It's Ben a Week

"It’s Ben a Week" is an unfiltered, bold, and hilariously unpredictable podcast where Texas grit meets Hollywood wit. Hosted by actor and barrel racer Ben McDonnell, it’s your weekly escape into outrageous stories, candid conversations, and unapologetic humor.

It's Ben a Week is a comedy podcast hosted by Ben McDonnell, with 93 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Ben McDonnell hosts It's Ben a Week, a comedy show with 93 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #40

  The System Has Ben Failing Survivors (ft. Trisha LaFache)

  Oct 6, 20261 hourS2

  This week’s It’s Ben A Week is a little different—and considerably more serious. Ben is joined by returning guest, friend, acting coach and criminal defense attorney Trisha LaFache for a conversation about sexual assault, college campuses, the criminal justice system and what happens when survivors believe the institutions designed to protect them have failed. The conversation was prompted in part by renewed national attention surrounding allegations that a former Cornell University student was drugged and sexually assaulted by fraternity members in 2024. After a civil lawsuit brought new scrutiny to the case, prosecutors reopened the criminal investigation and said the evidence would be presented to a grand jury. Rather than attempting to determine guilt or innocence on a podcast, Trisha draws on her experience as a criminal defense attorney to explain the legal process behind cases like these: the difference between a university investigation and a criminal investigation, probable cause versus proof beyond a reasonable doubt, the role of prosecutors and grand juries, and why she believes an emphasis on “winnable” cases can create serious problems for sexual-assault survivors. Ben and Trisha also discuss the complicated role social media can play—bringing attention to cases that may otherwise receive little scrutiny while also creating pressure, misinformation and competing narratives before the legal process is complete. And Trisha shares something deeply personal: she is herself a sexual-assault survivor who never reported what happened to her. The conversation ultimately becomes less about any single case and more about what needs to change: creating spaces where survivors feel safe speaking, teaching young people about consent, encouraging bystanders to intervene, and making sure people know where they can turn when something happens. Since this conversation was recorded: On October 2, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that Attorney General Letitia James would serve as special prosecutor in the Cornell investigation. The allegations remain under investigation, and the outcome of the criminal process has not been determined. 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

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  Episode #39

  Fear Has Always Ben His Superpower (ft. Corey Eubanks)

  Sep 29, 20261h 2mS2

  What does it take to survive more than four decades getting paid to crash cars, jump motorcycles, work with fire, horses and helicopters—and occasionally die on camera? Apparently, being scared. This week, Ben sits down with legendary Hollywood stuntman, stunt coordinator, actor, director and author Corey Eubanks , whose career spans more than 160 movies and over 1,200 episodes of television. From The Dukes of Hazzard and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure to Fast & Furious , Transformers , Rush Hour , The Wedding Planner and Mission: Impossible , chances are you’ve watched Corey work without ever realizing it. Corey takes Ben behind the scenes of a side of Hollywood most audiences never see: stunt performers being hospitalized, friends losing their lives, actors insisting on doing their own stunts and productions attempting sequences where one mistake can have catastrophic consequences. He shares what it was like doubling Tom Cruise, why Cruise really does perform many of his own stunts, and the wild story behind The Wedding Planner sequence that Matthew McConaughey’s team insisted he could perform—until Corey put him on a horse and discovered otherwise. The professional rodeo champion eventually hired for the stunt was himself dragged by a horse and sent to the hospital. Then there’s Corey’s most terrifying stunt: flipping a 21-ton prison bus three-and-a-half times at approximately 60 mph for Fast Five . Nobody could confidently predict whether the roll cage would withstand the impact, and Corey was concerned enough that he handed his life-insurance information to his children before filming. Ben and Corey also swap their own horseback stunt stories, discuss whether AI could eventually replace stunt performers, revisit Corey’s unusual path into Hollywood—including a little well-timed nepotism courtesy of his father, legendary game-show host Bob Eubanks—and talk about Corey’s transition from risking his life on camera to sharing what decades of stunt work taught him about fear, preparation and safety. In this episode: More than four decades of Hollywood stunt work Why being afraid may have saved Corey’s life Losing friends in the stunt industry Third-degree burns, broken bones and concussions Doubling Tom Cruise How much of his own stunt work Tom Cruise actually does Working with Jackie Chan The Matthew McConaughey stunt that Corey refused to let him perform A terrifying accident while filming The Wedding Planner Ben’s own horseback stunt experiences Flipping a 21-ton prison bus for Fast Five Handing his life-insurance information to his children before a stunt Corey’s near miss with a helicopter blade The deaths and injuries audiences never hear about Whether AI could eventually replace stunt performers Working with Michael Bay on Transformers Growing up as Bob Eubanks’ son The nepotism that finally opened Corey’s first major door Jumping the General Lee on The Dukes of Hazzard Why Corey finally has nothing left to prove His book Dying for a Living What’s next for Corey Eubanks Want to learn more about Corey Eubanks, his incredible career in Hollywood, and the stories behind some of the biggest stunts ever put on film? Visit Corey’s website to connect with him, learn more about his speaking engagements, and purchase his book, Dying for a Living , where he shares stories from his decades-long career as a Hollywood stuntman. Visit: coreymeubanks.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

