Pod Meets World – "Danielle Dances! (Week 3)"

Release Date: October 1, 2025
Host: Danielle Fishel
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

On this special episode, Danielle Fishel takes listeners behind the scenes of her experience on "Dancing with the Stars" (DWTS) Week 3, which featured a brand-new "TikTok Week" theme. She shares the excitement, nerves, and heartwarming moments from rehearsing and live performance to the rousing support from friends, celebrities, and fans. Danielle dives into her song choice, the emotional journey of the competition so far, the impact of receiving support from pop star Sabrina Carpenter, and the bittersweet realities of weekly eliminations.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. TikTok Week: Embracing a New Challenge

Timestamps: [03:07–07:30]

• Unique Theme: Week 3 was the show's first-ever "TikTok Week." Danielle admits initial confusion about whether the dance should incorporate TikTok trends or dances, stating,

  "I do not consider myself to be a TikTok dancer. That's not usually where I get my bread buttered, if that makes sense." (03:42)

• Song Selection: Danielle was thrilled to perform a Foxtrot to Sabrina Carpenter's "Man Child," a song that went viral on TikTok and is one of her personal favorites. She explains,

  “The minute I played it for Pasha... he said, this is a perfect foxtrot. And I said, great, then let's not even try to mess with something else.” (04:42)

• Choreography Philosophy: She and Pasha opted to focus on classic ballroom rather than shoehorning in TikTok dances, feeling it was more authentic for them.

2. Behind the Performance: Song, Support, and the Power of Friendship

Timestamps: [05:50–10:00]

• Sabrina Carpenter’s Involvement: Danielle shares how she asked Sabrina for permission to use her song and was met with immediate, enthusiastic support.

  “She was so incredibly supportive right from the very beginning. She cleared it right away for us.” (06:15)

• Sabrina sent Danielle a heartwarming black-and-white video message and a bouquet of flowers with a touching note:

  “You are not stupid, useless, or slow. I love you and I am so immensely proud of you.” (07:10)

• Being Early in the Show Order: Danielle discusses going third—her “sweet spot”—and the process of preparing in the rush before her performance, focusing on technical notes like “shoulders down” and last-minute partner cues.

3. Competition Anxiety & Elimination Surprises

Timestamps: [10:20–11:50; 32:11–34:50]

• Safety and Drama: Danielle describes the anxiety of waiting to hear if she’s safe, especially being called last this week:

  "That hug that Pasha and I gave each other, slapped each other on the back like we were football bros, was like the most earnest reaction." (11:20)

• Unexpected Elimination: She expresses sincere shock and sadness at contestant Lauren’s departure:

  "This is not hyperbole...There is a 0% chance I would have even won a dollar [guessing who'd go home]. I never, ever would have suspected that Lauren was going home. And I am bummed about it." (11:38)

• Danielle underscores how unpredictable eliminations are, emphasizing the importance of viewer votes:

  “It just really goes to show you how important votes are because the only thing I can figure is that somehow she didn’t have enough votes...Shocking. Truly a shocking night.” (33:20)

4. Personal Growth, Injury Updates, and Judge’s Feedback

Timestamps: [15:41–19:10]

• Injury Recovery: Danielle is recovering from a hamstring injury—a “grade 3 tear”—but felt the slower Foxtrot was helpful:

  “Try as I might, Pasha refused to put cartwheels into our Foxtrot. So no splits, no cartwheels. I just got to glide around the floor and my leg is 90% better.” (15:47)

• Judge’s Notes and Progress: She scored a new high—three sevens—and especially cherished positive feedback from Bruno:

  “My number one goal going into this week was that Bruno was going to see my shoulders down...when he said that he could tell that I was a good student, the Topanga in me just lit right on up.” (16:37)

• On Learning and Improvement: Danielle discusses her mindset for DWTS:

  "I didn't come in here an A dancer. I didn't even come in here a C plus dancer. But my goal is that every week I get better." (17:39)

5. Looking Ahead: Disney Week and the Joy of Performance

Timestamps: [19:10–22:40]

• Anticipation for Disney Week: Danielle is excited for next week’s theme, sharing personal anecdotes about growing up near Disneyland and looking forward to filming at the park.
• Upcoming Dance Style:

  "If the foxtrot is slow and graceful, what we have planned next week is quick, if you catch my drift...I'm a little nervous about it because it's a dance that's unlike anything else I've ever done." (20:05)

• Acting vs. Dancing: She reflects on how her acting background makes her play things more subtle, but the ballroom requires dramatic, expressive movement.

