You are listening to the Reality Steve podcast with your host Reality Steve, he's got all the latest info and behind the scenes juice on Matt season of The Bachelor and interviewing some of your favorite reality stars. Now, here's a reality, Steve. What's everybody welcome to Park House number 21. I'm your host reality, Steve. Thank you all for tuning in. Great show this week, going in a different direction, at least with my guest. And that is Mark Wahlberg.

No, not Marky Mark from The Funky Bunch. Mark Wahlberg, the host of Temptation Island. As Season three gets underway this Tuesday, February 16th at 10:00, 9:00 Central on the USA network, we're going to talk to Mark and get a preview of what to expect this upcoming season. Before we get started, I'd say a lot of stuff to go over here in regards to what's going on and the latest in the Rachel and Chris Harrison stuff, I will say this.

I think that. As I record this open on late Wednesday night, Chris Harrison has released an apology. You saw it on my Twitter. I put it on my Instagram stories. It's in his Instagram feed and his Instagram stories in regards to his interview with Rachel Lindsey, a 30 minute interview that I linked to yesterday morning and called out for being incredibly racist, incredibly absurd, and pretty much called for his job. And there was a petition online yesterday of people signing a petition to have him removed from his job.

So, Chris. Had to respond to this, if he would have ignored ignored this, it would have been even worse. But, you know, I don't think, Chris, you know, if you didn't watch, you have to watch the Rachel interview, the interview with Rachel Lindsey on Extra, because there were just so many things wrong with it. And, you know, you can't talk for 13 minutes. It's not like Chris Harrison had a one sentence slip up in an interview that he did.

He literally showed his ass for 13 minutes about how he feels about the whole situation was you could tell he didn't think it was a big deal. He even said it in the interview. I saw a bunch of girls dressed up going to a party. Again, if you didn't watch Tuesday's live and you don't know why that's troubling, you need to go watch it with me and Ashley. Also, he was just stating a bunch of factually incorrect things.

This was a picture from five years ago at a sorority party. No, it was three years ago and it was a fraternity party, a fraternity that's based in praising the Confederacy and worshipping Robert E. Lee. Big mistakes there, he said that 50 million people attended it in twenty eighteen. First off, where is he pulling these statistics? How does he know that 50 million people attended an old school formal three years ago? Like, it's just, holy shit, I couldn't believe how bad that interview was.

And it just went on and on and on. And despite all the facts that he got wrong and the things that he laid out there, the biggest thing that Chris Harrison did wrong was in an interview for 13 straight minutes, told a black woman what he considered to be offensive and what was an offensive. That should have been the I mean, it was included in his apology, but that's the biggest. Probably the biggest take from that whole interview is Chris Harrison.

You are not anyone to tell a black woman. I know a black woman that you're friends with, but a black woman nonetheless. What you consider to be offensive. It just it was about as to end the thing is, Chris Harrison has been in the media for 18 years. He is trained in this stuff. How in the world was he so off base on that? I don't think it I think you really have to dig deep to know why he was so off base on that.

This other thing that Chris touched on is something that's driving me nuts right now, and it's. It's unfortunate, but it gets thrown around a lot is the WOAK police and just calling everybody who calls something out, oh, stop being the WOAK police if you didn't read Emigre and Claire Fallon's. Story in the Huffington Post yesterday about this whole Christesen interview before he put out his apology. Here's a quote from it. Here's a paragraph from it. Actually, it's one sentence.

By citing the, quote, police, Harrison is invoking a common cudgel used by white people who seek to sidestep accountability and insisting that the real harm is done by those who dare to voice their frustrations with a franchise that seems unable to state unequivocally that white supremacy has no place in it. Chris's role in that interview with Rachel. All he had to do was say. This was racist. She shouldn't have done it. She shouldn't have been a part of it, and I hope she apologizes for it and I hope she learns from it.

All he did was defend it, all he did was make excuses for it. This is exactly what we went over for 100 minutes on Tuesday night. And again, I I don't understand why people have such an issue with this, and I and I, I mean, I guess I do know the more I'm reading about this stuff and in the more I'm saying it's just I get it. It's uncomfortable to talk about. And I think people just need to be a little more open minded when it comes to this stuff.

And especially if you're white, you are not allowed. I mean, I guess everybody's entitled to their opinion, but you're not allowed to have an informed opinion if you're white on what an old school formal should mean. And, oh, it was just a party. Oh, they just had hoop skirts. Big deal. People dress up like that all the time. If it offends black people. You need to shut up. And I can't tell you how many I get it is look at my Twitter mentions.

You can't see the Instagram messages that I'm getting, but trust me, they're there to. It's just so bizarre. And everybody and those people that are saying that are all throwing in the WOAK police. And that was a horrible, horrible quote by Chris, to use the, quote, police in his answers to Rachel. Just not smart, dude. What are you doing? That was 13 minutes of just unbelievable protection of racism. He didn't condemn it.

