The Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast - Almost Famous OGs: Get in Formation with Jenni Croft Badolato

Episode Date: July 24, 2024

We almost have a full cheer squad when Jenni Croft Badolato hangs out with our Bachelor Nation OGs Bob Guiney and Trista Sutter!  Jenni shares all of her memories from competing on Brad Womack’s season, and she and Trista bond over their careers as professional cheerleaders.  Plus, Jenni teaches us how to tell when a contestant is a pro dancer! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious. Wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, luckily, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend's been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone.

Hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That seems inappropriate. Maybe find out how it ends by listening to the OK Storytime podcast and the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, my name is Enya Umanzor. And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you. But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh my God, perfect.

And want to hear people with mental illness, psychobabble. Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your free IHeartRadio app. Search Emergency Intercom and listen now. I just normally do straight stand-up, but this is a bit different. What do you get when a true crime producer walks into a comedy club? Answer, a new podcast called Wisecrack,

where a comedian finds himself at the center of a chilling true crime story. Does anyone know what show they've come to see? It's a story. It's about the scariest night of my life. This is Wisecrack. Available now. Listen to Wisecrack on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, it's Honey German, and I'm back with season two of my podcast.

Grazias, come again. We got you when it comes to the latest in music and entertainment with interviews with some of your favorite Latin artists and celebrities. You didn't have to audition? No, I didn't audition. I haven't auditioned in like over 25 years. Oh, wow. That's a real G-talk right there. Oh, yeah.

We'll talk about all that's viral and trending. with a little bit of cheesement and a whole lot of laughs. And, of course, the great bevras you've come to expect. Listen to the new season of Dresses Come Again on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is the almost famous podcast with IHeartRadio. There she is. Hold on.

You guys look so good. Look at me. I'm like, oh, you look so cute. Are you kidding me? I was going to say, yeah, you look really fantastic for someone who just got out of bed. You guys, I was laying down. My husband's in Chicago, and the kids are dead asleep.

And I was like, like, this is divine. It's so eight. I'm sleeping. I'm still in bed. And I was like, oh, my God. I had my ridgolin and my coffee and I'm ready to go. Nice. You're ready.

Me too. Well, actually, we need to back up for a minute because we have to intro you. Oh, good. Okay. For anyone who does not know, this is Jenny. Jenny Croft Bottolato. Hi. She's on season 11 with Brad MoMAQ and, of course, part of the infamous not being chosen duo of you and Diana.

Yeah. I always say it's, no, I, when I was thinking about your married name, I thought, wow, you could say Jenny Croft badass Alato. Right? Right? Does anyone call you that? I mean, I think that would be a nice thing for you. No, but I like it. I'll take it. Tell your husband. Never. Never. Never. Oh my gosh, Bob. Yes. It's such a good name. Isn't that a good one? That's awesome. I'm in. I'm taking it from now. All right. Well, Badass Alato. We are very lucky to have you on the show. We're excited to have you on the show. Welcome to the Almost Famous OG podcast. Awesome. Thank you for having me. You're welcome.

Of course. Do you consider yourself an OG? Do you consider yourself one of the, the OGs? Because we do. We can say. I do. And I always say it like this. Like when back at the day, when I was on The Bachelor, we didn't have Instagram.

We didn't have Facebook. We didn't have any social media. Right. You know, like I barely, after that, barely had like MySpace and, you know, and we barely like used email. I know. I mean, Trista and I talked about that. I think that's a litmus test for if you're an OG or not.

We're going to use that from now on. I think so, too. The phrase back in the day. Back in the day. And if you didn't have any kind of like social media, then you're an OG. Yes. Yeah. I think that's a great call.

I really do. That's a good call, Trista. That should be our litmus test for it. For sure. It was such a different experience back in the day, right? You had to get almost like baited into looking at a chat room that none of us even knew how to look at anyway to see how to see how people were shredding you so it's like you know it's so much better now yeah it's so much easier to see

how much people have to like get on the computer and search like yes very very specific things to find something that maybe they were talking about you but maybe not but also like there was barely anyone in any magazines or like i i remember i had like one little like picture like my with my green background like in one one of the magazines and then my husband and I after we got married we had like a little spread in us weekly but yeah that's really it nothing else yeah yeah yeah it was it was easy to uh to do that you can find some stuff on yourself uh randomly in the grocery store but that was about it yeah right um okay so we obviously love all things bachelor and bachelorette but We wanted to bring you on today to talk all things, professional NBA and dancer.

I mean, hello, we have that in common. But especially with the whole Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader documentary out that's out right now. Have you watched it? I have. It's incredible. I love it. Okay. You love it.

Okay, good. So we'd love to hear like where, what was your journey in like the professional dance world? like, how did you start? Because I can't remember if you were a heat dancer first or a Dallas Cowboys. Cowboys, yeah. Okay, tell me, tell us the, tell us the journey, the path. I was a Wichita State University cheerleader. Go Shocks.

And my cheer coach at the time was like, hey, let's, I'm going to go down to Dallas and try out for the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. And I was like, you're not going out without me. I'm going for sure. So I, we literally just like put in our application. And at that time, there wasn't like sending a video, that kind of stuff. You could go down and take a prep class. You could kind of learn what you're going to be doing at auditions.

