PODCAST #409 WITH CHERYL BURKE TRANSCRIPT
You are listening to the reality. Steve podcast with your host reality. Steve, he’s got all the latest info and behind the scenes juice on grants, upcoming season of the bachelor and interviewing some of your favorite reality stars now here’s reality. Steve.
What’s up, everybody? Welcome to podcast number 409.
I’m your host, Reality Steve. Thank you all for tuning in. Good guest today. Second time on the podcast. We had her right around this time a year ago. She’s starting season two of her podcast. It is Cheryl Burke, two time Mirrorball Champion from Dancing with the Stars, currently the host of the Sex, Lies, and Spray Tans podcast.
We got 30 minutes with her because she was very busy yesterday doing a ton of interviews, but I’m glad she could squeeze us in, and we will get to Cheryl’s story. Interview momentarily. Don’t forget that Cheryl’s a podcast is obviously you’re listening to it now on either Apple podcasts or Spotify, but you can go to my YouTube channel and check it out as well and watch it there.
Subscribe, leave a like, you know, like it, leave a comment. It’d be much appreciated. If you could do that to build up the YouTube channel where, you know, ever since I went to the YouTube channel, I believe in June gotten over, I think 4, 500 subscribers, so I mean, we’re. We’re building it. We’re nowhere near Dave Neal, but Hey, slowly, but surely, surely we’ll build it.
I’m not looking to have be in a competition with Dave. I’m just saying you know, you just keep doing enough stuff. You do keep doing it consistently. I think there’s a chance that my lives, I might be doing them. Like you were last week. We did it on Monday night before Monday night football. I think that might be the new spot.
I think maybe seven o’clock Eastern time on Monday nights might be the new resting spot because Tuesdays are dancing with the stars night. I guess if I did it, I could do it after dance with the stars, but that would just be for East coast and central. I mean, West coast, you guys listen and mountain, you watch it at a different time than East and central.
We watch it live unless I do it on seven o’clock Eastern time on Tuesdays, the hour leading into dance with the stars. Maybe it’s that. It’s not going to be Wednesday nights because Jesus, all the stuff I had to do last night. My gosh, I didn’t stop. Why? I, I only watched Golden Bachelorette, Survivor and Big Brother, and that lasted me till 1115.
So, but yeah, but that was because Survivor was two hours and Golden Bachelorette was two hours. I think both of those go to 90 minutes starting next week. Maybe Survivor has another two hour episode, but then I know they’re a 90 minute show and I didn’t even know Golden Bachelorette was supposed to be two hours last night.
Did you? Until I turned on my TV. I thought it was a 90 minute, I thought they were doing 90 minute episodes, maybe just the premiere. But when those go back to 90 minutes, then yeah, it won’t be, I won’t be finishing as late on Wednesdays, but I’m definitely not doing it on Wednesdays, Thursday night is Thursday night football.
Doubt I’m doing it then Friday night. No. So it looks like the weekly lives are going to be Mondays or Tuesdays at 7 p. m. Eastern time. I’ll keep you updated. Anyway. Have Cheryl Burke, great guest, had a lot of fun with her. I wish I could get more time with her, but I totally understand. She’s swamped, got a lot of media requests.
Yesterday was her big media day. Remember I contacted her PR people in August and they said, how does September 18th at one o’clock Pacific sound for you? I’m like pencil me in. That kind of shows how busy. Cheryl is, and she went, she had a ton of interviews that she did yesterday, but glad she gave us the time on this podcast, had a good time with her, ended it with another rapid 10, which I thought was fun, did talk about night one of dance with the stars.
We went over her career a little bit, a couple of the stories that have broken from her podcast over the last year. Which I absolutely want to give her credit for, which I did on the podcast. I just wish I had more time with her. Cause I do want to dive into a lot of deeper stuff with her because she’s obviously had a very fascinating career in the public eye, you know, she’s, I don’t know how many years sober she is, but you know, she’s now sober.
I want to say it’s like five or six, you know, she went through a public divorce while she was on a show. Like she’s been through a lot. And I’m just curious. I’d love to get into that stuff a little bit more, but this, this podcast we don’t get into any of that stuff. I did not ask about Artem either, just wanted to stay away from it one because it just didn’t have a ton of time and two, it just didn’t fit with the tone of the interview as you’ll, as you’ll see.
So that’s coming up in a little bit I do want to mention on the daily roundup today. I thought I was going to talk about more Devon stuff and there’s no Devon talk on it at all. Talked about the golden bachelorette talked about survivor, big brother. There is another issue with a contestant on the golden bachelorette that came to light while the show was airing.
