Dancing with...Jodie Sweetin - Pod Meets World

Transcript

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Danielle Fishel (2:28)

Welcome to Danielle with the Stars. I am Danielle Fishel, a TV director, a podcaster forever Topanga and a mom of two. Currently though, I am learning how to ballroom dance one step at a time. You will see me on season 34 of Dancing with the Stars premiering September 16th on ABC and Disney. And throughout the process I am recording this Podcast chronicling my journey, giving you the inside story of one celebrity's quest for a mirrorball trophy. I am in the mix as we speak, practicing every day for the debut episode, a night that will mark the first time I have danced in front of an audience since I recited a poem for Corey and applied lipstick across my face on Boy Meets world at only 12 years old. Not kidding, but I figure the best way to prep for the moment is to talk to those who have competed before me. And today, I have the privilege of talking to another superhero from the extended Pod Meets World universe, a fellow TGIF alum who already competed on Dancing with the Stars and lived to talk about it. She appeared on season 22 of the show back in 2016 and was partnered with dancer Kiyo Matsepi, finishing in sixth place and suffering one of the more dramatic injuries in Dancing with the Stars history. But don't get it twisted like her ankle. Even though week eight was her last shelter, she went out with two basically Perfect scores. A 30 on her jive and a 29 for her tango team up. She's the real deal, and I know I need her help. Today on Danielle with the Stars, I am paired with Stephanie Tanner herself, the iconic middle child of Full and Fuller House and the co host of How Rude. Tanneritos, say hello to Jody Sweeten.

Summary

Pod Meets World: Danielle with the Stars – “Dancing with...Jodie Sweetin” (September 14, 2025)
Host: Danielle Fishel (with guest Jodie Sweetin)
Main Theme:
A deep-dive into Danielle Fishel’s upcoming “Dancing with the Stars” journey, complete with candid stories and essential advice from TGIF peer and “DWTS” alum Jodie Sweetin.

Episode Overview

Danielle Fishel, best known as Topanga from “Boy Meets World,” prepares to compete in Season 34 of “Dancing with the Stars,” and sits down with Jodie Sweetin, the iconic Stephanie Tanner from “Full House” and “Fuller House,” and a DWTS Season 22 finalist. The episode mixes practical wisdom, hilarious showbiz anecdotes, genuine nerves, and heartwarming camaraderie between two TGIF icons as Danielle seeks hard-won guidance and moral support for her own DWTS adventure.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Jodie’s “Dancing with the Stars” Origin Story

How She Got on DWTS: Jodie explains that she was approached for the show during “Fuller House” filming. Connections were made after pro dancers Maks and Val Chmerkovskiy guest-starred on “Fuller House,” sparking the opportunity.
- “Max and Val had done an episode on Fuller House… That was maybe the seed planted… then I got eliminated the night before I went back to start working on [Fuller House] season three.” (07:09)
Balancing Two Shows: She was relieved to not have to juggle filming “Fuller House” with DWTS.
- “I was glad…because it’s a lot. I mean, you’re in just the first week, but it’s a lot.” (08:10)

Dance Backgrounds & Ballroom Learning Curves

Jodie’s Early Dance Experience:
- Started ballet and tap at three. First recital as a Cabbage Patch Kid in 1984.
- “Dance was the first thing I ever did. I started dancing when I was about three…my first dance recital was where my mom…saw that I had zero problem being on a stage and moving other people out of the way so I could get stuck.” (08:59)
Partner Dancing Reality:
- Ballroom’s biggest challenge was learning to follow rather than lead.
- “Your job is sort of just to follow—which is hard.” (11:12)
- Val Chmerkovskiy made her wear wrist weights to build arm strength for ballroom holds. (11:21)
Does Dance Experience Help?
- Strongly: “Having a background in dance definitely helps…it gives you the baseline for everything. For turns, for holds, for posture…” (10:26)

DWTS Training, Meltdowns & “The Three Clicks”

The Intensity:
- Even with dance background, Jodie was “absolutely terrified.”
- “You will learn to hate those three clicks…that’s when your music starts…when you’re in the ballroom, half the time, you can’t hear it because people…scream.” (05:32)
Meltdowns & Mental Walls:
- “You’ll probably have a meltdown around week three or four” (12:54). Jodie describes a memorable tantrum over a step she couldn’t get, ending with her struggling to dramatically exit the rehearsal room—unsuccessfully due to a stuck doorknob, which ironically made her laugh at herself.
- “I was just spinning the door handle on camera…It made me laugh at myself because I was like, okay, yeah…” (13:43)

Costume, Beauty, and the Physical Toll

Outfit Surprises:
- Modesty vanishes backstage; quick changes and crowded dressing rooms are the norm.
- “There is no modesty…you have a quick change, you’re getting naked right here…” (15:22)
- Don’t rehearse in full costume until day-of for dress rehearsal—which can throw off timing and movement, especially with heavy dresses (like Jodie’s 12-lb beaded samba dress). (16:13, 16:49)
Judges’ Notes—And Concentration Face:
- Jodie was told by Carrie Ann Inaba, “The whole time you were dancing, I just didn’t like your face…” (26:05)
Physical Demands:
- Feet and joints take a beating: plantar fasciitis, bunions, and constant need for anti-inflammatory gels (Voltaren recommended!).
- Endless bobby pins, fried hair, and accumulating layers of spray tan—by week 3, cast members visit Korean spas to “scrub off” and start over.
- “There were over 80 bobby pins on my head…my head weighs a ton.” (55:37, 56:09)

