This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben welcomes back fan-favorite guest Sherry Harris for one of their most unpredictable conversations yet. What starts as a debate about Texas drivers quickly spirals into a hilarious and surprisingly deep discussion about déjà vu, wildlife, near-death experiences, fear of dying, AI, prison, Pride Month, and everything in between.  

Ben and Sherry swap stories about living in small-town Texas, dodging turkeys, porcupines, snakes, tarantulas, and other unexpected wildlife before diving into bigger questions about life, aging, time, and what might happen after we die.  

Later, AJ joins Ben for the aftershow to talk about his brand-new perm, spray tans before vacation, hair insecurities, why Sherry is one of their favorite guests, and the importance of self-confidence. The conversation wraps with a thoughtful discussion about Pride Month, identity, religion, and why acceptance matters.  

This episode is funny, philosophical, chaotic, and proof that the best conversations are often the ones with no agenda.

In this episode:

• Why Texans still don’t know how to use a yield lane  
• Growing pains as Granbury continues to grow  
• Turkeys, porcupines, snakes, tarantulas, and Texas wildlife  
• Déjà vu, dreams, and theories about the brain  
• Near-death experiences and the fear of dying  
• AI, deepfakes, and fears about the future  
• AJ’s new perm and vacation prep  
• Self-confidence, identity, and finding comfort in who you are  
• A candid conversation about Pride Month and acceptance  

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This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben is joined by one of his closest friends, Laura, for a conversation that quickly goes off the rails — and that’s before the cocktails really kick in.

After opening the episode with a rant about people who keep their phones on Do Not Disturb, and addressing a decades-old rumor from his Minnesota barrel racing days, Ben welcomes Laura back to the podcast for a hilarious, completely unfiltered catch-up.

Together, Ben and Laura dive into:

• Why people having their phones on Do Not Disturb drives Ben absolutely insane
• A barrel racing rumor that somehow refuses to die
• Being a “gold star gay” and why strangers remain fascinated by Ben’s love life
• Ben’s latest skincare obsession: microneedling and salmon sperm treatments
• The beauty procedures people will try in the name of looking younger
• Friendship, aging, and the ridiculous things we convince ourselves to spend money on
• Family stories that somehow get more unbelievable every year
• Horse life, ranch life, and growing up in Minnesota
• Pop culture, random observations, and several conversations that should probably have stayed off-mic
• Why some friendships are built entirely on making each other laugh

As always, the conversation bounces between heartfelt, ridiculous, and completely inappropriate with very little warning.

Pour yourself a drink and join Ben and Laura for one of the most relaxed and funniest episodes of Season 2 so far.

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This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben is finally back after more than a month away from the podcast—and a LOT has happened.  

After weeks of pre-recorded episodes, Ben returns to share what life has been like while working on exciting new projects, filming a movie in Palm Springs, and navigating opportunities he can’t quite talk about yet. While some details have to remain under wraps for now, Ben reflects on how quickly life can change when things don’t go according to plan.  

From losing out on a lead role to landing opportunities that ended up being an even better fit, Ben opens up about rejection, redirection, trusting the process, and why sometimes the things that don’t work out are exactly what lead you where you’re supposed to be.  

Later, AJ joins the podcast to discuss surviving a month alone on the ranch with 70+ animals, battling koi pond disasters, debating whether their miniature cow is overweight, and diving headfirst into the world of artificial intelligence.  

The two also discuss:

• filming a gay cowboy movie while playing the straight cowboy
• airport frustrations and airline baggage drama
• AI becoming AJ’s newest obsession
• Machine Gun Kelly and Demi Lovato concerts
• life on the ranch without Ben
• why everything happens for a reason
• and what might be next for both of them

This episode is funny, reflective, hopeful, and a reminder that sometimes the biggest opportunities come after the biggest disappointments.  

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

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Website: itsbenaweek.com

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This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben is joined once again by fan favorites Bryan and Jon from the Out Loud & Laughing podcast for another chaotic, hilarious, and surprisingly heartfelt conversation.  

The trio dives into everything from growing up as theater kids and making homemade movies before TikTok existed, to navigating Hollywood as gay entertainers and learning how to turn creativity into a career.  

Ben opens up about moving to Los Angeles at 18, getting humbled by the entertainment industry, turning down advertising job offers to pursue acting, and why podcasting gave him a level of creative control he never found in traditional acting jobs.  

They also discuss:

• being gay in Hollywood
• auditioning for straight vs. gay roles
• building a successful podcast
• childhood obsession with The Sims and Rollercoaster Tycoon
• Disney adults
• bathhouses
• Dolly Parton anxiety
• Broadway crushes
• and why humor matters more than almost anything else

The episode wraps with a chaotic round of “This or That,” featuring questions about boxers vs. briefs, pitching vs. catching, baths vs. showers, and whether Ben would rather be remembered for his humor or his heart.  

This episode is nostalgic, unfiltered, gay, hilarious, and a reminder that sometimes the best conversations happen when friends are just talking shit.

