Maks and Peta get real about Dancing with the Stars Drama and Surviving the War in Ukraine

Summary

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Episode Overview

Podcast: Outta Pocket with RG3
Hosts: Robert Griffin III (A), Grete Griffin (B)
Guests: Maksim Chmerkovskiy (C) & Peta Murgatroyd (D), Ukrainian superstar dancers and “Dancing with the Stars” pros
Date: May 28, 2025
Episode Theme:
A candid, wide-ranging conversation about the backstage realities and emotional dynamics of “Dancing with the Stars,” the challenges and misconceptions surrounding professional dance partnerships, and a deeply personal account of Maks and Peta’s experiences during the Ukraine war, including surviving separation, trauma, and reflections on politics, resilience, and family.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. “Dancing with the Stars” Behind the Scenes

• Partnership Challenges & Drama

  • Both Maks and Peta are asked about their most difficult celebrity partners.
    • Maks: Describes a no-nonsense, highly competitive approach early in his career, leading to personality clashes:
      “I would look at my partner and be like, excuse me, do me a favor. I don't know you, you don't know me…for now, please don't speak for a couple hours. And they'd be looking at me like, what?” (01:18)
    • His most public clash was with Hope Solo:
      “My public clashes were with people like Hope Solo. You know, we just did not get along…Maybe this was not the right type of partnership.” (03:00)
  • Peta: She couldn’t name names, but describes a disrespectful partner who put in minimal effort due to external relationship issues:
    “He would give me, like, sometimes an hour and a half a day…there's a certain level of like, real disrespect when that happens. When I'm putting everything that I got into training you and…you give me fucking nothing.” (04:29)

• Dance as Intimacy & Performance

  • The hosts ask about the sensuality inherent in dance and the potential for offscreen relationships.
    • Peta: “As a professional dancer, my job…in the rumba, in the tango…you have to convey in that one minute and a half, like you're really into that person…It's acting. And it's hard for the wives.” (07:37)
    • Both guests clarify that while chemistry must be sold to the audience, it’s strictly professional for them.
    • Maks recounts: “There’s nothing sexy about this process. I’m trying to teach you the cha-cha—we’re stressed!” (25:37)

• Relationship Dynamics & Jealousy

  • Hosts and guests discuss how watching a significant other dance closely with another person on TV (or act in movies) can cause real-life emotional challenges.
    • Grete: “Do you not know Eastern European women? I will murder him…for him to watch me with another man…I just don’t know how I'm gonna go home after that and be like, oh, hey baby, wanna have sex?” (13:57)
    • Maks, after witnessing Peta act in a makeout scene: “I was such a—I was like, I'm a European female right now. Like, I will slash somebody tires.” (15:06)

• Dealing With Public Perception & Social Media

  • Peta shares how even innocent moments (like being picked up in a dance) have led to public criticism:
    “I got so much from, you know, other women, like, how dare you wrap your legs around a married man?” (27:56)
  • Maks: “The comments—it’s a non-existent entity to me…someone sitting in the privacy of their domain and have an opinion and get to express it.” (33:11)
  • Both discuss how social media magnifies scrutiny and pressure on relationships and performances.

• The Reality for Pros

  • Both emphasize the professional boundaries and hard work behind the scenes, and how manufactured “showmances” rarely last.
    Maks: “The show is not about dance. The show is about skeletons in your closet and how that progresses through the show…It exposes you.” (24:22)

Memorable Quotes:

• “People need a little milk with their tea, you know what I mean?” — Maks (02:55)
• “There were women that would join Dancing with the Stars and…see this tall, dark, weird sounding, handsome (guy)…” — Maks (24:46)

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2. Maks & Peta’s Relationship and Family Moments

• Relationship Q&A (“TikTok segment”)
  • Playful, quick-fire questions about their relationship:
    • Who’s the better dancer? Both point to each other (35:15)
    • Who spends more money? Amazon is blamed (36:07)
    • Who’s more protective? Both discuss fiercely defending the family (37:00)
    • Who’s more annoying? Peta wins unanimously (37:48)
  • Lighthearted banter about cleaning, money, love—showing their chemistry and humor.

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3. Surviving the War in Ukraine

• Maks’ Harrowing Experience
  • Maks describes being trapped in Ukraine as the war broke out, filming "World of Dance" while bombs started to fall.
  • The emotional toll of being separated from Peta and the kids for over a week, hiding in bomb shelters, and making a dangerous escape via Poland: “To see a bunch of dancers, you know, change shoes and go straight to front line, and some of them are not coming back…and we know their names, it's devastating.” (38:24) “I spent that week and a half with a backpack…That was a nightmare…me and all women and children…The feeling is awful.” (45:03) “I got to wash my underwear or something. And I remember…then the siren goes and we have to all grab our shit and run out. And so I was like, damn, I'm never washing the shit again.” (45:30)
  • Peta shares the trauma of not knowing if Maks would survive, while she suffered multiple miscarriages during their separation: “There were nights where he would call me and say…‘I have to turn off all the lights, I have to turn off my phone…I don't know what's gonna happen to me…don't call me…’” (44:35)

Notable Moment:

• Both become emotional recounting these events, highlighting the long-lasting psychological and relational impact of war on families and communities.

• Reflections on the Broader Human Cost

  • Maks laments the damage to Ukraine’s creative and youthful generations:
    “Ukraine is not winning anything…Half of the country is injured, half of the youth is injured. You're talking about a whole generation of people missing limbs…athletes are dying, stars are dying…” (41:38)
  • They highlight the resilience and need for international support, the challenges for displaced Ukrainians, and gratitude for those who help.
  • Grete adds a global perspective, sharing how her own Estonian mother now teaches Ukrainian refugee children—children who struggle to integrate and may never have a “home” as they once knew. (42:51)

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4. American Views, Political Narratives, and Global Ramifications

• What Americans Misunderstand About Ukraine

  • Maks addresses misconceptions, gratitude for US aid, and the disconnect felt by Americans due to distance:
    “Without America, a lot of good wouldn't happen in the world…it’s far away…we don't feel it, allows us to have dialogue, to help, to raise funds…” (49:45)
  • He highlights the humanity and selflessness of everyday Americans who volunteer and help.
  • Warns that the conflict is not isolated—impacts are felt (and feared) throughout Europe, especially neighboring countries like Estonia, Finland, Poland. (52:01)

• Pride & Perspective as Immigrants

  • Maks describes his father’s decision to leave the Soviet Union for a better life and his own loyalty to the US:
    “If you complained about this country, you have never been outside…I'm the it's number one fan. This is the best place on earth, no matter what you think of it. And if you don't think it, go travel…” (54:00)

• Final Reflections

  • Emotional praise for Ukraine’s resilience, and the example set by president Zelensky. “Like, I don't need a ride, I need ammunition. I fuck, I'm getting emotional. But this is not someone who's an actor who says that. This is someone who believes in what they say.” (55:40)
  • Hope for the future and pride in their roles as parents, partners, and advocates.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Dancing with the Stars: Partnership Drama: 01:00 – 05:30, 25:36 (Kirstie Alley anecdote)
• Intimacy & Jealousy in Dance: 05:39 – 24:00
• TikTok Couple Q&A: 35:04 – 37:51
• Ukraine War Experiences: 38:12 – 55:40
• Closing Reflections: 56:34 – End

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Tone & Language

• Candid, humorous, raw: The episode moves from playful banter (relationship Q&A, Amazon jokes, “out of pocket” moments) to emotionally charged, vulnerable moments as Maks and Peta discuss trauma, war, and family separation.
• Real and heartfelt: The episode ends with gratitude for both American and Ukrainian resilience, and with a call for compassion, understanding, and continued support.

