October 25, 2022 • 51 mins
Cheryl is joined by friend and 3 time World Dancing Champion Louis Van Amstel.
They discuss the dark times behind the bright lights of dancing, the difficulties of life and relationships and Louis shares what he believes Cheryl needs next in her pursuit for happiness.
This one will leave you all tied up in knots.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
This is Burke in the Game and I heard radio podcast.
Hey guys, welcome back to Burke in the Game. Um,
I'm having a very special guest, someone that I think
has known me the longest out of all the pro
dancers ever ever on Dancing with the Stars and who
actually got me the job or who recommended me. I
wouldn't say he got it from me. I got it
(00:25):
for myself. Um, but he definitely requested that they come
in they meeting the producers, come in and interview me.
Mr Louis van Amstell. He's a Dutch American ballroom dance champion,
professional dancer and choreographer who appears on the US reality
television series Dancing with the Stars. He is the creator
of the very popular dance fitness program called Love Blast.
(00:48):
Van Amstell was cast four season one of Dancing with
the Stars in early two thousand five. I don't know
if you guys remember he danced with Trista Sutter. She
was like the very first bachelor d I think anyway, Um,
he's now returned to the show for season thirty one,
and I personally loved dancing with Louie. He brings out
the best in me. He is like my go to partner.
(01:09):
You know how everyone has their go to partners on
Dancing with the Stars, like Val always dances with Jenna
when she's not pregnant. Obviously you had Max and Peter.
You know, you have your people, your person, and Louie
is my person anyway. Um, he you know, has partnered
with all different types of celebrities. Lisa a Renna was
one of them, and this past season or this season
(01:30):
she he uh, he partnered with actress Cheryl Ladd the
original Charlie's Angels. Was really cool is that she actually
requested Louis and that was the main reason why he
is back, and I hope he stays back anyway, Um
Van amstill I like to just call him Louie first
name bases only. He is married to longtime boyfriend or
(01:51):
was his boyfriend, Joshua Joshua Lancaster and Um. They both
live in Sundance, Utah, and they have two adopted sons,
Daniel and Jonathan, that I definitely want to talk about
because I have been seriously thinking about adopting. Not in
the near future, but I was saying a few years
from from today. Anyway, I'm really excited Louie and I
have so much to catch up on. We still haven't
(02:12):
had like a proper dinner because we've only seen each
other through rehearsals and they've been like grueling rehearsals. So
I'm very excited just to chat with my longtime friend,
dance partner, and family member, Louis van Amstell. Stay tuned,
(02:37):
Louis van Amstell. Welcome to Burke in the game. This
has been a podcast of getting me back in the game.
Since I am newly divorced, I have to eventually, unfortunately,
get back into the dating game. Um, and I'm not
really looking forward to it, uh to say the least. Um,
But forget about me for now. Welcome home sober, my
(03:04):
sober home, which this was not a sober home, but
it's a different vibe. What was the feeling when you
walked in here for the first time in a while? Well,
first of all, right, now it's about what PM and
you have a gorgeous view that's all covered. When I
was here last it was two am and it was
still gorgeous views, yes, but another kind of view. Yes,
it was an we don't have to go there, we don't.
(03:27):
We had a great time, don't. I don't remember. It's
as if it wasn't me. Um, I'd like to keep
it like that. So Louis and I go back from it.
Was it honestly? Fourteen you were dancing with David. Oh
my god, David Bruckner was my very first partner. You guys,
so in the competition circuit, you were like an icon.
(03:48):
Still an Icon's not mine. I just worked hard at it.
But that's the thing that is, and it is only
how hard is it to become top six um, a
professional world class Latin American champion out of all the
couples in the world. That is a huge accomplishment, Thank you?
It is and if you work hard. It sounds cliche,
(04:09):
but things will happen. But it didn't happen over Roses.
It was overnight. No. It started at twelve competing for
the first time, and then at fifteen I had an
English partner, and then and I'm sixteen, Yes, and then
you go international. No, you've you've done it for many years,
but the audience hasn't. No, so being in Europe. Um,
(04:35):
at fifteen I started my international career. My parents luckily
allowed me to finish no stop school not finished school
and go to England. Luckily it all worked out at
yes that um, well it was. It works a little
different in Europe, but until sixteen you have to go
(04:56):
to school. But my principle decided to be in on
the risk and just said I'll keep him on in
school on paper. And so fast forward a few years later,
after we became world champion, that same person came to
our celebration party, had a little speech and he said,
(05:19):
right now, I feel so much better because the fact
that he let me go at fifteen and a half.
It was half a year, but yeah, he he basically
liked was like past. He actually did a little one
of those that okay, I was part of the World
champion in the making and uh, but you know what,
and this is for many people that listen or watch.
(05:42):
If you achieve a goal a dream, you know what's
harder the day after? Yeah, when you're like that, now
what it was depressing And not everyone will understand that.
But if you have a dream and you work towards
that dream and now you hear that national anthem, that
gold medal is around your shoulders, around your neck, then
(06:05):
what it really I did not expect that depressive feeling,
but it takes. It took a few days, and that
was that fifteen But then you switch, no, no, no,
this was now fast forward. At then we decided and
this is important for us. Even though becoming a world champion,
we didn't feel it was enough. We wanted to do
(06:26):
it again because when you are a repeat world champion,
now no one can take that away from you. So
now you go back to the World Championships. Now the
pressure is on because now everyone wants to take that
title from you. It was even harder emotionally and mentally,
but nevertheless, but I did it. Okay, Well, let's have
(06:48):
real talk here. Look, I think I don't know how
that feels because I was never a world champion. However,
I think with any sports job, pressure and expectation, there
always is the only one way to go, and either
that's up or down. It's pretty black or white like that,
(07:08):
and then there's oh wait, how do I feel like that?
How do you handle the pressure? How did you handle it?
For you? Um, did you guys communicate about it? Did
you keep it to yourself? Like? How would you handle
the fact that you've already been a champion. Now there's
only one way to go yes, well repeat, and then
(07:28):
from ameter we decided to turn pro and we did
show dance, and what we didn't expect is that we
would become world champion a third year in a row
as pros, So that was wait, what is show dance
for our listeners? So show dances the one part of
the ballroom dance competition where you're alone on the floor,
You choose the music and you can do multiple dances
(07:50):
within three minutes. You can dress however you want, like
what we do on Dance on the Stars basically pretty much.
But normally the dance competition is that you're on the
floor with well in the final with six couples and
then you get judged and compared to those other five
couples with the number on your back. Show dance, you're
alone on the floor and that's what we love, coming
from other forms of dance. So winning it for the
(08:13):
third time, but you know what, I have to go back,
I'll do it short. In two Julie and I were
dancing three years together. Since in those three years, I
went from zero to a hundred miles within a year,
we were in all the major finals. Within two years
were traveling the world, all major finals, world championships, you know,
(08:36):
you name it. That was eighteen, nineteen and twenty. If
you get fame so quickly within your own industry, and
this is where I think you can identify your early
years of Dancing with the Stars, where you come in
from nowhere you win season two, then boom, you win
season three. We go on tours. We feel like rock
(08:57):
stars that can go to your head, either in arrogance
or emotionally, can take you to a place where you
go into I am no longer in control over my
own body, my decisions, because now everyone wants you. And
we had that so early in two. It got to
me and I said, stop, I can't do this anymore.
(09:19):
We were third in the world. What do you mean
it got to you? It got to me. All the traveling,
all the people want something. Well, now you represent your country,
you can't say no, you have to go there. I'm
not a political person, never be, never will be. But
then they started pulling us Japan, here, China. Here. It
was great on paper, grade and five star hotels. You
(09:39):
get all that treatment. And all I wanted to do
was go home, be with my friends and be an
adolescent and it was kind of taken from me and
I yet and I wasn't doing it anymore because I wanted.
I was doing it because I was pressured into it. Yea,
And that's how I felt. But I I said, no,
(10:02):
good for you did that, even though they said your
career is over. So in December, I did a few things,
went to the academy for a few months, and I
when I, I said, I know what I don't want.
I need to figure out what I want. That's important.
So I knew what I wanted. I missed it. I
(10:24):
wanted to dance under my control. I say where I
want to go, and no one can tell us. So
Julie and I became a partnership again. And then we lost,
even in our home country to a couple that I've
never made the finals anyway, it didn't matter, it didn't matter.
So we got back December, didn't win the national competition
(10:47):
in alland nine months later we win the World Championships.
And that's what gave me the confidence even now, why
I am so about bringing the best out of people,
I mean bringing you, asking you in New York City
in two thousand five, October or November to say, Cheryl,
(11:07):
you need to do dancing with the stars. It's a
good thing and terrifying. And you did. And I talked
with Max and Yelena. They said no, no, no, because
they were still completing Max Murkowski, you know it's I
don't know if you remember, I had no identity, I
had no opinion. I didn't talk a lot at all.
(11:28):
And when I did talk, I had a little tiny
English accent. Don't know where that came from. But I
always say, and not in a negative way, but the
ballroom world is a man's world. It is in this
sense of the way. I'm not trying to convince you.
I'm just saying in my in my experience, and everyone's different.
I do believe that, you know, for the ball room,
(11:50):
especially Latin, right, the man leads, the woman follows, and
even my coaches would always go to my male partner
to ask him what he wanted to do. As far
as corey Aography goes, I didn't even know what my
favorite color was when I did my first interview in
New York. Agree with you anyway? I want to say something.
If you would have stayed in the ball room industry,
you could have had a phenomenal career. The only downside
(12:13):
is would you have been happy about it? I actually
don't believe that I would have had a phenomenal because,
like you, I didn't believe in the political game. So
I never did it for the result. I did it
purely based on the pure passion and love of wanting
to learn. And I loved what I saw when I
would dance I did. I loved it. I love the feeling.
