John Tsiavis/Bravo
Shahs of Sunset star Mike Shouhed has found love again!
The Bravo star’s new relationship with girlfriend Paulina Ben-Cohen will be showcased on season eight of Shahs, which premieres tonight at 9 p.m., and it sounds like things are pretty serious.
“I found someone who I fell in love with,” Mike tells E! News exclusively. “She’s a phenomenal human being and I think that in a past life I must have been a really good boy because I found an amazing girl who stole my heart.”
Mike and Paulina were set up by a mutual friend and quickly bonded over their Persian-Jewish identities.
“We went on our first date, funny story, we had our first date at Taco Bell, which was not planned, and we sat at Taco Bell for hours talking and laughing and getting to know each other. It was amazing,” Mike revealed. “She didn’t want to tell me she’s vegan. Taco Bell actually has vegan beans and I didn’t know that so we went there for her to eat. I ordered everything on the menu and she’s like, ‘Can I also get one double decker taco with no meat ad extra beans?’ So here I’m like, ‘OK, that’s weird. This wasn’t enough food? I ordered $800 worth of Taco Bell.’ And she sat there and at her one taco while I gorged and we talked. It was really cool. And I found out she’s vegan, I found out a lot of things about her that made me fall in love with her.”
In the Shahs season eight trailer, Mike even hints that he’s ready to ask Paulina to marry him. While he won’t confirm if they’ll get engaged this season (“You gotta tune in to see”) he does see marriage in their future. “She’s definitely the one,” he gushed. “This will be the last person I will ever be with for the rest of my life.”
Mike has also tapped into his paternal side getting to know and bond with Paulina’s two children.
“She has two babies. It’s been amazing. It was something that I used to frown on before. I was like, ‘How are you gonna be a stepdad? That’s the most thankless position someone can have.’ But I realized that I couldn’t be more appreciated by the three of them if I tried. And it’s such a joy to watch two babies growing up in front of me and how smart and beautiful and wonderful they are. It’s amazing,” he explained.
“I wouldn’t necessarily call it fatherhood, I’m a positive role model in their lives,” Mike added. “I try to be their friend and encourage them and love on them and play with them and teach them right from wrong and watch them grow up to be good human beings who give back to society. They don’t even know how much more they give back to me than I give them because it’s so fulfilling to watch them grow up.”
Shahs of Sunset airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on Bravo.
(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family)