Off The Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe - A.J. and Cheryl

Episode Date: November 17, 2020

Kaitlyn's guests this week are Backstreet Boy, the first female pro to take home a Mirrorball in DWTS, and co-hosts of Pretty Messed Up podcast A.J. and Cheryl! We chat all about DWTS including some of their toughest challenges, body image for dancers and male performers in the industry, and Spanx.  BIG SKY - Big Sky premieres TONIGHT on ABC GEICO - Go to geico.com , and in fifteen minutes you could be saving 15% or more on car insurance PANTENE - Check out local papers across the country to get your coupon for $5 off 3 Pantene products  SKREWBALL WHISKEY – Go to Skrewballwhiskey.com for more info and click to buy now  JENNI KAYNE – Get 20% off your first order when you use code VINE at checkout at Jennikayne.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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Who's that with OTV? Podcast One presents off The Vine with Caitlin Bristol. Caitlin is creating a space where girls and gents can feel empowered to be themselves. Get ready for lots of laughs. Taboo topics. On filtered advice. wine. Lots of wine. Get ready to shake things up. Here's Caitlin. Hello everybody and welcome to Off the Vine. I'm your host, Caitlin Bristow. You may know today's guests for a variety of

reasons. I mean, Backstreet Boys ring a bell for you. Had to ring a bell for Cheryl this year. And what about the first female pro to actually take home a mere ball? Yes, I'm talking about the couple who competed along with me this season and absolutely killed it. It's AJ and Cheryl Burke. They co-host pretty messed up podcast. It's actually a really great podcast that you need to listen to if you're not already. We get into all things dancing with the stars, their biggest challenges. We talk about body images as a dancer and also as a male performer. AJ talks to us about Spanx and what's next for his music career. Fingers crossed for a Christmas album. It's just an overall great conversation. So please enjoy today's podcast. Oh my gosh. Okay. Well, great

start i feel like um we're off with this is so um typical for me anyways so i hope it is for you guys too because when i jumped on your podcast it was like so professional here we go we had an intro and with me i'm like can you guys record audio too just in case i don't have it going over here yeah but we also have like 30 people on at one time it's not just us so you guys do we have troubleshooters built in that's amazing um well thank you guys for testing testing Oh, are you? Yes, testing. We can hear you. Can you hear us, Cheryl? Yes. Testies one, two. Testes, one, two. Exactly. Testy testicles. Testy testicles. Thank you guys so much for being on the pod. You guys started your own podcast, which I was just on, which is a very, I loved it. You guys were very vulnerable and raw and real, but also funny and great, and I really enjoyed being on it. It's called Pretty Messed Up. How did this podcast come about?

Well, we loved having you, first of all. And it's the craziest story, right, AJ? Because, like, okay, so we met before Dancing with the Stars because Amy Sugarman from IHeart was like, okay, we were going to do our own podcast. Like, I was supposed to do a podcast, like, before I even got married. And then we have this, a similar story. And she's like, I need to introduce you to AJ. And I was like, who's AJ?

I don't need no sidekick. I'm kidding. Exactly. You don't. You don't. No, you don't. But you want to finish the story? So then, you know, next thing you know, I make the final decision to do the show, you know, because it was kind of up in the air, whether it, whether dancing was even going to happen or not with the whole COVID thing.

So get the show, find out who my partner is, which is this young lady right here. This Asian lady. And then I was like, oh, well, this is interesting. Okay. So, of course, Amy and everyone at Eyehart was like, okay, well, this is fate. I mean, this absolutely makes sense. Now, my mentor and best friend of 20 years, Renee Elizondo, who's our third co-host, he and I were actually talking to Iheart about doing a podcast as well.

Yeah. With two other people, and it would have been four people. and that was based on this little meeting that I've been doing since March called Circle the Wagons. And then obviously four people was a lot on a podcast, so they fizzled it down to me and Renee. And then they were like, well, why don't we put you three together? You guys all have similar backgrounds.

You're all sober and you're all pretty messed up in your own way and nuts. You guys didn't know you were partners. Well, hold up, hold on, hold on, hold on. And then I was like, Susan, our publicist, Caitlin, I was like, you realize that it'd be really weird if AJ was dancing with somebody else and we're doing this podcast together. Totally. And then Amy's like, well, actually, it could be really good. Like, it could be like, you guys are just like totally rivals. And then you have this podcast together.

I was like, bad idea. And I was like, Sue, tell AJ's people or tell Amy to tell me to tell. A.J. to request me. Because if you request me, then the chances of you of dancing with me are pretty high, right? And da-da. Yeah, I mean, I, so I, so I did request you because obviously there was, there was rumblings about me being with Sharna because Nick was with Sharna. And I actually shut that down because I didn't want to follow exactly in Nick's footsteps. I don't think, not to say, not to say that Sharna wouldn't have been a good partner. I don't know. But I mean, I just was like, yeah, I kind of want to do this on my own.

differently. I thought you were to dance with Britt, actually. Again, I didn't know who I was going to get put with, but I did put the requesting to me with Cheryl. Also, I knew enough about Cheryl's past that I was like, I really think her and I are going to really work well together. Yes. Oh, oh, was I wrong? Oh, my God. Rude. No, I'm kidding. First of all, you guys worked so well together, and you've come up with this great podcast and a great friendship. I know, AJ, your kids call her Auntie Cheryl. And it's just so sweet. But I'm, you know. laughing about two things. Cheryl goes, I don't need no sidekick. And then literally next sentence was, AJ, you want to finish my story? Yeah. I know. AJ, will you complete my sentence, please?

Finish my sentences, please. But also, you were saying, you know, you knew enough about Cheryl's history. Cheryl, did you know the history of Backstreet Boys? Thank God for Google. Kidding. Not really, actually. Okay, wait, but AJ will be the first to say, like, I lived a sheltered life. my mother was like dance in school dance in school school dance school and so like that was it and i can only watch one hour of tv a week when i was growing up and that was 9-0210 so not like the backstree boys are on tv but i couldn't even listen to their music i mean i was all like it was very like an olympian i lived like a lifetime yes but i did end up watching their documentary thinking i was like god all this research i'm doing what if he's not my partner what a what a waste of tide that was

but I found them very fascinating, including AJ. Out of all the boys, I was like, AJ's definitely, he pops for sure. The most fascinating for sure. By far. As Oprah interview, I saw everything when you had barely any facial hair. What did Oprah smell like? She smelled like, she smelled like a really nice tree. Oh, I believe that.