In this episode:

• Growing up making homemade movies before social media  
• Ben’s journey from Minnesota to Hollywood  
• Turning down advertising jobs to become an actor  
• The reality of being a working actor in Hollywood  
• Podcasting vs. acting and creative control  
• Being openly gay in entertainment  
• The Sims, Rollercoaster Tycoon, and Disney adult culture  
• Satan’s asshole weather in Texas and Florida  
• A chaotic “This or That” game about sex, Broadway, and baths  

Follow Out Loud & Laughing:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outloudandlaughing/
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/out-loud-laughing/id1791165133

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

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🔗 Connect with Ben:
Instagram: @itsbenaweek
TikTok: @itsbenaweek
Website: itsbenaweek.com

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This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben celebrates his birthday, Pride Month, and something he’s never officially done before… coming out.

In this deeply personal solo episode, Ben officially shares publicly that he’s gay and opens up about the journey it took to get there. From growing up in a small town, being bullied in high school, and struggling with self-acceptance, to finally learning how to fully love himself, this is one of the most vulnerable episodes yet.

Ben talks about the importance of Pride Month, why LGBTQ+ visibility still matters, and the pressure so many people feel to hide who they are. He also opens up about family dynamics, internalized fear, dating closeted men, and the process of finally becoming comfortable enough to live authentically.

The episode also features the return of AJ for a hilarious and heartfelt aftershow conversation about coming out stories, relationships, pool party chaos, Fireball disasters, and why gay people truly do throw the best parties.

This episode is funny, emotional, chaotic, honest, and a reminder that everyone deserves to be loved exactly as they are.

In this episode:

• Ben officially comes out publicly for the first time  
• Why Pride Month still matters  
• Growing up gay in a small town  
• Bullying, self-acceptance, and learning to love himself  
• Family struggles and fear around coming out  
• The reality of dating closeted men  
• AJ shares his own coming out story  
• Wild birthday pool party stories and Fireball chaos  
• Why everyone deserves to live authentically  

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

📍 Listen & Subscribe:
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🔗 Connect with Ben:
Instagram: @itsbenaweek
TikTok: @itsbenaweek
Website: itsbenaweek.com

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This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben is joined by his longtime friend Ruby for a chaotic, emotional, and unexpectedly inspiring conversation about moving across the world, starting over, heartbreak, and learning to embrace discomfort.  

After spending the last two years living in London, Ruby is officially back in Texas — fresh off a breakup, a cross-country move, and a completely uncertain future. The two reflect on how much has changed since they first recorded a “practice episode” together years ago that never aired.  

Ben and Ruby dive into:

• moving to new cities without knowing anyone
• leaving behind horses, careers, relationships, and comfort zones
• the emotional reality of living abroad
• breakups that ultimately changed their lives for the better
• why travel changes your entire perspective on life
• and how sometimes the scariest decisions become the most rewarding ones

They also spiral into hilarious conversations about:

• the new “rat virus” panic
• conspiracy theories
• pandemic flashbacks
• economy flight trauma
• Australians vs. Americans
• Facebook pub crawls in London
• pirate ship party boats in Turkey
• and why Texans treated COVID VERY differently than Los Angeles.  

The episode also explores the pressure people feel to stay in their hometowns, fear of failure, and why taking risks can completely reshape your life.

This episode is funny, honest, emotional, chaotic, and a reminder that sometimes the best thing you can do is book the flight and figure the rest out later.

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

📍 Listen & Subscribe:
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🔗 Connect with Ben:
Instagram: @itsbenaweek
TikTok: @itsbenaweek
Website: itsbenaweek.com

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This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben does something completely different.

For the first time ever, Ben is sharing the audio/video from "I",  a documentary he created nearly 10 years ago while living in Los Angeles. The film premiered at the Twin Cities Film Festival with three sold out screenings and became one of the most meaningful projects he’s ever worked on.  

The documentary explores identity, trauma, addiction, grief, self-love, religion, sexuality, mental health, and survival through deeply personal interviews with people from all different walks of life.

The unique concept behind the project? Throughout the interviews, viewers only see the subjects’ eyes — highlighting raw emotion, vulnerability, and humanity before finally revealing the full person behind each story.  

This emotional and powerful episode features stories about:

• addiction and recovery
• suicide and grief
• being transgender
• drag and identity
• losing children
• body image struggles
• family abandonment
• religion and faith
• surviving trauma
• self acceptance
• resilience and healing

Ben also reflects on creating the documentary while living in LA, why the project mattered so much to him, and how revisiting it 10 years later still impacts him today.  

If you are listening on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube, you can now watch the full documentary thanks to new video podcast support.  

This episode is emotional, inspiring, heartbreaking, hopeful, and a reminder that every single person is carrying a story you may never fully see on the surface.