He could not condemn it and look, I understand that his goal in that interview was to defend Rachel and hell, even US Weekly story on Chris Harrison's apology. Do you know what the headline for US Weekly story? On Chris Harrison and Rachel is, here's the title of the story right now, top headlines, US Weekly, as I'm looking at it at ten forty five.

On Wednesday night. Chris Harrison apologizes amid backlash for defending Batchelor's Rachel. So they've already made the story into he's apologizing because all he did was defend Rachel. No. He apologized because he defended racism in his answers to Rachel Lindsey, not Rachel Kirkconnell. Just everything is so backwards, it's unbelievable. I just shake my head at some of the things that you people are sending me, some of the things that you're emailing me. It's frustrating, man, I don't know.

I mean, look, I'm not I'm not sitting here being like I'm I know everything about history and all this stuff, but. I know what's right and I know what's wrong. That I couldn't believe that from Chris yesterday, holy crap, the apology. OK. Again, it's just words, just like when Rachel ultimately releases her statement, it's just words. Their actions from their apology forward will determine whether or not I believe they're sincere. Chris Harrison.

Hmm, I think he's got a lot I think I think I think one thing you got to keep in mind, and it's going to be very, very interesting and I'm certainly going to keep tabs on that. I know, Ashleigh, as we've talked about it and I've talked about it with Taylor, is how many of the quote unquote.

Good guys. Teachers, pets in this franchise address this. And address it in a way where they call Chris out, Chris has apologized, so that actually gives them unfortunately it gives them more of a soft landing because they can say, hey, he apologized. And I think Chris realizes he made a mistake. But before that apology came out in talking to Ashley and talking to some other people, I was just like, I'm very, very, very curious to see who and Bachelor Nation, especially the big alumni.

What their reaction is going to be to this, because they can't bite the hand that feeds them and they don't want to get on the bad side and I just can't see. I'm sorry. I just can't see certain people in this franchise calling Chris Harrison out and saying. And really going at them for that, but now that he's released a statement, I think they're going to say I think Chris really realized what a mistake he made by saying that he's really a good guy.

He was just protecting Rachel like I knew that was going to be his response and, you know, just wanted to defend Rachel here. And, yes, he did he did throw in the word racism and, you know, good. But again, his statement, just like Rachel's upcoming statement. It's just words. It's still not going to satisfy a lot of people. I think it'll satisfy the people that say stop being the police because they just want because they're thinking he didn't have to apologize for anything.

Trust me, I got the responses in my email. This is stupid, why is he even apologizing for this? What did he say that's even wrong? It's just like is no point to even debate with somebody like that or even try and show them information of why Chris Harrison said nineteen hundred things that were wrong in that interview, but.

Yeah, I mean, moving forward, this is this is going to be interesting, I'm really curious to see I hope you all who listen to other podcasts, imagination, take note. Of what people say and how they say it, and if anybody does a deep dive into it or are just like, well, Chris, apologize.

So let's move forward, because I think those people are, again, probably on the side of Chris Pree statement. As for Rachel statement, I mean, as I'm recording this, that 10, 50 Central Time, she hasn't released anything yet and it's just, as I said, on Tuesday. If my advice to her would be anybody that's telling you you can't post anything, just tell them to fuck off and say this is getting out of hand. For six weeks, I've been called a racist and a white supremacist.

And I know that, you know, I have a contract, but screw you, no contract says I can't post something on Instagram that has nothing to do with the show. This has nothing to do with the show, this is about her personal life stuff that happened pre show, why is she not allowed to just go on? Now, my consensus that I've gathered from the people that I've spoken to is this is a girl who's very new to this, had never really watched the show before in the past, was nominated to be on the show, decided to do it, is hated by a lot of people in America right now being flooded with death threats, white supremacist emails, racist emails.

She's under a contract by a major network and that major network is telling her not to speak. I mean, I. I kind of get why she isn't because she's scared shitless. Because they're telling her what she can do and they're controlling her, unfortunately. And. You know, I've told the people that I've been speaking to. I've done all I could at this point, I've told them she needs to tell the people that are telling her not to release anything or wait till we look at it or wait till we make corrections to screw off.

Just posted on your Instagram. Get something out there, because it's just getting worse, the fact that Chris Harrison did an interview and less than 24 hours later put up an apology, yet Rachel's been getting dragged for six weeks and they've been telling her up until Thursday, we don't want you saying anything. We don't want you addressing this. And then Thursday comes the pictures that got out of the old south formal. And they say, OK, you can make a statement now, but keep it to 100 words.

And yet there's no statement that's been made and it's not I can tell you it's not Rachel's doing, it's still on them. They're not allowing it for God knows what reason. So I've told the people involved she needs to go. She needs to basically put her foot down and do it without them. And if she does, she does. If she doesn't, she doesn't. There's nothing else I can do at this point. I would expect it to be coming soon, but I said that on Saturday.

I mean, I knew it wasn't going to come Sunday because of Super Bowl and I didn't think it was coming Monday because of the show, but I definitely thought it was coming yesterday. And I was told it was coming yesterday, so and I said when I say yesterday, I mean Tuesday because I'm recording this on Wednesday.