We did Oprah in season two. Yeah, she had a very, she had a very, like earthy smell rich and earth rich yes rich yes like the smell of like trees and money yeah trees and wealth with a pinch of vanilla yeah oh my gosh that's amazing we'll be back with more off the vine with kately bristow all right if you guys are anything like me you're always looking for that next great show to get obsessed with so when i heard that david e kelly has a new series coming to ABC. You guys know him from Allie McBeal, The Practice, and Big Little Lies. I was all in. Big Sky is one of those edge of your seat thrill rides that's full of

twists and turns you'll never see coming. When two sisters go missing under the wide open skies of Montana, private detectives Cassie and Cody team up with Cody's ex-wife, Jenny, to find them before it's too late. The girl's disappearance soon reveals an even deeper mystery, one that some will do anything to keep hidden. It just goes to show that even in the most beautiful places can hide the darkest secrets. Sounds really good. And I've seen the previews. It looks really good.

Big Sky features an incredible cast like Ryan Felipe, Catherine Winick, Kyle Bunbury, and John Carroll Lynch. Can't wait to check it out. Big Sky premieres tonight on ABC. Now back to Off the Vine with Caitlin Bristow. Wait, well, I'm going to say something triggered my memory and now I've lost it. What were we just saying? You're talking about open, but I really want to know how your rehearsals are.

doing. You do? Oh, no. Okay. This is what I was going to say. I'm jumping right into a confession because I do confessions on my podcast every Tuesday. And I'm like, I didn't even think of one today until we just said this because Cheryl, you're talking about the Backstreet Boys documentary. I hope, Jason, okay, good. He's not here. Jason said it. I, I joined. Well, he already knows the story anyways, but I joined the Mile High Club watching the documentary. What? Watching. Oh. Wow. AJ's talking about, oh my God, good for you.

Were you watching as? Okay, yep. It was a pod. People on this podcast who listen already know that I've joined the Mile High Club. It was like a story that even like went out onto the news like years ago. But it was breaking news. It was breaking news. It was an overnight flight.

It was right after the show. Girl, good for you. And we were watching the Backstreet Boys documentary. Isn't it good, though? I mean, both. I mean, look, basically the show. I mean, look, the film's called Show them what you're made of. So obviously, you were like, you know what?

I'm going to show you what I'm going to show you what I'm made of. I will show you what I'm made of my high cup. Hi-five. Anyways, the good thing Jason wasn't home for that. He already knows. But rehearsals, okay. Oh, I wasn't with Jason. I get it now.

No. Yeah, I was going to say, come on, Cheryl. Come on. All right. Okay. Anyhow, that was like four years ago. Whatever that documentary came up. Wait, so what dances do you have?

Okay. this week. Actually, when this comes out, I will have danced the contemporary and I have to do the redemption dance for the Pasadobloi. Who came to your rehearsal? Carrie Ann.

Oh! It was like, of course. She was going to be our judge. But I was actually excited about it because the judges get, what, 15 seconds to say what they have to say to you and you're like, but why? And so we were able to actually have

the conversation. And here were she's coming from and ask the whys and how comes and all that. So it was actually really nice. And it was like kind of mending a broken fence. And it just felt like going off last week into this, it felt really actually good. So what did you guys talk? Did you guys talk off camera as well a little bit? No, because we actually did it over Zoom. So it was just like whatever. Yeah. Oh, great. No, but you know, it's interesting. It's interesting because like I've, you know, now I've had almost a week to process everything. Yeah. And, you know, I've talked to Cheryl.

And he's painted his nails again. Look at that. Oh, I'm back. I am so happy. You have no idea. You're back with you. That was the first thing I told him to do, Caitlin. I was like, take off that nail polish thing.

This brings me. This is me. This is me. It is you. I'm happy you're back to. So I've obviously had some time to really think things through and really process. And I've had a couple conversations with Cheryl. And the one thing that I still just can't let go of is,

this is a the first time we've messed up the whole season number one pretty messed up yeah most but most importantly the minute we were in frame was when the actual viennese walt started from that point until the very end we didn't miss a single beat we didn't miss anything we never broke frame but that's when the vities walt starts right like you're judging the intro you're judging us messing up the intro. Exactly. So that's the part that still doesn't sit well with me is that you, you gave us, you gave us a seven most likely on that mess up. So it's like, it was that. All right. And here's, well, another one, another one. Yeah. I think I know what you're going to say. Go ahead. You haven't been in the bottom two once. No, here's the icing on the

cake, which is about that. Johnny, we're, that, that was his second time in the bottom two. He gets a perfect score and we beat him in the in the in the in the relay yeah why was he in the bottom two number one obviously the votes which then again i'm not trying to shoot my own horn or cause any drama but i'm off the show i can do what i want now yeah headlines a jute his own i would i would i would hope that i had more votes than johnny but there's no way to know but clearly but clearly you did if you look at the point system you guys right so it's 50 50 right so they do like let's say out of 10 right so you got uh 7 8 8 right so that puts you in the bottom he got a perfect score then you add two points to yours and zero to him right so that's 30

and then that would be 24 25 so clearly you had more votes right but clearly he didn't have as many votes because he's going off 30 out of 32 we're going off 25 out of 32 but my whole thing is is that they've already been in the bottom so they've already had one chance and he didn't get we didn't even get a chance because we've never been in the bottom this this has never been an option for the judges for us like it's not like we both were in the bottom once we both got saved by the judges once then you're playing on an even playing field that's what I was to say like have we been in the bottom two earlier on in this season maybe that would have made a difference but the fact that this was his second time

and our first it's still just I don't know and it's also you know it's also a bittersweet it's just it's just bitter sweet listen I just feel bad for all my partners because this seems it's happened to me quite a lot lately. So I just like, like also I danced with this guy in Juan Pablo, Caitlin, about two seasons ago. And we got a perfect 60 out of 60 and we went home. And I think this is why the judges now choose because of that incident. And it caused a lot of controversy because like how does that mean we got zero votes? Like, because we had a perfect 60 out of 60 and we still got sent home. We didn't make the finals. Right. So this guy was like the ringer. Like we were always on top. It'd be like if Neve went home right now. It still throws me off.

that the judges said to you was it was you right where all three judges were like but don't worry about that I know we'll see you next week all yeah it was I don't think listen I just know from like people and what I've heard is that they were supposedly all surprised that we went home but it's like but you can't be that shocked especially going off of like I would have been happy with like three eights or even like two eights and a nine or something especially if the V&E's wall doesn't start until like we're in hold right um but like maybe I don't know. I don't know and I can't really save my own conspiracy right now. I mean, but like there's so many times where I've been like, wait, what? And I don't understand like not just for myself, but watching.

