September 18, 2023 • 52 mins
She was a contestant on the very first season of DWTS and the very first one to be eliminated!
'Bachelorette' Trista Sutter joins Cheryl to spill all the behind-the-scenes tea about her time on the hardwood. . . and they go in hard! From the voting glitch that went unaddressed, the strain being on the show can put on relationships, real thoughts on her dance partner, and the drama-filled intro package she saw for the first time right as she was about to hit the dance floor and how that affected her!
Plus, current contestants should listen up! Cheryl reveals the order of importance for those hoping to make it far on the show, and dancing is not at the top of the list! What could it be? You'll have to tune in!
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is Sex Lies and Spray Tans with me, Cheryl
Burke and iHeartRadio podcast. Hey guys, welcome to Sex Lies
and Spray Tans. This is your host, Cheryl Burke and
I have a very special guest. Her name is Trista Sutter.
If you don't know her, you got to get out
under that rock, because she is the og of everything,
(00:21):
even Dancing with the Stars. That's really hard for me
to say because I consider myself the og. But she
was the first ever star celebrity star to be a
part of Season one of Dancing with the Stars in
two thousand and five, the first eliminated unfortunately, and also
the first contestant I would say, to be a part
of the Bachelor Bachelorette franchise. We talk all the dirt,
(00:43):
all the reasons why she thinks she got eliminated, and
a little background of, you know, just where we come
from and what we have in common. This is a
juicy interview. You definitely don't want to miss it. Please
welcome Trista. Nicole Sutter. Hi, Trista, I don't think i've
ever met have we met.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Very briefly at a party. I cannot remember where it was,
but I think it was Dancing with the Stars associated
we're you know, what was it the hundred one hundredth episode?
Were you at that?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
No?
Speaker 4 (01:14):
No, I wasn't invited.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
So this was a weird moment in my life. Yeah,
I actually went over to NBCs. I can do that.
It was a different show and that was during that time,
so they forgot. They just forgot innocent, Innocent. It's fine,
it's fine. But we definitely met years ago. Yes, so
(01:36):
let's just get right into it. How was your time
on Dancing with the Stars. It's so crazy because, like
I feel like i'm the og right because I've been
on for twenty six seasons or something, and then but
you started way like before me, not way before a
season before me, when it was only six couples. Season
one of Dancing with the Stars was in two thousand
(01:57):
and five.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Is that right? I think so, yeah, either two thousand
and four or five, I can't remember, but yes, I'm sure,
I'm sure you're right.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Yeah, I mean whatever, it doesn't matter regardless. I mean,
how was your experience? To be quite honest, I mean,
for me, you were eliminated way too soon.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
But that's me. Yeah, that's me too. Okay, good good.
I'm glad we have that in common. Yes, so I was.
I was a dancer. I danced for the Miami Heat
and you know, like not technically trained or ballroom trained
at all. I had never taken a ballroom class. And
(02:35):
I got a call from ABC's Andrea Wang, who was
like an exec in charge of unscripted at the time.
And when Andrea Wang asked you to do a show,
You're like, okay, where do I sign? Exactly? I shout
out to Andrea Wong. I love her, love her, Love Andrea.
I haven't talked to her in so long. I would
love my gosh, she's listening to this. But anyway, so
(02:58):
she called, asked, and I said, okay, I don't know
what I'm getting myself into because you know, the show
had never been done before. As you said, it was
the first it was the first season. There were only
six of us, and you know you're coming from the
world of ballroom, right, and so you know partnering. All
of these people know partnering. And I am a newly
(03:20):
married woman who whose husband and back up Louie at
the time, was not like out like.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Oh, okay, I was going to ask you that because
I know Louie sometimes says it, says he's gay and
sometimes does it, and that's okay regardless, like Louie.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Does Louie, you do you before? Really?
Speaker 1 (03:40):
But yeah, I was thinking to myself, I was like,
wait a second, was this something scripted? Right? Because you
know it's season one and you guys are the guinea
pigs of this show. Who knew it was going to
last this long? But really I was like, wait a second,
what happened to here? Like?
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Hello, totally?
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yeah, so Louie. You know, Louie is a strong personality.
He is so much fun, but he is a strong personality, competitive,
and he's basically like I remember him being in practice
one day and or rehearsal and saying, you just can't
think about stuff, you just got to feel it. And
I'm like, I can't. I need to think about what
(04:17):
the hell I'm doing because I'm not as good as you.
I don't know all of these things, but you're kicking me.
So anyway, it was really hard for me coming from
like Miami Heat, where you learn choreography like you're just taught.
You know, this is five six, seven, eight, and that's
what you do, and that's you think about everything to
(04:38):
come to going to like, don't think, just feel, just move,
you know, And I'm like, but I can't. That's not
what I've learned how to do. And then top that
off with I'm newly married. My husband's like, you're dancing
very like provocatively, very sensually with someone, and I had
never done it before, so I didn't know what I
(04:59):
was getting into. And at the time, he wasn't out.
So even though I would be like, Dave, I'm pretty sure.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
That Louie he's out, he was out even back then,
I just don't know if he was out on television.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
He wasn't out with me, Like I was like, I'm
pretty like we weren't that close to where he would
be like talking about his boyfriends at the.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Time, plural boyfriends, boyfriends, multiple love you, Louis, so you
know I are in the past, you know. So I
just I was like, Babe, you have nothing to worry about.
First of all, I think you have nothing to worry
about with Louis.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Second of all, you have nothing to worry about me, Like,
I am fully committed to you, and I think it's hard.
I know it's hard for couples show, especially if they're new,
Like the jealousy, it like it comes out so it
was it was hard in that. Yeah, So I think
that's definitely a consistent theme for people to just struggle,
(06:00):
especially if they're newly engaged or newly married or whatever,
even if they've been married for twenty years.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
I mean, you're dry humping on Live til we're all
dry humping each other, Like, let's just be real regardless.
Like for me, look, it's like acting in a way
I guess where, but it comes from a real place.
But I'm then after the season, I'm like, lose my
number if we didn't get along, you know, But that
was no, it's not, I mean, but that's the whole point,
(06:25):
Like we have to we have to have chemistry. You
have to regardless, right, But in order to do that,
you have to build a safe space together. And of
course it's hard, like I will never forget, you know,
dancing with emmittt. Smith and he was married at the time,
and it is so hard, and I wanted to go
out of my way to make sure, you know, Pat
(06:46):
was also involved because I like I said, like I
don't know how the other half of you actually handles
it all because it is quite intimate, especially if you're
not in the business.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
So it was a real issue.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Is that correct, So, like I just wanted to make
it clear to the audience because it's like we also,
I think with the audience doesn't know either. You guys
spent quite a lot of time in rehearsal, right, like
before the training period.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
That's another thing is that back then they weren't paying
the pros for rehearsals, so general driving from Utah and
booking his own hotel room paying for that. You need
to have him on and talk about all that. But
they weren't paying for anything, so he we weren't practicing
that often. Now they practiced all the time.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
But how long was your training period?
Speaker 2 (07:36):
I mean it was I have the worst memory on
the planet, so it wasn't long. It was not long.
Maybe two weeks, three weeks, maybe a couple of weeks.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Okay, that's like now.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
But it was only like a couple hours a day. Like,
it wasn't like an eight hour rehearsal that I feel
like you guys have now, so right.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
They don't do it now for eight hours prior to
the season, but prior to the premiere. We used to
rehearse like season three. I remember it was like six
weeks of training. However many hours we wanted, and people
started getting injured, so they wanted to make sure that,
you know, because we lost quite a few, like Jewel
was supposed to be on like a lot of like
good people, then they got injured because they overdid it.
(08:18):
Your body's in shock obviously from this. You know, you've
never worked some of these muscles before. I'm assuming some
people or most of people, So I think it was
it was it's mandatory now that it's only like two
weeks and four hours maximum with obviously you have like
these interviews and you're like what at four hours, you know,
you're not really getting the full But it's safety I
(08:38):
think issues total.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
And that makes total sense. I remember my back was
really bad. I it was pre back surgery for me,
and I had had a bad back for like ten years.
So the practices were definitely grueling. But I mean, you know,
I'm kind of mentioning negatives. It was an amazing experience.
Like I I've had a great time on the show.
(09:02):
I got to dance, which I love to do. I
got to meet a bunch of great people and the
crews and the producers, and I loved it. I mean,
I really do wish I could have lasted longer. My
I always say, my claim to fame is that Holyfield.
Wait a second, was it master P on your season?
No til John O'Hurley.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Yeah, Helly Monico, Rachel, Rachel, Yes, the supermodel Rachel mac
and Joey. I mean, come on, a Vander Holyfield, I
love you, but come on, I mean, there was no
First of all, let me just like tell the audience
and the listeners, really what how hard this is?
Speaker 2 (09:47):
So okay?
Speaker 1 (09:48):
I always say the slower dances are the hardest because
you see everything. So you know, Len Goodman rest in peace,
you know. Oh my god, that broke my heart. I
hope I'm sending love to him and his family. But
you know, it was amazing when he actually pointed out.
I don't know if you remember the comments. I just
watched it recently. It's almost like black and white television
(10:08):
at this point, right like the oh my god, even
like season two, you're like, wait a second, we're borderline
black and white, like this is how old?
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Oh my god?
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Anyway, I remember him saying that you know, props to
Louis for giving you basic choreography and nowadays, yeah, it's
not about basic choreography. It's it's all about like tricks
and flips and you know. But for me, and I
would say same for Louis, I don't want to speak
for him, but we come from the ballroom world. So
(10:37):
like I wasn't allowed to, for example, be taught any
choreography until I did years and years of just rumba walks.
Do you remember rumba walks?
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Yeah? Right, Oh, but I mean rumba and I hate it.
It's so hard, so hard think about it. What I
just told you about the intimacy, and I was like,
I was like, I just met this guy and I
don't grind it and I can like connect in that
like l way, So I was so bummed because our
(11:08):
jive was the next one and it was good.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
And Louis's like a master a gibe. But let me
just also say, you were dancing to Lionel Ritchie. I
am so sorry, Like that's not necessarily a song you
want to grind up to someone with, you know, It's
not like you're dancing to Endless Love. Like I am
all about I danced to the music and whatever the
music makes me feel. If I were to do a
(11:32):
rumba to light Al Richie endless Love, which I have
in the past, it is more about the romantic chemistry
between the two people. It's the elegance of the rumba
and mind you love you Carrie Anne and Bruno. But
I must say the only ballroom person at that time
with that experience was Len Goodman, and he gave you
a seven. And I have to say for week two,
(11:52):
a seven is a ten from Len, and I thought
he gave you like an average score. And I think
you know, obviously you don't have anything compare it to.
You've never there's never been another season. But that was hard,
like less is more, and it's always harder to dance
and move in stillness than it is to have a
bunch of steps. Right, That's why you probably loved the
(12:13):
jive because there was so busy, busy, busy, busy, and
the simplicity of the rum. But it takes years, it
takes years to even look not awkward, and you didn't
look awkward.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
You did an amazing job.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Thank you. I mean I definitely felt like I was
I had no idea what I was doing, and I
was just kind of going for it. I mean, the
waltz was better to me, Like, I felt like the waltz.
