Everything’s Perfect… On Set

Summary

Everything's Perfect Podcast – Episode: "Everything’s Perfect… On Set"
Release Date: June 3, 2025

In this vibrant and candid episode of Everything’s Perfect, hosts Autumn Calabrese and Donald Stamper peel back the curtain on their experiences working on various fitness and wellness program sets. Through a blend of humor, heartfelt stories, and insightful reflections, they offer listeners an authentic glimpse into the reality of on-set life beyond the glamorous facade.

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1. The Reality of Being on Set

Donald sets the tone early, dispelling the myth of the perpetual glitz associated with set life:

“[00:37] Donald L. Smith: …it can also be stressful. It can also be chaotic. It could be long and tiring. And this is definitely not us complaining. It's just that, like, it's a job, it's real life.”

Autumn adds her perspective on the relentless commitment required:

“[01:03] Autumn Calabrese: …if you show up every day for three months, some days you're having a lot of fun and some days it's the last thing you want to do.”

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2. Growing Comfortable in Front of the Camera

Both hosts share their journeys toward feeling at ease on camera. Donald reflects on his early struggles and the influence of Brooke Burke:

“[04:08] Donald L. Smith: …imagine my best friend standing behind it.”

Meanwhile, Autumn discusses overcoming stage fright by treating the camera like an audience she’s familiar with:

“[06:27] Autumn Calabrese: …being myself, talking like I would to anybody.”

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3. Deep Dive: 80 Day Obsession Set

a. Technical Rehearsals and Live Audience Pressures

Donald recounts the intensity of technical rehearsals with multiple cameras and a live audience:

“[07:04] Donald L. Smith: …we had five cameras and the CEO is there, and everybody's like, sort of on us because they've never done it before.”

b. Physical Challenges and Pushing Limits

A memorable moment unfolds when Autumn nearly succumbs to exhaustion during a rehearsal:

“[07:48] Autumn Calabrese: …I was like, this might be the end. Because I was short of breath.”

Donald encourages her resilience:

“[08:00] Donald L. Smith: …you have to show up and show out, because that's it.”

c. Wardrobe Woes and Styling Choices

The duo humorously discusses the less-than-stellar outfit selections:

“[14:36] Donald L. Smith: …they literally look like 1970s wallpaper.”

Autumn appreciates the practicality behind the wardrobe choices:

“[15:22] Autumn Calabrese: …it was about what worked together and went together.”

d. Behind-the-Scenes Camaraderie and Pranks

The close-knit cast shares amusing anecdotes, such as teasing each other about quirky habits:

“[12:47] Donald L. Smith: Katrina, girl, we love you, but pick your panties up.”

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4. Personal Anecdotes and Lessons Learned

a. Overcoming Set Challenges

Autumn shares a moment of vulnerability when she had to continue the workout despite feeling unwell:

“[17:24] Autumn Calabrese: …I threw up in my mouth, but I swallowed it.”

This highlights the perseverance required to maintain a positive on-screen presence.

b. Handling Conflicts Professionally

Donald recounts a tense moment with a production team member and how he chose to remain composed:

“[31:18] Donald L. Smith: …I actually was really proud of myself for not fighting back.”

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5. Expanding Horizons: Other Program Sets

a. 21 Day Fix Real Time and Extreme Real Time

Switching gears, the hosts discuss working on "21 Day Fix Real Time" and "21 Day Fix Extreme," highlighting smoother set experiences but still facing unique challenges:

“[27:00] Donald L. Smith: …Cupcake and Daniel, those two would, like, bicker like, and subscribe.”

b. Background Roles and Unexpected Opportunities

Donald shares his background acting experiences, including a humorous take on being typecast:

“[52:38] Donald L. Smith: …look dead. So you can't even, like, move your chest when you breathe.”

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6. Serendipitous Connections: Meeting Nell

A standout personal story emerges as Autumn and Donald discuss how their on-set relationship blossomed into a meaningful partnership:

“[47:12] Donald L. Smith: …you guys were not like, the biggest fan of that sometimes you felt was being a little bossy and it wasn't me.”

Autumn elaborates on the initial setup and their gradual connection:

“[50:20] Autumn Calabrese: …my first time seeing him walk through in his sequins suit with no shirt under his jacket…he was just really taking up space and giving different representation.”

Their story underscores the unexpected friendships and romances that can develop in the high-pressure environment of filming.

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7. Encounters with Celebrities and Unique Set Moments

Both hosts reminisce about their interactions with notable personalities and unique set experiences:

• Autumn recalls an episode with Trisha Yearwood and a surprise visit from Garth Brooks dressed as Darth Vader:

  “[59:53] Autumn Calabrese: …I was Pee Wee Herman Munster.”

• Donald shares a light-hearted memory from filming a Kia commercial:

  “[53:36] Donald L. Smith: …filming during the night was taking forever to get the background cast part.”

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8. Looking Ahead: Future Programs and Ideas

As the episode winds down, Donald hints at future workout program ideas without divulging specifics, while Autumn expresses enthusiasm for potential new challenges:

“[61:32] Autumn Calabrese: …I'll show up.”

Their playful banter suggests continued innovation and collaboration, keeping listeners excited for what's next.

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Conclusion

"Everything’s Perfect… On Set" offers a heartfelt and humorous exploration of what it's truly like to work behind the scenes on fitness and wellness programs. Through shared experiences, Autumn and Donald not only demystify the production process but also highlight the personal growth, camaraderie, and unexpected joys that come with being on set. Whether navigating wardrobe malfunctions, handling on-camera pressures, or forging lasting relationships, their stories resonate with authenticity and inspire listeners to embrace the imperfect journey toward personal and professional fulfillment.

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Notable Quotes:

• “[00:37] Donald L. Smith: …it can also be stressful. It can also be chaotic. It could be long and tiring.”

• “[04:08] Donald L. Smith: …imagine my best friend standing behind it.”

• “[07:04] Donald L. Smith: …we had five cameras and the CEO is there, and everybody's like, sort of on us because they've never done it before.”

• “[17:24] Autumn Calabrese: …I threw up in my mouth, but I swallowed it.”

• “[47:12] Donald L. Smith: …you guys were not like, the biggest fan of that sometimes you felt was being a little bossy and it wasn't me.”

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For more authentic conversations and inspiring stories, subscribe to Everything’s Perfect and join Autumn and Donald on their journey toward embracing the beautifully imperfect aspects of life.

Transcript

[Autumn Calabrese]

Welcome back, everybody, to another episode of Everything's Perfect, where today we're going to talk about Everything's perfect on set.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yes.

[Autumn Calabrese]

You know, we have a lot of experience on sets together on beachbody slash body sets. And we also both have some experience on sets outside of that. And I just thought it'd be fun to share a little bit of behind the scenes and what your experience has been and sort of what our thoughts are and just share it with everybody.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah, I think this is a fun one because, you know, if you're not ever on a set or in that world, it probably seems like super glamorous. Oh my gosh. And it can be at times, but it can also be stressful. It can also be chaotic. It could be long and tiring. And this is definitely not us complaining. It's just that, like, it's. It's a job, it's real life.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. There's a whole reality around and. And especially it's cool because with. Especially with 80 day obsession and also the real time 21 day. Fix real time and fix extreme real time. For me, we had to show up every day. And the truth is, if you show up every day for three months, you. Some days you're having a lot of fun and some days it's the last thing you want to do. But you always have to show up for the camera.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah.

[Autumn Calabrese]

It's a different kind of having to show up for work and really, like.

[Donald L. Smith]

Just like real life is happening no matter what. So like you have to perform, you have to be your best. Doesn't matter what's going on in your personal life.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

For that time that that camera is rolling, you better have all the energy. You better have. Well, you have some great faces.

[Autumn Calabrese]

I never knew I made faces until I record, until I filmed.

[Donald L. Smith]

They're fantastic.

[Autumn Calabrese]

I had no ide.