And you know, there's so many ifs and lies and how. Look, what what what helps me sleep at night is that maybe they wanted me out because I'm so competitive and I and I could take it all the way. No, I'm kidding. Unfortunately, I think it has nothing to do with you. Yeah, I honestly, God, I really know what it's not. It's not anything to do with me, but or you. It's just, it's TV, man. It's TV. You got to shake, you just got to shake. Like, I don't, like, I don't, after all the years of doing this, right? Like, I'm still the number, number one fan of the show. I don't want to think anything is happening behind the scenes, obviously. I don't want to think it's rigged. I don't want to think of anything other than, look, standards and practices should be

back there. They should be counting those votes with them. And, you know, We can't control it. So there's so many conspiracy. There's so many evolutions of the show, right? And like so many dancers that I've been on and off that have gone through what I'm going through. But then you look at the bigger. I mean, if I lived in that world of like, it's because, you know, someone hates me. And I have to be in that negative space.

And I'm just trying just to meditate. Hey, that's a good way to do it. And you also have the, like, title of being, were you the first female to take home a mirrorball? Back in 1960. it's been a while oh my gosh well that's cool too but yeah i don't know i'm like there's the shocker moments of tv that was one for me you should have seen me up in the balcony i was literally like what i know and arden was like hey let's go and i was like no i wouldn't leave you know what art i forgot to tell you this katlin i was we just finished dancing right and so i was just letting off some steam in my trailer

then i got a text from our pa tracy like get back in here and i'm like okay great great. So I was like, Artem, and I run to Artum, like, how did you guys do? He goes, oh, we did okay. And I'm like, wait, what do you mean you did okay? Like, what did you get? He goes, 30. I'm like, you're a f***, asshole. What do you mean? 30? Like, zero, like no, like just not, oh, we did okay. What do you did okay? That was great. I love Arden. You've known Ardum for so long, like you told me when he like first moved here. And I'm like, that's just so Artem, though, isn't it? Like, totally. He's like that mad, happy, sad. Just like, I'm monotone like this. Like, this is the most exciting.

You're like, this is my happy, sad, angry, bitter face. Yeah. PMSing face. That's it. Same face. I always say the same thing, but then I blame it on Botox because I'm like, well, it's a get so much of Botox. Me too.

I wanted to ask, you guys, what is something you miss the most about rehearsals and being part of the show and something that you're like, and that's why it's bittersweet? We'll be back with more off the vine with Caitlin Bristow. Quick question before we get back to the podcast. Do you own or rent your own home? I'm sure you do, and I bet it can be hard work. Actually, I know it can be. You know what's easy, though, is bundling policies with GEICO. GICO makes it easy to bundle your home owners or renters insurance along with your auto policy. And it's a good thing, too, because you already have so much to do around your home. Go to guyco.com, get a quote, and see how much you could save. It's GEICO easy. Visit guyco.com today. That's

guyco.com. Now back to Off the Vine with Caitlin Bristow. Go ahead, age. You know, well, it's bittersweet because there's two weeks left. And it's like, we really, we really busted our asses this past, the week leading up to, you know, getting this V&E's waltz, like, as perfect as we could. And then, you know, really getting the jive. as great as it was.

I mean, my kicks and flicks were night and day from the season premiere. You got to show everyone your knees really quick. Yeah, show your knees. This is what my knees look like right now. Oh, my God. The guy has, mind you, you haven't complained once about anything to do with like any injuries, but you've had two knee surgeries. Yes, I have had two knee surgeries.

Yeah, I had two knee surgeries about 10 years ago. And afterwards, my doctor said, look, come back in five years. Let's do a little, you know, let's go. with a camera just do some maintenance and make sure that you're good right was that was almost 12 years ago i i'm a little bit behind and i have to tell you he's not the best when it comes to getting body work done or anything i had to literally threaten him i was like now i now i'm doing it now i'm doing it twice a week but no um what what i miss about rehearsals is i i i look i'm a i'm a bit of a workaholic and i and anything that I know involves doing something

I'm passionate about which is entertaining it was a little taste of heaven for me doing this because I don't know when and hell we're going to go back on the road I have no idea where the plan is to go back on the road next summer but who the hell knows what's going to happen a week from now so this was a little taste of heaven for me

and like I shared when we did press afterwards was like I got to meet you and all the other celebs, all the pros, I made some great friends. Yeah. And above and be all, above and be all, above and all, above and all, above and all, I, my Rumba will stick with me as the most pivotal moment of the season for me, personally. Totally. It was incredible.

Because it really, I still get messages today from people and how it's affected them and how it's changed their life and how it's made them want to come out of their shell. That's, that's exactly why you do this show. It's for people that get to know you. I think so many people that listen to this podcast watch, but for those who don't or don't know what you're talking about, talk about your Rumba and that whole experience

because I thought that was just your performance, both of you, the choreography, everything was so incredible and it was actually probably one of my favorite dances of the whole season. Thanks. Yeah, it was really, really, really great. So we didn't have enough

Rumba content. It doesn't matter. I know. I know. I'll ever win with these three judges. No, but you're, no, but you're absolutely right, Caitlin. We did that, like, look, at the end of the day, Cheryl had two options. We could have gone contemporary or we could have gone Rumba. We went Rumba.