I had more fun with it because it was more
like Princess and like you know it was it was
(12:47):
more pretty and the rumba was more like sensual.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
I think you.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
I think you executed perfectly.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
It's supposed to be not I mean again, you're dancing
delight on Richie like there's nothing central. I'm sorry, Litel,
but there's really enough sexy and hot about him. But anyway,
moving forward, So if Ryan got asked to do Dancing
with the Stars, would you how would you feel about that?
Speaker 2 (13:10):
I don't know if he would, but if he did, if.
Speaker 4 (13:12):
He wanted to, would you give your blessing?
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Yeah? I would be all for it.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
And who would you want him to dance with? Oh?
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Gosh, someone who's married you. I'm retired, girl, retired.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I love Whitney and Lindsay Julianne. I mean, if she
came back, I would love him. So she's a host?
Speaker 3 (13:30):
No?
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Is she all right? That's right? She's I love that.
I love It's amazing. Who else a Jenna Vow's wife.
He comes, So, my daughter is a competitive dancer and
she's been at competition ballroom. Yeah, ballroom really, that's amazing. Yeah,
well no, no, no, no, my daughter is doing competitive dance,
(13:53):
but they have ballroom class.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
So I heard in another interview that you did.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
I don't know if it was recently, but you said
that you wanted your daughter to take part in Dancing
with the Stars Juniors or was that something she wanted?
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Totally something she wants. So she follows a couple people.
We went to Utah and it was one of the
Break the Floor competition and Camrie was there, and Camray's
been on the show. And I didn't know who Camri
was until Blakesley told me that she had been on
Dancing with the Stars. So I walked up to her
and introduced myself and I'm like, I'm bored of the
(14:24):
Dancing the Stars before we were born. I always say
that to these kids. I did Dancing with the Stars Juniors.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
I don't know if they're doing it anymore, but they
did like one season of it, and I was like,
you have no clue the history.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Of the show.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Kids, you don't even know what a CD is.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Like we used to rehearse the CDs for God's sake, totally.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
They were like not even oh my god, bigments of
their parents' imagination, you know, or or hopes or realities. Yeah, no,
she would love to. She is fourteen. And I think
I even texted Dina after I met camer and just said, Okay,
if you ever do the show again, will you consider
my daughter because she would love it. She love it.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Well, she has an unfair advantage because she has dance experience.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
So kid, I mean, yeah, right, no, all of them did,
by the way, And same with these celebrities. I mean,
don't tell me Nicole Scherzinger didn't have any dance experience.
Pair her with Derek Huff and you're like, I might
as well quit. Thank you, thank you so much for
this season. Like really, you ain't gonna win, but you
(15:33):
could be the extra backup dancers. Okay, great, great, I'll
hire you.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
I'm just jealous.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
So I guess I want to like talk about because
I didn't even meet your guys' host, your co host
at that time. I forgot her name. What's her name again, Lisa?
I think Lisa. So it was so different, like I'm
really good friends with Kelly Monico. We became like really
good friends and.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Will you tell her high for me? Sorry, that's I will.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
For sure, I will. And there was that weird summer
spin off, like the whole thing was weird. That was
the first wardrobe malfunction. I remember that got like a
lot of press, which was not a malfunction. You didn't
see any nipple. You definitely saw the dress like come off,
but like Nancy Grace's nipple, on the other hand, was
definitely they had to blur that out quick. Yeah, which
(16:26):
is now we get pedal checked, meaning like a woman
will walk around one of the producers, she'll be like
Cheryl pedal check and I have to flash her at
show her but.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
That I'm wearing petals. Yeah, uh huh, yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
I know.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
It's it's insanity actually, but I get it. No one
wants to, you know, we're trying to be family friendly
in these like skimpy costumes. Still makes no sense to
be and then dry humping on TV.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
But it's okay.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
But wait, so you and Louie, So I'm you know,
I've known Louie. So Louie got me this job. So
he got me Dancy to the Stars. He did so
after you know, this season, after your guys the season,
they wanted to recruit more professional dancers and he recommended me.
And at the time, I was living in Harlem with
my dance partner, starving dancer. I wasn't happy. I was like, fine,
(17:11):
you know, I'm gonna try this. Couldn't speak in front
of the camera. I was like, I sounded like a
little mouse, like a really high pitch voice, my really
short hair, with my dumb and dumber bangs, like it
was crazy. But like I was just like, sure, what
do I have to lose? Probably not going to get
the job, but hey, I can't teach because I was
(17:32):
just turning pro. I was in the amateur competitive circuit,
so this was like all new to me. Anyway, props
to Louis. I thank him all the time for, you know,
this opportunity. But you know, Louis intense and but he
also like he was someone I looked up to in
the competitive world. He was definitely, you know, a champion,
(17:55):
and I know that. You know, ballroom is an interesting
sport because it is very detailed and it's just no bs, right,
and with partner dancing, it's like a relationship you're like
in an arranged marriage, Like hello, I simmeech you, let's
do this thing. And communication is key. I mean everything
(18:16):
about it is similar to being in an intimate relationship,
and you probably had nothing to compare it to. I
guess for me, And my question is, you know, how
how did you guys get along? Like, did you guys
get along right away? You said you didn't really hang
out as much. Did you guys hang out off camera?
Did you guys talk? Did you guys have good communication?
Speaker 2 (18:38):
We talked, but we didn't because he was living, like
I said, he was living in Utah. I didn't. I
didn't move to LA. He wasn't in LA. So they
basically just hired the pros and wherever you were, like,
your pro would come to you. And so it kind
of was, I don't know, a little unfair. I feel like,
(19:00):
so now like you're you're in the same city as
your pro and that's you know, the producer's responsibility or
the show's responsibility to get you guys together. So I
feel like, had we had the opportunity to at least
be in the same frickin city, you know, so we
could go out to dinner afterwards, I feel like our
(19:20):
practices were our rehearsals. We were, you know, super speedy,
right right, really didn't have time to hang out. The
only time we got to hang out was when we
flew to La to prep for the show, so to
do the like rehearsals in studio.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
Okait, So you weren't living in La at that time.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
No, I was living in Colorado.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
About it, now, I get it, got it?
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Yes? Sorry, Okay, that was driving from Utah to Colorado.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
Did you look at any like ballroom footage prior to show,
prior to saying yes to this show?
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Or teeny bit like a teamy bit. I remember the
producers telling me, or maybe it was Andrea telling me
it was based on on like the concept that the show, yeah,
strictly ballroom or whatever they come dancing, it's like the
Safely in England. Yeah, no, no, no, there's a movie
with strictly strictly dance or strictly ballroom strictly. But yeah,
(20:13):
that's my thought. So, you know, spark Ballroom exactly. So
I think I watched that, and honestly that and maybe
a couple clips of Strictly Come Dancing, but nothing to
where I really had a clue, Like I didn't know
all of the different styles. I didn't know, Like, yeah,
(20:33):
I had heard of the waltz before, you know, just
from like from old movie there, Yeah, Cotilian, which I
didn't do. Yeah, but like I didn't know any of
the Latin dances. I mean, obviously I knew what chachaw was,
but it was it's very like, it was very, very
very basic.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Would you think that, Like, were you shocked when you
got eliminated? Obviously you didn't. Okay, So wait, another thing
that people don't know. First of all, when you hear
this package, like when you heard y rumba package meaning
the studio rehearsal footage, you do not actually hear it
during dress rehearsal. You don't know what your story is about.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
You know nothing.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
All you know is that you've got to dance live soon,
especially when they call you and you're up right and
then all of a sudden you hear and maybe see
at that time your package for the first time. Did
that throw you off when it was a tension package?
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Totally? So, like you said, you're standing backstage, you're ready
to go on because they've got you positioned, so you're
ready to go on right after the package runs, right
or in the middle of the package, they're like running
you out. I think I was actually on the stage
watching it on the huge screen with everyone else, right
of course, with a live audience. Yeah, in front of
(21:51):
a live audience that I'm supposed to perform it in
front of in like thirty seconds, you know. So it
was definitely off putting because, first of all, okay, so
you're trying to have this intimate dance with someone, You're
trying to connect with, someone who you don't know that well,
and in front of live minies and then they they
(22:14):
I believe the package was talking about how I felt uncomfortable,
how like it was uncomfortable to me to dance with someone,
so like intimately walked away.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Also, at some point it was like major tension. And
then Ryan showed up, assuming that the producers wanted to
incorporate your obviously your newlyweds right at that time or not.
So yeah, yeah, so they wanted him, they wanted to
get him in there, but hopefully I'm sure you wanted
that to happen in a different light totally.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
I mean, I didn't want him to look like a
jealous guy, you know, at all. Right, So I'm like,
oh my god, my husband's going to be so pissed
at me because this is happening. And and the part where,
like we have both said, Louis is intense and a
very strong personality, and especially when he's teaching someone like
for me, I am, I'm a strong personality too, And
(23:06):
I was trying to like do the things that he
was asking me to do, but based on my dance experience,
which you know, I had learned for years and years
and years and years to do something a certain way,
and he wanted me to just completely change how I
would had always learned how to, you know, learn to dance,
and this was completely new to me. I had never
(23:28):
a dance ballroom and had never really even seen it.
So I got frustrated. And so of course, you know,
it's reality television, They're going to use that drama. But
I'm standing on the stage getting ready to perform, and
it was so freaking stressful. So yes, thank you for
reminding me of that, because I do feel like that
(23:48):
definitely played a part in my stress levels. And like
I don't know the performance even, like how can you
expect someone to get out there and perform and do
what they're supposed to do when they're like it, Especially me,
I'm very analytical and very in my head, and so
I'm like, oh my gosh, my husband's watching watching this
(24:08):
package as I'm dancing, and he's gonna be millions of
other people.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
Yeah, no, I know.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
And so nowadays, just so you know what we do is,
first of all, you can kind of and I don't
know if you've had you obviously had experience already on
reality television prior to Dancing with the Stars, So you
did you have an inkling? Like, first of all, how
did they even know that Ryan was asking you questions
about your experience.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
With I'm sure they asked me.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
I'm sure I told them I'm kind of an open
book and so af sure I just talked about it.
Who knows?
Speaker 4 (24:40):
And did they say to you like, we definitely want
to incorporate your husband and that we think we should
bring him in.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
You don't remember, I don't remember. I do know. I
do remember him coming to a rehearsal and just just
to watch and actually he had just gotten me a
new puppy, al so, like he brought the puppy to rehearsal.
And so they you know, they showcased that, they didn't
show that they didn't they didn't know what. I didn't
(25:06):
see any puppy on there. I did show I thought
he was carrying something. I just did look too deep
into it. But it was definitely not about the puppy. No, no, yes,
so any And it wasn't like he didn't bring it
to me and surprised me at the rehearsal, but we
had just gotten it.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Do you think that that influenced your elimination?
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Oh, I'm sure I played a part. Also, I feel like,
you know, like the viewers, if the viewers had seen
the like puppy and the sweet husband and like they
had just rooted for us on the Bachelorette, and you know,
if they saw like a sweet story, maybe they would
have been like, Okay, we want her to stick around more.
(25:47):
Who knows. Also, I do have to say I had
multiple people telling me that that I that were friends
of mine, like personal friends of mine, including family members
who tried to vote and they were not alone to vote,
So there was like a voting glitch that happened that
I told producers about. And of course they're like, there's
(26:07):
nothing we can do about it. So who knows what happened.
