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Kate Max
This is an iHeart podcast.
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Danielle Fishel
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Rider Strong
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Danielle Fishel
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Rider Strong
And Doug Here we have the Limu Emu in its natural habitat, helping people customize their car insurance and save hundreds with Liberty Mutual. Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug.
Danielle Fishel
Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us.
Rider Strong
Cut the camera. They see us.
Danielle Fishel
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Rider Strong
Welcome to Pod Meets Twirl the Dancing with the Stars recap, hosted by two guys who can't dance, don't want to dance, and have now seen three episodes of Dancing with the Stars. But since our best friend Danielle has joined the cast for season 34, we're going all in. We're Will Friedle and Ryder Strong, AKA the two dudes standing next to Topanga, AKA Danielle, Fishel's backup, AKA the Daniettes. Hello, Will, Danyette.
Danielle Fishel
Hello, Ryder. Dan yet, how are you?
Rider Strong
I'm feeling Dan Yeti.
Danielle Fishel
I always feel Dan Yeti.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
Is this Danielle how I feel this morning? And she said, good, we're going to.
Rider Strong
Use it like Smurf. Smurfy. You're looking Smurfy. You're looking dang.
CVS Advertiser
Yeti.
Danielle Fishel
Do you remember when they tried to do the. The other Smurfs? The Snorks? You remember the Snorks? Of course, the Smurfs underwater.
Rider Strong
How can they talk? They don't have the air. It doesn't make sense.
Danielle Fishel
They had so many questions about snork Village, whatever the hell it was called.
Rider Strong
One woman. Did the snorkel have one snorkette, too?
Danielle Fishel
And Smurfette. There was only one. One woman in the Smurf village as well.
Rider Strong
Wow.
Danielle Fishel
And they're all trying not to get eaten by Gargamel. It's dark.
Rider Strong
What is up with Gargamel? I don't even think about Smurfs. Must taste so good, dude. He's willing to dedicate all that time and energy, and I think if they're.
Danielle Fishel
Prepared right, I'd try one.
Rider Strong
Yeah, me too.
Danielle Fishel
Like, just one. I mean, come on. There was one Smurf there. Nobody. The crappy Smurf or whatever, that everybody could have tried one of those. Yeah.
Rider Strong
All right, let's. This is important stuff at nine in the morning. Dancing with the Stars, episode three. How you feeling?
Danielle Fishel
Don't get me started. This show's starting to piss me off. Yeah, okay. The show's really starting to piss me off.
Rider Strong
Good, good, good.
Danielle Fishel
We're getting irrationally.
Rider Strong
Can you talk about why you're angry, or do you want to save it for when we're going through the dances?
Danielle Fishel
Well, no, I mean, my overall anger with the show is I feel like half of the cast are professional dancers. Yeah. And that pisses. It really makes me angry. Where you get people like Dylan Efron or Danielle or people or Andy, where it's like, hey, look at the progress they've made. This is great. And then you get people who have been dancing their entire lives and get paid to dance. And it's like, come on.
Rider Strong
So it's interesting because Carrie Ann actually kind of referenced that. This episode when she was sort of categorizing them as you're in the beginners category or you're. And I was like, well, that's interesting. But I guess it's built into the show. So I don't know if it pisses me off so much as it just seems like kind of a sandwich of two different shows, you know?
Danielle Fishel
But that's the thing. It makes you wonder, you know, can some. I mean, I thought. And again, this is having seen exactly as much Dancing with the Stars as you have at this point. I thought the point was like, a bunch of people who. Taking. A bunch of people who can't dance and teach them how to dance.
Rider Strong
Right?
Danielle Fishel
If you're doing. If I'm watching Top Chef, and half of them are people who've never been in the kitchen, and the other half have gone to culinary school.
Rider Strong
Right.
Danielle Fishel
That's not as good a show to me.
Rider Strong
It's tricky, though, because somebody like Jordan, right, who's coming in with so much athleticism, and it's.
Danielle Fishel
But that's not dancing.
Rider Strong
It's not dancing. But she's clearly going to be doing different things than Danielle is even capable of doing, of course. And yet she's still learning how to dance to a certain degree.
Danielle Fishel
And she's right. But that's different than a professional dancer. Like, I would argue you can't. And this might be a strange thing to say, but we talked about this before when it comes to, like, magicians, where they say it's easier to take an entertainer and teach them magic than it is to take a magician and teach them how to entertain.
Rider Strong
Right?
Danielle Fishel
So Jordan might have physical attributes that Danielle won't be able to do, but she'll never be the entertainer that Danielle is. But, see, but they're still on that level of dance.
Rider Strong
But this is why they have those, you know, the popular vote, right? This is why the judges and the popular vote.
Danielle Fishel
And I guess there was some math.
Rider Strong
That we did last week that kind of explained this, but it does seem like there's a 5050 split so that people, you know, have a shot even just for the popularity and for their progress. You know, I think. I think they're hoping that that sort of balances out in the end as far as who gets eliminated.
Danielle Fishel
Right.
Producer Tara
Can I ask you guys. Can I. Can I ask you guys a question as to the argument that people make, like, against this, saying that I mean, Hilaria doesn't count because she has ballroom experience, but that just because Whitney went to school for dance, it wasn't in ballroom.
Danielle Fishel
No, no, that's not an argument at all. That's like saying because I went to culinary school and just learned Italian, I won't know how to cook Mexican. Well, if you know how to cook, then you're already.
Rider Strong
You.
Danielle Fishel
You're already 10 steps ahead of somebody who doesn't know how to cook.
Producer Tara
Right, Yeah, I see that. I see that. And baseball, too. It's like, just because you're, you know, you play baseball, you've been to bat, you a fastball. Just because a curve is coming doesn't mean I don't think you're better than me.
Danielle Fishel
Right, right, right.
Rider Strong
But I think the argument would be it's more like taking a baseball player and making them play basketball. Like, maybe it's. I mean, I don't know.
Danielle Fishel
I don't know. I don't know. But it was that coupled with not liking any of the music, and I'm very much not a TikTok fan. I think it's frankly destroying an entire generation of people so that this whole week annoyed me, frankly.
Rider Strong
Well, okay. Yeah, the TikTok thing was really intense.
Danielle Fishel
It was.
Rider Strong
It's not my scene and made me feel very old, but just felt like kind of a giant ad for TikTok. And I was like, you know, can we. Is anybody going to be critical of this? No, of course not. It felt like it was brought to you by TikTok, which I guess it probably was, right?
Danielle Fishel
Yeah, it was.
Rider Strong
So it was just like a TikTok fest, which I found a little, you know, this to me.
Danielle Fishel
And again, people are going to be like, there's no equivalency, but there is absolutely equivalency. This was a week brought to you by cigarettes. Like. Like, literally, this is what this would have been. But Dancing with the Stars, sponsored by Marlboro. That's what this would have been.
Rider Strong
Everybody's gonna smoke before they dance.
Danielle Fishel
Exactly. I mean, that's what me with TikTok.
Rider Strong
So I will say I think I enjoyed the production of this week better than any other week as far.
Danielle Fishel
I don't disagree. Yeah, I had some of the. I had some problems with some outfits this week.
Rider Strong
Interesting.
Danielle Fishel
And one of them is our best friend.
Rider Strong
I was really.
Danielle Fishel
Oh, I did not like her dress. I did not. I did not like the way she dressed this week. I was not a fan of Danielle's outfit this week.
Rider Strong
Okay.
Danielle Fishel
For the first time, because now I'm noticing this stuff and I'm like, I don't like that dress.
Rider Strong
All right, let's get into it.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah, let's do it.
Rider Strong
And our first up dancer, our first dancing partner. Oh, my God.
Danielle Fishel
I can't talk first because you're old and you're talking about Tick tock.