And the problem is what she, which she, you know, had explained to me is to, it takes years to learn how to put both the emotion and the Rumba in the same. My dance coach had me do Rumba walks for two years before even giving me choreography. Just walking, just walking. Yeah. So I know in my heart and in my gut, as I know Cheryl does, we made the right decision. Yeah. You know, calling it a rumba, but really making it a story. I mean, I could name all the steps we put in there that were rumba, but I won't.

I saw them all. I saw rumba in there. We had opening out. We had kukkaraches. We had a fan. We had an alamana. Like, we did. Maybe it wasn't like, you know, obvious.

But we have to make it like the emotion was so important, especially when talking about the story. It's really hard to tell a story in a rumba when you're worried about the technique. Like there was a fine line, right? And so, therefore, I just chose the emotion because I was like, you know what? But we felt that. And that's what I really liked about that dance was you both share the similar story of going through addiction. You're both sober. You were both the story and about your strength and certain things and everything down to like the lighting and the caution

and the choreography like everybody really felt that and like you said a j you're still getting messages to this day i'm sure sure you are too yeah of of just how much that helped them you're like uh it was a rumba and we did it and whatever those messages must make you just like totally for all worth it and especially like after doing the show for 23 seasons i'm just like you know for me this that was um the first time i think i've ever really opened up um as far as you know normally it's not really about us right it's always about our celebrity and the fact that the show even wanted to add like a couple of sound bites for me about my experience that was a really special moment and um you know i normally you know i would just just talk about the celebrity and i would

make it just about him but the fact that we shared this beautiful moment together is something that i'll take with me forever for sure absolutely yeah that's i think that's something really important that i said on your guys podcast that you use your platforms and talk about that and Cheryl i saw the other day talking about, you know, like body positivity and body image. And I love to hear that from you as a dancer because my dogs are going to eat shit right now. Yes. I love your dogs. You have golden retrievers, right?

Yeah, they're going crazy. Of course. Jason, are you here? Whole time. Put me in and out. Okay. We'll be back with more off the vine with Caitlin Bristow. All right, you guys, pantines.

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off. Three panting products, paper coupon required to redeem offer valid from November 22nd, 2020 to December 5th, 2020 at most major retailers. See coupon. for some exclusions. Now back to Off the Vine with Caitlin Bristow. But you were talking about body image and body positiveity, especially as a dancer growing up. I think I could relate to that just because I was always in front of a mirror. You're always around other girls. You're always comparing bodies.

You're always being told what your body should look like as a dancer. And AJ, for you, it's like you're already going out there vulnerable as just yourself dancing. you know like when yes you're a performer and you're back he's actually a jays actually told me he also goes through body image stuff as well like we're talking about this yeah and that's what i was gonna say as a performer just from growing up like nobody ever talks about you know body dysmorphia with men or the the the challenges or the pressure that you have felt as a star to perform and have this body that you're supposed to have and i just like to talk about that kind of stuff because i think we all go through it but when you're on this you know stage it's even harder no there was a whole

let me look for for the first probably 10 years of our career i mean i was ripping my shirt off gladly like yeah is alcohol talking though no this is this is pre this is pre alcohol but like no because once the alcohol came in that's you're ripping off your pants it got really weird that's when things started to get a little bubbly But, you know, so, and like, so this tour that we're on right now, the DNA tour, is like, you know, there is, there's really no moment for that to happen, nor that I wanted to happen again. Now, things are different for me now where I'm, you know, I literally hadn't posted a topless picture of me and I don't know how many years. Right. And right before we started rehearsals with the show, I posted.

in one because I was proud. I mean, I literally have. I put all this work and this blood, sweat, and tears in it for five months straight before we started rehearsing. Yeah. And then I've lost 20 pounds since I've been on the show. Wow, I've got some meat on those bones. I literally, my mother-in-law made, because she's Mexican, so she makes everything

from scratch. And she made, normally it's a chicken enchilada casserole. Tonight it's a beef enchilada casserole. So I could smell it. I just can't eat it right now. I can't smell it. As soon as we're done, I'm scarfing that. Yeah, you're like, hurry this up, Kayla.

Oh, I could. Smell it, smells delicious, which just means my kids are going to be farting all over the house tonight. I actually don't eat meat either, Cheryl. Oh, really? But, I mean, like, that's just the pressure. How do you guys come out of that? Well, yeah, I mean, like, for me, Caitlin, it was just like really, okay, so from when I grew hips, I got my period when I was nine years old, right?

Wow. I know. So I became a woman at a woman. very young age. I started ballet from age four to 11 and literally that was the reason why I just bounced because my hips grew like everyone else was just like long and stick thin and here I am. I already have curves at like seven years old and I already had breasts and like they just like I just looked like a woman and I didn't feel right and I couldn't and I was I just looked different than everybody else. So I just told my mom like I don't want to do this anymore. And then her and my stepdad

started ballroom dancing for fun. We're trying to find like a family sport. We tried golf. that didn't work ballroom dancing and then missing out ballroom dancing is only for it's only for old people and then I saw kids my age do it with little boys and I was like yes I could finally dance with a boy and the music and everything and then also I saw different body types and I was like okay this is cool but then I got like really into ballroom and I had like weigh-ins my dance coach would make me weigh myself I was on these crazy like I remember the Hollywood diet it was like no juice it was like juice and it was like juice that I would have to only drink like one cup of juice for like 24 days did I lose weight absolutely but I could have drank like orange juice it would have been the same thing

you know just that but yeah it's always been an issue and I you know I have curves I've got hips and I've you know it's just the way it is and it's just been really hard then but then coming here to LA was a whole other experience it was like I was on blast like I was I remember just going through the channels one mornings it was like headlines is showing Cheryl, too fat for TV, like all over the press. Okay, so this is basically what happened. I got off my birth control during a season thinking I was going to lose weight, right? Because normally that's what happens. Little did I know that I was on a birth control that had a dietary supplement, like it had some sort of dietary something in there that was like a low hormone, low dosage of hormones