It's freaking water under the bridge. I don't care.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
It is what it is. And by the way, that's
what has to happen. I mean, you can't see anything
from that table, especially with the cameras moving and all
of that stuff. So it's like that's important to be
prepped now. But as far as scoring goes six seven
six is a solid score for week two, Like honestly,
that's like nowadays that is considered a great score. So obviously, yes,
(26:36):
I say the package. I always say this to my
dance partners. This is the order of importance here. It's
not your dancing. Number one is your package. Number two
is the way you look like as far as like
the movement of your dress, the wardrobe, the chemistry between
your partner, then the dance like it happens later and
then actually before the dance is just like for me,
(26:57):
I think people want to see your interview backstage. They
want to see that is so important to connect to
the audience. Like when I dance with Emmitt Smith, Mario
Lopez was you know that season as well, and obviously
you know he's got some dance experience and he was
the better technical dancer, Like if you were to really
just judge this on pure dancing, but Emmett was the
(27:19):
person that you wanted to vote for because I point
back there because that's him back there anyway.
Speaker 5 (27:23):
Yeah, I dug that up out of my stuff I
stole from the dance studio. No, I'm kidding, but like
you know, Emmett was the fan favorite because of the journey,
Like people do not want to root for someone who's
already great. Like the psychology behind these packages is quite interesting.
(27:45):
I wish people would do more, would talk about it more,
because it really has everything to do with if you're
going to be voted off or not.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
You're so right, what you should do is do you
like a coaching class for all the people who come
on the show. Like it's not easy for sure, and
I wish that, Yeah, I wish that it would have
been different. Like it's interesting to think about the packages
and like whether or not that like kind of like
(28:17):
jealousy component. And I wonder if people thought of me
as like because I wasn't getting along with Louis, that
I was being difficult and so I was the difficult
one when they don't see the entire rehearsal, and they
don't know my story, like completely, especially the judges, like
I hadn't I maybe met them like briefly, you know,
(28:40):
so they don't They don't know my full story. They
don't know the struggles that I was dealing with, like mentally,
not like physically. Obviously I had back problems, but whatever, Like,
it's the mental component, and I.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Would say more about that, because I there's a whole
I mean, this is another episode in itself.
Speaker 4 (28:57):
It is a me. It's mentally the mental health of everything.
Can you speak more about that?
Speaker 2 (29:03):
It's hard because first of all, you're on television, so
you're putting yourself out there. And I was comfortable with
reality television, so that part wasn't necessarily hard for me.
But for people who are like athletes or like have
never experienced the cameras in their face all the time,
that is a really big component, I would think. So
(29:24):
that wasn't that for me. It was dealing with a
person that I have to immediately respect. I don't know
Louie from Adam, right, and I know that he's a
champion and I know he should be respected, but I'm
also like, I'm brand new to this, can you like
maybe treat me with a little more compassion, you know.
(29:45):
Louie was just like, we're going, we're gonna win this.
You're you're a dancer. Oh and that too? Is that
Like I came into it with a dance background, and
I think that it was like held against me, kind
of like how you said, and it was like, you know,
everyone I wanted to emit, Yeah, exactly, the underdogs. So
I came into this thinking, Okay, I've got a dance background,
(30:05):
so at least I know like timing, and I know
how to learn choreography, or at least I thought I did.
And like people, I think that people probably said whatever,
she thinks she's gonna.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Win the judges as well, honey, Like the judges are
gonna make be harder on you.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Totally totally. So anyway, I feel like had I not
had any dance experience and I came in there and
this had the same struggles, people would have felt sorry
for me and would have rooted for me more so
who knows.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
I mean, this is You're right, You're right, listen, You're right.
I also think that if you had another season prior
to to your season, you would be not as I guess, hesitant,
like this was a normal thing because you would have
seen it like you would have been like, oh, so
the dry humping is one of the qual the things
that I need to do. Okay, let me just make
sure that this is something I want to do.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
You know like it?
Speaker 1 (30:58):
I think you again, I don't you know, that was
a really hard position you were in. You had nothing
to compare it to, and that is so hard. It is,
that's so hard for us.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
I think for our season, we had nothing to compare
it to. I was just I was just comfortable being
in front of the camera. I was comfortable dancing. I
was excited to dance. I was excited to try this
new type of dancing for me, and I had so
much fun, like making the connections with the people and
(31:29):
actually being back in rehearsal again. But it was it
was definitely draining and beside mind you, my head is
spending constantly with like having knowing the dances right, like
you don't have a lot of time to learn it.
I think the jive we had started early, so we
had started learning it even though we got booted, so
(31:50):
we didn't finish learning it. I don't know. I was
always like worried about whether or not I was going
to get the dance. If I was going to get
the step, I would know it by that night. And
I'm trying to plan travel and you know, spend time
with my new husband, and we had a new puppy,
and so life was like, you know, I didn't have kids.
A chaotic, but it's just chaotic, and your brain is
(32:12):
constantly going, going, going, And like if you are a
person who isn't super confident in something, I was not
confident at all in my ability to dance ballroom. I
was just worried. I was stressed out.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
See this is what they should have had in your package.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
It's like, it's literally this, because I'm also very analytical
to fault. Yeah, especially since I've been sober for the
past five years, I am even oh my god, no
wonder I used to drink. I feel sorry for my
own brain. But like literally, I mean they'll tell you,
the producers here at iHeart, they'll freaking tell you they're like, well,
you got a research, but you're.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Good at that.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Like I know, like I get it, I get I
get it. Like sometimes it's not necessarily it worked more
against me than it works for me, especially when you're
dealing with the arts.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Ye like I.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
You know, my very first two seasons, I won because
I was not necessarily in my right mind, because I
wasn't over analyzing everything. And as I there's a pattern here,
like once I stopped drinking, I just I started thinking
too much. And when I start to, like I started
writing my own choreography out on paper like you did,
(33:21):
and that probably would know it by heart, just like
the man the men's step, the mail step, and the
woman's steps. Like I'm like, what am I doing? Like
why am I doing this to myself? And then I
start to with that comes questioning yourself because you're like,
wait a second, am I doing I never forget this.
I was dancing with Chado Josinko, and this was the
(33:41):
first time I had this, I guess, this feeling of
like noticing my thoughts right, like stepping back and seeing
my thoughts. And I literally was tricking myself. And I
was like, well, what if I fuck up my own choreography?
Speaker 4 (33:54):
What if? What if? What if?
Speaker 2 (33:55):
What if?
Speaker 4 (33:56):
And I did and it threw him off.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
Oh and then.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Ever since then, it's like been look I was still
like a drink. I'm an addict, Like I was still
drinking then, But it was like that was the turn
of events for me where it was like it was
a downhill.
Speaker 4 (34:12):
A slippery slope basically.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
And I know that, and I know, but also, let's
not let's be a little forgiving too of each other
because of the fact that we're on camera, like this
little thing is not normal, Like, of course you're gonna
question yourself. And I always say to my partners too,
like the most important thing is to be vulnerable because
you're not gonna know what the hell even if you
(34:34):
have dance experience. Actually, I think that hurts you because
you have to untrain your brain, like the fact that
you have to untrain the brain instead of when I
have someone like emmittt, I can mold him. Plus he's
an athlete. Plus he's eating, shitting, drinking, dancing, you know that.
Naturally they do that as athletes, especially when you're like
him and you're like one of the greats. Right, So
(34:56):
he's doing the homework.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
And that's what I had a problem with. I needed
to learn the steps, and LOUI was just like feel it.
I'm like, but I don't know what to feel. No,
I love Louis. I love Louis too. Anyway, it was
just hard.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
Would you do this again? Would you do Dancing with
the Stars again? And if so, who would you want
to dance with? I mean, honestly, no, Louis won't be
listening to this, right.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
I'm sure he will. He'll be right on it. I
I probably would, and and I would, I would, and
I'm hesitant about it just because life right now is
about my kids and like and my husband in the schedule,
so I know how grueling it is. Like, I know
that basically these people move off to LA and they're
(35:49):
there for months on end. And what hasn't changed is
the fact that, like you said, you're dry humping, you know,
with someone. And I know my husband wouldn't be super
on that still to this day, even though we've been
married for twenty years.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Or even if he knew that Louis is gay, like
it would still be exactly.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
It's still hard. It's still hard. So that would be
a conversation I would have to have with Ryan. I
would love the opportunity, I mean more so, I would
actually love the opportunity for my daughter to be on
the junior show. But if it was like, bring back
the people, all the people who were eliminated first or not,
maybe all of them, because there's been a whole lot
of seasons, but maybe you know a little the good ones,
(36:29):
the good ones, the good ones, yea, how they do
the good ones that were eliminated too soon? Because there's
a few. Yeah, thank you, thank you so anyway, and
and mind you, I always say this, I was one
of six, so it's like I got to this.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
He made the final.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
For God's sakes, you made the semifinal. You definitely, Ma,
there's like sixteen couples nowadays, like you.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Were top six.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
That is that's when you're already at the you're at
halftime and you're like, I never want to see my
partner again.
Speaker 4 (36:57):
Anything he does is annoying.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
He stinks, he smells, he's so gross, Like you hate
each other, like you hit that like seven year itch
almost in a relationship and you're like disgusting, you're not funny.
Speaker 4 (37:09):
Shut up.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
Yeah, yes, so you're at that, monk. I would love
to do the show. I just I am also fifty
years old, and so girl.
Speaker 4 (37:19):
Fifty years young, fifty years young.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
Love you look amazing. Hey, my body like probably wouldn't
move that well. I did just have so I think
I mentioned this in the beginning. I was a Mimy
heat dancer and we just had an alumni reunion and
so I got to actually like dance on the court
again and it was so much fun. I had the
best time. But it's just I mean, it's a lot
(37:42):
about schedule and if I could mental health and mental
health true, but going into it having this conversation and
I would call you and be like, okay.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
Little yeah, absolutely, girl, I'm telling you I should write
a book on how like how to prepare for this?
Have you speaking of have you been have you given
any advice to like the our alumni that have been
a part of the Bachelor Bachelorette franchise or anyone like.
Speaker 4 (38:06):
The Golden Bachelor. Would you want? I think he would
be great.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
It would be amazing. That was actually the first time
I met him. I showed a video I think it's
on a post that I did on Instagram. He was like,
let's dance, and he like danced with me and sang
at last to me as we were dancing.
Speaker 4 (38:26):
I was like, Okay, charming, He's.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
Very charming and very wholesome, and I think that would
be the perfect combination for him. Stars. So it's funny
that you ask, because if, like, if I've talked to
any of the Bachelor, Bachelor and people about Dancing with
the Stars, because I was just on another podcast talking
about how for me, like, I'm kind of more like
(38:52):
old school since I'm og and and it. Whenever I
hear that a new person a person is going to
go straight from getting engaged or being at the end
of the show to being on Dancing with the Stars,
I get very worried. I'm very maternal towards all of
(39:13):
these kids because they're a lot younger than me, and
I just I get protective of their relationship because I
feel like it is really freaking hard, really freakin' hard.
It takes a really strong connection and relationship to be
able to get through the mental part and the stress
(39:34):
and the jealousy part of Dancing with the Stars, and
so I feel like it's really hard for me. I
am very supportive of anyone who wants to go on
the show. That would be completely hypocritical if I was like,
don't go do Dancing with the Stars. But at the
same time. I didn't do it right after we got engaged.