[Donald L. Smith]

That's so good. Okay, so where should we even dive in? I mean, gosh, there's so many question for you. Yeah.

[Autumn Calabrese]

When did you. That you can remember realizing, okay, I want to work in front of a camera.

[Donald L. Smith]

I was little.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

Like, I probably four. I wanted to be Madonna.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Wow.

[Donald L. Smith]

Like, I would play her music videos. Like I had a VHS of her music videos and I would play them over and over again. And growing up in the 80s, we had such amazing movies. Like, it was like Girls Just Want to have Fun and Dirty Dancing and Flash Dance and like Adventures in Babysitting. And I just always, like, just loved it. I loved watching the movies, but I also loved watching the music videos and I Just wanted to do that. I loved the way those people made me feel.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah, the same for me, especially with music, it was always a little mixed. Like probably mostly in my adolescence, I wanted to perform live, like sing in front of large audiences. And it wasn't until later I was that I felt comfortable in front of a camera. And actually 80 day was a really big thing to help me with that because at one point in my early 20s, I was a part of something that had a lot of on camera stuff I had to do. It was called the CW Star. And that was like a local network that played like all the shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all that stuff. And so it was like a local competition and I was doing really well in the competition. But their critique was that I was excellent in all of the in person events and that I just didn't shine on camera. And so somewhere I started to believe that about myself. I was like, well, damn. Because it is totally different.

[Donald L. Smith]

In front of the camera is so hard. Like you. We see it all the time with talent where like people audition really well and then you turn the camera on and they go deer in the headlights. It's hard. Yeah, I. Okay, so for me, kind of same thing. Great. In person. Da da da. I remember taking my first acting classes here in la and like, we would get up and do our scene great. And they would turn that damn camera on and then we'd have to watch them back, which is the most uncomfortable thing. And I'd always think to myself, like, oh, why do I sound so. Like I'm reading a script? Like, why don't I sound like me? Because in my head I feel like I'm talking. Like, I would talk. And it wasn't until I started actually working with Brooke Burke for her YouTube channel, modernmom.com. this was years ago. And I would watch Brooke in front of the camera. And she was a natural. She was like, so good. And I really give her credit for me learning. I mean, she didn't know, but I would just study her and watch her. And I was like, oh, the camera is her best friend. When she's talking, talking to the camera, it might as well be Donald. Oh my gosh, I'm so excited you're here today. I. I have to tell you about this product that I use that is so good because you're gonna want it. Like, that's where I learned to stop looking at it like a video camera and like, let the camera fade away and imagine my best friend standing behind it.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah, that's really interesting. And that makes sense. It's funny because just sitting here while I'm thinking about it, doing 80 day obsession and then meeting people in person who did 80 day obsession. When I came back and filmed other programs, I felt like all of a sudden I could connect with an audience. And that's really what's missing when you're. When you're, like me, comfortable in front of a live crowd, but in front of a camera, you can sort of lose that. So that really helped because it was like. It was like I could be comfortable talking with people instead of feeling like I'm talking to myself or a lens in front of me.

[Donald L. Smith]

Right.

[Autumn Calabrese]

So that makes sense. And also, like, just talking. I remember when I. When I had a little bit of stage fright, talking about the best friend thing. I remembered because my first job. Well, my first real, like, legal job, when. Because my parents had me working before you could do. Before you could do. Get a worker's permit where you could walk. Yeah. But when I could get a worker's permit, my first job was waiting tables at Bob Evans. And, um, my. I was. I had to start doing things on stage with a microphone. And one of my friends was like, just talk to the audience. Like, you're talking. Like you're greeting a table.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah.

[Autumn Calabrese]

You don't know the table, but you just come up, you present yourself. Hey, guys. And that really helped me. And. And then that helped me, too. Once I was comfortable in front of the camera, just being myself, talking like I would to anybody.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah. Just translating over to, like, this is just how I would talk to people.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. It's interesting. But I'm really. It's also really fun now. I live for it.

[Donald L. Smith]

Oh, it's so fun. But it's still work.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yes, totally.

[Donald L. Smith]

So let's talk about. Okay. Because we have, like, a million past experiences. Like, let's. Should we start with the ones together? Should we start with, like, 80 day obsession?

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

Together on set.

[Autumn Calabrese]

I'm here for it.

[Donald L. Smith]

Okay, so first of all, before we ever get on set, you guys got to remember, like, I'm putting in six months to a year of work on a program on my own. So, like, day one on set for me is day a bazillion. Like, I'm not new to it. I'm very familiar with it. Like, I know what I'm doing. Dee's got his phone on. That's cool. Mine's vibrating under my ass right now. It's perfect.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Sounds fun.

[Donald L. Smith]

So we had, like, rehearsals leading up to 80 day that was humbling.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Hard humbling. Especially though there's one rehearsal. There's footage of it somewhere where I almost. The camera tech rehearsal.

[Donald L. Smith]

It was rehearsal.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Oh, my gosh. And I was like, donald, you got to push through. But I was like, I might be pushing through to the other side right now. Like, this might be the end. Because I was short of breath.

[Donald L. Smith]

I was like, I want to give you a little credit on that. You had driven practically cross country. You drove from Tennessee to California the day before. Like, I. You had, like, no time to catch up. Time zone travel. Da, da, da. While you were not in bad shape then, you are in significantly better shape now. And 80 days, a hard program. And they're hour long workouts. And that was. That was a hard set. Let's be honest, because it was the first time ever we were filming in real time. So that means 80 workouts over the course of four. 13 weeks. We were filming Monday through Friday for 13 weeks. You gotta survive for 13 weeks. Sore, tired. All the things D already is coming, like, moving his whole life. And like, the day he moves his whole life, he's got to show up to tech rehearsal. And we had five cameras and the CEO is there, and everybody's like, sort of on us because they've never done it before.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Mm.

[Donald L. Smith]

And I don't know if you remember, but we went live to an audience. We had a test group of 200. So even that puts more pressure because you're like, you can't up.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

Because people are live at home and, like, they're gonna see you and hear you. And if you have to start over, like. So that tech rehearsal, we went all out. It was like, I. Y' all. I don't do a full out tiger rehearsal these days. I'm all like, you guys, come on, I got this. If we're 10 years in. If you don't trust me at this point, I'm gonna show you a few moves. We're. We got it even like two days ago for my. So they were like, so, which workout you want to run? I was like, you're crazy.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Run a workout. I was like, what do you think this is?

[Donald L. Smith]

Act like you've been here before.

[Autumn Calabrese]

So funny.

[Donald L. Smith]

But back then, yeah, we ran it. And you. I had to finally stop D. And I was like, you need to go stand over there and catch your breath. And you're like, I got it. I was like, you don't know.

[Autumn Calabrese]

You don't.

[Donald L. Smith]

Was like, your face says otherwise. They're worried you're going to die.

[Autumn Calabrese]

I'm going to. We should put the clip up because we have it. Really. I'm like.

[Donald L. Smith]

Like, just tomato red. But you did it. You crushed it.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. And that rehearsal, that was. I mean, that was such a cool experience. Like, just beyond being on set. A doing 80 day obsession. It did add a different kind of pressure being on camera, because if you fail at something like that at home or in the gym, you can press, pause, take a break, maybe, you know, like, you don't finish a whole workout one of the days. But being on set, I. You. I knew I had to do the whole thing, but I didn't know if I could. So it was like, oh, my God, here we go. But I also grew to love it very quickly. It was really fun having call times and having the team and seeing where you were going to stand that day. And it was things that I had grown to love before about performing live. I loved doing 80 Day and being on that set.

[Donald L. Smith]

I also. Y' all, I don't do takes. I'm a one and done kind of girl. You. Something's got to go real wrong for me to start over. So from the moment they yell action until we stop, there is no. There's no do over. Like, this is not acting. Like, for a movie where they're like, oh, 40 takes later, we've got one that works. This is. You better show up and show out, because that's it. And by the way, I don't expect anybody to be perfect. Like, they fumble, we fumble, I fumble. It's great. But, like, the whole point is we're not stopping. Yeah, it's. It's hard in 13 weeks. Like, we're going. Okay, wait, let's talk about what happens in the dressing room. So that was. We had a cast of what, seven plus me.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Seven including you.