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Memorable Quotes

• Maks: “I was such a—I was like, I'm a European female right now. Like, I will slash somebody tires.” (15:06)
• Peta: “He’d say, ‘Don’t call me because my phone’s going to light up and they can see…’ and I didn’t know if he was going to be alive the next day. I would just pray and hope...” (44:35)
• Maks (on dance): “There’s nothing sexy about this process. I’m trying to teach you the cha-cha—we’re stressed!” (25:37)
• Maks (on war): “Ukraine is not winning anything…You're talking about a whole generation of people missing limbs…” (41:38)
• Grete: “The fact that the whole world is so proud of Ukraine because…look how resilient Zelensky has been…” (55:21)

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Summary

This riveting episode of Outta Pocket with RG3 offered a rare dual window—one into the competitive, emotionally charged backstage world of “Dancing with the Stars,” and another into the lived trauma and resilience of a Ukrainian-American family during wartime. Maks and Peta were unfiltered about the realities of dance partnership drama, the thin line between passion and professionalism, and the unique pressures of public perception. The episode’s most powerful moments come in their personal reflections on surviving the war in Ukraine, navigating trauma, loss, and the responsibilities of parenthood and legacy. Filled with laughter, honesty, and raw emotion, this episode delivers both the “outta pocket” energy its fans expect and a meaningful, timely meditation on love, sacrifice, and what connects us.

Transcript

[A]

Yo, yo, yo. Welcome to out of pocket with RG3, hosted by your boy and the 49,000 time all American, Greta Griffin.

[B]

Amazing, baby.

[A]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Oh, man. Just make sure you guys like and subscribe to our YouTube channel. We've had extreme growth because of you guys. Over 100,000 subscribers in the last 30 days. Really proud of that. But we would not be able to do it if it wasn't for you. So don't only you like and subscribe. Make sure you tell your friends and your friends, friends and your friends, friends, friends, friends. To like and subscribe to our YouTube channel. Because with you, anything is possible. So today we have a very interesting conversation. I would like to say it's a foreign conversation, so because of that, we're gonna allow the foreign host to do the introduction. Baby.

[C]

I like it.

[B]

We have a Ukrainian superstar couple from Dancing with the Stars. And to make history, we have our very first female guest. For you guys today, we have Max and PETA.

[A]

I'll ask the first question. Who's the worst partner you've ever had? Worst celebrity partner you've ever had? Let's dive into it.

[B]

Dancing wise or.

[A]

No, just. I'm asking him. Let him answer. How? He, he said I can ask him anything.

[C]

I'm. I'm telling.

[D]

Very careful. Jesus Christ.

[A]

He's an amazing man.

[C]

I've become. I've become a much better person with Peter. But look, you know the idea of participation on Dancing with the Stars, when I was told, you know what my job is? I was told, your job is to make. Give this person the best chance of winning. This is not my job. The job is to give this person the time of participation. Be the, the partner. You know what I'm saying? Be the. Be there. You know, their. I don't know their. The safe space exactly. Because they're the ones dealing with this drama. I wasn't taking it that way. I was taking it. What's your name? Whatever, it doesn't matter. We're going to win. Why? Because I'm going to tell you exactly what to do and I'm going to tell you exactly how to do it. There was a moment when I would start my, my rehearsals. This probably is not on camera, but I would look at my partner and she could be, you know, Kirsty Alley, decades older than me or somebody my age. I would look her and be like, excuse me, do me a favor. I don't know you, you don't know me. I'm a very nice guy. But for now, please don't speak for a couple hours. And they'd be looking at me like, what? First of the production would be like, wait, hold on a second. We're here with cameras and we need them to speak. You guys have mic'd up. I'm like, no, no, no, no. I'm here to work. I'm here to make sure she does the cha cha, you know? And so there was all these misconceptions, misunderstandings, and I know, you know, I was not the best of partners for some of those people.

[A]

Right.

[D]

People need a little milk with their tea, you know what I mean?

[C]

So if you're going to ask, other.

[D]

People are like, let's go.

[C]

Yeah. So, you know, I worked extremely well with some personalities and some people because they love that stuff. And I would clash with others. My public clashes were with people like Hope Solo. You know, we just did not get along. There was few others that I wouldn't get along with a little more privately. But, you know, it's not. It's not to call out people, it's not to say anything. Because I probably was not at my best at that time anyway for what that person needed. A lot of times I wouldn't blame the casting, but I would say maybe this was not the right type of partnership.

[A]

Like, they know who you are, they know what you want to do. They probably shouldn't have put you with the person who's got two left feet, you know?

[C]

No. Well, yeah. You know, a lot of. There were a few seasons when I was like, why would you take this overly trained professional and give him that? I just couldn't understand why, why, why that was the way you wanted to go. Like, you.

[D]

What you're given, it's not like you get a sheet and get to choose who you freaking want to dance with.

[C]

I was just not the guy.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

What. What about you, Peter?

[C]

She's a sweetheart.

[B]

Who has been your worst partner?

[D]

I don't know if I can say the name, but were they bad because.

[B]

Of their personality or because of the dance dancing?

[D]

Personality? Okay, okay, yeah, Personality. Because they would be constantly just trying to leave the rehearsal room. He would give me, like, sometimes an hour and a half a day. And when you have an hour and a half a day, it's basically nothing. You get zero done. And his partner at the time would be like, knocking at the door and like, hey, when you coming? When you coming out? You know, And I would have to just be like, okay. I mean, that's all I got for you today. If you gotta go, you gotta go. And it's like there's a certain level of like, real disrespect when that happens. When I'm putting everything that I got into training you and I'm doing my very best to try to get you there for Monday night. And you give me fucking nothing. Like it's. I can't do my job.

[A]

Right.

[D]

So it. Yeah, just some respect is good.

[A]

That's a good question. Great question, by the way. Great question. So the point you're making is one that concerned me, right. About should definitely do the show. Because when I watch the dances. Right. To me, dancing is a very connected, intimate thing.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

That, like, if I'm going to go dance with my partner, I take everything super seriously when it comes to, like, how you present yourself. Like, if I'm going to go play celebrity flag football, you better be ready to play.

[C]

Right.

[A]

Because I'm coming to win the game.

[C]

Right.

[A]

And I don't care if I got to go catch passes, play defense, like, that's what I'm going to go do.