It was a couple years at least after, and I
(39:56):
just feel like I want to tell them just wait,
maybe there will be another opportunity. Like Caitlin Bristow, she
got to do it way after her show aired, you know,
her Bachelorette. I just I get worried, as kind of
ther g of the Bachelorette, that these couples are not
going to be able to last because they just met
(40:17):
each other, like they don't even know each other totally totally.
And it's a lot. It's a lot, and it's not
just the all the the stress and the mental part
of it. It's like you're gone, You're actually at reharseeah
no oh you are eating, breathing. Like I said, this
is it. It consumes your whole life if you want
to even do well.
Speaker 4 (40:37):
Period.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
End of discussion, Like because let's be real, like yes,
we have our scheduled rehearsal time, but like there's also
you know, we got to continue there are I'm just
like totally because like this is not necessary, you.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
Know, like making sure whatever. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (40:56):
There's also fittings, there's interviews, there's all this stuff. It's
seven days a week, now, would you be? I mean
I think I don't know if they've ever done this,
would they have? Maybe if they had both the cup
the couple like doing it meaning like Ryan, yes, like
if they had the yeah, newly engaged couple.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Yeah, yeah, I would be totally for that.
Speaker 4 (41:15):
Yeah, I'm not going to be I'm not going to
give them more ideas that I already have getting I've like,
I have so many ideas, like as far as like
making it work right and I think that but still
that would really be a test to a relationship. But
there is no foundation yet, right, Like I don't know
what this is.
Speaker 1 (41:33):
I don't know how it's like I've never been a
part of it. But like I'm pretty sure that this
is all on camera, right, everything's all on camera. Very
rarely did you even have time to have a private conversation,
is that right?
Speaker 2 (41:45):
Once? Like essentially once or twice so Ryan and I
I remember during my hometown date with him, he we
were in the car together and he passed me a
note that I read to myself like that that was
kind of like on our own time, but it was
like I was reading a note that he wrote, So
it wasn't like we were face to face, and then
you have that he was falling in love with me.
Speaker 4 (42:09):
Oh my god, that's.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
Still have it so and then you know the fantasy suite.
So if you accept the like fantasy suite together, then
the cameras go away and you get that night to
be able. Everyone thinks that it's just about sex. It's not.
It is very much so about not having the cameras
in your face and being able to have like real
(42:33):
conversations about how you're doing in the process and not
feel like you can't share because the camera's going to
last it to the world.
Speaker 4 (42:42):
You know, how many hours is that though? It's a
night only? Or is it all day and night?
Speaker 2 (42:46):
It's a night only? Got it? Got it? Got it?
There's you can count on, you know, probably one hand
the number of hours. Well, actually probably two hands, and.
Speaker 1 (42:58):
Maybe depending if you sleep or not.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
Yeah, you don't sleep.
Speaker 1 (43:04):
Yeah, I'm pretty sure you want to talk, but right, right,
or if you hate each other, go straight to bed,
but not in the same one, not in the same bed.
Speaker 4 (43:13):
But do wait, I have a question.
Speaker 1 (43:15):
So you weren't even married when you did Dancing with
the Stars. You were engaged, we were mar you were
for two years?
Speaker 2 (43:21):
You said, yeah, exactly, we got married in two thousand
and three, So if it was in two thousand and five,
it was two years maybe if it was two thousand
and four, so.
Speaker 1 (43:31):
You were able to discuss that you got this offer.
How do you feel about it?
Speaker 4 (43:36):
Like, do you even know? Like you had no idea
because you have never seen the show.
Speaker 2 (43:40):
Although although so after they're done taping, there's about three
months at least there was for me. I don't know
if that's changed at all drastically, but you have three
months between when you stop filming and when it airs.
Speaker 4 (43:52):
So what you do is you have Dancing with the Stars.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
No, no, no, sorry, Bachelor. Oh okay. So they once
they get engaged, they like these little times where you
can like I can't remember what they call them. Rendezvous
were what they call them during my season. So you go, like,
we went to Vegas one time, but we're just in
a condo, like, you know, spending time together. So that's
kind of when you're really getting to know each other
(44:16):
after you've gotten engaged, which is crazy, but they they
had they have had you know, that time since the
show stopped airing since they got engaged, so charity Charity
will have that time to get to know Dalton. But
like your point of them doing it together is genius
(44:37):
because they could share the experience together and like it's like, yeah,
the guy is with the girl, but the girl is
with the guy, so how can you hold ana?
Speaker 1 (44:47):
And then if there like if they're with like Val
and Jenna, then it's like the married couple against the
almost married couple.
Speaker 2 (44:54):
Yes, I love it. I mean that would be that
would be brilliant.
Speaker 1 (44:58):
So what is your advice like to you know, to charity,
like moving into this whole. Like, first of all, you know,
she's never been on television. I'm assuming not to this
you know extreme, I guess, And I'm sure she's getting recognized.
Like I remember my ten seconds of Fabe, you know,
like it was pretty intense, especially coming just from like
(45:21):
a dance world where you don't necessarily no one knows you.
You know, it's just it's a lot. So when you're
shooting the Bachelorette, are you even outside of the cameras,
meaning like do people is it like Big Brother where
you're like you don't really know what it's going to be,
Like people's reactions to you because or has she already
shot it?
Speaker 4 (45:40):
Like how she's already shot it?
Speaker 2 (45:42):
So you can't like wear your ring around like you
keep that on the DL.
Speaker 4 (45:48):
You have to not go out in public.
Speaker 2 (45:51):
Well you can go out in public for sure, but
you can't go out in public together until right it's announced.
Speaker 1 (45:58):
So so they haven't really gotten to know each other
too much. I mean maybe via zoom or FaceTime.
Speaker 2 (46:04):
Well that's what I said, the rendezvous that they have
so to go on these scripts together, and they've I
think that Charity told me that they had maybe like
six or something so far. So they've had a lot
of opportunities to like be without cameras and like hang
out and really truly get to know each other and
create that foundation.
Speaker 4 (46:22):
Okay, and how are they Are They pretty solid? Do
you think?
Speaker 2 (46:26):
I think they're very solid? Okay? Good? Excited for them.
I think that I think that even if she had
chosen Joey, who was the other person, like, it seems
like they had great chemistry too, so I feel like
they would have been solid too. But I'm really hopeful
for her. And I was on the mental all her
season and it was me and Deanna and Desiree came
(46:49):
back as bachelorette's and gave her kind of advice, and
I would I would give her the same advice about
Dancing with the Stars. It's really about obviously, you need
to prioritize dancing with the Stars because you've signed up
for it. You need to rehearse, you need to be
there for all the interviews and the press and all that. Right,
so yes, but priority needs to be your relationship. Like
(47:12):
if you if you are in a heated discussion with
your fiance and a producer calls, don't answer the call,
like call you know, have them reschedule or what? Do
you know what I mean? Like, prioritize your relationship as
much as you can, and then and then request for Louis.
Speaker 4 (47:32):
Because we all know now he's harmless exactly.
Speaker 2 (47:36):
He's harmless. No, I feel like prioritization is definitely the advice,
just period across the board. And then because you are
in this whirlwind, you are like getting all these opportunities
to go to parties and you know, work with companies
and whatever. And I feel like you just as long
as you keep your relationship number one, you'll hopefully come
(48:01):
out unscathed. Do you know, yeah, and then and then
I think you know, just like you said, communication it's
really important for you and your dance partner, but it's
even more important for her new fiance.
Speaker 1 (48:12):
And by the way, they're gonna want him on camera,
so it's the whole thing, Like just include him. And
who would you want her to dance with? I mean,
oh gosh, I'm someone who's not single or horny.
Speaker 2 (48:23):
True, exactly like ardam Is is he.
Speaker 4 (48:27):
He's very married? Oh yeah, he's married. He's married. Most
of them are married except for Alan stay far away
from that guy. I'm kidding, kidding and Globe.
Speaker 2 (48:38):
Yes, it's true, like being someone who's married so that
the relationship isn't tested as much as it would.
Speaker 1 (48:44):
Be, or who doesn't play for our team, you know,
like exactly right, yea like Louis Yeah, agreed, Yeah, okay,
Well tell me about forget about everybody else. This was
so fun, Like I could talk to you for freaking weeks.
With our analytical brains, we would be NonStop. But tell
(49:04):
me about you now? How's life now?
Speaker 4 (49:08):
Where are you? What are you working on?
Speaker 2 (49:10):
Life is good. We are actually currently moving. As we
shared that we share this good before we started recording.
So I have been living in the Vale Valley, which
is in Colorado, for twenty years. After Ryan and I
got together on the show, I moved to Vail and
(49:31):
we bought the house and have lived in it since.
So we've brought both our kids home there and they
know nothing else, and we just decided to move to Denver,
so we're only a couple hours away. Brian has been
working for Denver Fire for three years and so he's
been commuting back and forth two hours whenever he has
to work, and that takes a toll. We have family
(49:54):
here who were actually living with until we find a
house and sell ours, which has been a little st too,
But so the move is a big part of life
right now. And then I am just, you know, still
playing mom as my number one role and trying to
stay organized with all of their activities competitive dancing, my
son plays hockey and all of that stuff, and then
(50:18):
kind of on the side whenever we can get a
guest to come on and chat with us. Bob Guiney
and I he was Bob, I know, wait, why hasn't
Bob done Dancing with the Stars, brou That's a really
good question. They should totally have Bob do it. I
love that idea. He's a great personality. He would come
to the show all the time. Awesome. I know he's awesome.
(50:42):
So we host the Almost Famous OG podcast. So Almost
Famous started with Ashley, I and Ben and has been
pretty successful, I think in terms of podcast land, very successful,
and they had us on the show. Actually, Bob and
I did an interview together I don't know, a couple
(51:02):
of years ago, and we got on text afterwards and
we're like, that was so fun. We need to do
something together, and we reached out to Sugarman and big
shout out. I met Amy back in the day on
the Ryan Seacrest Show, or even with oh gosh, what
(51:23):
was his name one of the radio DJs that he
she used to represent. Still so connected with Sugarman and
she was like, come on, Almost Famous and then we
ended up doing ogs. So it's been really fun because
we get to talk to people from you know, the
(51:43):
beginning of Bachelor, Bachelorette, and you.
Speaker 4 (51:47):
Can do it from the comfort of your own home,
still be there for your kids.
Speaker 2 (51:51):
Yes exactly. So it's like the perfect job. I love podcasting.
I had a podcast called Better Et cetera. And I
loved doing it, but I kind of did too much,
and I feel like I didn't have iHeart behind me
to like do all the things that they do, and
(52:11):
they're so good at it that it makes it like
so easy to like jump on a zoom, have a
really fun conversation for twenty minutes, an hour or whatever,
and then get back to my life, you know.
Speaker 4 (52:24):
Perfect.
Speaker 2 (52:25):
So yeah, anyway, thank.
Speaker 4 (52:26):
You so much for your time, Trista. It was so fun.
Speaker 1 (52:29):
You'd like to really just be able to talk and
share some experiences that we have in common.
Speaker 4 (52:34):
So thank you so much for your time.
Speaker 2 (52:37):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (52:38):
Make sure you guys follow us at sex Lies and
spray tands on our Instagram handle and make sure your
comment let me know who you want me to interview.