It was a sense of therapy for me. It was
(12:34):
my only way to truly express my authentic self. I agree.
I did it between twelve and World Championship as a therapy,
And now we get to dance on Dance with the
stars and get that passion back. One more question before
we get there, though, what did you learn about yourself?
It ain't over until I say it's over, and follow
(12:55):
your intuition. Follow your intuition. By the way, you haven't
aged one. It can year like you look exactly the same.
And I'm not even kidding you, not kidding. I'm not
trying to like kiss your ass. There's no reason for it.
I truly believe that I don't know. So what is
your secret to other than the blast which we'll talk
about obviously, but is it the genes? Is it because
(13:16):
you take I know you always know. I'm very proud
of what it is. There's a few things. When I
was in my teens, I said, no, here's what my
coach said, root for me. You better do it now, boy,
because when you're twenty six, it's over. So I always thought, Okay,
I'm in my twenties. So when I'm thirty, I want
(13:38):
to be able to be in a better shape than
I was in my twenties. When I was forty, the
goal was to look better than in my thirties. And
whether it's true or not, people can judge all they want.
I hold myself to those standards. So the last ten
years I was looking at Okay, what can I do.
I'm turning. I turned fifty in June, so I'm fifty.
(14:01):
Oh my gosh, thank you. I take it. I'll take it.
But for me, it's really a lifestyle. It's the lifestyle
where it is do burn the calories, do the way,
training your muscle strength. I love skiing. Skiing is my
first passion. That bone density needs to be thick because
when you go on those slopes, you I mean, I
don't want to break a bone, but I also don't
(14:21):
want to take away the fun of skiing, because of
course we have to know anyway. Um, yes, let's be
very clear on that one. So it's that. And also
work on your mental and emotional health. That's probably the
biggest one that I got from. Okay, let's talk detail.
How do you work on, for example, your mental health.
(14:44):
What do you do for that on a daily Is
it a daily thing or is it what is it daily?
It's daily, So metaphorically speaking, I do not throw anything
under the rug. You face your feelings, face the feelings.
It might take a few days. But also with my
husband Josh, especially in the earlier years, we really communicate it.
(15:08):
Right now we're dealing with a little bit more complicated feelings,
but we're working through it. But the fact that we're
communicating and myself also, you can do a lot of
self talking. You don't have to say a word, but
you can reflect on, Hey, do I regret saying this?
Do I how could have done that? Differently? Put your
(15:28):
ego aside. It's not a competition with yourself, with your
egotistical self. It is how can I be better? And
what can you do for others that makes you feel
good too. Oh my god, that is that is everyone,
I believe, and everyone's like, what's my purpose? What's my purpose?
It's like we have sometimes just have to look outside
(15:49):
ourselves for a second and just notice. You know, when
I have just the experience, I basically define everything by
seasons um in my life because that's all I know
for the past twenty six seasons. But when I would
make Dancing with the Stars about me, and there were
times when I did that, and that was after my
first two seasons, but I would definitely started, I guess, competing,
(16:14):
but for the wrong reasons. I started comparing myself, and
comparison is the devil that definitely it does not do
anybody any good to compare because everybody is different. But
when I did do that, that was when I got
so in my head that I it was about me
and in outshining everybody. And then that was when I
(16:34):
was not as successful. And then when I honestly stopped
drinking and I now meditate twice a day and I
do transidental meditation, and I'm in consistent therapy, a cognitive
therapist and a somatic therapist. And when I do the
work like that, I start to understand my purpose, and
my purpose is not to be self consumed in that way,
(16:54):
to still be selfish in the therapeutic aspect of things,
and to really self love of is what I call
self fish, you know, in a good way. But when
you start to understand that, you know, why do we
do something like this? Why is Dancing with the Star
still on airs? Because we're trying to also put a
smile on people's faces when they watch us dance, and
(17:14):
when we get so caught up and is this has
to be perfect, this has to be this. I need
a mirrorball trophy. It actually for me from my own experience,
it works against you. You have to I have zero,
so it doesn't matter. You can have one of mine's
half broken. You know, mine was a lampshade, because that's
how old it is. That's what they used, a lamp shade.
But kidding aside, it's the moment you win something everyone
(17:40):
else wants to take it away. That's that is competition.
But in your head you try to defend and defend
rather than no, this is just a moment in time,
and our job is to help others and to me,
being a parent right now, that has shined so much
more light on validating others feelings, seeing it from their
(18:04):
point of view, And when you do, it makes you
feel better about yourself too because you helped someone else
and talk about this. I've talked a lot with you
about adoption, and I've actually just had a therapy session
last week and told my therapist about you and our conversations.
And because you know, I've had a lot of um
(18:27):
thought about maybe I freeze my eggs, but then I
have body dysmorphia as well, and I just don't um
see myself, especially just as a single woman going through
like the hormones and shooting myself. I I don't I
don't think I'm fit for it, and I don't want
to do it. So therefore there's other options. And when
I was talking to you, there was a sense of
ease and peace that went through my body and thinking,
(18:49):
oh few you can have you can adopt kids like
I totally. I guess I didn't think about that because
I feel like five thousands are available as off today, right, ridiculous?
Huh did you always have that? Um? I guess I
want no, no. And when I still lived in Holland.
We're not going into detail. But with my best friend female,
(19:12):
we tried to conceive a child. Yes, that sacks. Sorry
you just said I don't know you had that experience.
I did. It didn't work, and then goodness it didn't
work because six months later I moved um when I
met Josh and when we became serious. How did you
meet Josh? Josh is Louis husband. Sorry, we ro all
(19:32):
over the place, but this is sho we are. Yes,
he's my husband. We met at the abbey in West Hollywood.
Was it one of our nights there? No, No, it wasn't.
It wasn't. It wasn't anyway. He's from Austin, so he's
Texan and he was visiting for twenty four hours. We
met in that time boom and the rest is history.
Like boom boom. No, not boom boom. For three months
(19:54):
it was text measaging and phone calls. That boom boom
was way later FaceTime. It was FaceTime existed, no texting
and calling anyway. Then when we became serious, that's the
first thing he said, I want to get married and
I want to have children. And I thought, oh, I
thought I gave up on the idea of either marriage
or kids, because I was kind of in the same
(20:18):
spot as you as in living the Hollywood lifestyle. We
had two seasons a year, then we went on tour.
I mean we had the life style. You weren't married previously, No, no, no,
I'm talking about before mat anyway, So how are you
going to find a soul mate in Hollywood? Really, everybody's
looking for the next best thing. You You have it
(20:39):
one day and it is there some something better out there?
It's no. And I living in Utah. Now that is
so crystal clear that it's so hard to find someone anyway.
Doesn't matter us for another or maybe it's not for another.
This is okay, we're going to talk about so anyway,
we all talk here. We got married in seventeen and
(21:02):
in Utah it's sundance. Oh you were invited? Actually yeah
you were. Oh yeah you had. I don't know this
kind of excuse this January two seventeen. You know what,
when we got together, that's when we started talking about
having kids. We did discuss surrogate, but then we decided
(21:26):
adoption is best for us and we wanted to adopt older.
What is the why? So why would so I guess
just out of curiosity for me. My therapist also mentioned
um surrogate versus adopting. Now, what does that entail? You
can whether you adopt a baby or a ten year
old the way we did. The moment you see that
picture on a thumbnail picture on the website. I won't
(21:48):
go on the website yet. It's like a dog. It's
not like a dog, but like it will be like
my dog. I will literally just want to adopt all
of them. You want to and and you're gonna cry,
You're gonna sob, you're gonna so when you're ready, that's
when you look. And and the moment we saw the
thumbnails of both of our boys, we started bawling and
(22:12):
we knew those are our sons, and we went after
them and nothing would stop us. Is that a different
feeling than other people you saw? You just go through
You just know, you know, because you We didn't care
about the ethnicity. We cared about the age and the
number because older kids are most likely to end up
(22:36):
on the streets. And unfortunately, I hate to have to
say it, but the suicide rate UM on eighteen year
old foster kids is the highest interesting and it is
it's sad. Besides that, if you look at Josh's age
thirty three, I am fifty. At the time I was
thirty eight, so Josh three it was he was legal, yes,
(23:01):
check the check already. But so we're looking at, okay,
a ten year old kid. I would have been thirty
eight instead of forty eight, and he would have been
twenty three. So we were looking between five and ten
post the diapers and the sleepless so you don't want
to change the diaper. We wanted the end of precognitive
(23:25):
into Okay, now they can learn, learn things and go
travel with us. We love traveling, so but we ended
up seeing those pictures we fell in love. And so
you go to the website and the thing is, yes,
get over that window shopping how oh shoot, it's not good.
It's sad, and no it's not. It's actually it's accessible
(23:46):
to people. And I don't think they know how accessible
it is to adopt in the United States. State adoption
is so much cheaper than private adoption. So I was
gonna ask you this, with adoption obviously comes past trauma,
but I believe that we're going to deal with it regardless.
I don't think anyone can stay away from dealing with
(24:07):
any type of trauma, even from yourself. There's different levels,
mind you, how do you handle it? Are they in therapy?
Have they always therapy every single week? And also you
have a therapist. Josh has his own therapist. And there's
nothing embarrassing about I was the last one to start
my therapy. I can I believe that. European that's what happens.