[D]

But that.

[A]

Right.

[C]

So that's why you should do the show number six. I'm just going to count on the.

[A]

Say today, but when I look at the show, I'm like, well, if I go dance, I'm going to. Right. I'm going to go dance. Yeah. I looked at football the same way as far as playing quarterback is like dancing. It's rhythm, it's timing it. You're. You're making love to the football essentially. Right. So when you go to Dancing with the Stars and I see some of these celebrities that are really, really good, I'm like, okay. I can tell they're putting in the time.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

But inherently the dances become sensual, right?

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

And you hear about. Yeah. You hear about the relationships or whatever else that that might happen.

[C]

Nothing has there ever been. None of that happens part way.

[D]

Let him.

[B]

We have the same, we have the same show in Estonia and the couple, that one is now in a relationship and has a kid.

[A]

Yes. So for you, you mentioned that their partner was constantly at the door. Do you think that was the concern that they're like, oh, you're dancing with this, this woman?

[D]

I've had multiple situations. Yes. Where it has made my job very, very difficult. I pride myself on the fact that, like, I'm a one man gal type of thing, you know, Like, I am, I'm married, I've got kids. Like, there is zero that has ever happened with me with any partner. And I'm very Proud of that, actually, because, you know, back in the day, there was a lot of stuff going on with. With people, you know, not with me.

[C]

Not with me. She's not. She doesn't need me. But those sometimes throw it out there. It's not me.

[D]

And, yeah, it does. And I, you know, as a professional dancer, my job, you know, in the rumba, in the tango, in. You have to convey in that one minute and a half, like you're really into that person. And we practice it and it becomes. It's acting. But we have to practice, you know, throughout the week. We have to practice staring at each other. You know, we have to practice, like, getting in each other's space. But then it's like, when you move away, you move away. I mean, it's like, is nothing there. It's all acting. And that is part of the job. And you have to put on a show on Monday night, and it's one minute, one minute that you got it. You got to, like, get everybody on your side to think that that rumba was so special. You're so in love, you know, and it's hard for the wives.

[C]

You can watch it back. She won with. Done. One of her was with Donald Driver.

[D]

Yeah, it was, you know, incredible.

[C]

Incredible. Married, kids, faith, all of the above. But damn, he put it out and he did a great job.

[D]

He was insane. Insane.

[A]

Were you guys together at that time?

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Talk to. Talk to us about Donald Driver. I want to hear that because, you know, legendary receiver would love to hear that.

[D]

He's the best. We talk all the time. He gave me. He was my second partner, so my first partner. I had met a world peace from the Lakers, and we got out first. Let me just say, love him. Love him. But it just wasn't. It wasn't right.

[C]

I can't even say that. Metal world pe. I'd be like, ron, Ron, come on, Ron. I love him.

[D]

Anyway, so then the second. Second season, I got given Donald Driver, and for me, that was like, they were giving me a present. They were like, here. So sorry about the first season type of thing. Like, here's Donald Driver. And I was like, this guy gave me everything. He stayed behind, did extra hours. There was not one thing that I think he said no to. And there's many things that guys will say, I'm not doing that now. Take that out. No, I'm not doing it. Take it out. It's too hard.

[C]

And he kept his integrity. He did not. Yeah, he was. He was the family man, through and through. So yeah.

[D]

Bettina, his wife, was in, just an insanely amazing person. She was there every single week on the sidelines, cheering him on. That's what we wanted. We want the whole family to be involved. We ultimately ended up winning because our partnership was so strong. We had a great foundation, a friendship that, you know, we would, we would talk about, you know, him and me getting together. You know, like at this stage. This was a very new. Like, we were just, you know, sleeping together. But it was, it was like starting. It was happening. And then he was like, so what's going on? And we would, we would have the chats and stuff and it was. He was a great friend throughout the whole thing. He was, he's amazing.

[C]

Look, for. For years, first of all, it's number one for Dancing with the Stars, like, success has always been the football player.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

You know, the, the from Emmett Smith started that. I mean, Jerry Rice was, was a great figure for that season one, but he wasn't that type of dancer.

[A]

Right.

[C]

Jerry then became the, the dense. The Dense center as he was doing this little, you know, skits.

[D]

Heinz Ward.

[C]

I don't want to talk about because he took a win for me. So I was second with Kirsty.

[D]

Oh, okay.

[C]

But no, Heinz did a great job. But Emmett set the standard. You know, he was the guy who came in light on his feet. Everybody understood, ah, you know, the height works, the, the presence work. It was hard to find basketball players like Iman, super tall. But also, you know all about that.

[D]

Because the show is not just about being a great dancer. I'm sure you can see that. It is about your personality, how your interviews look, how well you get on with your partner. Now it's all about social media and what you can put out, like during the rehearsal period.

[C]

Well, yes, in addition to, in addition to. Huge point, but it's, it why you guys work is because the, the work ethic. You know, it's exactly what you said. You didn't make your case worse. You're gonna, you made your case. Somebody's gonna call you.

[D]

Someone's gonna call right after this.

[C]

Her name is Dina, and I'm gonna make sure she does. But, you know, it's, it's, it's. It's that type of project. Now. This is not season 10 or five. This is season 34. You know, by now, everybody. It's coming up on 34. It's this. Everybody knows what it is, everybody knows what it's not. And that's why the show works today is because it's not serious. It's not, you know, life. It's what you make of it. It's what you want to put into it. And the reason why the intimacy is going to work is because of the way you are together. You know, it's going to be about the strength of this couple, right? And the fact that there's no, there's no cracks in this relationship. If you have cracks in the relationship, don't do it because you're going to get somebody like her who is just an incredible person to spend time with. And so if you have shitty time at home, you're going to be running to this rehearsal. She's going to know, she's going to know you coming back and you, she's.

[D]

Giving you, like the worst case scenario when they actually, like, can't wait to get in the door to see you. You know, they're like, oh, my God, what are we doing today? Tell me what we're doing.

[C]

Yeah, And I'm also given a scenario of where we are now. We, the pros, know how to cater to you the right way. And so we know how to take care of you. We know how to make sure that you're healthy, that you're not going to be so or too sore. You're going to come with some problems 20 years in. We know how to be a shoulder to cry on. I'm not. That's why I'm not on it. But there are people that are, you know, way better at this. And so, you know, we now know how to cater to all of these aspects. So. Yeah, no, you have to have a strong relationship and then it will work even better.

[D]

What, what do you think? Do you think you would, you would like to do it? No.

[B]

Do you not know Eastern European women? I will murder him if there's a. Not because, like, not because our relationship isn't strong, but I view dancing the same way. And I feel like if I told him I wanted to do it, he would tell me the same thing. Hell no. I mean, for him to have to watch me with another man holding behind his neck and, you know, his leg between my legs. I just don't know how I'm gonna go home after that and be like, oh, hey baby, wanna have sex?

[C]

Hold on. No, look, I'm gonna, I'm gonna say, I'm gonna, I'm gonna say that, that there's possibility of the effect here is that it's coming home and she's like, come home now. You know what I'm saying? Like.

