A Happy Couple Check-In with Charity Lawson and Dotun Olubeko

Published Sep 6, 2023, 11:09 PM

Ashley hangs out with our latest Bachelorette Charity Lawson and the man who earned her final rose… Dotun Olubeko!
 
Hear the story of how her final choice was spoiled in a MAJOR way.
 
And we get the true reason why Dotun wasn’t very involved in the first few episodes of the season. 

Plus, we get the latest on their plans to walk down the aisle!

This is the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast with iHeartRadio.

Hey everyone, welcome to the Almost Manic Podcast. Like I've been saying in the past couple episodes, today Ben's not here because he's in Italy, but we have some amazing people here to join us instead. It is Charity and Doten, the Happy Couple. We are so so thrilled to have you. Charity. I messaged you a couple of weeks ago just saying that I was so enjoying watching your season and you as the lead. You're just like You're just so enjoyable and easy to watch. Like I don't know, I've related to you more than many bachelorettes of recent past, and it was just you were You conducted the show so wonderfully and this love story was one that I feel like, oh, we haven't seen so intensely one like this in a while. And you, guys, I just like, congratulations, I'm so so happy for you. It was a joy to watch it all.

Thank you so much, so much.

Okay, so, like, where do we again? Where'd you leave again? Okay, don how did you sign up for the show?

Yeah, so I didn't sign up, I did it. It wasn't nominated, didn't do any that. Two weeks before filming actually started, my roommate he was in like a text thread with one of his old college buddies, and then the college buddy was in the running. He dropped out until the casting director told that guy. He said, if you don't even want to fill your place, I know it's the last minute. He put it in the group text and my roommate was in and my roommate thought of me, right dad, like a list of criteri, he thought of me, and then he texted me. He's like, send me pictures and I was like, for what, and he's like, don't worry about it, and then he's like, y'all want to put you on the black speasherrette. Eventually I thought he was kidding, and then within an hour I had the casting agent call me and then the rest was history. So it was it was crunch time doing six months where the stuff in two weeks was tough, and I wasn't sure I was going to do it, but I saw this pretty little lady.

Guys, You're entire story may not have existed if this one guy didn't drop out, and down didn't feel it like the urge to put it all together within two weeks. Holy cow, It's.

Literally like it's actual fate.

And I always say, like Jackie around, I'm like, so, what did the other guy like, Simmy, Like what.

Did he look like?

I want to know that would have been like his like replacement if he never came. But it's like everything truly did work out, And it's like crazy, how like this show obviously, like the purpose of the show really did bring us like together.

Yeah, we like broughout, we say fairy tale. Then that's the reason why is because like eighty teaming goes beat before his name is Sam, shout out, Sam, thank you. But even before that, you know, it's like moving to New York, finding rooming with these guys. The way that everything worked out truly just felt like it kind of led to her in this moment. And so as logical as we are, it's hard to deny the circumstances that led us together. So it's insane and we still don't believe it to this day. But I'm just grateful for this crazy life, you know.

Yeah, that is seriously magical. All right, Well, Charity, he didn't play the biggest role on the first couple episodes, he definitely was a silent standout, okay ye, Like when he got out of his little package, he got out the limo, I was like, my eye was on him, but he didn't become like a main character for a couple episodes. When did you know this guy's in my top three or four?

Ocean said, So, that's what I want to say.

Week three the Barbie Day, Like he killed his performance.

It's like so good.

But it was really that conversation that night when I took him up to my room and I was just like obviously like wanting to do something special for him, but then he ended up just like truly changing.

My life in that moment.

Essentially that conversation what you guys saw, it was a brief moment, but it was a conversation that brought me to tears, and like it was just raw tears, genuine tears, because that was like the first moment I ever felt really seen by someone, Like obviously it was on an intimate level, but like in my life, like no one has ever been able to talk about me the way that he did in that moment, and I was like it kind of hit me. I was like, oh God, like it's happening, you know, you kind of get that feeling of like, Okay, now I really am starting to recognize like this person could be my person. And it was like scary a little bit, but it was so like exciting.