Rider Strong
The tick tock. The tip. The tip of the talk talk. The tip of the hashtag. Marble Mouth and Jan Ravnick. They danced to a song which was the same one that apparently had made her a tick Tock star because she danced right after giving birth. They showed a little clip of her dancing around in her hospital gown. Hospital gown.
Danielle Fishel
She's still doing tick tocks in the hospital?
Rider Strong
Yeah, I mean, you know, I mean, this is her story, right? Because she had eight kids. How many kids does she have? No, she gave birth really recently.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
She's only like nine weeks out of giving birth.
Danielle Fishel
Barefoot in the hospital.
Rider Strong
Right.
Danielle Fishel
Weird.
Rider Strong
They did the. The Cha cha Cha to She's a bad mama. Jamaica, what'd you think? Actually liked it again?
Danielle Fishel
I mean, again, I think so. One of the things I noticed, especially with this dance. So we've started two weeks in a row where the first dance has been really good. And so you're starting high energy and we're jumping right in. I thought it looked great. Again, I wasn't a fan of the song. But then when it got to judging, we. We start. We heard the judging and sue and I looked at each other and went, oh, okay. They're going to start getting harsher. Like, they're going to start critiquing way.
Rider Strong
More exactly what I thought. I was like, this feels a little low because, yeah, it was like the gloves were off. Right. Like she's being held to a higher standard now.
Danielle Fishel
Yes.
Rider Strong
Yeah, I thought. I thought it was a good dance. I thought it probably could have been scored a little bit higher.
Danielle Fishel
Me too. Me too.
Rider Strong
You know, the whole fake belly thing kind of made me uncomfortable.
Danielle Fishel
It was weird. I get what they're doing. You know, obviously she's supposed to be. It's a throwback to her original video. So, yeah, I got it. But yes, it kind of made me a little bit uncomfortable as well.
Rider Strong
Yeah. Because on one hand you're like, should you be dancing with that? And then it's like, oh, it's fake. They're ripping it off. And then it's like, well, where'd the baby go? Now I'm worried about this fictional job. We went from, like, you know, I don't Know, it's like either stick with the belly the whole dance or just don't. I don't know. It was a little weird visual for me.
Danielle Fishel
I agree. But the dance was good. I mean, they're personable. And again, I think she has. She's a TikTok dancer.
Rider Strong
Yep. I think whoever goes first is always in a bad position too. I think my takeaway is like, you never go first. Like, the judges are just not warmed up. Everybody feel, you know, it just feels like it's an unfair position.
Danielle Fishel
I have a big overall question for you and producer Jensen can jump in as well, because I, Susan and I got into a discussion about this. If you are famous for dancing on TikTok and you get sponsorship and you get deals and you do all that stuff, are you then a professional dancer because you're getting paid to do TikTok dances? Is that a professional dancer?
Rider Strong
No.
Producer Jensen
Can I make an argument, please? So a lot of TikTok dances, people are only dancing from the waist up a lot. Like all like these big.
Rider Strong
Right.
Producer Jensen
TikTok dances are not including your feet, which sounds weird, but it's all waist up. It's like arm movements and stuff like that.
Danielle Fishel
So then you could you argue that Michael Flatley, Lord of the dance, who only dances from the waist down, is not a professional dancer?
Rider Strong
Oh, will you are. You are getting into it.
Producer Tara
I mean, he moved. He moves his feet. I mean, I hate to be a person who defends river dance on a podcast, but he does technically move his feet up and down.
Danielle Fishel
No, no, no, but that's what I'm saying is if it's only half of your body. So the argument from producer Tara is that TikTok dances are only the waist up. So if Michael Flatley only dances the waist down.
Producer Tara
But feed her the recipe of dancing, sir.
Danielle Fishel
But here's the other thing.
Rider Strong
Aren't they also.
Producer Tara
I mean, Wait, you're talking about the Vogue or something? What dance are you referencing?
Danielle Fishel
Plenty of dancing, break dancing. A lot of times you're doing stuff popping and locking. That's just up top. How is that not professional dancing?
Producer Jensen
Well, that's also having musicality.
Danielle Fishel
Right, See, this is where. This is where dancing with the stars.
Rider Strong
Crushing point of most tick tock dancing, that you're doing a dance that somebody else has already done. Like that you're imitating, like, don't got to invent it. Right, right.
Producer Tara
But.
Rider Strong
But I think the point of tick tock most of the time is that you, you. Somebody else has already done a dance video and you do your.
Producer Tara
Yeah, but someone be the first. It can't just be from like a movie or TV show. Like, there's usually a choreographer who started it.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Producer Jensen
Or like someone who does a dance trend and you, like, they credit them and. Yeah. So, yeah, it keeps going.
Rider Strong
Right.
Danielle Fishel
But my original question holds. So if you become famous for doing TikTok dances, even somebody else's Tick Tock dances, and you're now making millions of. You have millions of followers and you're making millions of dollars doing TikTok dances, aren't you a professional dancer?
Producer Tara
I mean, the argument is, are you being paid for it? And does that make you a professional?
Rider Strong
Yeah, I don't. I mean, I feel like it's something different. Right. It's not like you auditioned for a dance company.
Danielle Fishel
It's like you take discipline, which Tick Tock doesn't have. Or.
Producer Tara
But what if. What if you're a writer? What if you're a writer at home and you finally get published in a magazine and you get paid for it? Are you a professional writer?
Danielle Fishel
Yes. Yes.
Producer Tara
So if I'm a dancer and I dance at home and I get paid for dancing, am I a professional dancer?
Danielle Fishel
Yes. That's my argument, is, yes, you are. I mean, it might be. The platform might be different than it ever has been before, but with social media, that's what it is.
Rider Strong
The rule of Dancing with the Stars that you can't be a professional dancer to be on the celebrity side.
Producer Tara
Or is it just, you know, it's been vague.
Danielle Fishel
It's been vague.
Rider Strong
I mean. Yeah, I don't, you know, I don't know.
Danielle Fishel
I guess none of this matters. And it's all okay if the judges take all of that into consideration. Like if the three. The three people that start are going to get eights across the board, say, and then Andy comes up and can get eights across the board by just improving, then I'm fine with it.
Producer Tara
Which I think we're doing. I think we're. I think they're judging the journey.
Danielle Fishel
I hope so.
Producer Tara
I hope so.
Danielle Fishel
But I think it seems like. Because when they showed the last girl that danced that. That one last year who was a big part of this. This episode.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
She's a professional TikTok dancer, correct? Well, yeah, two years ago.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Producer Jensen
Yeah, two years ago.
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
Producer Jensen
But she never did ballroom, so. She was. So that's also another argument that people have is like, growing up, you can take like hip hop classes, jazz classes, but ballroom is completely different.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. Well, are you not entertained?
Rider Strong
I am, but the Point is entertainment. The point is people dance. But I want to know the but.
Danielle Fishel
It's a competition. But it's a competition.
Rider Strong
It is a competition, but I think the point is that the popular vote balances all this out. Right.
Producer Tara
I mean, Andy wouldn't be on. Andy wouldn't be on.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
The judges, I don't disagree. They just.
Rider Strong
They get to explain their thinking and they. They are being very open. Like you're a beginner and you're making great progress. Therefore, I'm going to rate you accordingly, I'm assuming. And then somebody you know that is a professional, they're like, you are professional. You can do better. Where you're. You know, I will feel better about.
Danielle Fishel
The whole thing if in the finals, at least one of the couples is somebody that isn't one of these professional.
Rider Strong
I think that'll be the truth. I mean, I don't know. I feel like there's probably two tracks and then the professional dancer wins.
Danielle Fishel
And if that's the case.
Rider Strong
Right, right.