(24:38):
So let's take it back, take it back to the
good old days. So what is I guess, Look, we
haven't spent too much time together. We when we do
spend time together, it's learning a routine or one of
seventy five we're going to do this season. What is
the biggest difference? I guess that, um from what you
now know of mean today versus when you were here
(24:58):
last time. You've definitely gone through your waves and say, yes,
it's but I'm still a little concerned and we'll we'll
get there. It's of course when I I remember, gosh,
I remember walking into Guys, I will get there. Oh yes,
(25:19):
do you do you think this is the first time
I've done things like hey, um so two thousand five
walking into dense New York turning around. You were sitting
on that corner and we said and talked about three
or four minutes about it, and then the next thing, boom,
you said, yes, you're on the show, and then you
want season two, one, season three, we go on tour.
(25:40):
I don't even think the alcohol happened extremely No, it
didn't have until I moved here. Yes, but when we
you have to understand you're the twenty one year old
from New York not really having a major career yet.
You would have, I believe, but you would have. But
(26:02):
then you go the other way and then boom, you
win season one, Boom you win season two, well, season
two and season three with Emmett and Drew. Then we
go on our first tour. We all felt like rock stars.
Ten fifteen thousand people, thirty six times in a row.
We go back on TV. Boom. I mean it did
(26:22):
something to me. Let alone. Well, you know, it makes
you feel confident, but it can also do the opposite.
Because you experienced after season two winning, season three winning,
you experienced what I experienced in having to defend your title.
It's the worst feeling. And then the comparisons started. I'm
(26:46):
not good enough, Oh I'm older gonna hire the younger
one than yeah, it's it makes sense. So we had
that period of a lot of fun. Well, yes, but
and that she did the same thing in season four
and season five, and then Derek came and and yes,
and then it's all of you. But also, I'm the
(27:08):
one that got you all on the show in fifteen
years your senior, how do you think that did to
me when I was not on season in season five?
I'll never forget it. But you're living with me in
the plazza, Oh my gosh, and your closet was cupboards
Because I also was an alcoholic still am technically as
a disease, but I was drinking heavily. I was an
(27:30):
active one and I didn't own one hangar dooke at.
Oh my gosh, yes I do. Moving on, I was
a messy alcoholic. So then I was not on a
few seasons. So we've had some dinners here and there,
but we kind of went our different ways. Also, I
must say too, I saw it not only happening to you,
but also others. I grew up with alcoholic parents, smoking
(27:55):
chain smokers, and I decided it's not for me. I
will not do it. So when I saw you go
there and others go there, the partying every Monday night.
I went a few times, but I thought it's just
not my cup of tea and I had to protect myself,
and you try to protect me, but I wouldn't have it. Well,
(28:16):
I have another personal friend. Nothing to a dance with
the stars. I did the same. I said, you should
stop right now, we should go. No, I'm not going.
That's the thing. You can't. I do it once, I
do it twice, but then after the third time I
did my part. Now it's on you and eventually hopefully
they'll get there. Yes, because here's the difficult thing, being
(28:36):
on the other side of people that you see are
going the wrong way. You have to learn it on
your dime. Who am I to take that learning experience
away from you? But also, Cheryley, it's being hard not
just with you, but seeing my own kids sometimes that
you want to step in as that parent or friend
because what of a friend of I? What am I?
(28:59):
What kind of friend am to you? If I see
you fall and I'm not there to pick you up? Yes,
But at the same time, okay, you want to go there,
you go there, But then when you come the door
will always be open. And that's I've never really spoken
(29:19):
these words to you, but I've all always been there,
even with one or two text messages. We had dinner
a few years ago and pump, oh, there you go.
It's a crazy So there's always been that you're on
your own, but at the same time, I'm here when
you're ready. And and then of course you know, years
(29:40):
go by and you reconnect with I will almost stepped
on that plane because I came back from Europe the
day of your wedding. I told you that that I
I would have been there to support. By the way,
I wish you still would have been. I don't regret
any of it, no, but it's um. And then of
course you go through the divorce and and here we
are season thirty one, which by the way, has felt
(30:04):
amazing as a group. I think this is one of
the best seasons. Not about the celebs or anything. It's
just there is yes, and that is all of us.
I think older. We we are the oldest, and I
think that, but I think what's different though, like you
said to me in the trail by the trailer's backstage,
(30:24):
yesterday was for the first time you don't feel the
need to keep everything to yourself, like you want to help,
because I wonder if it is it because you feel
the need to pass down your knowledge in a way
I think it is, and also to be of service
like how I mean the feelings I mean I also
I get what you're saying, because there's times you're just like, no,
(30:45):
I'm not going to help anybody. They wouldn't do that
for me. But it just turns into just nasty energy
inside your body, and it makes everyone feel better when
they feel heard. Last night it was Jesse. Everyone came
up a great job and is and it was hard felt.
She said it, Oh my gosh, you guys make me
feel so much better about myself. And I'm thinking, why
(31:06):
didn't we do that earlier? But then again, we're all
young and competitive, why didn't we do what earlier? Help
each other say it out loud, thinking, oh, you did
a great job. Say it. And this is one thing
I'm going so personal here in my own therapy sessions
that my husband would say I don't feel heard, and
(31:27):
I heard him, but I didn't say that I heard him,
and that's something I then realized, Oh gosh, my mother
and I that's that's my parents. I got that from them.
I need to change that. And I've been doing that
a few times this week alone, noticing it, and no
one has ever heard it enough, No, especially if it
(31:49):
has to do with any type of reassurance or love
or just a compliment. We love to criticize. Why do
we love to criticize because we've been criticized, us are
judged our whole lives. That's all I know. I was
just doing another interview prior to this, and all I
know is competition and judging and not being the one
(32:09):
to judge. Though that has happened obviously through other ways.
Obviously I'm very judgmental and that's something I'm working on.
But like, really, it is not a normal life the
way that we've been raised, and in this world of
being judged and competing in constant comparison. That don't tell
me that anybody. Uh, It wears and tears on you,
(32:32):
and especially my mental state because um, that's what I've
been wired too. And also goes back to the way
I was raised. And we are our own worst enemies.
It's you think I mean to Like my partners always say,
you're so mean. I said, wait, till you hear what
I say to myself. So wait, why are you still
worried about me? Because you keep talking about I need
(32:53):
to go back to the dating scene. Am I ready?
I need to know exactly that's that's I love day myself.
But it's it's but you're not worried about like my
alcoholic no Nober for four years. It's just I'm so
proud of that. It's I have a close friend here
who also is three or four years sober, and I
(33:16):
only commend you. It's it's well, that's just what it is.
And the more you look for it, the harder it is.
And when that person is ready to walk into your life,
they come when you least expected. And honestly, I don't
even think I'm ready to do. I actually enjoy like that.
(33:38):
I've always said there's a durance between being lonely and alone.
I'm not lonely. I love being alone like that is
something new. I honestly look forward to coming home to
my dog and us just playing and me chasing her
like a crazy person around this couch area. But I
also never felt that way before. It was always lonely,
and so I would feel the void with being physical
(34:00):
with someone else, with dating, with drinking, with partying, with
being too exhausted that I have to be in fight
flight or freeze literally a flight, yeah, literally fight flight
or freeze, yes, like like fighting for my life because
it was seven days a week and I am no
longer wanting that. I my goal in life is to
(34:21):
find whatever makes me feel at peace and at ease
with myself and content. Like I always used to think
the roller coaster ride. If you're in a relationship that's
just like this, like my mom and stepdad Bob, for example.
I always thought, oh, how boring. No, no, no, that
is the ultimate goal is to not have those crazy
ups and downs, like that's what causes stress, which causes cancer,
(34:45):
which causes a short life. The not no drama is
the goal, and I never understood that until just recently.
Good I'm glad you joined the benwagon known that one.
That's why I felt. Six years ago, I had a
breakdown in my office on my penthouse condo above sunset.
(35:05):
Sounds all bougie, huh, and it was. It was at
a rooftop. You've been there, and I broke down. I
didn't even know why. This was six and anlive years
ago in six and I just started bawling and Josh
across the we were in the office, our second bedroom
was the office, and he was looking at me. What
happened to you? I said, I don't know. And then
(35:27):
I started reflecting and I realized I wanted to get
the out of l A. And he said, okay, okay,
when were you thinking next week? Wait? So what triggered
all that emotion? Did something trigger again? Over all? The
politics or the pressure of having to achieve? Yes, And
(35:53):
that's what I have with the social media thing. And
I mean the pressure on getting more social media followers
because otherwise you won't be back on TV. That's not true.
It's no, it's not true. I'm back and I'm the
one with the least like people said that I'm too
fat for television. Obviously that's not true. I'm on TV.
(36:14):
But you always have those people and we need it
needs to go in one hair out the other. People
have to follow their intuition more. And what does that
mean for people that don't understand that? So I use
it a lot coaching still that, oh yes, and I
really enjoy not like life coaching, but like, oh my gosh, yes,
(36:39):
it's it's pretty much psychology, human behavior and helping them
and that is such a joy and it's a job,
but I enjoy it so we oftentimes and I've I've
believed mental and emotional health when I started the last
twelve years ago. That was the reason why I wanted
(37:01):
to join the fitness industry, to add something that they
are missing, the emotional health and wellness, because dance does that.
So now suddenly, thank you Simone Biles. During the Olympic Games,
she stepped out. I understood her in a small little way.
I did that. I just didn't do it while I
(37:22):
was at the Olympics. I did it during a lesson
two weeks before Blackpool, which is an open World Championships.
So so when she did that, I felt even more
confident to talk about intuition, follow your guts. So what
is the gut. It's the emotional self, the mental self,
(37:43):
and the physical self. If all three are talking to
each other in balance, you can say you live life intuitively.
So there are thinkers, feelers and doers in the world,
so you can kind of you have to be honest
with yourself. Are you a thinker over either or well?