But there was no prepping for audition. And when we got there, there were 1,500 women. Oh, my gosh. Standing in a little zigzag line and around Texas State. like standing in line hair done suitcase big giant mirror in your hand curling irons like ready to go like standing in line what year was that jenny 2002 okay back of the day back in the day my gosh right so 1,500 girls you go and like you walk up and it's it was so intimidating everyone was just incredibly beautiful like to the nines like ready i would just some of them were in their high heels

like ready to go oh yeah for sure there wasn't it wasn't like it is now like you if you're getting ready you're wearing heels if you're getting ready now you're wearing dunks right so yeah yeah totally this is totally different i love that you just called them ducks I got three kids. They're dumbs. Yeah, I just saw your Instagram post or your stories in Vegas. And doesn't your husband collect sneakers or don't? Yeah, yes, he probably has more shoes than any woman that I know.

His shoes are. He's crazy. I like this because I'm a big shoe and hat guy. And it's like I wear the same shoes every day, but I have like, like so many shoes that my, we had to build my wife a separate closet because my shoes and hats stick up all the room. He has a pink rack in the second garage, a shoe rack in the main garage, a giant shoe rack in our like, we call it our shoe nook. It's like, you know, like your mud room. There's like 100 pairs in there. And then he's got his closet and his all

of his shoes in there. So I got a picture. Yeah, I know. I'll send it up here. Okay. So you're We're in your dunks now, but you, okay, so you show up at auditions and how did it go? It was amazing. So you go in, you get your number, you dance for, it's like two minutes to some random song that they play. And if they like you, all improv. Yeah, improv. They like you.

They say, you're in. Thank you next. You're in. Thank you next. And then they bring you back for the next round. They teach you a little choreography. You perform that. Same thing.

Yes, yes. or they put your number up on a board. Yes, yes, no, no, quick. And then you learned the kickline. You learned a little more choreography. You did an interview and all kinds of questions, history, all the things. But we also took.

Oh, my gosh. History of the Dallas Cowboys Children. Oh, yeah. We also took a 10-page written exam. So tables, like you would go into college, right? Table set up. You go sit down. There's space in between.

you have your 10-page paper and you have to answer other questions. It's history of the Dallas Cowboys, History of the NFL, current events, current players, the Ring of Honor, information about the owners, like things like that. But also, you had to write the National Anthem, word for word. What? That's awesome. Try to do it. Try to do it. Like going in doing this, you had no preconceived notions of what was going to happen, right?

Nothing, especially not your first year. After that, you can, you can know what you're getting yourself in. Your first year going in, you're like, oh, say, can you know, you're like, you're like, I'm singing in my head, right? I would struggle on when it's over because it's technically, oh, little tilby, the apostrophe, ER. So, yeah, if I'm being graded, I mean, I would stress out about that kind of stuff. Yeah, and so like, but that was like, okay, well, this is serious. I'm going to take it. It's like a 10 page exam.

to make this and then after that it's training camp people it's pretty pretty similar to how it is now um but it's it's it was it was i say tough but it was it was awesome you know what i mean like it it was i made this i did this i went through all of that there were 1,500 girls and i made the top 36. So, really, or 38, I can't remember. And how many, so did you make the spot? I did. I made it my first season, yeah.

Wow. That is insanity. Yeah, so I cheered 0-2 to 05. And you had no idea what you were getting into. No, not at all. You were 02 to 05, you said? Yeah, I think when you think of a cheerleader, I think they're going to go throw some pom-poms in the air, few hair flips, and you're like, there they are.

But there was so much more to it. Heck, yeah. And I love that this new Netflix show really shows, like, how the girls are feeling, the stress, the things they're doing outside of, outside of it. How smart some of these girls are. I mean, like, I cheered with a lady, and I say lady because I was 22 when I made it. She was 44, which is how old I am. And she was an attorney. And she had like three kids.

And I was like, oh, wait. Yes. Just incredible, incredible women. Yeah. Yeah. Jenny, did you ever get to know Bonnie Jill Laiflin or Holly Huggins? Did you ever get to know them? Bonnie Joe was before me and I've met her a couple of times like at our alumni events and things like that. But I don't know her personally. However, I love her on Instagram and I think she's amazing. Oh, yeah. She's one of my really good friends. Oh, my God. I love her. I'm like, yes. That's it right there. She's awesome, isn't she? Oh, my gosh. Yes. yep okay so you made it the first bricking year so for me i i didn't know that i wanted to do the

heat dancers until i was living in my i saw them practicing in a gym yeah and um i tried out three years it took me three years to make it and no you do not yeah heat auditions are very different from dallas down matured totally different but um but yeah i mean the fact you made it out of 1,500 girls, not knowing what you were getting into. And I have my orange, I have like orange blonde hair that I had colored inside myself. They turned me into Tiffany Ambritheson with like the dark hair and like the green eyes. You know what I mean? It's the whole.