Danielle Fishel
But if that's the case, if it's at least fair going forward. Yeah, but I mean, if American Idol becomes half people that are just looking for a break and half people that have record contracts and that are professional singers, it changes the show. So I'm just. I. Again, I want somebody like my best friend to have as much of an opportunity as everybody else who.
Producer Tara
Currently living, currently a non professional. Is the Vegas odds on winner.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah, I would agree. So that's the thing. Wait, so that's.
Rider Strong
There are Vegas odds on. On this.
Danielle Fishel
Oh, yeah. Horse.
Rider Strong
So who's. Who's the.
Danielle Fishel
It's got to be Robert Irwin, I would imagine. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So, yeah, I'm just saying I wanted to get that off my chest. I'm a big rule guy. You know me, I'm a big rule follower. So I want to know the rules. And again, it goes into my fantasy thing. I like to know the world building and what all the rules are when I go in. Okay, so. And that was. That threw me this week where it's like, man, I'm watching half professional dancers who are amazing and then people who are learning how to dance. It seems like two different shows to me, but I'll get over it. I'm just saying I wanted to vent.
Rider Strong
It's an entertaining dance show.
Danielle Fishel
It is. It's a romp. But it's a competition. It's an entertaining dance competition.
Rider Strong
It's a romp. Just go with it.
Danielle Fishel
God.
Rider Strong
Can we move on to dance two, please?
Danielle Fishel
Yes. Lauren, we liked the first one we.
Rider Strong
Liked the first one we liked the first one. Felt it was a little low. Seven, six. Six. Then we went to Lauren and Brandon. This is. They got to dance to one of her own songs, which I thought was really kind of cool. I don't know Fifth Harmony's music, but I thought this dance was good, if not great. My only thing was the weird ending at the table where she, like, sat down at a table at the end.
Danielle Fishel
Well, that was with her band, so she sat with Fifth Harmony.
Rider Strong
Yeah, but it was just. I mean, I get that, like, you know, in concept, but, like, it was a weird, awkward moment. I was like, it didn't land hard enough. It was like. Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
Were you okay with the theatricality in the beginning? Like, the construction vibe and all that kind of stuff?
Rider Strong
It started. I mean, all the. I mean, every time they were doing a TikTok integr, I was just like, I don't care. Just get to the bar.
Danielle Fishel
Right.
Rider Strong
And so. Yeah, no, this one in particular started a little slow. It had this, like, awkward interaction with the construction.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
You know, and I. Yeah, I mean, I. I mean, I guess we can. Everyone's already watched the episode, so we can say that this is a team that got voted off. And I thought that that was a little unfair, especially given how much I liked them. Them last week. And I thought that this week was.
Danielle Fishel
I did not see it coming at all.
Rider Strong
Frankly, I didn't see it coming at all.
Danielle Fishel
I guess Producer Tara says that was part of the music video of the song Construction Site. So for the original song, this was, I guess, a nod to that, which, of course, you and I would not.
Rider Strong
You know, all this TikTok stuff. Do you remember. Do you remember when the Oscars. They did the selfie at the Oscars, because the selfie was a new thing. And it was the most awkward, like, integration of, like, hey, what's this thing the kids are doing? Where's the way I felt about all the TikTok stuff this week? I was like, this ages so poorly. It makes everybody look so old and awkward. Like, just don't even do it. Like, say, I wouldn't like Alfonso. And they were like, let's do a TikTok. I'm like, stop, stop, stop. Yeah, 100% say, this thing is cool. Lots.
Danielle Fishel
It was an ad for TikTok.
Rider Strong
You're right.
Danielle Fishel
It was an hour long or two hour long ad for TikTok. And.
Rider Strong
All right.
Danielle Fishel
But the dance, I liked, and I agree with you 100%. I was. It was shocking. To me that she was the one that went home, and we'll get into that later. But you could tell she was.
Rider Strong
And I thought Bruno gave a note to her. He said, you know, he said something or like, punch and pop.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
And I totally agree. She does. She. She's never had, like, you know, last week they called her, like, willowy and, like, she's always had an elegance, but she's never quite nailed the, like, you know, actual, like, hitting a mood, like the. The rhythm of. I don't know how to describe, but exactly what he said. Punch and pop.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
It was the second he said that, I was like, that's what I was missing a little bit. And I guess we'll never know because she won't be back.
Danielle Fishel
No. Which is sad because I thought she was personable and she was really good, and I thought she was one of the better dancers, frankly.
Rider Strong
So they got six, six and six.
Danielle Fishel
Which I thought was low.
Rider Strong
Yeah. But at this point, you know, before, you know, after the first one, I was like, I guess we're just keeping these scores really low. So I was sort of like, all right, these judges are just being harsh this week or all.
Danielle Fishel
Do you think at this point, does anybody know who's going home? Like, do you think they tell the judges? I imagine nobody knows who's actually going home. So they can get the reaction from everybody, right?
Producer Tara
They can't. They can't because the voting is open.
Rider Strong
The voting's still open. This is the thing I got into it with with Alex again this week because she was like, so wait, are they voting based on tonight and person getting kicked off tonight is based on this dance? And I was like, no, that's. Oh, wait, I think so. But no, we just.
Danielle Fishel
We thought we talked about that last week. Two people are dancing that have already been kicked off.
Producer Tara
No, no, that's what Tara.
Danielle Fishel
We talked to producer Tara last week who said no two people are dancing who have. Are. That are already gone.
Rider Strong
Well, they. They're already in the bottom. Maybe they're in the bottom. Like, they know the numbers.
Danielle Fishel
So confusing.
Rider Strong
The producers know the numbers, but then those numbers get. The numbers from tonight that we're watching do get added to that. And then now it's.
Producer Tara
Now it started over, right?
Producer Jensen
Yeah. So the reason why last week is because we didn't have an elimination night one. So it did count also from week one.
Producer Tara
But now every week. Now every week, as the show starts at 5pm Eastern, everything starts over. So it's at zero all across.
Rider Strong
It doesn't get added to what was the week before.
Danielle Fishel
No.
Rider Strong
So somebody could really just come out of the gate with, like, tens, and the audience could just love something, and then they win that week from being on the bottom the week before.
Producer Tara
Correct.
Rider Strong
Correct. Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
So it's all just live voting. None of it is.
Rider Strong
Now.
Danielle Fishel
The week before. That was only the first week because of the. The. The two. The double elimination.
Producer Tara
I just want to say, I think it's so funny that this podcast has become 60 to 70% trying to figure out the rules of dancing.
Rider Strong
Exactly, everyone.
Danielle Fishel
Exactly.
Rider Strong
Huh?
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. That's so. Yeah, we're. We're getting there.
Rider Strong
Okay.
Danielle Fishel
Everyone knows our opinions matter more than any of the other judges. Opinions. Anyway.
Rider Strong
Sixes across the board seemed a little.
Danielle Fishel
Thought it was low. Yep.
Rider Strong
Then we moved into Danielle and Pasha. Wonderful. Classy.
Danielle Fishel
I thought she was great. This is great.
Rider Strong
And. And. And I feel like these two have just, you know, consistently, you know, if anything, I would say a little safe compared to, you know, everything everybody else. But great dancing. I thought Bruno gave fantastic feedback. And then Carrie Anne said this thing about being the middle of the pack, and I was like, hold on. What does that mean? Like, so the judges.
Producer Tara
I thought it too, but I think she means numerically.
Danielle Fishel
She does. Because every week, Danielle's in the middle of the pack.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
Rider Strong
I don't know. I was like. But do the judges have access to the results? No. Okay.
Danielle Fishel
I think she just knows that when as they're. As the judges are coming in, Danielle's usually towards the middle because I thought the same thing.
Rider Strong
Okay.