[Donald L. Smith]

Seven including me. That's right. Six behind me, plus me. Seven. We had some fun times in that dressing room.

[Autumn Calabrese]

We did. Like, that's always been a thing if. If for people who have never been in a cast of some, like. Like either filming something or a stage show, you develop this bond. And we really had the opportunity to do that, especially because it went on so long. It was like when you tour with a. With a Casper or you have a residency. That was the. It was like. It was like what I imagine in a office, even though I've never really worked in an office like that, where you just sort of show up, you talk about your day, pour your coffee, stand around the water cooler or is. And it was really fun. Like, the beforehand happenings.

[Donald L. Smith]

You guys always got to have a little more fun than me. Cuz I'd be in here in makeup and they'd all be in the other room talking and laughing. And I'd be like, what? What are you talking about? Tell me. I want to laugh, too. And they like, never come. Like I was in the main room. But let's throw some people under the bus in a fun way.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Okay. I love. That's my funnest thing to do.

[Donald L. Smith]

Katrina, girl, we love you, but pick your panties up.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Oh, my God. Yeah. Katrina, a good friend of ours still to this day, would leave her anywhere, like, in the middle of the floor and we're talking.

[Donald L. Smith]

We would like, pin it up on the wall.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. It's like, what?

[Donald L. Smith]

She's like, oh, that's fine.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. She's like, oh, that's where that is. It's like, girl.

[Donald L. Smith]

Richardson. Oatmeal and tuna.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Sardines.

[Donald L. Smith]

Oh, sardines.

[Autumn Calabrese]

He would put sardines in his oatmeal and then heat it up in the microwave. And that little like. Like, yeah. I was like. It was so bad. I think he had some kind of, like, spinach in there. It was just a weird. I mean, good for him.

[Donald L. Smith]

More power. His body looked amazing. But his. His food choice combos, huh?

[Autumn Calabrese]

It was a lot.

[Donald L. Smith]

Get it, brother. Like, they were like, interesting and stunk and. Yes.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yep. And then there's a lot of shooting the. And also it was really fun because it was my first time showing up someplace and not knowing what I was going to be wearing.

[Donald L. Smith]

Oh, yeah.

[Autumn Calabrese]

So that was really fun. Even though most of the time, like, I feel like I really started to love what I was wearing when we filmed four weeks for everybody just. And I think style changed more.

[Donald L. Smith]

Let me be honest. Let's. Let's just call it what it is. Our 80 day obsession. Style.

[Autumn Calabrese]

It was not.

[Donald L. Smith]

It wasn't cute.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Like, sometimes I'm like. The biggest transformation was our wardrobe was our wardrobe. Like, and my body looks so. My body is different, but it looks so different. If I put on some of those old clothes again, I'd be like, what happened to Donald? Why does she look so weird?

[Donald L. Smith]

There are these one pair of pants. I wore them towards the end. They literally look like 1970s wallpaper. And they were so high, they might as well been up to my boobs, y' all. And to this day, I'm like, who let me wear those?

[Autumn Calabrese]

That is so.

[Donald L. Smith]

I think it was that because we had to do 80 outfits and I didn't Repeat outfits, you guys. I think sometimes repeated stuff I didn't. So at a certain point, like, you're. There's just no more pants to buy. There's just no more sports bras to buy. Like, Lorna Jane was the big thing at the time. I owned everything. And I just see that outfit every time, and I'm like, oh, God, why? This is such a. Like, this is one of those red carpet. No, no. Like, they would put me. If. If there was a magazine to put me in, they would put me in it and be like, right, fashion.

[Autumn Calabrese]

No, I think a lot of people, too, like, don't realize how much thought goes into everything because your outfit would get picked, and then our outfits were picked based on that. So. Which makes total. Makes total sense. But. So it might not be that all of our outfits were our favorite, but it's about what worked together and went together. And so. But it was really fun going and, like, having your outfit picked out for you, and I loved that.

[Donald L. Smith]

You know, after 80 day was the. Was the last time I cut a bob, because by the end of 80 days of slicking my hair back into that ponytail and my hair was long, by the end of that, I was like, I'm done.

[Autumn Calabrese]

I remember.

[Donald L. Smith]

Chop it off.

[Autumn Calabrese]

I remember we were about to go on our. It was the first time I flew private. I felt so fancy when we were doing, like, the Super Weekend tour and you had Kayleigh and I come and do the workouts with you on stage at the events, and you showed up with a. It was. It was your first phase of the bop, and then you actually went a little bit shorter.

[Donald L. Smith]

Oh, it got. It got significantly shorter. Not because of choice. Not. Sometimes people cut it and it wasn't even. And then they had to cut it more to even it out. And it was. Yeah, there's a lot that, like, 80. I mean, we could do a whole podcast on 80 Day Obsession, but we're talking about being on set, so. But there was a lot that went into that program. Like, God, there was filming at my house and going over nutrition, and then we had the weekly obsession video. So before and after filming, it was like reality show. But let's real quick before we wrap up 80 Day Obsession, any favorite moment? Oh, wait, I have to tell a story about 80 day, y' all. Donald is a rock star on set. We were filming one day. Like, we're midway through the workout. I'm doing my thing. We had a lot of good times. He was mumbling some back there, but at one point, I Look back at him and he has this. He's on his hands and knees because we were doing something down there. And he's got this look on his face. And I'm like. And he's like, just lets me know that he's okay. And after the workout, I was like, what happened? Are you okay? And he goes, I threw up in my mouth, but I swallowed it.

[Autumn Calabrese]

I didn't know what to do. It was early on in the program. They never said, hey, if you puke, this is protocol.

[Donald L. Smith]

So it was like, no puke protocol.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Well, there should be. I'll tell you that right now. Because I was like, two days in or something. Literally, it was early on. It was definitely in the first phase.

[Donald L. Smith]

Okay.

[Autumn Calabrese]

And I. What I thought was going to be just a friendly burp, make a little room for whatever move I was doing. My mouth filled and I was like, oh, God. The first, like, while I'm standing there, like, I'm sitting there with my cheeks, like. I was like, I could spit it up in my sweat towel. I did. I like, these are the options. But I was like, you know, and.

[Donald L. Smith]

Puke is sitting in your mouth while you're having these songs.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. I was like, I could do that. But, you know, what if I need to use it? Or what if it. What if that just starts something and it keeps coming?

[Donald L. Smith]

If that started to smell, I would have died.

[Autumn Calabrese]

So I swallowed it. And when I tell you it burned going back down, I was like, oh. I was like, what? What am I doing? So, yeah. But I was like, well, the show must go on.

[Donald L. Smith]

Literally crying. Okay, seriously, if there was an award to be given for all time, best cast member ever, you get it for that. I literally just.

[Autumn Calabrese]

That alone, I had no. And there was a moment where I was, like, looking around, like, maybe I could run real fast, but because it was early, like, honestly, in phase three, if that would have happened, I probably would have ran to a TR can or something. But in that moment, I was like.

[Donald L. Smith]

First of all, you stole a moment. They would have loved it. If you would have barfed, they would have followed you with the camera. It would have been great. Like I said, classic. There was one other thing that happened on that set. Do you remember? Because we were filming, and we were filming, like, end of summer, like, so it's still very hot here in la. And this giant. I don't know what bug it was like, I don't know if it was a beetle or. The thing was enormous, you guys. And one minute, like, I'm talking and this thing comes bug, like, buzzes the tower, and we're all like, oh, my God. This thing's, like, circling up. We kept going. I'm pretty sure it's in the. Oh, it is in the program.

[Autumn Calabrese]

It's like.

