November 8, 2023 • 54 mins
From BSB to DWTS! "Everybody" got the opportunity to see his killer dance moves on stage as a member of the best-selling boy band group of all time and as a contestant on season 29 of "Dancing with the Stars!"
Cheryl's former dance partner, AJ McLean, is on the pod and is not holding back! He shares his conspiracy theory on their elimination, who he thinks will win this season, why he's back on DWTS (yes, you read that right), and who freaked out when they saw him!
Plus, an update on how he and his wife are doing, when his solo record is coming out, the many other projects he is working on, and a special rapid-fire boy band edition!
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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is Sex, Lies and Spray Tands with Me Cheryl
Burke and iHeartRadio Podcast. My next guest is known for
more than being one of my many dance partners that
I've had on Dancing with the Stars, is he's made
such a huge impact worldwide when it comes to his
many talents, but more importantly for his transparency and vulnerability
when it comes to speaking out about his journey towards sobriety,
(00:21):
which has inspired me and millions of other people as well.
I'll never forget the week we danced ot Rumba on
the show, as we dedicated that dance to anyone who
has ever dealt with addiction, and how powerful that was
to so many people, including a couple of the crew
members who actually came up to us after our performance
and tears thinking as for our dance and for the
impact that we had made. Though we haven't sat down
and talked in a while, I have so much love
(00:43):
and respect for my next guests. I also want to
give a trigger warning before bringing my next guest on,
as a part of this interview will be about addiction, alcoholism, sobriety, etc.
So without further ado, please welcome my friend ajmclean a
Hi boo boo. It's almost like you know, we were
(01:06):
doing our podcast pretty messed up, like yeeons ago.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
It is a while ago. It's funny.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Renee and I were literally talking about it.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Like two weeks ago.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
How is Renee?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
He's wonderful, sixty one still standing for sure. Yeah, I'll
be seeing him this weekend for some ass whoopen on
the golf course.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Please give him my love. And he's a whole family honestly,
But how are you because it's like we never Yes,
we've seen each other, We've text, We've definitely text. I
definitely am horrible at keeping in touch. When I don't
have to see some little bit. I will take a
full accountability. It's not about busy. It's just I suck
(01:50):
at it. Like, look, I make time for you, but
like I just suck at it because either you're catching
me when I'm like just don't feel pretty, or or
like I'm doing something like this podcasting or who knows.
But there's no excuses, and I take full accountability. And
I'm sorry I suck at it.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
You're you're immediately forgiven.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
No, man, everything is is good over here. Just celebrated
two years sober. Last two months ago, ship I forgot
what month I'm in. Yeah, because I have moving and
uh yeah, just you know, doing doing doing life.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
You know. Uh. Family is good.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
My girls are taking a I like to put it
in the terms of a sabbatical from competitive dance.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
They're taking a backseat for a year.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
That's great, Like, that's so good.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
They're burned out. They just want to be kids. They
want to spend more time with me. Now that I'm
off for the next well pretty much off for the
next year. I can't say what we're doing in twenty five,
but it's going to be record breaking what the band
is doing in twenty.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
You're gonna have to tell me when we're not recording.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Yes, I can definitely tell you about Marrier.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
I will sign my life away if I have to
that what's going on.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
No group of our caliber, or actually really no artist
of our caliber, has ever done what we're.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Going to do.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Wow, I wish it was my idea, but it was
my wife's idea seven years ago.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Whoa Rachelle.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Yeah, And I've been planting seeds with the guys for
literally seven years and finally broke through the mold and
we had a big giant team powwow, with management and
agents and everyone, and everyone's on board.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
So wait, that's amazing, is rich? I love that you're
giving your wife credit for this.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
No, I mean she's come up with a lot of
great ideas and she'll she'll always say, hey, bring it
up to the guys.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Don't say I said anything. I'm like, I'm not going
to do that. I'm going to say this was your right.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
You don't tell me. She will because we are DM friends.
So yes, when the.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Other guy's wives make suggestions, they are like to first
be like, well, my wife.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Said this, so I'm gonna do the same thing.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
But yeah, and I'm finishing up finally, it's been two
years working on my solo record, coming to the uh
to the end of the recording process, about to start mixing,
finally releasing it next year.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
In two separate parts.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Wow and uh So how do you juggle every like
all of the group and then your own stuff? And
then you're also not just doing music, you're also on TV.
You're considered a personality, you know.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Yeah, well, you know, you just have to have a
healthy balance. I mean, we are done. We finished up
the DNA tour in May, and we are taking a
year off. Figuratively. We have one thing coming up in
April next year, but aside from that, we are off.
So it's everyone's time to kind of do their own thing.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
So I all have twenty twenty four year off basically
until twenty twenty much.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Got yep, all of twenty twenty four.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
There might be a couple of spot dates here and there,
but it's my year for me. I'm launching a clothing
company and athleisure wear clothing line See Good, as well
as Ava Dean.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
My beauty line is expanding.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
You know, and just yeah, just enjoying being home, finally
finally finishing my fourth step.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Yeah, it's only taking me twenty five fucking years.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
But you know, yes, yes, I hear you, I hear
I now understand why, you know. At first, I was like,
why is it taking daging so long? And I'm like, wait, no,
Now I get it. You really do get it. I do.
It is a lot. To face, it is a lot.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
It is a lot, and I've gotten a little complacent
and I you know, I've literally been at the tail
end of it for about a year and I just
put my book down and put my pen down. I
got busy, but I also just got complacent, and I
was like, I don't want to finish this, but I
know when I do, the freedom I will experiences.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Unlike anything else.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
I'm sure I know I taught.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
I think I talked to you when I was in Arizona.
I was in Arizona this this.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Past summer when you just got back. I think, I think, yeah,
I was.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
There the entire summer.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
When when we finished the tour, I was home for
about a week and then I was in Arizona.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
I was in Scotsdale for ten weeks.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Doing a intensive outpatient program at the Meadows for.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Trauma, PTSD, depression and anxiety. And let me let me
just tell you, ten weeks for the rest of my
life is worth every penny.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
I have an amazing therapist that I've gotten from there.
One of the weeks I was there, I did impatient.
It was a I would I would suggest this to
any human alife. It's called sure and it's in Wickenberg, Arizona.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Had a whole lot going on in Wickenberg. And when
I say not a lot, I mean not a lot.
It's like Horset Country in the middle of nowhere.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
I mean, you're not supposed to be doing much other
than doing what you're supposed to be doing right.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Exactly exactly, But I actually did a lot of inner
child work. Shortly after that, I was in Tampa, sat
with my dad for the first time in forty two years.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
I saw that on your Instagram.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
It went really well. Yeah, and I'm also a massive fan.
I'm sure you know, because I know you're into your
self help. I know you're into all that stuff. I
know you have to know who Brene Brown is.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Where have you been?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I know, well, hey, I have never even heard of
her until Arizona.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Did you see her special on HBO?
Speaker 2 (07:51):
I haven't yet, but I'm going to. I know, I know.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
I mean, if you want Brene Brown content, just let
me know.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Well, I so, while I was one of the excerpts
that we watched in group, she talks about a mantra
that she lives by, which is the which is the
word braving. And I now have that tattooed on my own.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Stop. Oh my god, have you listen met her yet?
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I haven't. And I have BB right there, which is
Brenne Brown.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Oh my god, you got that before your Backstreet Boys tattoo.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
I still I still haven't gotten that yet.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Oh God, priorities, big priority.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
By this If anyone listening to the show does not
know what it stands for, its boundaries, reliability, accountability, vault, integrity,
non judgment, and gratitude.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Wow, that is some strong, powerful words right there.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
She really affected me.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
And she also had another phrase that I got tattooed
on my knuckles or at least the initials, which is,
if it doesn't fit, don't wear it. Me being a
people pleaser and being break out a pend, I always
take on everyone's shit.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Yeah, done with that? You do you? I'm going to
take care of me. That's it.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yeah, I mean so amazing, though, isn't she freaking Have
you heard her? Because she doesn't do a podcast now,
I have a feeling though, since I've been stalking her.
I'm I'm subscribe to her website. She is coming out
with a new podcast. But I've binged and listened seven times.
I swear each to each episode. She is the research
regardless of if you guys, if anyone here believes in
(09:29):
it or not, regardless, it's just researching vulnerability in general.
Just like how she started, and it is fascinating and
I love it.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
I mean the whole There's one of the one of
the episodes that we watched she was talking about the
marble jar and talking about her daughter being bullied at
school and all of these things. And you know, I've
actually been dealing with that with my youngest.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
She is very hard.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
On herself about her body, and it's because a thing,
and we're really trying to, you know, give, give and
take with it as much as we can.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
She's just.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Doesn't understand why she doesn't look like Elliott and doesn't
want to look like anyone. So like I you know,
if I say, oh my god, you look like mommy today,
she loses your mind. She doesn't want to look like Mommy.
She doesn't want to look like me.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
And I said, baby, I hate to break it to you,
but you are me and Mommy there's no way around that.
And a little bit of your sister.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
And this is your youngest, your youngest.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
My youngest. Yeah, and and then my wife. I'm sure
she won't mind me saying this. She has lost sixty
five pounds.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Stop it.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
He looks unfucking believable.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Wait, why beautiful always been beautiful. Yeah, she is gorgeous
but got dog like. Yes, it's like a whole new relationship.
It sounds like we'll.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
We'll like joke around. When I go to the house
and I give her a hug, I'm like, I can
we have moms around you? Like four times?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Oh my god. So last time I talked to you,
I think you were separated or things weren't working out
like it is today.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
We still live separately, but we are in couple's therapy,
we are in individual therapy. We talk every day. We
are spending more time together. We just have to rebuild
something that was never there from the beginning.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
You know.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Renee, a few like maybe about a year and a
half ago, I was at his house and he couldn't
have worded it better.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Renee, not Rene, Renee, Renee. I was like, wait, you
were at our house? Excuse me?
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Oh yeah, we got we're your homies now. No, Renee said, look, man,
you know you and Rachelle when you first got together.
The best way I could describe it is because we're
sitting in front of it. You know, he's got he's
on that lake. So we're sitting in front of the
lake and he's like you guys were ballgagged, handcuffed, ankle cuffed,
thrown in the water, and said, be in a relationship.
(12:15):
It's impossible. You know. I came with baggage. She came
with baggage. She had trauma. I had trauma. I wasn't
sober or even ready to get sober. She was dealing
with her own shit. So it was just a constant
push pull. She would sweep for villains under the rug.
I would do the same thing, or I'd dive into
a bottle. So now it's taken this time.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Apart for us to really do some serious growing and
understanding and listening. There is a phrase that I learned
in Arizona lover, but with a you listen, understand, be vulnerable,
have empathy, and re reiterate.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
So if you and.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
I are having a conversation and you're telling me your feelings,
I'm validating your feelings.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
I'm hearing your feelings, and I have empathy.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
And because normally I would twist it and make it
about me, not anymore. Lover is a great way to
communicate with not only your partner, but just people in general.
You know, have empathy, listen to them, validate their feelings
because they are their feelings.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
It doesn't matter if you agree with it, but it's
their feelings. They own that.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
So by us kind of approaching things now that way
it's been, it's been much much healthier.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
So I'm so happy to hear all of this, Like
I can hear that you've grown so much. But on
top of it, I don't know if I'm not sure
if you had a therapist when me and you were
like in the like think of it as far as
dancing when the Stars goes, I wish I did. It's
okay though, but now you are right so moving forward.
But like I didn't even realize because we had Auca
keeping in touch and all of that. But like I
(14:00):
didn't even realize you relapsed after our time on Dancing
with the Stars. So how how I mean you must
have learned, Like you're building. You sound so grounded, you
sound so excited about life, and it's so inspiring to hear.