Danielle Fishel
And other than what she was wearing, which I was not a fan of. I love how these two are just dancing every week. They're just dancing, and they look like they're getting even more comfortable with each other. They are arguably, And I know we say this every week. Hugely biased. Arguably have the most chemistry and charisma of any couple that's dancing out there. And I look forward to seeing her dance every week, not just because I love her like a sister, but because they're really good.
Rider Strong
Yes. And they're.
Producer Tara
And we also. We know them. I mean, I've learned to know Pasha over time now, but you know Danielle very well. We are. We're talking about two serious rule followers.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
They are trying to achieve the. They are aiming for ballroom dancing, and they are making it, like.
Danielle Fishel
Yes.
Rider Strong
And you can see Danielle working so hard to learn this form and to. You know, and I. Luckily, I feel everybody's getting that. Do you know what I mean? Like, that. And it's so interesting because as opposed to a lot of the other actors or more, you know, she's not doing a lot of, like, frills and trying to insert so much personality to sort.
Danielle Fishel
Of overcompensate huge facial features.
Rider Strong
None of that.
Danielle Fishel
She's just classically dancing.
Rider Strong
She's doing like the assignment. And I think that is a really, I think that's a really good long term strategy. You know, this is a person.
Producer Tara
She, you know her from, from acting with her. But like, this is a person who went to college in her 30s and like, just absolutely every day did exactly what she needed to do in each class. I mean, she didn't, she didn't, she didn't need extra credit because she got A's. Like, she, she's focused on, on the assignment.
Rider Strong
Do you want to hear something very funny, though?
Danielle Fishel
Cause I was thinking about this and it's so random, but it's true. This is how Topanga would do Dancing with the Stars.
Rider Strong
So true.
Danielle Fishel
It is. It's like, I want to dance, I want to do it classically. I want to learn the steps I have to do. I want to do it with passion, but I want to do it right. I don't need all the frills, I don't need fire. Like, it's how Topanga would do Dancing with the Star.
Rider Strong
Right. So the question is, at some point is Danielle going to have to go more performative, cut loose with them, like with like a full personality, only dance in week six or something?
Danielle Fishel
For one week, she'll have to pick something that's going to be just out of the box crazy and, and break the mold for her. And she'll be awesome doing it if.
Producer Tara
She wants to win. If she wants to win.
Rider Strong
Yes.
Danielle Fishel
Which of course she does. Yeah, Yeah, I think.
Rider Strong
But I think that this approach is very good. It's like I said, it's very classy. It's on, it's on point. So. Oh, and they were dancing to Sabrina Carpenter's manchild. They had a little, little message from Sabrina there in the beginning Carpenter song I've ever heard, which was good. I was glad that that was the extent of their TikTok integration.
Danielle Fishel
Yes.
Rider Strong
It was like a message from a young, young star. We're not going to try and like, do a TikTok thing in the middle of our. So I, I appreciated that.
Danielle Fishel
It was great. So, yeah, and her scores were. Were good, I thought.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
A little low.
Producer Tara
I think I could argue they were a little low.
Danielle Fishel
That's what I mean. I Think they're a little low, but they're. They're. She's consistently improving.
Rider Strong
Yeah, she's great, actually. How does. Was this the highest score that they've gotten?
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. Yes. Yeah.
Rider Strong
Yeah. So I don't think it was a little low. When I. When I saw them get seven, seven, seven, I was like. And then I looked back and this is the first time they've gotten sevens across the board. And that's.
Producer Tara
Yeah. I mean, for the journey of it, it's good. But I think if you were going for the dance, I think I. I could have seen an 8, 7, 7.
Danielle Fishel
That's. I agree 100%. I think Carrie Anne, with the way that she normally votes, I think Carrie Anne could have thrown an eight in there, personally. That's what I. That's. I think it could have been 8, 7, 7, easy that week, in my opinion.
Rider Strong
All right, next up was.
Danielle Fishel
Wait, before we go there, we've got to do Will's History of dance.
Rider Strong
Please.
Danielle Fishel
As you know, I have an encyclopedic knowledge of all things dance. I always have. I'm just now finally being able to use it. And this week's dance was the F. And I don't know if you're aware of this rider, but the foxtrot was invented around 1914 by Harry Fox, who was a vaudeville entertainer and popularized the dance.
Rider Strong
Came after a guy named Fox. Not the animal?
Danielle Fishel
Nope. Harry Fox, a vaudeville entertainer. It's funny, a lot of people think it's the animal, but I knew it wasn't popularized by the dance couple Vernon and Irene Castle, those crazy kids from the 1914 the Castles.
Rider Strong
You just knew this.
Danielle Fishel
Of course. It evolved into a smooth flow of the castle.
Rider Strong
Where were the Castles from? What town were they from?
Danielle Fishel
Ryder, I can't tell you everything. If you don't know, you're going to have to do some of the research on your own. But it evolved into a smooth, flowing ballroom dance. Named after its initial trotting steps, it became the most popular social dance of the 20th century, characterized by a combination of long, slow and short quick steps set to a four, four time signature, which I'm sure you figured out. The dance later split into a more energetic quick step and the elegant slow foxtrot, a cornerstone of international ballroom competitions. While the American smooth style emphasizes freedom of expression in social settings. So I figured you wanted to know that this week, as everybody does. Yeah.
Rider Strong
Wow. I'm glad you just have this on.
Danielle Fishel
The tip of the. Oh, the castles, those crazy foxtrot and kids.
Rider Strong
All right.
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Yeah, same here. Sammy has mastered the art of the disappointed sigh like she has bills. So mealtime needs to be more than just a pit stop. It needs to be an event.
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Same. I mean, apparently fall means focus, discipline and adulting.
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I'd like to see their manager going.
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Visit your local CVS store or cvs.com extra big deals to shop this week's deals and stock up on your favorite products. Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa, their pre show package was all about them freaking out about Carrie Ann, telling them that she reminded me that Jordan reminded her of Tina Turner.
Danielle Fishel
Tina Turner. Yep.
Rider Strong
Then she opened up about anxiety. I thought this was very. The very Wilfred L. Subject.
Danielle Fishel
It was. Yeah.
Rider Strong
Yeah. And gosh, it's just so amazing to me, people that perform at this level right at the age of whatever, 14 or whenever she was in the Olympics and, and, and struggling with anxiety on top of, gosh, all the physical stuff and it's just amazing.
Danielle Fishel
There's also different forms of anxiety. I was lucky in that my anxiety and say lucky with a small L. But my anxiety didn't hit me into my early 20s where a lot of some sort of a mental illness is when your brain starts to really form. So when you are dealing with anxiety as a young kid or a young teenager, it can be a hell of a lot worse. So that's. Yeah, it's really impressive what she was able to do.
Rider Strong
And then they went into their dance, which was the tango to the song Anxiety. I just freaking loved this.
Danielle Fishel
I thought you did too.
Rider Strong
This was incredibly artistic and expressive. Maybe it's just my style, like, it was just more my style of like their production and the. I just loved it. This was like a full 10 for me.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
I just couldn't.
Danielle Fishel
She could. She could win. She's had two really strong weeks. Oh, my God. And she was really, really good this week. I agree with you. 100.
Rider Strong
I was just like. Well, that's that. It was like the first time I was like absent of anything. You could take away Dancing with the Stars and just show me this dance and I'd be like. That was like, oh, my God. Like, it was. It was expressive in a way that, you know, I guess I'm just not much of a ballroom dancer person. So. For me, you know, this just felt like it was coming from the heart and yet still just technically great. Yeah, man. And then seeing her get all emotional, I was just.
Danielle Fishel
This was. For me personally, this was Dance of the Night, I thought again. And I think she was Dance of the Night last week.
Rider Strong
All the episodes so far, I'm like, well, now it's like, now, see, I still.