That's awesome. Did they give you recommendations for what they wanted your look to be? Oh, no, because if you make it to training camp, they'll change you. so you go you go to training camp they're like here you go make you into who you should be that's awesome do they have so I know for the heat we had like mac um makeup artist come and like teach us how to do makeup that kind of thing but did they actually do

like set you up with a hair person and say okay you're going brown you're going to be at now they they you sit down in the chair Kelly comes over plays with your hair looks at you and says hmm and then they're like Tiffany Amber Thiessen yeah dark hair she's got green eyes and then bam no way yeah and then you it is what it is like that's you from now on you don't you kind of have that persona for the rest of your like tenure or whatever it's called and that's them deciding not you both deciding like they're saying you're going to be you don't have a you don't have a say they don't make you look like a completely and totally

different person. I feel like Kelly has a really great eye to look at you and say like, I like her, I like her hair how it is. Or I really think that she would pop more if her hair was darker or she needs more blonde. You know, she has a really good eye for that. And I mean, I trusted it. I'm like, whatever you guys want. That's awesome. Yes. So wait, so you did 02 to 05. So like when 05 rolls, You finished the 05 season. Was it one of those things? Do you like, okay, I'm just going to move on now? Or what was your point?

Well, I had met a boy. Yep, there it is. And he had moved to Miami. So I was like, peace. I'm out. I've done three years. Three years is a long time. Five years is like, five years is like amazing.

But three years is a long time for a professional cheerleader or dancer. And I was ready. I was like ready to do something new and fun and different. But I moved to Miami. And right when I got there, I was like, what can I do? What am I going to do? I have to dance. So I did, I tried out for the heat.

And like you said, it was a totally different world. Tiny bikini tops, itty bitty shorts, tall boots, high heel stilettos, like, working all the things. So. Working all the things. I went from like pom-poms and hair to like booty shorts and. and high-heel boots. Yeah, right. Do you come in with a cachet, though, I would guess?

Like, you come in for the Miami Heat Troutes and they're like, well, she's a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader, you know? Yes, I think, I mean, I feel like it was because also I looked different too. So you go there and Trista, same for you. I'm sure you walked in and you were like, you looked different than everyone at the audition. Just because it's a different, it's a different world. it's a different place it's different everyone is coming from everywhere in miami and so it's a really great mesh of like everyone right yeah um and then but there was a girl who also tried out that had just been a laker girl so we're over here i'm like this brown-haired dallas cowboy cheerleader

and she's like this Barbie blonde from l-a right so yeah we kind of stood out a little bit but i went in there like oh my gosh the dance style is so different it's very hip hop it's very um low to the ground you know what i mean so um when you go in there i had to kind of like i had to pull out a different me yeah how long did you do that how long were you a heat a heat one year i cheered oh five to oh six that's awesome we won the champion and then did you go to and then when did bachelor happen for you And Dan, did you dance for Phoenix? I did. I moved to Phoenix after that season.

I moved to Phoenix and then tried out for the Suns dancers, and I made the Suns. So I danced for a year, 0-607. And in between, then I tried out for Mercury, which is like the women's, the NBA team. They have, they had like a hip-hop squad. So I made the Mercury hip-hop squad. And after I made Mercury, then I did The Bachelor. So I shared a little bit of, I did my whole first year with Sons, a little bit of Mercury. And then I went on the Bachelor for six weeks, came back, finished out the Mercury season.

And then I did two more years with the Sons. Oh, cool. Wow. Yeah. What a pedigree. That's impressive. What a pedigree. Well, I was like, if you choose me, I'll just find somewhere to dance.

in Texas. Yeah, you're like, where do you live, Brad Womack? Okay, yeah, I can dance there. And I was like, hmm, San Antonio is kind of close. That's awesome. Oh, shoot. Love it. And do you miss it at all?

I do, but I still have my hand in it. I teach, I teach dance group fitness at Lifetime, and I teach Grovey Effect, which is like a high, it's a high energy dance, like fitness class, but we do. like weights and like some stuff like that in there. And so I feel like I get my Jenny on in that hour or so when I'm teaching because I don't know. I just turned back. It's you are, I feel like you get to be a different person when you're dancing. Not a different person. Like you get to like be all the things that are like inside. Put them out there. That's that's what made Trista fall in love with me on the bachelorette was my mad dancing skills. And when you said

it was like more hip hop like I'm like, oh yeah, that's me. You may dance just like my husband. I see myself so differently that I know I was dancing. I was more than Irish jig guy, which you might be surprised, both of you to hear this, but that doesn't translate as well on the larger dancing scene. And we see that. Yeah, I'm sure. I'm like still pulling out the river dance moves, you know?

It's like, I don't even know what I'm doing. I like river dance, though. I'm in. Yeah. At my age, it shows flexibility. you know, muscular maturity. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious.

Well, wait a minute, Sam, maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend has been hanging out with his young professor a lot.

He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone. Now, hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That sounds totally inappropriate. Well, according to this person, this is her boyfriend's former professor and they're the same age.

And it's even more likely that they're cheating. He insists there's nothing between them. I mean, do you believe him? Well, he's certainly trying to get this person to believe him because he now wants them both to meet. So, do we find out if this person's boyfriend really cheated with his professor or not? To hear the explosive finale, listen to the OK Storytime podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, my name is Enya Eumanzor. And I'm Drew Phillips.

And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you. But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh my God, perfect. And want to hear people with mental illness, psycho babble. Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your free IHeart Radio app.