So I would think it's coming out today or tomorrow at the latest. And if it isn't released this week, then Rachel. Has dug herself a grave that I don't know if she'll be ever be able to get out of because it's just getting ridiculous at this point. She needs to put her foot down and say, it's my Instagram account. I'm going to address all these things that are being said about me. And I want to make a statement. And if you have to proofread it or X out things, I don't care, let me release what I want to release.

And I've told them that I've told the people involved that. And there's only so much I can do. And I understand that she's scared. I understand that they have this giant contract. And, you know, you don't know any better at that point because you're all new to this and you've got a major corporation telling you you can't speak unless we let you. So we'll see what happens from here, but anyway, that's that's it on on that stuff, obviously if Rachel releases something, I'll post it on Twitter and I'll post it on Instagram today or tomorrow whenever it comes out.

So but totally switching gears. Oh, my God. Season three of Temptation Island is upon us. Thank the Lord starts this Tuesday. And here we go, the host, Mark Wahlberg. All right, let's talk about ritual.

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Just go to ship station Dotcom, click on the micro at the top of the page and type in reality, Steve, that's ship station dot com enter offer code reality. Steve, make ship happen. OK, let's bring him in, he is the host of Temptation Island Season three, debuting this Tuesday, February 16th, ten nine Central. It is Mark Wahlberg. Mark, always great to have you on. How are you doing, my friend?

I'm doing great, man.

Thanks for having me on. And also thanks in advance for all the support you give us. I appreciate that.

No, no problem. This was a bit of a weird season for you. Obviously, any TV show in that film, that 20/20, I mean, no season of Temptation Island aired in the year 2020 because the pandemic I think you guys were set to film in right around the time it started, I think I believe was supposed to be around March. Right.

I had my my wardrobe fitting March 15th. I think I was the lead March 24th. So. Yeah, right. As it hit. Yeah. We heard that we were delayed while I was having a fitting with the wardrobe stylist. Wow.

And a little craziness around around the start of filming in Hawaii now. I mean, I heard in August it was set to go and then the locals apparently got mad and it was postponed. Tell us exactly what went down. And just overall filming how you guys managed to film during the during the pandemic?

Well, the best I could understand is that Hawaii, the state of Hawaii, had very strict rules because its islands, it's really, really difficult. And so finally, the governor approved us going to work. And so the governor said if we did it after and at the number of concessions and rules that were put in place so that we could go to work, get the part, get moving and moving, and we kept accommodating, accommodating, we wanted to be safe.

Finally, the governor said yes.

And one of the things I thought was really great is that we, the producers, hired a very prominent local person who was very respected to come live in the bubble with us. And the only structure he was given was tell the truth. You know, just tweet out what you see, you know, and that way people won't think that what we're doing is Hinkie. We want people to know exactly how we're handling stuff. So we were tested every two or three days.

We you know, obviously it's every day. No one left the our bubble. And when I say bubble, this wasn't like a bubble where you went to the restaurant. I mean, it was a well, we didn't go to the beach. We didn't get in the pool. We didn't do anything. So. And we had thirty six hundred tests and zero positives. Wow, so I was really thrilled that we were able to bring some work to the economy.

A lot of people were working because of us, myself included, thank God. And we did it in the safest possible way and happy to say that we got in and out of there with no evidence whatsoever covid related.

So when was it filmed? It was filmed in October. Was it pretty much the month of October? Did it last longer?

Yeah, that was about it. Yeah, we did the whole month month ago.

We had to do each of us had to stay in our room for the first seven days because it was a modified quarantine. Yeah. And they would literally deliver to your door. We could even go out the but I and my wife would be. So that was no different than living here except just in a nice suite. They hooked me up. So I was like, you know, covid whatever. I could handle this. Great.

Well well, one thing that I noticed that is the I think the biggest difference this season between season three and seasons one and two is because of covid and because of the restrictions. Everybody is at the same hotel. You're not in two different villas on different sides of the of the island or how far you were apart on the first two seasons.

But everyone is in the same hotel. So how did that change the dynamic at all, if at any?

Luckily. I mean, it was really difficult in my head and my hat's off to our producers. You know, I don't know how to pull this off because of so many things about our show that have to be protected.

You know, where they live. Yeah. So normally what happens is our staff stays in one hotel, our criticism of the hotel or is in another hotel. And then there are two separate locations and we've got vans running left-to-right all day long. Right? Yeah. So this one, we were all in the same hotel, literally. Anyone who had anything to do with this show had to stay in the hotel catering everybody. And we didn't have to villas that were all separate parts of the resort complex, amazingly close together, far closer than I was comfortable with.

Like you could hear a party from the other side, which I was like this. This is not going to be good. But we were able to police it and keep it handled where people didn't, you know, run to the other side of the island.