Danielle Fishel
The first Robert Irwin dance with the energy and jumping off the truck, I still think is my favorite one. But she's a close second now, and she's really vying for the top spot.
Rider Strong
And so they. They got eight. Eight. Eight. Which, you know, like I said, I would have given them a 10, but then I realized this. This is the highest score of the season.
Danielle Fishel
First ever. Yep. First ever triple. Triple eight. Which is. Which is good. It's kind of good. They're doing this where it's not. They're not giving out nines and tens. Like, you got to earn that as you go. But, I mean, how much better can it get, right?
Rider Strong
I just feel like at the end of the season, they should probably go back and, like, re rate based on, you know, like.
Danielle Fishel
Like us with bad episodes of Boy Meets World kind of.
Rider Strong
Because it's like, I really think, like, when. When. When they look back, they're gonna be like, yeah, that probably deserved a 9 or, you know, a 10.
Danielle Fishel
It was really good.
Rider Strong
Even, like, the first episode, like, the dance you're talking about the Robert Irwin, like, you know, that was great. Like, they're probably gonna look back and be like, yeah, but whatever.
Danielle Fishel
No, I agree.
Rider Strong
But like I said, she was buying for the top of the season, so. So good sign. And. Yeah, wonderful. They're going to. They're contenders for 100% sure.
Danielle Fishel
Yep.
Rider Strong
All right, next up, we had Dylan Efron and Daniela Karagach just dancing to Justin Bieber, who Dylan's friends with.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
And these guys are great.
Danielle Fishel
I agree. He's also. So we talked on Pod Meets World. How. I'm. I hate to say this, but until two months ago, I didn't know Dylan Efron existed.
Rider Strong
No.
Danielle Fishel
And now Susan and I are watching Traders, and we're watching Dancing with the Stars, and he's so likable.
Rider Strong
You're a. You're a Dylan.
Danielle Fishel
Just root for this guy.
Rider Strong
I mean, are you turning into an Efronet?
Danielle Fishel
Oh, no, no. I'm a Dan yet. For life. Yeah, I'm. I'm down. I'm down for my. Down for my crew. Are you kidding? I'm a Dan yet forever. But. But he is just so. He's one of those guys where if he's so personable that if it can put together the dance with his personality and his likability, no one's gonna not vote for this guy.
Rider Strong
Yeah. I thought this was lovely and I thought they were really connected.
Danielle Fishel
Me too. Me too.
Rider Strong
And it's clear that he's working hard, much like Danielle. He's focusing on the things that really matter in terms of ballroom dancing. And it just had a cool, classy style to it. And they. It just. It was great. So I also think.
Danielle Fishel
I'm sorry, but I think both Danielle and Dylan are really kind of this quintessential example of the power of the partner.
Rider Strong
Yes.
Danielle Fishel
Because I think they have both been put with their perfect dance partners who are. I mean, you saw in the pre show package with her that she's like. She'll push a little bit and be like, I'm your teacher here. We're gonna go. And I think that's what he needs. The same way I think Danielle's getting that from her partner. And I think if you are with the wrong person, you are not going to have that same kind of effectiveness and that. You can really see that with Dylan and his partner.
Rider Strong
Yeah. So they got. Their scores were 7, 8, and 8, which.
Danielle Fishel
Good scores.
Rider Strong
Good scores, good scores. Moving on to Elaine Hendricks and Alan Burstyn. I thought they did the tango to the song. Gnarly. And this is where I first started thinking, like, man, people are going sexy tonight.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah, right.
Rider Strong
And then it kept happening and I was like, oh, Dancing with the Stars is like going for like a.
Danielle Fishel
It progressed.
Rider Strong
Sensual, sexy vibe. And I was like, I'm there for it. Like, this is cool, man. You know, it's like, it's not just ballroom dancing. It's like ballroom dancing.
Danielle Fishel
But, yeah, ballroom After Dark, that's what it was.
Producer Tara
It was horned up. It was horned up.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
I was like, you know, people talk about the youngs not. Not being frisky. And I was like, but come on. On TikTok night, everything. But everybody felt a little frisky. To me, they're not.
Danielle Fishel
That's the problem with TikTok is nobody has as great a life as they show. Nobody's as frisky as they show. They want to appear frisky, but they're not actually frisky. And that's why Danielle, again, nothing frisky about Danielle's outfit. She was like a bit Amish, and I thought she could. She could click it up a Little bit. Just a little bit. Yeah. Something was slightly a mish. So. Yeah. Wow.
Rider Strong
Okay. You know, it. It. It felt a little slow to me, like, technically, like. I don't know, there's something a little. I wanted it to just be a little more. Either just faster paced or something, but overall, pretty great. I thought she was off the music a little bit. Is that what it was? I don't. I mean, I can't even describe what I.
Danielle Fishel
A little bit.
Rider Strong
It just felt like a little. Like something's missing here or like maybe it's that pop and punch thing. I don't know.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
But she, in general, she's great and they were great and like I said, sexy across the board.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. We're going with. With. With modern day analogies. It felt a little like they were on a zoom call with a slight lag.
Rider Strong
Ooh.
Danielle Fishel
So. Yeah.
Rider Strong
Yeah. Well. All right. Seven, seven, seven.
Danielle Fishel
Decent scores. Still decent scores.
Rider Strong
Yeah, we're doing well. All right, Whitney and Mark. And this is a TikTok video star on TikTok night, professional dancer. And they're doing the samba to shake your ass.
Danielle Fishel
Shake your ass. That's my new ringtone. Is just listening to you having to say that.
Rider Strong
Oh, God. I mean, this is. This is. To your point. This is a pro, you know, he's a professional dancer.
Danielle Fishel
That's great.
Rider Strong
Yeah. And I mean, it's. It's. It's hard for me to really know exactly what it is because I can't, you know, the. I don't know, ballroom dancing. But you get to see it and you're like, oh, well, this is a professional dancer. Yes, Again, very sexy. And the judges love it.
Danielle Fishel
She's beautiful. She seems like a really nice person and she seems like she's been dancing her entire life. And it makes a difference.
Rider Strong
Difference. Yeah. And, yeah, you can. Yeah, you can't really tell the difference between the two of them. Which one's the. Which one's the. The. The dancer on the show and which one's the guest? Which is, you know, I guess a good. A good thing. Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
Now the question is, do you think people will vote against that eventually? Do you think other people will think, like, me and they're going to be like, I'd much prefer watching somebody like Danielle or Dylan or Andy who are coming from no experience in getting better, or do you think they're. She's just so good that I think.
Rider Strong
It'S going to get to a point where there are four teams left and it's a complete, complete split between Those two.
Danielle Fishel
I think it's quite possible.
Rider Strong
Yeah. Because I. I don't think anybody would just watch the show if it was just professional dancers like this.
Danielle Fishel
Right.
Rider Strong
You know, I think it would get a little boring. It'd be like, yeah, we know you can do this thing, but watching the progress, watching the growth is part of the entertainment, so.
Danielle Fishel
Agree.
Rider Strong
Hopefully the voting reflects that and people stick around, you know, and all it's going to take is one person to get voted off that people, like, for their personality, like an Andy. And when, you know, when you feel that loss of like or when Andy was in the bottom three last week, I. Yeah, we assume.
Danielle Fishel
I mean, we assume, right. We don't know.
Rider Strong
But, yeah, you can see that they are safe this week because. Yeah, people.
Danielle Fishel
People come out and vote. Yeah. It's such an interesting.
Rider Strong
I know.
Danielle Fishel
Interesting concept of the voting in the balance of. Well, now I have to save somebody. Am I voting against somebody else? Really, really kind of interesting all the way around. Yeah.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
Wish I understood it more.