in the actual birth control that helped with my skin and helped me maintain my weight. So when I got off of it. I retained 15 pounds of water weight on top of I was still partying and all that stuff. So I, overnight, I gained so much weight. And then Susan calls me and I talk more into detail about this on my YouTube channel, but like Susan calls and she like breaks the news. She goes, so you're going to be on the cover star magazine and us weekly. And they're going to basically, the headline is the Cheryl Too Fat for TV. Two of my co-stars, two, I won't mention names, but two of the pro dancers basically agreed and said that like how is she on the show? and how does she, how is she representing us, us athletes when she's not even fit to be on

television, basically? And it was like this whole thing. And it was all during a season, like, as the show started. So it was, and ever since then, Caitlin, I have to say, like, I'm still working on it, but, man, is it hard? Because, like, I've got three layers of just, like, a constant, like, I'm always looking twice. I'm always asking Susan every day, like, you know, how do I look? And this is why I have anxiety and social anxiety when it comes to even going on a red carpet or anything like this is why i love being quarantine because you can only see me from the waist up we'll be back with more off the vine with kately bristow all right we're going to take a quick break it's no secret that i love my wine but now and then especially lately after

a long day of dancing i like to switch it up with my drink of choice to screwball peanut butter whiskey i'm a huge fat of peanut butter and big whiskey guy so of course screwball is perfection to me it tastes so good on its own or with some ice or if you mix it into like an old fashion oh my gosh a peanut butter old fashion when I'm feeling fancy you need to try it for yourself I promise you'll suddenly realize you're a bartender with some pretty impressive skills or actually that just it really tastes good pretty much in any cocktail you make it even tastes amazing in your dessert little peanut butter whiskey and a bowl of ice cream you know you want it screwball is sweet and savory at the same damn time and it's also

it's a fun drink to bring over to your friend's house for a game night my personal favorite also for those doing some holiday shopping it's the perfect gift for all those peanut butter and whiskey fans in your life screwball the original and most awarded peanut butter whiskey is now available near you pick up screwball at your local store or get it delivered today ready to hashtag get screwed go to screwball whiskey.com for more info and click on buy now please drink responsibly advertisement by screwball spirits LLC san diego california whiskey with natural flavors 35% alcohol by volume. Alcohol volume 70 proof. Now back to Off the Vine with Caitlin Bristow. You look absolutely amazing, number one. Curves is the only way to go. I love for me. Look, I'm Latino.

I like a little meat on my bones. I like things to move. I don't eat some enchiladas. Listen, I would prefer not to have sex for the bag of antlers. That's not something fun for me. So that sounds horrible, actually. I know, but you know, you can, you can fill in the blanks. Like that's just, you know, if you go back to, if you think about, if you go back to, who is it, like,

Marilyn Monroe. Maryland Monroe. You say Marilyn Manson? No. Yes. But if you go back to, you know, Sophia Lorenne, Raquel Welch, all of the most, you know, I mean, all of these women were not sticks. They were curvy women.

I wonder if they had body image issues, though. Well, I didn't read Betty Page did. That's why she always had her waist. But then you got, you're on TV that you add 10 pounds. You know, everyone, whenever I go to airports or whatever, they're like, oh, my God, you're so much smaller in person than on TV. I'm like, I don't think that's a compliment. So shut it.

People don't know how to compliment. I know. But I get to say, now here's a different perspective, but. I have always been insecure about how skinny I was in high school because all of the boys used to tell me, same kind of thing, like, oh, you're too skinny and this isn't, you got to have meat on your bones. And I've been on the other end of that where I didn't feel sexy because I didn't have curbs because I didn't have boobs or hips. And it's like, I still have those thoughts of would I be sexier if I had bigger boobs or bigger hips? See, I had never heard the side of that, you know, like that's crazy.

it's i think it's just human nature to want what you don't have to compare yourself to other people and that's where it all stems from and when the press continues it then you're just like yeah press press as well as so traumatizing you know well yeah press in social media all that stuff think about all of us are around the same age roughly so like the generation that we are from is a is now as a social media, basically that type of generation where... But even this season, though, Caitlin, I was getting, are you pregnant? I'm like, no, I'm not pregnant assholes. Like, you guys are so rude.

And honestly, even if I'll read 100 comments and that one comment on if I'm pregnant, will fuck me up. And it has, like, every week, I'll see one comment that, like, oh, are you hiding something? No, I'm not hiding anything. Like, I'm not hiding anything. And honestly, and then I get... mad. Then I'm triggered. Then I'm triggered at the people who are designing costumes for us. And then I'm like, no, you will not tell me what to wear. And I will not add density to my stomach. Literally,

it was Rumba Week. And I was like, you guys, I'm so sorry. I love you. Don't take it personally, but I'm super triggered right now. And I don't want you to add any more like fabric to my stomach area. I just want it to be completely simple and sheer and thin. Like this is what I go through, AJ, like in fittings. It's just like, I just will not like that foxshot dress. I had fringe coming. that was not my idea but it had fringe coming down from here and it did it just makes you I just know like the show has changed as far as like we don't really have much say anymore right when it comes to the creative which now wardrobe is part of the creative but I literally had to fight and I had to say you guys this is my body and I have to wear this and if I get one more comment on my weight because of something

that I had no no design I had no input in or whatever I'm going to react and this is this is the reaction because you're not hearing that you're just picking something from like the runway which i love by the way i totally love but if i know that it may not flatter my body i just i please let this be a collaboration at least especially if you know your triggers you know what makes you feel a certain way and you want to go out there and feel competent oh 100% it's always so mind blowing i at the beginning of the season Cheryl and i had a had a heart to heart because i you know and this is the first time i'm saying this publicly. Like literally it's the first time I'm saying it because I'm an open book and I have literally zero shame. Um, which is that, uh, you know, my hair was actually longer before we started

the show. And, but I still hadn't had my second hair surgery yet. It's public knowledge that I had my hair done before I got married. Yeah. But so I went to the number one wig guy in Beverly Hills. Yeah. It's, it's all human hair. It's a dope ass wig. It looks legit. you would never know. But, and I was wearing it for about two weeks prior to meeting Cheryl for the first time. And it, even though it, you couldn't tell, but I knew. And I, and I told her about it. And she's like, look, you're going to do whatever you want.

