It's Ben a Week – Détails, épisodes et analyse

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:
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

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:
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

The world feels like it’s on fire — and Ben is boarding a flight anyway.

On this episode of It’s Ben A Week, Ben is joined by friend Joe, a commercial airline pilot flying one of the largest passenger aircraft in the world, for a behind-the-scenes deep dive into aviation, fear of flying, turbulence, airplane safety, and what really happens in the cockpit.

They break down:

• Do you actually need airplane mode?
 • Can a plane fly on one engine?
 • What happens during turbulence?
 • Do pilots sleep on long-haul flights?
 • How safe is commercial air travel really?
 • What happens if landing gear doesn’t deploy?

Joe shares real stories from 20+ years of flying — including engine failures, bird strikes, auto-land landings in low visibility, and why flying is still statistically safer than driving.

Then in this week’s Breaking Point, Ben unloads on airport behavior — TSA confusion, zone boarding chaos, adults wearing pajamas, barefoot passengers, and why flying etiquette has completely collapsed.

AJ joins at the end to talk turbulence anxiety, travel rituals, and their upcoming trips (including AJ singing the national anthem during wartime).

If you’ve ever feared turbulence, questioned airplane safety, or lost your mind watching someone in 37B block the aisle — this episode is for you.

🎧 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

Ben has done it again — he accidentally started internet drama.

After posting a short clip about barrel racing culture being “a little clicky,” Ben somehow triggered 150,000+ views, thousands of comments, and a wave of angry Facebook users — all because he said, “Everyone needs to calm down. You’re not Beyoncé.”

In this episode of It’s Ben A Week, Ben reads the wildest hate comments, responds to online trolls, and breaks down how quickly social media outrage spirals. From grammar wars to legal threats from “Debbie from Facebook,” this is peak internet chaos.

Then the energy shifts to a chaotic recap of the 2026 Winter Olympics with returning guest Cassandra. They debate figure skating meltdowns, Olympic pressure, Lindsey Vonn’s injury, bobsled logic, and whether they could realistically train for the next Games.

AJ joins at the end to talk about engagement anniversaries, relationship awareness, and why spatial awareness in a warm-up pen might actually be a life skill.

If you love internet drama, Olympics commentary, comedy podcasts, or watching people argue in Facebook comment sections — this episode is for you.

🎧 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

Valentine’s Day is over — and Ben has thoughts.

On this episode of It’s Ben A Week, Ben is joined by stand-up comedian Lisa Curry for a brutally funny breakdown of modern relationships, social media culture, and why Valentine’s Day might be the most performative holiday of the year.

Ben and Lisa dive into dating pressure, Galentine’s, joint Facebook accounts, and the theory that the more couples post about their relationship online, the more unstable it actually is. Ben shares the unhinged story of catching an ex swiping on Tinder in first class on a Valentine’s trip he paid for — yes, really.

The conversation spirals into sports culture, NFL fandom, and whether professional sports might secretly be the most homoerotic institution in America. From men in tight pants tackling each other to emotional meltdowns over football losses, nothing is safe.

In this week’s Breaking Point, Ben goes off on tandem bikes, while Lisa calls out dog owners who walk their pets while glued to their phones.

AJ joins at the end for a post-Valentine’s relationship check-in, where they talk about social media expectations, cheap chocolates, and why small acts of love matter more than Hallmark holidays.

If you’ve ever questioned Valentine’s Day, modern dating, social media relationships, or the emotional intensity of NFL fans, this comedy podcast episode is for you.

Follow Lisa Curry
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olympianlisacurry
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@olympianlisacurry

🎤 Watch Lisa Curry’s stand-up special Emotionally Edging here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iipzHWRTbQc

🎧 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

Ben is fresh off a trip to Mexico and immediately reminded why Facebook might be ruining his life. In this episode, Ben spirals (just a little) over online political fights, racism disguised as “memes,” performative outrage, and why arguing on social media never actually changes anyone’s mind.

Fan-favorite guest Sherri Harris returns for Season 2 and brings one of the wildest stories yet — a terrifying heart scare that leads to an ER visit, an ambulance ride, a wildly incorrect diagnosis, and a crash course in America’s broken healthcare system… all while uninsured.

The episode also dives into body image, beauty standards, plastic surgery honesty, nipple nightmares, pain pills, bad restaurant behavior, dirty bar glasses, and why Ben officially hits his Breaking Point with customer service everywhere.

It’s funny, unfiltered, slightly unhinged, and deeply relatable — because sometimes it really has Ben A Week.

🎧 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

This week, Ben goes solo and gets real about something we all deal with but rarely talk about: rejection.

From career disappointments and missed opportunities to being ghosted, iced out, or simply left on read, rejection shows up in ways both loud and subtle. Ben opens up about a recent week that hit harder than expected, how setting high expectations can backfire, and why rejection hurts even when you think you’re “used to it.”

Ben reflects on early experiences of rejection, from growing up feeling different to navigating acting, friendships, relationships, and creative careers where “no” often comes without explanation. He shares why ignoring people can be more painful than hearing no, how social media fuels comparison, and why rejection often feels personal even when it isn’t.

This episode is part rant, part therapy session, and part reminder that rejection doesn’t mean failure — it often means redirection. Ben talks about learning when to sit in the feeling, when to let it go, and how not to let other people’s limitations talk you out of your dreams.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, overlooked, or discouraged lately, this one’s for you.