[A]

Being away from someone can make them grow fonder.

[D]

Absolutely.

[B]

But also, I feel the same way about acting. I don't understand how people can be married or in a relationship with actors and actresses. Because you're watching that and you're like.

[C]

But you gotta experience.

[D]

I think that's next level too. That's like seeing, like, him in a sex scene or a makeout scene.

[C]

She was in the movie. They had a makeout scene. Oh, this gentleman is a. Isn't. Is. Is a gentleman through and through. I. I know him, Robert.

[D]

Older gentlemen.

[C]

Older gentlemen. We've spoken. We hung out and all this. They had a makeout scene. My guy. She didn't know. I drove up and I was in the back of the parking lot. I was in the back of the parking lot, damn near with binoculars. I was like this crouching hiker, you know, tiger hidden Max between the cars. And then I saw her kiss him. And I was like. And then I made sure she saw me walk away. I was like, I didn't even know. He didn't know. She's like, oh, my God, he's there. I was such a. I was. I was like, I'm a European female right now. Like, I will slash somebody tires. I'm about to go kill somebody. Like, it was so hard for me to deal with.

[D]

And it was the most. It was the most innocent, platonic, little, quick. Little. What?

[C]

I mean, listen, you guys sold it. It wasn't really platonic, but, you know, there was something. And. And I was like, this is when I knew that this is going to be a problem. And, you know, it's a problem for me to watch, you know, if. If the roles were reversed, I'd be like, baby, this is just job.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

You know, but I can see the. The perspective. I can see how it looks. I didn't like it.

[A]

It's tough. And. And that when I saw that, like. And maybe we're not. Maybe we're seeing it differently. Like you said, maybe there. There are cracks somewhere. And obviously they. They had some cracks because they. They're not together. But when you talk about Peter, when you talk about dancing and you have to sell that to the audience.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Now, in today's world, with social media being so prominent, you can see everyone's opinion. You mentioned earlier talking about the. The Stouffer's lasagna. And yeah, you took it down because they were talking about your son.

[C]

Big mistake.

[A]

Right. But he's not gonna. If you had posted well, you wouldn't have had a chance to post it because if there's no social media, but if, say it was on a commercial.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

On national TV and there is no Twitter, there is no X, there's no Facebook or whatever, you're not going to see those opinions. So it doesn't impact you in such a big, big way. They might be making and having those conversations on their own in their own private house, but now because of social media, the pressures of going on Dancing with the Stars, okay? And now I'm staring into that other woman's eyes and they're like, holy shiznit, this guy is selling it and it. And now it takes off and she's got to see every single day for the next six weeks or however long the show is airing, however long I get on the show. And it's just us constantly. And now if you thought we were good in week one, wait till you see us in week five. Like, the chemistry is just only going to grow. And I think that's why it's so difficult. When I see actors, and they're all called actors now, but when I see actors on screen playing husband, wife, kissing in those scenes, having those intimate scene.

[B]

Mr. And Mrs. Smith and then they.

[A]

Get married and you're like, yeah, it's really hard to fake that.

[C]

Yeah. But Mr. And Mrs. Smith, they had like, he wanted kids. She didn't. She still doesn't. So clearly there was like a miss.

[B]

And I mean, he fell in love with Angelina Jolie. Who wouldn't?

[C]

And but you know, she's a big fan, so. Yeah.

[A]

I mean, you like Angela Jolie?

[D]

You know I do, yeah.

[C]

And then the chemistry and in chemical reactions.

[A]

Exactly. We all like angelic.

[C]

I mean, look, I think acting. Acting is out, out of this conversation because it's different than. Because no. You sacrifice your life for the skill of, of an incredible actor. As a matter of fact, in just going through acting school and on my own. And she did it separately on her own. Like the, the experience that I had was like, damn, like, I need a different life for this. You know, if I am to take this serious. There is no Peter and three kids. There is just a focused, you know, environment in which I can be molded into anything. Dance is not that.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Certainly not on Dancing Stars Season 34.

[D]

I think it's just because it's still.

[C]

Trying to convince me.

[D]

It's so, like, it's so for us as the dancer, we're so far removed from thinking, oh, he's staring at me too long.

[A]

Right.

[D]

I'm not even thinking about that. I'm thinking about where your foot placement is. If you got pigeon toes, like, let's straighten your feet out. Like.

[B]

But that's because you are such a professional and you love your man. You know what I mean? Like, you wouldn't do anything to sacrifice that or to do anything. No, not everybody's like you.

[D]

And also. But the respect that I would have for you going into this knowing, like, all the wives, all the fiances, all the girlfriends that I have dealt with, like, I understand how hard it would be to watch.

[C]

But the professionalism, if I may, is not only in, in the steps, the professionalism. And again, it depends on who you get as a pro, which, by the way, when the. The Dina calls specific three conversations. But the professionalism here is also in how you present this. You know, I'm not going to be.

[D]

Going around holding his hand on the press line. Like, I'm not going to be.

[C]

Not. Not even that. We're talking about dance. Let's say. Let's say it is the, the pinnacle. It's the rumba, right. And it has to be sensual and it has to present itself that way. Right. The professionalism is in putting the choreography that highlights the rumba in him and the rumble in the couple, but does not do that. You know what I'm saying? And by the way, if you're a normal person, go sit in rehearsal.

[D]

Yeah, yeah.

[C]

You know, I mean, and you see the sweat and you see the work ethic and you're gonna understand that there's no difference.

[D]

There really isn't. Like, we put on the show on Monday and you know, we practice a little bit, but there's nothing sexy about an eight hour rehearsal.

[B]

Completely different perspective on it because you're actually the ones doing it.

[A]

And I bet you know what I mean? And I believe what you said about you're more focused on like, where's the foot? Where's this? Where that. Whereas you have undoubtedly had partners and you as well, that come in and they're like, oh my God, you're beautiful. Oh my gosh, the way that they moved. And I think if we're being real, part of it is also if I'm a man, which I am, by the.

[D]

Way, thank God, and.

[A]

And my wife or fiance or girlfriend is now dancing with you. And you can do things that I can't.

[C]

Right.

[A]

I do think that there's a certain level of insecurity that people have about that because, you know, I'm a big strong guy, like, I can pick my wife up. But if you have this classical training of being a dancer. And you can do that. I'm going to be in the room. Like, how do I do that?

[D]

And. And we do that.

[C]

And we do that.

[D]

We bring the spouses in, and they can have involvement.

[C]

We. We break that. That wall. So. So you don't feel that. Listen, you know, I. Yeah, but then, you know, in this particular case, like, how do I throw the ball? How do I do this?

[A]

Correct.

[C]

This thing that you do.

[A]

You know, she's not as sexy.

[C]

It's.

[A]

To who?

[C]

To who?

[A]

Like, okay, like you see in the movies or just in real life, if you're trying to, like, mack on a female.

[C]

Listen, kind of.