That's so beautiful. I remember that moment. It's it's a good one. Yeah, Dot. And when did you feel like, oh, this isn't a show, like this could actually be my wife?

Yeah? Probably the same moment obviously the chat in I mean, I would say it started week two when I got out of the show phase, because that was like kind of like what am I doing here? Like that this whole faith thing is true? Like am I just a Jackasser coming here with that conversation after the barbecue for the second Rose, before the second Row ceremony, And then she just received what I said so well and so like for me, that was important, right because then I'm like, Okay, this is not BS. She's actually looking for low and she's very serious about it and she connects on what I shared with her. But then, like she said, the ocean side was just so huge for us because we just that's where the foundation I feel like started being laid for both of us. Together on that one journey, and then following obviously got that one on one and the rest was history.

So truly, yeah, you got the one on one and then the next week you got another one on one and that was big news. How did you fenangle that one?

I couldn't get enough. I love it. I know that question.

Obviously, it's so tricky to answer because obviously at that what we see that week, there's several guys at that point who hadn't had.

One on ones.

But in specifics, like when it came to Dawton, I knew, like that day for that date that I selected him for, which was the marathon, I was like, it's a long date and I wanted to spend that day with someone that I knew I was like gonna have without a doubt, Like there was gonna be no doubt in my mind. I was going to have a great time because raking up like I mean that was that day started at six am and then we spent essentially the whole day together.

So it was really important to me.

But I was like, again, like I was coming off such a high from the last one on one. I was like, all right, well him again, and They're like what Nope, him again, Yeah.

Yeah, all right. Another moment that I loved was hometownst in your hometown blew us away, And it was after a series of hometowns they were all really so great, like all the families. You know, we were a little bit skeptical of Joey's uncle, but besides that, like great hometowns, and then yours just was a cherry on top. Your parents surprising you back from Africa were you were, were you were?

Were?

You were both surprised, right, you fully had no idea.

Yes, that's not great.

Yeah, and your mom Dotton talking to Charity about like how she's like already ready to plan the wedding and like she's praying with her. Oh my gosh. It was the sweetest thing. Do you guys have any stories that we didn't get to see from hometowns that were really meaningful?

Mine is the biggest one, which was the after part.

So when we went to the drive in theater.

He had obviously that like beautiful like little movie clips of us from like birth to like where we're at now, like essentially our story, and so at the end I was sobbing wet face again. But that was when I actually told him I was falling in love with him, So that was like a really special moment between us.

It was we kind of bummed out that that didn't.

Make it, but I was like, it's okay, Like it was kind of like one for us to keep. But now I was like, I love talking about that in shanging because it definitely does kind of change that jectory of like where I was at in the sense of like how I felt about him at that time, which was hometown. It's like, like you said his hometown was so good, and I was like, this was a perfect moment for me to like express how I felt about him at the time.

Yeah. Yeah, that's the biggest one probably in the whole season, really the biggest thing that probably wasn't shown. I would say, also, like just my hometown just went I mean, it went so well. Wasn't what I expected, Like that Durans aren't like they don't want me to do this, you know, my family just like, no, they're not going to think I'm gonna find love on here. But they knew that if I went this far, then I must actually be, you know, have feelings for this girl. And so everyone just put their best foot forward. And that's why they embraced charity. And you know, me and my dad had a moment too where he was just like sobbing. That guy never cries. I mean, that guy's like he's insane. He never cries. But he had a moment where he was sobbing and like just connecting with me as a son and just like being proud and so that was a beautiful moment for us, and he said things that he had never said to me before. And yeah, I had amazing conversations with my sister too. She had asked great questions about charity and had just the best insights. So yeah, there was so much in that hometown. It really could have gone better, and so I wish they were able to show that. But it's okay, I get it. Death to build time.

So yeah, well, you know, there's something about the show that really makes you say things that you never thought that you'd say like out loud, and be as vulnerable as you never could imagine you'd be. But then I also just wanted to say they had to count out the falling in love with you, because like that would be a dead giveaway exactly, there would be no surprise to me. There like already was no surprise in my heart, but like I but I still like couldn't wait to see the journey to get there. And if you had seen that, it would have just been like That's what we kind of like.