Rider Strong
All right, next up, Scott Hoying and Riley Arnold. This was, for me, the first time I really fell in love with him. I just. Yeah, I find. I feel like he came. I mean, they said it like, that he came out of his shell. And it was, you know, it was really sweet to see the video of the. The wedding performance that he had done for his husband.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
And not only that, going back to wardrobe, when he was wearing his suit in that. That dance, his viral video, he. It looked great.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. He looked like a James Bond character.
Rider Strong
Yes. But for some reason, they haven't, like, his wardrobe, I realized, has not been working for him on this show. And so even this dance, which I did, like, I didn't love the wardrobe, and there's something about, like, put him in a suit. I want to see him do, like, a full, like, tuxedo, you know?
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
I don't know. I'm just curious. But, like, I thought that.
Danielle Fishel
Wait, Jensen.
Producer Tara
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
Do they pick their own wardrobe?
Producer Tara
They're involved.
Danielle Fishel
Okay. All right, that makes sense. Okay.
Rider Strong
I think he just has very interesting posture, you know, and he's big.
Danielle Fishel
He seems like he's super tall and lanky.
Rider Strong
He's super tall, but he also just has a tendency to sort of fold his arms inward in this, like, interesting. And it's really helped by, like, the shoulders of a suit. Do you know what I mean? Like, yeah, it's like, there's something. And because there's so much about dance that is, like, sort of matching an idealized, you Know, body, frame, frame. Yeah. And I think it's harder for him to get there anyway. I thought this. This was just great.
Danielle Fishel
It was his best week. It was definitely his best week. Yeah.
Rider Strong
He's feeling more comfortable and yeah, he went from being like, for me, like someone who's not going to be on the show very long to like, no, this. This guy's gonna do it and he's working.
Producer Tara
I'm gonna ask you a question, though.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Producer Tara
Is it because he was side by side?
Rider Strong
Yes.
Danielle Fishel
That helped. I thought the same. I thought the conversation you guys had in our last episode and I had a. Seriously was focusing on that. And yes, I think the side by side is a big difference for them.
Rider Strong
But they're using it well. I mean, I think that this is effective side by side. Whereas, like, what Corey Feldman was doing in week one felt like a cop out in some way.
Producer Tara
But eventually. Eventually he's got to go back in frame.
Rider Strong
Yes, totally. And that's why I'm saying, like, he's getting there. I think they're figuring it out.
Danielle Fishel
Has he tangled yet?
Rider Strong
I don't know.
Danielle Fishel
I don't think he has him in his suit. Doing a tango could be an interesting.
Producer Tara
Yeah, this was. This was jazz, which is technically kind of a bit of a freestyle.
Rider Strong
Right, Right. All right, well, they got eight, seven and seven from the judges. And then we move on to Hilaria Baldwin and Gleb Savchenko. And this is a kind of in the professional zone that you're talking about, where it feels like, oh, this is a dancer. But there was something a little fast and furious about this that I didn't really love.
Danielle Fishel
I. This was one of my least favorites of the night. And I'm trying to. I hope it's not because I don't just like her, because I don't know this woman at all. And so I think there's some people that just irrationally don't like Hilaria Baldwin.
Rider Strong
Yes.
Danielle Fishel
I'm hoping I'm not that person.
Rider Strong
I just felt like there was a little lack of joy.
Danielle Fishel
That's. Maybe that's what it is.
Rider Strong
You know what it is?
Danielle Fishel
I said this last time. She's danced by numbers.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
It's all. She's hitting all the steps.
Rider Strong
Yeah. It was like they're almost like a gritted teeth quality to it. It was like, well, technically, sure, that is great. But I don't know.
Ryan Seacrest
Yes.
Rider Strong
I don't know if I want to watch you dance.
Danielle Fishel
That's just about.
Rider Strong
I don't know. It was like you're doing the thing, but, yeah, a little like, let me do the thing, and I'm going to show you my yes. And you're like, like, cool. Great.
Danielle Fishel
Let me give you a quote from mash, which I love to do. And it's Charles Winchester, who's talking to a professional musician, and he says to the guy, I can play the notes. I can't make the music. And I feel there's something kind of similar with her where she can hit all the steps. I mean, she looks like a dancer, but there's something there that's not there, Something missing.
Rider Strong
It's really interesting, right?
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
Well, the judges gave 7, 8 and 7. Seems like they are impressed by the technicality aspect.
Danielle Fishel
Now, I have a question. Going back to now, the judges were towards the middle, if not middle, end of the show, and sevens and eights are flowing more freely, whereas the first dancers we saw got a couple of sixes. And I feel like if that same exact dance happened here, there wouldn't have been a six in the.
Rider Strong
Completely agree, man. This is. This is why. This is why I like going in the first three, I would say is. Is not great. You want to be. You want to be. Later in the night, everybody's loosened up. Everybody's sort of, you know, the judges.
Danielle Fishel
Are more free with the. With the paddles.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
Later in the show.
Ryan Seacrest
Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Cough and cold season is coming, so make sure you're prepared and stock up on your family's favorite personal wellness products. Now through October 7th. Shop in store and online for savings on products like Mucinex Kickstart Combo, Zyrtec allergy relief tablets or liquid gels Halls cough drops and Mucinex fast day and night, so you and your family are armed and ready for the season ahead. Offerings, October 7th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.
CVS Advertiser
Big things are happening at your local cvs.
Danielle Fishel
Extra big, so hurry on over because extra big deals are here.
Rider Strong
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Danielle Fishel
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Rider Strong
And if you're not a member yet, now is the time to join.
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Danielle Fishel
And always be sure to check the CVS health app for deals and savings.
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Rider Strong
Cut the camera. They see us.
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Rider Strong
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Danielle Fishel
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Rider Strong
All right, Andy Richter, Emma Slater. I mean, I just love this guy. He's great. And yeah, you know, he is just working really hard. And they did the foxtrot to northern attitude. And yeah, I think that the, the, the, the judging on this was super fair because, you know, I realized we haven't had a single five all night. So even though I said earlier, like, oh, they seem like they're being harsh. Everybody was six and up.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
So this was the lowest score of the night with sixes across the board. But I thought this was just sweet and emotional.
Danielle Fishel
People were crying. Susan cried watching Andy dance and then we were watching people in the background who were literally crying behind the judges.
Rider Strong
It really was just like super heartwarming and lovely to see and like man, he's just. He's. He's giving it his all, you know, I think that he realized after that, first we comment about the paycheck, that, like, he doesn't care about that, you know, I mean, it never probably did, really. But I think that he. He's taking it seriously, and I think it's just showing and it's.
Danielle Fishel
It's.
Rider Strong
You just love the guy, like, you know, and you love them together. It's just working. It's so nice.
Danielle Fishel
I agree.
Rider Strong
All right, next up, Robert Irwin. Whitney Carson. This is, you know, your. This is your favorite so far, right? This couple?
Danielle Fishel
It is. Until this week, I frankly thought this was his worst dance so far. I thought he was trying a little hard, and I agreed exactly with what the judges were saying. Where it was this weird kind of staccato motions when he was doing his side by side that weren't. There wasn't a flow to it this week. And I thought this was by far his worst week. I mean, ripping off his shirt was.
Rider Strong
I mean, the moment it started, I was like, why does this feel like Magic Mike? Yes. And then he ripped off his shirt, and I was like, well, that's why, because it is here. We're at a strip club, and, yeah, it was just a little too far, you know? And again, like, I feel like everyone was going for sexy, and it felt a little just like. I don't know, do we need to do this?
Danielle Fishel
Here's the other thing. If you're gonna rip your shirt off in the middle of the dance, give this dude his shirt back for all the subsequent interviews. Like, he's standing there afterwards getting his scores and everything with no shirt on, and he's got. If you got tiny little nipples, I don't know if you noticed his tiny little man.