And that was, there is a guy Gil who did get a rose last night. I don’t think he lasts past next week. If it’s past next week, it’s the week after he’s not long for the show, but. Documents were posted on bachelor nation dot scoop that Gil had a temporary restraining order taken out against him, filed in Los Angeles court on June 11th.
So after I was done watching all the shows last night was when I was finally able to go through my emails and at seven 30, my time I had gotten an email from the woman who filed the restraining order against Gil. I got a message from her daughter. So. I didn’t start talking to her till like 11. 15 last night and going back and forth on Instagram.
And I just, obviously I just want to, I just want to get all the details just like I did about the Devin story. Just want to get all the details on this. But again, I am just, I’m in a, I’m in a position right now where I’m just overwhelmed by it. I don’t like reporting stuff like this, but I feel like I, I, you know, I have to.
Because this is what people want to know and the show needs to be called out again for it, but is it frustrating? Absolutely. But if it happened, you know, I just need to get more details. I got you the details on the Devon stuff. I need to dive into more details about what this is all about, how long she dated Gil.
What he did to harass her, what he did to make her file a TRO. I have been told getting a TRO in California, the burden of proof is a lot less. I’m not saying that I’m not excusing anything that Gil did. I’m just saying right now, I don’t know enough details and that’s what I’m going to do. I, this is just not going to be something that I’m going to harp on for weeks and weeks and weeks because you’ll hear me, if you’ve already listened to my daily roundup, you’ll hear me just say like, I’m just throwing my hands up now.
This show clearly sucks at vetting their contestants, period. They suck. So what am I supposed to do? I have no connections over there. I can’t change how they do things. All I can do is point it out. And once I get more details, I’ll point it out and then we just leave, you know, leave it be and not saying because it’s not important and not saying because this woman hasn’t suffered, but unfortunately, Gil is irrelevant to the season.
It’s not like he’s the winner. It’s not like he even gets to the final four or overnights or anything like that. He’s gone next week or at the latest the week after I just, I don’t know how long he lasts, but it’s not very long. So it’s just do, do I want to sit here and talk for days and days and days about a guy who lasted two episodes on the golden bachelorette.
It needs to be brought to the attention. It’s already been brought out by bachelor nation dot scoop. I will do a little more digging. I will give you the details, lay it out there, and then we just be like, let’s move on. The it’s in the show’s hands now. They got to do better. The one thing that I did say on my daily wrap, and I’ll say it here.
I don’t think we should punish Joan by boycotting the show. If you want to watch Joan season, watch it because Gil is not going to be a major part of it. Yes. It’s going to suck to watch him knowing that he has a restraining order taken out against him literally three months ago. But Hey, don’t let that ruin what I thought was an excellent first episode and a much more enjoyable show to watch for me than bachelor and bachelorette.
It really is. It’s just. It’s a different show. You can say same producer, same mansion. I get that. It’s a different show because there’s really no drama here. These people have life stories to tell. They have life experiences to share. When you’re listening to a 24 year old account executive on the bachelor talk about their life.
You know, yeah, some have tragic stories. We know this. And I’m not saying they’re not important, but I’m just saying this show is different. It hits different, at least for me, maybe because I’m an older generation. I don’t know. If you didn’t have your heartstrings tugged at a couple of times last night during the episode, then I’d have to say, you don’t have a heart.
You might want to go get that thing checked out. You might want to get your ticker checked on. Anyway, I just wanted to to let you know about that. We do talk about also big brother and the premiere of survivor last night in the daily roundup. That you can go listen to that’s up. It’s been up in your feed for a couple hours now It’s podcast brought to you by mint mobile Remember when it mobile came to me I was paying over a hundred twenty dollars a month for my wireless plan for over 15 years And when I found out I can get 15 bucks a month on a three month plan I’m like there’s got to be a loophole right and Aren’t I signing a contract that probably turns over my life to you guys?
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Additional taxes, fees, and restrictions apply. See mint mobile for details. All right, let’s get going. Podcast number 409. All right. Let’s bring her in now. She is a two time winner of the mirror ball trophy on dance with stars. She is an author. She has a hugely successful podcast right now. Sex lies and spray tans.
So glad to have her back on for the second time on this podcast. It is the lovely Cheryl Burke. Cheryl, thank you so much for coming on. I really appreciate it.
Thanks for having me again. How
have you been? I’ve been great. How have you been?
