E1016 – Going Deeper with Robert Irwin and Witney Carson

Summary

The Viall Files – E1016: Going Deeper with Robert Irwin and Witney Carson

Original Air Date: October 15, 2025
Host: Nick Viall
Guests: Robert Irwin, Witney Carson
Theme: A candid, heartfelt conversation with wildlife advocate and "Dancing with the Stars" contestant Robert Irwin and his pro dance partner, Witney Carson. The episode blends behind-the-scenes insights from the show, deep reflections on loss and legacy, and playful discussions about life, family, and the quirks of fame.

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Overview

This "Going Deeper" episode draws listeners into the dynamic partnership between Robert Irwin—the beloved son of Steve Irwin and conservationist in his own right—and dancing pro Witney Carson, as they recount their journey on "Dancing with the Stars." Beyond dance floor strategies and reality TV tea, the episode digs into Robert’s experience growing up in the spotlight, the enduring influence of his late father, and the bonds of family and teamwork. Vulnerability, humor, and inspiration run through the conversation, offering listeners a rare window into both the pressures and passions that come with legacy and fame.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. High-Energy Beginnings & Rehearsal Life

• Robert's Coffee Adventure:

  • Robert reveals he’s only had coffee three times in his life, adding, “This could go anywhere” (01:53).
  • Feeling jittery but excited for the day’s rehearsals.

• Rehearsal Realities:

  • Witney explains the physical and mental challenges of prepping a new dance each week:
    “You only have four hours a day. You gotta learn an entire new dance by Tuesday.” (03:26)

  • The limited rehearsal time pushes both to stretch and adapt quickly.

  • Robert: Describes the process as humbling: “It’s like Whitney has to teach a stick how to dance.” (04:10)

• First Night Nerves:

  • The intensity of the live audience and pressure to perform, with Robert reflecting:
    “All those nerves… it turns into adrenaline and joy and excitement.” (08:10)

• Performance & Trust:

  • Witney credits Robert’s natural charisma and tells him to “just have fun…enjoy it because you’ll never have this experience again.” (10:40)
  • Robert calls Dancing with the Stars the “ultimate trust fall.” (09:47)

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2. The Dance Partnership: Chemistry and Choreography

• Partner Selection & Destiny:
  • Robert speaks about “years [talking] about it” with his family and how he “always had this feeling” he'd be partnered with Witney (16:18).
  • Full circle moment for both, as Witney references knowing Robert since he was a child.
• Show Camaraderie:
  • Both describe the cast as a “family”—no drama, just support.
  • Shift in the show's atmosphere, with more married pros and fewer “showmances.” (19:20)
• Choreography Challenges:
  • Witney builds dances around music and Robert’s strengths but adapts quickly due to time constraints:
    “Sometimes, you know, it changes a lot throughout the week…we're changing it all.” (15:07)
  • Robert jokes, “I come in one morning, I’m like, okay, I feel like I’m finally getting this dance…It’s completely different now.” (15:13)

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3. Pop Culture, Dating, & Personal Quirks

• Robert on Dating:
  • Describes his ideal partner: “Someone just adventurous and fun and really kind…and someone kind of family focused.” (21:15)
  • Humor around being “locked in” to dancing, with no dating life at the moment.
• Quirks & Pet Peeves:
  • Robert admits to mild germaphobia about “door handles,” despite handling animals all day (23:52).
  • Panel jokes about hygiene and “parent mode,” leading to funny exchanges about pacifier cleaning and airplane coffee.
    • Nick: “I can't do a drunk—like, a sloppy girl who’s drunk. I'm like, yuck, get away.” (23:31)
• Cultural Heritage & Family:
  • Memories from when Witney was engaged at 21—the age Robert is now—prompt jokes about Mormon marriage timelines (19:36).

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4. Fame, Legacy, and Grief: Reflections on Steve Irwin

• Growing Up in the Spotlight:
  • Robert recounts being “literally filmed being born”—the Crocodile Hunter team in the delivery room (08:07).
• Losing His Father:
  • The profound blessing of recorded memories: “When I watch a piece of footage…it’s like this wave…I remember that feeling. I remember how he felt in that moment. And that is the greatest gift I can receive.” (35:00–36:00)
  • Credits his mother with keeping Steve Irwin’s legacy alive for both him and his sister.
  • Notable Quote:
    “All we've got in this life is to just try and be kind to each other, try and make each other laugh and just spend time with the ones that fill your cup, you know, because you don’t know how long you’ve got.” —Robert Irwin (38:23)
• Grief, Vulnerability, and Universal Connection:
  • Emotional discussion on Dedication Week, grief, and the shared human experience of loss.
  • “There’s no grief journey that’s easy and there’s no grief journey that is the same as the other…to celebrate my dad, to celebrate the person he is….is the honor of a lifetime.” —Robert (40:07)
• Lessons from Steve Irwin:
  • Emphasizes treating every being—human or animal—“how you would want to be treated.”
  • Continues Steve’s work both in spirit and technique, learning from those his father taught (45:14).
  • Describes Steve’s priorities: “He was just all about family.” (47:34)
  • Cherishes the “material” legacy left in videos, writing, and life lessons.

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5. Wildlife Wonders and Conservation Stories

• Most Unbelievable Animal Experiences:
  • Shares a moving story from the Australian bushfires: fields of singed koalas—a moment mixing heartbreak and hope. (61:48)
  • Contrasts with the awe of eye-to-eye connection with a humpback whale and her calf in the ocean:
    “Her eye looking dead in your eye, just watching…allowing me to have this connection, to have this moment.” (63:10)
  • Reflects: “That is the natural world. We are part of something so much bigger than ourselves. And in so many ways, unfortunately, we are part of its destruction, but we will be its solution as well.” (64:00)
• Energy and Empathy:
  • On animal instincts: “If you’re gentle, if you’re respectful…animals pick up on that.” (65:15)
• Plans for an Australian Adventure:
  • Witney to visit Australia; Robert promises to name a wallaby after her. (65:28)

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6. Dance, Dedication, and Vulnerability

• Upcoming Dedication Week:
  • The pair discuss their upcoming contemporary dance to “You’ll Be in My Heart” by Phil Collins, dedicated to Robert’s mother and her strength in holding the family together (68:29).
  • Robert on vulnerability: “I’m kind of just trying to put my heart on the sleeve…and let that emotion just fly.” (68:46)
  • Witney: “The most important thing is, what’s his story…and how can we connect to the audience and make them feel something?” (70:00)
• Their Bond:
  • Both credit the trust, teamwork, and emotional support that has grown through their partnership.
  • “I feel like our—the trust that we've built has just been amazing and I feel like it’s all kind of come to fruition…reached this height this week.” —Robert (70:49)

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• “This could go anywhere.” — Robert Irwin on having coffee for the third time ever (01:53)
• “You only have four hours a day. You gotta learn an entire new dance by Tuesday.” — Witney Carson (03:26)
• “I always say it's like Whitney has to teach a stick how to dance.” — Robert Irwin (04:10)
• “All those nerves… it turns into adrenaline and joy and excitement.” — Robert Irwin (08:10)
• “This whole thing is the ultimate trust fall. You just gotta give yourself to it.” — Robert Irwin (09:47)
• “I want to be around for them as long as I can…but I would want to pass that down onto someone too, you know?” — Robert Irwin on future family (47:07)
• “It’s so much deeper than just a dance. I really hope it means something to people…” — Robert Irwin on dedication week performance (68:49)
• “There’s always hope.” — Robert Irwin, after rescuing koalas post-bushfire (62:20)
• “Animals pick up on [energy].” — Robert Irwin, on animal empathy (65:15)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:45 – Episode begins; witty banter, coffee chat
• 03:06–07:00 – Dance training, rehearsal routines, performance anxiety
• 16:18–19:20 – Partner selection, “family” dynamic among cast, pros reminiscing about past seasons
• 23:52–24:45 – Germaphobe quirks, parenting talk, hygiene jokes
• 33:43–36:58 – Growing up with Steve Irwin, impact of recorded memories, grief journey
• 40:07–42:31 – Lessons from loss, supporting others through grief
• 47:07–49:27 – Passing down legacy, family focus, continuing conservation work
• 61:48–63:10 – Australian bushfire story, koala rescue, connection with a humpback whale
• 68:29–71:06 – Dedication Week, vulnerability in dance, emotional storytelling through choreography

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Vocal Tone and Energy

• The tone throughout is friendly, candid, and at times deeply emotional.
• Robert brings earnestness, humility, and youthful wonder; Witney is supportive, direct, and humorous; Nick balances lighthearted pop culture chat with meaningful, empathetic questions and personal sharing.

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Summary

This episode of "The Viall Files" intertwines the challenges and joys of reality competition with the deeper currents of dealing with loss, honoring family, and building authentic partnerships. Listeners gain insight into Robert Irwin’s unique upbringing, cheerful resilience, and dedication to conservation, as well as the artistry and emotional labor behind Witney Carson’s choreography.

Whether you’re a fan of "Dancing with the Stars," the Irwin legacy, or simply love a meaningful long-form conversation, this episode delivers both laughter and inspiration, with moments that stick.