6. Support Network—Friends, Family, and Celebrity Audience

Timestamps: [22:41–28:23; 32:11–33:30]

• In-Person Support: Danielle’s three best friends from junior high were there, along with her husband Jensen (who saved the day by delivering forgotten dance shoes).
• Celebrity Guests: A stellar audience included CM Punk, Lauren Lapkus, Arden Marin, George and Mayan Lopez, and showrunner friends.
• Fun Fact About DWTS Tickets:

  “You get six friends and family [tickets]. That means non-fames, non-famous people. But then if you've got friends and family who are famous, those don't count toward your total. There's a loophole.” (25:34)

• Community Efforts: Friends and even devoted podcast listeners submitted online for tickets and came from out of state, which moved Danielle deeply.
• Special Moment: Kris Jenner and Alec Baldwin sat in the front row, prompting Danielle’s nerves and wishing for a “you’re doing amazing, sweetie” moment.

  “Let me tell you, face looking beautiful. I mean, really stunning. Like, gosh, the only thing that could have made the night better was if Kris had looked right at me and said, ‘you're doing amazing, sweetie.’ It's really all I wanted...” (32:23)

7. Fashion & Glamour: Style Details

Timestamps: [26:00–27:00; 34:40–35:00]

• Old Hollywood Glam: Danielle aimed for elegant, vintage Hollywood style, inspired by Sabrina Carpenter’s looks.
• Jewelry Shoutouts: Danielle wore pieces from her friend Jamie Hargreaves (Forever Fine Jewels) and a diamond Piaget watch on loan from Eric Wind (Wind Vintage), coordinated to her performance's theme.
• Sneak Peek for Next Week: She’s excited about a custom upcycled dress for Disney Week from Kelsey of Rope Drop Design, made from a vintage sheet.

8. Connection with Listeners & Social Media

Timestamps: [27:40–28:23; 34:50–35:20]

• Gratitude: Danielle thanks the podcast and social media community for their tremendous support, votes, and positive comments.
• Social Media Engagement:

  “Our...every time we post something we are amazed with how well it does. Your comments are so funny...Thank you for your votes. Thank you for texting. Thank you for going to abc.com. It really means the world—without you guys, we just go home.” (27:48)

• Danielle invites fans to send social media ideas for TikToks and reels with her and Pasha.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On being called safe last:

  "That hug that Pasha and I gave each other, slapped each other on the back like we were football bros, was like the most earnest reaction. We were so happy to be safe." (11:20 – Danielle Fishel)

• Danielle on the journey:

  "I didn't come in here an A dancer. I didn't even come in here a C plus dancer. But my goal is that every week I get better." (17:39 – Danielle Fishel)

• On the poignancy of support:

  “The amount of love and support I have felt from the time I started this process, when I tell you that it is through the roof, that is the understatement of the year.” (26:53 – Danielle Fishel)

• Sabrina Carpenter’s message:

  “You are not stupid, useless, or slow. I love you and I am so immensely proud of you.” (07:10 – Sabrina Carpenter, via Danielle)

• About Kris Jenner in the audience:

  “The only thing that could have made the night better was if Kris had looked right at me and said, ‘you're doing amazing, sweetie.’ It's really all I wanted, but probably won’t ever get that again.” (32:28 – Danielle Fishel)

Episode Highlights by Timestamp

• 03:07 – Danielle describes being cast in DWTS and her mission to become “a mirrorball champion.”
• 04:40 – Song choice, Pasha’s choreography insight, and why “Man Child” was a standout for the Foxtrot.
• 06:08 – Sabrina Carpenter’s support, video message, and bouquet (with beautiful quote).
• 09:00 – The exhilaration and nerves of performing early, then watching friends dance.
• 10:50 – Emotional elimination results and support among contestants.
• 15:41 – Injury update, adapting to new dance style, feedback from judges.
• 17:39 – Danielle’s personal growth mindset about progress in the competition.
• 20:10 – Excitement and details about next week’s Disney theme.
• 22:41 – Recap of who was in the audience, including friends from childhood and famous fans.
• 25:34 – Hilarious DWTS “famous friends” tickets loophole.
• 26:53 – The community’s outpouring of love and support.
• 27:48 – Danielle’s appreciation for audience votes and fan engagement.
• 32:11 – Celeb audience sightings (Kris Jenner, Alec Baldwin), feeling starstruck.
• 34:40 – Upcycled vintage Disney fashion plans for next episode.

Closing and Looking Ahead

The episode closes with Danielle expressing heartfelt thanks to friends, fans, and collaborators, asking for social media suggestions, and excitedly teasing a Friday interview with Val Chmerkovskiy. As always, she encourages continued support and voting, eager to keep the dream alive for the coveted mirrorball.

For listeners—this episode is a warm, bubbly, and honest look inside a wild DWTS week, perfect for "Boy Meets World" fans and dance devotees alike.