And I also want to share with you my stepsister.
(14:21):
I think I've talked about her with you. She'd passed
away end of August.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
I guess I'm so sorry.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Thank you. It was definitely we don't have the corner
results as of today. But she definitely, I know, passed
from addiction and I've never had and Renee. I believe
I was trying to hook them up, but then Renee
had said something super powerful at that time, was like,
I can't force her to admit that she has an
issue right with addiction obviously, so they never unfortunately connected,
(14:53):
But you know, in a weird way, I've never first
of all, i've never had anyone close to me like
that passed away from it. And then on top of it,
it's a weird feeling because it's like I almost feel
more at peace knowing that she's at peace. I'm still grieving,
you know.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
I can't even imagine.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Since the beginning of COVID, I've now collectively lost eleven friends.
One of my most recent friends, he was thirty years old.
Fentanyl got him. I was in Arizona when I got
the news. Flew home to be with his girlfriend, who
(15:34):
is one of my closest friends. She's been my editor
for all my videos and she's also a programmed. We
did a thing at the beach. He was a big surfer,
so everyone did a paddle out. I did not water
was too cold, but I was there. I did my piece,
(15:56):
but you know, I lived now with a healthy fear
that it is unsafe out there now more than it's
ever been, because you don't know what you're going to get.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
I since I got sober this time.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I deleted all my connections and all my dealers out
of my phone, which means if I were to relapse,
I'd be out whoever, Vegas, La, wherever. Hey, you have
some blow, I don't know you from Adam. I don't
know what I'm getting. And one granule over can kill you.
(16:36):
If you touch thattanol and get too much on your skin,
it can kill you.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
So you know, now it's it's weird.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Ever since Nick's little brother passed away, I've been heavily
involved with the mental health community. Now mental health is
not being swept under the rug. People are talking about
it more candidly now. Thank My goal at some point,
if I can surround myself with the right people, is
(17:07):
I want to open up free clinics for addicts.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
That can't afford or don't have insurance to help.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
You know, obviously we would pay the therapists and pay the
interns and people that work at the facility, but.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
There's you know, if you really want good treatment.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
Nowadays, a lot of these kids can't afford it, or
their parents have kind of thrown into towel and say
you're on your own deal with it, or the parents
are enabling.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
So yeah, you know, but that is dem pandemic and
itself fra so like, yeah, mental health. But the more
we have these uncomfortable conversations, whether it's about body image,
it's all and falls under the same umbrella of mental health,
you know. So I'm happy that you're doing that and
also leading by example. It's very inspiring, you know, So
(17:57):
keep up the great work, my friend.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
You know, I try.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
You know, it's funny obviously anyone that doesn't know the
twelve step program, your twelve step is obviously your last
step is being of service to other alcoholics natics. And
I do that daily no matter what, even just talking
to my sponsor, I'm being of service because I'm helping
him stay sober. He helps me stay sober. That so
I know when I get there, when my time is
(18:21):
right to be there, that's not going to be.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
A problem for me. Yeah, And I also don't look
at that as being codependent because I'm being of service
I'm helping someone else.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Yeah. No, it's far from being codependent. It's far from that.
It's called giving back to yourself.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Yeah one percent.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Yeah, well I'm happy for you. Have you heard an
episode of sex, Lies and spray Tands I have not,
and I but.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
So it's funny. When I saw the title, I'm like
lies and then but I get it because you know,
I know what y'all would do for the show and
all this shit.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Y'all you know spray on the app? Yeah, I spray
tand for my wedding, and let me tell you, I'll
send you the photos from the reception. I look like
a fucking wait.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
I think you told me that's why you never got
a spray tand on Dancing with the Stars, I think
this is why.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
For some reason, because I have olive skin, I looked
like an Opa lumpa. It comes out orange. It's not
not a good look.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
I love orange. I think it's great. It just depends
on your perception. I mean, for me, I love any
Opa lupas walking around. I just love it. I just good,
good old spray tand Michelle and.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
I recently got spray tand we went, h we have
a guy that we always use. His name is Jimmy Koco.
He does.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Oh yeah, you told me about this guy.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
He got everybody, Victoria's Secret, the Kardashians, you name it.
He's been doing he's and now he has his own line.
He's crushing it. But he did us before we left
for the Bahamas. For how he's fiftieth birthday. So now
we have two fifty plus battery boys.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Hey, who's counting? You guys look great, I.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Mean, thankfully, thankfully we've all kept ourselves in.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
You know. For me, I know why. For me, I
know why I do it. Since I did the show
with you, I have lost collectively thirty pounds.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
I can see that, you know, and I look.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
I have no shame in saying I had a little
work done when I did RuPaul. You know, I had
to shave my beard, which.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
For one, if I didn't really know all the.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Girls, all three of my girls hate when I shave.
They hate it.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Wait, do I to make you shave with me? Did
you shave it on? No? I never made that.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
No, No, just shave my head.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
But yeah, I know I so.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Raven, which is Mama Rou's main makeup artist, sat me
down one day before rehearsal and said, how bad do
you want to win this? I said, I want to
win this. I want to win this bad. He goes,
what do you think about taping? And I'm like, wait
is that that? He's like, that's tucking, sweetheart. I'm like, okay, fine.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Taping is when they tape here and then they tape
your eyebrows up and all that goes under your wig hat.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
It's like a face lift basically.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
So I got to see what I would look like
with a jaw line because I've always had a beard
because I have extra skin here genetically.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
And I was very insecure about it.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
So when I saw what I looked like with a
jaw line, I got really emotional. My wife found an
amazing doctor out by us and last maybe it's been
two years now. I think I got two years now. December,
I went and I did face tight and like, go
on my neck and I feel you you look like yeah,
(21:44):
I like, I still haven't shaved completely since I've done
it to see what I would look like.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
But it's coming.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
It's coming, But your kids are going to freak out.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
I think, well, yeah, well now they know why I
want to do it to shave because they also kid.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
God, I love them, but they say the most hurtful shit.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
They're honest.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
They kept before I did this, they called this my
troopie and I was like, wow, really that really okay?
Speaker 1 (22:15):
You know, so you guys see, men also go through
insecurities about the material things. I had no idea that
you had insecurities about that, especially you know, since we
danced like so close, so we were so close during
that time on Dancing Stars. I had no idea you
had any insecurities as far as like you're like the
outside of you.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
I never because I you know, I wouldn't talk about
it because I had my beard.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
No to me, like, I wouldn't even like, I know
how some women are where you especially whenever.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
We would take a picture you had a side, you
had an angle that that you felt was more flattering
for you.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Right.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
I would never do anything profile because I hated the
way this looked.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Now interesting, now I'll do profile all damn day.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
I don't like.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
You want my right, my left or my left.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Yep, I will take it any which way. Diagonal?
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Oh my god? So is it true when they say
once you start, you can't stop like tattoos or are
you good? You're good?
Speaker 3 (23:11):
No, I you know I that was a one time
thing for me, and I am so happy I did it.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
I was public about it. I you know, I have
for shame. H No, just like me doing my hair,
like I've told people knew. I did my hair.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
I went in a second time, and then I tattooed
my scalp twice.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
It actually was not bad.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Not with all the tattoos you have on your body.
What's the worst.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
This is just straight bones. So I thought it was
going to be extremely painful. The first time I did it,
I numbed my head.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
That hurt worse. Second time, no numbing. I was fine.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Wait, you numbed it on your own.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
I went to my hair doctor and there's a girl
there that actually worked at a tattoo shop. I worked
for my hair doctor.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Oh my god, there's so much that happened.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Oh and I got this if you want to see it.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
Oh my gosh, Oh my goodness.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
I love you. I love me.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Oh I love that.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
So it's faint.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
I like that. That's so cool. You know. I'm just
so happy for you, honestly, like you have just come
into your own like identity in a way, and I'm
just I know you're happy because I can hear it
and I can see you and we're having this time together.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
Well, you know, it's it's It's funny you say that,
because the one thing that I learned most of all
through all this process of Arizona and the separation and
working things out and all these things is that now
I look at what I do as a job, it
doesn't define me. And when I'm not working, I tell
(24:58):
all my closest friends to call me Alex because AJ
is a persona. AJ is a battery boy as a
persona Alex is who I really am.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
So like, you haven't told me to call you that,
so I guess I'm.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Telling you now. There you go, or ask you. I'm
not telling you, I'm asking.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
You're telling me. I love it, Alex.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Okay, well there you go.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Okay, Well, going back to your persona, let's rewind here
since this podcast is about obviously something that was near
and dear to my heart for seventeen years of my
life and something that was part of your life for
less than a year, but it was also I mean,
the reason why I'm doing this is not to talk
bad or negative about the show. It's to literally talk
about the experiences because it has left a mark, whether
(25:43):
you're the first one that has ever been eliminated ever
on this franchise, or if you know it's like you,
you know, with the experience, with the growth, with what
you learn most about yourself. You told me when we
had started this, before we recorded that you went. You
were actually there at the answering with the Starch studios.
Before we get into fan questions, how was that experience
(26:05):
for you?
Speaker 2 (26:06):
I mean, look, it was. It was great to go back.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
But to be honest, like you know, when I pulled
into the parking lot, saw I saw all the security guys.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
We're all catching up.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
And but like instantly, like even though I knew I
wasn't there to rehearse, I got a little bit like
weird thing in my tummy.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
I was just like like.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Anxious, and because you know, you and I busted our
ass and it was very emotional for you and I
and so you know, I tell anyone, and I even
told some of the some of the new contestants yesterday
Alison hand again, and you know, I talked to my
buddy Jason Mraz and I was like, I said, listen,
(26:50):
if you take anything from this, trust me when I
tell you this show is not about dancing.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
It's not.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
It's about self discovery. It's about coming out of your shell.
It's about letting down walls and really embracing the person
you are and being comfortable. And you know, every of course,
everybody wants to win, the pros, the you know, celebs,
everybody wants to win.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
And I told everybody there said, you guys are all
winners just being where you are right now, doing this
out of your comfort zone.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
You know. Yes, I'm a classically trained dancer, but not
in ballroom, you know, so it was a challenge for me.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
You think it was harder because you were classically trained
and then you had to untrain your brain to learn
ballroom or yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
I think it was. It was funny yesterday Peter was like,
let's let's uh, let's check that frame, and man, my
frame was off point. You would be so proud of me.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
I'll be the judge of that.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Oh no, it was all point.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
I'm sure. Nor by the way, your frame was always
freaking on point. I feel like the judges were extra
hard on you because you were classically trained. But like
I always say this, I talked to Heather Morris as well,
because she got the boot really early on and she
is obviously you know, she was on so you think
you can dance? Prior to her time on Dancing with
the Stars, and she was a backup dancer for Beyonce
(28:13):
prior to her time on Dancing Stars, a lot of
people were hating on her. And at the end of
the day, I think it's harder because I keep comparing
her time to you. To you, it's like you do
have to untrain the brain. That takes longer than training
the brain.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
No, it does. And honestly, look, I don't know if
I could say.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
This or not, but I'm going to say whatever you want.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
Enough time is gone by, okay, And I have a
feeling you're going to agree with me.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
I think the night that we got eliminated, the argent
the actual Argentine tango.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
No, it was Argentine, wasn't it? Or was it being
the waltz?
Speaker 1 (28:52):
It was when it was what's it called it? Yes,
And it was that one little part in the beginning
that was it.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
That's what I think, That's what I believe.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Carrie Anne judged me on as opposed to the actual
dance because we killed the walls.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Oh my god, we do so good every single time
from the moment we were from.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Day one, we literally killed that wallt I thought we
were going to get at least two nines maybe or
three nines. And I was like, she judged me on
the intro.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
You know what's actual dance? You know what's so interesting
is that, Like I feel like it's very rare the
judge is judged live because like, you know, it's obviously
they they you know, they obviously have seen some sort
of rehearsal or maybe like during it is a live
television show. Leah remedi you know she'll be on here
next week. But she basically because she was a guest judge.
(29:49):
So I said, what is it? What do we need
to know as far as being in that position goes?
And she says, you know, yes, we watched just rehearsal,
Like we have to, like, how in the hell else
it's a live television show. We have to know what
we're commenting about. And I said, so are we getting
judged based off dress or are we getting judged based
off live television show? And she's like, you know, it's
just I don't have an answer for you. And at
(30:10):
that that our dress rehearsal was so good.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
And so I feel like it's obviously said, but.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
It wasn't because of the content. It wasn't the content.
Speaker 3 (30:20):
No, And they don't have enough time live to properly judge.
So they're going to already have notes because they, you know,
Derek and all of them probably assume, okay, chances of
the dance getting better than what if they're nailing it
in rehearsal, that's what it's going to be.
Speaker 2 (30:38):
Hopefully in the show.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
Oh for sure.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
If they're taking in rehearsal, then they have somewhere to
go or they might freeze up live.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
And but there was no audience back then either.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
See that also, man, that really like the very next season,
you know, and I'm so like to me in all
the years I watched the show that Daniella and Homeboy
that won, like that was like shit I've never seen before.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
It was like groundbreaking.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
Obviously he's nine foot five and she's three foot two,
and he could just throw.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
It around like a rag doll. But you still got
to know what you're doing.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Yes, man, God, that's.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
The Halloween performance to me is probably one of the
best performances I think.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
I oh, for sure, I've seen for sure. But when
it comes to like actual content and ballroom dancing, that's
not that. You know, at the end of the day,
the challenge of Dancing with the Stars is to become
a ballroom dancer or to try to become one. And
though yes, record breaking, absolutely, do they deserve to win? Yes? Absolutely.
I just had Caitlin Bristow on she also says the
(31:46):
same thing, and she said, look, I wish there was
an audience, And then Leah Remedy goes, I would have
paid millions of dollars to have been a part of
the cast during the covids because she did not want
an audience at all. She hated that it really freaked
her out and off. As a performer, you vibe off
of that like that gives you how I mean I
could literally hear me and you breathing when we were performing.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
No, it's like there's a different level of energy and
a different level of performance when you're feeding off of
the crowd. Yeah, you know, when we're looking out at
just cameras and cables.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
You know, also the judgment.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
Everything was Everything was limited, you know.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Yeah, no, everything, even our connection and the camaraderie between
us and the other couples like that also has a
lot to do with it. There was none. There was
no such thing. I even said that to Caitlin, I said,
I wish we would have been friends, because like, at
the end of the day, we couldn't go into each
other's rehearsal space. We couldn't we couldn't do show and
tell like they do. Now, is it different when you
were there?
Speaker 3 (32:43):
Well, that's what I told Raya yesterday when I was
doing the OTF. He's like like, yeah, I said, but dude,
remember you weren't in the room.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
He's like, oh crap, that's right. We weren't in the room.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Like no, dude, it was the voice of God coming
from the speaker telling us what's coming up next or
what's going to happen.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
Yeah. Yeah, there was nobody in the room. There was
remote zero.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
And wait, what is your conspiracy theory then, on how
why we got eliminated? You think it was just for
that one little mistake.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
I my conspiracy theory is I believe that is one
and two. I believe because I am a classically trained dancer,
and the show is to teach those that don't.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Know how to dance really at all, to give.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Them an opportunity to win the show. Look, Nelly's my boy,
Nelly as forever. But you know what that smile soldhim?
Speaker 3 (33:41):
Man, I'll tell you what that's He's got that pearly
white smile.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
That's sold now.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
And he is the epitome of what Dancing with the
Stars is about. Right, Like, he wasn't like if you
were to really just look at the dancing, right, obviously
you were better. But it was about the journey. This
guy had zero dance experience. He didn't want to jive,
and then all of a sudden he jived.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
Yeah. I mean, you know which. You would have been
so proud of me yesterday.
Speaker 3 (34:04):
I don't know if they got it on camera or not,
but when they did the routine, I was picking out.
They did four different styles in the group thing, and
I picked out three out of four. I knew I
saw the fox trot, I knew I saw the v
Andes waltz, and I knew I saw uh samba. And
then I was joking and I said, y'all remember my
(34:25):
first number my first anything was jive, and I said,
my damn toes.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
You jumped off the stage. Oh my god, your ankle.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
But yesterday and again I don't know if they filmed
it and they're gonna use it, but you would have
been so proud of how great my toes were when
I was doing my jive.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
Yes, dad, Oh, now now you're doing it. Now you're
doing it aj And you know what's crazy?
Speaker 3 (34:49):
Also, like Nick Nick mentioned this to me after he
did his season, Nick Carter Carter that it's crazy, how
doing this show coming back to us on tour, even
though we've got our stuff in our body, how different
it is for us with our lines, How much cleaner
(35:11):
we are almost, how much more serious we take our choreography,
even though it's more urban. But even something as simple
as a step touch, everything has got a line now, and.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
It's like you're just super detailed and OCD about it
like I was with you. Yes, yes, I've rubbed off
your dance mom has rubbed off on you in a
good way. I hope.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
I am grateful for that.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
Because how about your other band members? They must be like,
what's wrong with these two? Like why are they so
anal I mean, you.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Know, we literally it's funny because we'll be in rehearsal
and we'll be like, uh, listen, bro, you're getting a
little lazy and all of us need to look unified.
And then they'll, you know, there might be a banter
of no.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
I'm not and be like, uh, look at the game,
take watch the show from our life lazy.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
But we've all done it. We've all done it. It's
not I'm not picking on anybody. We've all had a
lazy night.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
Could you give us a little bit of a teaser
because this is gonna air right before tomorrow's show, So
I just want to who's team? Like, what are you
doing there? Why were you there?
Speaker 3 (36:17):
It is four contestants against four contestants the final.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
Eighth uh and Team A is doing so.
Speaker 3 (36:26):
This week's concept is greatest music Videos of All Time
and teammate picked back Streets Back. Allison hand again is
the team captain. She picked the song and they are
doing some elements of the Intricate Batteries sat Stop So
(36:46):
you know it just gave my two cents.
Speaker 1 (36:47):
So is Harry and Riley as well on your team? Uh? No,
So we have Alison.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
We have Alison. We have Jason.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
I love that we have mister Bray. Oh my god,
how he's killing it? Have you watched that? You haven't
watched them.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
Aside, I've now gone back and watched. Yeah, yeah, he's
killing it. But if I can give my predictions, it's
gonna come down between Jason and my Marvel girl so.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
Cheap, okay, But there's four people in the final, I.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
Know, but I'm saying between those two for the wins.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Yeah, So I think this is my prediction. I believe
that mister Brady is going to make the final. I
think he'll come in forth because he is our demographic
like and Matt just and you also know since he
danced last just not too long ago, he's going to
make the final. And then you have Ariana as well
in there.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
Well yeah, and then Ariana yesterday full freak out.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
Oh sure, she was in bravocon She was in Bravo con.
Speaker 2 (37:54):
Is she is a mad your backs boys band.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
Oh not because of this stress of the fact that
she has heard because of you.
Speaker 3 (38:03):
When I walked in the room, none of them had
any idea. She like almost collapsed. She's so sweet. She
showed me. And this is for all the all the
all the gen z's out there that don't know what
a photograph is.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
It's an actual printed photograph. She had printed photos from the.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Millennium tour ready.
Speaker 2 (38:25):
She had had it ready.
Speaker 3 (38:27):
She had it ready just in case she carries them
with her, which so sweet, so sweet. Well, she also
had them for her OTF and you know some of
her stuff, uh they.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
You know, for her package.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
Yeah yeah, yeah, And so she had them not knowing
I was going to be there, and so sweet. Everybody
so sweet, and it was just so great to see
everybody again.
Speaker 2 (38:51):
I didn't get to meet Team.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
B, so I think Lamb's bass I saw was there
at one point at rehearsal.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
Yes, Lance was there I think last week or the
week before.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
Yeah, but I love that. So there was some good
There were some good interactions. I mean, do you remember, though,
when we danced our like many dances. I remember the
next day you'd be like, first you would always show
up early and get me my Starbucks, which is so
sweet of you. I said that today. Actually, I was like,
you know, if he doesn't have a Starbucks in his
hand waiting for me to be on type because I
(39:23):
was always like five to ten minutes late and you're
always five seven minutes early. But you know, there was
moments that you said to me, like I was crying
in the car in the parking lot, like do you
remember those moments?
Speaker 3 (39:33):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (39:33):
I do?
Speaker 2 (39:34):
I do? I trust me? Like, like I said, it
was an emotional rollercoaster, but it was such an incredible experience.
Speaker 1 (39:41):
Yeah, what did you learn most about yourself during that time?
Speaker 2 (39:45):
I think I learned to.
Speaker 3 (39:49):
One of my biggest fears, and I think I shared
this on Pretty Messed Up, is the fear of failure.
But I think I started learning that it's okay and
it's not even necessarily failing, but to not do everything
in life perfectly. And that's but like I told everybody
(40:12):
yesterday before I left, I said, you guys are all
winners already, just being as far as you are number.
Speaker 2 (40:17):
One, number two. What what the audience really wants to
see is you having fun. If you're not, if you're
in your head and you're thinking, or you're mouthing the
eight counts, or you're doing whatever, then you're then you're
you're you're gonna do yourself with dis service, smile, have fun.
(40:37):
Who gives a tiny rats ask if you hit every
every line right, every move right.
Speaker 3 (40:43):
No one's perfect except the pros right, and even when
folks have their moments.
Speaker 2 (40:49):
So you know, I do have to ask you because
I saw you you you responded. I was talking to
Elliott this morning and I told her that on your
story you're asking fans to ask questions, and I asked
a question to you from.
Speaker 3 (41:04):
Me, saying, hey, this is aj Aj MacLean. My question
is do you think I'm handsome and I'm the best
one or whatever?
Speaker 1 (41:12):
I said, yeah, and then you replied no. I didn't reply.
I was like, oh, I miss you, because you basically
were asking yourself. The question's this is a great segue
into the fan questions, So would you like to answer
it yourself?
Speaker 3 (41:28):
Sure, this is ademicallean, Yes, and I think I look
the best I've ever looked in my life. And that's
because of sobriety and self love and self care and
and yeah, I feel I.
Speaker 1 (41:43):
Feel great and you look great and you are great,
and I know you're great even through a freaking laptop screen. Okay,
so let's get to it fan questions, and then we're
playing rapid fire. And when I say rapid fire, you're
you would be the first person who actually answers my
questions in rapid fire. So we got to make sure
that happens because there's a lot to go through. Are
you ready? Okay?
Speaker 2 (42:04):
Do it?
Speaker 1 (42:05):
At Annie A Bell? Would you? Would you do the
show again? No, this is not rapid fire. You could
give me more of an answer.
Speaker 2 (42:15):
No, I would cause to me, that was it, That
was a moment. That was a moment.
Speaker 3 (42:20):
I think I would go in almost too too competitive,
going back, and I think that would give me a disservice.
I think it was a moment in time and it
was a life lesson.
Speaker 1 (42:33):
And I'm for it, and I'm going to stay far
away from that dance studio at chill zero five zero.
How did Cheryl's coaching style work for you or did
it not? No? I think, look, you and I don't
have to be nice. You could be honest.
Speaker 3 (42:46):
No, you and I had a way of speaking to
each other even even but even without words, we entergy
and we knew if I was struggling, you were, you
would push me and then you would back off and
be comforting because that's just who you are. Like You're
(43:08):
you're passionate, you want to win, but At the same time,
you also kind of humanized me, which I think made
it better as opposed to just go go go, right.
So I think we had a really really great connection.
I we're still friends.
Speaker 1 (43:24):
We could have not friends, lose my number type of relationship. Okay,
at nessa chemist, I suck at this. Okay, did you
ever feel like the judges scores were unjust.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
A few times? I did you know our highest score
was the samba?
Speaker 1 (43:43):
What wasn't three eighths? It was three eighths. No, it
might have been three eights or three nines. I don't know. Okay,
it was our est store.
Speaker 2 (43:52):
That was to du a lipa.
Speaker 1 (43:54):
Remember how I was prepping you like the samba is
going to be so hard, and you murdered it in
a way.
Speaker 3 (44:00):
I'm Puerto Rican, so these hips don't lie, so that
you know, that was the easy one.
Speaker 2 (44:05):
I think there was a couple of moments.
Speaker 3 (44:06):
Because you and I were only in the bottom twice,
and I think once was just to shake it up, yeah.
Speaker 2 (44:14):
You know, and then the second one.
Speaker 3 (44:16):
Obviously we have our conspiracy theories, but I there was
there was probably two or three dances.
Speaker 2 (44:22):
Oh to me, I thought we were really unjust with
the rumba because that.
Speaker 1 (44:29):
Was, oh my god, I know this was part of
my intro.
Speaker 3 (44:32):
I know that was like even watching it now, I
get emotional watching it because I knew what it was,
what it was internalizing to externalize, and I was like.
Speaker 1 (44:44):
Da, Also, do you remember the crew members that have
like that were so affected like I In all my seasons,
there never once did like the camera guy or the
lighting guy. It was they would say hi, but it
wasn't like they weren't in tears saying how powerful a
performance was. And you did that.
Speaker 3 (44:59):
Yeah, I mean honestly, it was that one that one
burned I think the most for me as far as story.
Speaker 1 (45:05):
Yeah, I was kind of like, hmm, I smell something fishy?
No kidding, Okay, okay, At Melissa C five, what do
you miss about dance or being on the show.
Speaker 2 (45:19):
I mean I miss being on the show just because
of the camaraderie between the other celebs and the pros.
Everybody was a family, and you know, even though everybody
wanted to win, there was still like healthy competition. People
were encouraging each other. You know.
Speaker 3 (45:38):
Need was always like after he'd seen my rehearsal, he'd
be like dude, you killed it. Like he could have
just not said anything and probably would have gotten in
my head. But like, you know, people people on the
show encourage each other, and I think that is what's great.
Speaker 2 (45:54):
You know.
Speaker 3 (45:54):
I talked to Ardham yesterday and just you know, seeing
him as a dad and all these things, it was
just really you know, it's like, yeah, because him and
I have talked offline since the show, and it's like, dude,
you're a dad now, Like I know what that's like.
Speaker 2 (46:10):
Now we have that in common, you know what I mean?
So now and I always hit it off great.
Speaker 1 (46:14):
I love that. I love that. I mean it is
it does leave a stamp, like this show is a
special type of formula I think to where it's like
there is no way that you can just erase it
from your mind right or your memory. No, Lauren vic
really what was going through your mind after Cheryl fell
on her head?
Speaker 2 (46:34):
Well, first of all, great way of butchering that name,
like you just like Lauren marbles in my mouth.
Speaker 1 (46:41):
Oh sorry, Lauren.
Speaker 3 (46:43):
Yes, we we apologize, Lauren. You know, I it's funny.
I was thinking about that earlier while we were talking.
Speaker 1 (46:49):
That was fine, It was fine.
Speaker 3 (46:51):
I mean it was fine, but obviously productions like, nope,
you're going home.
Speaker 2 (46:55):
We're not, We're not going to continue rehearsal. You could
have a concussion.
Speaker 1 (46:59):
No really then and then one of then the showrunner
at the type came out was like, t think we
can use that footage? Can we use that footage? You think?
Are you okay? Oh wait, are you okay? Okay? Can
we use the footage?
Speaker 3 (47:09):
The magic of TV it's like, oh, we're gonna use that.
We're gonna use that.
Speaker 1 (47:14):
It's a bounty floor, it's a bouncy floor.
Speaker 3 (47:17):
It was, but you still hit it pretty fucking hard.
My wife just got a concussion last week. Literally, she
was at a roller skating party. My girls have picked
up roller skating and they are obsessed and they're really good.
My oldest went outside to get something with mommy out
of her truck and going back in, Rachelle lost her footing,
tried to ground the door.
Speaker 2 (47:36):
And slammed down on her neck in her head, and
she got a concussion.
Speaker 1 (47:41):
She okay, she's good.
Speaker 3 (47:43):
The first four hours they say, is the really dangerous area?
After that, you're fine, And they did, you know, they
didn't feel like they had to do any CT scans
or any possible brain damage.
Speaker 2 (47:54):
She gets en up with that from me, so you know.
Speaker 1 (47:58):
But yeah, that's great. Yeah, known, that sounds more serious
than what happened to me. But what went through your
mind when when you saw me go straight down for
the you know, I think, well, because you know you
were in shock.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
I don't know if you remember, you were laughing.
Speaker 1 (48:12):
And the whole time, and I'm like, this.
Speaker 2 (48:14):
Is not funny.
Speaker 3 (48:16):
And but you also didn't move right away either. You
were like looking up at the ceiling that I came over,
I was looking at you. You started laughing, you said
you were okay. Everybody else came over. We lifted you up,
we walked you off. I went to my trailer. You
went to go get checked out. And then one of
the assistants came and told me we're done.
Speaker 1 (48:38):
You're not you I wanted to do it again.
Speaker 2 (48:41):
Oh I know, we both did, and you were not
cleared for it because that was that was the.
Speaker 1 (48:45):
Halloween, Halloween, and they still didn't give us goosecores.
Speaker 2 (48:49):
I know, dude, And it's like, and we actually did
a really good tango.
Speaker 1 (48:53):
I thought I was solid, very it was solid considering
that you had I had half a brain, you know,
back then. I think it's grown back. Okay, so another
one more question before we do rapid Fire. Okay, So
who would you dance with if Cheryl wasn't your partner?
This is from at Mama twenty one.
Speaker 2 (49:09):
You know, that's an interesting question.
Speaker 3 (49:13):
I'm anyone say, I probably say Danielle yeah, or.
Speaker 2 (49:22):
I'm drawing a blank.
Speaker 1 (49:23):
On VAL's girl Jenna Jeda. Yeah, yeah, you know, I
don't know.
Speaker 3 (49:29):
I feel like, well, Jenna and I are about the
same height, yeah, roughly, And then I.
Speaker 1 (49:36):
Think Daniella would be perfect with you.
Speaker 2 (49:38):
I don't know if I could fling Danielle around, but
I feel like.
Speaker 1 (49:41):
You know, we Thank god, it's a ballroom dance show
when you're not supposed to do lift anyway, So no.
Speaker 2 (49:45):
Yeah, there's no fling flings flinging around.
Speaker 1 (49:48):
Fun fact, I think we were supposed to You were
supposed to dance with Danielle and I was supposed dance
with Nelly.
Speaker 2 (49:53):
That is that is true?
Speaker 1 (49:56):
Oh it is true? Are you confirming? Well?
Speaker 2 (49:58):
No, that's what I was told initially. Then when the
conversation of the podcast, it all makes sense. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (50:06):
Oh interesting, oh interesting, Well, you know what. I'm glad
we danced together because I don't think I would be
where I am today as far as my sobriety goes
so and selfishly, I'm grateful for our time. Now. Would
you have gotten the mirror ball? Maybe? But hey, it's
just a mirror ball, like you said it is. It
is okay, Rapid Fire Dancing boy Band Edition, Dunda. You
(50:36):
have these to choose from? These people Drew Lache, Nick Lache,
Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, Joey McIntyre, Nick Carter, and yourself
Alex McLean. Okay, I get ready, best dancer me, best
vocals me, come on a jay. Funniest funniest uh, Joey Togue,
(51:02):
biggest flirt me, most charming Joey Mack. Who's hooked up
with a fan before? Hurry up? Say it all of us.
Biggest prankster, Nick. Who are you closest? Who are you
closest to? Uh?
Speaker 2 (51:22):
Nick Carter?
Speaker 1 (51:23):
Who loves to party the most?
Speaker 2 (51:26):
Probably Joey Togue.
Speaker 1 (51:28):
Most sensitive again, probably me or Joey Mack. Cute, loudest
me or joe Keep both of you. Keeps to himself
the most.
Speaker 2 (51:42):
Keeps to himself the most, probably.
Speaker 1 (51:46):
Nick Lache, most boring, uh Nick Lache one of the Laches,
no kidding, biggest ego? Damn well we all have one,
you know, uh ship Joey McIntire, most humble, most humble
(52:11):
lance likely to have a deep conversation with Nick Carter?
A few more? Who would you choose to do amazing
race with?
Speaker 2 (52:18):
Joey McIntyre?
Speaker 1 (52:19):
Who would you choose to do naked and Afraid with?
Not Joey right now? Gee, I can't believe it.
Speaker 2 (52:30):
I love you, I would not. I wouldn't be within.
Speaker 1 (52:33):
I don't think Joey Fotton would be with himself either. Actually,
best dressed in the ballroom me for sure, best dress
in real life, me for sure. Who would be the
next best contestant if they did another celebrity drag race?
Other than you? Obviously?
Speaker 2 (52:51):
I think Joey mc or Nick Carter?
Speaker 1 (52:54):
Interesting, that's a pretty boy. Who would you want that
has not been a part of Dancing with the Stars yet?
Who would you think would do well? Out of all
the boy banters?
Speaker 3 (53:02):
I think my oldest member, Kevin, because Kevin taught ballroom dancing.
Speaker 1 (53:07):
You're talk I know we'll see him there soon. Who
would want? Who? Last one? Who would you want to
make a Christmas album with? If you could only choose
one of the boys to do it with.
Speaker 3 (53:18):
You know what, I would do it with Lance just
because his low voice my range.
Speaker 2 (53:24):
I think we could do some really pretty vocals.
Speaker 1 (53:28):
Love it. Thank you, AJ.
Speaker 2 (53:30):
What I'm here for?
Speaker 1 (53:31):
What can your fans look forward to in the next
You already said it in the beginning of our conversation,
But like during this next year when you are on
hiatus with the boys, I'm sure you have other projects
coming out. Do you want to share?
Speaker 3 (53:44):
You guys can expect two EPs and a full LP
from me.
Speaker 2 (53:48):
I'm breaking up my solo. I'm into two parts.
Speaker 1 (53:51):
It was LP.
Speaker 2 (53:52):
It's going to be a body of work, almost twenty
songs deep.
Speaker 3 (53:56):
I have a clothing company that I'm launching, which is
an ath Leisure, Were sustainable, organic, and we're going to
be groundbreaking as well as Ama Dean Beauty is.
Speaker 2 (54:04):
Going to expand.
Speaker 3 (54:07):
And hopefully my golf game gets better and.
Speaker 1 (54:11):
They're going to continue to thrive.
Speaker 2 (54:13):
YEP.
Speaker 3 (54:13):
And in twenty twenty five, the biggest announcement from Backstreet
Boys probably in the last twenty years.
Speaker 1 (54:18):
You're going to tell me right now when we stop recording. Okay,
love you, thank you for doing this.
Speaker 2 (54:23):
You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (54:24):
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. What
do you all think? Let me know
This is Sex, Lies and Spray Tands with Me Cheryl
Burke and iHeartRadio Podcast. My next guest is known for
more than being one of my many dance partners that
I've had on Dancing with the Stars, is he's made
such a huge impact worldwide when it comes to his
many talents, but more importantly for his transparency and vulnerability
when it comes to speaking out about his journey towards sobriety,
(00:21):
which has inspired me and millions of other people as well.
I'll never forget the week we danced ot Rumba on
the show, as we dedicated that dance to anyone who
has ever dealt with addiction, and how powerful that was
to so many people, including a couple of the crew
members who actually came up to us after our performance
and tears thinking as for our dance and for the
impact that we had made. Though we haven't sat down
and talked in a while, I have so much love
(00:43):
and respect for my next guests. I also want to
give a trigger warning before bringing my next guest on,
as a part of this interview will be about addiction, alcoholism, sobriety, etc.
So without further ado, please welcome my friend ajmclean a
Hi boo boo. It's almost like you know, we were
(01:06):
doing our podcast pretty messed up, like yeeons ago.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
It is a while ago. It's funny.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Renee and I were literally talking about it.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Like two weeks ago.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
How is Renee?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
He's wonderful, sixty one still standing for sure. Yeah, I'll
be seeing him this weekend for some ass whoopen on
the golf course.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Please give him my love. And he's a whole family honestly,
But how are you because it's like we never Yes,
we've seen each other, We've text, We've definitely text. I
definitely am horrible at keeping in touch. When I don't
have to see some little bit. I will take a
full accountability. It's not about busy. It's just I suck
(01:50):
at it. Like, look, I make time for you, but
like I just suck at it because either you're catching
me when I'm like just don't feel pretty, or or
like I'm doing something like this podcasting or who knows.
But there's no excuses, and I take full accountability. And
I'm sorry I suck at it.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
You're you're immediately forgiven.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
No, man, everything is is good over here. Just celebrated
two years sober. Last two months ago, ship I forgot
what month I'm in. Yeah, because I have moving and
uh yeah, just you know, doing doing doing life.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
You know. Uh. Family is good.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
My girls are taking a I like to put it
in the terms of a sabbatical from competitive dance.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
They're taking a backseat for a year.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
That's great, Like, that's so good.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
They're burned out. They just want to be kids. They
want to spend more time with me. Now that I'm
off for the next well pretty much off for the
next year. I can't say what we're doing in twenty five,
but it's going to be record breaking what the band
is doing in twenty.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
You're gonna have to tell me when we're not recording.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Yes, I can definitely tell you about Marrier.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
I will sign my life away if I have to
that what's going on.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
No group of our caliber, or actually really no artist
of our caliber, has ever done what we're.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Going to do.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Wow, I wish it was my idea, but it was
my wife's idea seven years ago.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Whoa Rachelle.
Speaker 3 (03:29):
Yeah, And I've been planting seeds with the guys for
literally seven years and finally broke through the mold and
we had a big giant team powwow, with management and
agents and everyone, and everyone's on board.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
So wait, that's amazing, is rich? I love that you're
giving your wife credit for this.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
No, I mean she's come up with a lot of
great ideas and she'll she'll always say, hey, bring it
up to the guys.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Don't say I said anything. I'm like, I'm not going
to do that. I'm going to say this was your right.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
You don't tell me. She will because we are DM friends.
So yes, when the.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Other guy's wives make suggestions, they are like to first
be like, well, my wife.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Said this, so I'm gonna do the same thing.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
But yeah, and I'm finishing up finally, it's been two
years working on my solo record, coming to the uh
to the end of the recording process, about to start mixing,
finally releasing it next year.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
In two separate parts.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Wow and uh So how do you juggle every like
all of the group and then your own stuff? And
then you're also not just doing music, you're also on TV.
You're considered a personality, you know.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Yeah, well, you know, you just have to have a
healthy balance. I mean, we are done. We finished up
the DNA tour in May, and we are taking a
year off. Figuratively. We have one thing coming up in
April next year, but aside from that, we are off.
So it's everyone's time to kind of do their own thing.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
So I all have twenty twenty four year off basically
until twenty twenty much.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Got yep, all of twenty twenty four.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
There might be a couple of spot dates here and there,
but it's my year for me. I'm launching a clothing
company and athleisure wear clothing line See Good, as well
as Ava Dean.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
My beauty line is expanding.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
You know, and just yeah, just enjoying being home, finally
finally finishing my fourth step.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Yeah, it's only taking me twenty five fucking years.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
But you know, yes, yes, I hear you, I hear
I now understand why, you know. At first, I was like,
why is it taking daging so long? And I'm like, wait, no,
Now I get it. You really do get it. I do.
It is a lot. To face, it is a lot.
Speaker 3 (05:51):
It is a lot, and I've gotten a little complacent
and I you know, I've literally been at the tail
end of it for about a year and I just
put my book down and put my pen down. I
got busy, but I also just got complacent, and I
was like, I don't want to finish this, but I
know when I do, the freedom I will experiences.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Unlike anything else.
Speaker 1 (06:11):
I'm sure I know I taught.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
I think I talked to you when I was in Arizona.
I was in Arizona this this.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Past summer when you just got back. I think, I think, yeah,
I was.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
There the entire summer.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
When when we finished the tour, I was home for
about a week and then I was in Arizona.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
I was in Scotsdale for ten weeks.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Doing a intensive outpatient program at the Meadows for.
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Trauma, PTSD, depression and anxiety. And let me let me
just tell you, ten weeks for the rest of my
life is worth every penny.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
I have an amazing therapist that I've gotten from there.
One of the weeks I was there, I did impatient.
It was a I would I would suggest this to
any human alife. It's called sure and it's in Wickenberg, Arizona.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
Had a whole lot going on in Wickenberg. And when
I say not a lot, I mean not a lot.
It's like Horset Country in the middle of nowhere.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
I mean, you're not supposed to be doing much other
than doing what you're supposed to be doing right.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Exactly exactly, But I actually did a lot of inner
child work. Shortly after that, I was in Tampa, sat
with my dad for the first time in forty two years.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
I saw that on your Instagram.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
It went really well. Yeah, and I'm also a massive fan.
I'm sure you know, because I know you're into your
self help. I know you're into all that stuff. I
know you have to know who Brene Brown is.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
Where have you been?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I know, well, hey, I have never even heard of
her until Arizona.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Did you see her special on HBO?
Speaker 2 (07:51):
I haven't yet, but I'm going to. I know, I know.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
I mean, if you want Brene Brown content, just let
me know.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Well, I so, while I was one of the excerpts
that we watched in group, she talks about a mantra
that she lives by, which is the which is the
word braving. And I now have that tattooed on my own.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Stop. Oh my god, have you listen met her yet?
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I haven't. And I have BB right there, which is
Brenne Brown.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Oh my god, you got that before your Backstreet Boys tattoo.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
I still I still haven't gotten that yet.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Oh God, priorities, big priority.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
By this If anyone listening to the show does not
know what it stands for, its boundaries, reliability, accountability, vault, integrity,
non judgment, and gratitude.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Wow, that is some strong, powerful words right there.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
She really affected me.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
And she also had another phrase that I got tattooed
on my knuckles or at least the initials, which is,
if it doesn't fit, don't wear it. Me being a
people pleaser and being break out a pend, I always
take on everyone's shit.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Yeah, done with that? You do you? I'm going to
take care of me. That's it.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yeah, I mean so amazing, though, isn't she freaking Have
you heard her? Because she doesn't do a podcast now,
I have a feeling though, since I've been stalking her.
I'm I'm subscribe to her website. She is coming out
with a new podcast. But I've binged and listened seven times.
I swear each to each episode. She is the research
regardless of if you guys, if anyone here believes in
(09:29):
it or not, regardless, it's just researching vulnerability in general.
Just like how she started, and it is fascinating and
I love it.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
I mean the whole There's one of the one of
the episodes that we watched she was talking about the
marble jar and talking about her daughter being bullied at
school and all of these things. And you know, I've
actually been dealing with that with my youngest.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
She is very hard.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
On herself about her body, and it's because a thing,
and we're really trying to, you know, give, give and
take with it as much as we can.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
She's just.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Doesn't understand why she doesn't look like Elliott and doesn't
want to look like anyone. So like I you know,
if I say, oh my god, you look like mommy today,
she loses your mind. She doesn't want to look like Mommy.
She doesn't want to look like me.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
And I said, baby, I hate to break it to you,
but you are me and Mommy there's no way around that.
And a little bit of your sister.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
And this is your youngest, your youngest.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
My youngest. Yeah, and and then my wife. I'm sure
she won't mind me saying this. She has lost sixty
five pounds.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Stop it.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
He looks unfucking believable.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Wait, why beautiful always been beautiful. Yeah, she is gorgeous
but got dog like. Yes, it's like a whole new relationship.
It sounds like we'll.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
We'll like joke around. When I go to the house
and I give her a hug, I'm like, I can
we have moms around you? Like four times?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Oh my god. So last time I talked to you,
I think you were separated or things weren't working out
like it is today.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
We still live separately, but we are in couple's therapy,
we are in individual therapy. We talk every day. We
are spending more time together. We just have to rebuild
something that was never there from the beginning.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
You know.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Renee, a few like maybe about a year and a
half ago, I was at his house and he couldn't
have worded it better.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
Renee, not Rene, Renee, Renee. I was like, wait, you
were at our house? Excuse me?
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Oh yeah, we got we're your homies now. No, Renee said, look, man,
you know you and Rachelle when you first got together.
The best way I could describe it is because we're
sitting in front of it. You know, he's got he's
on that lake. So we're sitting in front of the
lake and he's like you guys were ballgagged, handcuffed, ankle cuffed,
thrown in the water, and said, be in a relationship.
(12:15):
It's impossible. You know. I came with baggage. She came
with baggage. She had trauma. I had trauma. I wasn't
sober or even ready to get sober. She was dealing
with her own shit. So it was just a constant
push pull. She would sweep for villains under the rug.
I would do the same thing, or I'd dive into
a bottle. So now it's taken this time.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
Apart for us to really do some serious growing and
understanding and listening. There is a phrase that I learned
in Arizona lover, but with a you listen, understand, be vulnerable,
have empathy, and re reiterate.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
So if you and.
Speaker 3 (13:00):
I are having a conversation and you're telling me your feelings,
I'm validating your feelings.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
I'm hearing your feelings, and I have empathy.
Speaker 3 (13:09):
And because normally I would twist it and make it
about me, not anymore. Lover is a great way to
communicate with not only your partner, but just people in general.
You know, have empathy, listen to them, validate their feelings
because they are their feelings.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
It doesn't matter if you agree with it, but it's
their feelings. They own that.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
So by us kind of approaching things now that way
it's been, it's been much much healthier.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
So I'm so happy to hear all of this, Like
I can hear that you've grown so much. But on
top of it, I don't know if I'm not sure
if you had a therapist when me and you were
like in the like think of it as far as
dancing when the Stars goes, I wish I did. It's
okay though, but now you are right so moving forward.
But like I didn't even realize because we had Auca
keeping in touch and all of that. But like I
(14:00):
didn't even realize you relapsed after our time on Dancing
with the Stars. So how how I mean you must
have learned, Like you're building. You sound so grounded, you
sound so excited about life, and it's so inspiring to hear.
And I also want to share with you my stepsister.
(14:21):
I think I've talked about her with you. She'd passed
away end of August.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
I guess I'm so sorry.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Thank you. It was definitely we don't have the corner
results as of today. But she definitely, I know, passed
from addiction and I've never had and Renee. I believe
I was trying to hook them up, but then Renee
had said something super powerful at that time, was like,
I can't force her to admit that she has an
issue right with addiction obviously, so they never unfortunately connected,
(14:53):
But you know, in a weird way, I've never first
of all, i've never had anyone close to me like
that passed away from it. And then on top of it,
it's a weird feeling because it's like I almost feel
more at peace knowing that she's at peace. I'm still grieving,
you know.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
I can't even imagine.
Speaker 3 (15:12):
Since the beginning of COVID, I've now collectively lost eleven friends.
One of my most recent friends, he was thirty years old.
Fentanyl got him. I was in Arizona when I got
the news. Flew home to be with his girlfriend, who
(15:34):
is one of my closest friends. She's been my editor
for all my videos and she's also a programmed. We
did a thing at the beach. He was a big surfer,
so everyone did a paddle out. I did not water
was too cold, but I was there. I did my piece,
(15:56):
but you know, I lived now with a healthy fear
that it is unsafe out there now more than it's
ever been, because you don't know what you're going to get.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
I since I got sober this time.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I deleted all my connections and all my dealers out
of my phone, which means if I were to relapse,
I'd be out whoever, Vegas, La, wherever. Hey, you have
some blow, I don't know you from Adam. I don't
know what I'm getting. And one granule over can kill you.
(16:36):
If you touch thattanol and get too much on your skin,
it can kill you.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
So you know, now it's it's weird.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Ever since Nick's little brother passed away, I've been heavily
involved with the mental health community. Now mental health is
not being swept under the rug. People are talking about
it more candidly now. Thank My goal at some point,
if I can surround myself with the right people, is
(17:07):
I want to open up free clinics for addicts.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
That can't afford or don't have insurance to help.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
You know, obviously we would pay the therapists and pay the
interns and people that work at the facility, but.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
There's you know, if you really want good treatment.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
Nowadays, a lot of these kids can't afford it, or
their parents have kind of thrown into towel and say
you're on your own deal with it, or the parents
are enabling.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
So yeah, you know, but that is dem pandemic and
itself fra so like, yeah, mental health. But the more
we have these uncomfortable conversations, whether it's about body image,
it's all and falls under the same umbrella of mental health,
you know. So I'm happy that you're doing that and
also leading by example. It's very inspiring, you know, So
(17:57):
keep up the great work, my friend.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
You know, I try.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
You know, it's funny obviously anyone that doesn't know the
twelve step program, your twelve step is obviously your last
step is being of service to other alcoholics natics. And
I do that daily no matter what, even just talking
to my sponsor, I'm being of service because I'm helping
him stay sober. He helps me stay sober. That so
I know when I get there, when my time is
(18:21):
right to be there, that's not going to be.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
A problem for me. Yeah, And I also don't look
at that as being codependent because I'm being of service
I'm helping someone else.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Yeah. No, it's far from being codependent. It's far from that.
It's called giving back to yourself.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
Yeah one percent.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Yeah, well I'm happy for you. Have you heard an
episode of sex, Lies and spray Tands I have not,
and I but.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
So it's funny. When I saw the title, I'm like
lies and then but I get it because you know,
I know what y'all would do for the show and
all this shit.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Y'all you know spray on the app? Yeah, I spray
tand for my wedding, and let me tell you, I'll
send you the photos from the reception. I look like
a fucking wait.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
I think you told me that's why you never got
a spray tand on Dancing with the Stars, I think
this is why.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
For some reason, because I have olive skin, I looked
like an Opa lumpa. It comes out orange. It's not
not a good look.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
I love orange. I think it's great. It just depends
on your perception. I mean, for me, I love any
Opa lupas walking around. I just love it. I just good,
good old spray tand Michelle and.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
I recently got spray tand we went, h we have
a guy that we always use. His name is Jimmy Koco.
He does.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
Oh yeah, you told me about this guy.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
He got everybody, Victoria's Secret, the Kardashians, you name it.
He's been doing he's and now he has his own line.
He's crushing it. But he did us before we left
for the Bahamas. For how he's fiftieth birthday. So now
we have two fifty plus battery boys.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Hey, who's counting? You guys look great, I.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Mean, thankfully, thankfully we've all kept ourselves in.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
You know. For me, I know why. For me, I
know why I do it. Since I did the show
with you, I have lost collectively thirty pounds.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
I can see that, you know, and I look.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
I have no shame in saying I had a little
work done when I did RuPaul. You know, I had
to shave my beard, which.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
For one, if I didn't really know all the.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Girls, all three of my girls hate when I shave.
They hate it.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
Wait, do I to make you shave with me? Did
you shave it on? No? I never made that.
Speaker 2 (20:40):
No, No, just shave my head.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
But yeah, I know I so.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Raven, which is Mama Rou's main makeup artist, sat me
down one day before rehearsal and said, how bad do
you want to win this? I said, I want to
win this. I want to win this bad. He goes,
what do you think about taping? And I'm like, wait
is that that? He's like, that's tucking, sweetheart. I'm like, okay, fine.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Taping is when they tape here and then they tape
your eyebrows up and all that goes under your wig hat.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
It's like a face lift basically.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
So I got to see what I would look like
with a jaw line because I've always had a beard
because I have extra skin here genetically.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
And I was very insecure about it.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
So when I saw what I looked like with a
jaw line, I got really emotional. My wife found an
amazing doctor out by us and last maybe it's been
two years now. I think I got two years now. December,
I went and I did face tight and like, go
on my neck and I feel you you look like yeah,
(21:44):
I like, I still haven't shaved completely since I've done
it to see what I would look like.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
But it's coming.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
It's coming, But your kids are going to freak out.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
I think, well, yeah, well now they know why I
want to do it to shave because they also kid.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
God, I love them, but they say the most hurtful shit.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
They're honest.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
They kept before I did this, they called this my
troopie and I was like, wow, really that really okay?
Speaker 1 (22:15):
You know, so you guys see, men also go through
insecurities about the material things. I had no idea that
you had insecurities about that, especially you know, since we
danced like so close, so we were so close during
that time on Dancing Stars. I had no idea you
had any insecurities as far as like you're like the
outside of you.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Yeah, you know.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
I never because I you know, I wouldn't talk about
it because I had my beard.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
No to me, like, I wouldn't even like, I know
how some women are where you especially whenever.
Speaker 3 (22:43):
We would take a picture you had a side, you
had an angle that that you felt was more flattering
for you.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Right.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
I would never do anything profile because I hated the
way this looked.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Now interesting, now I'll do profile all damn day.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
I don't like.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
You want my right, my left or my left.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Yep, I will take it any which way. Diagonal?
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Oh my god? So is it true when they say
once you start, you can't stop like tattoos or are
you good? You're good?
Speaker 3 (23:11):
No, I you know I that was a one time
thing for me, and I am so happy I did it.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
I was public about it. I you know, I have
for shame. H No, just like me doing my hair,
like I've told people knew. I did my hair.
Speaker 3 (23:27):
I went in a second time, and then I tattooed
my scalp twice.
Speaker 2 (23:33):
It actually was not bad.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
Not with all the tattoos you have on your body.
What's the worst.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
This is just straight bones. So I thought it was
going to be extremely painful. The first time I did it,
I numbed my head.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
That hurt worse. Second time, no numbing. I was fine.
Speaker 1 (23:49):
Wait, you numbed it on your own.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
I went to my hair doctor and there's a girl
there that actually worked at a tattoo shop. I worked
for my hair doctor.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Oh my god, there's so much that happened.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Oh and I got this if you want to see it.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
Oh my gosh, Oh my goodness.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
I love you. I love me.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Oh I love that.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
So it's faint.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
I like that. That's so cool. You know. I'm just
so happy for you, honestly, like you have just come
into your own like identity in a way, and I'm
just I know you're happy because I can hear it
and I can see you and we're having this time together.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
Well, you know, it's it's It's funny you say that,
because the one thing that I learned most of all
through all this process of Arizona and the separation and
working things out and all these things is that now
I look at what I do as a job, it
doesn't define me. And when I'm not working, I tell
(24:58):
all my closest friends to call me Alex because AJ
is a persona. AJ is a battery boy as a
persona Alex is who I really am.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
So like, you haven't told me to call you that,
so I guess I'm.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Telling you now. There you go, or ask you. I'm
not telling you, I'm asking.
Speaker 1 (25:17):
You're telling me. I love it, Alex.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Okay, well there you go.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Okay, Well, going back to your persona, let's rewind here
since this podcast is about obviously something that was near
and dear to my heart for seventeen years of my
life and something that was part of your life for
less than a year, but it was also I mean,
the reason why I'm doing this is not to talk
bad or negative about the show. It's to literally talk
about the experiences because it has left a mark, whether
(25:43):
you're the first one that has ever been eliminated ever
on this franchise, or if you know it's like you,
you know, with the experience, with the growth, with what
you learn most about yourself. You told me when we
had started this, before we recorded that you went. You
were actually there at the answering with the Starch studios.
Before we get into fan questions, how was that experience
(26:05):
for you?
Speaker 2 (26:06):
I mean, look, it was. It was great to go back.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
But to be honest, like you know, when I pulled
into the parking lot, saw I saw all the security guys.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
We're all catching up.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
And but like instantly, like even though I knew I
wasn't there to rehearse, I got a little bit like
weird thing in my tummy.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
I was just like like.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Anxious, and because you know, you and I busted our
ass and it was very emotional for you and I
and so you know, I tell anyone, and I even
told some of the some of the new contestants yesterday
Alison hand again, and you know, I talked to my
buddy Jason Mraz and I was like, I said, listen,
(26:50):
if you take anything from this, trust me when I
tell you this show is not about dancing.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
It's not.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
It's about self discovery. It's about coming out of your shell.
It's about letting down walls and really embracing the person
you are and being comfortable. And you know, every of course,
everybody wants to win, the pros, the you know, celebs,
everybody wants to win.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
And I told everybody there said, you guys are all
winners just being where you are right now, doing this
out of your comfort zone.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
You know. Yes, I'm a classically trained dancer, but not
in ballroom, you know, so it was a challenge for me.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
You think it was harder because you were classically trained
and then you had to untrain your brain to learn
ballroom or yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
I think it was. It was funny yesterday Peter was like,
let's let's uh, let's check that frame, and man, my
frame was off point. You would be so proud of me.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
I'll be the judge of that.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
Oh no, it was all point.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
I'm sure. Nor by the way, your frame was always
freaking on point. I feel like the judges were extra
hard on you because you were classically trained. But like
I always say this, I talked to Heather Morris as well,
because she got the boot really early on and she
is obviously you know, she was on so you think
you can dance? Prior to her time on Dancing with
the Stars, and she was a backup dancer for Beyonce
(28:13):
prior to her time on Dancing Stars, a lot of
people were hating on her. And at the end of
the day, I think it's harder because I keep comparing
her time to you. To you, it's like you do
have to untrain the brain. That takes longer than training
the brain.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
No, it does. And honestly, look, I don't know if
I could say.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
This or not, but I'm going to say whatever you want.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
Enough time is gone by, okay, And I have a
feeling you're going to agree with me.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (28:37):
I think the night that we got eliminated, the argent
the actual Argentine tango.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
No, it was Argentine, wasn't it? Or was it being
the waltz?
Speaker 1 (28:52):
It was when it was what's it called it? Yes,
And it was that one little part in the beginning
that was it.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
That's what I think, That's what I believe.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Carrie Anne judged me on as opposed to the actual
dance because we killed the walls.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Oh my god, we do so good every single time
from the moment we were from.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
Day one, we literally killed that wallt I thought we
were going to get at least two nines maybe or
three nines. And I was like, she judged me on
the intro.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
You know what's actual dance? You know what's so interesting
is that, Like I feel like it's very rare the
judge is judged live because like, you know, it's obviously
they they you know, they obviously have seen some sort
of rehearsal or maybe like during it is a live
television show. Leah remedi you know she'll be on here
next week. But she basically because she was a guest judge.
(29:49):
So I said, what is it? What do we need
to know as far as being in that position goes?
And she says, you know, yes, we watched just rehearsal,
Like we have to, like, how in the hell else
it's a live television show. We have to know what
we're commenting about. And I said, so are we getting
judged based off dress or are we getting judged based
off live television show? And she's like, you know, it's
just I don't have an answer for you. And at
(30:10):
that that our dress rehearsal was so good.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
And so I feel like it's obviously said, but.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
It wasn't because of the content. It wasn't the content.
Speaker 3 (30:20):
No, And they don't have enough time live to properly judge.
So they're going to already have notes because they, you know,
Derek and all of them probably assume, okay, chances of
the dance getting better than what if they're nailing it
in rehearsal, that's what it's going to be.
Speaker 2 (30:38):
Hopefully in the show.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
Oh for sure.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
If they're taking in rehearsal, then they have somewhere to
go or they might freeze up live.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
And but there was no audience back then either.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
See that also, man, that really like the very next season,
you know, and I'm so like to me in all
the years I watched the show that Daniella and Homeboy
that won, like that was like shit I've never seen before.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
It was like groundbreaking.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
Obviously he's nine foot five and she's three foot two,
and he could just throw.
Speaker 2 (31:16):
It around like a rag doll. But you still got
to know what you're doing.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Yes, man, God, that's.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
The Halloween performance to me is probably one of the
best performances I think.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
I oh, for sure, I've seen for sure. But when
it comes to like actual content and ballroom dancing, that's
not that. You know, at the end of the day,
the challenge of Dancing with the Stars is to become
a ballroom dancer or to try to become one. And
though yes, record breaking, absolutely, do they deserve to win? Yes? Absolutely.
I just had Caitlin Bristow on she also says the
(31:46):
same thing, and she said, look, I wish there was
an audience, And then Leah Remedy goes, I would have
paid millions of dollars to have been a part of
the cast during the covids because she did not want
an audience at all. She hated that it really freaked
her out and off. As a performer, you vibe off
of that like that gives you how I mean I
could literally hear me and you breathing when we were performing.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
No, it's like there's a different level of energy and
a different level of performance when you're feeding off of
the crowd. Yeah, you know, when we're looking out at
just cameras and cables.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
You know, also the judgment.
Speaker 2 (32:24):
Everything was Everything was limited, you know.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Yeah, no, everything, even our connection and the camaraderie between
us and the other couples like that also has a
lot to do with it. There was none. There was
no such thing. I even said that to Caitlin, I said,
I wish we would have been friends, because like, at
the end of the day, we couldn't go into each
other's rehearsal space. We couldn't we couldn't do show and
tell like they do. Now, is it different when you
were there?
Speaker 3 (32:43):
Well, that's what I told Raya yesterday when I was
doing the OTF. He's like like, yeah, I said, but dude,
remember you weren't in the room.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
He's like, oh crap, that's right. We weren't in the room.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Like no, dude, it was the voice of God coming
from the speaker telling us what's coming up next or
what's going to happen.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
Yeah. Yeah, there was nobody in the room. There was
remote zero.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:06):
And wait, what is your conspiracy theory then, on how
why we got eliminated? You think it was just for
that one little mistake.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
I my conspiracy theory is I believe that is one
and two. I believe because I am a classically trained dancer,
and the show is to teach those that don't.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Know how to dance really at all, to give.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Them an opportunity to win the show. Look, Nelly's my boy,
Nelly as forever. But you know what that smile soldhim?
Speaker 3 (33:41):
Man, I'll tell you what that's He's got that pearly
white smile.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
That's sold now.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
And he is the epitome of what Dancing with the
Stars is about. Right, Like, he wasn't like if you
were to really just look at the dancing, right, obviously
you were better. But it was about the journey. This
guy had zero dance experience. He didn't want to jive,
and then all of a sudden he jived.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
Yeah. I mean, you know which. You would have been
so proud of me yesterday.
Speaker 3 (34:04):
I don't know if they got it on camera or not,
but when they did the routine, I was picking out.
They did four different styles in the group thing, and
I picked out three out of four. I knew I
saw the fox trot, I knew I saw the v
Andes waltz, and I knew I saw uh samba. And
then I was joking and I said, y'all remember my
(34:25):
first number my first anything was jive, and I said,
my damn toes.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
You jumped off the stage. Oh my god, your ankle.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
But yesterday and again I don't know if they filmed
it and they're gonna use it, but you would have
been so proud of how great my toes were when
I was doing my jive.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
Yes, dad, Oh, now now you're doing it. Now you're
doing it aj And you know what's crazy?
Speaker 3 (34:49):
Also, like Nick Nick mentioned this to me after he
did his season, Nick Carter Carter that it's crazy, how
doing this show coming back to us on tour, even
though we've got our stuff in our body, how different
it is for us with our lines, How much cleaner
(35:11):
we are almost, how much more serious we take our choreography,
even though it's more urban. But even something as simple
as a step touch, everything has got a line now, and.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
It's like you're just super detailed and OCD about it
like I was with you. Yes, yes, I've rubbed off
your dance mom has rubbed off on you in a
good way. I hope.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
I am grateful for that.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
Because how about your other band members? They must be like,
what's wrong with these two? Like why are they so
anal I mean, you.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Know, we literally it's funny because we'll be in rehearsal
and we'll be like, uh, listen, bro, you're getting a
little lazy and all of us need to look unified.
And then they'll, you know, there might be a banter
of no.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
I'm not and be like, uh, look at the game,
take watch the show from our life lazy.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
But we've all done it. We've all done it. It's
not I'm not picking on anybody. We've all had a
lazy night.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
Could you give us a little bit of a teaser
because this is gonna air right before tomorrow's show, So
I just want to who's team? Like, what are you
doing there? Why were you there?
Speaker 3 (36:17):
It is four contestants against four contestants the final.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
Eighth uh and Team A is doing so.
Speaker 3 (36:26):
This week's concept is greatest music Videos of All Time
and teammate picked back Streets Back. Allison hand again is
the team captain. She picked the song and they are
doing some elements of the Intricate Batteries sat Stop So
(36:46):
you know it just gave my two cents.
Speaker 1 (36:47):
So is Harry and Riley as well on your team? Uh? No,
So we have Alison.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
We have Alison. We have Jason.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
I love that we have mister Bray. Oh my god,
how he's killing it? Have you watched that? You haven't
watched them.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
Aside, I've now gone back and watched. Yeah, yeah, he's
killing it. But if I can give my predictions, it's
gonna come down between Jason and my Marvel girl so.
Speaker 1 (37:21):
Cheap, okay, But there's four people in the final, I.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
Know, but I'm saying between those two for the wins.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Yeah, So I think this is my prediction. I believe
that mister Brady is going to make the final. I
think he'll come in forth because he is our demographic
like and Matt just and you also know since he
danced last just not too long ago, he's going to
make the final. And then you have Ariana as well
in there.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
Well yeah, and then Ariana yesterday full freak out.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
Oh sure, she was in bravocon She was in Bravo con.
Speaker 2 (37:54):
Is she is a mad your backs boys band.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
Oh not because of this stress of the fact that
she has heard because of you.
Speaker 3 (38:03):
When I walked in the room, none of them had
any idea. She like almost collapsed. She's so sweet. She
showed me. And this is for all the all the
all the gen z's out there that don't know what
a photograph is.
Speaker 2 (38:19):
It's an actual printed photograph. She had printed photos from the.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
Millennium tour ready.
Speaker 2 (38:25):
She had had it ready.
Speaker 3 (38:27):
She had it ready just in case she carries them
with her, which so sweet, so sweet. Well, she also
had them for her OTF and you know some of
her stuff, uh they.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
You know, for her package.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
Yeah yeah, yeah, And so she had them not knowing
I was going to be there, and so sweet. Everybody
so sweet, and it was just so great to see
everybody again.
Speaker 2 (38:51):
I didn't get to meet Team.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
B, so I think Lamb's bass I saw was there
at one point at rehearsal.
Speaker 2 (38:59):
Yes, Lance was there I think last week or the
week before.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
Yeah, but I love that. So there was some good
There were some good interactions. I mean, do you remember, though,
when we danced our like many dances. I remember the
next day you'd be like, first you would always show
up early and get me my Starbucks, which is so
sweet of you. I said that today. Actually, I was like,
you know, if he doesn't have a Starbucks in his
hand waiting for me to be on type because I
(39:23):
was always like five to ten minutes late and you're
always five seven minutes early. But you know, there was
moments that you said to me, like I was crying
in the car in the parking lot, like do you
remember those moments?
Speaker 3 (39:33):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (39:33):
I do?
Speaker 2 (39:34):
I do? I trust me? Like, like I said, it
was an emotional rollercoaster, but it was such an incredible experience.
Speaker 1 (39:41):
Yeah, what did you learn most about yourself during that time?
Speaker 2 (39:45):
I think I learned to.
Speaker 3 (39:49):
One of my biggest fears, and I think I shared
this on Pretty Messed Up, is the fear of failure.
But I think I started learning that it's okay and
it's not even necessarily failing, but to not do everything
in life perfectly. And that's but like I told everybody
(40:12):
yesterday before I left, I said, you guys are all
winners already, just being as far as you are number.
Speaker 2 (40:17):
One, number two. What what the audience really wants to
see is you having fun. If you're not, if you're
in your head and you're thinking, or you're mouthing the
eight counts, or you're doing whatever, then you're then you're
you're you're gonna do yourself with dis service, smile, have fun.
(40:37):
Who gives a tiny rats ask if you hit every
every line right, every move right.
Speaker 3 (40:43):
No one's perfect except the pros right, and even when
folks have their moments.
Speaker 2 (40:49):
So you know, I do have to ask you because
I saw you you you responded. I was talking to
Elliott this morning and I told her that on your
story you're asking fans to ask questions, and I asked
a question to you from.
Speaker 3 (41:04):
Me, saying, hey, this is aj Aj MacLean. My question
is do you think I'm handsome and I'm the best
one or whatever?
Speaker 1 (41:12):
I said, yeah, and then you replied no. I didn't reply.
I was like, oh, I miss you, because you basically
were asking yourself. The question's this is a great segue
into the fan questions, So would you like to answer
it yourself?
Speaker 3 (41:28):
Sure, this is ademicallean, Yes, and I think I look
the best I've ever looked in my life. And that's
because of sobriety and self love and self care and
and yeah, I feel I.
Speaker 1 (41:43):
Feel great and you look great and you are great,
and I know you're great even through a freaking laptop screen. Okay,
so let's get to it fan questions, and then we're
playing rapid fire. And when I say rapid fire, you're
you would be the first person who actually answers my
questions in rapid fire. So we got to make sure
that happens because there's a lot to go through. Are
you ready? Okay?
Speaker 2 (42:04):
Do it?
Speaker 1 (42:05):
At Annie A Bell? Would you? Would you do the
show again? No, this is not rapid fire. You could
give me more of an answer.
Speaker 2 (42:15):
No, I would cause to me, that was it, That
was a moment. That was a moment.
Speaker 3 (42:20):
I think I would go in almost too too competitive,
going back, and I think that would give me a disservice.
I think it was a moment in time and it
was a life lesson.
Speaker 1 (42:33):
And I'm for it, and I'm going to stay far
away from that dance studio at chill zero five zero.
How did Cheryl's coaching style work for you or did
it not? No? I think, look, you and I don't
have to be nice. You could be honest.