To vote for Robert and Witney:
Text ROBERT to 21523 or vote online up to ten times!

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End of Summary.

Transcript

[Nick Viall]

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[Ad Host 2]

Can we get a water?

[Whitney]

Sip of water?

[Nick Viall]

A water. Water, Water.

[Robert Irwin]

It's pronounced water.

[Whitney]

This is a perfect angle for me to kick him. You're crazy.

[Nick Viall]

Rob. Whitney, welcome to the show.

[Whitney]

Thank you.

[Nick Viall]

Welcome back, Whitney.

[Whitney]

Thanks.

[Nick Viall]

Welcome, Rob.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Nick Viall]

How are you doing, mate?

[Robert Irwin]

So good.

[Nick Viall]

So good.

[Robert Irwin]

I'm tired. I was. I was saying to Whitney just then, I've had coffee three times in my life and one of those times was this morning. So I'm like on another plane right now. So this could go anywhere.

[Ad Host 2]

Yeah, real jittery. Could do a backflip.

[Robert Irwin]

I could do a backflip off that table.

[Ad Host 2]

You should do this before dancing. Drinking a cup of coffee.

[Whitney]

I think that would be worse. He needs like a Xanax. Is like the audience.

[Nick Viall]

What were the other two times you drank coffee?

[Robert Irwin]

Okay, so once was I was hosting a show in South Africa, which is a live show that, that I do called I'm a Celebrity. Get me out of here. And it's this show where it shoots live and you start at like 4:30am and I had tasted coffee once before. You know, my first little taste of coffee. I didn't really love it, but I was getting up really early. And I went, oh, just exhausted. I need to pick me up. So I just downed a double shot. And the weird thing with coffee is it does wake me up, but it also just puts my mind in, like, 50 different places. So I'm just like. And then there's this and then there's that. And so. Yeah. This is a dangerous conversation.

[Whitney]

I know. This morning I saw him. I'm like, you're different. He's like, me, you good.

[Nick Viall]

And you already seem like a pretty high energy guy.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah, so. So it's like another level. But I was just tired and I thought, oh, I'll grab a coffee. Bad idea.

[Whitney]

Bad idea, Bad idea.

[Robert Irwin]

So rehearsals are going to be fun today.

[Ad Host 2]

Are you tired from all the dancing?

[Robert Irwin]

Oh, absolutely. It's Whitney. Like, mate, Whitney's a goer. Like, we are. We are going for it.

[Whitney]

I do give him breaks, though.

[Robert Irwin]

Yes.

[Nick Viall]

Are you very much like a drill sergeant? Are you like, let's go. Get your ass up?

[Whitney]

I don't feel like I'm a drill sergeant, but we definitely work really hard. Like, we laugh a lot, but we definitely get stuff done. Because you have to. You only have four hours a day. You got to learn an entire new dance by Tuesday.

[Nick Viall]

Can you, like, go a little longer?

[Whitney]

For what?

[Nick Viall]

For then four hours? Can you guys.

[Robert Irwin]

I always try and show up as early as I can to try and stretch, but, like, you know, you don't have the room. Like, there's someone who's in there rehearsing, and then the room sort of becomes available. Yeah. So you're pretty. You're kind of limited to time, but it's.

[Whitney]

Yeah, we're not allowed any extra time.

[Robert Irwin]

We kind of start from square one. Like the. You know, obviously every Tuesday is the show, and every Wednesday feels like the first week all over again because it's a new style. We start back from scratch, and it's. It's humbling. Like, really humbling because you. I just feel like I'm. I always say it's like Whitney has to teach a stick how to dance. Like, there's no rhythm at all. But we just work so hard, and we're. I think we're just an awesome team. Like, I'm very, very grateful for you, Whitney.

[Ad Host 2]

Y' all came out of the gate. I mean, like, you first week crush, and I think you, like, blew America away with how good you are. I mean, like, did you. I mean, not stick that you're pretty good dancing stick?

[Robert Irwin]

Well, that's. That's all Whitney's fault. That, like, it was, that was honestly one of the best nights of my whole life. Like, that was so much fun and it was such a, it was such a privilege. And the jive just felt so perfect. Our first dance was born to be wild. It was a jive. It's just like high energy. If I was a ballroom dance, that would be it. And it was just, it was the best to just kind of come out swinging and just go, yeah, let's go. But to feel the love and the kindness from everyone here in America, it's just been amazing because, you know, I moved out from Australia, I'm here for like three months. It's. It's a daunting experience. But the second, like we got in a room together and started rehearsing, I just felt this sigh of relief. Like, okay, this is going to be fun. This is going to be awesome. And the love from everyone has been incredible. I'm just so grateful.

[Nick Viall]

You've been obviously a public figure most of your life and obviously even worked, worked in media. But I'm curious because, like, when I did Dancing with the Stars long ago, like you said, first of all, super much relate to like the first day of the next week.

[Robert Irwin]

You were on like not far after when Bindi was on My Sister. What year was she on the show? I think like season 21.

[Nick Viall]

Okay. I was 2017.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah. That's like the year after she was on.

[Nick Viall]

Okay.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah, yeah.

[Whitney]

Oh, wow.

[Nick Viall]

And yeah, like, you're just learning. You just did a dance, you spent all week learning it, and the next week you're just like, that's over. New language, new language.

[Whitney]

It's very like, that's what we say. It's a total new language and you have to really go from ground zero. It's like not only does he have to remember the steps, but like how to do them properly and get your hips moving and then where are your arms looking and where's your head? Like, there's so many layers that it's really hard. It's very difficult to get everything in in five days.

[Robert Irwin]

Oh yeah. And it's. And it's such a brain heavy thing as well. Like the physical side of it is there. Like my body this morning I woke up and I felt like I got run over. Like I'm just like. But. But also the mental fatigue of trying to remember all of these layers, that was way harder.

[Whitney]

I've never.

[Robert Irwin]

My body, like, you know, I'm a very active person. Like, I wrangle crocodiles. That takes a lot of footwork and Upper body strength and all of that. Yeah, but dance, you have to harness all of that energy into, like, flowy and elegant movements. It's. It's a real challenge. But.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Nick Viall]

Well, what I was most impressed about with you, kind of like, to Nelly's point is. And I'm just curious because I had done enough of TV before I did Dancing with the Stars, where I was familiar with cameras and, like, you know, being on TV didn't, like, psych me out. But, like, I. I had no experience with, like, the live performances. So when I was dancing mostly the whole time I was on, it wasn't until I was like, cut, where they brought me back to, like, redo stuff. When they're filling out the episodes, I looked scared. You know, I'm like, counting in my head when you were like, you were out there week one, just, like, your. Your facial expressions were giving, like, professional dancer. And I think. And it was just like. It was really like. Yeah, you were in it. You were in character. You looked like you're. I was really impressed by that because I, you know. Did you have any type of performance experience other than. Cause I think there's a big difference between, like, hosting TV shows, being on camera, and performing in front of a live studio audience.

[Robert Irwin]

Oh, it's. It's insane. The feeling in the ballroom when you step in there and you know that you're next up on the roster. Like, our first night, we were last, so it was kind of scary watching everyone else go. The competition is insane. Like, this season, everybody is incredible. And you're just sitting there watching it and then going, oh, my gosh, I gotta go last. This is terrifying. But I found the second the music started playing, you know, you hear those counts dancing the jive. It's Robert and Whitney. And then all of a sudden, you just kind of go tunnel vision. You hear the audience, you feel the energy, and it's amazing. Like, I. I've spent my whole life, you know, on camera. Like, I was literally film being born. My poor mum. There was quite literally the Crocodile Hunter TV crew were in the hospital when I was. When I was, you know, when I popped out. And so it was, you know, it's always been part of my life, but I feel like through everything I do, there is a. A message and a mission behind what I do, not only for wildlife conservation, but also to try and spread some positivity, to put some passion out into the world, you know? And so for me, the second I'm in that studio, I'm in that ballroom, And I. I hear the crowd. I just feed off of that. And all of a sudden, it's the weirdest thing. All of those nerves just. It turns into adrenaline and joy and excitement, and I just want to give people something that they can just switch off and just love and have fun.

[Whitney]

Especially when you took your shirt off and that.

[Nick Viall]

Yep, he's giving back, people.

[Whitney]

He's giving it honestly.

[Robert Irwin]

But any. Any of the confidence that you feel, because it's such a terrifying thing. I mean, it's. It's beautiful, but it's also really scary. But all of my confidence comes from Whitney. You know, it comes from leaning on the experience that we have in rehearsals. Trusting your body, trusting the process, trusting your partner. It is like this whole thing is the ultimate trust fall. You just got to give yourself to it. I've never done anything like this, but I've got the best ever to guide me through this process. So I'm just like, full trust all in. Send it.

[Nick Viall]

I don't even care.

[Robert Irwin]

I'm just going to give it every ounce of what I got and hope for the best.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Ad Host 2]

Whitney, did you kind of tell him, like, whatever happens like this, facial expressions or, you know, form or, like, performing. Did you tell him anything was, like, most important, or were you just like. Like, let's just try to knock down.

