The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever with Chris HarrisonA "Summer House" castmate? Someone he met online? Well, he's shy and smitten but he's not revealing the mystery woman just yet...
Chris gets Jesse to open up about his love life and the emotional roller coaster of dealing with his testicular cancer in front of millions on national TV.
This is the most dramatic podcast ever and iHeartRadio podcast. Chris Harrison coming to you from the home office in Austin, Texas. Really excited for my guest today, Jesse Solomon from Summerhouse, and I'm excited. Obviously we're going to talk about Summerhouse. He was new last year, had a good last season. But what I really wanted to talk about Jesse about was the impact he had. He was very open and honest about surviving testicular cancer and actually a two time cancer survivor, and was very open about how he found out his diagnosis when he was a younger guy, had one of his testicles surgically removed, went through chemo. Even during the season, you know, was taking calls publicly with doctors about diagnosis and how things are going. And he was really open about his fear, how scared he was at the time, and was just very vulnerable and open. And look, he's a good looking finance guy. But those guys. The thing about you know, these looking finance guys in New York, they're like, you know, apples on the tree. There's a million of them, and so what sets him apart? And this story really set him apart. He's you know, six ' five, good looking guy, a typical reality TV guy, but his open book mentality and being so vulnerable is really what drew us all to him and have a lot of questions about men's health things we should all be doing. Is he coming back to Summerhouse and if so, what's that going to look like because the gloves will be off for producers and what will that storyline be? And I think they're in production right now, so we'll be interesting to talk to our guest today, Jesse Solomon. Joining me now is Jesse Solomon. Hey man, thank you so much for taking the time.
Chris, thank you for having me. Happy to be here.
You made your big debut on Summer House. How old are you? I'm thirty one, thirty one and you made your fora into reality TV. Yeah yeah, tell me that thought process because you're a lot younger than me. Obviously, I spent a lot of time around reality TV, but I'm just curious what the modern take is, like, what did you grow up on and what made you think this is a good option for me.
You know, I had a lot of different careers before heading into reality TV. I only watched the Real world for a few years when I was young, and that kind of like taught me what partying was. I think, all right, but I was never a big reality TV guy after that, and you know, I was working in finance at the time and just kind of unfulfilled and wondering if I was on the right path. And then this opportunity came to me, and I think, it's just a digital first world these days, and I thought I could do a lot of good if I had my own brand and a bigger brand, and.
It's it's turned out great.
So I'm really grateful that I that I got the opportunity and glad I did.
It was that kind of the thought process of this could help my brand, and by the way that you did great and they treated you very well and you're still we'll get into your storyline and all that. But what was interesting is, you know a lot of people get into reality TV thinking this is going to be positive, this is going to help my brand. Oftentimes it doesn't, but for you, it really has. In season one anyway, you know, it felt like you were this really likable, lovable guy. You know, the song of what would Jesse do?
Yeah?
Season one to ease you into it.
Yeah, yeah, you know, there's no guarantee that it's going to turn out well, but I kind of just trusted my myself. I thought it would be good to you know, make new friends, obviously, go into this house and have a good experience. But at the end of the day, like, let's be real, you know, you're on a TV show, so it's.
A big commitment.
You know, not a lot of finance guys on TV for a variety of reasons.
My family was not initially on board.
They don't understand, you know, the Instagram of it all and all the opportunities that have come out of it. But I just figured if I could have my own platform, I would be able to do things like promote November, you know, give back with my time, and it's it's been so great. I'm so blessed for all the opportunities that have come out of it.
Your storyline was very personal, and it's one of the reasons I wanted to have you on because I'm very much into health and especially men's health. Double testicular cancer survivor and you were very open about this on the show, which was awesome. Thank you were you always was that your thought going into this of like, I'm going to be open and honest about this. Were you apprehensive about it? What were your thoughts heading in and talking to the producers about how to how to work this and play this.
Yeah, I think quite frankly, it was a big reason that they wanted me to be on the show because I wasn't just your typical finance bro living in New York. I had another layer to me, and I'd been through some things and I had a different perspective on life.
I knew it was.
Going to be a part of my story, and you know, just like any typical situation where you're coming into a house and meeting new people, I didn't want to like rush into it.
Like the first episode, Hi, I'm Jesse, I have testicular cancer.
