Joey Graziadei wasn’t fairly prepared to depart the ballroom. After The Bachelor Season 28 star gained the Season 33 Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy with professional Jenna Johnson he’s again because the first-ever host of the Dancing With the Stars Official Podcast. He’s taken on a wholly new function, not not like going from The Bachelorette to the lead of The Bachelor.
As an alternative of competing each week, Graziadei will probably be watching the performances carefully and diving into what’s happening behind the scenes. Graziadei spoke with TV Insider about moving into the internet hosting area, how he’s viewing the present in a very new mild, his secret accidents final season, and extra.
How did you react to getting the decision about staying within the Dancing With the Stars world with this podcast?
Graziadei: I used to be so excited when that decision got here by way of. Clearly, I stayed in contact with the entire household basically, particularly the manager producers, and so they knew that I actually was seeking to, after my time on Dancing With the Stars, get extra into the internet hosting area and attempt to discover these alternatives, simply in any area, have the ability to do some extra internet hosting. When the Dancing With the Stars name got here to do one thing on the podcast facet, it simply appeared like an ideal match. I used to be honored that they considered me, tremendous excited, and desperate to get began, construct that talent, and have a chance to actually be part of this new season, which everybody’s so enthusiastic about. There have been lots of feelings. There was pleasure, there was aid, there have been lots of issues that got here by way of, however I’m actually most of all simply grateful that I bought the chance.
ABC
Because you’re overlaying the season for the podcast, are you within the ballroom each week?
Graziadei: I’m going to be there virtually each single Monday and Tuesday. That’s the plan and what I need to be part of. I suppose the easiest way to explain it’s I knew the way it was on the present, the place throughout the weeks, from Wednesday by way of Sunday, you’re form of in your individual little bubble, you’re within the studio, you’re working in your dance, however Monday is form of when everybody comes collectively. That’s after they do the digital camera blocking. That’s after we begin to get a really feel for the ballroom and the dances that week. I actually have made it a purpose to attempt to be there on these blocking days, have the ability to meet up with everybody, and get a really feel for what the dances are going to be like. After which the identical factor for Tuesdays as properly. I’m making an attempt to be there the vast majority of the dance on Tuesday to get a really feel for the sense of the ballroom when individuals are getting began. I believe it’s simply good to have a finger on that pulse earlier than these dances come up, after which we’re capturing the podcast majority on Tuesdays after the present as a result of we’re making an attempt to get the reactions and what occurs in actual time. After which additionally it’s going to get to the purpose the place we begin speaking to the eradicated {couples}, and we have now to be there and out there when that point comes.
You clearly have the attitude of somebody who’s competed and gained the present, however does watching and observing for the podcast make you have a look at the present in another way now?
Graziadei: I undoubtedly have a look at it with a special lens. After being on the present, it’s useful to know and relate to what the celebrities are going by way of, when it comes to, for me, personally, how totally different it’s. It’s humorous. Generally I’m like, “Man, I want I had been simply dancing.” It’s so thrilling to see the power within the ballroom and the way excited all of the celebrities are. And per normal, that is one other a type of seasons that’s lots of nice expertise, however there’s lots of nice camaraderie. The totally different lens, for me, actually is simply an understanding of how tough it’s and looking for a approach to present how superb the present is. On this podcast, we’re additionally relating lots of various things apart from simply the competitors and what occurs from week to week. We actually need to begin going and uncovering and speaking about these issues that folks don’t see except you’ve gotten been on the present, or except you go to a dwell present, whether or not that’s how the manufacturing crew works, how the stage managers work, all the things from hair and make-up to costumes, there’s so many shifting elements of this present that it’s a must to be a reasonably die laborious fan to learn about. And even the die-hard followers most likely don’t get to see and uncover all these issues. There’s lots going into what we’re making an attempt to do on the podcast. That’s most likely certainly one of my favourite issues is simply making an attempt to make clear how superb these individuals are that basically make up the present.
Danielle Fishel spoke about her harm in her video bundle. What did you do to remain injury-free final season?