So it was close. But the the benefit was. From a work point, we were all see together, so there was this cohesiveness of our team that never experienced before in my career, that was we really became family and we all kind of just the fact that you have to drive to work every day. You could sleep a little later and just get up and go to work. So. But for the cast, it wasn't so different. They had because I don't remember it, even when it's not over, the gas kind of have a little in anyway, because even though Bill isn't going anywhere on the day, so it wasn't a whole lot different for them.

Luckily we had a place where we were that was accommodating so we could have them separate. And, you know, we we invented a new way of doing it, but from what you see on TV, it shouldn't look so much different than we've done that.

OK, so television wise, it's going to look like maybe they're farther apart than they are, because when I first when I first heard same hotel, I was like, I wonder if this is going to add an element of singles trying to sneak over to the other side or even one of the couples trying to get a hold of his girl or the girl trying to get hold of this guy.

That stuff goes down all the time. OK. Always an issue like so this year they brought in somebody because we couldn't send the same people out to, like, know, get the hair done or anything like that. So we brought in somebody that we're kind of picked up on makeup on the cast, and normally we kind of just let them do their own thing. And, you know, every time there is a character like you get a note to my boyfriend, you get a note for my girlfriend, you know, so that stuff always goes down.

I had said it was a concern of mine before we start dating. You know, I'm not a producer on the show, but I have a pretty great relationship with the producers. And I said, look, you know, this is an issue they're going to try to escape. That happened back years ago. Like I did this thing on Fox. And then I said, but you know what? Everything is the story. Whatever happens, if it happens, the story, because it's authentic and real.

So, you know. I didn't I didn't see it happening, but it had happened, we would have just incorporated that story, I guess.

All right, well, let's let's break down these four couples. I have not seen the screener for the first episode yet, so I have no idea what happens. Hopefully I get to that this weekend. But so all I know about the couples is the pictures that were released online and the short by giving of each one. So one of the things I want to do, because when I looked over these four couples and I read their backgrounds, I actually felt like every single couple was very similar to a couple in the first two seasons.

And I want to get your opinion on it just based off, OK? And this is just based off of a bio online that was written. So the first first couple, Thomas and Chelsea, they have he's thirty seven, she's twenty nine. So they have an eight year difference. Not terribly huge, but by far the biggest of the couples this season. None of the other couples you have the season are even more than two years apart in age.

He's flirty, she's jealous and possessive. He's afraid of commitment. She's his first serious relationship. Welcome to Temptation Island, you two. Just on the surface, they kind of remind me of Kate and David from last season with the age difference. And he was the flirt and she was jealous and possessive. How close am I?

Yeah, I don't see that. I mean, I get the number, if that makes sense. But they're an entirely different body. OK, entirely different by Thomas is no David by any means as far as you know Bob. And while Kelsey and Kate might have some you know, first of all, Kate was the older one with Kate, David and.

Oh yeah. Just about the age difference. I just went the difference. I get it. Yeah. So that's that's the thing. But, you know, I don't know other than the fact that he's his age without having had any serious relationship before, which I get into with him a little bit. The bonfire, I don't know that the age difference is that much of the an issue with the two of them. But you'll see, I mean, they're great.

You just they're both great. And I said that about everybody because I have love for all of them. But he's really expressive, really emotional. And he's got that kind of New Jersey where she just says what's on her mind. Like, I always laugh because everything he does like her a little stuff is like we're doing a reality show. But she's sort of living in a sitcom. She's got this sitcom animation that I get a kick out of.

But but a lot of emotion happens with her. And and, you know, they're a good story. They're real good story. But but you'll see, other than the age difference and I'm looking at my wife to see what he thinks, other than the age difference, which is a similarity, I would I wouldn't say comes to Chelsea or anything like David unless you're OK and hit the Robbie says the fact that he's thirty seven and I guess this is his first serious relationship, is that a thing with them.

Is that an issue. It was a thing for me, yeah.

I was as I tried to figure out why they have the issues they have, I have to look for things that I considered might be cause for concern, which is what has you not being you know, what has it that you weren't in any serious relationship up to this point. So what does that say about you as as intimacy and authenticity and things like that? That wasn't the age that him never having been in a relationship isn't necessarily the crux of their stuff.

But I do my best to try to correlate with them why they haven't. You know, just what's the disconnect? Yeah. And so, you know. Part of it reminds me of season two, which is, hey, I'm just going to do me and, you know, you do you and I'm not kidding and I love you and it's all good. But this is just how I roll. Yeah. Which which is. Not a. Not evil, it's just some degree, you know, maybe inexperienced or immature relationship wise to think that you can just.

Do you without it affecting others? So the next couple is Julian and Kristen, both twenty six been together 11 years. That's right.

He has cheated. She has held it against him. I mean, this has happened in Casey, written all over it just because of the length of time together, high school sweethearts. He was the cheater and she held it over his head for a long time. And but the difference is he's the one that's ready to propose, whereas Casey wanted it from Evan and Evan was the hesitant one on season one. It seems like he wants to propose, but he's afraid she's going to say no because of his past actions.

Tell us about Kristen and Julian.