We told each other.

We're like, well, if that had been left in then that people would go tune it out.

Yeah, totally, Well, don this is like super awkward when I bring up Joey because but I'm sure you're used to it by now. Okay, great, great, great, great charity watching the like the whole top three week and beyond, I was like, what do you mean you don't know?

I was actually losing my mind. I think I need to say that.

I know, I know right now, Okay, I will be fair like Aaron probably like I was just okay, starting afresh.

Oh yeah, then you also let Aaron be in and I was like, wait, why you're very kind, but like we know that these two are like so much higher.

In drinkings Joey and Dot and definitely was like firm like final two, like yeah, regardless of anything. But I was just like, I mean, you guys can kind of relate as contestants, but it's like you're just under such like mental exhaustion and so your emotions at that like you can't really like I don't want to say I can't think straight, but like I'm I don't want to say easily swayed either, but it's like anything.

Kind of goes. You're just like kind of going through the motions.

And I don't like to say that either because it almost feels like I didn't take it serious. I definitely was, but there's a lot that's happening. So that week was very like jam pack lots of like important decisions to make. You'renaring things down. So yeah, when I said I didn't know, in my heart of hearts, I probably did know. But like in those initial moments when I was like asked on the on the spot, like what am I feeling, I don't know.

I really don't know, Like give me something time to think about it.

But yeah, it was I mean gotten for a while was like up there and was like clear front runner. But then obviously, like when we got to Fiji, like that's when like Joey kind of like definitely caught up. And so then that's when I was really like in a place where I was starting to become torn but like my gut and I had to rely on that. So as you see like my journey throughout this whole season, it's like Cherity's intuition, Cheerity's gut, like.

When she going to finally trust that and like rely on that.

And so that's when I knew, like what I'm feeling in this moment and how i feel about this man, like.

This is what I'm supposed to do and this is who I'm supposed to be with.

Let's talk about your family's opinion. I know that way heavy. I'm sure they truly loved you guys both in that first impression, but you know, the way we see it is another way that another tactic that they used to like throw us off a bit, and they seem to think that you lit up more around Joey or you were like more relaxed. Yeah, and like things just seemed heavier because I just think that, like the love is heavier with gotten, right, So how like, so how was that really? How was their reception to both guys? And then elaborate on that conversation that you had with your mom or she was like Charity, I'm not going to decide for you.

That would.

No So my my family both loved Joey and Dawton, and obviously what you said you're spot on about, like kind of another tactic used. But I think if I can make sense, like Joey's was the first meet the family is what we see too, so that's the first time I'm also seeing my family, so how they see me in that moment, It's like I am like very excited, I'm very glowy because it's like I'm bringing home someone for you guys see me, but I'm also excited to see my family. So like a lot of that energy was contributed to, like my family just being back in their presence, and so I don't think people like obviously take that into consideration at all. But no, my my family absolutely loved him. Like my mom, yes, she was a little bit more harsh, like harsh or harder, but.

She's just being protective.

And I will like continuously defend that because my mom by no means doesn't like him, Like that's like an incorrect narrative.

But like my parents both gave their.

Blessing and gave Dotton their blessing for him to propose to me, and so yeah, it went great.

There was a lot of conversations that.

We didn't see, Like him and my sister had an amazing conversation that wasn't really shown in its entirety him and my dad like we only saw like a brief with that, and then obviously the sit down with my mom after I had to come back in and just kind of give them the rundown of what's going on again, another mental exhaustion moment. I was like someone just helped me, like rescue me. And I kind of was like a little dependent in that moment of my mom to be like just give me like pros and cons and she knew in her heart like that wasn't going to be the most beneficial thing for her to do as a mom, which I appreciate her for and looking back on, like in that moment, yes, I was very frustrated, but looking back, I respect her on that because I think if she had said bade them like one person over the other, that could have like some way probably altered the outcome, and I didn't want that. So the fact that she trusted me enough to make the decision for myself because I'm the one that has to marry him, and so she believed in me and she trusted that.