[A]

Rizzer, you're going to teach her how to swing a golf ball, right? Because. Or how to hit a baseball because you can hold it from behind. But when I'm, like, teaching you to throw a football, it's not like I'm, like, grabbing you from behind and be like, now you're gonna separate both arms.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And make the throw. Like, it's not as sexy as the cha Cha. The rhomba.

[C]

Yeah, but you. You. It's. It's about professionalism. You can be a. And come up from behind, be like, this is how you swing your hip. Yeah, but you're being a professional dick. You're not being a professional dance teacher, an educator. You don't. You don't. You don't.

[D]

We've had some beauties. I've had some. One guy, again, not naming names correct, stood behind me, and he kind of wasn't all there, mentally put his hands on my hips, and I was like, okay, so now you're gonna go from here. We're gonna go up the body, and bam. And he's like, oh, so this is kind of like us fucking from behind. Right? And I turned around and I was like, no, no, it's not, actually. So let's get back into it. I'll, like, keep my, you know, perky personality, and I'll just be like, you know, because.

[C]

Because she's a pro. Because I wouldn't have that reaction.

[A]

I would punch that guy in the face.

[C]

No, no, there's no. There's no need.

[D]

Oh, there's been more than that.

[A]

Oh, really?

[D]

Oh, yeah. Oh. There's been instances where it's. Because when you come into the show, the guys, they don't. They don't realize, and sometimes some of them can't separate what's happening in the studio and what's real life.

[A]

Wow.

[C]

So that exposes everyone. The show that ultimately exposes people's personalities. It exposes you. So the only reason why I'm saying you must do the show is because I get to know you, you and you and who you guys are.

[A]

Right.

[C]

If you were different, this wouldn't be a conversation. I wouldn't, I wouldn't say that to you.

[A]

Right.

[C]

Because if you have those skeletons, they're going to come out.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

This show is not about dance. The show is about skeletons in your closet and how that progresses through the show and what the audience get to see and pick on and what they get to hold on to. You know, ultimately it's about you. There were women that would join Dancing with the Stars and to your point, she's walking, see this tall, dark, weird sounding, handsome and you know, again, I'm going to name names. Kirsty, rest in peace. She was like, you're so flirty. I'm like, what? Kirsty Alley? I'm like, what are you talking about? She's like, well, look at where your hand is. I'm like, where's my hand? She's like, it's almost on my butt. I'm like, woman, your center of gravity given your hips is in such place where I might be actually needing both hands to move you around. I'm trying to help.

[D]

We love Kirsty, by the way.

[C]

You know, I'm trying to help you. I'm not trying to flirt with you. Also, I'm sweating. I smell myself. There's nothing sexy about this process. I'm trying to teach you the church. We. It's Saturday and you don't know half of it. Like, I'm stressed. Like, what flirting are we talking about?

[D]

So listen, they can't differentiate sometimes it's ultimate.

[C]

Summer, summer, summer camp for adults.

[D]

It's crazy.

[A]

No, I, I definitely believe that and I want to just make, make it clear because this is the most out of pocket conversation I think we've ever had on the show. But I'm like, I'm all for it because it's funny you say that and what you're talking about because for me the fear isn't. There's no cracks. There's no cracks with us. And I'm not a. I will not fall in love because I am in, in love with this woman.

[D]

Right.

[A]

The fear for me, and it's a legit fear is how it impacts her.

[D]

Right. That's the fear.

[A]

Because I know I won't 100 and I'll be able to say, hey, baby. I was literally just dancing and you know, we're. And I'm cool with that, but how's it going to impact my partner having to see it? Like, it impacted you with the kiss and then the reaction to it.

[D]

Right.

[A]

You know, let alone, you know, being a interracial couple? Say I get partnered with a. A black woman. Oh, my gosh. The black community would have filled it with that. Because now if I go on this show and I'm with a black woman who's my dance partner, and we're killing it, the first comment they're gonna say is, see, that's why he should be with a black woman.

[C]

Yeah. But the only black woman on the show is married to another interracial in another interracial couple. So it's not like it's gonna be. You know what I'm saying? And they're fully in love, and it's. You're saved there.

[A]

But you get what I'm saying? It's. It's not even like. The reality is that she is married and happy. The reality is you're married and happy. You're married and happy. That didn't stop those. Those teammates always.

[D]

Ever since day one. I. Okay, so, example, Donald Driver. Our first dance that we came out with, the Cha Cha, we blew it out of the park. It was amazing for some reason. Okay. He. He picked me up at the end of it and, like, gave me a big bear hug. And because he's so much taller than me, he picked me up so high, my legs were dangling. I wrapped them around him.

[A]

Yes.

[D]

For, like, three seconds. I got so much from, you know, other women, like, how dare you wrap your. Wrap your legs around a married man? And I'm like, well, the fact that.

[C]

90 of the body's touching is irrelevant, but the legs.

[A]

It was the wrap of the leg.

[D]

So excited that we did it. We nailed it. And it was like a great moment for us. And then, of course, it wasn't everything because not everybody was saying that, but it was just a moment where I had to step back and go, yeah, okay, I get it. That might have looked a little weird. I didn't mean it in any way, shape or form. He just picked me up so high. So there's things that I think I've learned along the way as being a professional dancer, too. Like, and just keeping things in mind.

[C]

I just hate that.

[D]

Again, press line. We do a massive press line after each Monday night. We do all the outlets. It takes an hour. And it's a fun. It's fun because you get to chat about what happened? They ask you all the questions, and it goes on every news channel. I feel like back in the day, like, we were cozier with the partners. Like, they've always got our arms around us, you know, because we're a partnership. You have to sell the partnership to win the show, you know, and now I'm definitely more careful with, you know, not being too snuggly with the person after the show, because after the show, you go back to, you know, reality. It's. It's life.

[C]

Tell you everybody's a pro. Everybody's a Pro. It's again, 34 times in. Everybody knows exactly what the job is, what it's not right, how to do it better. This is never going to add to it. It's going to. It's just going to backfire.

[A]

Right.

[C]

You know, there's never a couple that did well on the show and in life where, you know, someone walked in, in relationship, broke up, became a relationship on the show, they're not together anymore, you know.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

I don't know. I don't want to name names, but the point is, it doesn't work. This is like, again, it's a summer camp for, yes, have fun. But remember that this is going to come to an end. Summertime comes to an end, and then next season you realize that, wait, where was I? What was this? You know, so I think today, everybody knows what it is.

[A]

Yeah. And last thing I've got on that is, you know, to your point at summer camp, but you know, how many times a kid goes away to summer camp and they. And they have a crush on. On the guy that they might have talked to three times, and they're always going to have that experience with you to be like, yes, this was my partner on Dancing with the Stars. I did more dances with this person than I've ever done with my partner. And that, to me, is something that impacts the partner in such a way that it's almost like, as a man, you know this, you don't ever want your wife to have experienced something with someone else that she has not experienced with you. And that. That is a real relationship. It's a real relationship challenge. And I'm not saying everybody's that way. I just know, like, for me, like we talked about before, when I get up in the morning, my number one goal is to find a way to get her to fall in love with me.