(38:04):
I don't think it's black or white. It isn't. But
everyone has all three of course, and you just have
to want to tune into it. Yes, So the doers
are the athletes, the ones that are the CEO CEOs
of companies. Yeah, physicals, and then you have the people
that always overthink that too, and cognitive, always to drink, rationalize,
(38:29):
and then you have the feelers. And really we're all
three and we have to develop the two thirds that
we either don't like or we don't want to go.
But then again, you can't be intuitive until you face
all three, right, do you think that as in Lehman terms, like, honestly,
(38:51):
there is a feeling, you know when it arises. And
because we're dancers, I do believe that we are more
in touch with our bodies and have more body awareness
than most even then some athletes. But because we we
strive off of this, especially ballroom dancers. Do you think
that for people like us we are definitely we feel,
(39:13):
we think, and we overthink, and we also do right,
it's deep, but that's part the part I love deep
and that's what I've been doing with myself for over
twenty five years that I feel Why did I do that?
Why do I do that? And then when you are
in balance and you follow that intuition more, you start
making decisions that instantly make you feel better. Doors Open,
(39:37):
isn't that the ultimate? Let's talk about La Blast, Louis,
because I'm so proud of you. Thank you. Honestly, I
think it is something that you are, of course in
service for other people that want to dance that don't
may not maybe too shy, but you know, you make
it attainable. What is your the premise of La Blast?
(39:58):
How did you come up with it? And what is
going on with it currently? So thank you for asking
this question, because I never want to make it about
just promoting my company, but the y is important. So
season seven you had Drew I at least Arena seven.
Season two yes, no, no no. Season two, then we
(40:21):
went on tour, Lisa joined, Then the second tour Harry
joined as well, and then Lisa said, well, Louis, I
blame you for being addicted to dancing. I can go
back to the show. I milked it. You need to
start a class, I'll promote it. You just do the class. Well.
Then three years later, season nine, I had Kelly Osborne
(40:43):
as my partner, and that was such a special job.
I love those Osbourne's not just while you had Jack
a few years later, Um, not just because of the dancing,
not just because she was the underdog. Yes there, Pete.
That just like being a part of our journey. Yes,
it really is that. But it was the effect that
(41:06):
that journey had on the people watching that gave me
the confidence. It's only fair that I create something what
Kelly enjoyed, what Lisa enjoyed. That you need to bring
dance to the public, for people that have never danced before.
What can you do to make them happy? Because dancers,
(41:30):
how many classes can science behind it, which is why
I'm also starting my dance program. But it has nothing
to do with that. It is the fact that dance
brings joy to everybody. When your body is in movement,
there is something chemically that happens in your body. Yes.
So when I went into the fitness industry, I decided, okay,
well I need fitness here. I did all my certifications,
(41:53):
I went to fitness conventions Gus. We're doing about fifteen
a year and present. Listen to those instructors because they
teach at the gyms. And then I started adding weight training,
hand weights, squats and lunges, and the whole night yards
clio metrics while we're doing quick steps while doing Romba
(42:14):
coucarachas and squats. Who knew coucaraches and squats. We're actually
really close. It's just one is the fitness version and
one is the dance version, and it's all within fifty minutes.
And when I do the on demand classes, yes I
don't see the people. I'm looking at a camera. On
demand people at home can do it sixteen times a
(42:37):
week live streaming, or we have archive videos. I mean,
I don't know how many we have. We have our
own website. You can go to sign in and it's
the last fitness dot com and anyone can enjoy two
weeks for free, because again I want to sleep at night,
So we're offering it for free for two weeks so
people can experience it. But really, dance does so much
(42:58):
as it does for you, therapeutic for me, um, but
also people can really change their body. Don't need a
dance partner. Oh my gosh. That's the beauty of the Blast,
because when you go to a dance studio, you need
a partner and you can get on a Friday night party.
You can take lessons one on one, but if you
it's it misses that intimacy that you have with your
(43:19):
boyfriend or your spouse. But with the Blast, your hand
weights are your partner and you are your partner, and
that would be perfect for me. And it's funny because
Cheryl lad and I were talking about it. I was
in better shape before this with the stars then going
(43:39):
in because now you're on a dance floor, we're teaching.
It's great for the mind, but I'm not burning the
counters the way you are. Well now, I am yes
with you. But your arm, Yeah, it's isn't it funny?
It's always a right arm. But it's it's really wonder
(44:00):
full that we're now in ten countries. We're really we're
growing our instructor base that are teaching the Blast. And
I am really most proud that I started ballroom dancing
at the age of ten socially. Then it became therapeutic,
then it became a career. Then we went on TV
doing it, and now we're in the fitness industry. And
(44:20):
yet it's still and you're changing people's lives. You forgot
about that. That's the ultimate purpose. For me, you are
you have and mine I'm at it to Lis. You've
changed my life for the best, for the better. One
more question, what changes, um, that you've seen on Dancing
with the Stars? I guess so how you haven't been
on for how many years? Two thousand fifteen my last season.
(44:44):
What is the biggest difference you've seen from that generation
on Dancing with the Stars that me and you were
both a part of and the way it was right
before you came back, like that gray area versus now,
like what what do you think the show is missing?
What do you think this did as far as a
positive thing that happened to the show? That is great,
(45:05):
that was different from two thousand six. Well, there's multiple questions,
you know, but give me then for one, if you
look at the cast now versus ten years ago, Um,
you and myself and Mark are part of the first
five season because Mark I think joined season four, Peter
(45:26):
came away later I think season joint season five, So
you have a lot of the youngsters that are now
in the show. And personally why I love it again,
I'm not gosh, it makes me either look old or
bragging about the fact that I taught most of them. Well, yeah,
but I'm it's not about that. But what I love
(45:48):
now to see them from the age of ten and twelve.
Now they're professional, They're on Dance with the Stars, and
probably five years ago I would have been bitter about that,
and now it's it's it's it's it's good. Yes, well
I see it that way now, but I think it
(46:10):
might have needed this ring and two kids, and also
to kind of see, you know what, we're all in
this and maybe your time off. Well, I'm definitely fresh
and I love being back, and I hope this is
not the last time. They would be stupid if it was. Well,
I mean, it's not up to me. And if if
you know Disney plus, ABC, the BBC, they all want
(46:33):
to go for younger and younger. Well, I'm getting older
and older, but I'm also here to look older and older.
Hopefully I am showing that, not in my talks, but
in and in the in the dancing, and I have
not lost the passion. I think we have shown it
well and we have more to come, and I can't
(46:54):
wait for it. I think the show is on the
air for so long for one simple reason. It takes
people to another world for two hours a week, and
then a lot of conversations during the week at the
head dressing salon, shopping, much parties, let's vote, let's vote together.
(47:14):
Who are you? It's a conversation, and it's it's also
it's good for the people that say, yeah, but Charlie
is a dancer, Heidi is a dancer. Well, Cheryltte is not,
and and Sam is not. It's the diversity that makes
this show special, fact that you're even talking about it, yes,
and yeah? Is it sometimes for us? You had Sam,
(47:37):
I had Cheryl. Could you argue, well, it's unfair to us. No,
it's not, because I believe the audience you have millions
of people that will vote for Sam and Cheryl and
millions of people that will go for Charlie. And to me,
I'm not bitter about it. I actually myself, if you
weren't wondering at home watching, I asked for people I
(48:00):
rather have someone with no dance experience, because I believe
that's what the show is about. I've had both, and
I must say I've had everyone from a J. McClean
Backstreet Boys with dance experience to um Sam Champion, for example.
And it's easier to teach someone with no dance experience,
and easier to mold them because they don't know what
(48:21):
it looks, what feels awkward, let alone their own body awareness,
let alone they have nothing to compare, they don't have
bad habits. And also and they love the willingness with
someone with dance experience. I think you had that experience
all Star season. I had Sabrina Brian dancer. Wait, how
is that experience? I've never asked you. Absolutely fantastic. First
(48:45):
of all, right, yes, my first realman in season three
high school. She was beautiful. She also made it to
the top four. She didn't. I mean, don't forget. It
was Joey, Mario and you and Emma fighting for of
the top three. I mean, I don't think Monique stood
any chance. And yes, so but anyway, Sabrina, how wonderful.
(49:07):
She was a great, fantastic dancer, hip hop, cheerleading, even
lyrical jazz. She was fantastic. So my goalden was how
far can I push her as a ballroom dancer? And
by week six I remember her doing the room. But
I showed the room both Julie Fryer and I and
I said I'm going to give you that roomba, and
she said, Oh my gosh, Louie. I'm not gonna say
(49:29):
what she really said because the A word is in there,
but she did such a phenomenal job and I love her,
as you know, I have to look at that again.
It's gorgeous. She did a fantastic job. I'm proud of you, Louis.
I'm so proud of you, and I hope that I
hope you know first of all, that you're always on
(49:50):
my mind and my heart, no matter the distance, no
matter how long we haven't talked. I don't forget where
I came from, and I don't forget who has helped
me get there. So thank you for everything and for
believing in me. And I know I get on your
nerves sometimes, but that's just the type of relationship we have,
and that means I love you and I love it.
I love you, and I wouldn't want to have it
(50:11):
any other way. So, as always, you guys, were gonna
move on to our question of the week, And so,
as you guys know, at the end of every episode,
we need to ask the listeners the question of the week,
which is, how did you overcome your fears of reaching
your full potential or have you or are you in
currently in it? Anyway, please answer and don't forget to
(50:34):
um Email us at Burke in the Game at i
heeart radio dot com or d m us on Instagram
at Burke in the Game. Love you guys, and thank
you again to my special guest Louis van Amstell for
joining us and I'll catch you next week. Bye. Thanks
for listening and coming along this journey with me. If
you like what you hear, then feel free to give
this podcast five stars. You can also follow along with
(50:56):
my journey on Instagram at burke in the Game and
if you have any advice or want to write in,
then email me at Birkin the Game at iHeart radio
dot com
This is Burke in the Game and I heard radio podcast.