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #38

  It’s Ben a Long Road (ft. AJ & Joy)

  Sep 22, 202641 minS2

  Joy is back at the ranch—and this time AJ is joining the entire episode. Fresh off Ben’s Traitors: New Blood premiere party, the three chat about a week filled with friends, cocktails, cookies with Ben’s face on them, cakes with Ben’s face on them and, apparently, just about anything else they could possibly put Ben’s face on. But Joy’s visit brings back one particularly chaotic memory: the time she helped Ben and AJ move from Los Angeles to Texas during COVID. After U-Haul informed them that their “reservation” didn’t necessarily mean there would actually be a truck available, the plan quickly unraveled. A Penske truck was secured, AJ’s car suddenly needed a driver, and Joy—mid-walk in Beverly Hills—somehow agreed to drive it to Texas. What she thought would be a relatively manageable road trip turned into a 21-hour first day involving horses, dogs, a cat named Annabelle, a truck that could barely make it up hills, gas-station confusion, two panic attacks, fears of the cartel, sleeping in a horse trailer and discovering that simply reaching Texas did not mean they were anywhere close to Granbury. And the chaos didn’t end when they arrived. Ben promptly learned how not to operate his new swimming pool by heating the entire thing to nearly 100 degrees, draining the property’s propane tank overnight and leaving everyone without hot water—all for approximately fifteen minutes in the pool. The conversation eventually makes its way back to the present: Joy’s obsession with Patrick the cat, why guests at Ben and AJ’s ranch eventually become unpaid farmhands, another koi pond rebuild, experiencing Ben’s television premiere together, and the people, animals and little things bringing everyone some much-needed joy. In this episode: Joy returns to the ranch Recapping Ben’s premiere party The Whitney Houston cocktail Joy’s newest love: Patrick the cat The disastrous LA-to-Texas move U-Haul’s questionable definition of a “reservation” How Joy accidentally became part of the moving crew A 15-hour drive that became 21 hours AJ’s Penske truck that could barely climb a hill Traveling across the country with horses, dogs and a cat Joy’s two road-trip panic attacks Surviving El Paso Sleeping in a horse trailer Finally arriving at the new ranch Ben accidentally heating the pool to nearly 100 degrees Draining an entire propane tank overnight Why Joy is allowed to stay longer than most houseguests The ranch’s three requirements for an indoor cat Experiencing premiere night together What is bringing everyone joy right now 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

