Chicks in the Office | Danielle Fishel Spills on 'DWTS' Exit, Judges Feedback, Closest Friendships + More!
Podcast: Chicks in the Office
Hosts: Ria & Fran (Barstool Sports)
Release Date: November 14, 2025
Guest: Danielle Fishel
Episode Overview
This episode is a pop culture extravaganza with Danielle Fishel (of "Boy Meets World" and "Dancing With the Stars" fame) as the marquee guest. Ria and Fran begin with trending news—engagements, TV/film release dates, and social media chatter about stars like Dolores Catania, Sabrina Carpenter, and Sydney Sweeney. In the “Popcorner” listener hotline segment, the Chicks ponder hot takes about reality TV stars and celebrity friendships. The episode crescendos with an in-depth, intimate, and humorous interview with Danielle Fishel focusing on her "Dancing With the Stars" journey, the chaos of rehearsals and home life, reality TV behind the scenes, the toll fame takes online, and the joys and challenges of close friendships formed through competition. The episode wraps with pop culture trivia.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Pop Culture News & Hot Takes (03:56–37:11)
Dolores Catania’s Engagement & Real Housewives
- The Chicks discuss RHONJ’s Dolores Catania’s engagement to Paulie Connell and his sentimental Apple Store proposal.
- Fran: “He did propose at the Apple Store, which I know had a lot of people like, I’m sorry, what? … But to find out that’s where they met, it all makes sense.” (04:36)
- They speculate about wedding planning drama (both Dolores and her son planning at the same time) and the future of Real Housewives of New Jersey.
Upcoming TV Shows & Movies
- Anticipation for The Traitors (Jan 8), Tell Me Lies (Jan 13), Sabrina Carpenter’s Alice in Wonderland, and The Devil Wears Prada 2.
- Fran: “Having shows I can watch week to week… genuinely fill me with so much excitement...It’s going to be such a fucking ride. I cannot wait.” (10:12)
- Casting rumors for live-action Disney adaptations, including fan debates over who should play Rapunzel.
Book Talk
- Fran reviews The Teacher by Frieda McFadden: “All of the twists and turns were just right at the end...I have no idea how to digest any of that.” (15:15)
- Love for Frida McFadden’s books, noting the similar formulaic appeal.
Casting and Streaming Rumors
- Trivia about The Traitors cast overlaps with Dancing With the Stars, including Mark from DWTS appearing on both.
- The excitement for Sabrina Carpenter’s career moves and her “duh” fit as Alice.
Popcorner: Listener Hot Takes & Opinions (18:20–37:11)
Kyle Richards’ Reality TV Image
- Hot take: Is RHOBH “below” Kyle? The Chicks disagree, crediting reality TV for making many stars, including the Kardashians.
- Fran: “Her brand is so Real Housewives of Beverly Hills…she’s been on it for so long.” (20:35)
Miles Teller & Taylor Swift Friendship ‘Break-up’
- Listeners note Miles Teller’s uncertainty about being invited to Taylor’s wedding, sparking speculation.
- Fran: “Something happened. Must have happened.” (22:53)
- Theories about falling out, but caution against jumping to conclusions.
Sydney Sweeney “Flop” Discourse
- Caller says Sweeney isn’t leading lady material.
- Ria and Fran analyze the film’s lack of promotion, the fickle nature of critics/fans, and Sweeney’s polarizing public persona.
- Fran: “She really does shine in certain things...Sometimes a great actor has a great role and the movie still sucks.” (33:29)
- Discussion about the disproportionate scrutiny female stars face.
- Ria: “Most of the time, it is by other women…It’s a weird conversation…” (32:45)
INTERVIEW: Danielle Fishel on ‘Dancing With the Stars’ & More (38:27–100:00)
Life on Dancing With the Stars: Grueling Schedules
- Danielle details the intense, 7-days-a-week commitment: rehearsals, interviews, wardrobe, family juggling.
- Danielle: “Eventually it becomes about six hours of dance rehearsal time…then if you’re not feeling like you’re getting enough...you go to an outside studio and you rehearse more…then you have wardrobe fittings, interviews, body care. That’s a minimum of an hour to your day, sometimes two…” (39:22)
- On mental/physical exhaustion and sneaking in more practice outside allowed hours.
Balancing Family & DWTS Pressure (43:21)
- Danielle shares the impact DWTS had on her young children.
- Notable Moment: Her 6-year-old told his teacher Danielle had “died” because she was always gone—the story went viral.
- Danielle: “He told his teacher, ‘Well, you know, my mom died.’ And she was like, ‘I have not heard anything about this.’” (44:12)
Juggling Podcasts, Fame & Criticism
- Danielle adds a new podcast to her schedule, often recording at 10pm after a full DWTS show day.
- Talks about the exhausting adrenaline cycle (“I’m never asleep before 1am” after a show night.) (48:00)
- On listening to herself constantly: “You develop a certain amount of callus...and things just have a tendency to bounce off those calluses a little bit more.” (53:59)
- On online comments: overwhelming positivity, but describes one “bad Reddit night.”
DWTS Packages, Storytelling & Missed Nuance
- Danielle reveals frustration about producers oversimplifying her story as “about cancer,” missing the true meaning of her emotional contemporary routine.
- Danielle: “The story was actually very much about outside noise, societal noise, Internet noise—even just from other women…never feeling like we’re good enough or being too much...all of the choreography was literally directly about that.” (61:30)
- She speculates the edit may have aimed to “protect” her, but laments missing an opportunity to discuss women’s struggles with self-doubt and criticism.