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streets. I 100% can see how in just a few months you can have this much credit card debt when it weighs on you. It's really easy to just like stick your head in the sand. It's nice and dark in the sand. Even if it's scary, it's not going to go away just because you're avoiding it. And in fact, it may get even worse. For more judgment-free money advice, listen to Brown Ambition on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm just fascinated that both you guys were like such accomplished dancers. And it's funny, we talk about our mutual friends, Jenny, but she went on to dance for several teams too, right?

She was a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader than a 49er girl. So it's always interesting to me that I think it really is in your blood, you know, like the ones that, you know, get out there and just keep going and doing it. It's such a cool stage to be on, too. Yeah. When I, every time I go out to when I teach a class, I'll walk in and be like, I'm Jenny. Dance and music like, it's in my soul. So like when I put this, when I put this music on, I'm going to act a little bit weird.

I'm going to, I'm not going to act like, I, you know, as I do when you walk in the door. But I feel it. Like I love. I feel like when you grow up in that world and you do it professionally, it's, it's in your, it's in your soul for sure. Yeah. Yeah. Well, you can always tell, too, when you meet someone who's been in that situation, they're always really effusive, at least my experience has always been, they're always confident and effusive and have this great personality as well because that comes through in the dance

as well. And I know that, you know, I've always thought that about you. You have such a great personality and you're fun to be around and you're welcome. And of course, the queen, Trista, you know, really really lays the foundation for everyone to feel comfortable on the dance floor. Even me. eat reunion oh my gosh i i was just at one did you go to it this year last year yes no i think we talked about it how he did i wanted to go so bad but i always feel like one of my kids things always ends up somewhere in all i was i was shocked that one of my kids things did not empty my availability to go but yes i i was just do you know who cat napolitano is yes so she was my choreographer

when I first tried out when I was first on the squad. Why do I know that name, Trista? Why do I know that? I know that name. Why do I know? So, Kat is actually a really big event producer and she does a lot of

dance media production. So you may have run into her at some point in time. She knows pretty much everyone in the dance industry. But she was just here. I just, I just, had lunch with her and blakesly got to meet her but we were just talking about how we want it we need

to go to a reunion again we need to do this again because it was so much fun i love doing the cowboys one they bring everybody in for like the entire weekend like we'll go from like a Thursday to a Monday and there's amazing and like we get to meet the cheerleaders because we love to meet the cheerleaders too and then they perform at the halftime and this year it's a Monday night football game so it's going to be insane. Oh, my gosh. Insane. Oh, that's so much fun.

And do you get to bring Mia, your little girl? Yeah, so a couple of years ago when I went, my husband, we brought all the kids. They sat in a little box on the zone. Like they had, it was probably the best time of their life. And they're like, that's my fault. I could imagine they had to be so proud. I know. It's really fun.

I think it's cool because I'm like, you guys don't know. You guys don't know who I am. You don't know me. Right. Yeah. I'm not just making peanut butter and jellies all day. Yeah. Yeah. I try to convince my kids the same because I know that my kids think I'm a total dork, which they're not wrong. Oh, yeah. But I'm always like. I'm like, I know.

I used to have a cool life, guys. Okay. You know, then this happened. These, these happened. Yeah. Hey, well, I'm curious when you went on The Bachelor because for me, I was titled, uh, just a, um, my, me heat dancer or something like that it was like or engage cheerleader or you know whatever i wasn't a pediatric physical therapist was which of course was my career i was just in my knee dancer so did they use that as your title or were you were you something else i said sun's dancer on it son's dancer yeah but they had to go through channels to get that title down there too i mean i was a I was a dental assistant, but they also just put tons to answer home there.

Now, none of the, this is going to sound really terrible and I'm going to get some haters for it, but I'm going there anyway. Back then they actually put something that we did in the Chiron, and now they can't, for all the guys that go on there, they can't put personal trainer lives in mom's basement under there because it's too many words. So now they have to put like, just kidding, just kidding, everybody. But no, they really did. Like they boiled us all down.

I mean, I remember Trista, you might remember this, you may not. But I remember under Ryan Sutter was a firefighter. And that was it, right? And I was mortgage guy, which by the way, I had literally just bought into a mortgage company. I didn't even know what the hell is going on from a mortgage perspective. And I remember talking to Ryan one night and somehow it comes up to Trista that, you know, I was, I played football in college. I was a quarterback, you know, this kind of stuff. So you bring it up to me, Trista.

And I'm like, listen, I just, I can't really, I was literally a party planner on the football team. I was a backup. I'm like, Ryan played professional football for the Baltimore Ravens. Because I was like such a Ryan Sutter fan because here he was like the most humble pie, nicest guy. And he had played at this level that, you know, nobody gets to. And I'm just like, and he wouldn't talk about it. He's talking about, well, you know, I hook up the fire extinguisher. I'm like, dude, like, what are you doing?

You're so fascinating. Talk about what you've done in your life, man. But he just wasn't that guy. But, you know, they don't have the, now it's like all funny, kitchy stuff, which I guess is good. Yeah, I mean, that's fine. Yeah. It's fine. I just thought it was funny.