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #37

  It’s All Ben Leading Up to This

  Sep 15, 202627 minS2

  It’s officially premiere week. After months of filming, waiting, keeping secrets and counting down the days, Ben is just two days away from the premiere of The Traitors: New Blood —and it’s finally starting to feel real. This week, Ben reflects on what it feels like to finally reach a moment he’s spent years working toward. From seeing himself on billboards and magazine covers to getting recognized in public, becoming a meme and discovering just how deeply Traitors fans will investigate someone’s life online, the experience has been exciting, surreal—and occasionally terrifying. But for Ben, this moment represents something much bigger than appearing on a reality show. After years of acting, auditions, rejection, photography, podcasting and trying to build a career in entertainment, it’s an opportunity to do the thing he’s always wanted to do on a bigger scale: make people laugh. And with plenty of new people about to discover the podcast, Ben gives everyone a proper introduction to the life behind the cowboy hat: growing up in Minnesota, moving to Los Angeles, acting, becoming a headshot photographer, barrel racing, meeting AJ, buying a Texas ranch over FaceTime and somehow ending up with more than 70 animals. Then AJ joins Been There, Done That for a premiere-week check-in involving Ben’s now-famous cowboy hats, a potential new business venture, rescue kittens, a bakery employee who didn’t recognize Ben from his own professionally retouched photo, Ben becoming a meme, the temptation to read comments online—and, naturally, another complete redesign of the koi pond. The waiting is over. The train has left the station. Here we go. In this episode: The Traitors: New Blood premiere week What it feels like for Ben to finally reach this moment Why he’s trying not to wish the experience away Becoming recognizable in public for the first time Seeing himself on billboards, magazine covers and memes The good—and very bad—side of reading comments online Why making people laugh has always been the real dream A reintroduction to Ben for new listeners Growing up in Minnesota and moving to Los Angeles Acting, photography, barrel racing and podcasting Buying a Texas ranch over FaceTime Life with more than 70 animals AJ’s custom cowboy hats The bakery employee who didn’t recognize Ben from his own photo Becoming a meme AJ’s advice about staying off Reddit Why Ben is rebuilding the koi pond… again Getting ready for premiere night 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

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #36

  There’s Ben a Tumor Named Bubba (ft. Risa August)

  Sep 8, 202640 minS2

  This week on It’s Ben A Week , Ben sits down with author, speaker and endurance athlete Risa August for an incredible conversation about what happens when the life you carefully planned suddenly takes a completely different road. For nearly seven years, Risa knew something in her body wasn’t right. Despite unexplained weight gain, headaches, changes in her body and eventually debilitating symptoms, she says she was repeatedly told by doctors that she was fine. Finally, Risa insisted on an MRI—and one week later learned she had a tumor at the base of her brain and a rare disease called acromegaly. Brain surgery removed part of the tumor, but doctors discovered the remaining portion was wrapped around her carotid artery and couldn’t safely be removed. Faced with radiation, lifelong medication and a body she no longer recognized, Risa found herself sitting on her couch in a pair of “gnarly gray sweatpants” wondering what her life was supposed to look like now. Then she asked herself a different question: What can I do? Her answer? Ride a bicycle from Canada to Mexico. Risa shares how that 41-day journey changed her relationship with her body, perfectionism and the expectations she’d spent much of her life trying to meet. She also introduces Ben to “Bubba”—the name she gave the tumor she still lives with today—and explains why humor became part of how she reclaimed ownership over something that once terrified her. Ben and Risa talk about medical self-advocacy, resilience, humor as a coping mechanism, letting go of perfection, taking life’s biggest goals one tiny step at a time, and why changing your life doesn’t necessarily require changing everything overnight. In this episode: The symptoms Risa experienced for nearly seven years before her diagnosis Why she finally insisted that her doctor order an MRI Learning she had a brain tumor and acromegaly Brain surgery, radiation and discovering part of the tumor was inoperable Why Risa named her remaining tumor “Bubba” Going from Ironman athlete to struggling to get off the couch The “gnarly gray sweatpants” moment that changed her perspective Deciding to bike from Canada to Mexico Riding for 41 days with only a handful of rest days Letting go of perfection and the person she thought she was supposed to be Why humor can be powerful during life’s darkest moments The difference between a huge life change and taking one small step Risa’s award-winning book The Road Unpaved Choosing what “living” looks like every single day 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

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