Yeah.
Amanda's like, what's the worst thing that's ever happened to you? And I was like, let's wait till tomorrow.
Yeah exactly.
But yeah, I knew it was going to be a part of my story, and it's something that I'm open about, and I thought, you know, worst case scenario, reality TV doesn't go well for me, I get canceled, whatever it may be.
At least I'll.
Be spreading awareness that there's normal people out there who have gone through cancer, they've beaten it. There's light at the end of the tunnel for those that are going through it.
Well, I can rest your fears. Nobody gets canceled on reality no word, never mind. It's very interesting because so when people came into the show and they had something dramatic to tell, it was always interesting. Of when right, the Bachelor was interesting, especially it's very different than Summerhouse because Bachelor it's like, Okay, I may only have two conversations with this person, you know, and you're thinking, is well, I don't want to make that my first thing. But at the same time, if you don't tell that story at some point, you may have lost that opportunity. So you had to weigh that option as well. Okay, I don't want to be that guy, but at the same time, I want to be that guy eventually. To bring this story up.
Yeah, it wasn't strategic in any way. It just is really a big part of my life. It factors into my previous relationships, my relationship with my family. You know, my friends are so important to me because they were there for me when I was in chema. So it just naturally comes up. I think, you know, I try not to like rush into it on a first date, right, yeah, second date, Like it's something I want people to know about. It's it's a big part of who I am.
Well, you're thirty one, you're healthy, young, good looking guy, you have the world by the tail, you have the world by the tale, and then boom, you have this bomb dropped on you. I have testicular cancer. That is something. And I was young once. I wasn't as good looking as you, but I remember that feeling of invincibility when that bubble is burst at a young age. What was your mentality, What was that process like when you found out?
Yeah, it was very scary. I was twenty four at the time, and I'd lived a very charmed life, to be quite frank, And looking back, it just kind of makes sense. You know, everybody's got their own sh and this was just my sh So I was so surprised and scared. At the time. I was perfectly healthy. I work out, I eat pretty well, and you just it was just a feeling of I don't know what's going to happen next, and you're completely out of control. I didn't feel like I did anything wrong, and it was unfair a bit, but I was mostly just scared. And then you learn more about it and you learn that it's you know, one of the more treatable forms of cancer if you catch it early, which is why I, you know, want to help promote that message with November that you know, you got to check yourself.
If you feel something change.
You got to go to your doctor, get regular checkups, because you know, the best form of preventing cancer is early detection.
Guys are really bad when it comes to medical stuff. And I you know a lot of guys listen to this podcast, but especially a lot of women listen to this and for your boyfriends, for your husband's we what should be the message to guys, you know, especially we get very particular when our junk is involved, right, We get very self conscious where we are, We get embarrassed, whether it's you know, colon cancer, cross state, you know, anytime our junk is involved, testicles, et cetera. All of a sudden, we just let it go. And like you said, this stuff is often very preventable. How do we jump on this? What can we do?
Yeah, And that's one thing about me is I'm so open almost to a fault.
That it was easy for me to talk about stuff related.
Were you always like that or did you get that way?
Yeah?
I think I'm just an open book. I think I've always kind of been that way like things. I'm just not close to the.
Chest for better or for work.
Well, then you're a reality producer's dream then.
Yeah.
Usually it's like pulling teeth to get people to talk. So if you'll open up, that's that's awesome.
I'm definitely getting myself into trouble, but it'll be good TV. Yeah.
My message to men is just check yourself once a month, you know, when you're in the shower, whenever it is, just grab your mouse, see if anything's changed.
And but let's be honest, we're all washing our junk. You're touching yourself in the shower anyway, just give it a little firm squeeze and what are we What am I feeling for?
Though?
What?
What?
Just any regular irregularities.
Don't get don't get too excited, not too much. Just you know, yeah, you.
Want to see if anything's changed since the last time you checked. That's really what you're looking for. And go to the doctor once a year, you know, check yourself, but also go to the doctor. If you feel anything that's painful, go to the doctor. It's probably nothing, but you'd rather be safe than sorry.
Obviously, how did you get Did you self diagnosed and go check on something, or did the doctor you know?