Hey guys, welcome back to Burke in the Game. Um,
I'm having a very special guest, someone that I think
has known me the longest out of all the pro
dancers ever ever on Dancing with the Stars and who
actually got me the job or who recommended me. I
wouldn't say he got it from me. I got it
(00:25):
for myself. Um, but he definitely requested that they come
in they meeting the producers, come in and interview me.
Mr Louis van Amstell. He's a Dutch American ballroom dance champion,
professional dancer and choreographer who appears on the US reality
television series Dancing with the Stars. He is the creator
of the very popular dance fitness program called Love Blast.
(00:48):
Van Amstell was cast four season one of Dancing with
the Stars in early two thousand five. I don't know
if you guys remember he danced with Trista Sutter. She
was like the very first bachelor d I think anyway, Um,
he's now returned to the show for season thirty one,
and I personally loved dancing with Louie. He brings out
the best in me. He is like my go to partner.
(01:09):
You know how everyone has their go to partners on
Dancing with the Stars, like Val always dances with Jenna
when she's not pregnant. Obviously you had Max and Peter.
You know, you have your people, your person, and Louie
is my person anyway. Um, he you know, has partnered
with all different types of celebrities. Lisa a Renna was
one of them, and this past season or this season
(01:30):
she he uh, he partnered with actress Cheryl Ladd the
original Charlie's Angels. Was really cool is that she actually
requested Louis and that was the main reason why he
is back, and I hope he stays back anyway, Um
Van amstill I like to just call him Louie first
name bases only. He is married to longtime boyfriend or
(01:51):
was his boyfriend, Joshua Joshua Lancaster and Um. They both
live in Sundance, Utah, and they have two adopted sons,
Daniel and Jonathan, that I definitely want to talk about
because I have been seriously thinking about adopting. Not in
the near future, but I was saying a few years
from from today. Anyway, I'm really excited Louie and I
have so much to catch up on. We still haven't
(02:12):
had like a proper dinner because we've only seen each
other through rehearsals and they've been like grueling rehearsals. So
I'm very excited just to chat with my longtime friend,
dance partner, and family member, Louis van Amstell. Stay tuned,
(02:37):
Louis van Amstell. Welcome to Burke in the game. This
has been a podcast of getting me back in the game.
Since I am newly divorced, I have to eventually, unfortunately,
get back into the dating game. Um, and I'm not
really looking forward to it, uh to say the least. Um,
But forget about me for now. Welcome home sober, my
(03:04):
sober home, which this was not a sober home, but
it's a different vibe. What was the feeling when you
walked in here for the first time in a while? Well,
first of all, right, now it's about what PM and
you have a gorgeous view that's all covered. When I
was here last it was two am and it was
still gorgeous views, yes, but another kind of view. Yes,
it was an we don't have to go there, we don't.
(03:27):
We had a great time, don't. I don't remember. It's
as if it wasn't me. Um, I'd like to keep
it like that. So Louis and I go back from it.
Was it honestly? Fourteen you were dancing with David. Oh
my god, David Bruckner was my very first partner. You guys,
so in the competition circuit, you were like an icon.
(03:48):
Still an Icon's not mine. I just worked hard at it.
But that's the thing that is, and it is only
how hard is it to become top six um, a
professional world class Latin American champion out of all the
couples in the world. That is a huge accomplishment, Thank you?
It is and if you work hard. It sounds cliche,
(04:09):
but things will happen. But it didn't happen over Roses.
It was overnight. No. It started at twelve competing for
the first time, and then at fifteen I had an
English partner, and then and I'm sixteen, Yes, and then
you go international. No, you've you've done it for many years,
but the audience hasn't. No, so being in Europe. Um,
(04:35):
at fifteen I started my international career. My parents luckily
allowed me to finish no stop school not finished school
and go to England. Luckily it all worked out at
yes that um, well it was. It works a little
different in Europe, but until sixteen you have to go
(04:56):
to school. But my principle decided to be in on
the risk and just said I'll keep him on in
school on paper. And so fast forward a few years later,
after we became world champion, that same person came to
our celebration party, had a little speech and he said,
(05:19):
right now, I feel so much better because the fact
that he let me go at fifteen and a half.
It was half a year, but yeah, he he basically
liked was like past. He actually did a little one
of those that okay, I was part of the World
champion in the making and uh, but you know what,
and this is for many people that listen or watch.
(05:42):
If you achieve a goal a dream, you know what's
harder the day after? Yeah, when you're like that, now
what it was depressing And not everyone will understand that.
But if you have a dream and you work towards
that dream and now you hear that national anthem, that
gold medal is around your shoulders, around your neck, then
(06:05):
what it really I did not expect that depressive feeling,
but it takes. It took a few days, and that
was that fifteen But then you switch, no, no, no,
this was now fast forward. At then we decided and
this is important for us. Even though becoming a world champion,
we didn't feel it was enough. We wanted to do
(06:26):
it again because when you are a repeat world champion,
now no one can take that away from you. So
now you go back to the World Championships. Now the
pressure is on because now everyone wants to take that
title from you. It was even harder emotionally and mentally,
but nevertheless, but I did it. Okay, Well, let's have
(06:48):
real talk here. Look, I think I don't know how
that feels because I was never a world champion. However,
I think with any sports job, pressure and expectation, there
always is the only one way to go, and either
that's up or down. It's pretty black or white like that,
(07:08):
and then there's oh wait, how do I feel like that?
How do you handle the pressure? How did you handle it?
For you? Um, did you guys communicate about it? Did
you keep it to yourself? Like? How would you handle
the fact that you've already been a champion. Now there's
only one way to go yes, well repeat, and then
(07:28):
from ameter we decided to turn pro and we did
show dance, and what we didn't expect is that we
would become world champion a third year in a row
as pros, So that was wait, what is show dance
for our listeners? So show dances the one part of
the ballroom dance competition where you're alone on the floor,
You choose the music and you can do multiple dances
(07:50):
within three minutes. You can dress however you want, like
what we do on Dance on the Stars basically pretty much.
But normally the dance competition is that you're on the
floor with well in the final with six couples and
then you get judged and compared to those other five
couples with the number on your back. Show dance, you're
alone on the floor and that's what we love, coming
from other forms of dance. So winning it for the
(08:13):
third time, but you know what, I have to go back,
I'll do it short. In two Julie and I were
dancing three years together. Since in those three years, I
went from zero to a hundred miles within a year,
we were in all the major finals. Within two years
were traveling the world, all major finals, world championships, you know,
(08:36):
you name it. That was eighteen, nineteen and twenty. If
you get fame so quickly within your own industry, and
this is where I think you can identify your early
years of Dancing with the Stars, where you come in
from nowhere you win season two, then boom, you win
season three. We go on tours. We feel like rock
(08:57):
stars that can go to your head, either in arrogance
or emotionally, can take you to a place where you
go into I am no longer in control over my
own body, my decisions, because now everyone wants you. And
we had that so early in two. It got to
me and I said, stop, I can't do this anymore.
(09:19):
We were third in the world. What do you mean
it got to you? It got to me. All the traveling,
all the people want something. Well, now you represent your country,
you can't say no, you have to go there. I'm
not a political person, never be, never will be. But
then they started pulling us Japan, here, China. Here. It
was great on paper, grade and five star hotels. You
(09:39):
get all that treatment. And all I wanted to do
was go home, be with my friends and be an
adolescent and it was kind of taken from me and
I yet and I wasn't doing it anymore because I wanted.
I was doing it because I was pressured into it. Yea,
And that's how I felt. But I I said, no,
(10:02):
good for you did that, even though they said your
career is over. So in December, I did a few things,
went to the academy for a few months, and I
when I, I said, I know what I don't want.
I need to figure out what I want. That's important.
So I knew what I wanted. I missed it. I
(10:24):
wanted to dance under my control. I say where I
want to go, and no one can tell us. So
Julie and I became a partnership again. And then we lost,
even in our home country to a couple that I've
never made the finals anyway, it didn't matter, it didn't matter.
So we got back December, didn't win the national competition
(10:47):
in alland nine months later we win the World Championships.
And that's what gave me the confidence even now, why
I am so about bringing the best out of people,
I mean bringing you, asking you in New York City
in two thousand five, October or November to say, Cheryl,
(11:07):
you need to do dancing with the stars. It's a
good thing and terrifying. And you did. And I talked
with Max and Yelena. They said no, no, no, because
they were still completing Max Murkowski, you know it's I
don't know if you remember, I had no identity, I
had no opinion. I didn't talk a lot at all.
(11:28):
And when I did talk, I had a little tiny
English accent. Don't know where that came from. But I
always say, and not in a negative way, but the
ballroom world is a man's world. It is in this
sense of the way. I'm not trying to convince you.
I'm just saying in my in my experience, and everyone's different.
I do believe that, you know, for the ball room,
(11:50):
especially Latin, right, the man leads, the woman follows, and
even my coaches would always go to my male partner
to ask him what he wanted to do. As far
as corey Aography goes, I didn't even know what my
favorite color was when I did my first interview in
New York. Agree with you anyway? I want to say something.
If you would have stayed in the ball room industry,
you could have had a phenomenal career. The only downside
(12:13):
is would you have been happy about it? I actually
don't believe that I would have had a phenomenal because,
like you, I didn't believe in the political game. So
I never did it for the result. I did it
purely based on the pure passion and love of wanting
to learn. And I loved what I saw when I
would dance I did. I loved it. I love the feeling.