But I need you to focus on dancing and not worry about if people are wondering, is that a wig? Is that not a wig? What is that? What is he doing? So I shaved my head. And I kept it shaved for the entire season. and for that reason. But, you know, like, so I, I still deal with that external validation, that, you know,

accepting thing. But I'll tell you what, after doing this show, that has lessened by a significant amount. Because you don't have social media on your phone, which is a very, and because of that, AJ, I have not, I don't check social media as much at all either. But, of course, when I do, then you find the negative. I haven't, yeah, I have taken social media. My wife and I have taken it off our phones now for almost three years. And it is the greatest thing in the world.

I have a look. Mental health, I can focus on my kids. I'm not busy taking stupid selfies. Yeah. And it's like so, you know, that's why I hire a social media team to do my social media.

They'll send me approval. I'll send them pictures that I want to post. Which I hire the same team now. Yeah. Yeah. She had the same team. Yeah. And I'll tell you.

it is a game changer. I'm sure. It's a game changer. That makes so much sense. I mean, I've gotten to a point where I, if I go to post something, I have to take a step back and say, what am I doing this for? Am I doing this for validation? Or am I doing this to share something, an important message?

Or am I doing this because this thing makes me happy? Like, why am I posting this? And then same thing with when I'm scrolling. Why does this affect me? Why does this trigger me? Why does this make me happy? And then I try and go through and do the cleanup. So I will try and only follow accounts.

that inspire me or make me happy or I will, you know, just I think that's what Jeannie Mai says too. She changes her algorithm so that like basically she just doesn't follow people that are not going to either be positive or help her in some way, you know. Well, I did a purge on mine. Like basically I told my entire team, I said, I want you to unfollow every single person I follow. You better not unfollow and only murder you. No, well, no.

Only follow. So I follow like maybe a hundred people now. Yeah. I used to follow like 10,000 people. Yeah. I used to follow like all these fans, all these people. And then it just got weird real fast. Yeah.

And agro. And I was like, you know what? I, this is just stupid. Like, why am I letting this? Oh my God. You follow 38 people. Wow. That's impressive.

38. Let me see if I'm still part of this. Yes. Yes. We'll be back with more off the vine. with Caitlin Bristow. All right, we're going to take a quick break. Whether you like it or not, winter is coming, okay?

I've been waking up in the mornings, going right to my closet to grab a comfy sweater, and I kid you not, every day I grab the same one. I love my Jenny Kane cashmere hoodie so much. I got the Heather gray color. It goes with everything. Literally everything. It's so cozy, so soft. I'm big on how clothes feel, and this sweater is 100% cashmere.

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actually right now in my hoodie find your forever pieces at jenicane dot com and get 20% off your first order when you use code vine at checkout that's j-en-n-n-i-a-y-a-y-com promo code vine now back to off the vine with katelyn bristow that's you know what that's really great because priorities right like your priorities are your family and things that actually make you happy things you can be present for um you can really take over your world man like after i had a whole meeting with our social media team that i've also hired as well now and they're like Pinterest and then you've got uh ticot and then you my youtube channel which i shot all of my videos before dancing with the stars so like we released once a week every friday but then i'm just like even that like i'm really it's

it could take over your it's an addiction and i do believe that like you know that like you're just constantly looking and looking and then it's nighttime it's so even just your phone I find myself like I'm lost without it even in my hand sometimes which is yeah like that's a problem there's so many things but I mean we're all it's good that you're doing something about it it's not like you know we talk about body image we talk about addiction we talk about our phones and everything we're actively all three of us doing something about it you know what I mean like as long as you're working on it, you're aware of it, you are making it a priority to better yourself. And I'm, Cheryl, I'm so sorry that you have to go through that even still to this day

because from, I mean, you start dancing at four and that's a focus of your whole life is what your body looks like. And it's just, it's not something you're going to snap your fingers and be like, okay, I'm, but then and then I lose weight and they're like, are you, you're too skinny, you're dying. Like literally, that was the headline. Like, is Cheryl dying? Like, so it's, and so again, like I have to do the work in which I'm continuing to do and I have to do the work to make sure that I'm not looking at that. And if I do see it, so be it. Don't focus on it. Just focus on the positive. But it's so much easier said than done, right? Of course. But I mean, just the fact that you work on it. And I just want to tell you from a viewer of the show and even just being in the balcony, I always admire your confidence. Like when I see you out on the dance floor and just who you are as a person and how you carry yourself. I'm like, oh, I've just always adored you. I've told you that before. But like she is she is one of the, she is one of the. She is one of the. strongest women I have met she's one of the strongest women I've met in my life honest to God overall not just on the dance floor just with with all that she's been through whether public or not public the story she's told me she to even be standing and be focused

and be sober and be present it takes willpower it takes strength it takes courage it takes commitment and she has all of those things honest to God you know I mean you have so much like I feel like I always want to tell people like first of all I think you're outside as beautiful I just do but like you are so well-rounded and you have so much going for yourself that it's like you're so much more than than what those headlines say and it's always that headline different different face different body different something the media really needs to fucking take a knee I just worry about like our next generation like it's just not that's just you don't have no it's horrible like it's so crazy they'll have parenting and us that's

aware of it well that's that's that's key that's key i mean look like already so like i i i've already been through this thankfully it was a phase and i'm hoping it doesn't continue so when i started my diet when i started training before i started the show i was on a grain-free gluten-free sugar-free diet um really high in protein trying to put on muscle yeah and And, like, my oldest daughter was the, was the carb police. Anytime I would cheat, she'd be like, Daddy, what about your diet? Then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, I noticed her not eating as much. And then I'm like, what are you doing?

And then she's like, Daddy, I'm on a diet. I'm like, no, hell no. No, no. No, no. So it's all fine now. Yeah. So obviously, our children are a product in their environment completely. But what I do love about what's happening in the world today is you have, you have the Taylor Swift's on one side, and then you have the Lizzo's on the other side.

I don't even know who Lizzo is. Who's Lizzo? She is a proud. Sorry, again. She is a proud, curvy African princess who would sing her ass off. And she is inspiring so many young women out there saying, I don't give a shit what I look like. It's about my talent. It's about my heart.