[Donald L. Smith]

And you hear it.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

It was big. They killed it. They got it. Okay.

[Autumn Calabrese]

There's a. There was a moment on. That was it. We. It didn't end up airing. So this is a true behind the scenes moment.

[Donald L. Smith]

Oh, okay.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Where I was gonna go with my shirt off the first time I did twice an 80 day obsession. And I really didn't want to. And then everyone in the cast was like, you should feel good. You've seen a lot of progress. You weren't out there for this specific part.

[Donald L. Smith]

Okay.

[Autumn Calabrese]

You weren't in the group conversation. And Katrina was so sweet. She felt so passionate about standing up for me. She was like, you guys, let him feel what he wants. Like, if he's not comfortable, he's not comfortable. You can't make him be comfortable. She started crying, and I was like, this is reality TV gold.

[Donald L. Smith]

But I was like, that's our girl, though.

[Autumn Calabrese]

It was. Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

She had your back so much.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Totally. And it. It made me feel, like, good. I also really wanted it to be aired, but it was like, it wasn't the vibe of the weekly obsession, so they didn't end up airing that part. But that always stands out because I'm like, those kinds of things are always. There's lots of pressure.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah.

[Autumn Calabrese]

And also, I didn't know what 80 day was gonna turn into. I'd never been on a set like that before, and I thought people would think it was cool, but I'm so thankful a lot of people connected with me, and I didn't know that that was gonna happen. So. Yeah, I think that's good because I probably would have felt more pressure on the set of 80 day.

[Donald L. Smith]

Right.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Versus just being myself on it.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah.

[Autumn Calabrese]

But that one. One more thing a lot of people don't know. And then we can talk about another pro, another set, but is that we had a. Like a ghost cast.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah.

[Autumn Calabrese]

The whole time. Because it was the first. It was the first real time program that we ever did that was ever done.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah. And they didn't know if, like, somebody would get injured or somebody would just drop out or whatever. So we had a backup cast of six people that were doing it all at home. So anytime we filmed, they were getting the live stream and they were doing it too. And they were weighing in, like, they were sending in their Progress photos. So that if at any point somebody in the original cast went down, for whatever reason, they were gonna just sub somebody in.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. They even went and got Dexa scans with us.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Like, they were. It was. It's funny because it's easy to forget that, because that was the only one. Because once we did that, they were like, okay, these. They're not going anywhere.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Rain or shine, they're gonna show up.

[Donald L. Smith]

They are gonna. Yeah. People are crawling to that set.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

So after 80 day, we had a great time. 80 day. Then we came back, we did a little obsessed. We did a little more obsessed. Fun little fact about a little obsessed. I'll just give this one little thing because then we'll go on. There was this one Lorna Jane sports bra I had. It was hot pink and had, like, mesh top, so it came up high. But the. Like, I said this was. We'll call it mesh, but it was. I don't. That's not the right word. It had kind of like little holes in it. Whatever.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Like Jersey or something.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah, it was more jersey, but, like, the holes were a little bigger than Jersey. Okay. So they put the mic pack on me, and they take. They pin it into the bra. And when they pinned it into the bra, I was like, hope this doesn't pull the bra down too much, because we're going to be jumping and things like that. And they're like, you're good. You're good. Maybe it was a little more obsessed because I had my bob at the time, so it was a little more obsessed. So we film everything. It was. You know, we filmed the workouts, blah, blah, blah. I go. I'm traveling for work. I'm on a plane flying back. I'm with. I'm with Steph, one of our fitness experts, and they send me photos from that particular workout. It was day one of A Little more obsessed. And they're like, hey, we need to get your approval on these photos. And I open them up, and I'm like, well, that's my areola. And I look at Steph, and I was like, now, mind you, the sports bra is, like a pink. So it's like, yeah, I'm seeing what I'm seeing. Right. And I hand stuff the phone, and I'm like, that is my areola. Right? And she's like, oh, my God. And I'm like, where were you? You didn't see that? My boob, like, it wasn't all the way down. So, like, my nipple wasn't out, but, like, it was Noticeable enough that I was like, you cannot release this workout. And I had to, like, I think.

[Autumn Calabrese]

We refilmed it, didn't we?

[Donald L. Smith]

We sure did. I had to message Carl and be like, so I'm not sending you this photo, but trust believe that my areola is out the whole workout. You have to put us back on set. I have to refilm this workout. He let me refilm it, so hopefully that footage is burned somewhere.

[Autumn Calabrese]

I'm like, let's bring it. But I'm like, if we can find that, it'll. We'll put it up right here.

[Donald L. Smith]

Call BT he's probably got it. Yeah, I was like. I messaged Brian. I was like, brian, that's my. And he was like, what? I'm like, seriously? What? You're pro. I know you're looking at it.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Well. I got to be honest. I don't know if it's a. Well, I'm a gay guy.

[Donald L. Smith]

Love you, B.T. but come on, man.

[Autumn Calabrese]

I. When I watch these reality shows, like, where, you know, women are wearing these bear these dresses or shirts, and their boobs are really on display, I'm always like, I feel like I see areola, dude. Like, like, on. I just feel like that's a common thing. So I never know when you're supposed to, like, when are you seeing too much, if there's a little discoloration or.

[Donald L. Smith]

I. I guess it's each person's personal preference, like how comfortable they feel. But for me, especially in a fitness program.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Oh, for sure.

[Donald L. Smith]

No, the girls need to be away. Like, this is not that kind of program. It ain't that kind of program. Not the time, not the place. Put them away. Quite quite frankly, if I was out and my areola was out at all, I would like you to tell me.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Okay, I will. Next time, help a girl. I don't think I've ever. I'm just joking.

[Donald L. Smith]

He's like, so about last night.

[Autumn Calabrese]

No, no. I had a friend. I was with a friend one time, and she, like, you know, like, adjusted so that her. Her, you know. Yeah. And literally pulled her nipple out and was just talking, and I was like, girl, your nipple. Like, I'm talking all the time. I was like, tuck it in. So anyway.

[Donald L. Smith]

Okay, moving on. So that's the whole 80 day obsession thing. Then we went on to 21 day fix real time. 21 day fix. 21 day fix extreme real time. Yes. Those two workouts, back to back. Any fun moments stand out for you?

[Autumn Calabrese]

It was interesting for me because it was my second time And I. So I felt a lot more comfortable because I'm trying to think of how I want to say. I think I just felt like I belonged there. Where before. It's sort of. Who knows how you're gonna land with people? But 80 day went so well. And then it also was so exciting for me because I started with 21 Day Fix Extreme, the DVD. And so just seeing that set. And also some of the same people, like, I know Cat wasn't an Extreme, but. But Cupcake was.

[Donald L. Smith]

Cupcake was. Yeah.

[Autumn Calabrese]

And I think Sam was some of it. She was in some of Extreme because I remember one of the dvd, she was. Yeah, she was gonna be putting my. Oh, yeah, Sam's back. She's putting my heels on and competing. You said something like that. And. And then so. So that. So that was really exciting for me because I was like, oh, I get to, like, literally see what it kind of like what it was like to film these programs with some of the same people.

[Donald L. Smith]

We had a good time. I feel like the fix and fix extreme real time sets were just, like, easy. There's nothing that stands out in my mind of like, oh, my gosh, that was crazy. Maybe Cupcake and Daniel, those two would, like, bicker like, like, and subscribe. What is that noise?

[Autumn Calabrese]

I complain, I guess.

[Donald L. Smith]

Is that what it was?

[Autumn Calabrese]

And don't forget to leave a comment. It must be.

[Donald L. Smith]

There's a ghost there. There's something happening. But anyways, it just came through our headphones pretty loud. Like, Cupcake and Daniel would, like, sort of bicker and fight and compete, but, like, not in a mean way. Except one day I did have to, like, lay the mom smack down on them because they were, like, fighting with the resistance bands. And, like, one shot one at the other one, and it left a huge. I think Daniel shot it at Cupcake and it left a huge welt. And I was like, stop it. You're gonna get us sued.

