Throwbacks with Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara

Episode: Joey Graziadei talks Dancing with the Stars, The Bachelor, his wedding and Philly Sports

Date: October 9, 2025
Hosts: Matt Leinart & Jerry Ferrara
Guest: Joey Graziadei

Main Theme / Purpose

This lively episode features reality TV star and Dancing with the Stars champion Joey Graziadei, diving deep into his current life updates and pop culture journey. The conversation spans Joey's engagement and wedding plans, growing career as the official Dancing with the Stars podcast host, his Philly sports fandom, relationship dynamics, and of course, behind-the-scenes stories from both The Bachelor and his victorious turn on the dance floor. True to the Throwbacks format, Matt and Jerry add their signature mix of lighthearted banter, sports talk, and plenty of relatable stories.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Joey’s Engagement & Wedding Plans

• Transition to Real Life Post-TV:
  • Joey reflects on moving from “TV life” to “real life” with fiancée Kelsey and embracing this new chapter ("It's been really nice... as of this last probably half a year to a year, we've really hit our stride." – Joey, 03:41).
  • Wedding planned for 2027: "I owe my wedding planner a text back as of like two days ago...We're in the full, the full thick of it." (04:22)
• On Fall Weddings & Sports Fandom:
  • Joey jokes about planning around the sports calendar, aiming for a spring date: "I feel like we're looking at a spring wedding where the sports are a little bit more dead." (05:15)
  • Fandom logistics: Joey is Philly-everything except for the Packers, and Kelsey is a diehard Vikings fan—making for a playful rivalry at home (05:57).
• Fan Behavior & Sports Talk:
  • Philly fans' reputation and Joey’s self-analysis: "I pride myself on probably being one of the more level-headed Philly sports fans...I probably have about like two to three hours of it ruin my day and then I come back being like, it's sports." (07:15)

2. Sports & Pop Culture: Greatest Moments

• Mirror Ball Trophy vs. Eagles Super Bowl:
  • When asked what meant more: "I'm going to say the mirror ball because I loved seeing the Eagles win, but if it was the Packers, we would have an interesting conversation..." (08:34)
• Joey’s Approach as a Fan:
  • Discusses the “pessimist vs. optimist sports fan” debate as Matt and Jerry compare their own fandom styles (07:12-08:05).

3. Golf, Relationships, and Married Life

• Golf as Joey’s Obsession:
  • Golf is his downtime passion, and he shares how he’s introducing Kelsey to the sport: “Her first introduction to golf…was going to the Masters on Saturday. That was her first introduction to golf ever.” (10:22)
  • Interest in future golf trips as a couple: "If she starts to get into it, if it's something we can do together. Because I love that idea as well, too." (12:05)
• Marriage Advice:
  • Best advice so far: “Just to keep dating, to not forget the fact that as much as you're getting more comfortable with each other…You gotta keep the fire alive in the relationship.” (20:19)

4. Bachelor Party Culture

• Evolving Traditions:
  • Joey plans a golf-focused bachelor party trip and comments on the shifting landscape of bachelor parties — less about wild nights, more about shared passion with friends (15:56–17:16).

5. Wedding Ceremony & Officiants

• Matt & Jerry Compete for Officiant Role:
  • Both hosts make their pitch for officiating Joey’s wedding, debating public speaking skills and stage presence:
    • Jerry: “Wouldn't you want someone a little seasoned?” (19:02)
    • Joey: “It's important to have someone that is very comfortable in front of an audience with a mic…if it’s someone that’s not comfortable…it affects the whole night.” (19:12)

6. Dancing with the Stars: Behind-the-Scenes

• Journey to Victory:
  • Joey recounts his intense preparation and work ethic:
    • "If I'm going to commit to something, I'm committing to it fully...It starts off with like four hour days, but by the end...we’re putting in six to eight hour days at the end. It’s crazy." (22:45–24:18)
  • The thrill of performing live: “This is the closest I will ever be to feeling like a professional athlete and pretty cool that I won it too.” (26:17)
• Performance Highlights:
  • Jerry compares Joey’s “Tarzan theme samba” to an Aaron Judge walk-off ("It literally is like Aaron Judge hitting a walk off home run... Do you even look at your phone when that episode airs?" - 24:18)
• Advice to Future Contestants:
  • Joey’s biggest tip: “To have fun...You can't forget the fact that you are literally doing a tango to a hair metal song in a wig and a flaming neck tattoo. It's not that serious...People fall in love with the stories of, like, that person is actually having so much fun dancing.” (26:37)
• Would He Defend the Title?
  • Without hesitation: "I put me and Jenna up against anyone...I'd love to do it again, man." (28:24)
• Hosts Compete (Again):
  • Lighthearted segment where Joey teases Matt and Jerry over who would do better on DWTS, ultimately picking Jerry: "I don't know what it's giving right now, but I'm gonna pick you, Jerry." (29:53)