I was in New York for a couple of years and hadn't gotten a physical in a while, and I was like, let me just go get checked. You know, when you're a kid in your mom's house, she makes you go to the doctor every year.
Goodness, So I just went and got a regular check up.
The doctor said, you know, I don't think this is anything, but just get an ultrasound. And I completely forgot about it for a few weeks. I was traveling for work and I got back and I was like, I should get that ultrasound done. And I did a bunch of testing and I thought I maybe had like an STD and or it was.
Like going to be the worst day of my life.
And I go back to the doctor at night and he's like, so listen, you have testicular cancer.
You're going to have to get one of your.
Testicles removed, and you're probably going to need some chemo and radiation and.
I was like, where's my regular doctor and who were you?
Yeah, like I thought I was just going to need a pill penicillin shot for an STD. Man, this is a whole different direction.
Yeah.
So it was scary and I didn't want to scare my parents. It was just like a lot at once. But yeah, luckily I just needed one surgery, got my testicle removed, didn't need chemo at the time, monitored my self by going to the doctor every six weeks after that, and then a year later it's read to the lymph nodes in my stomach, which you could consider like stage two, and I needed four rounds of chemo. That took about four months, and luckily I've been healthy ever since then almost six years. I've got my six year appointment coming up in September.
That's fantastic, by the way, congratulations, thank you. Yeah, one day, one year at a time. Right, Yeah, How did that change your philosophy on life and your perspective, because again, we've all been in that position where we're young, we're fit, we're doing our thing. Success is kind of coming quickly and you're on that rise, and then you have this kind of change of course, and this change of life. What did that do to you philosophically, emotionally, mentally.
Yeah, you learned to really appreciate your family first and foremost, and your friends that are there for you and aren't just there to do the fun stuff with you, but to help you the hard times. You know you're on your ass and who's there to pick you up or is your dad and your brother? And that really meant a lot. I think it's really hard for me now to care about pretty much anything.
You don't sweat the small stuff.
Yeah, when I find myself feeling like fomo over something or yeah, just things that aren't like big deals, honestly, I just let it roll off my back. So and it's really put things into perspective, like I enjoy the small stuff now, whereas like I'm just happy to be alive, as corny as that is. Like I go for a morning walk and get a coffee and I'm just like, this is awesome. So it's really one of the better things that's ever happened to me, and I'm grateful for the experience. I just wish it didn't have to happen for me to feel it.
Has it been a problem with women like having that conversation. Eventually, you said on the second date or third day, whenever you start feeling some sort of a connection, you have that talk. Has it been and obviously that's something someone you wouldn't want to be with anyway if it was an issue. But has it ever been an issue where that ends a relationship or causes a problem.
No? Never once.
I mean, girls aren't like really doing a deep dive on your nuts if they're ever down there, so.
I would say they're quite unsightly as it is.
Yeah, yeah, no, you nailed it.
If a girl had a problem with that, it's not somebody that I want to be with anyways, And I think usually it's it is a positive that I've been through something and I have such a good attitude about it.
Yeah.
Maybe maybe girls don't want to procreate with a guy who has answer in his genes. But you know, anything could happen to anyone.
Are you single now?
No?
No, because you didn't hook up with anybody at Summerhouse?
Well or did you?
This is yeah, I mean that last season I was a single guy. Yeah, I just started seeing someone and so I'm not single, is the short answer.
Okay, is this person in the house are we going to get to see a love story for.
You, Chris?
I love it.
I can't tell you that.
So here's the thing, because here, here's here's my thing. As a producer, what worried me was you had testicular cancer. And I'm not saying it's a good thing, but it saved you, right Like, as a producer, I can't attack you. I can't make Jesse look bad. The dude has he's had cancer twice and so, uh, cancer survivor. That gives you that ride on season one. Season two is going to be interesting. We're going to get to probably see a different side of you.
Yeah, yeah, No, I'm definitely involved in a lot of BS this summer and it's not BS, but it's it's drama. So you're you're definitely gonna want to tune in.
Yeah.
I mean the first season you're not you don't have close relationships with people, so you can't really get involved in deeper conversations. But now these are like my close friends, so it's easier for me to give my opinion. But yeah, I can't wait to see it.
I guess look at that smile on his face, Guys, Jesse is in love something like that.
It's it's just a lot to date in a in this environment. That's I'll leave it at that.