Well, I think, again, the comparisons to Evan and Casey and the length of time they've been together, yeah, they have this really deep love in connecting the two of them. But as you'll see, there are other things outside of the relationship that have affected how they feel. One that you mentioned that he was not faithful in the past. And so, you know, this was under the heading of, like I always say, that you guys come here and I ask you on day one, why did you come to Temptation Island and you give me your reasons and you want the answer to these questions.

And I listen to this and say, in two weeks I'm going to talk to you and you won't even remember the questions that you came here with because it'll be something entirely different.

And that's the case of these things that, you know, he said he was coming to prove that he could be faithful there. She says that she wants to be prove that he can be faithful as well. And that's what the stopper is in the relationship. And as we get into their story, we realize that there's all of that is true. But there's a whole other level of resistance. And and. Silence that they need to break through to be the next level.

So, you know, they they really struggle. And Christine puts in some pretty hard work. They both did. Yeah. Work pretty hard. Yeah, it's pretty fascinating.

So a couple number three, Aaron and Corey, I was it was tough to get a read on on them just based off of a bio in the bio. The main thing that came across was she's a former soccer player, former athlete. She's only pretty much dated athletes her whole life.

Big athletes, major league pro athletes, OK, and he's he works in concierge. I think he's a concierge manager or something like that.

So is that her thing, that she feels like she's not dating the guys that she's used to? And and look, these to have only been together looks like 18 months and there are 24 and 25. So they're still young. Tell us about a little Korean, Erin. You know, this was really an interesting story and difficult for me because. You have Corey, who is one of the sweetest guys you'll ever meet, but as you'll see right off the bat, he's just I just want her to be happy.

I'm not worthy. I'm not worthy. I'm not worth it. She's the greatest thing ever happened and I'm not worthy of her.

This is really sweet. But not this is really. Work in the long run, right? Yeah, she's she's incredibly beautiful and this alpha alpha athlete by right. Top top woman, right. Emotional and heart of gold, but she's got a real tough edge because of her past and what she's gone through. So the question really is, you know. Can he step up? And yet flag back and can see, is he enough? You know, it's kind of the questions they start.

It all changes as they get into it, but that's kind of the way it is that, you know. That they he's just like. It's the epitome of co-dependency at the beginning of this, I just want her to be happy, I want her to be happy, so I have to kind of work with him. And he kind of gets to grow a little bit to say, you know, what do I want to, you know, what do I want in love, which is the story I have with everybody.

Yeah, that's really what I go to, is that, look, once you guys separated the other village, you had no control over the other person. So all you can really do is look at yourself. What was missing? What was I not giving you? I could be giving and why? You know, these are the questions. So they have to grapple with some stuff. It's a relatively new relationship that both young she's had some big relationships.

He has like in his mind, he's like, you know, with the unicorn, like the perfect girl. And I have to kind of say, hey, what about you? You're a pretty good guy, too.

And so their journey is pretty interesting, too.

Yeah, I'm just looking at it from the outside of the four couples. I'm interested in this one the most, because just being a sports fan and knowing that world of dating athletes, I'm curious how a 24 year old who's only dated professional athletes before. Handles herself on the show and or and effectively in the single man, there's a professional soccer player. Yeah. To the door. I mean, really hard to do. So, you know, that's the whole thing.

And then, you know. It really becomes this thing about, you know. She stated all these high level athletes and there's a vibe, but they weren't particularly good to her, so it becomes a conversation.

Now, you're and I hear that from women all the time. It's like, you know, I always call the bat boy, oh, boy, I'm going to go for the good boy. Not bored. So, yeah, it's the cycle which I get right down to my friends.

So that's that's a pretty common thing with couples and that's what they're going through. So. Yeah, we I think you're going to relate you can relate to that for sure. We hear that a lot from women. It's like bad boy, bad boy, but the bad boys never treat me well. I finally got a good guy. And, gosh, it's just it's not what I'm used to is this is just the way normal relationships actually work and they're not used to it.

And then they think it's boring. I think you're right.

I think a lot of it is that we have a definition of what a relationship is based on how we feel about ourselves and what we're worth. And that's why I constantly say to them, if you can write a fantasy script of what love looks like, what does it look like? And why have you made a decision that you're not worthy of that? You know, if if your fantasy of a love relationship is X and you're living Y, and the question is, why do I wish that on the air?

That is a good one. Yeah. Save that for next season.

All right. Final couple is Kendall and Erica. They're both from L.A. Kennels.

He's twenty six. She's twenty four. And this is kind of the opposite of, I think, Aaron and Aaron and Corey in that Kendalls, the one that doesn't feel or excuse me, Eric is the one that doesn't feel appreciated in the relationship and because he's a successful business owner, that she feels a little underappreciated. Is that what we're looking at with these two?

Yeah, that's I mean, what it comes out in the opening second, the way they come to the island is that, you know, he just wants her to live. Her best life would be the best version of her. So she can't be trusted to reach those goals, reach those goals. And she's kind of saying, look, man, I do stuff like I cook for him, my queen.