Injuries, Setbacks & Recovery

On-set Injury:
- Jodie suffered a severe bone bruise in her foot during a physically demanding “Try” (Pink) performance, which resulted in a dramatic ambulance ride (35:56).
- Later, she suffered a nose injury and, after DWTS, a major ankle fracture while chasing a toy for her child (36:44).
- “I heard a crack, and I was like, oh no…ran out of the room because I thought it was blood. It was just, like, snot from getting hit really hard.” (36:09)

Partnerships, Chemistry & Competition

With Keo Motsepe:
- Immediate chemistry; Keo was patient but pushed her to improve. Their dynamic allowed vulnerability, “inside jokes,” and trust on the ballroom floor.
- “We got along so well, and we had so much fun, and I was actually really grateful for him as a teacher because he was patient, but pushed me…” (18:30)
Peer Group and DWTS Camaraderie:
- Became closest to Wanye Morris, Paige Van Zant and Ginger Z. Some contestants (e.g. Antonio Brown) were less dedicated.
- “Antonio was Antonio-ing all over the place…three hours later. Sharna was like, guess we’re not rehearsing today.” (22:19)
The Elimination Mind Game:
- Even after excellent scores, being called “last safe” was “tormenting.” Eliminations are partly about narrative tension, not always reflective of ability.
- “It’s just a mind game sometimes too…They have to scare people occasionally.” (29:58)

Memorable Dances & Final Scores

Highs and Lows:
- Her samba in the infamous heavy dress (44:10) and perfect jive in week 8 (38:33) stand out.
- On unfair scores: “That wasn’t a 21. That was not a 21. Yeah, definitely not.” (45:07)
- Exited the show after achieving her first perfect 30, frustrated but proud:
  “I was super happy to go out how I did. I loved that jive…Felt like I went out on top.” (38:59)
On Not Winning:
- Ultimately proud, even if she wanted to reach the finals:
- “I had to let go of this idea that everything was going to be perfect and just do my best…” (45:49)
- Participation is as much a popularity contest as a dance one.
- “There’s how well you do…and then there’s the popularity contest of it all.” (51:33)

Survival Tips for Danielle (and New Contestants)

Practical Advice:
- Voltaren gel for feet (53:16).
- Prepare for nerves, visible onstage concentration (“deep face”), and surprise criticism.
- Accept that spray tan and hair will become a weekly ordeal.
- Don’t let a bad week get in your head; you’re always one meltdown away from a breakthrough—or an on-camera door-handle struggle.
One Key Piece of Advice – Week 1:
- “Have fun, and connect to the audience, both in the room and at home. Those are the people that—like—you know what I mean? Give them an interesting story… the more you’re having fun, the more the audience at home sees it, the more the judges see it, and also the less you beat yourself up.” (57:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On being terrified despite dance experience:
“Oh my God. Oh, terrified. Yes…I will tell you this. You will learn to hate those three clicks.” (05:32)
On rehearsal breakdowns:
“I tried to make a really dramatic exit to the bathroom, and the door handle wouldn’t work…It made me laugh at myself because I was like, okay, yeah…” (13:43)
On dance scores and tough feedback:
“Carrie Ann said something…‘The whole time you were dancing, I just didn’t like your face.’ So that I was like, cool, thanks. It’s called concentration.” (26:05)
On elimination order mind games:
“It feels awful…you feel like you’ve worked so hard, and you’ve done so much, and you’re like, oh, well, I guess…I guess that could be it.” (29:37)
On the cumulative effects of competition:
“By week three, you gotta just—we’re like, ‘I need a whole new layer of skin.’” (54:32)
On partnership trust:
“When you’re dancing out there…you are just, like, in it. And, yeah, you really—I mean, you definitely get to know and trust the people that you’re out there dancing with.” (19:28)
On audience, nerves, and live TV chaos:
“It’s such a fun…in that regard, it is, it’s really exciting…We’re on the razor’s edge of, like, if something goes wrong, what then.” (59:55)

Useful Timestamps

[02:28] Danielle’s intro and reason for the episode
[04:19] Jodie joins; playful banter begins
[05:32] Jodie recalls the fear—even as a dancer
[08:59] Jodie’s childhood dance origins
[13:43] Jodie’s rehearsal tantrum story
[15:22] Costuming realities and modesty vanishing
[16:13] Dancing in heavy costumes for the first time
[25:33] Jodie’s nerves before her first show
[26:05] On being judged for her “face”
[35:56] The story of Jodie’s on-set ballroom injury
[44:10] Favorite dance—the samba in the 12-lb dress
[53:16] How to care for battered dancer’s feet
[57:13] Jodie’s #1 Week One piece of advice (“have fun…”)
[59:14] Danielle’s nerves, Jodie’s encouragement

Conclusion

Jodie Sweetin offers Danielle heartfelt advice and a host of memorable stories about the challenges, physical toll, emotional minefields, and exhilarating highs of competing on “Dancing with the Stars.” Danielle’s nerves are palpable, but Jodie’s candor, humor, and honest commiseration underscore how even the most seasoned entertainers find the show daunting, intensely rewarding, and, above all, unforgettable. The baton is passed with love, laughter, and the encouragement to—above all—have fun, let go, and always check the door handle before your dramatic rehearsal exit.

Recommended for:
Fans of TGIF nostalgia, aspiring “DWTS” contestants, and anyone curious about the true, often comedic chaos behind the glitz and sequins of live TV dance competitions.