Yeah, I do like to know. Well, here's the deal. I can always tell you which girl was a professional cheerleader or dancer. I can always take it out. 100%. Yeah. I know I got a good eye. Got a good eye.

You got a lot of experience in it. Yeah. Do you know anybody like Melissa Reitcroft, for example? Was she dancing when you were dancing? She cheered after me. Okay. So like... Do you know, do you have any other connections of people either through Bachelor or Bachelor?

Oh my gosh. You know what? Now you're like testing my like mom brain. Ah, the memory? Which I don't have at all. You know what? No, but right now one of my girlfriends is on Big Brother. Oh, stop it.

I am a huge big brother fan. Her name is Brooklyn and she was like a cheerleader. She was like Miss America, Miss USA, like, amazing. I'm a huge fan, but I don't know how I didn't know that it had started and I missed the first two episodes. I, I, right our DVR. I know. Well, I hadn't set it up yet because we moved.

So with our new like DVR thing, I hadn't put in all of my favorite shows yet. and so it hadn't automatically started taping. So I have to go back and see the first two episodes, but that is so exciting. Is she from? Where is she from, Arizona? She's in Texas. Okay. But I'm so pumped.

I love it when I like know somebody that's on a show. If ever there was a show that I ever decided to do again, it would be that. I love Big Brother. Big Brother. Me too. Yes. I'm so excited. Although it would be so hard to disappear.

for three months. I mean, oh, that I could never, I couldn't do it. That would be just like the one thing that I would be like, maybe. But three months would be a long time for me. I think my husband might be insane by the time we got back. Yeah. Same. He would be insane after like a week or two weeks, you know. He could do it. He would, he would be amazing. But I think he would be like, here's your kids. Yeah. I don't know how you drive 7,000 miles a day. No, I feel the same way. I feel like I have been and recently had to, you know, disappear for a moment in time. And I was like, he's got this. He's an incredible dad. So he's fine. I trust that everything will be just fine.

Okay. I want to get back to your experience. What was your, like, favorite game day moment? Do you have any fun memories? Yes, I have lots of fun. Any of them. I have lots of fun of memories. One is my very first game that I cheered at.

My dad randomly just walked up to a ticket counter and got a ticket, right? Like he just was like, hey, give me a ticket. We come out. We do our intro and then the team splits into four and you're on your different corners, end zones, right? And I look up where my dad is sitting right there, right in front of me. We had no idea. We had no idea what corner or wherever we would be. He just randomly got a ticket and he ended up right there.

So I love that I was sitting right there for the first, for the first game. I love that. And I was there when Emmett Smith broke the rushing record and like, you couldn't hear yourself think. It was the loudest cheering and like, I cry, like everyone was crying. Like, it was so incredible. I bet. That is so exciting. And then I feel like every game we would walk out there and like we'd stand in the tunnel ready to go.

and like then our music comes on and the intro for the cowboy cheerleaders is and now ladies and gentlemen that often imitated never equaled internationally acclaimed Dallas cowboys cheerleaders and then we come out and it's like this rush of like goosebumps and air and like oh my god I made it so I mean I would do that every day if I could I wish my kids would do that for me my mom's here no no people they don't though so I kind of have to peek in and be like hey mom you're so bursy okay so but those I feel like I won't ever forget it it's I said it was the best time of my life I feel like I have a lot of best times of my life but that that is definitely what took me from being um just Jenny and just a college cheerleader to being a woman and

confident and a dancer and I don't know they take you through all kinds of things like you do etiquette classes and makeup classes they teach you how to like have a presence in public and that kind of stuff so it's not just like go and like dance on the sidelines they really do take you from being like this high school college athlete to being a professional athlete and and learning how to be in the world yeah yeah that's so cool i um i feel like they do it really well you know like the heat you they do the makeup classes and you have the camaraderie of you know your fellow dancers which i that that's what i was drawn to too um not just the dancing but the camaraderie and i feel like yes you learn a lot about that but it seems like like the etiquette stuff i wish that

was like a required class in school. Yeah, I agree. I've sent my boys to etiquette class because I'm like, I went to etiquette class. You guys are going. Yes. I can't take a bind into the oldest person I was able to take some bite. It's so funny. I think about things like that and in things that I learned through cowboys and like, I mean, it has an effect on my every single day life. That's amazing in a positive way. In a positive way, absolutely. Yeah, for sure. I feel like as the days go by because there's the shows and Netflix and like social media and all the things that it's like good and bads like people are getting the positives but also it's a lot of stress and a lot of eyes which it's always been a lot of eyes on you but now it's a little more like

nitpicky right yeah day i feel like it was really yeah i feel like it was all positive it was like the influence that all of it had on me was nothing but positive. I love that. I love that. Do you feel like it helped in terms of getting you ready for your television part of your life? Oh my gosh. Yes. I always say like I cheered with so many beautiful, talented, smart, outgoing women who are all like front point,

homecoming prom queens right so i all i was always around that type of woman and then when you go into the bachelor it's all those women still it's like the same like high level beautiful smart talented you know it's the same group of women right and you go in there and if you've never been in that world i don't think you really know how to act i don't think you know how to you know smile and cheer another woman on rather than feel intimidated and, you know, become something that you may not actually be. But I was used to that world. So I felt comfortable with other women and, you know, and I, and I love to cheer. I love to cheer other women on. So I was comfortable in that world is just, I don't know, just that's kind of where I took it. Like, it was easy for me

to be there. And I don't think it's easy for most. women to be there if you've never in that situation before. Well, I feel like especially in today's society, women don't always lift each other up. You know, there are a lot of trolls out there and a lot of jealousy. And I feel like with social media, you know, people feel like there's no accountability, or there is no accountability if you want to say what you want to say. So I feel like that could be another required class for just women. And, you know, I mean, I guess all of us to just lift each other up and support each other.