[Autumn Calabrese]

What are you doing?

[Donald L. Smith]

But. And, like, we were having the best time. But then sometimes when you get too comfortable, people like, you gotta remember, it's still a set, it's still a business. It's still a corporation. Like, we've got a job to do, but we were in and out. I would spend more time in hair and makeup than we would filming.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Mm. I always talk about it's still a business. Still. I always think about, like, when I got comfortable on set, I started just, you know, my sense of humor and sometimes a little. I love color, but I would. Especially by the time I know we'll get there. But when I. We were filming four weeks for everybody, I'd say things and it's like, Donald, you're like someone from HR is going to call you or there's going to be. You need to realize still a professional setting. But it's just. You started to feel so. It was just so fun because you were showing up and doing like doing that with your friends every day.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yes. Did we have any. I'm trying to think if we had any. Like we didn't have any hard moments like reset, nothing like that I could think of.

[Autumn Calabrese]

No. The craziest thing for me with. With the 21 day fix and Fix Extreme Real Time filming was actually the bonus we did that was obsessed with obsessed with Fix.

[Donald L. Smith]

So it was a Competition between the 21 Day Fix crew or the Fix and Fix Extreme crew and the 80 Day Obsession crew.

[Autumn Calabrese]

And I felt so torn and Donald, these are my people, but these are my people. So I would jump back and forth.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yes, you ran back and forth.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. It really was interesting to me, I.

[Donald L. Smith]

Will say actually the one crazy thing that happened with that particular workout. Jasmine, we love you. Jasmine was having a really hard personal. Like she had some personal stuff going on that day and she was on her way to set and she called and was like, I can't. Yeah, I can't. She was just dealing with some stuff and she's like, I can't do it. And so she didn't make it to set that day. So that's the only reason Jasmine was not in obsessed with Fix. But that was a fun workout.

[Autumn Calabrese]

That was a little intro.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah. Like dance. Yeah. Katrina and Claude danced. Yeah.

[Autumn Calabrese]

And Noah did a little.

[Donald L. Smith]

And Noah did a little breaking.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Uh huh. That was really. That was a fun day.

[Donald L. Smith]

Sometimes you gotta just have fun with it. You gotta roll with it.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Absolutely. And we're there.

[Donald L. Smith]

It's like, yeah, why not?

[Autumn Calabrese]

Let's throw that in.

[Donald L. Smith]

Fast forward four Weeks for Everybody.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Loved. From outside of filming, when we, when we started doing four Weeks for everybody, I felt the most confident in my body that I ever had. And then the coloring and the cl. And also the stylist that time looked at some of my things that I liked and felt comfortable in and ordered the same thing and colors that would go with the set. So it was just like. That felt really good because I loved the way I felt most comfortable the way I looked on that.

[Donald L. Smith]

Just remembered something about that.

[Autumn Calabrese]

What?

[Donald L. Smith]

I mean, I gotta give him a little of the drama. Remember, we were. This is when we still had the Santa Monica headquarters. And we were rehearsing down there.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Mm.

[Donald L. Smith]

And it was somebody from my prod dev team. This person has not been with the company for a while anymore, so. And I'm not gonna say a name, but the person. Her and I were having a hard time working together. She was very MIA in general on the project, just not being super supportive or helpful. And with the wardrobe, like, I forget what it was exactly. I just remember we had finished rehearsal, we were doing wardrobe, and there was something that came up, and I was like, well, no, you know, we have to let them be comfortable. And she kind of snapped at me in front of everybody. And honestly, like, I'll be the first to admit, like, sometimes I have a little bit of an attitude, and I've gotten in trouble for it. And so I actually was really good that day. Like, when she snapped at me, I didn't. I didn't get aggressive or anything. Not that I get aggressive. I don't want people to get the wrong media. But I didn't, like, snap back. I didn't fight back. I actually was really proud of myself for not fighting back. And then I got a call an hour later from the CEO, and I was getting yelled at. People don't know, like, yeah, I. I talk about it, though. Like, Carl and I, for as good of friends as we are and everything. Because of that, like, I have had my fair share of going rounds and. And definitely, like, not being on his good side. Well, if you mean it, I remember. But I got in trouble, and I had to explain to him. I was like, hold on. Like, that's not what happened. And he really wasn't sure if he believed me, and he had to kind of go ask other people. And then it came out that, like, no, I actually was.

[Autumn Calabrese]

I remember that moment. I remember I forgot about it since. But you mentioning it brings it back. Because I said to you. Because I. I have seen you in every version. Like, yeah. As far as on set.

[Donald L. Smith]

Especially on set, like, it's stressful. And I've definitely had my moments where I snap a little bit. Like, I get short with people.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. Which I. I think that people who. Anyone who would say that no one knows how this is a side note. And no one knows how they would handle a situation until they're in it. And it's a lot of pressure, and it's. It's exhausting. You're drained. Sometimes you. Sometimes, like, you're very hungry, and people are like, care. It can feel like. I remember on 80 day when they were like, donald, we need to get your interview. And I was like, I'm having a.

[Donald L. Smith]

Shake because you're starving and you're exhausted.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. I was like, I'm a human. I'm not a robot.

[Donald L. Smith]

And you just perform like it's mentally and physically. It is exhausting. I'm not complaining. I love it. But there is a certain level, at a certain point where you're just like, yo, man, I'm exhausted.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. But I remember that moment. And I remember. I think I called you or we spoke about it, whether it was in person or I called you and said, as someone who has seen you, like, in your. When you might have a shorter temper versus whatever, that you handled that so well. And I felt like you were definitely in the right of that situation. And I wouldn't have. Even if I wouldn't have told you, if I thought you were in the wrong, I wouldn't have brought it up. I just would have been like, I didn't see it or something, you know? But you definitely. Yeah, I remember that moment.

[Donald L. Smith]

But it happens. Like, again, I'm not throwing anybody under the bus because for as all the times I could be tired and stressed out, somebody else could be having a bad day, too, and they snap at me. And so, like, for as quick as things happen, like, the things like that happen, I'm also one to be like, cool, we're good. Let's move on. Like, I'm good. So that was a little pre. That was rehearsal stuff. But that set was so much fun. Loved the set. It was stunningly beautiful. Loved the cast.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah, it was. It was. The only thing I didn't like about it is that it was too short because we filmed in two weeks.

[Donald L. Smith]

We didn't film real time.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Right. And all the other ones that I'd done, like, the shortest one being 21 day fix and fix extreme being, you.

[Donald L. Smith]

Know, but it was still six weeks because we did them both in real time and we did them back to back.

[Autumn Calabrese]

And we. I think we had a week off. And so then it's like just a longer project, which is just so fun.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah.

[Autumn Calabrese]

And so by the. We're just getting, like. Not really, but I'm just really starting to get used to it. And it's like, oh, we only have four days left, you know?

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah. By day 10, we were, like, wrapping up, and I. And it does. It takes my cast a long. Not a long time, but it usually takes the cast at least one or two days for them to find their comfort. Like, not for you. By that Time. Because you had already been on sets for a while. Katrina had already been on sets with us multiple times. But for new people coming in, they're not really sure if they're allowed to talk when they should talk. So it takes people a little bit. I would say the four weeks for everybody cast is my, like, you probably don't know it. They're. But they're like my most sarcastic, funny cast. Like you, Katrina, Emily, like the three of you especially. Obviously we had Jimmy and we had Jomana was probably the most quiet. She was the modifier. But still funny. As could be when. When she would talk, but she would just like, she just did. She didn't want to draw attention because she was like, don't.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

But like, I would hear you guys saying little things back there. Just having a good old time. Sarcastic. Remember when Katrina was like, on the stairs doing the photo shoot? She's oh, I'm falling.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Oh, my God. She freaked out. First of all, it was literally not even a foot in the air. And there was like three steps and.

