Call Her Daddy — “Dancing With the Stars: Whitney & Mark’s Final Dance”

Host: Alex Cooper
Guests: Whitney Levitt & Mark Ballas
Release Date: November 27, 2025

Overview

Alex Cooper brings a landmark, emotionally charged episode recorded live at the Avalon Theater in Hollywood, diving deep with Whitney Levitt and Mark Ballas, fan-favorite and controversial contestants eliminated from the Dancing with the Stars semifinals. The episode explores raw emotions around reality TV fame, public scrutiny, online bullying, and the behind-the-scenes truth of what it means to be at the center of a national reality TV storm. Alex leads a candid, unfiltered conversation about ambition, internet hate, female empowerment, friendship, and the human toll of viral controversy, culminating in a bittersweet “final dance” together.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Whitney’s Emotional Rollercoaster Post-Elimination (06:04–09:11)

• Whitney describes feeling both grateful and heartbroken, likening the end of DWTS to “a huge breakup.”
• She never expected to progress so far:

  "At the end of every dance, I just wanted to soak it all in... I wasn't prepared for [elimination]." (06:10, Whitney)

2. The Internet Divide: Fan Love vs. Hate (07:04–08:29)

• Alex highlights the virality of Whitney’s elimination, noting TikToks declaring "the war is over."
• Whitney admits hate doesn’t surprise her anymore due to her "villain" edit on Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.
• The panel discusses how reality TV personas bleed into new projects and the persistent impact of online narratives.

3. Dancing with Reputation: Reality TV Crossover (09:13–11:10)

• Whitney recounts being cast as the villain for minor, “petty” disputes on Secret Lives, shaping the public’s expectations of her on DWTS.
• She’s honest about regretted moments, but acknowledges there’s no “rewind” in reality TV.

4. Dance Experience Controversy (12:29–14:08)

• Whitney clarifies that her “modern dance degree” is a creative, non-ballroom background, not a professional competitive dance résumé, and wasn’t actively dancing since having kids.

  “Dancing with a partner in this capacity is so new to me… Of course [my background] helped, but this was still very new to me.” (13:00, Whitney)

5. Media Backlash & Intentions on Secret Lives (15:01–17:07)

• Whitney is honest that rejoining Secret Lives was a strategic move for a DWTS audition, not just for the “sisterhood.” She owns this ambition unapologetically.

  “I was very honest, very clear. I wasn't trying to mislead or be sneaky about anything.” (15:51)

• She addresses how this bluntness was controversial and potentially alienated castmates.

6. Friendships, Alliances & On-Camera Drama (20:19–25:20)

• Whitney discusses her relationship with fellow contestant Jen Affleck—strained by overlapping ambitions and show controversy.

• She describes relief and guilt over Jen’s elimination and confirms there’s ongoing off-camera tension to be revealed on next season’s show.

• On alliances: Whitney feels closest now to Demi, Layla, and, surprisingly, Michaela:

  “I’m very, very grateful, like, where we’re at right now in our relationship.” (25:20)

7. Mark Ballas: Returning to Dance, Loss & Renewal (29:10–32:54)

• Mark shares his journey back to DWTS, including breaks due to injury, family plans, and personal loss (a miscarriage during a previous season).

  “After that one, I was like, maybe I’m done… In the moment, I made an emotional decision.” (31:37, Mark)

• He reveals his comeback is motivated by his son, wanting to perform again at a level his son can be proud of.

8. Partnership Dynamics & Online Hate (34:54–37:17)

• Whitney & Mark bond quickly but find the toughest hurdle is navigating online negativity together:

  “The hardest thing... was the hate that we got online... Having someone I loved and care about so much experience that, like, in turn hurt me.” (35:13, Whitney)

9. Dance Contest Strategy, Improvement, and Judging (36:49–41:17)

• Mark explains, contrary to online discourse, “someone with dance experience” is common every season and performance quality is innate:

  “You’re born with that. You walk in the room, you’re like, let’s get it.” (37:56, Mark)

• Mark’s coaching philosophy: always strive for improvement, regardless of how strong a contestant starts.

10. Ticket Giveaway Controversy Addressed (41:17–43:28)

• Mark and Whitney candidly discuss the misinterpreted ticket giveaway, clarify it was innocent and involved no quid pro quo for votes, and acknowledge accountability for not running it higher up the DWTS ladder.

11. Rapid-Fire Reflections: Dances, Judges, and Regrets (47:09–49:50)

• Both agree Argentine Tango was the toughest (47:13) and most injury-prone (47:36) dance.
• Whitney openly names the second Cha Cha as their biggest “robbed” moment, missing a perfect score (48:56).
• On judges: Carrie Ann was the harshest toward the end; Mark condemns online backlash toward her, emphasizing “tearing down a woman doing her job is not acceptable.” (50:20)

12. The Semifinal Elimination — What Happened? (50:50–54:32)

• Both sensed something “felt off” the night of elimination.
• While their scores were high, Whitney wonders if Secret Lives drama split public opinion (“either really loved me for that or really hated me for that” — 52:47).
• Mark reflects on the unpredictability of public voting, saying, “sometimes this shit happens.” (53:09)

13. Social Media Gamification: Fans Banding Together (54:50–56:17)

• Alex details how, uniquely this season, online communities coordinated to vote against Mark and Whitney, orchestrating a “banishment.”
• Mark and Whitney only realized the active voting loophole (“vote for everyone but them”) around week five.