Rider Strong
Oh, man.
Danielle Fishel
But Susan pointed them out. She's like, they're. They're tiny little man nipples, but give the dude his shirt back.
Rider Strong
Yeah. Or put him in a nice. Like a smoking jacket. Yes. You know, something. Class it.
Danielle Fishel
Something. Class it up. Something. Because it does. It gets a little uncomfortable. It's like. It's like the second. The second 10 minutes of hiring somebody to play violin while you're on a date. You know, it's like the first song is great, and then it's like, now you're just uncomfortable with you sitting around watching us have dinner. So true.
Rider Strong
It was like. Yeah, just trying a little too hard.
Danielle Fishel
Yes.
Rider Strong
You know? You know, it felt like I could feel how young he was.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
Because, you know, I Think he actually looks a little older than he is. Like, I mean, what is 20, isn't he? I know, but, you know, there's just a quality. When he ripped off his shirt, I was like, there's probably a part of his brain that went, oh, this was too much.
Producer Tara
But I saw a great clip online from a podcast of someone saying, is he 20? And then someone was like, I don't know. I think he might be, like, 35. And then the other person was like, he might be seven. Like, he's kind of ageless.
Danielle Fishel
Don't know what he is.
Rider Strong
Well, that's the thing. What I saw last night was some. A young person who was used to just, like, going for it and always getting good feedback, and I feel like for the first time in a good, probably humbling move, it was a little like, you can't just rip off your shirt on this show, man.
Danielle Fishel
Like, that's.
Rider Strong
That's not the point of the show. Like, it just felt a little like, I'm gonna do it all and you're gonna like me because I got a good body. And it was like, yes, of course. But I. I don't know.
Danielle Fishel
You don't have to do that. It was. It was. It was by far his weakest dance, I thought. And I think I still think he's the odds on favorite. And I think next week. I mean, again, though. So with this misstep, I could easily see Jordan Chiles taking over the top spot for the show.
Rider Strong
I agree.
Danielle Fishel
I agree.
Rider Strong
So they were eight.
Producer Tara
Or Whitney. Or Whitney.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah, I guess.
Rider Strong
Yeah. Eight, seven, seven. Which seemed about right. Maybe a little high.
Danielle Fishel
It could have been triple sevens across. I did not think. This was not better than Danielle's dance.
Rider Strong
Interesting.
Danielle Fishel
Who got triple sevens? This was not better than Danielle's dance, in my opinion.
Rider Strong
I agree. I agree. All right, next we had Alex and Val. This was just not my taste. It's all right. I was just all the. It just was a little pink and goofy.
Danielle Fishel
The pink is weird.
Rider Strong
I don't know. There was just. I was told I had a hard time judging. I was like, you know, in terms of production and approach, this is just not the kind of thing I would ever want to watch.
Danielle Fishel
Right.
Rider Strong
I know that's not very helpful, but I was just like. And for some reason, especially coming out of all these, like. Like dark and sexy. It was a little. Just like. And I was like, cool. So I feel incapable of actually judging the dancing. I guess they were great. It was fine. The judges gave them eight, seven, eight. I don't know.
Danielle Fishel
Do you have any other answer?
Rider Strong
No.
Danielle Fishel
I feel, I feel kind of the same way, to be honest with you. I don't entirely remember the dance, and that's got to mean something there, but the, the cut, the outfits threw me. It was a little like this dance sponsored by Peptobis. So, yeah, it was, it was a little strange for me, this one. Yeah.
Rider Strong
All right, well. And then we went into the, the judging, the, the results.
Danielle Fishel
This was.
Rider Strong
Yeah.
Danielle Fishel
So what's shocking to me. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know if it's just, is it really just a popularity contest? Is that all that it is?
Rider Strong
But in that case, she's in a band that's very popular. She was dancing. I mean, do you think that there was blowback for the fact that she was dancing to her own song? Did that. Did that.
Producer Tara
No, but I'll throw something in just so that there's not just two hosts saying, how did it happen? Okay, this is me just playing devil's advocate. Did she have one of the worst dances of the night?
Danielle Fishel
Yes. Yeah.
Producer Tara
Did you guys, did you guys review Andy?
Rider Strong
Yeah. Yeah, I loved Andy.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Producer Tara
Right. So, okay, so I guess you could argue Andy, Andy, her are the two lowest of the night in reality. Even if you didn't like certain things. You're right.
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
Rider Strong
Right. But so this, this is where Andy wins on his personality and the emotionality somewhat in between both. Because. Right. She lose. She's not one of the professionals. Right. Necessarily. She's also not one of the huge personality, like in the same way that, like, you know, the pentatonix Scott and like, I feel like she sort of just, just fell a little in between and it's too bad because I think she deserves to stay.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. Then who would you have sent home? If you, if you keep her, who do you send home?
Rider Strong
I mean.
Producer Tara
But by the, by the, by the depends on what you see the show.
Rider Strong
I mean, I, yeah, I know this is the thing.
Producer Tara
If you're voting for best dance, Andy goes home. If, if you're dating for, if you're voting for favorite dance, Andy can't go home.
Rider Strong
No. Yeah, I, I guess if I just am voting on who I want to see again, you know, I would probably send hilarious Hilaria home.
Danielle Fishel
I, I, it's just about like, do.
Rider Strong
I want to see you next week? And, and, and give you another shot at impressing me? Because I feel like she doesn't need this in some ways. It's like, yeah, you can dance you can do the things I'm not. I just don't enjoy.
Danielle Fishel
She's a better dancer and not as good a personality. So it is.
Producer Tara
It's.
Danielle Fishel
What are you voting on?
Rider Strong
Right.
Producer Tara
I would say I would send her home. That would have been mine.
Rider Strong
Yeah. My.
Danielle Fishel
If I'm gonna. If I'm gonna save her, then I would have. I would have sent Hilaria home as well.
Rider Strong
Well, yeah.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah.
Rider Strong
Okay.
Producer Tara
But if you're playing the game as dancing, which I don't know why you would. It's Andy.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. So. So. And it's going to get tougher every week.
Rider Strong
Every week is going to get tougher. I know. Well, that's the thing. I mean, at a certain point, we're just going to. We like everybody. And there's no obvious. I mean, that the. The. The first two were. Just seemed sort of inevitable.
Danielle Fishel
Right, Right.
Rider Strong
So now we're just getting down to.
Producer Tara
But I think this week proved. Because I loved Lauren's first two dances. I thought they were really good, but I think this week proves you have a bad week, you can go home.
Rider Strong
Right?
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. And again, I don't think she necessarily had a bad week. It just wasn't as good as the other ones. I didn't like it, so.
Producer Tara
But I love the first two.
Danielle Fishel
Yeah. Yeah. The construction thing was. Was a lot, so. Yeah. Okay.
Rider Strong
All right. All right. Do you have a question for me?
Danielle Fishel
I absolutely do. As you know, we have started something here on POD meets Twirled, which is called the Strong Incentive, which is we are trying to find out exactly what it would take to get Rider Strong himself onto Dancing with the Stars. If you recall, in our first two episodes, episode number one, somebody showed up at Ryder's house with a briefcase. Opened the briefcase, $500,000 in cash. He said no. Now, last week, we added to that with the 2025 Airstream Atlas with the Murphy Suite value, $317,000, which I did.
Rider Strong
Look up after we discussed. And you were right. It was a sprinter van. It was. I still. I don't like expanding camper vans. I don't want it to expand out to the sides. I want my camper van to stay.
Danielle Fishel
I just love how it's like specific things. Okay, so here's the thing. I realize I can't just keep adding money and pr. I mean, because then it's just like, now you're turning down $3 million. It just gets boring. So what I have come up with is something.
Rider Strong
Things.