I'm your I am wifey material, and I love doing that stuff for you. Right. But it's never enough. And his take on it is, look, I just want her to have I want one that we can match my level of go get it in this and. And so that's sort of how they come into it, Per, in the first dinner, on the first episode, you see a little breakdown there. Of how she feels not, you know, kind of feels invisible and never turned off and stuff like that, and I can ask the question that says who says you got to says you've got to have goals.

Yeah. I asked in the first dinner, is she not reaching the goals that she has set for her or not reaching goals to us said. Which you'll see even in the conversation, neither of us can really say at that point, but it's what I feel like we're all thinking. So it's fun to watch Erica become who Erica is. But the other show, Kendall, is certainly a watchable figure. So you're going to. You're going to have a good time watching that story, so I'm going to ask you something I ask you at the beginning of every season that we did on season one and season two, when you first met all four couples you probably had in your head who you thought was going to make it and who you did.

Now, obviously, we don't want to know the results, but. Were you as accurate as you were in past seasons, were you on the mark and or were you like, oh wow, this is again, I was after a third season of doing this thinking.

I know thinking. I know a lot. I realized, wow, I didn't see that coming. Do we have a lot of I didn't see that coming this season moments.

The answer is my track record of my predictions from day one to the final bonfire has been horrible. But this was a this was like a football pool. I'm definitely in the red. I haven't made any money on this.

So one would say I made a point to not, you know, you know, Prejudgement had a previous prejudgement because I've been so wrong. You got to remember that, you know, season one Cherry.

And sure enough, even I told the producers at the dinner we could get a backup couple on hold because they're not going to make it to the next two days. And then, of course, they're still madly in love with the game. So, yeah. So with all I professed to know at the bonfire, I don't think I'm a good prognosticator, but I. I did, you know. I had hopes for people like there was something really sweet about doing that, I think it would have affected more than 11 years of a relationship.

And it was interesting is that Julian is this gigantic guy with tattoos that before he opens his mouth, you kind of think, oh, this guy is probably an asshole, right?

And he's not. He's just not. And so it really it's really interesting. I say to them, you know, I send them off camera, like when I first meet them, I like to pull them aside and say, look, you guys, just so you're clear, I take this really seriously. It's a TV show. When it airs, I'll look at it sort of like wrestling. But right now it's for real to me. And I'm an advocate for whatever you want.

But I've got to be clear that you guys come as for couples and I'm looking at a possible happy ending. Yeah. So just be clear about that, that I want you to be happy. And if it turns out that you're happy together, well, that's a bonus, you know, so that's kind of how I run into this thing. I really try to stay in the moment as best I can.

I really try to remind myself that I'm not in authority to kind of be there to listen and bounce ideas off with and and maybe call them on things like here that are less than authentic, less than real, because that's the biggest part of this, is that.

The gap between what actually is and what we want to be, so we keep living in a relationship that. Try to cram that into a box of what we wish it was, when, in fact, it may not be that at all. Hmm. You know what I mean?

Yeah, no, I mean, it's it's I'm sure every obviously every couple is different. Every season is different. And how people react is different. And the more seasons this show gets, you know, you've got the people that have studied the first two seasons and have even probably reached out to couples from past seasons and like, how do I do this?

That, I think is to not do that. And I also say that I'm like, you know, he's the one as and they have no idea what they're getting into and they just roll. Right. And then the more you guys watch it, the more you can manage how this is going to go. Yeah. So I challenge him at the beginning of the series. You can kind of let go that and just be real the better to what we're going to do to manage your perception on this TV show.

And we you know, we're not suckers. We as the viewers know, we see you without you even open your mouth and see, you know, so you can manage all you want.

But at some point, you're going to have to come clean. And the different there's a point for each one of them what they kind of like, OK, this is real and how far they hold on to that resistance of trying to pretend until they know like it. I'm in.

Yeah, I haven't done too much studying up on the singles just yet. Just looking at them. I've seen their pictures and looked at their ages and their jobs. But everyone's, you know, fairly young, under 30. I think most of them are under 30. So I don't know who would possibly stick out. So just overall as a group, this group of singles, were they TV hungry? Were they were some of them more serious than others?

How do you compare the singles group to the first two seasons I actually saw on the guy side?

I think they actually came to really mix it up like these guys and gals and maybe the beginning work get frustrated that the girls were just, you know, not being real. So that causes the rub right off the bat. Right. And then the on the girl single girl side, you know, I try to make the point that, look, everybody's got their own level of play, like what's cool with them and what's not cool with somebody else.

Right. And and me being like the boom out of the crowd, I have to let go. Don't just let people do what they're going to do and kids while they get wild, but that doesn't necessarily you know, there was a time when we, you know, we were shaming people for behavior. And that's not the case anymore. So. Each one of these women and these guys have these really intricate stories about their life and their relationship, and I could just spend as much time at a bonfire with them as I do with the couples because they've got their own stuff.

Right. So.