Great. A little delirious. I must admit I’ve done been doing this since early this morning, but I also did the review for the premiere last night until the wee hours.
So we’re going on hardly any sleep, but I’m not complaining because I love it all.
I can imagine. And you know, what’s funny. We had you on right around this time last year. I think your first episode had dropped, it had just dropped. And I was like, you know, I was looking forward to it. I said, you know, and then this last year happens.
And I swear, Cheryl, every time you have a guest on your show, it ends up making headline news, whether it’s on people or us weekly, like, did you ever expect it would blow up the way it is? Because I’ve lost track of how many headline stories you have gotten out of your podcast for last year.
It is a little shocking, but then also, I understand at the same time, because like, I honestly don’t know half of these stories that are being discussed and that we’re talking about, because we don’t get this chance to really talk when we’re on the show, we’re being pulled a million different directions, and we’re just with our partner, really, so it has it.
I definitely, if you would have said that this was going to happen a year ago, I would have not believed you put it that way.
Yeah, no, it is and it’s fascinating and some of them are sensitive topics. It’s not just oh salacious tea or anything like that. There were a couple that I I just wanted to Kind of follow up on because I was interested in them.
And when the stories were told, I was like, Oh yeah, that was said in this interview, one of them. And it seems like you’re good now, but I wanted you maybe to clear the air on the Louie controversy with Louie. I, it sounds like you’re good with him. But when he went on with you, he was very like kind of pushback of, Hey, why didn’t you back me up?
And you’re like, Hey, Louie, I’m good with you. And he’s like, okay, I get that. But. I just really wanted you to back me up. Where are you guys at with that right now? And maybe just a short refresher for people that don’t remember what had happened.
Well, you know, it, this all started. Okay. So look, I understand why certain people may just get upset because what they’re, Hearing is a cliff note version of the episode.
Now I have always been taught this as a little girl, do my research before putting any judgment on anybody or anything. And when you just base something off of a social media clip that is clearly there for clickbait and also so that people listen to the podcast, I mean, networks, all on primetime shows do it with commercials and podcasts.
And like, this is how we get people to listen. And so when you’re being judged off of that 90 second clip or a minute, it’s hard to really, it’s hard for me to have patience with that. Situation because you can be mad, but then you’re not listening to the podcast and the episodes. Right. And so even in Louie’s case, like what, when this was being brought up, it was when I was talking to Lacey, Lacey was explaining to me, her experience.
Most of this podcast is not about my experience. It’s about my guests experience. And sometimes I am included in those memories most of the time. Hence why I heart gave me a podcast about dancing with the stars. And I think that People just are asking, in general, like, why bring up the past? But why not bring up the past?
Why not heal from the past? Or whatever it is. And I think, with this show, it has left such an impact. As individuals on each of our lives, but also as a collective and the past is the past. No one is holding grudges yet. We have the ability to still talk about it because it is healing because Lacey and I did experience you know, body shaming.
And we experienced it at the same time. There’s nothing wrong with bringing it up. I think it’s the reaction that is odd for me.
Yeah. I mean, obviously growing up in the dance world body image and body positivity is something that you just had to fight through. And it was just a topic that got rough, but you and Louie are good now.
You guys are all, you’re fine.
Yeah. Yes.
That’s good to know the other thing that
I think so. I mean, maybe I’m wrong. I don’t know. I mean, who knows? You’re gonna have to ask him, I guess.
Yeah. The other one that came up was, you know, something that when you, a few years ago took over for on dance moms, you took over Lee Miller
Abby,
and obviously there was a Some words said by her.
It wasn’t even really necessarily shots at you. I think she was taking more shots at production, but you had a great experience with production there. I was just curious. Do you, do you still keep in touch with any of the, the, the girls that you taught on that show? How was your experience on that show? Is something that obviously I know you love teaching.
Is that something that you would continue with? Not necessarily with that show, but where are you at with that?
Well, you know, this, Because my podcast is solely about dancing with stars. We don’t talk about dance moms, but I can answer your question regardless. It’s still within this subject of, I guess, me this was a short replacement.
Like it wasn’t even a full season. It was actually like, they split it into like seven, a seven B or something like that. And within that short amount of time, yes, I definitely became close to the girls and the like, I remember towards the end. Me and the moms, we went to dinner. And a lot of the girls, we do keep in touch.
