Behind the Filter

Our After Dark Edition is back for a new season! Ashley and I recap the summer, share a skin-care update, and talk through a bizarre streak of bad luck. Then it’s time for “the audacity”: a viral divorce grievance list, age-gap dating, strange DMs and unsolicited advice about how women should talk and dress. Our conversation then takes a heartfelt turn as we discuss an 80-year-old woman who held h...

This week on Behind the Filter , we sit down with Coumba Kebe, a Healthcare Executive and Democratic candidate for Indiana State Treasurer. A first-generation American who grew up in Franklin Township, Coumba explains why she left corporate healthcare, what pushed her into politics, and how she’d run an office that oversees roughly $16 billion. We talk Medicaid, transparency, voter turnout, and mo...

After six weeks completely off, I return to the podcast for my most raw, unfiltered, and emotionally transparent solo episode yet. August and September pushed me into pure survival mode. I break down why I went silent and open up about the devastating passing of my close friend, colleague, and WIBC Traffic Reporter, Matt. I also share how I had to walk through a second wave of heartbreak —and how...

What happens when you sit your Puerto Rican mom down in front of a microphone while on a family vacation? A LOT . From Río Piedras, Puerto Rico—with the natural chirps of the El Yunque rainforest coquís humming in the background— I sit down with my mom, Wanda, for one of the most eye-opening conversations about life. Wanda opens up about her family’s move from Mayagüez to Brooklyn, navigating an A...

In this episode of Behind the Filter , we sit down with Sierra for an honest conversation about her experience surviving sexual battery by a prominent local figure in the Indianapolis Latin dance scene. Sierra walks us through the night that changed everything, the emotional weight of self-blame, and the moment she found the courage to report her assault to law enforcement. Sierra’s Strength in sh...

In Part 3 of our ongoing investigation into the Troubled Teen Industry, Behind the Filter brings you the testimonies of survivors Isabella and Haven . Together, they pull back the curtain on Central Indiana Teen Challenge (CITC)—now operating as Refuge Girls Academy in Lebanon, Indiana—a facility facing serious accusations of abuse, trafficking, and forced labor from 35 women in an expanded federa...

In Part 2 of our deep dive into the "Troubled Teen Industry," we pull back the curtain on the expanded federal lawsuit against Central Indiana Teen Challenge (now operating as Refuge Girls Academy ). What was marketed to desperate parents as a safe, faith-based residential haven for struggling youth is now facing documented allegations of abuse, human trafficking, and forced labor. We take you ins...

The studio lights are hot, but the hot takes are hotter in this week’s unmedicated ADHD edition of Behind the Filter: After Dark . This week, we expose the wildest parts of our inbox—from self-righteous keyboard warriors attacking an unbiased news report, to a follower who went from "you're my savior" to "you suck" in a 24-hour weekend window. Then, we tackle the heavy stuff: Ashley opens up about...

In this week's episode of Behind the Filter: Unfiltered Weekly , we break down the newly amended federal lawsuit filed by CohenMalad, LLP against Central Indiana Teen Challenge (now operating as the Refuge Girls Academy) in Lebanon, Indiana. What was marketed to families as a safe, faith-based therapeutic sanctuary was, according to a federal complaint, a calculated trap of abuse, psychological br...

We are officially back in the studio, feeling normal, and completely on schedule! In this edition of Behind the Filter: After Dark, we dive headfirst into the internet drama we unwittingly sparked on TikTok after sharing our thoughts on AI relationships, break down China’s terrifying new $175,000 companion robot, debate the viral Chicago graduation split that went a little too far, and define the...

Welcome back to another episode of Behind the Filter: Unfiltered Weekly! In this newsy edition, we break down an indictment out of Tennessee that exposes the terrifying reality of NVE (Nihilistic Violent Extremist) groups like 764 targeting our kids online. Then, we shift gears to the trending psychological side effect dubbed "Ozempic Personality", plus, a look into the mind-blowing world of fully...

After a month-long disappearance due to some brutal immune system flare-ups (and a temporary loss of our voices), we are celebrating our 100th Episode Milestone the only way we know how: completely unfiltered and filled with pure chaos. In this special After Dark edition, Ashley gives us the hilarious and horrifying update on her return to Hinge at 39, We unpack the mind-blowing viral story of Sar...