In a group of 12, you're going to find a few that are just there for hook up or whatever, for TV or whatever, but invariably there's always, you know, when you're living 24/7 like this and everything's isolated, people get real and people gravitate to one another and they create a relationship, a of recreate a relationship together.

Yeah, sorry, I dropped my phone.

You know, people get real if it ends up getting real and relationships are formed and each side of that relationship, single or couple, have needs. And those needs get built sometimes a platonic, sometimes a physical, sometimes or emotional. So that's what the numbers game works, both for medical reasons or not a fit.

At some point they go home. You know, and that's exactly what it's supposed to be. I didn't even ask you this when I was talking about the couples of of the four couples, do all of them have going in a, you know, handshake agreement on what's going to be acceptable with the other sex and what's not or did some not talk about it and say we'll just leave it the way it is?

It seems that of the final dinner I have with them in the first episode, you know, and I asked them, you know, what rules did you set? And some say they had no rules, some say they had really specific rules, and I laugh because not not not maliciously, but I laugh because I have this. It's also a phrase you want to make God laugh, make plans, you know, and I laugh because you can't really contain what's going to happen.

So while I appreciate you setting boundaries, the point of this whole thing is that you're breaking any acceptable boundaries of a relationship just like showing up. You're you're taking it to another level just by showing up. So, you know, if the truth is to find out how you really feel, that you've got to play out and see how you really feel. Right.

So. Well, yeah, there are rules and there are all set of what they feel is appropriate, and I think that's what makes this show pretty interesting, too, is that what's appropriate for one couple is not appropriate for the other.

Hmm. Well, something that's kind of small, but I just happen to notice, you know, obviously they're they promote 12 men, 12 women. However, there's only there's only 11 bios of the women on the site. Is is there something that we don't know about something happened to girl number 12 or was there just.

No, I think OK. Yeah, yeah. I you know, I do.

We may have started with 12 and ended up 11 before we started. OK, but remember we had a whole 14 before we started. Yeah. But we were on the island for quite some time before we got going.

And I don't know the whole story and I don't know how much of it I know it doesn't it's not horribly bad, just not like this thing. This is somebody then went home. OK, gotcha. You know, and for personal reasons. And it's not any deeper than that, OK?

And then and nor does it affect the show. That's one of the things I love about this show, is that. There's really so little format that none of it really affects the outcome, you know, we bring in if we want to bring surprises and we don't bring any surprises, where they go dates, it just doesn't you know, it doesn't matter.

You know, it's real. It gets real. It's about this emotional journey, which is why I think this show is different than every other day detail out there. It looks to be this extreme, ridiculous, crazy democracy and it has moments of that. But what it really is, is a very deep, introspective look, introspective look at who we are and how we tick and why we can't. You know, often, you know, this is the hardest thing to do to find that forever.

Somebody so so when you go over overall the season, the overall view of it, I mean, we've seen clips online, obviously stuff starting to get released. There's there's a clip that looks to be another three some this season. I don't even know who it was with. I didn't even slow it. I didn't pause my TV to try and break it down. But it looks like we're headed in that direction. Is there anything this season that happens without going the detail of it that did not happen the first two seasons, something that we'll see for the first time.

I mean, think about that. I'm sure there is yeah, there's some stuff there. Look, you you and I have seen about as much of the same show of the show as each other. Right. And also for the listeners out there. I really try to not. Learn too much about what's going on on the island so that I can be honest when I say to them, I don't know what's in this cliff and things like that.

So when I watch the show, I see stuff that happened that I wasn't aware of. So I don't know how much I can tell you, but I think there's a you know, it gets a little heated amongst the single guys at one point, know a little bit of drama like that. But I don't think I've seen in the past a little bit of, you know. Two rams during mating season. But he has got to think so, I like to keep it in the animal kingdom.

So, yeah, you know, look, you know, what I find interesting about this island is each season is as different as the couples that we bring to it. And yet relationships are so. It's so universal, we all have a common experience in knowing how difficult relationships are, and I think that's why it works. So the winds change with the new couples and the emotional journey is different. But the relationship conundrum is the same and we can relate.

One final thing I wanted to ask you about, and you brought it up in your last answer, which reminded me of the bonfires this year, season one. It was when you showed a clip you asked the person if they had the choice. Do you want your boys or the other girls to watch with you? Last season it was just, hey, we're showing it to everybody. Everyone's watching. Can you tell us what if there's a choice in the season or if it's the same as season two where it's just I'm going to show a clip.

Yeah, you all can watch.

I think that I just saw the clips. And I think that what this this goes to what I was saying about the show that I love is that, you know, as the show has gone on from this original incarnation many years ago to the now in season three of this version. It keeps coming back to the same thing. It just doesn't need a whole lot of gimmicks. The more organic the situation is, the better place. So an example would be in the original version.

Back in the early 2000s, there was a whole bunch of business about how dates were selected and blocks and necklaces and all this stuff. Right. And then even in season one of USA network, I would say, OK, kind of electric gates. And it was a whole thing. And then by season two, we started to say, look, you know. You've got a date coming up, so when you feel right, you want to ask somebody out, ask them out again, and that's how the show is evolving, you know, and I really dig it because the truth is, we don't we don't we don't really care about.