In this episode:

• Ben shares his documentary I for the first time on the podcast  
• The emotional concept behind filming only people’s eyes  
• Stories of addiction, overdose, and recovery  
• Conversations about being transgender and drag identity  
• Losing children, suicide, grief, and resilience  
• Body image struggles and self acceptance  
• Why trauma can sometimes lead to purpose and healing  
• The message that everyone deserves compassion and understanding  

This episode contains discussions of suicide, addiction, overdose, grief, mental health struggles, and trauma that may be difficult for some listeners. Please listen with care and prioritize your well-being.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available.
In the U.S. and Canada, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support 24/7.

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

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🔗 Connect with Ben:
Instagram: @itsbenaweek
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Website: itsbenaweek.com

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This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben sits down with his friend Jen Kirk for an emotional and eye-opening Mother’s Day episode unlike any other.

At just 16 years old, Jen became pregnant and made the heartbreaking decision to place her son up for adoption. But this isn’t just a story about adoption — it’s a story about survival, sacrifice, family, trauma, and what motherhood can really look like.  

Jen opens up about navigating an open adoption in the late 1980s, choosing her son’s adoptive parents herself, and the emotional reality of watching him grow up from a distance through letters and photographs.  

The conversation takes a shocking turn when Jen reveals that during her pregnancy, she was allegedly hidden away in a remote cabin after her stepmother attempted to take the baby for herself — leading to a terrifying situation involving private investigators, police, and a dramatic rescue coordinated by her mother.  

Ben and Jen also discuss:

• the emotional side of adoption that nobody talks about
• abortion, choice, and societal judgment
• reconnecting with her son 25 years later
• blended families and healing
• the lifelong emotional impact of adoption
• why there’s little support for birth mothers
• and how everything eventually came full circle

Now, nearly 40 years later, Jen has a close relationship with her biological son, his children, and his adoptive family — proving that families can take many different forms.  

This episode is emotional, shocking, heartbreaking, healing, and a powerful reminder that motherhood is never one-size-fits-all.

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

📍 Listen & Subscribe:
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🔗 Connect with Ben:
Instagram: @itsbenaweek
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Website: itsbenaweek.com

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This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben sits down with someone who changed his life — his ninth grade science teacher, Brenda Ramin.

From getting kicked out of Catholic school to convincing a teacher to secretly take him to California, this episode is full of wild stories, chaos, and the kind of support that can change everything.

Ben and Brenda reflect on their 20+ year relationship, the infamous Hollywood trip that changed everything, and what it was like being “that kid” in high school who didn’t quite fit the mold.

They dive into sneaking into gated communities, getting chickenpox during a headshot trip, pushing back on authority, and how one teacher saw something in Ben that others didn’t.

This episode is hilarious, nostalgic, and a reminder that sometimes all it takes is one person believing in you to completely change your path.

In this episode:

• Getting kicked out of Catholic school and transitioning to public school  
• The teacher who actually understood Ben  
• The secret California trip that could’ve gotten her fired  
• Sneaking into a gated Malibu neighborhood to find The OC house  
• Getting chickenpox in LA during headshot week  
• High school rebellion, authority issues, and being “that kid”  
• Doing the Single Ladies dance at prom  
• Why one supportive teacher can change everything  

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

📍 Listen & Subscribe:
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🔗 Connect with Ben:
Instagram: @itsbenaweek
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Website: itsbenaweek.com

💬 Want to be on the show?
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Some weeks are great… and some weeks just push you to your breaking point.

On this solo episode of It’s Ben A Week, Ben is back with a full-on rant — and honestly, it’s been building. Between chaotic customer service, confusing systems that make no sense, and interactions that leave you questioning humanity, this week had Ben asking: what is wrong with people?

From a dentist appointment that somehow turned into a full-blown front desk disaster, to a restaurant experience that defies all logic, to the ongoing saga of Starbucks mobile orders that apparently no one understands — nothing is safe this week.

Ben dives into:

• Showing up early to a 9 AM dentist appointment… that magically became 10 AM
• Why front desk customer service can make or break a business
• The chaos of waiting, being ignored, and being told you’re wrong (when you’re not)
• Whether dentists are doing way too many X-rays
• A restaurant experience that makes zero sense from start to finish
• Being rushed to order… and then completely ignored
• The logic behind ordering a tall drink (and not getting more liquid?)
• Why Starbucks mobile orders continue to be a universal struggle
• Internet trolls, random hate comments, and why people go out of their way to be negative
• Eating shit on a Segway and the aftermath no one talks about
• Getting ready to film a new movie and the chaos leading up to it

This episode is chaotic, relatable, unfiltered, and exactly what you need if you’ve ever dealt with frustrating people and thought: there’s no way this is real.

🎧 Subscribe to It’s Ben a Week
New episodes every week filled with unfiltered stories, wild guests, and brutally honest laughs. Hosted by photographer and professional barrel racer Ben McDonnell.

📍 Listen & Subscribe:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Wherever you get your podcasts

🔗 Connect with Ben:
Instagram: @itsbenaweek
TikTok: @itsbenaweek
Website: itsbenaweek.com

💬 Want to be on the show?
Submit your story or pitch at itsbenaweek.com