Graziadei: I’ll be the primary to confess I had loads of accidents. It’s a type of issues that, if it’s actually unhealthy, it will get talked about. I really feel for Danielle, as a result of I believe there isn’t one particular person I do know who has been on the present who hasn’t gotten some harm. It may very well be one thing actually severe, like what occurred with Danielle, and to have a small hamstring tear this early is clearly devastating, and I hope it simply will get higher for her. I keep in mind after Week 3, I injured my heel throughout a backflip and needed to dance my tango on a bruised heel. I believe I had a small fracture in my heel, which may have been one thing that was nagging from earlier than, nevertheless it simply occurred with the present. Most individuals don’t know is what number of hours you place in constantly, and also you’ve simply bought to maintain dancing. It’s a type of issues which you can be hurting, and everybody has a bit of nagging ache, or one thing severe like Danielle, however you need to have the ability to put as a lot time and power into your dance as you may, to really feel assured in what’s coming into it. For me, when it comes to prevention, it took that Week 3 drive for me to have an harm. I used to be 29 years outdated the time, so I wished to be invincible nonetheless, however I used to be like, “I must nonetheless care for my physique.” They’ve an ideal PT staff, and the individuals who have the power to assist on the present are unbelievable. You’ll be able to go in to attempt to have the ability to have work carried out every time one thing’s hurting, and simply the stretching each single time earlier than apply, and making an attempt to just be sure you’re taking good care of your physique, you’re giving it relaxation, you’re icing, you’re elevating all these enjoyable issues from my heel to my shoulder to I believe I had a bit of little bit of a nagging knee ache at one level. I believe those you see on the present are those that basically get to the purpose that they’ve to regulate. It’s one thing that it’s apparent that there’s one thing that’s improper, so that they should make part of the story. Folks don’t know half the accidents that occur on the present, nevertheless it’s good to spotlight typically how laborious it’s. I give main props to Danielle for with the ability to push by way of and do as superb as she did within the dance.
Eric McCandless / Disney
Was there anyone in these first two weeks who simply took you abruptly?
Graziadei: I imply, how lengthy do you’ve gotten? I really feel like this complete forged is unbelievable. Clearly, everybody has some kind of dance background in lots of methods. Out of this crew, there’s those who have danced again early on their life and have taken an extended break. There’s those who have have zero dance expertise in anyway. I believe I might say the 2 greatest surprises for me, and I shouldn’t say surprises as a result of I believe all of the others are so gifted, however one particularly was Lauren [Jauregui] within the first two dances. She’s a fantastic dancer, and I knew she was going to be a fantastic dancer, however I’m extra amazed at how easy she makes it look. I believe, particularly with the brand new model of the ballroom, how she’s shifting throughout the dance ground and the way elegant she’s been is so spectacular and one thing that I’m actually amazed by within the first two dances as a result of she’s carried out two dances the place she’s needed to be in body, and she or he’s needed to work with Brandon [Armstrong] to maneuver throughout the ground. Clearly, everybody was blown away by Robert Irwin in Week 1, with the truth that him having no dance expertise and regarded nearly as good as he did in his drive was unbelievable. That was such a dance that match him, and props to Witney [Carson] for getting him prepared in such a brief time frame and for having him look the way in which he did. Dylan Efron is one other the place you may inform how a lot power and energy he’s placing into it, and the way he’s improved from Week 1 to Week 2 already is superb. But when I’m being trustworthy, I may undergo every one of many forged and let you know how stunned I’m by how sturdy they’re. I simply see the competitors getting harder.
You’re internet hosting this podcast, and also you’ve stated you need to proceed to be within the internet hosting area. If anyone bought sick or one thing, as we noticed with Carrie Ann Inaba throughout premiere week, in the event that they referred to as you and requested you to visitor cohost, would you do it?
Graziadei: I imply, proper now, I’m open to any alternative that may come my means. Clearly, I’m hoping that the people who find themselves there are in good well being and keep within the place that they’re doing as a result of they’re doing such an incredible job. The judges and the hosts, with Alfonso [Ribeiro], Julianne [Hough], Carrie Ann, Bruno [Tonioli], and Derek [Hough], they’re the center of the present from week to week. I’ve really actually loved, on my facet, with the ability to be taught from them and to speak to them and see how they function being on this facet now. I’m undoubtedly taking notes. I’m undoubtedly holding on to what I can so I can be taught. I’m simply impressed at what they do every single day. I’m so grateful to be on this internet hosting place proper now within the podcast area to construct this talent. If a chance arises in some unspecified time in the future down the road, I’ll at all times be open to it, particularly in the event that they consider me and so they assume I’m in a position and keen to do it. That will be an honor. However proper now, I’m simply in that technique of making an attempt to be taught and take it in every day.
Tune in each Thursday to the Dancing with the Stars Official Podcast, out there to stream on Disney+ and Hulu.
Dancing With the Stars, Season 34, Tuesdays, 8/7c, ABC
For extra Dancing With the Stars, decide up a replica of TV Information Journal’s Dancing With the Stars: twentieth Anniversary Particular Collector’s Difficulty, on stands now or out there at DWTS.TVGM2025.com.