It was a sense of therapy for me. It was
(12:34):
my only way to truly express my authentic self. I agree.
I did it between twelve and World Championship as a therapy,
And now we get to dance on Dance with the
stars and get that passion back. One more question before
we get there, though, what did you learn about yourself?
It ain't over until I say it's over, and follow
(12:55):
your intuition. Follow your intuition. By the way, you haven't
aged one. It can year like you look exactly the same.
And I'm not even kidding you, not kidding. I'm not
trying to like kiss your ass. There's no reason for it.
I truly believe that I don't know. So what is
your secret to other than the blast which we'll talk
about obviously, but is it the genes? Is it because
(13:16):
you take I know you always know. I'm very proud
of what it is. There's a few things. When I
was in my teens, I said, no, here's what my
coach said, root for me. You better do it now, boy,
because when you're twenty six, it's over. So I always thought, Okay,
I'm in my twenties. So when I'm thirty, I want
(13:38):
to be able to be in a better shape than
I was in my twenties. When I was forty, the
goal was to look better than in my thirties. And
whether it's true or not, people can judge all they want.
I hold myself to those standards. So the last ten
years I was looking at Okay, what can I do.
I'm turning. I turned fifty in June, so I'm fifty.
(14:01):
Oh my gosh, thank you. I take it. I'll take it.
But for me, it's really a lifestyle. It's the lifestyle
where it is do burn the calories, do the way,
training your muscle strength. I love skiing. Skiing is my
first passion. That bone density needs to be thick because
when you go on those slopes, you I mean, I
don't want to break a bone, but I also don't
(14:21):
want to take away the fun of skiing, because of
course we have to know anyway. Um, yes, let's be
very clear on that one. So it's that. And also
work on your mental and emotional health. That's probably the
biggest one that I got from. Okay, let's talk detail.
How do you work on, for example, your mental health.
(14:44):
What do you do for that on a daily Is
it a daily thing or is it what is it daily?
It's daily, So metaphorically speaking, I do not throw anything
under the rug. You face your feelings, face the feelings.
It might take a few days. But also with my
husband Josh, especially in the earlier years, we really communicate it.
(15:08):
Right now we're dealing with a little bit more complicated feelings,
but we're working through it. But the fact that we're
communicating and myself also, you can do a lot of
self talking. You don't have to say a word, but
you can reflect on, Hey, do I regret saying this?
Do I how could have done that? Differently? Put your
(15:28):
ego aside. It's not a competition with yourself, with your
egotistical self. It is how can I be better? And
what can you do for others that makes you feel
good too. Oh my god, that is that is everyone,
I believe, and everyone's like, what's my purpose? What's my purpose?
It's like we have sometimes just have to look outside
(15:49):
ourselves for a second and just notice. You know, when
I have just the experience, I basically define everything by
seasons um in my life because that's all I know
for the past twenty six seasons. But when I would
make Dancing with the Stars about me, and there were
times when I did that, and that was after my
first two seasons, but I would definitely started, I guess, competing,
(16:14):
but for the wrong reasons. I started comparing myself, and
comparison is the devil that definitely it does not do
anybody any good to compare because everybody is different. But
when I did do that, that was when I got
so in my head that I it was about me
and in outshining everybody. And then that was when I
(16:34):
was not as successful. And then when I honestly stopped
drinking and I now meditate twice a day and I
do transidental meditation, and I'm in consistent therapy, a cognitive
therapist and a somatic therapist. And when I do the
work like that, I start to understand my purpose, and
my purpose is not to be self consumed in that way,
(16:54):
to still be selfish in the therapeutic aspect of things,
and to really self love of is what I call
self fish, you know, in a good way. But when
you start to understand that, you know, why do we
do something like this? Why is Dancing with the Star
still on airs? Because we're trying to also put a
smile on people's faces when they watch us dance, and
(17:14):
when we get so caught up and is this has
to be perfect, this has to be this. I need
a mirrorball trophy. It actually for me from my own experience,
it works against you. You have to I have zero,
so it doesn't matter. You can have one of mine's
half broken. You know, mine was a lampshade, because that's
how old it is. That's what they used, a lamp shade.
But kidding aside, it's the moment you win something everyone
(17:40):
else wants to take it away. That's that is competition.
But in your head you try to defend and defend
rather than no, this is just a moment in time,
and our job is to help others and to me,
being a parent right now, that has shined so much
more light on validating others feelings, seeing it from their
(18:04):
point of view, And when you do, it makes you
feel better about yourself too because you helped someone else
and talk about this. I've talked a lot with you
about adoption, and I've actually just had a therapy session
last week and told my therapist about you and our conversations.
And because you know, I've had a lot of um
(18:27):
thought about maybe I freeze my eggs, but then I
have body dysmorphia as well, and I just don't um
see myself, especially just as a single woman going through
like the hormones and shooting myself. I I don't I
don't think I'm fit for it, and I don't want
to do it. So therefore there's other options. And when
I was talking to you, there was a sense of
ease and peace that went through my body and thinking,
(18:49):
oh few you can have you can adopt kids like
I totally. I guess I didn't think about that because
I feel like five thousands are available as off today, right, ridiculous?
Huh did you always have that? Um? I guess I
want no, no. And when I still lived in Holland.
We're not going into detail. But with my best friend female,
(19:12):
we tried to conceive a child. Yes, that sacks. Sorry
you just said I don't know you had that experience.
I did. It didn't work, and then goodness it didn't
work because six months later I moved um when I
met Josh and when we became serious. How did you
meet Josh? Josh is Louis husband. Sorry, we ro all
(19:32):
over the place, but this is sho we are. Yes,
he's my husband. We met at the abbey in West Hollywood.
Was it one of our nights there? No, No, it wasn't.
It wasn't. It wasn't anyway. He's from Austin, so he's
Texan and he was visiting for twenty four hours. We
met in that time boom and the rest is history.
Like boom boom. No, not boom boom. For three months
(19:54):
it was text measaging and phone calls. That boom boom
was way later FaceTime. It was FaceTime existed, no texting
and calling anyway. Then when we became serious, that's the
first thing he said, I want to get married and
I want to have children. And I thought, oh, I
thought I gave up on the idea of either marriage
or kids, because I was kind of in the same
(20:18):
spot as you as in living the Hollywood lifestyle. We
had two seasons a year, then we went on tour.
I mean we had the life style. You weren't married previously, No, no, no,
I'm talking about before mat anyway, So how are you
going to find a soul mate in Hollywood? Really, everybody's
looking for the next best thing. You You have it
(20:39):
one day and it is there some something better out there?
It's no. And I living in Utah. Now that is
so crystal clear that it's so hard to find someone anyway.
Doesn't matter us for another or maybe it's not for another.
This is okay, we're going to talk about so anyway,
we all talk here. We got married in seventeen and
(21:02):
in Utah it's sundance. Oh you were invited? Actually yeah
you were. Oh yeah you had. I don't know this
kind of excuse this January two seventeen. You know what,
when we got together, that's when we started talking about
having kids. We did discuss surrogate, but then we decided
(21:26):
adoption is best for us and we wanted to adopt older.
What is the why? So why would so I guess
just out of curiosity for me. My therapist also mentioned
um surrogate versus adopting. Now, what does that entail? You
can whether you adopt a baby or a ten year
old the way we did. The moment you see that
picture on a thumbnail picture on the website. I won't
(21:48):
go on the website yet. It's like a dog. It's
not like a dog, but like it will be like
my dog. I will literally just want to adopt all
of them. You want to and and you're gonna cry,
You're gonna sob, you're gonna so when you're ready, that's
when you look. And and the moment we saw the
thumbnails of both of our boys, we started bawling and
(22:12):
we knew those are our sons, and we went after
them and nothing would stop us. Is that a different
feeling than other people you saw? You just go through
You just know, you know, because you We didn't care
about the ethnicity. We cared about the age and the
number because older kids are most likely to end up
(22:36):
on the streets. And unfortunately, I hate to have to
say it, but the suicide rate UM on eighteen year
old foster kids is the highest interesting and it is
it's sad. Besides that, if you look at Josh's age
thirty three, I am fifty. At the time I was
thirty eight, so Josh three it was he was legal, yes,
(23:01):
check the check already. But so we're looking at, okay,
a ten year old kid. I would have been thirty
eight instead of forty eight, and he would have been
twenty three. So we were looking between five and ten
post the diapers and the sleepless so you don't want
to change the diaper. We wanted the end of precognitive
(23:25):
into Okay, now they can learn, learn things and go
travel with us. We love traveling, so but we ended
up seeing those pictures we fell in love. And so
you go to the website and the thing is, yes,
get over that window shopping how oh shoot, it's not good.
It's sad, and no it's not. It's actually it's accessible
(23:46):
to people. And I don't think they know how accessible
it is to adopt in the United States. State adoption
is so much cheaper than private adoption. So I was
gonna ask you this, with adoption obviously comes past trauma,
but I believe that we're going to deal with it regardless.
I don't think anyone can stay away from dealing with
(24:07):
any type of trauma, even from yourself. There's different levels,
mind you, how do you handle it? Are they in therapy?
Have they always therapy every single week? And also you
have a therapist. Josh has his own therapist. And there's
nothing embarrassing about I was the last one to start
my therapy. I can I believe that. European that's what happens.
(24:38):
So let's take it back, take it back to the
good old days. So what is I guess, Look, we
haven't spent too much time together. We when we do
spend time together, it's learning a routine or one of
seventy five we're going to do this season. What is
the biggest difference? I guess that, um from what you
now know of mean today versus when you were here
(24:58):
last time. You've definitely gone through your waves and say, yes,
it's but I'm still a little concerned and we'll we'll
get there. It's of course when I I remember, gosh,
I remember walking into Guys, I will get there. Oh yes,
(25:19):
do you do you think this is the first time
I've done things like hey, um so two thousand five
walking into dense New York turning around. You were sitting
on that corner and we said and talked about three
or four minutes about it, and then the next thing, boom,
you said, yes, you're on the show, and then you
want season two, one, season three, we go on tour.