Speaker 4 (52:46):
What do you all think? Let me know
This is Sex Lies and Spray Tans with me, Cheryl
Burke and iHeartRadio podcast. Hey guys, welcome to Sex Lies
and Spray Tans. This is your host, Cheryl Burke and
I have a very special guest. Her name is Trista Sutter.
If you don't know her, you got to get out
under that rock, because she is the og of everything,
(00:21):
even Dancing with the Stars. That's really hard for me
to say because I consider myself the og. But she
was the first ever star celebrity star to be a
part of Season one of Dancing with the Stars in
two thousand and five, the first eliminated unfortunately, and also
the first contestant I would say, to be a part
of the Bachelor Bachelorette franchise. We talk all the dirt,
(00:43):
all the reasons why she thinks she got eliminated, and
a little background of, you know, just where we come
from and what we have in common. This is a
juicy interview. You definitely don't want to miss it. Please
welcome Trista. Nicole Sutter. Hi, Trista, I don't think i've
ever met have we met.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Very briefly at a party. I cannot remember where it was,
but I think it was Dancing with the Stars associated
we're you know, what was it the hundred one hundredth episode?
Were you at that?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
No?
Speaker 4 (01:14):
No, I wasn't invited.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
So this was a weird moment in my life. Yeah,
I actually went over to NBCs. I can do that.
It was a different show and that was during that time,
so they forgot. They just forgot innocent, Innocent. It's fine,
it's fine. But we definitely met years ago. Yes, so
(01:36):
let's just get right into it. How was your time
on Dancing with the Stars. It's so crazy because, like
I feel like i'm the og right because I've been
on for twenty six seasons or something, and then but
you started way like before me, not way before a
season before me, when it was only six couples. Season
one of Dancing with the Stars was in two thousand
(01:57):
and five.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Is that right? I think so, yeah, either two thousand
and four or five, I can't remember, but yes, I'm sure,
I'm sure you're right.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Yeah, I mean whatever, it doesn't matter regardless. I mean,
how was your experience? To be quite honest, I mean,
for me, you were eliminated way too soon.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
But that's me. Yeah, that's me too. Okay, good good.
I'm glad we have that in common. Yes, so I was.
I was a dancer. I danced for the Miami Heat
and you know, like not technically trained or ballroom trained
at all. I had never taken a ballroom class. And
(02:35):
I got a call from ABC's Andrea Wang, who was
like an exec in charge of unscripted at the time.
And when Andrea Wang asked you to do a show,
You're like, okay, where do I sign? Exactly? I shout
out to Andrea Wong. I love her, love her, Love Andrea.
I haven't talked to her in so long. I would
love my gosh, she's listening to this. But anyway, so
(02:58):
she called, asked, and I said, okay, I don't know
what I'm getting myself into because you know, the show
had never been done before. As you said, it was
the first it was the first season. There were only
six of us, and you know you're coming from the
world of ballroom, right, and so you know partnering. All
of these people know partnering. And I am a newly
(03:20):
married woman who whose husband and back up Louie at
the time, was not like out like.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
Oh, okay, I was going to ask you that because
I know Louie sometimes says it, says he's gay and
sometimes does it, and that's okay regardless, like Louie.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
Does Louie, you do you before? Really?
Speaker 1 (03:40):
But yeah, I was thinking to myself, I was like,
wait a second, was this something scripted? Right? Because you
know it's season one and you guys are the guinea
pigs of this show. Who knew it was going to
last this long? But really I was like, wait a second,
what happened to here? Like?
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Hello, totally?
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Yeah, so Louie. You know, Louie is a strong personality.
He is so much fun, but he is a strong personality, competitive,
and he's basically like I remember him being in practice
one day and or rehearsal and saying, you just can't
think about stuff, you just got to feel it. And
I'm like, I can't. I need to think about what
(04:17):
the hell I'm doing because I'm not as good as you.
I don't know all of these things, but you're kicking me.
So anyway, it was really hard for me coming from
like Miami Heat, where you learn choreography like you're just taught.
You know, this is five six, seven, eight, and that's
what you do, and that's you think about everything to
(04:38):
come to going to like, don't think, just feel, just move,
you know, And I'm like, but I can't. That's not
what I've learned how to do. And then top that
off with I'm newly married. My husband's like, you're dancing
very like provocatively, very sensually with someone, and I had
never done it before, so I didn't know what I
(04:59):
was getting into. And at the time, he wasn't out.
So even though I would be like, Dave, I'm pretty sure.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
That Louie he's out, he was out even back then,
I just don't know if he was out on television.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
He wasn't out with me, Like I was like, I'm
pretty like we weren't that close to where he would
be like talking about his boyfriends at the.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Time, plural boyfriends, boyfriends, multiple love you, Louis, so you
know I are in the past, you know. So I
just I was like, Babe, you have nothing to worry about.
First of all, I think you have nothing to worry
about with Louis.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Second of all, you have nothing to worry about me, Like,
I am fully committed to you, and I think it's hard.
I know it's hard for couples show, especially if they're new,
Like the jealousy, it like it comes out so it
was it was hard in that. Yeah, So I think
that's definitely a consistent theme for people to just struggle,
(06:00):
especially if they're newly engaged or newly married or whatever,
even if they've been married for twenty years.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
I mean, you're dry humping on Live til we're all
dry humping each other, Like, let's just be real regardless.
Like for me, look, it's like acting in a way
I guess where, but it comes from a real place.
But I'm then after the season, I'm like, lose my
number if we didn't get along, you know, But that
was no, it's not, I mean, but that's the whole point,
(06:25):
Like we have to we have to have chemistry. You
have to regardless, right, But in order to do that,
you have to build a safe space together. And of
course it's hard, like I will never forget, you know,
dancing with emmittt. Smith and he was married at the time,
and it is so hard, and I wanted to go
out of my way to make sure, you know, Pat
(06:46):
was also involved because I like I said, like I
don't know how the other half of you actually handles
it all because it is quite intimate, especially if you're
not in the business.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
So it was a real issue.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Is that correct, So, like I just wanted to make
it clear to the audience because it's like we also,
I think with the audience doesn't know either. You guys
spent quite a lot of time in rehearsal, right, like
before the training period.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
That's another thing is that back then they weren't paying
the pros for rehearsals, so general driving from Utah and
booking his own hotel room paying for that. You need
to have him on and talk about all that. But
they weren't paying for anything, so he we weren't practicing
that often. Now they practiced all the time.
Speaker 4 (07:32):
But how long was your training period?
Speaker 2 (07:36):
I mean it was I have the worst memory on
the planet, so it wasn't long. It was not long.
Maybe two weeks, three weeks, maybe a couple of weeks.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Okay, that's like now.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
But it was only like a couple hours a day. Like,
it wasn't like an eight hour rehearsal that I feel
like you guys have now, so right.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
They don't do it now for eight hours prior to
the season, but prior to the premiere. We used to
rehearse like season three. I remember it was like six
weeks of training. However many hours we wanted, and people
started getting injured, so they wanted to make sure that,
you know, because we lost quite a few, like Jewel
was supposed to be on like a lot of like
good people, then they got injured because they overdid it.
(08:18):
Your body's in shock obviously from this. You know, you've
never worked some of these muscles before. I'm assuming some
people or most of people, So I think it was
it was it's mandatory now that it's only like two
weeks and four hours maximum with obviously you have like
these interviews and you're like what at four hours, you know,
you're not really getting the full But it's safety I
(08:38):
think issues total.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
And that makes total sense. I remember my back was
really bad. I it was pre back surgery for me,
and I had had a bad back for like ten years.
So the practices were definitely grueling. But I mean, you know,
I'm kind of mentioning negatives. It was an amazing experience.
Like I I've had a great time on the show.
(09:02):
I got to dance, which I love to do. I
got to meet a bunch of great people and the
crews and the producers, and I loved it. I mean,
I really do wish I could have lasted longer. My
I always say, my claim to fame is that Holyfield.
Wait a second, was it master P on your season?
No til John O'Hurley.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Yeah, Helly Monico, Rachel, Rachel, Yes, the supermodel Rachel mac
and Joey. I mean, come on, a Vander Holyfield, I
love you, but come on, I mean, there was no
First of all, let me just like tell the audience
and the listeners, really what how hard this is?
Speaker 2 (09:47):
So okay?
Speaker 1 (09:48):
I always say the slower dances are the hardest because
you see everything. So you know, Len Goodman rest in peace,
you know. Oh my god, that broke my heart. I
hope I'm sending love to him and his family. But
you know, it was amazing when he actually pointed out.
I don't know if you remember the comments. I just
watched it recently. It's almost like black and white television
(10:08):
at this point, right like the oh my god, even
like season two, you're like, wait a second, we're borderline
black and white, like this is how old?
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Oh my god?
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Anyway, I remember him saying that you know, props to
Louis for giving you basic choreography and nowadays, yeah, it's
not about basic choreography. It's it's all about like tricks
and flips and you know. But for me, and I
would say same for Louis, I don't want to speak
for him, but we come from the ballroom world. So
(10:37):
like I wasn't allowed to, for example, be taught any
choreography until I did years and years of just rumba walks.
Do you remember rumba walks?
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Yeah? Right, Oh, but I mean rumba and I hate it.
It's so hard, so hard think about it. What I
just told you about the intimacy, and I was like,
I was like, I just met this guy and I
don't grind it and I can like connect in that
like l way, So I was so bummed because our
(11:08):
jive was the next one and it was good.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
And Louis's like a master a gibe. But let me
just also say, you were dancing to Lionel Ritchie. I
am so sorry, Like that's not necessarily a song you
want to grind up to someone with, you know, It's
not like you're dancing to Endless Love. Like I am
all about I danced to the music and whatever the
music makes me feel. If I were to do a
(11:32):
rumba to light Al Richie endless Love, which I have
in the past, it is more about the romantic chemistry
between the two people. It's the elegance of the rumba
and mind you love you Carrie Anne and Bruno. But
I must say the only ballroom person at that time
with that experience was Len Goodman, and he gave you
a seven. And I have to say for week two,
(11:52):
a seven is a ten from Len, and I thought
he gave you like an average score. And I think
you know, obviously you don't have anything compare it to.
You've never there's never been another season. But that was hard,
like less is more, and it's always harder to dance
and move in stillness than it is to have a
bunch of steps. Right, That's why you probably loved the
(12:13):
jive because there was so busy, busy, busy, busy, and
the simplicity of the rum. But it takes years, it
takes years to even look not awkward, and you didn't
look awkward.
Speaker 4 (12:25):
You did an amazing job.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
Thank you. I mean I definitely felt like I was
I had no idea what I was doing, and I
was just kind of going for it. I mean, the
waltz was better to me, Like, I felt like the waltz.
I had more fun with it because it was more
like Princess and like you know it was it was
(12:47):
more pretty and the rumba was more like sensual.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
I think you.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
I think you executed perfectly.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
It's supposed to be not I mean again, you're dancing
delight on Richie like there's nothing central. I'm sorry, Litel,
but there's really enough sexy and hot about him. But anyway,
moving forward, So if Ryan got asked to do Dancing
with the Stars, would you how would you feel about that?
Speaker 2 (13:10):
I don't know if he would, but if he did, if.
Speaker 4 (13:12):
He wanted to, would you give your blessing?
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Yeah? I would be all for it.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
And who would you want him to dance with? Oh?