Like I keep in touch with Kalani and Chloe via DM, you know, Kendall as well. But there’s also an age gap, right? In a way, I think that they thought of me as their mentor at during that time. And my goal in coming on to, first of all, I never thought I was going to get. Any type of job. Like I thought for sure before I even knew Abby was fired, right?
Like this was just a general meeting with the executives of dance mom. So it wasn’t like I wasn’t, I wasn’t informed that it was to replace anybody. It was just a general. And it happened to be again, a coincidental situation where I was the new dance moms, the new Abby, but not Abby. And that was my whole thing.
It was like, I’m not Abby, right. But I do want these. young girls to have a good experience when it comes to dance. Cause I don’t think that was the case. And how, what a shame, right? That would have been for them to kind of leave a world that they were, that they loved past tense and then no longer dance anymore.
So I hope that I was able to influence them in a positive way. And And have their last memory of dance moms be more of a positive experience.
Yeah. Cause it seemed like for the people that watch that show, it just seemed like there’s obviously different styles of, of teaching that people have. And hers was a little more on the negative side.
And it just, like you said, you just want people to have more of a positive experience going into dance. This is my
thing in general. If you cannot, if you are giving constructive criticism that they can actually take back and work on, as far as technique and skillset goes, great. But if it’s not, if it’s an attack to stuff that they can’t change, not great.
That is not that is, I wouldn’t call that strict or even that’s not criticism or even constructive criticism. That’s just straight up abuse in my eyes.
No, you know, you’ve, I think a lot of people have that sentiment, especially towards her in particular, but let’s move on to the premiere of dance with the stars and You know, I think this is, this is a question I’ve always had structure wise.
I know the first dance of the season is limited to, I believe, 60 seconds, right?
Well, it’s 60. I would say last night it was like 60 to 70.
Okay. There’s
less couples.
Is there a is there a structure where a system where it starts to change? Like, okay, after week three, we’re going to 90 seconds after week six, we’re going to 60 or, or I mean, you know, two minutes.
Is there a structure to that or is it just, There isn’t, it’s just, they do inform you, but it’s not the same set every week. Same set every three, six weeks or whatever.
They, we, we don’t really focus on the timing of the music, right? So, I mean, we’ll just notice that it’s not 90 seconds. I think that’s the max that they’ll go unless if it’s a freestyle, but they also have to fill out and fill up two hours of live television, which, you know, isn’t easy, but also people do want to see the performance.
But there is a, some, I remember one season, it got to like 1. 45, two minutes. And like, I know it sounds crazy, but those added 15 seconds is a ton of time for people like us, especially dancing with people who don’t dance. Like that just takes more physical Endurance and also just stamina and it’s not easy.
I think it’s quality for me. It’s quality over quantity. I always choose that for sure.
Well, the funny thing is when we get to later in the season and they always have that, that one episode where they have the dance off, that seems like you’re literally dancing forever. I’m like, I don’t even like, it’s hard enough to explain to a person who’s not a dancer.
Yeah, it’s just, I don’t even know how people pull it off and literally doing, and it’s hard to keep obviously track of everybody who’s on the floor dancing and unless you focus on one couple, but I’m surprised that they can do three or four minutes straight.
They need to do what they do in dance competitions, which is have everybody dance to the same style.
Let’s say it’s cha cha. Don’t tell them the music. The BPM is going to be the cha cha BPM. Dance your routine and have the judges wear, have the men wear numbers on their back. Like they do in real competitions and go ahead. Like, I don’t know why, instead of doing crazy, dangerous lifts, kicking people’s face, having like the PAs run and tap people, like that is not safe.
First of all,
that’s what they did in Greece. At the dance. So, okay. So first night, you’ve obviously had some partners in the past that. Had dance background. So first night, not that saying it was easy, but it was easier than somebody who had zero dance experience. So when you went into a first dance night with somebody who had experience versus non experience, talk about somebody who had.
Basically nothing. I don’t know. Maybe Jack Osborne comes to mind and probably didn’t have much dance. Where do you start with someone like that? Okay.
I think that they are easier. It’s easier for them to like, it’s harder to untrain your brain than it is to train it. Though, like with AJ McLean, it was a challenge from day one until we got eliminated.
Who else had dance experience? I would say. Like he was the only, I don’t know who else had danced. I wouldn’t say Juan Pablo. Yes, he had dance experience, which he admitted recently. Gilles Marini did not have dance experience, but he had the right build. And like where, whenever I would adjust him, he would look like a dancer.
So there’s just, it’s so different, but I don’t think dance experience, I think it hurts you. Not, it doesn’t help you.