[Whitney]

I know it's like, have fun, but be perfect. No, I think his performance quality and what he does naturally is there. So, like, I didn't really have to worry about that because, you know, it's just Robert is Robert, like, what you see here, he's exactly, you know, like that in rehearsals. So I didn't want to mess with that because I felt like that was him, and that's what people love. Our main focus was just trying to, you know, get him as good as we. We could dancing. And so that was the biggest thing. I was like, have fun. Enjoy it, because you'll never have this experience again. So. And that's what we've kind of been doing.

[Robert Irwin]

You know, I can't help myself, but start, like, I start singing along to the song. I just. I know you love it. I just can't help but just.

[Whitney]

Yes, just love it. It's so fun. It really is. It's been, like, the best, most special season already.

[Ad Host 2]

So how does Danny feel about that?

[Whitney]

He's.

[Robert Irwin]

Daddy'S right. He comments on everything. He's like.

[Whitney]

He's like, no. I think every past partner has, like, a little bit of, like, hey, like, a little bit like, I want to be Doing that again because it's such a special time, and you never get it again. Feeling that, and you never get it again. And so when you're seeing your part, your teammate, your partner with another person, it's kind of like, hold on a second.

[Ad Host 2]

How is it already here? You know, of like, oh, my gosh.

[Robert Irwin]

Wow.

[Whitney]

I feel like just were here doing the same thing. But, no, he's been very supportive and commenting on all of our stuff.

[Nick Viall]

You are definitely my wife's favorite choreographer because you do a lot of the flips and the spins and the turns and the lifts. And as far as. As far as my wife is concerned, Natalie, if you're not being lifted and thrown around, like, she.

[Whitney]

She's like, I'm out.

[Ad Host 2]

But then I've been told. I've been told that, like, there's rules. You can't have lift.

[Robert Irwin]

And every day, Harry Ann will call you out.

[Whitney]

It's. It's a nice. You have to have a balance because you need good scores from the judges, but you also. You want America's vote as well, and you also want to do something that you're passionate about, you know, with the song and the chorus, and you want to be able to show his strengths, and every partner has different strengths. Like, it's just. It's different from season to season, so it's just finding that right balance.

[Nick Viall]

How.

[Whitney]

What is.

[Ad Host 2]

Like, how does choreographing go in your brain? Like, are you on the weekends, like, taking your boys to, you know, I don't know, practice? And also, like, in your head trying to figure out the next dance?

[Whitney]

100. I am, like, 24 7, like, working in here. So it starts with the track. So the music is super important. And then who picks the song? I think it's a. It's a collective team effort. The music team is really incredible, and we have, you know, we have theme weeks, and so we're a little bit dialed in a little bit on what we can choose from. And then from there, it's, you know, the celebrity has to like the song because we want them to be passionate about it. And then obviously, the professional who's creating it, you know, I have to really love it as well. And then, you know, it goes through lots of different channels, and everybody has to be kind of happy with the song choices. So, yeah, you don't.

[Robert Irwin]

You don't always get. You don't usually get the first option. You have, like, sometimes another. And it can change several times, but often you end up with something that you. I wouldn't have even thought of this song, but this is perfect.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Robert Irwin]

It's amazing to watch you, like, take a song. Like, I'll play a song, and instantly you'll be like, that's a jive. And this is how I would do it.

[Nick Viall]

It's.

[Robert Irwin]

It's incredible to watch your brain work with choreography. Like, I just. It's. It's so foreign to me, but it's so impressive. Like, it's.

[Whitney]

Anytime I listen to a song, I go straight to choreography straight. I can't just listen to a song and just, like, dancing.

[Robert Irwin]

She just stops putting it.

[Whitney]

And this would go to trick there, and, like, it's kind of a curse a little bit.

[Ad Host 2]

But do you come into first day of rehearsals with the entire dance done, or do you build?

[Whitney]

I have, like, a really good idea. And then things change as I put it on him. So sometimes it's like, oh, you know what? We don't have time to work on that. Let's. Let's switch it immediately. Because another thing that's working against us is time. Like, if we had three weeks to work on something, he would get it 100%. Anything that I would give him. But because we don't have a lot of time, you know, you assess, and then you change it quickly, and then you do something different. And sometimes, you know, it changes a lot throughout the week. And I always have to be like, I'm so sorry. I love you, and you can do this on Saturday. I'm like, we're changing it all.

[Robert Irwin]

I come in one morning, and I'm like, okay. I feel like I'm finally getting this dance.

[Ad Host 2]

I've been practicing all night about that.

[Robert Irwin]

It's completely different now.

[Whitney]

We're changing all of it. And here we go.

[Robert Irwin]

Right?

[Nick Viall]

It always turns out you were announced part of this cast pretty early on. I know when. When Dina is casting.

[Robert Irwin]

Yes.

[Nick Viall]

She'll ask the best who, you know, do you have any preferences? Certainly you don't find out who your partner is until, like, the announcement. But did you, like, was Whitney always your first choice? Did you not care? Were you, like, give me.

[Robert Irwin]

It was interesting because same question to.

[Nick Viall]

You, because I am curious. I don't know how it works on the side.

[Robert Irwin]

Anyone but Robert. It was interesting because my sister did this show in, what, 2015, 2016. I was 11 years old. And since then, I went, I want to do this show. Like, I really. I wanted to. And, you know, I was 11, so it was a long way off. But, you know, Dina, who obviously decides. Decides the cast and Everything. We would talk about it, we would kind of joke around about it. For years we talked about it. And then I kind of always had in my mind, like, after watching Bindi's season, because, Whitney, you were there.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Robert Irwin]

We always sort of. I don't know, as a family, we would always kind of talk about. I bet. I bet I'd end up getting partnered with Whitney and I kind of just. It was this weird, like, feeling I had. I had this feeling if I ever do the show, I don't know, I just. I kept thinking, it's going to be Whitney. And so when I came into this experience and they said, well, we did our first meeting, which they capture on camera, and Whitney was standing there, I just felt this sense of, whoa, this is a full circle moment. Like, this is 10 years in the making. Here we are. And I instantly felt so protected and so, like, Whitney's become like an older sister so quickly mine. So it's so funny. So it's like, yes, I've got my mum here, my actual older sister, and now you.

[Whitney]

So, you know, he doesn't have a life.

[Robert Irwin]

They know. Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So very protective. No dating life at the moment, that's for sure. You guys are like.

[Whitney]

No, we've.

[Ad Host 2]

We've quite the people to go through. I know.

[Nick Viall]

Yeah. But I mean, girlfriends at this point are just a distraction.

[Whitney]

That's what I'm saying.

[Robert Irwin]

Locked in.

[Whitney]

That's what I'm saying.

[Robert Irwin]

I'm locked in. But no, it's. It is really cool. But you don't. Yeah, you have no idea. You have no idea. But I've known a lot of the, the professional dancers on this show since I was 10 years old. Like, when I came to the announcement to, to announce, you know, I'm doing this, everyone was there and everyone's just like, oh, my gosh, the last time I saw you, you were this big, you were tiny.

[Ad Host 2]

Yeah.

[Robert Irwin]

You had a little bowl haircut. You know, like, what's, what's up?

[Whitney]

So, yeah, and the pros also, we. We don't get a say in our partners at all. So it's kind of.

[Nick Viall]

They don't ask, you don't.

[Whitney]

I mean, I think you get, like a tip. Do you know, I personally, I personally don't, like, I kind of leave it up to fate and I leave it up to the casting producers because they, you know, they're so good at that and so I trust them completely. But I didn't know. I thought everyone was talking about Robert and Riley, so I kind of had checked Robert off the list. And so I was looking at all the celebrities, and in my head, I had, like, one celebrity that was like, oh, they'll probably pair me with him, not thinking it was Robert at all. So when I walked in, I was, like, so shocked.

[Nick Viall]

Were you thinking Riley? Like, you know, younger, maybe? They would hope there's, like, some kind of, like a showman's kind of thing.

[Whitney]

Exactly. Or. Yes. Just. I think, like, just them two being so young and, like, it was in the press a lot, and, like, she had said that she wanted you as a partner, so I kind of had checked that off my list.

[Robert Irwin]

But it's cool because, like, then once you're in this little world, everyone's so tight. Like, everyone kind of just becomes mates. Like, I'm mates with all the pros and all the. All the celeb cast as well. And it's nice. Like, it's the sort of environment where everyone's really just stoked for each other and everyone's kind of just lifting each other up.

[Whitney]

Yeah, it is. It's a family, for sure.

[Robert Irwin]

Pretty cool. So there's no, like, there's really. I mean, at least this season, there's really no dramas. Nothing crazy.

[Whitney]

There's no drama. There is no.

[Robert Irwin]

Maybe a little bit.

[Whitney]

But, like, there's no, like, showmances either.

[Nick Viall]

No.

[Whitney]

Which I feel like usually there are.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah. Everyone's pretty locked in.

[Whitney]

Everyone's, like, married with kids now, which is funny because it's changed so much.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

Over the years. But everyone is.

[Robert Irwin]

You know, I was just thinking this. When Bindi did the show and I was there 10 years ago, you had just gotten engaged to Carson.