Meeting on TV or just in this modern age.
Both, but I was referring to TV. Yeah, there's just a lot of uh pressure, and I'm my rule of thumb is just do exactly what you would do not on TV, and be genuine and be yourself and hopefully that comes through. And I know I'm a good person and hopefully other people think so. But if not, my family and friends know it, and that's all I could ask for.
You're happy, and that's right there. That's the most important thing, and hopefully that will continue. But by the way, the best teas ever for Summerhouse is we get to watch Jesse find love and continue this story. That's a great tease. Man, This should be everywhere.
Yeah, well, the Summerhouse doesn't air until like February, so.
So anything can happen. You might be married by.
Then, yeah, definitely. No, No, I won't.
A Summerhouse wedding. Come on, I know a guy that is ordained and can do weddings.
Yeah, I'm ordained.
I can get out the Summerhouse quick.
Have you ever done a wedding.
I've done about fifteen weddings. Yeah, back when you were a kid, I did this other reality show that was about love, and we did a bunch of weddings on TV and I officiated. It got to the point where so we would do these weddings, and in the beginning, we would kind of get these if they had somebody special in their life, they would come in and officiate the wedding, but a lot of times they didn't, and so we would get these kind of rent a priest and they would come in and it was very difficult because they weren't very TV savvy and we were doing a live TV show or trying to tape something. So eventually they were like, well, you guys know and love Chris, He'll officiate your wedding and host. So I would host the show and then go up and officiate the wedding and then go back to hosting the show.
This is before the Bachelor.
Those during the Bachelor, I officiated weddings of Bachelor couples, Bachelor and Paradise. I did a couple weddings done in Bachelor. In Paradise. We would kick off seasons times with the wedding. Yeah, I did a bunch of weddings.
What's your success right.
Bachelor wise, it's getting worse the more and more time goes by, the more and more people get divorced. I'm probably you know what, I have to go back. Luckily, I have a lot of weddings and couples in the private sector. They've all stayed together. So my you know, my track record in the private sector much stronger than on TV, because I definitely do have a couple of divorces now on TV.
So you're telling me it's difficult on TV.
You know, TV is you know, it's funny. You watch like, you know, the you know, Housewives of all the Housewives and all that stuff, and it is difficult.
You know.
I've talked to many of the housewives and like it's I don't know if it's made any of our relationships stronger. It's a very difficult thing to navigate. You have to be very careful that you have to be phenomenal at communicating, and often we're not great at that, you know, that's usually our weakest link. But it sounds like you're a great communicator.
I'm learning that I'm not as good as I thought. I'm very open. I just need to be open with the right people at the right times.
Interesting. What is that's very cryptic? What does that mean?
You like?
That's it. That's an interesting self realization about yourself.
Yeah, you just need to communicate with your partner and not other people about the world Warner.
Yeah, oh, that's interesting. So you've always been very forthright with your feelings, an open book, but when it comes to love and dating someone is like, you've really got to bear your soul to her and be open and honest with her in a personal, kind of intimate way.
Yeah.
I haven't been in a relationship in a while, so I'm not perfect. I'm definitely still learning. But have you been watching Love Island.
On and off?
You know?
I watch I'm not a I don't really watch a ton of those shows, but I watch everything a little bit because I like to know what's going on in the business and in the world, because I'm a big TV producer at heart, and I love TV and I like to see what people are doing. And it's funny to watch a lot of my young producers that worked on the show have gone off to all these other shows, and photographers and directors and all that and I love watching their success and watching how stuff is done because if you know, even like a show like Summerhouse. And I don't mean this in a bad way for the producers, but we've all borrowed things from other shows, and you make it apply to your show and then you put your little thumbprint on it to make it a little different. And so I find it fascinating to watch like Love Island, Love is Blind, all those shows do you watch.
I watched like the first seven or eight episodes of Love Island just because it blew up and I wanted to know what was going on as well. I think they have an incredible formula, like the fact that they can just pump out episodes so quickly.
Pump out so many episodes.
Yeah, the following that these people are getting post show, like, it's really an incredible formula for reality TV. And I'm impressed.