So Okay, well, you guys, I'm just so glad the way it turned out again, and I like thought that that was the most beautiful proposal, would you guys? Both said to each other. Made everybody at home melt. I've told everybody who hasn't like watched the show in a few years that like yours is worth going back and watching because the love story is just so great. I want to talk about happy couples weekends and like after the proposal, because after the proposal you get to have like a little vacation and you know, wherever you are for like three or four days. How was that when the doors closed, the cameras were off, and you were like, oh my gosh, this is like a real thing. Was it at all awkward or was it just wonderful?

There's like there's like a small period like once it's all seted than the proposal, Actually we get a couple of days to like hang out and like just culminate everything, and there's this like this like somber period of taking it all in, like what the hell we just did and went through and like the love that I have and how we're going to take that into the next step. So it's very like kind of it. It's a little heavy, right to say, it's a little heavy, but not in a bad in the best way possible. I think both of us are just preparing for the next steps. And then it only continued to grow. And I think we took the lessons from the show in terms of having those hard conversations, uh, talking deep, using our communication skills that helped us bond in the first place, and continued that into the Happy Cobbles, and so we continued learning about each other. We didn't like let our foot off the gas, and it's only helped us grow more.

So.

It's it's it's every stage has its fun and it's challenges. It's also fun to like be kind of sneaky. There's like something like tap about it.

You know.

It's like like no one knows, but yeah, it's a weird mix of emotions with each stage. But I feel like we handled it so well.

Wait a second, no one knows. But there was that one time that you guys both posted that you were at the same place at the same time.

What happened there?

We just were in town at the same time. We were not.

Total coincidence was somebody wearing wigs.

No, we actually weren't together.

I just was in town for press, but it was I was trying to be funny and it did not go over.

We don't have to focus on that. But there was another slipop by People magazine posted your finale your finale results.

Accident, how do you miss?

I don't know that.

I was so bummed about that, and it was even only up there for like a split second. But as we know it, anything up on the internet is just it's out. So yeah, that was a little disappointing, but so close to the I.

Know, it was like right two days before.

Unbelievable.

I was like, this is not happening. This is literally our luck. But this is happening, but.

A major publication even al I'm saying it would.

Be different if I posted it or someone in production posted it.

But no, I can't believe that that happened, and I can't imagine how annoyed the you know, the behind the scenes crew must be. I saw those things like the revealed accidental spill up, you know what a slip up, and I didn't look like who it was. I just like, as soon as I saw like bachelorettes spoiled by people.

I was like.

Flying past this. Yeah, okay, let's talk about present day now. How are you okay? You're brought to prepare for Dancing with the Stars.

Yeah.

This has always been a critical challenge point for bachelor leads getting off the show, who decided to do Dancing with the Stars. How are you going to thrive through it?

I think if anything, we like gotten said, we have done the work and we have laid such a strong foundation for where we're at at this point, and that's only going to continue.

To grow and evolve.

So it's just prioritizing each other. And I know, obviously that sounds a little crazy because it's like, well, my priority now will essentially be Dancing with the Stars, but never forgetting like what this is and what we have and our relationship that still is very much a priority and will be. And so just it requires is going to require more time being more intentional with that and how we utilize that. But I am very confident that we will be totally fine. He will be out there with me, so that definitely helps. And if at any point, you know, it gets to chaotic, I don't.

Know, but we'll address it when when we get there. But right now, like I am, I don't.

Have any any doubts and he doesn't either, So I think us both being on the same page with that.

He literally is like my biggest supporter and fan.

So with that energy, I think we will be able to push.

Right on through.

So you don't believe in the Dancing with the Stars curse.

I don't.

I don't believe in any of this nonsense.

Are you kidding?

But this is real deale right here?

Yeah, exactly. This is not like a trial here. We're not. I can for me. I don't think her either, We're not. I'm just not a trial. Like, oh we're still kind of figuring thinks of that. Yeah, Like no, this is locked in and like and then like, just like in any marriage relationship, you are going to work through things. So I don't have any conterns on my friend. I'm just excited because I feel so good that she's going to freaking bring that Marion ball back home. Like she's got everything going for her, no pressure, baby, but I'm super duper excited. So and I'll be there out there, and so like you won't have that distance factor and we'll just keep talking and I think it'll be good. Yeah, it'll be fun.