Yeah, I love that. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly, and now I'm seriously suspicious. Well, wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit. Well, Dakota, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend has been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now he's insisting we get to know each other,

but I just want her gone. Now, hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That sounds totally inappropriate. Well, according to this person, this is her boyfriend's former professor and they're the same age. And it's even more likely that they're cheating.

He insists there's nothing between them. I mean, do you believe him? Well, he's certainly trying to get this person to believe him because he now wants them both to meet. So, do we find out if this person's boyfriend really cheated with his professor or not? To hear the explosive finale, listen to the OK Storytime podcast

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, my name is Enya Umanzor. And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you. But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh my God, perfect. And want to hear people with mental illness, psycho babble.

Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you. Open your free Eye Heart Radio. video app, search emergency intercom, and listen now. Imagine that you're on an airplane and all of a sudden you hear this. Attention passengers, the pilot is having an emergency and we need someone, anyone to land this plane. Think you could do it? It turns out that nearly 50% of men think that they could land the plane with the help of air traffic

control. And they're saying like, okay, pull this, do this, pull that, turn this. It's just, I can do my eyes close. I'm Mani. I'm Noah. This is Devin. And on our new show, No Such Thing, we get to the bottom of questions like these. Join us as we talk to the leading expert on overconfidence.

Those who lack expertise lack the expertise they need to recognize that they lack expertise. And then, as we try the whole thing out for real. Wait, what? Oh, that's the run right. I'm looking at this thing. See? Listen to No Such Thing on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast. or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hola, it's Honey German, and my podcast, Grasas Come Again, is back. This season, we're going even deeper into the world of music and entertainment with raw and honest conversations with some of your favorite Latin artists and celebrities. You didn't have to audition?

No, I didn't audition. I haven't audition in, like, over 25 years. Oh, wow. That's a real G-talk right there. Oh, yeah. We've got some of the biggest actors, musicians, content creators, and culture shifters sharing their real stories

of failure and success. You were destined to be a start. We talk all about what's viral and trending with a little bit of chisement, a lot of laughs, and those amazing vivas you've come to expect. And of course, we'll explore deeper topics dealing with identity, struggles, and all the issues affecting our Latin community.

You feel like you get a little whitewash because you have to do the code switching? I won't say whitewash because at the end of the day, you know what I'm me? Yeah. But the whole pretending and code, you know, It takes a toll on you. Listen to the new season of Grasasas Come Again as part of My Cultura Podcast Network

on the IHartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. So it seems like they did a good job with that too. Now you're watching the show. Is there anything that you think is different from your experience back in the day for cowboys? like compared to the documentary no i think they don't show they don't show like well they do show the um importance and the in the and like the heaviness of making sure that you stay a certain way and you look a certain way like your um you know you take care of yourself right i mean those girls we were dancing from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday

and then appearances and events on saturday and games on Sunday or Monday. So, I mean, it's, you're constantly working out, right? You're always doing something physical. But outside of that, you're going to the gym, you're taking hit classes, you're doing ballet, your bar, all the things, right? So you're taking care of yourself. Back then, we didn't get like the nutrition aspect of it. So I would literally, I was working at a dentist, I would get up at 5 o'clock in the morning. I'd have to be there at 6.45, but stop at McDonald's on the way. I'd get a large Coke, a hash brown. and a sausage and cheese biscuit every summer day.

And so I really had to be like conscious of like don't gain weight. Like don't you got it. Maybe I now I have to go the gym again just because we would get weight, random way in. Like it'd be like weigh in day and everyone would like run to the bathroom, try to pee and then go stand in line to get weighed in. And you don't take your shoes off. You don't, you just go get on the scale.

and they just take notes. So it would be like random here and there. I feel like it was a little stressful. Now I feel like at this point in my life, I'm probably in the best shape of my life. And I probably, and I waste so much more than I did when I was a cheerleader. But I feel like muscular and healthy now. And then I was, it was more of a let's be skinny.

I don't think it's like that with them now because they, all of them are so like. muscular and fit now that i mean i feel like it's their wayans are probably a little bit different yeah it's my son he just woke up he's like oh um so it's probably a little bit different but that was one thing i don't think they showed like they did they do kind of show it how important it is to like stay in your like weight and like your your body is important for your uniform but i don't think They show the freak out moments of like, oh, shoot, we got to go way in. I remember sitting down with Kelly a couple of times when she's like, Jenny, like, here's

a picture with like your back circled from the game or, you know what I'm saying? Like your shorts are getting a little tight. But here's the thing. And I always think about it like this. It was. They were, right? And she's just pointing it out saying. hey, don't forget, this is important too.