[Whitney]

Yes, I know. Which is crazy.

[Robert Irwin]

And Whitney was 21. Whitney was my age.

[Whitney]

And I got so excited at that. I was like, you can be engaged. Ra.

[Robert Irwin]

Hang on a minute. I had, like, an existential crisis. I'm like, wait, what?

[Whitney]

I know. The Mormons. We get right on it, don't we?

[Robert Irwin]

Got you straight in there.

[Whitney]

Just straight to marriage.

[Nick Viall]

So are you, like, off dating period? Are you, like, in between for the show or is, like, I'm romance.

[Robert Irwin]

No, where you are. Whitney's trying to say that I. No, I'm. I'm kind of at this point in my life where I'm. I'm completely, like, open to it and let it happen, but I'm not in any, like, crazy rush, and I'm. And I'm not.

[Nick Viall]

I mean, you're only 21.

[Robert Irwin]

Exactly. I'm just kind of trying to.

[Ad Host 2]

I was Nick at 21.

[Whitney]

Yes. See?

[Nick Viall]

Oh, my.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah, I gotta. I gotta step up my game. I gotta hurry up.

[Nick Viall]

No, you got time.

[Robert Irwin]

I've got time. If you.

[Nick Viall]

Just to indulge the fans.

[Robert Irwin]

Okay.

[Nick Viall]

Because I know you have a lot of fans. If.

[Robert Irwin]

If Whitney's favorite.

[Nick Viall]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

I love this.

[Nick Viall]

If you were to date, describe your perfect partner.

[Robert Irwin]

Okay.

[Nick Viall]

In a way.

[Whitney]

Okay, I've got it.

[Robert Irwin]

All right.

[Whitney]

I know exactly what you're gonna say.

[Robert Irwin]

Okay. So I think, well, I want to.

[Nick Viall]

Hear from him, and then I want.

[Ad Host 2]

No, no, no.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Robert Irwin]

Well, honestly, I think, first of all, I try to surround myself with. With people, genuine, authentic people who. Who are just really kind. Like, that's. That's the thing you. In. In life, you've got to find people that lift you up and that you can kind of just support one another. My life is pretty crazy. Like, it's here and there and everywhere. The amount of side quests I'm going on.

[Whitney]

I was thinking you really don't have. I mean, how would that even work? You're so busy.

[Ad Host 2]

But, like, you need someone who's also, like. Like a content creator who had, you know, who could, like, travel.

[Robert Irwin]

One day I'm like, you know, rescuing a crocodile, and then the next day I'm dancing with the stars, and the next day, you know, so it's here and there's. Then you're an someone. Yeah. Who's up for an adventure to come along and. And someone who's got, like, their own world and passions that you can kind of find what you both love and sort of, you know, form that together. So someone just adventurous and fun and. And. And really kind, you know, is really important to me. And someone kind of family focused. Like, family is everything to me.

[Whitney]

Do you have to, like animals?

[Robert Irwin]

I mean. Yeah. Like, that. That would help that.

[Nick Viall]

What if she was, like, allergic to cats?

[Robert Irwin]

The only cats I have, I've got. I've got tigers and a couple of cheetahs, but apart from that, I don't have any cats.

[Whitney]

You don't have any cats?

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah.

[Nick Viall]

What would be, like, a dating pet peeve? Or do you have, like, an ick where it's just, like, you know, it's petty, but I can't do it.

[Robert Irwin]

Oh, this is a good question.

[Whitney]

That is a fun question.

[Robert Irwin]

Like, the only ick that I get.

[Ad Host 2]

Sorry.

[Robert Irwin]

Look, I'm going all red. I'm getting hot now I'm getting all sweaty. No, like, I. People who are, like, rude to wait. Stuff that.

[Ad Host 2]

Well, that's.

[Robert Irwin]

That's like.

[Ad Host 2]

That's A gift. We want something really petty, like, anytime. Anytime Nick gets road rage, I'm, like, icked out, you know? And, like, you know, we don't.

[Nick Viall]

When do I get road rage?

[Ad Host 2]

Well, if you ever do, you know, anytime. Anytime. Nick, like, trips. I'm like, oh, God. Could have done without that, you know?

[Robert Irwin]

Could have done without.

[Whitney]

Oh, my gosh. That's funny.

[Ad Host 2]

Like, does Carson do anything where you're.

[Whitney]

Like, oh, well, actually, he did. He had a little bit of road rage. But this, in this case, it was. I found it really attractive because he was, like, protecting the kids. Like this. This guy got out of the car and, like, was, like, yelling at us, like, here in la. Here in la.

[Nick Viall]

Oh, God.

[Whitney]

And Carson just, like, got right out. It's like we were about to get in a fight.

[Ad Host 2]

Carson's a big guy, isn't he?

[Whitney]

Yeah. As soon as he got out of the car, the guy was like, fine. Yeah.

[Robert Irwin]

He would have been like, wait a minute.

[Ad Host 2]

Never mind.

[Whitney]

You guys are great.

[Robert Irwin]

He's a unit.

[Whitney]

I know.

[Robert Irwin]

He's built like a house.

[Nick Viall]

I can't do a drunk. Like, a sloppy girl who's drunk.

[Whitney]

Like, I'm like.

[Ad Host 2]

I'm like, I'm not drunk.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah. That's just. Why? Okay. Yeah, that's.

[Nick Viall]

I'm like, yuck. Get away.

[Whitney]

Robert is kind of a germaphobe a little bit, but not in an extreme way. In a normal way. But we've been normal. We've been trying to. I've been doing, like, exposure therapy. Right. Where I'll just, like, this fan railing. I'll just, like, touch the floor, and then I'll be, like, ready to dance. So we've kind of.

[Robert Irwin]

Because. But it's weird. I can be covered head to toe in mud.

[Nick Viall]

I'm like, no, I was gonna say, like, your animals aren't necessarily the most hygienic.

[Robert Irwin]

Mud, the blood, everything is fine. But, like, door handles. Like, I'm in la and every. And it's like, everything's like, the ground's dirty.

[Ad Host 2]

You're gonna struggle once you have kids.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah, yeah, I know.

[Ad Host 2]

I know.

[Robert Irwin]

I was like, a lot of viruses. A lot of virus.

[Whitney]

Just you wait.

[Ad Host 2]

It's like, oh, my God, that's. Take that out of your mouth. Jesus. In the trash. I know.

[Whitney]

And, like, my son's favorite thing right now is to put his shoes on his hands and then put it on his face. And I'm like, it is the worst.

[Robert Irwin]

I would struggle with that.

[Whitney]

Yes.

[Ad Host 2]

The worst.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah. I feel like even just having a niece now you do, Definitely. You learn to be a little bit more like. I don't know, You've got to just kind of go, oh, well, okay, this is happening. You're licking the floor. Okay, great.

[Ad Host 2]

Okay, great. The pacifier falls out, like, on the floor of the airplane. And I'm like, nick, put it in your mouth.

[Whitney]

Wipe it off. I've done that same thing.

[Nick Viall]

Thing. I'm the Passion Fire Cleaner on a plane. Like, when you rob. When you have a kid, it's like.

[Whitney]

You have a kid and it's just us or them.

[Ad Host 2]

The airplane sink water is no better.

[Whitney]

No better than your saliva. 100.

[Nick Viall]

It's not gonna.

[Robert Irwin]

You guys. Wow.

[Nick Viall]

Have you ever had airplane coffee?

[Robert Irwin]

No.

[Nick Viall]

Okay.

[Ad Host 2]

Or tea?

[Robert Irwin]

Never.

[Ad Host 2]

No.

[Nick Viall]

Good. Oh, you have had tea.

[Robert Irwin]

I've had tea. I'm a tea guy.

[Nick Viall]

Well, that's right. You don't drink coffee. So you.

[Robert Irwin]

Yes, I have.

[Nick Viall]

Well, I'm about to freak you out because I've heard a rumor, pretty common rumor, that you should never drink coffee or tea on an airplane because they're using the same water that you would wash your hands on an airplane. It's coming from the same place. So last week, one of the flight attendants was very lovely, and she was a fan of the show, and she said hi. So I. I felt we had a little bit of a connection. And she was serving, and I really wanted a coffee, but I was like, I've heard this rumor. And I was like, hey, like, would you ever drink the coffee on the plane? She's like, absolutely. Fucking not really. And then. And then we were on a flight yesterday, and the water, the sink, they. They're like, hey, we got hand sanitizers in the bathroom because the water's not working. Also, PS Coffee's not available today, so make the connection. So, like, just that, like, dirties.

[Whitney]

Yucky. I'm having an existential crisis over here.

[Robert Irwin]

I'm thinking about every time I hear. I'm the guy where I get on a plane and I will disinfect to see. I'll get a little wipeout.

[Nick Viall]

That's normal.

[Robert Irwin]

The flight attendant will come by, and they'll always go, that's a great call. I would do that.

[Nick Viall]

Yeah.

[Robert Irwin]

So I'm like, we do that.

[Whitney]

I do that.

[Ad Host 2]

That's what I'm saying.

[Whitney]

I'm a normal germaphobe.

[Robert Irwin]

I'm a normal German.