[Donald L. Smith]

Then the name four weeks for everybody. And it was like in these like, fake bushes. And she. Depth perception just went off for a second and she thought she was falling.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. No one pushed her. It's like, what are you doing? Take a step. Did you forget to how to work your legs?

[Donald L. Smith]

Literally. That was great.

[Autumn Calabrese]

That was so. That was so fun for me. And. And we did also more socials for that than we ever did. And that was really fun.

[Donald L. Smith]

You were hilarious with your energized social. I took nine.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yes. It was just really great. The. The hardest thing for me, actually, during filming that program, we thought like, they called the family to say goodbye to my grandfather, my dad's dad. And while I was on set, I had a FaceTime call with him and we wanted to go see him. But because of that was also at the. It wasn't like in the thick of COVID but hospitals still wouldn't let multiple visitors or like you.

[Donald L. Smith]

It was right. Right.

[Autumn Calabrese]

There were weird guidelines about that because we still had to check in every day. Like our a health status.

[Donald L. Smith]

That's right. I forgot about that.

[Autumn Calabrese]

So it was sad. But also I felt it was really fun being able to show him the set and that we were filming and where the cameras were. But also, just a little side note, he totally pulled through. His kidneys were completely non functioning. They said he'd have to live on dialysis the rest of his life. They're totally functioning now. He's not even on dialysis.

[Donald L. Smith]

That's a miracle. And amazing.

[Autumn Calabrese]

It was like I. We all cried. It was saying goodbye, and then he just took a turn. It was really cool. He's still with us today.

[Donald L. Smith]

Get Grandpa.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Have his 90th birthday.

[Donald L. Smith]

Oh, my gosh. Yes. I love that.

[Autumn Calabrese]

And I also just really, I felt such a good connection with the cast in that one. It was really fun.

[Donald L. Smith]

You sit on a throne of lies.

[Autumn Calabrese]

I expect. Well, let me just say I especially loved getting to know Emily. I really like her and I felt like I still, even though I don't get to see her often and talk much, I just feel like she's one of my girls and I'm obsessed with her.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yes.

[Autumn Calabrese]

And so that was really fun and I did enjoy. It would have been fun if it was a long shoot because I'm sure there would have been drama. But, you know, there was.

[Donald L. Smith]

All I'm gonna say is there was one person that I did not realize. I didn't realize that you guys were not like, the biggest fan of that sometimes you felt was being a little bossy and it wasn't me.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah, yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

But it happens.

[Autumn Calabrese]

It happens.

[Donald L. Smith]

We, I. We had a great time and then we got to do the bike rides, which was super fun. I give you guys credit, though, because I don't think you guys had the music in your ear for the bike rides. Right.

[Autumn Calabrese]

We had limited. There were like three maybe including yours. So there were like two extra ear pieces so we could hear the beat. And then the rest, like, the rest of us would just try to follow the tempo that we saw other people doing. Really boring.

[Donald L. Smith]

So I'm like, literally, like, jamming out to all these songs and there's a few of the cast that, like, have the music. And then there's.

[Autumn Calabrese]

We're smiling.

[Donald L. Smith]

There's like two or three others that don't have music and they're just dealing with these 30 minute rides of, like, silence, basically, and me being like, push it, push it good. So they obviously know what song I'm listening to when I say that, but they don't hear it. So. Yeah.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

Props to you guys.

[Autumn Calabrese]

And that was actually my last real program that wasn't a super block.

[Donald L. Smith]

Super block.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. And I also, I wanted to be in another program so bad because after 80, this is. I've never talked to you about this. After 80 day obsession, every program I was in was actually a bonus to a nutrition launch. So, like, the real time of 21 day fix was because portion Fix was launching as a program which I wouldn't change A thing now. But at the time I was like, I was, I wanted to be a nine week control freak so bad. So I just did the song, shot a music video.

[Donald L. Smith]

Technically, 80 Day Obsession had a nutrition. A different version of nutrition with it. It was the first time I introduced time nutrition and people went crazy for the time nutrition.

[Autumn Calabrese]

That is true. But I mean like, like with four, everybody was actually with gut protocol. Exactly. And I. And portion fix. The reason we filmed that was the. The real time was because the portion was launching its own.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Program or.

[Donald L. Smith]

But guess what? 80 Day, one of our biggest launches ever.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

21 Day Fix. Real time still in the top 10 most viewed Sometimes it beats out the original 21 Day Fix.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

And it definitely beats out the super. But that's because I think a lot of people don't know about the super block still.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Oh my God.

[Donald L. Smith]

That four weeks for every four we got protocol. Four weeks for everybody. Same thing. Top 10.

[Autumn Calabrese]

It's amazing. I mean those workouts are so good.

[Donald L. Smith]

So don't complain that they go with a nutrition launch.

[Autumn Calabrese]

I'm not complaining. I loved the, the I'm doing the 21 day fixed super block right now and it is so next level of personal development. I just want to say what, like that's really what I have to say about that. I'm like, oh my God, this is good. And it's funny because you, you said a couple times in as I'm doing it in the program thought that I'm not talking as much and it's really just because I'm listening to all of the gold that you're sharing.

[Donald L. Smith]

Oh, thank you.

[Autumn Calabrese]

It is really, really good.

[Donald L. Smith]

I'm gonna give a shout out to Tony Robbins because I had literally like two months earlier gone to Date with Destiny and just that set my soul on fire. And a lot of the stuff that he teaches I would take and interpret and bring. Like I really work because it helped me so much that I was like, oh my God, I gotta pass it on. Like so I definitely like to give credit where credit is due that a lot of it is some of the stuff that Tony teaches. But then it's what Tony teaches with my interpretation on it or how it applies to fitness and nutrition and overall health and well being and stuff like that. But.

[Autumn Calabrese]

And during a workout I really think there's something to challenging your body while you're taking in new mindsets. It's sort of like, like you know how they say there's people do tapping or something like that. It's like it really gets into your body and your mindset when you have physical movement attached to those messages.

[Donald L. Smith]

Oh, yeah.

[Autumn Calabrese]

So good.

[Donald L. Smith]

Thank you.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Very good.

[Donald L. Smith]

So, okay, we got three to go. Let's try to tie them all, like, together so we don't run too long. So 21 day fix super. Well, first of all, it was healthy. Obsession was the first super block ever.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yep. Oh, my God. Murder me.

[Donald L. Smith]

Me and Katrina, first time ever doing it. First time we got to do a super block. It was actually. It was like the pilot test of, like, are super blocks a good idea?

[Autumn Calabrese]

And it was very hard because for years I had started doing shorter workouts and then we went back to the hour long workouts with that. It was really, if you haven't done it, you should do it. It's so rewarding. And I remember while we were filming, being there, thinking, God, this is hard. And then pushing past this threshold where it almost felt, like, euphoric. Like, it just felt good.

[Donald L. Smith]

The 30 minute, when you're at like 32 minutes, you're like, I got it.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah, it's. It's sort of.

[Donald L. Smith]

But a minute 27, you're like, I'm gonna die.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Runners talk about this how it's like you're. You have to push and push and then all of a sudden it's like your legs start to carry you or something. Yeah, yeah. So that one I loved.

[Donald L. Smith]

That was okay. So healthy Obsession, me, you, Katrina. Always a good time. I'm trying to think if there was anything crazy with that one. I don't think there was. Had some really fun play.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Such smooth.

[Donald L. Smith]

Like, smooth sailing. Yeah, every day, super fun. Then we did 21 day fix super block. Same thing. Me, you, cat, smooth sailing.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Do you remember, though, I got Covid and was so worried that I wasn't going to be able to film.

[Donald L. Smith]

I forgot.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah, to the point I didn't even come to tech rehearsal.

[Donald L. Smith]

You did not.

[Autumn Calabrese]

My first day on set was the first day of filming. And I remember that because you said the other in. In the program, you were like. And Donald's, you know, he had a little, like, cold or. You didn't say cold. Like he was a little under the weather or something.