7. The Official Dancing with the Stars Podcast

• Joey’s New Role:
  • “It's been so fun doing the podcast. For me, it's a really cool way to still be a part of the show without obviously putting the pressure of dancing every week.” (32:34)
  • Bringing behind-the-scenes insight, interviewing both talent and crew, and highlighting the unsung heroes like Mandy Moore, the ERAS tour choreographer (33:27).
• Season 34 Predictions:
  • Joey shares frontrunners and dark horses: "Whitney Levitt…her dances every week have just been getting better and better…" and Alex Earl's surprise rise, plus shoutout to his friend Dylan Efron (34:48).

8. Sports Fandom & Philly Identity

• Surviving as a Nice Philly Fan:
  • Jerry jokes about Philly sports fans' brutality: “Philly fans hurt my feelings...How does such a nice guy like you end up coming out of Philly?” (38:44)
  • Joey embraces the label, while attempting to be a "level-headed" Philly fan: “I will always defend them too, because there is something about that culture that is so good for sports…” (39:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Joey on Living After The Bachelor:

  • "As you said, I outkicked my coverage and I was so lucky to meet [Kelsey]...as of this last probably half a year to a year, we've really hit our stride separating this idea of coming off a TV show and starting our real life." (03:41)

• On Winning Dancing with the Stars:

  • "The mirror ball is pretty sick, dude. That's what I'm going to hold on to for a bit." (08:34)

• On Golf & Marriage:

  • "Kelsey knows I’m obsessed. If you ask her right now what my favorite thing to do in my free time...she will always say golf." (10:22)

• On Bachelor Parties:

  • "Mine is going to be shifted towards what I want to do...We're just going to play golf the entire weekend and fill up that house with drinks and food. And I don't need to go to some crazy bar..." (15:56)

• On Performing Live:

  • “You could do amazing in rehearsal...But then it’s live...you have this one shot to crush this dance. And that feeling you get in your stomach, those butterflies—that’s so cool...” (25:02)

• Advice for Future DWTS Contestants:

  • "The biggest advice...was to have fun, because you can’t forget...you are literally doing like a tango to a hair metal song in a wig and a flaming neck tattoo...People fall in love with the stories..." (26:37)

• On Philly Sports Culture:

  • "You need to have that, that fan base that you hate. You need to have that energy. When you walk into a stadium, like, I love going to a game at the Link or going to Citizens bank park and feeling like you're going to just demolish the other team." (39:25)
  • Matt: "Philly fans are freaking psychotic—I played the Eagles once on Thanksgiving, I thought I was going to die leaving that." (06:34)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Joey Introduced, Sports Credentials, and Split the G Talk: 00:52–02:36
• Engagement and Wedding Plans: 03:17–05:17
• Sports Fandom & Relationship Rivalries: 05:17–06:24
• Philly Fan Intensity/Behaviors: 06:34–08:24
• Mirror Ball vs. Super Bowl Discussion: 08:24–09:19
• Golf & Relationship with Kelsey: 09:52–12:32
• Marriage Advice Segment: 20:19–20:59
• Bachelor Party Traditions: 15:51–17:57
• Dancing with the Stars Deep Dive: 22:12–27:42
• Would Joey Defend the Title? Hosts Compete: 28:24–29:53
• Official Podcast Hosting & Predictions: 32:32–35:45
• Philly Fanbase Discussion: 38:44–40:36

Tone & Language

The episode maintains a lighthearted, conversational, and playful tone throughout. Matt and Jerry blend sports banter and pop culture chat seamlessly, giving Joey room to be open and reflective while also keeping the pace fast and the jokes flying. Joey’s responses are earnest, energetic, and peppered with self-deprecating humor, especially about his journey from The Bachelor to Dancing with the Stars to dedicated fiancé and sports superfan.

Summary Takeaways

• Joey Graziadei is thriving post-reality TV: Engaged, planning a wedding, and finding fulfillment in new ventures like professional podcast hosting.
• Sports and competition continue to drive him: Whether on the dance floor, in fandom, or on the golf course.
• Emphasizes staying grounded and having fun: Both in high-pressure performance situations and relationships.
• Still very much a Philly fan—but with surprising restraint and perspective.
• Dancing with the Stars is not just a show, but a transformative experience: and now Joey is bringing the same dedication to discussing it as he did to dancing it.

For listeners wanting a dynamic blend of sports, entertainment, personal anecdotes, and the real behind-the-scenes of reality TV, this episode is a can’t-miss.