[Nick Viall]

Do you want kids someday?

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah.

[Nick Viall]

Okay. Well, if you ever have kids, Whitney, it's just like.

[Robert Irwin]

It's.

[Nick Viall]

You become, like, yeah, instantly. Dad mode. Mom mode, where you're just like, I'm here for my kids. You're. Oh. Like, you're just, you're, you're there to like.

[Whitney]

Have you ever seen the, you know they put something in their nose and you like suck it out with your mouth? Have you ever seen that?

[Ad Host 2]

I've seen that. We've never used it.

[Whitney]

I've never used it either. No, I've never used it. But like you would, you would.

[Nick Viall]

Without question. You don't even think about it.

[Ad Host 2]

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Like, oh, you're stuffed up. Let me suck out all of the snot and then spit it out of your nose.

[Robert Irwin]

That's awesome. That's great.

[Whitney]

That might be extreme.

[Robert Irwin]

That's okay. Whoa. When my sister and her husband Chandler, when they had their little one, Grace, like it is so cool when you watch like even just someone in your family. Like watching my sister and brother in law, like watching them go into parent mode. It's such a crazy thing. It's like this instant shift. I feel like all of a sudden my brother in law Chandler just went from, you know, this guy that I'd known for years and then all of a sudden he's just permanently got like a diaper bag with him and he's got like tactical baby gear. You know, he's got like bottles read and he's got wipes and he's just like all of a sudden just. And Bindi's the same. She's like this amazing mom and it's just wild to watch that kick in. It's cool to watch you as well because last time I saw you on this show. Yeah, like it's like I saw before and after and now you've got your whole family and it's so cool to watch even like on a live show when they come in. And it's just the most amazing environment. It's, it's so cool, so cool to see you.

[Ad Host 2]

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[Nick Viall]

Because I'm such a great boss, we recently did a giveaway here at the Household and our employee Jack won the cozy sofa. Here's a photo of his of his cozy sofa and his very stylish slee bachelor pad.

[Ad Host 2]

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[Nick Viall]

My brewers are playing on my packers are playing. It's it's really been exciting for me as a sports fan and thank God I have Happy Thursday by my side. Game day is always a good time, especially when you kick it off with a Happy Thursday spike refresher. No fuzz, no fizz, no bubbles, just good game vibes right at your fingertips. Happy Thursday is a bubble free, non carbonated spiked refresher that's 4.4 ABV with vibrant fruit flavors. I got the black cherry by my side right here. It's in a delicious flavor. They have so many great flavors to choose from and the best part is they're non carbonated. No more burps. Unnecessary burps. Everyone hates the unnecessary burps. Especially on a date. You know, it's just like you're drinking and all of a sudden you know no one wants that. Have your Happy Thursday spiked refresher ready to go. Whether it's a day at the beach, your happy hour drink, or certainly at the game, everyone's gonna love you when you bring Happy Thursday to the event because it tast great. That's bubble free and it's just brings good vibes. Just that crisp. You can hear it, the crisp, fun, funness right here. The black cherry drink that I got with me at this time. It is the light refreshing flavor. A perfect pairing for all your favorite game day snacks. They got some great flavors whether it's their strawberry, pineapple, star fruit, mango, passion fruit and raspberry dragon fruit. They also have their black cherry which is what I'm drinking right now. They got something for everyone. So check out a Happy Thursday on your next game day event that you go to crack open a Happy Thursday and bring good vibes to wherever you are, Kick off your game day with Happy Thursday Spiked Refresher. To find out more and find a Happy Thursday near you, visit drinkhappy Thursday.com v I a l l that's drinkhappy Thursday.com v I A l l Celebrate responsibly non carbonated, naturally flavored with other natural flavors. 21 + contains alcohol 2025 Molson Coors Beverage Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin Beer say goodbye to sticky notes and Calendar Confusion with Skylight the Skylight Calendar is here to keep your family organized. This beautifully designed digital display syncs with your existing calendars, making it effortless to track events, appointments and reminders in one easy to see place. The Skylight Calendar has been game changing for me and Natalie. We are busy people on the go. We do a lot of things together, but we have some individual appointments and things that just kind of pop up. Also with with child care that we it's really important to make sure that we are organized and we're getting our schedules confused and the Skylight Calendar has been super helpful for us. This is an all in one smart calendar. Sync seamlessly with Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook and more, giving you customizable views for daily, weekly or monthly planning. You will be able to manage events, chores and grocery list while assigning colors for each of your family members and eliminating excuses of not knowing what they need to do. I know my parents would have loved the Skylight calendar for their 11 kids and all the chores that we had to do. And if your family can needs to get a little bit more organized and things are being forgotten or lost track of, the Skylight Calendar will certainly make all of your lives easier, especially your parents out there. Limit their ability to make excuses or I forgot I didn't know. It's a great way to help kids like learn, responsibility, organization. The Skylight Calendar has so many perks and advantages. Right now Skylight is offering our listeners $30 off their 15 inch calendar by going to skylightcal.com v I a l l go to skylight.com v I a l l for $30 off your 15 inch calendar. That is sky lightcal.com s K-Y-L I G-H-T c-a l.com v I a l l Rob, I want to transition a little bit to just kind of getting to know you and your childhood a little bit but obviously you're you're very well known for your family in general and obviously your father Steve, who who passed away when you were just two years old. And speaking about being a new father, it's just, you know, again, like, being a dad just changes you in so many ways. And. And I saw a recent interview that you did well, I thought was really cool for a lot of reasons, and also just kind of gave me a little peace of mind. But, like, certainly as you get older, you just think about your own mortality in general. And once you become a father, you have those kind of just like, what if something happened? Type of thing, right?

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Nick Viall]

And just being. Doing what I do for a living and doing what we do, I've always just been, like, so grateful because, like, there's this idea, like, how you know, who's gonna be there to teach your kid lessons and things like that that, you know, if, God forbid, something happens. And you talked about how, like, because of your dad and what he did for a living and all the interviews he's done and just. He was just filmed so much. You know, it's just like this kind of beautiful gift that you were able to get to know your dad, you know, even though, you know, you probably don't have a lot of memories of him in person. And I just love to, like, have you speak more about that, because, again, like, it's just. That's one thing I've thought about, like, God forbid, if something happened. I have, like, hours and hours of footage of conversations, of, like, just talking with my wife and just talking with our guests and offering perspective and things that I've learned and being vulnerable. And I feel grateful that God forbid, something were to happen. If my kids wanted to get to know their dad, they would have the ability to do that. And I'm just curious, like, at what age did you kind of have that realization that there was this gift available to you in order to, like, get to know your father?

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah, I. I think when. When you lose someone like that so young, all of a sudden as you grow up. Well, at least for me, one of the most important things in my life and one of the things that I just really would seek out is just any kind of connection I could sort of reclaim to my dad. And I think the two greatest gifts that I have in my life to still have that connection. One, as you say, it's. It's all that footage. I mean, as I. As I just said, I mean, my whole life, from the time I was born, captured on camera. So all of the times with dad in photos, they're. They're on video, there's recordings. It's all there. My memories with that are blurry, very, very distant. So my grief journey has been different in a way where it's, it's. I'm trying to get pieces of him back and when I watch a piece of footage, it happens to me. You know, it's happened a handful of times in my life where I will watch footage that I haven't seen before of me as a two year old kid with him. And all of a sudden it's like this wave. It's like I just get hit with something and all of a sudden it's just like boom. I remember that that moment in time just comes back. It just floods back into my mind and I just go, whoa. I remember that. I remember that feeling. I remember how I felt and I remember how he felt in that moment. And that is the greatest gift I can receive. So that is huge for me. But the second thing in my life, the second gift that I have that keeps me connected to my dad is my mom. The legacy that my mom and dad created is incredible. They were just the ultimate team and they created something that now I, my sister, we get to continue. And it's, and it's a message that is so important. They built an entire life around trying to make positive change on the planet. And when dad passed away, everything then stops, but mum just carried it all forward. She's an incredibly strong human being and she made sure that dad was always part of my life. And I'm very, very grateful for that. Yes. Still having a connection with him is so important to me. And also I get that connection from, from people I talk to in my day to day life. I mean, he was a superhero figure to an entire generation, I think, and worldwide.

[Nick Viall]

I mean, like, like, you know, we all knew.

[Ad Host 2]

Oh yeah.

[Whitney]

And I think it's because like any age too.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah, like, obviously it's cool because he, he was this advocate for the environment. He was boots and all in there and so passionate about animals. But also I think he exemplified what it is to truly live, live to truly give everything. He didn't have a lot of time and it's like he knew that he just gave so much to everything he did. And people still come up to me all the time and share stories of when they met dad or the way he inspired them in their own lives. And that means so much to me. And I think losing him, it makes for me, it's really made me try to appreciate every second, appreciate the fragility of life and how fleeting it is to keep the ones you love around you, to tell everyone you love just how much you love them, and to just try and put out as much positivity, because that's all we've got. That's all we've got in this life is to just try and be kind to each other, try and make each other laugh and just spend time with the ones that fill your cup, you know, because you don't know how long you've got. And I'm very grateful for. For my family and for my mom, you know, giving me.