Thanks.

True.

So what's the living situation going to be like when she's on Dancing with the Stars.

So he's gonna come out to LA with me while I'm out there, so we'll be where I'm living at, He'll be with living with me, and then after that we'll relocate to our permanent place, which will.

Be in New York. Nice. All right, So Dalton, you are going back to your job in New York. I've been working your dear back.

I love it.

Live as normal life as possible since coming back. So yeah, it's just going to be business as usual and just continuing and taking a day by daily, by week kind of thing. So yeah, and I work remote, so I can do this anywhere.

So amazing, perfect, your work being remote will be very helpful and especially the Dancing with the Stars chapter of your life. Okay, so let's talk about like engagement marriage. What's the timeline here? Because I feel like you guys are not going to be one of those bachelor couples that wait a.

Bit and you're in.

You would be correct, Yeah, you would be very correct in that assessment.

We both talked about it.

We don't want like the whole like five year engagement, Like I'm just not into that. Like, yeah, our whole purpose and point of coming on this was a fun love we found it. We feel very confident. Obviously we're going to take our time with it, not rush, but like we are very excited about the idea and concept of planning a wedding, getting married soon. So maybe a year year and a half will be yeah, getting getting.

Wed, walking down the aisle. So we'll probably have two weddings.

You will probably have two weddings, just.

A small intimate one and then the big Nigerian one that everyone's like rooting for and waiting for.

So yeah, my gosh, So it'll happen in Nigeria.

Yeah, that's the plan.

Yeah. So obviously things can change, but that'd be ideal.

Yeah, so nice.

Absolutely, she says she's ready to whisk away.

But she's so freaking cute.

So cute.

Okay. I have a few fun questions for you guys, But first, well, I guess to kick those fun questions off, are you a vander pumb Rules fan? And like, do you how do you feel about competing against Arianna Maddox.

I like absolutely love her and I stand her because after that scandal, Like, my god, so I actually recently just got into it because of that, which is crazy. He has no reality, Like who is this? How do I feel about competing against her? Yeah, I think it'll be fun.

It's excited. I'm excited to really meet her and like get to know her. But yeah, I don't really have any thoughts besides the fact that I am a fan of her. So that's gonna be interesting.

That's awesome. That's gonna be so much fun. You guys have quite a height difference. Any like, any fun jokey stories about that.

When we're at the.

Club, I'm on I'm on the couch and he's on the floor, so I'm always on something. I'm standing on the bus.

Are always a good time.

Who said the best though?

Jus the hug jumps?

You know?

Okay, okay, yes, I'm sorry. People have told me that I called a koala jump and then people corrected me once I call it koala jump and they're like, they're who, jus who you hug jumps?

Yeah?

I learned that too. Just go on the show with her?

Yeah?

Who? No, he does it?

So good because he just like it's like a smooth transition, like yeah, glad into his arms.

Please?

Do you do who jus in the real world?

Sometimes yeah, yeah, when we're just like goofing off happy couples.

We haven't seen each other for pretty much did it coming right through the hug jump, So yeah, now we do it like a little bit more goofy here, but still it's still there.

I love it. What's like something you guys bonded over in haavy couples that you were like, Oh my gosh, I didn't know we had this in common, like something like pop culture.

Mm hmm, so much like you have very sent like comedy sense, like like our sense of humor is so similar. Music tastes right for things that weren't discussed per se on the show. But we figured out slowly but surely. So it's hard to say, like we both like Gunna, I.

Went to see Beyonce together. Nice Beyonce. Fan love this.

It's fun.

You went to Vegas right after you were announced as a couple. How was that like big debut?

That was? It was fun? I would say we had like a really good time and went.

My pretty fast just because we were just like enjoying each other and had some of his guy friends from the show come and they were there, so that was interesting and.

Fun because I saw that was weird.