[C]

Well, I mean, that's.

[A]

If I haven't done something for her or if I've done something for someone else that I haven't done for her. I make sure I get that done. And we've been together nine years now, so I've made sure I knocked all them out the park. But I feel like that is something relationally that they tussle with.

[C]

Right.

[A]

So, like, we're fans of the show. We've watched the show and I'm just watching. I'm like, man, I don't know. Like, that would be really tough.

[D]

Was there a dance that you remember where you were like, oh, are they or aren't they? Or like where you were like, well, that was too steamy or.

[A]

Oh, I mean, you kind of mentioned it. It was the Donald Driver dance, but it was, it wasn't. I didn't feel like it was too steamy. I just felt like, okay, which one? The cha cha? Because it was so good. Like, I watched, I'm like, damn, look, he's been dancing for 20 years. Like, he was incredible. But I also know that part of the reason he was so good is because you were so good.

[C]

Right?

[A]

Right. You guys are the trained dancers. Like you said, your job is to make them. Well, you thought your job was to win. But in order to win, they have to be good. You have to showcase their strengths.

[D]

Yes.

[A]

So in that one, I was like, wow, that was absolutely an incredible dance. I can only imagine how his wife feels right now. Right.

[C]

And.

[A]

And that could be right, wrong, or indifferent. It wasn't the wrapping of the legs. For me, that wasn't a thing. It was just the dance.

[D]

I'm like, that wasn't even a sexy dance.

[A]

How is she going to. How is she going to top that?

[C]

There's a through line here.

[D]

You should watch our tango.

[C]

I mean, you should, you should watch some other dances. Yeah.

[A]

So like, if you go to the club. Club, like make it real life and you go to the club and I'm out on the dance floor doing the cha cha, not even the tango, just a cha cha with some other woman.

[C]

When real life, you don't do that.

[A]

I've seen some people do it, but.

[C]

Then they have cracks in the relationship.

[A]

Right?

[C]

No, this is a, this is a through line, through this conversation that's been about. One thing that I just want to just point out is the comments and it's the comment section. To me, it's a non existent entity.

[D]

So you don't talk to her as in.

[C]

But that's a matter of. That's understanding. It's not like, oh, that's how I feel about this. No, what I, I can't respond to what I don't see if I don't see a person. And, and, and, and it goes back to the beginnings. Like, I got in trouble because I thought I was being spoken to, you know, and I needed a reply like, okay, so you done talking? Great. Now it's my turn. Right? The comments aren't that this is nobody talking at me. This is someone sitting in the privacy of their domain and have an opinion and get to express it. No, it's not a conversation and it's definitely not something that I would hold my head on. On. Like, okay, that opinion matters. It doesn't matter to me. I don't know who you come, who you like. Kawaii said Kwai Leonard. Remember that? Like, I don't even know where you are, you know, like. Yeah.

[A]

It was a good laugh.

[C]

So. Yeah, no, that's why I, I was always like, like, it doesn't matter to me. Yes. The kiss that we mentioned, that was so outside.

[D]

That doesn't happen on dancing with the style.

[C]

That was so outside of my. Like, I, I never, I never even understood that that could get to that point. You know, in dance we don't care, you know, where the hands are and all this stuff.

[A]

And probably how you feel about dance is how the actors feel. Feel about acting, right?

[C]

Well, do they? Since they don't get to stay together. So do they really?

[A]

You know, you want to hit the tick tock segment and then we'll hit finish. We'll finish with the we have a.

[B]

Little tick tock segment that you guys have probably seen where we ask you, you know, a question and you have to say either if it's you or if it's her.

[C]

Yeah. Okay, let's do it.

[A]

Do you guys want the pillows to hit each other with.

[B]

Water? There you go. All right. Who's the better dancer?

[A]

Really? Oh, that sounds like. That's so sweet.

[B]

Good job.

[A]

That's so sweet.

[C]

Good job.

[B]

Who was interested first?

[C]

Who was interested first in the other persons?

[D]

Stop it right now.

[B]

How dare you.

[D]

You lying.

[C]

Okay, rephrase the question.

[A]

Who was interested first?

[B]

Who showed interest in the other person first?

[D]

You did.

[B]

A romantic.

[C]

I mean, we're talking physical or we're talking like, how, how back in the.

[D]

Day, you're the one that was like, you know, starting to flirt and starting to stare and stuff like that.

[C]

According to some people. I was staring.

[B]

Who said I love you first?

[C]

You know, putting us on the spot. Did I say I love you first? It probably did.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Once I'm in, I'M in.

[B]

Who spends the most money?

[A]

O.

[C]

I mean, existence of Amazon messed it up for sure, you know?

[D]

Oh yeah, Amazon.

[C]

It's just like she doesn't realize as.

[A]

Soon as he said Amazon, it's like.

[C]

Button, but right here.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Who cleans more?

[A]

Uhoh. She says she does.

[C]

No, she doesn't. What do I clean?

[D]

Excuse me. Do you clean?

[C]

Okay, time.

[D]

Okay. Uh, oh, I would love to know what part do you clean? We won't go, we won't go there.

[C]

We won't. Oh my God. We're going to talk about this in the drive back.

[B]

No, we are not creating a relationship drive drama over here.

[C]

No, absolutely not.

[A]

Definitely not. Cleaning drama.

[D]

Cleaning drama.

[B]

What cleaning are we talking about exactly?

[A]

Trying to get out of pocket. Here we go.

[B]

Who's more protective?

[C]

I think you, you're not protective at all.

[D]

I, I, I mean she deleted, she.

[A]

Deleted the social media post, so that's pretty protective.

[C]

I mean, protective. I mean, I'll, in everyday life, I would say I'll do, I'll do things detrimental to myself for protecting them, you know, but that I think is what men should be doing.

[A]

100. Agreed.

[B]

Who falls asleep first?

[D]

It depends. We can't stay awake for like one white lotus.

[C]

I can't. I can try to, but yeah, the white lotus. Beginning couple episodes were just a little slow for me, so I'm still waiting.

[A]

As soon as those feet touch, you guys are out here we are.

[B]

All right, last question. Who's more annoying?

[D]

100. 1,000.

[C]

1,000.

[A]

Very smart decision on the finger point. They're not gonna lie.

[C]

No. But it's also just sheer honesty.

[B]

That's why she loves him.

[A]

No doubt, no doubt. So we wanted to do that because for the last, you know, five to 10 minutes, we just wanted to talk to you guys about, you know, Ukraine. And you were actually in Ukraine when the war started.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And just from back then to now, just to describe to, you know, our viewers what that, what the experience has been for you both as a family. Because I know you were separate at first and you were here and he was here in Ukraine. And just to kind of illuminate what that experience was like and how it's changed today with all the different narratives that are out there about the war. Just open up your heart to us and really just pull on our heartstrings to let us know what you guys have been going through.