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Gosh, someone who's married you. I'm retired, girl, retired.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
I love Whitney and Lindsay Julianne. I mean, if she
came back, I would love him. So she's a host?
Speaker 3 (13:30):
No?
Speaker 2 (13:31):
Is she all right? That's right? She's I love that.
I love It's amazing. Who else a Jenna Vow's wife.
He comes, So, my daughter is a competitive dancer and
she's been at competition ballroom. Yeah, ballroom really, that's amazing. Yeah,
well no, no, no, no, my daughter is doing competitive dance,
(13:53):
but they have ballroom class.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
So I heard in another interview that you did.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
I don't know if it was recently, but you said
that you wanted your daughter to take part in Dancing
with the Stars Juniors or was that something she wanted?
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Totally something she wants. So she follows a couple people.
We went to Utah and it was one of the
Break the Floor competition and Camrie was there, and Camray's
been on the show. And I didn't know who Camri
was until Blakesley told me that she had been on
Dancing with the Stars. So I walked up to her
and introduced myself and I'm like, I'm bored of the
(14:24):
Dancing the Stars before we were born. I always say
that to these kids. I did Dancing with the Stars Juniors.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
I don't know if they're doing it anymore, but they
did like one season of it, and I was like,
you have no clue the history.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Of the show.
Speaker 2 (14:38):
Kids, you don't even know what a CD is.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
Like we used to rehearse the CDs for God's sake, totally.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
They were like not even oh my god, bigments of
their parents' imagination, you know, or or hopes or realities. Yeah, no,
she would love to. She is fourteen. And I think
I even texted Dina after I met camer and just said, Okay,
if you ever do the show again, will you consider
my daughter because she would love it. She love it.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Well, she has an unfair advantage because she has dance experience.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
So kid, I mean, yeah, right, no, all of them did,
by the way, And same with these celebrities. I mean,
don't tell me Nicole Scherzinger didn't have any dance experience.
Pair her with Derek Huff and you're like, I might
as well quit. Thank you, thank you so much for
this season. Like really, you ain't gonna win, but you
(15:33):
could be the extra backup dancers. Okay, great, great, I'll
hire you.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
I'm just jealous.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
So I guess I want to like talk about because
I didn't even meet your guys' host, your co host
at that time. I forgot her name. What's her name again, Lisa?
I think Lisa. So it was so different, like I'm
really good friends with Kelly Monico. We became like really
good friends and.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Will you tell her high for me? Sorry, that's I will.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
For sure, I will. And there was that weird summer
spin off, like the whole thing was weird. That was
the first wardrobe malfunction. I remember that got like a
lot of press, which was not a malfunction. You didn't
see any nipple. You definitely saw the dress like come off,
but like Nancy Grace's nipple, on the other hand, was
definitely they had to blur that out quick. Yeah, which
(16:26):
is now we get pedal checked, meaning like a woman
will walk around one of the producers, she'll be like
Cheryl pedal check and I have to flash her at
show her but.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
That I'm wearing petals. Yeah, uh huh, yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
I know.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
It's it's insanity actually, but I get it. No one
wants to, you know, we're trying to be family friendly
in these like skimpy costumes. Still makes no sense to
be and then dry humping on TV.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
But it's okay.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
But wait, so you and Louie, So I'm you know,
I've known Louie. So Louie got me this job. So
he got me Dancy to the Stars. He did so
after you know, this season, after your guys the season,
they wanted to recruit more professional dancers and he recommended me.
And at the time, I was living in Harlem with
my dance partner, starving dancer. I wasn't happy. I was like, fine,
(17:11):
you know, I'm gonna try this. Couldn't speak in front
of the camera. I was like, I sounded like a
little mouse, like a really high pitch voice, my really
short hair, with my dumb and dumber bangs, like it
was crazy. But like I was just like, sure, what
do I have to lose? Probably not going to get
the job, but hey, I can't teach because I was
(17:32):
just turning pro. I was in the amateur competitive circuit,
so this was like all new to me. Anyway, props
to Louis. I thank him all the time for, you know,
this opportunity. But you know, Louis intense and but he
also like he was someone I looked up to in
the competitive world. He was definitely, you know, a champion,
(17:55):
and I know that. You know, ballroom is an interesting
sport because it is very detailed and it's just no bs, right,
and with partner dancing, it's like a relationship you're like
in an arranged marriage, Like hello, I simmeech you, let's
do this thing. And communication is key. I mean everything
(18:16):
about it is similar to being in an intimate relationship,
and you probably had nothing to compare it to. I
guess for me, And my question is, you know, how
how did you guys get along? Like, did you guys
get along right away? You said you didn't really hang
out as much. Did you guys hang out off camera?
Did you guys talk? Did you guys have good communication?
Speaker 2 (18:38):
We talked, but we didn't because he was living, like
I said, he was living in Utah. I didn't. I
didn't move to LA. He wasn't in LA. So they
basically just hired the pros and wherever you were, like,
your pro would come to you. And so it kind
of was, I don't know, a little unfair. I feel like,
(19:00):
so now like you're you're in the same city as
your pro and that's you know, the producer's responsibility or
the show's responsibility to get you guys together. So I
feel like, had we had the opportunity to at least
be in the same frickin city, you know, so we
could go out to dinner afterwards, I feel like our
(19:20):
practices were our rehearsals. We were, you know, super speedy,
right right, really didn't have time to hang out. The
only time we got to hang out was when we
flew to La to prep for the show, so to
do the like rehearsals in studio.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
Okait, So you weren't living in La at that time.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
No, I was living in Colorado.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
About it, now, I get it, got it?
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Yes? Sorry, Okay, that was driving from Utah to Colorado.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
Did you look at any like ballroom footage prior to show,
prior to saying yes to this show?
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Or teeny bit like a teamy bit. I remember the
producers telling me, or maybe it was Andrea telling me
it was based on on like the concept that the show, yeah,
strictly ballroom or whatever they come dancing, it's like the
Safely in England. Yeah, no, no, no, there's a movie
with strictly strictly dance or strictly ballroom strictly. But yeah,
(20:13):
that's my thought. So, you know, spark Ballroom exactly. So
I think I watched that, and honestly that and maybe
a couple clips of Strictly Come Dancing, but nothing to
where I really had a clue, Like I didn't know
all of the different styles. I didn't know, Like, yeah,
(20:33):
I had heard of the waltz before, you know, just
from like from old movie there, Yeah, Cotilian, which I
didn't do. Yeah, but like I didn't know any of
the Latin dances. I mean, obviously I knew what chachaw was,
but it was it's very like, it was very, very
very basic.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Would you think that, Like, were you shocked when you
got eliminated? Obviously you didn't. Okay, So wait, another thing
that people don't know. First of all, when you hear
this package, like when you heard y rumba package meaning
the studio rehearsal footage, you do not actually hear it
during dress rehearsal. You don't know what your story is about.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
You know nothing.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
All you know is that you've got to dance live soon,
especially when they call you and you're up right and
then all of a sudden you hear and maybe see
at that time your package for the first time. Did
that throw you off when it was a tension package?
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Totally? So, like you said, you're standing backstage, you're ready
to go on because they've got you positioned, so you're
ready to go on right after the package runs, right
or in the middle of the package, they're like running
you out. I think I was actually on the stage
watching it on the huge screen with everyone else, right
of course, with a live audience. Yeah, in front of
(21:51):
a live audience that I'm supposed to perform it in
front of in like thirty seconds, you know. So it
was definitely off putting because, first of all, okay, so
you're trying to have this intimate dance with someone, You're
trying to connect with, someone who you don't know that well,
and in front of live minies and then they they
(22:14):
I believe the package was talking about how I felt uncomfortable,
how like it was uncomfortable to me to dance with someone,
so like intimately walked away.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Also, at some point it was like major tension. And
then Ryan showed up, assuming that the producers wanted to
incorporate your obviously your newlyweds right at that time or not.
So yeah, yeah, so they wanted him, they wanted to
get him in there, but hopefully I'm sure you wanted
that to happen in a different light totally.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
I mean, I didn't want him to look like a
jealous guy, you know, at all. Right, So I'm like,
oh my god, my husband's going to be so pissed
at me because this is happening. And and the part where,
like we have both said, Louis is intense and a
very strong personality, and especially when he's teaching someone like
for me, I am, I'm a strong personality too, And
(23:06):
I was trying to like do the things that he
was asking me to do, but based on my dance experience,
which you know, I had learned for years and years
and years and years to do something a certain way,
and he wanted me to just completely change how I
would had always learned how to, you know, learn to dance,
and this was completely new to me. I had never
(23:28):
a dance ballroom and had never really even seen it.
So I got frustrated. And so of course, you know,
it's reality television, They're going to use that drama. But
I'm standing on the stage getting ready to perform, and
it was so freaking stressful. So yes, thank you for
reminding me of that, because I do feel like that
(23:48):
definitely played a part in my stress levels. And like
I don't know the performance even, like how can you
expect someone to get out there and perform and do
what they're supposed to do when they're like it, Especially me,
I'm very analytical and very in my head, and so
I'm like, oh my gosh, my husband's watching watching this
(24:08):
package as I'm dancing, and he's gonna be millions of
other people.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
Yeah, no, I know.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
And so nowadays, just so you know what we do is,
first of all, you can kind of and I don't
know if you've had you obviously had experience already on
reality television prior to Dancing with the Stars, So you
did you have an inkling? Like, first of all, how
did they even know that Ryan was asking you questions
about your experience.
Speaker 4 (24:32):
With I'm sure they asked me.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
I'm sure I told them I'm kind of an open
book and so af sure I just talked about it.
Who knows?
Speaker 4 (24:40):
And did they say to you like, we definitely want
to incorporate your husband and that we think we should
bring him in.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
You don't remember, I don't remember. I do know. I
do remember him coming to a rehearsal and just just
to watch and actually he had just gotten me a
new puppy, al so, like he brought the puppy to rehearsal.
And so they you know, they showcased that, they didn't
show that they didn't they didn't know what. I didn't
(25:06):
see any puppy on there. I did show I thought
he was carrying something. I just did look too deep
into it. But it was definitely not about the puppy. No, no, yes,
so any And it wasn't like he didn't bring it
to me and surprised me at the rehearsal, but we
had just gotten it.
Speaker 4 (25:22):
Do you think that that influenced your elimination?
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Oh, I'm sure I played a part. Also, I feel like,
you know, like the viewers, if the viewers had seen
the like puppy and the sweet husband and like they
had just rooted for us on the Bachelorette, and you know,
if they saw like a sweet story, maybe they would
have been like, Okay, we want her to stick around more.
(25:47):
Who knows. Also, I do have to say I had
multiple people telling me that that I that were friends
of mine, like personal friends of mine, including family members
who tried to vote and they were not alone to vote,
So there was like a voting glitch that happened that
I told producers about. And of course they're like, there's
(26:07):
nothing we can do about it. So who knows what happened.