This is what everyone is seeing. You don't see it because they're out there. But part of the whole being the cheerleader back then was your style. Like don't let someone have that moment to criticize you. So I take it with good and bad. But yeah, I feel like that's one thing they didn't show a lot of. They do show one particular person going through a lot ups and downs with her eating and that kind of stuff. And I knew, and I've cheered with a few girls that had issues, but I feel like in general, everything that they showed from the feelings that you're getting, the stalkers that you get.

Like, it's so bad. I mean, people wait for you. They'll wait for you at the end of the game. And you don't have security. they do they have security walking from the tunnel to the bus from the bus to the car security at home but you know if you ever have an issue that's one thing they were really good at you say

something it's taken care of oh wow that's something I'm saying yeah so you felt safe I always felt safe I just feel if you were to ever say anything and I think they showed this on the show the one girl said something that happened to her at a game it was nipped in the bud taking care of done there's nothing else to talk about because they will protect you at all costs that's good yeah that's good which i love i feel like with the with the whole um body you know the evolution of how it's changed from when we were dancing to now yeah i feel like society is very much body positive and um i wonder like if if mea ever wanted to

try out. How would you feel with if they still keep those standards? You know what I mean? In terms of like weigh-ins and, you know, showing you pictures of what your back looks like or whatever. You know, how would you feel about your daughter doing it with your experience, obviously taken into account and knowing what a positive experience you had? How would you feel? Well, I feel like when I, when I look back on it and how it affects me today in my life, I am pretty conscious about myself. I wouldn't say critical because I have done all the things from too many pounds with all the kids and just, you know, whatever. And all the sizes, all the weights. I've been there because, you know, you don't happen to you have kids.

They're crazy. But, and having been through all of that, I feel very conscious of it. And it is a part of my every single day life. But I don't feel negatively about it. I feel like it's a good thing for me. I feel like it keeps me knowing how to eat healthy, what to fuel my body with. Food is like not just food. It's going to make you feel better.

Yeah. So I feel like that was, I don't, I don't feel like anything. negative came out of that for me i can see if it can for some people but when it comes to like if my daughter were you know 22 years old trying out for a team i feel like she's 22 trying out for a professional dance team cheer squad there 100% should be um a thought process in what she looks like in the uniform and how she includes herself and how healthy she is she is treated her body. So what, I just don't know. I don't want to say, yeah, I think she should go through that. But I also feel like when you get to that level, there should be accountability.

Yeah. I see that. I mean, if it's only for just, um, I mean, you're a professional athlete at that point. Yeah. Yeah. Totally. I mean, it's no different than the guys in the NFL needing to work out, like to maintain their health. And they have a weight. They have a weight chart. Like, they have a weight they have weights they have to stay at it's not any different so like if there's like the linebacker and the quarterback they still have their expectations of their athletic performance which is exactly the same as what they're holding the cheerleaders to it's just it's just it's evolved now and i think now it's more of a healthy body than a skin right um 100% yes i feel like i feel like that's always how it should have been.

That was kind of how it was instilled in me as when I went to college and studied physical therapy. And it was always just about being healthy, you know, like making sure you're healthy and what you're taking in is fuel and, you know, that you're making sure you work out. I will say, now that I've gotten to be 51 years old, I'm also a little bit of that. And I'm like, you know what? I'm going to eat all the bread and drink all the wine. and I mean like I've been training for like a muscle bikini competition so wish me luck.

You are? I'm going to try to do one before I turn 45. Yes. It's amazing. Just kidding. But so I've been doing that. And so I have been like really focused on it and and learning so many things about my body. But we went to Greece for two weeks and then I was in Kansas for a couple weeks and then we went to Vegas.

and then we're going to Mexico in a couple weeks and then school starts. But I have let myself eat whatever I felt like I wanted to eat. So I've had pizza, but also I have put my body into a state where I feel like even if I do that, I still feel healthy and good, right? Because your metabolism is high again. Yes. So I feel like now that I've learned more about lifting weights and that kind of it's it's I think it's a whole different world yeah it definitely can help I mean you're still

burning stuff when you're when eating all the not all the things you shouldn't be eating yeah like seven pieces of pizza well I say shouldn't be eating being that you're like this should eat the things but you should eat all like what makes your body feel good and what makes it not feel good right well and also if your goal is to compete right and a physical fitness competition, then you clearly have to be choosy about what you're eating. Like, you know, choosing the carb over the protein is probably not what you want to be doing. We'll go back to that after the kids go back to school. And I'm not eating chicken nuggets.

Well, you know what? And life is about priority. And I feel like prioritizing if you're on vacation and you want to make memories and quality time and not be worried about nip. picking every single meal like do it like i don't want to be the burden and i don't want to be the burden and when everybody's having all this fun stuff and everybody's eating tacos and chips and whatever and then i'm like i just get a grilled chicken you know i i didn't want to be the burden so i just had a little bit of fun and then now now it's game time right yes yeah i feel like that's what life is about life is just about all right yeah so i asked me

beginning, but do you miss dancing? I know you do, you dance through lifetime, but do you miss the like professional dancing part of your life? I do. If I had, if I felt like I had the time or like the bandwidth to be able to go do it again, I would audition again. I am judging Sun's Dancer auditions coming up next time. I know. I'm so pumped. That is so fun. I did that for the Broncos. You did. I love it. Oh, it was so fun. Just to be in like, just to be there and be part of it. Yeah. I feel like that was a fun little way to just kind of sneak back in, you know. And even though I'd never danced for the Broncos, it was just fun to be part of these girls' experience and, you know, reminding myself kind of what I went through and bringing back memories for me. So you'll have so much fun. I love it. I know. No, well, see, they asked me, and I said, well, absolutely, I'm in, what time and where. I said, or should I just try out?