[Ad Host 2]

And I have to say, like, sitting here with you is. Is very full circle for me personally. I grew up with my dad having the Crocodile Hunter on all the time.

[Robert Irwin]

That's awesome.

[Whitney]

Oh, you're gonna make me cry now.

[Ad Host 2]

He's not doing so well right now.

[Robert Irwin]

I'm sorry.

[Whitney]

I'm sorry.

[Robert Irwin]

I'm sorry. No, it's tough.

[Ad Host 2]

So this is really cool for me to have this conversation with you because it brings me back to my childhood with my dad.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Ad Host 2]

Are there traits that you see in yourself of your dad when you watch back footage?

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah, there are. And I'm. I'm really sorry that you're going through that, because it sucks. Like, there's no two ways about it. It's a really weird feeling to see my dad in. In photos and in footage as a young guy and. And now me being that age, it's. Yeah, very, very surreal. And, like, I think the most, like, emotional thing for me is when my. My niece will often see footage of. Of my dad. And she'll go. She calls me Shushu. And. And she'll go, oh, it's. Oh, it's Shushu. And. And Bindi will go, no, no, that's your grandfather when he was your uncle's age. And Grace just kind of can't quite figure that out. Yeah, it's. It's. It's really special. And I think. Think in this life, grief is just. It's. It's part of the deal. And it's so bloody hard. It's so hard. And there's no grief journey that's easy, and there's no grief journey that is the same as the other. But for me to celebrate my dad, to celebrate the person he is, to continue what he loved, is the honor of a lifetime. And I, um. I do that with such pride. And I really hope what you do, what I do, what we all do with a platform, is to try and say, it's okay, it's okay. When life's hard, it's okay to Be vulnerable. And it's okay sometimes for some days to just be too much and to just try and keep that light in your heart. Try and find the people that lift you up and to just lift each other up. So thank you for sharing that sense of vulnerability and for saying that it's okay. You know, it's okay to find that grief sometimes. It's been the week for it. It's, like, really been the week for it. We're doing our dedication week dance, and it's like this. It brings up so many crazy emotions, but it's so. It's so powerful because you realize none of us are doing this alone.

[Whitney]

Exactly.

[Robert Irwin]

We've all experienced that in some way, and we all have to be there for each other.

[Whitney]

And I think that's something we can all connect with. Right. Like, we're all going in grief, like, through grief in some way, and if we can pull together and connect in that way. And I think that's what's been really big for us this week.

[Nick Viall]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

Has been to share Robert's story and his personal journey.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah. But to connect and hope and try and make sure it kind of helps. Helps others. Helps others in some way.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Robert Irwin]

How are you doing with it all? How are you going? How do you. Yeah. How do you navigate it? I mean, it's tough.

[Ad Host 2]

It's tough. It's definitely, you know, I've only ever lost grandparents that I wasn't super close with. So, I mean, a parent, I think for a girl, you know, her dad is.

[Whitney]

It's everything.

[Robert Irwin]

Oh, yeah. Truly.

[Whitney]

Truly.

[Ad Host 2]

So I, you know, slowly, day by.

[Nick Viall]

Day, Day by day, not to get the emotion going, but I. You know, again, just, like, I think a lot is. River's two. I'm almost two, so I really fantasize about, like, conversations I look forward to having with her and teaching her things and just, like, I care about her character and things like that. And then again, those moments with your dad was taken from you. Yeah. But I imagine you must have conversations with your dad or through your mom or your sister. Yeah. I'm sure they express to you things your dad would want you to know or lessons they'd want to teach you. And I'm just curious, like, what are some of those.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah.

[Nick Viall]

You know, it's like, it's something. If I. Again, God forbid, something were to happen, I would. I just would want my daughter to still feel like she was able to learn things I'd want to teach her. And, like, what are lessons that you've been able to learn? From your dad, through your family, the footage or whatever that, you know, that you were still able to connect with your father.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah, I feel like through. Particularly through my mum and my sister and through a lot of the people that knew dad best, I still get to learn from him. I absolutely learn from him. Him, he was just so ahead of his time and was so. He was such a dedicated father. Like, he was so such a committed, dedicated father. And the time that I had with him and that my sister had with him was so short. But it's like for me, every second of those two years that I had with my dad was just like saturated with his energy and his passion and his spirit. And I still, still. I still feel that, like all the time. Yeah, I. I was clearing out his office the other day. We were renovating, and I found his. His. One of his old jackets, one of his old shirts. And I remember pulling it out of this box. And obviously it had been like 19 years, but I don't know how it's. It. This sounds so weird, but it smelled like him.

[Ad Host 2]

Oh, wow.

[Robert Irwin]

Like, it's. It smelled like a campfire. Yeah, that's what he always. He smelled like a campfire because he was all.

[Nick Viall]

He.

[Robert Irwin]

Every night he'd build a fire and it's like, whoa, there he is. And. And my. My mom, my sister, they still pass on the lessons that. That he was all about. He was so family focused. And his thing was always treat everyone equal. Like you. You have to treat everyone the way you would wish to be treated. And he approached that with all the people he would come into contact with, but also animals. You know, he was very much like, treat every living being how you would want to be treated. That's this. This real lesson that, that I think he kind of gave to me and to my sister. The other really cool thing, you know, dad was very known for crocodiles, right? You know, everyone knows that he was. He's the crocodile hunter, but, you know, hunter is kind of the wrong word because he was going out to conserve crocs, to protect them, often to rescue them out of situations where they were going to be killed. You know, so he would go out and wrangle crocs and he. He devised this method of catching crocodiles because no one else had really done that before. You know, it was portrayed in movies and all, but no one had ever actually done that in real life. And he. And he did that. And so the people that he taught those techniques to now teach me. So now I lead our crocodile rescue team and I go out and catch and rescue crocs or do crocodile research, continue his work. And so, you know, all of those actual techniques of how you catch a crocodile were passed down from the people he taught now on to me. So it's like all of the, The, The. The lessons, the real, like, material work lessons, you know, I'm still learning from him, too, to continue his legacy and to continue his work. And it's such a privilege. It really is. It is such a privilege. And you know what? Like, I. One day, I really would love to have a family and I'd really love to have kids because I would love to give my child one day what my dad kind of gave to me, the lessons that he gave to me. And I want to, you know, I want to be around for them as long as I can, but I. But I would want to. I would want to pass that down onto someone too, you know, so that's something I think about a lot as well.

[Whitney]

There's a video that reminds me of a video circulating where your dad. I think it's when you're born.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

And he's like, you're bored. And he's like, this is what it's all about. Like, you could tell he was just all about family. I love that.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah. There's this. There's. There's this interview that he did where someone. He was on some show, some talk show or something, and someone asked him, like, is there anything that would make you give up what you. What you do, Give up your. Your work and your career, you know, ready for the answer for dad to be like, nah, no way. In classic dad fashion, this is what I do, and I'll do it to the end. And I'm so passionate. But instead he answered, yes, absolutely. When. When my kids are ready to take over my legacy and my mission, I'm done. It's theirs. I'm out like that. He always said, my whole mission is to create a legacy that my kids can continue. And he said that years before he passed. And so for me watching that, it's like he gave me this gift. It's there, it's material, it's in writing. It's. I'm watching him looking through the camera and telling me, I'm not always going to be here and this. But I'm creating something that you can continue, and that's what I want you to do. And that's what I get to do now at. And. And it fills me with a lot of pride.

[Ad Host 2]

And what's so cool is like, he's there with you when you're doing the stuff, you know, he's like so proud, like watching you crush it and like do it exactly how he would do it and like seeing himself in you.

[Whitney]

Like that's so cool.

[Robert Irwin]

Different stuff as well. Like, I never thought I'd be doing Dancing with the Star. I never thought that would be a way to spread my message, to continue his legacy and now to kind of try and create my own. Like take yeah, all of the building blocks that he sort of created, take all of that, carry that spirit with me, but now create my own legacy.

[Ad Host 2]

You have a whole new generation following you, but you're also introducing them to your father and giving your father an even bigger legacy.

[Robert Irwin]

And it's amazing how it's so alive today. Yeah, like his legacy is still so alive. There's actually a thing that the world really got behind which is Steve Irwin Day. The 15th of November is a day that is now celebrated worldwide to kind of honor dad. And it's incredible how every year his impact is felt and his message is felt even more because I think as our world, you know, the times that we're going through, what he stood for is more important than ever before and what he stood for is so universal and it will always be relevant.