[C]

I mean, I'm having a very hard time. Well, I wasn't ready for that. Sorry. I'm having a hard time emotionally Because I want to go back. And I wanted to go back for the last three years, and she and the kids are stopping me because of the impact that was on her when I got stuck there. And granted, in hindsight and in the perspective is that nothing happened to me. You know, everything happened to everyone I know personally in that country. I also was in the middle of filming World of Dance. I was judging. I just finished judging the season of Dancing with the Stars in Ukraine. This is a country that's incredible in arts and the field of dance specifically, so I've had an amazing time. But to see a bunch of dancers, you know, change shoes and go straight to front line, and some of them are not coming back, and we know their names, it's devastating. But having said that, it's that. It's that fundamental struggle. Like, there's certain things I want to do, and then there's certain things I also want to do with the family. And so, for me, it's such an awful internal battle where I want to go and I want to be a part of that. But I also just started having my kids and. And the time with them is. We talked about, you only have, what, 10 summers? And, you know, few opportunities like this and few opportunities like that. And so to miss out on that, it's just so hard for me internally. And it's such a devastating, kind of like, last three years, because I am on it. I'm watching, I'm talking. I'm continuously keeping my relationships going. I support my friends. I support people that I work with that are now, for the last three years, they're immigrants in some other countries. It's been a horrible nightmare. And I see it like this. I know people stopped looking at it. I know it's far away. Not to me, and unfortunately not to her. And every time I brought up a conversation of me going back to Kyiv, I could see that she's having these sort of PTSD moments. It took me a long time to come out of my mental state. We weren't. We never spoke about this. Nobody's ever asked me about that. But I was not good, and neither was she. And, you know, the cracks in the family and the fact that we don't have any is the reason why we're sitting here calm and peaceful and, you know, and we're going through it the right way. But it's an awful situation. You know, to see moments like Zelensky at White House, whichever side you're on, is horrific, because I know the names of so many who were you know, waiting and hopeful for that type of moment to lead to a result. And there isn't any. And for people that don't know, the, the, the, the terrorist violence, which is what we call it, has upped since then. The bombings have upped since then because obviously it's an, it's a war, it's not a conflict. And so, you know, it didn't subside. There is no dialogue, nothing is standing still. It's all very much, very active. And Ukraine is not winning anything. So, you know, those people not only gonna have a hard time coming back, they're gonna have a hard time coming back mentally. Half of the country is injured, half of the youth is injured. You're talking about a whole generation of people missing limbs. There's just a reality in effect. So you know this, athletes are dying, stars are dying. You know, the great minds of the country are going, are dying. So it's, it's awful to see also.

[B]

So many misplaced people. Like we in Estonia. My mom is a school teacher. She teaches now little Ukrainian kids and she now teaches them Estonian to try to help them get some sort of education, but they only understand Ukrainian.

[C]

My manager is in Switzerland and she and, and her two kids are now fully speaking French. She's trying to, you know, continue the, you know, the, the Ukrainian and it, and it's hard. And they want to go home now. They don't want to go home now. They don't know what the home is.

[B]

Yeah, exactly. They don't, they don't even know like what. And do I, did I get that right? Did you suffer a miscarriage while he was away?

[D]

Yeah, I had several miscarriages. That's why we have a six year gap between our eldest and our nearly our two year old. Yeah, it was, it was one of the hardest times of my life to date. And I, I say that like, because we're the lucky ones. Right? He's fine, he came home, everything's good. Many people didn't. So I have to continuously be grateful for that. But I will never forget the time where he called me and FaceTimed me and said, they're coming. And I'm like, who's coming? And Russia is invaded. It's happening. I got to get out of here. The sheer panic and the next nine to ten days after that were the most horrendous, traumatic that I have ever been through. There were nights where he would call me and say, I have to turn off all the lights, I have to turn off my phone. I'm Gonna cry?

[C]

Yeah, no, I'm getting emotional, too. It's. It's. And I don't know what's gonna happen.

[D]

To me, so I need you to go to sleep and just, you know, take care of the kids. And I'm like, are you fucking kidding me? What's happening? And he's like, in a bomb shelter. And it was. It was so bad. I didn't know if he was going to be alive the next day. And I would just pray and hope and I. He'd say, don't call me because my phone's going to light up and they can see. Don't call me. And I'm.

[C]

I mean, I wasn't meant to be.

[D]

It's terrible.

[C]

It's a long story. At some point, I'll. I'll. I'll tell it. But I was not allowed to be where I ended up being. The safe place that I was in. I was not meant to be there. So somebody lied for me, and they lied that I was part of a crew that I was not a part of. And it was a borderline federal offense on both sides. And. And so I just got so lucky with. With the people that were around me that I was able to kind of like, you know, sort of like, hide in plain sight. But it. It was a nightmare. It was a night. It was. It was such a. You know, I spent. I spent that week and a half with a backpack, and I would take. There was a moment where I could get like, a little breakfast and I would, like, make myself sandwiches, put them in a bag, and I would have, like, a sandwich in a bottle of water. And I would. One time, I believe during that. The first three days, I was not, like. I was just not washing anything. And then I was like, I got to wash my underwear or something. And I remember I washed my. My underwear and socks. And then the siren goes and we have to all grab our shit and run out. And so I was like, damn, I'm never washing the shit again. It's wet. And so, like, it was. It was awful. And the way I, you know, had to get on the train and go through. Go. Go to Poland. And it's literally me and all women and children. And the. The feeling is awful. It was awful. You know, the fact that I'm not from that country, I have a home far, far away. Me on my blue passport. Saved. Saved me. It was just. It was horrible.

[D]

That was the thing that was so. That I was so angry about was that, you know, the government was saying, americans, leave. Leave now they're saying it for like a week or so.

[C]

I was the last person we spent.

[D]

His production was saying, no, it's okay, nothing's going to happen. They're not going to come in.

[C]

No, they were saying, they were saying that no matter what, you will be the first on the plane out and we'll remember what happened. They just bombed airports because it was not like, we're coming in to mess up. No, we're coming in to take it over. And so that was immediately like, I, I remember my last call to, to. It wasn't to my manager because I was like that. She was just a simple lady with a simple family and she needed to take care of them. But there were people that were higher ups and all of that, and they were shocked and didn't know what to do. And so the last call, they were like, hold on, we're figuring this out. I'm like, you know, Mary or whatever her name was at that time, like, please don't call me. Take care of your family. Because I realized, like, I'm not your child. You have kids, you know, and so the whole thing is awful and devastating. And, you know, I just got to give props to some people that are still there. There's a gentleman, his name is Mike Capone, and it has to be mentioned with global empowerment missions and that organization that came in and they now set up shop for the last three years, they've helped millions of people. I immediately started supporting that initiative and there were very few of those types of. So, you know, I saw the good in humanity. I saw the absolute worst in humanity in, you know, and everything in between for so the last three years. I personally cannot wait to be back. I cannot wait to contribute, whether they ask me to or not to, to in any way, shape or form. As long as the war stops and, you know, there's. There's going to be a lot of rebuilding.