It's about my soul. That's it. Yeah. And if more people. can use their platforms to basically push that out there. Yeah, and be their unique selves. Like, really, we're all unique, right? Like, everyone just needs to own up to it.

It's so true. Unique New York. Unique New York. Unique New York. Wait, I don't get it. Why New York? No, that's. This is how deprived this poor woman was.

I can't, I can't handle it. What's unique New York? Why unique in New York? Can I see an anchor man? Oh, my God. It's like a way to warm up your voice. Listen. And your mouth.

I've seen him. I've seen him. once but I don't memorize the lines like that's so crazy I only memorize friends pretty woman that's it because that's the only that's the only movie I was allowed to watch great influence see but that's what we're saying the influence it's all about like you've learned probably so much from how you were influenced and what you would change for the next generation totally and that's where the shift is coming in which I think is so beautiful like the Lizzo's and everyone like they're everyone's trying to actually put

out positive messaging and I do see that happening and I think as long as we allow our kids to follow the right messaging and be that kind of parent that shows them like AJ for stepping in and seeing that and being like okay no no no and not yeah and showing your vulnerability because like we're all human like and that's the thing it's like people think celebrities have zero emotion or that like robot we're perfect we live a perfect life there's always history right there's always something we've all been through. 100%. And, and, you know, it's like, if you can allow yourself to truly be, like, you know, Cheryl said, your true self, then because people admire you, because people look up

to you, they do put you on a pedestal, which, look, we're human, we make mistakes, we're not mistakes. It's all freaking good. But there are those that choose to use that pedestal for evil, and there are those that choose to use it for good. Yeah. You know, we, we did a photo shoot for Rolling Stone years ago with David LaChapelle. I know who that is.

And it was an, and literally, there was a conversation about this one shot that we, that he wanted to get. And he sat with myself and Kevin. And we discussed how we wanted this shot to be portrayed, which was kind of showing the, the dynamic of fans that we have. So we literally got like 30 or 40, women to be naked, they had pasties on and little thing, of every race, shape, and size with no makeup. I hope your wife was there. Oh, this was before. Oh, yeah, done. Okay, good. But like, but,

but literally it was such an iconic photo and it was such a great moment where literally, it's like, this is who our fans are. It's, it's, it's every woman of every shape and size, every race, every color every sexual preference doesn't matter um you know and it's like like look obviously i'm comfortable in my own skin now to the point where i can basically wear Cheryl's dresses openly and willingly without pacies without yeah i can't even it's funny her her first dress the first time we did it i could get it all the way up is this the one you're talking about with your pants no uh no it's one of many covers yeah so at the beginning of the season i could could fit Cheryl's dress up to my shoulder.

I couldn't. First of all, I've lost weight, so that's the reason. No, but my, I've got a broad back and your dress. My back is broader than yours. Get out of here. Your dresses started getting more and more of that really thin material on your arms. Right. Because we're losing the thickness. Don't you get it? So if I were to pull that up onto my shoulders, I would have ripped through that shit like

the whole. And also I made him put fishness on so his sweaty, you know what down there. His junk would not get... I had my underwear on underneath. It don't matter. I'll put some fish nets on. On the fish nets. Oh, my gosh.

Which are painful, by the way. You're listening to Off the Vine with Caitlin Bristow. Support for this podcast comes from Pluto TV. Need an escape? Drop into Pluto TV for a world of free TV. Stream hundreds of channels, thousands of movies and shows all for free. Yes, free, no subscriptions, no fees. Imagine 24-7 channels of Narcos, CSI, Star Trek, Survivor, everything else from hit movies to binge-worthy TV shows.

The latest news, live sports, comedy, and more. So what are you waiting for? Download the free Pluto TV app for Android, iPhone, Roku, and Fire TV, and start streaming now. Pluto TV, drop in, watch free. Off the Vine with Caitlin Bristow. Oh my gosh. Oh, well, now you know what we go through. Nope, never again. Dancers are literally up there. Like, you guys are professional athletes.

You go through so much torture and pain. Torture. Like body aches. I know. But you look like you're just. Slam your head and just fall on your head. And then you're like, oh, God, so dramatic. See, here's a little.

Here's a little inside secret that I'm that I'm probably going to get in trouble for saying, but I don't give a show. Yeah, watch your mom. So, so about five or six years ago, our stylist on tour, our stylist on tour, basically introduced us to Spanx. So basically, there was no way for our mic pack with a quick change. Yeah. It just got really hard. So we sew our stage underwear to a, two, a, two, a spank. A spank. And then we have our mic pack here. Plus, it's very slimming on stage.

It comes out somewhere, though. It's like, all of a sudden you got like a bunch of fat between your armpit and your food. Oh, yeah, trust me. Like, it definitely does. But it did help for a little bit of a, you know, time there. So back shoe boys were spanks. Hey, fun fact, my very first spanks, Kim Kardashian gave me my very first spanks ever. Wow. Yep. She took me to Dash. Remember Dash, their store? Yeah, Dash on Melrose. Why she did, yeah, Dancing at the Stars. We made a whole night of it.

We went to the movies. She took me to Dash, tried everything on, and then she gave me a pair of Spanx. I was like, what are Spanx? And I still hate Spanx, but I do love her skins. I do love that. One of everything. I've heard just, she's just a lovely human being. She is, yes.

And she knows her undergroundments, man. She knows her underground. Yes, she knows. I feel like she would. Okay, a couple questions before I let you guys go. One, I asked Twitter, everyone wants to know, AJ, are you guys going to do a Christmas album? Yes, we are. It's coming out.

Yes, Cheryl and I are doing a duet. It's called Ebony and Ivory. Called Don't Listen. Yeah. So obviously before COVID happened, that was our plan of attack was to at least put out a Christmas single this year. Right. because it is it's still mind-boggling we've been a band for almost 30 years and we've never done a single

really never no wild you it just never worked I know so yeah so we we now are finally um next year is the that's the actual plan next year can you guys just get together and sing a bunch of Christmas carols the problem is well here's the here's the here's the issue is Christmas albums have to be turned in by the middle of August to make it to radio and to be, you know, all that stuff. So, and we've been still brainstorming around, you know, doing 10 songs, five original, or sorry, five covers. Yeah. That each of us is a feature on. Then doing like three, uh, originals. The next special guest, Caitlin Bristow. And then like, yes, and then like two, two big co-labs with whoever, like, a Caitlin or a

Mariah Carey and a Caitlin Bristow. Yeah, totally. I would lean more towards Caitlin and Adele. That's just me personal. Personal preference. That's fair to put me in that company. Yeah, I get it. Personal, personal preference. That's awesome.