Are you going to? Do you, Jenny? And I'm like, no, I'll just judge. I don't have time. Do they have an age limit? No, I mean, none of them have an age limit. That's amazing. Bad ass, like, badass salado or whatever it is.

Are you should. Bad ass a lot. that's what you're going to have them in due to us i know i do love that the sun's dancers have kind of evolved into a more it's like really i don't even know what the word is but there's guys and girls and all walks of life very cool a hip-hopish squad where like everyone can try out like go dance your ass off and if you're if your dance level and your entertainment value matches, you're in. I love it.

Oh my gosh, that's so fun. I'm kind of jealous that you're getting to do that because it's so much fun. So, okay, well, next time there's a reunion for the heat. I know. I need to go. I haven't gotten to go to any of the heat reunions. So you have to. Are you on the, and you might not be, just because you weren't at the reunion this time,

but there's a WhatsApp chat. Are you on that? No, but can you add me? Jenny, you don't want to be added. And I'm sorry for everyone on this WhatsApp chat, but I swear, I'm going to go, I'm going to look at it right now because I swear it's like there's hundreds of messages. I can't keep up because everyone's so nice to each other and everyone's like, happy birthday, happy anniversary. And I'm like, oh my gosh, my mind is blowing because I can't even keep up with my life. Let alone all of these girls who I miss terribly and I want to stay connected to, but I'm like, I just can't keep up.

Yeah, I know. It's a lot. But we do start, like, if there is a reunion, then we all connect. So it's just a great way to connect with, not even just the people you danced with. Other people, which, you know, we were years apart. I think I stopped in 2002 because that's when I went. Yeah, 506. No.

Yeah. Yeah, 0506, yeah. Yeah, you were, was, who was choreographing? Janine? Janine and Janora. Uh-huh. I love Janora and Janine, obviously. But, oh, I love that.

Okay, it has been so much fun to chat. Thank you so much for coming on me. I'm going to the gym. Oh, good for you. I told you on Instagram. You're inspiring me. Like, your before and afters. I love freaking seeing you.

Thank you. I know. She just gave me, she was like, eat this every day for the rest of your life. and no not the rest of your life i've been on it for like i don't know it's almost been two months now the eating portion of it and i've been lifting for like i don't know six months now um i just feel so amazing i i feel like i might be addicted i love i love it that's a great addiction yes i know if you're going to have an addiction okay i'll tell you on my show as you're coming

I love it. I would love to see you. Oh my gosh. That's so amazing for sure. Okay. Can we post it? So good to chat. I love you. Thank you, Trista. Love you. I'll talk to you soon. Okay. Bye. Bye. All right, guys. Well, I, this is so weird saying goodbye without Bob. But this is Trista, and I'm so excited you all. We're able to listen to our little interview with Jenny Craft Badass Alato. If you want to hear us chat with any of of the guests or cast members from Bachelor, Bachelorette, whatever, it does not matter. Just shoot us your ideas and we'd love to take them into account and chat with who you want us to chat with. So have a great day and stay tuned for more Almost Famous OGs. My boyfriend's professor is way too friendly and now I'm seriously suspicious. Wait a minute, Sam. Maybe her boyfriend's just looking for extra credit.

Well, Dakota, luckily, it's back to school week on the OK Storytime podcast, so we'll find out soon. This person writes, my boyfriend's been hanging out with his young professor a lot. He doesn't think it's a problem, but I don't trust her. Now he's insisting we get to know each other, but I just want her gone. Hold up. Isn't that against school policy? That seems inappropriate. Maybe find out how it ends by listening to the OK Storytime podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, my name is Enya Eumanzor.

And I'm Drew Phillips. And we run a podcast called Emergency Intercom. If you're a crime junkie and you love crimes, we're not the podcast for you. But if you have unmedicated ADHD... Oh my God, perfect. And want to hear people with mental illness, psycho babble. Yes, yes. Then Emergency Intercom is the podcast for you.

Open your free IHeartRadio app. Search Emergency Intercom and listen now. The Super Secret Bestie Club podcast season four is here. And we're locked in. That means more juicy chisement. Terrible love advice. Evil spells to cast on your ex. No, no, no, no, we're not doing that this season.

Oh, well, this season we're leveling up. Each episode will feature a special bestie, and you're not going to want to miss it. My name is Curley. And I'm Maya. Get in here. Listen to the Super Secret Bestie Club on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. What would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose between a maximum security prison or the most brutal boot camp designed to be hell on earth?

Unfortunately for Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced. He said, you are a number, a New York State number, and we own you. Listen to shock incarceration on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast.