September 24, 2025 • 9 mins
Former DWTS pro dance Maksim Chmerkovskiy talks new season of DWTS, new Vodka line and more!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're on with Mario a little.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Pez Tebril Mario Lopez, joiny right now before we're Dancing
with the Stars.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Pro my guy, Maxim short Kovski. What's going on, Maxim?
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Hey doing Mario.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Everything's fantastic, great man, great. We were just talking about
about our kids. You've got three boys, huh, all under
the age of what.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
I have an eight, two and a one. Oh wow.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
You went back to back. You had a little break
and then went back to back.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
And then we decided we're going to do the absolute
opposite of the break. Yeah. No, and we haven't and
we haven't slept ever since. Oh I know, I feel
eleven eleven and a half months apart.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
But it's been what a freaking roller coaster, man, you
know exactly what I'm saying is.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
I do know, And it doesn't stop. But it's the best.
It's the best kind of tiring. Congratulations on Thank you
on the family right there?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Uh season season thirty four. I can't believe that. On
Dancing with the Star's return this week, a side from
her brother because I know he's on the show. Who's uh,
who's your early pick to win it all?
Speaker 4 (01:01):
I mean, I'm gonna have to like just this is
just an eye eyeball test, you know, but like I'll
have to give it to uh my boy, Mark Ballast.
You know, he's got a you know, he's got a
front runner in my opinion, and I think that them
as a couple are a front of front runners, you know.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
And that's not.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
You have to you got me number one goglement right now,
she's from what she's from Mormon Wives.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
But that also isn't.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
A testament to the they're not the right you know,
them having a name. It's me, I don't watch anything,
you know, from one drop off to the next.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
So anyway, no disrespect, but she's coming in with a
lot of death.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Whitney love it. I believe there you go is actually
there's two girls from Mormon Wives.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
There, But I believe, yes, But I think Jen isn't
What I was told by my wife who's watched this
is that she may not have.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
The same dance background as Whitney does.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
And so and so it's again Mark and Whitney for
the front run. In terms of movement, I think, in
my opinion, there's going to be a couple of dark
horses whose stories are going to be compelling. I think
that we have Whitney, who dances with.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Uh, the brother of this is me again with names.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Wait isn't Whitney's not dancing with Ballas.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
No Whitney, Whitney the dances she got paired up with.
Look at us, man who's getting old enough? Memory goes,
So Jane is dancing with Ballas. No, Whitney is the the.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
But there's another, There's another. There's a lot.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
There's a lot of them, I know for some reason,
like the Titlen out of Utah, Like, really, Whitney, Carson
got it there he goes to Whitney.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Carson's partner is Crockett. You know what's his name?
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Irwin Ibon, There you go.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
So I think that those two couples we're back. We're back.
We can do we can cut it out, but we're back.
Those two couples, in.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
My opinion of front runners, Yes, and then and then
and I think, but but in my opinion, there's also
about three couples from what I kind of see so far,
who have a story, and one of them, in my opinion,
is also hilarious Baldwin.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Yeah, she has to dance, and that's.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
That's the thing. She I didn't put it in the category.
I think that she has the most dance experience specific
for this particular show. Yes, he does, but she also
did seven kids in between, and she also had.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
A life that's like a lot of life.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
And that's not even exaggeration. By the way, seven kids.
It sounds like an exaggeration, but she literally had seven kids.
That's wild.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Oh no, you know, Max, I don't speak exaggerations the facts.
She has seven children, that's crazy.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
I see Peter have three, and I'm like, listen, you
know times a ticket, you got to go back in
the bowlom anyway, but no, I think Hilario is going
to be that dark horse that people may really dislike or.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
May really like.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
And I think, you know, I'm here to see how
that turns out. There's two more couples. One of them
is my brother.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
I think him and Alex, right, I think they might
be the couple that people will be like, oh, you know,
they're pretty, but she's not a dancer. I think they will.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
You know, I think he's professionalism of season twenty. You
know it's Vals season twenty. Wow, my brother season twenty,
that's how Yeah, anyway, that's wild.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
You know that's wild man, That's how it should be
a good one. Have you have you considered possibly making
a return back?
Speaker 4 (04:42):
I mean I have, but I've also considered just thinking
about what, you know, what is the purpose here? You know,
Mark is coming back with girls that he's going to
do that thing with.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
You know, that's not my thing. My thing is pure.
My thing is specific, you.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Know, and and I think that they may not be
room for me unless there's someone that's going to come
in and say.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Look, that's my you know, passion, I want max you
know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
Yeah, it'll take that type of effort and then the
production would have to come and be like, listen, somebody,
he really wants to dance with you. But aside from
that is just not on my mind. I promise Dina
Cats you know, Dina, you know, with these girls, we
talk about this a lot and all the time. I
do keep my relationships, but my friend, I have so
(05:32):
much life it's insane between hours of twenty four to seven.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Oh, I know, well this is exciting too.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
You launch your own vodka brand called tet Ya Kappa,
and I know this one's made in the Napa Valley
using Napa grapes. I've tried it. It's really good. You
gave me a bottle. I appreciate that. What inspired the name?
Speaker 1 (05:51):
That's my aunt aunt Chorta means aunt and aunt kappa.
She was my actual aunt.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
She passed but she You know, every product has to
have a story, otherwise why do it. You know, this
one was a moment of passion.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
I spoke to him. Is now my friend.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
His name is Ian and he's a local mapa valley
wind grower, farmer, you know, has a pedigree in what
that region is all about and where. We were talking
about family and values and things. And I said, listen,
if it was a spirit that where I would ever
make it be vodka because that's what I grew up
with in watching people consume. It was never I never
seem to quilla until you know, the United States immigration.
(06:30):
So you know, she gave me one thing I told
you about that drinking and not getting drunk, and it
stayed with me for so long. That's the story I
told him. He called me the next week he said, here,
this is what we have. And so that's how okay
was the fastest sort of like I didn't think it
was happening to look what we have now, and I'm
very proud of this product. You know, now that we
(06:52):
have distribution on you know California, New York, New Jersey, big, big,
big time. You know Costco is somebody that there is
us on the East Coast, a lot of Ava Serfi,
you know a lot of big name restaurants.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
I'm very proud of the suffort.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Good for you.
Speaker 4 (07:07):
And since this is a dance season, you know that's
what happens dancing be stars back baby to see that the.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Town is doing a lot of south.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
I know because a lot of my friends are like Max,
my classes are overfilled.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
What are you guys doing?
Speaker 4 (07:20):
Is this is there an audition? I'm like, no, dancing
is back on TV. I'm bringing people to the Maholland.
This is a wonderful place at in Calabasas. It's local
to Angelino's. I feel like we're gonna put on an
event that's going to be fantastic.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Time, very small.
Speaker 4 (07:35):
It's closed just for select group, so get your tickets.
You know, first time for some type of stuff. There's
going to be a VIP section. I'm going to introduce
a couple of cocktails. It'll be me and you know,
I can't come with just vodka. Has to be with
a couple of dances with special guests and you know,
and dancing good seconds. So I welcome people to come.
(07:57):
We're an event bright it's called Copa Nights. What you
can just call directly to the moholland and inquire about
the tickets. So I'm excited about few of those type
of events around town and around the country.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Sounds good man.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
We'll be sure to put up all the info on
our website where can people get their hands on the
new vodka.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Top of vodka dot com is the best at the moment,
and then also when.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
You click on it, we need it super simple.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
Right there, it says where to find it in terms
of where to buy it, where to try it, which
restaurant to go to, uh and as well as how
to order. So you know, we do we do have
a privilege of delivering it online.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
So but I stand by this. You know, yeah, it's
it's a fantastic thing.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
It has a name and a face attached to everybody
is like it is what I like to say.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
And the last thing I'll say in terms of wildli
like this product.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
Is because I'm the only spirit in distribution that has
made a napp up and that's a big, big, you know,
label to carry and I'm very excited.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Good for you, man. Congratulations everyone.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Go to cap of Vodka dot com for all the info.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Max, thanks for checking in man.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Thank you brother. Tell me good luck. I'll tell you back.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
About those let me know when you want those lessons
there you go, get your boys in there
Speaker 1 (09:15):
With Mario Lopez
You're on with Mario a little.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Pez Tebril Mario Lopez, joiny right now before we're Dancing
with the Stars.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Pro my guy, Maxim short Kovski. What's going on, Maxim?
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Hey doing Mario.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Everything's fantastic, great man, great. We were just talking about
about our kids. You've got three boys, huh, all under
the age of what.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
I have an eight, two and a one. Oh wow.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
You went back to back. You had a little break
and then went back to back.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
And then we decided we're going to do the absolute
opposite of the break. Yeah. No, and we haven't and
we haven't slept ever since. Oh I know, I feel
eleven eleven and a half months apart.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
But it's been what a freaking roller coaster, man, you
know exactly what I'm saying is.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
I do know, And it doesn't stop. But it's the best.
It's the best kind of tiring. Congratulations on Thank you
on the family right there?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Uh season season thirty four. I can't believe that. On
Dancing with the Star's return this week, a side from
her brother because I know he's on the show. Who's uh,
who's your early pick to win it all?
Speaker 4 (01:01):
I mean, I'm gonna have to like just this is
just an eye eyeball test, you know, but like I'll
have to give it to uh my boy, Mark Ballast.
You know, he's got a you know, he's got a
front runner in my opinion, and I think that them
as a couple are a front of front runners, you know.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
And that's not.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
You have to you got me number one goglement right now,
she's from what she's from Mormon Wives.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
But that also isn't.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
A testament to the they're not the right you know,
them having a name. It's me, I don't watch anything,
you know, from one drop off to the next.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
So anyway, no disrespect, but she's coming in with a
lot of death.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Whitney love it. I believe there you go is actually
there's two girls from Mormon Wives.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
There, But I believe, yes, But I think Jen isn't
What I was told by my wife who's watched this
is that she may not have.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
The same dance background as Whitney does.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
And so and so it's again Mark and Whitney for
the front run. In terms of movement, I think, in
my opinion, there's going to be a couple of dark
horses whose stories are going to be compelling. I think
that we have Whitney, who dances with.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Uh, the brother of this is me again with names.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Wait isn't Whitney's not dancing with Ballas.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
No Whitney, Whitney the dances she got paired up with.
Look at us, man who's getting old enough? Memory goes,
So Jane is dancing with Ballas. No, Whitney is the the.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
But there's another, There's another. There's a lot.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
There's a lot of them, I know for some reason,
like the Titlen out of Utah, Like, really, Whitney, Carson
got it there he goes to Whitney.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Carson's partner is Crockett. You know what's his name?
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Irwin Ibon, There you go.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
So I think that those two couples we're back. We're back.
We can do we can cut it out, but we're back.
Those two couples, in.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
My opinion of front runners, Yes, and then and then
and I think, but but in my opinion, there's also
about three couples from what I kind of see so far,
who have a story, and one of them, in my opinion,
is also hilarious Baldwin.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Yeah, she has to dance, and that's.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
That's the thing. She I didn't put it in the category.
I think that she has the most dance experience specific
for this particular show. Yes, he does, but she also
did seven kids in between, and she also had.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
A life that's like a lot of life.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
And that's not even exaggeration. By the way, seven kids.
It sounds like an exaggeration, but she literally had seven kids.
That's wild.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Oh no, you know, Max, I don't speak exaggerations the facts.
She has seven children, that's crazy.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
I see Peter have three, and I'm like, listen, you
know times a ticket, you got to go back in
the bowlom anyway, but no, I think Hilario is going
to be that dark horse that people may really dislike or.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
May really like.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
And I think, you know, I'm here to see how
that turns out. There's two more couples. One of them
is my brother.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
I think him and Alex, right, I think they might
be the couple that people will be like, oh, you know,
they're pretty, but she's not a dancer. I think they will.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
You know, I think he's professionalism of season twenty. You
know it's Vals season twenty. Wow, my brother season twenty,
that's how Yeah, anyway, that's wild.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
You know that's wild man, That's how it should be
a good one. Have you have you considered possibly making
a return back?
Speaker 4 (04:42):
I mean I have, but I've also considered just thinking
about what, you know, what is the purpose here? You know,
Mark is coming back with girls that he's going to
do that thing with.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
You know, that's not my thing. My thing is pure.