The Reality TV Arc & Refusing Sob Stories
- Danielle intentionally downplays her cancer and hamstring injury, wary of being seen as seeking “sympathy votes.” (67:36)
Judges’ Feedback & Internet Chatter
- Danielle wants constructive feedback—even criticism—because it shows “I believe in you, I think you’re capable.”
- Addresses her viral interaction with judge Carrie Ann Inaba:
- Danielle: “If you don’t give me feedback, I’m gonna assume you’re thinking, ‘Good job, sweetie.’ I don’t want that.” (70:54)
- Fran & Ria discuss how fans’ passion now affects judges’ public responses.
- Danielle affirms she wasn’t offended by Carrie Ann’s “you’re tiny” comment and appreciates public apologies, even when unnecessary. (73:25)
Camaraderie & Competition Among Contestants
- Danielle describes strong friendships and mutual support:
- “Next thing you know, you are just bleeding for every one of these people and wanting them to succeed…” (77:29)
- She bonded especially with Dylan, even creating “spreadsheets” for team picks.
- Close friendship with her pro partner Pasha, and admiration for Daniella: “Having one of them is like having both of them...Danny calls him Buddha. And he is. He’s basically like Buddha.” (81:06)
DWTS Gender Dynamics & Ballroom Tradition
- The Show’s Challenges: Women’s roles are more technically demanding in ballroom, raising questions about scoring parity.
- Danielle: “The men are supposed to be the frame to the woman’s picture…So by virtue of the actual sport, women have to do more and be shinier…” (90:17)
Fun Backstage Anecdotes
- Behind the scenes with returning champs, alliances over dinner, and Joey Fatone flipping mid-dance in the relay (much to Alex Earl’s dismay!).
Getting Sabrina Carpenter’s Song for DWTS
- Danielle describes the process of securing a Sabrina Carpenter track thanks to her close friendship, bypassing normal licensing hurdles:
- Danielle: “The minute I found out I was doing Dancing with the Stars, the first people I told were Sabrina, Ryder and Will…Sabrina was so excited. She was like, ‘Yeah, just let me know.’” (97:19)
- Danielle’s relationship with her fans and friends is a recurring theme: humility, loyalty, and gratitude.
Would Danielle Do ‘Traitors’?
- Fran encourages her to join another reality show. Danielle hesitates, admitting she’s not a good liar and would prefer being a “faithful” if she ever joined.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On DWTS burnout:
Danielle, 39:22: “And I was, like, counting in my sleep. I was like, 1, 2, 3...Is there ever a break from this?” -
On her son’s viral quote:
Danielle, 44:12: “‘He told his teacher, ‘Well, you know, my mom died.’ ... I was like, what could be more honest than like, he’s just telling me that he’s six.’” -
On constructive feedback:
Danielle, 70:54: “If you don’t give me feedback, I’m gonna assume you’re thinking, ‘Good job, sweetie.’ I don’t want that. I want feedback—I want you to believe in me.” -
On internet calluses:
Danielle, 53:59: “You develop a certain amount of callus...things just have a tendency to kind of bounce off those calluses a little bit more.” -
On balancing it all:
Danielle, 48:00: “There was never a day that I was like, I'm just not going to see the kids. So I would...Every seven days a week my alarm goes off at 5:30 in the morning and I would be up. Whether I went to bed at one or two.” -
On DWTS gender expectations:
Danielle, 90:11: “The men are supposed to be the frame to the woman’s picture. So, by virtue of the actual sport, women have to do more and be shinier than the men, for sure.”
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Dolores Catania engagement, RHONJ speculation: 03:56–08:20
- 2025 Pop culture release dates/rumors: 08:22–14:00
- Sabrina Carpenter casting live-action: 10:27–14:00
- Popcorner (voicemails, hot takes): 18:20–37:11
- Kyle Richards, Miles Teller, Sydney Sweeney
- Danielle Fishel Interview: 38:27–100:00
- DWTS schedule/behind the scenes: 39:22–41:39
- Family struggles, “my mom died” story: 43:21–47:14
- Judges’ feedback, subreddit drama: 51:15–54:44
- Dance storytelling, cancer package controversy: 57:32–67:36
- Sob stories & reality TV: 67:36–68:53
- Judges’ perception and Carrie Ann interaction: 70:11–75:03
- Friendships and alliances: 75:29–84:25
- On Sabrina Carpenter’s song clearance: 97:19–99:30
- Pop culture trivia game: 101:37–127:45
Tone & Style
Warm, witty, and self-deprecating throughout—Ria and Fran are candid and encourage guests to be the same. Danielle is open, reflective, and engaging, mixing in vulnerability, humor, and thoughtful commentary about the highs and lows of public life and competition. The energy is that of a sleepover with two best friends and a beloved guest.
Summary Takeaway
This packed episode offers fans all things pop culture, with a deep dive into what it’s really like to compete on Dancing With the Stars—from the exhaustion and sacrifices to the unbreakable friendships, backstage politics, and fame’s personal cost. Danielle Fishel shines as an earnest, hardworking, and self-aware guest who values authenticity above all. The Chicks’ open and unfiltered conversation, peppered with listener input and memorable pop culture moments, make this episode both insightful and highly entertaining, whether you’re a DWTS superfan or just along for the ride.