[Donald L. Smith]

I didn't say coveted, but I said you had a cold.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah, but I. For real, I remember, I tested up, like. And the day of, finally I had a negative test. I was like, I'm coming. I'll keep my distance if you guys want, but I'm not gonna not film.

[Donald L. Smith]

But I had said too. I was like, if you miss A day. It's fine. It'll be me and Kat. We'll pull you in. It's like, whatevs.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

But the most brutal part for that is coming off of something like Covid and not working out. And not to mention, that's something that usually affects your respiratory system to go into a 21 day fix. Real time, where it's like legs, cardio. Two versions of cardio. Like, it was hard. D gets y' all. I'm telling you, he gets the trophy, he gets the props for being the best background cast ever.

[Autumn Calabrese]

I was like, I'm doing this. I came, I'm gonna do it. Even if, you know, I puked in my mouth before. What? What worse can happen?

[Donald L. Smith]

So be it. That was a good one. We had a good time there. And then we had the four weeks for everybody. Super block.

[Autumn Calabrese]

And that's where I connected with my love. No. Yes. Yes.

[Donald L. Smith]

Nell was in the cast, but not on set. We have cast on the side screens, and Nell was just up there in Puerto Rico with the most perfect form and his face, even when we were all dying.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah, it was kind of annoying. Not really, but it really was like his perfect leg extension and pointed toes. And just like he. He. When he. Actually, I. His. His reputation was that when he works out, he goes all in and he really does. Yeah, it's. I still see it to this day.

[Donald L. Smith]

To this day. I remember, like, ball between his legs and he's like, doing leg lifts.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

Like, that hurt. But, like, nothing. Wait, let's just quickly, because this is such a great onset story, let's tell the story of you and Nell really quick. Can we?

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah, sure.

[Donald L. Smith]

So it was me, Donald, Aaron on set, and Nell's up there just looking as cute as can be. I had known Nell for, like, maybe a year, year and a half. Anytime I'd go to Puerto Rico, he would be my translator when I would be on stage. But I didn't really know Nell. Okay. Like. Like, I. Quasi. Like, yeah, acquaintance. I knew of him. And I think Aaron was like, I think we should hook Donald and Nell.

[Autumn Calabrese]

So she said, I think you were finishing some shots on set. And she was like, would you ever be into Nelson? And so the thing is, this was shortly after Summit that year, and I saw him for the first time at Summit. And then I learned of his name because he walked the stage for some award. And I was like. I immediately got on social and found him because his name was on the screen. I know. And I had a huge crush on him, but I was talking about him a lot as. And this was also true, someone who inspired me as a partner. Because, you know, you in my sitting there, as I like to say, young gay man there, you see a lot of what could look like the same kind of girl walking that stage. And then when I saw him walk through in his sequins suit with no shirt under his jacket, I was like, he's just really taking up space and giving different representation. That really spoke to me. So anyways, I was talking about him a lot, but as a body partner who encouraged. Who, like, inspired me and not as someone who I thought was cute and, you know, secretly. Yeah. And so when Aaron said that, I was like, I don't know. I was like, actually, I do think he's cute. But really, I'd been dropping the, like, thinking that the whole time. And so when you came back, Aaron was like.

[Donald L. Smith]

Aaron said we should hook Donald and Nell up. And I was like, I love that for you, Donald. And you were like, yeah. And then Aaron goes, autumn, you know him DM him. And I'm like, I don't know him like that. Why is it me? And they're like, it has to be you because you're Autumn. Like, he'll respond to you. I'm like, okay, this is hilarious. So I DM Nell. We're sitting in the dressing room, and I DM him. And I was like, oh, my God, you were so great on set. Like, I love your form. It's so perfect. Which I was being totally serious about. Adorable. And I was like, hey, do you have a boyfriend? Or I said, hey, are you single, by the way? Not asking for myself. Like, I didn't want him to think that I thought he would be interested in me. And he's like, no, I'm single. And I was like, I think you and Donald would be so cute together. Now, here's the thing. And this is how, you know, I didn't know Nell at all. Nell is a very thoughtful person who makes really. He doesn't rush to a decision. He's protective of his time and his space and who he gives his energy to. These are not things I knew about this man at all. And he DMs back and he says, well, why do you think Donald and I would be good together? And I looked at Donald and Aaron and I was like, what am I supposed to say? Because you're a hot gay man and he's a hot gay man. Because basically, this is what I'm working with. You told me to DM him. I don't know. Like, I was like, what am I going to say? So I don't sound like an. And I was like, well, you love to dance and Donald loves to dance. That was something I knew about them. And I was like, you both are into fitness and your body partners, and you're both into helping people.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Like, I don't know.

[Donald L. Smith]

I don't know. I was, like, fumbling my way through this. I was like, God, I sound like. I can't believe I sound like this person now. And he was like, well, yeah, he is really cute. And then I don't remember, was it like, give him my number or so? Or. How did you guys start talking?

[Autumn Calabrese]

I think we already had. We already were speaking, like, as acquaintances on Social. Okay, so I don't remember, actually. I'm gonna look up the receipts because they're still in my messages, I'm sure. And he. But he was. If I said I heard that they said something or, like, played dumb about it, it was like, oh, there's Autumn's so crazy. I can't believe she did that one. Literally put you up to it.

[Donald L. Smith]

Literally plug your phone.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah, but. And then we just started chatting. And one thing, you know, we. About eight months later, he ended up moving here. We've been together now for a year. He's lived in LA for a year. So that. That worked.

[Donald L. Smith]

So.

[Autumn Calabrese]

So I got a lot from that.

[Donald L. Smith]

From that super block set. Life, you never know, you might meet your significant other forever and ever and ever. And I have to be the. That says the crazy thing, and it's okay. I'm okay with that. As your friend who loves you and just wants nothing but the best.

[Autumn Calabrese]

That's right. I. I remember. I mean, I. I still get messages from people who are doing that super block, and they'll be like, oh, my God, is that Nell? Or they'll send me clips of me, like, staring at the screen.

[Donald L. Smith]

It would be so cute. Remember at the beginning, because the cameras wouldn't be rolling, and they would all be setting their cameras up, and he would be, like, posing and taking a photo, but then that photo would come through. Like, he would text it to Donald, and we're like, he's taking the photo for you.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. Like, he didn't realize he was. He was on the screen yet on the podcast screen. And we were like, look at him taking a selfie. And then my phone buzzed, and it was the selfie he was taking for me. I was like, oh, that is so cute.

[Donald L. Smith]

Suck y' all.

[Autumn Calabrese]

That was fun.

[Donald L. Smith]

Set Life is fun. Real quick. I'm gonna do a flash thing and then you're gonna do it too. So. Other sets that I've been on that people might not realize, I, I. When I moved to la, I did a lot of background work. I was background cast in the TV show Charmed, but they panned right on me during a wedding scene. I'm in a black dress with, like, a little white bo. Yep, that's me. I played a dead hooker. It's super fun to say.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Talk about typecasting.

[Donald L. Smith]

Typecasting. It was right after I'd got my boob job. They were so big and swollen, like, in my throat. It totally worked. I was a dead hooker. I can't remember if it was. I think it was Law and Order. And also on that set, the two main guys, they had this game that they played, which I didn't know because I was the extra, the dead hooker that they would. Anybody that had to play a corpse, they would purposely try to make them laugh. So I'm laying there and you can't, like, they don't want you to breathe because you're supposed to look dead. So you can't even, like, move your chest when you breathe. Okay. And they're like, close up on me and the guys are giving their lines over me. Like, they're kneeling over me and I'm like, as stiff as I can be. And they're making jokes under their breath and one of them's like, look, she has a coke booger. And I'm just trying so hard not to laugh or breathe or be like, what the are we talking about? Like, do I have a real booger in my nose? Like, I didn't know. And then when we were done, they're like, you're a good sport. We have, like, like, who can make the, the dead person laugh.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

Rude. I was on a background of many commercials, but I got bumped up on principle. I was in a Kia commercial clapping outside a nightclub at like 3 o' clock in the morning. But because I ended up in the foreground, I got bumped up to principal. I made good cash off that one.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Wow.

[Donald L. Smith]

So, yeah, thank you for Kia Kia. If you want me to do another one. Yeah, I'm here for it. I loved it. And actually, the funny thing about that one was I remember I was so tired, it was cold, and it was taking forever to film, just like they, like, they were doing other things. So it was taking forever to get the background cast part. And I wanted to go home so bad that I was like, having that battle, I would have never left because I'm just not irresponsible like that. But, like, I kept wanting to be like, oh, I'm just gonna go home and go to bed. Thank God I didn't because I got bumped up to principal. It gave me one of my three vouchers because you need to be like, work on Saga things to get your voucher. So then I could go audition for SAG movies and things like that. But, yeah, those are a few of the other background things I have been on and some fun things. But there's always good times on set. There's always some crazy stuff leading up to set. What about you?

[Autumn Calabrese]

I have been on most of my set. Well, so I talked about the CW star. I was a part of a something for NASM after I came to la, but since being in la, I haven't done any other stuff other than Bodi. But before that, I did a national tour with my brother's band. It was all over the States and in Canada. And that was really fun because you just. We would do, like, sometimes we'd play pranks on each other during the show, or like, we had what was called blocking. It's like choreography, but it's more like stand here than here. You didn't necessarily have dance moves. And we would do, like, intentionally getting someone, like, change the blocking, stuff like that. And I got to be in this. Really cool. So I auditioned for American Idol. This is a separate story. I made it past the first round, but I was, like, in a holding. I didn't go to the next phase yet. And I got cast in this musical where that was about the wizard of Oz and everyone else was a former performer on American Idol.

[Donald L. Smith]

Oh, wow.

[Autumn Calabrese]

And it was Von Zell Solomon who came in second place or third place on Carrie Underwood season. And it was this. That. Well, I don't want to go through each of their names, but it was really cool because all. It had five other leads in it who were all in the top ten or top five of American Idol. So it was really cool because I felt like. Like, oh, I definitely belong here.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah, I can hold my own.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Exactly. Like, this is really. I was the. I was the Scarecrow. I was, like, one of the leads with them. And this re. Imagined wizard of Oz. So that was really fun. And it was in a small town called. It was in Lubbock, Texas. And so the whole town was, like, ready for us. Like, we. It was like, if, you know, the Backstreet Boys would have come into a Town. It was really fun. We were doing radio shows and everything, so I love it. But my favorite is definite of anything I've done is definitely been filming these workouts because they're just. It's just something that you don't ever think about. Like, I never thought what that would be like, filming a workout that people would do from home. And it's really amazing.

[Donald L. Smith]

Yeah. One other one. I was on Revenge Body. I was one of the trainers on Revenge Body. Khloe Kardashian. That was. I will say that was actually the hardest one. Reality tv. Never expected it to be hard. That was hard.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Why?

[Donald L. Smith]

They just. You know, there's certain things, and I'm. You know how I'm very protective when I'm working with somebody. Like, when I'm training them, I'm really. I'm there to get them the results. But, you know, reality tv, they need the drama, and they. I'll make her take her shirt off into her sports bra. Not comfortable. Doesn't want to take her shirt off for the camera. Things like that. Like poker about what's going on with the baby daddy. And I'm like, oh, gosh. Like, yeah, make. And then, like, the first time I met her, they wanted me to make her puke during the workout, and I was like, that's not my goal. Like, that won't make somebody want to keep working out if they. I mean, yeah, good on you. So that one was a little bit harder for me just because it was like, I thought I was gonna get to be Mimi, but they have certain things that they want to accomplish. And again, this is no shade at, like, reality tv. By the way, we'll take a reality show anytime you want to give us one. But that was a little bit harder one. But that was super fun because they actually came and filmed. Like, Chloe came and filmed at my own old house in Calabasas. So I got to meet her, and, like, she was like, your house is beautiful. Which was very sweet and super nice. Great work ethic. Lovely to work with. Yeah, it was good.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Do you remember, I just thought of two other sets. Do you remember the show on MTV called Maid, where they would try to, like, someone wanted to be a prom queen. And so I was on one of those. I wasn't. I was. I was living in Nashville, and this. This girl wanted to be, like, a cheerleader. I don't know if it was a. For a college team or something like that, but she needed to feel more comfortable in her body. And they thought that learning Latin style Dancing would help her. And so I gave her salsa lessons and just worked with her on some styling and just how to really feel good in her body. And I actually didn't know if that episode was ever gonna air. And then one day I got. Got a text from, like, five different random people from my past that were like, I just saw you on MTV's Maid. You were teaching this girl how to dance. So that was really fun.

[Donald L. Smith]

That's super fun.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. And I also filmed one time just as a background, the last one, I'll say. Because there's probably, like, a bunch that I've forgotten. That was. Trisha Yearwood had a cooking show, and she had an episode where you were. She was planning for a costume party, and so we all wore costumes and. But it was in. It was her house, but she didn't live in that house. She just had it for the show. And it was really cool because Garth Brooks came to surprise her. And because he was surprising her, he came, like, backstage while she was. Because my only part was going out for the party, like, when all the food was being served. And so I got to sit and.

[Donald L. Smith]

Talk with Garth Brooks just casual.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. Quietly. And be like. And she doesn't know you're coming. And it was really fun. He was. Was dressed as his costume because we. There were crossover costumes. So, like, he was Garth Vader.

[Donald L. Smith]

Oh, smart.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. I was Pee Wee Herman Munster. So, like, Herman Munster.

[Donald L. Smith]

Right.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah, it was. It was fun.

[Donald L. Smith]

That's a fun one. Yeah, Good one.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

Garth Brooks.

[Autumn Calabrese]

I know. Legend. Country legend.

[Donald L. Smith]

Wow. All right, you guys. Well, that's a little of the behind the scenes on set life. D. If we could ever do another program together, any idea what you would want us to do?

[Autumn Calabrese]

Oh, that's a good question.

[Donald L. Smith]

I've decided this podcast episode is just going forever.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Donald L. Smith]

Honestly, it's hard. We've been on a lot of sets.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Yeah. I don't know what I would say. Do you have a. Do you know what it would be? What would yours be?

[Donald L. Smith]

I don't know. I don't know what. Actually, I do. I do know what. I'm not going to say it because I know what I would like for my next style of workout program to be, but I'm not going to say it because then people. You know, everybody's going to run with it, but you would be good in it.

[Autumn Calabrese]

Something just came to my mind that I might have fun. It's probably not what you're thinking at all, but I think weight. Like a weight I would want hit in the workouts but a weight training to failure. So like something because I just like to learn about. I like to play with that. But I think sometimes I'm like all or nothing. So all weight training and not doing enough cardio and hit. So I don't know something like that. But honestly, whatever you got, throw it at me. I'll show up.

[Donald L. Smith]

I gotta come up with some ideas and get a pitch out there. We'll get back on set one of these days or we'll get, you know, on one of these reality shows.

[Autumn Calabrese]

I'll be the pitch out there. Oh, pitch. I'm just kidding. I'll be the out there. It's fine.

[Donald L. Smith]

I was like, yeah, you can call me anytime. Oh, you got guys. Thanks for tuning in to another episode of Everything's Perfect. Especially on set. We love it. We love being on this set. We love getting to share things with you. Make sure you subscribe. Like share, comment, leave us a review. We appreciate it all.

[Autumn Calabrese]

And as always, if you want to connect with us, share any of your stories, or even just parts of these episodes that really speak to you or that you've enjoyed, you can email us us at everythingsperfectpodcast at gmail. Com.

[Donald L. Smith]

See you next time.

[Autumn Calabrese]

See you. When I notice I just realign on my mind crying.