Danielle Fishel
I think you are gonna go, oh, man. So if you recall, week One, you turn down the briefcase. Now it's. You turn down the briefcase and the sprinter van. Now we're here. Now a box arrives at your house. You open the box, and it's Sean's original leather jacket.
Rider Strong
Oh, you're getting personal.
Danielle Fishel
The lost leather jacket that you had was stolen in New York. It's the original one with a note saying, I'm so sorry I took this from you.
Producer Tara
Any cash? Any cash in that box?
Danielle Fishel
Nope. So you've got the 500 grand, you've got the sprinter van, and now you've got Sean's original leather jacket.
Rider Strong
Oh, you know what's awful about this is that you're turning me against my.
Danielle Fishel
Fans because you know that they want.
Rider Strong
Me to have a Sean T. Jacket.
Danielle Fishel
And they want me to care about.
Rider Strong
The Shawn jacket, which I do care about. But here's. I'm going to say no. And here's why. Here's why. Because I would never feel comfortable wearing that jacket in public. I feel uncomfortable wearing leather jackets in public because of the association with John. I want the object, and I want to be able to give it to my son. You know, like, that would be. It's like an heirloom. Yes, I care about it, but no, it's not worth the pain and humiliation of I don't know how many weeks where I would just be. Oh, I would be dying inside. Every second I was on that stage doing this show. I could not.
Danielle Fishel
But then you would be. You would be cashing your 500 grand in your sprinter van with your leather jacket on, Indy, to keep him warm as he watched you dance.
Rider Strong
Oh, no, I can't do it, man. I can't. Okay, If. Yeah, because there's no. It's just sentimental value, which is so lovely, but it's not worth it.
Danielle Fishel
Okay.
Rider Strong
God, it would just be. It's so painful to think about.
Danielle Fishel
And we try again next week.
Rider Strong
I mean. And now the leather Jack gets lost forever dancing. I mean, that's just awful.
Producer Tara
I mean, this is all of the things he doesn't want to do. I know.
Danielle Fishel
That's why if you think I am not going to eventually hit something that's going to make you go, all right, I have to do it. You're crazy. Because I've got some stuff coming up that you can't say no to. You can't.
Rider Strong
We'll see.
Danielle Fishel
So we'll see, my friend.
Rider Strong
That was a nice creative choice, though, man. That was a good call.
Danielle Fishel
I have to give a shout out. That was actually a comment on one of our IG pages from somebody and I was like that. That's a great way to put it in there. See? So. So the Boy World fans want me to want and you made me turn against them. Exactly. Well, hey, I didn't. I'm not the one who made you hate your fans. So it is what it is. But there we go, my friend. We are three in, three out.
Rider Strong
Okay, that's it for this episode of Pod meets Twirled. Join us next week as we continue watching season 34 of Dancing with the Stars. We may not know a foxtrot from a foxhole, but we know what we learned back in Feeney's class. Danielle Fishel is the star of the show. PodMeet's World is an iHeart podcast produced and hosted by Danielle Fishel, Wilfred L. And Rider Strong, executive producers Jensen Karp and Amy Sugarman, executive in charge of production, Danielle Romo, producer and editor Tara Sugbash, producer Matty Moore, engineer and boy Meets world Superman Easton Allen. Our theme song is by Kyle Morton of Typhoon. Follow us on Instagram odmeatsworld show or email us at podmeatsworldshowmail.com.
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Rider Strong
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Kate Max
This is an iHeart podcast.
Podcast: Pod Meets World
Hosts: Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong, Will Friedle
Date: October 4, 2025
Episode: Pod Meets Twirl’d: DWTS 3403
Main Theme:
The Pod Meets World crew dives deep into their third week of recapping Dancing With the Stars Season 34, analyzing not only the dances and contestants but also expressing frustrations about the rules, fairness, and TikTok’s heavy-handed presence on the show. Danielle (who is also a DWTS contestant this season) joins Rider and Will to provide behind-the-scenes insights, critique the production, and revisit her own journey—all with the wit and banter the “Boy Meets World” fanbase has come to love.
This episode centers on the hosts’ reactions to Week 3 of Dancing With the Stars, which featured TikTok-themed dances. The trio debates the concept of “professional” dancers in the competition, the intrusion of TikTok into television, and the nuances of the DWTS scoring and voting system. The hosts recap each performance with humor and candor, often framing their thoughts around Danielle’s own experience competing.
Timestamps: 04:23 – 08:25
“I feel like half of the cast are professional dancers. And that pisses—it really makes me angry.”
— Danielle Fishel [04:27]
Rider suggests it’s almost like having two separate shows, comparing it to Top Chef mixing amateurs with culinary school graduates.
TikTok Integration Backlash:
Both Danielle and Rider are critical of the TikTok theme week, calling it “a giant ad for TikTok” and equating it to “Dancing with the Stars, sponsored by Marlboro.”
“This was a week brought to you by cigarettes. Like, literally, this is what this would have been.”
— Danielle Fishel [08:11]
Timestamps: 06:47 – 16:49
“If you become famous for doing TikTok dances ... aren’t you a professional dancer?”
— Danielle Fishel [13:16]
“But what if you’re a writer at home and you finally get published in a magazine and get paid for it? Are you a professional writer?”
— Producer Tara [13:42]
Danielle agrees: “Yes. That’s my argument. You are.”
“I think it’s so funny that this podcast has become 60 to 70% trying to figure out the rules of dancing.”
— Producer Tara [21:19]
Timestamps: 09:02 – 11:11
“The whole fake belly thing kind of made me uncomfortable ... it was a little weird visual for me.”
— Danielle Fishel [10:33]
Timestamps: 17:01 – 19:41
“She’s always had an elegance, but she’s never quite nailed ... punch and pop.”
— Rider Strong [19:07]
Timestamps: 22:40 – 26:01
“I think Carrie Anne could have thrown an eight in there, personally.”
— Danielle Fishel [25:51]
“The foxtrot was invented around 1914 by Harry Fox, a vaudeville entertainer.”
— Danielle Fishel [26:08]
Timestamps: 33:13 – 35:35
“This was like a full 10 for me.”
— Rider Strong [34:07]
Timestamps: 36:08 – 38:10
Timestamps: 38:10 – 40:03
Timestamps: 40:17 – 41:57
Timestamps: 42:30 – 44:07
“Put him in a suit. I want to see him do, like, a full tuxedo, you know?”
— Rider Strong [43:04]
Timestamps: 44:57 – 46:36
“She can hit all the steps. I mean, she looks like a dancer, but there’s something there that’s not there. Something missing.”
— Danielle Fishel [46:12]
Timestamps: 50:29 – 51:42
Timestamps: 51:43 – 54:54
“Frankly thought this was his worst dance so far ... trying a little hard.”
— Danielle Fishel [51:54]
“If you’re gonna rip your shirt off…give this dude his shirt back!”
— Danielle Fishel [52:17]
Timestamps: 54:54 – 55:59
Timestamps: 56:04 – 58:58
Timestamps: 59:00 – 62:42
“I would never feel comfortable wearing that jacket in public. I want the object ... but, no, it’s not worth the pain and humiliation ... I would be dying inside.”
— Rider Strong [61:20]
The hosts balance passionate opinions on fairness, pop culture’s creep into legacy shows, and their own emotional stakes in DWTS Season 34. Their charming refusal to take the show (or themselves) too seriously, coupled with genuinely insightful dance analysis and constant joking about their DWTS cluelessness, makes this a must-listen for fans of both “Boy Meets World” and reality TV critique. The question of what truly makes a celebrity dancer or a compelling contestant—talent, journey, improvement or personality—remains up in the air.
To hear their next take—and whether Rider will ever succumb to the Strong Incentive—tune in next week!