[A]

Do you think it's the best way to ask this? Because I can sense the emotion.

[C]

Sorry, I did. I also just didn't expect it.

[A]

But no, it's, you know, the show is called out of Pocket, but we do want to have real conversations. And I feel like although this was one of our most out of pocket conversations that we've had, it's also one of the realest that we've had. And when it comes to this, hearing your account of being there and your account of like, having to live through not knowing if he's going to be able to make it back to his family, I think is moving for the people who are listening. But I also think it's important to ask the question of do you think or what do you think it is that Americans, not all of us, right, but the ones who are politicizing it, what do you think it is that they misunderstand about what is happening in Ukraine?

[D]

It's for you.

[C]

Number one, I have to say that without America, a lot of good wouldn't happen in the world. I mean, that must be said. I think that it's both the worst of it and probably at the same time. The best part is the fact that it's far away. It's sort of like self, kind of sufficient. Yes, it's a world superpower. But again, the fact that we're here and we don't feel it allows us to have dialogue, to have conversations to, you know, to help, you know, to raise funds to, you know, case in point, when, as soon as I got back, our father set up a organization that started to deliver things into Ukraine. And we were a small fish amongst big, big entities that were doing it. But it's a. It's. It was incredible to see a regular American in New Jersey walk into our, you know, warehouse and, and donate time, donate socks, donate things off their back. I mean, that is the United States person, you know what I'm saying? So that's who I think is the representative of this country. Everybody, you know, everywhere isn't. Everybody has an ignorant side, you know, and, and we, I don't, I don't blame those people. There's somebody in, you know, in United States that just doesn't want to live outside politics. As a matter of fact, at some point, we, we too were like, why our policies here reflect things that happen across the planet. You know, because I'm here first and foremost today by my kids, you know, and my kids live here. They don't live somewhere else. And so I want here to be a certain way. So, you know, I understand those two. I happen to be connected to that place. If Estonia was in that realm, God forbid, you would have been in my position, you know, and, and it's.

[B]

When all this happened, the first thing we told my parents was get on a plane. Because there's a high chance.

[C]

Because you're next.

[B]

Exactly.

[C]

Yeah. And there's a high chance that you're next. Europe, your next, Finland, your next. Poland, you're next, everybody. Because if this is not going to be. If this is going to be a frozen conflict, there's. You don't know what that dude is going to do.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

You know, listen, it is what it is. I got a bunch of calls, I got a bunch of not. I, I was driving with her. I remember we were going to Malibu just to like take a breath of fresh air. And I got it. I got a call. Somebody was telling me that I'm blacklisted on like I'm on Putin's blacklist. I'm like trying to get it, get the call of the, of the speakerphone because she's sitting next to me like eyes like this is like, just be careful what you say because you're on some kind of list, I mean, list or something. This is nuts. And to, to be a part of this. Dude, I'm just a dancer, you know, and to realize that you're not, you're part of a community, you're part of a bigger thing. Today I wear it with pride. I, I, you know, I'm proud to have been a part of this. And I, and I can't wait to recontribute to that, to that area, you know, but I am so lucky. I'm so, you know, blessed to have this, this time. And, and no matter what the comment section thinks of me, it's a, that's why it's irrelevant to me because I know that my focus is on the right thing. I have my young kids, I have my young wife, I have my young family. I just want to do that. I just want to be a great dad, great husband. And you know, that's all my focus is. Everything else is look, lead by example, be a great person. I can't wait for my kids to be of age where I could sit down and talk to them about this. But by then I also want to show them what I've done, you know, about this or in regards to any of that stuff. So we'll see what happens.

[B]

And I think the rest of the world, like you said, like you view American people as the people that want to help, that want to, you know, the good people.

[C]

Yeah, because I also, because like you and I also know the other side I come from. I was born in a, in a, in a 1980, in a communist regime. I, we immigrated because my father in 1986 was given an opportunity to go to East Germany and experience what that was like. When he came back, he was a 26 year old young man with two kids, looked at my mom and said, we're being lied to. We gotta go. You know, and this is someone who loved ussr. Someone who was in that space and was all about it. But when he realized what this is not, he's like, there's no future here for our kids. We have two boys. Both would have been at Frontline. Whether it's in Afghanistan in the 80s or some other conflict in the 90s, Nagorno Karabakh or whatever that was or something else, or Ukraine today, I mean, it's just. It's absurd. That region is in constant warfare. So, you know, to be able to be here, if you complained about this country, you have never been outside. And so for everybody who shit on America at its worst time, I'm here to say I'm the it's number one fan. This is the best place on earth, no matter what you think of it. And if you don't think it, go travel, go see other places.

[B]

And I do like how, honestly, the good side of the world, how, how they have stood up for Ukraine. And honestly, I think the whole world is so proud of Ukraine because look at the size difference between Russia and Ukraine and how resilient Zelensky has been and, like, how he handled the White House meeting, right?

[C]

Like, I don't need a ride, I need ammunition. I fuck, I'm getting emotional. But this is. This is not someone who's an actor who says that. This is someone who believes in what they say. This was off the cuff, you know, and so to call that person out today and have some kind of conspiracy theories, I don't know anything, you know, but I. I saw what I saw. And I cannot wait for. For the young men to come back from the front line, to continue representing their professions with this newfound perspective, because they will have a lot to say about what it's really like to be a man, to be a, you know, a woman, to be proud of your country, to be proud, to defend it, to. To be proud of the sort of democracy that you want to live in. I mean, that place is where all of that knowledge and information is going to start coming out of as soon as it ends.

[A]

Well, I think that's the perfect way to end it.

[C]

The perfect way to end it we've had, Robert, is for you to join Dancing with The Star season 34.

[A]

Oh, my God, my heartstrings. And he try to get me to go dance with the stars.

[C]

No, I'm not going to try anything. I'm just going to let people handle that, do this thing better than me.

[A]

I. We appreciate you guys. We appreciate you coming on the show, having the conversations really wide ranging and finishing with that because I think it's important from your experience and your. Your experience as a family for people to hear that. Because, listen, we're not. We're not here to pick a side or to do anything. We're just here to have great conversations about things that matter to people. And what's going on in Ukraine matters to you, matters to us, and it matters to everyone around the world. And I think you took this opportunity to shine a light on the greatness of America as opposed to taking the opportunity to take a shot. And I think that's. That's important. People need to. Need to understand that. And I think your point of, I will never.

[C]

I will never take a shot at this.

[A]

Go travel somewhere else.

[C]

And, And I'm critical. I have an opinion. I have a perspective, but I also have a perspective, you know, so my opinion is always before I express it. I'm always putting up against. Okay, but what is really like, you know, so that's all I gotta say.

[A]

So thank you guys.

[D]

Thank you guys so much.

[C]

Thank you. Thank you.

[A]

Thank you, everyone that's listening or watching at home, make sure you go ahead and like and subscribe to our YouTube channel. Make sure you tell your friends this is a special conversation with special people. So we'll see you guys next time, and peace.