It's freaking water under the bridge. I don't care.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
It is what it is. And by the way, that's
what has to happen. I mean, you can't see anything
from that table, especially with the cameras moving and all
of that stuff. So it's like that's important to be
prepped now. But as far as scoring goes six seven
six is a solid score for week two, Like honestly,
that's like nowadays that is considered a great score. So obviously, yes,
(26:36):
I say the package. I always say this to my
dance partners. This is the order of importance here. It's
not your dancing. Number one is your package. Number two
is the way you look like as far as like
the movement of your dress, the wardrobe, the chemistry between
your partner, then the dance like it happens later and
then actually before the dance is just like for me,
(26:57):
I think people want to see your interview backstage. They
want to see that is so important to connect to
the audience. Like when I dance with Emmitt Smith, Mario
Lopez was you know that season as well, and obviously
you know he's got some dance experience and he was
the better technical dancer, Like if you were to really
just judge this on pure dancing, but Emmett was the
(27:19):
person that you wanted to vote for because I point
back there because that's him back there anyway.
Speaker 5 (27:23):
Yeah, I dug that up out of my stuff I
stole from the dance studio. No, I'm kidding, but like
you know, Emmett was the fan favorite because of the journey,
Like people do not want to root for someone who's
already great. Like the psychology behind these packages is quite interesting.
(27:45):
I wish people would do more, would talk about it more,
because it really has everything to do with if you're
going to be voted off or not.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
You're so right, what you should do is do you
like a coaching class for all the people who come
on the show. Like it's not easy for sure, and
I wish that, Yeah, I wish that it would have
been different. Like it's interesting to think about the packages
and like whether or not that like kind of like
(28:17):
jealousy component. And I wonder if people thought of me
as like because I wasn't getting along with Louis, that
I was being difficult and so I was the difficult
one when they don't see the entire rehearsal, and they
don't know my story, like completely, especially the judges, like
I hadn't I maybe met them like briefly, you know,
(28:40):
so they don't They don't know my full story. They
don't know the struggles that I was dealing with, like mentally,
not like physically. Obviously I had back problems, but whatever, Like,
it's the mental component, and I.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Would say more about that, because I there's a whole
I mean, this is another episode in itself.
Speaker 4 (28:57):
It is a me. It's mentally the mental health of everything.
Can you speak more about that?
Speaker 2 (29:03):
It's hard because first of all, you're on television, so
you're putting yourself out there. And I was comfortable with
reality television, so that part wasn't necessarily hard for me.
But for people who are like athletes or like have
never experienced the cameras in their face all the time,
that is a really big component, I would think. So
(29:24):
that wasn't that for me. It was dealing with a
person that I have to immediately respect. I don't know
Louie from Adam, right, and I know that he's a
champion and I know he should be respected, but I'm
also like, I'm brand new to this, can you like
maybe treat me with a little more compassion, you know.
(29:45):
Louie was just like, we're going, we're gonna win this.
You're you're a dancer. Oh and that too? Is that
Like I came into it with a dance background, and
I think that it was like held against me, kind
of like how you said, and it was like, you know,
everyone I wanted to emit, Yeah, exactly, the underdogs. So
I came into this thinking, Okay, I've got a dance background,
(30:05):
so at least I know like timing, and I know
how to learn choreography, or at least I thought I did.
And like people, I think that people probably said whatever,
she thinks she's gonna.
Speaker 1 (30:18):
Win the judges as well, honey, Like the judges are
gonna make be harder on you.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Totally totally. So anyway, I feel like had I not
had any dance experience and I came in there and
this had the same struggles, people would have felt sorry
for me and would have rooted for me more so
who knows.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
I mean, this is You're right, You're right, listen, You're right.
I also think that if you had another season prior
to to your season, you would be not as I guess, hesitant,
like this was a normal thing because you would have
seen it like you would have been like, oh, so
the dry humping is one of the qual the things
that I need to do. Okay, let me just make
sure that this is something I want to do.
Speaker 4 (30:56):
You know like it?
Speaker 1 (30:58):
I think you again, I don't you know, that was
a really hard position you were in. You had nothing
to compare it to, and that is so hard. It is,
that's so hard for us.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
I think for our season, we had nothing to compare
it to. I was just I was just comfortable being
in front of the camera. I was comfortable dancing. I
was excited to dance. I was excited to try this
new type of dancing for me, and I had so
much fun, like making the connections with the people and
(31:29):
actually being back in rehearsal again. But it was it
was definitely draining and beside mind you, my head is
spending constantly with like having knowing the dances right, like
you don't have a lot of time to learn it.
I think the jive we had started early, so we
had started learning it even though we got booted, so
(31:50):
we didn't finish learning it. I don't know. I was
always like worried about whether or not I was going
to get the dance. If I was going to get
the step, I would know it by that night. And
I'm trying to plan travel and you know, spend time
with my new husband, and we had a new puppy,
and so life was like, you know, I didn't have kids.
A chaotic, but it's just chaotic, and your brain is
(32:12):
constantly going, going, going, And like if you are a
person who isn't super confident in something, I was not
confident at all in my ability to dance ballroom. I
was just worried. I was stressed out.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
See this is what they should have had in your package.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
It's like, it's literally this, because I'm also very analytical
to fault. Yeah, especially since I've been sober for the
past five years, I am even oh my god, no
wonder I used to drink. I feel sorry for my
own brain. But like literally, I mean they'll tell you,
the producers here at iHeart, they'll freaking tell you they're like, well,
you got a research, but you're.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Good at that.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Like I know, like I get it, I get I
get it. Like sometimes it's not necessarily it worked more
against me than it works for me, especially when you're
dealing with the arts.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Ye like I.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
You know, my very first two seasons, I won because
I was not necessarily in my right mind, because I
wasn't over analyzing everything. And as I there's a pattern here,
like once I stopped drinking, I just I started thinking
too much. And when I start to, like I started
writing my own choreography out on paper like you did,
(33:21):
and that probably would know it by heart, just like
the man the men's step, the mail step, and the
woman's steps. Like I'm like, what am I doing? Like
why am I doing this to myself? And then I
start to with that comes questioning yourself because you're like,
wait a second, am I doing I never forget this.
I was dancing with Chado Josinko, and this was the
(33:41):
first time I had this, I guess, this feeling of
like noticing my thoughts right, like stepping back and seeing
my thoughts. And I literally was tricking myself. And I
was like, well, what if I fuck up my own choreography?
Speaker 4 (33:54):
What if? What if? What if?
Speaker 2 (33:55):
What if?
Speaker 4 (33:56):
And I did and it threw him off.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
Oh and then.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
Ever since then, it's like been look I was still
like a drink. I'm an addict, Like I was still
drinking then, But it was like that was the turn
of events for me where it was like it was
a downhill.
Speaker 4 (34:12):
A slippery slope basically.
Speaker 1 (34:14):
And I know that, and I know, but also, let's
not let's be a little forgiving too of each other
because of the fact that we're on camera, like this
little thing is not normal, Like, of course you're gonna
question yourself. And I always say to my partners too,
like the most important thing is to be vulnerable because
you're not gonna know what the hell even if you
(34:34):
have dance experience. Actually, I think that hurts you because
you have to untrain your brain, like the fact that
you have to untrain the brain instead of when I
have someone like emmittt, I can mold him. Plus he's
an athlete. Plus he's eating, shitting, drinking, dancing, you know that.
Naturally they do that as athletes, especially when you're like
him and you're like one of the greats. Right, So
(34:56):
he's doing the homework.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
And that's what I had a problem with. I needed
to learn the steps, and LOUI was just like feel it.
I'm like, but I don't know what to feel. No,
I love Louis. I love Louis too. Anyway, it was
just hard.
Speaker 1 (35:19):
Would you do this again? Would you do Dancing with
the Stars again? And if so, who would you want
to dance with? I mean, honestly, no, Louis won't be
listening to this, right.
Speaker 2 (35:28):
I'm sure he will. He'll be right on it. I
I probably would, and and I would, I would, and
I'm hesitant about it just because life right now is
about my kids and like and my husband in the schedule,
so I know how grueling it is. Like, I know
that basically these people move off to LA and they're
(35:49):
there for months on end. And what hasn't changed is
the fact that, like you said, you're dry humping, you know,
with someone. And I know my husband wouldn't be super
on that still to this day, even though we've been
married for twenty years.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Or even if he knew that Louis is gay, like
it would still be exactly.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
It's still hard. It's still hard. So that would be
a conversation I would have to have with Ryan. I
would love the opportunity, I mean more so, I would
actually love the opportunity for my daughter to be on
the junior show. But if it was like, bring back
the people, all the people who were eliminated first or not,
maybe all of them, because there's been a whole lot
of seasons, but maybe you know a little the good ones,
(36:29):
the good ones, the good ones, yea, how they do
the good ones that were eliminated too soon? Because there's
a few. Yeah, thank you, thank you so anyway, and
and mind you, I always say this, I was one
of six, so it's like I got to this.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
He made the final.
Speaker 1 (36:44):
For God's sakes, you made the semifinal. You definitely, Ma,
there's like sixteen couples nowadays, like you.
Speaker 4 (36:50):
Were top six.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
That is that's when you're already at the you're at
halftime and you're like, I never want to see my
partner again.
Speaker 4 (36:57):
Anything he does is annoying.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
He stinks, he smells, he's so gross, Like you hate
each other, like you hit that like seven year itch
almost in a relationship and you're like disgusting, you're not funny.
Speaker 4 (37:09):
Shut up.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
Yeah, yes, so you're at that, monk. I would love
to do the show. I just I am also fifty
years old, and so girl.
Speaker 4 (37:19):
Fifty years young, fifty years young.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
Love you look amazing. Hey, my body like probably wouldn't
move that well. I did just have so I think
I mentioned this in the beginning. I was a Mimy
heat dancer and we just had an alumni reunion and
so I got to actually like dance on the court
again and it was so much fun. I had the
best time. But it's just I mean, it's a lot
(37:42):
about schedule and if I could mental health and mental
health true, but going into it having this conversation and
I would call you and be like, okay.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
Little yeah, absolutely, girl, I'm telling you I should write
a book on how like how to prepare for this?
Have you speaking of have you been have you given
any advice to like the our alumni that have been
a part of the Bachelor Bachelorette franchise or anyone like.
Speaker 4 (38:06):
The Golden Bachelor. Would you want? I think he would
be great.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
It would be amazing. That was actually the first time
I met him. I showed a video I think it's
on a post that I did on Instagram. He was like,
let's dance, and he like danced with me and sang
at last to me as we were dancing.
Speaker 4 (38:26):
I was like, Okay, charming, He's.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
Very charming and very wholesome, and I think that would
be the perfect combination for him. Stars. So it's funny
that you ask, because if, like, if I've talked to
any of the Bachelor, Bachelor and people about Dancing with
the Stars, because I was just on another podcast talking
about how for me, like, I'm kind of more like
(38:52):
old school since I'm og and and it. Whenever I
hear that a new person a person is going to
go straight from getting engaged or being at the end
of the show to being on Dancing with the Stars,
I get very worried. I'm very maternal towards all of
(39:13):
these kids because they're a lot younger than me, and
I just I get protective of their relationship because I
feel like it is really freaking hard, really freakin' hard.
It takes a really strong connection and relationship to be
able to get through the mental part and the stress
(39:34):
and the jealousy part of Dancing with the Stars, and
so I feel like it's really hard for me. I
am very supportive of anyone who wants to go on
the show. That would be completely hypocritical if I was like,
don't go do Dancing with the Stars. But at the
same time. I didn't do it right after we got engaged.
It was a couple years at least after, and I
(39:56):
just feel like I want to tell them just wait,
maybe there will be another opportunity. Like Caitlin Bristow, she
got to do it way after her show aired, you know,
her Bachelorette. I just I get worried, as kind of
ther g of the Bachelorette, that these couples are not
going to be able to last because they just met
(40:17):
each other, like they don't even know each other totally totally.
