they are a must for a long commute in LA traffic.
Here are 8 Bachelor secrets we learned straight from the girl who probably knows more about the show than anyone else!
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Freshman 15, more like Bachelor 15!
As an audience member, you often question if anyone on the show actually eats! No one eats on dates and the only other time you see someone consuming something chances are it’s a glass of wine. Ashley addressed this assumption head-on, she said all they do on the show is eat! They can’t watch tv or go on their phones, so when they are not out on a date, they mosey around the house eating all day. She said the house has jars of candy and cookies all over the place, so she found herself consuming handfuls of peanut M&M’s at a time. If the women have a craving for something that is not already in the mansion’s fully stocked pantry, they can just add it to the grocery list for that week. Also, when they go abroad for dates, the show provides the women with a fully stocked buffet FOUR TIMES A DAY!! The reasons why we don’t get to see people eating is that no one looks cute eating on camera and during dates producers want to keep the conversation going so they have enough footage for the show.
2. Say yes to everything
Ashley now hosts her own podcast and works for several entertainment media companies. She shared her career secrets that lead to her success with the audience. Her number one advice was say yes to every opportunity that presents itself. She acknowledges that not everything she has done has been her dream job, but served as stepping stones to becoming a successful entertainment journalist. She also stressed the importance of having a passion project. For her it is her personal podcast “I don’t get it” unlike her other jobs, Ashley has complete creative freedom when it comes to the I don’t get it show which keeps it fun and interesting.
3. Will we see her on TV again?
While she said she has no current plans to be on any Bachelor franchise show again ( I know, we are crying too), I don’t think this is the last we will see of her. Ashley shared with us an idea about a new show she wants to create about dating as a millenial. She’s definitely had her fair share of heartbreak.
4. Hit up The Bungalow in Santa Monica if you want to meet the Bachelor squad.
While she said she doesn’t go out often, when she does The Bungalow is one of her favorite spots. Another audience member added that she met Bachelorette fan-favorite Dean at The Bungalow once, so it is definitely the place to go. A little birdy (maybe named Ashley??) told us Bachelorette alum Jared started bartending at Belmont, so we might just have to stop there too.
5. She handles breakups just like us.
Taylor Swift on repeat.
6. It’s not as competitive in the house as you might think.
Ashley said that being on the Bachelor was a lot like living in a sorority house since most of the time it’s just a bunch girls hanging out. Since no phones, music or any kind of outside entertainment are allowed in the house, it really forces the girls to get to know each other on a more personal level. By the end of the show the winner has only spent around 40 hours alone with the Bachelor, so most of their time is hanging out with the rest of the girls. Because of the limited one-on-one time, Ashley said the house doesn’t get very catty. It honestly seems like one long slumber party with unlimited food, so like sign me up!
Ashley followed our writer Lizzie on Twitter and said if she ever needed a college perspective on the podcast she would hit her up!
7. Chad isn’t that big of a villain in real life.
Surprisingly, neither is Krystal.
8. She also thought Arie’s season was a snooze fest.
Though she has met him twice and said he is much more charming in person.