14. The Human Cost of Hate — Reading the Worst Comments (57:34–60:34)

• Mark painfully reads a real hate message:

  “Are you that cheap of a cunt… you’re completely worthless, and I hope you fucking burn in hell one day.” (57:53, Mark)

• Whitney admits internalizing blame and becoming desensitized, the worst part being witnessing a friend hurt.

• Alex:

  “I'm starting to believe... we have to turn the conversation to the people watching... At what point are we all the problem?” (65:11, Alex)

15. Ambition, Double Standards & Misogyny (60:34–62:57)

• Whitney challenges the narrative that ambition is “arrogance” for women.

  “You mean if I was a man? Yeah, I think it would have been fine.” (62:10, Whitney)

16. Support Networks & The Toll on Cast Members (62:58–63:51)

• Many other contestants silently suffered from online vitriol, but Mark and Whitney agree theirs was the most intense.

17. What’s Next? Broadway, Movies, and More (68:33–69:18)

• Whitney teases her first movie role and hints at bringing a favorite dance “to life” in a new project, to be announced the following Monday.

Notable & Memorable Quotes

• Whitney: “At the end of every dance, I just wanted to soak it all in...I wasn't prepared for [elimination].” (06:10)
• Whitney: “With seasons one and two, we can say it as it is. I’m, like, the quote unquote villain.” (09:34)
• Whitney: “I was very honest, very clear. I wasn’t trying to mislead or be sneaky about anything.” (15:51)
• Mark: “I think the hardest thing in our relationship was the hate that we got online.” (35:13)
• Mark: “You’re born with that [performance quality]. When you walk in the room, you’re like, let's get it.” (37:56)
• Whitney: “There would be a day where maybe it really got to me. And then Mark would be like, no, let's put great work out on that stage.” (56:43)
• Mark (reading hate comment): “Are you that cheap of a cunt… you’re completely worthless, and I hope you fucking burn in hell one day.” (57:53)
• Alex: “At what point are we all the problem, and we are creating this thing online that is like, it's not fun anymore, guys…” (65:11)
• Whitney: “You mean if I was a man? Yeah, I think it would have been fine.” (62:10)
• Alex: “We have to turn the conversation to the people watching... At what point are we all the problem?” (65:11)
• Mark (on Carrie Ann): “Tearing a woman down that's doing her job is not acceptable.” (50:22)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:40–02:55: Alex opens, sets the stage for the landmark live recording and the controversy's scale.
• 05:43–14:08: Whitney on emotions post-elimination, reality TV villainy, dance background, and building the narrative.
• 15:01–17:07: The Secret Lives controversy—ambition and honesty about wanting to do Dancing with the Stars.
• 21:01–25:20: Addressing drama with Jen Affleck, Mom Talk alliances, and friendship shifts.
• 29:10–32:54: Mark’s raw, personal reasons for returning to DWTS, including family and injury.
• 35:13–36:43: How partnership and handling hate became a central challenge.
• 41:17–43:28: Ticket giveaway controversy—an honest account and accountability.
• 47:09–49:50: Rapid-fire insights—hardest/most proud dances, judging, and missed perfect scores.
• 50:50–54:32: The night of elimination—sensing something was “off” and post-Secret Lives blowback.
• 54:50–56:43: Alex and Mark discuss strategic “anti-voting” online through coordinated campaigns.
• 57:34–60:48: The toll of hate—reading real hateful messages.
• 62:10–62:57: Conversation about ambition, misogyny, and double standards in reality television.
• 68:33–69:18: Whitney teases new projects in movies and dance.

Tone and Atmosphere

• Honest, vulnerable, and often raw: Guests and host openly discuss pain, backlash, and emotional exhaustion.
• Supportive and empowering: The tone consistently affirms vulnerability and ambition, especially around female confidence and goals.
• Candid and unfiltered: The episode surfaces “off-camera” truths, including the emotional aftermath of social media hate.
• Humorous and loving in moments: Banter and camaraderie, particularly in the Mark & Whitney dynamic and the rapid-fire games, lighter the mood.
• Reflective and hopeful at conclusion: They aim to spark a conversation about internet culture and hope for positive change.

Final Noteworthy Moment

The Episode’s Message:
Both the host and guests plead for a cultural reset in how viewers engage with reality TV—reminding listeners of the humanity behind the screen and calling for a new “domino effect” of kindness.

Whitney’s closing words:

“Maybe strive to be the person to be the domino effect to not be the hate online... Let's create the other domino effect.” (66:48)

Listen if you want:

• A candid, behind-the-scenes account of reality TV’s emotional toll
• Insight into DWTS, voting controversy, and internet mob dynamics
• Thoughtful reflections on ambition, misogyny, and friendship
• Direct exploration of how virality and hate shape real people—sometimes with devastating effect

End Summary