Yeah, it's what you know, It's what The Bachelor used to be. But The Bachelor is also and is so antiquated in the way it shot, way how much money it costs. It's very expensive, and so they've had to cut back. They've cut back on the production, the days, the people, so the show is hurting on many levels, including production, and then you have a show like Love Island. They have gone the opposite side of the spectrum of very cheap crank these episodes out, get people in and out, and so production is tighter, and so it's you know, and The Bachelor just because of what it was back twenty years ago, you can't do that, you know, you can't just change or else you're not that show. So they're kind of a victim of their own success. So it is fascinating to watch all these shows and summerhow same thing. It's like you get everybody in there, it's like you can crank these out.
Yeah, well there's five months between when filming wraps and when the first episode there is.
It's kind of wild.
Yeah, it really takes a while, and they're moving as quick as they can.
I know that. So it's a different, different formula.
It's a difficult thing to do. Like I remember on The Bachelor that one of the toughest things was that break from show rapping to show airs because of relationships mainly.
Yeah, how long is that on The Bachelor, like because they really keep it quiet, but with us, it's like five months and it's your real life, it's like very difficult.
Yeah, well it's you know the Bachelor was It depends on you know. What we used to do is a Baucher in the fall. You would wrap up right before Christmas break or really around Thanksgiving, and then it would air in January. So what you had like a month and a half to two months. Not crazy, but when a couple just you know, when the whole show's about getting engaged and they're happily engaged, and it's like, stop, I can't talk to my parents, I can't talk to my friends. I can't it's tough to foster that relationship. You can't really talk about it and live it like you normally would, so you kind of, you know, it's like you put a lid on it for a second and then you got to like lift that lid off, and it's like the whole world knows. And so that's a difficult thing to figure out. If we had a tough time navigating that early on.
Yeah, interesting. Well, I will say that the producers that we work with truly and they've been incredible to me, especially when I was going through the cancer stuff. Yeah, so yeah, it is amazing to create these relationships through the show.
That's good. I love to hear it. And by the way, you know, one other side note about your cancer diagnosis and all that you got a call that you took during the show you probably thought, you know, I don't know if you knew ahead of time, but I love the fact that you just exposed all that and you showed you know, getting the call and getting the diagnosis and all of that stuff is great to see. I think guys especially need more of that that it's okay to embrace that, don't shy away from those medical issues.
Yeah, it's amazing how many messages I get from people saying I went through the same thing. Seeing you scared about your appointment really hit home for me. You know, seeing somebody get through it makes me feel like I can get through it, like there's light at the end of the tunnel. People are like I thought I was helping people just physically, but the emotional side of things and being scared to talk about cancer the way people have said they're able to open up about it after me being so open, like it's really shocking, and I'm just really glad that I was open about it because it's a power of mind to be able to share my story and not be self conscious about it, and I'm glad that it's able to help other people.
Well, I for one, really appreciate that you did and that you continue to do so. If nothing else comes of this crazy show and your appearance on the Summerhouse, that's enough. Like that was a great mark to leave and a wonderful legacy to be known for. So appreciate it, and I appreciate your time and Jesse, we'll look forward to your next season. I know it's a while, but we got to know and love you on season one. Well it's not season one, but your first season, and we'll see you next season on Summerhouse as well. That'll be next spring on Bravo.
Yes, thank you so much for having me. Make sure to check out November dot com and to grow a mustache in November. Do whatever you can to support.
It's creepy, it's weird, but it's worth it.
Yeah.
It just spreads awareness and it's a good way to raise money for a good cause.
And real quick before we go, because it is a good cause. People talk about November all the time, and I don't know if a lot of people even know what it is. It's just like, oh, you're growing facial hair. But I don't know if people really know what the cause is. And it is about cancer, and it's about using awareness.
Yeah, for men's health, you know, mental health, prostate cancer to sticular cancer, suicide.
So it's just good.
That we talk about these things because if people are aware that there's resources to help them and there's people that are going through something similar, you know, we can help save lives.
So I'm all for it.
Well, damn good to meet you, man. Really had heard amazing things about you, and after talking to you, I see why everybody loves you.
Man.
Really a pleasure.
Yeah, no, thanks for having me. Great to meet you.
Right, Jesse, Take care, take care, Thanks for listening. Follow us on Instagram at the most Dramatic pod ever and make sure to write us a review and leave us five stars. I'll talk to you next time.