I don't think we care so much about, you know, like. Give me the key stuff about rolling the dice to see who gets eliminated or a competition to win immunity and things like that, you know, what we want to see is people grappling with real stuff, emotions. We want to see the message. We want to see the art and we want to see the real right. And so, you know, it's fun to have games.

That's fun to do stuff, but we just don't need to invent a gimmick for entertainment sake. Let's get to the juice. So it just same issue with the papayas looking. All right. We realize that, you know, you can wear a headset or you cannot. Well, then, you know, you've got people wearing your phones and close their eyes. So. All right. So that's fun once. But it's like, all right, so what are we really doing?

That choice is sort of an arbitrary choice. It's kind of bullshit. So why don't you show the clip? This is what you signed up for. And, you know, it's good. We're all going to see it anyway. Yeah, that's a joke, because then you close your eyes, but your phone's off, but all of us at home are going to see it anyway, and then you're going to see it, you know, when you watch it.

So let's quit playing the game.

Let's make this real. And remember this. There's no price here. The only prices. Do you grow or not. Yeah. You find love or not.

Well, I think one thing I mean, one thing that I don't know. I guess I have to see how it plays out. But I always I actually always liked where you brought the couples out. SAT the four guys over here, sat the four girls over there and said, choose your dates. Because I wanted to see Rick's reaction when Ashley chose CWB. Like, I want to see the end, the opposite and vice versa. We have that.

OK, you do have it. You didn't eliminate that part. We have it at the beginning. At the beginning.

When you see there is a flow. So they arrive together, then they spend the night apart, but then they come back the next day. So there's still a couple is still you still haven't become single yet. Right. And in that moment when they make those date selections, everybody see it. And that's really informative and sets a lot of storylines running. And then after that, they're not going to be together again. So part of who they choose from the repeal standpoint is less of a television moment, you know.

Yeah, but when they are in the same room, it is so we we certainly have kept that because that's that's a real part of the story.

Yeah, that's right. So it only happens on the first when you when you introduce the singles and they're all there. Well that's that's a set piece. That's a thing. Right. And then the next day when they pick the first date, that's the thing. We do it as a thing because that matters. And then, you know, as the show goes on and it gets deeper, then it's less about the gimmick and more about who really.

And and that's how that flows. And it seems to work. I have ultimate faith in the producers. I have input as they ask, but not so much. And how they you know, for me, the only thing that's really important is that as we show this warts and all crazy ride that gets salacious and that's is heartfelt as well, I always just want to make sure that, you know, the overall goal here is for them to explore for an answer that's real.

So at the end of the day, they don't continue something that's unhealthy and they find something that's better, you know, and it doesn't always work. But that's kind of the way our producers focus. And it's a delicate balance and they do a pretty good job. I see. Like I said, I saw the first episode and I think it was good of the first episode of Survivor.

Awesome. Can't wait to see it. Mark, thank you for coming on. As you do the beginning of every season, we'll probably have you on again at the end to wrap this all up in a nice bow. Temptation Island starts this Tuesday, February 16th, ten nine Central on the USA Network. Mark Wahlberg is your host. Mark, thanks again for coming on. Really appreciate it, but my pleasure.

And I look forward to reading your take on stuff. You got it. Thanks, Mark. Take care. Thank you so much to Mark for coming on, he's always a great guest at the beginning of every season, he'll be on again at the end of the season. And just to let you know, we're going to have guests every week on this podcast for 15 or 20 minutes that recap what happened on Tuesday's episode, mostly with the couples. Then once we get through all of them, maybe some singles, Casey Campbell from season one will definitely be on at some point this season to talk about, you know, summarize what we've seen and everything.

I have not seen the first episode yet. I'm going to watch it this weekend. So I did this interview under the pretense of I haven't watched anything. Usually I've watched three or four episodes by now, but they've only put one up and I haven't gotten to it yet.

So I'm sure it's good. You just heard, Chris, that Chris mixing up my hosts of the shows. You just heard Marc talk about everything that happened on or everything to expect this season with the four couples. It's going to be really interesting. And, you know, could you just wonder how much of these four couples have watched the first two seasons so they want to recreate things? Do they want to act like a certain couple? It'll be interesting to see how this goes down.

So I'm excited. I hope you're excited as well. We're going to have a lot of Temptation Island coverage on my podcast and in my column and on social media, actually, more so on social media. They're not getting any recaps this year from now. It's just going to be on social media, just getting ready for episodes and maybe giving you some some little nuggets here and there. So I hope you enjoy it all season long. I can't wait.

So we get started. Tuesday, season three begins on the USA Network at ten nine Central. Thank you all for listening. I really appreciate it. Please write, subscribe and review an Apple podcast and read Mark Wahlberg inreality. Steve, thank you all for listening. And we will talk to you next week, Tim.