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Ad Host 2]

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[Nick Viall]

Well, we've talked about it so many times, but Nanit is something that Natalie and I have really relied on when it comes to helping raise our daughter River. You know, peace of mind is something that you can't have enough of when it comes to being a parent. And if you're a parent, you know what I'm talking about. And when your child is sleeping, it's always great to be able to check on, make sure they're okay. The NAN is the number one most awarded smart baby monitor, trusted by parents and experts. Over 35 parents expert awards. What's so great about the Nanit is, is how you're, you know, you're connected to your baby. Sleeping the monitor on there is great. Like, I mean, all parents know this, especially you, those young babies. You're always just like this fear, just making sure they're breathing. You can zoom in. You can literally see their little bodies breathing. It's, it's really peace of mind that can't be beat. As busy parents who are often on the go when I have to travel and the few days that I'm away from River, I'm allowed to, you know, check in on my baby wherever I am in and listen to her sleep. Sometimes I listen to her nap when I'm on my run. It's a, it's a great way to just stay connected to your baby. And just like that, peace of mind and Also, it just, you know, it allows you to be productive when your baby's sleeping. You know you can get some chores done. You know, like sometimes when your baby is napping. That's a few moments of the day where you can get some other things done while knowing that you're just an alert away from knowing that your child is up and ready to go. Nanit parents get 36 more nights of sleep per year because of the peace of mind that the NANIT offers. It's got crystal clear video and two way audio so you can see and hear your baby from anywhere and anytime. Provides parents with personalized insights and smart notifications to understand their baby's development and needs like never before. Like telling you exactly how long your baby slept and predicting when their nap time should be with sounds, motions, cry and cough detection. NAN it tells you precisely when and why you're needed. NET is the smartest baby monitor on the market, tracking everything from your baby's breathing motion to sleep quality, giving you key insights into their health and well being. It's always like as parents, you forget about like when did they wake up, when did they take a nap? You can always back and check out the NANIT monitor to know that when you put them down and when they got up to make sure they're going to bed at the right time. NAN is truly the one baby item we can't live without. Right now, nanit is offering 25 off for our listeners. Get 25 off your first order with code BABY25. Go to nanit.com and use code BABY25 to save. That is N A N I T.com with code BABY25.

[Ad Host 2]

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[Nick Viall]

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[Nick Viall]

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[Ad Host 2]

And did you ever want to be just like a banker?

[Nick Viall]

Yeah.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah, I'm done with this. I'm going to be an astronaut.

[Nick Viall]

Yeah.

[Robert Irwin]

I'm going to be an accountant.

[Whitney]

I'm going to be a dancer.

[Robert Irwin]

Well, now, I mean, maybe it's a career change. If this whole animal thing doesn't work out, we know where you'll be, Robert.

[Whitney]

Especially the child.

[Robert Irwin]

Don't say that word. I can't even. That is a trigger word for me. Cha Cha. Oh, my gosh. No, honestly, it was never a question, but the interesting thing was my mum was really big in saying, if you want to take over the family business, if that's what you want to do, great. But as I was growing up, she would actively try and get me into different stuff. She'd be like, if I had an interest in something else, she'd be, be like, yep, go do that. She wanted you to choose separate things.

[Nick Viall]

Yeah.

[Robert Irwin]

She was like, you choose. So she was very encouraging of separate passions. But I would always end up just circling back to what we do, you know, And I think it's because growing up, my mum and dad were like, we're gonna take, we're gonna take the kids with us everywhere. So when they were on some wild conservation mission, we would be there with them. And I grew up seeing, like, you know, I learned about rhinos by being on the plains in Africa and seeing them firsthand with an anti poaching unit. I learned about koalas by going to one of our conservation properties and watching a baby koala emerge from the pouch there in the wild in front of me in a eucalyptus tree. Like, I was so immersed in this world of conservation that it filled me with a great sense of responsibility. Not pressure, but responsibility. Like, I was born into this world and I was born with a platform. I am so grateful that I get to reach people with this message and I feel like I have to do that justice. I've been put on this planet for a reason. This is what gets me out of bed every day with. With a fire in my belly is to make the world a better place and to try and show the next generation that it's up to us to make that difference. It really is. And it doesn't matter who you are. I mean, everything I do was started by this bloke in Australia in a town called Biwa, population nobody, in the middle of nowhere. And he just loved animals. And that was my dad, and he created this empire, this legacy with my mom. So you've got to just follow your passion. You got to give it 100%. And that's always been my passion. But it's the same as you. Like we talk about this, when you're born into something that gives you that sense of passion and you can form a career out of it, that is Life's greatest gift, 100%, for sure.

[Ad Host 2]

What has been the most, like, unbelievable thing you've witnessed being around animals?

[Robert Irwin]

Oh, my gosh. So many things. So much. So much heartbreak, so much beauty. The natural world at this point in time, as it goes through its most uncertain point and it's going through such turmoil, There is such just horror and beauty happening at the same time. Time. Here's two examples. These are just two examples that come straight to my head of how hard this job is and how beautiful it is. So a couple of years ago, Australia went through a bushfire crisis, which you would have heard about. You know, millions upon millions of acres of land destroyed, billions of animals lost. It was devastating. I and our team went down to a place called Kangaroo island down in the south of Australia, and it was one of the places hardest hit by these wildfires. Absolutely decimated. And we went down there to help out to rehabilitate injured koalas, the burn victim koalas that. That were rescued. I went out with the army. It was like ground zero. It was like an apocalyptic scene. I remember we were going out to try and find any sort of greenery that we could pick for these koalas to keep them fed. They were at a local animal hospital and they were trying to be rehabilitated. I went out with the army and I remember going out trying to find any sort of leaf, anything we could find, and it was just ash as far as the eye could see. And I remember getting out of the car and looking on the ground and seeing. It's just so sad and it's horrible to even think about, but just seeing a field of just singed koalas, just koalas.

[Whitney]

Gosh, that's horrible.

[Robert Irwin]

Littering the ground next to the road that were Trying to flee the fire.

[Whitney]

Oh, my gosh.

[Robert Irwin]

And there they all are.

[Whitney]

That's horrible.

[Robert Irwin]

The icon of Australia, one of the most iconic animals ever. And it was just devastating. And I remember I was. I was crying and these like, super tough army guys and girls were there, they're all crying and we were all just devastated. And there was this one tree sitting there that was still green. And there's a koala sitting there, there at the top of the tree, unscathed, totally fine.

[Whitney]

Wow.

[Robert Irwin]

And you just look at that and you go, there's always hope. Yeah, there's always hope. We ended up getting hundreds of koalas rehabilitated, put back out in the wild, revegetated. And that island's doing really well now, you know.

[Whitney]

Wow.

[Robert Irwin]

Another example of that. I'm out on the Great Barrier Reef looking for sea turtles, right? Endangered sea turtles. And I'm out in the deep water and I'm sitting there, just bobbing around, can't see the bottom. And this just gives you the idea of how. How small we all are, right? I'm looking and I can't quite see. It's kind of murky. And all of a sudden this shape just starts, like, emerging from the deep. This deep blue, dark shape, like a submarine just starts coming up. And your heart rate goes up. And this like, weird primal instinct just pops in your head and you're like, I gotta run. What do I do? I gotta run. What's going on?

[Whitney]

Yeah.

[Robert Irwin]

And I look and it's. And it's a humpback whale, massive humpback whale. Comes right up. And I'm telling you, she comes up eye to eye with me where Whitney and I are right here. One foot. Reach out a hand and you touch her, there she is. And she just comes right up, turns over and shows me her beautiful little calf, her little baby that's right underneath her. The baby comes up and we spend like half an hour, hour, just circling each other, watching each other. Her eye looking dead in your eye, just watching, Allowing me to have this connection, to have this moment. And then she disappears again. And I just felt so small. That is the natural world. We are part of something so much bigger than ourselves. And in so many ways, unfortunately, we are part of its destruction, but we will be its solution as well.

[Ad Host 2]

Do you, like, try to figure out why, you know, like, why would she have done that? Why, you know, like, is there a part of you that that's like.

[Robert Irwin]

And this is, this is the thing. There is no instinctual, primal reason. There is no reason for her to do that, there's no reason but curiosity and no reason for her to allow me to be with her baby. They are incredibly, like, defensive creatures. And for her to say, hey, here's my little baby. I'm gonna let you. She kind of, like, ushered her over. Here she is. Kind of. Here's a little introduction, and I'm gonna let you spend this time.

[Whitney]

Wow.

[Robert Irwin]

And then she went, all right, we're done now, and I'm. And I'm off. There was no reason. There was. She had no gain out of that. There's so much more to animals than. Than meets the eye.

[Whitney]

That's amazing.

[Ad Host 2]

She's like, look what I did.

[Robert Irwin]

Look what I did.

[Whitney]

Yeah, we want to show off.

[Ad Host 2]

Yeah, we do.

[Robert Irwin]

To get too, like, Hootie Doody with it all, but there's a real energy in that. Your energy. They have a soul. And if you put out that energy, if you're gentle, if you're respectful, if you have this sense of, I'm in your space, I'm grateful to be here. Thank you. I'm telling you, animals pick up on that.

[Ad Host 2]

I was about to say that says so much about you. For her to be able to come up with.

[Robert Irwin]

It was a real privilege. It was a real privilege.

[Ad Host 2]

But anyway, have y' all made plans to get Whitney in the. In the safari or in the ocean?

[Robert Irwin]

She's coming to Australia.

[Whitney]

Yep, I am. I'm coming to Australia.

[Ad Host 2]

Australia.

[Whitney]

I'm so excited. He's naming an animal after me, so I. I must.

[Ad Host 2]

What animal?