(25:40):
I don't even think the alcohol happened extremely No, it
didn't have until I moved here. Yes, but when we
you have to understand you're the twenty one year old
from New York not really having a major career yet.
You would have, I believe, but you would have. But
(26:02):
then you go the other way and then boom, you
win season one, Boom you win season two, well, season
two and season three with Emmett and Drew. Then we
go on our first tour. We all felt like rock stars.
Ten fifteen thousand people, thirty six times in a row.
We go back on TV. Boom. I mean it did
(26:22):
something to me. Let alone. Well, you know, it makes
you feel confident, but it can also do the opposite.
Because you experienced after season two winning, season three winning,
you experienced what I experienced in having to defend your title.
It's the worst feeling. And then the comparisons started. I'm
(26:46):
not good enough, Oh I'm older gonna hire the younger
one than yeah, it's it makes sense. So we had
that period of a lot of fun. Well, yes, but
and that she did the same thing in season four
and season five, and then Derek came and and yes,
and then it's all of you. But also, I'm the
(27:08):
one that got you all on the show in fifteen
years your senior, how do you think that did to
me when I was not on season in season five?
I'll never forget it. But you're living with me in
the plazza, Oh my gosh, and your closet was cupboards
Because I also was an alcoholic still am technically as
a disease, but I was drinking heavily. I was an
(27:30):
active one and I didn't own one hangar dooke at.
Oh my gosh, yes I do. Moving on, I was
a messy alcoholic. So then I was not on a
few seasons. So we've had some dinners here and there,
but we kind of went our different ways. Also, I
must say too, I saw it not only happening to you,
but also others. I grew up with alcoholic parents, smoking
(27:55):
chain smokers, and I decided it's not for me. I
will not do it. So when I saw you go
there and others go there, the partying every Monday night.
I went a few times, but I thought it's just
not my cup of tea and I had to protect myself,
and you try to protect me, but I wouldn't have it. Well,
(28:16):
I have another personal friend. Nothing to a dance with
the stars. I did the same. I said, you should
stop right now, we should go. No, I'm not going.
That's the thing. You can't. I do it once, I
do it twice, but then after the third time I
did my part. Now it's on you and eventually hopefully
they'll get there. Yes, because here's the difficult thing, being
(28:36):
on the other side of people that you see are
going the wrong way. You have to learn it on
your dime. Who am I to take that learning experience
away from you? But also, Cheryley, it's being hard not
just with you, but seeing my own kids sometimes that
you want to step in as that parent or friend
because what of a friend of I? What am I?
(28:59):
What kind of friend am to you? If I see
you fall and I'm not there to pick you up? Yes,
But at the same time, okay, you want to go there,
you go there, But then when you come the door
will always be open. And that's I've never really spoken
(29:19):
these words to you, but I've all always been there,
even with one or two text messages. We had dinner
a few years ago and pump, oh, there you go.
It's a crazy So there's always been that you're on
your own, but at the same time, I'm here when
you're ready. And and then of course you know, years
(29:40):
go by and you reconnect with I will almost stepped
on that plane because I came back from Europe the
day of your wedding. I told you that that I
I would have been there to support. By the way,
I wish you still would have been. I don't regret
any of it, no, but it's um. And then of
course you go through the divorce and and here we
are season thirty one, which by the way, has felt
(30:04):
amazing as a group. I think this is one of
the best seasons. Not about the celebs or anything. It's
just there is yes, and that is all of us.
I think older. We we are the oldest, and I
think that, but I think what's different though, like you
said to me in the trail by the trailer's backstage,
(30:24):
yesterday was for the first time you don't feel the
need to keep everything to yourself, like you want to help,
because I wonder if it is it because you feel
the need to pass down your knowledge in a way
I think it is, and also to be of service
like how I mean the feelings I mean I also
I get what you're saying, because there's times you're just like, no,
(30:45):
I'm not going to help anybody. They wouldn't do that
for me. But it just turns into just nasty energy
inside your body, and it makes everyone feel better when
they feel heard. Last night it was Jesse. Everyone came
up a great job and is and it was hard felt.
She said it, Oh my gosh, you guys make me
feel so much better about myself. And I'm thinking, why
(31:06):
didn't we do that earlier? But then again, we're all
young and competitive, why didn't we do what earlier? Help
each other say it out loud, thinking, oh, you did
a great job. Say it. And this is one thing
I'm going so personal here in my own therapy sessions
that my husband would say I don't feel heard, and
(31:27):
I heard him, but I didn't say that I heard him,
and that's something I then realized, Oh gosh, my mother
and I that's that's my parents. I got that from them.
I need to change that. And I've been doing that
a few times this week alone, noticing it, and no
one has ever heard it enough, No, especially if it
(31:49):
has to do with any type of reassurance or love
or just a compliment. We love to criticize. Why do
we love to criticize because we've been criticized, us are
judged our whole lives. That's all I know. I was
just doing another interview prior to this, and all I
know is competition and judging and not being the one
(32:09):
to judge. Though that has happened obviously through other ways.
Obviously I'm very judgmental and that's something I'm working on.
But like, really, it is not a normal life the
way that we've been raised, and in this world of
being judged and competing in constant comparison. That don't tell
me that anybody. Uh, It wears and tears on you,
(32:32):
and especially my mental state because um, that's what I've
been wired too. And also goes back to the way
I was raised. And we are our own worst enemies.
It's you think I mean to Like my partners always say,
you're so mean. I said, wait, till you hear what
I say to myself. So wait, why are you still
worried about me? Because you keep talking about I need
(32:53):
to go back to the dating scene. Am I ready?
I need to know exactly that's that's I love day myself.
But it's it's but you're not worried about like my
alcoholic no Nober for four years. It's just I'm so
proud of that. It's I have a close friend here
who also is three or four years sober, and I
(33:16):
only commend you. It's it's well, that's just what it is.
And the more you look for it, the harder it is.
And when that person is ready to walk into your life,
they come when you least expected. And honestly, I don't
even think I'm ready to do. I actually enjoy like that.
(33:38):
I've always said there's a durance between being lonely and alone.
I'm not lonely. I love being alone like that is
something new. I honestly look forward to coming home to
my dog and us just playing and me chasing her
like a crazy person around this couch area. But I
also never felt that way before. It was always lonely,
and so I would feel the void with being physical
(34:00):
with someone else, with dating, with drinking, with partying, with
being too exhausted that I have to be in fight
flight or freeze literally a flight, yeah, literally fight flight
or freeze, yes, like like fighting for my life because
it was seven days a week and I am no
longer wanting that. I my goal in life is to
(34:21):
find whatever makes me feel at peace and at ease
with myself and content. Like I always used to think
the roller coaster ride. If you're in a relationship that's
just like this, like my mom and stepdad Bob, for example.
I always thought, oh, how boring. No, no, no, that
is the ultimate goal is to not have those crazy
ups and downs, like that's what causes stress, which causes cancer,
(34:45):
which causes a short life. The not no drama is
the goal, and I never understood that until just recently.
Good I'm glad you joined the benwagon known that one.
That's why I felt. Six years ago, I had a
breakdown in my office on my penthouse condo above sunset.
(35:05):
Sounds all bougie, huh, and it was. It was at
a rooftop. You've been there, and I broke down. I
didn't even know why. This was six and anlive years
ago in six and I just started bawling and Josh
across the we were in the office, our second bedroom
was the office, and he was looking at me. What
happened to you? I said, I don't know. And then
(35:27):
I started reflecting and I realized I wanted to get
the out of l A. And he said, okay, okay,
when were you thinking next week? Wait? So what triggered
all that emotion? Did something trigger again? Over all? The
politics or the pressure of having to achieve? Yes, And
(35:53):
that's what I have with the social media thing. And
I mean the pressure on getting more social media followers
because otherwise you won't be back on TV. That's not true.
It's no, it's not true. I'm back and I'm the
one with the least like people said that I'm too
fat for television. Obviously that's not true. I'm on TV.
(36:14):
But you always have those people and we need it
needs to go in one hair out the other. People
have to follow their intuition more. And what does that
mean for people that don't understand that? So I use
it a lot coaching still that, oh yes, and I
really enjoy not like life coaching, but like, oh my gosh, yes,
(36:39):
it's it's pretty much psychology, human behavior and helping them
and that is such a joy and it's a job,
but I enjoy it so we oftentimes and I've I've
believed mental and emotional health when I started the last
twelve years ago. That was the reason why I wanted
(37:01):
to join the fitness industry, to add something that they
are missing, the emotional health and wellness, because dance does that.
So now suddenly, thank you Simone Biles. During the Olympic Games,
she stepped out. I understood her in a small little way.
I did that. I just didn't do it while I
(37:22):
was at the Olympics. I did it during a lesson
two weeks before Blackpool, which is an open World Championships.
So so when she did that, I felt even more
confident to talk about intuition, follow your guts. So what
is the gut. It's the emotional self, the mental self,
(37:43):
and the physical self. If all three are talking to
each other in balance, you can say you live life intuitively.
So there are thinkers, feelers and doers in the world,
so you can kind of you have to be honest
with yourself. Are you a thinker over either or well?
(38:04):
I don't think it's black or white. It isn't. But
everyone has all three of course, and you just have
to want to tune into it. Yes, So the doers
are the athletes, the ones that are the CEO CEOs
of companies. Yeah, physicals, and then you have the people
that always overthink that too, and cognitive, always to drink, rationalize,
(38:29):
and then you have the feelers. And really we're all
three and we have to develop the two thirds that
we either don't like or we don't want to go.