And somebody else wanted to know because you were doing a little bit of country in the Nashville thing. What's your next plan for solo stuff? So I kicked the country. I kicked the country to the curb. Why? So here's the thing about country that I've learned is that you really need to embed

yourself in Nashville. You need to literally be, eat, breed, sleep shit, Nashville. They're very, very close to the chest there. When the pandemic hit, it pushed everything back for me. I was almost done with my album. And then to have to go back and start all over again, it just, I was like, you know what? I just don't. I can't. So they didn't tell you this before you wanted to go country?

No, they did, but also that country, country music moves very, very slowly. Oh, God, I got it. Like, one single could take up to two years before it becomes a smash. Yeah. Literally. So what is the stuff you have now? Like, what genre does that fall under? Because it's really, really good.

Well, look, it's anything I do is going to be pop no matter what. But it's more like, it's like big band, funk, soul, urban. It's unique in its own world. So actually, I finally finished since my schedule with dancing didn't really permit me to finish recording. Now I've had the time. I ended up going yesterday, actually, and I finished the first single.

So it'll be... You have to send it to me, please, thanks. Yes, it'll be mixing mastered soon, and then we're putting it out hopefully before Christmas. That's amazing. Oh, well, I'm going to be so excited for that. Hey, Jason, you are here. He is your day.

Hey, Jason. Hi, Jason. The cleaning crew is at the front door. So open that damn door, Jason. Just tell them two minutes. They're at the door right now, babe. Oh, you have no pants on. He's standing there naked.

I'm like, they're at the door right now. He's like, come on. My high club? Yes. I'm like, no, he won't do it. Come in. Come in, one sack. I don't know how you do it all.

Beyonce. Like, if I was still on the show, I'd be like, I can't do Caitlin's podcast, like, Susan. I just make it work. I'm like, okay, I've got this time, this time. But I'm like, I'm like, keep it coming. Like, you got to work, got to do it. I told AJ, I was like, you know, if we get eliminated or if we last until the end, we're going to hit like a depression, right? Because it's like, even now, I'm not feeling it as much as when we're, when we rap, but like, I don't know if you felt it at all yet, AJ, but like, I'm telling you, it's going to be like, wait, I don't have to go to a dance room song to do this. I don't have to do that, but you're always busy.

So maybe that won't happen to you. Well, you know, no, it did, it did hit me a couple of days ago. But, like, I thought it was going to be really hard to transition back to getting up at 7 a.m. And getting back into my normal dad routine. And it, like, it was, like, literally falling off a log. Like, it just, it just happened. Yeah. But the first two days after Tuesday and Wednesday, I slept the best I've slept.

I bet. I just did that last night, by the way. I pulled an all-nighter on like Tuesday night and I was like, no, I felt sorry for myself and I fell out of that pretty quick. I was done, man. Done. We'll be back with more Off the Vine with Caitlin Bristow. Hi, everyone. This is Jillian with Court Junkie. Court Junkie is a true crime podcast that covers court cases and criminal trials using audio clips and interviews with people close to the cases. Chunky is available on Apple Podcasts and Podcasts and Podcasts.com.

Now back to Off the Vine with Caitlin Bristow. Well, good luck. Your beef is waiting for you. I forget what it is. Yeah. Your Encholad. Beef enchilada. But look, I can't wait to, God willing.

I'll be there on Monday for you, Caitlin. Yes. And I will, and I'll see you both on the finale night. Yes. Yes. And I want to ask before you guys leave, just what, AJ, you specifically, Cheryl, I'll ask you a different one, but, AJ, what did you learn the most about yourself through this process? The number one thing for me that I learned about myself is that for years,

for years, I was not able to be comfortable with emotion of any kind. um i would you know and like leaning into the uncomfortable moments whatever now i am way more in tune with my emotions and i'm able to be like bluntly honest whether you like it or not and yeah exactly that's right sure i love that is or are you saying that's from Cheryl because i love oh that's from my share bear share bear taught me well i love that about you Cheryl it's one of my my favorite qualities in a person is when they can be that way that's really cool and then Cheryl what um is next for you are you going to continue to dance is your body like go eff yourself i've got other things to do what is your plan well my plan is to continue doing obviously our podcast um even after

the show we'll continue doing that i'm going to continue to um do my youtube channel and just talk more about just everything i've gone through my life hoping to help you know at least one person um get through life and um i was one of them even just listening to i honestly honestly yeah thank you and then um honestly you know i've done this show for 23 seasons as a dancer i would i would love to still be a part of the family somehow in some capacity i'm just not sure if i can physically dance um or emotionally at this point right so it's like you know and so for me it's like after doing so and i've always this is why i went to argentina to learn the argentin tango because i don't want to ever be on autopilot right So it's not like I need to challenge myself and challenge my brain constantly or else I get really bored quickly.

And I not like teaching another celebrity would get me bored. But it's just like I think I can hopefully say I can put that aside for a second. And I would love to share my thoughts and views on and help people who are coming in on and doing this dance show. It's like there's so much more whether me being a like kind of like a life coach slash consultant on the show. mentor or right or being a fourth judge they've had four judges before you know but oh my gosh i'm putting that out there into the universe you need to be the fourth judge they should i adore you both i adore you both i love with the podcast tell good luck with the dancing oh my god wait what two you have contemporary and and the posidouble okay you got this girl yeah seriously you got this okay that's a wrap

for the podcast as always confessions and so much more so i will see you next Tuesday Thanks for listening to Off the Vine with Caitlin Brisco. Get new episodes every Tuesday exclusively on podcast.1.com, the Podcast One app, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Who's doing with OTV?