Who do you think you are?" It’s a question most of us answer with our job titles or our family roles, but author and speaker Kat Perkins says those are often just identities handed to us by someone else. In this powerful follow-up episode, Kat returns to Behind the Filter to discuss the launch of her memoir, Girls With Pearls Have Power . She dives deep into framework—Identity Interference, Identi...

In this week’s After Dark edition of Behind the Filter , Ashley is joined by her Netflix Age of Attraction castmate, Michelle Yoswa. Michelle is pulling back the curtain on what it’s really like to be a "baddie" in her 50s navigating a dating pool of younger men. The ladies dive deep into the emotional rollercoaster of the show, including the hilarious "big spoon" yoga moment that led to Michelle’...

The world knows her as the "39-year-old virgin" from Netflix’s Age of Attraction , but there is so much more to Ashley’s story than a viral headline. In this kickoff to our special Age of Attraction After Dark series, we’re peeling back the filters and diving deep into the deleted scenes that finally tell the whole truth. Plus, we introduce our official series sponsor, Zero FKS Drinks . We’re talk...

In this deeply personal and technical episode, we sit down with Megan Tomlinson to discuss a journey that feels like it was written for a true crime script—except it was her reality. Megan spent years teaching herself Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) to help find missing persons, never realizing she would eventually use those exact tools to solve her own mother’s murder. We also pull back the curt...

The filter is coming all the way off! This week, Johnette and Ashley took the podcast on the road to the award-winning 3UP Rooftop Lounge in Carmel, Indiana. Joining the table is the hilariously unfiltered Erin from the Netflix hit show Age of Attraction . The ladies dive deep into why women often feel the need to "tone it down" for men, the hilarious "grandpa words" that kill the mood instantly,...

This week on Unfiltered Weekly we dive into the disappearance of April Marie Garcia who walked out of her home on the South Side of Indianapolis on April 1, 2025 and hasn't been seen since. She left behind her identification, her cell phone, and the life-saving epilepsy medication she needs to survive. For nearly a year, her family has been trapped in a nightmare of unanswered questions, cruel ran...

While the cameras only captured a glimpse of her time on screen, on Age of Attraction; Ashley’s story was far too powerful to stay hidden. In an inspiring masterclass on reclaiming your narrative, Ashley took to TikTok to share her authentic truth—her proud choice to remain a virgin until marriage at 39. What started as a personal moment of vulnerability blossomed into a global sensation, capturin...

What does it mean to truly "push pause" for inclusion? In honor of Disability Awareness Month , we sit down with Yolanda Kincaid , CEO of Sycamore Services , to discuss the vital work of supporting Hoosiers with intellectual and developmental disabilities. From "First Steps" therapies for infants to navigating the daunting "cliff" of adulthood at age 22, Yolanda shares how Sycamore has spent 65 ye...

In this "After Dark" edition, Ashley and Johnette dive into the darkest, weirdest, and most controversial corners of social media and reality TV. We’re moving past "emotional support chickens" and diving straight into a habit that left us speechless: a woman addicted to the scent of her father’s dirty laundry. Then, we shift gears to a chilling investigation into a modern-day "segregation" settlem...

In this Unfiltered Weekly edition of Behind the Filter , Johnette Cruz pulls back the curtain on the Indiana Department of Correction. What started as a viral TikTok investigation has evolved into a massive archive of harrowing testimonials from former staff, medical professionals, and families of the incarcerated. From allegations of sexual assault and retaliation, Johnette explores why the syste...

In this unfiltered "After Dark" edition, we are back to tackle everything from health hurdles to the latest viral tea. We’re diving deep into the tech-side of wellness, updating you on the latest viral stories, recapping the messiest moments of Love is Blind and reacting to the viral "Kitty Sunning" trend.

Behind the filter of the latest headlines lies a sobering reality: child fatalities in Indiana are on the rise. In this episode, we sit down with Nicholle Probst , Senior Director of Childhood Development and Safety at Prevent Child Abuse Indiana , to move beyond the numbers and into action. Following the release of the 2024 DCS Child Fatalities Report and the heartbreaking national case of Hailey...

In this episode of Behind the Filter , I’m pulling back the curtain and giving you a "fly on the wall" seat at my latest appointment with functional health expert Ashley from Total Body Wellness . We get real about navigating a three-week holiday setback and how recent illness impacted my lean muscle mass and lab results. Ashley explains the fascinating science of the gut-brain axis, revealing how...