So that was fun, like just being able to be out and like obviously we did have people like.

Come up and recognize us.

I would I'd always check about and say, like, I get recognized more with him just because of like the height difference, so they spot him and then they're.

Like there she is, you know, yeah, yeah, but yeah.

No, it was.

It was such a good time and it was actually I think necessary for us to just kind of have that period right after to just like.

Bask and just celebration.

And his birthday was two days after AFR two, so it was just a good week.

Amazing. Do you guys have any embarrassing things that happened, either like in the press that you've done recently or during the filming that never got on air embarrassing like really like silly stupid stories.

Oh thanks, Then I've been on my best behavior on this pressure.

You've done a great job. You have not slipped up at all.

I really have been on that behavior.

Anything embarrassing I will say, I will admit, but did the dodgeball day. I did get out one time, but and I stayed in. I didn't leave, but that was because those rules were garbage. Okay, those were not real dodgeball rules. So it's like, I'm not gonna listen your rules, like if these aren't real rus So anyway, it's long story short. That's probably like the only thing that I can think of that like, oh no, Like it was kind of like I was like a little shakyve out.

But other than that, Now you cheated, Okay, I.

Mean, is it cheating if there's no rules? There were no rules. There's rules, but it's not I'm realizing that.

I like you guys realizing things on there eight rules.

Okay, So it's not super exciting, but that's all I got it. It was pretty straightforward, nothing too embarrassing, just cracking jokes and being idiots with the boys and connecting with it.

I like creating fun, playful tension with couples on the show. So I'm going to ask you a question now that will wrap up this podcast with that you guys will be able to like really converse about later in the day. Great when you think about living together because you've been in hotel rooms and such together over the past few weeks. What worries you about the move in about each other? Like does he you know, just like does he like always leave his toothbrush in a certain spot, or like does he leave the cabinets open? You know, something dumb like that? One done has a lot.

I'm thinking, I'm thinking.

You docuse bring it up now. It'd be more fun to bring it up on a podcast than it would be to like actually say, hey, that's really annoying when you do that.

I will say he's fairly clean and organized, which I love.

Thank god. Oh man. The biggest thing.

I feel like, the biggest debate for us is going to be like a debate.

It is a debate. Well, we're not talking about the snoring thing, Okay, it's the temperature.

Like I feel like that's normal for every couple. It's like what I am I typically run cold and he's more hot, right, And yeah, that's a nice way to put it. It's just ridiculous, Like, what do you mean the nice way to put it?

That's on a ridiculous temperature. It's like sixty And I'm like, that doesn't make sense.

She said, Now I'll put it on like sixty seven and sixty.

Six still too cold for Ray for sure, under right.

But then she'd be like, I'm cold, and it'll get to like sixty eight and she'd be like, I'm sweating bullets.

So it's just like, okay, now you're kind of you're really putting me under the Thank you, Ashley, this is what you're doing.

Well, I successfully did it, and Charity, I'm with you. If it's even seventy, I'm cold. It has to be seventy two for me to be comfortable.

I feel I'm like like seven above seventy always.

Like you gotta get with it.

Yeah, it's a it's a woman thing. And like if I'm doing chores around the house that I'm moving a lot, then seventy is fine. But if I'm just chilling on the couch, I'm gonna be cold at seventy exactly.

That's actually so.

Wid Oh, this is gonna be a little bit of a problem. She's gonna have to wear sweatshirts in the summer, and that's not fun in summer. I want to wear skimpy things exactly.

I want to like not have to put on layers.

Yeah, like dot do you want to see her full figure, you know, in like a cute little workout outfit, or do you want to see sweatshirts and sweatpants?

I do, but I don't want to see you on sweating.

So so wow.

I'm saying like, it's it's yin and yang you're doing.

He has, you know, a six foot seven body that I'm sure emits a ton of heat and I can't relate insulated. All right, guys, you are such a joy to you and thank you so much for coming on, spending your time, and for sharing your love story with us. We cannot wait to watch the next chapters. Thank you so much, Ashley. Until then we said hi, very will see yah hye bye bye.

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