🎧 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

This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben should really be saying It’s Ben A Weekend.

After an unexpected Arctic blast hits Texas, Ben opens the episode iced in, frustrated, and fully spiraling as ranch life meets extreme weather. From frozen pools and broken automation systems to a three-foot koi fish recovering in the bathtub, nothing about this weekend goes according to plan.

Ben breaks down:

• Why Texas is absolutely not built for Arctic weather
• Frozen pools, non-functioning Jandy systems, and panic at four degrees
• A massive imported koi fish going belly-up and being moved into the bathtub
• Why drastic temperature swings stress koi more than cold water
• Ranch life realities no one prepares you for
• Why homeownership might actually be a scam
• The $17,000 boat engine mistake that still haunts him

Because the roads are iced over and no one can leave, Ben is joined by the only guest available — his partner AJ Sarcione.

Together, they dive into:

• Being snowed in and forced to slow down
• Texas fashion during snowstorms and finally wearing winter clothes
• Preparing animals for extreme cold and running generators
• Why generators, space heaters, and extension cords are non-negotiable
• Their first brutal Texas freeze in 2021 and being wildly unprepared
• Scooping pool water to flush toilets during a nine-day outage

The episode then shifts into a deeper conversation about humanity, outrage culture, and the pressure to perform beliefs online.

Ben and AJ talk about:

• Why no one deserves violence — regardless of politics
• The dangers of social media turning everything into a war
• Whether creators owe public statements on every issue
• Having real conversations instead of performative posting
• Meeting people where they are instead of demanding alignment
• Why empathy and dialogue matter more than choosing sides

They wrap the episode with a reminder to stay warm, be kind, and remember that real conversations don’t happen in comment sections.

🎧 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

Throwback Thursday.

With Season 2 officially underway and new listeners joining, I wanted to resurface one of my favorite conversations from Season 1.

This episode with comedian Urzila Carlson is funny, honest, and exactly the kind of conversation that defines It’s Ben A Week. If you’re new here, this is a great place to start.

___________________________________________

This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben sits down with Urzila Carlson — global comedy powerhouse, Taskmaster trauma survivor, and certified expert in both sarcasm and swearing.

Originally from South Africa, now based in New Zealand, Urzila has taken the comedy world by storm with her Netflix specials, unfiltered stand-up, and razor-sharp takes on everything from LGBTQIA+ to not ending up porn. She’s a scene stealer in her new movie Kinda Pregnant, but first — we need Ben to get the name right! 

The episode opens with a full breakdown of:

• Ben’s latest FedEx meltdown while trying to ship coral for his reef tank
• The broken customer service loop that left him yelling at a robot

Then Urzila joins and they dive into:

• Her journey from South Africa to Texas to Auckland
• Swearing in comedy, why the word “cunt” shouldn’t offend you
• The time she broke her collarbone on Taskmaster 
• Why airports are built to enrage you (and why pre-boarding should be illegal)
• What it's like shooting Kinda Pregnant with Amy Schumer
• Why lesbians might have it easier than gay men in public
• How comedy handles swearing, slurs, and cancel culture — and what it gets wrong
• Parenting while touring, and being confused for Ursula the Sea Witch

🔗 Follow Urzila Carlson:
Website: www.urzilacarlson.com
TikTok: @urzilacarlson
Instagram: @urzilacarlson
Netflix Special: Overqualified Loser on Netflix
New Movie: Kinda Pregnant 

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

🎧 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

This week on It’s Ben A Week, Ben is joined by one of the longest friendships of his life — his childhood neighbor and lifelong friend, Maria Hynan. From growing up together on a lake in Wisconsin to navigating rebellion, mistakes, growth, and parenthood, this episode is a full-circle conversation about where we come from and who we become.

Ben and Maria reminisce about meeting at five years old, fighting like siblings, rearranging Ben’s room every summer, Taekwondo classes, stolen fish from a pet store, and the chaos of growing up together. But the conversation quickly deepens as Maria opens up about her teenage years, strict parenting, rebellion, addiction, a life-changing pregnancy at 18, and how becoming a mother ultimately saved her life.

Together, they talk honestly about breaking generational cycles, redefining parenting, and what it means to give your children a childhood they don’t have to recover from.

Topics include:

• Growing up on a lake and spending every summer together
• Childhood fights, Taekwondo classes, and the infamous pet store fish incident
• Strict parenting, rebellion, and acting out as a teenager
• Maria’s pregnancy at 18 and the moment everything changed
• Quitting drugs and cigarettes cold turkey for her unborn child
• Becoming a young mother and finding purpose through responsibility
• Breaking cycles of emotional and psychological abuse
• Raising children with honesty, openness, and compassion
• Letting kids learn without repeating the same trauma
• Ben reflecting on staying true to his passions from childhood into adulthood
• Saying “why not me?” and building the life you want out loud

The episode closes with the return of Breaking Point, where Ben spirals over rumors of a possible Hannah Montana 20th anniversary concert and Maria shares her frustration with people lacking basic self-awareness — especially when it comes to body odor.

This episode is funny, emotional, raw, and deeply nostalgic — a reminder that some friendships don’t fade, they evolve.

🎧 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