[Robert Irwin]

I am. Watch this face. I'm thinking about a wallaby. I'm thinking about Whitney the wallaby. Wouldn't that be great?

[Whitney]

They're really cute.

[Nick Viall]

I used to always play this game, like, in my young professional life when I'd do, like, training, and it's always boring or in, like, school, I'd always.

[Whitney]

Be like, what animal?

[Nick Viall]

If you're an animal, who are you? Or, like, what's your favorite animal?

[Robert Irwin]

What would. What would you be?

[Nick Viall]

I don't know.

[Robert Irwin]

What's your favorite?

[Nick Viall]

I used to always say monkey because I'm, like, slightly obnoxious and. But what is your favorite animal?

[Robert Irwin]

Crocodiles.

[Nick Viall]

Okay.

[Robert Irwin]

Croc. I absolutely love them.

[Nick Viall]

Okay.

[Whitney]

Like, they are.

[Nick Viall]

What. What. What animal would he be?

[Robert Irwin]

Or would I be?

[Whitney]

You would definitely be a. A koala. I mean, I don't know much. I mean, they're native to Australia.

[Nick Viall]

Right.

[Whitney]

They're cute and cuddly.

[Nick Viall]

Everyone loves them.

[Whitney]

Squeeze their cheeks.

[Nick Viall]

I mean, yeah, you've obviously, you've been a Professional in dance with the stars for a long time and, like, robbing, you know, fascinating Persona, fascinating career. Last season you had Danny, professional football player, super bowl, you know, winner. Like, have you picked on all your various partners with all these, like, crazy backgrounds? I'm sure you've must have picked up on these, you know, professions that they've all had. And not that not to ask if you've had a favorite, but, like, what are some of the most interesting things you've learned, you know, just from your various partners?

[Whitney]

Well, I learned how to do the Carlton, which is pretty cool. I was able to dance it with him.

[Nick Viall]

I can do the Carlton.

[Whitney]

You can.

[Nick Viall]

I did it in front of him, and he was, like, pretty good.

[Ad Host 2]

He did, yeah.

[Whitney]

Bold. Wow. And what'd he say?

[Nick Viall]

He said it was really good.

[Ad Host 2]

I'll show you really good or pretty good.

[Whitney]

Okay.

[Nick Viall]

I haven't done it in years, but.

[Whitney]

Well, you're gonna have to show me this. That'll be the deciding factor. Yeah. No, Danny had. He actually took me through some, like, football runs, and I actually beat.

[Ad Host 2]

Beat him.

[Whitney]

So there's. I feel like I saw that I beat him. But, no, it's been really, really fun to have Robert as a partner. Just how passionate he is about animals. And, you know, he actually showed me an alligator, and I got in with an alligator and I touched its little chubby legs.

[Robert Irwin]

Very well.

[Whitney]

It was very cute. And we had. What did we have on set with us? That snake, was it?

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah, we had a Burmese python on.

[Whitney]

Set, and I had it all over me, and I was like, I him. Like, I love.

[Robert Irwin]

That was our first day. That was our first day. And Whitney's like, no, that's no worries at all.

[Whitney]

I'm actually surprised. I'm actually surprised that I did that.

[Nick Viall]

Before we let you guys go. This episode is going to drop next Wednesday, so it'll be the day after your next dance. So I'd love, you know, going into this week, you know, people have already watched the dance. Can you just. I know it's dedication week. What's the dance you're going to be doing? How are you feeling about it? Like, what's maybe the biggest challenge in terms of the dance itself and the choreography that you're thinking about? So when we all watch it back, we'll have thought, you know, he nailed it. He conquered that move. Like, what are we excited about? And do you know the music you're going to be dancing to?

[Robert Irwin]

Well, I'll let Whitney describe the actual choreography. And what is difficult about the Dance, you know. But from my perspective, the hardest thing, I think, has been tapping into, like, a real sense of. I've really, really just for the first time, like, I'm a very positive person, but I'm kind of just trying to put my heart on the sleeve with this one and. And try and allow myself to kind of just be vulnerable and let that emotion just fly. And it's been really hard. It's been really a draining week because you're creating something that is literally just pouring your heart and soul. I've been thinking a lot about, obviously, my mum. It's dedicated to my mum. You'll be in my heart, Phil Collins. But it's also about how my mum has kept our family together and how she sort of pulled me out of the dark so many times throughout my grief journey with my dad while she's enduring her own journey with that. And to. To capture that feeling in a song is such a cathartic experience. It's such a. It's so much deeper than just just a dance. I really hope that it means something to people. Anyone who has lost someone feels lost in their own life. There's always people around you that believe in you, that want to see you do well, and you need to. You need to keep moving forward. To capture that in one dance is a big thing. And, Whitney, you've done that incredibly well.

[Whitney]

Thank you. Well, it's, you know, it's. Robert's story is so special and it's something that we really. We want to take care of and, you know, I want to challenge him at the same time. So we're trying to, you know, really push ourselves and challenge ourselves. But I think at the core, it's what. What's his story and what is this about? And how can we connect to the audience and make them feel something? That's, like the most important thing.

[Ad Host 2]

What is the type of dancing?

[Whitney]

It's contemporary. Contemporary.

[Ad Host 2]

Contemporary, yeah. And is. Do you have a favorite?

[Whitney]

I love contemporary.

[Nick Viall]

And will your shirt be off? No, probably not for this one.

[Robert Irwin]

Definitely. It will be.

[Nick Viall]

Coming up next, the week after. The week after.

[Whitney]

No more shirts coming out.

[Robert Irwin]

Like, I feel like.

[Nick Viall]

Come on, let's get the.

[Robert Irwin]

Just one more time. One more time. It's been. It's like. I feel like our. The trust that we've built has just been amazing and I feel like it's all kind of, like, come to fruition. It's, like, reached this height this week.

[Ad Host 2]

Yeah.

[Robert Irwin]

Like, we've really. I feel like I've been really leaning on Whitney So much. Not just from a dance perspective, which I have every week, but also like, emotionally, you've. There's been a lot of tears and you've had a lot of that kind of just put on you. But. But yeah, I'm really grateful for serious team. I'm really grateful. Thank you.

[Ad Host 2]

Do make a good team.

[Nick Viall]

Well, I know you guys have to get going. Really appreciate you taking the time. Whitney, always a pleasure to have you on. Rob. This has been a lot of fun getting to know you. Thanks for, you know, just being so vulnerable and having fun with us and congratulations on crushing it so far. Good luck the rest of the way.

[Whitney]

Thank you.

[Nick Viall]

If you don't make the finals, I'll be very disappointed.

[Robert Irwin]

I know we're going to do our best. We're going to give it everything.

[Nick Viall]

I know, obviously, but how can just for a reminder, like what's the text? How can people vote?

[Whitney]

Text Robert to 21523.

[Robert Irwin]

Or you can vote online.

[Nick Viall]

You can vote online.

[Robert Irwin]

You can vote 10 times.

[Whitney]

Yes.

[Nick Viall]

Look at that.

[Whitney]

You probably know better than I will.

[Ad Host 2]

Be there Tuesday night.

[Nick Viall]

Yeah, we'll be there.

[Ad Host 2]

Text and see you there. Thanks so much.

[Whitney]

Do you have a favorite couple?

[Ad Host 2]

Definitely. Well, you're my favorite dancer, so anyone that you are coupled with, I love.

[Nick Viall]

I agree.

[Ad Host 2]

And she's not just saying that all the time. Nick's like, shut up. Talking about, you know, interesting enough.

[Nick Viall]

I know a handful. Like Dylan's a good friend.

[Whitney]

Oh, good.

[Nick Viall]

It's been fun getting to know you and it's always fun to root for you. Obviously, the Mormon wise with Whitney and Jen. It's a really good cast.

[Whitney]

It is a good cast. Yeah.

[Robert Irwin]

Yeah, really.

[Nick Viall]

So it's, it's been fun to root for everyone and just, it's just fun to see the dances and it always brings me back to when I was on it. I feel like they've really modernized the show in a fun way.

[Whitney]

They did. They've made a lot of changes.

[Nick Viall]

I'm kind of envious of that. So.

[Whitney]

Yeah, no, it's been really fun. They've done a great job and like keeping like the younger generation involved too. Like social media. Media has been.

[Nick Viall]

They've realized that like, oh, there's this thing called social media.

[Whitney]

We should capitalize it. Exactly. Hence tik tok night and yeah, it's revolution. Yeah.

[Nick Viall]

Yeah.

[Whitney]

Very cool.

[Robert Irwin]

We'll see you on Tuesday.

[Nick Viall]

See you Tuesday.

[Robert Irwin]

Chat. I really appreciate it.

[Nick Viall]

We'll see you guys tomorrow.

[Whitney]

You're crazy.

[Robert Irwin]

Hey, Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile. Now I don't know if you've heard, but Mint's premium wireless is $15 a month. But I'd like to offer one other perk. We have no stores. That means no small talk. Crazy weather we're having. No, it's not. It's just weather. It is an introvert's dream. Give it a try at minmobile.com/switch upfront.

[Ad Host 2]

Payment of $45 for 3 month plan, $15 per month equivalent required. New customer offer first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. Cmintmobile.com.