My thing is specific, you.
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Know, and and I think that they may not be
room for me unless there's someone that's going to come
in and say.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
Look, that's my you know, passion, I want max you
know what I mean.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
Yeah, it'll take that type of effort and then the
production would have to come and be like, listen, somebody,
he really wants to dance with you. But aside from
that is just not on my mind. I promise Dina
Cats you know, Dina, you know, with these girls, we
talk about this a lot and all the time. I
do keep my relationships, but my friend, I have so
(05:32):
much life it's insane between hours of twenty four to seven.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Oh, I know, well this is exciting too.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
You launch your own vodka brand called tet Ya Kappa,
and I know this one's made in the Napa Valley
using Napa grapes. I've tried it. It's really good. You
gave me a bottle. I appreciate that. What inspired the name?
Speaker 1 (05:51):
That's my aunt aunt Chorta means aunt and aunt kappa.
She was my actual aunt.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
She passed but she You know, every product has to
have a story, otherwise why do it. You know, this
one was a moment of passion.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
I spoke to him. Is now my friend.
Speaker 4 (06:07):
His name is Ian and he's a local mapa valley
wind grower, farmer, you know, has a pedigree in what
that region is all about and where. We were talking
about family and values and things. And I said, listen,
if it was a spirit that where I would ever
make it be vodka because that's what I grew up
with in watching people consume. It was never I never
seem to quilla until you know, the United States immigration.
(06:30):
So you know, she gave me one thing I told
you about that drinking and not getting drunk, and it
stayed with me for so long. That's the story I
told him. He called me the next week he said, here,
this is what we have. And so that's how okay
was the fastest sort of like I didn't think it
was happening to look what we have now, and I'm
very proud of this product. You know, now that we
(06:52):
have distribution on you know California, New York, New Jersey, big, big,
big time. You know Costco is somebody that there is
us on the East Coast, a lot of Ava Serfi,
you know a lot of big name restaurants.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
I'm very proud of the suffort.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Good for you.
Speaker 4 (07:07):
And since this is a dance season, you know that's
what happens dancing be stars back baby to see that the.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Town is doing a lot of south.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
I know because a lot of my friends are like Max,
my classes are overfilled.
Speaker 1 (07:19):
What are you guys doing?
Speaker 4 (07:20):
Is this is there an audition? I'm like, no, dancing
is back on TV. I'm bringing people to the Maholland.
This is a wonderful place at in Calabasas. It's local
to Angelino's. I feel like we're gonna put on an
event that's going to be fantastic.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
Time, very small.
Speaker 4 (07:35):
It's closed just for select group, so get your tickets.
You know, first time for some type of stuff. There's
going to be a VIP section. I'm going to introduce
a couple of cocktails. It'll be me and you know,
I can't come with just vodka. Has to be with
a couple of dances with special guests and you know,
and dancing good seconds. So I welcome people to come.
(07:57):
We're an event bright it's called Copa Nights. What you
can just call directly to the moholland and inquire about
the tickets. So I'm excited about few of those type
of events around town and around the country.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Sounds good man.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
We'll be sure to put up all the info on
our website where can people get their hands on the
new vodka.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Top of vodka dot com is the best at the moment,
and then also when.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
You click on it, we need it super simple.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
Right there, it says where to find it in terms
of where to buy it, where to try it, which
restaurant to go to, uh and as well as how
to order. So you know, we do we do have
a privilege of delivering it online.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
So but I stand by this. You know, yeah, it's
it's a fantastic thing.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
It has a name and a face attached to everybody
is like it is what I like to say.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
And the last thing I'll say in terms of wildli
like this product.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
Is because I'm the only spirit in distribution that has
made a napp up and that's a big, big, you know,
label to carry and I'm very excited.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Good for you, man. Congratulations everyone.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Go to cap of Vodka dot com for all the info.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Max, thanks for checking in man.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Thank you brother. Tell me good luck. I'll tell you back.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
About those let me know when you want those lessons
there you go, get your boys in there
Speaker 1 (09:15):
With Mario Lopez
Host
Mario Lopez
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