And it's a lot. It's a lot, and it's not
just the all the the stress and the mental part
of it. It's like you're gone, You're actually at reharseeah
no oh you are eating, breathing. Like I said, this
is it. It consumes your whole life if you want
to even do well.
Speaker 4 (40:37):
Period.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
End of discussion, Like because let's be real, like yes,
we have our scheduled rehearsal time, but like there's also
you know, we got to continue there are I'm just
like totally because like this is not necessary, you.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
Know, like making sure whatever. I don't know.
Speaker 1 (40:56):
There's also fittings, there's interviews, there's all this stuff. It's
seven days a week, now, would you be? I mean
I think I don't know if they've ever done this,
would they have? Maybe if they had both the cup
the couple like doing it meaning like Ryan, yes, like
if they had the yeah, newly engaged couple.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Yeah, yeah, I would be totally for that.
Speaker 4 (41:15):
Yeah, I'm not going to be I'm not going to
give them more ideas that I already have getting I've like,
I have so many ideas, like as far as like
making it work right and I think that but still
that would really be a test to a relationship. But
there is no foundation yet, right, Like I don't know
what this is.
Speaker 1 (41:33):
I don't know how it's like I've never been a
part of it. But like I'm pretty sure that this
is all on camera, right, everything's all on camera. Very
rarely did you even have time to have a private conversation,
is that right?
Speaker 2 (41:45):
Once? Like essentially once or twice so Ryan and I
I remember during my hometown date with him, he we
were in the car together and he passed me a
note that I read to myself like that that was
kind of like on our own time, but it was
like I was reading a note that he wrote, So
it wasn't like we were face to face, and then
you have that he was falling in love with me.
Speaker 4 (42:09):
Oh my god, that's.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
Still have it so and then you know the fantasy suite.
So if you accept the like fantasy suite together, then
the cameras go away and you get that night to
be able. Everyone thinks that it's just about sex. It's not.
It is very much so about not having the cameras
in your face and being able to have like real
(42:33):
conversations about how you're doing in the process and not
feel like you can't share because the camera's going to
last it to the world.
Speaker 4 (42:42):
You know, how many hours is that though? It's a
night only? Or is it all day and night?
Speaker 2 (42:46):
It's a night only? Got it? Got it? Got it?
There's you can count on, you know, probably one hand
the number of hours. Well, actually probably two hands, and.
Speaker 1 (42:58):
Maybe depending if you sleep or not.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
Yeah, you don't sleep.
Speaker 1 (43:04):
Yeah, I'm pretty sure you want to talk, but right, right,
or if you hate each other, go straight to bed,
but not in the same one, not in the same bed.
Speaker 4 (43:13):
But do wait, I have a question.
Speaker 1 (43:15):
So you weren't even married when you did Dancing with
the Stars. You were engaged, we were mar you were
for two years?
Speaker 2 (43:21):
You said, yeah, exactly, we got married in two thousand
and three, So if it was in two thousand and five,
it was two years maybe if it was two thousand
and four, so.
Speaker 1 (43:31):
You were able to discuss that you got this offer.
How do you feel about it?
Speaker 4 (43:36):
Like, do you even know? Like you had no idea
because you have never seen the show.
Speaker 2 (43:40):
Although although so after they're done taping, there's about three
months at least there was for me. I don't know
if that's changed at all drastically, but you have three
months between when you stop filming and when it airs.
Speaker 4 (43:52):
So what you do is you have Dancing with the Stars.
Speaker 2 (43:55):
No, no, no, sorry, Bachelor. Oh okay. So they once
they get engaged, they like these little times where you
can like I can't remember what they call them. Rendezvous
were what they call them during my season. So you go, like,
we went to Vegas one time, but we're just in
a condo, like, you know, spending time together. So that's
kind of when you're really getting to know each other
(44:16):
after you've gotten engaged, which is crazy, but they they
had they have had you know, that time since the
show stopped airing since they got engaged, so charity Charity
will have that time to get to know Dalton. But
like your point of them doing it together is genius
(44:37):
because they could share the experience together and like it's like, yeah,
the guy is with the girl, but the girl is
with the guy, so how can you hold ana?
Speaker 1 (44:47):
And then if there like if they're with like Val
and Jenna, then it's like the married couple against the
almost married couple.
Speaker 2 (44:54):
Yes, I love it. I mean that would be that
would be brilliant.
Speaker 1 (44:58):
So what is your advice like to you know, to charity,
like moving into this whole. Like, first of all, you know,
she's never been on television. I'm assuming not to this
you know extreme, I guess, And I'm sure she's getting recognized.
Like I remember my ten seconds of Fabe, you know,
like it was pretty intense, especially coming just from like
(45:21):
a dance world where you don't necessarily no one knows you.
You know, it's just it's a lot. So when you're
shooting the Bachelorette, are you even outside of the cameras,
meaning like do people is it like Big Brother where
you're like you don't really know what it's going to be,
Like people's reactions to you because or has she already
shot it?
Speaker 4 (45:40):
Like how she's already shot it?
Speaker 2 (45:42):
So you can't like wear your ring around like you
keep that on the DL.
Speaker 4 (45:48):
You have to not go out in public.
Speaker 2 (45:51):
Well you can go out in public for sure, but
you can't go out in public together until right it's announced.
Speaker 1 (45:58):
So so they haven't really gotten to know each other
too much. I mean maybe via zoom or FaceTime.
Speaker 2 (46:04):
Well that's what I said, the rendezvous that they have
so to go on these scripts together, and they've I
think that Charity told me that they had maybe like
six or something so far. So they've had a lot
of opportunities to like be without cameras and like hang
out and really truly get to know each other and
create that foundation.
Speaker 4 (46:22):
Okay, and how are they Are They pretty solid? Do
you think?
Speaker 2 (46:26):
I think they're very solid? Okay? Good? Excited for them.
I think that I think that even if she had
chosen Joey, who was the other person, like, it seems
like they had great chemistry too, so I feel like
they would have been solid too. But I'm really hopeful
for her. And I was on the mental all her
season and it was me and Deanna and Desiree came
(46:49):
back as bachelorette's and gave her kind of advice, and
I would I would give her the same advice about
Dancing with the Stars. It's really about obviously, you need
to prioritize dancing with the Stars because you've signed up
for it. You need to rehearse, you need to be
there for all the interviews and the press and all that. Right,
so yes, but priority needs to be your relationship. Like
(47:12):
if you if you are in a heated discussion with
your fiance and a producer calls, don't answer the call,
like call you know, have them reschedule or what? Do
you know what I mean? Like, prioritize your relationship as
much as you can, and then and then request for Louis.
Speaker 4 (47:32):
Because we all know now he's harmless exactly.
Speaker 2 (47:36):
He's harmless. No, I feel like prioritization is definitely the advice,
just period across the board. And then because you are
in this whirlwind, you are like getting all these opportunities
to go to parties and you know, work with companies
and whatever. And I feel like you just as long
as you keep your relationship number one, you'll hopefully come
(48:01):
out unscathed. Do you know, yeah, and then and then
I think you know, just like you said, communication it's
really important for you and your dance partner, but it's
even more important for her new fiance.
Speaker 1 (48:12):
And by the way, they're gonna want him on camera,
so it's the whole thing, Like just include him. And
who would you want her to dance with? I mean,
oh gosh, I'm someone who's not single or horny.
Speaker 2 (48:23):
True, exactly like ardam Is is he.
Speaker 4 (48:27):
He's very married? Oh yeah, he's married. He's married. Most
of them are married except for Alan stay far away
from that guy. I'm kidding, kidding and Globe.
Speaker 2 (48:38):
Yes, it's true, like being someone who's married so that
the relationship isn't tested as much as it would.
Speaker 1 (48:44):
Be, or who doesn't play for our team, you know,
like exactly right, yea like Louis Yeah, agreed, Yeah, okay,
Well tell me about forget about everybody else. This was
so fun, Like I could talk to you for freaking weeks.
With our analytical brains, we would be NonStop. But tell
(49:04):
me about you now? How's life now?
Speaker 4 (49:08):
Where are you? What are you working on?
Speaker 2 (49:10):
Life is good. We are actually currently moving. As we
shared that we share this good before we started recording.
So I have been living in the Vale Valley, which
is in Colorado, for twenty years. After Ryan and I
got together on the show, I moved to Vail and
(49:31):
we bought the house and have lived in it since.
So we've brought both our kids home there and they
know nothing else, and we just decided to move to Denver,
so we're only a couple hours away. Brian has been
working for Denver Fire for three years and so he's
been commuting back and forth two hours whenever he has
to work, and that takes a toll. We have family
(49:54):
here who were actually living with until we find a
house and sell ours, which has been a little st too,
But so the move is a big part of life
right now. And then I am just, you know, still
playing mom as my number one role and trying to
stay organized with all of their activities competitive dancing, my
son plays hockey and all of that stuff, and then
(50:18):
kind of on the side whenever we can get a
guest to come on and chat with us. Bob Guiney
and I he was Bob, I know, wait, why hasn't
Bob done Dancing with the Stars, brou That's a really
good question. They should totally have Bob do it. I
love that idea. He's a great personality. He would come
to the show all the time. Awesome. I know he's awesome.
(50:42):
So we host the Almost Famous OG podcast. So Almost
Famous started with Ashley, I and Ben and has been
pretty successful, I think in terms of podcast land, very successful,
and they had us on the show. Actually, Bob and
I did an interview together I don't know, a couple
(51:02):
of years ago, and we got on text afterwards and
we're like, that was so fun. We need to do
something together, and we reached out to Sugarman and big
shout out. I met Amy back in the day on
the Ryan Seacrest Show, or even with oh gosh, what
(51:23):
was his name one of the radio DJs that he
she used to represent. Still so connected with Sugarman and
she was like, come on, Almost Famous and then we
ended up doing ogs. So it's been really fun because
we get to talk to people from you know, the
(51:43):
beginning of Bachelor, Bachelorette, and you.
Speaker 4 (51:47):
Can do it from the comfort of your own home,
still be there for your kids.
Speaker 2 (51:51):
Yes exactly. So it's like the perfect job. I love podcasting.
I had a podcast called Better Et cetera. And I
loved doing it, but I kind of did too much,
and I feel like I didn't have iHeart behind me
to like do all the things that they do, and
(52:11):
they're so good at it that it makes it like
so easy to like jump on a zoom, have a
really fun conversation for twenty minutes, an hour or whatever,
and then get back to my life, you know.
Speaker 4 (52:24):
Perfect.
Speaker 2 (52:25):
So yeah, anyway, thank.
Speaker 4 (52:26):
You so much for your time, Trista. It was so fun.
Speaker 1 (52:29):
You'd like to really just be able to talk and
share some experiences that we have in common.
Speaker 4 (52:34):
So thank you so much for your time.
Speaker 2 (52:37):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (52:38):
Make sure you guys follow us at sex Lies and
spray tands on our Instagram handle and make sure your
comment let me know who you want me to interview.
Speaker 4 (52:46):
What do you all think? Let me know
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
The Nikki Glaser Podcast
Every week comedian and infamous roaster Nikki Glaser provides a fun, fast-paced, and brutally honest look into current pop-culture and her own personal life.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.