Speaker 3 (42:46):
No, you and I had a way of speaking to
each other even even but even without words, we entergy
and we knew if I was struggling, you were, you
would push me and then you would back off and
be comforting because that's just who you are. Like You're
(43:08):
you're passionate, you want to win, but At the same time,
you also kind of humanized me, which I think made
it better as opposed to just go go go, right.
So I think we had a really really great connection.
I we're still friends.
Speaker 1 (43:24):
We could have not friends, lose my number type of relationship. Okay,
at nessa chemist, I suck at this. Okay, did you
ever feel like the judges scores were unjust.
Speaker 2 (43:37):
A few times? I did you know our highest score
was the samba?
Speaker 1 (43:43):
What wasn't three eighths? It was three eighths. No, it
might have been three eights or three nines. I don't know. Okay,
it was our est store.
Speaker 2 (43:52):
That was to du a lipa.
Speaker 1 (43:54):
Remember how I was prepping you like the samba is
going to be so hard, and you murdered it in
a way.
Speaker 3 (44:00):
I'm Puerto Rican, so these hips don't lie, so that
you know, that was the easy one.
Speaker 2 (44:05):
I think there was a couple of moments.
Speaker 3 (44:06):
Because you and I were only in the bottom twice,
and I think once was just to shake it up, yeah.
Speaker 2 (44:14):
You know, and then the second one.
Speaker 3 (44:16):
Obviously we have our conspiracy theories, but I there was
there was probably two or three dances.
Speaker 2 (44:22):
Oh to me, I thought we were really unjust with
the rumba because that.
Speaker 1 (44:29):
Was, oh my god, I know this was part of
my intro.
Speaker 3 (44:32):
I know that was like even watching it now, I
get emotional watching it because I knew what it was,
what it was internalizing to externalize, and I was like.
Speaker 1 (44:44):
Da, Also, do you remember the crew members that have
like that were so affected like I In all my seasons,
there never once did like the camera guy or the
lighting guy. It was they would say hi, but it
wasn't like they weren't in tears saying how powerful a
performance was. And you did that.
Speaker 3 (44:59):
Yeah, I mean honestly, it was that one that one
burned I think the most for me as far as story.
Speaker 1 (45:05):
Yeah, I was kind of like, hmm, I smell something fishy?
No kidding, Okay, okay, At Melissa C five, what do
you miss about dance or being on the show.
Speaker 2 (45:19):
I mean I miss being on the show just because
of the camaraderie between the other celebs and the pros.
Everybody was a family, and you know, even though everybody
wanted to win, there was still like healthy competition. People
were encouraging each other. You know.
Speaker 3 (45:38):
Need was always like after he'd seen my rehearsal, he'd
be like dude, you killed it. Like he could have
just not said anything and probably would have gotten in
my head. But like, you know, people people on the
show encourage each other, and I think that is what's great.
Speaker 2 (45:54):
You know.
Speaker 3 (45:54):
I talked to Ardham yesterday and just you know, seeing
him as a dad and all these things, it was
just really you know, it's like, yeah, because him and
I have talked offline since the show, and it's like, dude,
you're a dad now, Like I know what that's like.
Speaker 2 (46:10):
Now we have that in common, you know what I mean?
So now and I always hit it off great.
Speaker 1 (46:14):
I love that. I love that. I mean it is
it does leave a stamp, like this show is a
special type of formula I think to where it's like
there is no way that you can just erase it
from your mind right or your memory. No, Lauren vic
really what was going through your mind after Cheryl fell
on her head?
Speaker 2 (46:34):
Well, first of all, great way of butchering that name,
like you just like Lauren marbles in my mouth.
Speaker 1 (46:41):
Oh sorry, Lauren.
Speaker 3 (46:43):
Yes, we we apologize, Lauren. You know, I it's funny.
I was thinking about that earlier while we were talking.
Speaker 1 (46:49):
That was fine, It was fine.
Speaker 3 (46:51):
I mean it was fine, but obviously productions like, nope,
you're going home.
Speaker 2 (46:55):
We're not, We're not going to continue rehearsal. You could
have a concussion.
Speaker 1 (46:59):
No really then and then one of then the showrunner
at the type came out was like, t think we
can use that footage? Can we use that footage? You think?
Are you okay? Oh wait, are you okay? Okay? Can
we use the footage?
Speaker 3 (47:09):
The magic of TV it's like, oh, we're gonna use that.
We're gonna use that.
Speaker 1 (47:14):
It's a bounty floor, it's a bouncy floor.
Speaker 3 (47:17):
It was, but you still hit it pretty fucking hard.
My wife just got a concussion last week. Literally, she
was at a roller skating party. My girls have picked
up roller skating and they are obsessed and they're really good.
My oldest went outside to get something with mommy out
of her truck and going back in, Rachelle lost her footing,
tried to ground the door.
Speaker 2 (47:36):
And slammed down on her neck in her head, and
she got a concussion.
Speaker 1 (47:41):
She okay, she's good.
Speaker 3 (47:43):
The first four hours they say, is the really dangerous area?
After that, you're fine, And they did, you know, they
didn't feel like they had to do any CT scans
or any possible brain damage.
Speaker 2 (47:54):
She gets en up with that from me, so you know.
Speaker 1 (47:58):
But yeah, that's great. Yeah, known, that sounds more serious
than what happened to me. But what went through your
mind when when you saw me go straight down for
the you know, I think, well, because you know you
were in shock.
Speaker 2 (48:09):
I don't know if you remember, you were laughing.
Speaker 1 (48:12):
And the whole time, and I'm like, this.
Speaker 2 (48:14):
Is not funny.
Speaker 3 (48:16):
And but you also didn't move right away either. You
were like looking up at the ceiling that I came over,
I was looking at you. You started laughing, you said
you were okay. Everybody else came over. We lifted you up,
we walked you off. I went to my trailer. You
went to go get checked out. And then one of
the assistants came and told me we're done.
Speaker 1 (48:38):
You're not you I wanted to do it again.
Speaker 2 (48:41):
Oh I know, we both did, and you were not
cleared for it because that was that was the.
Speaker 1 (48:45):
Halloween, Halloween, and they still didn't give us goosecores.
Speaker 2 (48:49):
I know, dude, And it's like, and we actually did
a really good tango.
Speaker 1 (48:53):
I thought I was solid, very it was solid considering
that you had I had half a brain, you know,
back then. I think it's grown back. Okay, so another
one more question before we do rapid Fire. Okay, So
who would you dance with if Cheryl wasn't your partner?
This is from at Mama twenty one.
Speaker 2 (49:09):
You know, that's an interesting question.
Speaker 3 (49:13):
I'm anyone say, I probably say Danielle yeah, or.
Speaker 2 (49:22):
I'm drawing a blank.
Speaker 1 (49:23):
On VAL's girl Jenna Jeda. Yeah, yeah, you know, I
don't know.
Speaker 3 (49:29):
I feel like, well, Jenna and I are about the
same height, yeah, roughly, And then I.
Speaker 1 (49:36):
Think Daniella would be perfect with you.
Speaker 2 (49:38):
I don't know if I could fling Danielle around, but
I feel like.
Speaker 1 (49:41):
You know, we Thank god, it's a ballroom dance show
when you're not supposed to do lift anyway, So no.
Speaker 2 (49:45):
Yeah, there's no fling flings flinging around.
Speaker 1 (49:48):
Fun fact, I think we were supposed to You were
supposed to dance with Danielle and I was supposed dance
with Nelly.
Speaker 2 (49:53):
That is that is true?
Speaker 1 (49:56):
Oh it is true? Are you confirming? Well?
Speaker 2 (49:58):
No, that's what I was told initially. Then when the
conversation of the podcast, it all makes sense. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (50:06):
Oh interesting, oh interesting, Well, you know what. I'm glad
we danced together because I don't think I would be
where I am today as far as my sobriety goes
so and selfishly, I'm grateful for our time. Now. Would
you have gotten the mirror ball? Maybe? But hey, it's
just a mirror ball, like you said it is. It
is okay, Rapid Fire Dancing boy Band Edition, Dunda. You
(50:36):
have these to choose from? These people Drew Lache, Nick Lache,
Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, Joey McIntyre, Nick Carter, and yourself
Alex McLean. Okay, I get ready, best dancer me, best
vocals me, come on a jay. Funniest funniest uh, Joey Togue,
(51:02):
biggest flirt me, most charming Joey Mack. Who's hooked up
with a fan before? Hurry up? Say it all of us.
Biggest prankster, Nick. Who are you closest? Who are you
closest to? Uh?
Speaker 2 (51:22):
Nick Carter?
Speaker 1 (51:23):
Who loves to party the most?
Speaker 2 (51:26):
Probably Joey Togue.
Speaker 1 (51:28):
Most sensitive again, probably me or Joey Mack. Cute, loudest
me or joe Keep both of you. Keeps to himself
the most.
Speaker 2 (51:42):
Keeps to himself the most, probably.
Speaker 1 (51:46):
Nick Lache, most boring, uh Nick Lache one of the Laches,
no kidding, biggest ego? Damn well we all have one,
you know, uh ship Joey McIntire, most humble, most humble
(52:11):
lance likely to have a deep conversation with Nick Carter?
A few more? Who would you choose to do amazing
race with?
Speaker 2 (52:18):
Joey McIntyre?
Speaker 1 (52:19):
Who would you choose to do naked and Afraid with?
Not Joey right now? Gee, I can't believe it.
Speaker 2 (52:30):
I love you, I would not. I wouldn't be within.
Speaker 1 (52:33):
I don't think Joey Fotton would be with himself either. Actually,
best dressed in the ballroom me for sure, best dress
in real life, me for sure. Who would be the
next best contestant if they did another celebrity drag race?
Other than you? Obviously?
Speaker 2 (52:51):
I think Joey mc or Nick Carter?
Speaker 1 (52:54):
Interesting, that's a pretty boy. Who would you want that
has not been a part of Dancing with the Stars yet?
Who would you think would do well? Out of all
the boy banters?
Speaker 3 (53:02):
I think my oldest member, Kevin, because Kevin taught ballroom dancing.
Speaker 1 (53:07):
You're talk I know we'll see him there soon. Who
would want? Who? Last one? Who would you want to
make a Christmas album with? If you could only choose
one of the boys to do it with.
Speaker 3 (53:18):
You know what, I would do it with Lance just
because his low voice my range.
Speaker 2 (53:24):
I think we could do some really pretty vocals.
Speaker 1 (53:28):
Love it. Thank you, AJ.
Speaker 2 (53:30):
What I'm here for?
Speaker 1 (53:31):
What can your fans look forward to in the next
You already said it in the beginning of our conversation,
But like during this next year when you are on
hiatus with the boys, I'm sure you have other projects
coming out. Do you want to share?
Speaker 3 (53:44):
You guys can expect two EPs and a full LP
from me.
Speaker 2 (53:48):
I'm breaking up my solo. I'm into two parts.
Speaker 1 (53:51):
It was LP.
Speaker 2 (53:52):
It's going to be a body of work, almost twenty
songs deep.
Speaker 3 (53:56):
I have a clothing company that I'm launching, which is
an ath Leisure, Were sustainable, organic, and we're going to
be groundbreaking as well as Ama Dean Beauty is.
Speaker 2 (54:04):
Going to expand.
Speaker 3 (54:07):
And hopefully my golf game gets better and.
Speaker 1 (54:11):
They're going to continue to thrive.
Speaker 2 (54:13):
YEP.
Speaker 3 (54:13):
And in twenty twenty five, the biggest announcement from Backstreet
Boys probably in the last twenty years.
Speaker 1 (54:18):
You're going to tell me right now when we stop recording. Okay,
love you, thank you for doing this.
Speaker 2 (54:23):
You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (54:24):
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. What
do you all think? Let me know
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