But then again, you can't be intuitive until you face
all three, right, do you think that as in Lehman terms, like, honestly,
(38:51):
there is a feeling, you know when it arises. And
because we're dancers, I do believe that we are more
in touch with our bodies and have more body awareness
than most even then some athletes. But because we we
strive off of this, especially ballroom dancers. Do you think
that for people like us we are definitely we feel,
(39:13):
we think, and we overthink, and we also do right,
it's deep, but that's part the part I love deep
and that's what I've been doing with myself for over
twenty five years that I feel Why did I do that?
Why do I do that? And then when you are
in balance and you follow that intuition more, you start
making decisions that instantly make you feel better. Doors Open,
(39:37):
isn't that the ultimate? Let's talk about La Blast, Louis,
because I'm so proud of you. Thank you. Honestly, I
think it is something that you are, of course in
service for other people that want to dance that don't
may not maybe too shy, but you know, you make
it attainable. What is your the premise of La Blast?
(39:58):
How did you come up with it? And what is
going on with it currently? So thank you for asking
this question, because I never want to make it about
just promoting my company, but the y is important. So
season seven you had Drew I at least Arena seven.
Season two yes, no, no no. Season two, then we
(40:21):
went on tour, Lisa joined, Then the second tour Harry
joined as well, and then Lisa said, well, Louis, I
blame you for being addicted to dancing. I can go
back to the show. I milked it. You need to
start a class, I'll promote it. You just do the class. Well.
Then three years later, season nine, I had Kelly Osborne
(40:43):
as my partner, and that was such a special job.
I love those Osbourne's not just while you had Jack
a few years later, Um, not just because of the dancing,
not just because she was the underdog. Yes there, Pete.
That just like being a part of our journey. Yes,
it really is that. But it was the effect that
(41:06):
that journey had on the people watching that gave me
the confidence. It's only fair that I create something what
Kelly enjoyed, what Lisa enjoyed. That you need to bring
dance to the public, for people that have never danced before.
What can you do to make them happy? Because dancers,
(41:30):
how many classes can science behind it, which is why
I'm also starting my dance program. But it has nothing
to do with that. It is the fact that dance
brings joy to everybody. When your body is in movement,
there is something chemically that happens in your body. Yes.
So when I went into the fitness industry, I decided, okay,
well I need fitness here. I did all my certifications,
(41:53):
I went to fitness conventions Gus. We're doing about fifteen
a year and present. Listen to those instructors because they
teach at the gyms. And then I started adding weight training,
hand weights, squats and lunges, and the whole night yards
clio metrics while we're doing quick steps while doing Romba
(42:14):
coucarachas and squats. Who knew coucaraches and squats. We're actually
really close. It's just one is the fitness version and
one is the dance version, and it's all within fifty minutes.
And when I do the on demand classes, yes I
don't see the people. I'm looking at a camera. On
demand people at home can do it sixteen times a
(42:37):
week live streaming, or we have archive videos. I mean,
I don't know how many we have. We have our
own website. You can go to sign in and it's
the last fitness dot com and anyone can enjoy two
weeks for free, because again I want to sleep at night,
So we're offering it for free for two weeks so
people can experience it. But really, dance does so much
(42:58):
as it does for you, therapeutic for me, um, but
also people can really change their body. Don't need a
dance partner. Oh my gosh. That's the beauty of the Blast,
because when you go to a dance studio, you need
a partner and you can get on a Friday night party.
You can take lessons one on one, but if you
it's it misses that intimacy that you have with your
(43:19):
boyfriend or your spouse. But with the Blast, your hand
weights are your partner and you are your partner, and
that would be perfect for me. And it's funny because
Cheryl lad and I were talking about it. I was
in better shape before this with the stars then going
(43:39):
in because now you're on a dance floor, we're teaching.
It's great for the mind, but I'm not burning the
counters the way you are. Well now, I am yes
with you. But your arm, Yeah, it's isn't it funny?
It's always a right arm. But it's it's really wonder
(44:00):
full that we're now in ten countries. We're really we're
growing our instructor base that are teaching the Blast. And
I am really most proud that I started ballroom dancing
at the age of ten socially. Then it became therapeutic,
then it became a career. Then we went on TV
doing it, and now we're in the fitness industry. And
(44:20):
yet it's still and you're changing people's lives. You forgot
about that. That's the ultimate purpose. For me, you are
you have and mine I'm at it to Lis. You've
changed my life for the best, for the better. One
more question, what changes, um, that you've seen on Dancing
with the Stars? I guess so how you haven't been
on for how many years? Two thousand fifteen my last season.
(44:44):
What is the biggest difference you've seen from that generation
on Dancing with the Stars that me and you were
both a part of and the way it was right
before you came back, like that gray area versus now,
like what what do you think the show is missing?
What do you think this did as far as a
positive thing that happened to the show? That is great,
(45:05):
that was different from two thousand six. Well, there's multiple questions,
you know, but give me then for one, if you
look at the cast now versus ten years ago, Um,
you and myself and Mark are part of the first
five season because Mark I think joined season four, Peter
(45:26):
came away later I think season joint season five, So
you have a lot of the youngsters that are now
in the show. And personally why I love it again,
I'm not gosh, it makes me either look old or
bragging about the fact that I taught most of them. Well, yeah,
but I'm it's not about that. But what I love
(45:48):
now to see them from the age of ten and twelve.
Now they're professional, They're on Dance with the Stars, and
probably five years ago I would have been bitter about that,
and now it's it's it's it's it's good. Yes, well
I see it that way now, but I think it
(46:10):
might have needed this ring and two kids, and also
to kind of see, you know what, we're all in
this and maybe your time off. Well, I'm definitely fresh
and I love being back, and I hope this is
not the last time. They would be stupid if it was. Well,
I mean, it's not up to me. And if if
you know Disney plus, ABC, the BBC, they all want
(46:33):
to go for younger and younger. Well, I'm getting older
and older, but I'm also here to look older and older.
Hopefully I am showing that, not in my talks, but
in and in the in the dancing, and I have
not lost the passion. I think we have shown it
well and we have more to come, and I can't
(46:54):
wait for it. I think the show is on the
air for so long for one simple reason. It takes
people to another world for two hours a week, and
then a lot of conversations during the week at the
head dressing salon, shopping, much parties, let's vote, let's vote together.
(47:14):
Who are you? It's a conversation, and it's it's also
it's good for the people that say, yeah, but Charlie
is a dancer, Heidi is a dancer. Well, Cheryltte is not,
and and Sam is not. It's the diversity that makes
this show special, fact that you're even talking about it, yes,
and yeah? Is it sometimes for us? You had Sam,
(47:37):
I had Cheryl. Could you argue, well, it's unfair to us. No,
it's not, because I believe the audience you have millions
of people that will vote for Sam and Cheryl and
millions of people that will go for Charlie. And to me,
I'm not bitter about it. I actually myself, if you
weren't wondering at home watching, I asked for people I
(48:00):
rather have someone with no dance experience, because I believe
that's what the show is about. I've had both, and
I must say I've had everyone from a J. McClean
Backstreet Boys with dance experience to um Sam Champion, for example.
And it's easier to teach someone with no dance experience,
and easier to mold them because they don't know what
(48:21):
it looks, what feels awkward, let alone their own body awareness,
let alone they have nothing to compare, they don't have
bad habits. And also and they love the willingness with
someone with dance experience. I think you had that experience
all Star season. I had Sabrina Brian dancer. Wait, how
is that experience? I've never asked you. Absolutely fantastic. First
(48:45):
of all, right, yes, my first realman in season three
high school. She was beautiful. She also made it to
the top four. She didn't. I mean, don't forget. It
was Joey, Mario and you and Emma fighting for of
the top three. I mean, I don't think Monique stood
any chance. And yes, so but anyway, Sabrina, how wonderful.
(49:07):
She was a great, fantastic dancer, hip hop, cheerleading, even
lyrical jazz. She was fantastic. So my goalden was how
far can I push her as a ballroom dancer? And
by week six I remember her doing the room. But
I showed the room both Julie Fryer and I and
I said I'm going to give you that roomba, and
she said, Oh my gosh, Louie. I'm not gonna say
(49:29):
what she really said because the A word is in there,
but she did such a phenomenal job and I love her,
as you know, I have to look at that again.
It's gorgeous. She did a fantastic job. I'm proud of you, Louis.
I'm so proud of you, and I hope that I
hope you know first of all, that you're always on
(49:50):
my mind and my heart, no matter the distance, no
matter how long we haven't talked. I don't forget where
I came from, and I don't forget who has helped
me get there. So thank you for everything and for
believing in me. And I know I get on your
nerves sometimes, but that's just the type of relationship we have,
and that means I love you and I love it.
I love you, and I wouldn't want to have it
(50:11):
any other way. So, as always, you guys, were gonna
move on to our question of the week, And so,
as you guys know, at the end of every episode,
we need to ask the listeners the question of the week,
which is, how did you overcome your fears of reaching
your full potential or have you or are you in
currently in it? Anyway, please answer and don't forget to
(50:34):
um Email us at Burke in the Game at i
heeart radio dot com or d m us on Instagram
at Burke in the Game. Love you guys, and thank
you again to my special guest Louis van Amstell for
joining us and I'll catch you next week. Bye. Thanks
for listening and coming along this journey with me. If
you like what you hear, then feel free to give
this podcast five stars. You can also follow along with
(50:56):
my journey on Instagram at burke in the Game and
if you have any advice or want to write in,
then email me at Birkin the Game at iHeart radio
dot com
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